Turmeric "Latte"

So a few months ago I finally decided to cut caffeine completely.

Crazy, right??  I loved my morning cup of coffee.

What I had been noticing for the past several years is that when I was detoxing and would cut out caffeine I would feel better.  I would sleep better and over time it actually became easier for me to wake up in morning.  I was feeling super anxious and at times very irritable after I had a cup of coffee.  I guess removing it from my diet should have been a no brainer but I'm totally addicted to that feeling of something warm, tasty with a bit of sweetness every morning.

Here is my solution!

Something warm, sweet and tasty with the amazing added bonus of being very good for you!

Recently there have been countless studies, articles, etc. extolling the many benefits of turmeric and after a few weeks of drinking this every morning I am now a believer.  It helps me wake, curbs hunger & actually gives me more energy than coffee ever did without all those nasty side effects.  I even drink it at night occasionally when I have an upset stomach and within minutes I feel better.

There are so many ways that turmeric is good for you so please give this a try!   

 

 

 Turmeric "Latte"

To a blender or nutri bullet cup add:

1/4 cup raw cashews

10 oz of water

1/2 tsp turmeric

1/4 tsp cardamom

1/4 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp ginger

1 tsp vanilla extract

pinch of fresh ground pepper (this is important, it helps your body absorb the turmeric)

maple syrup or other sweetener to taste

Blend until completely smooth.  If you don't have a high powdered appliance this may take a few minutes.  Gently warm in a pan on the stove. 

Enjoy! 

 

Super Brownies

 

Now I realize this is not the best looking photo and I'm going to be quite honest with you...these brownies are not beautiful.  They are also pretty crumbly.  Although,

if you are trying to eat healthy this is the perfect solution to a sweet craving!  They taste absolutely delicious and are vegan, gluten free & refined sugar free (without the addition of chips).  The perfect dessert for almost ANY diet!  They even have the stamp of approval from my most picky eater!

 

 

 

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

In your Kitchenaid or a large regular bowl add:

1 cup oat flour (blend gluten free oats until a fine powder)

1/4 cup raw cacao

1 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt

Stir or beat until combined.  Then add:

1 flax egg (Mix 1 tbls. ground flax, 3 tbls. water let set for 5 minutes until thick)

1/2 cup raw almond butter

1/4 cup melted coconut oil

3/4 cup pure maple syrup (no Mrs. Butterworth type)

1 tbls. vanilla

4 oz chopped nuts (optional)

4 oz chocolate chunks or chips (optional)

Beat until well combined & then pour into a well greased 8x8 baking dish.  Bake for 30 - 35 minutes.  Let them cool completely before you cut.

 

Note about the chocolate chips:  we used a vegan carob chip but there are a lot of options out there if you are trying to avoid specific ingredients. Or you can chop up dark chocolate and sprinkle that on top.   Just keep in mind that most regular chocolate has refined sugar in it if you are trying to avoid it!     It's up to you!

Enjoy!

Superfood Smoothie Recipe

 

 

No need to buy expensive protein powders or diet shakes!!!

You can make your own super food real food smoothie with everything you need in it.

I truly believe that the less processed ingredients we put in our body the better off we will be.  Protein shakes & meal replacement powders are highly processed.

http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-11371/why-you-really-shouldnt-use-protein-powders.html

 

Try a google search...it's a bit scary!

 

Superfood Smoothie!

1 large handful of greens (spinach, kale, chard are delicious)

1/2 cup raw cashews

1 heaping tablespoon hemp seed

1 tablespoon raw coconut butter (sometimes called manna)

1 fresh or frozen banana

1 cup or more frozen fruit (I love pineapple, mango & berries)

8 - 12oz of water depending on how you like the thickness of your smoothie

Blend until smooth.  I use my nutri bullet but a regular blender should work fine just make sure to blend it long enough to get the nuts & seeds nice and smooth.

 

Now I realize some of these ingredients may be a bit foreign so here is an explanation of the health benefits. 

