I am on a bit of cinnamon kick lately, and have come to the conclusion that cinnamon can make just about any food taste even better – really. I’ve been adding it to coffee, green tea, sprinkling it on my fruit, and in a grilled brie bite. I even added cinnamon and cayenne to my scrambled eggs the other day on a whim, and it was YUMMY!!

My hunger was calling, and short of eating cinnamon by the spoonful, I decided to just mix it up with some stuff I already had on hand, which included:

* Plain Greek Yogurt
* Almond Butter
* Pure Vanilla Extract
* Raw Oats
* Cinnamon
* Stevia

I whipped the yogurt, vanilla, almond butter, and cinnamon together in a bowl. Then, I took the raw oats and sprinkled them with cinnamon and stevia, and poured the oats over the top of the yogurt mixture, and in 30 seconds indulged in creamy yogurt deliciousness!!

Creamy Yogurt Deliciousness and My Cinnamon Kick is a post from: Inspired Girl* by Jennifer Tuma-Young

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I feel like a little girl who has something really amazing to share, so who better to share it with than my favorite blog readers? Last night I decided to try an at-home hair remedy I heard about on a segment of The Doctors when I happened to be flipping through the channels, and saw Kathy Ireland with her thick, flowing, gorgeous hair talking about gelatin. She said she used gelatin hair treatments, and the female doctor on the show said it made medical sense because of its “protein building properties”.

To be honest, I’ve been neglecting my hair a bit and haven’t made time for much more than a simple shampoo followed by a dallop of conditioner in the shower! Since google is a girl’s best friend, and I missed the whole segment, I decided to do a little research. Come to find out, gelatin contains keratin.

On a (coincidental) side note, I recently drove by a sign in a salon window that said, “Stop in for a Keratin Treatment.” I felt compelled to touch my hair, and the dry feeling made me almost immediately drop everything, make a u-turn, and head directly into the salon. I opted to stay focused on my deadlines sans keratin.

So, yesterday afternoon when we went into Target, I decided to splurge on a package of Knox Original Unflavored Gelatin. After all, the package was $1.60, and there were 4 packets inside, so I figured what’s the harm in a 40 cent experiment? Who was I kidding? I was super-excited to try the treatment!

Later that evening, when the kids were snuggled in their jammies and the hubby was content with the Yankees-Tigers game, I boiled some water, dissolved the gelatin, mixed with my conditioner, gave my hair a nice, clarifying shampoo and then went to town with the treatment. My conditioner thickened when mixed with the gelatin, and I took time to cover every strand of my hair with it. I left it on for an hour, even though I read 20 minutes would suffice.

I rinsed it out, and let it air dry. I woke up today, and MAN did my hair feel softer than ever!! But, I still wasn’t convinced if it was just ‘placebo effect’. Then, I went to see my client (Susan) who I meet with weekly, and the first thing she said, “Your hair looks great! Super shiny today!”

Umm…speechless. I wasn’t hallucinating , so I had to share the secret 40 cent gelatin hair fix with her and you…

Thank you, The Doctors, Kathy Ireland, and Google!

“Everything good that I know was taught to me by great teachers and I feel like giving back and sharing the technique is the thing to do.” ~ Betty Buckley

Inspired to Share the 40 Cent Gelatin Hair Fix is a post from: Inspired Girl* by Jennifer Tuma-Young

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I mentioned the combo in one of my 30-Day Challenge workshops, and it got me thinking of other ideas for raspberries and wheat germ. So, here are 3 simple ways to get the 2 together in a simple, healthy, delicious dish:

1. Straight Up: 3 tablespoons of wheat germ, 1 cup of almond milk, and 1/2 cup of raspberries in a bowl served cold. Pure delight!

2. On the Griddle: Add 1/2 cup of wheat germ and 1/2 cup of raspberries to my favorite pancake mixture. Pouring mini spoonfuls on the griddle makes the perfect bite-size pancake heaven!

3. In the Oven: 2 cups of unbleached flour, 1/3 cup wheat germ, 1 tablespoon of baking powder, a pinch of salt, 1 egg, 1/2 cup fat-free milk or buttermilk, hint of lemon zest, 1 cup of raspberries, 3/4 cup of raw sugar – stir, mix, blend gently, and pop them in the oven for 20 minutes. Triple yum!

3 Simple Ways to Use Wheat Germ and Raspberries is a post from: Inspired Girl* by Jennifer Tuma-Young

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The hubby surprised me the other day and made a tomato, red onion, cucumber, and mint salad drizzled with honey!!!

Divine to say the least!

The Joy of a Summer Salad is a post from: Inspired Girl* by Jennifer Tuma-Young

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I met Gilda Mulero, founder of Naturally Tasty, at the event that night. She had her Woot-Woot Wheat-Free Brownies there for everyone to enjoy, and let me tell you, THEY WERE DELICIOUS!!!!!! I asked Gilda if I could share her recipe with my favorite blog readers, and she happily sent over her secrets to her “naturally-tasty” brownies that make my mouth water just thinking about them:

Ingredients:
1 ½ cups semisweet chocolate chips (Sunspire organic chips highly recommended)
1 15 oz canned organic Garbanzo beans (drained and rinsed) or 1 ½ cups cooked Garbanzo beans
4 eggs
¾ cups Sucanat or Turbinado sugar
1/3 cup coconut oil (or a neutral tasting oil such as safflower or canola)
½ teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon sea salt
½ cup walnuts (optional)
zest of one orange (optional)

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9-inch baking pan with baking spray. Place chocolate chips on a double boiler and melt the chocolate until smooth.

