The arrival of November, two months away from 2016, should call for one to cleanse the mind, body and spirit so that it’s extra fresh for the new year! But sometimes it’s hard to remain extra minty fresh with the onset of "holiday influenza" slowly creeping up on us and spreading out like an epidemic from the online infomericals to blasting tv commercials, the workplace, our homes, families, eating and spending habits, and most importantly our mindset. From glorius holiday feasts, to sampling our favorite savory dishes, and of course how could I forget the grand debut at our favorite holiday soirees can leave one with the notorious holiday hangover! That’s why it’s so important to reverse your thinking and to go into Thanksgiving, Christmas, and the New Year with a clean minty palette, one not just in taste but spirit too! The herb Mint, which often includes spearmint and peppermint will leave you feeling healthier and fresher than ever this month! Read on to see how you can have a minty fresh November:
The benefits of Mint include:
- Soothing the digestive tract and if you are having stomach ache then it can be of great help
- Drinking herbal mint tea reduces irritated bowel syndromes, cleanses the stomach and also clears up skin disorders such as acne.
- Mint acts as a cooling sensation to the skin and helps in dealing with skin irritations
- Mint helps in eliminating toxins from the body
- Crushed mint leaves helps in whitening teeth and combat bad breath.
- Mint is a very good cleanser for the blood
- Mint is especially rich in carotenes and vitamin C. Carotenes are nutrients that give certain conditions such as eye health and cardiovascular disease. Mint provides 1620 micrograms of carotenes
- There are twenty-seven milligrams of vitamin C are in each standard portion of mint. Vitamin C is best known for its benefits to the immune system and in the growth and repair of tissue. Some studies indicate that it may also provide protection against some forms of cancer, such as colon and rectal cancer
- Mint is also a good source of several essential minerals, including magnesium, copper, iron, potassium, and calcium
- Magnesium and calcium are both important minerals for bone health. Mint provides 60 milligrams of magnesium and 200 milligrams of calcium in each 100 gram serving
- Phosphorus, another mineral that maintains strong bones, is also present in the herb
- Iron is a very important mineral for healthy blood. One hundred grams of mint contains 15.6 milligrams of iron, almost meeting your daily need for the mineral. Iron absorption from mint is enhanced by its vitamin C content, making it a very good addition to a healthy diet
A CHART OUTLINING THE IMPORTANCE OF EATING MINT
#ZENONAPLATE COOKING TIP
*Fresh mint provides excellent flavoring for many foods, and it adds flavor without sodium, so the use of adding extra salt to your dishes reduces when you cook with mint.
Prep Time: 15 Minutes Bake Time: 25 Minutes Total: 40 Minutes Serves: 14 Big Cupcakes or 30 mini ones:
Nutritional Information of Cupcakes without frosting:
Mini Cupcakes: 30 Muffins: Nutritional Mix (66 Calories, 10 grams of Carbs, 4 grams of fiber, 3 grams of Protein and 3 grams of Fat)
Big Cupcakes: 141 Calories per cupcake, 22 grams of Carbs, 6 Grams of protiein, 7 Grams of Fat, 8 grams of fiber
Frosting for the mini cup cakes per individual of 30: 11 Calories, 1 carb, 1 gram of protein
Frosting for the Large Cup Cake: 23 Calories, 2 total grams of Carbs, 2 grams of protein, 1 gram of fat
#ZENONAPLATE CHOCOLATE PUMPKIN CUPCAKE WITH MINT FROSTING (GLUTEN FREE)
Ingredients
1 ½ cup of coconut flour
1 cup of Pumpkin Puree (Canned Organic)
1 cup of Siggi’s Plain Yogurt or you can use Greek Yogurt (Vegan use Coconut Greek Style)
¼ cup of Powdered Peanut Butter (Tru-Nut Cinnamon Powdered Peanut Butter I used that)
½ cup of unsweetened cocoa powder
½ cup of unsweetened applesauce
¼ cup of Coconut Nectar (Can use Honey or Maple Syrup)
1 cup of Coconut Milk Lite (Culinary coconut milk brand preferred)
3 Tablespoons of Stevia or Xylitol
2 Tablespoons of Flax
1 ½ Tablespoon of Coconut oil
½ Tablespoon of Pumpkin Spice
½ Tablespoon of Nutmeg
1/2 tablespoon of Cinnamon
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
1 teaspoon of baking soda
¼ teaspoon of salt
½ cup of Vegan Chocolate Chips
Coconut oil
Frosting
1 ¼ cup of Yogurt Siggis Plain
¼ cup of Fresh mint packed
2 Tablespoons of Stevia or Xylitol
1-2 Tablespoons of Vegan Chocolate Chips
Directions
Turn oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit . Combine dry Ingredients in one bowl except for vegan chips and then add wet ingredients. Blend and mix until dough is consistent. Then Fold chips in and mix around until it’s evenly blended. Then oil mini muffin trays or larger muffin trays which ever you choose. Bake for 25 minutes and then take out to cool.
