Monkey Bread

Prior to this, I had never made "monkey bread" before, I had tried it once at a friend's house growing up and my husband had grown up with it and loved it.  Obviously, the original was is soooo unhealthy so I researched and found a better version and tweaked it myself.  Here it is-fun for a Christmas morning treat!

1 package immaculate baking company biscuits/trader joes dough mix (anything decent)
2 Tbsp. coconut palm sugar
1 Tbsp. cinnamon
1/4 cup unsweet applesauce
1/4 cup melted organic butter
1/4 pure maple syrup

1.  Cut the dough into small, bite size pieces.
2.  Mix the sugar and cinnamon together and dip each dough piece into the mixture to coat (you might even be able to skip the sugar and just use cinnamon).
3.  Place the coated pieces in a baking dish/I used a pyrex 8 x 8
4.  Mix melted butter, applesauce, and syrup together and cover evenly.
5.  Bake for 25 minutes at 350 degrees and enjoy!

My husband and daughter loved these, I still thought they were a bit too sweet but tasty!

Roasted Mushrooms with herbs

This is a yummy side dish (and could really be done with any vegetables)!

1 cup cremini mushrooms, washed and sliced
1/2 cup shiitake mushrooms, washed and sliced
1/4 cup coconut oil/olive oil/grapeseed oil
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
1/4 cup loosely packed fresh herbs (thyme, marjoram, parsley, rosemary, anything you like

Mix and spread on a large cookie/baking sheet and roast at 350 for 20-30 minutes stirring once in the middle.

Our family loves mushrooms so this is a great one for us, we also like them grilled.  If you do not like mushrooms you could try cauliflower, sweet potatoes, carrots, broccoli, anything else!

Grain-Free Chocolate Cupcakes

I got this recipe idea from elanaspantry.com.  She is awesome and I have gotten many great ideas from this site!  I made these for a Halloween party treat and everyone loved them!

Cupcakes:
1/4 cup coconut flour
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/4 tsp. sea salt
1/4 tsp. baking soda
4 organic eggs
1/4 cup melted coconut oil (butter should work too)
1/3 cup raw honey (I would guess maple syrup would be yummy too)

Whisk together ingredients in order until completely combined.  Fill each muffin liner with about 1/4 cup batter (mine made 11 cupcakes and I used Halloween themed liners).  Bake at 350 degrees for 15-18 minutes.

Frosting:
1 cup dark chocolate chips (I used 70%)
1/3 cup coconut oil
1 Tbsp. vanilla extract

Melt chocolate and coconut oil over low heat in a small saucepan.  Stir in vanilla extract.  Place frosting in the refrigerator for 15-30 minutes to thicken.  Remove from refrigerator and whip frosting with a hand mixer until thick and fluffy.  Frost over cupcakes and enjoy!  Mine were very gooey so I refrigerated them until the party!  But, the kids especially thought that gooey was awesome!

Minestrone

The weather is getting cooler and Fall is definitely upon us (if you ask my husband and daughter, they say Winter is coming).  I made this soup with frozen farmer's market veggies so it's fresh and tasty!  You could add/edit vegetables or add quinoa or pasta or rice-really, go crazy!

1 tsp. sea salt
1 tsp. onion powder
1 T garlic flakes (or diced fresh)
2 cups diced carrots
1 cup diced eggplant
1 cup diced zucchini
3-4 cups diced tomatoes
1 Tbsp. Italian Seasoning Mix
1-2 fresh rosemary spriggs
1-2 cups water (depending on how saucy you like it)
1 can organic kidney beans

Mix together and simmer on low for 4-6 hours.  Enjoy!

Stuffed Mushrooms

I forgot to take a picture, but these were super yummy!  I made them tonight with some other appetizer-type foods (bbq meatballs, mexican layer dip) for Monday Night Football!  They were light and tasty!

Large Mushrooms (I made a dozen of them or so)
1 small carrot, shredded
1/2 cup spinach, diced
1/4 sweet onion
2 cloves garlic
Seasoning of choice (I used italian seasoning mix and sea salt)
coconut oil
Organic Parmesan, shredded
2 Tbsp. bread crumbs (I used ezekial bread broken up, just a bit)
Raw, Organic Cheddar (optional)

1.  Remove stems from mushrooms and dice.  Saute' diced mushroom stems, shredded carrots, onions, and garlic in the coconut oil for 4-5 minutes.
2.  Add Diced spinach and saute' until soft and cooked through.
3.  Remove from heat and mix well with Parmesan, seasonings, and bread crumbs.
4.  Use a small spoon to stuff each mushroom cap with mixture.
(Top with organic, raw cheddar if using)
5.  Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until soft and cheese is melted!

