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Food Heaven Made Easy

Black Registered Dietitian Nutritionists | Intuitive Eating Dietitians

    • Jessica

    Holiday Rum Raisin Cake

    by 1 Comment

    What’s everyone doing for the holidays? We know festivities will probably look very different this year, and wanted to share this Rum Raisin Cake to bring some sweetness into your kitchen.

    Raisins are such an underrated ingredient, and we teamed up with California Raisins to highlight why they’re so great for this time of the year!

    Growing up, my mom would add raisins to empanadas, arroz con leche (rice pudding), and habichuelas con dulce (a sweet bean dessert that somehow works hahaha). Raisins are adaptable to a variety of applications – providing flavor, texture and color to any recipe –no wonder why several cultures use them as a staple ingredient during the holidays. California Raisins offer essential nutrients like fiber 7% DV and potassium 6% DV, and you can easily find them in your local supermarket. They contain no artificial flavor, color or preservatives –are shelf stable, and can be enjoyed on its own or in jams, glazes, on ice cream, or in this case, soaked in rum and incorporated into cake!

    Here’s the recipe for the Rum Raisin Cake topped with a rum raisin glaze. SO good!!

    Print
    Rum Raisin Cake
    Course: Dessert
    Ingredients
    • 1 ⅓ Cups California Raisins
    • 1 ¼ Cups Dark Rum
    • 2 Cups All Purpose Flour
    • 1 Teaspoon Baking Powder
    • 1 Tablespoon + 1 teaspoon Cinnamon
    • 1 Teaspoon Nutmeg
    • 1 Teaspoon Ground Ginger
    • 1/2 Teaspoon Ground Cloves
    • 1 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
    • 1 Stick of Butter, softened
    • 1 Cup Brown Sugar
    • Zest of 2 lemons
    • Zest of 2 oranges
    • 2 Teaspoons Vanilla Extract
    • 3 Eggs
    • ¼ Cup Vegetable Oil
    For the glaze
    • 1/3 Cup California Raisins
    • 1/3 Cup Dark Rum
    • 3/4 Cup Powdered Sugar, sifted
    • 1/4 Cup + 2 Tablespoons Milk
    Instructions

    1. Put California Raisins and rum in a small saucepan.  Heat uncovered on low until boiling, about 4 minutes. Turn off heat after boiling, set aside and allow to come to room temperature.

    2. Preheat the oven to 350F degrees. Sift flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, and salt in a bowl, and set aside.  

    3. Place butter and brown sugar, lemon zest and orange zest in a bowl and whip on high speed for five minutes until light and fluffy with an electric mixer. Add vanilla, then add eggs one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula after each addition. Then add the vegetable oil. Mix on high for another three minutes.

    4. Add dry ingredients, in three portions. Scrape down the sides after each addition.  Do not over mix!  Mix just until combined.

    5. Fold in rum and California Raisins with a spatula. Pour batter into the bundt pan and smooth top with spatula. Tap the pan against the table to remove air bubbles and pockets.

    6. Bake for 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pan for 10 minutes on a wire rack.

    For the glaze:
    1. Heat rum and raisins in the microwave for 30 seconds.  Allow to cool to room temperature. Blend milk with California raisins and rum mixture until smooth.  Whisk together with sifted powdered sugar.  Spoon or pipe onto bundt cake.
    Recipe Notes

    **Cake can be served warm. Ideally, invert cake onto a plate, wrap in plastic to mature flavors overnight, and then enjoy with glaze.

    How To Feed Kids Without Losing Your Mind (Even During Covid)

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    Are you a parent who is both burned out by cooking and struggling to navigate food/body issues with your kids?
     
    We can only imagine. To be honest, we have a hard time just feeding ourselves. Throw a family (and homeschooling??) into the mix and we’d likely be on the verge of a nervous breakdown right now. 
     
    Today we’re talking with writer, recipe developer, and co-host of the Comfort Food Podcast, Amy Palanjian, about how parents can come out of 2020 with their sanity somewhat intact.  
     

    Amy Palanjian is a writer, editor, recipe developer, and the founder of Yummy Toddler Food and the author of Food Play, a new cookbook for little kids. Her work has appeared in outlets including AllRecipes, Bon Appétit, Parents, Real Simple, The Kitchn, and Mother.ly. She cohosts the Comfort Food podcast and lives near Des Moines, Iowa, with her husband and three children.

    In This Episode We’ll Cover:

    • How parents can navigate kitchen burnout during COVID
    • Ways to engage with children who have very selective palates
    • Fun ways to involve your children in the cooking process
    • How to raise confident eaters who trust their food choices
    • What to do when other people comment on your child’s body + MORE!

