WIAW #13 Steamed Veggies Have Taken Over My Diet!

Vacations are great; time spent away from work and with people you love help you forget the daily stresses and relax (hopefully).  But then there's the dreaded end of vacation where the little worries start popping back into your head and you dread the return to routine. I'm sure most of you know what I'm talking about, and I have some of that feeling now.

From Left: Me, Kelley, and my Grandma on a visit to Baltimore, Maryland.

This can really zap the motivation to cook right out of me.  Do you ever get this feeling? Luckily, I am set in my ways and determined to make healthy choices.  Thank goodness there's frozen produce to fall back on!

Although most of my vacation eats entailed steamed veggies at grandma's house, I thoroughly enjoy eating these and haven't grown tired of them yet. Upon our return home, I gathered several bags of Earth's various frozen gifts and quickly created meals for our shortened work week lunches.  Since veggies reign supreme in our home, I had extras for breakfast and dinner too.

These may not be extravagant foods, but they sure are healthy and I feel they keep my ticker ticking better than the person in a McDonald's line.  No offense if you're one of those people, I just chose Mickey D's, but it could be any fast food chain.

With that said, I'm home and ready for another What I Ate Wednesday post! Happy WIAW!

Breakfast – Microwave scrambled egg whites mixed with a generous medley of steamed beans and veggies. I seasoned everything with pepper, cayenne, cumin, garlic powder, and dill. See that full cup of coffee? I didn't need that to wake me up for the morning, the spice was good enough....but no need to waste good coffee, I drank that too.

Snack – Unique Sprouted Whole Grain Pretzels I brought back from PA and green tea. I'm pretty sure all the best pretzels and made in PA; even the smallest convenience store has at least 4 different brands to choose from! Mmmm, pretzels are my Prozac; they're comforting crunch and salty goodness flips the "I'm stressed" switch to OFF.

Lunch – Spicy chilled quinoa and vegetable bean salad; organic golden delicious apple; baby carrots and baby bok choy

Snack – Ugh, back to work after being gone for over a week; no snack today.

Dinner – Even more steamed veggies (not complaining, really); the Brussels Sprouts were green globes of goodness satisfying both my sweet and savory taste buds; Baby Bok Choy Lump Crab Sliders (recipe to come soon....it's easy); chocolate squash protein smoothie; plain non-fat Chobani Greek yogurt with dry roasted almonds.

Awesome! That was a lot of vegetables and I am not complaining one bit.  The best part is that there are so many vegetables to try that it's hard to truly get bored of them, despite what some people say or think.  So many friends and family talk as if it's hard to eat like me, but after slowly making the change from packaged foods to whole foods, it becomes second nature.

I've read enough ingredient labels and food articles to view a slice of chocolate cake at a restaurant as nothing more than a combo of hydrogenated oils, sugar, corn starch, more sugar, and a little crap.

My apologies if you think I'm being too harsh, it's just a topic I'm passionate about and don't like to hold anything back when discussing it.

Don't forget to comment on this post for your chance to win a coupon for a free Zevia 6 Pack of your choice.

Q:  Do you feel passionate about a certain food, food group, or diet?  How do you proceed to explain when talking about it with others who don't understand?

Healthy Low-fat Cherry Cola Zevia Protein Smoothie

Are you a blender fanatic? Do you find yourself searching for new and interesting things to blend into a cool, creamy, and healthy smoothie for a guiltless pleasure any time of day?

I am and do this often; basically daily. I’ve blended beets, zucchini, yellow squash, winter squash, spinach, carrots, and a few other veggies with some fruit, protein powder and milk to create luscious smoothies.

So, as I sat staring the six pack of Cherry Cola Zevia I had at home, it was only natural to want to blend it into a tasty treat to enjoy after dinner.

It’s so simple; take a delicious and healthy drink like Zevia, add fruit, veggies, protein powder, and anything else you add to smoothies, blend and enjoy. You don’t even need to worry about adding extra sweetener; the zero calorie stevia that sweetens Zevia plus whatever fruit you use will be more than enough.

