Health Nuts

Coconut Rice

2012-02-12T21:03:00.000-07:00

Prep Time: 5 minutes Cook Time: 20 minutes Total Time: 25 minutes

Yield: SERVES 4

Ingredients:

2 cups white basmati rice
2 cups good-quality, full fat coconut milk
1 3/4 cups water
2 heaping Tbsp. dry shredded unsweetened coconut (baking type)
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. coconut oil
Optional: 1-2 Tbsp. toasted coconut for garnish (see instructions below recipe)

Preparation:

Rub coconut oil over the bottom of a deep-sided pot. You will also need a tight-fitting lid.
Place rice, coconut milk, water, shredded coconut, and salt in the pot and set over medium-high to high heat. Stir occasionally to keep rice from sticking to the bottom of the pot and burning.
Once the coconut-water has begun to gently bubble, stop stirring and reduce heat to low (just above minimum). Cover tightly with a lid and let simmer 15-20 minutes, or until most of the liquid has been absorbed by the rice. To check, pull rice aside with a fork. If most of the coconut milk-water is gone, go on to the next step.
Replace the lid and turn off the heat, but leave the covered pot on the burner to steam another 5-10 minutes, or until you're ready to eat. Tip: Your Coconut Rice will stay warm this way for up to 1 hour or more, great for when you're expecting company!
When ready to serve, remove the lid and fluff rice with a fork or chopsticks. Taste-test the rice for salt, adding a little more if needed. Serve right out of the pot, or transfer to a serving bowl. This rice is excellent served with a variety of both Thai and Indian dishes--and even just by itself! If desired, top your rice with a sprinkling of toasted coconut and ENJOY!

Veggie & Quinoa Chili

2012-02-11T16:43:00.005-07:00

Basically take any chili recipe and omit the ground beef or sausage for quinoa and veggies (zucchini, celery, and carrots) and extra beans. Cook the quinoa in a separate pot according to package directions while you are starting the chili in a soup pot. Add quinoa to finished chili, add your favorite toppings, and Enjoy!

Breakfast Ideas

2012-02-08T21:37:00.009-07:00

You've heard it before...(and ignored it, I'm sure) Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. I'm a believer.

The most important thing I can say about breakfast is this: If you are one of those people that say, "I'm not hungry in the morning" or "I can't eat that early" you are: a) eating too late at night, and b) dehydrated when you wake up.

First thing in the morning I believe in getting hydrated! I usually do this by drinking alkaline water with powdered sprouted greens, cayenne pepper and lemon juice. You can also simply drink a tall, 16 oz. glass of water upon arising! You can brew up a nice herbal tea! Or you can blend or extract any other zinger of a juice! Lately, we've been enjoying juicing veggies and fruits. The point is to get hydrated first thing in the morning. Period.

Second morning rule: Don't eat anything until you drink at least 1 pint of green smoothie. Blend up your favorite smoothie (remembering to switch things up every day to get a wide variety of nutrients). Before you eat your cooked breakfast, your body needs the enzymes found in your raw green smoothie. This is incredibly important for digestion, anti-aging, assimilation and a host of other vital functions that make you look and feel good!

Now you are ready to eat a hearty breakfast! Here are some great ideas:

Whole wheat toast with coconut oil and almond butter
Oatmeal with cinnamon, nuts, raisins and your milk of choice
Whole grain toast spread with greek yogurt and topped with smoked salmon and capers
Whole wheat baguette sliced open and topped with thinly sliced apples and a pungent cheddar cheese broiled 2-3 minutes
Swiss Muesli (rolled oats, nuts, seeds, dried fruit) soaked overnight in milk, orange juice or yogurt
Greek yogurt with granola and frozen berries
Eggs and veggies wrapped in a tortilla with salsa
Whole wheat waffles topped with any nut butter and applesauce
Our favorite "special" breakfast for birthdays and holidays: whole wheat crepes with fresh fruit and other fun toppings!
Granola with almond milk
A hearty green smoothie with a plant-based protein powder, chia seeds and coconut oil

These are things we eat regularly at our house! (Some of these depend on if I'm pro egg and yogurt that week. I'm a fence sitter when it comes to range eggs and unpasteurized yogurt!)

I hope this converts you to being a breakfast eater. Stop eating late, get hydrated first thing in the morning and then start your day off right with a hearty breakfast!

Comment with your favorite breakfast recipes!

Banana Bread

2012-01-26T19:46:00.002-07:00

Okay, so maybe not the most healthy of things...but better than the traditional and well, we LOVE it! Its so moist and yummy. Mu husband didn't even ask where the cream cheese frosting was. You could probably sub the sugar for something a bit healthier. I just haven't tried it yet.

2 ripe banans
2 lg eggs
1/2 cup low fat vanilla (I use either Greek or homemade)
3/4 cup granulated or turbinado sugar
1/4 cup coconut oil
1 1/2 cup whole wheat flour (I use 1 cup almond flour, 1/2 cup wheat)
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp sea salt

Preheat oven to 350. Blend first six ingredients. Add dry ingredients and slightly blend (not too much). Bake for 50- 60 minutes.

Pecan- Cranberry Quinoa

2012-01-26T19:36:00.002-07:00

1 cup quinoa, rinsed well (soak for a few minutes, then drain in a fine strainer)
1 tbsp. coconut oil
1 clove garlic (or two)
2 cups water
1/2 cup pecans, chopped and toasted under a broiler (or not)
1 orange, red, or yellow bell pepper, diced (my kids do better with them when they are REALLY small)
1/2 cup dried cranberries
2 green onions, chopped (use the green part too)
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
1/2 teaspoon salt

Dressing:
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup fresh orange juice
1 teaspoon grated orange zest
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp agave
1 tbsp dried basil

Saute garlic and oil in saucepan. Add quinoa and stir until toasted. Add the water and bring to a boil. Turn down and simmer for 15 minutes. Blend the dressing ingredients in blender. Toss cooked quinoa, other ingredients, and dressing. Good hot or cold.

From Robyn Openshaws 12 steps to whole food manual

Super Duper Cookies!

2012-01-26T19:27:00.001-07:00

1/4 cup grapeseed oil
1/4 cup agave
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups blanched almond flour
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup walnuts, toasted (or not) and chopped
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut
1/4 cup raisins

In a large bowl combine oil, agave, and vanilla. In a medium bowl combine almond flour, salt, baking soda, walnuts, coconut, and raisins. Stir dry ingredients into wet, mixing thoroughly. Form dough into 1 inch balls and flatten onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes, until golden brown around edges. Cool and serve.

A friend of mine had these at a party one night. After I had freaked out about how good they were (and eaten about 10 of them), she told me they were gluten free, dairy free and sweetened with agave. My fam is in love with them and I don't feel guilty feeding my kids cookies for breakfast!

From elanaspantry.com

How To

2011-11-20T10:49:00.002-07:00

Sundried Tomatoes!

-slice tomatoes (or keep the tiny ones whole) and toss in a bit of garlic olive oil, thyme, and S&P

-spread on a baking sheet and bake at 200° for 4-5 hours, depending how thin you sliced them

Smoothie Template

2011-11-07T13:47:00.010-07:00

With these tips, your kids can love green smoothies too! (he's saying "popeye's spinach")

Every day I try to drink 1 quart of GREEN SMOOTHIE... I like to use recipes to make sure I get a good taste and consistency. Then, with more recipes in my head, it's easier to have success when I'm creating a smoothie from scratch!

Here are two templates for making your own smoothies! The BASIC SMOOTHIE is a perfect one to start with! Sweet and filling, you won't even know there is spinach in it! The EXTRA MILE SMOOTHIE is delicious and will make sure you're starting your morning off right!

BASIC SMOOTHIE

Serves 2

2-4 cups spinach

1-2 bananas

water, juice or nut milk

1-2 cups berries

honey or agave nectar if you need/want

EXTRA MILE SMOOTHIE
Serves 2 quarts (Make your hubby drink a quart too! He will have lots of energy and clarity at work!)

Always add:
2 cups almond milk or clean water
1 cucumber (for alkalinity)
1 avocado (for creaminess)
1 heaping tablespoon high quality, whole food protein powder (recommended protein powder)
1 heaping tablespoon coconut oil
1 teaspoon chia seeds
1 teaspoon flax seeds (or flax oil)
8-10 ice cubes
2 cups of greens

(Choose: kale, spinach, chard, romaine, etc.)

2 cups of fruit
(Choose: berries, apples, pears, oranges etc.)

Optional:
6 medjool dates (or 1 tablespoon honey or agave) for sweetness
1 peeled lemon to mask bitterness
spices (like cinnamon)
fresh herbs (mint, basil, parsley, ginger root)

TIPS:

Use a different kind of greens every day. I keep chard, romaine, spinach and kale in my fridge and rotate. Don't worry, it won't go bad because you are using so much of it! If it does start wilting, wash and freeze it!
Spinach and Romaine are the most mild greens to use. Kale, Chard, Mustard, Dandelion, etc. are much more bitter so you might want to work up to them!
Don't use bananas very often. They can be constipating. (They even caused post-green smoothie stomach aches in me for a while! :( Not fun.) For creaminess, we use avocados and for sweetness, we use dates instead. (I usually save bananas for dessert smoothies.) *Not all smoothies need a sweetener, it depends on the fruit you use.
Fresh herbs are strong tasting and delicious, they mask the flavor of bitter greens. Also, lemon can neutralize those bitter tastes as well.
If you don't have almond milk, you can use 3/4 cup-1 cup raw almonds (preferably soaked overnight) with 2-3 cups water

I LOVE green smoothies. We've been making them for over 5 years now and I can tell you I never feel more alert and energetic than right after I drink my green smoothie! Let me know if you have any questions. Have fun creating something good in your blender, it's always an experiment at our house!

Salad with Maple Syrup Dressing

2011-11-07T13:12:00.002-07:00

My lunch today:

SALAD:

spring mix, leafy romaine, red leaf lettuce, etc. (get some color in there!)

avocado chunks

cucumber

strawberries

feta cheese

slivered almonds

MAPLE SYRUP DRESSING:

(from GreenSmoothieGirl.com)

3/4 cup EVOO

3/4 cup red wine vinegar

6 tablespoons maple syrup

1/2 teaspoons sea salt

1/4 cup brown mustard

1/4 yellow or white onion

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder.

Blend in a high-powered blender until smooth.

Apple Ginger Kale Smoothie

2011-11-07T12:55:00.003-07:00

2-3 fuji apples
1 lemon, peeled
6 medjool dates, pitted
1/2 inch fresh ginger root
2 cups kale
1 avocado
1 cucumber
2 cups almond milk or more
1 heaping tablespoon protein powder (whole food)
1 heaping tablespoon raw extra virgin coconut oil
8-10 ice cubes

Blend up, then add ice cubes and blend until smooth. Yum! Makes 2 quarts.

VitalLivingCentral.com

Peachy Ginger Parsley Smoothie

2011-11-07T12:42:00.004-07:00

2 peaches
1/4 inch slice of fresh ginger root
1 avocado
1 cucumber
1 bunch fresh parsley
2 cups almond milk or more
1 heaping tablespoon high quality, whole food protein powder
1 heaping tablespoon raw extra virgin coconut oil
8-10 ice cubes

Place all ingredients in a blender except ice cubes. Blend until smooth. Add ice cubes and blend more. Pour into mason jars! Will make 2 quarts or 4 pints. Try to get a quart of smoothie every day!

