Oatmeal with a Fork

Wednesday Wisdom

May 22, 2013 Comments: 4

Welcome to another Wednesday Wisdom! I hope you are enlightened by what I have for you today….

If you, like me, are prone to long hours on the computer, especially at night, then these may be for you.

The blue light that is emitted from devices like computers, TVs, or cell phones is thought to suppress the body’s ability to secrete melatonin, a hormone vital for sleep.

These glasses work by blocking the blue light coming from these electronics, thus allowing for a better night’s sleep and a better morning!

2. Walnut Milk

Lately, I’ve felt like almonds are giving me some allergy trouble, and with all of the controversy regarding almond sterilization, I felt like a new nut milk was in order. Hellooooooooooooo walnut milk….

I actually like this stuff BETTER than almond milk! It has a very mild, but rich taste that I love over cereal and to just drink by itself…AND it’s just as easy as almond milk to make….AND it’s packed full of omega-3.

A note about moldy nuts: add a few drops of Grapefruit Seed Extract to the soaking water to kill any mold.

3. Aztec Secret Indian Healing Clay

This stuff really is one of the best skin secrets out there! The tagline for it is ‘the world’s most powerful facial‘. I’ve been using this stuff for years for skin conditions from acne to eczema, and I absolutely love it, and you can’t beat the price. You can actually feel this stuff pulling the gunk out of your pores!

4. Oven Dried Mango

$14.99 a pound at Whole Foods? Not for this frugal girl. It’s easy to make my own, and it costs A LOT less!

I just set my oven to the lowest setting (170 in my case), and let it dry for about 6-7 hours.

5. Zona Bands

These bands are freakin’ awesome! Not only are they super cute, but they hold your hair in place WITHOUT any painful tugs and they don’t slip off! I have this white sparkly one that Jadie is modeling beautifully…

A perfect accessory for the gym.

What are you ‘crushing’ on right now?

Stop back by on Friday, as I will be hosting a giveaway for one of the products above!

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Buttery Movie Theater Popcorn (Vegan)

May 20, 2013 Comments: 6

This post is really less about the popcorn and MORE about the ‘butter‘….

Popcorn is one of those snacks that I can always eat. While I typically enjoy my popcorn smothered in butter and salt, my allergies haven’t been permitting that lately. Butter (even the purest grass-fed golden deliciousness) is my nemesis for the time being, so I decided to create my own version!

If you are vegan or have trouble with butter like I do, you will absolutely LOVE this stuff! It smells, tastes, and even looks like real butter!…no weird ingredients AND it takes hardly any effort to make!

Buttery Movie Theater Popcorn (Vegan)

Prep time

10 mins

Total time

10 mins

Author: Lauren Goslin

Serves: 24 pats

Ingredients

¼ c. + 2 t. milk of your choice (it’s best to use an unsweetened one with a bit of fat like almond or hemp)
1 t. lemon juice
¼ t. + ⅛ t. sea salt
½ c. + 2 T. + 1 t. coconut oil
1 T. grapeseed oil
1 t. cocoa butter, melted
¼ t. arrowroot
pinch turmeric, optional, for butter lemon color

Instructions

Mix the milk (I used homemade hemp milk) with the lemon juice.
Let the mixture sit for 10 minutes to curdle.
After 10 minutes, whisk the arrowroot into the milk until combined.
Pour everything into a food processor.
Process for two minutes.
Pour into a container, for instance, a small Tupperware or glass Pyrex dish, or even an ice cube tray.
Place into the fridge or freezer to harden (I put mine in the freezer, and they took about an hour to harden).
Use as you would regular butter!

Notes

Nutrition facts are based on using unsweetened almond milk and the optional turmeric. For the most authentic taste, you can use refined coconut oil, which has little to no ‘coconut’ taste. I just don’t personally feel comfortable using a refined oil. Weight Watchers points (new system): 2

Nutrition Information

Serving size: 1 pat Calories: 58 Fat: 6.7 g Saturated fat: 5.2 g Unsaturated fat: 1.5 g Trans fat: 0 g Carbohydrates: 0 g Sugar: 0 g Sodium: 33 mg Fiber: 0 g Protein: 0 g Cholesterol: 0 mg

Adapted from this recipe

I guess-timated that this recipe yields about 24 ‘pats’ of butter (a pat is about one tablespoon). When compared to actual butter, here’s how the vegan version stands up:

REAL BUTTER** VEGAN BUTTER**

CALORIES 102 58

FAT 11.5 g 6.7 g

**Values based on one tablespoon of each

To complete the recipe, melt and pour atop a bowl of delicious, organic, hot popcorn!

I love using my Presto Popcorn Maker for this! It takes NO oil, and it pops virtually EVERY kernel!

What’s your favorite memory of eating popcorn?

Just about every night as a kid (ok, I was actually 16), I would make a huge batch of it and watch either ‘Clue’ or ‘Sweet Dreams’. I was very ritualistic.

Shared with: Make Your Own Monday, Natural Living Monday, Slightly Indulgent Tuesday, Fat Tuesday, Allergy-Free Wednesday, Gluten-Free Wednesday, Healthy 2day

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Skinny Oatmeal Banana Bread

May 17, 2013 Comments: 17

For months now, I’ve been pondering a way to make an eggless, flourless banana bread.

If you read my Wednesday post, I mentioned that I had come across a new method of baking gluten-free that DOESN’T require the use of processed gums or starches….potato water.

Potato water is an olden day solution of just what it sounds like, potato and water. By boiling the two together, the potato releases its starch into the water, yielding a concoction that works beautifully in gluten-free baking.

Some of this bread’s good points include:

egg-free
flourless
low added sweetener
dairy-free
added oats!
128 calories for a generous slice (and only 3 Weight Watchers points)
damn tasty!

Skinny Oatmeal Banana Bread (GF)

Prep time

10 mins

Cook time

25 mins

Total time

35 mins

Author: Lauren Goslin

Serves: 10

Ingredients

1 c. oats, measured then ground into flour
1 c. oats, left whole
½ t. baking soda
½ t. sea salt
1 t. cinnamon
⅛ t. nutmeg, freshly grated
2 large, ripe bananas, mashed
2 T. oil (I used walnut because I thought it paired well with the banana)
1 T. maple syrup
8 drops liquid stevia (or another tablespoon of maple syrup)
½ c. + 1 T. potato water (see below for instructions on how to make it) (eliminate the extra tablespoon if you use maple syrup in place of stevia)

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Oil an 8 x 8 baking dish.
Mix the dry ingredients together.
Mix the mashed banana with the oil, maple syrup, stevia, and potato water in a separate bowl.
Mix everything until well combined.
Pour the batter into the baking dish.
Bake for 20-25 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.
Cool and enjoy!

Notes

Nutrition facts are based on using walnut oil, stevia, and skim milk in lieu of potato water, as I didn’t quite know how to calculate it. Weight Watchers points (new system): 3

Nutrition Information

Serving size: 8 Calories: 128 Fat: 2.6 g Saturated fat: 0 g Unsaturated fat: 2.6 g Trans fat: 0 g Carbohydrates: 23.5 g Sugar: 6.1 g Sodium: 205 mg Fiber: 3.1 g Protein: 4 g Cholesterol: 0 mg

Making the potato water is super easy! Just follow these instructions:

Bring one 3/4-1 pound russet potato (cut into cubes) and four cups of water to boil.
Lower the mix to a simmer and let cook for 20 minutes.
Remove from the heat and mash the potato a bit with a fork to encourage it to release its starches.
Let the solution cool to room temperature.
Use a sieve to strain the larger pieces of potato.
Use in recipes!