Hearty Vegetable Soup

Hearty Vegetable Soup
6 cloves garlic, crushed
1 medium white onion, diced
1 Tbsp. dried basil
1 Tbsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. sea salt
1 tsp. black pepper
1 Tbsp. olive oil
32 oz. vegetable broth
28 oz. canned diced tomatoes, with juice
14 oz. canned white beans, drained and rinsed
2 small zucchini, sliced
2 small yellow crookneck squash, sliced
3 cups chopped kale
4 small purple potatoes, cut into cubes
2 small yellow potatoes, cut into cubes
2 small red potatoes, cut into cubes
6 cups water

• In a large pot, sauté the garlic, onion, basil, oregano, salt, and pepper in the oil for about 5 minutes, or until the onions are translucent.
• Add the broth, tomatoes with juice, beans, zucchini, squash, kale, and potatoes. Cover the pot and bring to a boil.
• Lower the heat. Add the water in batches, stirring occasionally.
• Simmer for about an hour, or until you can easily pierce a potato with a fork.
• Serve immediately. Store the remainder in the refrigerator or freezer.

Makes 10 to 12 servings

Carrot & Orange Cake Recipe

Cake, anyone? Carrot and orange cake sounds delicious in itself - but when we realized there was another great recipe out there that would take on our juicing pulp leftovers. If you have juiced, still juice - you know those carrot pulp scraps can build....and what do we do with them?
Although carrot pulp can be somewhat dry (that was the point of juicing - to remove the juice of the little carrot...so you may want to add a touch of liquid to the recipe if you go the route of the pulp.

There used to be guilt over tossing them out - no more! The cake is here......

For the cake

• 3 cups carrots, finely grated
• 2 cups pecans, ground in a food processor
• 1/4 cup raisins, roughly chopped
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 1/2 teaspoon mixed spice*
• Date paste**
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon orange zest
• 1/2 cup desiccated coconut

* Mixed spice is a blend of cinnamon, coriander seed, caraway, nutmeg, ginger and cloves. You can use pumpkin pie spice.

** Make the date paste by grinding 1 cup soft dates and 1/2 cup orange juice in a food processor until smooth.

1. Thoroughly mix all ingredients together in a large bowl.
2. Shape into individual cakes or press into one large cake, ready to be cut at the end.
3. Place on a dehydrator sheet and dehydrate at 115 degrees F for 8 – 12 hours. If you don’t have a dehydrator, you can simply place the cake into the fridge to set.

For the frosting

• 1 1/2 cup cashews
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 tablespoons coconut nectar or honey
• 3 tablespoons coconut oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

1. Blend all ingredients in a high-speed blender until smooth.
2. Place in fridge to achieve a thicker consistency and spread on cake when you’re ready to serve.
3. Garnish cake with nutmeg.

Recipe from: http://www.therawchef.com

Easy Fresh Apple Juice Recipe

If you read yesterday's blog, it was jammed full of gardening adventures and the vegetables that are making their way into the freezers for winter.

Today's post is a continuation of sorts - the famous 'apple juice' recipe!

This recipe (or one very similar) has been in my family as long as I have been around and able to drink apple juice.

I remember Nan making it and storing it in milk containers.
We had to wait while it defrosted on the kitchen counter in a bowl - then she would add ice and serve us this lip smacking chilled summery drink.

This recipe is amazingly simple - enjoy!



INGREDIENTS:

1 - 4L pail of apples (crab apple tree apples) - sliced in half only.

1 1/2 - 4L pails filled with boiling water.

4 tsp cream of tartar

DIRECTIONS:

Cut apples in half. No need to remove seeds but I do remove the stems.

Add 4 tsp of cream of tartar.

Pour boiling water over the apples and let sit overnight.

After 15-24 hours, strain - add sugar to taste (we used honey at half the amount and it worked great).

Boil - bottle and seal.

Store in a cool, dark place and enjoy with ice.
In the winter, we're going to have it warmed a little bit on the stove with a dash of cinnamon.

Let no apple go to waste! Rock your day.

Easy Peasy Pecan Pie

Do you love pecan pie? I do - I really, really do.

Whenever I used to make (ok, buy) pecan pie, it would disappear before eyelashes could be blinked and I found it futile to keep bringing it into the house - especially after reading the list of ingredients from store bought pies.