Healthier Apple Crisp

We love Apple Crisp and I have tried to make versions without sugar but they lack that "crisp" that sugar brings, so this one is a better version-not perfect but better!

5-6 diced apples
3 Tbsp. pure maple syrup
2 tsp. cinnamon

*Stir together and add to 8 x 8 glass pyrex

Topping:
1.5 cups whole oats (gluten-free and organic if possible)
1/2 cup brown rice flour
1/2 cup coconut palm brown sugar (found in most stores, lower glycemic index)
2 Tbsp. maple syrup
6 Tbsp. melted organic butter or coconut oil
1 Tbsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. sea salt
1tsp. vanilla

*Stir together and spread on top.
*Bake at 375 degrees for 45-50 minutes or until apples are soft and top is crispy!

Cauliflower Pizza Crust

 I was very skeptical of this, I kept finding recipes for different cauliflower crusts and waited a while to experiment-I thought there was no way it could be tasty.  I was wrong!  It was good, and better yet it left me wanting more (instead of the usual regret after eating typical pizza).  My only regret was that I did not have very much cauliflower and only made a small pizza...so be warned, I would double this recipe for a typical family because I wanted lots more!  Search cauliflower pizza crust if you need to see more pics!

1/2 head cauliflower (1 cup)-grated/food processed very tiny
1/4 cup organic parmesan shredded cheese
1/4 cup organic, raw cheddar cheese shredded
2 Tbsp. Almond Flour
1 Tbsp. MILA chia seed (helps hold the dough together)
1 organic egg
1/4 tsp. sea salt
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 T fresh basil, diced
1 tsp. italian seasoning
1 T olive oil (for brushing on top)

1.  Combine ingredients in a bowl-will be crumbly.
2.  Spread (with your hands) on a piece of parchment paper on a baking sheet.
3.  Pre-bake at 450 degrees for 15 minutes or until edges are browning.
4.  Add your favorite toppings-I added Eden Organic Pizza Sauce (no sugar), sauteed mushrooms, diced chicken sausages, and raw, organic jack cheese.
5.  Broil for 5-7 minutes or until done!

Non-Grain Bars!

 (They don't look quite as perfect as could be, but they sure taste great!)
Kellogg's Nutri-grain bars are known as a "healthy" snack on the go!  Well, if you consider soy, corn syrup, corn starch, and enriched flours healthy, then yes they are!  I, on the other hand, prefer to feed my family more nutritious snacks (that way we save our "treats" for the good stuff)!  I found these on a site called against all grain, a new favorite of mine!

3/4 cup blanched almond flour (whole foods, valley natural, target)
1/2 cup coconut flour
1 T MILA chia seed
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. sea salt

1/4 cup coconut oil (not melted-room temp.)
1/4 cup raw honey or pure maple syrup (I used honey this time)
2 organic eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup berry preserves (I used raspberry with NO added sweetener-or make your own)
water to seal

1.  Warm the preserves in a saucepan on low heat while you are preparing the dough.
2.  Combine oil, honey, eggs, and vanilla and mix on medium with a hand mixer for 30 seconds.
3.  Slowly, add the dry ingredients and continue mixing until well combined.
4.  Using your hands, separate the dough into two ball and refrigerate for 20 minutes.
5.  Remove preserves from heat and allow to cool.
6.  Remove one dough ball and place between two pieces of parchment paper and roll out.
7.  Using a pizza cutter/knife, cut the dough into rectangular pieces and place on parchment paper covered cookie sheet (this step was time consuming and tricky for me, use a spatula and work carefully).
8.  Place 1-2 Tbsp. preserves on each spreading out leaving the edges open.
9.  Take the other half of dough and repeat cut pieces and place on top of the preserves.
10.  Use the water to dip your fingers and seal the edges.
11. Bake at 350 degrees for 12-14 minutes.

I placed each one in a bag for easy-on the go snacks full of protein and a bit of natural sugar from the fruit!  Oh, and we snacked on a few just so we had a good idea of how tasty they are!!