 

 

Benefits of coconut butter:

It’s rich in lauric acid, which boosts immunity and destroys harmful bacteria, viruses, and     funguses.

It actually boosts your metabolism, which aids in weight loss and increases energy levels.

It’s packed with healthy fats, so you feel full longer.

It’s full of essential amino acids, calcium, and magnesium

Benefits of hemp seed:

Excellent 3:1 balance of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, which promote cardiovascular health.

High in gamma linolenic acid (GLA), an essential omega-6 fatty acid found in borage oil and egg yolks that has been proven to naturally balance hormones.

“Perfect protein” not only containing all 20 amino acids, but also each of the 9 essential amino acids that our bodies cannot produce.

Rich in soluble and un-soluble fiber which naturally cleanses the colon and reduces sugar cravings

Benefits of cashews:

Good body builder

Cashew has no cholesterol.

Cashew helps maintain healthy gums and teeth.

Cashew is an energizing food.

Cashew contains healthy monounsaturated fat that promotes good cardiovascular health, because monounsaturated fats reduce high triglyceride levels which are associated with increased risk for heart disease.

Cashew is rich in antioxidants that help in the elimination of free radicals that may cause some cancer

Magnesium works with calcium to support healthy muscles and bones in the body. It also helps promote normal sleep patterns in menopausal women.

Cashew nuts have a high energy density and high amount of dietary fiber, both have been attributed to a beneficial effect on weight management, but only when eaten in moderation

Cashew's has high copper content is vital in energy production, greater flexibility in blood vessels, bones and joints.

Cashew nut consumption helps the body utilize iron, eliminate free radicals, develop bone and connective tissue, and produce the skin and hair pigment melanin.





I'm assuming that most of you know the benefits of greens, fruits & bananas so I won't go into that.  The really nice thing about this recipe is that you can vary your greens, nuts & fruits to give yourself different flavors and nutrients.

Enjoy!

Spiced White Hot Chocolate

 

Today was the perfect day for a little hot chocolate!

Rainy, cold outside but cozy and warm inside by our woodstove.

I love this recipe!

 

Spiced White Hot Chocolate

To a saucepan add:

3 cups milk

(we used coconut milk)

2/3 cup finely chopped white chocolate bar

(I love Divine fair trade white chocolate)

1 cinnamon stick

1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg

1 tsp. vanilla extract

Slowly bring to a gentle boil stirring constantly.

Remove cinnamon stick & serve.

Sprinkle a little cinnamon on top & enjoy!

 

If you don't know much about fair trade chocolate here are 7 reasons to buy fair trade!

 

Vegan Cream of Spinach Soup

This was an experiment that went Oh So Right!

It was surprisingly delicious.

I had a TON of spinach.  I had bought 2 bags at Trader Joe's & then got another bag in my CSA box.

I needed a serious spinach recipe.

This little experiment worked out perfectly.

Unfortunately I wasn't planning on sharing the recipe so I don't have pictures of the whole process.

I will do my best with describing my process so maybe you won't even need pictures.

 

In 2 Tbls. olive oil sauté 1 chopped onion & 4 minced cloves of garlic.

 



While the onions & garlic are sautéing, you can work on your "cream".

I added 3/4 cup raw soaked cashews & 3/4 cup water to my Magic Bullet and blend until smooth.

I soaked the cashews for about 45 minutes before I used them.

I then added the "cream" and 2 quarts veggie broth to my onion mixture in the pot.

 



 

Next I chopped 4 small potatoes and added them to the pot.

Then I dumped what would be about 2 bags full of spinach into the pot.

Bring pot to a boil and reduce to a simmer.

Simmer for 20 minutes or until potatoes are tender.

Once veggies are tender blend the soup using an immersion blender or in batches in the regular blender.

Pour soup back into the pot and season generously with salt and pepper.

Simmer until ready to serve.

 

Souper simple, very tasty!

