Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes with Maple Syrup and Sliced Almonds

These last few weeks I have come very close to throwing in the towel in regards to making dinner. It seems like every single one of us has has been sick with a cold that just won't quit. And just when I thought it was going to get better, it started back up again with Jack today. This never ending rotation of the yuckies has really  worn on my nerves as well as my body and mind. I am tired and cranky and forgetful, my already limited patience is running out and if I have to wipe one more runny nose or listen to crying for one more second I think I might go crazy.

Trying to get everyone healthy means extra time and care in regards to what goes into our bodies. I really try not to take antibiotics unless I have a very good reason to. I took Mona to the doctor a few days ago and after a few standard test and no answer to the cause of her high fever the doctor recommended antibiotics. I feel like sometimes this is a last resort or a grasping at straws for doctors. Maybe it's because so many people demand antibiotics as soon as the sniffles arrive in hopes of feeling better within the hour. Antibiotics take a couple of days to start working and by this time, most viruses will be fought off naturally by the body. So many people think that it is the antibiotics that cured them when actually, it was there bodies natural defenses.




So when my family gets sick I take the normal precautions and go to the doctor if needed but I really try to use common sense and remember that sometimes, just sometimes, antibiotics are (over) prescribed as a means of desperate measure, prophylacticly or just to give to demanding patients what they want. In this case, I just wasn't so sure that it was antibiotics that my child needed. Even the doctor said she probably just had a cold.  So this means finding natural ways to fight off colds and infections that really work and aren't hard to find. 

Extra garlic and fruit, NO dairy or processed foods, and drinking coconut water are a few of my  trusted battle weapons when I arm up against viruses and germs. 

Eating whole foods loaded with vitamins and nutrients is also very important for your body to fight off infections. 

Sounds easy enough right? Umm, yeah, not with 4 sick and cranky kids who are wanting and needing my attention constantly and me fighting off the crud as well. Thank goodness my mom bought me a Shark steam cleaner a few weeks ago so I can sanitize this huge snot bucket we call a home. Trying to make home made soups and healthy foods is a battle right now and having everyone push their plates away while crying is not very much motivation to keep trying. How much easier would it be to just serve a boxed or a frozen dinner every night?!  Of course then I would be up all night long feeling guilty about all of the crap that is loaded in pre-made foods and the complete lack of real vitamins.

I decided that instead of serving convenient yet nutritionally void foods to my family that I would compromise and make really simple meals that were loaded with as much vitamins as possible.

This dish can't be any easier or a bigger hit with my entire family. I love that I hardly have any prep work whatsoever and that my kids fight over who gets the biggest potato. The maple syrup and sliced almonds make this seem more of a treat than a healthy dinner. Sweet Potatoes are a Super Food, one of the very healthiest vegetables you can eat. They're loaded with carotenoids, vitamin C, potassium, and fiber.








You Will Need:


4 medium sized Sweet Potatoes, scrubbed well
1/2 cup Pure Maple Syrup (not the sugary kind)
1/2 cup sliced almonds
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon salt




Pre-heat oven to 350F. Scrub potatoes under cool water, pat dry. Pierce several times with a fork so the steam can be released while cooking. Bake for about 40 minutes until fork pierces through easily.


Carefully remove from oven and let cool for a bit. Using a towel, carefully slice open the middle of the potato being careful not to go through the bottom. Using a spoon, scrape out as much of the flesh as you can while leaving a thin layer on the inside so the skin does not collapse. Reserve skins! 


Put the scooped out sweet potato into a medium sized bowl. Drizzle with Pure maple syrup and stir in cinnamon and salt. Combine well. 


Gently scoop the mixture back into the potato skins and sprinkle with almonds. Place back into oven and cook another 12-15 minutes until the almonds are golden brown.




Serve with a big salad or other green veggie.

What is your favorite way to stay healthy or get well?

Do you believe that natural remedies can work as well or better than medication?

Home Made Gold Fish Crackers

So sometimes every day average, totally normal people sit around all day long and think about making goldfish crackers from scratch. It happens all the time. These same people stay up  night after night dreaming about where to find the perfect goldfish cookie cutter. How cute it will be and how much they their children will love and appreciate the cuter and healthier version of goldfish crackers. So then, it goes without saying that taking 200 pictures of the gold fish cracker making process and the finished project is not only a given but absolutely mandatory. Normal behavior. Right?




This is really so simple {I should stop saying that since that's really pretty much the point of this blog} I know it's ever so tempting to pick up a big box of goldfish crackers for an easy 'Go To' snack for your kids. But it's really just not healthy. Period. All of those processed foods, dyes and preservatives add up in a BIG way. For the most part we eat a variety of fruits and veggies and a lesser amount of nuts and cheeses for easy snacks around here. Simple, no box required. I occasionally make simple, home made snacks like these Cheddar-Sweet Potato crackers just to mix things up.

This is a 'sneaky' way to get whole grains and veggies (vitamins) into your and your children's daily
diet. These are cute and fun to put into lunch bags and my kids love them. I think you will too.





Cut them into any shape you want or make as cheesy bread sticks!

I've found that using a pointed pie server is easiest to transfer cookies and crackers to the baking sheet.

