Showing posts with label Recipes. Show all posts

Vegan Ginger Bread


Tis the season for delicious, warm and festive treats! This Vegan Ginger Bread is the perfect treat for the holiday season!

Vegan Green Chile and Potato Soup


On chilly fall and winter nights, the best thing for dinner is a piping hot bowl of soup. This Green Chile and Potato soup is the perfect balance of flavors and is sure to warm you up, no matter how cold it is outside!

Vegan Apple Pie Crescent Rolls



Sometimes, you just need a super quick, yet delicious dessert to serve to unexpected company, or to satisfy a sudden craving. These Vegan Apple Pie Crescent Rolls are the perfect thing to bake in a hurry but still are delicious!

10 Essential Vegan Fall Recipes


 
 
Fall is a time of family, thanksgiving and ( most importantly) FOOD! Over the years, I have gathered quite a few delicious and vegan fall-inspired recipes! Here is a collection of my favorites, perfect for Thanksgiving, fall-parties, or simple family dinners!

Sugar and Spice Roasted Pumpkin Seeds



Halloween was this week and that means lots of leftover pumpkin 'guts', leftover from jack o'lantern carving. Instead of throwing away those seeds, turn them into a delicious and healthy snack for everyone to enjoy?

Easiest Vegan French Toast Ever!



French Toast is a delicious breakfast food that a lot of people assume vegans can't have. This is due to the fact that most French toast recipes call for eggs and milk...but not this one! This is the Easiest Vegan French Toast Recipe Ever!

Vegan Peanut Butter Rice Krispies


Have no fear, just because you are vegan, doesn't mean you have to give up treats like rice krispies bars! Just change out a few ingredients and you have yourself a delicious, vegan, rice krispie treat!

Healthy Vegan Buckeye Bars

     What is better than delicious peanut butter layered between rich, dark chocolate? The fact that it is healthy! Not only is this dessert super delicious and easy to make, its also dairy free, gluten free and refined sugar free!


Easy Vegan White Bean Dip



     I love hummus! Hummus and I have a relationship, and it will always be there for me, but sometimes I like to change it up a bit! Give hummus a break, and try something new! That's when I discovered white bean dips and I just had to make my own! It turned out delicious and I want to share the recipe with you!

Spring Into a Healthier Life!

 
     Spring is here and I couldn't be more excited! I am so ready for sunshine, warm weather and short sleeves! Spring is a wonder time to get back into a healthier lifestyle after the indulgence and sedentariness of the winter months! There are so many ways to create a healthier lifestyle!

Chocolate Lover's Granola - Small Batch Granola


Valentine's Day is just a few days away, which means chocolate is everywhere! It seems that chocolate is a popular way of saying 'I love you!' ! This Chocolate Lover's Granola is the perfect way to say I love you to a friend, special someone or even yourself!

Hurray For Oats!

     Oats might seem a weird thing to write an entire blog post about, but they really are amazing! My family and I have started making and selling homemade granola at our Farmer's Market, so we have been dealing with a lot of oats lately! This got me thinking.. "Why should we eat oats? How good are they really for us?" and so I did some research. This is what I found...

#1 Oatmeal is Delicious!
well, maybe not on it's own, but when oats are added to recipes they really can be delicious! Keep ready for some great recipes and ideas on how to use oats more!

#2 Oatmeal Provides Fiber and Protein
Most Americans don't get enough fiber these days, so adding it in whenever you can is important. Protein is also a important thing in your diet. Having oats for breakfast provides you with some much needed fiber and protein, and it keeps you full until lunch!

#3 Oatmeal Helps Lower Bad Cholesterol
Oats contain a special strand of fiber called beta-glucan which, studies have shown, reduces levels of bad cholesterol and can help to prevent heart disease and strokes! With the number of deaths from heart diseases grows, it is important to protect ourselves from it in every way possible!

#4 Oats Contain Important Vitamins and Minerals
Oats might seem simple, but they are packed full of nutrients! They contain B vitamins and minerals like iron and magnesium! These are so important in our diet because they keep our bodies running smoothly, like they were meant to!

#5 Oats Aid in Weight Loss
Oats contain fiber, which helps to keep us full and also acts as a natural laxative. Both of these things help in weight loss. When we eat oatmeal for breakfast, we will remain full until lunch, which keeps us from snacking, thus, helping us lose weight. Studies have shown that, those who eat oatmeal at least three times a week, lose weight and keep it off better than those who don't eat oatmeal!

