Refreshing Mocktail Moneysaver

As I stroll through the aisles of Whole Foods, one of the trends that has become increasingly popular are the herb flavored waters. And I will admit to having tried them and enjoying them on occasion. But for $2 to $4 a pop (and over $5 at JFK!), I realized I could very easily make my own.

This baby is easy peasy to make and cheap to boot! It also has a number of health benefits! According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, ginger is used to treat stomach issues and inflammation as well as a number of other medical needs. Whole Foods explains that lemons have numerous health benefits including containing anti-carcinogens and act as a natural diuretic.

Remove the tough outer skin from a piece of ginger and use a fine grater or micro-plane to shred the ginger into a pitcher. Using the same grater, grated the zest off of a lemon into the same pitcher. You want to avoid grating the white portion and only grate the yellow zest. You can then juice the lemon or just add slices right into the pitcher. Add cold water, stir and let rest. The amount of ginger and lemon you choose to the ratio of water will depend on your taste entirely. I used one medium ginger bulb and one lemon for my pitcher. If the water is too strong, you can dilute it in your glass by only filling it part of the way with the lemon-ginger water and the rest with plain cold water.

What are some ways you spice up your water during the summer?

Chia Seed Vanilla Pudding

Let me first say that I definitely didn't come up with the recipe on my own. No, I browsed a number of blogs mentioning Chia seeds and puddings before ever embarking on my own experiments. I did some tweaking and came up with this 75 calorie snack.

Chia seeds are this magical food that everyone is talking about lately and I had no idea why... other than they are good for you. It turns out that Chia seeds have been around since the Aztecs who prized Chia seeds like gold. A good source of Omega-3 essential fatty acids, Chia seeds are also chock full of fiber and other nutrients.

Nutritional Information for 1 Tablespoon of Chia Seeds:

• 40 Calories
• 4 grams of fat (1g saturated fat, .25g monounsaturated fat, 2.75g polyunsaturated fat)
• 5 grams of carbohydrates (5 grams of fiber: 1g soluble, 4g insoluble)
• 2 grams of protein
• 6 mg Vitamin C (10% DV)
• 76 mg Calcium (8% DV)
• 1.8mg Iron (10% DV)
• 150mg Phosphorus (15% DV)
• 38mg Magnesium (10% DV)
• 85mg Potassium (2% DV)
• 2,406mg Alpha Linolenic Acid (Omega-3 EFAs)
• 792mg Linoleic Acid (Omega-6 EFAs)
• 294mg Oleic Acid (Omega-9 EFAs)

Amazing stats, right? Why am I just now learning all of this. Chia seeds -- where have you been all my life????

Back to the pudding. What is cool about Chia seeds is that they also act as a thickening agent. When added to the almond milk, they become almost gelatinous with semi-crunchy beads throughout.

Uncovering Food's Chia Seed Vanilla Pudding
Serves One

3 ounces unsweetened Vanilla Almond Breeze
1.5 tbsp pure Chia Seeds
1/2 packet of a Stevia sweetener

Mix together and let sit chill for twenty minutes of up to 24 hours. It will continue to thicken overnight. I enjoy this as a dessert, a snack, or even as part of a morning meal.

Stats for the pudding: 75 calories, 8g fat, 10g fiber, 4g protein

Debaters Dish: Skip the morning coffee and munch on granola?

At debate tournaments, I drink a fair amount of coffee and tea. Waking up before the sunrises and going to bed after midnight can do that to a person. Additionally, my food choices often lack the healthy balance of nutrients that I normally get at home. Luckily, MixMyGranola has found a way to incorporate nutritional enhancers into their custom granola mixes! I will be honest, the first thought upon reading this announcement was that there would be a nasty powder covering the delicious granola I reviewed earlier this year. However, after tasting granola enhanced with caffeine and lucuma, I was proven wrong! While some of the enhancers add flavor to the granola, it was a pleasant addition that was cooked into the product rather than sprinkled over.

With the highest caloric additions being only 13 calories (ginkgo and acai), I am excited to play around with the various enhancements! As someone who packs a snack bag of granola for plane rides, this latest addition to the MixMyGranola customization will allow me to up my nutrients in a delicious and convienint package. Here is the complete list of enhancements from the MixMyGranola Web site:

Caffeine Powder: Skip your Starbucks and have your caffeinated granola instead. A great way to get your morning started!

Organic Pomegranate: Skip the pomegranate juice and get a shot in your granola. A good source of vitamin B5 and antioxidant polyphenols.

