Cucumber & Tomato Salad

One of the reasons I love this salad so much is because of the simplicity of it. In the summertime, tomatoes are so fresh and sweet. When you're working with great ingredients, they taste great on their own and the less you add to them, the better! This salad is a prime example of keeping it simple! In this case, less is definitely more! 

This salad can be served as a starter, a side or can be transformed to a meal by serving it on top of a grilled portabella mushroom as I did here. The mushroom is warm and meaty, and the salad is cool and crisp! Together, they're a perfectly light meal. 

I used basil in this particular salad, but all herbs are welcome here. Go ahead and swap out the basil for mint, cilantro, dill or parsley. Whatever herb you like will work!

Ingredients:

-1 large tomato, cut into large chunks

-1 seedless cucumber, cut into large chunks

-1/2 of a red onion, thinly sliced

-1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

-1/4 cup red wine vinegar

-1/4 cup basil, chopped

-sea salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

-Chuck everything except for the basil into a large bowl and mix well to combine. 

-Place it in the fridge to let the flavors marry for 15-30 minutes.

-Just before service, toss in the basil. Taste and season with sea salt and pepper to taste. Enjoy!

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Zucchini Carpaccio

Zucchini is one of my favorite summer vegetables and they come in abundance in gardens everywhere! Aside from being delicious, zucchini are a nutritional powerhouse! Zucchini are full of the essential nutrient (essential means that your body does not produce it so you must get it from your diet) manganese! In fact, just one cup of zucchini containes 19% of your daily recommended amount of manganese. Did you know that manganese can help give you beautiful skin? It's true! Manganese is responsible for the production of proline, which is an amino acid that aids in the production of collagen!  It's also full of vitamins A and C and is a powerful antioxidant. So eat your zucchini! It's delicious. Especially in this recipe.

This recipe is really quick and has only a few ingredients. It's fresh, bright and healthy and makes a perfect side dish or appetizer!

Ingredients:
-1 medium-sized zucchini
-1 medium-sized summer squash
-zest and juice of 1 large lemon
-1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
-1 clove of garlic
-1/3 cup basil
-1/3 cup mint
-sea salt and pepper

Directions:
-Using a mandolin on the thinnest setting, slice your zucchini and squash. If you don't have a mandolin, you can definitely do this by hand. Just slice it as thin as you can.
-Layer your zucchini and squash on a platter in any design you like until you have used all of them.  Make sure to generously salt and pepper between each layer. This is very important for seasoning, and to soften the vegetables.
-In a small bowl, add in the lemon zest, lemon juice and oil oil. Add the garlic to the bowl. I recommend grating it, as it will be eaten raw. You really don't want to bite down on a huge piece of raw garlic. Whisk everything in the bowl together and pour it over the layered zucchini and squash. Refrigerate for 20 minutes or so to let everything marinate.
-In the mean time, chiffonade (a fancy french word for cut into thin strips) or chop your basil and mint.
-When the dish comes out of the fridge, sprinkle the herbs all over the veg. Serve immediately. enjoy!

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Day Three Sping Juice Cleanse

Ahhhh...I just broke my fast with some delicious watermelon. Watermelon has never tasted so good!

Overall yesterday went pretty well. I woke up feeling great with lots of energy, which may have actually been to my detriment. I decided I would get a little wild and crazy and go for a run (well really a run/walk...that usually works out better for me). However, I made a few minor oversights. 1. I was on my third day of a juice cleanse. 2. I was just coming back from taking two weeks off of working out. 3. I'm likely quite anemic due to the fact that I had a miscarriage 2 weeks ago. 4. It was 90 degrees and humid! EPIC FAIL on my part. Somewhere about halfway through my three mile route, I had to stop at a stoplight, at which time I instantly felt as if I would pass out and/or vomit. Luckily there was a bench right next to me. So I sat and rested and drank some water. Then I proceeded to walk the rest of the way back (about another mile and a half) and even that was a major challenge. I usually tell people not to do too vigorous of a workout when they're cleansing. Why can't I follow my own advice? Oh well. I'm human. Lesson learned!

After I finally got myself and my little one up the 63 steps to our apartment, I needed a nap! So I got in a 30 minute power nap and woke up feeling much better! The rest of the day was pretty much smooth sailing! I even went back out again and walked to the farmer's market. By last night however, I was definitely ready for something to chew on! Watching my husband eat his salad was pretty brutal. I was definitely ready for some food! So I went to bed early in anticipation of waking up this morning feeling great, ready to break my fast! 

Here's what I drank yesterday for my feast:

Breakfast juice:
-1 beet
-1 head of celery
-1 grapefruit
-1 lemon
-1 knuckle of ginger

Lunch Juice:
-1 head of lacinto kale
-8 carrots
-1 apple
-1 cucumber
-2 lemons
-1 inch piece of burdock root

Dinner Juice:
-1 bunch of dandelion greens
-2 oranges
-2 lemons
-1 zucchini
-1 apple
-1 knuckle of ginger

I also drank upwards of a gallon of water yesterday and about 4 cups of dandelion tea. If it seems like you would have to be constantly drinking in order to consume that much liquid in a day, you are right. For the most part, you are always drinking something! But hydration is key in a juice cleanse!

Sweet and Tangy Balsamic Vinaigrette

I LOVE this dressing! It's perfect for salads. It's great as a dipper for raw veggies or just drizzled over grilled veggies. It's super simple to make and only takes 2 minutes. Try it out!