VitalLivingCentral.com

Tomato Pear Chard Smoothie

2011-11-07T12:38:00.004-07:00

2 cups cherry tomatoes
1 ripe pear
1 fiji apple
1 avocado
2 english cucumber
2 cups swiss chard
2 cups almond milk or more
1 heaping tablespoon raw, whole food protein powder
1 heaping tablespoon raw extra virgin coconut oil
8-10 ice

Place all ingredients, except ice cubes, into high powered blender. Blend until smooth. Add ice and blend. Pour into mason jars and enjoy! Serves 2 quarts or 4 pints.

From VitalLivingCentral.com

Sweet Potato Corn Chowder

2011-10-26T19:30:00.000-06:00

1/4 c millet

1 cup finely chopped onions

2 cloves garlic

1 small poblano chili, seeded and minced

1/4 tsp salt

4-6 cups veggie broth

2 1/2 tsp cumin

1 md. sweet potato, diced

1 potato diced (optional, it just makes it a little heartier)

1/2 red bell pepper, finely chopped

3 cups fresh or frozen corn

salt to taste

lime wedges, finely chopped

cilantro leaves

In a heavy bottom pan, toast the millet until golden brown. Add the onions, garlic, chili, and salt to 1 cup of the stock and simmer for ten minutes until the onions are soft. In a small bowl make a paste with the cumin and a tablespoon of the stock, stir in the pot, and simmer for 2 minutes. Add the sweet potato, and potato (if adding), and the remaining stock (I added close to six cups of stock because it was too thick). Cook another 10 minutes or until soft. Add the bell pepper, and corn and simmer for another 10 minutes or until they are soft. Puree about half of the soup in the blender or food processor and return it to the pot. The soup will be creamy and thick. Add salt to taste and reheat. Garnish as desired.

From Unconventional Kitchen.com

Pumpkin Butter Toast Spread

2011-10-26T12:12:00.003-06:00

Use leftover canned pumpkin to make this tasty spread for toast or pancakes!

Beat together with a mixer on high speed until pale and fluffy.

2 sticks softened, unsalted butter
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons pure pumpkin puree
3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt

The mixture will stay fresh in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. But I have been eating at least 2 pieces of toast with this on it every day... so it probably won't last two weeks!

from Martha Stewart

Apple Cinnamon Smoothie!

2011-10-26T12:09:00.003-06:00

2 fuji apples
6 medjool dates, pitted
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1 avocado
1 english cucumber
4 cups romaine lettuce
2 cups almond milk (or more)
1 heaping tablespoon Manitoba Harvest Pro 70 Hemp Protein Powder (This is just the brand recommended by the recipe source-I use SunWarrior plant-based protein powder, vanilla flavored.)
1 heaping tablespoon raw extra virgin coconut oil
8-10 ice cubes

Put all ingredients into blender, except ice cubes. Blend until smooth. Add ice and blend. Pour into two 1-quart mason jars or 4 16-oz mason jars. (Because mason jars are the best, right?!) Shoot for a quart of green smoothie every day! (This recipe filled my blender to the BRIM! I think next time I'll put half a batch in at a time.)

From VitalLivingCentral.com

Corn Bread

2011-10-17T16:58:00.002-06:00

Combine:
2/3 cup honey
1/2 cup coconut oil (or butter)
2 eggs
1 cup kefir or buttermilk (you can use diary milk kefir or coconut milk kefir)
1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Mix:
1 cup yellow cornmeal
1 cup whole grain flour (plain kamut is excellent in this recipe)
1/2 teaspoon salt

Combine honey and coconut oil in a mixing bowl. Add eggs, kefir and soda.
Mix cornmeal, flour and salt in a small bowl.
Add cornmeal mixture to wet mixture. Stir as little as possible (you don't want to activate the gluten and make your bread chewy instead of crumbly)
Butter (coconut oil works great) glass 8x8 pan or make into muffins.
Bake at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes.

Enjoy and wow your guests!!!

Sprouted Tuna Wrap

2011-09-14T21:23:00.002-06:00

Mix Tuna:
tuna
vegannaise
S&P

Mix Topping:
mashed avocado
diced red pepper
diced celery
dijon mustard
dried dill

Prepare Wrap:
romaine lettuce
sprouted tortilla

Place a tortilla on your plate with a piece or two of romaine on it. Dollop the tuna on the romaine and the topping on the tuna. Wrap it up and love it because it's the best tuna sandwich you'll ever eat!

*Recipe by: Megan McGary (Hey, that's me! I made this up!)

Ginger Smoothie

2011-09-14T21:15:00.005-06:00

Warning: This will give you lots of energy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

1 cup water
1 apple (any variety)
1 peach (any variety)
ginger zest to taste (you probably don't have to zest the ginger in a high-powered blender, but I did just to be sure)
6-8 frozen strawberries

Blend water, apple, peach and ginger in a high powered blender until smooth. Add frozen strawberries for about 15 seconds. Drink and enjoy!

*This is a lot of fruit for one sitting, right? I will down a quart of smoothie if it's mostly green veggies, but these fruity ones are harder to take in one sitting. Split it with your children and husband, or freeze half of it into popsicles. YUM! Then you know there's a healthy, fresh treat waiting for you in the freezer when you need it! Popsicle molds are a must in every smoothie kitchen, I think ;)

Recipe by: Megan McGary (Yes, this is a Megan original!)

Carrot Ginger Soup

2011-08-30T20:56:00.000-06:00

Why I like this soup: It's quick and easy to make. It has only a few simple ingredients that are usually on hand. It fills you up fast. It complements many asian meals. My kids like it.

Serves 6
Serving Size 1 cup
Per serving: 71 calories

4 cups vegetable stock (that's one carton)
4 cups carrots
1 onion, sliced
1/2 cup coconut milk
1 teaspoon ground ginger
3/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon red curry paste (optional--but you should use it because it's good!)

In a pot, saute the onion with a little veggie broth. When the onion is soft, add the rest of the vegetable stock. Chop carrots into 1 inch pieces and add to the soup. Bring to a boil, and then reduce to a simmer. Simmer 20 minutes or until carrots are soft. Add in coconut milk, ginger, salt, pepper and red curry paste. Simmer for 5 minutes. Blend until smooth. Serve hot.

From The Biggest Loser Resort cookbook

Strawberry MInt Smoothie

2011-08-30T20:42:00.000-06:00

3 cups frozen strawberries
3/4 cups water
1 teaspoon honey
1 Red Delicious apple
2 tablespoons fresh mint
1/4 cup almonds
1 drop wintergreen or spearmint essential oil

Coarsely chop the apple (no need to peel or seed). Add to blender. Add the rest of the ingredients and blend until smooth. Serve immediately. (Serves 2. About 265 calories per serving.)

*I bet you could add spinach to this, but I haven't tried it.

From "Faves" by Melissa Chappel

Spring Rolls-Greg's Specialty

2011-08-30T20:38:00.003-06:00

Spring Rolls are one of our favorite meals! Greg is a pro, but I've been around them so much now, I can make them myself and surprise him--yeah!

Mix together in a bowl:
shredded cabbage mix
spring mix lettuce
fresh bean sprouts

Chop:
fresh mint

Slice thin strips of:
red pepper
avocado
carrots
tofu
shrimp
(these are just ideas, you can add anything you want really!)

Heat:
rice paper pieces one by one in a frying pan filled with a small amount of simmering water

Directions:
When the rice paper is softened (But not too soft, they tear easily. And if it's not soft enough it won't stick together. Did I stress you out about the rice paper yet?) Lay it out on a hand towel on the counter. Drop a handful of lettuce mixture, your slices of veggies or tofu or whatever, and a sprinkle of mint right in the center of the rice paper. Roll the top over, then each side then roll it up just like a burrito. Repeat over and over until you make enough for everyone! (And we like to eat 2-4 each!)

Peanut Sauce
This is the "churched up" version. Greg used to make it pretty simply, with just the peanut butter, hoisin, sugar and soy sauce. You can do that too. These extras just make it taste WOW!

Simmer in a pot:
1/3 cup peanut butter
3 tablespoons Hoisin sauce
1/2 teaspoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon agave or sugar
1/2 can coconut milk
5 oz. thai sweet chili sauce
1/2 teaspoon red curry paste

Spoon some peanut sauce on your spring rolls and enjoy a light and healthy meal or appetizer!

Recipe by: Greg McGary (My husband who I have to nail down to get him to write down a recipe! He just wings it and it always turns out delicious!)

Multi-Grain Granola

2011-08-30T20:20:00.003-06:00

Combine in a bowl and set aside:
2 cups rolled oats
3 cups puffed cereal (brown rice, kamut, millet, quinoa)
1 cup sliced raw almonds or pecans
1/2 cup raw cashews
1/2 cup raw sunflower seeds (optional)
2 cups unsweetened large flake coconut
1/4 cup flax seed
3/4 cup raw pumpkin seeds

Sauce:
1/2 cup unrefined, virgin coconut oil
1/2 cup apple juice
3/4 cup honey
1 tablespoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 cup dried fruit (optional)

In a saucepan heat coconut oil, apple juice and honey over low heat until the coconut is melted. Take off heat and add salt, vanilla, nutmeg and cinnamon. Pour warm mixture over oat mixture and stir until moistened. Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper. Spread mixture evenly on sheets. Bake at 350 degrees for 15-25 minutes until just golden. Watch the granola closely, it is easy to burn. Stir occasionally. Remove from oven and cool. (Or dehydrate instead of baking. How long depends on how crunchy or soft you want it.)

*Next time I make this I'm going to try soaking the nuts and seeds overnight. This starts the "sprouting" process and makes them easier to digest and assimilate. You could actually take a few days and fully sprout them which would be great too, I think!

(Desi from Unconventional Kitchen's version of Chef Brad's granola)

Chia Crispy Treats

2011-08-24T20:06:00.002-06:00

Variation HERE (Chia Snowballs)

1 cup peanut or almond butter
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup brown rice syrup, or more honey
4 1/2 cups crispy brown rice cereal (Barbara's brand at health food store is what I use)
1/4 cup chia seeds

MIx all of the ingredients together. Press in an 8x8 pan and refrigerate for about an hour. Store in fridge or freezer.

From my cooking class with Desi from UnconventionalKitchen.com

Almond Joys (variation 2)

2011-08-24T20:02:00.002-06:00

Here is the recipe I used last winter. It is more like almond joy flavored fudge with chunks of almonds.

This new variation is more like almond joy consistency, with a coconut filling and chocolate on top. I think I like this one better!

Filling
3 cups shredded unsweetened coconut
1 1/2 cups almond meal (Grind in a food processor or blender until powdery. Stop before it turns to almond butter.)
1 cup maple syrup (or half agave nectar)
1/3 cup coconut oil
1 tablespoon vanilla (or less, it's kind of strong)
1/2 teaspoon sea salt

Mix together all of the filling ingredients. Spread out onto a cookie tray or glass pan and freeze. While filling is freezing make the chocolate sauce (recipe below). Put whole almonds on top of filling. Drizzle the chocolate sauce over the filling and almonds. Slice around the almonds.

Chocolate Sauce
3/4 cup coconut oil
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 tablespoon vanilla (or less, it's kind of strong)
1/4 cup agave

Soften the coconut oil, add the cocoa powder, vanilla and agave. Whisk together until the ingredients are completely incorporated.

(From my cooking class with Desi from UnconventionalKitchen.com)

Homemade Raspberry Ice Cream

2011-08-24T19:53:00.003-06:00

2 cups almond milk
2 cups coconut milk
1 cup agave
2 cups raspberries
1 tablespoon lemon juice

Blend all of the ingredients except for the raspberries in a high powered blender. Add the raspberries and pulse until they are small bits. Process in an ice cream maker according to the directions.