This recipe makes a simple 1.5 inch pecan pie. To accommodate those other pesky folks who are going to bother you to make them one too (most of us call them husbands and children)-adjust the recipe accordingly.

Pecan pie - there really isn't anything better.

INGREDIENTS:

1/4 cup walnuts
1/2 cup raisins
6 dates, soaked
1/4 cup pecans
pinch salt

1) In a food processor with an "S" blade, process the walnuts and raisins until they are crumbly and stick together. Press into a small tart plate (the one I used is 5 inches diameter) and chill.

2) Then in the food processor again, puree the dates with a tiny bit of the soak water until they form a gooey paste. Spread into the crust and top with pecans.

The amounts can be easily increased to make a larger pie for a more conventional sized dessert.

Fast and good for you. These make great tea time additions!

Date Coconut Balls

Credit for this post & photograph goes to: City Kitchen Chronicles

DATE COCONUT BALLS

1 c raw (untoasted) almonds
1 c plump dates (a generous cup)
3/4 c unsweetened shredded coconut, divided
1/2 t vanilla extract
1/2 t cinnamon
pinch of salt
1/2 c mini chocolate chips (optional)

0) Optional: pre-soak the dates and almonds in cold water. Almonds: a few hours; dates: 15-30 minutes.

1) Food-process the almonds to small crumbs. (If you have a tiny single-person food processor, you may have to do this in batches.)

2) Add a couple of dates and process again, until combined. Repeat until dates are gone.

3) Add vanilla, cinnamon, and salt. The mixture may look dry and breadcrummy, but it should eventually make a ball. If this doesn't happen, add a couple more dates.

4) In a medium bowl, combine date mix, chocolate chips, and 1/2 cup coconut. Stir thoroughly.

5) To a separate bowl or small dish, add remaining 1/4 cup coconut. With your hands, mold dough into 1-inch balls. Then, roll them around the coconut until coated. 

6) Place balls onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or waxed paper. (Or silpat. Or aluminum foil.) Chill in freezer several hours, until firm. "Remove from freezer and serve thawed."

(Note from Suite 101: "You can store these in a sealed container in the fridge or freezer. They taste best when cold, but not frozen.")

Approximate Calories, Fat, and Price Per Piece
83 calories, 5 g fat, $0.18

Calculations

1 c raw almonds: 821 calories, 72 g fat, $1.75
1 c plump dates: 628 calories, 0.3 g fat, $2.00
3/4 c unsweetened shredded coconut, divided: 480 calories, 44 g fat, $0.75
1/2 t vanilla extract: 6 calories, 0 g fat, $0.06
1/2 t cinnamon: negligible calories and fat, $0.02
pinch of salt: negligible calories and fat, $0.01
1/2 c mini chocolate chips: 560 calories, 32 g fat, $0.80
TOTAL: 2495 calories, 148.3 g fat, $5.39
PER SERVING (TOTAL/30): 83 calories, 5 g fat, $0.18

You may want to leave out those chocolate chips.....the choice is yours. ;)

Rock your day!

Banana Cinnamon Granola Bars & A Song Just for You

I am a hug fan of all things speedy. When it comes to snacks, I enjoy the pre-made things I don't have to commit prep time for that day. When my family feels nibbly, having something like these granola bars on hand is perfect timing!

Go bananas!

 

Ingredients
1 ripe banana
2 cups of raw oat flakes
1 cup of almond butter (or similar)
1/4 cup honey or substitute for fresh pitted dates
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

 Add everything to a food processor and mix together.

Lightly spritz a pan to prevent sticking and add the mixture.

Freeze overnight to harden.

Cut into granola bar sized pieces, wrap individually for lunches or snacks.

Everybody....and I mean EVERYBODY loves bananas. It is nature's perfect food. Don't believe me? Well, I had to toss in some fun stuff for the day too - so click PLAY, sit back and get ready to laugh.

