A Guiltless Chocolate Romance

by jamie on March 15, 2010

I’m a chocolate lover addict; I literally have to have a piece every night before bed or I feel empty.  I’ve always thought that if I could, I would probably have it for breakfast every morning  as well.  And since I don’t drink coffee, I often use that as an excuse to get my chocolate fix by drinking sugary, calorie laden hot chocolate or spicy chai teas…until now!

Last week at Expo West I discovered the most AMAZING thing in the whole world: cacao tea.  And I’m not talking about black or rooibos teas simply mixed with cacao nibs or powder, I’m talking about the real deal - tea that is so full of flavor, I almost can’t believe its not hot chocolate. 

East Bluff Trading Co, a socially responsible company that sources organic cacao from Venezuela introduced the first ever tea that is made from the husks of the cacao bean. It is made from chocolate, smells like chocolate and what’s best, it even tastes like chocolate! And if that’s not enough, it contains more antioxidants in one cup than a cup of green tea and theobromine, a naturally occurring chemical compound to give you sustained energy and enhance your mood. Yes, its true - chocolate can make you feel better! ;)

cacao-tea

I never thought anything could taste so good without calories or sugar — and there are no gross chemicals or fake foods to get it there - its just 100% organic cacao husks.

Want some? You know you do - get it on Amazon!

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Fruit Not Fat

by jamie on March 4, 2010

If you had to pick, would you rather be an apple or a cup of oil? A mango or lard? A kiwi or a stick of butter? An orange or a Twinkie? I don’t know about you but I’d much rather be the fruit - natural, healthy, and alive instead of artificial, greasy and overprocessed. And since you are what you eat, its something to chew on the next time you’re eyeing those greasy chips, cookies, granola, or even that huge plate of pasta.

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The amazing folks over at Galaxy Granola started the Fruit Not Fat movement aimed to provide us with tips, recipes, stories, and more that will inspire healthier eating choices and healthier living habits. If you haven’t already, I encourage you all to join the movement - check out the website (www.fruitnotfat.com) and of course make sure you follow them on Twitter and fan them on Facebook.

 If you’re not familiar with Galaxy Granola (shame on you!), they are a one-of-a kind healthy granola company that uses fruit instad of fat (oil) to bake their granola. I first discovered their amazingly healthy and delicious granola at the farmer’s market in San Rafael in 2004 and have been eating it ever since.  My favorite flavor thus far is the Not Sweet Vanilla and Bryan prefers the Vanilla Almond and Cranberry Orange (he’s the bigger sweet tooth).

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I haven’t yet found another granola that compares and trust me, I like granola. :)  It seems like every other “healthy” granola company is trying cutting corners on their fat content by using canola oil (barf) and their sugar by adding  various chemicals (double barf). If you don’t know why canola oil is dangerous or haven’t yet heard my rant, just check this out, I’ll spare you the details.

If I’m going to eat healthy, it has to be the right way. No fake stuff, just the good stuff. Fruit Not Fat baby!

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Strange Love

by jamie on March 3, 2010

Going to the grocery store inspires a strangeness in me. Most people go with lists, have recipes in mind, bring their inspiration into the store.  But  not me. I tend to go the haphazard route (which is why trips can often last more than a couple of hours). I see something that I know very little about, have never made, am not sure how to prepare or what to prepare it with and its like I have to it!! I know this sounds super impulsive but trust me, its not all bad. For example, take last night’s dinner: broccoli rabe (aka rapini) and tofu.

I have eaten broccoli rabe, I know what it is, but have never prepared it, and never really thought about what I would do with it if I had it. But of course, while at the grocery store browsing the produce aisle, it caught my eye. And for a second I was able to shake it off and keep walking. I kept saying to myself, “its late. I need to make dinner. Really should not buy ingredients I don’t know what to do with.” (I always wonder if people in my neighborhood grocery store notice me rambling on to myself…)

I tried to get inspiration from more familiar veggies — squash, mushrooms, spinach, anything - but  they just wouldn’t speak to me. All I could think about was the little yellow flowers and leaves on that broccoli rabe looking up at me and I knew I wasn’t leaving without it. So I bought some, washed it and began doing some guesswork and research. I know, I know — great way to get a late dinner started!

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If it looks like broccoli, sounds like broccoli,is it just broccoli? Not really. Its not actually in the broccoli family, it is more closely related to a turnip. Seriously, who knew?

Here’s what I did with my broccoli rabe - anyone else have tips?

  • Wash broccoli rabe and pat dry with a paper towel. While waiting, bring 5 cups of water to a boil in the pot
  • While waiting for water to boil, heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a medium-sized pan.
  • When the water is boiling, carefully place the broccoli rabe in the water
  • After 2 minutes, drain the broccoli rabe and pat them dry
  • Place the broccoli rabe into the sizzling olive oil and add tofu
  • Add salt, pepper and sugar to the broccoli rabe and tofu according to taste. Gently stir the greens and tofu with a spatula and allow to sautee for 4 to 5 minutes. When the broccoli rabe is vibrantly green, remove from heat and enjoy!

 

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Beating the Monday Blues

March 2, 2010

Yesterday was definitely a Monday. It was one of those days where you wake up and you just know things aren’t going to go well.  From spilling my smoothie on my shirt to missing the last bus and then forgetting to pay for parking because I was in such a rush, it just had all the [...]

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Jamie’s Lemon Salba Seed Muffins

March 2, 2010

I’m seriously obsessed with my healthy vegan muffin recipe. I tried yet another variety this week - this time with a little lemon zest and salba seed -  and am convinced that these are almost ready for the big time.
Just wait, soon I’ll be selling these bad boys all over town. :)

Ingredients:

2 cups whole wheat flour
1.5 tsp baking soda
1 [...]

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Runner’s High

February 16, 2010

I’ve decided that there is nothing better than a three day weekend (unless of course its a four day weekend); not only can you get so much more done, but it made it easier to put some serious mileage in!  Since we’re training for the Pirate’s Cove 50K next month, Bryan and I decided to [...]

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Gettin Saucy!

February 9, 2010

I read this great post on Balance in Bites the other month where she was venting about how so many food bloggers ONLY post about their healthy meals, their gourmet creations, and their uber active lifestyles.  What about the time you scarfed down an entire box of Oreo’s? Or got weepy with an entire bottle [...]

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The Gift That Keeps on Giving!

February 8, 2010

Cabbage salad is the seriously the gift that keeps on giving - not only does it taste better the next day (when can you ever truly say that about leftovers?!!) but it also makes a great compliment to almost any meal.  The proof is in the pudding (or the salad).
Here’s what was on the menu [...]

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Vegan Chocolate Chia Seed Muffins

February 6, 2010

Bryan is sitting here massaging my shoulders telling me how sweet, pretty and nice I am. Probably because I just baked him some muffins. And not just any muffins but the best muffins I have ever made. And what’s even cooler is that these were my own creation - I didn’t follow any cookbook or [...]

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Healthy Carrot Macaroons - Who Knew?!

February 3, 2010

I am having a little dinner party tonight (WOOT!) and was browsing some of my favorite blogs for recipes ideas and inspiration when I stumbled on yet another fantastic sounding recipe from No Meat Athlete (they are getting tons of love from me this week!).  Gluten Free Carrot Macaroons.  I’ll admit that it wasn’t the [...]

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