Ingredients:
-1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
-1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
-1 tbsp dijon mustard
-1 tbsp raw honey (if it's solid you will need to melt it first)
-1 clove of garlic, minced
-sea salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
-Throw all of the ingredients into an airtight container such as a mason jar. Shake it up until it's a homogeneous mixture. Alternately, you can just whisk everything up in a bowl if you prefer, but I love the mason jar method because it requires less washing. Store in the fridge for up to two weeks. Enjoy!

*Please use organic ingredients when possible.

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Day Two Spring Juice Cleanse

Day two of Spring Juice Cleanse...success! I had hoped to wake up yesterday morning with no headache, but alas, it was still there and raging! Since I have a rule against working out when I have a headache, I decided that the little one and I would go for a nice long brisk walk. Since it was 90 degrees with about 100% humidity here yesterday, I figured maybe that would help me sweat it out.  Sure enough, by afternoon my headache was gone. The rest of the day was pretty much smooth sailing, except that by evening I noticed that I was quite edgy (and that's putting it politely). It did get a bit tough as I sat at the dinner table watching my husband inhale the delicious grilled chicken salad with roasted beets and balsamic dressing that I made him, but not even close to the point where I even considered breaking my fast. My husband and I were discussing my fast at dinner and he made the comment that he thought he could never do that because he would be too hungry. But as I said yesterday, suprisingly I don't really feel hungry. It's really not as difficult as you would think it would be. So here is what I had yesterday- day two of my juice feast!

Breakfast Juice:
-1 Beet
-1 head of red swiss chard
-1 grapefruit
-5 stalks of celery
-1 apple

Lunch Juice:
-1 head of dandelion greens
-6 carrots
-2 inch knuckle of ginger
-1 cucumber
-1 apple

Dinner Juice:
-1 head of kale
-5 stalks of celery
-2 lemons
-1/2 pineapple
-2 inch knob ginger

So I mentioned yesterday that I thought that on day one I didn't consume enough liquid. So for day two I almost doubled my juices. But I also added water to them to stretch them out!That's a good tip when you're juice fasting. It can be a bit pricey so there is nothing wrong with thinning them out a bit. I also drank substantially more water, nearly a gallon. And I had 4 cups of dandelion tea. Overall I felt much better yesterday! Now for day three! The last day!

Day One of Spring Juice Cleanse

Day one of my Spring Juice Cleanse went really well I felt. I think most people think that hunger will be their main issue. For me it wasn't much of an issue at all. Admittedly it was a bit challenging when I cooked my husband and little one dinner and then joined them at the table while they ate and I drank my juice. Thankfully my husband is doing a bit of spring cleaning as well and requested a dinner of assorted veggies and fruit so it wasn't like I was missing out on a nice juicy ribeye or anything. The more challenging part for me is the lack of caffeine. I usually suggest to people that they get off of caffeine the week prior to a cleanse. However, I did not follow my own advice. I worked third shift all last week and all bets are off when it comes to caffeine when I'm working. But I was anxious to start my juice feast so I just took the plunge and decided to deal with it. And boy am I. Can you say HEADACHE? It came on about noon yesterday and has not left me. It can't last forever though so I'll just work through it. I do, however, have a rule that I don't work out when I have a headache. It just never turns out well. So I'm going to skip the vigorous stuff and go for a nice long walk. At least I'll get my blood pumping and get a good sweat! It's also worth noting that I got the sudden urge for a nap yesterday, which is odd for me. I'm not usually a nap person but I absolutely HAD to have a 45 minute siesta. I woke up feeling much better! I'm thinking that was likely just related to the lack of coffee, but who knows.

So here are the juices that I drank yesterday. I don't think I drank quite enough yesterday so today I'm going to shoot for more I think.

AM Juice:
-1 head of kale
-4 ribs of celery
-2 lemons
-1 apple
-1 knuckle of ginger

Afternoon Juice:
I took some help from Whole foods since I was there getting supplies for my juices!
-2 ounce shot of wheatgrass
-juice of kale, lemon and celery

PM Juice:
-1 large beet
-1 head of red swiss chard
-5 carrots
-1 grapefruit
-2 inch piece of burdock root
This recipe made two LARGE juices. I drank one for dinner and saved the other for my hubby!

I also drank about 64 ounces of water, some with lemon and I had about 3 cups of dandelion tea.

Chewy Chocolate Superfood Energy Bars

Yes, I admit it. There was a time in my life when I was the sort to replace an entire meal with a so-called "energy bar" which was actually nothing more than some nasty soy protein isolate, fake sugar and processed genetically modified ingredients. In honesty, they didn't give me any energy at all. However when I ate those I was in "diet mode", a.k.a. state of constant deprivation, so eating a chocolate protein bar was like my treat. In retrospect, I realize that eating those nasty things were more of a punishment than a "treat". Now, I eat real food. I don't diet, and I don't use these tasty energy bars to replace a meal. I just eat them when I want them! What a concept! There is nothing fake, processed, or genetically about these bars! Just lots of healthy fats, energy-giving carbohydrates, satiety-providing protein,  and chocolatey deliciousness. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1 lb dates, soaked for 15-20 minutes in hot water (I used Medjool but feel free to use whatever kind is available to you)

1/2 cup raw cashews, soaked and dried

1/2 cup raw almonds, soaked and dried

1/4 cup hemp seeds (if you don't have hemp, you could use chia as well). 

