Beet Chips

March 9, 2016March 7, 20168 Comments

Honestly, I had never eaten a beet besides a little taste-test nibble of my mom’s homemade pickled beets. After reading numerous articles raving about the health benefits of beets, I decided it was time I give the root vegetable another chance. I started off slow by adding them to our green juice (now referred to as “pink juice”) then I felt ready to go one step further and make beet chips!

I burnt my first batch, but thankfully the smoke alarm didn’t go off! I felt a bit silly that I had messed up, but I didn’t let it defeat me and I tried again. With a close eye on the oven, I finally achieved a crispy (not burnt!) batch of beet chips.

Paired with a creamy yogurt ranch dip these chips will disappear in no time! They are a delicious side dish to add to your dinner rotation and a great way to increase your consumption of beets! Enjoy!

Beet Chips

Ingredients:

2-3 Beets
2 Tbs olive oil
Pinch of sea salt

Directions:

Wash the beets and cut their stems off
Slice the beets into thin strips using a knife or mandolin
Toss beets slices with olive oil
Spread out evenly on a baking sheet
Sprinkle with salt
Bake at 350˚ for 15-20 minutes (keep an eye on them)
Let cool on a wire rack then serve

Dark Chocolate Sea Salt Popcorn

February 1, 2016January 28, 20161 Comment

After an indulgent holiday season (a.k.a one too many Christmas cookies…) Ian and I dove into an eight week fitness challenge. Sadly, it runs over Valentine’s Day and the typical box of chocolates after a candlelight dinner will have to be skipped.

However, I read between the challenge guidelines and noticed that two things are approved in moderation – popcorn and dark chocolate. So I give you a health conscious Valentine’s Day dessert option – Dark Chocolate Sea Salt Popcorn! It’s the perfect combination, sweet and salty. Plus, you won’t have to feel guilty afterwards. I would say this is a major win, win!

Dark Chocolate Sea Salt Popcorn

Ingredients:

1/2 cup popcorn kernels
One bar of dark chocolate
Sea salt for sprinkling

Recipe:

Use an air popper to pop the popcorn into a bowl
Spread the popcorn into a thin layer on a cookie sheet
Melt the dark chocolate and drizzle over the popcorn
Quickly sprinkle sea salt over the popcorn before the chocolate hardens
Once the chocolate has hardened, break the popcorn apart and place in a bowl to enjoy

Salted Dark Chocolate Shortbread

January 25, 2016January 14, 20163 Comments

Marrying someone with Scottish blood ensures one thing – you will have tea and biscuits in your cupboards. I was never a huge shortbread fan, but these mini salted dark chocolate cookies have changed my mind! Since I have no will power when it comes to anything involving chocolate, these cookies have been reserved for days when we are expecting guests. Otherwise, I fear I would consume the whole batch myself…

If you have been blessed with a stronger will power than myself, feel free to bake a batch and nibble on with a cup of tea or coffee. By using a mini cookie cutter you can create bit size treats to satisfy your sweet cravings.

Feeling generous? Then you can even package up a few cookies to give to a friend or neighbor. I guarantee you will score major friend points with these cookies!