Green Smoothie (my version)

Green drinks and smoothies are all the rage right now. Yes, they are a great way to get your veggies, but beware if you are loading them with a lot of fruit and not eating any protein or fat with them. Fruit can spike your blood sugar (not good) if eaten alone, and consuming too many high sugar fruits will not bode well in the short term (think sugar high, then sugar low) or the long term (excess sugar gets stored as FAT).
Every meal that we consume should have protein, healthy fat, and plenty of vegetables so I decided to come up with my own version of the green smooothie that would satisfy these requirements. Remember - this is to MY taste. Yours might be different but I certainly won't hold it against you! Adjust to your liking but avoid the high sugar fruits like bananas, mangoes, melons or pineapple.

Lisa's Green Smoothie

• 1/3 cup full fat coconut milk



• 1 scoop vanilla whey protein powder



• 1/2 cup strawberries



• big handful of spinach



• tablespoon almond butter



• ice and water to desired thickness/consistency

There you go! This smoothie will give you approximately 25g protein, 24g healthy fat, 12g carbohyrates plus fiber, vitamins and antioxidants. Give it a try!

March Class Dates

The sides are the star for the month of March! Yes, we love our protein, but vegetables don't have to be boring. A large part of the vitamins, minerals and antioxidants our bodies need come from vegetables AND they are loaded with fiber (no grains required!)

In addition to cooking up some amazing food, participants will also learn the basics of nutrition including:

• eating the proper amounts of macronutrients (protein, fats and carbohydrates




• how to keep your blood sugar under control




• eating to reduce inflammation




• inding healthy and filling "convenience" foods




• stocking your pantry with the right staples

Emily Bennington cooking up a storm at the Holiday Cooking Class!

Choose from 2 dates: Sunday, March 11 or Tuesday, March 20. Classes are held at Fergusons kitchen and bath showroom from 6-9pm. Cost to attend is $65. Email me at lisalineberg@gmail.com to reserve a spot.

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Grapes

Straight from the oven at my holiday cooking class

Brussels sprouts are appearing in a lot of recipes lately. They've been around a long time, and I have to admit that I had never tried one until a couple of years ago. I can't say I was blown away by them, but this recipe changed everything! All I can say is,"Wow!" You have to make these as soon as possible.

Brussels sprouts are members of the cancer-fighting cruciferous family of vegetables. They are an excellent source of vitamin C, vitamin A and vitamin K, and contain manganese and fiber.

Ingredients:

3-4 cups brussels sprouts

2 cups red grapes

2 T fresh sage, chopped

olive oil

pepper

sea salt

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Cut off Brussels sprouts stems, remove any dirty/outer leaves then quarter. Toss all ingredients together. Cover sheet pan with foil. Roast for 20-25 minutes until tender and carmelized, stirring halfway through.

Get the Most Bang for Your Nutrition Buck

Cooking Class

Sunday, February 12

Due to an overwhelming response to the class on January 26 ,

I've added another date for this class.

At this power-packed class you will learn how to "get the most bang for your buck," when it comes to nutrition. If you are going to spend the money to eat healthy, then make sure you are making the right choices!

Join me on Sunday, February 12, 2012 from 6-9pm and learn how to plan, purchase and prepare delicious, healthy foods that are loaded with vital nutrients. The foods we prepare will be devoid of wheat, grains, refined sugars, and "bad" fats. Unlike many healthy recipes, these meals taste great and will leave you feeling satiated. When you consume nutrient dense foods, you will not only get more for your money ... you'll also reduce cravings and enjoy a more balanced energy level.

By attending this class you will learn:

• Basic nutrition principles


• The proper ingredients to have on hand at all times


• How to decifer food labels


• The foods that are loaded with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and omega-3's


• The proper combination of foods that will turn your body into a fat-burning machine


• Breakfast, lunch and dinner recipes

Each participant will receive a notebook with healthy recipes and nutrition information.The class will take place at Ferguson Enterprises showroom kitchen, 160 Spring Street. The cost per person is $65 and is limited to 15 people. You can register by emailing me at lisalineberg@gmail.com.

