Showing posts with label Fiber. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Fiber. Show all posts

Oct 12, 2017

Review: Swanson Vitamins

Living in NYC, the cost of everything is sky high. Some expenses, like ridiculously bloated rent and ever-rising subway fare that definitely doesn't reflect how frequently there are delays and closures, we just have to accept and chalk it up to the cost of admission to be a New Yorker.

But some expenses, like the overpriced non-perishable snacks and ingredients in city groceries and cornerstores, we don't have to put up with. Ordering non-perishables online, especially in bulk, can save quite a lot of money! I recently had the opportunity to try out Swanson Vitamins, an online retailer for health foods, snacks, and supplements, and here are my thoughts!
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Cost

I was really pleased with them on this front. A 6.5oz jar of PB2 costs a whopping $7.85 at my local grocery, but only $3.99 on Swanson Vitamins! Likewise, a Quest bar costs $2.99 at my local grocery and $3.99 (!!) at my local cornerstore, but only $2.09 when bought in bulk (a pack of 12, so not even huge bulk) on Swanson Vitamins. 

Other products had similar savings, so I was really pleased - even if you don't buy enough to get free shipping, it doesn't take much shopping for savings to cancel out the shipping cost. Cost efficiency is definitely a plus for Swanson Vitamins!

Jul 10, 2017

Recipe: Whole Wheat Honey Oat Bread

Who doesn't like bread? I spent my summers in Germany growing up, so I've been completely spoiled as far as good bread goes and snub most store-bought loaves over here in the US. 

So that I don't have to wait for my next trip to Germany to enjoy bread, and because baking a loaf of homemade bread from scratch is so satisfying, I like to make my own bread when I have someone to share it with, a picnic to bring it to, or just a bit of spare time and some yeast in the pantry. 

How to bake whole wheat bread

This honey oat bread is a dense, but soft, loaf that's chewy, nutty, and 75% whole wheat. You won't get as crusty a crust as with breads that have a higher percentage of white flour, because of differences in how whole grains and refined grains bake, but it still has a good crust. Read on for the recipe!

Oct 19, 2016

Recipe: Eggplant Parmesan

Do you know what's an easy, flavorful weeknight dinner that's a crowd-pleaser and a family-pleaser? 

Eggplant parmesan with angel hair pasta!
Eggplant Parmesan Recipe

Some like a little extra spaghetti sauce with their pasta, so make a little extra and save it to serve on the side. Other than that, it's straightforward and simple and makes great leftovers! Read on for the recipe.

Aug 13, 2016

Recipe: Saumon aux Lentilles

After years of curiosity, work brought me to France for the first time last December! I had almost two weeks in Paris and loved the architecture, lifestyle, and cobbled streets. The French are really into the art of food and, while ratatouille was my favorite dish while there and Ratatouille is one of my favorite Disney movies, I decided to be inspired for today's recipe by the fish markets.

Healthy Salmon Recipe

My family loves salmon, as do many of my friends. Salmon is easily found in French cuisine! The French green lentil, with a crunchier texture than traditional brown lentils, pair well with the meatiness of the fish and the lemony mustard-herb butter ties it all together. The leeks are less common in traditional American fare and a nice change in this recipe!

Read on for the easy to follow recipe! It makes a great, heart-healthy lunch.

Aug 10, 2016

Recipe: Savory Zucchini Pancakes

I'm visiting my family in Germany before I move into my new apartment and start my new job in Boston next week!

In addition to frolicking in the fields, polishing up my mini-golf skills, being amused by my suddenly sassy tween sister, and enjoying seeing my loved ones after a year apart (!), I'm working on a ghostwriting project. While everyone is at work and at school, I write. Since writing means no commute, I have more time than the others and, since I also love cooking, it only makes sense that I'm in charge of lunch this week!

So, what do you do when a friendly farmer neighbor gifts you a massive tree trunk of a zucchini?

Cooking with Zucchini

You make savory zucchini patties! What's a savory zucchini pancake? It's a cheesy, veggie-packed patty full of vitamins, minerals, and veggie goodness! It's somewhere between a latke and a potato pancake, but with zucchini instead of potatoes.

Zucchini Latkes

Read on for the easy and delicious recipe! It's a meat-free meal that my kid, adult, and grandmother taste testers all enjoyed.

May 13, 2016

Appethyl Giveaway: 5 Winners!

Did my recent review of Appethyl bars make you hungry?


You're in luck - five winners will get an assortment of Appethyl products, including their yummy bars, to try themselves!

Enter below, now through next Friday, May 20th, at midnight! Open to entrants in the U.S. only.


