Healthy Food For Living

Food Should Taste Good… and this does! {Giveaway}

Lauren Zembron — Fri, 17 May 2013 14:30:52 +0000

I’m pleased to bring you a review of – and host a giveaway for – the tasty line of Food Should Taste Good chips; the headquarters of which are just a few towns over from where I live. Needham, MA is the home of this company that produces a variety of delicious chips made with real, wholesome ingredients.

The package I received included a full bag of each of the following flavors: Cheddar, Chocolate, Blue Corn, and Kettle-Cooked Sweet Potato.

The first bag I ripped into ended up being my favorite, although I enjoyed all of the four flavors.

The cheddar tortilla chips boast a real cheddar flavor, (none of that artificial aftertaste that other cheese-flavored chips have), and are super addictive at only 7 grams of fat per serving. These crunchy chips are hearty enough to use for dipping, but the cheddar flavor is so good I suggest eating them solo!

I was expecting a dessert-like taste when I dipped into the chocolate tortilla chip bag, but these rectangular-shaped chips are more savory than sweet. A nice compliment to the mellow chocolate flavor would be a freshly made strawberry salsa.

Ah, the classic blue corn tortilla chip! We dunked these tasty little gems (which are actually pretty low in sodium at 80 mg per serving!) into guacamole for the perfect Mexican feast precursor.

A departure from the tortilla chips were these kettle cooked sweet potato chips, which taste precisely like what they should: sweet potatoes. Sweet potatoes, oil, and sea salt are the only ingredients in these crispy chips, and the sweet potato flavor really shines through.

Giveaway

Want to try some Food Should Taste Good chips for yourself? For a chance to win a sample box in the mail, leave a comment on this post by Monday, May 20th. A winner will be randomly chosen and contacted for their mailing address.

Sugar-Free Chocolate Coconut Butter

Lauren Zembron — Thu, 09 May 2013 09:00:39 +0000

Let’s talk stevia for a moment, shall we?

If you’re not familiar with this sweetener – derived from an herb native to South America – you can read more about it here. I don’t consume a lot of it, but every now and then I’ll add a few drops of liquid stevia into plain yogurt for a sweet snack. I have tried baking with it in granular form; unfortunately with poor results. I’m sure there are decent recipes out there for baked goods calling for stevia instead of sugar… I’m just not well-versed with stevia enough to develop recipes of my own featuring it!

Not long ago my mom introduced me to Lily’s chocolate - which is made with stevia instead of sugar – and I instantly fell in love.

Perfectly sweet without the unpalatable aftertaste characteristic of some no-sugar-added products, these chocolate bars (which also come in crispy, coconut, and almond varieties), are delicious! I’ve been enjoying a few squares after lunch (with no guilt, I might add) and wanted to incorporate the original dark chocolate in a recipe.

I have been experimenting with creating a homemade version of Artisana’s Cacao Bliss and figured out pretty quickly that coconut butter + plus liquid sweetener (I tried maple syrup) + cocoa powder does NOT = a smooth, creamy chocolate coconut butter. It does make a delicious brownie crumb-like mixture, but it wasn’t what I was going for.

Then an unopened Lily’s chocolate bar caught my eye.

The stevia-sweetened chocolate bar melted perfectly into a batch of freshly made coconut butter, and I finally had my perfect homemade chocolate coconut butter (which so happens to be sugar-free)!

*Be advised that the consistency of this coconut butter will vary depending on the temperature inside your house. These photographs were taken after the freshly-made butter had a chance to harden at room temperature on a cool day. The coconut butter will turn into a liquid if your house is warm.

Sugar-Free Chocolate Coconut Butter

by Lauren Zembron

Prep Time: 10 mintues

Cook Time: 0 minutes

Keywords: dessert snack sugar-free vegetarian chocolate coconut

Ingredients (1 small jar)

1 eight ounce package unsweetened shredded coconut (such as Let’s Do Organic)
1 three ounce bar Lily’s original dark chocolate bar, finely chopped

Instructions

Pour the shredded coconut into the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Process until the coconut turns into a liquid-y butter, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary. This may take up to 10 minutes.

Add in the finely chopped chocolate and process until fully melted into the coconut butter. The heat from the steel blade will fully melt the chocolate. The mixture will be quite thin at this point.

Pour chocolate coconut butter into a jar or plastic container, cover, and allow to thicken/harden at room temperature. Store at room temperature. In warm weather, the coconut butter will be liquid; in cooler weather, it will be solid.

