Rainy Day Banana Bread

On a day like this...

all I want to do is curl up with a good book while I snack on this

and sip a cup of this (it's chamomile, mmmmm...)

Not that I actually did any of that today.  I was busy playing princesses with her

Good thing princesses occasionally appreciate a slice of warm banana bread.  


Rainy Day Banana Bread (or at least that's what we'll call it today)


1/2 cup unsweetened milk alternative of choice (I use almond)
2 tablespoons ground flaxseed
1 egg or 1/4 cup egg replacement (optional)
2 cups whole grain spelt flour or whole wheat flour
2 tablespoons finely shredded dried coconut
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 cup grapeseed oil
1 dropper full vanilla creme stevia, or 1 teaspoon vanilla
3-4 medium sized very very ripe bananas, mashed
1/2 cups nuts, dried fruit, or other add-ins (optional)


Preheat your oven to 350.  Spray a 9x5 inch loaf pan with cooking spray.  In a large mixing bowl combine the milk alternative and flaxseed and egg and set aside.  In a medium-sized bowl, sift together the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda and salt.  Set aside.  Returning to your mixing bowl, blend in the oil, vanilla stevia, and bananas until well mixed.  Stir in the dry ingredients being careful not to over-mix; a few lumps are okay.  Gently fold in the coconut and nuts and any other dried fruit you want.  Spread the batter into prepared pan, and bake for 35-40 minutes, or until the top is browned and resilient to the touch (I always stick a toothpick in to make sure it's done).  Cool for 10-15 minutes before removing it from pan and placing on wire rack.  


yields 10-12 servings


*I prefer to use 4 full sized bananas.  It's more flavorful and moist.  But using 3 bananas does allow the bread to rise more.  

Coconut Curry Euphoria

If I had to choose one thing to eat for the rest of my life, this might very well be it.  It's SO good, you might actually want to make out with me after you try it.  Just sayin'.


Let me give you the history here.  My little sister is from India.  Even though she joined our family when she waas like 2 weeks old (and a whopping 4 pounds), she has somehow developed an intense love of curry.  And wouldn't you know it, she even married a guy who served an LDS mission in Sri lanka.  So yeah, they DIG curry.  


About a year ago, my brother in law was sweet enough to come over and brief me on the specifics of making Indian curry as opposed to Thai curry (I know, I always just thought curry was curry).  Consequently, this recipe was born.  It started out as a Thai curry dish but I've tweaked it a bit.  I like to call it, Thindian curry...


Coconut Curry

2 tablespoons olive oil, grapeseed oil, or coconut oil
1 white onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 tsp. fresh ginger, grated
   2 tsp. Chinese five spice powder
   2 tsp. ground cumin
   1/2 tsp. turmeric
   1/4 - 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
   1 1/2 tsp. sea salt
   1 cup vegetable broth
   1/2 can coconut milk
   juice of 1/2 lemon
   3 large baking potatoes cut into 1 inch pieces
   1/3 cup peanuts, chopped
   1/2 lb. grape tomatoes
   3 tablespoons cilantro, chopped


In a large sauce pan, heat the oil over moderately low heat.  Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent (about 5 minutes).  Add the ginger, five spice powder, cumin, cayenne, turmeric, and salt.  Stir until fragrant (about 1 minute).  Whisk in broth, lemon juice, and coconut milk; bring to a simmer.  Stir in potatoes.  Cover and cook over low heat until they are tender (about 13-17 minutes).  Stir in the peanuts, tomatoes, and cilantro.  Continue to simmer or turn off the heat depending on how tender you like your potatoes.  Serve over brown basmati rice.


If you aren't vegetarian, this dish is great with cubed chicken.  Add it about 12 minutes after you put the potatoes in and then simmer for an extra 8-10 minutes, or just until the chicken is cooked through.


*  I chop everything that needs chopping before I start cooking.  It goes MUCH more smoothly.
*  If you don't have a rice cooker?  Get in your car, drive yourself immediately to the nearest Target or Walmart, and buy one. 


Special thanks to my Sister and her husband for showing me the ways of curry cooking.  May the spice be with you...