Prosciutto Wrapped Mini Frittata Muffins

Here's an amazing recipe that we made at my last cooking/nutrition class. These little muffins pack a nutritional punch with eggs, coconut oil and spinach just to name a few ingredients. It's all wrapped up in proscuitto which, in my opinion, makes anything taste better!

This recipe makes 12 muffins. If mushrooms aren't your fancy, you can substitute another vegetable such as bell peppers.

Ingredients:

• 4 T fat (butter or coconut oil)


• 1/2 medium onion, chopped


• 3 cloves minced garlic


• 1/2 lb mushrooms, thinly sliced


• 1-2 cups fresh spinach (or you can use frozen)


• 8 eggs


• 1/4 cup whole fat Greek yogurt, coconut milk or heavy cream


• 2 T coconut flour


• 1 cup cherry tomatoes


• 5 oz proscuitto (you can also use ham)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Saute' onion and garlic over medium heat in 1-2 T fat. Add in mushrooms and saute' a few more minutes. Remove from pan and transfer to a plate to cool. Meanwhile add the spinach to the pan and saute' until wilted.

Beat eggs with yogurt, milk, or cream and flour. Add veggies into the egg mixture.

Brush muffin tins with remaining coconut oil, melted. Make sure to brush bottom and sides. Line each tin with proscuitto, covering bottom and sides completely. Spoon in batter and top with cherry tomatoes. Bake approximately 20 minutes, turning tray at halfway point.

Cooking Class Jan. 26

Get the Most Bang for Your Nutrition Buck

Cooking Class

Thursday, Jan. 26., 2012

At this power-packed class you will learn how to "get the most bang for your buck," when it comes to nutrition. If you are going to spend the money to eat healthy, then make sure you are making the right choices!

Join me on Thursday, January 26, 2012 from 6-9pm and learn how to plan, purchase and prepare delicious, healthy foods that are loaded with vital nutrients. The foods we prepare will be devoid of wheat, grains, refined sugars, and "bad" fats. Unlike many healthy recipes, these meals taste great and will leave you feeling satiated. When you consume nutrient dense foods, you will not only get more for your money ... you'll also reduce cravings and enjoy a more balanced energy level.

By attending this class you will learn:

• Basic nutrition principles


• The proper ingredients to have on hand at all times


• How to decifer food labels


• The foods that are loaded with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and omega-3's


• The proper combination of foods that will turn your body into a fat-burning machine


• Breakfast, lunch and dinner recipes

Each participant will receive a notebook with healthy recipes and nutrition information.

The class will take place at Ferguson Enterprises showroom kitchen, 160 Spring Street. The cost per person is $65 and is limited to 15 people. You can register by emailing me at lisalineberg@gmail.com.

Ginger Spiced Cookies

Here's a holiday cookie that won't leave you in a sugar coma. Grain-free, dairy-free and refined sugar-free! How can you beat that? Of course most of you are asking the question," Can these cookies even taste good?" The answer is a resounding,"Yes!" We made these delicious discs at my Healthy Holiday Cooking and Beyond class last week. Everyone agreed they were tasty!

Ingredients:

• 3 cups blanched almond flour


• 1/2 cup molasses


• 1/4 cup pure maple syrup


• 3 T palm shortening


• 1 T coconut milk


• 1/2 tsp cinnamon


• 1/2 tsp ground ginger


• 1/2 tsp ground cloves


• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg


• 1/2 tsp salt


• 1/2 tsp baking soda

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a sauce pan, heat molasses to a boil. Reduce heat to low and add maple syrup, palm shortening, and coconut mil. Stir ingredients until combined and remove from heat.

In a bowl, combine all dry ingredients. Mix wet and dry ingredients together until fully blended.

Drop spoonfuls (silverware teaspoon) of batter onto a parchment lined cookie sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes. Yields approximately 3 dozen cookies.

Nutritional Breakdown per cookie: Calories - 82, Carbs - 6.8g, Sugar - 4g, Fat - 5.6g