Raspberry Shortcake Cupcakes

I found this awesome site called against all grain, full of gluten-free and refined-sugar free recipes and baked goods are made with coconut or almond flour which is full of healthy fats and protein.  This was originally a recipe for strawberry cupcakes but I made them raspberry since I had lots of fresh picked raspberries from the local orchard!  My daughter helped me make them and frost them!  These would be perfect for a birthday or special occasion treat with no guilt!

Cupcakes:
2 cups almond meal/flour
1/3 cup MILA chia seed
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. sea salt.
2/3 cup raw honey
1/3 cup melted coconut oil
4 large eggs
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
1/2 tsp. lemon zest
2 tsp. vanilla
3/4 cup diced raspberries

1.  Combine wet ingredients in a blender and blend until frothy.
2.  Add dry ingredients an blend until completely smooth
3.  Fold in berries carefully.
4.  Divide batter into muffin tin (makes 12 cupcakes).
5.  Bake at 325-250 for 18-20 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.
6.  Remove from oven and set to cool completely!

Frosting:
1/3 cup raw honey
2 egg whites
1/4 tsp. lemon juice
1.5 Tbsp. raspberry preserves or mashed raspberries

1.  Place honey in saucepan and bring to a boil.
2.  While the honey is boiling, hand blend the egg whites and lemon juice until completely frothy.
3.  Slowly add boiling honey and continue hand blending (with a hand mixer) for 5-6 minutes or until cool to touch.
4.  Add preserves or fresh berries and mix well.
5.  Frost cupcakes with whippy frosting and refrigerate!  Best eaten within 24 hours!

Original Recipe:  http://www.againstallgrain.com/2012/08/27/strawberry-shortcake-cupcakes/

Farmer's Market Special

We stopped by a new farmer's market (or new to us) a few weeks ago and they were making and sampling this yummy salad/bruschetta!  They called it beet bruschetta!

2-3 beets (shredded)
2 tomatoes, diced
Large bunch basil, diced
Olive Oil
Balsamic Vinegar
Sea Salt
Ground Pepper

They had combined everything and placed it atop a fresh baked slice of bread but I think you could have it plain or atop a grilled chicken breast also.  It was colorful and fun, and I cannot wait to make it!  I also think you could shred carrots for more color!

Gluten and Dairy-Free Brownies

Okay, so I have done my share of experimenting with making my own brownies, instead of using a package (which is more expensive and usually less healthy).  Finally, these turned out sooooooo gooey and yummy!

¼ cup coconut oil, melted
½ cup granulated sugar healthier alternative (I used coconut palm brown sugar)
1/3 cup pure maple syrup (agave or raw honey would work too)
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 egg (the original called for 2 to make it more cakelike)
½ cup gluten-free all-purpose flour mix (I used Pamela's)
1/3 cup cocoa powder
½ tsp sea salt
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips (optional, also nuts)

Add ingredients in the order shown and mix well.  Pour batter into an 8 x 8 square or a 8inch round greased (with coconut oil) pan and bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.  

*They were very gooey (due to the chocolate chips) so you might need a fork to eat-my husband froze them and ate that way!

Sandwich Ideas

We don't eat a lot of bread and/or sandwiches (mostly because it's tough to find good bread and we don't really need the carbo load), but sometimes it's nice to have a simple sandwich, especially in the summer.  The key is to buy quality ingredients!  Here are two of our yummy sandwich combos we've been eating on these HOT HOT days!

(Turkey) Bacon, Lettuce, and Tomato Sandwich with avacado spread:

-Ezekial Bread
*found in the frozen section at health food and most regular grocery stores
*made from sprouted whole grains and NO FILLERS or High Fructose Corn Syrup
*the texture is different but it is more filling and super yummy toasted)
*Whole Foods also bake their own breads but this is more reasonable priced and if you keep frozen it lasts a while (for us anyway)

-Turkey Bacon (Applegate Farms is the kind I bought-Target, Whole Foods, Valley Natural)
-Sliced Tomatoes
-Large Green Leaf Lettuce
-1-2 avacados (mashed, I also added sea salt and a spoonful of salsa to mine)
*instead of mayo

Build you favorite BLT anyway you like it!

Peanut Butter and Jelly:

I know you are not thinking this is special but I can honestly say that until a couple days ago my 4.5 year old had never had one!  So, I went all out and made her a good one!  Now, we are all hooked!

