Beet Pasta

 It has been a long time since I posted on my blog and I have a lot of new things to share with you all. I was blessed with a Christmas gift from one of my clients, Kitchen-Aid Mixer, and I have been a busy bee! Ordered the pasta attachment and learned how to make my own pasta! 

Making raviolis & saving rest for noodles

Put dough through pasta roller & cutting up noodles by hand.

Noodles ready to cook!

Beet Pasta 🍝

Ingredients:

2 cups of organic white flour 

1 cup of pre-cooked pureed beets

2 brown organic eggs

1/4 cup of olive oil

1 teaspoon of pink salt 

Directions: 

1. Add the ingredients together in a mixer on the dough setting. Keep a little bit extra of the white flour on the side to help with rolling out the dough. Allow the mixer to knead the dough for about 5 minutes. Keep adding some of the extra flour to the dough until it doesn't stick to your hands.

2. Flour your wooden board with some more of the extra flour and separate the dough in 3 or 4 portions. Wrap in plastic or cover in a container and refrigerate for 30 minutes or freeze until needed. 

3. Remove a portion from the refrigerator and let sit for about 5 - 10 minutes before rolling it out with a rolling pin. One portion makes a good amount of noodles for 1 - 2 people. I have a kitchen-aid pasta roller attachment which makes the whole process a lot easier. Make sure to have some extra flour to keep the dough from sticking. 

4. Make sure to wrap in plastic the rest of the dough and place it in the freezer until you are ready to cook. Once you have you dough at the consistency and as flat as you want, you can cut up your pasta in noodles or raviolis. I have made both. I don't have the pasta cutter so I cut my pasta by hand. You can make your noodles has thick or thin as you want!

5. Boil the noodles or raviolis in water, a teaspoon of olive oil and a pinch of salt. Noodles should be ready in 10 minutes depending on how thick they are. Raviolis take about 10 minutes depending how big they are as well. 

Enjoy making your beet pasta!

Healthy Cucumber Water Recipe

Want something different than water to quench your thirst? Try out making your own cucumber water! Nowadays with inflation the price of juices, smoothies and protein shakes have sky rocketed. Now is the time to get into your kitchen and develop a relationship in making your own beverages and food! Yes, you have to wash dishes! But you have take the negatives that comes with the positives and save yourself a lot of money! 

Healthy Cucumber Water Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 Cucumber 
• 1 liter of Spring water
• 1/8 cup of lime juice
• 1 rounded tablespoon of stevia
• 10 leaves of peppermint 

Directions:

• Step 1: Get a cutting board and cut up a large cucumber into thick slices that can be blended down easily. Add a liter Spring water to your blender and then the cucumber slices.
• 
  
• Step 2: Add 10 leaves of peppermint or any type of mint you prefer. I grow peppermint in my garden so that is why I choose to use this mint. Add  1/8 cup of lime juice with 1 large, rounded tablespoon of stevia.
• 
  
• Step 3: Place the blender of the machine and blend down the whole mixture. Strain the pulp from the mixture to leave the juice left over in a juice storage container. Pour yourself 16 oz of your own homemade healthy cucumber water!

How to Have A Healthy Thanksgiving

 

Thanksgiving is today and many of us are planning on seeing family, friends, and eating good foods. Here are some easy tips to make your Thanksgiving a healthy one!

• Eat only 1 - 2 servings of turkey and other sides
• Do not overload your plate
• One serving without skin: 4 oz. = 173 calories (depending on how it was cooked)
• Limit your eating to 2nd's and not 3rd's
• Add whole grain to your stuffing (brown rice, bulgur, millet or barely)
• Lowers many chronic diseases 
• Helps weight management 
• Lowers blood pressure
• Lowers gum disease and tooth decay
• Include at least 3 dark green vegetable side dishes
• Has less calories per serving
• Has vitamins, lowers cholesterol, and blood pressure
• Tons of Fiber to keep your weight management in check
• Recipes:
• Broccoli, Shitake and Red Onion Roast
• Brussels Sprouts with Bacon, Garlic, and Shallots
• Use Turkey Bacon for less calories
• Healthy sweet potato recipe
• Sweet potato is loaded with vitamin C vitamin A, potassium, calcium, and iron
• Used by bodybuilders to help build muscle
• Recipe
• Sweet potato & Quinoa Casserole
  
• Healthy pie recipe
• Make sweet pies without all the unwanted extra calories
• Recipe:
• Pear Custard Pie
• If you want to try everything that is displayed to eat for Thanksgiving, then get small portions of each.
• Getting 1 - 2 oz of each dish will save you unwanted calories you do not want to take in and will save you from looking like a prude during Thanksgiving.
• Take your time while eating
• Your body does not know it is full until 20 minutes. 
• Take your time and converse with your family and friends. I'm sure there is a lot of catching up to do.
• Drink red wine, low calorie beer, fresh squeezed juices, and/or water
• Cut out sodas, especially diet sodas
• Red wine is loaded with anti-oxidants
• Drink beer like Miller 64 and other low calories that are under 100 calories
• Fresh orange juice or homemade organic lemonade has less calories than the high corn syrup prepackage ones.

Happy Thanksgiving!

        ~Candace~

Sweet Potato & Quinoa Casserole Recipe

 

• Ingredients:

4 cups of diced sweet potato

3 tbsp of water

1 tbsp of olive oil

1/2 cup of thinly, sliced onion

2 tbsp of garlic

2 cups of chicken broth

1/3 cup of wine white

1 1/2 cup of quinoa

1 tsp of cumin

1 tsp of sea salt

1/2 tsp of cinnamon

1/4 paprika

1/2 cup of queso fresco

1/4 cup of fresh cilantro

• Directions
• Step 1: Pre-heat oven to 400 degree F. Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
• Step 2: Add sweet potato cubes, onions and garlic to the pan and cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until the onions lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Add broth, quinoa, wine, salt, cumin, cinnamon and paprika. Bring to a boil. 
• Step 3: Spoon the mixture into a 9-by-13-inch broiler-safe baking dish. Cover with foil. Bake until the sweet potatoes and quinoa are tender and the liquid is fully absorbed, 35 to 40 minutes.

• Step 4: Remove from oven; increase oven temperature to broil. Uncover the casserole and sprinkle with cheese. Broil 8 inches from the heat source until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle with cilantro. Let cool for 5 minutes before serving.