Heavenly English Toffee Coconut Pudding/Smoothie

I've been slightly addicted to young thai coconuts lately.  This super-easy recipe can be used two ways: as a pudding using less of the water from the coconut, or as a smoothie using more of the coconut water. I have had this smoothie almost every day for about a month.  It is sooo good!!

One of my most recent discoveries is the English Toffee stevia made by Sweetleaf.  I utilize it in this recipe.  If you are a toffee-flavor lover like I am, then you are in for a treat!

For pudding:

Meat from 1 young thai coconut
1/2 water found in the coconut
About 1/2 dropper of English Toffee stevia, depending on amount of meat in your coconut
1/4 to 1/2 tsp. vanilla (I use alcohol-free)
1/4 tsp. Real Salt

Blend and enjoy! (And drink the rest of the coconut water.  It is rich in electrolytes!)

For smoothie:

Same as above, but use 3/4 water found in the coconut.

**How to crack a young-thai coconut**

Using a large cleaver,

take a huge hack at the neck of the coconut.  Don't take the cleaver out of the coconut!! This will prevent you from getting cut! Then, keeping your right hand on the cleaver, and keeping it inserted in the coconut at all times, lift the coconut with your left hand, and pound it a couple of times on the counter.  The cleaver will slowly slice through the coconut.  About halfway through, the coconut water will start to splash, so have a bowl ready to drain the liquid into.  Then continue to pound on the counter until the knife cuts through the coconut. 

On the left is a coconut with the meat removed, and on the right is a coconut with its meat intact.  The water has been drained from both. One hint:  The water should be clear and the coconut meat should be white!  If it isn't, it is a BAD coconut and you should take it back to the store.

I prefer the "Best" brand of coconuts.  They consistently contain a large amount of meat and I rarely get a bad one.  Good Earth Natural Foods now carries the Best brand.  I believe Whole Foods carries another brand that I do not prefer.

Nutmeg green beans and walnuts

I don't think this picture does justice to how delicious this side dish is.  My whole family likes it; I gave it to my 1.5 year-old and she totally dug in and chowed! Good girl :) And it is SOOO easy to make in a hurry:

2 Tbs. coconut oil

3 handfuls of frozen, organic green beans (yay for CostCo!)

1 cup chopped walnuts

1.5-2 tsps. nutmeg

Thaw green beans by putting them in a bowl of water.  Pat dry and place in pan.  Add coconut oil to pan and coat green beans well. Heat the mixture to desired warmth for serving. Turn heat down to low and add walnuts and nutmeg.  Stir everything well.

You may add some Real Salt if desired.

The Happy Meal is Back (Black Bean Veggie Burgers)

Spiced up with chili sauce, cumin, garlic and chili powder, these quick and easy black bean burgers will make you forget that big macs and whopper juniors ever even existed.  Sometimes I serve them in a paper bag from the "golden arches" just for the full effect.  It never disappoints. 

Black Bean Veggie Burger

1 (16 oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 green bell pepper, cut into 2 inch pieces
1/2 onion, cut into wedges
3 cloves garlic, peeled
1 egg or egg substitute
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon cumin
1 teaspoon thai chili garlic sauce
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 cup whole wheat bread crumbs


If grilling, preheat an outdoor grill for high heat, and lightly oil a sheet of aluminum foil.  If baking, preheat oven to 375 degrees and lightly oil a baking sheet.


In a medium bowl, mash black beans with a fork until thick and pasty. 


In a food processor, finely chop bell pepper, onion, and garlic.  Then stir into mashed beans.


In a small bowl, stir together egg, chili powder, cumin, and chili sauce.


Stir the egg mixture into the mashed beans.  Mix in the bread crumbs until the mixture is sticky and holds together.  Divide mixture into 4 or 6 patties.


If grilling, place patties on foil, and grill about 8 minutes on each side.  If baking, place patties on baking sheet, and bake about 10 minutes on each side.


You can wrap these in some nice green lettuce leaves or use a hamburger bun.  I'm ADDICTED  to those new whole wheat skinny buns.  I can't remember the name of them but I'll find out.


