• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Get Cooking!

Recipes, Kitchen Gadgets, Cookbook Reviews, Gluten Free Recipes...

  • Home
    • Contact
    • About
    • Privacy Policy
    • Sitemap
    • Store
  • Reviews
    • Cookware Reviews
    • Food Reviews
      • Gluten Free Food Reviews
      • Health Food Reviews
    • Bakeware
    • Candy Reviews
    • Coffee Reviews
      • Aerobie AeroPress Coffee and Espresso Maker
      • Coffee Makers & Grinders
    • Cookbook Reviews
      • Cooking Magazines
    • Kitchen Gadgets
    • Small Kitchen Appliances
  • Gifts & Collectibles
    • Candy Bowls
    • Christmas Shopping
    • Coffee Mugs
    • Canister Sets
    • Cookie Cutters
    • Gifts for Coffee Lovers
    • Gifts for Tea Lovers
    • Owls in the Kitchen
    • Pig Collectors
  • Recipe Index
  • How to Be a Better Cook
    • Baked Sweet Potatoes in the Oven
    • Cooking Videos
    • Perfect Baked Potatoes in Your Oven
You are here: Home / Archives for heart healthy recipes

heart healthy recipes

Delicious Roasted Winter Vegetables (Any Season’s Veggies will Do!)

June 25, 2013 By Joi Sigers

Roasted Potatoes, garlic, and Carrots

I’ve always been a huge fan of Special K Products, so when I saw The Special K Challenge and Beyond: Your Complete Guide to Weight Management, Healthy Living & Delicious Cooking in my grocery store about a month ago, I snatched it up as fast as I grab my drinks at Starbucks as soon as my name’s called.

I have a system in place when it comes to buying cookbooks. I have to keep myself in check because, frankly, I’d spend all my money on adding to my cookbook collection if I were to be left unsupervised. What I’ve started doing is thumbing through the book and seeing if I can find 4 different recipes I really just cannot live without.

The first 4 recipes I saw were:

  • Asian-Style Braised Baby Bok Choy
  • Roasted Winter Vegetables
  • Greek Style Spaghetti Squash
  • Crispy Baked Crab Cakes with Spicy Re’moulade

They had me at Asian-Style Braised Baby Bok Choy, actually, but I went through the motions of being a tough sell. I sat the book directly into the cart (ironically right on top of a box of Special K Cereal – the kind with bits of chocolate… so, so, so, so very good!).

My grocery store didn’t have any Bok Choy that day – baby or otherwise – so I rounded up some favorite vegetables for the Roasted Winter Vegetables recipe (the recipe is at the bottom of this post).

If you see this book in a store, snatch it up – it’s fantastic.  You can also order it from Amazon by clicking one of the links in the post or the picture of the book below.

Other recipes include:

  • Artichokes with Carrot-Cornbread Stuffing (I’m definitely making these for Thanksgiving)
  • Black Bean and Corn Dip with Oven-Baked Chips
  • Banana-Stuffed Multigrain French Toast
  • Spinach-Feta Frittata
  • Lemon-Chive Ricotta Dip
  • Enlightened Guacamole
  • Lemon-Pepper Salmon
  • Spanish-Style Cod with White Beans
  • Sauteed Shrimp Tacos
  • Chicken and Red Chile Enchiladas
  • Thai-Style Chicken in Lettuce Wraps
  • Oven-Fried Chicken Cutlets
  • Easy Chicken Potpies
  • Turkey Meatloaf with Barbecue Sauce
  • Braised Turkey Thighs with Winter Root Vegetables
  • Italian-Style Chicken Parmesan
  • Polenta Gratin
  • Rice Pudding with Dried Fruit
  • Dark Chocolate Angel Food Cake with Raspberry Sauce (you should see the picture!)
  • Frozen Yogurt with Berries Sundaes
  • Red Velvet Cupcakes
  • And A LOT MORE!

 Roasted Corn and Cauliflower

In addition to tons of healthy recipes (with suggestions, information, and nutritional facts), The Special K Challenge and Beyond: Your Complete Guide to Weight Management, Healthy Living & Delicious Cooking serves as a handbook for weight-management and weight-loss goals. You’ll learn about the Special K Challenge and how you can use it EASILY in your day to day life and make it fit your own personal needs.  Allow me to point out, though, that whether you read one word about the Special K Challenge or not, this book is more than worth it for the recipes and nutritional information alone!

I’ve made the Roasted Winter Vegetables recipe below quite a few times, and have used different vegetables each time. I’ve used sweet potatoes, corn on the cob (with the ears halved… looks better), red potatoes, carrots,  garlic. and cauliflower.  I’ve also used the same method on roasted tomatoes, but with a shorter baking time. The balsamic vinegar and rosemary are a perfect match for every vegetable you can imagine!