From my cooking class with Desi at UnconventionalKitchen.com

GREEN Smoothie

2011-08-24T19:46:00.004-06:00

1 1/2 bananas
1-2 cups grapes
1 small pineapple
1/4-1/8 lime with peel (just throw it in there!)
1-2 handfulls spinach
water to desired consistency

Blend in a high-powered blender and enjoy the tangy, tarty, sweety, deliciousness of this smoothie!

From my cooking class with Desi from UnconventionalKitchen.com

Cantaloupe Parfait with Salted Pistachios

2011-08-24T19:44:00.004-06:00

Remove the rind from 1/2 cantaloupe and cut into bite-size pieces. Divide the cantaloupe and 1 pint vanilla ice cream* among bowls. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup coarsely chopped salted roasted pistachios.

*Breyers brand has like 4 ingredients--very good! Or even better: homemake your own ice cream--YUM!

(From Real Simple)

Curried Yogurt Chip Dip

2011-08-24T19:40:00.003-06:00

In a bowl, mix together 1 1/2 cups greek yogurt, 1 tablespoon curry powder, and 1 tablespoon lime juice. Season with salt and pepper. Chill for at least 1 hour before serving.* Serve with sweet potato chips.

*I didn't chill it and it was still good!

(From Real Simple)

Pecorino Party Dip

2011-08-24T19:36:00.004-06:00

Mix together 1 cup sour cream, 1/2 cup grated pecorino, and 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest. Season with salt and 1/2 to 1 teaspoon cracked pepper. Serve with ridged potato chips.

From Real Simple

Hummus and Cucumber Crostini

2011-08-24T15:39:00.002-06:00

Easy appetizer coming right up! And it's delicious too!

Top bagel chips (preferably "everything" flavor)* with hummus and thin slices of english cucumber. Drizzle with olive oil (optional) and season with salt and pepper.

YUM

*I used "everything" flavor pretzel thins

(Recipe from Real Simple magazine)

Banana Oat Muffins

2011-07-21T15:20:00.000-06:00

This makes 6 large muffins or 12 regular size muffins.

Servings: 6
Serving Size: 1 muffin

1 large egg
3/4 cup apple juice
1/2 cup applesauce
1/3 cup dehydrated can sugar
1 cup bananas, diced
1 cup dried cherries
1 cup oat flour
1 cup quick oats
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons cinnamon

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Mix dry and wet ingredients separately. Combine wet and dry ingredients and mix until incorporated. Lightly spray large muffin tins with cooking spray. Fill muffins tins 2/3 of the way full. Bake 15-20 minutes. Let cool and serve.

Per serving: 247 calories, 1 gram fat, 5 grams protein, 54 grams carbohydrates, 4 grams dietary fiber
from The Biggest Loser Resort Cookbook

Energy Drink and Energy Bars

2011-06-27T20:30:00.002-06:00

I want to try these!! For all you athletes out there...

Natural Energy Drink

1 Cup coconut water

1/2 Cup pineapple juice

1/16 tsp sea salt

Nutrition Drink Comparison:

Natural Energy Drink (recipe above)
Sodium - 167 mg
Potassium - 575 mg
Carbohydrates - 27 mg

Gatorade
Sodium - 110 mg
Potassium - 30 mg
Carbohydrates - 14 mg

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Energy Bars
2/3 c. natural peanut butter or almond butter
1/2 c. honey
3 c. regular oats
3/4 c. almonds
1/3 c. raw sunflower seeds

Warm peanut butter and honey. Stir in oats, almonds, and sunflower seeds. Press in a 9x13 pan. Cut in squares and enjoy. Soft and chewy.

Whole Wheat PIzza Dough

2011-04-30T23:21:00.002-06:00

I have never made pizza dough by hand until last night!

Mixing with a wooden spoon and hand kneading were actually much easier than bringing out the KitchenAid, and more rewarding too!

I think I learned more about pizza dough in this one night than I have in the few years I've been making it. What the dough should feel like; what each ingredient does to the batter...the old fashioned way is worth it!

This is the BEST pizza dough recipe! (or so says my husband :) I have yet to find a 100% whole wheat pizza dough that tastes good and isn't like cardboard. This is definitely a recipe that I'm willing to make an exception on and add some white flour--it's pizza, for heaven's sake!

1 TBSP active, dry yeast
1 cup warm water
2 TBSP olive oil
1 TBSP honey
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup white whole wheat flour (plus more for dusting)
1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour

Mix the yeast and water in a small bowl, cover and let stand until foamy.
Mix the oil, honey, salt and yeast mixture in a large mixing bowl.
Add the flour in all at once and stir with a wooden spoon.
Turn the dough onto a floured surface and knead (adding more white whole wheat flour as needed) until dough is moderately stiff and somewhat firm to the touch, about 6 min.
Lightly grease pans. Roll out the dough on a floured surface.
Stretch the dough to fill the pan. Let it rise while you prepare sauce and toppings.
Top with whatever you like!
Bake 425, 15-20 minutes.
Makes one 16-inch medium crust pizza or two 12-inch thin crust pizzas or four 8-inch thin crust pizzas. (Thin crust is the best! My husband is dying over this pizza!)

Carrot Cake Cupcakes

2011-04-24T19:32:00.005-06:00

6 C grated carrot

1/2 C Sucanat

4 Tbsp. flax, ground

11/2 C honey

1/2 C coconut oil

1/2 C applesauce

2 tsp. vanilla

3 C whole-wheat flour (or Kamut, for a lighter muffin)

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

2 Tbsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. nutmeg

1/2 tsp. allspice

1/2 tsp. ginger

1 C golden raisins

3/4 C walnuts, chopped

Add the Sucanat to the carrots to draw out their moisture. Let sit for 45 minutes, then drain off the juice from the carrots. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Meanwhile, in a high-power blender, blend the honey, flax, coconut oil, applesauce, and vanilla. Sift the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and ginger together. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and blend well. Drain most of the juice from the carrots and stir them into the batter. Stir in the raisins and walnuts. Drop the batter by 1/4 C into a greased muffin tin. Bake for 15-20 min. until a toothpick inserted into a muffin comes out clean. (These are good frosted or on their own.)

FROSTING: cream cheese, honey, butter

Figure it out! It’s an experiment every time for me!

OR look at my recipe for Pioneer Cupcakes

See this recipe at our Easter party HERE

*from Green Smoothie Girl's Healthy Holiday Favorites

Egg Salad Sandwiches (a healthier way)

2011-04-24T19:24:00.004-06:00

6 large eggs

1-2 tbsp. mayonnaise or greek yogurt

salt and pepper

a tiny squeeze of lemon juice

2 stalks celery

1/2 bunch chives, chopped

lettuce

whole grain bread

Place the eggs in a mixing bowl. Add the mayonnaise, salt and pepper, lemon juice and chives. Mash with a fork. Add celery and mix in gently. Put on bread with lettuce. Toast your bread if you’d like. Enjoy!

See this recipe at our Easter party HERE

Quinoa Black Bean Salad

2011-02-03T19:03:00.003-07:00

My friend, who is a fellow health nut ;), made this recipe for my family the other night. We started a little 2-family dinner co-op. She brings us dinner on Tuesday, and I bring them dinner on Thursday. It's only been one week and we are both LOVING it so far! I recommend the dinner swap thing--if you can find someone that cooks the same style as you, that is. This recipe was SO delicious!

1 cup quinoa

1 ½ cups water or chicken/veggie broth

½ tsp salt

1 can black beans (rinsed and drained)

½ cup chopped celery

1-2 jalapeños (seeded and finely chopped)

1 clove garlic or 1 tsp garlic powder

1 red pepper sliced thin or diced

1 green pepper sliced thin or diced

1 large tomato (cut into bite size pieces)

1 tsp cumin powder

1 tsp coriander powder

Dressing:

2TBLS lime juice

1/4 cup light virgin olive oil

1 tsp salt

Pepper to taste

Pinch of cayenne pepper or chili powder

Soak the quinoa in water for an hour. ** Rinse several times and drain well. (See note below) Bring water (or broth) and salt to a boil then add quinoa. Cover and let cook 15 minutes (or until moisture is absorbed). Remove quinoa from heat and let sit for 5 minutes, fluff with a fork and set aside.

Sauté jalapeno, garlic and celery in 2 TBLS olive oil until slightly brown. Add green and red peppers and continue to sauté briefly then add cumin and coriander. Cook for 5 minutes.

Combine dressing ingredients and whisk together well. Add dressing, quinoa, beans and tomatoes to the sautéed ingredients. Add salt and pepper to taste. Cook until heated through.

This delicious and healthy filling is good plain or as a wrap in a pita or as a taco in a tortilla with avocados, sliced olives, cheese, green onions and other mexican toppings! Some put salsa on top too.

**This is what the recipe said about soaking quinoa. I've never heard that before, but I'll look into it. In the mean time, here's the reason to soak quinoa if you want to do it!

Quinoa is a seed packed with protein (among lots of other good stuff), but is similar to a grain due to its cooking characteristics. Before cooking, the seeds should be soaked and rinsed to remove their bitter resin-like coating, which is called saponin. Quinoa is rinsed before it is packaged and sold, but it is best to rinse again at home before use to remove any of the powdery residue that may remain on the seeds. The presence of saponin is obvious by the production of a soapy looking "suds" when the seeds are swished in water. Placing quinoa in a strainer and rinsing thoroughly with water easily washes the saponin from the seeds.

A Green Strawberry Banana Spinach "Date" To Remember

2011-01-21T20:27:00.009-07:00

1 1/2 to 2 c. almond milk
1/2 c. frozen raw chopped dates
2 frozen bananas
2c. frozen strawberries
1 large handful of spinach

Blend in blender and enjoy!

Raw Almond Date Balls

2011-01-18T14:08:00.007-07:00

1/2 c. raw almonds, finely chopped
1 c. raw dates, chopped
2 Tbs. water
1 Tbs. raw cocoa powder
1/4c. raw coconut

Place a piece of wax paper on a cookie sheet and set aside. In your blender combine almonds, dates, water, and cocoa powder. The mixture will be very thick, so use a scrapper to transfer to a bowl. (i used a butter knife because it was the closest thing.. probably not the best thing to use in your nice blender!) Roll mixture into small balls. Coat with coconut. Place balls on the cookie sheet and cover with tin foil. Freeze over night. Enjoy!

Makes a dozen

Emily's Salsa

2011-01-16T18:50:00.006-07:00

6 Roma Tomatoes, diced

1/2 Red Onion, diced
1/2 Sweet Onion, diced
1 Green Pepper, diced

1 Yellow Pepper, diced

1/4 c. Cilantro, chopped

1 Lime, juiced

2 Cloves Raw Garlic, minced

3/4 tsp. Salt (or to taste)

1/2 Jalapeno, minced

1/2 tsp. Garlic Powder

1/2 tsp. Onion Powder

Combine all ingredients. This always tastes better the second day.

Raw Ranch Dressing

2011-01-07T14:22:00.010-07:00

1 1/2 cups Raw Pine Nuts

1/4 cup Bragg's Apple Cider Vinegar

1/4 cup Lemon Juice

1/4 cup Raw Honey

8 cloves minced Garlic

2 "sprigs" fresh Rosemary (Fresh Rosemary usually comes on a woody stem. The "leaves" of one large stem makes up one "sprig." Omit the large stem)

1/2 teaspoon Real Salt

1/4 teaspoon Black Pepper

1/4 cup Sunflower Seed Oil

Soak the pine nuts in water for 3 hours. Drain, rinse and blend with the vinegar and lemon juice on high in the blender till the nuts are creamed. Add the honey, garlic, rosemary, salt and pepper. Blend well. Add the oil slowly till it emulsifies.

