By Jen, on December 13th, 2009%
I’m a pain to go grocery shopping with. I can’t resist wandering through every aisle, taking the time to inspect the ingredients and nutrition of new foods that catch my eye. Often the package goes right back on the shelf, discarded for regrettable ingredients or nutrition stats. Sometimes the effort pays off with a healthy (and tasty) food find. One of my recent finds is coconut milk beverage. It’s similar to soymilk or almond milk, but is made from coconut. I prefer the unsweetened variety for it’s creamy texture and subtle coconut flavor. Great in coffee, over granola or in smoothies.  Creamy Tropical Smoothies 1 cup refrigerated unsweetened coconut milk beverage
1 cup mango chunks
1 medium banana
few drops pure vanilla
Add coconut milk, mango, banana and vanilla to blender container. Cover and blend until smooth. Pour into 2 glasses.
Makes 2 servings (1 cup each)
Tip: If you like a thicker (and colder) smoothie, blend in a few ice cubes or make with a frozen sliced banana.
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By Jen, on December 12th, 2009%
Nuts are a healthy and satisfying snack. My everyday routine is to eat a handful of raw almonds, but sometimes I crave a little something extra. That’s when I reach for these sweet and salty glazed pecans. I love the combination of maple and garam masala, but if you don’t have the spice blend you can substitute cinnamon.  Spiced Maple Pecans 2 cups pecan halves
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon garam masala
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
Dash cayenne pepper
1/8 teaspoon coarse salt
Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Line a large rimmed baking sheet (15- x 10-inch) with foil. Lightly coat foil with oil or cooking spray; set aside.
Place pecans in a medium bowl. Drizzle with maple syrup; stir. Sprinkle with garam masala, ginger and cayenne pepper; stir to coat.
Spread mixture in a single layer in prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt. Bake 10 minutes, stir. Bake 10 to 15 minutes more or until toasted, stirring every 5 minutes.
Let cool completely. Store in an airtight container at room temperature up to 2 weeks.
Makes 2 cups
By Jen, on December 6th, 2009%
I love the simplicity of hummus. Chickpeas, a bit of olive oil, some seasonings- all blended together to make the perfect dip. Rather than buying pre-made hummus, I prefer to make my own. That way I can control exactly what’s in it and season to my taste. (I’m not crazy about raw garlic, so I leave it out.) Here’s a great basic hummus recipe. For added flavor, try stirring in pitted kalamata olives, roasted red peppers or fresh herbs like flat-leaf parsley or chives.
 Easy Lemon Hummus 1 can (15 ounces) chickpeas (garbanzo beans), rinsed and drained
2 tablespoons almond butter or tahini
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 clove fresh garlic, finely chopped (optional)
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
Dash cayenne pepper
2 to 3 tablespoons water
In a food processor, place chickpeas, almond butter, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt, coriander and cayenne. Cover and process until smooth, scraping sides as needed. With food processor running, slowly add enough water to reach desired consistency. Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate up to 2 days. Serve with fresh veggies or whole wheat pita. If desired, garnish with a drizzle of olive oil.
Makes 1 1/4 cups
Note: I love the distinct flavor that ground coriander adds to this dish. It has a light, lemony flavor that complements the chickpeas and almond butter. If you don’t have coriander you can leave it out or substitute a different spice like ground cumin.
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By Jen, on December 1st, 2009%
Don’t drink your calories. That’s the mantra of many trying to shed some pounds. Should smoothies be an exception to this diet rule? Yes (and no). Smoothies made with simple ingredients like soymilk, plain yogurt and real fruit are a nutritious mini meal, perfect for breakfast on the go or an after workout snack. But, smoothies made with more processed ingredients like flavored smoothie bases and frozen yogurt or sherbet tend to be much higher in calories- a mega meal in a glass. Better to sip simply when it comes to smoothies.
Here’s a favorite smoothie I created. I love the combination of blueberry and mango, but you can switch up the fruit if you like. Try peaches instead of mango or strawberries in place of the blueberries. You can’t go wrong with this easy smoothie recipe.
 Blueberry Mango Smoothies 1 cup unsweetened soymilk or low-fat milk
1/2 cup mango chunks
1/2 cup frozen blueberries
1/2 cup low-fat plain yogurt
Maple syrup, honey or agave syrup (optional)
Add soymilk, mango, blueberries and yogurt to blender container. Cover and blend until smooth. Taste for sweetness. Add maple syrup if needed; cover and blend to combine. Pour into 2 glasses.
Makes 2 servings (1 1/4 cups each)
Nutrition Tip: Try adding a boost to your smoothie. Blend in a little almond butter, protein powder or ground flaxseed.
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Hi there, my name is Jen. Eating Clean Recipes is my healthy recipe blog. It's a place where healthy meets delicious. All recipes are created by me and made in my Minneapolis kitchen. I follow a plant based diet, so fresh and natural foods are my ingredients of choice. I hope you enjoy these healthy vegetarian recipes and easy vegan recipes. Thanks for visiting!
All text and photos © 2009-2011 Food Fix, LLC
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