    Resources:

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    • Rate
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    If you enjoyed this episode, please do us a huge favor and leave us a review on iTunes ….right now. The more reviews we get, the higher we are ranked in iTunes, which means we reach more people!

    Become a podcast sponsor:

    Our podcast reaches thousands of engaged listeners each week. If you are a brand interested in becoming a sponsor, contact us to learn more about our affordable rates.

    Connect with us online:

    Our podcast is released every Wednesday and each week we take a deep dive into topics like health at every size, food & culture, intuitive eating, mental health, and body acceptance. If you’re looking for a sustainable and inclusive path to wellness, come hang out with us to learn how to take care of yourself from the inside out.

    My Latest Bedtime Snack Obsession

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    Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Northwest Cherry Growers. Thank you for supporting the work we’re doing at Food Heaven!

    The holiday season is coming up, and the only thing I’m thinking about is SLEEP! Not sure if it’s the weather or being off from work, but during this time of the year, I usually go into hibernation mode and sleep extra long hours. 

    We’ve talked about the importance of sleep before, and how essential it is to our wellbeing. Researchers say that one-third of American workers were not getting enough sleep in 2018, and now, with the pandemic, politics, and uncertainty around the holiday season, those numbers are projected to increase. 

    Here are 3 things I’ve been doing lately to get quality zz’s in every night. 

    1. Be mindful of the foods you eat and how it may affect your sleep cycle. For some people, consuming coffee or other caffeinated foods can disrupt sleep later in the day. And then there’s light from our phones and screens! Foods like sweet cherries are a natural source of tryptophan, serotonin and melatonin, which help to regulate sleep cycles. 
    2. Reading a really boring book or podcast before bed – hahaha It really does help! There’s actually a podcast called Sleep With Me that has been super helpful. The host distracts listeners by sharing bedtime stories in a very monotone voice. I’m usually knocked out within 15 minutes. 
    3. Restorative yoga or stretching in bed. For those of you who don’t have the energy at the end of the day to pull out a yoga mat, doing relaxing movement in bed is an option that can help you wind down, relax, and clear your mind.

    Let’s go back to what we eat. Aside from sleep, consuming cherries also has health benefits related to blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, and stress! Some of my favorite sweet cherry facts include:

    • Sweet cherries help your heart! High blood pressure is a risk factor in heart disease, and studies suggest phenolic acids, found in cherries, have vasorelaxant and antihypertensive effects.

    • Sweet cherries contain anthocyanins, powerful antioxidants that have a hand in reducing cardiovascular disease risk factors.

    • Reduce your stress, one cherry at a time! Cherry phenolics appear to protect neuronal cells from cell-damaging oxidative stress and various studies have shown serotonin is an important neurotransmitter that reduces stress and improves mood. Who doesn’t need a little help reducing stress these days!

    While fresh cherries are available only during the summer months, frozen or preserved sweet cherries are available year-round and are an excellent alternative that allow you to enjoy the health benefits anytime!

    We actually did a post last year highlighting more health benefits of cherries so make sure to check that out! 

    What’s been helping you sleep better lately? Let us know below! 

    How to Build Generational Wealth w/ Jala Eaton

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    Generational wealth is a buzz term we’ve been seeing a lot lately, but what does it actually mean? Today we’re talking with Jala Eaton, an attorney who specializes in estate planning and contract law. She has so much valuable information to share and we had so many questions, so we broke this up into two parts. 

    Jala is an attorney, licensed to practice law in California and specializing in estate planning and contract law. Fueled by her passion to close the racial wealth gap, she became a Certified Trust and Fiduciary Advisor (CTFA) designation and founded On My Own Financial, LLC. A business created to inform, educate, and empower millennials to manage and protect their assets through estate planning and financial literacy.

    Through her business Jala speaks to people of all ages about the importance of understanding money, having a trust, and investing at an early age. She believes small realizations like these will lead to opportunities for more communities to truly build generational wealth giving them the ability to thrive within the economy. Prior to making the leap from the cubicles of corporate America, she worked as a Trust Officer managing the wealth of multi-millionaires.

    In The First Episode We’ll Cover:

    • What estate planning looks like in practice
    • The four most important documents you should consider having
    • The legal implications of not having an estate plan 
    • How Jala’s relationship with money has evolved throughout the years + MORE!

    In The Second Episode We’ll Cover:

    • What generational wealth means and practical ways to build it.
    • Conventional and nonconventional ways to build assets
    • The power of compound interest and how it works
    • Ways to build wealth when we don’t have much money
    • What a trust is and who should consider having one + MORE!

