I’m SO very excited to introduce today’s guest blogger, Joe Ciccone, who sent me this recipe and picture to share with all of you just because he’s passionate about healthy food! Please read on for this versatile snack recipe, and to learn more about this fascinating guest blogger!

Seeds seem to always be included in any list of healthy things one should eat. I searched for someway to get this idea in to my daily diet, until I recently came up with this simple, easy-to-make dish.

Like in this recipe, I usually have it along with my soft/scrambled eggs and whole wheat toast for breakfast (it has actually replaced my favorite breakfast, Bacon & Eggs). But these toasted pumpkin seeds also make an excellent snack or side dish.

The salt and crispness of the seeds makes you think you’re eating popcorn! The seeds and mushrooms can also be used along side of any meat, fowl or fish dish.

Just be patient when roasting the seeds to get them brown evenly, then drain on paper towel and lightly salt. And please, for heaven’s sake, do not eat until they cool!

Toasted Pumpkin Seeds

Ingredients

• 2 tsp olive oil
• 1 cup unshelled pumpkin seeds
• 1/2 cup white button mushrooms, sliced
• 2 eggs
• 2 slices whole wheat toast
• 1/4 tsp salt (or to desired taste)

Preparation

1. In a small frying pan on medium-low heat, add a teaspoon olive oil and unshelled pumpkin seeds, salt lightly.
2. Shake pan often or mix using wooden spoon. Be patient….in 5 or 6 minutes you will have nicely browner seeds. Careful, they’re very hot. Place in bowl and set aside.
3. Replace pan on heat, add a little more olive oil.
4. Now add mushrooms, white button, which were washed and sliced while pumpkin seeds were browning.
5. Increase heat to medium-high, toss mushrooms, cook 3 or4 minutes until done.
6. Put mushrooms on plate and top with toasted pumpkin seeds.
7. Scramble eggs in same pan, add to plate, remove bread from toaster.
8. Use left-over toasted pumpkin seeds for a great snack!

Enjoy this healthy, tasty breakfast in about 10 minutes!

About the Author

Joe Ciccone is an active 70-year old who loves to cook healthy meals. He currently resides in West Palm Beach, Florida, with his wife of 32 years. He grew up in The Bronx and has been in the kitchen since he was 6 years old learning to cook from his father, a butcher, and his Italian and Polish grandparents. He’s worked in a NYC French restaurant and a 24-hour diner, and enjoyed cooking for parties and holidays in all 3 of his marriages. 

A big shout-out goes to Joe for taking the time to submit his recipe for all of us to try! If you have the chance to taste his recipe, please come back and tell us what you think.

If you read food labels, then you’ll probably agree that even most of the “healthy” cereals on the market use unpronounceable ingredients (a.k.a. crap). Since you can always trust your own homemade food, here’s a super easy granola recipe that tastes WAY better than anything you’ll find in a box!

Loaded with protein, grain and balanced with natural sugar, this homemade granola is a treat whether you pour milk over it and eat it as a cereal or sprinkle it over a bowl of fruit and yogurt. As an added bonus to it’s pleasing crunchy texture and incredible cacophony of tastes, it’s also allergy-friendly!

I’ve made this homemade granola three times now, trying different variations of ingredients. ALL of them have turned out spectacularly but this one I’m sharing with you today has been the best so far. (I think it’s the delicious mixture of tart cherries and exotic apricots.)

Feel free to use your imagination and substitute whatever flour, oil, nuts, seeds and dried fruit you love or have on hand.

Easy, Healthy Homemade Granola Recipe

Makes: 7 cups

Ingredients

• 2.5 cups rolled oats
• 3/4 cup brown rice flour
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
• 1/2 cup shredded, unsweetened coconut
• 1/3 cup sunflower seeds
• 1/3 cup small pumpkin seeds (pepita)
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup dried cherries & chopped dried apricots

Preparation

1. In a large bowl, combine the oats, flour, nuts, coconut, seeds and cinnamon.
2. Combine the oil and honey in a small saucepan. Heat briefly to liquefy the honey. Take it off the heat and stir in the vanilla.
3. Pour liquid over the dry ingredients. Mix well.
4. Spread mixture in a 9 x 11 glass casserole dish. Bake at 350º F for 20 to 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes, until golden brown.
5. Allow to cool, stir in dried fruit, then store in the refrigerator in tightly sealed containers.

