Just A Spoonful of Yogurt

It is safe to say that most people love yogurt.  It comes in all different shapes, sizes and flavors and is the go-to snack for a vast majority of people.  While I am one of those people that love to snack on yogurt, I sometimes get bored with the same fruit flavors that can be found at your local grocery store.  Recently, however, while shopping at my local health food store I came across a few brands that have dared to branch out in the flavor department.  Instead of using fruits to flavor their yogurt, they have used vegetables and have created a line for adventurous people like myself.  Thus, this blog post is all about the brands of yogurt that I had the courage to try and the wonderful topping choices that can turn any yogurt into a full meal.

Yogurt has got power boosting protein and bone-building calcium that can help you lose weight as well as fighting off a cold. Below are 5 fun facts about yogurt that you might not know about.

1. Yogurt can give you flat abs. By eating 18 ounces a day, you can drop a jean size.  When you eat yogurt, the calcium signals your fat cells to pump out less cortisol, making it easier for you to drop pounds, while the amino acids help burn fat.

2. Yogurt is loaded with vitamins. One serving contains a significant source of potassium, phosphorous, riboflavin, iodine, zinc, and vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid). Yogurt also has B12, which maintains red blood cells and helps keep your nervous system functioning properly.

3. Most brands of yogurt contain “good for you” bacteria.  The words “live and active cultures” on the container mean that your yogurt has probiotics, beneficial bugs that live in your digestive tract and help crowd out harmful microorganisms that can cause intestinal infections.

4. A cup of yogurt can help you recover faster after a work out.  With the right ratio of protein to carbohydrates, yogurt, particularly high-protein Greek yogurt, makes an excellent post-sweat-session snack.

5. Yogurt is a high protein food!

If those 5 little facts about yogurt still do not make you want to go into your fridge and grab a little container of it, I promise these easy recipes definitely will! They can be enjoyed anytime of the day, for breakfast or for a quick snack, and will most certainly keep your tastebuds wanting more!

Butternut Squash and Almond Butter

1 container of Blue Hill Butternut Squash Yogurt

1 Single Serve Packet of Justin’s Classic Almond Butter

Honey

Sliced Almonds

Chia Seeds

Because the Butternut Squash is a savory yogurt made with ingredients such as Maple Sugar, Cinnamon, and Nutmeg, by adding the listed ingredients it turns this yogurt into a little slice of fall.  Other than the single serving of almond butter, I do not list the serving size of the other ingredients because it is really up to you! If you like your yogurt to be rather sweet, add more honey.  If you like it to have some substance, than add as much chia seeds and almonds as you like!

This yogurt is listed as having live active cultures, thus it has the “good for you” bacteria.  The almond butter and almonds add an extra serving of protein that will keep you feeling full throughout the day!

A Slice of Pumpkin Pie

1 single container of Noosa Pumpkin Yoghurt

Honey

Pumpkin Seeds

2 Tablespoons of Power Blend – Coconut Goji

Once again, add all ingredients to your yogurt and add as much of the honey and pumpkin seeds as you like.  However, this yogurt is definitely like eating a slice of pumpkin pie.  Thus I would taste a little before adding honey because it is already sweet.

Noosa Yoghurt is made the Aussie way.  They take inspiration from the Greeks and make a nice thick yogurt but add honey for sweetness. PowerBlend – Coconut Goji is an all natural, Organic, gluten and GMO free, whole-food energy source. A delicious OMEGA 3 BLEND of Pumpkin Seeds, Hemp Seeds, Chia Seeds, Milled Flax Seeds And Spices.  The omegas are good for clarity and focus of the brain and the fiber helps contribute to a healthy heart and circulatory system.

If you like the flavors that both yogurt companies have to offer, you should definitely check out other flavors! For the Blue Hill yogurt, which is 100% grass-fed cows, I certainly recommend the  Sweet Potato flavor! As for the Noosa Yoghurt, the Coconut is fabulous!

Now keep the fun facts in mind and start adding yogurt to your diet! It is a great way to stay full throughout the day and can be enjoyed in so many different ways!

xoxo Sarah

July 1, 2015July 2, 2015 by Sarah Hoski Categories: Breakfast, Coconut, Gluten Free, Healthy, Hemp Seeds, Pumpkin, Recipes, Vegetarian, YogurtTags: Breakfast, Butternut Squash, Chia, Gluten Free, Healthy, Omegas, Pumpkin, Yogurt 1 Comment

We Accept the Brunch We Think We Deserve

I don’t know about you, but after spending my Friday night at a Michael Franti concert dancing my feet off I wake up the next morning ravenous! I need some hardy food that will replenish my body and help me get ready for the day.  After looking around my kitchen, I realized that I had some left over pork carnitas and pico de gallo that I made for my Taco Tuesday and I knew exactly what I was going to do.