Combine beans and eggs in the bowl of a food processor and blend until smooth. Add the rest of the ingredients to the food processor: sucanat, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, vanilla, melted chocolate, coconut oil and blend until thoroughly combined. Fold in the walnuts and orange zest, if using. Transfer the batter to the prepared baking pan.

Bake for approximately 30 minutes or until a knife inserted into the center of the brownies comes out clean. Cool in the pan on a wire rack before inverting onto a serving plate. Enjoy!

Yield: 16 squares

A Note from Gilda!
Chickpeas might sound peculiar but think of this recipe as a chocolate hummus with eggs, sugar and love – it truly is sublime! Aside from being scrumptious, these brownies are high in protein and fiber; and, gluten free too.

Woot-Woot Wheat-Free Brownies is a post from: Inspired Girl* by Jennifer Tuma-Young

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After a little research, Kenny discovered that Pizza Hut actually considers itself “fast food”, but he was on the fence about calling it “fast food”. Then, it begged the question- what is the criteria for qualifying something as “fast food”. So, here’s my thought:

If it’s not FRESH food, it’s fast food.

Even if a restaurant takes an hour to bring the food, if it’s freeze dried or prepared in a microwave or deep fryer vs. a grill or stove top- it’s “fast food”. Actually, many chain restaurants like Applebee’s or Cheesecake Factory use food that’s frozen and already prepped — even some to the point with pre-made “grill marks” in the chicken or steak!!!

If you think about it, it just makes sense – how could a restaurant that has over 100 menu items possibly make everything fresh? So, when picking a place to have dinner, less is more! Fewer items on the menu is generally a good indicator that the food is fresh.

Why is fresh food a better choice?

Well, number one, our bodies are designed to best digest food that is indigenous to the land around us, in its most natural state. Better digestion = better health.

Not to mention the other benefits of eating well, that go far beyond the way we look. My really simple rule is: when we eat real food, we feel real good.

Our blood sugars are generally more stable, so we’re less cranky/moody, and we communicate better with each other when we’re not in a food fog. We are focused, productive, generally functioning as our best self when we are fueled up right. NOTE: that does not mean eating like a bird, or removing all carbs – extreme dieting has the opposite effect for many people and we become total crankpots.

If It’s Not Fresh Food, It’s Fast Food is a post from: Inspired Girl* by Jennifer Tuma-Young

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I steamed up some cauliflower, and then put it in a baking dish, poured 2 beaten eggs over top, added a dash of milk, a thin layer of Parmesan cheese, some salt & pepper- then baked it at 375 for 15 minutes.

Voila.

Bonus Benefits

Cauliflower contains allicin, which can improve heart health and reduce the risk of strokes, and selenium, a chemical that works well with Vitamin C to strengthen the immune system. Cauliflower can also help to maintain a healthy cholesterol level.

Folate is also found in cauliflower, which is a B vitamin that is needed for cell growth and replication. Cauliflower is an excellent source of fiber, which helps to improve colon health and can even help prevent cancer. And, most recently, it has been discovered that cauliflower, as well as other cruciferous vegetables, such as brussel sprouts and cabbage, contain indole-3-carbinol, a substance that can affect the metabolism of estrogen in the body, and prevent breast and other female cancers.

Ode to Baked Cauliflower is a post from: Inspired Girl* by Jennifer Tuma-Young

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One of my absolute favorite flavors is coconut. And, after a trip to Turks and Caicos a few years back, I had to figure out a way to make coconut crusted food a staple, but in a healthier way!   So, after a little trial and much error, I came up with this Caribbean-inspired delicious, healthy, and super-simple meal…

Coconut Crusted Tilapia with Jasmine-Infused Brown Rice, Citrus Salsa, and a “Mama-tini”

Brown rice takes the longest, so let’s get that going first!

Supplies for Brown Rice

Covered Pot

Bowl for finished rice

Brown Rice Ingredients

1 Cup Whole Grain Brown Rice

2 ½ Cups Water

1 Teaspoon Butter

2 Jasmine Green Tea Bags

Let’s Do This!!

In pot, pour 2 ½ cups of water. Mix in the jasmine tea bags and a little salt, and bring water to boil. Remove the tea bag with metal tongs, and then add brown rice and butter, and give it a stir. Cover the pot and let it cook, checking periodically and stirring to reduce water. And, depending on the type it may take 50 minutes or so for the rice to cook!! 

Supplies for Tilapia

Plastic baggie

Bowl (for egg bath)

Bowl (for breadcrumbs*)

Plate (for breading)

Baking pan

Tilapia Ingredients

4 Small Pieces of Tilapia

2 Egg Whites

1 Full Egg

15 Whole Grain or Other Healthy Crackers

1/4 Cup Finely Shredded Coconut

1 Teaspoon Pure Coconut Extract

1/8 Cup Panko breadcrumbs

1 Tablespoon Ground Flaxseed

Let’s Do This!!

