Tag: healthy

Easy Cornbread Muffins (Lower Sugar with stevia!)

Easy Cornbread Muffins (Lower Sugar with stevia!)

These cornbread muffins are fantastic served with butter or jam, but are also amazing with just about anything. I enjoy them with soups and I used them to make my cornbread stuffing for Thanksgiving this year. Slightly sweetened and oh so delicious!
Course Side Dish
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings 13 muffins
Calories 110 kcal
Author FaylinaMeir

Ingredients

  • 1 cup cornmeal or masa harina
  • 1 cup whole wheat flour
  • 1 cup unsweetened non dairy milk
  • 1/2 cup HOT water
  • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
  • 3 tablespoons coconut oil not melted
  • 1 large egg or vegan egg replacement see note
  • 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
  • 2 packets stevia see notes
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 375F (190C or gass mark 5). Also add your paper liners to your muffin tin or grease VERY well.
  2. In a large mixing bowl add all of your dry ingredients including your sugar and mix well with a whisk. You don't want lumps of flour or leavener. When they're all mixed add your coconut oil. My house wasn't hot enough for it to melt, but if yours is I recommend popping it in the freezer for 15 minutes or so to firm up. You want to whisk it until there batter has small lumps.
  3. In a small bowl or glass mix together your egg and vinegar. If using flax or chia eggs you can add this also. If using a powder, do not mix this until the end.
  4. Once your oven is preheated (and NOT before) mix your wet ingredients into your dry and add your 1/2 cup of HOT water. Divide equally between muffin cups. I recommend 80% full to give a nice rounded top. This method will yield 13 muffins.
  5. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean and the tops are slightly golden. Between 25-35 minutes. Remove from the pan to cool. Enjoy!

Recipe Notes

  • Flax or chia seeds work fine as egg replacements, as well as powders (use according to box directions)
  • Calories reflect use of real eggs, obviously fat would be lower if using replacement.
  • I use a brand called pure via (not sponsered) for my stevia and the packets equal 2tsp of sweetness so adjust accordingly, however MOST brands are interchangeable. If using a pure stevia powder (no extra additives) use the tiny scoop provided. TRUST ME it's enough.
  • I use masa harina for the digestibility factor, but regular cornmeal does work fine.
  • Also, you may substitute 2 Tablespoons of coconut oil for 1/2 cup applesauce. Do not replace all the oil; the texture will not be as good.

 

Nutrition Facts
Serving Size 1 muffin
Servings Per Container 13

Amount Per Serving
Calories 110 Calories from Fat 37.8
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 4.2g 6%
Saturated Fat 3.1g 16%
Trans Fat 0g
Cholesterol 13.5mg 5%
Sodium 203.5mg 8%
Total Carbohydrate 15.8g 5%
Dietary Fiber 1.9g 8%
Sugars 2g
Protein 2.4g 5%

*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Please note nutritional information is provided as a guideline ONLY and can vary greatly depending on ingredients used. TY!

Mexican Rice Recipe – Restaurant Style

Mexican Rice - Restaurant Style

When I lived in Omaha I used to go to the South side all the time to a tiny little tienda that was well known for their beans, salsa, and their rice! Now that we've moved to Chicago I find myself missing home; tonight was one of those nights. So I decided to suck it up and make some Mexican rice! It tasted just like the one from the store and it just warmed my soul. I hope you enjoy!
Course Mexican
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings 4 servings
Calories 277 kcal
Author FaylinaMeir

Ingredients

  • 1 cup of long grain rice
  • 2 1/2 tablespoons lard or a neutral flavored oil
  • 2 cups chicken stock unsalted (water is okay too!)
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder or to taste
  • 1/2 teaspoon cumin or to taste
  • 1/2 a large white onion finely chopped
  • 150 g frozen mixed peas and carrots I used pictsweet brand
  • salt to taste

