Carrot Juice

My new favorite drink is carrot juice by Bolthouse Farms! I love eating  my vegetables but I have never been a fan of drinking them...until now! This bold, refreshing juice is made from carrots fresh off the farm and flash-pasteurized for that fresh taste.

An 8oz serving of this delicious, orange beverage will give you 700% of vitamin A and 25% of vitamin C! It is delicious on its own or with a meal ...even breakfast. 

Cili's Banana Bread Pudding

My new favorite food ( dessert) is the banana bread pudding at Cili restaurant in Las Vegas. The delicious, moist banana bread pudding is served with vanilla gelato, a few walnuts and butter rum sauce.So next time you are Vegas, stop by and try this heavenly dessert!

Watermelon - the thirst quencher !

Watermelon is not just a sweet fruit for those hot summer days but a delicious piece of heaven that contains vitamin A, vitamin B6, vitamin C and lycopene.  My favorite way of consuming a watermelon is to throw a few cold slices in the blender and blend till I get a beautiful sea of watermelon juice.  It's the most refreshing drink ( apart from water) that you will ever have! So if you need to quench your thirst on a hot day, need a little energy boost after the gym or "just because"...blend some watermelon slices, grab a straw and refresh!

Chickpeas

My new favorite food item is the chickpea ( garbanzo bean). I recently had dinner at Nicole's ( a friend of mine) and got introduced to a delicious chickpea dish.   

Dinner at Nicole's

These beans are not only low in fat and high in fiber (1 cup has 12.5g of fiber! ) but also a great source of iron, protein, folate and manganese ( a key antioxidant found inside most cells).  Eating 2 cups of chickpeas will provide you with your daily recommended fiber intake.

Chickpeas are prepared like any legume: wash them first then soak them for some time ( 6 - 8 hours) or preferably overnight.  After rinsing, cook them on medium heat for about one hour to an hour-and-a-half.  The wonderful thing about chickpeas is that you can enjoy them in a variety of ways - hummus spread, salads, as a snack, added to stews or soups!

Inspired by Nicole's dinner, I bought some chickpeas and made some roasted red pepper hummus spread and some sauteed sweet curry chickpeas over brown rice ( see below).  Both were quite delish! 
Roasted red pepper hummus: I add about 2 cups of chickpeas in a food processor and pureed until it had a smooth texture. Then I added 2 pieces of roasted red peppers, 1 tablespoon of olive oil, a little salt and juice from 1/2 a lemon to the smooth chickpea mix and pureed and voila...hummus!

 

 

Roasted red pepper hummus spread over pita bread with some roasted chicken breast

Sweet curry chickpeas: I heated up some olive oil in a deep frying pan on medium-low heat for a few minutes, then added 1 tablespoon of minced garlic, 1 tablespoon of minced ginger, 1 large onion ( diced) and 2 green bell peppers ( diced), 1 pint of cherry tomatoes ( halved).  I let the ingredients simmer for a few minutes then added 2 tablespoon of curry powder and 4 packets (5g) of "raw sugar" ( you cam use any type of sugar).  After about 5 minutes, I tossed in the cooked chickpeas then let it simmer on low heat for about 15 - 20 minutes.  

Sauteed, sweet curry chickpeas with sweet brown rice

Pistachio - The nut that keeps on giving!

One of my new favorite snacks is the pistachio nut.  This nut is not only delicious but low in calories and contains great nutrients for you too! Pistachios are a good source of fiber, vitamins and minerals as well as antioxidants! These nuts are available all year round and can be found at any local store near you. 

You can buy pistachios in different forms: shelled or unshelled.  I like them shelled because the pistachio tastes even better after the "hard work" of cracking the shells to get to the nut! Next time you are in the mood for a snack, reach for a handful of pistachios!

Milk Chocolate Digestive Biscuits

One of my new favorite "food" items is the McVities  milk chocolate digestive biscuits! This delicious, melt-in-your-mouth biscuit is made from wheat meal and is covered with the perfect coating of milk chocolate on one side.  I also love it because it contains no artificial flavors or colors, and no hydrogenated fat.  Trust me when I say that you cannot just have one so be careful when you open a packet! Milk chocolate digestives are great by themselves but can also be complemented with a cup of tea ( green, oolong or English breakfast tea).