Preheat oven to 375.

I prefer to prep all my bowls first, and then do the ‘dipping’. So, in your bowl for the egg bath, mix the whites and the egg with the pure coconut extract. You’ll get all the flavor of the coconut with ZERO calories and ZERO fat! In bowl #2, mix the Panko breadcrumbs, finely shredded coconut, and ground flax seed. Next, put your healthy crackers in a plastic baggy (with a zip lock) and zip the bag shut. Hold the bag in the air with your hand and start crunching with your fingers so all the crackers crumble quickly (I like to shimmy while I do this, but you definitely don’t have to!).  Now, mix your crumbled crackers with the ground flaxseed and finely shredded coconut.

All you do, is the dip the tilapia in the egg bath, and then roll it around in the breadcrumb/coconut mixture, making sure you spread lots of coconut on the topside!

You might want to give your baking pan a quick spray with whatever you fancy (as far as cooking sprays are concerned), and even if it’s non-stick, a light spray won’t hurt! Place the tilapia pieces a few inches apart on the pan, and put it in the oven for 10-12 minutes.

Supplies for Citrus Salsa

Big bowl for mixing

Small bowl for extra fruits

Small bowl for lime juice

Spoon

Chopping block

Knife

Cup for pomegranate and extra fruit

Strainer and Straining bowl for juice.

Citrus Salsa Ingredients

White Grapefruit

Ruby Red Grapefruit

Orange

Any Type of Citrus Fruits You LOVE!!

Lime (to make juice)

Salt and Cayenne Pepper (to taste)

Red Onion

Cilantro

Pomegranate

Let’s Do This!!

Slice pomegranate and pull out the seeds. Set aside a teaspoon in a cup for later. Pour the rest in the mixing bowl. Peel all of your citrus fruits (except the lime), and start chopping. Don’t worry about being ‘perfect’, just cut them in tiny bits for a “salsa” like effect. Pour them in the mixing bowl, but set aside a little of each fruit in the cup with the pomegranate for later. Squeeze the juice of the lime in a small bowl, make sure there aren’t any pits, and then mix the juice in the large mixing bowl.

Pour the big mixing bowl through a strainer, straining the juice into another bowl. Set the juice bowl aside for later, with the cup of fruit.

Mix the fruit in the large mixing bowl. Chop the onion and cilantro. Add chopped onion, cilantro, salt and pepper (to taste). Take your spoon, mix it altogether!

Supplies for Mamatini

Juice bowl from Citrus Salsa

Cup of Fruits from Citrus Salsa

Martini Shaker

Martini Glass

Mamatini Ingredients

White Grapefruit

Ruby Red Grapefruit

Orange

Any Type of Citrus Fruits You LOVE!!

Lime (to make juice)

Pomegranate

Water (sparkling or still)

Splash of Pomegranate Juice

Ice

Let’s Do This!!

Ok, take the juice you set aside earlier and pour it in a martini shaker with ice. Add ½ cup of water, a splash of pomegranate juice, and start shaking! Pour the Mamatini in your martini glass, and garnish with fruit. Top with pomegranate seeds, and you have all the flavor and antioxidants you need to keep your energy up and your spirits high!!

Light and Delicious Coconut Crusted Tilapia + a “Mama-tini” is a post from: Inspired Girl* by Jennifer Tuma-Young

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In the freezer, I had one package of frozen cooked winter squash. It was on sale 2 for a $1.00, so I picked some up to mix it with pumpkin for the Little Man. He LOVES pumpkin, so I try to make it 100 different ways so he doesn’t get bored. He devoured it, so I figured he would definitely like some squash soup, too!

I  put it on the stovetop pan on medium heat, added a splash of milk, a splash of apple juice, a sprinkle of salt, and a dash of pepper. Fifteen minutes later, voila, simple, healthy, delicious (and very inexpensive) Squash Soup!!

Why haven’t I done that before?

The Simplest Squash Soup Ever! is a post from: Inspired Girl* by Jennifer Tuma-Young

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1. Slice it and sprinkle it with salt & pepper

2. Diced with cilantro and onion

3. Cut in half and stuffed with fresh-made chicken salad

4. Tossed with balsamic vinegar and olive oil

5. Grilled with a drizzle of olive oil, salt, & pepper

6. Pureed and made into tomato soup

7. Pan-seared on stovetop

8. Rolled in a little egg and covered in bread crumbs, then baked in the oven

9. On a crispy cracker with fresh mozzarella and basil

10. Broiled and browned then stuck between slices of grilled provolone

Since I wanted something really quick, I decided to go for the pan-seared tomato, and sinceit was so tasty, I made a 2nd pan full. LuLu and the Little Man watched for a few minutes, and then the Man said, “Mama, I want TOE-MAY-TOE”. Priceless.

Photo Props to Narisa

A Tomato Ten Ways is a post from: Inspired Girl* by Jennifer Tuma-Young

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