Chia Seed Fruit Salad

Ingredients

1/3 cup chia seeds

2 cups nut milk of your choice

4 cups of diced fruit of your choice

1/4 cup raisins

zest of one orange

juice of one orange

1 tbsp vanilla

1/4 tsp cinnamon

1/2 cup shredded coconut

mint leaves for decoration

Instructions

1. Add 1 cup diced fruit and sprinkle if raisins to 4 different bowls

2. Combine nut milk, chia seeds, orange juice zest vanilla and cinnamon in a small pitcher and stir.

3. Pour 1/2 cup mixture on top of fruit in bowls.

4. Top fruit bowls with shredded coconut.

5. Refrigerate fruit bowls for at least 30 mins (or overnight).

6. Top each bowl with mint leaf before serving.

Via foodbabe.com

Baked Oatmeal

2 cups rolled oats

1 cup walnuts, toasted + chopped

1 teaspoon baking powder

1.5 teaspoon cinnamon

0.5 teaspoon salt

2 cups milk

0.25 cup pure maple syrup

1 egg

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 bananas, sliced

1.5 cup blueberries, or mix of berries

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. butter the inside of a square 8-inch baking dish.

2. In a bowl, combine oats, half the walnuts, the baking powder, cinnamon + salt.

3. In another bowl, whisk together the maple syrup, milk, egg, half of the butter + vanilla.

4. Spread a single layer of bananas across bottom of the buttered baking dish. Sprinkle about two-third of the berries on top. Cover all that with the oat mixture then drizzle the milk mixture over the oats. Scatter the remaining berries + walnuts over the top.

5. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, until top is golden + oats are set. Let cool for a few minutes then drizzle the remaining melted butter + serve. 

*recipe from food52.com

Spicy Sweet Potato Fries

6-8 C sweet potatoes, chopped ( about two large sweet potatoes)
1/4 C coconut oil, melted (you can also use olive oil, but the coconut oil gives it a really good flavor)
1 tsp. cumin
2 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. sea salt
½ tsp. cayenne

1. Chop the sweet potatoes, and peel if you can’t stand peels
2. Melt your coconut oil
3. Add the potatoes, spices, and oil to a large zip loc bag shake them up to coat the fries well.
4. Evenly space the fries on a cookie sheet, make sure they don’t touch
5. Bake at 425 for 15-20 minutes. Pull out of oven and flip them. (or optionally put the fries in a cold oven and turn the heat on to 425 covering them with tinfoil for 20 minutes. Take off the tinfoil and continue to cook them)
6. Bake another 15 minutes or until crispy and soft. Does that make sense, I guess cooked all the way through and crispy.
7. Best eaten right away.

This is on of my favorite recipes! I LOVE them!!! I hope you do too. 

Lemon Raspberry Muffins

1 1/2 cup whole-wheat flour or 2 cups wonder flour
1 cup rolled oats
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/3 cup water
1 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 tablespoon canola oil
1/2 cup honey
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 tablespoon fresh squeezed lemon juice
2 cups fresh raspberries

1. Preheat oven to 375 F.

2. Combine all the ingredients except raspberries in a large bowl and stir just until combined. Gently fold in the raspberries.

3. Divide mixture evenly in a greased standard muffin tin. (I like to use an ice cream scoop for uniform, mess-free muffins.)

4. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until slightly golden on top. Let cool 10 minutes before removing from tin.

Lentil Soup

This is a recipe from the Green Smoothie Girls 26 day detox...so yummy. I was surprised how good it was. I accidentally forgot the vinegar and it was great without it.

½ lb. green or red lentils
½ C wild rice, rinsed well
3 large onions, diced
4 stalks celery, diced
3 carrots, diced
2 cloves garlic
2 Tbsp. coconut oil
1 tsp. salt-free herbal seasoning, or more to taste
1 tsp. dried thyme
1 tsp. cumin
1 qt. vegetable broth (no-sodium, if you buy canned)
1 small can tomato sauce
2 tsp. red wine vinegar

Cover lentils and rice with boiling water and let sit for 15 min., then drain. In a large stock
pot, sauté the onions and garlic with the coconut oil and seasonings until the vegetables
are tender. Add the carrots and celery and sauté another 5–10 min. Add the vegetable
broth, tomato sauce, and lentils. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer 1 hour. Add
vinegar and serve.

Introducing...