I cut heart shapes out of the Cherry Cola Zevia Protein Bread I made.  This is a perfect combination if you like to have something to dip in your smoothies.

Such a simple pleasure that I’m sure is not used or appreciated by many people. Hopefully this will inspire more of you to leave the sugary ice cream at the store and make something healthy at home. You won’t miss the guilt from having a heavier treat, and maybe you’ll even appreciate the extra energy you have from something healthy like this.

Cherry Cola Zevia Protein Smoothie
Serves 2

 Ingredients
1 12oz can of Cherry Cola Zevia; I opened a can a let it sit a few hours to help reduce the carbonation
1 frozen ripe banana
2 scoops unflavored or vanilla protein powder; I used stevia sweetened whey protein
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup plain, non-fat Greek or regular yogurt
1/2 cup pureed beets; these really help turn your smoothie red, but pumpkin or carrot puree is good too

Add all ingredients to a blender or food processor (I used my Magic Bullet) and blend until smooth and creamy. If needed, add some milk (dairy or non-dairy) to thin it out. Garnish with fresh cherries, kiwi, or strawberries….or just pour and enjoy!

Try this with all of the Zevia flavors to see what you can come up with. I think next time I’ll use the Cream Soda Zevia for a comforting smoothie bursting with vanilla flavor.

This easy recipe is a must for the hotter days ahead; might as well start practicing now.

Q: What is your favorite flavor smoothie? Would you rather drink your smoothie or have to use a spoon?
I love a thicker smoothie where I can add something crunchy and use a spoon to devour all of its goodness. Yum!

WIAW #12 – New Zevia Flavors Review: Healthy Recipe and Giveaway

I had the opportunity to post a review with a recipe and giveaway for Zevia almost a year ago with great success. Over the course of the year, Zevia has been the only soda in our home and Kelley always enjoys it when I pack a can for lunch.


Now Zevia has produced even more fantastic flavors that give anyone looking to switch from regular, sugar-laden sodas no excuse to change. The new flavors include Cherry Cola, Strawberry, and Lime Cola which, along with their already extensive lineup of Black Cherry, Caffeine Free Cola, Cola, Cream Soda, Dr. Zevia, Ginger Ale, Ginger Root Beer, Grape, Grapefruit Citrus, Lemon-Lime Twist, Mountain Zevia, and Orange give you plenty to choose from. I have tried almost all of these now, and my top favorites are Cherry Cola, Ginger Root Beer, and Cream Soda.

Of the three new flavors, I like Cherry Cola the most; Kelley tried it and said it was ok, but she still likes Cream Soda out of any other flavors. To each their own, I guess, but I really enjoy any of these flavors besides the Mountain Zevia. I don’t like Mountain Dew, though, so that’s probably why. The Ginger Ale and Lemon-Lime flavors are great for mixers with vodka or a good bourbon too; trust me, I tested and approved!


Zevia is the best choice for providing a healthy option for soda lovers who don’t want 200+ empty calories of canned sugar or artificial sweeteners and colors. Really, Zevia is the best choice….period. I’m not talking about drinking either, I used Strawberry Zevia as the liquid to cook quinoa and also to make overnight strawberry oats (just soak rolled oats in your favorite Zevia flavor); I used the Cherry Cola to bake a healthy protein bread with a unique Cherry flavor that’s perfect for a healthy snack anytime of day! It's also a great way to sweeten smoothies; just open a can an let sit in the fridge overnight so there's not too much carbonation.

Strawberry Zevia Cooked Quinoa....Delish!

Zevia Cherry Cola "Heart" Bread and smoothie I made for Kelley

Check out the recipe at the bottom of my post; you can sub any of the flavors to create your own healthy protein bread….you really can’t go wrong! Zevia is a company that knows how to treat their fans and reward them for their loyalty; just go to their Facebook page or follow them on Twitter for proof.