If you want an herbier taste, add more rosemary.

If you want it sweeter, add more honey.

If you want saltier, add more garlic or vinegar and cut back on the honey.

Use on salads or for dipping!

Use the good, better, best philosophy with this recipe. Regular grocery stores probably won't have raw pine nuts, no big deal. Use whatever honey and apple cider vinegar you already have, or that you want to pay for. Don't stress it! The ingredients listed here are for the best case scenario. It's a good-for-you, delicious dressing no matter if you take it to the good, better or best level, so just do what works for you!

Gotta give credit to: Enlightened Eating - Ruth Holme's Raw Food Journey and Recipes

Salad Bar

2011-01-06T13:43:00.005-07:00

The thing I love about going to a restaurant salad bar is that I don't have to do any work. A plethora of vibrant food is just sitting there begging to be on my plate--and I didn't have to do any dishes! So, about 20 minutes of work today, and now I get to have my own personal salad bar experience whenever I want! I recommend it...

Most of you have heard the wonderful idea that if you wash and cut your vegetables after you get home from the grocery store you are more likely to eat them. Do that too! But in dip-able, munch-able, grab on the go sizes. Make sure your salad bar stuff is smaller and ready for the salad!

Pomegranate Citrus Salad and Poppy Seed Dressing

2011-01-06T13:15:00.006-07:00

Pomegranate Citrus Salad

4 C mixed greens

2 C orange slices, peeled (I used clementines)

1 C pomegranate seeds

1/2 C dried cranberries (I skipped these)

1/2 C pistachios (I used slivered almonds instead)

1/2 red onion, thinly sliced

optional: 1 avocado, sliced

Toss all of the ingredients together. Serve with poppy seed dressing (below) or whatever

dressing you want—get creative!

Variation: Add candied pecans instead of pistachios.

Poppy Seed Dressing

1/2 C extra virgin olive oil

1/2 C white wine vinegar

1/4 C honey

1/4 tsp. paprika

1 Tbsp. poppy seeds

Blend all ingredients except poppy seeds briefly in a high-power blender. Add the poppy

seeds and pulse a couple of times.

(This is me demonstrating how to make this delicious dressing at our first ever, Health Nuts Cooking Demo!)

*I must give credit of course, again, to the GreenSmoothieGirl for this recipe!

Chia Snowballs

2011-01-05T16:06:00.002-07:00

YUM!!

1 C peanut butter (with nothing added)

1/2 C honey

1/4 C brown rice syrup or maple syrup

21/2 C crispy brown rice cereal

1/2 C oats

1-2 Tbsp. chia seeds

optional: 1 C finely shredded coconut

Mix all of the ingredients together except for the coconut. Roll the mixture into balls and

then roll in the coconut. Or, if omitting the coconut, press mixture into an 8x8” pan and

let it sit until soft, about 1 hour.

Note: Chia seeds are a power food. Packed with nutrition, they contain 19-23% protein.

Two ounces of chia seeds will give you more Omega-3 than 13/4 pounds of salmon. Chia

also has three times more flavanol (to fight cancer ) than blueberries.

Credit to: UnconventionalKitchen.com

Guest Post: Gregory K. McGary

2011-01-05T15:39:00.005-07:00

(My husband! Isn't he cute?)

Greg has been making this yummy Raspberry Limeade! It tastes just like something from a fun restaurant except it has incredible health benefits. Ginger, cayenne pepper, mint, lime and raspberries are all raw foods that pack a powerful punch. Each one has different medicinal properties to help your body be it's best--and all while you're enjoying an ice cold limeade! I hope you enjoy it as much as we do at our house. (Pair this with some of Greg's famous popcorn and you've got yourself a treat to remember!)

Limeade Caliente

5 medium limes

6-7 leaves fresh mint

1 TBSP fresh grated ginger

20 drops of cayenne pepper (click HERE to buy a great one from HabeNaturals.com!)

2/3 cup raw cane sugar - or preferred: sweeten to taste with stevia or agave (both are more powerful than sugar, so use much less)

about 10-15 fresh raspberries

Put about a quart of water in. If it needs more, add more. Blend in the blender. Add more or less of anything depending on your preferences. Enjoy the flavor and health benefits!

Vegetarian Chickpea Sandwich Filling

2011-01-05T13:11:00.001-07:00

*Another recipe I found on allrecipes.com

I think it would be yummy stuffed in a pita or on a tortilla. Maybe even just on a bed of lettuce if you don't mash the chickpeas.

Ingredients

1 (19 ounce) can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
1 stalk celery, chopped
1/2 onion, chopped
1 tablespoon mayonnaise
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon dried dill weed
salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Drain and rinse chickpeas. Pour chickpeas into a medium size mixing bowl and mash with a fork. Mix in celery, onion, mayonnaise (to taste), lemon juice, dill, salt and pepper to taste.

Appleberry Smoothie

2011-01-04T17:54:00.004-07:00

This smoothie is so delicious, you won't believe it's healthy!

1 c. cold water

1 red apple, seeds removed

1 c. frozen berry medley (strawberries, blackberries, blueberries, and raspberries)

1 frozen banana

Liquify the apple and water in blender. (making apple juice) Add berries and banana and blend until smooth. ENJOY!

HOT PINK BREAKFAST SMOOTHIE

2011-01-04T16:34:00.008-07:00

*Sam approved!

From Robyn Openshaw, Green Smoothie Girl

I have been drinking this every morning for five years, just because I love it. Raw beets are

an excellent blood purifier, coconut liquid is packed with minerals and electrolytes, and

how many breakfasts do you know that taste great and contain raw carrots and beets?

Makes one quart, a 450-calorie breakfast that has 4 servings of fruits and vegetables, 15

percent plant protein, and good fats in the cashews.

1 1/2 cups coconut liquid (best raw, or from a can, both can be found at Asian markets)

1 large carrot, cleaned and cut in 3 pieces (or 5-6 baby carrots)

1/2 a medium beet, peeled

1/4 cup cashews

1/4 cup chopped dates (inexpensive in bulk foods at a health food store)

2 tsp. vanilla

1 Tbsp. hemp protein powder (optional)

12 frozen strawberries

See my YouTube GreenSmoothieGirl video demos on getting coconuts open easily and

making this recipe. Puree all ingredients except strawberries and hemp protein in

BlendTec at a high speed for 90 seconds. Add strawberries and puree on high until

smooth. Add hemp protein for the last 5 seconds.

My method for opening a coconut:

Cut 1” off the flat with a sharp knife. Using a hammer hitting a screwdriver, poke two

holes in that flat end, the drainage hole being in the softest part if you can see it. Drain

liquid into your BlendTec Total Blender container.

When I’ve collected some drained coconuts in the fridge, my teenage son scrapes the meat

out of the coconut for use later (see chocolate mint pudding recipe in this collection). My

son takes the coconut outside on the cement and breaks it open by putting it in double

plastic grocery bags and smashing it on the cement. For added fun, he sometimes uses a

hammer. He scrapes the meat out and puts it in Ziploc Baggies in the freezer.

Peppermint Fudge

2011-01-04T16:10:00.001-07:00

1 C cocoa powder

1 C agave or pure maple syrup

1/2 C expeller/cold pressed coconut oil

1/2 C chopped nuts (walnuts, almonds, hazelnuts)

5 drops food grade essential oil (peppermint or orange are nice)

Blend cocoa powder, agave, coconut oil and essential oil in food processor of blender until smooth. Spread into a 9”x9” square baking dish. Sprinkle with nuts and freeze until hard (about 2 hours). Cut with a warm knife and then store in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer.

Almond Joy Fudge

2011-01-04T16:09:00.005-07:00

(from my Christmas Card)
You will think that you are eating an Almond Joy when you bite into these.

2 C agave nectar

2 C coconut oil

If your coconut oil is solid, place its container in a sink of hot tap water to melt it first.

Then put both ingredients in a high-power blender and add:

1 C raw powdered chocolate (or unsweetened cocoa)

Blend well, then pour the mixture into a bowl and stir in:

2 C shredded coconut

2 C chopped almonds

Pour the mixture into a 9x13” pan, chill 2 hours, and cut into squares to serve.

Baked Kale Chips

2011-01-03T08:02:00.006-07:00

I haven't tried this recipe yet but I thought it looked interesting. If you give it a try let me know how they taste! It is from allrecipes.com

Ingredients

1 bunch kale
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon seasoned salt

Directions

Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a non insulated cookie sheet with parchment paper.
With a knife or kitchen shears carefully remove the leaves from the thick stems and tear into bite size pieces. Wash and thoroughly dry kale with a salad spinner. Drizzle kale with olive oil and sprinkle with seasoning salt.
Bake until the edges brown but are not burnt, 10 to 15 minutes.

Nutritional Information

Amount Per Serving Calories: 58 | Total Fat: 2.8g | Cholesterol: 0mg

Shrek Ice Cream

2010-12-19T19:24:00.009-07:00

Variation of Raw Cinnamon Ice Cream

We just made this tonight for Vee's birthday and everyone LOVED it! We had to make two batches! We ate it with cinnamon bread (from Tom and Gina) and real cinnamon sticks.

10 cinnamon ice cream frozen cubes

(see original ice cream recipe here)

2 frozen bananas

1 C almond milk or coconut milk

2 C spinach

Blend the almond or coconut milk and the spinach in a high-power blender. Add the bananas and frozen ice cream cubes and blend until smooth.

(recipe from Healthy Holiday Favorites)

Raw Cinnamon Ice Cream

2010-12-19T19:17:00.004-07:00

2 cups Coconut Milk

2 cups Almond Milk

2-3 tsp. Ground Cinnamon (to taste)

1 cup Agave

1/2 tsp. sea salt

Blend all ingredients in your blender. You can then transfer the mixture to an ice cream maker and follow the ice cream maker's instructions. Or you can freeze the mixture in ice cube trays and when you are craving ice cream, just blend the cubes with a little bit of almond milk. If it's not thick enough, add regular ice cubes.

(Recipe from GreenSmoothieGirl.com)

The Best Healthy Chocolate Chip Cookie EVER!

2010-11-18T18:19:00.005-07:00

* I got this recipe off of one of my fav sites Trainer Momma. Check it out!

Chocolate Chip Cookies (healthy but you wouldn't even know)

1/2 cup applesauce, unsweetened
1/2 cup honey (I used agave cuz that was all I had)
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon
2 1/2 cup whole wheat flour ( I used white whole wheat flour)
2 1/2 cup rolled oats
2 cups chocolate chips

Mix all ingredients together. Spoon onto cookie sheets sprayed with non-stick cooking spray.

Other mix-in options: raisins, craisins, flax seed, wheat germ, sunflower seeds, walnuts, anything really.
Bake at 350 for 10 minutes.

This batch made 53 cookies. That makes it 88 calories each. Can you believe that?! No butter and so yummy!

Stuffed Acorn Squash

2010-10-14T21:02:00.009-06:00

This recipe turned out really yummy. Dustin and I were both pleased. The kids wouldn't touch it so I made them pasta with parmesan and the squash separate. I kinda just made up my own recipe from a few others on allrecipes.com. Actually, the quinoa part is very much like my other quinoa recipe I have posted. Enjoy!

2 acorn squash

quinoa

zucchini

garbanzo beans

apple

yellow onion

(optional ingredients that I didn't have: garlic, raisins)

garam marsala seasoning or curry seasoning

Cut squash in half and trim a small amount off the bottoms too so they will sit upright in the baking dish. (Optional: sprinkle squash with brown sugar or syrup). Bake in a baking dish, cut side up with a small amount of water in the pan and covered with foil. They take about 45 minutes to cook. While the squash is cooking cook how ever much quinoa you would like, according to the package directions, with vegetable or chicken broth (I used 1 cup quinoa to 2 cups water). In another pan saute onion, apple, and zucchini until onions are translucent. When quinoa is done mix in veggies and garbanzo beans. Add curry powder or garam marsala. Remove squash from oven and fill with quinoa. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese.