1 tbsp raw cacao 

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tbsp extra virgin coconut oil

3 tbsp goji berries (if you don't have goji, you can use whatever dried fruit you have). 

Directions:

Put your cashews and almonds in your food processor and pulse until the nuts are coarsely chopped. Dump the nuts into a seperate bowl.

After dates have soaked, remove the pits and place them in your food processor. Process until the dates are smooth. You'll have to stop and scrape down the sides a few times.

When the dates are smooth, add the ground buts back in. Also toss in the cacao, vanilla, hemp seeds, coconut oil and gogi berries. Pulse to combine.

Line an 8x8 baking dish with parchment paper for easy removal. Turn the mixture out into the dish. Wet your hands with warm water and push the mixture down into the pan so that it's in an even layer.

Refrigerate to let the bars harden for at least 30 minutes. When the bars have set, remove them from the pan by pulling up on the parchment paper.

From here, you can cut them into any shape you like. Store them in the fridge in an airtight container for up to a week. 

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Slow-Cooker Beef Stroganoff

Some of my favorite recipes are classic comfort foods that I've made over into what I feel is a healthier version. This way I can enjoy the good old midwestern foods that I grew up on more often! Beef Stroganoff is one of those classics and it's also one of my husband's favorite meals. Traditionally this dish is quite heavy and includes ingredients such as white flour and pasturized sour cream and then is served over egg noodles. So of course, I set out to create an easy-to-make, healthier Beef Stroganoff and I succeeded! At least my husband says so, which means a great deal to me. In fact, he said it was ALMOST as good as his mother's. Now that's pretty impressive because it's always hard to replicate a dish that you grew up on and have it successfully invoke those nostalgic feelings. That, and because his mother used cream of chicken soup in hers!

I served this stroganoff over whole grain fusilli (just because I knew my hubby would want pasta with it) but you can feel free to serve it over brown rice. Or, to make this Paleo friendly, you can serve it over zucchini noodles, some green beans, or grilled portabella mushrooms. All would be equally delicious!

Ingredients:
-2 lbs grass-fed ground beef
-2 medium onions, diced
-2 lbs crimini or button mushrooms, sliced
-3 cloves of garlic, minced
-2 tbsp dijon mustard
-2 tbsp werchestershire sauce
-3/4 cup coconut milk (here's how to make your own).
-3/4 cup beef stock
-1/2 to 3/4 cup plain greek yogurt (here's how to make your own)
-sea salt and pepper to taste
-1/2 cup slivered almonds (optional)

Directions:
-Brown the ground beef in a skillet over medium high heat on the stove. Season with sea salt and pepper. This first step is optional, but it only takes a few minutes, and it really adds to the flavor of the dish. However, if you're in a hurry, you can go ahead and skip it and just add the beef directly to the slow cooker.
-While beef is browning, place your dijon and werchestershire sauce in the bottom of the crock pot and stir it up to combine.
-Add in the onions, mushrooms and garlic.
-When the beef is browned, add it to the crock pot. Another bonus of browning it seperately is that you can discard the grease or save it for another use and it doesn't end up in your dish.
-Add in the coconut milk and beef stock. Season with salt and pepper. Stir well until everything is combined.
-Put the lid on and cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 3-4 hours.
-When you're about ready to serve, take the lid off and turn the crockpot off. You need to let it cool off for about 15 minutes before you add in the yogurt, else it will curdle. If you're skipping dairy these days, omit the yogurt alltogether and it will still be delicious!
-In the mean time, brown up the almond slices in a skillet with some butter until deeply golden. This step is also optional. I had never had beef stroganoff with almonds on it until my mother-in-law served it to me that way and I have to say it's delicious. It adds a great crunchiness to the dish.
-Also during this time, prepare whatever you intend to serve it with, whether it be rice, pasta, green beans, etc.
-When the dish has cooled slightly, stir in the yogurt (if using). Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Enjoy!



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Lemon Thyme Roasted Chicken

For some reason, I think people are intimidated by cooking the whole bird. I'm not sure why the whole bird got a bad rap and why boneless skinless chicken breast is all the rage. Don't get me wrong, bonless skinless breast has a place, but for my money, the whole chicken is where it's at. You can eat it for dinner the first night, save the rest of the meat for chicken salad or sandwhiches, and make a delicious homemade stock from the bones. Nothing is wasted. 

I've got a GREAT method for cooking the whole bird that yields moist, juicy meat and crispy brown skin every time! For this method, I recommend that you use a bird no larger than 4 lbs, which coincidentally is about the size of the average organic supermarket chicken. Non-organic chickens may be upward of 7-8 lbs because they're pumped full of steroids and growth hormone (not to mention antibiotics:/). If you use a bird much larger than 4 lbs, the skin will burn before the chicken is thoroughly cooked. If 4 lbs is not enough to feed your family, by all means make two! Chicken never goes to waste, especially one as tasty as this.