Super Simple Supper & Simple Dressing

Last night I was super tired and grumpy.

I needed a really simple dinner.

So I made a salad bar.

My girls LOVE salad bar, believe it or not.

I think they like having control over what they are eating.

I LOVE it because they are getting a plate full of healthy things!

 

 

I made a homemade dressing to top our salads.

It was really simple to make and tastes yummy.

So I will share the recipe with you.

 

Super Simple Dressing

Add 1 1/2 cups olive oil, 2/3 cup red wine vinegar, 1 Tbls. mustard (I used Dijon), 1 tsp each salt, pepper & coconut sugar & 1 1/2 tsp Trader Joe's 21 seasoning salute to a large jar. 

Shake well and refrigerate.

Note:  You can use regular white sugar in place of the coconut sugar & use Italian seasoning in place of the 21 season salute.

 

Tonight I am going to attempt a Vegan Cream of Spinach soup.  I will let you know how it goes.

Enjoy!



Gluten Free Nutty Granola

This is the detox friendly tweak of my original granola recipe.

To make it vegan just sub maple syrup for the honey in the recipe.

It tastes just as good!

 

 

Combine 4 cups Gluten free oats, 1 cup almond meal (leftover from homemade almond milk), 1 cup raw unsalted sunflower seeds, 1 cup unsweetened coconut, 1 cup raw pecans or walnuts, and 2 heaping teaspoons of pumpkin pie seasoning in a large bowl.

 

 

In a microwave safe container melt together 1/2 cup coconut oil, 1 Tbls. almond milk, 1 Tbls. maple syrup, 3/4 cup raw honey & 2 teaspoons vanilla extract.

 

Add the wet ingredients to the dry and give it a good toss until everything is incorporated.

Bake on a large baking sheet at 325 for 10 minute intervals, tossing between intervals, until golden brown.  Allow to cool completely and store in an air tight container.

 

Enjoy with your favorite milk, yogurt or berries!

Homemade Almond Milk

Another really simple thing to make at home is Almond Milk!

Again, it's great for the same reasons as making your own broths.

It's cheaper, you know what's in it & it's green.

Here's my method.

 

Start with 1 cup of raw organic almonds.

Add plenty of water and allow to soak overnight.

 



In the morning give the soaked almonds a good rinse.



 

Next add almonds and 4 cups water to your blender & blend.

It takes about 1-2 minutes for me to get the right consistency in my Ninja.

It may take longer or shorter depending on your blender.

 

 

Next, strain the milk using a nut milk bag, cheesecloth, or muslin. 

I set mine in a colander over a pitcher.

Squeeze the almond pulp in the nut milk bag to remove all the milk.

 

 

And there you have it!

Delicious almond milk.

Store in a covered glass pitcher in fridge for 3-5 days.

 

If you like a little sweetness in your milk you can add a few pitted dates, vanilla beans or 1Tbls. maple syrup during the blending stage.

You could also make other types of nut milks using the same method.

Cashew and macadamia are also very good.

 

 OK, so what do you do with the pulp?

DON'T throw it away!

I put it in a shallow glass dish and let it dry out.

You can store it covered in the fridge for a few days.

You can use this deliciousness for baked goods, granola or chicken feed. 

Just sub for part of the flour in any baked goods recipe.

It adds a delicious nutty wholesome flavor to all of kinds of things; cookies, muffins & breads.

Chicken also LOVE almond pulp/meal!!!

See, zero waste!!!

Zero waste rocks my socks!

 

Homemade Veggie Broth

Homemade Veggie broth is SUPER simple!!!  There are so many reasons to make your own.

1 - You know exactly what's in it.

2 - It's green.  You can reuse the jars over and over.

3 - It's cheaper....honestly it is.

4 - It tastes better.

Veggie broth can be used in a ton of different recipes and is detox friendly.  Tastes great in place of water when you make rice or quinoa.

I don't really have a recipe, it's really more of a method.