Spicy Sweet Potato Soup

2010-10-05T19:32:00.007-06:00

Yippee! Soup weather is here! I have made quite a few in the last 2 weeks. This sweet potato soup is good and good for you. I have made it twice now and Dane said it was like having dessert for dinner! Ian didn't eat but one bite and went for the bread instead. Sadly, my good little eater is going through some phase where he asks for bagels and candy at every meal.

Spicy Sweet Potato Soup

1 yellow onion diced

2 cloves garlic

3 carrots peeled and sliced

2-3 sweet potatos

3-4 cups chicken or vegi broth

1/4 teaspoon each, cardamom, cinnamon, cayenne pepper or paprika, ginger

Salt and pepper to taste.

Bake sweet potato's in oven for 1 hour or until soft. Allow to cool a bit before handling. Meanwhile dice onion and garlic and saute in a large pot with olive oil. Cook carrots on stovetop until soft. Slice sweet potato's in half and scoop out the inside into the pot with onion and garlic. Add cooked carrots and broth. Use an emulsion blender, if you have one, to blend everything until smooth. Or, blend in a blender in batches until smooth. Add more broth if a thinner soup is desired. Add spices to taste at the end. I really enjoy this soup with garlic bread that has been broiled in the oven and then chopped into crouton-sized pieces that can be sprinkled on top of the soup. Also, a dollop of sour cream or plain yogurt is yummy too!

Enjoy!

Feeds 4-6

Crepes

2010-10-03T10:07:00.006-06:00

1 cup flour (half whole wheat, half white whole wheat)

2 eggs (Get them from your neighbors chickens like I do!)

1 cup milk (almond milk or any kind works)

1/4 tsp. salt (Real Salt)

2 TBSP butter

2 TBSP sugar (half honey, half agave)

2 tsp. vanilla

Blend it all up in a blender. Then spread about 1/4 cup thinly on a griddle at about 250 degrees. Flip when the top is not wet anymore. Cook a little more.

Top with FRUIT (raspberries, bananas, blueberries, strawberries, peaches), honey, butter, applesauce, whipped cream, peanut butter, jam, coconut, Nutella, cream cheese, or anything else that sounds good or that you have on hand! (As you can see, with the toppings you can make them as light or heavy as you want.)

Pasta Salad

2010-07-28T18:16:00.011-06:00

1 lb. rotini pasta
salt and pepper
1 bunch asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-in. pieces
2 c. sugar snap peas, cut in half
5 lg. carrots, cut into 1/4-in.-thick coins
2 jars (6 oz.) marinated artichokes, rinsed, drained, and coarsely chopped
1 c. ranch dressing (uncle dan's made from packet)
4 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice

Directions

1. Heat salted water to boiling on high. Add pasta and cook 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, then add asparagus. Cook 2 minutes longer, then add carrots and snap peas. Cook 1 minute longer.

2. Drain well and add artichokes. Transfer mixture to jelly-roll pan. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes.

3. Transfer pasta mixture to large bowl. Add ranch dressing, lemon juice, and 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Toss until evenly coated.

good housekeeping/jennie garth

Fish Tacos

2010-07-26T21:56:00.010-06:00

Seasoning
2 tsp. paprika
1 1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
1 1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. brown sugar
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. onion powder
1/4 tsp. ground cayenne pepper

Tarter Sauce
1 c. mayonnaise
1 Tbsp. dill relish
2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste

Tacos:
6 white flaky fish fillets (tilapia, cod, or halibut)
olive oil
corn tortillas
3 c. lettuce, shredded
1 c. corn, thawed
2 avocados, diced
2 roma tomatoes, diced
1 c. cilantro, chopped
lime wedges

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Brush olive oil on each fillet and lightly season.
3. Place fish on prepared baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes, until fish flakes easily with a fork.
4. Make tarter sauce and prepare remaining toppings while the fish is baking.
4. Heat tortillas for 30 seconds on each side.
5. Flake the fish with a fork.
6. Top each tortilla with tarter sauce, fish, lettuce, corn, avocado, tomatoes, and cilantro.
7. Serve with lime wedges.

Energy Soup

2010-07-14T13:00:00.005-06:00

Are you ready for the greenest smoothie you'll ever drink!?

1 TBSP dulse flakes or kelp
1/2 cup sprouted mung beans
1/2 cup sprouted lentils
1/4-1 apple
organic greens (chard, kale, mustard, dandelion, arugula, collards, spinach, romaine)
handful sunflower sprouts
handful buckwheat sprouts
1/2-1 avocado

Place about 1 TBSP dulse flakes or granulated kelp in Vita Mix. Fill half the blender with purified water. Add 1/2 cup sprouted mung beans, 1/2 cup sprouted lentils, 1/4-1 peeled, cored and seeded apple. Blend. Fill the blender as full as possible with organic greens. Blend. Add a large handful each of sunflower sprouts and buckwheat sprouts. Add 1/2-1 whole avocado and finish blending. (I try to use all of these types of sprouts but usually end up using whatever I have at the time and it works just fine!)

Makes a full blender (8 cups).

Drink 1/2 to 1 blender full every day!! :)

From: The Living Foods Lifestyle by Brenda Cobb

The Blue Banana Smoothie

2010-07-11T13:13:00.003-06:00

1 c. almond milk (i use blue diamond vanilla)
2 bananas, peeled, frozen
1 c. blueberries, frozen
1 large carrot, washed
2 c. fresh spinach, washed (about two handfuls)

Place all ingredients into the vita-mix container in the order listed and secure lid.
Select variable 1.
Turn machine on and quickly increase speed to variable 10, then to high.
Blend for 1 minute or until desired consistency is reached.

Simple Almond Milk

2010-06-24T14:47:00.006-06:00

Ingredients:

1 cup almonds

3 cups purified water

about 4 drops liquid stevia

about 5 drops vanilla

Equipment:

blender

nut milk bag

Soak almonds in water overnight in the fridge. Blend almonds, water, stevia and vanilla in your blender for about 2 minutes. Strain through your nut milk bag into a container for storage (water bottles, mason jars, water pitcher). Squeeze out all the liquid. Drink it up!! (You can save the nut pulp for use in recipes, but I've haven't tried it yet.) *Almonds will last several months in the fridge or up to a year in the freezer.

Did you know that legally ALL almonds sold in stores have to be pasteurized? YES, that means that even if it says RAW on the package, they are not!! Makes you mad, doesn't it? The best place to buy almonds is straight from the farm and there are some good prices online. I bought 25 pounds here.

Frozen Grapes

2010-06-24T10:15:00.011-06:00

This is a delicious, low-fat, and low-calorie treat. They are perfect for kids (and grown-ups) on hot summer days, and are a snap to prepare and "make".

Rinse grapes with cold water and drain off for a few minutes so that excess water drips off. Take grapes off vine and place in individual containers or baggies. Move to freezer and ENJOY about an hour and a half later.

Whole Grain Chocolate Chip Cookies

2010-06-22T15:33:00.011-06:00

3/4 cup rolled oats
1 cup whole-wheat flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup canola oil
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup chocolate chips (ghirardelli milk chocolate)
Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat 2 baking sheets with cooking spray.
Grind oats in a blender or food processor. Transfer to a medium bowl and stir in flour, baking soda and salt. Beat butter in your stand mixer. Add oil, granulated sugar, brown sugar, egg and vanilla; beat until smooth and creamy. With the mixer running, add the dry ingredients, beating on low speed until just combined. Stir in chocolate chips.
Drop the dough by heaping teaspoonfuls, at least 1 inch apart, onto the prepared baking sheets. Bake cookies, 1 sheet at a time, until firm around the edges and golden on top, about 13-15 minutes. Cool the cookies for 2 minutes on the baking sheets, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely. Makes 2 dozen cookies.
eatingwell.com

Romaine Smoothie

2010-05-26T11:40:00.005-06:00

Yield: 4 servings

2 bananas
3 oranges, peeled, quartered
1 head romaine lettuce
4 cups cold water

Directions:

Place all ingredients in blender in order listed. Secure lid. Blend for about 1 minute or until smooth.

Serve immediately.

This recipe comes from a great recipe resource!

Dr, Christopher's Herbal Legacy Recipes

Five B Salad

2010-05-19T22:17:00.003-06:00

(AKA "Not Chuck-A-Rama's Broccoli Salad!")

I love how bright and creative this salad is! Take this to your next potluck...

Ingredients:

2 cups bean sprouts (alfalfa, broccoli, onion or any combo of sprouts)

1 sweet red bell pepper, seeded, deveined and sliced into ribbons

3 cups broccoli florets blanched and well drained (I left them raw)

1/2 cup fresh blueberries

1/2 cup cooked, diced purple beets, well drained (I roasted them for about 35 minutes)

1 purple onion, peeled and sliced into thin rings

1 cup grape tomatoes

1/2 cup pumpkin seeds

Dressing:

1/2 cup oil (olive, avocado, flax, pumpkin or a combo of these--I used half grapeseed and half flaxseed oil)

2 TBSP rice vinegar

3 cloves garlic

6 TBSP tamari (I used Bragg's. Tamari is basically soy sauce.)

Preparation:

Combine all ingredients in a delightful salad bowl because this is a pretty salad! Cover and refrigerate or serve right away. In a small mixing bowl (or shaker bottle is what I love to use), whisk all dressing ingredients until well blended. Serve dressing on the side. *Dressing is a bit salty, don't know what to do about that. We really loved this salad!

Recipe from The Eat Clean Diet Cook Book by Tosca Reno

Nutrition Facts

176 calories/6g protein/8g carbs/3g sugar/14g fat

Stuffed Peppers

2010-05-19T21:49:00.006-06:00

These are simple to make and you can change anything and they will still be good!

Ingredients

water

salt

4 large red bell peppers (you can use any color) Make sure the peppers can sit upright nicely. Remove top, ribs and seeds.

2 cups grain of your choice (I used quinoa, you can use brown rice, wild rice, wheat berries, barley, etc.)

1 tsp olive oil

1 yellow onion, peeled and chopped

1 large carrot, peeled grated

1 cup butternut squash, peeled and diced

3 cloves garlic

2 cups fresh tomatoes, diced and drained

1 can black beans

1 cup corn (fresh or canned)

1/2 cup fresh chopped cilantro

juice of one fresh lime

pepper

Instructions

Cook grain and set it aside.

Preheat oven to 350.

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Place the peppers in the boiling water and cook just enough to soften, about 3-5 minutes. Then place them on a paper towel upside down to fully drain.

In a large skillet, heat oil and saute onion, carrots and squash. Cook for 10 minutes, covered. Add garlic and cook a few minutes more. Next add tomatoes, beans and corn. Cook for 5 minutes, remove from heat.

Add grain and season with lime, cilantro, sea salt and black pepper.

Oil up a baking dish. Place the peppers right side up on the dish and stuff each pepper with filling. Don't pack it too tightly. Bake for 20 minutes, remove from heat and serve immediately. Makes 4 servings. (Mine actually made enough for 5 peppers)

These peppers are their own meal and we loved them!

Recipe from The Eat Clean Diet Cook Book by Tosca Reno

Nutrition Facts

302 calories/11g protein/59g carbs/12g sugar/3g fat *Hello Healthy!