-Ezekial Bread (I used Sesame this time, but they also have english muffins and others)
-Organic Fresh Ground Almond/Peanut Butter (Whole Foods, Valley Natural)
*If you buy jar almond/peanut butter be sure to read ingredients and not use if it contains added oils or sugars.
-Organic, Sugar-free fruit spread (Whole Foods, Valley Natural, some farmer's markets)
*Again, read labels-mine was sweetened with grape juice (fruit is already sweet, right?

Load up the peanut/almond butter and fruit spread and enjoy!

Grilled Cheese:

-Ezekial Bread
-Raw, Organic Sharp Cheddar Cheese
-Oil or butter
-Grilled chicken, thinly sliced (optional)

Make a healthier version of the grilled cheese!  We sometimes add thinly sliced leftover grilled chicken to make it more filling and serve with homemade tomato soup.

Asian Turkey Quinoa

1 lb lean ground turkey

1-2 Tbs. coconut oil 

1 large onion chopped

1-cup shredded carrot  ( I like the colored mix )

1 clove garlic or minced garlic (1 lg tsp)

1 green zucchini (shredded)

1 cup diced spinach, kale, or dark green of some sort (I used kale this time)

1/4 cup organic soy sauce (I used Bragg’s Amino’s)

1 cup chopped mushrooms

Splash of chicken broth (maybe 1/4-1/2 cup)

2 cups of cooked quinoa

1.  Saute garlic and onions in 1 Tbs oil.  

2.  Once beginning to brown, add carrots, zucchini, and mushrooms and saute until slightly tender 

3.  Then add turkey and saute until cooked through.  

4.  Next add kale, your pre-cooked quinoa (use directions on box), and the soy sauce and chicken broth.  

5.  Simmer covered for 10 minutes

This was colorful and fun for a new healthy dinner!  You could play with it and add any and all veggies you like.  Shredding them made them quicker cooking and so colorful and tasty!

Favorite Summer Meal Ideas

A new favorite for our daughter-tacos with green leaf lettuce (fresh from a farmer's market) as a shell!

Some Other Summer Faves:
Bruschetta Chicken
Asian Turkey Wraps
Crockpot Soup
Crockpot Thai Curry
Grilled Veggies
Stuffed Chicken Breasts
Fruit Salad
Kale Salad

Here's last year's 4th of July Meal at our house-simply and yummy!

We also do lots of simple grilled chicken, steaks, chicken sausages, beef or turkey burgers (without a bun, topped with veggies) with salads and vegetables!  A few of those are crockpot recipes because they are simple and ready when we get home from the park or pool, plus they don't warm up the whole house like baking in oven!  Happy 4th of July!

Crockpot Chicken Marsala

With the busy Summer months beginning, I have been using my crockpot a lot since we have been busy swimming, going to parks, and hanging out!  Monday at our house is gymnastics night so it's my crockpot night!  This is a quick and easy recipe that tastes super yummy and you can add whatever veggies you want!  I am also thinking you could add rice or pasta to make it more filling and go farther!

2-4 frozen chicken breasts
3 Tbsp. brown rice flour
1 cup organic chicken stock
1/2 cup marsala cooking wine
Chicken seasoning, Salt, Pepper, whatever you like to season (just make sure it is without msg)
Sliced carrots
Asparagus cut into bite sized pieces
Sliced baby bella mushrooms
(you can use whatever veggies you want, these were all available fresh from the farmer's market, except the mushrooms which were on sale at the store this week)

1.  Place the wine, chicken stock, rice flour, and seasoning in the crockpot and stir sauce well.
2.  Add veggies and chicken breasts.
3.  Stir together and cook on high for 4-5 hours or low for 8 or more hours (I usually do low for the first 6 hours, then switch to warm for another 2-3 hours since I am home on and off throughout the day).
*If you were to add rice or pasta, I would add the last couple hours so they don't get too soggy!
4.  This turns out almost creamy and the flavors blend so well!  Enjoy!

Granola

This was a first for me, I have never ventured to make my own granola cereal.  I have never been a big cereal fan, and most are so unhealthy that breakfast at our house is usually a smoothie of some sort, oatmeal for my daughter sometimes (filled with berries or nuts), and an occasional day of omelets or gluten-free pancakes.  But, I do enjoy granola sometimes, though buying organic granola in a box is expensive and you hardly get any in the box (plus it's contains hidden sugars).  So, I looked online for hours to find a recipe I liked and did not find one so I made it up myself.  I hope you like it!