******************************************************************************************

 

The lyrics can be confusing. Here they are:

Ba-ba-ba, ba-ba-na-na Banana-a-a Potato-na-a-a Banana-a-a To ca li no po ta to ni ga ni ba ba lo ni ba no ji ga ba-ba, ba-ba-na-na Yo plano hu, la pa no no tu, ma banana like a nupi talamu Banana ba-ba, ba-ba-na-na Potato-o-o To ca li no po ta to ni ga ni ba ba lo ni ba no ji ga ba-ba, ba-ba-na-naaaaaaa! Aika!

Rock your day....ba-na-na-na!!!

 

Never Regret a Vinaigrette

We're always looking for a terrific salad dressing - and my taste buds are often grateful I try the new ones that I do. My favorite has always been the garlic ceasar dressing recipe mom shared with me years ago but I really love the variety and choices - the flavor results of each different dressing.

I stopped buying store bught dressings when I learned that it is really nothing more than squeezing fat onto your salad.....and what is the point of that? I explored the 'light' and 'fat free' dressings - but they are often worse. Check out the sodium and sugar content of any store bought dressings, even the 'good for you' ones - and you'll rush to make your own.

Your body will thank you!

Simple and Delicious!

These dressing recipes are delicious! be sure to test them out for yourself - you won't be disappointed.


SIMPLE VINAIGRETTE

uice of 1 large lemon or 3 tbsp white wine vinegar. ( you could also use plain vinegar in it’s place but white wine vinegar is better tasting)
½ cup olive oil, extra virgin is recommended for its health benefits.
½ tsp mustard, for the tang.
½ tsp mixed herbs
Salt and pepper to taste.

Whisk herbs, mustard and lemon juice.

Drizzle in the oil while stirring. Or simply put all the ingredients into a bottle and shake well.

HONEY VINAIGRETTE

¼ th cup balsamic vinegar
1 tsp rice wine vinegar
1 small piece grated ginger
A  dash of orange juice
1 tbsp honey

If you feel adventurous, add a tsp of toasted curry powder to this mixture. As with all the other salad dressings, mix all the ingredients together in a bottle. Finely minced shallots will add to the taste of this dressing too.

These great recipes are from Glad To Be a Woman. Rock your day!

Black Bean Burgers

I have never been a real fan of beans. I mean, really, there is nothing terribly exciting about a bean. They are virtually flavorless....unless 'yuck' is a flavor.

I avoided beans for one reason. Other stuff tasted better. I never realized (or wanted to) that beans may not look or taste all that wonderful alone, but they can be coupled with other flavors and magic is made. Not only that, but beans have the power to reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke. Let's not forget the fiber!

So, when we made the transition and started incorporating more beans into our diets, the world of nutrition really started opening up. Food became more interesting - do you know how many types of beans there are? Beans are also an excellent meat replacement....y'know....if you're looking for one.

Enough chatting....time for a recipe!

Beans. Try them - you'll be just as surprised as I was!

Black Bean Burgers from Ultimate Vegetarian Global Cafe Cookbook
by: Denise

Makes 10 (1/3) cup burgers

Olive Oil or water to cook onion
1 Med. onion, finely chopped
3-4 cloves garlic minced
(2) 15 oz Cans black beans, drained OR 3 cups cooked black beans
1 1/2 cup soft breadcrumbs of more if needed (we make our own)
1 tsp chili powder or substitute
1/2 tsp.ground cumin
1/2 tsp salt

Cook onion until tender in olive oil or water in non-stick pan.

Mash together beans, bread crumbs, chili powder, cumin and salt.

Stir in cooked onion and garlic, mix well. (If too moist, add more bread crumbs).

Very lightly coat a non-stick pan with coconut oil, then drop about 1/3 cup portions into skillet and flatten into burgers. Brown on both sides.

Serve with spelt bread buns, sliced tomato, onion or lettuce. Add parmesan cheese if desired... or just serve as you like!

Enjoy!

Superfood Brownie Recipe

Part of the transition from garbage, Standard 'American' diet food is the realization that most of the favorite comfort foods fall by the wayside due to lack of nutritional content. No matter, we humans adjust well and in no time we can replace those old habits with new, nutritionally viable alternatives.

Take these brownies for example.....you're welcome.

Not only are they packed with real flavor - not that chemically created laboratory Franken-flavor - these are actually good for you.

Yup. It's here. The food revolution is happening!

Not only will you feel better about having one....or three of these suckers, you'll have more energy and get your nutrients too!

