clean eats Archives - Popcorn and Pandas

Homemade Healthy Applesauce

Last weekend, we went to Apple Dave’s Orchard upstate in Warwick, NY thanks to the invite and recommendation from some of our Brooklyn friends. We had an awesome time got tons of apples as well as pumpkins, listened to music, saw a puppet show, ate food, and enjoyed time with friends. The orchard also had an awesome selection of cider, wine, mead, etc for those who aren’t planning a two hour drive home! I loved that while this orchard was busy, it didn’t seem too overcrowded, the lines were short, you never really had to wait (unless you got to the orchard super late, and there was a line to get in – we got there by noon and it was no hassle). I also loved the small town feel of this orchard, and I would definitely return!

A few years back, I tried my hand at making apple butter. I don’t branch out to make these types of things from scratch often, but the kids were really excited about helping me so this year, I decided to try out applesauce.

Minus the fact that I forgot my food processor was broken and I had to transfer to multiple blenders, it actually ended up being pretty easy to do and the boys even helped me chop up some apples to put in the crock pot!

We added some strawberries to make it a little more interesting, and kept the ingredients healthy! It ended up being darn delicious, and I have to say, I’m pretty proud we pulled it off!

Ingredients:

*8-10 medium sized organic apples peeled and cored – the apples I used were VERY easy to peel. However, the skins have great nutrients and you COULD leave them on if you want to save time

*8-10 organic strawberries sliced (optional)

*1/2 cup water

*Ceylon cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice (I used both) to taste)

*10 second drizzle of raw local honey (optional)

Directions:

Place all of the ingredients in a slow cooker. You can cook on low for 6 hours or I cooked mine on high for 2 hours. At this point the apples will be very soft. I transferred them to a blender/food processor and blend until they are your desired consistency. Voila! You can store in the refrigerator for about 7 days, and you can also freeze it.

Looking back at this, it was pretty easy, and maybe just maybe I will do it again sometime. 😉

Are you heading to the apple orchard this fall? What are you planning to make? Would love to hear your recipes!

XO,

Gina

Easy Soups for Fall

I recently ran a Crockpots + Squats health and fitness challenge, and it had me experimenting a little more in the kitchen! I posted a few photos which had a lot of people asking for recipes, so I decided to put this together to share. I took these recipes from my cookbook called The Italian Slowcooker by Michele Sciolone, but I added a few of my own twists to them as well to make them my own.

First up:

Butternut Squash Soup

Serves 6

1 medium onion, chopped

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 large garlic cloves, chopped

1 large butternut squash, about 1.5 pounds, peeled, seeded, and cut (Mom tip: buy this pre-cut! More expensive, but WORTH saving the time!)

2 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 inch chunks

3 fresh sage leaves or 1 tsp dried

4 cups chicken broth

Salt and fresh ground pepper

olive oil for drizzling

*I also added a can of coconut milk and lots of cinnamon!)*

In medium skillet, cook the oinion in the oil over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until tender, but not browned, about 10 minutes. If the onion starts to color, add a tablespoon or two of water and lower the heat slightly. Stir in the garlic and cook for 2 minutes more. Scrape the mixture into the slow cooker. Add the squash, potatoes, sage, and broth. I also added cinnamon here. If necessary, add water so that the vegetables are covered with liquid (I did not add water, FYI. I just added coconut milk or more broth until it was covered with liquid).

Cover and cook on low for 4 hours or until vegetables are soft when pierced with a fork. Let cool slightly, then puree the soup in a blender or food processor. Season with salt and pepper to taste. I actually added cinnamon on top of mine, and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Voila!

The next soup I made last week was:

Creamy Cauliflower and Potato Soup

Serves 8

2 heads cauliflower, about 1.25 pounds each, trimmed and cut into 1 inch pieces

2 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks

1/4 cup olive oil

4 garlic cloves

3 cups chicken broth

4 cups water

*I replaced some of the water with canned coconut milk instead)*

1/2 cup fresh grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (I used Romano because that’s my jam)

In a large slow cooker, combine the cauliflower, potatoes, oil, garlic, broth, water, coconut milk, salt and pepper to taste. Cover and cook on low for 5-6 hours, or until the vegetables are very soft.

Let the soup cool slightly, then pour into a blender and puree until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Top with a sprinkle of cheese. Boom!

And there you have it!!!!

Two delicious soups for fall!!!

The entire family ate all of this right up. Mom tip: If it’s difficult to feed younger children a pureed soup like this, you can also give them the chunks of veggies before you puree! My little guy devoured them!

Enjoy, and please share below any of your favorite easy soup recipes for fall!

Reminder: TOMORROW I will be announcing the WINNER for the Country Heat Giveaway!!! For your last chance to enter, please visit popcorn and pandas on Facebook before the end of the day!

Make it a great day everyone!!

Transformation Tuesday: Meet Amy

Amy Results Photos

Meet Amy!

Amy is a fellow Brooklyn Mama who I met when both of our oldest sons were born. We have known each other for the past two+ years, and our sons are now going to preschool together. Our younger sons are also around the same age, and it has been so nice to have a friend in the neighborhood who understands what life is like with two boys and going through everything together at the same time!