3 cups organic oats (gluten-free if you prefer)-not quick cooking oats
2 cups nuts (I used raw almonds and pecans)-I lightly food processed them so they were in pieces
2/3 cup raw sunflower seeds
1 cup organic raisins
2 scoops MILA chia seed (about 1/4 cup)
2 Tbsp. cinnamon
2/3 cup pure maple syrup
2 Tbsp raw honey (I maybe did not need this but my 4 year old was helping me make it and she said honey would be good so I added a bit and it was yummy)

1.  Stir all ingredients together in a large bowl until mixed.
2.  Spread on a large cookie or baking sheets.
3.  Bake at 300 degrees for 45-60 minutes or until browned, stirring every 10 minutes.  The granola will crisp up more as it cools.

My husband was eating this by the handful, but I enjoyed it for breakfast the next day with a splash of almond milk, and my daughter liked it too.  This was a perfect example of a great recipe to make with your child, my daughter can be a creature of habit but she loved this (mostly because she helped make it).  This was a sweet and hearty way to start the day without eating refined-sugar filled boxed cereal!

Bruschetta Grilled Chicken

I saw this recipe idea on a magazine but the ingredients were terrible so I made my own healthy version.  I served it with roasted sweet potato fries and grilled asparagus-yum!

Marinade:
1 medium tomato
A few basil leaves
Sea Salt
Ground Pepper

-Place in a food processor or blender and blend into liquid.  Marinate for 2 or more hours.

3-4 large chicken breasts

Topping:
2-3 diced tomatoes
several basil leaves, diced
Drizzle of Olive Oil

-Mix tomatoes, diced basil, and olive oil together and chill.

-After the chicken breasts marinate, grill them outside (you could bake them too I suppose)

-Top with bruschetta mixture and serve!

Chocolate Nut Crunch

I found this paleo recipe online when I was hunting for a sweet treat!  This is a perfect snack!

2 cups raw nuts (almonds, pecans, walnuts, sunflower seeds, etc.)

-Slightly break down in a food processor until broken into smaller chunks
-Pour into a large bowl

3 T butter
1/4 cup raw honey
Sprinkle Sea Salt
1/2 tsp. vanilla
3 T Raw Cocoa Powder
Sprinkle cinnamon

-Melt butter and honey together over low-medium heat.
-Add sea salt, vanilla, cocoa powder and cinnamon
-Whisk together into a chocolatey sauce.
-Pour the sauce over the broken down nuts and mix together thoroughly
-Spread the chocolatey mixture on a baking sheet
-Bake at 200 degrees for 3.5 hours
-Let cool completely and then remove from pan and break into pieces (I dare you to try and get it put away before everyone eats it all)!

Grain-Free Pizza

 We have been eating mostly grain-free for the past month and I have been craving pizza, so I found a few paleo recipes online and modified it to fit our needs and likes (we are still doing raw cheese and some beans so not full paleo).

Crust:
3 organic eggs
3 T olive oil
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1-2 tsp. italian seasonings (my blend has basil, oregano, garlic, etc.)-make sure there are no msg
1 cup almond meal/flour
1/4 cup coconut flour

Mix together well.  The dough will be wet and a bit tough to spread.  Spread carefully on a baking stone and bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes.  Then remove from oven and add toppings.

Toppings:
Sliced chicken sausages
Sliced mushrooms
Diced tomatoes
Diced fresh basil
Organic, sugar free pizza sauce (or make your own)
Raw, organic cheese

Add toppings and bake for another 15-20 minutes, I broiled for the last 5 minutes to crisp up the toppings.  Enjoy!

The finished product!!  It was tasty and filling, but did not leave any of us with belly aches!

Pecan Crunch Banana Cake

My family and I are going mostly grain-free with out eating for a while so I have been on the hunt for some new recipes.  I got this one from civilizedcavemancooking.com and it was so tasty!  My husband has also requested for me to make it again next week for him to take to share with his workout buddies!