Ingredients:
-1 whole organic chicken (3-4 lbs) (if the bird came with giblets, remove them and save them for stock or prepare the organ meats however you like them- whatever you do, do NOT throw them away..they're like gold:))
-1-2 tbsp coconut oil
-1 stick of unsalted, grass-fed butter (such as Kerrygold)
-2 onions. Quarter one. Slice the other into 1 inch pieces.
-2 lemons. Zest both of the lemons and then cut them in half.
-fresh thyme, about 20 sprigs (if using dried, about 1 tbsp). Strip the leaves off of half of the thyme sprigs. Leave the leaves on the other half of the thyme.
-3 cloves of garlic, smashed
-sea salt and pepper
-a combo of mixed root veggies. I used carrots, potatoes and onion

Directions:
-Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F.
-Prepare your root vegetables. You can use whatever you like, just make sure they are all cut approximately the same size. Place them all in the bottom of your baking dish. Toss with coconut oil, salt and pepper. Squeeze one of the lemons over the veggies. The vegetables will serve as your roasting rack!  
-Prepare your compound butter. Make sure your butter is room temp. This will make mixing easy. In a small bowl combine butter, lemon zest, and the thyme that has been removed from the stem.
-Season the bird LIBERALLY with sea salt and pepper, making sure to season the outside, the cavity and underneath the skin on the breast.
-Spread your compound butter all over the bird, making sure to get some underneath the skin on the breast.
-Stuff the cavity of the bird with the quartered onion, garlic cloves, remaining lemon halves and thyme sprigs. Place the chicken in the baking dish on top of the prepared veg. 
-Tuck the wing tips underneath the bird so they don't burn. Tie the legs together with kitchen twine to help keep the ingredients inside the cavity.
-Roast UNcovered for 15 minutes per pound. So if your bird is 4 lbs, roast for 1 hour.
-This is the MOST IMPORTANT STEP. DO NOT skip it. This is where the magic happens people. When you remove the bird from the oven, loosely cover it with foil and let it REST and carry-over cook for at least 20 minutes, 30 is better. If you cut into the bird right now, a couple of things will happen. 1) It will be slightly undercooked-- no good for poultry. 2) Every bit of juice will run out of the bird and it will become dry--yuck. I know it's tempting to cut into right now because it looks so good, but fight the urge. It will be worth it! When it has properly rested, cut and serve with the roasted veggies! Enjoy!

*Please use organic ingredients when possible.

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Chewy Chocolate Chip Almond Butter Granola Bars

Store bought granola bars are one of those fake health foods that many are easily fooled by due to some slick marketing tactics. But is has raisins in it! Or, it has whole grain! Who cares. It probably also has high fructose corn syrup in it! If you don't know about the dangers of HFCS, read here. It may even have MSG in it (read about that here) under the guise of 'natural flavors'. But granola bars CAN be healthy. They CAN be a tasty treat you can feel good about giving the kids for an afternoon snack. They also have lots of fiber and protein to help you feel full!

This particular version of these bars is quite decadent because it has chocolate chips in it. It's not your everyday version, but it deserves to be in the rotation. You can change this basic recipe up so many ways. Omit the chocolate chips and add in some raisins and cinnamon and you have a completely different treat. Add in whatever sort of dried fruit or spices you like. Feel free to get really creative. You really can't ruin them!

I know that some people are still scared of fat, so before you gasp at all the fat in this recipe, remember a couple of things: 1) Healthy fat is your friend. All of the fats in this recipe are healthy fats, that are actually essential to proper metabolism and absorption of various vitamins and minerals. They're also GREAT for your child's growing brain! 2) The fat is divided over the whole recipe. You're not going to sit down and eat the whole pan, although you may want to.


Ingredients:
-1/4 cup extra virgin coconut oil
-1/2 cup almond butter (look for a brand that is JUST almonds)
-4 tbsp maple syrup
-1 tsp vanilla
-1 egg
-1/4 cup coconut flour (here's how to make it at home)
-1 cup old fashioned rolls oats
-1 cup finely chopped mixed nuts (I used almonds and walnuts)
-1/4 cup flax meal
-1/4 cup Chocolate Chips
-3 tbsp chia seeds

Directions:
-Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare an 8x8 baking dish with either coconut oil or butter. Alternately, you can line it with parchment paper. This makes for easy removal!
-In a large mixing bowl, combine coconut oil (melt and let cool if solid), maple syrup, vanilla and egg. You can mix it by hand or use a hand mixer. Just make sure that it is well incorporated.
-In a separate bowl, combine,coconut flour, oats, nuts, flax, and chia. Combine dry ingredients, making sure to get the lumps out of the coconut flour.
-Combine the wet with the dry until well incorporated. Fold in your chocolate chips.
-Pour the mixture into your prepared baking dish. Wet your fingers with warm water and press the mixture down into the pan so that it's evenly distributed.
-Bake uncovered for 20-25 minutes until brown around the edges.
-Let cool, cut into the shape of your choice. You MUST let these cool before you cut them, else they will fall apart. Trust me...did that. Store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks. They won't last that long. Enjoy!

*Please use organic ingredients whenever possible.

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How to make Coconut Flour

If you've been following me for a bit, you probably know that I love coconut in pretty much all of it's various forms, so I'm always looking for ways to use it. That includes coconut flour. It's a great grain-free substitute for white or wheat flour that can be easily incorporated into your baked goods. However, coconut flour can be a little costly, along with everything else touted as "healthy". So there are a couple of things that I do to save money. 1) I try to make as much as I can at home, from scratch. Generally, things you make yourself are going to be cheaper because you don't pay for things like extra packaging, middlemen and mark-up. 2) I try to reduce my waste as much as possible. For instance, I don't throw away the stems of my mushrooms. I freeze them and store them in the freezer for my next batch of stock. I don't throw away the tops to my carrots. I juice them! And I do NOT throw away the pulp from my Homemade Coconut Milk! I make coconut flour!

