Nutrition – Page 2

April 8, 2017

Almond and Olive Stuffed Squash Blossoms

Well hello there! Time has passed by and spring is here! I had a very relaxing two weeks of spring break, and along with refraining from any academic activity, I seem to have also taken a brief vacay from posting on B&B. The creative juices and inspiration are flowing again, and boy oh boy do I have some fun posts in the works. Starting with today’s bomb recipe that is simply the epitome of spring.

While I was recently exploring the local Farmer’s Market, the heavens opened up and shined a glorious, beaming light on these beauties-SQUASH BLOSSOMS (of the zucchini variety). Ughhhhh squash blossoms are one of those rare delicacies that just make me do a happy dance- the OG squash blossom recipe on the blog can be found here. They are available in the spring and early summer, before summer squash season. Cuz, ya know, first comes squash blossoms then comes squash.

Major question: Have you ever had a squash blossom before??? I remember my first squash blossom experience at around 13 years old. It was stuffed to the brim with ricotta cheese, tempura battered, and pan fried. Was it delicious? Duhhhh. But did it really let the squash blossom shine? No. Was it healthy and nourishing? Heckkkk noooooo.

So as any nutrition-oriented foodie would do, I set out on making an alternative that was fresher, lighter, and let the blossom do its thang. The result is gluten-free and vegan, but you ain’t gonna miss the dairy or the gluten, promise! Bonus- no deep frying required! Just a quick roast in the oven is all these babies need.

I would go as far to say that this is one of the best, most blissfully perfect recipes on the blog to date. The squash blossoms are savory, salty, and fresh. And if you have never tasted, let alone made a stuffed squash blossom, it’s your lucky day. Your tastebuds won’t even know what hit em.

Sooooo quick side note, since I was feeling extra resourceful and inspired with this particular recipe, it makes use of the leftover almond meal in the nut-milk bag from making homemade almond milk. (That you might normally look at and have no clue what to do with.) Stop throwing the almond meal away, and make these instead.

If you don’t have leftover post-almy milk almond meal, you can totally sub almond flour (finely ground almonds) for this recipe. You will just have to get the flour a little bit more wet with a sprinkle of water. Easy peasy! And let’s be honest, if you whip these out as an app at your next dinner party, everyone will be convinced that 1: you are fancy, 2: you are chef-y, and 3: you can adult like nobody’s business.

Almond and Olive Stuffed Squash Blossoms

Makes 16 stuffed squash blossoms

16 squash blossoms

1 cup of almond meal

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons chopped herbs (I used thyme, rosemary, oregano)

1/3 cup chopped kalamata olives

1 tablespoon nutritional yeast

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

Olive oil, for drizzling

Lemon zest for garnish

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. If using “leftover” almond meal from making homemade almond milk, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil to almond meal in a large bowl. (If using dry almond flour, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil and a few tablespoons of water so that the almond meal holds together in a ball.)

Add chopped herbs, olives, nutritional yeast, salt, and pepper to the almond meal, and mix until well combined. To stuff each squash blossom, carefully open the flower, pushing a small spoonful of the almond mixture into the blossom. Gently press the petals together to seal the blossom.

Place squash blossoms on a baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil and bake for 18-20 minutes. To serve, garnish with fresh lemon zest.

Do tell- have you had squash blossoms before? Let me know if you try this recipe! Squash blossoms can seem like an intimidating ingredient to work with, but I promise, they are pretty low maintenance as long as you treat them with a little TLC.

Have a great weekend!

XO,

Alexandra

February 24, 2017

Cauliflower Rice Kimchi Bowls

Hey guys! Where did February go?! I feel like I was just celebrating Valentine’s Day and now I’m getting stoked for Spring Break. I don’t have any exciting travel plans yet, but San Diego seems to be a top vacation spot anyway, so do I really need to leave??? Spoiled, I know. If anyone is looking for restaurant recs for a vacay in SD, email me- I have tons of faves!

So even though I’m not jetsetting anywhere this year (unless someone has a surprise plane ticket waiting for me), today’s tasty recipe is my mind’s crazy fusion of some favorite Asian cuisine staples. It’s just a big bowl of yumminess that is perfect for whipping up and chowing down while you catch up on your DVR. Anyone else do this? Just me? It’s the little things in life, like a bowl full of yassss and a DVR full of good shows.

I couldn’t really decide what to call this dish cuz I went all-in with toppings on this bad boy. It’s a mix of everyone’s favorite Chinese fried rice, Korean bibimbap, and Hawaiian/Japanese poke. Ohhhh man do I just drool over a good poke bowl. I never get tired of that one. My favorite thing is going to a poke bar where you can customize it and make your own. DIY is one way to keep it healthy and full of nutrients. Let me explain how I do it when I head to the bar. (The poke bar, that is.)