Greek Yogurt

My new favorite food item is non-fat, plain Greek yogurt ...I have tried Chobani ( less expensive)  and Fage ((pronounced "fa-yeh")  .  Greek yogurt is delicious and creamy unlike other yogurts and is high in protein, which makes it a great choice for an after-workout snack! It is also makes it a great replacement for protein shakes which are sometimes LOADED with sugar and FAKE SUGAR ( sucralose).

You not only taste the difference in texture with Greek yogurt but you can especially see the difference when using it to make smoothies.  So next time you want a healthy yogurt, a healthy snack or something to help rebuild your mucles after a great workout, reach for a non-fat , plain Greek yogurt.

Sweet Cherries

Once again, I just realized that I got duped into hating a fruit by the canned variety!  Or maybe I was just confusing the taste with fresh cranberries?  After much "pressure", I decided to try ONE freshly washed, sweet cherry and to my surprise....I loved it!  Cherries are my new favorite fruit and again, I do not know why I did not like them...I blame the can!

This red, juicy, stone fruit is not only delicious but low in calories, high in antioxidants,anticarcinogenic properties, vitamin B17 and boron ( linked to increased bone health). 
So next time you feel like eating something sweet, don't reach for that candy or the "health bar" ...reach for some sweet cherries!

Apple Crumble Pie

Apple crumble pie is one of my favorite desserts!  Below is how I make this delicious pie.

Ingredients
    Filling:

• 6 Granny Smith apples ( diced )
• 1/8 cup flour
• 2 tablespoons of salted butter
• 1/8 cup of brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons of cinnamon
• 1/2 cup of walnuts
• 1 pie crust ( thawed)

Topping:

• 3/8 cup of flour
• 1 cup of brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons of cinnamon
• 1/4 cup of butter

Directions ( preheat oven to 400F)

1. Mix diced apples with flour, sugar cinnamon and walnuts in a bowl
2. Pout apple mix in thawed pie crust
3. Dice up butter and spread evenly over apple mix
4. In another bowl, mix flour, sugar and cinnamon
5. Melt butter and pour into flour mixture
6. Stir until all ingredients and evenly mixed
7. Pour crumble mix of apple and spread evenly until every apple is covered
8. Bake pie for 40 minutes
9. Enjoy with a scoop ( or two) of french vanilla ice-cream

Notes:

• You can also use puff pastry instead of pie crust
• You can also make this recipe without using a pie crust
• When dicing the apples, I like to leave the skin on...a little fiber in this sinfully, delicious dessert! :-)  
• When I have more time, I make the pie crust using the pie recipe from the cookbook "Akwaaba: A Taste of Ghana".  

Zucchini Quiche

Very simple to make and delicious! The great thing about quiches is that you can put anything and everything from zucchini, spinach, bacon, turkey ham, etc.  It makes a yummy breakfast, lunch or dinner.  Here is my version of a zucchini quiche:

Ingredients:
5 eggs
3/4 cups of whole milk ( or evaporated milk)
1 zucchini ( thinly sliced)
3/4 cup of shredded swiss cheese
1/2 teaspoon of nutmeg
1 pie shell ( thawed)
a dash of salt

Directions: ( preheat oven to 375F)

1. Layer the pie shell with the thinly sliced zucchini
2. Then layer the zucchini with the shredded cheese
3. Beat the eggs, milk, nutmeg and salt together
4. Pour egg mixture over the cheese in the pie shell
5. Bake pie for 45 to 50 minutes ( depending on your oven)
6. Turn oven off and leave quiche in for another 10 minutes
7. Enjoy with a side of salad or steamed vegetables

Concord Grapes

My new favorite fruit is the concord grape!  OMG...I just tried it for the first time yesterday and I love it!  It is like no other grape I have ever tasted! It was like eating juice...if that makes any sense! Not only are these grapes delicious but they also are a great source of antioxidants, minerals and vitamins but they also contain potassium and polyphenols which help control the bad cholesterol.

