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Here are a few of favorite past Christmas Recipes!

First we have the amazing Oreo Truffles.

We’re sure many of you have made these at sometime or another. If not, where have you been and what are you waiting for. EVERYBODY loves theses and they are so simple and fast to make! This recipe will definitely be made for all the years to come.

Second we have our Holiday Pretzel Rings.

Last year was the first time we made these and we were instantly hooked! They are perfect for your holiday parties. Just have a bowl of them for your guests to munch on. We tried different combinations but our favorites were with the peppermint kisses and rolo caramel candies.  They literally take 10 minutes to make. Give these a try!

Next we have Swirled Peppermint Bark.

Peppermint bark is always great to have around and is a must have for Christmas. We really liked this version because it had both semisweet chocolate and white chocolate. We’re sure many of you have you own peppermint bark recipes, but we think you should give this a try because you just might light it better!

Lastly we have Holiday Biscotti.

This recipe was a hit last year. Many people tried this recipe and told us how much they liked them and made them over and over again. If you’re a biscotti fan you most definitely need to try these.  The cranberries and pistachios are a perfect combination and have Christmas time written all over them!

We hope you try these recipes and stayed tuned to some new Christmas treat recipes!

We’ve been enjoying Quinoa since we first discovered it and our favorite way is to use it in salads. Many of you might not know what Quinoa is. It’s  100% whole grain and is close to being a perfect food source in the balance of nutrition it provides. Technically, it’s not a grain but the seed of a leafy plant related to spinach. Many people compare it to couscous. Quinoa is an excellent source of protein so we really want to try to have it weekly.

Quinoa is simple to cook, very much like rice. Our favorite method is to cook it in chicken broth and then mix in whatever we have on hand to create a salad for lunch, or to serve it with veggies for dinner.

We’d also like to note that Quinoa is a great food for people who must follow wheat-free/gluten-free diets because Quinoa doesn’t contain gluten. Quinoa can be substituted for almost any other grain.

Whether you’re trying Quinoa for the first time or just trying a new recipe for Quinoa we highly recommend this recipe. Not only does this salad taste yummy and refreshing, but it also fills you up and is super healthy for you.

Ingredients

1 cup quinoa, rinsed, cooked in broth. (We used one chicken boullion)
1 can lentils, (19oz) drained
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup fresh parsley, minced
1/3 cup green onion, minced
1 red pepper, chopped
1 stalk of celery, chopped finely
1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled
1/2 cup of black olives, sliced

1 tomato diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

It’s that wonderful time of the year again. Where your pants start to get tight, your love handles start to drupe over your jeans, and your saddlebags are well, just there. What if you could avoid that this holiday season? We are determined to, and in order to do so, we have come up with a healthy dessert for Thanksgiving. If you love pumpkin pie, you are sure going to love this dip!

Recipe Adapted from Vitamix Recipe Book

Ingredients:

1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree’

1/2 orange, peeled

1 (8-ounce) pkg. reduced-fat cream cheese

1/2 cup natural powdered sugar*, or regular (See note below)

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

pinch of ground cloves

2 Tbs. light brown sugar (substitute agave or maple syrup)

*To make the natural powdered sugar, we used 1/2 cup of Wholesome Sweetener natural sugar and 1 tsp. of cornstarch. Blend in a high-speed blender (on high) for 30 seconds.

Place all ingredients into high-speed blender in order listed (we used our Vitamix blender).

Blend on high for 30-45 seconds. Pour into serving bowl, cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Can be made up to 24 hours in advanced.

**We make ours in a Vitamix blender but any blender will do!

Serve with graham crackers, sliced apples*, and gingersnaps.

*To keep apples from turning brown, toss them in lemon juice. Also, Granny Smith apples brown the least.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO ALL!

Stay tuned for our next recipe….. Salmon with a roasted tomato and garlic sauce over a bed of sauteed spinach.

Today is our nephew’s birthday! We cannot believe you’re 7 Freddie!! Time seriously goes by too fast. We don’t know where these last few years have gone! Freddie is such a great nephew to have. He’s a  funny, cute, smart and a silly little boy! Frankie and Freddie make the perfect pair for brothers. We’re predicting that Frankie will have a lot of watching over Freddie to do when they get older because Freddie is definitely the adventurous one!

We asked Freddie if he wanted us to make him cupcakes for his birthday party that was this past Saturday! He of course said yes, and gave us ideas on the colors he wanted to use! He’s been taking Tae Kwon Do for the past couple years and he LOVES it. If he keeps at it for the years to come you definitely will not wanna mess with him!

Is he not adorable?! He can never get away without us kissing and squeezing him every time we see him. One thing that we love about Freddie is that he still has a baby talk accent. It’s hard to explain but with some words he sounds like Daffy Duck!  He sounds soooo cute. Sometimes we’ll make him repeat a word he said because he sounded too cute saying it!

We made the little kicking figures out of chocolate. We just melted chocolate and traced the figures onto wax paper.

Aren’t they so cool?