Instructions

  1. In a large pot with a tight fitting lid, add your lard/oil and get it heating over medium-high heat. Rinse your rice under warm water VERY well until the water runs clear. Shake off all extra water.
  2. When the oil is hot, but not smoking, carefully add in your rice and stir to coat with oil. Continue to stir the rice every so often until the rice goes from clear to milky in color. Do NOT let the rice burn it will be become very bitter.
  3. Add in your onion and stir well. Cook until the rice just starts to brown. Add your carrots and peas, then add in your tomato paste. Thoroughly mix in the tomato paste so there are no clumps.
  4. Once you remove the lumps add in your chicken stock (or water) in two portions to ensure your tomato paste mixes properly.
  5. Add in your garlic powder, cumin, and salt. Put the top on and boil on medium-high for 5 minutes.
  6. After 5 minutes remove the cover, stir thoroughly, and replace the cover. Turn down heat to a simmer and cook for 25 minutes minimum.DO NOT REMOVE THE LID. It's tempting to stir and oogle over your delicious rice, but you must resist temptation.
  7. After 25 minutes test the rice, adjust the salt, and if need be continue to cook until the rice is done. This rice is more on the dry side, so don't be alarmed. Once finished turn off the heat, stir well, and let sit 5 minutes before serving.

Recipe Notes

To reheat rice add into preheated pan on medium-high and mix for 2 minutes. Then add a spoon or two of water and cover. Cook for 2 more minutes and mix. Rice should be soft like when it was fresh!

If making vegan/vegetarian I recommend refined coconut oil for best results.

 

Vitacost Haul Unboxing May 2015

Are you interested in getting $10 off your first vitacost.com order? Consider using my friend invite link. You save $10, and I get $10 for referring you. No subscriptions, no scams, nothing. It’s just that simple. CLICK HERE to use my link. It’s only valid on NEW Vitacost accounts, so if you already have an account, you aren’t eligible.

I’ve been considering off and on to purchase from vitacost.com for awhile now. After doing some price comparing at Whole Foods I decided it was worth it, but I needed to wait until I was able to order at least $49 to get the free shipping.

In terms of my experience with Vitacost I will say I ordered on April 28th, and received my package the morning of May 4th. It’s slower than if I was to order at say Amazon or the like, but next time I’ll make sure to order things (IE TOOTHPASTE) before I actually need it, I was having to really stretch the toothpaste out for days, haha! Anyways when I received the package I noted that all my items were secure in packaging as you see in the video. They were careful to package things in zip baggies and the glass bottles were wrapped in paper and this cool thin cardboard stuff. Having ordered off Amazon before and receiving broken glass bottles, I really appreciated this!

DSCF5042

Here is what I received and how much it cost on Vitacost and how much it would cost in my local Whole Foods or local stores:

Vitacost organic apple cider vinegar w/ mother 32 ounces (2 bottles) – I got a buy one half off deal so it was $6.06 (WF $9.98)
Chocolove Dark chocolate almond sea salt bar – $1.99 (local stores $3.50)
Alba Botanica natural aloe shaving cream – $4.98 (WF for same scent 7.99 or generic nasty mango scent at TJ for 3.99 but I HATE the smell)
Tom’s of Maine botanically bright peppermint toothpaste – $5.19 ($6.99 at WF)
Jason’s tea tree deodorant – $5.19 (WF I think is $7.99)
Tom’s of Maine botanically bright spearmint toothpaste – $5.39 ($6.99 at WF)
Mumm’s organic sprouting radish seeds – $5.89 (unknown, I USED to be able to buy radishes for 80¢ an ounce)
Frontier products citric acid (16 ounces) – $6.89 (WF is about $20 per pound in the bulk bins, YIKES!)
Chocolove Dark chocolate coffee crunch – $2.49 ($3.50 in local stores)
Bob’s Red Mill gluten free pie crust mix – $2.54 (locally it’s about $4.00)
Bob’s Red Mill double acting baking powder aluminum free – $3.99 (locally I think it’s about $4.50)
Tom’s of Maine sensitive winter-mint toothpaste – $3.99 (WF $4.99)
Coconut secret coconut aminos – $4.15 (locally it’s about $7 at whole foods for the tiny bottle)
Bob’s Red Mill toasted carob powder – $4.49 (locally $4.99)

I saved $10 for using a fellow YouTuber’s Vitacost referral link.

