Guacamole is a favorite for many. The best thing about it is probably that it’s not only incredibly tasty it’s also incredibly health. Since avocados and olive oil both  are full of monounsaturated fats guacamole qualifies as a  MUFA-food. The wonderful type of food that actually help us remove belly fat.

On top of that guacamole is a great snack to help you get a flat belly this recipe also contains garlic and jalapeno. These spices are a great help in keeping you healthy in the flu season .

Tomatoes are known for their antioxidant lycopene. The cilantro herb is not only a anti-oxidant, it’s also a good source of minerals like potassium, calcium, iron, and magnesium. And it is richest herbal sources for vitamin K.

Here is a recipe that makes about 3 cups of the worlds best guacamole.

Ingredients

2 cups of avocados
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup chopped green onions
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp minced jalapeno
1/2 cup chopped tomato
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/4 lime juice (freshly squeezed)

Mash avocado and olive oil with a wooden spoon. Add the other ingredients and, if you wish, mix smooth.

If you prepare the guacamole in advance, leave the avocado pits in the  guacamole to keep it green.

 Image by crd

Always, always rinse fruits and vegetables in cold water before you use them.  You should wash them even if they are pre-washed, even if you buy organic produce and even if you are going to peel them.

If your produce you should also consider washing them to get rid of pesticide residue. You can buy vegetable wash in some grocery stores and online but you can also make your own very easily.

Homemade vegetable wash recipe

Ingredients

1 cup water
1 cup white vinegar
2 tbs baking soda
2 tbs lemon juice

If you don’t have lemon juice at home just water and white vinegar will work.

Mix all  ingredients then pour in clean spray bottle. Quickly scrub down each piece of produce with a vegetable brush and your home made vegetable wash.

Some fruits are too hard to scrub. Then spray fresh vegetables and  fruit generously. Sit for 5 minutes then rinse off well.

Image by Robert S. Donovan

Fruits are always great, coconut gives you fat burning fat and chocolate is full of antioxidants. This is one of the fantastic recipes that the Isabel gives you in her diet solution program. She has plenty of free fat burning tips that I find really good.

Anyway, whether you want to lose weight or not this recipe is really yummy and very healthy.

Ingredients
*4 teaspoons of organic cocoa powder
*4 teaspoons of toasted, unsweetened coconut
*2 small bananas, sliced on the bias

Directions
Place cocoa and coconut on separate plates. Roll each banana slice in the cocoa, and shake off the excess. Then, dip banana in the coconut.

Can food make us feel sexier? Can it even make us perform better?

Aphrodisiac foods has the reputation of increasing sex drive. You’ll be surprised to see how many regular foods that are natural aphrodisiacs.  First a list of the best foods and then a love menu that can’t go wrong.

• Alcohol: lowers inhibitions and increases confidence. They say that the actual drinking of wine can be an erotic experience. And Champagne is considered the The “drink of love” . However, too  much alcohol will make you drowsy.

• Almond: Almond has, throughout the ages, been a symbol of fertility. Some believe that its aroma stimulates passion in a female.

• Aniseed: The Greeks and Romans believed that aniseed had sexual powers. Some people believe that sucking on the seeds will increase your libido.

• Arugula: the aromatic salad green. Also known as rocket has been documented as an aphrodisiac food as far back as the first century A.D. Arugula is very popular in Italian food and often used in salads and pastas.

• Asparagus: three courses of asparagus were served to 19th century bridegrooms due to its reputed aphrodisiac powers. Asparagus also contains vitamin E, which believed to stimulate sex hormones.

• Banana: due not only to its shape, but also its creamy, lush texture. Some studies show that its enzyme bromelain enhances male performance.

• Caviar: High in zinc, which stimulates the formation of testosterone.

• Chili peppers: the chemical “Capsaicin” stimulates our nerve endings and raises our pulse. It is responsible for the “heat” in chili peppers. This aphrodisiac food is also thought to release endorphins, which give our bodies a natural high.

• Chocolate: Chocolate contains both a sedative which relaxes and lowers inhibitions and a stimulant to increase activity and the desire for physical contact. It was actually banned from some monasteries centuries ago. More chocolate is sold on Valentines day than on any other day of the year.

• Exotic fruits: Sweet, soft and luxurious, exotic fruits have something very sexy about them.

• Figs: seasonal crops were celebrated by ancient Greeks in a frenzied copulation ritual. Some say that a man opening a fig and eating it in front of his lover can be a powerful aphrodisiac.

• Ginger: Ginger stimulates our circulatory system which can increase sexual powers and desire.

• Ginseng: Ginseng increases desire for physical contact.

• Oysters: Oysters is the all time favorite aphrodisiac food. Some oysters change their sex from male to female and back, giving rise to claims that the oyster lets one experience the the masculine and feminine sides of love. Oysters are a rich source of zinc, a mineral needed for testosterone production. This male hormone is believed to increase the female libido as well. Oysters are high in protein and very nutritious.

• Raspberries and strawberries: Perfect aphrodisiac foods to hand feed your lover. They are red, which is the color associated with love and passion, and are high in vitamin C.

