Mixed Nuts & Seeds Florentines Crackers Biscuit

Traditionally, florentines are typically made from nuts (most of the times, hazelnuts and almonds) mixed with sugar melted together with butter and honey, then baked in an oven (Best Selling Smart Oven). However, modern day florentines have evolved to be healthier biscuits (or cookies) or more accurately, thin crackers formed from a mixture of nuts, seeds, egg whites, honey.


Our family version of florentines consists of a mix of sliced almonds, pumpkin seeds, pine nuts, chia seeds, ground flax seeds, sesame seeds, and in replacement of honey, date syrup (I used Organic Just Date Syrup, 1-Ingredient: 100% Organic Medjool Dates)

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Breakfast/ Dessert Yogurt Pudding

What's for breakfast or after-meal dessert (have you tried this One-Ingredient Ice-Cream yet)?

We enjoy breakfast homemade rolled oats muesli (low-sugar muesli/granola option available) with milk (dairy or dairy-free) topped with fresh berries. Feast like a king for breakfast, there is always add-on peanut butter bread paired with coffee.

In the hot summer months (right now!), high fiber breakfast oats gets amped up with bountiful fresh berries and stone fruits. When it gets to cooler months, we comfort ourselves with warm breakfast such as Black Sesame Oatmeal.

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Low-Sugar Nuts Seeds Muesli/ Granola

What did you have for breakfast this morning?

Our family, we enjoy homemade rolled oats muesli with milk (dairy or dairy-free) topped with fresh berries. Feast like a king during breakfast, so there is always add-on peanut butter bread paired with coffee.

In the hot summer months (right now), high fiber breakfast oats get amped up with bountiful fresh berries and stone fruits. When it gets to cooler months, we comfort ourselves with a warm breakfast such as Black Sesame Oatmeal.




How about lunch and dinner,  my friends? We go big with salad bowl meals or lighter with sandwich/wraps.

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High Fiber Breakfast Oats

A typical breakfast oats may occasionally look like this - rolled oats with nuts, seeds, fresh berries; 


and other times, like this - rolled oats with chia seeds, berries, banana, dragon fruit. 


Raise your hand (or both hands) if you consume those banana fibers inside of the banana skin, and if you scrape the dragon fruit from the inside of the skin to get fiber to the max. Say yes to zero waste kitchen, and say no to rising food prices. Some frugal fiber does not hurt our health and wallets.

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Coconut Flour Sesame Cookies Crackers

Recently, our family made use of a Prime Day offer and went on a Amazon Prime 30-day free trial, a great opportunity to test out some of the perks especially free next-day delivery without a minimum purchase. A 30-day trial is a good gauge to find out if Prime is FOR us, will it be relevant for our family needs or just an excessive "feature" - good-to-have but nothing lost if missed. The free delivery service (no minimum purchase vs non-Prime account holders who have to go by a $25 minimum purchase for free shipping) did come in handy when we purchased groceries such as organic rolled oats and organic chia seeds. Prime Day might be over but the Amazon Prime 30-day free trial is still available. Try it for 30 days and if it's not for you, cancel it before it expires.

Likewise, once in a blue moon (mood), I'll go experimental with cookies-baking, just like a trial.

I don't usually bake in restrictive manner but in this case, there is no butter, no egg, no added sugar, so it's vegan. Some skeptics may equate no butter, no egg, no added sugar with no taste but these cookies are great-tasting with natural aroma and flavor from coconut and sesame seeds.

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Roast Broccoli with Cheese and Pistachios

Steaming broccoli is unbelievably fast, no over-cooking, five minutes to perfect tenderness, minimal nutrition loss. That is my go-to when it comes to preparing broccoli. Steamed or blanched broccoli are great with dips (try Broccoli with Sardine-Cheese Dip).

Oven-roasting usually goes longer, about 15mins or more, depending on a few variables e.g. how thick/thin/size of broccoli florets, oven temperature; hence the reluctance and seldom done. What's going to break the rule ?

Say "cheese", smile, go nuts and all will be justified in the oven.


This Oven-Roast Broccoli Steaks with Cheese and Pistachios is a savory cheesy and nutty delicious recipe. Not as easy and quick as steaming of course, but honestly, simple enough for a fancy side-dish. The most "difficult" part might be just to slice the broccoli as thin as possible, just so the cooking time in the oven can be reduced, that's about it. Melty cheese, crunchy nuts atop tender-roasted broccoli, what's not to love.