In total I spent: $52.44 if I had purchased all of locally it would have cost $97.82 YIKES! That is a savings of $45.38 ($35.38 if you don’t include the 1 time discount). Definitely worth it, plus I didn’t have to go to the store, it was shipped to my house for free. Big plus when you don’t have a car and have to carry it all on the bus! If you want to see the products more close up, click the photos!

DSCF5044

DSCF5045

DSCF5043

Love With Food April 2015 – Gluten Free Box – Product Reviews

If you would like to get your own snack box for free, all you pay is $2 shipping. Click HERE or go to: http://lovewithfood.com/invite?m=r&ref=213t . Full disclosure: If you do use my link I will get 500 points for merchandise in the future. This is no gimmick, if you don’t like the box just cancel your subscription. It’s super easy. =)

april2015-thumbnail

If you haven’t seen my unboxing video for this month’s box, check it out before reading the product reviews! CLICK HERE

0e1ce1b10e_largest
Green Tea Tropical Tea by Mighty Leaf
Ingredients: Green Tea, Natural Tropical Flavors, Natural Flavors, Marigold Petals, Pineapple Bits

I don’t drink tea, can’t stand the stuff, but this stuff smelled amazing when I brewed it up for my husband. They come in these mesh bags and are REAL tea leaves, like you might get from a specialty tea shop. My husband said it tasted really good and would give it a 4/5.

20db7bc214_largest
Naturals Sour Beans by YumEarth
Ingredients: Natural Sugar, Glucose Syrup (from tapioca, corn or rice), Starch (from tapioca, corn or rice), Modified Food Starch (from tapioca, corn or rice), Fumaric Acid (for sour), Tartaric Acid (for sour), Ascorbic Acid (for vitamin c), Natural Flavors, Acacia Gum, Purple Carrot Juice, Beta Carotene

Sour candies or gummies are not something I would normally purchased so this was new for me. I noticed first just how much sugar was in these things, insanely high and boy you can taste it. I also don’t understand why they call them “sour” beans, they aren’t sour at all! Everyone who tried these things agreed. In terms of taste, I wasn’t really a fan. The dark reddish ones weren’t terrible but the rest were just gross. 2/5.

364e2818cb_largest
Nut Crunch Snack Original by Bakery On Main
Ingredients: Cashews, Almonds, Gluten Free Oats, Pecans, Brown Rice, Brown Rice Syrup, Evaporated Cane Juice, Organic Honey, Walnuts, Tapioca, Maltodextrin, Expeller Pressed Canola Oil, Sea Salt, Natural Flavors, Corn Starch, Rice Bran Extract, Caramel Color.

These little things were interesting! Not too much sweetness and a yummy crunch. If you like granola you’d probably like these. I should have put them on yogurt or ice cream, but straight out the bag they were just as yummy! Some of the ingredients aren’t things I’d normally eat, but even still I give it a 4/5.

7220ffbaa5_largest
Kettle Popped Corn Chips by PopCorners
Ingredients: Yellow Corn, Sunflower Oil, Sugar, Sea Salt

I’m not a fan of popcorn, you guys know that but this doesn’t taste like popcorn. They are airy and crispy and just all around yummy. They aren’t high in salt or sugar (in my opinion) and they have a great flavor. I enjoyed them so much I used my points in the Love with Food store and got a free box of 40 little bags! My ONLY concern is it’s unclear if they are made with GMO free corn. I’m giving them 5/5 based on taste but after my free bags are gone I won’t be buying anymore. (If I had realized that before hand I wouldn’t have gotten them).