Our new contributor...Carla!  Hey everyone I wanted to let you know Carla will be joining us and contributing recipes to this blog. Carla used to live right next to door to me until she and her family moved a few years ago. Anyways, she is a fabulous cook and I can't wait to try some of her recipes. Welcome Carla and don't be shy. :)

Rumbi Rice Bowl

Ingredients

1T sesame oil
4 carrots peeled and grated
3 celery stalks washed and sliced
2 heads of broccoli, cut into bite sized pieces
2 zucchini chopped into small cubes
***These amounts are only a start off point. I usually add more than this so we can have it for lunch the next day.

* Thai Peanut Sauce
* Brown rice



Instructions

Heat large skillet on medium hight heat. Add veggies and Sesame oil. Cook until veggies just become tender.

Serve veggies over Brown Rice, topped with Thai Peanut Sauce

Slow Cooker Tomato Basil Soup

Adapted from Mel's Kitchen Cafe

Slow Cooker Tomato Basil Soup

YIELD: SERVES 6-8

Note: You can use regular diced tomatoes if you don't have or can't find petite diced, but if you have the option, go for the petite diced. The smaller size of the tomatoes meshes better with the finely diced vegetables.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 (14-ounce each) cans petite diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1 cup finely diced celery
• 1 cup finely diced carrots
• 1 cup finely diced onions
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 tablespoon dried basil
• 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 bay leaf
• 1- 1 1/2 cups cashews or peanuts
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• Croutons for serving (homemade version here)

DIRECTIONS

1. In a 5-quart slow cooker, combine the tomatoes, celery, carrots, onions, oregano, basil, broth, and bay leaf. Cover and cook on low for 5-7 hours until the vegetables are tender. **Don't be afraid to add more veggies than this calls for
2. Remove Bay leaves. 
3. Ladle in about 3-4 cups of soup into a high powered blender. If you want the soup chunky, ladle in mostly liquid. If you or your kids have problems with lots of veggies, I'd recommend ladling in lots of the veggies.
4. Add about a cup of nuts and blend until smooth. Once blended well, place the soup back in the slow cooker and stir. If you think it needs to be thicker repeat the process, but only add 1/2 cup of nuts. 
5. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve with homemade croutons.

Summer Corn on the Cob Salad

*adapted from authenticsuburbangourmet.com, pictures from andwhatiate.com

- 4 ears corn, cooked
- 2 avocados, diced
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved (I use orange & red for a little color) 
- 1/2 an english cucumber, finely diced, skin on
- 1/3  C. crumbled feta
- 1/2 red onion, finely diced

Cilantro Vinaigrette
- 1 tbsp. rice wine vinegar
- 1 tbsp. white wine vinegar
- 1/2 tsp. salt or Herbamare
- 1 tsp. garlic powder
- 1/2 freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tbsp. cilantro, chopped
- 6 tbsp. EVOO

(serves 6-8) 

1. Cook your corn - there are a ton of ways to do this, but the easiest is just to put the oven on 350, and throw the corn in, husks and all. Bake them for 25 minutes, let it cool, and then cut off the very bottom of the corn. You should be able to easily pull off the husks and the silk

2. Cut off the kernels with a large knife, add to a big bowl.

3. Chop the avocados, cherry tomatoes, english cucumber, and red onion, then add to the bowl. Add the feta.

4. For the vinaigrette, combine the first 5 ingredients (so the seasonings react with the vinegar), then add the cilantro and the EVOO. Shake it up.

5. Gently mix all the salad ingredients together. When ready to serve, add the dressing and stir to combine.

carrot-apple mini muffins

This recipe is one that I have changed and changed again to get it the way that I like, so I am sure  you can make it flexible to your liking as well. I love making these as mini-muffins... the kids do better with that size. I also love to double and triple the batch because they freeze really well... 

I hope you enjoy this recipe!

Ingredients:

3 C whole wheat flour

3/4 C oat flour

3/4 C sugar or sugar substitue

3 tsp cinnamon

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

3/4 C finely grated carrots

1 1/2 C applesauce (I usually just blend up raw apples)

3 eggs

3/4 C milk or milk substitute 

3/4 C coconut oil

3 tsp vanilla

3 TB milled flaxseed (soaked in 9 TB water)

Directions: mix dry ingredients, then wet and combine... bake @ 350 degrees for 10 min (for mini-muffins)

Potato Spinach Cakes

*Blendtec.com

These are not pretty and are kinda messy but they sure taste good. I love these for dinner.