Other recipes to check out:

Sweet Potato Chocolate Pudding

Flourless Chocolate Cake

No-Cook Chocolate Peanut Butter Pudding

White Mocha Almond Butter

Lauren Zembron — Fri, 03 May 2013 09:00:31 +0000

I’ve been off of caffeine since before John and I started trying to get pregnant. When I used to enjoy a daily cup (or two), I never felt as though I needed the jolt to get my day started (I’ve always been a morning person), but if I didn’t have my daily dose of caffeine, I would inevitably get the dreaded withdrawal headache by the afternoon.

My solution was to slowly wean myself off by gradually increasing the ratio of decaf:caf in my morning coffee. After a couple of weeks or so, I didn’t miss the caffeine one bit!

I’m still off of caffeine for the most part since I’m nursing Lily - I do savor a small cup of coffee every weekend when John makes a pot – but I just had to make a mocha-flavored almond butter.

White mocha, actually.

That’s white chocolate + coffee. In homemade almond butter. What’s not to love?!

I’ve never had the decadent-sounding white mocha beverage from Starbucks, but it was the inspiration for this deliciously thick and creamy almond butter.

The coffee flavor (from instant espresso powder) is subtle, so add more according to your taste preference.

White Mocha Almond Butter

by Lauren Zembron

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 0 minutes

Keywords: breakfast side snack vegetarian almonds white chocolate

Ingredients (1 small jar)

2 cups dry roasted unsalted almonds
1/3 cup all-natural white chocolate chips (such as Sunspire) or 1/3 cup finely chopped white chococlate
pinch of salt
1/2 Tbsp (1 1/2 tsp) instant espresso powder (or more, to taste)

Instructions

Place almonds into the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Process until almonds break down into a smooth butter, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed. This may take up to 10 minutes.

Add in the white chocolate chips and process until fully melted and incorporated into the almond butter. The heat from the steel blade will melt the chocolate.

Add in the salt and espresso powder; process to combine. Taste and add additional espresso powder if desired.

Other recipes to check out:

Almond & Dried Cranberry Cookie Bites (gluten-free, paleo, & vegan)

Monday Musings (Boston Strong!)

Lauren Zembron — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 09:00:32 +0000

1. I have never been more proud to be from Boston (well, technically I was born in Newton, MA… moved to PA, and now live in another Boston suburb).

Last week was a roller coaster of emotions: devastation, outrage, fear, confusion, anticipation, hopefulness, satisfaction, comfort, and pride.

To the incredibly courageous and diligent members of the Boston Police Department, FBI, SWAT team, bomb squad, and all others who spent countless hours hunting down – and finally capturing – the suspects (whose names do not deserve to be mentioned) of the Boston Marathon Bombing: THANK YOU a million times over. Your perseverance ensured our safety and proved to the entire world that we are BOSTON STRONG. If I could cook you all a huge meal to show my appreciation, respect, and love I would!

2. Watching coverage of the lives lost at the marathon finish line hit me especially hard now that I am a mom. What a scary and potentially dangerous world I have brought my dear daughter into.

I feel grateful that Lily is not yet old enough to understand what happened, but as a responsible parent I will one day have to do my best to explain to her that unfortunately this world is not always kind or fair; nor does it always make sense.

I will also point out to her – however – that the overwhelming love, support, and spirit exhibited by the first responders, EMTs, doctors, and all other residents of this incredible city overshadowed the evil unleashed by those people who so selfishly took the lives of 29 year old Krystle Campbell, 23 year old Lu Lingzi, and 8 year old Martin Richard and wounded over 170 others.

What we need to remember are not the names or faces of the suspects, but those of the innocent people whose lives were so prematurely lost. We will remember them always, and memorialize their short lives not only on every future Marathon Monday, but also every time we think about the spirit of our great city of Boston.

3. I do have a few new recipes in the works, but wanted to devote this Monday Musings post to my thoughts on the atrocities of last week. If you’re still reading this post, I ask that you please take a moment of silence in remembrance of those who lost their lives, appreciation for those who provided aid, and support of Boston… a city full of heart that I am proud to call home.

Boston

Lauren Zembron — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 11:08:07 +0000

Please keep our wonderful city of Boston in your thoughts and prayers as we recover from the travesty that occurred yesterday during the marathon.