Teriyaki Vegetable Stir-Fry

2010-05-17T18:05:00.002-06:00

2 Tbsp. olive oil

3 carrots, sliced

2 celery stalks, sliced

1/2 red pepper, sliced

1/2 yellow pepper, sliced

1/2 green pepper, sliced

1 yellow summer squash, sliced

1 c. peas

2 c. cauliflower, cut into small pieces
2 c. broccoli, cut into small pieces
1/4 c. red cabbage, shredded
4 Tbsp. soy vay veri veri teriyaki marinade

1 package wel-pac chow mein stir-fry noodles

Heat oil in a large saute pan. Add veggies and saute for 5 minutes. Add marinade and stir often.

Bring 2 quarts water to a boil and cook noodles for 2 minutes. Strain, rinse, and add to veggies.

Cook for another 5 minutes, stirring often.

[Use any veggies or noodles you have on hand.]

Spiced Quinoa

2010-05-16T08:32:00.005-06:00

I found this recipes on allrecipes.com and made it for a dinner party. Everyone thought it was delicious! And it is super healthy too :)

(serves 4)

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
3/4 cup quinoa
1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1 1/2 cups chicken broth or vegetable broth
1 (14 ounce) can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup toasted pine nuts
1/2 cup raisins, soaked in hot water and drained (optional)
Directions
Stir together the olive oil, onion, and garlic in a saucepan over medium heat until the onion has softened and turned translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in the quinoa, curry powder, salt, pepper, cumin, cinnamon, and chicken stock. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer 20 minutes until the quinoa is tender.
Once the quinoa has finished cooking, stir in the drained garbanzo beans,toasted pine nuts, and raisins. Serve warm or cold.

* The raisins make this dish, so add them. I didn't soak them before like it calls for. I didn't have pine nuts but I did add chopped zucchini that I par cooked before adding to the quinoa.

Happy Eating!

Pioneer Cupcakes!

2010-05-09T17:30:00.013-06:00

I got this recipe from my friend, the Progressive Pioneer. She always has something inspiring, educational, interesting, adorable, delicious and unique featured on her blog and I consider myself real lucky to have met her! (anything I substituted is italicized)

2 cups whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon
3/4 cup oil
3/4 cup honey (I used 1/2 c. honey and 1/4 c. agave)
4 eggs (I subbed 4 tablespoons applesauce)
2 cups grated carrot
1 cup unsweetened, crushed pineapple, drained
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
Chunky, unsweetened coconut to sprinkle on top! :)

Mix the dry together, the wet together, then combine them. Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean. (I cooked them on 325 for 30 minutes and Mary thought they could possibly have even gone 5 minutes less) For the frosting, combine cream cheese, butter, vanilla and honey! Leftover frosting is a great fruit dip!

(For frosting I did, 1 cup butter, 16 oz. cream cheese, 3/4 tsp. vanilla, 1 cup honey. I thought it turned out good, but it's just to help those--like me-- who aren't comfortable experimenting!)

*Refined sugar FREE and the cupcakes eaten without frosting are dairy free!

You can also make this recipe into a cake. Use two 9" pans, bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes!

Excellent Homemade Deoderant!

2010-05-04T09:06:00.003-06:00

1/4 cup Baking Soda

1/4 cup Arrowroot Powder

4 T Coconut oil

10 drops of essential oils (grapefruit, orange, or anything that complements coconut)

Mix dry ingredients in a bowl. Heat coconut and essential oils in a small saucepan until melted. Slowly stir oils into dry ingredients mixing well. Pour mixture into a container and set aside to set up. You can also put in the fridge to harden. When ready to use scrap a dime-sized amount onto your fingernail and hold the deodorant under your arm to melt it a little bit and then rub it in. I have used this for about 2 weeks and think it works great! And I don't smell any worse than I usually do. Ha, Ha! Try it!

Strawberry and Greens Smoothie

2010-04-30T08:41:00.005-06:00

I've made this smoothie three times for breakfast this week. It's delicious, nutritious, and very kid friendly!

1 c. water
1 c. soy milk (i use light vanilla silk and add an extra 1/4 cup)
2 c. fresh spinach, washed (about two handfuls)
1 c. frozen strawberries (one large handful)
2 bananas, peeled, frozen

Place all ingredients into the vita-mix container in the order listed and and secure lid.
Select variable 1.
Turn machine on and quickly increase speed to variable 10, then to high.
Blend for 1 minute or until desired consistency is reached.

One thing I found to make eating healthy easier is to be prepared. Take a few minutes and cut all your bananas and wash your strawberries, then freeze them in baggies so they are ready to go.
vita-mix recipe book

All Purpose Cleaner Recipe

2010-04-22T16:01:00.008-06:00

I have a new favorite cleaner! (Thanks to THIS friend) I ditched everything else--except the vinegar and baking soda because I love those too! I keep one in the bathroom, one in the kitchen, and one downstairs. I whip it out a couple times a day for a quick wipe up of floors, counters, toilets, toys, etc. My kitchen and bathrooms have never been cleaner! The fresh smell is my favorite along with the fact that there's no harmful residue! It also kills 99.9% of germs and it's cheap!

Ingredients:
- 3% Hydrogen peroxide.
-Water
-essential oils of lemon, tea tree, and orange
-spray bottle tops

recipe:
Use one 16 oz. hydrogen peroxide bottle half full, and fill the other half with water.

*note: Make sure you use the brown bottle for the container. It looses it's strength when exposed to light.

5 drops of lemon (lemon is an antibacterial, deodorizer and disinfectant)
5 drops of tea tree (tea tree is an antiseptic, antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal)
2-5 drops orange (for scent purposes) You can use any scent that you like. I just gotta have my citrus!

-Shake before use.

Yummy Lentil Soup

2010-04-11T19:37:00.004-06:00

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
1 medium onion, chopped
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 (14 1/2-ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 pound lentils (approximately 1 1/4 cups)
11 cups low-salt chicken or veggie broth
4 to 6 fresh thyme sprigs
2/3 cup dried elbow pasta
1 cup shredded Parmesan

Directions

Heat the oil in a heavy large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, and celery. Add the garlic, salt, and pepper and saute until all the vegetables are tender, about 5 to 8 minutes. Add the tomatoes with their juices. Simmer until the juices evaporate a little and the tomatoes break down, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. Add the lentils and mix to coat. Add the broth and stir. Add the thyme sprigs. Bring to a boil over high heat. Cover and simmer over low heat until the lentils are almost tender, about 30 minutes.

Stir in the pasta. Simmer until the pasta is tender but still firm to the bite, about 8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Ladle the soup into bowls. Sprinkle with the Parmesan, drizzle with olive oil, and serve.

*I made this for a big family party and everyone loved it, even the kids. The best thing about lentil soup is that you can be flexible with the ingredients and it will still turn out good! ENJOY and thanks for letting me be a part of this blog! :)

Multi-Grain Bread

2010-03-26T16:48:00.003-06:00

9-10 Cups Grains
(I usually do about 5 or more ww
1 cup-ish oats processed in blender
½- ¾ cup-ish flax seeds processed in blender
and the rest in white flour)
2-3 T yeast
½ cup nonfat dry milk
3 cups warm water (120-130)
2/3 cups oil
½ cup agave nectar or honey
4 large eggs
4 tsp salt

This is my mom’s feather roll recipe that I adapted to be a multi-grain bread that we LOVE. Mix 5 cups ww flour, yeast and dry milk in large mixer bowl. Add water, oil and honey. Mix well for 1 to 2 minutes. Turn off mixer, cover bowl, and let dough sponge for 10 minutes. Add eggs and salt. Turn on mixer. Add remaining four, (in this case the blended grains and white flour to total 9-10 cups) until dough just begins to pull away from the sides of the bowl. Knead for 5 to 6 minutes. Dough should be very soft and manageable, kind of sticky. Only add enough flour that you can shape the dough, no more. This will keep it from becoming too stiff- stiff dough makes heavy, dry bread. Dough may be used immediately, or covered and stored in the fridge for several days.
Lightly oil hands and countertop. Shape immediately into rolls or loafs. Let rise until very light (almost doubled in size). Don’t over bake. We like to get the pizza stone out and just plunk 2 oval shaped pieces of dough on it to make 2 artisan looking loaves, and then do some in loaf pans as well. You can also save a little of the grains you added (oats and flax) to sprinkle on top and make it look fancy.

Bake: 350˚ 18-25 minutes according to the size of your loaf

YUM!!!

Spaghetti?

2010-03-25T01:08:00.003-06:00

Asparagus

Red Pepper

Wild Rice

"Chick" Patties (Boca brand Bruschetta flavor) *optional

Olive Oil

Garlic (fresh or powder)

Italian Seasoning

Salt

Sauce:

2 Fresh Roma Tomatoes

Tomato Paste

Spinach

Fresh Basil

Garlic

Garbanzo Beans

1. Start the wild rice, it takes a long time.

2. Turn the oven to about 425. Slice red peppers and break off tips of asparagus.

3. Coat jelly roll pan with olive oil. Stir around the red pepper slices to coat in olive oil. Sprinkle with garlic, italian seasoning and salt. Roast for about 20 min. (Meanwhile prepare a pan of asparagus the same way. Flip the red peppers and put back in for 15 or so more minutes. Add the pan of asparagus to the oven and flip after about 10 min. (Asparagus can quickly become yuck-sparagus if they are overcooked!) *I honestly can't remember how long I roasted the veggies so check them!

4. While the veggies are roasting, blend the fresh tomatoes in the vitamix. (Should be watery) Add about 3/4 can of tomato paste, a handful of spinach, as much fresh basil and garlic as you want (LOTS!) and about 1/2 cup of canned or sprouted garbanzo beans. Blend it up! If it is too thick, just add some water.

5. If you want to add the chick patties, just put them in a fry pan with olive oil for about 15 minutes, flipping to evenly cook.

6. The wild rice is the noodle layer, cut the chic patty up and place it on the rice, add a hefty portion of roasted red pepper and asparagus, top with homemade, ridiculously healthy tomato sauce and enjoy!

This was definitely an experiment, but we loved it! Directions are not perfect, so feel free to improvise. Good luck!

Crazy Coleslaw

2010-03-12T11:02:00.003-07:00

1 head red or green cabbage chopped
1 lime
cilantro chopped
1 red pepper
1 chopped carrot
1/2 c. garbanzo beans
1 large tomato chopped
1/2 cup sesame sticks
Annie' s Goddess dressing to taste
salt and pepper to taste
Add all ingredients in bowl and ENJOY! Britton loves the Prophet!

Blue Banana Ice Cream

2010-03-05T17:24:00.006-07:00

Peel and cut four bananas and freeze until hard.
In Vita-Mix put 1/2 c. water or soymilk, then add the bananas and 1/2 c. frozen blueberries
Blend until smooth, top with favorite granola. ENJOY!

Banana Muffins

2010-03-05T10:27:00.008-07:00

3 c. whole-wheat flour
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 c. honey
1 c. applesauce
1/4 tsp. vanilla
4 eggs
4 ripe* medium bananas, mashed
1/2 c. walnuts, chopped (optional)

Preheat oven to 325°. In a medium bowl combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a large bowl, mix honey, applesauce, eggs, and bananas. Mix well. Combine the flour and banana mixture together. Fold in nuts. Pour into greased muffin pans. Bake for 28-30 minutes. Transfer to to a cooling rack. When muffins have cooled, store in an airtight container.
Makes 2 dozen muffins.

*When a banana is yellow with brown spots, it is at its peak of ripeness and sweetest in flavor.