FYI: some of the variations I’ve tried include pecans, almond slivers, dried figs, dried currants, dried cranberries, poppy seeds, no coconut and no extract. Some future variations I’m thinking: raisins, Brazil nuts, chia seeds, amaranth flour, sunflower oil and almond extract.

What are you thinking about trying in your homemade granola recipe?

It’s a little weird, I know. You don’t normally associate carrot muffins with Valentine’s Day. BUT, there is a special ingredient in this healthy recipe that IS tied to this celebration of love.

I’ll give you one guess as to what this secret love ingredient is… It usually comes in a heart-shaped box at this time of year…

That’s right – chocolate!

Not only does dark chocolate have a whack of antioxidants and other health benefits, it also contains substances which affect our brain chemistry in a very good way:

• Releases feel-good endorphins, our natural opiates which reduce pain and decrease stress.
• Produces serotonin, neurotransmitters that act as our natural anti-depressants.
• Contains phenylethylamine which increases blood pressure and affects blood-sugar, causing excitement and alertness, similar to what we experience as love.
• Has anandamide, a chemical which works on our dopamine receptors leading to feelings of well-being. It resembles the active ingredient in marijuana (THC) and stimulates the feeling of euphoria.
• Includes theobromine, another chemical which mimics caffeine and stimulates the nervous system. It also has properties that can lead to mental and physical relaxation.

Chocolate Carrot Love Muffins

Makes: 12 muffins

Ingredients

• 1.5 cup spelt flour
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp all spice (nutmeg, ground ginger, cloves)
• 1/2 cup grated carrots
• 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup walnuts
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 organic, free-range egg
• 1/2 cup rice milk (plain)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375ºF.
2. In separate bowl, cream together honey and olive oil, whisk in egg and milk until well-blended.
3. Sift together flour, baking powder and spices.
4. Add wet ingredients to dry all at once, then carrots, nuts, chocolate chips.
5. Stir until just moistened.
6. Spoon into paper-lined muffin pan.
7. Bake for 20 minutes or until tops are firm to the touch.
8. Enjoy with a loved one!

Happy Valentine’s Day, Everyone! May you all enjoy love in your own special ways.

It’s All Hallow’s Eve where the veil between this reality and the spirit world becomes thin (or so Celtic legend goes). Once you carve your scary pumpkin into a jack o’ lantern to stave off the evil spirits, save the seeds for a healthy Halloween treat!

Loaded with protein, fiber and essential vitamins (such as high quantities of manganese, magnesium, phosphorous, tryptophan, iron, copper, vitamin K and zinc), pumpkin seeds are as delicious as they are nutritious. (Click here for a nutrient analysis).

Although I usually go with the Cajun spice, this year I thought we might try something a little more smokey rather than spicy! Try out this roasted pumpkin seed recipe and let us know what you think:

Smokey Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

Ingredients

1-2 cups pumpkin seeds from a fresh Halloween pumpkin
2 tsp olive oil
1/4 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp sea salt

Preparation

1. Rinse seeds and pick out any remaining pumpkin guts.
2. Soak seeds overnight. (If you have time, this makes the seeds crispier when roasted.)
3. Lay seeds out on wax paper to dry.
4. Preheat oven to 375ºF.
5. In a bowl, combine dry seeds and remaining ingredients. Toss until coated.
6. On a baking sheet, spread seeds out in one layer.
7. Bake for about 30 minutes, stirring once, until golden brown.
8. Enjoy!

Do you have any roasted pumpkin seed recipes to share? Leave them in the comments below. Happy Halloween!

Why are we calling this pesto recipe prophetic? Because it’s so good that you’ll be spouting prophesies for an hour after savouring this delicious, lip-smacking, garlic-infused, healthy green Italian sauce!