Notes: To make vegan replace yogurt in recipe with coconut style Greek yogurt or vegan sour cream.
Frosting: Put all ingredients in a blender and blend until uniform. Spread on top of cupcakes and garnish with mint or chips if you desire.
Servings:
Mini’s cupcakes : 32 cupcakes
Regular size : 15 cupcakes
#ZENONAPLATE FAT BURNING MACRO BREAKDOWN
CARBS: COCONUT FLOUR, PUMPKIN
PROTEIN: COCONUT FLOUR, FLAX SEEDS, POWDER PEANUT BUTTER, YOGURT
HEALTHY FAT: COCONUT OIL, COCONUT MILK
FIBER: PUMPKIN, FLAX SEED
NATURAL SUGAR: APPLE SAUCE, COCONUT NECTAR, STEVIA
#ZENONAPLATE GARDEN VEGGIE PASTA WITH RASBERRY MINT SAUCE (VEGAN, GLUTEN FREE)
Cook Time: 25 minutes Serves: 3 people (Double up the recipe if you are serving a larger group)
Ingredients
Sauce
2/3 cup of raspberries
¼ cup of mint packed
½ avocado (peeled and pit removed)
1 Tablespoon of white balsamic vinegar
1/8 teaspoon of salt
¼ cup of Coconut milk (Sodelish brand culinary brand of coconut lite)
1 teaspoon of cornstarch (for thickening)
1 Tablespoon of Coconut Nectar ( you can use Honey)
Tolerant Red Lentil Noodles the package
3-4 cups of Assorted mix of Veggies (I bought the mix of fresh cut up veggies in the produce section)
½ cup of an onion chopped
Olive oil
Salt
White pepper
Ginger
Lemon
Directions:
Turn on Burner to medium high heat and boil noodles for 20 minutes, and then set aside in a strainer and run under cold water. Now for the sauce put all the ingredients in a the blender or food processer and blend until in puree form and put aside until the end. Heat pan and pour olive oil and put the chopped onion and cook for a minute in half until it starts turning brown or soft. Then add veggies and season lightly with salt, pepper, ginger, and squeeze half a lemon over. Cook for about 30 seconds and then add around 1 cup in half of water to the pan to give the veggies a boiling effect, so they don’t lose their color over sautéing and cook for around five minutes before the water seems to have reduced. Then add the sauce and mix around until the liquid consistency of the sauce has reduced and then add the noodles and you are ready to serve. Garnish with mint and raspberries and sprinkle any seasonings that you want to add.
#ZENONAPLATE FATBURNING MACRO BREAKDOWN
CARB: RED LENTIL PASTA, VEGGIES
PROTEIN: RED LENTIL PASTA
FIBER: RED LENTIL PASTA, RASPBERRIES, FIBER VEGGIES
HEALTHY FAT: OLIVE OIL, AVOCADO
GREEN: VEGGIES
HERBS: MINT, GINGER
For more information go to www.zenonaplate.com
The nutritional and well-being information on this site is not intended to be a substitute for professional nutritional or medical advice. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
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