*When I'm in a good mood, I pull out the pickles, mustard, and ketchup, and let my kids have at it.  

Jenny's Pesto Pizza (Not big news - but a good recipe, at least!)

My family and I love this recipe...well, it's not technically a recipe because you can essentially put whatever you want on top of this crust that comes in a mix....but you know what I mean.

The crust is made from a gluten-free mix by Namaste Foods.  You can find it in the gluten-free aisle of any health store in your area.  I buy mine at Good Earth Natural Foods.  A couple of things about his crust: The mix used to be the kind where you roll out the dough and bake.  We adored that crust.  But, they've come up with a new way to make the crust ( It seems like the mix contains basically the same ingredients, but I can't remember how to make it the old way). This new crust is easier to make (you make it into a cake-like batter, and then spread it out on a baking sheet or something similar), but it is a little tempermental.  For example, after baking, if you put a sauce directly onto the crust, it will turn into a mushy, not-so-crispy crust....YUCK! So below I will explain how I make my pizza so it doesn't have a gooey, mushy crust.

Keep in mind I put whatever I have in the fridge onto my pizza.  This is just one type that I like:

1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 yellow bell pepper, chopped
1/2 onion, chopped (give or take)
1/2 head of broccoli, finely chopped
2 cups of spinach
Olive oil to drizzle on top (1-2 tbsp.)
Few tablespoons of dairy-free pesto (I use Sunridge Foods)


Garnish
Avocado chunks
Cilantro
Real Salt

After the crust is done baking, set oven at 300 degrees.  Add the mountain of veggies on top of the crust (bell peppers, onion, broccoli), spread a blanket of spinach over the veggies, and drizzle olive oil over the spinach. (I use olive oil in this case because the temp is low enough not to disturb the fatty acid chains.).  Put it in the oven until the veggies are warmed and spinach is slightly wilted.  Take out of the oven and drizzle some pesto over the entire pizza.  Since the pesto is on top, it won't soggy-up the crust! (I'm so smart, I know).   Then add your garnishes - the pizza won't taste nearly as good without the avocado, so don't forget!

Just looking at this picture makes me want some right now.  Mmmmm....

BIG Things

Stay tuned because we have BIG things coming.  BIG BIG things.  

The BEST Sundried Tomato Hummus

You remember how much I love sundried tomatoes, right?  Well, I also love hummus.  And together?  They are like.....MAGIC! 

My husband is always skeptical of my concoctions, but he can't stop giving me compliments on this recipe, which means a lot in my mind.  Also, my 1.5 year old totally digs it on a brown rice or sprouted grain tortilla for lunch.

One thing I love about this hummus is that it is a bit more creamy than most homemade hummus dips.  I have tried numerous hummus recipes and they are usually too dry for me.  So, I made this hummus how I like it!

3/4 cup soaked, cooked garbanzo beans (use canned if in a hurry)
3 Tbsp. sundried tomatoes, packed in olive oil
3-4 Tbsp. (one whole lemon) lemon juice
1 Tbsp. raw tahini
2-3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp. dried parsley
1 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. Real Salt
3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

Put everything except olive oil in food processor and process until smooth.  Drizzle in olive oil.

YUM, YUM, YUM, YUM!!!

Two Great Minds Think Alike

Too funny - In the posts below, you will find that Annie and I responded to a reader's comment at EXACTLY the same time, in our own homes, on our own computers.  We then both published almost exactly the same message.  It's almost eerie....

Can She Do It? Yes She Can...Almost

Okay, so I got a little busy with remodeling my daughter's room and neglected to post.  But I'll have you know that I made it.  Well, I almost made it.  Last night we had people over for dinner and I thought it might be weird if I refused to eat the stuff I made.  So technically, I was one day + one meal short of my goal.  But it was worth it.  I made a vegan apple pie last night that seriously got me high.  