Roasted Winter Vegetables

Cooking Spray
1 large sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 fennel bulb, trimmed and cut into 6 wedges
2 medium red potatoes, cut into 1 to 1-1/2 inch pieces
2 large shallots, cut into quarters
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary leaves
2 cloves garlic, minced

Mellow balsamic vinegar blends beautifully with fresh rosemary to flavor this colorful combination of roasted sweet potatoes, fennel, red potatoes, and shallots.

  1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
  2. Meanwhile, on 15 x 10 x 1-inch baking pan lined with foil and coated with cooking spray, toss together sweet potato, fennel, red potatoes, shallots, oil, vinegar, salt, rosemary, and garlic.
  3. Bake in preheated oven about 40 minutes or until vegetables begin to brown, stirring every 10 minutes. Transfer to serving bowl.

Make it your own:  Comb farmer’s markets in the cooler months of the year for a variety of root vegetables to try. Here are suggestions for other varieties to roast using the method above:

  • Carrots – Peel and trim whole baby carrots, or cut larger peeled and trimmed carrots into 1-inch chunks.
  • Garlic – Separate a garlic head into cloves and leave peels on. Squeeze garlic from peels after roasting.
  • Onions – Cut peeled and trimmed medium yellow onions into 1-inch pieces.
  • Parsnips – Peel and trim parsnips and cut into 1-inch pieces
  • Turnips – Peel and trim whole baby turnips, or cut larger peeled and trimmed turnips into 1-inch wedges.

Filed Under: Best Cookbook Recipes, Cookbook Reviews, Fall Favorites, Food Blog, Heart Healthy Foods and Recipes, Vegetables, Vegetarian Dishes, Winter Favorites Tagged With: cookbook recipes, cookbook review, healthy recipes, heart healthy recipes, roasted vegetables recipe

A Healthy Cookbook You’re Going to Love: My Crazy Sexy Kitchen Review

April 3, 2013 By Joi Sigers

Crazy Sexy Kitchen Cookbook Review

A while back my husband ordered me a few cookbooks off of Amazon – just because he’s cool like that. One of these cookbooks was the one you see pictured above, Crazy Sexy Kitchen: 150 Plant-Empowered Recipes to Ignite a Mouthwatering Revolution.

As I’ve mentioned (as in over and over and over..) on the food blog, I’m a firm believer that we should all try to feed our families, and ourselves, the healthiest meals possible.  Author Kris Carr has a great quote on page 28 of Crazy Sexy Kitchen, “… some foods have the power to heal, while others have the power to harm.”  I love that so much, I’m trying to think of an artsy way to put these very words in our kitchen. Near the refrigerator.  But, you know, something short of red markers on a poster board.

I do have a little class, after all.

There are a great number of “Raw Food,” “Vegan,” “Green Smoothie,” “Cruelty-Free Eating,” etc cookbooks on the market.  I’ve even reviewed a few excellent ones right here. It’s a great sign that there’s a proliferation of these cookbooks – it shows that all of us finally GET that we have to break the chain of unhealthy eating. As diabetes and obesity rates soar, we realize that if we’re going to protect ourselves and the ones we love, we have to wage our battle in the kitchen.

Crazy Sexy Kitchen is one of the best Plans of Attack I’ve come across.  Not only are the recipes outstanding (what would you expect when chefs are in charge of recipes?), the sound advice and wonderfully written health information could stand on their own even if there weren’t 150 recipes tagging along.

Book Description

The woman who made prevention hot is now making it delicious! Crazy Sexy Kitchen, the follow-up to Kris Carr’s New York Times bestseller Crazy Sexy Diet, is a

Veggie Manifesto for plant-empowered gourmands and novices alike, and it’s filled with inspiration, education, cooking tips, and over 150 nourishing, nosh-worthy recipes. Infused with her signature humor, style, and personal stories, Crazy Sexy Kitchen redefines the kitchen as headquarters for America’s wellness revolution. The goodness born in the Crazy Sexy Kitchen will reach deep into the rest of your life—enriching your health, your home, your heart, and the planet.

Crazy Sexy Kitchen gives readers all the tools and know-how needed to adopt a joyful and vibrant Crazy Sexy Diet and Lifestyle. What is the Crazy Sexy Diet and Lifestyle, you ask? A nutrient-dense, plant-happy approach to eating and living that harmonizes your beautiful body at the cellular level. It’s a celebratory way of life that’s deeply connected, healthy, awake and engaged. Now that’s SEXY!