The cupcakes were half red velvet with cream cheese frosting and half vanilla cupcakes with vanilla swirl cupcakes! This was our first time creating the swirled color effect and we LOVE it!

HAPPY 7th BIRTHDAY FREDDIE!!!!!

WE LOVE YOU SO MUCH!!

Before we go about our little protein spiel, let us explain how we came up with this recipe. While searching for breakfast recipes high in protein, we came across this recipe. It took about a month or so, but we finally tried it. They were pretty good, but we really don’t like cottage cheese and thought they gave the pancakes a weird texture. We decided to try the recipe again with some changes. We used greek yogurt instead of the cottage cheese, bananas instead of blueberries, cinnamon instead of vanilla, and added some almond butter. We have to say we were very happy with the results! This recipe made 16 pancakes, so we plan on freezing the rest and enjoying them the rest of the week Each pancake has approx. 8 grams of protein. We usually eat 2, so thats 16 grams of protein to start off our day.

Most people don’t know that one of the crucial types of foods we should be eating is protein. Before you can eat protein you have to know what protein is and how much you should eat. Protein is one of the basic building blocks of the human body, being about 16 percent of our total body weight. Muscle, hair, skin, and connective tissue are mainly made up of protein. More importantly, protein plays a major role in all of the cells in our bodies. Although our bodies are good at recycling protein, we use up protein constantly, so it is important to continually replace it. Unlike fat and glucose, our body has little capacity to store protein. If we were to stop eating protein, our body would start to break down muscle for its needs within a day or so. The amount of protein that our bodies require is dependent upon how old we are, how big or small we are, and how much exercise we get everyday.The standard method for the minimum requirement is to multiply .37 by per pound of body weight. If you workout you should multiply that number between 1 and 1.8 (depending on the intensity). We hope we were able to teach you something new today and that you will begin to monitor your protein intake.

Recipe:

Ingredients:

12 Egg Whites ( I used 1 carton of organic egg whites)

2 1/2 cups old fashion oats

1 1/2 cups greek yogurt

2 Tbs. Almond Butter ( you can substitute Peanut Butter)

1 tsp. Cinnamon

1-2 Tbs. Agave Nectar or Honey

Pinch of salt

2 Bananas, sliced

Directions:
In a blender combine egg whites, oats, yogurt, almond butter,cinnamon, agave and pinch of salt. Blend until smooth.
Meanwhile, heat 8-inch non-stick skillet over medium heat. Spray  skillet with non stick oil spray. Pour batter into skillet in batches. I used a 1/4 cup measurement. Sprinkle a few sliced bananas on batter before you flip the pancake over. Flip and cook other side.
Transfer to a plate, add more bananas if desired, and drizzle with a Tbs. of pure maple syrup. Enjoy!

So its obvious that we both have a HUGE sweet tooth. We can remember the days we used to wake up and eat candy… Yeah, we know, pretty crazy. Recently, we have been really trying to limit having sweets to 1 or 2 times a week. Then it dawned on us, why don’t we just make healthy desserts that are enjoyable and guiltless at the same time. Our next thought was well, is that really possible? Can you have your cake and eat it too? So we started searching around for some recipes. We wanted something with no white flour, no butter, and no artificial sugars. To make a long story short, our first attempt was horrific. We made vegan strawberry oat bars, and had to throw away the entire batch! We think it was the vegan butter we used…. just yuk!  So that kind of discouraged us. On Monday, Maria got a notification from Green Kitchen Stories of a new dessert recipe they made, and as soon as she saw it, she knew it was a winner.

Now we know MANY of you will take one look at the ingredients and get turned off. The oddest part is the avocado in the frosting. It sounds weird, but we have seen it in so many recipes lately. If you think about it, avocados don’t have a strong taste, so they’re really just used here for their silky texture. The second thing we want to say is, if you don’t like dark chocolate you probably won’t be crazy about this cake. You could always add more agave to make it less bitter. Up until recently we never liked chocolate, but we have acquired a taste for dark chocolate now.

We had everyone in our family try it and told them about the avocado after they ate it. They were all stunned, but most of them liked it. Yes, its not your typical soft chocolate cake, it has more of a fudgy texture. But, it does its job at craving our sweet tooth. It’s so simple to make , and we think we will definitely make it again!

Cake Ingredients:

1 1/2 cup walnuts
15 fresh dates
5 tbsp cacao powder (unsweetened)
1 tsp cinnamon
3 tbsp coconut oil or olive oil
4 tbsp apple sauce (unsweetened)
2 cups blackberries (use 1 cup in the cake and the rest on top of it)

Frosting Ingredients:

150 g dark chocolate (dairy free or regular)
1/2 avocado
1 tbsp agave syrup
a pinch of salt

Directions:

Place the walnuts in a food processor and mix them until they get the consistency of a crunchy flour, add the dates and pulse for a minute so that they get mixed with the walnuts. Add the rest of the ingredient besides the blackberries, pluse for a couple minutes, until well combined. Add the blackberries and mix them shortly (you want them in pieces but not completely dissolved). Pour the mixture into an 8-inch non-stick spring pan and bake it for 40 – 50 minutes at 325° F / 175° C.