• Nutmeg: Chinese women believed that nutmeg was an aphrodisiac food and that it increased sexual desire.  Large quantities of nutmeg can produce a hallucinogenic effect.

• Truffles: Maybe due to its rarity and musky aroma, truffles have long been considered to be an aphrodisiac.

• Sweet basil: Some believe that sweet basil stimulates the sex drive and boosts fertility. It is also believed to create a sense of well being in our bodies and minds.

There are plenty of ingredients to use to create very special aphrodisiac date. Below is a special love menu that is bound to have success.

Aphrodisiac Menu for 2

Asian shrimp salad

300 g peeled shrimp
2 mangoes
2 avocados
0,5 minced red onion
1 lime
1 minced red pepper
2 msk  finely chopped chives
1 msk olive oil
salt

1. Chop mangoes and avocados. Carefully mix mangoes, avocados, onions and shrimp.

2. Squeeze lime over salad and add chili, chives and oil. Add salt to taste.

Oysters Au Naturel

12 fresh oysters
Lemon
Toast
Butter
Crushed Ice

1. Open the oysters:

Use an oyster knife with a hand guard, and insert the tip of the knife into the small hole at the hinge of the oyster shell. Wiggle the knife and push it all the way inside the shell to break the hinge. Angle the knife upwards as you push it in, so that you cut the abductor muscle which holds the oyster onto the top shell. Remove the top shell, keeping the bottom shell flat to conserve the oyster juices. Then cut the abductor muscle holding the oyster onto the bottom shell so that it is lying loose on the shell, ready for serving. Or simply have them opened  as you pick them up (not more than 6 hours in advance)

2. Serve  Oysters with lemon wedges, fresh toast and butter and perhaps a glas of champagne.

Chocolate Mousse

100 g high quality dark chocolate
5 g butter
2 egg yolks
25 g chopped, blanched almonds
2 msk cognac or Grand Marnier
2 dl whipped cream

1. Melt the chocolate over boiling water. Add butter and let cool some. Then add egg yolks one at the time.

2. Whip the cream. Carefully stir first almonds and Grand Marnie and last the whipped cream.

3. Let the mousse cool in the fridge for 1 our before serving.

Image by Sabrina Campagna

This soup is a pure antioxidant bomb. Rose hips are one of the best plant sources of vitamin C and the almonds add the vitamin E you need to keep biological age young.

Wild roses can be found all over the word so the best thing you can do is get out there a pick them fresh.  If you don’t feel like going outside most health food stores sell dried rose hips.  The soup is sweet, creamy and very well suited as dessert or snack. However, with it’s high levels of vitamin C serves great an immune system booster when you feel that you’re coming down with something.

When I was a child my mom would serve this soup hot on cold winter days or when I was sick. As a special treat she would add a scoop of vanilla ice cream. I loved it.

Here is how to make healthy homemade rosehip soup:

Ingredients:
3 cups fresh rose hips or 2 cups dried rose hips
6 cups water
½ cups sugar
1,5 tablespoon potato starch or cornstarch
10 slivered blanched almonds (optional)

1.    Rinse the rose hips, if you are using dried rose hips crush them carefully without crushing the seeds.
2.    Boil rose hips for about 10 min in a covered pot.
3.    Mash with a fork and strain thoroughly.
4.    Heat the strain stirring while adding sugar and starch. Heat until the soup thickens and set aside to cool.
5.    Serve the rose hip soup hot or cold with slivered blanched almonds.
If you’re looking for a treat serve the soup hot and add a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Yum.

Image by jenny downing

Don’t through away the pumpkin seeds. They are both healthy and tasty.

Pumpkin seeds are high in magnesium, a mineral in which most Americans are deficient. They are also high in zinc, that make pumpkin seeds a natural protector against osteoporosis. Other health benefits of pumpkin seeds are  their anti-inflammatory properties, that they help lower cholesterol and that they can be used as natural treatment for tapeworms and other parasites.

Most people toast them for best taste. Just follow this toasted pumpkin seed recipe and enjoy more of your pumpkins.

Ingredients:

• Fresh pumpkin seeds
• Olive oil
• Seasoning: salt, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper or paprika.

Here is how to Oven Toast Pumpkin Seeds:

Rinse pumpkin seeds and remove all the pulp with your fingers.

Spread out the seeds on a flat surface  and dry overnight.

Preheat oven to 250 F.

Toss pumpkin seeds in olive oil and seasonings of your choice for example: salt, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper or paprika.

Bake in oven for about 1 hour, tossing every 15 to 20 minutes, until golden brown.

Let the pumpkin seeds cool before eating.

Store the toasted seeds in an airtight container at room temperature up to 3 months or refrigerate up to 1 year.

Image by WordRidden

Banana Muffins are so moist and so tasty. I always make them when I have a bunch of bananas that have become overripe. The riper the bananas the sweeter muffins. The other day I had 4 very very ripe bananas so I omitted the sugar. Even without the sugar the muffins are so tasty.

These muffins are healthier since the bananas compensate so you need less fat and added sugar.