Orange Balsamic Chicken with Roasted Root Veggies

One of the main reasons I hear people say that they don't do organic poultry is because of the cost, and rightfully so. Yes, it can be very pricey. But there are ways to stretch a buck when it comes to organic chicken. First, and most important to me, is to always buy a cut with the bone in! Generally when you cook meat with the bone in, it ends up tasting better because cooking on the bone helps retain the moisture of the meat. It also adds great flavor! I got these organic chicken drumsticks for $1.99 a pound! Also, when you buy the meat with the bone in, you can re-purpose those bones into a delicious, nutritious, no-fuss homemade stock! This is also a cost-saver, as a quality stock can be quite expensive. Next, buy the whole bird! I can usually find whole organic chicken for around $2.29 per pound. But you have to know where to look. Local farmers at the farmer's market usually have a great price on chickens, as well as do warehouse stores like Costco. And they will usually go on sale about every 6 weeks or so, so when they do go on sale, buy a few! Stock up! You can serve some of the chicken for dinner, and save some for sandwhiches or chicken salad for your kid's school lunch the next day. This meal was particulaly cheap because I served it with roasted carrots, potatoes and onions. You can't get much cheaper than that! And it's all in one pot! Major Bonus! Here's the recipe:

Ingredients:
-1-2 lbs of chicken drumsticks (depending on the size of your family)
-2 onions, cut into eighths
-6-8 medium sized carrots, cut into 2 inch chunks
-6-8 small-medium sized potatoes (I used baby yukons) cut into 2 inch chunks
-4-5 cloves of garlic, peeled and smashed
-4 tbsp coconut oil or butter (melted), whichever you prefer
-2 tbsp fresh rosemary, chopped
-1 orange
-1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
-sea salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
-Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F.
-In a large mixing bowl, toss all of your veggies and garlic in 2 tbsp of your oil or butter, 1 tbsp of the rosemary, half of your balsamic vinegar, and some sea salt and pepper to taste. Once everything is well coated, pour into a large roasted dish. I just used my 8x11 glass dish.
-Zest the orange and set the zest aside. Slice the orange into thin slices and place the slices on top of the veggies.
-In the same mixing bowl you used to toss the veggies, place your chicken, the remainder of your oil, the other tbsp of rosemary, the other 1/4 cup of balsamic vinegar, the reserved orange zest, and some sea salt and pepper. Toss to coat.
-Place the chicken legs on top of the veggies and orange slices.
-Roast uncovered in the oven for 40-45 minutes until the chicken is nicely browned and the juices run clear.
-At this time, remove the chicken from the pan and set aside to rest. Your veggies will still be a bit firm, so give them a stir and return them to the oven for an additional 15 mintes or until cooked to your liking. Enjoy!

*Please use all organic ingredients when possible.

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Roasted Sweet Potato and Corn Salad

Although this dish is great any time of year, for me it's a decidedly summertime dish. The brightness of the cilantro and lime with the sweetness of the potatoes and corn makes the salad super versatile.This dish works great as a side dish alongside some simply grilled chicken or pork chops, but is also substantial enough to be eaten as a meal in itself, which is how I ate it for my dinner tonight! You could also load it up in some lettuce cups or a sprouted grain tortilla. Anyway you serve this salad, it's delicious, nutritious and satisfying. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

2 medium sized sweet potatoes, medium diced
1 tbsp coconut oil
1 large tomato, seeded and medium diced
1/2 cup red onion, finely chopped
1 cup corn (I used frozen, but you can use canned or fresh)
1 15 oz can pinto beans, drained and rinsed (you can use dried beans and soak and cook them if you plan that far ahead)
1 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp chilli powder
1 tsp dried oregano
juice of 2 limes
2 tbsp honey
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
sea salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F. Toss your diced sweet potato with the coconut oil, cumin, chilli powder and oregano and spread evenly on a sheet tray. Roast for 20-25 minutes until golden brown and crispy, turning once halfway through cooking.
In the mean time, place honey, lime juice and olive oil in the bottom of a large mixing bowl. Whisk to combine.
Add in corn, beans, tomato, red onion and cilantro. Stir to combine.
When the sweet potatoes have finished roasting, add them to the mixing bowl with the other ingredients and fold them in.
Taste and add salt and pepper to taste. Enjoy!


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Basil Aioli

We eat mayo so infrequently in our home that it's really not worth even having on hand. I do however, always have the ingredients on hand to make my own aioli. So on the rare occasion that we have a recipe or meal that calls for a creamy condiment, I go to this aioli. The basil is optional. You can omit it and subsitute roasted garlic or roasted red pepper or whatever you like. This is really just a method. Before I made it I had this idea that it was this complicated emulsion process and it probably wouldn't turn out. I was so wrong. It takes about 2 minutes and turns out beautifully everytime. Here's the recipe:

Ingredients:
-1 whole egg and 1 egg yolk
-1/2 tsp dijon mustard
-juice of 1 lemon
-sea salt to taste
-1/2-3/4 cup oil. I used extra virgin olive oil. This is a pretty strong taste to a lot of people. You can use a different type. Coconut oil works fine, but you may get a coconut taste to your aioli. You could use sesame oil. You can use a combo of oils. Whatever you like. It's up to you.
-1 cup packed basil leaves

Directions:
-Place your eggs, dijon, lemon juice and sea salt in the food processor or blender. I used my Ninja. Pulse a few times to combine.
-With the motor running, very slowly stream in your oil. Let the motor run for 1 to 2 minutes or until your aioli thickens to a consistency you like.
-Add in your basil and blend until incorporated. Taste for seasoning and adjust. Enjoy!