Tip:

Buy a big block of cheese and grate it yourself. It takes just a few seconds with a food processor

 and you'll save a ton of money.

You will need

These are soft and poofy and cheesy and adorable all at the same time.

Sweet Potato- Cheddar Crackers

You Will Need:

1 1/2 cups mashed sweet potato (about 2 medium)

3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese (I used freshly grated but you could use the good ol canned variety)

1 cup extra sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (or any other cheese you like)

1/4 cup softened butter (NOT melted) 

1 1/2 cups Whole Wheat flour (I use unbleached, white whole wheat flour)

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon Turmeric (optional)

1/4 cup half-and-half or whole milk

Directions:

Boil a whole sweet potato for 40-50 minutes until easily pierced with a fork. Drain water and remove skin with a fork or tongs. Keeping the skin on while cooking retains vitamins. Mash with a potato masher or in a blender till smooth.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Combine the cheese, butter, sweet potato puree, flour, and salt in a stand mixer.

Mix on a medium speed until the mixture forms a sandy consistency. Add the half-and-half and knead into a ball. Do not over knead.  On a lightly floured surface roll the dough into a rectangle that is 1/8-inch thick. Cut out crackers into desired shape.

Gently transfer the strips to a parchment paper lined cookie sheet with a 1/4-inch between them.

Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the ends are barely browned. Remove from the oven and transfer to a cooling rack to cool.

Store in a covered container in a cool place. Dough will freeze well so make extra. ;)

NOTE: I found that my crackers took about 20 minutes to cook for some reason. Just check them regularly and remove from oven when they just barely start to brown around the edges. Transfer immediately to a wire rack so they don't get soggy.

What's your favorite "Go To" snack?

This post is linked to:

Tasty Tuesday's

What's Cooking Wednesday's

Meatless Monday's

For the Kids Friday's

Take a Hike!

Yesterday we went on a nice hike in the White Tank Mts. in the far west valley.  I love Arizona, especially in the winter months when the weather is just perfect. Some times I wish for snow and boots and pretty fur coats but then I remember how lucky we are to be able to go on a beautiful hike and have a picnic in January!

These are some pics I snapped on the short "Water Fall Trail"

Not much of a waterfall, more like a trickle, but we Zonies will gather round and stare at a trickle of water in the dry desert when we get the chance. ;)

This is the desert through my 'eyes'.

Did you know that the Sonoran Desert is the only place Saguaros grow naturally?

Cholla cacti also are native to the Arizona desert and a small part of California. There are over 20 species and are sometimes called ' Jumping Cactus' since the needles will jump off the plant if you get to close!

Crazy Zonies standing around staring at the "Water Fall"  Don't strain your eyes, it's only a trickle.

No, it's not really snowing... Photoshop. It was very cold out, much colder than usual and there is snow on the mountains in the background, can you see it?

Aren't those snow capped mountains a beautiful site in the desert? I Love it!






We needed a nice hot bowl of flavourful soup to warm us up!
This soup is part of the detox diet from Whole Living.
Not sauteing the veggies and using lots of in season, lightly cooked veggies make this soup
healthy and hearty.
Free Range Chicken adds healthy protein and flavor, feel free to skip it if you'd like, the almond
butter is a good source of protein.
Almond butter makes this soup so very decadent and is an excellent source of
 healthy monounsaturated fat, essential for heart health and controlling blood sugar.
.

Photo and recipe from Whole Living

Please excuse me, I try to always do my own pics but time and light quality were against me in a
big way last night! The recipe calls for collards of which I used along with Bok Choy I need to use up.

I'm sending this over to Fresh Friday's at La Bella Vita for her wonderful healthy life style blog hop.

Detox Day 2: Breakfast In a Glass, Start Your Day Off on a Good Note!

Smoothies are one of my favorite healthy breakfasts. They are delicious obviously but also because if you put a few healthy ingredients in them they are also the perfect breakfast IMO. Pick up a bag of toasted flaxmeal which is pretty easy to find these days at most well-stocked markets. Flax adds fiber and essential Omega fatty acids and it has a wonderful mild nutty flavour perfect in smoothies as well as oatmeal, muffins etc.
Flax is very high in lignans, which have anti-tumor properties—lignans act as antioxidants that could mirror the results of Tamoxifen, the anti-cancer drug for breast cancer.

Check out these 25 Healthy Smoothies from Whole Living.
Also, don't forget to click my smoothie link on my right side bar for easy, healthy and quick ideas!

Apple Carrot Ginger Smoothie

Carrot-Mango-Herb Smoothie

Kiwi Smoothie

Banana-Oat Smoothie

Mona Claire loving her Berry-Tofu Smoothie with Flax

Mix it up a bit! We have a breakfast Gazpacho 3-4 times a week too. Yup, my kids love them!

Keeping a daily journal holds you accountable and keeps you on track!
I carry a small note book to jot down what I eat and my thoughts.
I also just downloaded the 'LivingStrong' App for my IPad which is an excellent calorie counter, nutritional data base, excersise tracker and more!
Also, it will be nice ( I hope ) to look back and see my progress!

BTW, this is what we had for dinner. 3-Bean Vegetarian Chili, slightly adapted from
Whole Living. I added kidney beans and more veggie juice.