If their great tasting, zero calorie drinks weren’t enough, the way they are involved in communities and online exceeds that of any of those other “major” corporate brands. Grab a 6-pack of Zevia today and know you’re supporting a great company and making your taste buds happy! Keep reading for your chance to score a coupon for a free 6-pack of Zevia.


Now, here’s What I Ate Wednesday…..





Breakfast – Pretty boring combo of Jersey Sweet Potato with salsa and tuna stuffed cremini mushrooms; cubed jicama; carrot sticks; PB Overnight Oat Crisps; French Press coffee with cinnamon

Snack – Dehydrated okra; Brewed green tea and Yogi Sweet Thai Delight tea mix (one bag of each)

Lunch – Delicious medley of steamed veggies with a lot of spices (cayenne included); microwave scrambled eggs with toast; more cubed jicama and carrots; cup of frozen mango, papaya, and strawberries; Yogi Kombucha Green Tea

Snack – If you guessed tea, you’re wrong; I had Lime Zevia…..mixed with green tea…so you would actually be right. Great tasting mix, by the way!! A handful of dry roasted soy nuts too.

Dinner – Usual big ol’ salad with arugula, watercress, steamed creminis, artichokes, Brussels sprouts, crunchy roasted chickpeas, and salsa for dressing; smoothie blend with spaghetti squash, frozen blackberries, vanilla protein powder, and almond milk; plain, non-fat Greek yogurt mixed with PB Chocolate Protein Spread and Cherry Cola Zevia Protein Bread.

Cherry Cola Zevia Protein Bread or Muffins

by RC Liley





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All natural, sugar free, and zero calorie Zevia adds big flavor to this healthy bread with little calories.


Ingredients (1 Loaf or 12 Large Muffins)

1 cup whole grain spelt flour; substitute any whole grain flour or even peanut flour if desired

1 3/4 cups vanilla protein powder; I used stevia sweetened egg white protein

1 T ground cinnamon

1 1/2 t baking powder

1/2 t baking soda

1/2 t salt; If using canned beets that have salt added, you can omit this

1 whole egg and 3 egg whites; or 5 egg whites; or 3 T ground flaxseeds mixed with 1/4 cup water

1 cup pureed beets; other options include applesauce, mashed banana, pureed carrots, or canned pumpkin

1 t pure vanilla extract

1/2 Can of Zevia Cherry Cola Soda; pour slowly if you just opened; it might be good to open and leave in fridge over night to limit the fizz

15 drops NuNaturals Liquid Stevia; or use 2 packets of stevia powder; if you want sugar, use 2 tablespoons of honey or agave (I can’t vouch for how this will turn out since I used all stevia)





Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 Degrees Fahrenheit

Mix all dry ingredients (first 8 on list) in a large bowl and stir a few times with a wire whisk. Beat eggs and then mix all wet ingredients except vinegar in another, smaller bowl.

Create a well in the center of your dry ingredients and slowly pour wet ingredients while mixing to combine with a spatula.

Pour into non-stick loaf pan (or make muffins using a muffin tin) and bake for 25 – 30 minutes. Depending on what pan you use, times will vary; a knife should come out clean when inserted in the middle.

Remove from oven and let cool in pan for 5 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool another 10 minutes.

Enjoy your sugar-free protein cherry bread and wash it down with the rest of the refreshing Zevia Cherry Cola!




For more great recipes visit

How would you like to win a coupon for a free 6-pack of any Zevia flavor you want? You don’t have to do anything challenging, just do one or all of the following things for your chance to win; each action item counts as an entry. Leave a separate comment for each thing you do; you can earn up to 6 entries!