Sara left a comment on my "day 3" post informing me that she'll be embarking on a 7 day raw food detox starting tomorrow.  She asked for any pointers I might have.  Ask, and ye shall receive my friend.  Here are a few tips for Sara and any other of you fine folks who are interested in detoxing:


*Make a plan for EVERY day of your detox.  Be sure to include snacks in between meals.  This will help you avoid the "staring into your fridge" syndrome.  But don't be surprised if it still sneaks up on you.
*Do all your shopping on or before day 1, but be prepared to have to return to the grocery store several times that week too.  Epiphanies happen.  And you won't always have the right ingredients on hand.
*Dips.  And.  Sauces.  It's the only way to mix it up.
*Day 1 through Day 3 SUCK!  I'm just being honest here.  But Jenny and I both agree that if you can make it through Day 3, you're golden.  Day 3 really is hump day.  Until then, it's SHEER will power.
*Find a restaurant where you can get some sort of raw meal at least once during your detox.  It's a nice break from having to prepare EVERYTHING you eat and it's something to look forward to.  Lucky for me, Jenny had a hankerin' for Omars raw cuisine on Friday night and I was happy to oblige.  Then we hit a flick starring the girl that both of our husbands would probably leave us for...
*Be realistic.  You can't go into this thinking that it will be easy.  Trust me.  It's not.  But it's well worth it.  Find something that will keep you motivated.


If you decide to detox, you'll discover some interesting things about yourself.  You'll discover what your addicted to.  For me, it's starch and sugar.  The cravings were almost unbearable.  But only for sweets and bread.  And ALWAYS at the same time of day.  You'll also discover that your more powerful than you thought.  I know it sounds weird, but the most important part of this for me was finding out that I have the ability to commit to do something difficult, and to actually do it.  It also reminded me that I really do control my own life.  For the most part, our lives are a direct or indirect result of the decisions we make.  Even the small decisions.  If we make healthy choices, odds are, we will be exactly that.  Healthy.







  

Advise for a Cleanse

We received this comment from a reader, Sara.  I thought it was an excellent way to give some advise to those who are contemplating or beginning a cleanse. 


I have been contemplating revisiting a cleanse (my first one was a disaster...) and then there it was on your blog. If you believe in signs, that was a giant neon billboard saying DO IT!! I was really excited to see both of your recipes and comments, that gives me a good idea as to where to start. Tomorrow is the big day and I am nervous/excited, any last minute advice?

PS. absolutely love this blog, don't think that I have tried a recipe that I didn't like...and I've tried a lot of them!


My response:

Sara,

Soooo excited to see you doing a cleanse! It's hard, as you well know, but sticking to it is key. One piece of advise is to set yourself up for success.

1. Make sure you have planned out what you're going to prepare to drink/eat, and that you have all of the ingredients available. Also, give youself a bit of variety, if you can. If you are juicing, create different juices. If you are making smoothies, give yourself different flavors so it doesn't seem so torturous. If you're eating raw, make all different kinds of spreads, dips, and sauces to go on raw crackers, lettuce leaves, cabbage leaves, raw veggies, etc...

2. Write down your goals and post them where you can see them. You can write down temporary goals (do a cleanse for 5 days) or long-term goals (get my body healthy, overcome certain heath conditions, to not feel pain all the time, etc...)

3. Get support. Make yourself accountable to a friend or family member to ensure that you stay motivated.

4. PLAN to finish. A lot of people say that if you get past Day 3 it's a lot easier. The initial detox symptoms may "unmotivate" you, but cleansing is very mental. Think in your mind that you can do it.

We wish you the best of luck.  If you need help or motivation, you know where to come!!

Jenny

Detoxing Diets/Raw Recipes

Annie - Kudos for endeavoring on a raw food detox.  I'm all about cleansing and giving your digestive system a break in order to get rid of anything that has been hanging around for a while.

About a month ago, I went to my doctor (Dr. Hugo Rodier, a holistic M.D. who practices in Draper, UT) for a check-up to make sure my thyroid was functioning normally. The blood tests came back as normal, but in the meantime, he had me do a detox.  So for two weeks I ate nothing but raw vegetables, nuts, and seeds. And, luckily, I took some pics. So, if any of you are joining Annie in her raw food detox, the recipes below might come in handy.