Cake:
3 mashed bananas
3/4 cup almond flour
1/4 cup raw MILA chia seed
1/4 cup coconut flour
3 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. cinnamon

Cinnamon Swirl:
3 Tbsp. raw honey
2 Tbsp. cinnamon

Crunchy Topping:
1/8 cup 100% pure maple syrup
2/3 cup raw pecans chopped or whole

1.  Use a  hand mixer to mix the cake ingredients until well combined.  Pour thick batter into an 8 x 8 pyrex/glass container.
2.  In a separate bowl, whisk the raw honey and 2 T cinnamon together and drizzle on top of batter in pan.  Swirl however you want!
3.  Place cake in the over and bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes, taking out after 15 minutes to add the candied pecans.
4.  While the cake is starting to bake, saute' the raw pecans (walnuts would also be great) in the maple syrup for 5-6 minutes on medium heat stirring often-BEWARE NOT TO EAT THEM ALL BEFORE YOU PUT THEM ON THE CAKE!
5.  After 15 minutes of baking, pull out the cake and sprinkle the candied pecans on top of the cake and then finish baking for 15-20 more minutes or until knife/toothpick comes out clean.
6.  Let sit for 30 minutes before cutting and serving.

At our house, this started as a snack, and the next day we had it for breakfast!  Enjoy!

Easy Fruit Salad

This is a simple fruit salad recipe that you can whip up in five minutes. It's perfect for a potluck, picnic, or just to have for a snack that is a little different than plain fruit. I have also done this as a fresh side item with a big Thanksgiving or Easter Dinner.

8 cups cup up fruit (I usually do granny smith apples, strawberries, grapes, pineapple, blueberries, and oranges, but you could do any fruit you like)

1/3 cup orange juice
1/3 cup lemon juice
1/3 cup water
2 drops of peppermint extract (just to make it a little different but you could omit)
Optional*Tbsp raw honey to sweeten*

1. Whisk together the juices and then add fresh fruit and mix well.
2. Chill for at least 1 hour before serving.

Just writing this makes me think that maybe I should make some of this to snack on this weekend! Enjoy!

Rosemary Apple Roasted Chicken

I was looking for a new way to roast my chicken, while still keeping it moist and tasty! This was full of flavor and so simple.

1 whole roasting chicken
1 handful fresh rosemary
1-2 granny smith apples
olive/grapeseed oil
balsamic vinegar
salt/pepper
1 cup water

1. Rinse the chicken and place in roasting pan.
2. Pour 1 cup water into pan.
3. Drizzle chicken with oil and balsamic vinegar.
4. Season with Salt and Pepper and sprinkle fresh rosemary on top and inside the chicken.
5. Cut up apples and surround the chicken with apple slices.
6. Roast at 350 degrees for approximately 90 minutes (basting once midway through to keep moisture in).

I served this with roasted sweet potato fries and steamed vegetables, but it would also be super tasty with a side salad of some sort. Enjoy!

Gluten-Free Banana Bread (another recipe)

Banana Bread is a fan favorite in our household, and today I was cleaning out my cupboards and make a batch of super yummy stuff!

5 Tbsp. melted butter
1/2 cup raw honey (agave or raw sugar would also work)
2 organic, eggs
3 mashed, ripe bananas

-Combine wet ingredients. Then add:

1 3/4 cup flour mixture (pamela's gluten-free baking mix would work also)
*1/2 cup almond flour
*1/2 cup brown right flour
*1/2 cup coconut flour
*1/4 cup MILA chia seed
1 tsp. baking soda (omit if you are using baking mix since that is included then)
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 cup dark chocolate chips

Mix together well and place into bread loaf pan (I used a mini loaf pan) and cook at 350 degrees for about 40 minutes or until a knife comes clean. This got a bit brown and crispy on top but stayed moist in the center-I loved it! Enjoy!

Tri-Berry Muffins

Growing up, my dad used to make these super yummy tri-berry muffins but as I changed the way we eat, I realized that these are not at all healthy (I thought they were all those years)-lots of sugar, white flour, etc. So, I tweaked a recipe to make some healthy, high fiber muffins

6 eggs
1/3 cup oil (olive, coconut, grapeseed)
1/3 cup raw, organic honey (agave would also work)
2 tsp. vanilla

*Whisk together until completely combined. Then add:

1/2 cup organic coconut flour
1 scoop MILA chia seed
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1-2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. sea salt

*Continue Whisking together until well combined and there are no lumps.