Building a Better Poke Bowl

–Rice or no rice? This one really depends on your activity levels and health goals. Rice is a dense source of carbs, which are so necessary for your body to function, and unfortunately, they get demonized in mainstream media. If I had a tough workout or need to power through a very active day, I will get a small amount of rice/quinoa (half cup is good for me). Most of the time I skip the rice and do more of a “salad” style and pile up the lettuce.

–Skip the fried and heavy mix-ins – Instead of piling high the fried onion bits or tempura “crunchies”, I like crunch from cucumbers and jalapeños. Keep it fresh not fried. Poke is also notorious for sauces that are mayo-based, which can make the calories add up fast. Try to get fish that is not coated in a mayo sauce (like spicy mayo). For flavor, try cilantro, pickled ginger, or kimchi (helloooo probiotics!). If it’s the creamy factor you’re after, throw on some avocado.

–Sayonara soy sauce– Soy sauce is high in sodium, which can lead to bloat. Not fun. Masago (fish eggs) add a salty, briny flavor and are also packed with omega-3 fatty acids. Try seaweed flakes for a salty and iodine-rich kick. I’m loving dulse flakes lately and just pour that ish on everything!! Missing the “dressing” of soy sauce? Even just a squeeze of citrus and some sesame oil makes a perfect dressing for a poke bowl.

SOOO with this Cauliflower Kimchi Bowl recipe, I really wanted to pack it in with veggies and show a fun way to use cauliflower as rice. Maybe you have seen cauliflower used as rice before, but haven’t tried making it yourself. Don’t be scared!

It’s so simple- you just chop or process the cauli into rice-sized pieces (you can even buy “riced” cauliflower at some grocery stores!). Boom, a low-carb veggie sub for rice. It’s so good and very filling. Plus, cauliflower is a great source of beautifying/oxidative stress-fighting vitamin C and other antioxidants, so get to cooking!

Cauliflower Kimchi Bowl

Makes 2-3 bowls

1 tablespoon coconut oil or ghee

1/2 medium onion, diced

1 inch knob ginger, grated

1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar

2 teaspoons sesame oil

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 large head of cauliflower, chopped into rice-sized pieces, or one package of “riced” cauliflower

1 1/2 cups shredded carrots

1 cup kale or spinach, roughly chopped

Toppings:

fried eggs, 1 per serving

kimchi- I used this brand

1 tablespoon chopped chives

1 avocado, sliced

dulse seasoning-love this one (optional)

sashimi (optional)

In a large pan or dutch oven, heat coconut oil or ghee over medium-high heat until melted. Add onions and ginger, and sauté until onions are golden and fragrant. To deglaze the pan, add rice wine vinegar and sesame oil. Add salt and pepper, and stir to distribute. Dump in cauliflower, cooking for 5 minutes. Add carrots, cover and cook for about 10 minutes, lifting the lid to stir occasionally. After the 10 minutes, cauliflower should have softened. Remove pan from heat, and stir in kale or spinach, letting the residual heat wilt the greens.

To serve, scoop some of the cauliflower rice mixture into a bowl. Top with a fried egg, kimchi, chives, avocado, pulse, and sashimi, as desired. (or any other toppings you like!) Time to dig in!

Have you tried cauliflower rice before? How do you use it in recipes? Are you a poke/bibimbap fan? I could eat it everyday and be totally happy. #obsessed

Digging into a bowl and catching up on my DVR’d shows as we speak. Who is a This Is Us fan? Ugghhhh that show is amazing. So beautifully written, true-to-life, and definitely pulls at your heart. Keep the tissues handy.

Let me know if you whip this recipe up for a bangin’ flavorful dinner! Have a fab weekend!

XO,

Alexandra

January 27, 2017

Sweet and Easy Date Paste

Today’s post is a fun one! (I know “date paste” sounds a bit questionable, but bear with me). It’s a quick, easy recipe that literally anyone can make. Honestly, it is next to impossible to make this wrong. All you need are Medjool dates (truly nature’s candy, as they are quite sweet and almost caramel-y), and water. So simple, right?

So, how bout them “all natural” sweeteners? There are so many refined sugar-free sweeteners floating around on the market (agave, coconut nectar, brown rice syrup, to name a few) but it’s so simple to make your own 2-ingredient date paste and keep it in a cute jar in the fridge to use whenever a recipe calls.

Plus dates are a good source of potassium, some B vitamins, and fiber, so they have an added nutritional benefit over white sugar and many other sweeteners in that regard. Really, what other sweetener is going to have some blood-sugar balancing fiber??