Now I am a huge proponent of using your leftovers and cleaning out the refrigerator.  Why let all of your hard work go to waste?  Thus, I decided that I would make a pork carnitas breakfast hash using red potatoes.  It is a super easy brunch that is packed with flavor and will definitely not disappoint. The recipe is as follows.

Pork Carnitas Breakfast Hash topped with a Fried Egg

4 red potatoes, chopped with skin on

1 yellow onion, chopped

1 1/2 cups pork carnitas

2 Tablespoons butter

1 avocado, sliced

eggs

Pico de Gallo

Salt and Pepper

Take the red potatoes and chop them into uniform cubes keeping the skin on.  Using a cast-iron skillet (or regular skillet if you do not have a cast-iron) and melt butter at medium high.  Add potatoes and onion. Cook until tender, golden brown and crispy.  If you want to cut down on time, parboil your potatoes before chopping and adding them to the skillet.  Once the potatoes are cooked, lower your heat to low and add the pork carnitas. You are not trying to dry out the meat so just heat the meat up.  If you like your hash to be meatier, add more pork until you are satisfied. Season with salt and pepper. While the meat is being heated up, fry an egg in a separate skillet.

Now its time for plating.  Add your hash to a plate or wide brimmed bowl.  Top with avocado slices, then fried egg and a tablespoon of pico de gallo. Serve with your favorite hot sauce or ketchup for those ketchup lovers. Enjoy!

Why keep the skins on the potatoes? Red potatoes are a good source of essential iron and vitamin C.  By having enough iron in your diet it helps support red blood cell function and energy levels. Vitamin C helps your body absorb iron and it also helps keep your muscles strong by increasing collagen production.

Cast-iron skillets are an overall great choice to use when cooking because they are actually good for your health.  Because they are virtually nonstick, you do not need to use large amounts of oil when cooking.  The repellent coating that keeps cast-iron skillets virtually nonstick help you avoid the harmful chemicals that are found in nonstick pans.  Nonstick pans contain PFCs, or perfluorocarbons, a chemical that is linked to liver damage, cancer, developmental problems and early menopause.  And last but not least, cooking with a cast-iron skillet fortifies your food with iron.  Coming from a woman that is iron-deficient, it is a well-known fact that 10% of American woman suffer with iron-deficiency.  Thus we must find ways to make sure that we get enough iron!

I served this brunch to my brother and mom and let me tell you, they both highly enjoyed it! My brother kept asking me to make some more because he liked it so much! I hope you and your friends and family take pleasure in eating this simple and easy brunch! Now get moving out of bed and brunch on!

xoxo Sarah

June 27, 2015June 27, 2015 by Sarah Hoski Categories: Avocado, Breakfast, Brunch, Eggs, Gluten Free, Potatoes, SummerTags: Avocado, Breakfast, Brunch, Eggs, Gluten Free, Healthy, Pork, Potatoes Leave a comment

Let’s Talk About Toast

Avocado toast, smoked salmon topped toast, toast with almond butter, fruit and nuts, ratatouille topped toast…..the list goes on and on!  The thought of toast might be sort of boring or even worrisome for the people that stray away from carbs, but toast does not have to be intimidating at all.  There are all different ways that one can make toast healthy if you just put your imagination to it.

One of my go to breads is Ezekiel bread.  While I always try and go to the local bakery to pick up a handmade loaf of bread, Ezekiel bread can be found at almost every grocery store and can be stored in your freezer.  Most food critics consider Ezekiel bread to be one of the healthiest breads you can eat because it is made from organic sprouted whole grains, has no added sugar, and it is made with several different grains (wheat, millet, barley and spelt) as well as two different legumes (soybeans and lentils).

Now that we have our base, its time to move on to the creative end of things.  There are a few toppings that I always keep stocked in my kitchen just in case I want to have toast for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.  Because I am from Asheville, NC and still live here, I try to buy as many local products as possible.  My go to hummus is Roots hummus, which is made locally here in the heart of Asheville, and I am obsessed with their mango Sriracha hummus.  The other ingredients that I always like to have around other than hummus are avocados, smoked salmon, ricotta, capers, eggs, prosciutto, hemp seeds and red pepper flakes.  Hemp seeds are jam packed with all 10 essential amino acids, omega fatty acids, and are a great source of protein! Just with these few ingredients, I am able to make a complete meal full of nutrients. Below are the flavor combinations that I like best.