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Breakfast/ Workout Snack Pita Bread Wrap (Tortilla Wrap Hack)

Type "tiktok tortilla hack" in the search box and be overwhelmed by so many savory and sweet ideas, so many that you will soon run out of tortilla (whatever is already sitting in your kitchen pantry) to cover all grounds. To start with, I belong to one of those who did not even have readily available tortilla in my kitchen when the trend started few months ago; and I am also not one of those who will go out of the way to get tortilla solely for this purpose.


But guess what? I have my regular pita bread, so I am going to conveniently do this experiment. Sweet!

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Persimmon Pomegranate Salad

Following this autumn-worthy Winter Squash and Apples Chicken Salad Bowl , let us continue autumn footsteps with a light and refreshing salad with antioxidants-packed persimmons and pomegranate.

Round-shaped Fuyu persimmons are preferred for this salad as they are sweeter and able to maintain a little firmness and crispness when ripe; compared to the elongated Hachiya persimmon which needs to be absolutely ripe to be sweet (soft when gently pressed on the exterior, sometimes to the extent of being mushy when ripened).

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Tomato, Kale, Almonds Salad

Cruise through summer with this super easy, fresh and flavorful Tomatoes, Kale, Brussel Sprouts and Almonds Salad, especially when you have lost your cooking mojo in the scorching summer heat.


Still think it's a chore? Think no further. Get your favorite store-bought salad blend (mine's from Trader Joes) and make this Cruciferous Crunch Salad with Almonds and Apples.

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Dates Peanuts Energy Snack Bites

Medjool and Deglet Noor dates are good sources of potassium and a form of simple sugars that can be easily consumed after exercise to quickly replenish energy in the body.


Personally, dates as they are, are too sweet (for me) to snack on. But I have found a way to use them in these homemade energy bites as healthy workout snacks e.g. Hazelnut Oats Energy Balls, Pumpkin Seeds Stuffed Dates.

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Hazelnut Oats Energy Balls Nutella-Inspired

Practice makes perfect. Such a comment made after my first attempt making these energy bars. However, since I made these No-Bake Protein Bars (far from perfect, texture-wise), I have not tried making them again, until today.

Today is the day. The day for some homemade energy bites, especially after T passed me some of her homemade peanut butter and chocolate chips energy snacks after our workout session. Thank you, T!

Now, I am "motivated" to make my own homemade energy bites ONE MORE TIME! Not just ONE MORE TIME, but THREE! Yes, practice makes perfect, hopefully.

The first "flavor" will be these Nutella-Inspired Energy Balls.

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Basil Walnut Pesto Mushrooms Pasta

Even the simplest sauté of crimini mushrooms tossed with pesto e.g Basil Walnut Pesto (vegetarians, this one's for you), tastes as delicious as Pesto Chicken and Pesto Salmon.

Do you feel what I feel? (oh, that Christmas song "Do you hear what I hear?" continuously lingering over my ears these days).

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Pumpkin Seeds Stuffed Dates

High-fiber-and-protein, low-fat low-cal snacks such as these No-Bake Protein Bars and Buckwheat Quinoa Flour Bran Banana Muffins are great on-the-go workout snacks.

Today's convenient and portable bite-size snack (or sweet) is Seeds-Stuffed Dates. Though walnut-stuffed dates are widely-seen as the similar, seeds are definitely a feasible (stuffing) alternative.


Besides bananas, Medjool and Deglet Noor dates are also good sources of potassium and a form of simple sugars that can be easily consumed after exercise to quickly replenish energy in the body.

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PBfit Low-Fat-Low-Cal Muffins

Wake up to a healthy start in the morning and power up with this breakfast oatmeal (a combination of homemade muesli and milk, boosted by antioxidants-rich fresh fruits and BetterBody Foods Superfood Blend) and peanut butter on whole-wheat bread.

In our family, we have peanut butter on toast almost every day. Since it is a breakfast staple, a healthier peanut butter like PBfit Powdered Nut Butter - with 87% less fat than traditional peanut butter and 1/3 the calories - makes a great alternative.

