Salud! Cooking School at Whole Foods: Part 2: Day 2

  So, Day 2 of our cooking school at Whole Foods was Latin food! It was one of my favorite days for many reasons! 1, our family lives off of Mexican Food, 2, lots of fresh veggies and flavors, 3 GUACAMOLE!!!

The Menu
 We made a lot of delicious food on this day, and I loved all of it! We made some guacamole, steak tostados, bean and corn salsa, strawberry limeade, and Alfajores!

 

The guacamole was really yummy! We used something called a tomatillo in the recipe. I have never use one before, but I already knew I liked the taste! It was a great blend of chunky and smooth and spicy! I  make my own guacamole at home, and I was excited to add a new recipe to my stash!

 

The staff had made a marinade for the steak before we arrived, because it needed to sit for a few hours. They grilled it along with some tomato slices and onions! Let me tell you, the smells that filled the kitchen were out of this world!

The corn and bean salsa was really amazing! It was a mix of corn, beans, tomatoes, onions and cilantro! We also added balsamic vinegar to the mix and it really took this dish up a notch!

We made a Tostada Bar and everyone went through the line to make their own tostada. There was our salsas( I didn't get a picture of the tomatoes salsa!)  guacamole, grilled meat and veggies along with cheese, limes and sour cream!

I liked everything! Everything was delicious and I can't wait to recreate the dishes at home for my whole family to enjoy!

 

After this delicious feast, we had some alfajores cookies. These are a traditional Latin sweet, and one bite is enough for you to fall in love!

These cookies are two almond shortbread cookies sandwiched between some Dulce de Leche sauce! They are so amazing!!!!! The perfect balance of buttery, crunching, dry cookie and creamy, smooth, rich and delicious caramel sauce! We took some home for the family to try, and they loved them as well!


Well, that was Day 2 of our cooking experience at the Whole Food's Cooking School! Stay tuned for Day 3 in this post-series!

If you liked this post, please share it with a friend and family member! You can follow the blog via email, Google, Twitter @ SpinachisGood and Pinterest @ Hannah Plunkettt.

New post every Monday and Friday!

Keep healthy and safe!
H. Banana

Salud! Cooking School at Whole Foods: Part 1: Day 1

   This past week my sister, Emma, and I attended a cooking school at the Whole Foods Market near us. The cooking school is called Salud!  and this class focused on different cuisines from around the world. We learned a lot about different cultures, ways to prepare food, and we ate a lot of tasty food! I want to share with you the food we made, the things we learned and how much we enjoyed the class!

The School
Salud Cooking School is the cooking school inside Whole Foods. There are several other Whole Foods that have this same school, so check the one near you. I know the one close to us didn't have one, so we drove to a Whole Foods that did have one. The instructors and staff at the store and school are all very helpful, cheerful and nice! They have classes on all different topics and all different age groups! I encourage you to look into the Whole Foods near you and see what classes their school offers!

Day 1
The first day of class I forgot to bring a camera, so I don't have any pictures (Sorry!) but we did make some delicious food that is worth talking about! This day was Italian Food day, so we traveled to Italy to make some of their classic dishes!

We made homemade pizza dough and topped it with a homemade marinara sauce and cheese. Then we made lasagna with some more of the marinara sauce and a ricotta cheese filling. Next we made a amazing kale Caprese salad with tomatoes and mozzarella cheese!  For dessert we made a teacup tiramisu. Their recipe was a bit different from ours( we use coffee and Kahlua in our recipe and they used chocolate milk---more kid friendly I guess!) but it was still really yummy!


I loved the pizza! It tasted just like the pizza you can buy in the Whole Foods deli(big surprise there!) The crust was a simple dough that we let rest and rise, then we stretched it into personal-sized pizzas. The we topped it with some marinara sauce we had made and then some cheese!

Next was the lasagna. Now, I'm not a huge fan of lasagna, but my sister, Emma, is and she assured me it was delicious! The method was simple enough, we made a ricotta cheese filling and spread it between some lasagna noodles. Then we rolled them up and topped them with the marinara sauce and cheese!

The salad was my favorite dish of the day! It was light and flavorful all at once! We used kale( Quick Tip for working with kale. After you tear it off the stem and into bite sized pieces, massage it for a few minutes with your hands. This softens the leaves up and makes for a better bite! Just make sure you have clean hands!) tomatoes, mozzarella cheese balls,  and pine nuts! Then we made a spicy vinaigrette to dress it with!

