Roasted Vegetable Chili

4 cups crushed tomatoes
4 cups fire roasted tomatoes
4 cups cooked red beans
1 acorn squash
1 bell pepper
1 cup cauliflower
1 cup broccoli
1 medium onion
3 cloves garlic- minced
Salt and pepper to taste
6 cups cooked rice of your choice!

Preheat oven to 350. Chop cauliflower, broccoli, bell pepper, acorn squash and onion into pieces. (You will need to cut the skin off of the acorn squash first before chopping.) Place on a pan. Drizzle with olive oil. Add minced garlic. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Stir well. Place in the oven. Roast vegetable about 20 minutes until tender. Stir them around every 5-10 minutes as they are roasting. Remove from the oven.

If you like the size of your vegetables the way you cut them, just put them straight into a stockpot. If not, you can place them in the food processor and pulse them a few times then place them in a stockpot.

Add all other ingredients. Simmer on medium to low until ingredient flavors meld together. I simmered mine for about 20 minutes.

Serve over rice!

**Adapt the ingredients to your taste and what is in your refrigerator or available at your local market.  I just used what I had on hand!

Polenta Pie!

1 cup stone ground corn (grits)
1 cup black beans
1/2 cup organic salsa
1/2 cup cheese (your favorite!)
1 clove garlic - minced
1 T Bragg Liquid Amino

Cook grits according to package directions. Immediately add garlic, Bragg, and salt & pepper to taste. Pour into a 9 inch pie pan. Spread black beans and salsa on top. Sprinkle with cheese. Broil dish until cheese is melted. Remove from the oven and allow dish to sit about 20 minutes before serving.

Cut into pie wedges and serve with avocado dip and chips!

Alterations- you can line the pie pan with a tortilla, add avocado/sour cream/cilantro/green onions/ etc. I just use what I have on hand each time!

Pumpkin Muffins

1 1/2 cup whole grain flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 c pumpkin purée
1/3 cup olive or coconut oil
2 eggs (optional)
2 tsp cinnamon/nutmeg/clove combination*
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt

Combine wet ingredients; add dry. Stir until just combined. Bake at 350 for @ 15-18 minutes!

I baked these in a mini muffin pan. I usually double the recipe. They freeze well (although mine usually disappear before that can happen).

*Nutmeg and clove have a stronger more intense flavor than cinnamon. I put 1/4 a tsp of nutmeg and clove and 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon.

Banana Chocolate Chip Mookies

Ingredients:
2 cups freshly ground flour
1 cup oats
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp baking powder
1/3 cup coconut oil- melted
2 bananas- smashed
1 egg (optional)
1/4-1/3 cup mini chocolate chips or carob chips (or dried fruit)
1/4 cup natural sugar (optional)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350. Smash bananas on a plate until they are thoroughly combined.  Place all ingredients into a mixing bowl and stir until mixed well.  Place spoonfuls on a baking sheet.  Bake for 12 minutes.

I usually do not put added sugar in them.  The bananas and chocolate chips give them a sweet taste.  If you are used to eating foods sweet, you might enjoy a little additional sugar.  You could replace the chocolate chips with dried fruit as well!

We call these mookies (muffin cookies) since they are soft like a muffin but shaped like a cookie!

Veggie Chili

Ingredients:

16 ounces black beans - cooked

16 ounces red beans - cooked

16 ounces pinto beans - cooked

32 ounces tomatoes (I used ones I had canned this summer)

8 ounces tomato paste

1 package of Quorn cumbles (meat substitute)

1 green bell pepper chopped

1 red bell pepper chopped

2 stalks celery chopped

1 large onion chopped

4 cloves of garlic minced

1 tsp oregano

1 T basil 

salt, pepper, and chili powder to taste

Combine all ingredients into a large stock pot.  Bring to a boil.  Simmer for 20-30 minutes.  

Tips - I soak and cook my beans.  It is more cost effective, healthier, and more environmentally efficient  (without the cans to throw away!).  I typically cook a pot of beans every 10 days or so.  I freeze what we have leftover and use them later.  They are great to keep in the freezer to be used in recipes!

If you don't have one of these ingredients, substitute with something else!  Get creative!

Cranberry Harvest Muffins

Ingredients:
3 cups whole grain flour
1 T baking powder
1/2 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
1 t ginger
1-2 t cinnamon
1 1/4 cups almond milk
1/4 cup coconut oil - melted
1/2 cup soft fruit (figs, cooked pears, bananas, etc)
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup cranberries
1/2 cup nuts (optional)



Directions:
In a mixing bowl, put flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Stir until ingredients are combined. Make a well (hole) in the middle of the flour mixture and add the other ingredients. Stir gently until combined. Place in muffin tins. Bake for 18 minutes on 350.