If you don't want to wait, there's also a special just for you guys! Use this link to get a buy-one-get-one-free special on Appethyl bars from now through the end of May!

Apr 19, 2016

Recipe: Spooky Sweet Potato Burritos

It's Halloween's half-birthday very soon, so here's an orange-and-black healthy vegetarian recipe to celebrate!


Burritos are a great meal. You can make them for dinner, they're pretty simple to make and can be packed with healthy ingredients (like the protein and fiber rich black beans and the vitamin rich sweet potatoes. While these are an unusual flavor combo for a burrito (some tasters loved them and some thought sweet potato is too sweet for a burrito, so know your audience) sweet potato lovers typically liked them. They also make easy bag lunches!



Make the burritos ahead of time, wrap them in aluminum foil, and store them in the fridge or freezer (depending on how long you want to keep them - they'll last weeks in the freezer, but just a few days in the fridge). When you're ready to eat them, just pop the aluminum foil-wrapped burrito in the oven to re-warm or remove the aluminum to microwave! Read on for the simple recipe.

Apr 16, 2016

Review: That's It Bars

I love the chewy sweetness of dried fruits and I love the on-the-go convenience of snack bars. That's It bars have both!


Many dried fruits (and snack bars, for that matter) can be loaded with added sugars. That's really just not necessary when you consider how sweet fruit is naturally and that dried fruit has all of that sweetness, but concentrated! 

Many of us eat too much sugar as is, since it's in everything from ketchup to pasta sauce to cereal to yogurt. I was thrilled to see that That's It bars are 100% natural dried fruit with no added sugars or other unhealthy fillers.


They don't need them! The bars are chewy, sweet, flavorful, and satisfying. I tried ten delicious That's It bar flavors and they were all unique, but all delicious.

Mar 23, 2016

Review: BRAMI Beans

Do you know what the most protein-packed bean out there is? Hint: it's not a black bean. It's not kidney bean. It's not a garbanzo bean.



It's a lupini bean!

Have you heard of lupini beans? Unless you're from the Mediterranean, or familiar with Mediterranean cuisine, it's quite likely that you haven't. I hadn't!

Lupini beans are the most protein packed bean in the world and a snack favorite of Roman warriors. They're rich in fiber, as well, so an all around great snack!

Mar 16, 2016

Review: Kit's Organic

I love Luna Bars! They're made by women, for women and they're both vegan and (as of fairly recently) gluten-free, so they fit into many different healthy diets! They're as delicious as dessert, but as healthy as a busy millennial's snack ought to be. 

But this post isn't about Luna bars!


Kit's Organic is another line of delicious snack bars from Clif Bar, the healthy snack company that makes Luna Bars!

Like Luna Bars, Kit's Organic bars are vegan and dairy-free. But for those with soy sensitivities, or who just like to avoid much soy, Kit's Organic are the perfect choice. They're soy-free! 

The fruit and nut bars are made of just a few simple ingredients, combined in really delicious ways, and are, as you could probably have guessed from the name of the line, certified organic!

Jan 29, 2016

Recipe: Spanakopita (Greek Spinach Pie)

I love cooking my way around the world.

I love traveling, too, but traveling in my kitchen (as a supplement to the traditional way) lets me learn so much more about the world and the many fascinating cultures of the world than I would otherwise be able to. And cooking is fun!



Today, I hope you'll join me on a delicious trip to the Mediterranean. Greek cuisine is beloved by many, both in Greece and elsewhere, and I've been really enjoying working on more Greek-inspired recipes lately.


This spanakopita (Greek spinach pie) recipe is delicious, flaky, flavorful, and a great packed lunch for work. Spanakopita is meant to be eaten cold or at room temperature, so it makes the best leftovers!

It isn't very difficult to make, as long as you remember to thaw the phyllo in advance if you're using frozen phyllo pastry, and the result is restaurant-quality. Read on for the no-fail recipe!

Jan 22, 2016

Recipe: Potato Leek Soup

I had a really cool opportunity to travel to Paris for 2.5 weeks last month for work!

I missed having Christmas with my loved ones (and New Year's, but I don't care nearly as much about that), which was really sad and hopefully won't happen again, but the experience was amazing.

Parisian architecture is beautiful, the city of lights sparkled and shined despite the atrocities earlier in the fall, and visiting the museums and Eiffel Tower was really great! Parisian food was also a really interest culinary experience.

But after 2.5 weeks of eating out every day, I couldn't have been more thrilled to return to my kitchen! Since winter finally hit in January (it came so late this year) and I had just returned from France, I couldn't think of anything more fitting than potato leek soup.