Finally, for dessert we made a kid-friendly version of a tiramisu. We made a mascarpone cheese mixture(classic to a tiramisu) and used eggs to make it into a pudding. We chilled that to help it set. Then we soaked lady finger cookies in chocolate milk and placed them in teacups. We topped the cookies with our pudding mix and shaved chocolate on top! I have to say, I like our recipe better, but their take on a tiramisu was interesting and yummy too!

So that was Day 1 of our Cooking School experience! My sister and I had so much fun the first day, that we couldn't wait to go back the next day! Be on the look out for Part 2: Day 2!

If you liked this post, please share it with a friend and family member! You can follow the blog via email and Google, Twitter @ SpinachisGood and on Pinterest @ Hannah Plunkett.

I post every Monday and Friday, so follow the blog to stay up to date on all things healthy living!

Keep Healthy and Safe!
H. Banana

Healthy Peach Butter!

I love peaches! We are lucky enough to have a wonderful peach seller near us called The Peach Truck . A few days ago we bought a big box of peaches and we had to find ways to use them up! I wanted to try and preserve some of them for the months when they aren't in season, so I made some peach salsa and........Peach Butter!!

I'd never tried peach butter until now, but I love apple butter so, I thought 'Why Not?'! It is so smooth, sweet, velvety and delicious! The best part is, it tastes just like fresh peaches! This peach butter is super simple to make, only takes 3 ingredients and it is super healthy for you!

So, let's get started!

Ingredients:
12-15 Peaches
1 TBS Lemon Juice
2-3 TBS Honey

See! That's it! :)

Start by peeling, pitting and roughly chopping the peaches.

Add them to a pot with the lemon juice and place on the stove top.

 

Bring to a boil and cook for 25-30 minutes. Make sure to stir frequently. The peaches should become soft and mushy and there should be a lot of juice in the pot.

 

Use an immersion blender to blend the peaches to a thick 'pulp' consistency. Bring this to a boil and cook for 20 more minutes, stirring often.

 

 

Let is cool for a bit. Place your water bath pot on the stove, half full of water. Bring this to a boil while we move on to the next step.

 

Place your jam jars in your sink and pour boiling water over them to sterilize. Put your jar lids in a bowl and pour boiling water over them as well. Let them sit for 30 seconds or so.

 

Fill your jars with the peach deliciousness and wipe the rim clean. Screw on the lids and get them really tight! You don't want to lose any of this amazing stuff! :)

 

Its so beautiful! I just want to eat it now! You can, but to save it for later, we need to can it in the water bath!

Place the jars into the water bath pot with the water boiling. Cook for 10 minutes.

 

Place them on the counter and let them cool. You'll hear them pop when they seal as they cool.

 

Once they have cooled, store them in your pantry! Or, you can eat it right away on some toast, biscuits or scones!

Yum yum yum! This is so delicious and healthy too! You don't need sugary, processed jams when you can have this healthy, homemade and perfectly sweet peach butter!

 

I hope you enjoy this post! I really hope you try this recipe and see for yourself how amazing this peach butter is! I can't explain how perfect it is!!!

Please share this post with a friend and family member! You can follow the blog via email, Google, Twitter @ SpinachisGood and Pinterest @ Hannah Plunkett !

Check back every Monday and Friday for new posts on all things healthy!

Keep Healthy and Safe!

H. Banana

Rise and Shine: Morning Rountine

         Good Morning! Rise and Shine! Bright Eyed and Bushy Tailed! Up and At 'Em!

Everyone has a morning routine, even if you don't realize it. We build habits for getting ready for bed, and that becomes are routine.

 

 Building and having a healthy morning routine will set you up for a healthier and better day! Getting up and starting your day with a healthy habit will help you stay on track and motivated the rest of the
day!
Here are a few habits that I have in my Morning Routine!

Morning Walk: I like to get up around 5:30-45 and go on a hour long walk around our neighborhood!
Large Glass of Lemon Water: I pour myself a big glass of water and add lemon juice to it. This helps jump start the metabolism for the day!
Coffee!: I have to have my coffee after my lemon water. I take it strong and black!
Wake Up: Funny this comes at the bottom of the list! I love to sit and wake up slowly after I come in from my walk and drink my water and coffee!

