 |
|
It's Almost Spring:
A Time for New Beginnings
|
The daffodils know it's spring, even if the weather doesn't. That means it's time to start shedding those winter pounds and getting ready for summer with a few simple "spring resolutions". NO, we're NOT suggesting a crash diet. Just a few easy changes to your snacks that will help you gradually shed your winter weight, look and FEEL a whole lot healthier.
Small snacks eaten throughout the day while you work or relax at home may seem harmless, but it's these little nibbles that contribute to excess weight. Gradually replacing these "not-so-good-for-you" snacks with slightly healthier (yet equally tasty) treats can do wonders for your waistline. Don't worry, you don't have to do it all at once.
Try trading one junky snack a day or even one a week with any of the following recommendations. When in doubt, go for a treat you make yourself instead of something prepackaged. Packaged snacks
are needlessly expensive and usually loaded with unhealthy calories, salt, sugar and fat.
Harvest Home recommends:
- POPCORN: Make your own popcorn! Making popcorn at home can help you save money and it tastes way better than the microwaveable kind. For an added bonus, making popcorn is a fun family activity! See our recipe corner for our Homemade Popcorn recipe.
- VEGGIES & HUMMUS: Make at least one of your daily snacks a vegetable. Try dipping carrots or cauliflower in homemade hummus. It's so easy to make hummus, we'll teach you how! We tested the following recipe at Harvest Home's office and everyone loved it.
To make "Hummus à la Harvest Home," blend the following ingredients:
- 1 can (15 ounce) garbanzo beans, drained, liquid reserved
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice
- 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 clove garlic, crushed
- ¼ to ½ tsp ground cumin
- CELERY: Skip the chips and go for celery instead. A crunchy stalk of celery has only 10 calories and goes great with peanut butter, salsa, guacamole or hummus! Celery also aids digestion, has Vitamin A for eye health, and a combination of minerals that help sooth your nervous system.
- KALE CHIPS: If you HAVE to eat chips, try kale chips. Chop kale into bite sized pieces and spread on a cookie sheet, then sprinkle lightly with olive oil and salt. Bake in the oven at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. They are amazingly delicious! Remember: Kale is full of Vitamin K which helps protect your heart against cardiovascular disease.
We hope we these 4 snack ideas help you prep for summer. Do you have a tasty snack suggestion that we missed? Drop us an email at [email protected]. We'd love to hear from you!
|
Homemade Popcorn
Recipe
Ingredients:
- 2 Tbsp vegetable oil
- 1/3 Cup of un-popped popcorn kernels
- 1 Tbsp butter
- Seasoned to taste (see Tips)
Preparation
:
- Put oil and popcorn kernels in a large pot with a tight fitting lid
- Turn the stove's the heat to medium
- With oven mitts, shake the pot gently over the flame so kernels are evenly spread
- As soon as the popping starts, turn the heat to medium low and continue shaking
- When the popping slows to every 5 to 10 seconds, turn off the heat
- Wait till the popping stops completely before opening the lid
- Mix with the melted butter in a bowl and stir in the toppings
|
|
Popping Corn for YOU
Tips
Seasoning Tips:
Storage Tips:
- When storing popcorn, keep it dry and away from moisture.
- Use dry herbs and seasonings for flavoring
- Store in a dry, tight sealing container
- Don't snack out of the container - take out what you want to eat and reseal
- Do not keep popcorn for more than a week
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