Store in an airtight container for up to a month in the fridge.

*Please use organic ingredients when possible.

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Pineapple Ginger Zinger Juice

This juice is stuffed with awesome nutritious ingredients, but I wan't to focus on the parsley! Parsely is one of those herbs that I feel is seriously under-rated. It's not just for garnish people. Oh no. Sometimes you have to let the parsley take center stage, and this juice does just that!

In the essential oils of parsley lies an organic compound called myristicin. If you forget that word forever that's fine. Just know that myristicin is responsible for inhibiting tumor formation, helping to fight free radicals in the body (those things that cause the C word), and neutralizing carcinogens! Parsley is also anti-inflammatory and full of vitamins B9 (folate), C and K (so check with your Dr. if you're on coumadin before making a meal out of parsley)! 

This juice is sweet and refreshing! Enjoy!

Ingredients:
-1 large handful of parsley
-4 stalks of celery
-4 leaves of kale
-1 inch knob of fresh ginger
-1/4 of a fresh pineapple
-1 lemon

Directions:
-Chuck it all in the juicer (not the blender) and drink immediately! Enjoy!

This is a JUICE! Not a Smoothie! If you want to blend it all up and drink it as a smoothie, be my guest. However I make no promises that it will taste good!

*Please use organic ingredients when possible.

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"6 Health Benefits of Parsley." 6 Health Benefits of Parsley. N.p., 26 Mar. 2011. Web. 01 May 2013. <http://www.healthdiaries.com/eatthis/6-health-benefits-of-parsley.html>.

Greek Style Stufffed Chicken

Greek Style Stuffed Chicken

Ingredients:
-2 lbs chicken thighs (You can use breasts if you prefer, but I often use thighs because they're cheap, tasty, and my husband loves them)
-2 tbsp extra virgin coconut oil
-1 onion, diced
-2 cloves of garlic, minced
-2 tsp dried oregano
-8 oz fresh spinach
-1 roasted red pepper, diced
-1/4 cup chopped sun-dried tomato
-4 oz feta cheese, crumbled
-1 tsp orange zest (save the orange for later!)
-1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
-juice of 1 orange
-1/2 cup chicken stock
-sea salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
-Heat the coconut oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add in your chopped onion and minced garlic. Season with sea salt and oregano. Saute until transluscent, about 3 minutes.
-In the mean time, place your chicken thighs between two pieces of plastic wrap or parchment paper. Pound them out with a rolling pin or frying pan until they are about 1/8 inch thick. If you are using breasts, butterfly them first (split open like a book with a sharp knife), and then pound them out.
-When your onions and garlic are transluscent, add the spinach to the pan along with a splash of water. Cover the pan just long enough for the spinach to wilt. It will only take a minute. 
-When the spinach has wilted, remove the mixture from the pan and into a large mixing bowl. Add to the bowl the sun-dried tomato, roasted red pepper, orange zest and feta cheese. Stir to combine. 
-Taste the mixture. Adjust with sea salt and pepper to your preferences.
-Season your chicken thighs with salt and pepper, both sides. Take one of your pieces of chicken and lay it flat in front of you. Spoon about 1/4 cup of the filling onto the lower 1/3 of the chicken (use about 1/2 cup if using breasts). Roll the meat up tightly and secure with toothpicks. Don't worry if some falls out the ends. That's to be expected. Repeat this process with all of the meat.
-In the same pan you used to saute the onions, heat the other tbsp of coconut oil over medium high heat. When the oil is smoking, add your chicken rolls into the pan. Let brown until deeply golden on all sides.
-When the chicken is browned, remove from the pan and set aside to a plate. Add your balsamic vinegar into the pan. This is your deglazing agent! As it smokes up, scrape up all of the brown bits on the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Those borwn bits are major flavor! Squeeze the juice of the orange into the pan.
-Add the chicken back into the pan. Add enough chicken stock so that it comes halfway up the chicken. Bring the liquid to a boil, and reduce it to a simmer. Cover and let the chicken simmer in the pot for 10 minutes.
-When the chicken is finished cooking, remove it from the pan. Leave the pan uncovered and let it simmer to reduce for an additional five minutes. Taste the sauce and season with salt and pepper.
-Spoon the sauce over the chicken for service. Enjoy!

*Please use organic ingredients when possible.

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Roasted Red Pepper Hummus

Hummus is one of my favorite Go-To snacks and there are some great store bought brands out there. However, many contain artificial preservatives and MSG (if you don't know why it's prudent to avoid MSG, read here). I know that I always say this, but I really mean it when I say it's too easy to just make your own! This recipe is about a 3 minute process, including

clean up. The great thing about making your own is that YOU control the quality of the ingredients. Also, you can really customize your hummus to your liking. You know when you buy hummus in the store sometimes you get one that's too garlicky. Sometimes you get one that's too runny. This way, you know you'll get exactly the hummus of your dreams. And you can really experiment with hummus too. Try adding all kinds of different spices to it. Give it an Indian flare by adding a bit of curry or a pinch of garam masala. Give it a southwest spin by adding smoked paprika (here is the recipe for my Smoky Southwest Hummus). Get creative!  

