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An Air Fryer Thanksgiving: 4 Easy Meal Ideas

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When you are living alone or just with one other person, it makes very little sense to plan a Thanksgiving where you will have to make a huge spread.

Thanksgiving prep and cooking comes with its benefits and challenges. You have to marinate things, chop vegetables, decide on the order of baking or frying various dishes. Then you have to make room in the refrigerator for your leftovers.

One benefit that is surely now clear is that you can use your air fryer to create a delicious Thanksgiving dinner for you and your loved one, or just yourself, that will require minimal effort. See these easy meals that you can make in an air fryer to make Thanksgiving easier.

*You might want to use a small aluminum baking pan that you can buy at your local dollar store for these cooking ideas for your air fryer.

Turkey Wings with Juicy Sliced Potatoes

It can take an entire family to finish off a whole turkey. Not to mention, you have to start thawing it out, brining it, and cooking it very early in the morning on Thanksgiving Day. So instead, if you are celebrating Thanksgiving on your own or with one other person, get a couple of turkey wings. If it’s frozen, thaw the turkey out, which should take a few hours, and brine it in some kosher salt and water. Create a seasoning mixture with garlic powder, onion, cayenne pepper, paprika, salt, and pepper and any of your other favorite seasonings. Work it into the meat along with some olive oil and let it sit in the fridge for a while. Cook it for about 30 minutes in a pan to get the juices flowing, then place each turkey wing in your air fryer. Cook on medium at about 300 degrees for 45 minutes to an hour, then increase the temperature as needed so that it has a nice crisp.

If you must have stuffing with your turkey, just cook it quickly in a pan on your stove and then add to the air fryer in the turkey juices afterwards. You can also use the leftover juices in the pan to make a quick turkey gravy using flour or corn starch.

Air Fryer for Thanksgiving

Air Fryer Lasagna

What is lasagna except some pasta, meat, cheese, and sauce that is baked together? Why not bake a small pan of lasagna in your air fryer?

Prepare your lasagna as usual, layering it with sauce, pasta, and cheese, and place it in a small baking pan that will fit in your air fryer. Cook it for about 45 minutes on medium, then increase the temperature as needed so that it has a nice crisp on top.

Grilled Veggies

Chop up a mixture of your favorite veggies to enjoy during Thanksgiving dinner and grill them in your air fryer. So quick and simple. Douse with chicken or vegetable broth along with some olive oil. Keep an eye on the veggies so that they don’t get overcooked. You might even decide to add sliced sausage or kielbasa to the mix—just grill them on medium heat for about 15 minutes beforehand, then add veggies.

Mac and Cheese in the Air Fryer

Transfer your favorite mac and cheese recipe for Thanksgiving into a small pan and bake it in your air fryer. Again, so simple. You just want to make sure that your noodles are 80 percent cooked and all of the ingredients are mixed in before you add them to your small pan.

What else do you think you can make in your air fryer for a single Thanksgiving meal, or just for you and a friend? I’m sure you have some ideas!

Summer Salad Ideas: Cool Cucumber and Red Cabbage Salad

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If you want to make a tart, delicious cool summer salad, try this quick recipe for a Cool Cucumber and Red Cabbage Salad. It’s perfect for those hot summer days when you want something quick and healthy to eat:

1 cold cucumber

1/4 cup of chopped red cabbage

2 tablespoons of red wine vinegar

1 teaspoon of Braggs apple cider vinegar (for its health properties)

A pinch of salt to taste

Slice the cucumbers as thin as possible, preferably with a veggie slicer. Add the cabbage and other ingredients to a bowl that has an airtight lid. Shake it up for a few minutes to ensure the vinegar and salt is distributed evenly. Take off the lid, mix with your fork and enjoy your cool cucumber and red cabbage salad!

Posted by Jade

3 Smoothie Recipes: Green, Red and Pink

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Smoothies are the new go to meal. You can energize your body, especially if you replace a heavy breakfast with a nutritious vitamin packed smoothie. Depending on what you put in your smoothie you can eventually improve your overall health. Here are three smoothie recipes you might want to try (Green, Red and Pink) along with their benefits.

1- Green Smoothie

Ingredients:
* spinach
* celery
* green apple (core removed)
* fresh ginger root (the size of a quarter)
* raw honey or stevia (optional) natural sweetener
* whey protein powder

Benefits of ingredients-
* green apple is high in fiber
* spinach lowers the risk of cancer and is a great source of iron
* celery is a natural diuretic
* ginger is awesome for circulation, inflammation and is a natural pain reliever
* protein powder is a great source of protein that helps rebuild muscle while keeping your appetite satisfied

Red Smoothie

2- Red Smoothie

Ingredients:
* beet root
* raspberries
* fresh turmeric
* ginger
* raw honey or stevia natural sweetener
* whey protein powder

Benefits of ingredients-
* beet roots are great at preventing coronary artery disease, strokes, lowers cholesterol and contains vitamins B3, B5, B6
* raspberries are full of antioxidants, iron, phytonutrients, fiber, magnesium, potassium, zinc just to name a few
* turmeric has antibacterial properties, is a anti-inflammatory and helps detoxify your liver
* ginger is awesome for circulation, inflammation and is a natural pain reliever
* powder is a great source of protein that helps rebuild muscle while keeping your appetite satisfied

3- Pink Smoothie

Ingredients:
* strawberries
* kale
* raw honey or stevia natural sweetener
* cayenne powder (very little needed)
* whey protein powder