60096c313a_largest
Sweet Chili Popped Corn Chips by PopCorners
Ingredients: Yellow Corn, Sunflower Oil, Sugar, Salt, Spices, Vinegar Powder (maltodextrin, white distilled vinegar), Onion and Garlic Powder, Paprika, Yeast Extract, Citric Acid, Oleoresin Paprika and Natural Flavor

With how good the kettle flavor was you’d think these would be better, however they’re not. Firstly, I HATE that it has yeast extract in it (another form of MSG), that being said the extract didn’t work. These had a strange after taste and were not yummy at all. Again, I also have gmo concerns. 2/5 – if you really wanna try these chips, I suggest the kettle corn flavor.

ac0463a046_largest
Superfood Almond YumbutterGO by Yumbutter
Ingredients: Low-Temp Roasted California Almonds, Organic Sunflower Seeds, Organic Chia Seeds, Organic Coconut Palm Sugar (Low-Glycemic), Organic Hemp Seeds, Organic Goji Powder, Organic Lucuma, Love

Surprisingly this is AMAZING! I’m not one for almond butter and I greatly dislike goji berries and hemp seeds, HOWEVER, it works in this. I’ve put it on ice cream, mixed with honey, put it on yogurt. It’s really good. My husband thinks it’s gross though, and I’ll admit it took a couple bites before I really got into it. Now I’m boarderline addicted and even ordered 4 more. 5/5

b064dc3878_largest
Lemon Zest Mini by LUNA®
Ingredients: LunaPro® (Soy Rice Crisps [Soy Protein Isolate, Organic Rice Flour, Calcium Carbonate], Organic Toasted Oats [Organic Rolled Oats, Organic Dried Cane Syrup, Natural Vitamin E (Antioxidant)], Organic Roasted Soybeans, Organic Soy Flour, Organic Milled Flaxseed), Organic Brown Rice Syrup, Coating (Organic Dried Cane Syrup, Palm Kernel Oil, Organic Palm Kernel Solids, Organic Soy Flour, Organic Soy Lecithin, Organic Vanilla Extract), Inulin (Chicory Extract), Organic Soy Butter (Organic Roasted Soybeans, Organic Soybean Oil, Salt), Organic Tapioca Syrup Solids, Lemon Fruit Pieces (Organic Dried Cane Syrup, Organic Lemon Juice Concentrate, Organic Glucose Syrup, Pectin, Citric Acid, Sodium Bicarbonate, Natural Flavor), Vegetable Glycerin, Organic Sunflower Oil, Natural Flavor, Organic Natural Flavor, Citric Acid, Sea Salt.

Vitamins & Minerals
Dicalcium Phosphate, Calcium Carbonate, Magnesium Oxide, Ferrous Fumarate (Iron), Niacinamide (Vit. B3), Ascorbic Acid (Vit. C), DL-Alpha Tocopheryl Acetate (Vit. E), Zinc Oxide, Molybdenum Glycinate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vit. B6), D-Calcium Pantothenate, Beta Carotene (Vit. A), Manganese Sulfate, Selenium Amino Acid Chelate, Riboflavin (Vit. B2), Chromium Amino Acid Chelate, Ergocalciferol (Vit. D2), Thiamine Mononitrate (Vit. B1), Cyanocobalamin (Vit. B12), Folic Acid, Cupric Oxide, Phytonadione (Vit. K), Biotin, Potassium Iodide.