Hummus is also a very versatile dip. In fact I encourage you to think of hummus not only as a dip, but as more of a condiment. I LOVE to use it on my sprouted tortilla wraps or in a lettuce wrap in place of mayo (not that there aren't some great mayo recipes out there:)). And I know that traditionally hummus is served with pita, but I love to serve mine with celery sticks, carrot sticks, and cucumber chips! If you have to have a pita-like dipper, try these sprouted tortilla chips. This hummus is also a really great alternative to that ranch veggie dip rubbish.

And I absolutely cannot neglect the fact that hummus is full of great-for-you ingredients. Did you know that 1/4 cup of sesame seeds has about 350 mg of calcium? That's more than one whole cup of cow's milk. The extra virgin olive oil in this recipe is full of heart healthy fats that will give you that shiny coat, as I like to call it. The lemon juice provides vitamin C. Garlic is incredibly anti-bacterial. And the fiber in the garbonzo beans will keep you nice and full. I hope you enjoy this hummus recipe as much as I do! Enjoy!

Ingredients:
-15 oz can chick peas (garbonzo beans- same thing), drained and rinsed
-1/4 cup tahini (tahini is just seseame seed paste. You can find it in the international section of every grocery store)
-juice of 1 lemon
-2 cloves of garlic
-2 roasted red peppers
-1/4-1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
-sea salt to taste

Directions:
-Place your beans, tahini, garlic, roasted red peppers and lemon juice in your food processor or high speed blender. I make my hummus in my Ninja and it works great!
-Pulse the mixture a few times to get it going a bit. Then turn the machine on and let everything start to combine. Slowly stream in your olive oil until you reach the consistency you like. I like my hummus a bit chunky so I go light on the oil.
-Taste and adjust the seasoning with sea salt.
-If you find that you have used 1/2 cup of olive oil (which is quite a bit!) and you still prefer it a bit smoother, go ahead and add in some more lemon juice or a bit of water.

If you like, you can omit the red pepper, and then you have a standard hummus. Equally delicious.

*Please use organic ingredients when possible.

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Homemade Lactofermented Sauerkraut

I LOVE sauerkraut. But I grew up eating the stuff our of a jar from the grocery store, which is delicious, but not as nutritious as it could be. This recipe for traditionally lactofermented sauerkraut is even more delicious, easy to make, and full of healthy probiotics! Probiotics help populate your gut with healthy bacteria, aiding in digestion and immunity! This sauerkraut is a great way to get some probiotics into your diet! Give it a try!

Ingredients:
-1 head of cabbage. Remove the outer leaves. Core it and shred it finely. You can make this easy and run it through the shredder blade on your food processor. But I actually love chopping veggies (I know, it's weird) so I like to do it by hand- it's relaxing to me.
-approximately 1 tbsp sea salt
-4 tbsp liquid whey (here is how you get that)

Directions:
-Place your shredded cabbage in a large bowl and sprinkle over your sea salt. Now you want to get really friendly with your cabbage. Use the best two tools God gave you- your hands! It's key to really massage the salt into the cabbage for a few minutes. The point of this is to draw the liquid out of the cabbage.
-Go back every 45 minutes or so and turn and massage the cabbage. I like to let the cabbage sweat for about 3-4 hours.
-Get a quart size mason jar and a wooden spoon. Place about 1/2 cup of cabbage into the jar and take the handle of the wooden spoon and beat the cabbage down. Just go for it here. REALLY beat the crap out of it. You need to push the cabbage down to minimize air bubbles. This will also ensure that the liquid is coming out of the cabbage. 
-Repeat this process until you have the jar filled, leaving 1-2 inches at the top. Don't forget! Really beat down the cabbage with the wooden spoon good! You won't hurt it!
-Add in your 4 tbsp of liquid whey. Between the whey and the liquid released from the cabbage, the cabbage should be covered with liquid. If it isn't, you didn't pound hard enough. Or, you can add in some of the liquid that accumulated in the bottom of the bowl you sweated the cabbage in. 
-Cover the jar, and let it sit UNDISTURBED on the countertop at room temp for three days. After three days, crack that baby open. There should be some fun fizzy bubbles at the top. Give it a taste and see if it's sour enough for you. If not, close it and let it sit another day. Just keep tasting and letting it sit at room temp until you reach your desired sourness. When you've reached that, you're ready to enjoy! And enjoy you will! It is DELICIOUS!
-Store it in the fridge for up to six months. 

*Please use organic ingredients when possible. 

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Blackberry Coconut Smoothie

Blackberries might just be my favorite berry! Besides being delicious, they're full of vitamins and minerals such as Vitamin C and manganese! AND they are antioxidant powerhouses (antioxidants are those things that go to battle with the free radicals in our bodies, which attack our DNA and cause the C word)! In this smoothie, blackberries take center stage and make this smoothie sweet and tangy, while the coconut milk makes it smooth and creamy. Try it!

Ingredients:
10 oz bag frozen blackberries
1/2-3/4 cup homemade coconut milk (get the recipe here) or quality store bought coconut milk
1/4 cup liquid whey protein (optional, but here is how you get that). If not using, just use extra coconut milk
1 tbsp spirulina (also optional- if you prefer go ahead and use spinach or omit the greens alltogether but they add loads of vitamins and minerals to the smoothie)
1 tbsp pure maple syrup or 1 tbsp raw honey
1 tsp vanilla extract
juice of 1/2 of a lime

Directions:
Chuck it all in the blender and whip it up until smooth and creamy. If you want it extra smooth, strain it in a seive to get rid of the blackberry seeds. Enjoy!