I start with my giant canning pot and fill it full of organic veggies and scraps.

For this batch I used leeks, carrots, onions, potatoes, celery, mushrooms, parsley, marjoram, thyme & a couple cloves of garlic.  I scrubbed the veggies clean with a strong bristle brush, chopped them in large chunks & added them to the pot.

My pot was about 3/4 of the way full with veggies.

I then added filtered water to about 2 inches from the top of the pot.

Bring to a rapid boil and then turn down to a simmer.  Simmer for about 4-6 hours.  The stock is done when it has a golden hue.

Next I use a large ladle and wire mesh strainer

 and strain the broth into a pitcher.  I put a small strainer on top of 1 of my jars and pour the broth into the canning jar.  I double strain because the potatoes become mush and can cause your broth to be too thick.

Fill jars but make sure you leave 2 inches of headspace, especially if you plan on freezing the stock.  Another note, you must use wide mouth jars to freeze your stock.  I use wide mouth quart jars.

Allow your jars of stock to cool overnight in the fridge before putting in the freezer.  Also, make sure to not screw the lids on too tight.  All of these things will help to keep your jars from cracking in the freezer.

Another note, you could add salt to your broth for more flavor but I prefer to not have the added sodium.

This method typically makes 12-14 quart jars of stock.

You can feed the leftover mushed veggies to your chickens or add it to your compost pile. 

Happy Healthy Eating Friends!

Detox Day 4 Lunch

I am dying today.

So hungry & tired & cranky.

Usually I am feeling amazing at this point.  I must have had a TON of toxins built up.

This salad recipe is based off of Julie Chrisman's orzo salad recipe.  It's soooo delicious and I was totally craving it today.  So I just swapped out the orzo for some white beans & I made my own dried tomatoes.

It totally hit the spot.

I may eat the whole salad today.

Spinach & White Bean Salad

In a bowl combine 2 cups white beans, 1qt. chopped baby spinach, 1/4 cup slivered dried tomatoes in oil (or I think fresh would be really good too!), 12 sliced kalamata olives, 3tbsp each olive oil & red wine vinegar, 1/2 tsp each oregano & basil, salt & pepper to taste.

Technically, I don't think I am supposed to eat the olives (because they are processed) but I really really needed the burst of flavor.

Detox Day 3 Lunch & Dinner

I meant to post this last night but was having technical difficulties.

These chickpea patties had a very soft consistency but I loved the flavor paired with greens topped with fresh lemon juice, olive oil, sea salt & pepper.

It was yummy!  So yummy I had them for dinner & then lunch the next day.

Chickpea Patties

In a blender or food processor combine 2 cups chickpeas, 1 heaping tbls. dried parsley, 1 tsp. minced garlic, 1/4 tsp. ground cumin, salt & pepper to taste.

Form into patties & coat in brown rice flour.  (You can use regular flour, I am on a gluten free diet.)

Fry patties in olive oil for about 2-3 minutes per side.

Day 2 Detox Breakfast

 Pumpkin Protein Smoothie

1 frozen banana

1/3 cup pumpkin puree

1 - 2 cups unsweetened coconut milk (depends on how thick you like your smoothie)

1 heaping tbls. raw honey

1/4 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

1 scoop vanilla rice protein

1 tbls. hemp seeds or golden ground flax (optional)

Blend until smooth.

This recipe fits perfectly into a magic bullet cup, which is what I use for my smoothies.

Day 1 Detox Lunch

 Thank goodness for my new job!

I get home by 11:45, so I actually have time to make lunch & even enjoy eating it.

Today I made a Chickpea & Spinach Salad.

1 3/4 cups cooked & drained chickpeas

1 cup chopped baby spinach

1 cup halved cherry tomatoes

juice from 1 lemon

3 tbls. olive oil

1 tbls. chopped fresh parsley

1 clove minced garlic

Toss all ingredients in a bowl.

Add sea salt & pepper to taste.