 So if you have a sweet tooth and want a healthy alternative, get a bunch of concord grapes...you will not regret it!

Weetabix whole grain biscuit cereal

Weetabix whole grain cereal is one of my favorite cereals ever!  There are other forms of Weetabix I like but nothing beats the original! These layers of whole wheat with natural bran fiber and wheat germ makes a delicious breakfast ( or snack) and each biscuit has only 60 calories, 2g of fiber and loaded with vitamins and minerals!

 
One of the reasons I love this Weetabix cereal is the many ways I can enjoy it :

• I can have it as a hot cereal, 
• I can have it as a cold cereal,
• I can toast it and spread some jam on it
• I can mash it up and sprinkle it on some yogurt
• I can blend it with my smoothie

Of course, my favorite way of eating Weetabix is as as a hot  cereal!  How do you like your Weetabix?

Maltesers

One of my favorite snacks is Maltesers. They are honeycombed, round malt biscuits covered in milk chocolate and they are delicious!  It's very hard to have just one...packet! It's  a melt-in-your-mouth treat...first goes the chocolate and slowly the malt biscuits breaks up with the chocolate and it's like heaven in your mouth.  If you have never tried Maltesers, go to your grocery store or online store and buy some today! It almost tastes like horlicks covered in chocolate...I love horlicks, herego, I love maltesers!   Maltesers...yayyyy!

Milo

Milo is one of my favorite drinks.  This chocolate malt beverage is not only delicious but is also fortified with vitamins and minerals.  I have been drinking it since childhood and nowadays, I like to drink a glass of Milo before going to the gym to give me a boost of energy.  Milo can be enjoyed hot or cold and it's delicious both ways!

I love to make a huge jug of Milo to save time in mixing a glass each time.  Here is how I do it:

Mix 3 1/3 cups of Milo with 7 cups of hot water in a 2 quart container ( 8 cups).  Stir thoroughly until all the Milo is completely dissolved.  Place cover on jug and place in the fridge.  Serve Milo cold.

Nutella

One of my all time favorite "food" items is Nutella.  This wickedly delicious hazelnut, chocolate spread goes great with many things and brightens your day on your first taste!  I like Nutella on Arnold whole wheat thins , cream crackers, crepes, waffles...you get the picture!

It's even great for baking - to make a moist, chocolate cake, to make chocolate, buttercream icing, to layer cakes or brownies, ganache and so on.  There seems to be nothing you cannot do with Nutella ...except throw it away! So, next time you go grocery shopping, grab a jar of yummy Nutella and experience one of my favorite "foods".

Here is one of my quick Nutella treats:  Nutella Crispies

Ingredients

• 3 or 4 tbsns of Nutella ( add more if needed )
• 2 cups of Rice Crispies

Directions

• Pour the rice crispies in a bowl
• Add the Nutella onto the cereal
• Gently mix until all the cereal is covered with Nutella and sticking together
• Use small ice-cream scoop and scoop crispies into little ball shapes or eat straight from bowl !

Peaches

I never really tasted a "true" peach before until yesterday.  I like nectarines so I am not sure why I never really like "peaches"...it was probably my first encounter with a "peach pie" in college - canned fruits are never the same as the real fruit are they?! I am guessing I didn't like the texture or the taste and swore the fruit off for good... until now.

I went peach picking yesterday and tried one...and now there is no turning back! This round, juicy fruit is now one of my favorite things to eat.  So small, so delicious and so many things I could do with it - eat it raw, bake it in a pie, make jam, grill it...the list goes on! This wonderful fruit is not only tasty but has no fat or sodium and is a great source of vitamins A and C...so not just a tasty snack, but a healthy one too!

SO pick up a peach and enjoy one of my favorite foods!  What's you favorite fruit?