Organic Acai Powder: Acai berries are loaded with antioxidants and have a number of other healthy benefits. Oprah would agree!

Organic VitaCherry: This powder contains Anthocyanins, which help protect the body against the damaging effects of free radicals and aging.

Green Tea Powder: Green tea contains polyphenols which are thought to improve health. It also has been shown to reduce cholesterol.

Chlorella Powder: Chlorella contains more chlorophyll per gram than any other plant and is excellent for cleansing the body.

Organic Blueberry: For all those blueberry lovers, add some extra wild blueberry flavor to your mix!

Ginkgo Leaf Powder: Ginkgo has been shown to support mental sharpness and increases blood flow to the brain.

Organic Maca Powder: Maca has been shown to boost energy, endurance and performance. Get a shot and get your day started right!

Gotu Kola Powder: Gotu Kola has been shown to have anti-inflammatory properties and be a circulatory stimulant.

Mangosteen Powder: This superfruit has antioxidant strength and potential impact for lowering risk against human diseases.

Organic Cacao Powder: Want to take your granola mix up another chocolate notch? Add a shot of our Cacao Powder!

Organic Lucuma: Lucuma is an excellent source of fiber and beta carotene. Peruvians also use it to flavor ice cream. Healthy and great flavor!

Spirulina Powder: Spirulina is a blue-green microalgae that is a natural source of essential phytonutrients, protein and amino acids.

Bee Pollen Powder: The supplement known as "the fountain of youth." Studies have shown it increases zest, energy and physical endurance.

Organic Quinoa: This superfood is high in complete protein, meaning that it includes all nine essential amino acids.

UliManaMana: Raw Chocolate Deliciousness

Prevention of heart disease? Reduction in blood pressure? Positive effects on cholesterol? What miracle food does all of this and more?

According to researchers at Harvard University in the Journal of Nutrition and Metabolism, the Archives of Internal Medicine, and the journal of Atherosclerosis research, these are just some of the benefits of consuming raw dark chocolate.

While a raw food diet may not be on everyone's agenda, the health benefits of consuming raw chocolates are being studied by the medical field. Ulimana, a company established in 2005, has promoted these benefits in their line of raw chocolate products that are not only good, but good for you.


According to their Web site:

"UliManaMana is a made up name whose origins come from the 35,000 year old Huna tradition, a Polynesian/Hawaiian science practiced by the aboriginals of that region. In Hawai'i, this teaching was originally called Ho'omana (to make Mana or life force energy) and means Empowerment. The people who practiced these teachings and techniques knew that all power and all life force emanated from the One, I'o, the source of all life-- the source of all energy.

Uli is the name of the goddess from the Huna science who oversees the feminine domain and is also known as the 'Goddess of Serenity'. Mana means life force energy. When you have a lot of Mana, (as in ManaMana), you are healthy and vibrant. When speaking the name UliManaMana you are asking the goddess Uli for the blessing of life force energy and vibrant health. We wanted the name of our company to mean something positive and uplifting. So say it often as you eat our chocolate and have gratitude for the gifts bestowed upon you."

I had the opportunity to try out several of Ulimana's products and I am sold. The truffle (first picture) was super rich and fulfilled every craving for chocolate I had. I enjoyed the small delicacy over the period of an hour because it was so rich I couldn't eat it all at once!

The second item pictured is the Chia Moon Drop. Containing the recently hyped Chia Seed, known for it's amazing nutritional value, these small cookies pack a powerful flavor punch. With a cashew in the center, the date texture and the flavors of the Chia seed and coconut oil as well as hints of vanilla, this new addition to the Ulimana product line is a keeper! The San Francisco examiner recently published an article about the benefits of the Chia seed that is worth checking out. The Chia Moon Drop is one of the tastiest applications of the Chia seed that I have tried in my search for nutritional superfoods.

Finally, I had the opportunity to try Ulimana's hemp brownie. A sucker for baked goods, I was first impressed at the low calorie content for the rich chocolate treat. After three bites, I was even more impressed that my chocolate craving had been satisfied and I could set aside the second half of the brownie for later! According to Finnish research, hemp packs a nutrtional punch with omega-6 to omega-3 ratios that are optimal for our health. Also high in protein and fiber, more research is being done about this powerhouse that has seen much stigma from it's illegal relative attached to it. While you can't get a drug-high from these brownies, you will be on a healthy chocolate high for sure!