Benefits of ingredients:
* strawberries lower homosysteine levels which prevents damage to the inner lining of the arteries, great source of fiber, excellent for diabetics because it helps regulate blood sugar
* kale has a low caloric content, contains vitamins- A, K, C, B6, Manganese, Calcium, Copper, Potassium, Magnesium, helps body to rid body of free radicals, lowers blood pressure
* cayenne powder helps speed up metabolism
* powder is a great source of protein that helps rebuild muscle while keeping your appetite satisfied

 

Posted by Eve

Photo credit: Flickr/idamyrvold

Review: Jack La Lane PJEB Power Juicer Express

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In the past year, I’ve dedicated more time and effort to exercising and eating healthy. I was researching the best ways to consume foods that provide me with natural energy and optimal health. The best way  to accomplish that was to begin juicing. I found the Jack La Lane PJEB Power Juicer Express to be a decent fit for my immediate needs.

Jack La Lane PJEB Power Juicer Express

Benefits
– affordable (can be purchased for under $100 — I got mine on sale for around $70)
– sleek design that fits in with the rest of your appliances
– claims to extract more juice than other juicers on market
– capable of handling a variety of fruits and vegetables very well, and no need to chop them very small

This juicer does a good job of getting most of the nutrients out of my fruits and veggies. It has a large mouth so that it’s not necessary to cut the veggies so small and a convenient spout that you can turn on and off when the cup gets full.

Since I have been using the Jack La Lane juicer on a consistent basis I feel great. Fresh juice gives me a boost on mornings when I’m dragging myself into my day. I’ve even started experimenting with different juicing recipes to break the monotony. However, I have to admit that making these juices are time consuming and messy. I wish that there was some type of self-cleaning mechanism or a more efficient way of delivering the pulp to the emptying cup on this juicer.

So while I encourage anyone who is searching for a decent juicer to give the Jack La Lane PJEB Power Juicer Express a try, I would give it about 3 stars out of 5. I am now researching cold press juicers, which are more expensive but also seem to offer an easier clean up process. Time for an upgrade!

Posted by Jade

 

Review: Yerba Mate Unsmoked Green Energy Tea

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Lately I’ve been testing out an array of teas. I want to gain more energy in a natural way to help me get me through my long days that require a lot of thinking and writing. I’ve opted for energy drinks in the past, but they are full of caffeine, sugars and chemicals. Plus they are expensive to maintain on a smart budget.

So I tried a product called Yerba Mate Unsmoked Green Energy Tea. It can be consumed hot or cold (think of a summertime tea).

Yerba Mate Unsmoked Green Energy Tea

Benefits

  • certified 100% organic & sustainably grown with fair trade
  • provides natural energy, raises metabolism, regulates appetite and aids in digestion
  • full of necessary antioxidants, minerals, amino acids and b vitamins
  • yerba mate’s main ingredient is mateine — it assists with mental and physical stimulation
  • affordable (you can get 24 tea bags for about $4)
  • quick steeping, strong and robust taste

Yerba Mate Unsmoked Green Energy Tea comes from the rain forest of South America and is the national drink in Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay. It’s not my favorite tea, but some days I have a craving for it. The only way I can describe it’s taste is “robust.” I do feel a little burst of energy when drinking it — especially after a couple of cups. The brew can be added to smoothies and other drinks for a quick antioxidant boost.

I would give this Yerba Mate Unsmoked Green Energy Tea a rating of 3.5 stars out of 5.

Posted by Jade

Falafels with Tahini Sauce

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I really love to prepare this dish. Especially, because I am in the process of weaning myself off of meat. A falafel is a traditional Middle Eastern dish that is infused with fresh herbs, spices and garbanzo beans. It is served in a warm pita with lettuce, tomatoes, pickles and drizzled with tahini sauce (Tahini sauce is made from ground sesame seeds). When this dish is made correctly the flavors are a pleasure to the pallet.  This recipe will easily feed a family of four.

Homemade Falafel Recipe

Ingredients
2 pitas cut in half
1 lb canned chick peas drained
2 cloves garlic
1 medium white onion cut in quarters
1/2 cup fresh cilantro or parsley
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 head of iceberg lettuce chopped
1 large tomato sliced
10-20 dill pickle slices

Tahini sauce ingredients
1/2 cup tahini paste
1 small garlic clove grated
Juice of 1/2 lemon
4 Tbs ice cold water
A pinch of salt and black pepper
Place ingredients in a bowl and whisk until smooth. Refrigerate.

Instructions
Begin with a food processor and add all of your ingredients with the exception of the pita, oil, pickles, lettuce, tomato. Blend until smooth. If mixture is loose add a slice of toasted bread and mix it in. In a large non stick fry pan add oil and place on medium high heat. Oil must be hot so be careful. Place your mixture into a large bowl. Now with your hands make meatball size balls and place in the hot oil. Fry on all sides until golden brown. Place finished product on paper towels to absorb excess oil. Then take 1/2 pita that is warm and add lettuce, tomato and pickles. Place your falafel balls on top and drizzle generously with the tahini sauce.

Keep in mind that you can choose to bake the falafels instead of frying them. I personally like to add thinly sliced red onion and prefer  flat bread instead of the traditional pita bread. This falafel recipe can be eaten for lunch or dinner. Enjoy!

Homemade Falafel Recipe
Homemade Falafel Recipe

Posted by Eve