Oil Free Fries

     Who doesn't love French fries? They're crispy, crunchy, salty, and (usually) fairy oily. How do we turn fatty, oily and unhealthy French fried into delicious, healthy homemade fries? It actually super simple and before you know it, you'll have some guilt-free French fries and you didn't even have to leave the house!

 

     I love just about anything made out of potatoes! Mashed, stewed, fried, baked, roasted..... the list goes on and on! I love turning these usually unhealthy dishes into healthier versions! These homemade fries are just as delicious and crispy as the ones in restaurants, but they are oil-free, vegan, and full of flavor!

Ingredients:
Potatoes ( Usually around 1 potato per person)
Salt and Pepper
Garlic Powder
Paprika
* Use what ever seasonings you like to customize your meal!

Start by washing and drying your potatoes. I only used one large one this time!

Cut them into sticks. The thickness depends on you. The thinner the sticks are, the faster they will cook and the crunchier they will be!

Add them to a bowl and sprinkle in your seasonings. I used around a tsp of each seasonings for my one large potato. Then, line a pan with parchment paper and lay out your potato sticks. Make sure they aren't touching.

Then, bake at 450 F for around 30-40 minutes, depending on the size of your sticks. Half way through, flip your potatoes over to get them crispy on all sides.

And now you have delicious, healthy French fries!

I love to eat these with ketchup, BBQ sauce, guacamole, or just on their own! They also pair well with veggie burgers, grilled veggies, and even inside tacos for a crunchy texture! However you eat these fries, I am sure you will agree with me, that these are some super yummy, oil free fries!

I hope you enjoyed this recipe! Please share it with your friends and family to help others live healthier lives!

You can follow the blog via email, Google, Twitter @ SpinachisGood, tumbler @ justrunningforfood, Pinterest @ Hannah Plunkett and on Instagram @ that_vegan_runner. Please connect with me over social media to get even more Spinach Is Good For You content!

I post every Friday!

Stay  Healthy, Happy and Laughing!

H. Banana

Asian Carrot Slaw

     With the weather warming up, I have been craving lots of fresh fruit and vegetables! In the winter months, we tend to fall into a habit of eating a lot of cooked meals, which is fine because the fresh produce you can find usually isn't so great! But, when the warmer months finally get here, its important and nice to start eating more fresh foods!

     I love carrots, raw or cooked, and they are a great source of Vitamin A, Vitamin C and Potassium! So, eating lots of carrots should be a no-brainer right? But eating just plain carrots all the time can get boring! Why not eat this delicious Asian Carrot Slaw to get in your carrots for the day? Its simple, flavorful, refreshing and super healthy! What more could you want?

    This recipe is Vegan, Low Fat, Oil Free, Refined Sugar Free, and Gluten Free! All the more reason to love this recipe! I know, once you try it, you'll be making it over and over again! Its perfect as a side dish, in tacos or burritos, on top of salads, in sandwiches, or in asian noodle salads! I can see it on the table at a picnic or outdoor party!

Ingredients:

3-4 Carrots, grated ( about 2 1/2 cups)
3-4 TBS Soy Sauce ( for Gluten Free, use a Gluten Free Soy Sauce)
2 TBS Seasame Seeds
1 tsp Salt
Pinch of Black Pepper
1/2 tsp Ground Ginger

Wash and peel your carrots. I used organic carrots, so I didn't feel the need to peel them! I grated my carrots by hand with a grater, but a food processor would make the process a bit faster!

Add them to a bowl along with the soy sauce, salt and pepper, ground ginger and seasame seeds. Mix well until everything is combined. Make sure the seasame seeds get mixed in well, they have a habit of clumping up on me!

And thats it! Can you believe how simple and easy that was? The hardest part was the carrots, but you do get in an arm workout! I suggest tasting the slaw to check the salt and pepper levels. Some might want it a bit spicier and some not so much!