You can order Ulimana products from their online store. The cost for these goodies is higher than a supermarket chocolate bar, but between the quality of products and well as the absolute satisfaction in flavor, it is well worth the investment. Rarely have I found a truffle that satisfies me after only a bite or two! Additionally, Ulimana donates 5% of it's proceeds to various non-profit organizations that are listed here.

Nutritional Information:

Raw Chocolate Truffles: 70 calories/4 grams of fat/1 gram of fiber/1 gram of protein
Ingredients: Organic Cacao Powder, Organic Agave, Organic Cacao Butter, Ground Organic Cacao Nibs, Organic Vanilla Beans, Organic Date Sugar, and Celtic Sea Salt.

Chia Moon Drops: nutritional information coming soon!
Ingredients: Organic Dates, Organic Cashews, Organic Chia Seeds, Organic Cacao Powder, Organic Coconut Oil, Organic Coconut Shreds, Organic Agave, Organic Vanilla Beans, and Celtic Sea Salt.

Hemp Brownies: 120 calories/6 grams of fat/2 grams of fiber/2 grams of protein
Ingredients: Organic Cacao Powder, Organic Agave, Organic Cacao Butter, Organic Hemp Powder, Organic Hemp Seeds, Organic Vanilla Beans, and Celtic Sea Salt.

Debaters Dish: The Rush for Garlic Gold and your chance to strike it RICH!!!!

*** WARNING: Reading this post may make you drool. But don't run off and get a towel! Stick with it through the end for a fabulous contest that you won't want to miss!!! Oh but don't drool over the keyboard, okay? ***

When we travel for debate, we sometimes stay at hotels with kitchens. It is during those lucky weekends that the team gets to bond during meal time, preparing great eats and making fabulous memories.

This weekend I brought along a couple of delicious seasonings from Garlic Gold. This all organic company has some of the best employment practices a company can have which is something I respect in a business these days. It also amazed me to learn that this company got started with an 8th grade economics project! But in addition to being such a wonderful company, the folks at Seven Oaks Ranch also produce delicious garlic goodness. From garlic oil to dressing to delicious garlic nuggets, Garlic Gold has captured the hearts of garlic lovers, including this debate coach and Emeril Lagasse whose blog called Garlic Gold the "gold standard!"

With all of the concerns over various germs that are making their way across the globe, traveling across the country means I am focusing on ways to keep my debaters healthy. This means cooking delicious foods loaded with antioxidants. The Connecticut Center for Health reports that garlic has been found to be useful against a number of ailments. Which meant that garlic would be a key component of our meal tonight through the application of Garlic Gold's new seasoning Nuggets.

We decided on grilled chicken with Italian Herb Garlic Nuggets, roasted potatoes with Parmesan Garlic Nuggets, and a salad of baby romaine. However, after a long night of travel, it wouldn't be fair to have just one person do all of the cooking which meant that all of the debaters helped make dinner. So here are the instructions for a delicious, teen friendly meal utilizing a community and health friendly product.

What you will need to duplicate the Debaters Dish dinner:

20 oz raw boneless skinless chicken breast tenders
1 lb baby yellow potatoes
Garlic Gold Parmesan Nuggets
Garlic Gold Italian Herb Nuggets
4 tsp olive oil, divided
1 lb baby romaine lettuce
dressing of your choice

Start by preheating the oven to 475 degrees. Wash the potatoes and halve them. This was Kelsey's job. She was very cautious with the knife and is one of our team captains, so we trusted her with this responsibility.


The next step is to toss the potatoes in olive oil and Garlic Gold Parmesan Nugget seasoning. Justine had to do this in several steps because we were limited on kitchen equipment. She found using a sandwich bag made it easier to coat the potatoes. You will need two teaspoons of oil to coat the potatoes. The amount of seasoning is up to you!


Justine layered the potatoes out on a roasting pan and decided there just wasn't enough of the Garlic Gold Parmesan Nuggets, so she sprinkled a bit more on before placing the potatoes in the oven. The potatoes will need 20 to 30 minutes to roast, stirring halfway through to guarantee even roasting.


Once the potatoes were in the oven, Kaavya got started on the chicken. As one of our seniors, Kaavya will be heading off to college soon and wanted to get her hands dirty by prepping the main course. I stand to be corrected, but this may have been Kaavya's first attempt at cooking chicken on the storetop? She started by pouring one teaspoon of olive oil in the pan and bringing it to medium high heat. While you could use cooking spray to reduce the calories, my students can tell you how important healthy oils are for you. Additionally, our frying pan was not of the best quality and needed the extra lubricant to aide the cooking process. When the oil hated up, Kaavya added half the chicken tenders.