Like a long, luxurious meal, Crazy Sexy Kitchen is laid out in courses. You’ll start with a detailed review of the Crazy Sexy Diet. Next you’ll learn how to stock your culinary arsenal. Kris will show you how to find the best kitchen tools and equipment, and prep you with basic culinary skills and lingo. Handy symbols like, gluten-free, soy-free, kid-friendly—and for the time pressed—Crazy Sexy Quickies, help you to easily identify the recipes that are perfect for your dietary needs. Not sure how to put a whole meal together? No problem. Crazy Sexy Kitchen covers that, too—with a hearty dose of menu plans and recipes to inspire and delight.

Joined by Whole Foods chef, Chad Sarno, Crazy Sexy Kitchen offers over 150 delicious, nutrient-dense recipes designed to nourish the mind, body, and soul. From juicing to planning a three-course meal, Crazy Sexy Kitchen has all the essentials to fill your kitchen (and life!) with health, happiness, family, friends, and good times.

While I love the information (including fascinating FAQs with a dietician) and am as excited by the recipes as any foodie would be –  a few of my favorite things about this book are the beautiful photographs and the personal history Kris Carr shares with her readers. Pictures of her lovely grandmother and her stories of growing up in her grandmother’s restaurant are extra special.  I could have read an entire book about the author’s grandmother!

Why Should You Listen to Kris Carr When it Comes to Healthy and Healing Foods?

One look at the cover, and you can tell that the author is a beauty.  Slender, radiant, and sporting a smile that could light up a room. At the risk of judging a book by its cover (see what I did there?), I’d have taken her foodie advice without knowing a thing about her.  However, when I read about the strong woman behind the smile, I was even more committed to hanging on her every word.  In 2003 (ten years ago, if we’re keeping count), Kris was handed the news that she had a “rare and incurable stage IV sarcoma.”

The big C.

Her cancer diagnosis was the worst kind possible – the one that came with a warranty.  Kris wasn’t given long to live, but apparently that arrangement didn’t set well with her.

I knew in my gut that I needed to fully participate in my well-being. That’s when I went back to my roots – food. I discovered I loved being an artist in the kitchen, just like Grandma. Except I added a revolutionary twist to her culinary foundation: cooking consciously and compassionately for the health and happiness of my body and the world around me.

Since that time I’ve not only been surviving, I’ve been thriving – with cancer. In fact, thanks in part to a healthy and active lifestyle, I actually feel better with the disease than I did without it.  If I can feel healthy and happy while living with a life-threatening condition, just imagine how great you can feel! – Kris Carr, Page 15, Crazy Sexy Kitchen

Ten years – way past the “shelf life” her doctors gave her. Now just try and tell me it doesn’t matter what we put into our bodies!

As Kris Carr points out in the book, you don’t have to dive in to the deep end with the changes you make in your diet. You don’t have to swear off all red meat and there’s no need to pinkie swear to drink only green smoothies for breakfast for the rest of your life.  Just make healthy steps in the right direction – the more the better.  I couldn’t possibly recommend Crazy Sexy Kitchen any more than I do. On a scale of 1 to 10, it’s so past 10 it can’t even see it in its rear view mirror.

Some of the recipes in Crazy Sexy Kitchen:

  • Juices such as Iron Machine, The Sicilian, and Morning Glorious…
  • Smoothies that include Crazy Sexy Goddess Smoothie, Chai Latte, and Vanilla Mystic…
  • Tofu Country Scramble
  • French Toast with Amaretto Creme
  • Cornmeal Banana Walnut Pancakes
  • Chickpea Crepe with Mushrooms and Artichokes
  • Mediterranean Wrap with Cashew Cream Cheese
  • Fruit and Almond Sandwiches
  • Hummus Pinwheels
  • Crazy Sexy Veggie Quesadilla
  • Pita Pizzas
  • Crazy Sexy Kale
  • Tomatoes and Herbs
  • Chile Rellenos with Red and Green Sauces
  • Garlicky Mushrooms
  • Sage Polenta with Nana’s Marinara
  • Dijon Vinaigrette
  • Tomato Relish
  • Fiery Pistachios
  • Sea Salt and Pepper Almonds
  • Raw Apple Spiced-Rum Shortcake with Maple Vanilla Glaze
  • Plus MANY, MANY more healthy, creative, and beautiful recipes!

These recipes will allow you to feel really good about the food you’re feeding your family (as well as yourself). They’ll also allow you to show off with great looking and delicious dishes that’ll probably earn you standing ovations.