Note- I grated fresh ginger instead of using powdered. I had sliced pears I had put in jars a few weeks ago, so I used those. (I chopped them up.) You could use fresh cranberries when they are in season as well!  These will freeze well, so you can double the recipe and have them later, too!

I used freshly ground soft white wheat flour.  We have a Nutrimill grain grinder and order our whole grain from a local health food store!  You can also purchase whole grain flours at a local store already ground.

Homemade Whole Grain Cinnamon Rolls

Ingredients:
4- 4 1/2 cups whole grain flour
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tsp celtic sea salt
1/3 cup honey
1 1/2 cups water
2 T vital wheat gluten
1 T yeast
1/8 cup cinnamon
1/8-1/4 cup turbinado



You need a mixer with a dough hook to make this recipe as well as a rolling pen (or get creative with something that could roll out dough!). (You could knead it by hand.  I have never tried it that way to give you feedback with this recipe.)   Place first 6 ingredients into the mixer and mix on medium speed until combined.  Then add the yeast.  Leave mixer running for about 5-7 minutes until dough begins to "peel" away from the sides of the mixer.  The dough should still be sticky.  If it looks dry.  Add 1 T of water at a time until it begins to combine well and be slightly sticky.

When finished mixing/kneading, turn mixer off and allow dough to sit while you are getting the next step ready.  You can either using a pastry board or the counter to roll the cinnamon rolls out onto.  Sprinkle a layer of flour onto your surface to keep the dough from sticking.  (You will need to add more flour throughout the process when the dough sticks to your rolling pen or surface.)

Choose a pan in which to place your cinnamon rolls.  A 9 inch round pan works well for this recipe.  (If you double or triple the recipe you can use a larger pan.)  Place oil in the bottom of the pan and spread it around to prevent sticking.  Grease the sides as well.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Now, remove dough from the mixing bowl, and place it on your surface.  Sprinkle with flour to keep rolling pen from sticking.  Roll dough into a rectangle.  Make it about 1/3-1/2 of an inch thick.  Sprinkle cinnamon and sugar evenly over this surface.   On the "long end" begin on one end to roll the dough.  Continue to roll the dough all the way across and start over again until you have finished.

Then, simply cut the cinnamon rolls in 1 1/2 inch pieces.  Place them in your pan, touching each other.  Allow them to rise until they have doubled in size (usually about 30 minutes).  Bake for 20 minutes.  Remove from the oven and cover with icing.

ICING:
1/2 block of cream cheese
2 cups powdered sugar
2 fresh strawberries
1 tsp almond flavoring
2 T almond milk (if icing is too thick)

Blend all ingredients well in the mixer.  This will store in the refrigerator for 2 weeks.  It will make more than you need so you will have additional icing for another batch!

TIP:
1. I tripled the recipe.  It made 2 loaves of bread and a large pan of cinnamon rolls!
2. I am trying to get better at using what I have and at least trying an idea immediately instead of putting it on my To Do list.  For example, if you do not have the right kind of sugar for this recipe, just use what you have for now.  If you don't have cream cheese, just use powdered sugar and strawberries or combine greek yogurt and honey.  Get creative and use what is easily available to you.  You can do it differently next time but chances are, what you make will be just as good, and you may even like it better!

You Can't Taste the Greens!

Smoothies provide a super way to add great nutrition to your routine at any time of the day - breakfast, lunch on the go, afternoon pick you up, etc.  Normally, I would not eat carrots, spinach, kale, beets, etc for breakfast, but I regularly put them in a smoothie for my morning "get is started right" routine.

It also is a great way to get all those nutritional foods in my kids morning routine as well.  It helps me think better throughout the day not to mention that I am fighting disease with every single sip!

Ingredients:
1 cup spinach
1 peach
1 banana
1 T chia seeds
1 T maca powder
2 T flax seed meal
1 T dried cranberries
1/2 cup ice
1/2 cup water

Place all ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth!  You can freeze your fruit if you want a frozen smoothie.  We have a Blendtec and a Nutribullet, both of which work excellently for blending the ingredients as well as opening up the cells of the nutrients to make them more bioavailable.

Kids in the Kitchen Early!!!

The McCaleb family knows that it is not always neat and clean, but getting their kids in the kitchen preparing healthy foods at a young age is vital.