Read on for a simple, but delicious, recipe for Potato Leek Soup. It will sweep you away to a rainy Parisian afternoon!

Jan 3, 2016

2016 Oriya Health Challenge!

Is anyone absolutely awful at writing the right date at the beginning of each new year? I still have to remind myself not to end dates with -15, because it's -16 now!

That said, I love the fresh new start of new years and the excitement that comes with it. If there's anything you've been procrastinating, the new year provides a perfect opportunity to stop putting it off and just do it already!

This year, I spent the holidays in Paris on a work trip. It was an unusual holiday for me, not just because of the unseasonably warm weather for the time of year (both in NYC and, to a lesser extent, in Paris), but also because it was my first time not spending the holidays with my family.

Follow me on Instagram as @danaikadzere for more travel, food, and life photos!
Paris has been amazing and I love my job, but I'm hoping to spend Christmas with my loved ones again next year - and I'm already wishing that next year will bring a white Christmas!

Anyway, I will bid the city of lights adieu this evening and fly back home to NYC late tonight. So, in a way, tomorrow (January 4) is my real new start to the new year! The trip has been great and wonderfully educational, but I'm also looking forward to being home and getting back into/creating a new year's new rhythm.

Dec 20, 2015

3 Healthy Habits To Start Right Now

The holidays aren't always the healthiest time of the year for many of us and that's totally fine. There's no need to be a Grinch and forgo all the special holiday treats that only come once a year.

That said, there is no reason to make things harder on ourselves for when January resolution fever rolls around by completely ignoring the importance of healthy living during the holidays. Completely ignoring our physical well-being for an entire holiday season leads to feeling pretty awful when all the sleepless nights of holiday parties and running on sugar and fumes are over.


It's all about the balance!

Here are three simple, healthy habits that you don't need to wait for the new year to adopt. Get in the habit now and you'll start the new year feeling much better than otherwise - maybe even good enough that you can focus on career or personal resolutions instead of health ones!

Dec 6, 2015

Top Five Tips for A Healthy Holiday Season

Who else can't believe we're already a full week into December?




Since the holiday season is clearly in full swing by today (though, let's be real, I've been watching Christmas movies and listening to my (six) favorite Christmas Pandora stations since October) I have teamed up with goodnessknows to put together a list of my top five tips for a healthy holiday season. Let's be healthy and happy this holiday season!

1) Be gentle with yourself.

This one comes first on the list, because it's so important. Especially in NYC, where everyone is so high-powered and high-strung and ambitious, being unnecessarily strict with ourselves isn't a rarity. Whether it's expecting ourselves to be perfect nutritionally, or throw the perfect party, or stick perfectly to our fitness goals, or prepare the perfect holiday dinner, all that perfection is very unhealthy!

Dec 2, 2015

Recipe: Peppermint (Extra) Nice Cream

Christmas is, hands-down, the best time of the year. Ice cream (and especially plantbased nice cream, for anyone with lactose issues, an interest in healthy eating, or just a fondness for delicious food) is one of the best desserts ever.

They're a match made in heaven!



This peppermint nice cream is festive, creamy, sweet, and absolutely scrumptiously Christmassy! Since Christmas is an extra nice time of year, it's only fitting that this nice cream is extra nice, too.


It's not only delicious and made of healthy fruit, but it also delivers the greens that a lot of us tend to neglect over the holidays, as well as satiating protein to keep us healthy and full of even energy all season long. 


Vega Protein & Greens vanilla powder provides lots of plantbased protein and an extra dose of greens, making this extra nice cream just the sort of thing you'll need to power through marathon ice skating, present-wrapping, and Christmas caroling sessions this holiday season.

If you're a fan of chocolate peppermint bark, use the Vega Protein & Greens chocolate powder in your nice cream instead. It works just as well, but makes for a delicious chocolate-peppermint treat!


It's easy to make and healthy enough to have as a breakfast, snack, or nutritious dessert all holiday season long! Read on for the yummy, festive recipe.

Nov 27, 2015

Review and Giveaway(!) : My Favorite Indulgence

I love breakfast and it's so important! Especially before a crazy day (as today will be for those who partake in the Black Friday shopping frenzy) or after a very indulgent day (as yesterday likely was for many of us), it's important to eat a healthy, balanced breakfast with whole grains for energy and fiber to keep us satisfied all day long.

Luckily, a healthy breakfast can also be a delicious breakfast!


My go-to for breakfast all week has been My Favorite Indulgence, a breakfast choice that's both deliciously indulgent (it lives up to its name) and delightfully healthy. 

Read on to learn more about the granolas and to find out how you can enter to win the four granolas pictured above! 