Caramelized Apple + Ham Grilled Cheese

Lauren Zembron — Fri, 05 Apr 2013 14:18:44 +0000

Are you sick of seeing recipes featuring leftover Easter ham? I hope not, because I have one more for ya.

My in-laws sent us home with a generous portion of the delicious ham that we enjoyed last weekend in CT, and I was dreaming about this sandwich before we even got back to MA.

Sweet-smoky ham paired with sharp cheddar and maple-y caramelized apples makes for one fantastic spin on the classic grilled cheese!

Caramelized Apple + Ham Grilled Sandwich

by Lauren Zembron

Prep Time: 2

Cook Time: 5

Keywords: fry sandwich main bread ham apples cheese Easter

Ingredients (1 sandwich)

1/2 large apple, preferably organic, sliced thinly
1 tsp butter, plus more for spreading on bread
2 tsp pure maple syrup, preferably grade B
2 slices hearty whole wheat bread
1 thick slice leftover baked ham
enough slices of sharp cheddar to cover one slice of bread

Instructions

Heat 1 tsp butter in a medium skillet set over medium-high heat. Add in the apple slices and cook, stirring occasionally until light brown, about 2 minutes. Add in the maple syrup, reduce heat to medium, and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until caramelized, about 2-3 additional minutes.

Layer the ham, caramelized apples, and cheddar slices onto one slice of bread. Top with remaining slice of bread. Lightly spread butter over top of sandwich. Place sandwich, buttered side down, in the skillet over medium heat and cook until browned, about 2-3 minutes. Flip sandwich, lightly spread top side with butter, cover skillet, and cook until the bread is browned and the cheese has melted, about 2-3 minutes.

Other recipes to check out:

Cornbread Panini

Almond Butter, Fig, Goat Cheese, and Apple Cinnamon Raisin Sandwich

Crispy Shrimp Po' Boys

Double Chocolate Macaroons

Lauren Zembron — Wed, 27 Mar 2013 09:00:14 +0000

Blame “mommy brain”, tiredness, or just plain old laziness, but the only recipe I could come up with for you this week is another version of my beloved coconut-oat macaroons.

I’m nearing double digits with the number of macaroon variations I’ve posted, but I just can’t get enough the the crisp outside, chewy inside, and overall deliciousness of these coconut-oat cookies.

Why it took me so long to put chocolate into ‘em, I haven’t a clue, but thank goodness I finally did because these cookies are a.maz.ing.

Cocoa powder + chocolate chips = double chocolate, and who can argue with that?

Dare I proclaim these to be my favorite coconut-oat macaroon flavor to date?

Oh yes. I dare.

Double Chocolate Macaroons

by Lauren Zembron

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Keywords: bake dessert vegan vegetarian coconut chocolate oatmeal cookie cookies

Ingredients (20 cookies)

8 oz full fat flaked (or shredded) unsweetened coconut (I like the Let’s Do Organic brand)
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1 cup reduced-fat shredded unsweetened coconut (I like the Let’s Do Organic brand)
1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
3/4 cup pure maple syrup, preferably Grade B
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Instructions

Preheat oven to 300°F. Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper.

In a food processor, process full fat flaked (or shredded) coconut for about 5-8 minutes, until a thick, smooth coconut butter forms, scraping down the sides as needed (this will yield about 1 cup of coconut butter). Add in the cocoa powder and process until smooth, again scraping down sides as needed.

Combine the coconut butter and all of the remaining ingredients in a bowl. Stir until well-combined.

Using a mini ice cream scoop or a small spoon, scoop the dough onto the prepared baking sheet (no need to leave much room in between as they do not spread out). Bake for about 20-25 minutes, or until set. The macaroons will be very soft at this point.

Allow the macaroons to sit at room temperature on the baking sheet for about 30 minutes, or until they firm up and cool down.

Other recipes to check out:

Flourless PB&J Thumbprint Cookies

Sweet Potato Chocolate Pudding

Chocolate Almond Cheesecake Pudding

Monday Musings (flapJacked, T Shirt Printing, & Yumvelope)

Lauren Zembron — Mon, 25 Mar 2013 14:43:38 +0000

1. Saturday morning offered the perfect opportunity to try the Buttermilk flapJacked Protein Pancake Mix sent to me from the company’s owners.