The chicken was seasoned with the Garlic Gold Italian Herb Nuggets and turned several times to allow for even and complete cooking. Kaavya had fun making sure the chicken was seasoned and cooked through.


Remember when I said that the debaters and I were in love with Garlic Gold? And how cooking together creates stories we will tell again? Well Kaavya enjoyed seasoning the chicken, but with extra seasoning beginning to blacken on the bottom of the pan...


The smoke detector went off!!!! The entire team jumped to action after ensuring that the chicken wasn't burning (it wasn't!). From opening the front door to fanning the detector and turning on the vent to opening the windows...


Speaking of windows. Apparently they pop out? They luckily also pop back in... but for a short period of time while the kitchen was airing out, we were worried!

[Thanks for the tip from a seasoned Garlic Gold veteran: "I've cooked a lot of recipes with Garlic Gold, and just be careful not to put the nuggets into high heat conditions for very long... They are already fully cooked and so can burn during pan frying (which is probably why the alarm went off). Better to put on during last 3-4 minutes of cooking." While our dinner was delicious, this would also probably make the flavors POP even more!!!]

While Kaavya finished cooking the chicken, Raghav prepped the lettuce by giving it a good wash. Although packaged lettuce looks clean, you still want to wash it to ensure not germs hopped on in transit.


We then sat down to enjoy a fabulous meal, pictured below. Not to be outdone, Mohit hopped up after dinner to wash up the dishes! Not having to cook AND clean the kitchen is one of the highlights of preparing dinner as a team.


What did I do? Supervised and ate of course! As well as wrote up this review :-)

Chicken and Potatoes (1/5 of recipe): 262 calories/6.5 grams of fat/1.4 grams of fiber/29 grams of protein

Garlic Gold Parmesan Nuggets, per tsp: 10 calories/.9 grams of fat/0 grams of fiber/.8 grams of protein
Ingredients: Organic Garlic, chopped and toasted to CRUNCHY perfection in Organic Extra-Virgin Olive Oil, Organic Parmesan Cheese

Garlic Gold Italian Herb Nuggets, per tsp: 4 calories/.4 grams of fat/0 grams of fiber/.2 grams of protein
Ingredients: Organic Garlic, chopped and toasted to CRUNCHY perfection in Organic Extra-Virgin Olive Oil,blended with a proprietary blend of Organic Italian seasonings

Garlic Gold is available online but also in over 4,000 stores across the country. If you need help locating a store near you, contact the fine folks at Garlic Gold and they can direct you to the loot!

*** Remember when I said you shouldn't leave your seat? Here's your chance to score a fabulous gift pack and 1 ounce samples of Garlic Gold Seasoning Nuggets courtesy of Brian and the Garlic Gold family! ***

Garlic Gold is offering one lucky Uncovering Food reader a chance to own their own Garlic Gold. The prize package will include this gift basket above (which is available for purchase at their online store), as well as one ounce samples of their new flavors of Nuggets (Sea Salt, Italian Herb, and Parmesan). The gift basket description: "The perfect combination for the garlic lover in your family--a bottle of Garlic Gold, 3.75 oz, crunchy Garlic Gold Nuggets and our own Garlic Gold Oil, the besting tasting garlic infused organic extra-virgin olive oil. Attractively packaged and ready to give as a gift. Or, treat yourself!"

How can you win? Read through the contest rules completely before leaving your comment. Comments that do not meet the rules will not be counted.

1. Visit Garlic Gold's Web site and choosing one of their products, post a comment with a recipe you'd like to try that utilizes this golden garlic ingredient. It does not have to be a recipe on their site... get creative and come up with your own use for Garlic Gold! This comment must be left before additional entries will be counted.

2. Post about Garlic Gold and this contest on your blog. Post link or let me know you linked back on this post.

3. Sign up for the Garlic Gold newsletter (it includes discounts and subscriber only specials!). Leave a comment letting me know you are now subscribed!

4. Become an Uncovering Food follower. If you have already done this, or when you do this, leave a comment here.

Entries will close May 10th at 11:59pm PST. Good luck getting in on this Garlic Gold Rush!