– Avocado toast topped with prosciutto, mango Sriracha hummus, and red pepper flakes

– Avocado toast topped with a poached egg, red pepper flakes and hemp seeds

– Ricotta toast topped with smoked salmon, capers, red onion slices, lemon juice, and freshly ground black pepper

-Goast cheese topped toast with balsamic roasted cherry tomatoes

Because I had time today to swing by my local bakery in town and grab a freshly made loaf of crusty bread, I figured that today I would make a toast that is a little bit more elaborate than the combinations previously listed above.

 

Pickled Onion Topped Avocado Toast

2 pieces of crusty artisan loaf bread

1 avocado

1 small red onion

1/4 cup Seasoned Rice Vinegar

1 teaspoon Bragg Liquid Aminos

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 tablespoon Hemp Seeds

To make the pickled onions, take one small onion and thinly slice it.  Put the onion in a bowl, add seasoned rice vinegar, and let sit for at least 15 minutes before draining.  While the onions are marinating, toast the two pieces of bread.  Take the avocado, pit it, and smash it with a fork evenly onto the two pieces of toast.  Top with the lemon juice and liquid aminos.  Once the onions are drained, equally divide them between the two pieces of toast and top with hemp seeds. Enjoy!

The liquid aminos that were added are all purpose seasoning from soy protein.  They are gluten free, full of protein and contain 16 different amino acids.

Topped toast is a super easy meal to make that can be savory or sweet and enjoyed anytime during the day.  My favorite time happens to be for brunch accompanied with a Bloody Mary.  Now its time to get toasting and enjoying!

xoxo Sarah

June 25, 2015June 25, 2015 by Sarah Hoski Categories: Avocado, Breakfast, Hemp Seeds, Toast, Vegan, Vegetables, VegetarianTags: Avocado, Breakfast, Healthy, Summer, Toast, Vegan, Vegetarian 3 Comments

The Secret Lives of Smoothies

My junior year of college I studied abroad in London during my fall semester.  Due to the fact that my parents financially supported me the whole way through, by the time I came back to the states during Christmas time I really did not want to ask for much.  However, there was one gift I did ask for, the Vitamix.  Now for those of you who do not know what a Vitamix is, a Vitamix is a high performance blender.  It isn’t just any blender, however.  You can make anything from soups to dips to grinding your own grain to most importantly, making smoothies.

For most people, smoothies generally mean something along the lines of fruits, milk and/or yogurt. However, I am not a huge fan of dairy (unless we are talking about cheese).  Thus, my smoothies generally mean vegetables, fruits, coconut water, hemp seeds and/or chia seeds, and the occasional addition of almond milk or yogurt when I find needed.  For those of you who are not the biggest veggie eaters, green smoothies are a perfect way to hide the fact that you are consuming vegetables. The benefits of green smoothies are:

1. Green smoothies provide pure nutrition.

2. Green smoothies are much healthier than fruit or vegetable juices because when juices are extracted, you get all of the vitamins and minerals but not the fiber.

3. Green smoothies are quick and easy to make, so when you are on the go you can quickly make one and bring it with you to work.

4. Homemaking green smoothies are much cheaper to make than buying one at your local juice bar.

5. Green smoothies are low in calories, but are very filling.  If you are trying to loose weight, this is the perfect meal replacement.  However, it is important to make sure that you are allowing yourself the suggested serving size and not adding more than is needed.  Because fruits do have sugar in them, it is easy to consume calories without even knowing it.

I like to generally keep my smoothies on the tart side, preferring savory over sweets, by incorporating produce such as green apples, lemon juice, and ginger.  However, I do add honey and other sweet fruit to keep things interesting! Below are some of my favorite smoothie recipes!

Beetroot and Berries

1 cup frozen organic blueberries

1 handful of organic spinach

1 Tablespoon of ginger or Organic Ginger Juice

1 teaspoon of honey

1 heaping scoop (5g) of BeetElite Blackcherry Flavor Powder

1 packet of single serving Salba Chia Boost

1/2 cup of coconut water

Add all ingredients into a blender and blender until smooth texture.  Enjoy!

With the addition of the organic ginger juice, it is used for relieving digestive problems such as nausea, motion sickness and pain.  It also reduces the risk of obesity, diabetes and heart disease.  The BeetElite powder that is used is a dietary nitrate-rich superfood shot.  It is good for energy, stamina and heart health.  The packet of chia seeds is high in omegas, fiber, protein, antioxidants, calcium, magnesium, iron and potassium.

Green Machine

1 cored green apple

2 celery stalks

3 cucumber slices

1/2 cup of frozen pineapple

1/2 cup of frozen mango

1 scoop of Amazing Grass Green Superfood

1 scoop of Amazing Grass Wheat Grass

1/2 juice of a lemon

1/2 cup coconut water

Add all ingredients into blender and blend until smooth.  Enjoy!