Sprinkle salad with pumpkin seeds after serving.

Makes 2 large detox size servings.

Trail Blazer Cookies

I developed these cookies for my hubby. He is an avid backpacker & hiker but not a huge fan of granola bars. He does love a good cookie and he wanted something hardy like a granola bar. What's nice about this recipe is you can tweak the mix-ins so that it's exactly what you like.

I put peanuts & M n M's in Matt's cookies. He his preparing for a big trip to the Grand Canyon and the M n M's don't melt in the backpack.

I used chocolate chips & pecans in the kid's version only because that's what I usually put in my chocolate chip cookies.

Trail Blazer Cookies

Cream together:

1 cup room temperature butter

1 cup peanut butter

1 cup sucanat

1/2 cup brown sugar

Add:

2 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

In a separate bowl mix:

1 cup almond meal

(I use my leftovers from my homemade almond milk, just dry it out a bit)

1 cup whole wheat flour

2 1/2 cups oat flour

(just blend oats in blender)

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

Mix all ingredients together & then add:

1 cup chocolate chips (m n m's, peanut butter chips, dried fruit, etc.)

1/2 chopped nuts

Shape into balls & place on cookie sheet. Bake at 375 for 10-12 minutes.

Apple Cinnamon Bread

On one of my loooong runs the other day my running buddy starting talking about apple cinnamon bread. Of course, we were starving at that point. I had never had apple cinnamon bread before but it sounded amazing. She went into great detail explaining it to me......torture.....but I thought "hey, I can totally duplicate that."

So here's my attempt.

It is everything I imagined it would be.

Delicious!

I started out by making a basic sweet dough in my bread maker.

Here's my recipe:

3/8 cup milk, 3/8 cup (warm) water, 1 egg, 2 cups white flour, 1 cup wheat flour, 1 tsp. salt, 4 tbls. butter, 1/3 cup sugar, 1 1/2 tsp. yeast.

Make sure all your ingredients are room temperature & set your breadmaker to "dough."

While your dough is going, make the filling.

I peeled & chopped 3 medium sized apples.

Melt 6 tbls. butter in a skillet & add apples.

Sprinkle with 2 tbls. sugar & 1 tsp. cinnamon.

Saute on low until apples are tender.

When your dough is finished roll into a rectangle on a floured surface.

Yes.....that's a rectangle!

Ahem.....clearly you don't have to be perfect at this recipe.

Spread your apple filling over the dough rectangle. Don't get too close to the edge so that you can pinch your seams.

Next, sprinkle with an additional 2 tbls. of sugar & 1 tsp. of cinnamon.

Roll the rectangle into a log & pinch your seams closed.

Mine wouldn't stay closed.

Not to worry, it still turned out.

Again, perfection is not required.

Place log into a well greased bread pan.

Cover & let rise in a warm oven for 30 minutes.

Remove from oven & preheat to 350 degrees.

When your oven is ready bake for 30 - 35 minutes.

It smells so good when it's baking.

Let cool for about 15 minutes in the pan & then remove to a cooling rack.

Slice & EAT!

It's delicious at 6 am with a hot cup of coffee sitting in front of the woodstove. :)

I bet it would also make some seriously yummy french toast.

Thanks Jean for the inspiration!

I am sharing @

Green Bean Summer Salad

I was sooo excited about this.

I don't know why.

I am a geek.

It's our first ripe red raspberry. Ever!

I have never grown raspberries before & I was screaming in hysterics calling everyone outside to look.

Thankfully, Avers was just as excited as I was, so I didn't look like a total freak.

After I snapped the pic she immediately popped it into her mouth!

I had an abundance of green beans.

I had bought some at the Farmer's Market & then when I picked up my CSA box this week there was more.

I love it!

Here's what I did with all those beauties.......

Green Bean Summer Salad
Steam 1lb. trimmed, cut & washed green beans for 5 minutes.

Immediately plunge into an ice water bath.