 

Ingredients

2 cups whole walnuts (finely chop 1/2 cup)
2 cups Medjool dates, pitted
1 cup raw cacao
1/2 banana, mashed
1 Tbsp coconut oil
¼ tsp sea salt

Methods/steps

In a food processor grind 1 1/2 cups of the walnuts until fine, then add the dates and pulse until blended. 
Add the raw cacao, banana, coconut oil and salt.  Once smooth stir in the 1/2 cup of chopped walnuts.

Spoon brownie batter onto a square cake pan lined with parchment paper or plastic wrap, or form the batter into small squares and set onto a large plate.

Decorate the top of the brownies with Goji berries, cocoa powder or shredded coconut and place into the refrigerator for an hour to chill and harden a bit.

Brownies will keep in refrigerator for a few days - but they'll be long gone by then.

Thanks, Raw Food Recipes.Com.

Rock your day....and have a brownie for me!

Quinoa Raisin Cookies

Raisin cookies are my favorite!

OK, my favorite used to be chocolate chip, but when I replaced chocolate with carob, my new favorite became raisin. I love carob and all of the wonderful things you can make with it - but it is a taste slightly south of chocolate. These quinoa raisin cookies will pleasantly surprise you!





For the cookies
1 cup quinoa, rinsed well and soaked over night
1 cup pecans
1/2 cup agave
1 cup raisins
2 tsp cinnamon
1 pinch salt

Equipment needs
Food processor
Dehydrator

Directions:

In the food processor, process the pecans down to a fine meal. Add the salt and cinnamon.

Add your damp quinoa into the processor and continue to process for about thirty seconds. 

Pour in the agave and continue to process for about a minute, allowing some of the grain to break down and blend into the dough.

Place the dough into a large bowl and hand mix in the raisins.

Using two spoons, place small blobs of the dough on to your  dehydrator sheets — I used the Teflex sheets that came with my dehydrator, not the fine mesh (yet).

You don’t have to space them out too much, as these raw food treats won’t be spreading out when they ‘bake.’

Flatten the cookies slightly, so that they are all the same height.

Dehydrate at 105 degrees for about 4 hours. The outside of the cookies should no longer be tacky. At this point, you can remove them from the sheets and place them onto the mesh so they can ‘bake’ faster.

Continue in the dehydrator for about 5 more hours. Watch them carefully as every dehydrator is different.

If you choose to 'bake' these in the oven, keep it as low as you can for a few hours and check them every hour.

(thanks, The Raw Dessert)

Nibbly?
This recipe will give you about 24 cookies....give or take one or two. ;)

Red Pepper Hummus in Cucumber Cups

Wellness and eating right doesn't have to be boring or taste bland. That was one of forty bazillion fears I had when I started this whole 'new me' endeavor. It didn't stop me - fear rarely has, but it did make me frown more than a little to know that I would be without those cozy foods I had grown (bigger) to love so much.

We can adjust to most anything.........

Those who have read my book, The Fat Girl Now 50% Lighter know that I didn't start on this wellness journey to get fit, feel great or lose weight. I started 'changing my ways' after I realized my health had been severely compromised after years of ignoring myself.


Things change - and now we enjoy trying new and flavorful foods that also keep us well.

I found this recipe and wanted to see if the red pepper aspect of it tasted like those yummy appetizers of yesteryear.....it does, only better.

Ingredients

• 2 cups canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 1 7-oz. jar roasted red peppers, drained and chopped
• 1 clove garlic, chopped
• 1/3 cup tahini
• 1/4 cup lemon juice (from 1 large lemon)
• 3 tablespoons olive oil                               
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin                
• Salt and pepper                
• 2 English cucumbers                

 

Preparation

Combine chickpeas, red peppers, garlic, tahini, lemon juice, olive oil, cumin, salt, pepper and 1 T bsp. hot water in food processor and puree until smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning as desired.

Cut cucumbers into 1/2 -inch-thick slices and scoop out seeds with a small spoon or melon baller, leaving bottom intact to form a cup. Fill each cup with hummus and serve.

(thanks myrecipes.com.)