Debaters Dish: The Ginger People Products

I am on the road again with my debaters. Excited by having a coach who writes an "awesome blog" (aren't they cute?), my students came up an idea! Each tournament will now feature a blog segment called "Debaters Dish" which will focus on products used during travel and teen friendly recipes and products. With the number of weekends I am on the road with these kids, expect a fabulous selection of topics that are both healthy and helpful!

For those who are not familiar with high school debate: a coach wakes up at 6am on a weekend day, rallies the troops of students dressed in suits into the minivan or sports utility vehicle. We then trudge on to Starbucks or other caffeine equipped location before making our way to a high school or university. It is at these locations where we then coach our students and judge other students through round after round of academically rigorous verbal battle where logic, reasoning and evidentiary support reign supreme. In between rounds, we discuss how to answer new arguments heard in the previous round and we grab quick bites to eat. The tournament usually wraps up well after most people have had dinner, and many have gone to bed. We may grab another bite to eat before heading back to the hotel du jour and preparing for the next day of caring for our charges and coaching for educational and competitive success.

We also have to travel to get to the tournament. Many times by car but also by bus or plane.

Want to know a secret about this coach?

I get motion sick. It isn't pretty!

How, one might ask, does a person who get motion sick in a fast moving elevator handle trapsing around the country while caring for high school students?

When I was in college, the answer to my troubles was to medicate with over the counter and prescription anti-nausea meds. However, since I usually have to drive when the plane lands, and even the non-drowsy meds still knock me out, I needed to find something that would do the trick but leave me energized in the process. I am also not a fan of using medication for things when I can possibly find a natural solution.

Luckily, I did some research on the topic and now I will share it with you. There are a number of studies that exist that suggest ginger may help ease the symptoms of nausea. While it may not work for everyone, and it is recommended you speak with your physician before starting any herbal regime, I decided to test out this theory. Worst case scenario, it doesn't work...?

Over the last two trips, I had the opportunity to test out three products made by The Ginger People that all contain the herb that would save me in my travels. Ginger Chews Original, GinGins, and Gin-Gins Boost can all be found on store shelves near you or can be ordered online. The Ginger People is a family-owned and operated company with factories in the United States and Australia. They specialize in a number of ginger products including juice and baked goods, however their portable individually wrapped ginger candies would serve my needs perfectly as they travel well in a purse and are low-calorie to boot!

Ginger Chews Original: This was my first exposure to ginger candy. This is, as the name implies, a chewy ginger candy. The flavor is incredibly strong with both sweet and spicy notes. I used it instead of gum upon take-off, which both gave me a dose of ginger but also helped with my popping ears. I enjoyed two of them on that flight and was able to endure the turbulance over the Rocky Mountains! There was mild nausea but no where near as bad as previous trips. I am guessing if I had a bit more ginger, it might have helped. These candies come in at 20 calories a piece and contain cane sugar, ginger and tapioca starch. Apparently there are a variety of these chews including apple, peanut, and coffee.

Gin-Gins: These hard candies claim to have double the strength of the original chews. The Ginger People recommending using these as throat lozenge. While they aren't as sweet as the chews, I also think the spice level is more subtle. And as someone who is feeling under the weather today, I am actually enjoying one of these as I type the review. When I used these on a flight, there was no turbulence. However, I was also able to watch a movie en route, which is something I have to normally avoid on planes. Each of these candies contain a half gram of ginger and three candies is only 35 calories. The ingredients are cane sugar, glucose sugar and ginger. I will be dosing these out to students, who after speaking all day sometimes have scratchy or sore throats. It's working for me!

Gin-Gins Boost: Labeled by the company as the "little potion for the motion" this candy is 30% ginger in every small bite. Not as hard as the Gin-Gins, the Boost is slightly chewy but small and oval shaped like it's sibling. It is also a bit spicier, warming your mouth with the complex ginger flavor. While I left the box at home with the calorie count on it (I promise to update in a couple days but I remember it was the lowest in caloric count), the Boost contains cane sugar, glucose, ginger, modified cassava starch, non-hydrogenated palm kernel oil (trans fat free), salt, and soy lecithin. I enjoyed the Boost on Friday and was able to read article after article on the debate topic as well as grade papers on the plane. If that doesn't speak to potency, I am not sure what will.

If you don't suffer from motion sickness, ginger is also touted as having energy boosting properties. A quick google search shows a number of other preliminary studies that claim ginger may be used for a variety of ailments and preventative care. However, no matter what the reason for enjoying ginger, The Ginger People have a variety of candies that are sure to please the palate. I guarentee they will be in my carry on for the remainder of the season!