 1. Post your favorite Zevia flavor or one you’d like to try in the Comments section of my blog.

2. Post a link to Just Add Cayenne and mention this contest on Facebook.

3. Visit Zevia on Facebook and “LIKE” their page. If you already “Like” Zevia, leave a comment letting me know.

4. Follow me on Twitter and Tweet the following – "I’m entering to win a 6-pack of @Zevia from @I_Love_Cayenne! Enter for your chance to win – http://bit.ly/JRZRaI"

5. “LIKE” Just Add Cayenne on Facebook. If you already “Like” Just Add Cayenne, leave a comment letting me know.

6. Help support Just Add Cayenne and subscribe to my blog. Just post a comment if you are already subscribed.


Remember to leave a comment for each thing you do and make sure you leave a way for me to contact you if you are the winner. Each comment will count as an entry into the contest and a winner will be selected at random on Friday, June 1st.


I will announce the lucky winner on Monday, June 4th.

This Contest Has Ended - Congrats to Hannah @ Mindrunningwild

Happy WIAW and good luck!

#11 WIAW Healthy Cooking With Zero Calorie Zevia

I used to drink sodas almost every day and never gave any thought to sugar, high fructose corn syrup, or calories (what are those?).  After a while, I changed to diet sodas that used splenda or things like aspartame, but those wreaked havoc on my stomach.  So I had given up drinking soda and just had water, tea, black coffee; it's really not that bad or hard to do.




But then Zevia comes on the scene and offers their awesome all natural, zero calorie soda sweetened with stevia. I know other brands have similar drinks, but Zevia just seems to have it down.  Besides their delicious, high quality line of drinks, the people working at Zevia know how to treat their current and future consumers with respect.  Great customer service means a lot, and Zevia has it right in that department too.

In June of last year, Zevia sent me samples to review (click here for review post) and I held a giveaway contest too. Since then, I've posted a few recipes using Zevia like this protein corn bread and these pumpkin protein donuts. Now, Zevia sent me their newest flavors (Strawberry, Cherry Cola, and Lemon Lime) to review and host another giveaway.  I'm still working on the samples, but have been able to cook a few goodies using the tasty soda.

Come back soon for the review and giveaway for a free 6 pack coupon.  I don't have full recipes yet, but I used Strawberry Zevia as the liquid to cook a big batch of quinoa that I have in the fridge for a quick nighttime treat. This was so easy; all you you need is your favorite flavor and any grain you would cook on the stove.  Zevia is also a great liquid to use to make overnight oats; it's your liquid and sweetener with zero calories!

If you can't tell, I'm pretty excited to have this opportunity to try the new flavors, and so far, I love the Strawberry and Cherry Cola. I'm thinking a good baking recipe with the Cherry Cola and hope to have one finished soon.

Well, how about we kick this What I Ate Wednesday off and have a look at my day of eats....Happy WIAW!!!

Breakfast – Black beans with bell peppers, baby carrots, sugar snap peas, and French Press coffee with a little vanilla protein powder mixed in the brew. All I have is a picture of this crunchy whole wheat protein French toast I made for Kelley this weekend; I used Kashi Autumn Wheat cereal crumbs to coat the bread before toasting to add a nice crunch....Delish!

Snack – Dehydrated okra and green beans with a mix of Yogi Sweet Thai Delight and plain green tea

Lunch – Steamed Jersey sweet potato topped with salsa braised pork chops and steamed veggies with goat cheese mixed in; Overnight Oat Crisps (soaked in Zevia Creme Soda); Zevia Cherry Cola...this stuff is great, way better than Cherry Coke!

Snack – Nothing but more green and herbal tea; I always claim I won't let work get in the way of how I eat, but today it did.....boo.

Dinner – Big salad with organic arugula, sliced beets, hearts of palm, and slow-cooker Brussels sprouts with cremini mushrooms; I made a dressing of pureed black beans, salsa, cumin, and cayenne that satisfied my need for spice...yum! Cold quinoa cooked with Strawberry Zevia mixed in with Greek yogurt, toasted cashews, and frozen berries; this is something new I wanted to try and am really pleased with how it turned out. I also had a puree of Eden Organ Aduki Beans, ripe banana, vanilla egg white protein powder, and peanut flower.