Quinoa Stuffing

2010-03-04T14:20:00.005-07:00

2 c. vegetable broth
1 c. quinoa
Rinse the quinoa, bring broth to a boil, add quinoa and cover reduce to low/med heat. Simmer 15 min or until broth is completely absorbed. While quinoa is cooking saute` in a skillet:
3/4 c. butternut squash finely diced
3/4 c zucchini diced
1/3 c celery finely chopped
1/3 c onion diced
2 tsp. thyme
1 tsp. rosemary
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. sage
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/4 c. vegetable broth
Saute`the veggies until broth is gone and then add quinoa and spices and add another 1/4 c. vegetable broth and saute` until veggies are soft and quinoa becomes soft. Serve and ENJOY!

Blueberry Spinach Smoothie

2010-03-03T16:11:00.014-07:00

1 cup water
2 handfuls organic spinach
2 long organic carrots
2 handfuls of frozen blueberries
1 skinned grapefruit cut 4 ways
1 scoop organic flax powder (optional)
5 ice cubes
Blend in Vita-Mix. ENJOY!

Dutch Oven

2010-03-03T15:48:00.009-07:00

4 potatoes chunked

3 yams chunked

1 large onion chopped
1 red pepper chopped
1 green pepper chopped
1 tbl spoon of Italian seasoning spices
1 tsp of Real Salt
1/3 cup olive oil
3/4 cup water
In dutch oven or roasting pan stir in all ingredients. Cook on 425 for 1 hr stirring once halfway through. ENJOY!

Hawaiian Haystacks

2010-02-25T19:27:00.014-07:00

rice, cooked
peas, steamed
green onions, diced
green bell pepper, diced
celery, diced
tomatoes, diced
pineapple, diced
olives, diced
water chestnuts, diced
low fat cheddar cheese, shredded
chow mein noodles
slivered almonds
your favorite sauce
(braggs amino acids, ranch, gravy, cream of ___ soup)
This is one of my favorite meals for a large gathering. Put each topping in individual bowls and let your guests serve themselves. Leave a comment and let us know how you make your haystacks.

Swexican All Bean Chili

2010-02-24T00:05:00.007-07:00

Feeds about 4 hungry mouths

1 can garbanzo beans

1 can kidney beans

1 can black beans

1 can pinto beans

1 red bell pepper

1 can sweet corn

1-2 cans tomato sauce (depending on desired runnyness)

2 tbsp olive oil

1/2 - 1 onion (depending on individual taste)

1 clove of garlic

2 tsp cumin

Salt (taste to tell :)

Pepper

1/4 cup fresh cilantro

1 tsp crushed redpepper

1/2 lime (juice)

1 tsp chipotle chili

Optional for the brave

1/2 raisins

1 finely chopped green chili (with seeds if you dare)

How to:

Toss chopped onions and red pepper in to olive oil in a large deep pan. Let it sizzle and soften for about a minute. In with all the beans, the tomato sauce and everything else. If you have a lid that's big enough cover it all and let it simmer for about 20 to make the beans nice and soft. Stir every few minutes to get all the spices nicely blended and saturated.

Serve as chili in a bowl with some good bread/chips OR add 1 less can of tomato sauce and use for burritos.

If you're starting from scratch with dried beans make sure you pre soak them and cook individually. Different beans need different treatment. If unsure Google to know exactly what to do.

Addictive Hummus

2010-02-23T23:38:00.010-07:00

Makes about 3 cups

1 can of garbanzo beans

1/2 cup water from canned garbanzo

1 1/2 tbsp Tahini

1/2 Lemon (juice)

1 small clove of garlic

1/4 medium sized onion

1/4 cup fresh parsley

1/4 cup fresh cilantro

1 tsp sea salt

1 tsp cumin

When you buy canned garbanzo beans the ingredients should only be beans, water and salt for healthiest results. Whole Foods house brand is cheap and good.

Keep some of the water from the canned garbanzo to make the hummus smooth and creamy when running it in the blender.

Eat with pita chips/bread, in a wrap, as a dip for your veggies or on a salad.

red pepper hummus

2010-02-23T13:15:00.004-07:00

30 oz of cooked or canned garbanzo beans
1/2 c. water
1 red pepper chunked up
1 tbl. spoon olive oil
1 heaping tbl spoon almond butter
1 tsp cumin
1 clove garlic
the juice from 1 lemon
1/2 tsp salt
Put ingredients in vita-mix, blend until creamy. Serve with favorite healthy chip or cracker.
ENJOY!

Whole-Wheat Pizza Crust

2010-02-20T09:33:00.014-07:00

1 envelope active dry yeast (1Tbsp.)
1 c. warm water
2 3/4 c. whole-wheat flour
1/4 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. olive oil

In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Let stand for about 10 minutes. (until foamy) In a large mixing bowl combine all dry ingredients. Add olive oil and mix well. Add yeast mixture and combine, kneading for about 5 minutes. Transfer dough to a lightly oiled bowl and cover with a towel. Let rise until double in bulk. (30-45 minutes) Place dough on a lightly floured surface and roll into a circle with a rolling pin. Transfer to a lightly oiled pan. Top pizza with your favorite toppings and bake at 450° for about 16-18 minutes. Enjoy!
cuisinenie

Oatmeal Pankcakes

2010-02-19T11:17:00.006-07:00

1 1/2 cup oats
1/2 cup flour (I use whole wheat)
1 tsp baking soda
2 eggs
2 cups buttermilk (I use low-fat)
1 tsp sugar (I use honey or agave nectar & put a little extra in :)
1 tsp salt

Combine oats and buttermilk. Let set 5 minutes. Beat in remaining ingredients. (I just do it in my blender). These are so good they taste like oatmeal cookies, no whole grain pancakes :)

Secret Pal Granola

2010-02-17T18:03:00.005-07:00

Just to warn you…it makes enough for an army. 4-6 pounds of oats is like 28 cups or something crazy like that…I did all the math and wrote it down on my paper (wish I could find it…I’ll try again). Anyway I ended up mixing it together in a 5 gallon bucket cuz I didn’t have a bowl big enough!
Warm slightly and Mix:
1 ½ c. Canola oil (could use olive or grapeseed oil)
½ c. water
4 tsp. Vanilla
1 ½ c. honey- I put 1 cup honey and about 1 cup agave nectar so it was a little sweeter, but the glycemic index isn’t really higher
Add and mix:
3/4 c. sugar- I used jsut 1/2 cup of dark brown sugar or muscovada sugar—they're better for you-- you could replace all of this with agave or honey if you wanted & then there would be no processed sugars in it, it turns out great that way too, just add a little more dry-time or reduce water a bit.
1 tsp cinnamon- I put in a bit more than this- prob 1 1/2 or so
1 tsp. salt
Add:
4-6 pounds rolled oats
2 c. coconut- I put in more—probably close to double I would guess (sometimes I like to put about half of it in the blender and make a powdery sort of a thing with it, then it coats everything else—yum!)
2 c chopped nuts- I used raw almonds and raw cashews and I put in more than double- almost 6 cups I think (used the food processor to chop them)
2 c. wheat germ
1 ½ c. sunflower seeds- didn’t have any, so I didn’t use them (don’t like the flavor as much as almonds and such)
1 ½ c. sesame seeds- I put in flax seeds instead and prob 2 cups of it

Spread on dehydrator trays. Dehydrate until just barely dry (takes 6-12 hours so just check it every once in a while). Break up a couple of times while drying. (Can spread on ½ size bun pans and bake in 175 degree oven until lightly brown). Keep tightly covered. If you use the dehydrator instead of oven it will be a raw cereal—all enzymes intact. Totally good for you. I think that’s all the changes I made we like it with Silk Brand Vanilla Almond Milk or with my mom's canned peaches and milk for a dessert- tastes like peach cobbler-yum! …enjoy! I know my family does. :)

Pico de Gallo and Guacamole

2010-02-17T14:07:00.006-07:00

pico de gallo:
5 roma tomatoes
½ whole large (or 1 small) onion
3 jalapeno peppers
cilantro
lime juice
salt to taste
_____
guacamole:
3 avacados
pico de gallo
lime juice
salt to taste

Preparation Instructions
Pico de Gallo: Chop jalapenos, tomatoes and onions into a very small dice. (Leave seeds in your jalapenos for a hotter pico). Adjust amount of jalapenos to your preferred temperature. Next, chop up a nice-sized bunch of cilantro. Just remove and discard the long leafless stems before chopping. No need to remove the leaves from the stems completely. Place all of these ingredients together in a bowl and give it a good stir.
Squeeze the juice of half of one lime into the bowl. Add salt to taste and stir again.

Guacamole:Start with buttery-soft avocados. Halve them lengthwise and remove the pits. Next, with a spoon scrape the “meat” out onto a large plate. Next, with the bottom of a clean cup (or with a fork) mash the avocados, making sure to leave it relatively chunky. Add just a couple of shakes of salt to taste. Next, add a generous helping of Pico de Gallo. Fold together. Lastly squeeze the juice of half of a lime over the top. Give it one last stir.
pioneer woman

Hoisin Marinated Salmon

2010-02-16T21:21:00.010-07:00

6 Tbsp. soy sauce
4 Tbsp. hoisin sauce
4 Tbsp. olive oil
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 scallions, minced
2 Tbsp. ginger, minced
1/2 tsp. ground pepper
6 salmon portions (I love Schwan's salmon)
Combine all ingredients, except for the salmon, in a ziploc bag. Seal and shake to combine. Add salmon. Put in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes and no more than 6 hours. Thirty minutes before cooking, set salmon out to come to room temperature. Set oven to 375°. Spray a large baking sheet (with tinfoil) with non-stick spray. Place salmon portions on tray, about 2 inches apart. Spoon marinade over top each piece of salmon. Cook for 20-25 minutes. Remove from sheet and place on a serving platter.
Rookie Cookie

Original Bannana Pumpkin Cake (Loaf)

2010-02-16T21:10:00.007-07:00

3 ripe bananas
6 eggs
4 cups sugar
1 ½ cups oil
1/3 cup water
1/3 cup milk or buttermilk
1 #2 ½ can pumpkin
5 ½ cups flour
3 tsp soda
3 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp nutmeg
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp cloves

Cream eggs, sugar and bananas- add oil, water buttermilk and pumpkin. Sift dry ingredients 3 times and add to the above. Add chocolate chips or walnuts if desired.
Bake 350˚ for about an hour
Makes: 4 large loaves, 5 small loaves, or 75 cupcakes
Freezes well
Great with Cream cheese Frosting

How I made it Healthy (this is what I served at my house that night):
This is my grandma’s original recipe that she made for my mom’s wedding cake. My kids LOVE it, but it’s, well, cake. Not so good for you really. So this is what I did…
For the sweetener:
Instead of Sugar I used:
1 cup agave nectar
1 cup honey
½ cup maple syrup
Instead of that much oil I used:
¾ cup applesauce and ¾ cup oil
To make up for all the added moisture I:
Added 2 cups of quick oats (if you blend it up with the first ingredients and then let it soak in them for 5 minutes it softens it nicely)
I either use all whole wheat or ½ whole and ½ white (use ½ cup less if adding 2 cups oats)
I didn’t have 6 eggs once and put in a scoop of Veganaise instead of one and it was awesome.
I add a mixture of chocolate chips. Some milk choc, some naturally sweetened, some bittersweet. Depends on what I have on hand, but the combination seems to be my favorite flavor actually!
I like small loaves better, I cooked it on 335˚ because I knew it would take longer to cook and I don’t like the outer edges to be over-done. (I even ended up turning it down to 325 for the one big loaf that was left in longer)
I hope this wasn’t too confusing. I could have just typed the adapted recipe, but Megan was saying she wanted to learn how to adapt recipes to be sugar-free and I thought seeing it laid out like this would help. Still a dessert, but one that's much better for you...ENJOY!!!