So there you are! These are a few things that I do just about every morning! But, there are several habits that are great to have to maintain a healthy body, that I haven't manages to build yet! I am working on a few, but here are a few Healthy Morning Habits that we can all try to build!

Morning Exercise
Getting up and moving at the start of your day gets you awake, blood flowing, and energy levels up for the rest of the day! I like to take a brisk walk, but some yoga, stretches or simple exercises work just fine!

Lemon Water
Lemon water, as I said before, helps boost your metabolism for the day. Make you have this as the first thing you drink/eat in the day. Its great over ice in the summer and perfect warm in the winter!

Make a List
This is one I find helpful, I just don't do it enough! Making a list in the morning, of everything you need to get done in the day, helps get it off your chest and you don't have to worry about forgetting anything! Also, checking those things off the list throughout the day is a great feeling!

Lotion Up!
Moisturizing your body at the beginning of the day helps it stay hydrated throughout the day. I like to use a lotion with SPF on my face to protect my skin from the sun's rays. Apply lotion all over the body to keep it healthy, bright and beautiful!

Breakfast
We've heard that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and its true! Breakfast should be the biggest meal of your day, and it should be packed full of protein, fiber, vitamins and plenty of fruit and veggies!

Fill a Glass up With Water
Get a large glass, water bottle or cup and fill it with water. Set it on your counter or in your purse/car. Every time you see it, take a sip. You'll be surprised how much water you drink throughout the day by filling up the glass and drinking out of it every time you see it!

Think Happy Thoughts!
Starting the day with happy thoughts will boost your mood and keep you happy the rest of the day! I like to find a motivational quote or inspiration Bible verse to read and think about through the day!

Well, those are just a few of some Healthy Morning Habits that help build a healthy morning routine! If you found this helpful, please let me know and share it with friends and family!

You can follow the blog via email and Google, on Twitter @ SpinachisGood and on Pinterest @ Hannah Plunkett.

Keep healthy and safe!
H.Banana

 

Stuffed Pepper Soup

 I love stuffed bell peppers! They are so fun and delicious! But, I also love stuffed bell pepper soup!! It is so delicious, flavorful and healthy too!

I have made this soup recipe many times before, and it is always a crowd pleaser! I am always told that this soup is delicious, and asked for the recipe! This soup is full of veggies, flavor and yumminess! Its the perfect healthy meal for all year long!

So, let me show you how to make this amazing soup!

Ingredients:
1 yellow onion, diced
3 bell peppers, chopped
1 tbs coconut oil( or olive oil)
2 tbs minced Garlic
1 10 oz can of Rotel
1 can of canned Corn
1 can diced tomatoes
3 tbs ketchup( the kind without High Fructose Corn Syrup)
1/2 lb lean ground beef, cooked
Salt and Pepper to taste
1/4-1/2 tsp Cayenne Pepper (Less is more)
1-2 tsp Paprika
3-4 tbs Taco Seasoning ( I use a mix from Frontier Trading Post, but use your favorite blend!)
1 tbs chopped fresh Basil
2 1/2 cup Broth (Any kind it fine, I used Chicken but Veg. or Beef broth would work too!)

Start by warming the oil in a pot. Add the onions when the oil is warm.

Cook until they become soft and start to color around the edges! Then, add in the garlic and cook for around a minute.

Next, Add in the bell peppers and cook until they become soft.

When the Peppers are soft, add in the canned corn and Rotel.

Bring this to a bubble and then add in the canned diced tomatoes and Ketchup.

 

Now we add in the cooked ground beef. I just cooked mine with a bit of my Taco Seasoning before adding it to the soup.

Let that warm up a bit. Next, we can add in the seasonings.

 

Let this come to a low boil and then add in the broth and basil.

 

Bring this to a boil and then reduce the heat and let it simmer for around 45 minutes. This lets all the flavors combine and come together!

 

 

Make sure you taste it to make sure you have the right amount of seasoning! It smells so good and looks so colorful!

 

 

My family and I like it best served over rice or quinoa with a sprinkle of cheese on top!

 

 

I hope you enjoyed today's post! If you make this recipe, let me know what you thought! Share it with a friend and family member!

 

Please follow the blog via Email and Google, Twitter @ SpinachisGood and Pinterest @ Hannah Plunkett.

 

Stay tuned for new Post every Monday and Friday!