Reynolds and Riley Kate are familiar with terminology relating to kitchen utensils and all kinds of ingredients. Recently they made homemade pizza and did not use the typical white flour which is devoid of nutrition. They used whole grain.

As they enjoyed the cooking process, they talked about the health benefits of the ingredients they were using. At the ages of 2 and 4, will they remember all these benefits they discussed from this one night? Certainly not but that's okay because their parents, Reed and Karie Sue are consistently teaching them in fun ways the values of making healthy choices.  Here is some great information they shared with me!

Interview with the McCalebs!

WHY DO YOU COOK WITH YOUR KIDS? Reed and I love cooking with Reynolds and Riley Kate because first of all it's FUN (they love exploring the tastes and textures) and secondly, it's important for the kids to see how the food gets from the ground/store to the plate. They have a better appreciation for the foods that they prepare, and they are more willing to "clean their plates" when they have helped prepare the meal. We let the kids help in the garden this summer too, which their faces when that first cucumber bloomed after they planted the seed were amazing. 

Did you all talk about why you were using whole grain flour?  We didn't necessarily use the term "whole grain" with them because it's a staple at our home. The kids didn't really notice, BUT when I added the wheat germ, they asked what the "special ingredient" was. That was the best opportunity to talk about vitamins and minerals, and how it was so good for our stomach, heart and brain. 

Also, when we are at the market, we let the kids choose the foods off the shelves, when picking the ham for the pizza, Ren picked a ham we choose not to buy, I asked him to put it back, and pick a specific kind that has no added nitrates. He asked why, so that was an opportunity to talk about additives that aren't good for our bodies. 

Do you talk about utensils, food terminology, and about kinds of foods?  Kitchen tools are the kids FAVORITE, even when we are not cooking the kids pretend with the different tools. In the photo, the kids were using the rolling pin, and that was just the best fun for them to roll and see how the dough shaped. A great texture lesson. They frequently ask what things are called and we show them how to use them appropriately...instead of using the rolling pin as a sword (as Reynolds as tried before :)) As for food groups, we just introduced the food pyramid to the kids, we talk about healthy foods and "sometimes" foods (treats and sweets). 

Why do you feel it is important to get your kids to eat healthy?  It's so important to help our kids make good food choices because as they grow up, as a mother, I hope they grow to be healthy eaters. More and more news and studies are available about the health of our culture--some of it is pretty scary, but SO AVOIDABLE. So we hope that by introducing great food, teaching the kids about how the food helps our bodies, they will grow to love healthy options. Most of all, I notice that their mood is improved, they play harder, and sleep better when they have balanced whole-food meals. 

What are a few creative tips and ideas you have to get your young kids to eat healthy! Some creative tips would be to let the kids play with the foods frequently, so they are not scared of the meal when it is put in front of them. For instance, counting dry beans or grouping fruits and veggies by colors, then playing a game where we eat something orange, then green, then purple... We make shapes with fruits, and I admit sometimes I will "sneak" good things in their meals (like flax oil and cider vinegar) Even a blind-fold guessing game is fun (we start with Dad, then Mom and let the kids feed us- then we try with them-lots of fun!) 

Reynolds has said before. "I don't want to try that because I've never had it before." He's afraid he won't like it. We encourage him to try ONE bite. If he doesn't like it, we will try another day. 9/10 times he says, "Hmm. That's not too bad, Mom!" I read an article in a parenting magazine that said when introducing a new food to babies, you have to try a new food at least 15 different times before giving up on the item. We kept that in mind too. There's also a song on Yo Gabba Gabba they like called "Try it, you'll like it" So we sing that occasionally to get them dancing, and that calms their fears about trying new things. 

If they REFUSE a food option, we don't make a big deal if they are eating the majority of their meal. There are certain foods I refuse to eat too (butter beans!). So I understand that they will have personal tastes, with the potential to grow those tastes to enjoy a better variety of things. The key for our family is not only giving it a chance, but also being good examples for the kids. When they see us eating good foods, they want whatever is on our plate because we are enjoying it. 

Peach and Blackberry Cobbler

Ingredients:
1 T coconut oil
2 cups freshly ground spelt flour
3 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups almond milk
1/2 cups rapadura sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups fresh sliced peaches
1 1/2 cups fresh blackberries

Place 9x13 baking dish with coconut oil in the bottom in an oven set to 350 degrees. In a mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar.  Mix together.  Add milk and vanilla.  Stir just until combined. Remove baking dish from the oven.  Pour the batter into the dish.  Add peaches and blackberries on the top.  Do not stir them into the batter.  Bake for about 20-25 minutes.