#6 Oats are Cheap!
There are so many "health" foods out there that claim to help in weight loss or keeping your body healthy. And while those things might work, they are usually pretty expensive. Oats, on the other hand, are so healthy for you and they help in weight loss AND they are super cheap! Replace your morning "health" cereal with oat meal and watch your wallet get bigger and your waistline get smaller!

   So, oats are pretty great, right? With all those health benefits, why wouldn't you want to eat them everyday? Well, maybe because they are pretty boring by themselves and you don't know how to make them delicious? Worry no more! Here are some great ways to eat oatmeal everyday!



Brownie Batter for Breakfast-
Measure out your oats into your pan ( 1/3 of a cup is a serving size). Add in 1-2 TBS of cocoa powder, 2-3 TBS of maple syrup, a pinch of salt and your cooking liquid ( you can use water, almond milk, chocolate almond milk......). Cook your oatmeal as usual. When they are done, add them to your bowl and top with chocolate chips, almond butter and raspberries for a delicious, health and filling breakfast!

Oil Free and Vegan Granola-
My recipe for Valentine's Day Granola is oil free, vegan and delicious! I love to eat granola on top of smoothie bowls, oatmeal, nondairy or banana ice cream or just a handful for a snack!


Oatmeal Smoothie-
Add 1 banana( Frozen is best) , a handful of berries ( I like strawberries and again, frozen is best), 1 TBS nut butter of choice, 1/3 cup oats and enough nondairy milk ( coconut or almond are my favorites) to blend to your desired thickness. This smoothie is super refreshing, filling and delicious! Its perfect to start your day or to pick you up in the afternoon!

Oatmeal Cookies-
My Banana Bread Cookies are super simple to make, but they are really yummy! With just a few ingredients, these cookies can be whipped up in a flash and enjoyed for breakfast, snack or dessert!

Oatmeal Bowls-
Here are a few great ways to enjoy oatmeal-
Cinnamon, Maple Syrup, Apples and Raisins
Vanilla, Blueberries, Almonds and Maple Syrup
Peanut Butter, Banana, Chocolate Chips
Pears, Maple Syrup, Dried Cranberries and Nutmeg
Coconut Milk, Pineapple, Mango, Raspberries

     So there you have it! So many ways to enjoy oats everyday! of course there are so many more ways you can eat oats, but I couldn't fit them all in to this post! Oats can also be used in things like veggie patties, breads and other savory things! With all these options, you have no excuse not to be eating oats everyday, or at least every week!


 I hope you enjoyed this post all about oats, their health benefits, and several ways to eat them everyday! Please share this post and my blog with your friends and family to spread the love of healthy living!

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

I post every Friday!

Stay Healthy, Happy and Laughing!

H. Banana

Favorite Books!

I love to read just about any type of book, but especially books about food, health and fitness. I find them motivational, helpful, entertaining and inspirational. I always feel inspired to eat and live healthier after I read one of these books! So, I want to share with you a few of my favorite books and maybe you can be just as inspired and motivated as me!


French Women Don't Get Fat! by  Mireille Guiliano
 French Women Don't Get Fat is one of my favorite books! Mireille is such a great writer, balancing her life story, the French tips for staying trim, and delicious recipes! I love that she shares her victories as well as failures and tips she learned along the way. Her recipes are easy to follow, delicious and all relatively healthy. She also has a 'plan' of sorts for getting started living as a French woman. I also read the sequel to the book: French Women For All Seasons and I loved that one as well.

Clean
Clean is a book I've blogged about before. It is a cleansing/detox book that explains what detoxing does, the benefits of it and how to do it! I have done a version of the cleanse twice, and I loved how I felt during and after each time! It also has several recipes that are clean and healthy!


In Defense of Food
Michael Pollan's book, In Defense of Food is such a great informational book about food, the American way of eating, and what we can do to change the way we eat. He also has several others books that I want to read, including Omnivore's Dilemma which I am in the middle of reading now!

Running Like a Girl
I just started reading this book, Running Like a Girl , and I have already fallen in love! The book is written from the perspective of someone who started out not liking to run, and follows her as she grows and learns to love it.  It is so motivational, funny, and informational. After reading just a few chapters, I wanted to go out for a run! I love how easy it is to relate to the author, and understand the struggles and realize that you aren't alone in your feelings towards running after all!

Body and Soul
Bethany Hamilton's book, Body and Soul is such a great book! She writes about growing up, losing her arm to a shark attack, learning to surf again, getting her life back on a healthier track, and living life in a healthier way. I love her workouts, recipes, stories, tips, and inspiration! She also is firm in her faith and shares ways that God has helped her through her life! I recommend this book for teenage girls( or anyone!) who wants to get their life back on a healthier track!

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