Lemon Dream Bars

Lemon Dream Bars
Makes 6 bars

Crust:
1 cup raw pecans
2 pitted and chopped dates
1 teaspoon of lemon juice
1 - 2 teaspoons of honey
Pinch of sea salt

Filling:
1 cup raw cashews
1/2 cup coconut oil softened at room temperature
1 tablespoon vanilla
3 1/2 - 4 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 cup water
1 tablespoon honey
Pinch of sea salt
Zest from rind of one small lemon

1. Place the pecans and cashews in separate bowls and fill each of them with water. Let the nuts soak for 2 hours.
2. For the crust, drain and rinse the pecans and place them in a food processor with the salt and dates. Blend the nuts until finely chopped. 
3. Add the lemon juice and honey to the food processor. Blend until the nuts are a dough-like consistency. Taste and add more honey or a little olive oil to make sure the nuts stick together.
4. Fill a muffin tin with cupcake liners. Use 2 liners for each compartment, which will provide added strength.
5. Gently press a portion of the nut crust into the bottom of each cupcake liner in the muffin tin. Use a spoon to flatten the nuts together. Place the muffin tin in the freezer for about 30 minutes to let the small crusts firm up.
6. When the crusts have been in the freezer for about 30 minutes, start making the filling.
7. To make the filling, wash your lemon. Grate or zest the outermost rind of the lemon.
8. Drain and rinse the cashews. Place the cashews in a high-speed blender. A Vitamix blender works best for this filling. 
9. Add the coconut oil, vanilla, honey, salt, lemon juice, lemon zest, and water. Blend until the mixture has the consistency of thick melted ice cream. 
10. Taste the filling and add more lemon, honey, water, or vanilla to develop the flavor to your liking.
11. Take the muffin tin out of the freezer and pour a portion of the filling on top of each tiny crust. You may have some leftover filling that you can use as a topping on fresh fruit.
12. Place the muffin tin back in the freezer and let your lemon bars harden. This might take a couple of hours. You can leave them over night in the freezer and serve them the next day if you choose.
13. Before serving, take the muffin tin out of the freezer, remove each lemon bar (still wearing its cupcake liner), put them on a plate, and place them in the refrigerator for a couple of hours to let your lemon bars soften a bit before eating.

Brandi Rollin’s Vegan Green Beans With Italian Marinara Sauce

I know....right?? Let's go!

Green Bean Mixture:

5 oz / 1/3 lb of fresh green beans 

1/3 medium red bell pepper

4 crimini mushrooms

1/2 medium spring onion

1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar

Tomato Marinara:

2 medium tomatoes

3-5 pieces sun-dried tomatoes

1 tsp dried Italian spices

1/2 clove garlic

Celtic sea salt to taste

To make the green bean mixture:

1. Remove the ends of the green beans and set aside in a large bowl.
2. Slice the red bell pepper, mushrooms and spring onions, and add to the green beans.
3. Dehydrate the vegetables for 5-6 hours.
4. If you are using an Excalibur dehydrator, spread the vegetables on top of a texflex sheet. Dehydrate at 105 degrees or in your oven at the lowest temperature.
5. For the tomato marinara:
6. Blend all of the ingredients in a food processor or Vitamix until smooth. If you are using a food processor, soak the sun-dried tomatoes for 4 hours before using.
7. Once the green bean mixture has dehydrated, place it into a medium bowl.
8. Add the marinara by the spoonful and mix.
9. Set aside for 10 minutes and then serve.
10. This recipe stores well in the refrigerator and can be prepared 1-2 days ahead of time.
11. Cost saving tip: make this recipe when green beans are in season, and are most flavourful and affordable.
12. Makes 2 ½ cups – 1 large serving
13. Total Estimated Cost = $4.45

Learn more about Brandi Rollins at Raw Foods On a Budget
Thanks to Healthy Blender Recipes!

Chocolate Cherry Ice Cream

When this recipe came across my radar screen (thanks, food.com), I knew we would be trying it. As it turns out, I can make a batch of this frozen treat and it's gone the same night. In our defence, the recipe does say it serves 1 - 2 snacky folks, but we have always doubled this recipe and been left wishing we had more.

Try it and let us know what you think! Feedback is good.