I am always looking for and creating recipes that are easy to prepare.  I want to consistently feed my family healthy options, but I rarely have the luxury of spare time.  This one fits the bill!  We love this dish as a dessert, and we eat the leftover for breakfast.  It is low in fat and high in fiber and antioxidants from the fruits.  You can replace the peaches and blackberries with seasonal fruits.  Feel free to use less added sugar if your fruit sweetens it to your liking!  If you need a zero calorie sweetener that is not chemical (like splenda, aspartame, etc.) try xylitol!

Lunch with Mrs. Mann

Yesterday, I had an amazing lunch with Mrs. Kitty Mann.  It is always a joy to be with her.  We had such delightful conversation about health and wellness.  I was encouraged by her positive outlook on life and enjoyed her wealth of knowledge.

She prepared a delicious salad with lettuce, cucumbers, tomatoes, red onion, peas, carrots, and organic chicken.  As you can see, there is so much color in the food!  That color comes from phytonutrients.  These phyto's were raw and had nutrition to feed our cells.  My afternoon was filled with energy from the lunch we enjoyed.

That is what food is designed to do.......give us energy!  When it does not or when we become tired or sluggish after a meal, we need to carefully consider what we put into our bodies.  Was the food filled with living raw nutrition and healthy sources of protein?  If not, that is likely the reason for that let down we experienced.

Choose food that gives you energy and life!!

(By the way, Mrs. Mann was my husband's 3rd grade teacher.  Who would have ever thought that she has such an impact on him as a student, and she would be blessing my life today, 30+ years later! I thank God for her!)

Fresh Basil Tomato Pasta

Tonight we used the pesto we made this afternoon on our pasta.   I simply prepared my pasta according to the directions on the package, drained them, and returned them to the pot in which I cooked them.  I added several large spoonfuls of the pesto as well as tomatoes we picked out of a local garden.

I served with with a salad made of springmix lettuce, hearts of palm, red onion, avocado, and an oil and vinegar dressing.

It turned out so well.  Everyone enjoyed it so much!  We look forward to doing it again soon.

What do you do with your pesto?

Pesto!

My parents came in town for a visit this week.  My Dad and I picked basil in a friend's yard.   We decided to use the basil to make a homemade pesto and turn it into some kind of dinner!  (I will post that next.)  

Ingredients:

2 cups raw basil

1/4 cup nuts (walnuts, pecans, pine nuts or pumpkin/sunflower seeds)

1/2 cup hard cheese - grated (such as romano or parmesan) - optional

2 T oil (olive or grapeseed)

2 T lemon juice - from a fresh lemon

1/4 - 1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

4 cloves garlic minced

Place all ingredients in the food processor and blend until smooth!  (I intended to use walnuts but only had pecans on hand.  It turned out great.)  This is another mixture where you could throw in lots of other things and have a great result.  I thought about throwing in a little raw broccoli I had leftover or red bell pepper.  I did not do it this time but certainly would some other time.

Pesto can be used as a spread on a piece of whole grain bread, as a type of "sauce" to be mixed in with pasta, as part of a sandwich, etc.  It can be made with other raw ingredients to increase it's nutritional value. 

Basil contains flavonoids that provided cellular protection. Orientin and Vicenin are two of the flavonoids which protect white blood cell structures as well as chromosomes from radiation and oxygen based damaged . It has been also shown that basil protects against various types of unwanted bacterial and growth.

It has anti inflammatory benefits. Studies have shown that certain oils in basil have the potential to block the activity of an enzyme called cyclooxygenase that is cause of inflammation in humans. This enzyme inhibiting effect of basil can provide healing effect for people with health problems like rheumatoid arthritis or inflammatory bowel conditions.

It has also been shown to be a good source of vitamin c, iron, potassium, and calcium. 

Thank you to Jason Derrick for letting me pick basil in his yard.  

Homemade Garden Salsa

Ingredients:
4 cups fresh tomatoes
1 cup onion
1/2 cup fresh cilantro
4 banana peppers
4 cloves garlic- minced
1/2 red bell pepper
1 T Bragg Apple Cider Vinegar
Salt and Pepper to taste

I just used things I had on hand- mainly what we picked out of a local garden last weekend. You can even add corn, black beans, other types of peppers, etc.

I placed all the ingredients in the food processor and pulsed it until it became the consistency that I desired.  The whole family ate it up!  Everything was raw, so it was filled with phytonutrients that go straight to giving your body the nutrition it needs.