This sauce is virtually a complete meal between it’s protein, healthy oil and complex carbs. Spread it on a piece of rye bread to enjoy with a salad or use it in a whole wheat pasta dish. Created by my good friend Krista, this recipe will be sure to tantalize taste buds as well as nourish the body.

Krista’s Prophetic Pesto Sauce

Makes: approximately 1.5 cups

Ingredients

1/4 cup Almonds
2 stalks fresh Kale, destemmed
3 handfuls of fresh Spinach
1/4 of a medium Onion
5 cloves of Garlic
1 tsp. dried Basil or 1 tbsp. fresh
1/4 cup cold-pressed, extra virgin Olive Oil (or until desired consistency)
fresh ground Sea Salt and Pepper (to taste)

Directions

1. Chop almonds in blender.
2. Add the remaining ingredients and blend until smooth

TIP: Keep sauce in fridge for up to 2 days before consuming. You may find the garlic overwhelming and the sauce too spicy if you use it right away. We found that by letting it marinate in it’s own juices, the garlic mellows into a more palatable (and phophetic!) flavour.

Please enjoy and come back to let us know how much you loved this supremely healthy recipe!

This was such a HUGE hit at the holidays that I’ve made approximately 6 batches in the last 2 months!

It all started with the Chewy Eatmore Bar recipe I tried from ChristmasCookies.com. When I ran out of ingredients, my homemade Eatmore bar-loving friend and I started experimenting with the ingredients.

These were even better! They cried out, “Eat me! Eat me!” Hence, the name.

Here is the healthier, very convenient, stove-top, low-mess, recipe for a fabulous homemade chocolate bar:

Chewy Eatme Bars

Makes: 2 dozen

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup honey
• 1 cup almond butter
• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1-1/2 cups mini-marshmallows
• 1 & 1/2 cups Rice Krispies
• 1 & 1/2 cups granola cereal
• 3/4 cup slivered almonds

Directions

1. In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt together the honey and nut butter. Bring to a boil.
2. Stir in chocolate chips and marshmallows, stirring until smooth.
3. Add the cereal and nuts.
4. Blend well and remove from heat.
5. Pour into lightly greased (we use lecithin) 9 x 13 inch pan and pat firmly with a spatula.
6. Let cool and cut into bars before hardening.
7. Tip: If you use 1 and 1/2 cups of the marshmallows, serve at room temperature.

This recipe wins friends so I would suggest to start practicing before the holidays. 

It’s incredibly easy to place your health on the back burner for the holiday season. Enormous amounts of goodies and food fly at you from every direction to tempt you into submission – and what the hell, we tend to think, it’s the holidays!

But it’s SO easy to gain the weight and sludge up your body functioning within only a couple of weeks, leaving you lethargic come the New Year and often too tired to tackle the challenge of getting back on track. This is why I get all giddy when I find a recipe for tasty, healthy treats. Not only can you indulge worry-free with these yummies, but you can feel good about sharing them with friends and family.

I found this delicious brownie recipe when watching the Racheal Ray Show a couple of years ago and my peeps went balistic over it (as long as you don’t tell the guys what’s in it – they seem to have a huge diversion to healthy food). It’s so popular that I’ve had requests for it (and to share the recipe) every year since!

Try these high in fiber Hannah Keeley’s Black Bean Brownies for yourself – I dare you to tell me that traditional brownies taste better!

Winter is awesome. Not every day, mind you; tonight on my way home, for instance, when the harsh Arctic winds whipped my face and stung my skin. But then again, it makes coming home that much sweeter. Add a steamin’ cup of hot chocolate, and we got pure heaven!

This recipe is from the Witches’ Almanac, issue 28, Spring 2009 to Spring 2010. I love chocolate and spice but haven’t tried anything like this before. When I do end up trying it, I’ll come back and leave my opinion in the comments. I hope you do, too!

