Wednesday, June 26, 2013

Obsession of the week

I have a new obsession.... Flaxseeds! I have been talking about them for a while and their health benefits including high protein, high fiber, high in omega fats and I will add another less talked about amazing characteristic of flaxseeds. They are extremely versatile. For breakfast this morning I quickly whipped up some flax bread to go with my farm eggs (see 6-22-13 post). What is flax bread you ask? Well since I am now gluten and dairy free I have felt better and my obsessive issues with my Greek yogurt have come to a screeching halt. I was mixing flax seeds, chia seeds and cinnamon into my daily Greek yogurt but honestly I have problems stopping at 1 serving of that delightful mix. So giving it up for a while has been good for me. I came up with flax bread because I don't want 1 drop, 1 tiny speck of that golden egg yolk to go to waste. Here's what I did to make a 60 calorie, 4 grams protein, 4 grams of fiber flax bread:

2 Tablespoons of ground flaxseeds 
1 teaspoon Mrs. Dash (I used onion and herb)
3/4 to 1 Tablespoon water

Mix all ingredients well and form into small patty on an already hot non stick pan. Press down firmly using the back of a spatula until the bread is about 1/4" thick. Cook 2 min per side or until toasted. Carefully remove from pan (its a bit delicate). Enjoy bikini style!

It's flavorful, gluten free, super healthy, satisfied my craving for salty/crispy and only takes a moment to prepare!
That's my flax bread under my gorgeous farm egg!
That's the Mrs. Dash I used. Yummy! I just made another batch and squirted a few tablespoons of sriracha sauce in the above flax bread recipe.... Added a great kick!

Saturday, June 22, 2013

The Golden Yolk

Eggs! As you know by my posts and by the background of my website eggs are my favorite food. I like to eat them pretty much every way possible and I find a way to add them to just about any recipe to increase the protein and vitamins. Well, last week at the health food store a nice cashier and bagger helped me with my weekly grocery order. I commented to them how much I loved eggs and they let me know that the bagger lives on a chicken farm. I was trilled and asked if I could buy the farm fresh eggs. He said yes and gave me his mom's contact information. Well everyone.... I am pleased to announce that I now have 2 dozen gorgeous farm fresh eggs. She even threw in a duck egg. I have never tried a duck egg so of course it was the first one I tasted. 
Grocery store white egg is on the left and the duck egg is on the right. 
I gently cracked the egg. It was much tougher to crack than the grocery store eggs. Then I ever so carefully slid the egg into my already hot skillet.
The duck egg cooked very quickly and very evenly. I cooked it sunny side up. It was by far the best, most flavorful, most creamy egg I have ever eaten. Oh boy, now I'm going to be spoiled. 
I didn't add anything to it..... Not a thing. It's like nature's golden treat.

I have found out a few things about duck eggs while researching their nutritional value. A big one is that typically if a person is allergic to chicken eggs he/she can have duck eggs! That opens some big doors for those people suffering from such an allergy. 

Another big reason to go for the quack quack is that duck eggs have nearly twice the nutritional value of a chicken egg and can be kept and stored longer due to the egg's thicker shell. Also duck eggs contain more Omega 3 fatty acids. Those are the good fats that help with many important body functions from brain health to healthy skin. Duck eggs are also alkaline which is good for cancer patients in killing rapidly growing cancer cells. There are some skeptics out there who are worried that duck egg yolks do contain a full day's amount of cholesterol.  But medical doctors and scientists now seem to agree that healthy individuals need certain amounts of fats to maintain a well oiled machine (their body). Cholesterol helps the body remember how to use fat as energy.... Sounds like a win win to me! I know that with my body as soon as I increased fat and increased protein I immediately began seeing results and muscles (but don't forget to weight train and do your push ups!). 

Thank you Alison and Jason and thank you to the hard working mama duck who gave me that egg! Willow-Rock Farm looks beautiful by the pictures on Facebook ("like" them on Facebook!) and I look forward to bringing my kids there to gather more eggs and meet the goats!

Eggs are a bikini's best friend! Happy summertime and happy bikinis!!!!

Tuesday, June 18, 2013

Flaxcakes

Ah flaxseeds.... My tiny little friends. Buy them finely or coarsely ground and add them to just about anything from salads to muffins to cereal to eggs or yogurt. I absolutely love their nutty flavor, their high fiber and protein content and their high omega 3 power! I have given you my recipe for oatmeal pancakes and this recipe resembles that one. But lately I have been trying a dairy, gluten and wheat free diet for health reasons. And I must admit that I don't miss the oats (oats are grown next to wheat so those who are allergic to gluten cannot have oats either) in these flaxcakes. Try this quick, easy recipe for a morning power protein punch or for a mid day energy boost. I serve mine with a strawberry, mango smile. Happy bikinis!

Recipe for flaxcakes:

1/2 c flaxseeds
2 T chia seeds
1 T cinnamon 
1 t vanilla extract
3 egg whites
1/4 c unsweetened vanilla almond milk

Mix all ingredients well. Spoon onto lightly greased pan as you would regular pancakes. Cook about 2-3 min per side over medium heat. Flip and cook another 2 minutes or until done all the way through. Serve with fresh fruit and enjoy!
Service with a smile! 


Saturday, June 15, 2013

BBL Bars!

Enjoy my yummy, easy bars! Wrap them individually, store them in the freezer and eat them for pre workout energy or a post workout protein kick! 

Here is a link to my video:
http://m.youtube.com/#/watch?v=7t5g5k395oA&feature=em-upload_owner&desktop_uri=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3D7t5g5k395oA%26feature%3Dem-upload_owner

And here is my recipe:
1 Cup cashews
1/2 t sea salt
3/4 C dates or prunes
1 t pure vanilla extract

Directions:
Purée cashews in blender or food processor until 
they resemble graham cracker crumbs. Add sea salt
Then add prunes (or dates) and vanilla extract.
Get the mixture out of the blender and press down 
Hard.bar in freezer for at least half an hour. 
Then cut into individual bars and wrap in aluminum  foil. Enjoy bikini style!!!