I love review tasty and healthy products! I always imagine being able to spread the word on the tasty side of healthy eating in hopes that it will change at least one person's life for the better.

There are many recipes I want to try with Zevia; which ones would you like to see most? Zevia soda purees, baked Zevia bread, Zevia brownies, Zevia protein smoothies, Zevia Oatmeal Crisps, No-bake Zevia protein cookie balls, something else you are thinking of? Please let me know, and the one mentioned most will be the first one I try and post.

Happy WIAW!!

*Rant Alert* If It's Not Normal to be Healthy......

.....then I guess the obese are super cool! Are you envious?

Do you consider yourself a healthy eater?  Do others around you think you're weird for snacking on carrots instead of cakes, or drinking unsweetened tea/coffee instead of a 40oz (ok, I'm exaggerating) Monster Energy Drink?  Why is this?!?  Why does it seem like most people consider fast food chains and other venues the normal places to go for food, and cooking at home is something they do only when the have to?

The way a lot of people think of food seems flawed to me; the less processed a food is, the more "normal" it should be, and the crap at fast food joints is really the weird stuff.  And of course, a lot of the ones calling me weird for choosing a healthy lifestyle are the same people huffing from walking up a few flights of stairs or just never seem to be in good health. Hmmm, no wonder most of the world is becoming obese and being diagnosed  with sicknesses like type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, mobility problems, etc.

This topic gets under my skin and to my bones! I hate listening to the people who feel they have to try and justify their unhealthy choices to me (I never asked) by saying they just can't give up this or that because it's too hard.  Yeah, it is as hard for you to just get in and out of your car too?

I know, I sound pretty harsh right now, but it's because I actually care.  I jump at the chance to explain to anyone actually interested and willing to listen on ways to make a healthy switch.  The problem is, not many people want to listen about how preparing their own food and skipping the grocery aisles is good for them.  Nope, instead they want to hear about the pill making bogus, untested claims about losing fat fast, or the latest diet craze.

Years ago, up to being an early college student, I was there too, but then I learned and kept seeking more info on how I can be healthier.  Up to this point, I've concluded it's not as hard as it seems.......just buy as little packaged products as possible and learn to prepare healthy dinners and desserts.

"Heart" Healthy Smoothie With Homemade Protein Heart Bread for Kelley.....better than  any package!

Who else feels this way? I am passionate about food the same way Alton Brown is about using sock puppets.  Don't get my analogy?  Watch a few "Good Eats" episodes.....you'll catch on. Still don't get it? Well, I'm just passionate about healthy food....period.

So why am I posting this rant on my blog?  One, because it's my blog and I can, two, I'm hopeful it will open at least one person's eyes to living a healthier life, and three, it feels good to let it out. I tend to express my thoughts on these topics periodically after they build up inside; here are a few rants thoughts from the past.....

On New Year's resolutions

Sugar Consumption and Obesity

140+ Ways Sugar Affects Our Health

More resolutions with healthy tips

Why Diets Don't Work and a List of Better Options

Please read through some of these as they provide a good amount of information on how to start living healthily and still enjoy living!

Speaking of enjoying life, Zevia has sent me samples of their newest flavors to try and review.  Be on the lookout for my review along with a few recipes and giveaway for a coupon to get your own Zevia 6-pack.

Q:  Are you "normal" or the weird outcast who makes healthier choices?

Overnight Oats – The Basics & Beyond

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

I rarely post on the weekends, but I wanted to make a separate post on how I prepare Overnight Oats since they are used in a lot of my recipes. You can be very creative with add-ins or just make plain oats. The best thing about this is you can have several varieties available to use at the same time.

Oats are very versatile and very healthy; soaking them makes it easier for your body to digest and absorb more nutrients. When soaked, their soft texture gives a comforting feeling and they are great for evening use since your body digests them slowly. No sudden spikes in blood sugar to worry about….if you worry about that stuff.