 

Keep Healthy and Safe!

H.Banana

5 Diets Explained

   There are so many different diets and food-lifestyles out there right now! It can be hard to keep them straight, or to even know what they mean! People change their diets for many different reasons, like for health issues, beliefs, to challenge themselves, to make a statement, become healthier....and so on. When talking to someone about their diet or lifestyle, its important to understand just what their diet means.  No one wants to offend anyone or be stuck with their foot in their mouth!

For me, I love to learn about different diets and ways of life. I don't follow a specific diet or food-lifestyle, but I do incorporate a few parts from a couple of them into my own.

Vegan
Going Vegan and being Vegan has become super popular! There is a growing number of recipes tailored for those following a Vegan lifestyle. But what exactly does Vegan mean? I was confused about it for a little while before I looked it up. Vegan means not abstaining the use of animal products. This means that what Vegans eat, drink and even wear, doesn't contain any animal products or byproducts. Why do people go Vegan? Most people are Vegan because they dislike the idea of animals being killed, but some go Vegan for health reasons, whether they are allergic to meat or another animal-based products. Others go Vegan simply because it is a healthy way of life, if you can live without meat!

Vegetarian
Vegetarian isn't as popular as Vegan, but there are still plenty of info out there on going 'Veggie' and what it means. I used to get Vegan and Vegetarian mixed up, but now I have it straight! Vegetarian, or 'Veggie' means not eating any meat( Chicken, fish, red meats, or the flesh of any animal). So Vegetarians still eat some byproducts of animals, just not the meat or flesh it's self. Some people are Vegetarian because of religious beliefs, others because of Animal Rights, and still others are 'Veggie' because it, like Veganism, is a healthy lifestyle.

Paleo
This is another popular diet right now. I personally like using Paleo recipes because they tend to be the recipes that use unprocessed products and natural products and ingredients. A Paleo diet or the Caveman Diet means eating only things that our ancient ancestors would have eaten, like meats, nuts and berries. This means that a lot of today's foods aren't on a Paleo diet. Most people adopt a Paleo diet because it is a very healthy way of life, but some use it because they have allergies or health issues.

 

Raw
A growing number of people are 'Going Raw' and I see more and more recipes for eating raw. What does Raw mean? It means eating only raw, uncooked and unprocessed foods. For most people following a Raw diet, this means being very Vegan and/or Vegetarian as well. This diet is mainly used as a healthy diet and way of life. Some people do Raw till 4 or any other time in the day. This means that up to a certain time in the day you eat only Raw foods and then after that time you can eat non-Raw foods.

Fasting
Fasting is a general term and there are many different types of Fasting Diets. They are simply diets where you go for a certain period of time without eating. Some are fast-by-the-hour diets, others are days and some even are weeks. But, these diets can be dangerous if not done properly and carefully. Make sure you do your research and you know your body before trying to fast. Some people fast for religious reasons, others for the healthy benefits, and some use it to detox their bodies.

So there you go! 5 different popular diets explained. Now I hope you know a bit more about the different diets and ways of life out there and you can better understand each one. If this was helpful to you, please share this with a friend or family member to spread the knowledge and love of healthy living!

You can follow the blog via email and Google, Twitter @ SpinachisGood and on Pinterest @ Hannah Plunkett.

New post every Monday and Friday!

Keep Healthy and Safe!
H.Banana

Favorite YouTubers

  I'm not gonna lie, I love to watch YouTube videos on cooking, baking, fashion, nutrition, health and so on! It can be so helpful! My family and I have looked up videos for several things and we've always found help! So, naturally, I've come across some pretty cool YouTubers and I've subscribed to their channels so that I get updates when they post new videos. I want to share with you my favorite Youtubers in hopes that they may help you, or at least entertain you!

The first one is The Domestic Geek . She post recipes, ideas and food hacks, some of which are healthy and some are more on the splurge side! Her bubbly attitude and cheerful voice makes these videos both fun and helpful!

Blogilates or Casey Ho, is a Pilates instructor who makes workout videos, inspiration videos, cooking and recipe videos and more! She even has her own clothing line here . She's super energetic and happy, but totally serious when it comes to her workouts!

Byron Talbott is a professional chef who post amazing how-to and recipe videos! Not all of his recipes are healthy, but there are a few! I love to watch these videos to get inspiration and ideas for recipes of my own!