Before I give the recipes, I want to mention that there are many different types of detoxing diets.  If you are eating the Standard American Diet (SAD), eat a lot of cooked food, or have recently deviated from your healthy diet, then a raw food detox will serve you well(nuts, seeds, fruit, veggies, sprouts).  My diet consists of about 70% raw food already, and when I did my detox, I wanted to take a break from sugars in any form, so I chose not to include any fruits so that my body, especially my pancreas, could take a bit of a rest. (Also, some fruit is naturally slightly acidic, and on cleanses I prefer to eat/drink alkaline foods. ) 

If you want to go a step further, you could detox with a green smoothie diet (no solid foods).  Even more intense is the combination of juicing greens and drinking green smoothies.  You may choose to include, or not to include, fruits, depending on your preference.  I prefer not to include fruit, but many people choose to do so - it's whatever you deem the most effective or feel the most comfortable doing.

If you take it even further than that, you're on a juice feast.  Remember, I am not a doctor, but juicing, especially juicing green vegetables and green leafy vegetables, will allow your body to not only get rid of old waste stuck in your gut, but will enable it to pull toxins from your tissues and eliminate them, all the while flooding your body with phytonutrients and promoting healing.

I just finished reading the blog of Chris Sherry, who was diagnosed with Type II Diabetes and chose to reverse it by juice feasting.  He juiced for 92 Days!!!! He followed the book, There is a Cure for Diabetes by Gabriel Cousens, M.D., and David Rainoshek, two amazing people who promote raw food and natural healing. Personally, I have only done detoxing by taking herbs and eating alkaline veggies, seeds, and nuts, but my husband has done a juice feast twice (once for 14 days and once for 3 days) to help heal his arthritic body, with much success, and I have always wanted to try it. I believe the time has come and I shall embark on a juice-feast for 7 days in the near future. I haven't decided when, so I'll keep you all posted. 

When beginning a cleanse or detox, some people will experience detox symptoms (and some won't).  One of these may include a skin rash, in which the body is trying to eliminate toxins through its largest organ, the skin.  It also may include a fever or flu-like symptoms, or even a headache.  Usually these symptoms will last only a short while and then subside.  Some people like to get enemas or colonics on a cleanse to rid the body of toxins more easily. However, if you want to endeavor on an extended juice-feast, if you have poor health, or if you just want to make sure you're doing things correctly, consult a doctor or other professional to help you through this process.

With that said, here are a few recipes to keep your motor running while on a raw food diet:

Sundried Tomato Spread on Kathy's Krackers

I just recently found Kathy's Krackers at Harmon's grocery store and Good Earth Natural Foods. I love these crackers because they are made locally (Orem, UT), they taste WONDERFUL (especially the Salsa flavored ones), they are thicker than other flax crackers and can even be used for an open-faced sandwich, and are less expensive than other brands. I just received an Excalibur 9 dehydrator for Christmas, so I'm excited to make my own, but until then, I'm munching on Kathy's!

This recipe has been in the making for a while now.  I absolutely ADORE sun-dried tomatoes, and thus most sun-dried tomato dips/spreads/pesto sauces.  Only problem is, they cost a fortune!  So, instead of paying $3.70 for 8 oz., I decided I'd make my own.  Even though they're not organic, I use sun-dried tomatoes packed in olive oil from CostCo because they're cheaper.  I eat too many dang sun-dried tomatoes to be buying the best of the best...I go through those suckers like mad!

One good thing about this recipe is that it has a plethora of vegetables, so if your kids eat it on a rice cake or cracker, they will be getting their veggies too!!

Not to wait any longer - the recipe:

1 c sun-dried tomatoes packed in olive oil

1 red bell pepper

1 medium carrot

1/4 c diced red onion

2 stalks celery

3/4 to 1 tsp. Real Salt

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

1/4 c extra-virgin olive oil

Combine all ingredients except olive oil in food processor and process until semi-smooth.  Then open feeding tube while processor is running and drizzle in olive oil.  

Cucumber, Kale, Celery Juice

Juice:

1 cucumber

5 leaves Kale

5 stalks celery

I love this combination.  It seriously cleans you out!