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Homemade Coconut Milk

Coconut Milk is one of my favorite alternatives to cow's milk. It's great for those who are lactose intolerant. It works for vegans and vegetarians. It's nut-free so those with nut allergies can enjoy it too!

Coconut milk also has fantastic health benefits! Coconut milk is made up of short chain and medium-chain fatty acids, which the body is able to easily convert to usable energy. So even though coconut is saturated fat, it is quickly used up by the body instead of being stored as fat. About half of the medium chain fatty acids in coconut are composed of Lauric Acid. Lauric acid is anti-fungal, anti-bacterial, anti-viral, anti-microbial, and whatever anti you can think of. Coconut is also packed with vitamins, minerals and electrolytes. 

Coconut milk is also super versatile. You can drink it straight up and it's fantastic. You can make homemade coffee creamer with it. You can make coconut milk based soups like Tom ka gai with it and it will be some of the best soup you've ever had! You can use it as the liquid in your smoothies. You can make ice cream with it. You can make yogurt with it. There are so many things you can do with coconut milk.

But there are a few good reasons NOT to buy it at the grocery store. The first is the price! This stuff can be expensive! Especially an organic canned version. You may pay $2.50 a can! For this recipe I use less than one bag of organic shredded coconut. It cost $2.99 and it makes four cups! By my calculations, that's about a 70% cost savings, give or take. Next, if you buy it in the can, even the organic stuff, you're getting more than you bargained for. Those cans are lined with BPA unless otherwise specified on the can. The organic canned version I have does not say "No BPA", therefore, it's in there. I don't want it and I certainly don't need it. Another common ingredient found in canned versions is guar gum. Guar Gum is used as a thickening agent and has potential hazardous side side effects including but not limited to intestinal blockages, glucose fluctuations and colon cancer (Thatcher et al). That's not something I need or want either! It;s just too easy not to make your own. Try it out! Here's the recipe:

Ingredients:
-2 cups shredded, unsweetenedd coconut (I like the Let's Do Organic brand. I know you can find it at Whole Foods but It's also found in the organic section of many grocery stores, and you can definitely get it on Amazon).
-4 cups of water
-optional flavor agents (Vanilla, almond extract, berries, cocoa or cacao)

Directions:
-Heat your water to a simmer. Pour it in the blender. Add your coconut to the blender.
-Blend on high for 2 minutes.
-At this time, add in your flavor agents if using. I used vanilla in this one, but it's equally delicious plain. A little cocoa added in and you have chocolate coconut milk. A little cocoa and some almond extract and you have Almond Joy flavored coconut milk. YUM! Blend to incorporate.
-Pour the mixture through a fine mesh seive, making sure to push down the pulp to get all of the liquid out.
-At this point your milk is ready to drink! If you want to make it extra smooth, pour the milk through cheesecloth or a nutmilk bag to get the rest of the fine particles out. Enjoy!

Note- you can make as much or as little of this as you want at a time. Just use a 2:1 ratio of water to coconut. This will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for about a week. The solids may separate. That's ok, just mix it up and you're good to go.

*Please use organic ingredients when possible

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Thatcher, Elizabeth. "The Harmful Side Effects of Guar Gum." LIVESTRONG.COM. N.p., 29 Mar. 2011. Web. 25 Apr. 2013.

Banana Oat Muffins

Since my husband is fanatical about banana bread, I'm constantly experimenting with various different versions of it. He really likes to have these muffins around for breakfast because they're a great grab and go. But of course I want to make sure that he has a well-rounded breakfast to start his day off right. So I figure if I add in some oats and some flax, I have a pretty good breakfast-y muffin and banana bread all wrapped up in a cute little package. And since pretty much everything can be made better with the addition of chocolate chips, I threw in a few of those too. However these muffins are ALMOST as good without the chocolate chips. If you want to leave them out and substitute raisins or some other dried fruit that would be great as well. One of the best parts about these muffins is that they're free of refined sugar, and they've got loads of fiber and protein in them. I hope you enjoy these as much as my hubby does!

Ingredients:
3 large or 4 medium very ripe bananas
1/4 cup extra virgin coconut oil, melted (or butter if you prefer)
2 eggs
4 tbsp pure grade B Maple Syrup (you could substitute honey for the maple syrup if you prefer)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup almond flour
3/4 cup oats, soaked
1/4 cup ground flax seed
1 tsp baking soda
pinch of sea salt
1/4 cup chocolate chips

Directions:
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare your muffin tin with butter or coconut oil. You can use the paper liners or these silicon liner if you like. 
In a large mixing bowl, combine your bananas, eggs, melted coconut oil (make sure it's cooled so that it doesn't scramble your eggs!), maple syrup and vanilla. Mix with a hand mixer or whisk until well incorporated.
In a separate mixing bowl, combine almond flour, oats, flax, baking soda and salt. Mix with a fork, making sure to get rid of the clumps.
Mix the wet with the dry until well incorporated. Fold in the chocolate chips if using.
Distribute evenly into prepared muffin tin, filling about 2/3 of the way up.
Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden brown on top and a toothpick inserted comes out clean.