2 slices whole wheat bread, toasted and quartered
10 oz. spinach, approximately 6 cups lightly packed
3/4 cups low fat buttermilk or any cows milk substitute
2 lg. eggs
3 yukon gold potatoes, baked or boiled and quartered
2 cloves garlic, quartered
1/4 t. salt
1/4 t. pepper
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup feta cheese (optional)
1.5 T. olive oil, divided

Add toast to WildSide jar and secure lid. Press "Pulse" 6–8 times or until desired crumb size is reached. Set aside bread crumbs. In large skillet, sauté spinach in ½ tablespoon oil until spinach is wilted. Add buttermilk, eggs, potatoes, garlic, salt, pepper, Parmesan cheese, and bread crumbs to WildSide jar and secure lid. Select "Sauces." Add feta cheese, and use spatula to incorporate.

Preheat oven to 400°F. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in skillet or griddle. Spoon approximately ⅓ cup potato mixture onto skillet. Cook each side of potato cake until golden brown, approximately 1–2 minutes. Place each cake onto baking sheet lined with parchment paper, and bake for 10 minutes

My Protien Shake

So I've never been a big fan of protein shakes but then I came across this recipe and I loved it. Loved it! 

It's great for an on the go breakfast in the morning.

I use my magic bullet and it gives it a great texture, not too mixed up, just the right amount. 

4 ice cubes and about a cup of water

3 frozen strawberries

About 1/3 cup rolled oats

 

1 scoop protein powder

 

Obviously the kind of protein powder you use is key. This is a great one I use from Natures Sunshine called "love and peas". The protein is derived from split peas. So yummy too!

And mix, mix, mix. The finished product. 

Broccoli Bites with dipping sauce

This recipe is by no means dairy free, but is very delicious.  This is from the Unconventional Kitchen. You ladies have probably already seen it but I thought I’d post it just in case and to have it here to reference. We have this and a green salad for dinner and it’s plenty filling. 

Ingredients:

1 lb broccoli, chopped in small bit- sized pieces

1 c. cheddar cheese, shredded (I used mozzarella)

1/2 c. parmesan cheese, shredded 

3 eggs

1 c. almond flour

1 t. oregano

salt & pepper to taste   

Method:

Preheat oven to 375F. Mix all ingredients except for the broccoli in a medium sized bowl.

Next toss in the broccoli. It helps to use your hands to roll the pieces of broccoli in the mixture into little bite sized balls. Place balls on lightly greased parchment paper.

Put them in the oven to bake for 25-30 minutes, or until brown. Serve with the tasty Maple-Dijon Dipping Sauce.

Sauce:

6 T sour cream

2 T pure maple syrup

1 T Dijon mustard

1 T fresh lemon juice

salt to taste

 

Method:

Simply whisk all the ingredients together and you have yourself an awesome sauce. Kids love dipping so that is what makes this sauce extra fun. 

Basic egg noodle recipe

Ingredients:
1 egg
1 T water
Enough flour so mixture doesn't stick to bowl.

On a well floured surface, roll them out as thin or thick as you want. I recommend you roll them out as thin as you can, they will puff up when they cook.

Cut with a pizza cutter to the size you want.

Place in boiling soup. They cook in a matter of minutes.

Triple Chocolate Chunk Muffins

2cup	Oats
3	Egg whites
3/4 cup	Unsweetened cocoa
1/2 cup	Unsweetened applesauce
1 tsp	Vanilla extract
1/2 cup	Plain greek yogurt or sour cream
1/2 tsp	Cream of tartar (or 2 tsp. vinegar)
1 1/2 tsp	Baking powder
1 1/2 tsp	Baking soda
1/4 tsp	Salt
1 cup	Hot water
1/2 cup	Baking stevia OR 1 cup sweetener of choice that measures like sugar
1/2 cup	Semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips
Tip	Foil cupcake liners, remove the inner paper lining (because paper liners tend to stick to muffins!)

Method:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with foil cupcake liners, or spray muffin tin with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.

In a blender, (or food processor), mix all of the ingredients together, except for the chocolate chips. Blend until oats are ground and mixture is smooth.

Place mixture in a bowl and gently stir in 1/2 of the chocolate chips (set the rest aside). Scoop mixture into prepared muffin pans.

Place muffins tins in the oven for 10 minutes.  After 10 minutes, remove muffins from the oven (but don’t shut oven off), and distribute the other half of the chocolate chips on top of each muffin.

Place the muffins back into the oven and bake for an additional 2-5 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.

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