*If you don't have a juicer, you can whiz the veggies in a blender and put it through a nylon sock or nut milk bag (found on Amazon.com for $6). 

Day 3

I'm exhausted and my head feels foggy.  I have to pee, like every 15 minutes.  I'm irritated.  I don't feel energized.  I don't feel cleansed.  I just feel hungry for a GINORMOUS hunk of bread.  Word to the wise: don't start your detox when your pms-y.

However, I will press on.

GAH!

Day 2 (and a few recipes)

I was this close to throwing in the towel tonight.  No joke.  THIS close.  But right as I was reaching for a bagel, my cell phone...buzzed (actually it's more like a beep, but you get it right?) to notify me that someone left a comment on our blog.  And of course it was none other than my cousin (who literally oozes coolness by the way) asking me how day 2 went.  "Thou shalt not disappoint thy favorite cousin in law".  I think it's commandment #11.  And so?  I whipped up another green shake and chugged it.  I'll tell you what though, that bagel has never before seemed quite as tantalizing.  Need.  Yeast.


Thanks Anna.  You saved my bacon.


Here are a few of my favorite recipes so far:

Raw Tomato Soup (fyi: if you don't like raw soups, this probably isn't the recipe for you.  Just sayin')

2 big tomatoes

1 clove garlic

1/2 tsp himalaya salt (real salt will do)

1/4 tsp turmeric

1/4 tsp cumin

1 young coconut, water & meat

1-2 tsp freshly grated ginger

dash of cayenne

juice of 1/2 lemon

dab of raw honey or agave

Put all ingredients in blender.  Garnish with avocado slices or fresh parsley.

Butter Lettuce Wraps with a twist

1/2 cup soaked hazel nuts

1/2 cup soaked sunflower seeds

1/2 cup soaked almonds

1-2 sticks celery (chopped)

   1/2 of a small white onion

   2 cloves garlic

   1/2 cup water

   1 tbs. grapeseed  oil

   1 tbs. agave nectar

   3 tbs. lemon juice

   salt and pepper to taste

   head of butter lettuce

Process everything except the butter lettuce in a food processor or blender.  Spoon 2-3 tablespoons of the nutty filling in each of the lettuce leaves.  Garnish the top or sides with chopped or sun dried tomatoes.

Green Shake Numero Dos

2 big handfuls of spinach

1/4 english cucumber

1 granny smith apple, cored

1 frozen banana

few sprigs parsley

juice of 1/2 lime

1/2 cup coconut milk (or water)

1/2 cup almond milk

enough ice to make it...frosty

Blend all ingredients in blender.  Make your kid taste it first.

Detox Day 1

One down, six to go.  I stuck to the plan, but DANG, I've hit my threshold for fiber consumption.  Things seem to be...moving right along.  I felt great until about 3:00 when I had to start telling myself, "self, you DON'T have to have a 3:00pm sugar fix".  Not to mention the Diet Coke headache.  I know what you're thinking, but truth be told, I only "fell off the wagon" like 3-4 times/week over the holidays.  And compared to my Coke consumption last year at this time?  That's just a bump in the road.  

ANNIE'S 2010 DETOX - the concept

Is it just me or is there a certain element of blah-ness permeating the air.  I just feel...blah.  It could be that the anticipation of Santa's arrival is now over.  It could be that there are aren't any parties left to look forward to.  Or it COULD be that I've downed more sugar over the past two weeks than I normally would over a 6 month period.  Um, yes.  I believe it's the latter.


Now, I know.  I've talked about maintaining balance in life and not getting too "nazi-ish" when it comes to eating healthfully, but I've really stretched my description of "balance" lately.  And I believe it's time to whip out the grey trench coat and little black mustache.  But just for a week.


Tomorrow?  I'm starting a raw food cleanse.  Don't freak out.  No weird teas or supplements.  Just good wholesome stuff grown in the ground (or above the ground, or on the ground - whatever).  I really just want to clean out and reset my system.  And maybe clear up this sugar induced break out.  I have absolutely NO intention of staying on this for longer than 1 week.  But honestly, it'll be a serious miracle if I even make it that long.  So to up my chances of success, I'm going to report to you.  Every day.  And if you feel so inclined?  Join me in my endeavor.  I could use a little comradery (comradery, comradery, it just looks wrong, comradery.  Whatever, I'm leaving it).