 

You can eat it right away or store it in the fridge for a few days. The soy sauce might darken the carrots a bit, but don't let that worry you! Also, the salt might make the carrots juice a bit, so you might want to pour that off( if it happens) before serving!

The saltiness of the soy, the spice of the ginger and the nutiness of the seasame seeds all go so well together! Its like eating a flavor explosion! Its so refreshing and delicious, I know you will enjoy it! I really hope you try this recipe and experience it for yourself!

If you enjoyed this recipe, please share it with your friends and family! Also, you can share it on social media to reach even more people!

You can follow the blog via email, Google, Twitter @ SpinachisGood, Tumblr @ justrunningforfood, and on Pinterest @ Hannah Plunkett. I look forward to conntecting with you!

I post every Friday!

Stay Healthy, Happy and Laughing!
H. Banana

Pico de Gallo

    I think it's safe to say that I'm in love with Mexican food! Being born and raised for a while in Texas probably didn't help either! :) This delicious recipe for fresh and flavorful Pico de Gallo is one to add to your recipe book! It's simple and easy, like any good Pico should be, and packed full of flavor!! Also, Pico is a great healthy and low calorie side item or snack, that's full of fresh veggies and herbs to give your body some nutrients!

Ingredients:

1/2 Yellow or White Onion, finely chopped

4 Roma Tomatoes, finely chopped

1 Bell Pepper, finely chopped

3 TBS Finely chopped Cilantro

Juice from 1 Lemon

Salt and Pepper to taste

Pinch of Cayenne Pepper

This recipe is pretty simple, just chopped, juice, dump, stir, season, taste, and devour! But, I'll walk you through it with some pictures, just in case! :)

First, add your finely chopped onions to a bowl.

To this, add your finely chopped tomatoes.

And the finely diced bell pepper. I try to go with a color other than red, since the tomatoes are red, but any color with do!

 

I looks kind of like a heart or a 'Peace' sign, doesn't it?

Next, we need to add the cilantro, lemon juice, and spices.

Now, just give it a stir and a taste, to make sure it is to your liking!

 

All those bright colors make this a delicious and beautiful dish!

When you're happy the dish taste amazing, give it a final stir and then plate it to serve! I love to use our Mexican bowls to serve this Pico because the colors go so well together!

So lovely! I could eat this on anything! We love to put this with tacos, fajitas, salads, tortilla chips, quesadillas, enchiladas, or...... I sometimes eat it with a spoon, its THAT good!

 

I could go on and on with the pictures, but maybe that is enough for this post! :) I hope you try this recipe and discover for yourself the perfection of this Pico de Gallo! If you like it, please share this post and my blog with your friends and family members to encourage them to live a healthier life!

Follow the blog via email, Google, Twitter @SpinachisGood , and on Pinterest @ Hannah Plunkett. I would love to hear your feed back on my blog and post! You can do that in the comments, via email @ healthypinner@gmail.com, and on Twitter!

I have recently decided to go from Monday and Friday post to just Friday post. This is because, with school and everyday life, I don't have a lot of time to put into my post! Hopefully going to once-a-week post will allow me to put more into the blog content!

New post every Friday!

Keep Healthy and Safe!
H. Banana

Oven Roasted Peppers and Onions

Bell Peppers and onions have become a staple in my house. I love to throw them in just about any thing! They are great sautéed for tacos or taco salad, on hamburgers, in quinoa.. the list goes on!

Another way bell peppers and onions are good is roasted in the oven. Roasting the veggies makes them soft yet crispy in places. These are a perfect side dish, topping for tacos, salads, fajitas, or mix in with rice or quinoa. The sweetness of the peppers and onions blend so well with the salt and pepper to make a simple, yet delicious dish!

So, lets get started making these Oven Roasted Peppers and Onions!