Geeze lots of ingreidents haha! (Yes I totally copied that from the luna bar website!). I told you in the video I hate these and I do, if I was to personally review these I’d give them a -5/5 they are so gross, they smell and taste like pine sol. I don’t understand how anyone could eat them. That being said, I enjoy the other Luna flavors so I’ll let my husband rate this one. He enjoyed these bars, but agreed the lemon was just WAY too strong. 3/5 from the hubs.

d6e358ec17_largest
Wild Garden Snack Box by Ziyad Brothers
Ingredients: Hummus: Chick Peas, Sesame Paste, Water, Sea Salt, Natural Spices, Citric Acid

Quinoa Chips: Brown Rice Flour, Whole Grain Corn Flour, Flaxseed Meal, Potato Starch, White Rice Flour, Teff Flour, Quinoa Flour, Sugar, Vegetable, Canola, Corn, Sunflower, Safflower oil and Sea Salt.

I was excited to see these in my box. I have seen those hummus things in the local stores and always wondered what they tasted like. I am sad to report they’re horrible. The hummus is WAY too lemony and liquid. It has no thickness to it what so ever. The chip tasted stale and had no flavor. I saw some people review them as salty but honestly I didn’t get that at all. We threw the chips out and my husband ate one of the hummus. The second one is still in my fridge and hopefully he’ll eat it one day. 1/5

e00894e3a8_largest
Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip “Lunch Munchers!” by Bart’s Bakery
Ingredients: Semi – Sweet Belgian Chocolate, Chocolate Liquer, Cocoa Butter, Soy Lecithin (emulsifier), Natural Flavor, Non – Fat Milk, B & J Proprietary Rice Flour Blend, Creamery Butter (American and Imported, French), Cane Sugar, Brown Cane Sugar, Whole Egg, Madagascar Vanilla, Baking Soda, Salt and Love

With a name like “The Best gluten-free chocolate chip cookies in the world” I think you’re setting yourself up to either be amazing or a let down. These are not the best gf cookies I’ve ever had, but they’re not terrible. The sweetness is very balanced and I WISH these were soft cookies, they are instead crispy. I give them a 4/5.

ae6888ab8d_smallest
Pure Organic Coconut Water by Coco Libre
Ingredients: 100% organic coconut water from concentrate, natural flavors

I’m really confused why this company makes their product from concentrate. I would think that’s less cost effective and it’s not helping you honestly. This had an artificial nasty taste and I couldn’t drink this. I am an addict of coconut water, I’ve tried probably 50 different brands, this was the first I couldn’t drink. & natural flavors? Really… 1/5 here guys.

So that’s all my reviews, do you agree or disagree? Let me know what you think of these products. Remember I encourage you to try these products out even if I don’t like them myself.

All photos are taken from the Love With Food website and are ©LovewithFood so check out their website. I forgot to take photos of the products before tossing them away, oopsie!

Remember if you’d like to get your first box for only $2 click HERE ^_^. Have a great day!

Love With Food Unboxing April 2015 – Gluten Free Box

If you would like to get your own snack box for free, all you pay is $2 shipping. Click HERE or go to: http://lovewithfood.com/invite?m=r&ref=213t . Full disclosure: If you do use my link I will get 500 points for merchandise in the future. This is no gimmick, if you don’t like the box just cancel your subscription. It’s super easy. =) Anyways, this month I decided to try the gluten free box. Here is what I received:

2 X Green Tea Tropical by Mighty Leaf Tea
2 X Sour Beans by YumEarth
2 X Lemon Zest Mini by Luna
2 X Wild Garden Hummus Snack Pack by Ziyad
1 X Superfood Almond YumbutterGO by Yumbutter
1 X Pure Organic Coconut Water by Coco Libre
1 X Nut Crunch Snacks by Bakery on Main
1 X Sweet Chili Popped Corn Chips by Popcorners
1 X Kettle Popped Corn Chips by Popcorners
1 X Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies by Bart’s Bakery

also came with the description of all the product as well as a coupon for free Nona Lim noodles, coupon for $1 off the hummus snack packs, and a few trial to Salted Tv which I admit I still haven’t checked out.

I am making a separate post giving my review of the products received. If you’d like to check it out, click HERE, to be taken to that page.

april2015-thumbnail