Homemade Chocolate Cherry Ice Cream

                 

1/2 cup frozen cherries

1 tablespoon almond butter

1/2 tablespoon honey                      

1 tablespoon cocoa or 1 tablespoon carob powder

1 dash sea salt

1 teaspoon vanilla 

1 banana, frozen and cut     

 

 

Peel and chop the banana, then freeze solid.

 

Process all ingredients in a blender or food processor until combined into a smooth consistency, similar to soft-serve ice cream.

 

Either enjoy right away or allow to set in freezer until firm. You won't believe it until you've tried it for yourself.

                                          

Wellness Waffles Recipe

I have an amazing mother. Her name is Sharon and she has been exploring her own wellness for years. She shared a recipe with us a few years ago for a waffle made with spelt, flax, millet and almonds. I wasn't a huge fan of waffles to begin with, not even when they were made with all the whiteness of the world (flour, sugar, milk, eggs etc) - but she kept insisting these would be different. That's kind of what scared me.

As with most things I try for the first time, I was astounded at how great these waffles were! She had adjusted a recipe she had found on her own - tinkered with it until it was just right and then shared it with us. I was so grateful! On this journey, one of the toughest things to let go of for me was the bread - so when a bread-like replacement was found that I loved without having to 'get used to' the taste - I was in!

I make a double batch of waffles on a Sunday. I freeze some of them and my little family can claim independence by popping one of these wellness waffles into a toaster and voila! A hearty, stick to ya kind of breakfast that fills you up for the whole morning - not just until that 10 am coffee tea or lemon water break.

Couple the waffles with fresh fruit or sprinkle crushed nuts or seeds on top. Any way you want it - the waffle is yours to explore.

Want the recipe now? OK......

WELLNESS WAFFLES
Ingredients:

1/2 cup ground flax
1/2 cup spelt
1 cup millet, ground
2 cups water
Pinch of sea salt

Mix all ingredients together.

If you find your recipe too thick, add a bit of water until it is waffle batter texture.






Heat waffle iron (make sure your iron has been seasoned).
Make your waffles - this is the fun part! This was the first time I had made them that they actually worked out! I had given up on the entire waffle making endeavor, but a waffle iron from a friend and the recipe from mom and we were back in business. I was a waffle convert!



Once your waffles are done, be sure to save one or two for your breakfast the next day. You will wish you had. A toaster 'Wellness Waffle' in the morning is great because it is fast. We even use these waffles as bases for bruschetta, pizza buns or veggie sandwiches.

Those little squares hold a lot of flavor! Enjoy!

Garlic Dill Cracker Bread Recipe

This delectable treat pictured here is mom's new 'cracker bread' recipe. I've nicknamed it that because it suffices as both a crispier cracker (that suits my tastes) or a softer bread (that suits the rest of my family's tastes). Either way, this adapted recipe mom brought over is perfect for us.

The greatest thing about this recipe besides final flavor is that it is quick and easy! I prefer that to tedious and difficult for sure, so this one is a winner all around! You can adapt the recipe as you like too - the choices are yours!

Garlic Dill Cracker Bread

1/3 c. olive oil
3 c spelt flour
1/2 ground flax
1 tsp garlic powder
2 cloves minced garlic
1 tsp fresh dill,  minced
3/4 c. room temperature water
1 beaten egg
1 tsp sea salt

Mix dry ingredients together.
Mix wet ingredients together.

Combine the wet ingredients with the dry ingredients.

Roll out onto parchment paper in a large pizza pan (square is best but use what you have).

Poke holes all over the top with a fork.

Bake for 15 minutes at 350.

NOTE: We 'score' our Cracker Bread with a pizza cutter before we bake it.
It falls apart in beautiful squares.

You can add whatever you like to this recipe - modify it to your own tastes.

We use this bread with avocado dip, hummus, accompaniments to soups - we've used it as bruschetta base and we even gently toast them in the oven to use as croutons.

No Bake Energy Bites

NO-BAKE ENERGY BITES

INGREDIENTS

1 cup rolled oats

2/3 cup toasted coconut flakes
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup ground flaxseed or wheat germ
1/2 cup carob chips
1/3 cup honey
1 tsp. vanilla

METHOD

Stir all ingredients together in a medium bowl until thoroughly mixed.

 

Let chill in the refrigerator for half an hour.