Fitness Blender post great workout, stretching and fitness info videos! Their workouts range from beginner to intermediate and most of the videos give you an idea of how many calories you should burn, which I love!

LoveHealthyOK  is such a cute channel! Olivia post healthy recipe videos, fashion, info and workouts videos! She is so passionate about healthy living that it is contagious!

The last one I want to mention is , Mind Over Munch . This channel is a great healthy lifestyle channel. They post mainly recipes, but also some What-I-Eat-in-A-Day videos and more! Check them out for great recipes and healthy living tips!

So these are just a few of my favorite healthy YouTubers, if you have some of your own, please share in the comment section below! Be sure to share this post with a friend or family member and subscribe so you don't miss a post!

You can follow via email, Google, on Twitter @ SpinachisGood and on Pinterest @ Hannah Plunkett.

Stay tuned for more healthy lifestyle post every Monday and Friday!

Keep Healthy and Safe!

H.Banana

Why Exercise?

I've talked about exercising a lot in my blog post and I've posted different workouts you can do, but I haven't really talked about why you should exercise. I'm doing that right now!

If you've spent any time at all in the health-scene or read anything to do with it, you'll have read and heard a lot about exercise. "Do this workout for this, exercise this long for this" and so on.  But, why should you exercise? Why is it so important to workout? Here's why,

#1
Increases Pain Resistance
The more you exercise and get your body moving, the stronger it is. And the stronger your body is, the more it is resistant to pain!

#2
Puts You in a Good Mood
Working out or exercising releases endorphins in your body. They make you happy and in a good mood! So, the saying is true "You're only one workout away from a good mood!"

#3
Help Maintain a Healthy Weight
We've heard this one before, but its so true. Exercise of any form will help keep your weight in check!

#4
A Healthy Heart
When you workout, you get your heat rate up. This causes your heat to work harder than is does when you are resting, which makes your heart stronger! A stronger heart is a healthier heart!

#5
Get Better Sleep
Working out and exercising will wear you out, in a good way, and by the end of the day you are ready to jump in bed! Going to bed because your tried, instead of because it's bed time, makes for a much better night!


So there you go! 5 reasons to exercise each day! Remember, you only need 30 minutes of activity that gets your heat rate up to count as your daily exercise!

I hope this post has helped you understand the imporanance of exercising! Please share with others and follow via email, Google, Twitter @ SpinachisGood and on Pinterest @ Hannah Plunkett



Keep healthy and Safe!
H.Banana

Fire Cracker Roasted Potatoes

Happy Fourth of July! Last 4th were in New York City( The picture above is The Empire State Building at night on the 4th) and we celebrated with a baseball game,  fireworks, a great dinner out and a late night walk to the top of the Empire State Building!

This 4th, we will be road tripping through Canada! But, just because we'll be in a different country, that doesn't mean we won't still  celebrate our country's special holiday!

 

BBQ, burgers, grilled food and sides are one of America's favorite ways to celebrate any holiday, especially the 4th. My Fire Cracker Roasted Potatoes make a great side dish for BBQ, burgers, grilled meats and veggies!

Ingredients:
17 Small Red Potatoes (Or enough to feed you crowd!)
2-3 TBS Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper
2 TSP Paprika
1/2 TSP Chili Powder

Wash and dice up the potatoes into cubes. The smaller they are, the faster they will cook, but don't make them too small!

Place them in a 9x13 baking dish and shake the pan to make an even layer.

 

 

Drizzle with the oil and sprinkle with the seasonings.

 

Stir to coat all the potato cubes and place in an oven PREHEATED TO 350 DEGREES.

Cook for 45-50 minutes, stirring every 20 minutes or so. To check readiness, poke with a fork. If the fork goes in easily, then they're ready!

 

Yummy! They smell so good and taste even better!

 

Serve these with your favorite dipping sauce or plain with your BBQs, Burgers, Grilled meats and more! A fun, Patriotic twist would be to use a few purple potatoes in the mix as well. Then you get the full, red-white-and-blue effect!

 

 

Happy Fourth of July! I hope you have a great holiday, and if you try my Fire Cracker Potatoes, let me know what you think!

Please share by blog with a friend or family member! Follow the blog via email and GOOGLE and on Twitter @ SpinachisGood and on Pinterest @ Hannah Plunkett.

 

Keep healthy and Safe!

H. Banana