    Resources:

    3 Ways You Can Support The Podcast:

    • Rate
    • Review
    • Support Our Sponsors Using Our Unique “HOOKUP” codes below

    HOOKUP CODES:

    Can you do us a huge favor?

    If you enjoyed this episode, please do us a huge favor and leave us a review on iTunes ….right now. The more reviews we get, the higher we are ranked in iTunes, which means we reach more people!

    Become a podcast sponsor:

    Our podcast reaches thousands of engaged listeners each week. If you are a brand interested in becoming a sponsor, contact us to learn more about our affordable rates.

    Connect with us online:

    Our podcast is released every Wednesday and each week we take a deep dive into topics like health at every size, food & culture, intuitive eating, mental health, and body acceptance. If you’re looking for a sustainable and inclusive path to wellness, come hang out with us to learn how to take care of yourself from the inside out.

     

    Vegetarian Hamburger Helper

    by 2 Comments

     

    Soo I recreated a vegetarian version of one of my FAVORITE dishes growing up. Instead of hamburger meat, we used a plant-based ground meat. If you’re looking for plant-based protein alternatives, Lightlife ground meat is a great option! Made with pea protein, it takes less than 5 minutes to cook and you can store it in the freezer until ready to use.

    My favorite thing about this recipe (aside from the flavor) is that you can cook it all in one pot (I can’t stand a lot of mess). It also reheats really well (!!) making it great if you want to prep it for lunch or dinner for the week. 

    If you have kiddos, they’ll love this. My niece kept commenting that it smelled really good the whole time I was cooking, and she was so excited to eat this for lunch when I was finished. 

    5 from 2 votes
    Print
    Vegetarian Helper
    Ingredients
    • 1 pack of plant-based ground meat
    • 2 tablespoon of olive oil
    • ½ chopped onion
    • 2 cloves of garlic
    • 1 teaspoon of chili powder
    • 1 teaspoon of onion powder
    • ¼ teaspoon of smoked paprika
    • ¼ teaspoon of salt
    • ¼ cup of tomato paste
    • 4 cups of veggie broth
    • 1 1/2 cups of dry uncooked elbow pasta
    • 2 cups of cheddar cheese, can be plant-based
    • Cilantro for garnish
    Instructions

    1. Heat 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil on medium heat, then add onions and garlic. Cook for 2 minutes until onions are translucent in color. Add ground meat, cook for about 3 minutes (stirring every minute or so).

    2. Toss in spices and tomato paste; cook for another 2-3 minutes. Add vegetable broth and then bring to a boil. Once boiling, add pasta, then cook for 8 minutes or until about half the liquid has evaporated, stirring every minute. If it dries out too quickly, add about ¼ cup of liquid at a time to achieve desired consistency (and ensure pasta cooks through)
    3. Reduce to simmer and stir in cheese. Cook for another 2 minutes until cheese is melted. Top with cilantro. Enjoy!

    Bon App Inspired Banana Bread

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    I had some extra bananas and didn’t want them to go to waste, so I searched the web for the best banana bread recipe and of course Bon Appetit Mag was at the top. Did it live up to the hype? YESSS!!

    Sooo simple and sooo delicious. Instead of lining the pan with parchment paper (as per the instructions), I used an AMPLE amount of extra virgin olive oil cooking spray, which made the edges even more crispy. I was still able to get it out of the pan just fine. I also placed a sliced banana on top of the batter and sprinkled with cinnamon before putting in the oven. Added a nice touch.

    I am never putting over ripe bananas in my compost bin again!

    Here’s the recipe w/ my tweaks

    Print
    Banana Bread
    Ingredients
    • Nonstick vegetable oil spray
    • 1½ cups all-purpose flour
    • 1¼ teaspoons baking soda
    • ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
    • 1 cup packed dark brown sugar
    • ⅓ cup plain whole-milk Greek yogurt
    • ¼ cup or ½ stick unsalted butter, room temperature
    • 2 large eggs
    • 4 large very ripe bananas mashed (optional: one extra banana for top of loaf)
    • ½ cup chopped walnuts
    • Cinnamon, optional
    Instructions
    1. Preheat oven to 350°. Generously coat 8½x4½" loaf pan with nonstick spray (they recommend lining with parchment paper leaving generous overhand on long sides, but I didnt do this), Whisk flour, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Using an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat brown sugar, greek yogurt, and butter in a large bowl until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, beating to blend. Reduce speed to low, add flour mixture, and mix until just combined. Add bananas and mix just until combined. Fold in walnuts, transfer to pan. Add sliced banana and cinnamon on top if desired. Bake bread for about 60–65 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool before enjoying.
    © Food Heaven Made Easy