Stirred with a cup of cold water and ladled into a warm skillet, this mix yielded light and fluffy pancakes that rival your favorite diner short stack; though they are a bit less sweet (that’s what maple syrup is for!). The simple mix-and-stir method is especially appealing to me now that mornings aren’t quite as laid-back as they were B.L. (Before Lily).

One 4 oz pack serves 2; each serving clocking in at 200 calories, 3 grams fat, 1.5 grams saturated fat, 6 grams fiber, and a whopping 17 grams of protein. Not too shabby when it comes to pancakes!

I still have two other varieties to taste and share with you, so stay tuned.

2. The sweet Emily from T Shirt Printing offered to emblazon a tee shirt with my blog’s logo, and it turned out perfectly!

It took zero effort on my part; the company was able to download the image directly from my blog and print it onto a high-quality, soft, fitted tee. Unfortunately, the shirt is a bit too snug on me, (I mistakenly requested a small), but I’ll save it for Lily when she gets older ;).

3. Yet another freebie (I love being a food blogger)!

I was lucky enough to be able to sample this month’s snack box from Yumvelope.

So far I have only sampled the granola (which was really tasty!) but I’m eyeing the dark chocolate bar and bagged cookies ;).

4. Speaking of cookies, I made – yet another – version of my beloved coconut-oat macaroons, and will be sharing the recipe with you this week. If you’re a chocolate-lover, you’re not going to want to miss it!

Other recipes to check out:

Monday Musings & Iced Pumpkin Spice Latte Recipe

Monday Musings + Pumpkin & Sweet Potato Bisque

Monday Musings + Peanut Butter Cup Panini Bites

Monday Musings

Lauren Zembron — Mon, 18 Mar 2013 09:00:24 +0000

1. Thanks for all of the slow cooker recipe suggestions! It’s definitely going to come in handy, and I can’t wait to get cookin’.

2. TJs has finally come out with an organic peanut butter… and it is perfection. Smooth, drippy, slightly sweet (without any added sugar) and salty (just a bit of salt added), with a delightful roasted peanut flavor.

This will definitely be my new go-to peanut butter!

3. The friendly folks from flapJacked (love the name!) sent me a few of their protein pancake mixes to try.

I haven’t broken into ‘em yet, but once I do I will certainly let you know how they are! I love the convenience factor, and the flavors are enticing.

4. The company that makes Honest Tea sent me their new product line to try!

Introducing, Honest Fizz:

Sweetened with stevia, these all-natural beverages are a tasty calorie-free alternative to soda. My favorite is the “Professor Fizz” – a Dr. Pepper-inspired flavor.

5. I attempted to make chocolate peanut butter pudding (yes, another one – this time a stovetop version) and ended up with a thick chocolate peanut butter sauce.

Delicious? Yes. Pudding? No. But I’m not giving up! This pudding will be perfected.

Dark Chocolate Swirl Coconut Almond Butter (aka Almond Joy Butter)

Lauren Zembron — Fri, 15 Mar 2013 15:00:33 +0000

I’m finally back with a recipe!

Inspiration for this delectable almond butter came from a cup of Chobani’s Almond Coco Loco flip yogurt. As I ~~savored~~ devoured each bite of the creamy coconut yogurt studded with crunchy almond slices and sweet dark chocolate, it occurred to me that the almond joy flavors would be awesome in a nut butter.

All you need to do is process together some unsweetened coconut flakes and roasted almonds, then toss in some chopped dark chocolate.

So where does the swirl come in? As the food processor works to butterize the almonds and coconut, the steel blade heats up; when you add in the chopped chocolate, it melts and swirls into the coconut almond butter.

Clearly you should make a batch of this dessert-worthy almond butter this weekend!

Dark Chocolate Swirl Coconut Almond Butter

by Lauren Zembron

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 0 minutes

Keywords: side snack vegetarian almonds chocolate coconut

Ingredients (1 small jar)

1 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
2 cups dry roasted almonds
1/4 cup coarsely chopped dark chocolate

Instructions

Place coconut flakes into the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade, and process until a paste forms.

Add in the almonds and process until a smooth, drippy butter forms, scraping down the sides as needed. This may take 5+ minutes… be patient! Let sit for a few minutes to partially cool.

Add in the chopped chocolate and pulse a few times. The heat from blade will partially melt the chocolate.

Store at room temperature.

Other recipes to check out:

Pumpkin Pie White Chocolate Cups

Flourless Chocolate Cake

Dark Chocolate Chunk Frozen Yogurt