*Then, fold in 1 cup (I actually ended up putting in about 1.5 cups) of fresh or frozen berries (I used blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries but you could try any combination)

*Bake at 350 degrees for about 25 minutes and enjoy! These were gooey and fruity!

Weekly Meal Ideas

Sunday:
Lunch-Omelets with mushrooms, spinach, and tomatoes
Dinner-Taco Soup

Monday:
Lunch-leftover taco soup
Dinner-Chicken Wild Rice Soup

Tuesday:
Lunch-Homemade Salads
Dinner-Crockpot Red Thai Curry

Wednesday:
Lunch-Leftover Chicken Wild Rice Soup
Dinner-Wild Rice stuffed Chicken Breasts with roasted chickpeas

Thursday:
Lunch-Kale Salad, grilled chicken sausages
Dinner-Asian Turkey Lettuce Wraps

Friday:
Lunch-Waffles, chicken sausages, fresh fruit
Dinner-Date night out!

Saturday:Lunch-Leftovers
Dinner-Taco Casserole

Snacks:
Lots of fruit (grapes, cuties, blueberries looked great this week)
Veggies w/ homemade guacamole
Muffins
Raw nuts and raisins

Taco Casserole

Okay, so I've been in a rut lately with making new meals (partially because of lack of time for trying something totally new, also because we're counting pennies so I haven't been buying new ingredients that cost more-unless I know they'll get used, and moreso because my 4 year old has been getting a bit less adventurous-though by most "kid" standards, she is a very brave eater and tries almost anything). So, today, I had a full house of daycare kids but didn't want to make the same old meals anymore, so I created this gluten-free taco casserole and it was super tasty! Of the four kids who ate it, two cleaned their plate in seconds and asked for lots more and the other two ate their entire first helping-pretty good odds! I loved it also!

1 lb grass-fed ground beef
1 can organic black beans
1 jar organic salsa (of your choice)
1/4 cup water
2 T taco seasoning (buy a packet without msg or make your own with chili pepper, paprika, cumin, onion powder, and garlic powder)

1/3 cup shredded raw, organic sharp cheddar cheese

Topping:
1 cup Pamela's gluten-free baking mix (I'm sure you could use any gluten-free baking mix)
1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk
1 organic egg

1. Brown the ground beef, then add beans, salsa, water, and taco seasoning and simmer uncovered for 5 minutes.
2. Mix together baking mix, almond milk, and egg until well combined.
3. Place meat mixture into a 8 x 11 casserole dish (9 x 13 would work well too) and sprinkle cheese on top.
4. Carefully spread the baking mixture on top of the meat/cheese to create a crust on top.
5. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes of until crust is crunchy and golden brown.

I served mine over a small bed of lettuce (the kids didn't even notice) and topped with some homemade guacamole and the kids went wild-I heard lots of yums, ooh, mmmm, etc! Sorry I didn't get a picture before it got eaten, but trust me, it was worth it!

Here's a similar idea that I found online : http://www.preschoolersandpeace.com/pandpblog/2011/3/27/gluten-free-taco-bake.html

Massage Kale Salad

1 large bunch kale
1/4 cup red onion (I would omit next time or else chop large so it can be removed-the flavor was great but I don't care for raw onions)
Raw sunflower seeds
1 granny smith apple
Handful craisins
Sea Salt
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil

1. Massage the kale with sea salt until it wilts/shrivels-2-3 minutes (perfect job for my 4 year old)
2. Cut onions and apples and toss with sunflower seeds and craisins into the kale.
3. Add the vinegar and olive oil and mix together.

Really, you could add/omit any vegetables, nuts, or seeds to make this salad different. It was light and refreshing as an appetizer, but would be super tasty as a meal with a grilled chicken breast or grilled fish. Next time, I might also add some cucumbers and cherry tomatoes! My 4 year old gobbled up all but the onions of this yummy and super healthy salad!

Cinnamon Swirl Blueberry Muffins

So, I found this great recipe blog-The Almond Flour-and immediately decided that I needed to try some baking from this site! I altered it a bit since I was out of a few items, and I added the blueberries and these were awesome!