Raw Flax Cereal

2010-02-16T21:00:00.003-07:00

¼ cup each unsoaked flax seeds, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds, almonds, walnuts, filberts….etc
¼ cup unsweetened coconut, or whatever you have
¼ cup raisens, dates, cranberries, etc
3-4 TB date sugar, brown sugar or honey (to taste)
Raw carob powder or cocoa (optional)

For cereal in the morning: Add water before retiring at night and cover the bowl. IN the morning, stir the thickened cereal, adding more sweetener and vanilla if desired, and enjoy!!!

Blend for a pudding, or pie filling, adding vanilla and almond flavorings in the blender!!!

For 72 hour kits: Use only dry ingredients, and pack each single serving in a Ziploc bag with a plastic spoon. Add water the night before and the cereal will be thickened in the morning.
GREAT FOR BACKPACKING AND CAMPOUTS!!

Winter Lentil Soup

2010-02-16T20:41:00.005-07:00

Hands-on time: 20 minutes total time: 1 hour

4 leeks, white and light green parts only
1 bunch kale
1 TB Olive oil
1 28-oz can whole tomatoes, drained
6 cups water
2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into a ½ inch dice
½ cup brown lentils
1 TB fresh thyme leaves
2 tsp kosher salt
¼ tsp black pepper
12 fresh basil leaves
¼ cup (1 ounce) grated fresh parmesan for topping if desired

Slice each leek in half lengthwise, then slice each half into ¼ inch half-moons (about 2 cups). Place in large bowl of cold water and swish to remove any grit. Drain and pat dry. Remove the stems from the kale. Stack the leaves on top of one another and slice them crosswise into ½ inch wide strips—you’ll need 3 cups. Heat the oil in saucepan over medium heat. Add the leeks and cook for 3 minutes. Add the water and bring to a boil. Stir in the kale, sweet potatoes, lentils, thyme, salt, pepper, and basil (if using). Simmer until the lentils are tender, about 30 minutes. Spoon into bowls and top with parmesan if using.

My variation:
I used low sodium chicken broth for most of the water and it added a lot of depth to the flavor. We aren’t tomato people, so I put in about half the amount of tomatoes and it was SOOO yum. My grocery store didn’t have brown lentils and I had red on hand so I used those. They certainly didn’t take 30 minutes to cook. It got done much faster. I use one sweet potato and one yam. My whole family and everyone I have shared this with absolutely LOVES this soup. (even Nick and he’s not a soup guy) It totally takes you by surprise. Hope you enjoy!

Colorful Fajitas

2010-02-16T12:22:00.007-07:00

Marinade
1/4 c. fresh lime juice
1 Tbsp. honey
1/4 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. chili powder
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/2 c. olive oil

Veggies
1 green bell pepper, seeded and sliced into strips
1 red bell pepper, seeded and sliced into strips
3 carrots, sliced
1 red onion, thinly sliced
2 small bushels broccoli, chopped
1 head cauliflower, chopped
3 mushrooms, sliced

Combine Veggies and Marinade in a large bowl. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.
In a skillet, heat 2 Tbs. olive oil. Cook veggies for about 15 minutes. (until tender) Serve in warm whole-wheat tortillas and your choice of toppings.

Toppings
fat free sour cream
tomatoes, diced
lettuce, shredded
cilantro
salsa (rojo's fresh cut salsa fire roasted medium)
avocados, diced or mashed
cheddar cheese, shredded

Whole-Wheat Waffles

2010-02-15T18:14:00.007-07:00

I always want my kids to have a wholesome and delicious breakfast, so I like to double the batch and then freeze them. In the morning all I have to do is throw a few in the toaster to reheat .

1 3/4 c. whole-wheat flour
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
2 eggs
1 3/4 c. milk (soy)
1/2 c. vegetable oil

Mix all ingredients together until smooth. Spray preheated waffle iron with non-stick cooking spray. Pour 1/4 c. batter onto hot waffle iron. Cook until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Enjoy!
cuisinenie

Easy Whole Wheat Bread EDITED

2010-02-15T17:34:00.006-07:00

*makes two loaves (I made 4 and froze three to last us for about a month)

EDIT 1: I did not freeze any! It was sooo good we've eaten almost all 4 loaves!

EDIT 2: For about half of the flour I used White Whole Wheat Flour (not white, refined flour, whole wheat flour made from White Wheat instead of Red Wheat) which made it SO soft and delicious!

3 cups warm water

1 T yeast

1/3 cup oil

1/3 cup honey (I used Agave Nectar)

1 T salt

5 - 6 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

Dissolve yeast in lukewarm water. Add oil, then honey (it slips out of the measuring cup easier this way), and salt. Slowly add flour until beater bar scrapes the sides of the bowl clean. Let dough mix for ten minutes. Let dough rise in bowl for 30 minutes (optional). Punch and divide dough into 2 loaves, shape and place in greased bread pans. Let loaves rise for 30 minutes. Bake at 350 for 25 minutes.

Butternut Squash Soup

2010-02-15T13:36:00.004-07:00

ORIGINAL RECIPE

1 medium onion

3 TPSP butter

2 tsp red curry powder

2 tsp grated fresh ginger

1/2 tsp salt

1 14oz. can chicken broth

1 1/4 cups water

1 1/2 lb. butternut squash

1 14oz. can unsweetened coconut milk

1/2 c. half n' half or light cream

1/3 c. fresh cilantro

1. Cook onions in hot butter over medium heat about 10 minutes or until tender and translucent. Stir in curry powder, ginger and salt. Cook 30 seconds more.

2. Stir in chicken broth and water; bring to boiling. Add squash. Return to boiling. Reduce heat. Simmer, covered 40 minutes or until squash is tender.

So, this soup sounds delicious, right? I changed a few things to make it an everyday soup instead of a special occasion soup. Meaning, I don't like to add half n' half and coconut milk to my lunch when I'm trying to lose weight! I also just skipped the ingredients I didn't have (onion, ginger) and it was still great!

MODIFIED RECIPE

1 medium onion SKIPPED

3 TPSP butter NO BUTTER!

2 tsp red curry powder 3 TBSP CURRY PASTE

2 tsp grated fresh ginger SKIPPED

1/2 tsp salt

1 14oz. can chicken broth VEGGIE BROTH INSTEAD

1 1/4 cups water

1 1/2 lb. butternut squash 2 LBS

1 14oz. can unsweetened coconut milk NOT TODAY

1/2 c. half n' half or light cream NO WAY

1/3 c. fresh cilantro SUBSTITUTED GREEN ONIONS BECAUSE I LOVE THEM!

UNFORTUNATELY, I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW MUCH WATER, BROTH, SALT AND GREEN ONIONS I PUT IN, SORRY! THE LIQUID WAS JUST ENOUGH TO COVER THE SQUASH SO IT COULD BOIL AND SIMMER, THAT SEEMED TO BE ENOUGH. ABOUT 3/4 WAS BROTH AND 1/4 WATER. I WAS GOING TO ADD SOME MILK AT THE END, BUT IT WAS ALREADY THE PERFECT, CREAMY CONSISTENCY SO THERE WAS NO NEED.

1. Cook onions in hot butter over medium heat about 10 minutes or until tender and translucent. Stir in curry powder, ginger and salt. Cook 30 seconds more. ADD THIS STEP IF YOU HAVE THE INGREDIENTS AND USE OLIVE OIL INSTEAD OF BUTTER.

2. Stir in chicken broth and water; bring to boiling. Add squash. Return to boiling. Reduce heat. Simmer, covered 40 minutes or until squash is tender. BASICALLY BRING THE BROTH AND SQUASH TO A BOIL, THEN TURN TO LOW. IT ONLY NEEDS TO SIMMER ABOUT 20 MINUTES

3. Cool soup slightly. Transfer half the soup at a time to a blender or food processor. Blend or process until smooth. Return all soup to saucepan. Stir in coconut milk, half and half, and chopped cilantro. Heat through. Top with fresh cilantro. Makes 6 side-dish servings. BLEND EVERYTHING UP (THE SQUASH, BROTH, WATER, CURRY PASTE AND GREEN ONIONS). AFTER BLENDING, IT SHOULD ALREADY BE THE RIGHT WARMTH FOR EATING, BUT PUT IT BACK ON THE STOVE TO STAY WARM. HERE IS WHERE YOU WOULD ADD SALT, MORE CURRY PASTE IF IT NEEDS IT, AND MORE LIQUID IF IT NEEDS IT.

EVERYONE LOVED IT AND IT WAS HEALTHY ENOUGH FOR A LIGHT LUNCH. ADD A SPROUTED GRAIN PEICE OF BREAD FOR DIPPING AND.... YUM YUM YUM! MY PANTS FEEL LOOSER ALREADY :)

(I hope this makes sense!)

Breakfast Burritos

2010-02-15T09:00:00.004-07:00

1 Tbs. olive oil
1 potato, cubed
1 package firm tofu, rinsed and cubed

1 Tbsp. turmeric
1 green pepper, seeded and diced
1 red pepper, seeded and diced
1 small sweet onion, diced
salt and pepper to taste
whole-wheat tortillas, warmed
2 avocados, diced or mashed
fat free sour cream
salsa
Heat olive oil in a large frying pan. Add potatoes and stir. Cook for about 5 minutes. Add tofu and turmeric. Stir. Add peppers, onion, salt, and pepper. Cook for about 20 minutes, stirring often. Serve in tortillas with avocado, sour cream, and salsa.

My favorite way to eat oatmeal... Swiss Muesli

2010-02-13T23:15:00.004-07:00

Soak 1/2 cup of old fashioned oatmeal, nuts and seeds in 1/2 cup of orange juice overnight. In the morning add about 1/3 cup of almond milk and enjoy this cold, sweet and filling start to your day!

You can buy it, I prefer to just make it myself because it's obviously super easy and stuff I usually have on hand.

You can also soak it in milk, water or yogurt.

Throwing Dinner Together with WILD RICE!

2010-02-12T22:06:00.003-07:00

Of all the rices, wild is my favorite!

Since I've been trying to eat extra healthy lately, I have a TON of vegetables and sprouting seeds and beans in the house but no actual recipe plans. So, I've been doing something I've NEVER done before... inventing!

Invention #1: Wild Rice Hoopla

Ingredients:

-Wild Rice (Costco has a GOOD one)

-Steamed Kale (Whole Foods has pre-cut Kale in a tub, it's SO easy!)

-Sprouted Garbanzo Beans

-Sprouted Lentils

(You don't HAVE to sprout for this recipe.)

-Red Onion

-Juice of 1 Lemon

*PLENTY of vitamins, nutrients and protein in this recipe!*

Directions:

1. Get the wild rice going per package directions. It usually takes about 45 min.

2. Cut Kale into small shreds and steam in a rice cooker for about 8 minutes.

3. If you don't have sprouted beans going already, canned garbanzos are just fine. (But do they have canned lentils? I've never heard of that! Maybe cook the lentils per package directions? I only know how to sprout beans or buy them canned.)

4. Chop the red onion.

5. Put it all together: Layer garbanzo beans and lentils on bottom of long skinny bowl, put the warm Kale on top, then the chopped Red Onion and hot rice on top. (This just helps everything to be warm without having to cook it!) Stir it up, squeeze a little lemon juice on top and see what you think!

P.S. There are no guarantees on inventions... ;)

Last night I made the same type of thing but it wasn't as good. I did wild rice, sprouted lentils, roasted red peppers, green onions and olives.