Breakfast Smoothie

I can't believe after all these months that I haven't yet put a smoothie recipe on this site...especially since we drink a smoothie most days for breakfast. In fact, most days these are the first words out of my daughter's mouth each morning..."Can we make a smoothie?" This is just one variation, you could add/change anything to your taste. Here's one of our favorites:

1 banana
1 cup frozen strawberries
1 cup frozen mixed berries
1 cup fresh spinach
1 tbsp raw cocoa powder
1-2 tbsp MILA (raw whole chia seeds)
Coconut or Almond Milk to taste
2 eggs/protein powder

Blend until smooth. This makes enough for 3 large glasses, and it fills me up for several hours! We have also tried different fruits, kale, nuts, flax seed, and more...you can really do anything with these smoothies. We buy our frozen berries at Sam's Club in bulk so we get a better deal...you could also buy large amounts of fresh fruit during the Summer (farmer's markets) and freeze it for later use!

The New Dirty Dozen

Many people say they cannot afford to eat organic, and I understand completely. Try to buy as much organic as you can, and also check out the "Dirty Dozen"-try hardest to buy these organic because they have the most chemicals and toxins! Plus, a lot of these you can find at any local grocery store or in Winter, buy frozen organic fruits!

http://green.yahoo.com/blog/daily_green_news/332/the-new-dirty-dozen-12-foods-to-eat-organic-and-avoid-pesticide-residue.html

Celery
Peaches
Strawberries
Apples
Blueberries
Nectarines
Peppers
Spinach
Kale
Cherries
Potatoes
Grapes

Asian Wraps

This is yet another modified recipe from the Maximized Living Cookbook. I changed things to my own taste. This is a refreshing, different recipe that is very simple and fun to eat!

1 pound ground turkey/chicken
1 tbsp sesame oil (I usually use coconut oil for mine)
1 cup shiitake mushrooms/portabello mushrooms (diced)
2-3 garlic cloves (diced)
1 tbls fresh ginger (minced)
1 tbsp rice vinegar (optional)
1/3 cup soy sauce/tamari
3 tbls almond butter/nut butter
Lettuce Leaves

1. Brown turkey/chicken in a skillet with the oil.
2. After meat is mostly browned, add mushrooms, garlic, and ginger and saute'.
3. Add vinegar, almond butter, and soy sauce and simmer for about 10 minutes while stirring continuously.
4. Spoon the meat mixture into large lettuce leaves and enjoy!

This is a fun meal for kids because they can build their own wraps!

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!

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!

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!