Seriously, don’t wait another minute. Order Crazy Sexy Kitchen today.

 

Filed Under: Cookbook Reviews, Food Blog, Health and Fitness, Heart Healthy Foods and Recipes Tagged With: best cookbooks, Cookbook Reviews, healthy cookbooks, healthy eating, heart healthy recipes

Why Your Heart Loves Pumpkin and A Pumpkin Pudding Recipe

October 19, 2009 By Joi Sigers

According to SuperFoods HealthStyle: Simple Changes to Get the Most Out of Life for the Rest of Your Life, a wonderful superfood is in abundance at this very moment: Pumpkins!

Pumpkin is a superfood, whether it’s canned or fresh. This big, beautiful squash is especially good for your heart because it’s loaded with carotenoids that are known to reduce heart disease risk. But there’s more: According to the book’s authors, Steven G. Pratt, MD, and Kathy Matthews, pumpkin is also a good source of potassium, magnesium, fiber, and antioxidant vitamins C and E.

Below is one of the many outstanding recipes from SuperFoods HealthStyle: Simple Changes to Get the Most Out of Life for the Rest of Your Life.

Recipe: PATTY’s PUMPKIN PUDDING

1/4 to 1/2 cup sugar
2 to 4 teaspoons cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger, optional
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves, optional
2 large eggs (the SuperFoods authors recommend eggs with extra omega-3s)
One 15-ounce can pure pumpkin
One 12-ounce can evaporated nonfat milk (or evaporated 2% milk)

Mix all the ingredients together and pour the mixture into an 8-by-8-inch casserole. Bake it in a preheated (350 degrees Fahrenheit) oven for about 30 minutes. Don’t overbake; the center should be slightly wiggly. Cool and enjoy, or refrigerate for later use.

This would be a fantastic recipe for Thanksgiving!

Filed Under: Fall Favorites, Halloween Treats, Health and Fitness, Thanksgiving Recipes, Vegetables Tagged With: Halloween recipes, heart health, heart healthy recipes, pumpkin recipe, Thanksgiving Recipes

Primary Sidebar

Welcome to the Get Cooking Food Blog

My name is Joi (“Joy”) and Get Cooking is where I celebrate some of my greatest passions: Recipes, kitchen gadgets, gluten free food reviews, gluten free recipes, pig collectibles, chocolate, cookbooks, and coffee.

Lots of coffee…

 

  • Email
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter

Search for Recipes and Reviews

What’s New on the Food Blog?

  • Great New Obsession: Silicone Loaf Pans!
  • An INGENIOUS Way to Prepare and Eat Chicken: Where Has this Method Been all My Life?!
  • Fellow Purple Fanatics, You’re Going to LOVE These Dishes
  • Quick and Easy Meal Ideas: “Nights Off” at Home with Less Stress and Less Mess
  • 2020 Gift Ideas for Cooks and Foodies: A Beautiful Handmade Ceramic Bowl
  • Chili Tips of the Trade and a Kitchen Tool You Absolutely MUST Have
  • Clorox Scrubmates with Handheld Scrubber
  • The Duke’s Mayonnaise Cookbook: A Cookbook Deserving of the Name!

Gluten-Free Recipes

A Wonderful Gluten-Free and Vegetarian Cookbook: Whole Bowls by Allison Day

Pumpkin Stuffed Green Lentil Cannelloni

Gluten-Free Pumpkin Stuffed Green Lentil Cannelloni

Gluten-Free Lasagna with Explore Cuisine Green Lentil Lasagna Noodles

Easy Gluten-Free Lasagna with Explore Cuisine Green Lentil (No Boil!) Noodles

Tostadas with Refried Beans and Tomatoes

Fast & Easy Summer Meal: Meatless Tostadas

Gluten-Free White Chocolate and Pecan Cookies

Gluten Free Cranberry Pecan Cookies

Gluten Free Pecan Sandies

Gluten Free Pecan Sandies Recipe

Footer

T-fal… As Good as Good Gets

The T-Fal Cookware Set (Amazon link), above, is available in several gorgeous colors.

Subscribe to Get Cooking

Fill in the form below to receive updates through e-mail whenever something new has been added to the food blog.



Powered by FeedBlitz

  • Email
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Contact me through e-mail at joisigers@aim.com and/or connect with me through social media (see above)!

I do not claim to have taken all of the photographs on this website. I did not take any of the “product” or “affiliate” merchandise photos, nor do I claim to own them. If you are a photographer that sees something you want removed, simply e-mail me!</font size>

Copyright © 2021 Get Cooking Food Blog   xml sitemap   Privacy Policy   Color Me Gluten Free!