I was so excited when Amy reached out about joining my next 21 Day Fix group, and with her passion for fitness, I knew she would love it and do fantastic. She has worked so hard, and her results are proof that hard work pays off.

So without future ado…let me introduce Amy!!!

P + P: Tell us about yourself (where you live, family, hobbies, interests, anything else that you would like to include about yourself)

Amy: My family of 4 lives in Kensington, Brooklyn. It’s a small neighborhood by the bottom of Prospect Park. My husband and I have two boys (2 years old and 7 months old). I’m 41. I like to put my age out there. I feel good about where I am in my life and the things I’ve accomplished.

I’ve lived in NYC for 17 years. Initially, I worked in theater, mostly in PR and marketing. I decided to leave my desk jobs and go to beauty school. I started at Arrojo Studio as an assistant 11 years ago and worked my way up to being a Master Colorist/Texture Specialist. I work for an industry leader and have had the opportunity to travel, teach and grow with the company. My work is my passion and I love being creative and helping people look and feel their best. That’s my day job.

My other full time job (my day and night job), is being a mom to my boys. When I’m not at the salon, I’m with my sons. I love the balance of doing both jobs.

P + P: What is your fitness background?

Amy: I lost 35 pounds my senior year of high school and started managing my diet and exercising. At that point, I was hooked and haven’t lost my motivation since. I went to my college’s gym between classes, joined a gym during my first internship and again when I moved to New York. I always made fitness a priority. I took spinning classes, African dance, pilates and even worked out with personal trainers. One trainer was a friend and I worked out with her for over a year. I have always loved weight lifting and cross training. From her, I learned I had to leave my comfort zone to get results. If I thought I could only do 10 pushups, she made me do 15.

P + P: Why did you decide to try the 21 Day Fix?

Amy: Even though I have always been dedicated to working out, I’ve always carried extra weight on my frame. The weight lifting probably made me look even heavier.

I gained 36 pounds carrying my first son. Our birthdays are two days apart and I was determined to get back in shape for my 40 birthday and his 1^st. I did it, and I felt great even though I was already pregnant again. I never got to enjoy my fit self because I gained 30 pounds carrying my second son. When he was 4 months old, I saw a picture of Gina after she completed her first round of the 21 Day Fix and realized I wasn’t nursing my way into skinny jeans. I said to my husband, “I just want to lose 4 pounds. That’s it and I’ll be happy.”

I contacted Gina, bought the 21 Day Fix program and Shakeology and joined her challenge group. I lost 6 pounds the first round.

Since then, I’ve completed 2 more fitness challenges and I’ve lost another 6 pounds (for a total of 12 pounds) and have my muscle and definition back.

P + P: What about the program worked for you? What did you like about it?

Amy: The program is easy to follow. The color coded containers make sense and I don’t feel limited since there are a huge list of food I can choose from. I also started cooking which has been a win for the whole family.

I love the 30 minute workouts. It’s a manageable amount of time when I’m home with my kids. I don’t have to go to a gym to get in shape. I have a yoga mat and weights at home and the 21 Day Fix workout videos make me feel like I’m part of the class. The first time I did a video I could barely make it through, now I’m taking on the 21 Day EXTREME workout for my next round.

P + P: What was tough or challenging for you? (particular workouts? sticking to nutrition? anything else?)

Amy: The controlled portion sizes are my biggest challenge. I had a decent diet before: No processed foods but I ate out a lot, I’d order in, sometimes have a beer with dinner and probably ate twice the portion than I needed.

The clean eating came easily, but eating smaller amounts were very difficult. I found it hard to resist snacks, especially my kid’s snacks. Why are bunny crackers so appealing?

P + P: 12 pounds and 6 inches from your waist is an incredible accomplishment! How did you stay motivated for those 63 days?

Amy: When I started, I wanted to fit back into my old clothes and feel better. After the first round, I looked so different I wanted to keep going. I wanted to look good, but the potential for looking GREAT was so close.

Friends and co-workers started noticing and everyone was enthusiastic and supportive. The 21 Day Fix became fun, like a fitness game.

P + P: How do you feel today and what are your goals moving forward?

Amy: I feel completely different than I did before I started the program. I’m fit, feel healthy and I have energy again. The kind of energy I use to have before having kids. At 41, I never thought that was possible. I assumed people just get more tired as they get older but that’s just not true. Doing this program showed me that if I want it, I can make it happen. I put in the effort and I got the result.

Another thing that still surprises me is how much support I am receiving on my health and fitness journey. My husband, friends and co-workers are cheering for me and I inspired them to change themselves. I’ve learned how gratifying it is to lead others as they get fit. It’s the ultimate way to pay it forward and that’s why I became a coach.

I am so incredibly proud of Amy for her hard work and dedication. As a brand new coach, she has already inspired 9 new people to start their own fitness journey. It’s clear that whatever challenge Amy takes on in life, she goes at it full-on…whether it’s as a Master Colorist/Texture Specialist, a Mama of two, or a Fitness Coach, Amy does it well and with great success! Thank you so much, Amy, for sharing your story here with us!

Hope you are all having a great week so far. It’s been unusually nice outside for February after we just had a major snow storm, but I’m certainly not complaining!!!

XO,

Gina