Category: Cooking

Healthy and Delicious: 5 Recipes to Try Today


When you think of healthy eating, what comes to mind? Probably a lot of bland and unappetizing dishes. But that doesn’t have to be the case! There are plenty of delicious recipes out there that can help you stay on track with your health goals. In this blog post, we will share five recipes with you that are both healthy and tasty. So whether you are looking for breakfast, lunch, or dinner ideas, we have you covered!

Berry Chia Seed Pudding

This recipe is perfect for a healthy breakfast or snack. It is packed with antioxidants, fiber, and omega- fatty acids. Plus, it is super easy to make!

Ingredients:

  • ½ cup chia seeds
  • ¾ cup almond milk or coconut milk beverage
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ½ teaspoon honey (optional)
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ⅛ teaspoon kosher or sea salt
  • ½ cup fresh blueberries, blackberries, or raspberries
  • ¼ cup slivered almonds, for topping (optional)

Instructions:

In a medium bowl, whisk together the chia seeds, almond milk, vanilla extract, honey (if using), cinnamon, and salt. Stir in the berries. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or overnight.

To serve, divide the pudding among four bowls. Top with almonds if desired. Enjoy!

Black Bean Brownies

Who said healthy eating has to be bland? These black bean brownies are a delicious and nutritious way to satisfy your sweet tooth!

Ingredients:

  • ½ cup black beans, rinsed and drained
  • ¼ cup water
  • ⅓ cup cocoa powder
  • ¼ cup sugar or honey
  • ⅓ cup Nutella or other chocolate hazelnut spread
  • ¼ teaspoon baking powder
  • Pinch of salt

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line an eight-inch square baking pan with parchment paper.

In a food processor, combine the black beans, water, cocoa powder, sugar or honey, Nutella, baking powder, and salt. Blend until the mixture becomes a smooth paste.

Pour the mixture into the prepared pan. Bake for 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow to cool completely before cutting into squares. Enjoy!

Turkey Chili

This hearty chili is perfect for chilly winter days. It is packed with protein and fiber, and it is a great source of vitamins A and C.

Ingredients:

  • ½ pound lean ground turkey
  • ½ cup diced onion
  • ¼ cup diced green bell pepper
  • ¼ cup diced red bell pepper
  • ¼ cup diced yellow bell pepper
  • ¼ cup diced celery
  • ¼ cup diced carrot
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon ground cumin
  • ⅛ teaspoon chili powder
  • Pinch of salt
  • Pinch of black pepper
  • One 28-ounce can diced tomatoes, undrained
  • One 15.25 ounce can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
  • One 15.25 ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
  • One 15.25 ounce can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
  • One 14.75 ounce can diced tomatoes with green chilies, undrained
  • One tablespoon tomato paste
  • Two cups chicken broth
  • ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro

Instructions:

In a large pot or Dutch oven, cook the ground turkey over medium heat until browned. Drain off any excess fat.

Add the onion, bell peppers, celery, carrot, garlic powder, cumin, chili powder, salt and black pepper to the pot. Stir well.

Add the tomatoes, kidney beans, black beans, pinto beans, diced tomatoes with green chilies, tomato paste and chicken broth. Stir well. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes.

Stir in the cilantro and serve warm. Enjoy!

Turkey and Kale Wraps

These wraps are a great way to get your daily dose of vegetables. They are packed with protein and fiber, and they taste delicious!

Ingredients:

  • One 12-ounce package smoked turkey breast, diced
  • One cup chopped kale leaves
  • Two tablespoons hummus or other dip of choice
  • Four whole wheat tortillas

Instructions:

In a large bowl, combine the smoked turkey, kale leaves and hummus. Stir well.

Lay out the tortillas on a work surface. Divide the turkey mixture evenly among each tortilla. Roll up the tortillas and serve immediately. Enjoy!

Quinoa Salad

This quinoa salad is a healthy and delicious way to get your daily dose of protein and fiber. It is perfect for picnics or potlucks!

Ingredients:

  • One cup cooked and cooled quinoa
  • One cup chopped cucumber
  • One cup chopped tomatoes
  • ½ cup chopped red onion
  • ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
  • One tablespoon olive oil
  • Two tablespoons red wine vinegar
  • Pinch of salt
  • Pinch of black pepper

Instructions:

In a large bowl, combine the cooked and cooled quinoa, cucumber, tomatoes, red onion and parsley. Stir well.

In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, red wine vinegar, salt and black pepper. Pour the dressing over the quinoa salad and stir well. Serve chilled or at room temperature. Enjoy!


Cooking: Logical Behavior in the Kitchen


Cooking is a logical process. It requires logic to create, and logic to execute. You need to know what you are doing in order for your food not only to turn out well, but also taste good. In this article we will go over 5 habits that can help you be more successful as a cook:

1) Read the Recipe Carefully – Before cooking anything, read through the recipe thoroughly so there are no mistakes or surprises when it’s time to start making the dish. This way you’ll have an idea of how long each step should take and what ingredients you’ll need before starting cooking!

2) Gather Ingredients First – Create a list of all of the different ingredients that you will need for the dish, then gather them all together before you start cooking. This will help avoid any last minute trips to the grocery store or pantry, and will save you time overall in the kitchen.

3) Prepare Your Work Space – If you’re cooking in the kitchen, make sure that your counter space is cleared and clean. Organize all of the ingredients into pre-determined sections for easy access when needed. You should also try to keep track of how long it will take between steps so you can plan accordingly!

