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Tuesday, October 26, 2010

Sweet Potato Fries

Mmmm, this is one of my favorite snacks or side dishes! They are simple to make but do require a bit of time! Make lots because everyone will want seconds!

2-3 sweet potatoes (peeled and sliced into thin strips-or diced)
2 tbsp. coconut oil
Lots of ground Sea Salt

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees and melt the coconut oil on a baking sheet.
2. Peel and cut the sweet potatoes into the shape of your choice.
3. Toss the sweet potatoes into the coconut oil and add lots of Sea Salt.
4. Bake at 400 degrees for about an hour, flipping and moving every 10-15 minutes.

If you bake these carefully, they will end up crispy and ready to eat! If you prefer softer potatoes, you can also do this on the grill or bake for a shorter time! Enjoy!

Healthier Alternatives

Many people ask us what we eat as though we might be depriving ourselves just because we eat fairly healthy. We usually laugh because we often make simple adaptations to common meals! Overall, we eat mostly gluten-free (except on weekends or a special occasion) and we try to buy quality, organic ingredients whenever we can!

Here are just a few examples of easy changes you can make while hardly noticing a change:

*When making spaghetti or lasagna, replace traditional pasta with brown rice pasta, spinach pasta or whole wheat pasta (Brown Rice Pasta is gluten-free and easy to find-here I can find it at Walmart, Target, Cub, Whole Foods, or any other natural food store). I also use Grass-fed beef/bison for meat and Organic Pasta Sauce (Bertolli's is my favorite). When making lasagna, I simply layer the rice pasta, the meat sauce, and raw mozzarella cheese until done! I've made these meals for others and no one even notices the changes!

*Instead of tortillas or taco shells, make Taco Salads with fresh, crisp lettuce/spinach and fresh toppings (Raw Cheese, tomatoes, avacados, black beans, etc.)! We have also served this over Jasmine rice and enjoyed it that way too!

*Make hamburgers, turkey burgers, or chicken sausages without the buns...or use a sprouted wheat bun! We usualy eat them bunless and add tomatoes, avacadoes, and bbq sauce (check ingredients)! Mmm, this is a tasty main dish paired with some baked sweet potato fries and a side of steamed veggies!

So, as you can see, there are simple changes that you can make to help keep your family healthier! Once you make these changes, you won't want to go back!

Monday, October 18, 2010

Baked Eggplant and Mushrooms

This is one of my favorite meals, but it could also be a great appetizer! I love the crunchiness of the veggies and the rich flavor. It tastes like a restaurant appetizer but is much better for you!

2 eggplants (peel and slice the long way)
1/2 pound mushrooms (washed and stems taken out)
2 eggs
1/4 cup organic whole oats (ground slightly)
1/4 cup organic Parmesan cheese
Italian spice grinder
1 can organic tomato sauce (or pasta sauce would work-check ingredients for no hidden sugars)

1. Place two beaten eggs in a flat plate or dish.
2. In a second flat dish, mix the ground oats, Parmesan cheese, and spices (as desired).
3. In a saucepan, warm the tomato sauce and more italian spices as desired.
4. Carefully dip both sides of the eggplant slices and mushrooms into the egg mixture, followed by the oats/cheese mixture.
5. Place the coated veggies on a oiled baking sheet.
6. Bake at 350-375 degrees for about 35 minutes, flipping over after the first 15 minutes.
7. Serve with tomato sauce and additional Parmesan if desired.

I have also made this with zucchini and it's very yummy! I am sure it could work with many types of vegetables, so be creative and enjoy!

Friday, October 15, 2010

Peanut (Almond) Butter Cups

I got this recipe idea from the cooking God's way website...they are so yummy! The only problem is that you might just eat the whole batch in one day! Let me preface this by saying that these are still a treat but they are a much better option than your typical store bought version!

4 squares unsweetened chocolate
3-4 tbsp raw honey
1 tbsp coconut oil

1/3 cup almond butter (I also made some with peanut butter as a treat)
2 tbsp raw honey
1 tbsp coconut oil
Sea salt (if desired)

1. First, begin melting two squares of chocolate with about 2 tbsp raw honey and 1/2 tbsp coconut oil.
2. While the chocolate mixture is melting, mix up the almond butter mixture in another bowl.
3. Fill muffin cups just slightly with the chocolate mixture (I got 9 out of this much). Place them in the freezer for about 10-12 minutes or until they harden slightly.
4. Pull the muffin cups out and place a layer of almond butter mixture on top of the chocolate mixture. Place in the freezer for another 10 minutes or until they start to harden.
5. While they freeze, place the other two chocolate squares, honey, and coconut oil in the pan and melt together (if you don't melt it separately it will thicken and you cannot use it).
6. Once the almond butter mixture is somewhat hard, remove from freezer and cover with a thin layer of chocolate.
7. Finally, freeze again for about 30 minutes or until solid. These can be stored in the fridge or freezer until eaten! Enjoy!

Thursday, October 7, 2010

Almond Pecan Bars


This is another variation of a treat from the maximized living cookbook. My family loves these are a pick-me-up snack or for dessert! You could also add protein powder, chia seed, or flax seed to boost nutrition and energy!
Bars:
½ cup raw almonds
½ cup raw pecans
¼ cup unsweetened coconut flakes
¼ cup almond butter
¼ cup coconut oil
½ tsp vanilla
5 drops stevia
Sea Salt-several grinds

1. Use a food processor to grind together the almond, pecans, sea salt, and coconut.
2. Add almond butter and process together more.
3. Melt coconut oil in a pan with vanilla and stevia...add this liquid to the nut mixture in the food processor and continue mixing together (it will be thick).
4. Make sure it is mixed well and place in lined muffin tins (or over wax paper in a 9 x 13 pan).
5. Refrigerate/Freeze while you make the topping.
Topping:
2 squares unsweetened baking chocolate
5-7 drops stevia
Cinnamon

6. Melt the chocolate together and add stevia and cinnamon.

7. Carefully spread chocolate topping onto the bars (or eat them plain if you do not prefer chocolate topping).
8. Refrigerate or freeze until served!