It’s important to remember that not all “natural” sweeteners are created equal. That natural halo can actually be misleading. Take agave nectar for example. It is highly processed and has been treated in a way that any beneficial compounds and enzymes are destroyed. Agave Nectar is not a sweetener that I recommend consuming on a frequent basis. Whenever we process a food product, the more likely it is that beneficial compounds are removed by the sheer nature of the processing (chemicals, heat, pressure, etc).

If keeping beneficial nutrients of food up (enzymes, phytochemicals, antioxidants) and the processing down interests you, this date paste is going to be your jam, er paste. Even dietitians like to have a sweet treat, and this is one ingredient that I like to have on hand to maximize the nutritional value of my homemade treats if I have the option. It’s rich, caramel-y, and holds up well in recipes.

Let’s cut straight to it and get to the no-brainer recipe!

Sweet and Easy Date Paste: Two ingredients, Refined Sugar-Free

1 cup Medjool dates, pitted and soaked 4 hours or overnight, soaking water reserved

1/4-1/3 cup reserved soaking water

Add dates and 1/4 cup of water to a high speed blender. Blend until smooth. If mix is too thick, add more water, one tablespoon at a time.

Yields about 1 cup

Fave ways to use date paste:

Stirred into tea lattes
Substitute for sweetener in baking recipes (quick breads, muffins, cashew cream)
Sweet element of marinades/dressings
Over banana ice dream
As a raw, vegan caramel sauce sub
Any recipe that calls for honey, coconut nectar, or liquid sweetener

Have you used date paste before? I would love to know if you try adding this to recipes. I’m always looking for recipe inspiration, so tag me on insta (@bouquetsandbaguettes) so I can see how you use it!

Have a fab week!

XO,

Alexandra

January 20, 2017

Spearmint Tea: Major Skin Saver

Hello, hello hello! It has been raining a whole lot in SoCal lately, which has me reaching for the biggest cup of tea, cozy socks, and all the blankets. Does anyone else feel like snuggling up with a good book and an oversized sweater when it’s raining out? Don’t ask me to be productive, because it simply won’t happen. Grad school life vs rainy day life: ughhh, basically it’s trouble if they fall on the same day. Sometimes I feel like I’m solar powered, and grey skies literally drain me. Please give advice if you have a way to get over this!!

Anyway, if you are a major tea lover like me (especially on rainy days), today’s post is gonna be right up your alley. We are talking about the benefits of spearmint tea. Technically it is a tisane, or an herbal tea, because there are no tea leaves and no caffeine. Let’s dive right into the benefits and research, and then I will fill you in on this game-changer of a tea based on my personal experience.

Why spearmint tea?

First, let me stress that this applies only to spearmint tea. It has to be spearmint. Not peppermint, not citrus mint, not winter minty mocha (teas are getting really fancy these days haha). Just plain ol’ organic spearmint tea. My go-to is this one.

Spearmint tea is such a rockstar because it has been shown to have anti-androgen affects. Androgens include hormones like testosterone and androstenedione. Both men and women make these hormones, but when they are in excess, hormonal imbalances and undesired physical symptoms can arise, especially in women.

Elevated testosterone in women can lead to excess hair growth (formally called hirsutism), hair thinning and loss where you actually want it (your head, obvi), and increased sebum production and acne. Basically all the things no woman wants to deal with. Wasn’t puberty enough?!

Of note, those who may struggle with these problems and benefit greatly from spearmint tea are women with PCOS. Do your research and find a good endocrine doctor who can advise you. Get your lab work done so you know where your hormone levels stand. If free/total testosterone is high, get on the spearmint tea train ASAP.

Spearmint tea is still being researched, but some initial studies have found it to be quite affective at androgen-suppression. This study found that women who drank spearmint tea twice a day for one month compared to a placebo group had significantly reduced free and total testosterone levels as well as increased LH and FSH. Patients also subjectively reported improvements in their hirsutism.

Another study in women found that drinking spearmint tea twice a day reduced hirsutism, and free testosterone, and increased LH, FSH, and estradiol. The studies both looked at small population sizes, but the results prompt the urgency to keep researching across large groups of women, since the improvements for the women were clinically and subjectively notable.

Something as easy as drinking tea should not be overlooked as a way to help combat androgen-heavy hormone imbalances. It is gentle on the body, and can not only improve several really shame-filled symptoms, but it can boost self-esteem once you start to experience the improvements. Every sip of spearmint tea is going straight to the soul, making you feel better and more balanced from the inside out. #plantpower

Having dealt with hormonal imbalances, hirsutism, and hormonal acne, I can tell you drinking spearmint tea has made a major difference and improvement for me. I have been drinking spearmint twice a day since May 2016, and it has definitely earned its rightful spot in my arsenal against all things hormone imbalance-related.