I think I'll begin with a green shake tomorrow morning.  Then maybe a LARGE salad w/ romaine, grape tomatoes, sunflower seeds, cucumbers and olive/lemon juice dressing for lunch.  I think I might go with raw tomato soup (recipe coming) for dinner.  Possibly I'll throw in a blueberry almond shake for dessert (possibly, ha...possibly).  At least I have a plan for day 1.  I'll let you know how it goes.

Lemon Poppy Seed Cookies

I'm going to tell you a secret.  Jenny is out of town.  She has left me here completely unsupervised, and consequently has left me no choice but to post a recipe that would probably not pass the "Jenny-test".  But it's Christmas time right?  And we all need a little wiggle room during the holidays.  Enjoy!!!

Lemon Poppy Seed Cookies

1/2 cup coconut flour

1/2 cup wheat flour

1 1/2 tablespoons poppy seeds

1 1/2 tablespoons corn flour

1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

1/8 teaspoon sea salt

5 tablespoons vegan butter

1/3 cup sugar (you can substitute 1/2 for honey)

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 tablespoon lemon zest

1 teaspoon organic vanilla

2 tablespoons rice milk

2-3 tablespoons water

dash of baking soda

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  Mix flour, poppy seeds, corn flour, nutmeg, salt and baking soda together.  In a separate bowl, cream butter, sugar, lemon juice, zest and vanilla together.  Add the flour mixture to the margarine mixture and mix lightly.  Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of water at a time and knead very lightly until the dough comes together.  Don't add more water than necessary.

Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray.  Pinch a tablespoon of dough, forma ball and lightly press it flat on the baking sheet.  Bake until the edges are lightly brown (about 18-20 minutes).  Cool on a wire rack and store in an air tight container.  This yields about 13 cookies.

Raw, Gluten-Free, Sprouted Cinnamon-Raisin Granola

I should probably just call it "granola" for simplicity's sake, but I wanted ya'll to know what you're getting into here: HEALTH!  I've been on a raw-kick for a little while now, and simulateously I've been trying to find a great alternative for cold cereal, so I concocted the BEST granola ever.  It's extremely healthy and the easiest recipe ever! Actually, I made several different kinds of granola, but I shall share just one recipe this time. Eat it for breakfast or a snack with fresh almond milk, rice milk, or hemp milk, or put it in a baggy as a snack for your kids on outings.  My 1.5 and 3 year old kids love it!!

2 cups raw buckwheat groats (health-store bulk section or online.)**
1 cup raw walnuts
1 cup raw pumpkin seeds
1 cup raisins
1/2 cup raw hemp seeds (health-store bulk section)
Either: 1 dropper vanilla-creme stevia OR 1 Tbsp. vanilla (I use alcohol-free)
1/2 to 1 tsp. cinnamon

Place buckwheat, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, raisins, and hemp seeds into separate bowls and fill with room- temperature water until seeds/nuts are covered.  Soak about 8-12 hours (or overnight) and then rinse thoroughly.  Place walnuts in food processor first.  Then add remaining ingredients.  Pulse until desired consistency is achieved.  Scrape out granola and place onto dehydrator trays for about 12-24 hours.  If you don't have a dehydrator, place on cookie sheet or other oven-safe dish, set your oven to its lowest setting, and leave oven door open until granola is dried.  This will ensure the enzymes aren't totally wiped out! 

*This recipe only lasts our family about 2 days, so I usually double it.  Also, I use vanilla-creme stevia because the vanilla I buy is expensive, and this recipe uses it up fast. Vanilla-creme stevia is a health-store product, and is expensive, but it lasts a LONG time because you only have to use a little bit in recipes.

**Buckwheat is not a grain, but actually a fruit seed related to rhubard.  It does not contain gluten and is therefore suitable for those who have a gluten-intolerance or Celiac Disease. 