Nov 18, 2015

Recipe: Can't-Fail Creamed Corn

Creamed corn is an American staple side dish. I've babysat kids before who wouldn't touch any vegetable (including regular cooked corn or corn on the cob) but went crazy for my creamed corn. 

While it's important to encourage picky eaters to get a variety of vegetables in their diet (I have posted about ways to do so, sneakily and not-so-sneakily!) it's great to also have a veggie side option that you don't have to convince or trick them into enjoying. This creamed corn fits the bill!


While corn is often under-appreciated as a vegetable, there are actually a lot of great reasons to enjoy corn! 

Corn is rich in vitamins A, B, and E, as well as a wide variety of minerals, including magnesium, zinc, phosphorous, manganese, and so on. It is in high in satiating, digestion-regulating fiber, contains antioxidants that have been linked to reduced rates of cancer and Alzheimer's, reduces cholesterol absorption in the body, promotes good bone health, and helps prevent anemia.

Satisfied that you want corn on your dinner table? Great! Then read on for the recipe for my creamed corn - you'll have plates scraped clean!

Nov 16, 2015

Review: Angelic Bakehouse

Fad diets, like Atkins, have carbs a bad reputation. Luckily it's becoming more and more common knowledge that carbohydrates are a really important macronutrient - they're our primary energy source! Healthy eating is not about minimizing carbs, it's about choosing healthy carbs.


Whole grains are a much better choice than refined grains for a number of reasons. Personally, I think they taste a ton better with their hearty nuttiness than bland and relatively tasteless paste-white refined grains. Beyond that, they are also full of satiating, digestion-regulating fiber, have the intact grain and thus still contain the healthy fats and proteins that naturally occur in the grain, and increased whole grain intake has been linked to a number of positive health outcomes.

Going one step further than whole grains for healthy carb selection, sprouted whole grains offer even more benefits! The sprouting process makes the grains more easily digestible and increases the availability of the naturally occurring vitamins in the grain to boost nutrition without adding anything artificial!


Angelic Bakehouse makes non-GMO, kosher, sprouted whole grain bread products - everything from breads to wraps to rolls to buns to wraps and even flattzas, a pre-made pizza crust! Everything is dairy-free, egg-free, nut-free and vegetarian, so they're suitable for a lot of different ways of eating!

I recently had the pleasure of trying a few of their breads, wraps, and flattzas.

We'll start at the wraps and work our way up to my favorite Angelic Bakehouse products.


I was pleased, and a bit surprised, by how pliable the wraps were. Often whole grain wraps, especially sprouted whole grain wraps, can he really stiff and tough to use to wrap up fillings or as a burrito. They get a thumbs up!



Next up are the flattzas.

Talk about making a healthy dinner night quick and easy! The flattzas come in both a single serving personal pizza size and  a larger whole pizza size. I like that the options make it easy to make a quick pizza just for yourself or for your family/friends, as well, if you're sharing dinner.

They're really firm and thicker than the wraps, though also flat, so they hold up quite well to any toppings. Just spread on some tomato sauce, sprinkle with your toppings and cheese of choice, and pop into the oven for a quick, healthy, balanced dinner that kids and adults alike will enjoy! 



The flattzas also get a thumbs up from me.

It should come as little surprise to longer-term blog readers (thank you!), however, that my favorites were the breads!



Both varieties that I tried, Sprouted Wheat and Sprouted 7 Grain, were hearty, soft but substantial, and great both plain and toasted.

The ingredients lists are mercifully short and the breads give you nothing more and nothing less than the good stuff you're looking for.



Any of their breads makes an excellent breakfast, lunch, or anytime snack choice. They get two thumbs up from me!

Do you prefer sandwiches or wraps?

Do you eat bread products most often as a breakfast, lunch, or snack food?

What are your favorite toppings to eat on bread?

Nov 8, 2015

Review: Blissful Eats Granola

Blissful Eats granola is gluten-free, vegan, paleo, kosher, non-GMO and all delicious. There's no preamble needed (nor wanted) for this review, because the granola is simply that delicious!

It makes a perfect breakfast, an excellent snack, and both a delicious topping and an amazing straight-out-of-the-bag food to munch.



Blissful Eats granola proves that healthy can be delicious! The two varieties of granola that I tried are organic, gluten-free, grain-free, paleo, vegan, and free of refined sugars.


That leaves more space for great nutrition! The granola is packed with healthy fats (including the ever-trendy coconut oil) and is low in sugar, but a decent source of fiber.


Read on for more of what makes the granola an excellent breakfast, snack, or anytime choice!

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