Let the cake cool off after it is baked. Meanwhile you can prepare the chocolate frosting. Melt the chocolate, pour it in a blender and mix with avocado, agave and a pinch of salt. Spread the frosting on top of the cooled chocolate cake. Decorate with the blackberries before serving.

]]> http://www.theartoftwotarts.com/2010/11/05/much-healthier-chocolate-blackberry-cake/feed/ 0 http://www.theartoftwotarts.com/2010/10/26/almond-quinoa-muffins/ http://www.theartoftwotarts.com/2010/10/26/almond-quinoa-muffins/#comments Tue, 26 Oct 2010 14:42:52 +0000 admin http://www.theartoftwotarts.com/?p=835

Since we’ve been working out a lot these days, we’ve been trying to get a lot of protein into our diets.  We love having healthy snacks on hand and these muffins are just perfect. They have very little sugar, are packed with protein and taste good. The dried currants give some chewy sweetness to these muffins and go great with the subtle almond flavor. They are definitely not muffins that are loaded with fats and sugars, but they do cure your sweet tooth and are are great option if you’re trying to eat healthy but still want to bake. These are great and you can feel good about eating such a healthy and nutritious muffin!

Stayed tuned for more healthy muffin recipes!

Almond Quinoa Muffins (adapted from Veganomicon)

• 1 cup unsweetened soy milk
• 1 tbsp ground flax seeds
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp almond extract
• 1/4 cup almond meal
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 1/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour
• 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 1 1/4 cups cooked quinoa
• 1/2 cup currants

Preheat the oven to 350 F and lightly grease a 12 cup muffin tin. In a bowl, whisk together the almond milk and ground flaxseed and let sit for one minute. Whisk in oil, maple syrup, vanilla and almond extracts.

In a seperate bowl, sift together flour, almond meal, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and spices. Add the wet ingredients to the dry, mixing until just incorporated. Fold in the cooked quinoa and currants/blueberries and mix until the large lumps are gone. Pour into the muffin tin and bake for 18-20 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

This light and nontraditional version of chili is a new favorite for us! We love having soups in the fall and winter to warm us up. We love how this soup is light and filling at the same time. The poblano peppers give this soup a nice little kick and the sour cream makes it a little creamy.  It’s a pretty great feeling when something you made taste so good and is healthy for you at the same time. Mission Accomplished!

This soup is really easy to put together. Chopping up the vegetables  can take you a little extra time so, if you’re in a hurry, prep them the night before!

We cook everyday during the week, but only post the recipes that we think our readers will love. If you’re in need of a new soup recipe try this one out. It’s delicious!
Recipe from Ellie Krieger, Healthy Appetite with Ellie Krieger

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, diced (about 1 1/2 cups)
2 stalks celery, diced (about 1/2 cup)
3 medium poblano peppers (about 4 ounces each), seeded and white ribs removed, finely diced (about 1 1/2 cups)
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, more to taste
1 pound ground white meat turkey
2 (15.5-ounce) cans white beans such as cannelini, preferably low-sodium, drained and rinsed
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
3/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1 (15.5-ounce) can hominy, drained and rinsed
Salt
1/4 cup nonfat plain Greek-style yogurt (we used light sour cream)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves
Lime wedges

Heat the oil in large pot or Dutch oven over moderate heat. Add the onion, celery, poblanos, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are soft, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic, cumin, coriander and cayenne and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Add the ground turkey and cook, breaking up the meat with a spoon, until the meat is no longer pink about 2 minutes. Add the white beans, broth and oregano. Cook, partially covered, stirring occasionally, for 25 minutes.

Add the hominy and salt and more cayenne pepper, to taste, and continue cooking, partially covered, 10 minutes longer. Ladle into individual bowls and top each serving with 1 tablespoon of yogurt\sour cream and 1 1/2 teaspoons of cilantro. Garnish with a lime wedge.

The days are starting to get shorter, it’s getting chilly outside and it just makes you want to curl up on the couch and hibernate for a few months. Living in Chicago, we know exactly how you feel. We guarantee that if you make this Stir-Fry it will brighten up your evening and give you plenty of energy.  Stir-fries are fast, use little oil and are loaded with vegetables, three excellent reasons to make a stir-fry part of your weekly repertoire. They make delicious one-dish main courses or you can even stir-fry your favorite vegetables for a great side dish (a great way to use up any leftover veggies in your refrigerator). We love making stir-frys for dinner because its a great way to get in all your veggies for the day! Look how colorful all these veggies look. We try to make our meals as colorful as possible, that way we know we are getting  a variety of nutrients. Maria’s husband loved this stir-fry and said it’s the best one she’s made so far!  We decided to use carrots, cabbage, mushroom, zucchini and red bell peppers and decided to go with chicken for our protein.

• 4 chicken cutlets, cut into 2 inch pieces