It has been a long, uphill battle for me, but the consistency has paid off, and I am not breaking out to the degree and quantity that I was a year or two ago. My pimples are less “angry” when I get them, and the sides of my face and chin (notorious areas for hormonal breakouts) are not as spotty. I’m gonna keep on sippin’ while I suppress those excess androgens!

I highly recommend drinking spearmint tea twice daily for at least a month if you find that your struggles are androgen-related. It’s completely safe and natural, and very inexpensive, so you really can’t go wrong. PS, you don’t have to drink it plain- I always add another tea of some sort while it’s steeping to mix up the flavors.

I guess skincare has been on my mind a lot lately, but this tea tip is just too good not to share it with you. I know how many women are going through similar struggles, so share this post with your girlfriends/sisters/daughters, because the information could be super valuable for them to learn about!

Any natural hormone-balancing tips and tricks you have been loving? Let me know! Talk soon!

XO,

Alexandra

Psssst…Shop my chic insulated tumbler here.

December 6, 2016

My Ride-or-Die Green Smoothie Bowl Base

HIIIIII! One of my favorite things to eat (and I guess everyone else’s, too, based on the mass amount of social media posts) is a smoothie bowl. They are quick, easy, and so dang delicious. Breakfast, lunch, dinner, it doesn’t matter because the smoothie bowl has your back…er, stomach.

Now you may be asking yourself, why oh why do I need another smoothie bowl recipe when there are like, 5 million floating the web? Here’s the deal- this smoothie bowl recipe is just for the base of the bowl, not all the toppings. I’m not gonna tell you how to top your bowl, but I will def offer suggestions.

It’s also so important to note that all smoothie bowls are NOT created equal. This is what I mean:

This bowl base is not going to spike your blood sugar like a crazy acai-strawberry-mango-pineapple bowl from the local juice bar will. All that fruit means a lot of sugar. And a large influx of sugar is going to jack up your blood sugar levels and make you even hungrier and lethargic later on. Not cool.

Fruit has this halo of health around it, but there is such a thing as “too much of a good thing”, which I will get into in a later post. For now, let’s just focus on moderating fruit, adding more greens, and pairing it with protein and a healthy fat.

The only sugar in this recipe comes from 4 coins of frozen banana. Just HALF a banana’s worth of fruit. This is a perfect portion to add creaminess to the bowl without too much sugar. The other essential part of the smoothie bowl base is the greens. If your bowl ain’t green, then you ain’t doing it right ;).

Blending greens into smoothie bowls is seriously the most no-brainer way to up the nutrition content. I will take every chance I can get to have some extra antioxidants, fiber, polyphenols, vitamins, and minerals. Most of us could use a little boost in that department. So if a green salad is not your thing, this green smoothie bowl will be.

A trick that I love is keeping bags or containers of frozen spinach/kale on hand rather than fresh greens for smoothie bowl purposes. One, because you don’t have to worry about accelerated nutrient loss or perishability, and two, because it adds to the thickness and cold temperature of the bowl. Genius, right?

The next critical element about the base of the smoothie bowl is protein. Protein is critical for satiety and blood sugar balance. Incorporating protein into a smoothie bowl will keep you feeling full, and you won’t spike and crash that blood sugar like you would without it. Protein+fruit= happy body.

Please use a protein powder that does not have any artificial ingredients or added sugar. Look for protein powders that use monk fruit extract as the sweetener. My two current faves are here and here.

The last element of this well-balanced bowl is the fiber/healthy fat boost from the flax seeds and chia seeds. The heart-healthy fats in these two seeds will also help to keep you full and bring down inflammation (what up, omega-3’s), so it’s great for a post-workout meal.

Now let’s get the recipe so you can go make it for yourself!

My Ride-or-Die Green Smoothie Bowl Base

~Makes 1 serving~

1 cup milk of choice (my fave is flax milk)

1 big handful spinach or other greens

1/2 of a medium frozen banana

2 teaspoons flax seeds

2 teaspoons chia seeds

1/2 teaspoon matcha powder

1 scoop protein powder- used this one

Put everything into the blender, and let it whir! Transfer to a bowl and add your toppings. For the bowl in this post, I used cacao nibs, granola, dragon fruit, and tahini. Bon appetit!

Tell me- are you a fan of the smoothie bowl? What are your go-to toppings? Make the bowl and tag me in your creations @bouquetsandbaguettes so I can see (and drool)! Have a fab rest of your week!

XO,

Alexandra

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