Strain, dry & add to a bowl.

Chop 2 large tomatoes & add to bowl.

Chop 1 large red onion & add to bowl.

Drain, rinse & add 1 can white beans to bowl.

Dressing

In a small bowl add 4 tbls. olive oil, 2-3 tbls. red wine vinegar (I like a LOT of vinegar so I add 3.), 1 large minced garlic clove, 1 tsp. fresh chopped dill or 1/2 tsp. dry, 1 tsp. fresh minced parsley, 1 tsp. dijon mustard, salt & pepper to taste.

Whisk dressing well & pour over veggies.

Toss!

You can also add 1/2 carton of feta cheese. The cheese is really delicious in this recipe but I was trying to keep it vegan for my "Detox Friends".

I doubled the recipe in this picture because I was taking this to a potluck!

This salad keeps really well in the fridge & it's also great picnic fare.

Enjoy friends!

Roasted Summer Veggies with Pasta

I made this recipe vegan for my friends who are on the "Detox Diet" & it turned out really good.

Morgan had 4 helpings......no joke.

Rough chop some summer squash, tomatoes & red onion toss it into a pan.

Next, mince 6 cloves, yes 6, of garlic. Toss it in the pan.

Drizzle your pile o' veggies with a ton (not an actual ton but I like a lot) of olive oil.

Sprinkle with sea salt & fresh cracked pepper.

Now give that pile o' veggies a good toss & spread evenly in the pan.

Roast in the oven at 375 until veggies are soft but not squishy. :)

Start cooking your pasta noodles, any kind, while your veggies are cooking.

I used 3/4 of a package of spaghetti.

When your pasta noodles are finished cooking, drain them well.

Add them to a big ol' bowl & drizzle with another ton of olive oil & sprinkle with salt & pepper.

Toss.

Dump the entire pan of roast veggies right on top of your seasoned noodles. Juicy drippings & all.

Then add a big bunch of chopped fresh basil.

Toss the whole mess together & serve.

Yum.

This was a very light & refreshing pasta dish.

If you aren't doing the Vegan thing you could add some parmesan cheese.

It would be delicious with some parm!

Hang in there Detox friends! I know you can do it!

Aunt Heidi's Oakie Mokie

Yes, we live in Auuuuuberry!

We are Oakies. :) Not really, but what a fun name anyways.

My Aunt Heidi drinks these all summer long & they are GOOD.

She has my entire family hooked on them.

Easy, yummy & refreshing.

My kind of recipe.

Get yourself a big ol' glass.

Add 1 heaping teaspoon of instant coffee.

Add some cool water to just about half the glass.

Give it a good stir until the coffee dissolves.

Next, add 3 heaping teaspoons of Nesquick.
Give it another good stir until the Nesquick is dissolved.

Then add your choice of milk leaving just a bit of room for ice.
Add some ice cubes.

Sip away!

There's nothing like an ice cold coffee drink on a warm summer day.

Well......maybe an ice cold tea drink but that's another blog post. :)

I am sharing at:

Summer Fruit

I love summer fruit!

Yum!

I have been getting 2 baskets of strawberries a day from our berry patch.

All the wet weather we had this winter has made all my berry plants go crazy.

I can't wait for the raspberries & elderberries to be ready.

I picked up some peaches in Avila this weekend at The Barn.

And some really nice person, I can't remember who, brought me some fresh blueberries and put them in my freezer. That might sound strange that I can't remember, but it was the day of the kids graduation party and there was about a hundred people in and out of our house.

I had some sweet friends bring some delicious cherries, a different friend brought fresh picked blackberries & then there was the mysterious blueberries.

If it was you, I am sorry I forgot. :(

Anyways, with all this fresh fruit I decided to make a cobbler.

And I ate it for dinner.

Yep, for dinner.

Peach Blueberry Cobbler

I just used the same recipe that I use for my cherry cobbler.

It was gooooood!

What's your favorite summer fruit dessert?