Powdered peanut butter also means more versatility in usage; as peanut butter can now be easily added (no more sticky spoons or scoops!) to smoothies and your favorite bakes - cakes, cookies, and muffins.


Imagine...no more waiting (and waiting...) for the creamy peanut butter to drip down slowly the tablespoon, and no more trying to get the last bit wiped off completely from the spoon or scoop!

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Bran Buckwheat Banana Muffins

These muffins may look like regular muffins but they are not your standard wheat-flour, butter-filled sugar-laden muffins.


Using wheat bran, buckwheat and quinoa flour as the alternative flour-base and bananas as natural sweetener, these dense and moist Buckwheat Quinoa Banana Muffins are higher in fiber and protein, which make them healthier and more nutritious than regular muffins.

With coconut flour and coconut oil, these muffins also bakes out with a nice aroma. I definitely enjoy a dense, hearty, healthy and delicious muffin anytime. How about you?

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Easy Homemade No-Bake Protein Bars

Let's tweak the storyline today. Instead of talking about fuss-free ways to cook or, that a dish is healthy and nutritious; how about pre- and post- workout food? Yes, foods that you consume before and/or after exercise.


Research has shown that one of the sweet-spots to boost protein for muscle recovery is about 10-15 minutes after exercise - in the form of snacks/beverages; and no more than 60 minutes in the form of a full-meal (meaning post workout lunch or dinner such as Chickpea-Tuna Quinoa Bowl, Chicken Broccoli with Sweet Potatoes, Avocado, Veggies and Shrimp Bowl, Tempeh and Veggies Salad).

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Celery, Dates, Cashews Salad 西芹甜枣腰果沙拉

"Sweet from dates, sour from lemon, bitter from celery, and salty from Parmesan - this humble salad manages to get all taste buds firing at once." - Bon Appetit

Alright, I omitted everyone's favorite - the cheese; but trust me (or rather, trust Bon Appetit), this salad delivers the flavor punch in crunch.


I was excited to make it after watching the video and adapted it by using my own homemade turmeric dressing. Though I did not add in the cheese for saltiness, the mixed of almonds and cashews and the salted sunflower seeds made up for it. I totally enjoyed this crunch-a-licious salad and see it coming more often into my meals.

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Easy Healthy Homemade Muesli 坚果综合籽燕麦片

First and foremost, I do not know if this can still be called granola because I have skipped the WET process, Yes, no honey, no any-kind of syrup. It is solely made from DRY ingredients - mainly organic rolled oats, nuts (walnuts in this recipe), seeds (sprouted pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds and watermelon seeds), just a little dried fruits (raisins) and ground cinnamon.


Muesli might be a better representation but I toasted the oats (whereas in traditional muesli, the oats are raw, and not toasted). The purpose of toasting the oats is to bring out an extra layer of nutty flavor.

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Purple Cabbage, Orange, Walnut Salad 紫卷心菜橙子核桃沙拉

Purple/red cabbage contains more iron and antioxidants than standard white cabbage. The last time I had purple cabbage was in cooked form e.g. Purple Cabbage Udon Noodles Soup, Purple Cabbage Soup. Today I am going to prepare a summer-ready raw salad with purple cabbage and orange.


This Purple Cabbage, Orange, Walnut Salad is bright and crisp. If you are firing the grill for meat or seafood, this easy-to-make purple cabbage salad will be a great side-dish accompaniment to balance the heavier-tasting grilled food/ barbecue e.g. Kale Hot Dog.

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Pesto Pita Bites 青酱脆饼

Finger-friendly snack bites that will definitely please a crowd and even better, make a crowd envious of this homemade pesto. These pesto pita bites are one of the easiest hors d’oeuvres to make, and they are delectable.


This Italian oil-and-herb sauce with basil's flavonoids and volatile oils - eugenol and rosmarinic acid, boost brain production of dopamine and serotonin therefore lifting up your mood. Basil is also a good source of vitamin K and manganese.


The other healthy ingredient in this pesto is walnuts. This pesto sauce is packed with Omega-3 good fats. Walnuts is a terrific source of protein, but it may not be easy to unlock the energy from the nuts as they are covered in phytates. Phytates is an indigestible plant compound that inhibits our enzymes from fully digesting nuts. By soaking the nuts in purified water overnight, you will rinse away phytates and make the nuts, including the key energy-booster nutrients, more digestible.

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