***Why raw?

Serious Winter Chili (vegetarian)

Mmm-kay.  Where do I start?  I've been down and out for a variety of reasons lately most of which are health related.  I know.  The irony.  But one thing's for dang sure.  I am more thankful for good health (generally speaking) now than I've ever been.  I took a little trip to the emergency room last weekend after a nasty run in with food poisoning.  And even though it was a miserable experience (praise morphine), I spent the whole time thinking about the many many people who are forced to venture into that building far more frequently than anyone would ever hope to.  And for far less pleasant kinds of treatment. And just for a moment, I felt lucky.  But then I called Jenny and I was all like, "Baaaaaaah, I'm siiiiiiiiiick, and my husband is out of towwwwwn."  And what did she do?  Of course she was like, "let me take your kids, let me bring you dinner, let me buy you a Hummer."  What?  Your friends don't do that?  Sucks to be you.  


Seriously though.  What a gal.  Thanks m'love.


Anyway, let's focus here.  So by the time I felt up to making dinner for the first time in a month, I knew I was going to need to make something phenomenal.  I had a hankerin' for some thick, hearty, chili.  And so it was.


You're most likely going to read this recipe and think that I'm NUTS.  But rest assured.  I'm not nuts.  I'm just hungry.


Serious Winter Chili

3 Tablespoons olive oil or grapeseed oil
1 1/2 cups (about 2 small) chopped onions
8 large garlic cloves (yes, 8)
2 19-ounce cans red kidney beans
2 19-ounce cans dark kidney beans
1 envelope taco seasoning (you can use chili seasoning too)
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon thyme
3 cups vegetable broth
1 15-ounce can tomato sauce
1 6-oz can tomato paste
3-4 Tablespoons cocoa powder


Heat oil in large sauce pan over medium heat.  Add the onions and garlic and saute until translucent.  Add beans, taco seasoning, basil,  oregano, and thyme.  Stir 2 minutes.  Mix in tomato sauce, tomato paste, vegetable broth, and cocoa powder.  Simmer until thickened to desired consistency.  I sprinkle a little rice cheese and cilantro on the top and serve with some avocado slices.  It wouldn't hurt to throw in a chunk of crusty wheat bread too.

Curried Quinoa

In case you're stuck in a rice-and-beans rut and don't know what to make for dinner tonight, here is a sneak-peek into what I'm making. It's from Ancient Harvest's recipe collection, and is so easy, fast, and yummy....One of my husband's all-time favorites.   I'll be sure to post the pic after I make it.

Curried Quinoa

1 c Quinoa
1.5 Tbsp. Oil (Of course, I use Coconut or Grapeseed Oil)
1/2 Onion, diced (about 4 or 5 oz.)
1 tsp. Grated Fresh Ginger Root
1/2 Fresh Green Chile (finely chopped). (Sometimes I add a whole green chile for more flavor!)
1 heaping tsp. Turmeric
1 heaping tsp. Coriander
1/4 tsp. Ground Cinnamon
1 3/4  cups Water
Salt to taste (I use Real Salt)
1 c Frozen Peas

1.  Rinse quinoa with cold water using a fine mesh filter.

"Quinoa is coated with a natural substance called saponin that protects the grain by repelling insects and birds.  Rinsing the quinoa is important to avoid a raw or bitter tate.  You can tell if there is saponin by the production of a soapy looking suds when the seeds are swished in water."

2.  Place oil in a heavy saucepan, add diced onions, and saute on medium-high heat for four to five minutes.

3.  Add the ginger root, chile, and quinoa.  Cook for one minute, stirring constantly.

4.  Stir in the turmeric, coriander, cinnamon, and Real Salt.  Cook for one minute, stirring constantly.

5.  Add the water and bring it to a boil.  Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 15 minutes.

6.  Stir in peas.  Cover and cook for four or five minutes or until peas are tender and all the water has been absorbed.

7.  Fluff with a fork before serving. 

This recipe says it will serve 6-8 people, but we usually use it as the main dish, and not a side dish, so I usually double the recipe and then just save whatever is left-over for lunches.  Plus, my husband loves it so much he eats a ton.

Hope you like it!  If you don't, just bring it to our house and we'll eat it up for you!