The following steps have shown up in past posts, but I’ve changed it up a little to make it easier to follow.

Overnight Oats

1. Pour 2 cups of plain rolled oats in a container with a lid (I use almost empty 32oz yogurt containers to make use of the stubborn yogurt on the sides.

2. Add 1/2 cup of *powder/flour/puree choice*, a 1/4 cup of *Add-ins (if desired)*, and up to 1 ½ tablespoons *spice of choice*. 1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract can be added if it’s fitting for your desired flavor. Softly shake everything around until you see the top of the oats.

3. Add 12 – 18 drops of plain or vanilla NuNaturals liquid stevia, 1 tablespoon NuNaturals NuStevia Baking Blend, or 2 – 3 packets of NuNaturals Stevia Powder and a dash of sea salt. (If you must, 2 tablespoons of sugar, honey, or agave will work too)

4. Add water, milk of choice, or juice of choice (apple works well) until it reaches the top of the oats (I sometimes use Zevia Soda for the liquid and omit adding any sweeteners)

5. Stir to combine making sure the powders are well incorporated (I sometimes find unmixed clumps at the bottom), close the container and let sit in the fridge for at least four hours and up to 5 days; it won’t last that long though.

If you can't tell, I really like plain non-fat Chobani Greek yogurt!

This liquid will be nice and absorbed within a few hours.

To make plain overnight oats, skip steps 2 and 3 and just add water.


*Powder / Flour / Puree Options*

- Peanut Flour

- Protein Powder (I mix and match whey, soy, and egg white protein powders that are unflavored or sweetened with stevia)

- Unsweetened Cocoa Powder (use 10 drops of NuNaturals Cocoa Bean Extract to compliment this)

- Instant, Non-fat Dry Milk Powder

- Pumpkin or other squash puree

- Overripe Mashed Banana

- Unsweetened Applesauce

*Add-in Options*

- Dried cranberries, banana, raisins, cherries, apple, apricot, dates, or other dried fruit

- Fresh or frozen fruit like the dried options above

- Raw or Dry Roasted Peanuts, Almonds, Pistachios, Cashews, or other favorite nut

- Raw or Dry Roasted Pumpkin Seeds, Sunflower Seeds, or Chia Seeds (Chia seeds really make things thick since they gel once in liquid.

*Spices*

- Cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, allspice, turmeric (use very little), or other spice you like


These choices give you plenty variations to try and enjoy. Start slowly with just the basics to get a feel for how yours will turn out, and then start getting creative.


Some of my favorite combos include:

Choco-Nana Peanut Butter Goodness

1/2 Peanut flour and 1/2 cocoa, mashed banana, vanilla extract, NuNaturals Cocoa Bean Extract, NuNaturals liquid stevia, and dry roasted almonds

Peanut Pumpkin Pie

Peanut flour, pumpkin puree, vanilla extract, NuNaturals liquid stevia, pumpkin seeds, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and allspice


Anything But Plain Vanilla

Vanilla whey protein powder, frozen cherries, vanilla extract, NuNaturals liquid vanilla stevia, and cinnamon


Zevia Oats

Unflavored protein or dry milk powder, chia seeds, and Zevia Crème Soda (there are many Zevia flavors and I’d like to try them all)


I’ll post more recipes since I’m always trying new combinations. Not all are a success, but I’ll pretend those never happened and only share the good recipes.

I think for St. Patty’s Day, I will try a mix the “Anything But Plain Vanilla” combo with 1/2 a cup of frozen spinach, and 1/2 frozen banana all blended together. I don’t know what it will be like yet, but I’ll post pictures. Hopefully it looks as good as Chocolate-Covered Katie’s green mint smoothie pictured below!

Do you plan on wearing and eating green today? Do you have any special occasions to attend for this day?


I just have a green shirt and green smoothie that will hopefully bring me some pinch-free good luck! Kelley and I will be going to a neighborhood party tonight; hopefully we present ourselves well since we’ve never really met them before!