4) Learn Basic Cooking Techniques – There are a few basic cooking techniques that everyone should know in order to be successful in the kitchen. These include boiling, poaching, roasting, sautéing, and frying. Once you have mastered these techniques, you will be able to cook just about anything!

5) Cook with Love – When cooking, make sure to do it with love! This will ensure that your food not only tastes good but is also prepared with care. Cooking should be a fun and enjoyable experience for you and the people around you.

Once you get grasp of these habits, you’ll be cooking like a pro in no time! And who knows, maybe you’ll even start to enjoy it. 🙂


How To Keep Your Dog Occupied When You’re Cooking


Dogs are as cute as can be, but when you’re on a mission to pull together a dinner to remember then you might need a bit of alone time so you can get the job done. What if your dog is looking for some attention? Sometimes when you need to focus just happens to coincide precisely with playtime in their minds. If they see you working away, they may just want to join in on the action. Don’t worry, there are some things you can try to keep your dog at bay while you make the magic happen.

Find Their Favorite Chew Toy

A needy dog can often be put to work for hours on end with a simple chew toy. If you haven’t found one that your dog loves then you’re missing out, this is a quick and easy solution that will keep them knawing away while you go off to work in the kitchen. If they seem to snub typical chew toys, try something that you can put some food in. After all, you’re trying to buy some time so you can go to work making a delicious meal, why not put them to work in the same way? A kong filled with frozen peanut butter is a time-honored solution that should help get you thinking.

Let Them Get Exercise With An Electric Dog Fence

If you are fortunate enough to have access to a back yard in your home, why not let them run around without worrying if they’ll escape to the neighbor’s yard? As long as they are set up properly they are quite reliable, so you can let your dog get some fun in the sun while you whip up a piping hot meal for your family. How’s that for a change?

Alternatively, Try A Training Collar

Maybe your dog is whimpering and whining while you’re trying to mince onions, celery, and carrots for a nice mirepoix? Or worse, they’re barking frantically as you’re trying to put the finishing touches on a perfect beef stroganoff? Many people have turned to training collars because they work like magic. You can either get a bark collar if that is your main problem, or a collar with a remote so that you can get them off the couch without having to drop what you’re doing.

Gate Them Off In A Room

Maybe your dog isn’t barking like crazy, and it’s more a matter of them getting tangled up in your feet while you’re running around making sure all of the components of your dishes hit the plate at the exact right moment. You might find that a good, old-fashioned door gate is just what the doctor ordered in this situation. The best thing about this solution is that it’s dead simple and cheap, plus it can be repurposed for all sorts of applications. Kids on the way too? You’ll be glad you have a door gate anyway.

Try Some Music or TV

The fall back is to try what works for so many of us humans – pop on the TV or the stereo and see if you get any engagement from your dog. Lots of dog owners utilize this tactic when they go out for the day to make their dogs feel like they aren’t the only ones at home, and it may just work in this case as well. Try out some different shows and types of music before you throw in the towel, it may just be that you haven’t found your dog’s favorites yet!


Three Ways to Prepare Delicious Ribeye Steaks


There are three excellent and easy ways to cook a ribeye steak. These ways are searing, broiling, and barbequing. These receipts for cooking ribeye steak are so tasty and inviting anyone who likes steak would thoroughly enjoy the flavor.

To sear the ribeye steak in a frying pan, the ingredients needed are extra virgin olive oil, salt, pepper, a ½ stick of butter and one crushed clove of garlic. First, rub the steak with extra virgin olive oil, salt, and pepper on each side. Then place the oil in the frying pan to boil. Next, add the steak to the sizzling hot pan. Leave one side down until seared then turn the steak over to sear the other side. Then, base the steak with crushed garlic and ½ stick of butter. Remove the steak from pan, let it cool then slice.

To broil the ribeye in the oven the ingredients needed are ½ tsp ground green and black peppercorns, salt, 30 cloves of garlic, olive oil, rosemary, and ⅓ cup of white balsamic vinegar. Rub the steak liberally with the green and black peppercorns, and salt. Then let the ribeye sit for five minutes before cooking. In the meantime mince the 30 garlic cloves. Then cook, and stir the garlic in a medium temperature frying pan and rosemary, white balsamic vinegar, and pepper. Next, add additional olive oil to make a loose paste and set aside. Then preheat the oven to the highest broiler setting and set the oven rack to the most top position. Pat off any excess moisture on the steak and then add olive oil. Cook the steak in the broiler for six to eight minutes then turn and repeat. While the steak is cooking take out the rosemary from the frying pan and transfer the garlic sauce into a bowl. Next, remove the steak from the heat. Then place on a cooling rack with tin foil over the top to hold in the juices, let the steak rest, then slice.

To cook the ribeye steak on a barbeque the ingredients needed are olive oil, salt, and black pepper. First, let the steak sit out of the refrigerator until it comes to room temperature for about one hour. Then rub both sides of the steak with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Preheat the grill to high heat, and add the ribeye steak, close the lid and set the timer for approximately six minutes. Then flip over the steak and repeat. To see if the ribeye is cooked touch the meat for firmness. It should be the same as feeling the palm of your hand when the thumb and middle finger are placed together. Then take the steak off the grill and set it on a plate for about five minutes before slicing.