Strawberry Lemon Basil Infused Water

Ingredients
Servings	1	5 (pitcher)
Water	2	5
Strawberries	2	8-10
Lemon	1/4	1
Basil Leaves	3-4	15

Directions:
Slice the strawberries and add to the bottom of your glass or pitcher. Pour in water and squeeze the lemon in as you place into the water. Tear the basil leaves and stir into the drink Enjoy

Bringing out the Flavor of infused water

Bringing Out Flavor

• Slice & Dice: The softer the fruit, the thicker you slice. The harder the fruit, the thinner you slice. This way you can get the most flavor and nutrients from the fruits you put in. Larger fruits like mangos can be diced.

• Squeeze: Squeeze citrus fruits to help release juices into the water.

• Muddle: ginger root, rosemary and lemongrass with a wooden spoon to release flavors. Muddle berries, mango, herbs to release flavors more quickly.

• Tear: Tear or crush leafy herbs like mint, basil and cilantro to release oils.

• Quick Flavor: Cucumbers, squeezed citrus fruits, melons, muddled berries and mint flavor water almost immediately.

• General Infused Flavor: As a general guideline, refrigerate your drink for2 hours to allow it to infuse.

• Overnight Flavor: Apples, cinnamon, fresh ginger root and rosemary, and any dense fruits need an overnight soak in the fridge in order to flavor the water well enough to taste.

• Avoid Waterlog: Melons and sliced strawberries start looking water logged after a few hours; citrus and whole berries look pretty good even after hours in the fridge.

• Avoid Bitterness: After four hours, un-peeled citrus can make water taste bitter. To make a big jug of infused water for a party, peel the citrus before soaking. Or you can soak it un-peeled for four hours, remove it, and add fresh slices for looks. (And keep that water icy cold for food safety.)

• Store for Later: If you don’t drink the water within 24 hours, strain out the solids and refrigerate for up to three days.

• Refills: To keep sipping all day long, refill your infused water container when it’s half full. It will be weaker than your first drink, but still flavorful.

 

From: 78 SUGAR-FREE drinks to satisfy your cravings...naturally Copyright 2016 by Smart Diabetes Solutions

blueberry baked oatmeal

blueberry baked oatmeal

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups old fashioned rolled oats

• 1 teaspoon baking powder

• 1/2 tablespoon cinnamon

• 1 teaspoon nutmeg

• 2 cups water

• 1 cup low-fat milk or no sugar added nut milk

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 1/2 teaspoon stevia

• 2 whole large eggs

• 2 egg whites

• 2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries

• optional: 1/4 cup chopped

nuts for topping

DIRECTIONS

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and spray a 9-inch square baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.

In a large mixing bowl, add oats, baking powder, cinnamon, and nutmeg and mix until

all ingredients are evenly distributed. Add all remaining ingredients exception blueberries and mix well. Gently fold in the blueberries and then pour your mixture into your greased baking dish. Transfer to your preheated oven and bake for 40 minutes. If the oatmeal still appears loose after 40 minutes, bake for another 5-10 minutes.

Allow to cool, top with optional nuts and enjoy!

Serves 4

This warm baked oatmeal is the perfect breakfast comfort food. Leftovers store

beautifully, so you can refridgerate, reheat and enjoy for several days. It can even be

enjoyed as a healthy dessert!

NUTRITION FACTS

Protein: 9.03 g

Fat: 5.55 g

Carbs: 50.57 g

Sugar: 12 g

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Water Water Water

Before we dig into the recipes, here’s some quick tips for infusing water and simple ways to keep your water tasting great.

What Water Do I Use?

• Still Water: Filtered water, distilled water, spring water or mineral water are all great choices. Basically, try to avoid tap water as untreated tap water may contain unpleasant-tasting minerals. Avoid pre-flavored waters.

• Carbonated Water: Sparkling water, seltzer, soda water, or club soda are all great options. The only difference between them is the process used to create the carbonation. Just avoid any carbonated waters containing flavoring or sugars.

Prep Basics

• Container: Select your container. Glass is best. BPA-free durable plastic works as well. You can find water bottles with infusers in them too. You can use a pitcher to prepare several servings at once.

• Shop: Shop for organic fruits when easily accessible and affordable.

• Clean: Always wash all produce and herbs to remove chemicals, pesticides and other residues.

 

From: 78 SUGAR-FREE drinks to satisfy your cravings...naturally Copyright 2016 by Smart Diabetes Solutions

 

 

How To Make Tomato Paste

the sloppy joe receipe calls for tomato paste so in an effort for clean eating I researched a homemade tomato paste :) it keeps in the freezer for 9 months - I think that I am going to give this a whirl.
Grabbed this from http://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-make-tomato-paste-cooking-lessons-from-the-kitchn-206853

How To Make Tomato Paste

Makes 20 to 24 ounces
What You Need
Ingredients
10 pounds tomatoes (See Recipe Note)
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons sea salt
1/2 teaspoon citric acid
Equipment
Chef's knife
Cutting board
Large saucepan
Food mill, sieve, or chinois

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. Chop tomatoes into quarters.
3. Simmer the tomatoes with the olive oil: Combine the chopped tomatoes and olive oil in a large saucepan. Bring to a simmer. Cook until the tomatoes are soft and the peels begin to detach from the tomato flesh.
4. Pass the tomatoes through a food mill: Push the warm tomatoes through a food mill, sieve or chinois to separate the tomato pulp from the seeds and skins. Stir the sea salt and citric acid into the pulp. Discard or compost the seeds and skins.
5. Divide the tomato pulp between two large, rimmed baking sheets. You can also use a large roasting pan, but it will take longer to cook down that way.
6. Bake the tomato pulp until reduced to a paste: Place the baking sheets in the oven. Check the tomatoes every half hour, stirring the paste and switching the position of the baking sheets so that they reduce evenly. Over time, the paste will start to reduce to the point where it doesn’t fill the baking sheet any more. At this point, combine the contents of the two pans into and continue to bake.
7. The paste is done when shiny and brick-colored, and it has reduced by more than half (3 to 4 hours). There shouldn’t be any remaining water or moisture separating from the paste at this point. This will take 3 to 4 hours, though exact baking times will depend on the juiciness of your tomatoes.
8. Divide finished paste into 4-ounce jars, leaving 3/4 inch headspace.
9. Preserving Option 1 — Process the tomato paste in a hot water bath: Apply lids and rings and process in a boiling water bath for 15 minutes.
10. Preserving Option 2 - Refrigerate or Freeze: If you don’t want to process the paste, you can refrigerate or freeze it instead. Scrape finished paste into clean half or quarter pint jars. Top each jar with a layer of olive oil and place in either the refrigerator or the freezer. As long as you keep it well-covered with olive oil and ensure that you only use a very clean spoon to remove it from the jar, it will keep in the fridge for 3 to 4 weeks. Frozen, it will keep for up to nine months.

Recipe Notes

• Use paste tomatoes, like Romas and San Marzanos, for the greatest yield. Juicy heirloom tomatoes can also be used, but will have a smaller yield.

Fresh Fruit: Banana, Common, raw, peeled

Fresh Fruit: Banana, Common, raw, peeled

Calories (cal) 172
Total Fats (g) 0
Carbs (g) 40
Protein (g) 3