Both of the Amazing Grass products used are gluten free, vegan and raw which promote overall health and wellness, healthy energy levels and immune function, supports body alkalinity and detoxification functions, includes a probiotic and enzyme blend to support digestive health, and helps to achieve 5 plus daily servings of vegetables.

Lime In the Coconut

1 Liberte Mediterranee Coconut Yogurt

1 cup spinach leaves

1 frozen banana

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

1 cup of ice

Add all ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth.  Enjoy!

Not only can smoothies be enjoyed through a straw, but you can also put them in a bowl and
top with your favorite fruits, nuts and seeds to make a perfect breakfast! Now get blending and enjoy!

xoxo Sarah

June 24, 2015July 27, 2015 by Sarah Hoski Categories: Breakfast, Coconut, Fruit, Summer, Vegan, Vegetables, Vegetarian, VitamixTags: Breakfast, Healthy, Smoothies, Summer, Superfoods, Vegan, Vegetarian, Vitamix, Wheatgrass 1 Comment

Egg-actly What I Needed

There are exactly three foods that I can think of off the top of my head that I cannot live without, bacon, eggs and Asian food.  Now I know that Asian food is a rather large category, but there are so many foods from different Asian cultures that I am love with that I just cannot narrow it down to one specific type.  I love anything from Vietnamese Bahn Mi sandwiches to Korean Bulgogi.  Thus, today’s blog post is about two of my favorite foods, eggs and Asian food.

Just a few weeks ago my mom asked me to go to a Korean cooking class with her at this local establishment in Asheville called Dough, where we were going to be taught the basics of Korean food.  I learned that Korean food always incorporates ingredients such as fish sauce, garlic, red chili powder, and sesame seeds.  More importantly, I learned how to make Kimchi. Kimchi is a traditional Korean fermented side dish made from a variety of vegetables and seasonings.  It is a low-carlorie, high fiber and nutrient packed side dish that has a range of vitamins such as vitamin A, B1, and C.  Kimchi is also rich in amino acids and minerals such as iron, calcium, and selenium.  Most importantly, because Kimchi is a fermented dish it has the benefits of probiotics.

Now I know shopping at an Asian market can be intimidating.  However, almost every experience that I have had at an Asian market has been a complete success and the people working there will be more than willing to help you locate an ingredient if you do not know what you are looking for.  Plus too, the products are generally very inexpensive and good quality! The recipe for Kimchi is as follows:

Kimchi

1/2 Napa cabbage, large dice

8 ounces daikon radish, peeled and cut into matchsticks

6 scallions, cut into 1 inch pieces

Korean red pepper powder, about 1/4 cup or to taste

1/3 cup fish sauce

1/4 cup ginger, minced

6 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon sugar

1/4 cup rice wine vinegar

Combine all ingredients thoroughly.  Cover and let sit on counter for 24 hours (letting food sit on counters speeds up the marinating process).  Then put in refrigerator for at least 48 hours.  Kimchi lasts indefinitely, thus the longer it ferments the better.

After having my Kimchi sitting in my refrigerator for about 2 weeks I could not resist from opening the can up and trying some!  However, it was morning time and I was craving some eggs. Thus I thought why not still make my eggs for breakfast and incorporate my kimchi into the dish.  Thus I thought of making a Kimchi omelet, which you will soon find out is not all that uncommon!

Kimchi Omelet

2 teaspoons sesame oil

2 Tablespoons Kimchi

3 eggs, beaten

1/2 avocado, sliced

1 Tablespoon soy sauce flavored seaweed with shiitake mushrooms

Add 1 teaspoon of sesame oil to skillet over medium heat and add Kimchi to brown for 2 minutes. Once browned, remove from heat and set aside. In a bowl, whisk 3 eggs.  In another skillet, add the other 1 teaspoon of sesame oil until hot and add eggs.  Brown the eggs a little on one side until they start to form a firm outer crust.  Add kimchi to eggs and cover for 2 minutes or until the eggs start to become less runny.  If you like your eggs to be drier cover a little longer.  Once cooked to your liking, fold the omelet in half and plate.  Top with sliced avocado and seaweed.  Sriracha on the side is a must!

While the omelet is visually stunning, I must say that it tastes just as good as it looks! This simple dish supplies you with protein and all different vitamins that are essential to having a good day! I hope you enjoy this dish just as much as I did!

xoxo Sarah

June 23, 2015July 27, 2015 by Sarah Hoski Categories: Asian, Breakfast, Eggs, VegetarianTags: Asian, Avocado, Breakfast, Eggs, Kimchi, Koren, Vegetarian 1 Comment