Spicy Hot Chocolate

Ingredients

6 cups of milk
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
15 whole cardamons, crushed
12 whole cloves
2 whole star anise
2 cinnamon sticks, halved
3/4 tsp whole coriander seeds
3/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/8 tsp dried crushed red pepper
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
3/4 tsp vanilla extract

Preparation

In a heavy saucepan, combine milk, sugar and spices. Bring to a simmer but do not boil, stirring until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat, cover, and steep for 20 minutes. Add cocoa and vanilla. Return to heat and bring to a simmer, whisking until blended and foamy. Strain into an 8-cup measuring cup; discard spices. Pour into 6 mugs.

It’s another glorious long weekend here in Canada, the last one of the summer. So why not mark the occasion with celebration!? (Some of us have double reason to party: congratulations to my friends Krista and Brandon who just got engaged last night!)

For those of you who like to party but want to groove to a health-conscious beat, try some of Live Lighter’s healthier-for-you cocktail recipes. Ah, but to properly prepare for a party, you need snacks to satisfy those munchies. So check out the healthier-for-you party mix my good friend, Kathy sent me to share:

Kathy’s Healthy Party Mix

Prep: 10 min.   Cook: 4 hrs
6 TBs. Becel Margarine
2 TBs. Worcestershire sauce
1 TBs. each garlic & onion powder
1 tsp red pepper sauce

2 cups almonds
3 cups pretzels
4 cups shredded wheat (bite size)
4 cups shredded wheat with bran (bite size)

1. Mix butter, Worcestershire sauce, garlic and onion powder, and red pepper sauce in 5-6 quart slow cooker. Gradually stir in remaining ingredients until evenly coated.

2. Cook uncovered for 3-4hrs..  Stir every 15 mins for the first hr. to keep from burning.

Let us know your thoughts and leave a comment!

When I try this snazzy recipe, I’ll be substituting butter for the margarine – I’ll let you know how it turns out.

Everything in this world can be rated by quality. This includes fuels: some burn efficiently and are considered high performance fuels while others come up a little short. The same holds true for the fuel for our biological machines. Not all food is created equal and our bodies burn high quality food differently than its lower quality versions.

For instance, there’s been a lot of hype about the glycemic index of foods and the GI diet. Basically, the GI ranks carbohydrate-containing foods and measures their effects on the body’s blood sugar levels. Foods with a high GI (or sugar content) get digested and metabolized faster by the body.

Protein, on the other hand, tends to be a high performance fuel. It takes longer for the body to process it and so it also satisfies our hunger long after consuming it. So comparably, carbohydrates are a low-grade fuel used for immediate energy sources.

Snacks that last, then, combine a protein with a healthy carbohydrate. The body burns the glucose from the carbohydrate first and then tackles the protein, making your snack last longer. Actually, studies show that protein lowers the GI in carbohydrates (source: SparkPeople.com’s Glitch in the Glycemic Index).

Here are a few tasty, healthy and relatively fast and easy snacks that last:

1. Apple & cheddar cheese (my fav is granny smith with aged cheese)
2. Apple & peanut butter
3. Hummus & whole wheat pita
4. Cheese & crackers – look for crackers with the most ingredients that you can pronounce.
5. Cottage cheese & fresh fruit (like banana, apple, blueberries, strawberries)
6. Yogurt & granola – try to choose kinds with the least amount of sugar that you still find yummy.
7. Sardines & buttered bread – don’t turn up your nose until you’ve tried it!
8. Tuna, olive oil, chopped onions and tomatoes & crackers – thanks to my good friend Chris for introducing this scrumptious snack to the list.
9. Dried fruit & nuts (cranberries & almonds, apricots & pecans, etc.) – try to pick up raw nuts rather than those treated with salt and dry roasting.
10. Try adding a few dark chocolate chips to your dried fruit &nut combos for extra health benefits and of course, yumminess.

While these snack suggestions are all healthy (the more natural ingredients, the healthier), increasing your protein intake may be a double-edged sword. The long satiety level of protein is the number one reason why protein helps in weight-loss. But protein sources tend to also be high in fat and calories. This presents problems for people trying to lose weight. If you’re playing the “burn more calories than you consume” game, then choose protein sources with low in fat versions, lean meats or eat less.

What are your snacks that last suggestions?