 

Once chilled, roll into balls of whatever size you would like. (Mine were about 1″ in diameter.)

 

Store in an airtight containerand keep refrigerated for up to 1 week.

Tip:

 Substitution ideas can abound for just about any of these ingredients! Feel free to substitute in your favorite nut butter (almond butter, sunflower seed butter, etc.) for the peanut butter. And you could also add in some wheat germ in place of some or all of the flaxseed. I would caution, though, against substituting agave nectar for the honey, as the honey’s thickness helps hold things together.

Some other fun additions could include:

**chopped dried fruit (apricots, dates, raisins, etc.)
**dried berries (cranberries, cherries, etc.)
**chopped almonds, pecans, walnuts, or sunflower seeds
 

Recipe from Happy Eating on Facebook. :)
 

Gazpacho Recipe

Gazpacho Recipe (from The Eat Clean Diet Cookbook 2)

INGREDIENTS:

4 ripe tomatoes
1 english cucumber, peeled & seeded
1 green pepper, ribs & seeds removed
1 red pepper, ribs & seeds removed
1 cup vegetable juice (fresh pressed is best, otherwise low sodium)
¼ cup red wine vinegar
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp sea salt
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper


METHOD:
Dice tomatoes, cucumbers, and peppers into ¼ inch pieces and place in a large bowl.

Add the rest of the ingredients and stir to combine.

Scoop out half of gazpacho and place in a food processor or blender and pulse blend until mostly smooth.

Pour into bowl and stir to combine. If you want a smoother soup, blend the entire batch.

Taste – and adjust with sea salt and pepper to taste.

Chill for at least 2 hours to marry the flavors. Enjoy!

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Fabulous Feta Flat

I have discovered a delicious little delight that I just had to share today. This recipe was inspired by a veggie wrap we had at a local restaurant - something you tend not to find anywhere unless you are at home making it yourself.

We scavenged through the fridge and found our ingredients:

tomatoes (diced)
onions (minced)
green onion (diced)
red pepper - diced
yellow pepper - diced
feta cheese - small handful
parmesan cheese - to taste
oregano
parsley

We tossed all of this onto a flat tortilla shell and folded it over.
We lovingly put it in the oven and baked it until golden brown.

Once it was out of the oven, it is really tough to hold back eating it all alone....while hiding in the closet.....from the family.

I suggest throwing in whatever veggies work for you. Do whatcha wanna do with this flat.

Explore the flavors!

Dream Bar Recipe

This is perfect for anyone looking for a yummy snack or a dessert bar to take to that next get together. Be warned - once you make these, you won't ever want to stop.....and you don't have to.

DREAM BARS

4 cups ground walnuts
6 cups raw rolled oat groats
1 ½ cups grated coconut
1/3 cup olive oil
¼ cup agave syrup or honey
2 tsp vanilla
1 recipe Fudge Sauce (see below)
½ cup grated coconut
1 cup pecan halves

In a food processor grind walnuts and raw oats until mealy. Add in coconut, oil, vanilla, and agave syrup. On a teflex sheet pat batter into a large square about ½ inch thick. Dehydrate until chewy. Flip over and dehydrate the bottom side.

Spread chocolate Fudge Sauce on top about ¼ inch thick. Sprinkle with shredded coconut and decorate with pecan halves. Make sure that each square you cut has a pecan half on it. Keep in the freezer.

Fudge Sauce
½ cup raw almond butter
¼ cup cacao powder or carob powder
¼ cup agave syrup or honey
1 tsp Nama Shoyu
Water

Blend all together, adding water to achieve desired consistency.

If you think that sounds yummy, wait until you try it. Woah. Thanks to NabCommunities.Com for the recipe.

If you're saying to yourself, what the heck is Nama Shoyu? Let me help......I Googled it just for you;

Definition: In Japanese, nama means raw (or unpasteurized) and shoyu means soy sauce. Nama Shoyu is raw, unpasteurized soy sauce popular amongst those following a raw food diet.

Though the product is heated well above the raw-allowed 115°F, it is still used by many raw foodists because it contains living enzymes. The Ohsawa brand Nama Shoyu is fermented, or cultured, in the traditional way, in wooden barrels under the sun. The label boasts "living enzymes and beneficial organisms". (About.Com)