This must be one of the easiest recipes that was ever made. You make them from scratch in just a few minutes.

I usually make mini muffins since I think a bite size really should be enough. Sometimes it’s not.

No matter how you eat them I’m sure you’ll enjoy it!

Banana Muffin Recipe

Ingredients (makes about regular 12 muffins)

3 or 4 large bananas, preferably overripe

1/2 cup white sugar (use less or omit if bananas are really ripe)

1 slightly beaten egg

1/3 cup unsalted butter

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups flour

1/2 cup chocolate chips (optional)

Mash the bananas and melt the butter. Mix the mashed banana, sugar, egg and melted butter together. Set aside. In a separate bowl, mix together baking soda, baking powder, salt and flour.
Mix wet and dry ingredients together. Stir in the chocolate chips.

Pour into greased muffin tins, and bake in 350 degrees F oven for approximately 20 minutes for regular muffins and 12-15 for mini muffins.

Talk about sneaky. No one would know that I added over 15 garlic cloves to this recipe.

Today I really felt like we needed an anti-virus and immune system boost. Garlic is the easy answer to that. But HOW was I going to get garlic in the kids. Sure I use garlic a lot in my cooking but nowhere near as much as I used in this recipe.

So for dinner today I made my first garlic soup. I don’t even think that I had ever had garlic soup before.

It was so tasty.  It wasn’t spicy and it didn’t taste or smell of garlic. It just had a really full taste. A powerful version of a tomato soup.

We all loved it!

I bet it will give me a calm day tomorrow cause no one will want to talk to me.

This soup will boost your immune system and help you battle nasty viruses.

Ingredients

1.5 whole garlic
1 teaspoon olive oil
2 bouillon cubes
2 cups water
1 can diced tomatoes
1.5 tablespoon paprika powder
and I think it might be a good idea to a a pinch of sugar.

Chop the all the garlic cloves. Saute them in the olive oil.

Add the other ingredients and let the soup simmer for about 30 minutes.

Blend the soup with a hand blender (optional)

The mummies in Ancient Egypt got a honey facial.

It’s true. Apparently honey is food substance used on the bodies to keep them unspoiled.

Honey is a great moisturizer and you can use honey to keep your skin smooth and clear.

Don’t miss these 7 Honey Beauty Secrets

1. Acne

Apply honey on affected area to get rid of bacteria. Or make a facial mask by mixing honey and an egg yolk. Apply it and leave it on your skin for 20 minutes.

2. Dark Circles Under Eyes

Mix equal parts of honey and almond oil. Apply on the affected area every night before going to bed. Wash your face in the morning.

3. Luscious Lips

Dab your lips with honey to keep them  soft, plump and tasty sweet. To exfoliate and take away chapping brush your lips GENTLY, after brushing your teeth.

4. Glowing Skin

This is great for circulation and works on your face as well as on your body. Apply honey on your skin and pat dry using both hands. While patting your skin, the honey will get sticky and gently pull up your skin. When you are done get in the shower and rinse it off.

5. Hair Growth

Ancient Ayurvedic texts say that a mixture of honey and alcohol can be used to promote hair growth. Also a paste made of hot olive oil, one tablespoon of honey, one teaspoon of cinnamon powder that you apply to the area or scalp for 15 min is supposed to stimulate hair regrowth .

6. Weight Loss

Add cinnamon and honey to a cup of water,  boil and let it cool. Drink it on an empty stomach ( first thing in the morning). They say that taken regularly it will reduce the weight of even the most obese person.

7. Wrinkles

Mix 1/2 teaspoon of carrot juice and 1/2 teaspoon of honey. Apply it on face with a cotton ball dipped in a pinch of baking soda. Let it sit for 20 minutes.

Image by: http://www.flickr.com/photos/dnorman/ / CC BY 2.0

I made this bread yesterday as I was on a 24-hour fast. If you’re not used to making bread from scratch you should really give it a try.

It is:

1. easy
2. healthier that store bread
3. cheaper that buying
4. the smell that spreads in the house is heavenly

I fasted yesterday to cut down calories and lose weight . The fast gave me such an energy kick I just had to bake. This is the bread I had for dinner as I ended my fast. Yum.

I never bother with how breads look. It’s the taste that matters. Here it is was my kids who made the rolls and I think they did a pretty good job.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups lukewarm water
• 1,5 teaspoon granulated yeast
• 1 cup unsalted butter
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoons syrup (please chose one without HFCS)
• 3 medium sized carrots
• 2 cup whole wheat flour
• 3,5 cups unbleached all purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons flax seeds (optional)

Add yeast to the water.

Melt butter.

Peel and grate carrots.

Add all dry in a bowl.

Add all other ingredients (except flax seeds)  and mix until the dough is smooth.

Set aside for 40 min.

Split the dough in 15 pieces and make 15 bread rolls.

Put them next to each other on a cookie sheet or oven pan covered with parchment paper.

Set aside for 45 min.

Use a pastry brush to add a little water then sprinkle over the flax seeds.

Bake at 350F (175 C) for 20 min.

When they are done take them apart carefully and let them cool on a rack.