Kele Wele ( Spicy, fried ripe plantains)

One of my favorite Ghanaian dishes is kele wele.  This dish is made of diced, ripe plantains marinated in spices and then fried. It can be eaten alone as a snack or with other dishes such as Jollof.  Here is a recipe for kele wele from the new Ghanaian cookbook "Akwaaba: A Taste of Ghana".

Ingredients:

• 4 ripe plantains ( yellow skin, firm)
• 2 medium ginger roots ( 2 1/2 inches long & 1 inch wide)
• 4 red Serrano peppers
• 5 cups of vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon of salt

Preparation:

1. Wash and peel plantains
2. Cut across horizontally and dice plantains, wash and place them in a bowl
3. Peel ginger and puree, with red peppers, in a food processor
4. Add salt to the pureed spice
5. Add spice mixture to diced plantains
6. Let marinate for 30 minutes
7. Pour oil in a pot and heat on medium-high heat for 5 - 7 minutes
8. Slowly add some plantains and let fry for 6 - 8 minutes until golden brown
9. Removed cooked kele wele and place on sheet of paper towel
10. Repeat steps 8 and 9 with remaining plantains

 Helpful hints and more:

• Make sure oil is heated before frying.
• If you do not have fresh ginger root, you can always use store-ready ginger paste.  Do not use ginger powder!
• For an extra "melt-in-your-mouth", munch the kele wele with some roasted peanuts!

Cold Fusion Coffee Gelato

I recently visited Newport, Rhode Island and experienced one of my new favorite foods ....hand-made coffee gelato at Cold Fusion Gelato. I got the small size, which costs $3.95 ( cash only) , you can get up to two flavors and personally, big enough for two people! It is a little pricey but it was definitely worth it.


There were a variety of flavors available...from Bailey's to chocolate mint to sorbets but for me, the coffee hit the spot! So, next time you are in Newport, try the coffee gelato and let me know if it's also your new favorite or if you prefer a different flavor or a different store!

Blueberry Bliss-Strawberry Lemonade Iced Tea

My new favorite home made iced tea is the blueberry bliss-strawberry lemonade blended tea from Teavana. These are actually two separate teas that I bought at Teavana ( you can ask to have the teas blended for you at the store - 2oz of each will last you a while). I like this tea hot but I LOVE this blended combo ice cold...yum!



Ingredients:

(PS: use a 320z or larger teapot with a built-in strainer in which to steep your loose tea leaves)

• 6 teaspoons of blueberry bliss-strawberry lemonade blended tea leaves
• 3 cups of boiling water
• 1/2 cup of sugar

Directions

• Place loose tea leaves in the strainer ( in the teapot)
• Boil water and pour over tea leaves ( in strainer)
• Cover teapot for about 10 minutes
• Place 1/2 cup sugar in your jug / container
• After 10 minutes, pour brewed tea in the jug / container; stir contents and place in fridge until chilled

Notes:

1. I normally brew another teapot and add it to the first batch with an additional 1/4 cup of sugar.
   
2. You can adjust the sugar according to your taste.
   

Banana-Beet Smoothie

This is a quick and simple recipe for anyone and also a healthy alternative to a fast-food snack in the morning if you do not have time for breakfast. The benefits of this smoothie include a great source of folic acid, antioxidants, fiber, potassium, vitamin C and B6. The banana-beet smoothie makes a great healthy combo for your body! I make this on most mornings or on some early evenings when I'm not too hungry for dinner.

Ingredients:

1 banana (medium-sized)
1/2 cup of sliced beets
1/2 cup of orange juice
6 oz plain, non-fat organic yogurt

Directions:

* Pour the juice in the blender

* Add the banana, sliced beets and yogurt in the blender

* Blend until you get a smooth texture

Helpful hints & more:

**For this recipe, I use canned sliced beets (make sure " no salt added" is written on the can! ) but you can opt for fresh, non-canned beets.
**Do not use flavored or low calorie yogurts as they contain too much sugar or artificial sweeteners, neither of which, in my opinion, are good for your health!
**To change up the taste, you can use orange-mango juice or even pineapple juice