Ingredients:
3 Bell Peppers. Try and get each one a different color.
1 Large Onion (or 2 smaller ones)
4 TBS Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper

Preheat oven to 400 F.
Cut up your Peppers and Onions. Last summer, when we went to Houston ,Texas and I went to a cooking class with my cousin. While there ,we learned basic knife skills. One of the most useful things I learned was, how to cut up a pepper without wasting too much of it. I want to share with you how I cut up my bell Peppers!

We buy our peppers at Costco in big bags because we use them so much. In each bag is two of each color( Yellow, Red, and Orange) except green. If you can, pick one of each for a great presentation!

Wash and dry your peppers and get a large cutting board ready. Begin by slicing off the top of the pepper.

If there are any seeds in the top, brush them out into a bowl or sink.

Then, slice down the sides, cutting along the white seed pocket in the center.

Keep going until you are left with four pepper sides, a top, and the seeds separated.

Dispose of the seeds and move on to the top of the pepper.

Cut along the green steam. You don't want to go to close, but don't waste a whole lot either!

 

Now that we have our peppers de-seeded we can move on to chopping them up. In this recipe you want to keep the pieces rather large.

Do the same with your onion. Sadly, I'm not the greatest at cutting up an onion so I won't show you that!

Throw the peppers and onions together in a baking pan. I am using a 9x13 to get a flatter layer of veggies, but use what ever you have handy!

Aren't the colors amazing? This is why I like to use all three colors instead of just one! It makes for a much prettier dish!

Sprinkle with the olive oil and salt and pepper. Stir well to cover each piece of veggies with oil and seasonings. Then, place in the oven for 30-45 minutes, stirring every 20 minutes. When they are done the peppers will be soft and the onions translucent and soft. The edges will have started to crisp and the smell will be amazing!

Let cool for a bit before serving!

I served these along side my Honey Roasted Carrots from my last post. If you won't to know how to make those too, check that post out!

Along side the spicy chicken, sweet carrots and fresh salad, the peppers and onions added a great flavor to our meal! They were a favorite of everyone!

I hope you will try these delicious oven roasted veggies. If you like it, please share it with a friend!

Keep healthy and Safe!
H.Banana

NOTE: Be careful when working with knives! I don't want anyone to get hurt!

Follow the blog on Twitter @ Spinachisgood and on Pinterest @ Hannah Plunkett

Wholey Guacamole!

  If you read my previous posts( Super Food Facts) you will know how good Avocados are for you. I like to use them wherever and whenever I can! This recipe for guacamole is not only delicious, but a great healthy snack or side dish for just about any occasion!

I love guacamole a lot! Every where I have it, its made a different way. And, though its usually pretty tasty, I have my favorites. Among those is my own recipe of course! I was taught how to make guacamole a few years ago by a family friend in Houston, and I have been making it ever since. It is so easy to make, you can customize it to your own preferences, and its a great way to use up almost-too-ripe avocados!

So, let's make some guacamole!

Ingredients:
2 large, ripe Avocados
1(10 oz) can of Rotel
2 tsp Lime Juice
1tsp Minced Garlic
1 tsp ground cayenne pepper
Salt and Pepper

Start by slicing and scooping the avocados into a bowl. With the back of a fork, mash them to desired texture. I like mine a little chunky! The riper the avocados are, the easier this job is!

 

The next step is to add the spices and Lime juice. Fresh squeezed lime juice is best, so use that when you can. To make squeezing your lime easier, roll it on the counter a few times to loosen it up!

 

 

Stir this together and then add the garlic and Rotel. I like to add half the can, stir in, and then see how much of the rest of the can I want. This way I always get the perfect avocado to Rotel ratio!

 

Mix this together and you're done! Taste it to see if you need more salt and pepper or lime juice!

 

Serve with corn chips, on tacos, taco salad(one of my favorites!), on a sandwich(instead of Mayo) or however you like it!

I love this recipe so much! Its super easy to make and you can keep it in the fridge for a quick and healthy snack!

If you have enjoyed this post, please share it with a friend!

Keep Healthy and Safe!
H.Banana

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