Dairy Free Muffin Batter
1/2 C brown rice flour (the original called for coconut flour, but I was out)
1 C blanched almond flour
2 scoops MILA chia seed (1/4 cup)
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
4 eggs
1/4 C coconut milk
1/3 C honey
1 cup fresh blueberries

Cinnamon Swirl
1/4 C honey (or less, they were super sweet)
1/4 C melted organic butter (coconut oil would make this dairy free)
2 T cinnamon
1/4 cup chopped walnuts (next time I would add even more of these)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Whisk egg, coconut milk, vanilla, and honey together. Then, slowly add dry ingredients (salt, Chia seed, almond flour, brown rice flour, and baking soda and whisk until lumps are gone-batter will be quite thin!
3. Optional: Add blueberries (the original recipe did not have any berries, but this made them so gooey and sweet) and stir together.
4. Scoop batter into lined muffin tins (makes 12 large or more smaller muffins)
5. Melt butter or coconut oil and then whisk together the butter, honey, cinnamon, and walnuts until combined well.
6. Spoon a teaspoon (or more) of the swirl topping onto each muffin-use a toothpick to swirl it around a bit.
7. Bake for about 18-20 minutes at 350 degrees.

These were so tasty, and I can't wait to make them again! They didn't last long in our house! I also thought these might be tasty in a loaf pan served at a brunch! Enjoy!

Weekly Meal Plan 1/15-1/22

January has been a busy month for us so far and this week is no exception. Cold weather has finally set in and winter has arrived. Keep in mind that I do daycare several days a week so these are all meals that most kids will eat as well. Plus, if you repeatedly train them, they will learn to eat healthier meals! Here was my meal plan for this week!

Sunday:
Lunch-Grilled chicken salads
Dinner-Dinner out at Jason's Deli (organic salad bar-yum)

Monday:
Lunch-Chicken Wild Rice Soup with homemade stock
Dinner-Wild Rice Stuffed Chicken Breasts with roasted sweet potato fries and steamed veggies

Tuesday:
Lunch-leftover wild rice soup
Dinner-Beef Brisket with green beans and a side salad (this would have been good over brown rice, in a sprouted grain tortilla, or even on a salad but I ate it plain)

Wednesday:
Lunch-Grilled chicken sausages, roasted red potatoes, steamed peas and carrots
Dinner-Spaghetti with brown rice pasta (If I do not have the ingredients or time to make my own sauce, I try to keep a few jars on hand-read labels and make sure they do not have added sugar-Organicville and Classico are two that I've seen)

Thursday:
Lunch-Leftover Spaghetti with raw veggies
Dinner-Roasted whole chicken with Rice Pilaf and Roasted Chickpeas

Friday:
Lunch-Chicken Broccoli Mushroom Casserole
Dinner-Crockpot Salsa Chicken Taco Soup


Saturday:
Lunch-leftovers from the week
Dinner-Homemade pizza with chicken sausages, mushrooms, and tomatoes-raw, organic cheese and organic tomato pizza sauce. I am trying a pamela's gluten free crust!

Thinking ahead for next week:
Taco Soup (My daughter's favorite so we'll have that sometime next week)
Baked Eggplant, Mushrooms, and Zucchini (My favorite)
Asian Turkey Lettuce Wraps (Hubby's favorite)

Snacks you may see around our house this week:
Blueberry Muffins with cinnamon glaze (new-I'll post this tomorrow)
Trail Mix
Fruit-Pineapple, Clementine Oranges, and Grapes are the faves right now!

Gluten-Free Brownies

Some of you could not get over the beans in the Black Bean Brownies so here is a different recipe for gluten-free brownies. Now, with the dark chocolate chips (unless you skipped them or went with like 90%) there is a bit of sugar in here but not much. The batter was super tasty!

1/2 cup organic butter, melted
1/2 cup raw honey (agave or stevia would also work I am sure)
1 tsp. vanilla extract (the recipe I adapted suggested mint extract for a special minty flavor)
2 organic eggs
1/2 cup almond meal/flour
1/4 cup brown rice flour
1 scoop MILA chia seed
1/4 tsp. sea salt
5 Tbsp. Raw Cocoa Powder
Handful Dark (70%) Chocolate Chips (optional) or raw walnuts might be tasty!

1. Mix together wet ingredients, then add the dry ingredients and stir well.
2. Pour mix into greased 8 x 8 or 8-9 inch round pan and sprinkle chocolate chips on top and bake for 25 minutes at 350 degrees. Enjoy!

*Note: The recipe also had adaptations for vegans (coconut oil instead of butter, super dark chocolate melted instead of cocoa powder, applesauce instead of eggs)