Almond Butter Fudge

Sometimes we want dessert around our house.  We know we can make something that tastes amazing and is power-packed.

Here's a treat that is yummy and filled with lots of antioxidants and protein.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups almond butter
1/2 cup raw cocoa powder or carob powder
1/3-1/2 cup raw honey
1 T coconut oil - melted
1 T vanilla
1/4 cup ground flax seeds
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Place all ingredients in a bowl and mix thoroughly. Spread into a 4x9 loaf pan and freeze. (Really you can use any pan you want.  This pan made them about 1 inch thick.  You can even press the mixture in shaped ice molds for a neat effect!)  Remove from the freezer and cut squares when you are ready to serve it. Put the rest back in the freezer when you are finished!

Quinoa Portobella Salad

Last night we prepared this dish at a Wellness Workshop, at the home of Jill and Shelby Daniel. One of our guests brought quinoa, so Shelby cooked some. We added it to the salad we were preparing. Quinoa is one of the most nutrient dense grains. It's a great source of iron, fiber, magnesium, and one cup contains about eight grams of protein.  It only took about 12 minutes to cook!

Ingredients:
2 cups spring mix lettuce
2 cups arugula
1/2 cup baby Portobella mushrooms sliced
1/2 cup chopped purple cabbage
1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
1/4 cup chopped red onion
1/3 cup feta cheese
1 cup cooked quinoa

Dressing:
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
2 T grapeseed oil
2 cloves garlic- minced
Salt and Pepper to taste

Place all ingredients in a bowl and toss. Serve as the main course or a great side dish. This is also great in a pita or tortilla wrap!

Purple Cabbage Salad

Often time we think of lettuce or dark leafy greens as the base of our salad. Recently, we made a salad with chopped purple cabbage as the base.

Ingredients:
Purple Cabbage
Onion
Cucumber
Tomato



Dressing:
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 T olive oil
1 clove garlic- minced
Salt and pepper to taste

Cut vegetables to the shape and size you prefer. Toss with dressing.

This salad is loaded with phytonutrients - plant nutrients- designed to feed your cells and prevent disease.

Figs!

Our dear neighbors shared figs with us this week. We gobbled many of them up raw and enjoyed every bite!

We took some of them and simply cut the stems off, washed them, smashed them, and cooked them down in a pot until they were all tender. I had 8 cups of figs and added 1 cup of rapadura sugar to them.

I brought them to a boil and spooned them into hot glass mason jars. We can now use them on toast or biscuits or just eat a serving!

We've focused this summer on using local fruit and vegetables to make up the bulk of what we have been eating!

Thank you Joanna and Jeff!!

Carrot Peach Smoothie

Ingredients:

3 Freshly Juiced Organic Carrots

Carrot pulp from the juicer

6 Fresh Peaches

2 cups of Ice

We juiced carrots the other morning and had some leftover.  I simply took the juice and the pulp from our juicer.  I put them in the Vitamix that my friend Molly let me borrow.  I added fresh peaches and ice.  It was amazing!  The carrot pulp was completely integrated into the smoothie - no lumps.  It made enough for all 5 of us to enjoy.  The whole family loved it!!

We have been experimenting with the Vitamix (The best way I can describe the Vitamix is that it seems to be a blender on steroids!).  It will make any food so creamy!!  

Red Beans and Quinoa

I like to purchase organic dried beans, soak them, and cook them myself as opposed to buying canned beans.  Occasionally, when I have not prepared beforehand I will use beans from a can.  I prefer soaking my own for several reasons:  When I soak my own, I know they have not been sitting around in a can for who knows how long absorbing the contents of the can itself;  I feel much better about buying them in bulk and eliminating putting another can in the earth once I'm finished with it; It is much more cost effective to prepare them myself and I can get organic ones for even less than the cost of canned non-organic; I think they are much more flavorful when I soak and cook them myself!

Soaking Dried Beans:

2 cups dried red beans

6 cups water

I placed the above in a glass bowl and soaked them for 3 days.  Each day I drained the water off of them and replaced it with fresh water until the water was clear again.  I left them on my counter and put a glass plate on top of the bowl.

Ingredients:

Rehydrated beans

4 cloves of garlic, minced,

1 tsp celtic sea salt

1 tsp pepper

1 tsp cumin

1 white onion, diced

8 cups of filtered water

Chopped cilantro and green onions for the topping

Quinoa (to put the beans on top of!)

Place the first 7 ingredients into a stock pot and bring to a boil.  Turn down to low-med heat.  Simmer beans for 1 - 1 1/2 hours, stirring about every 10 minutes, until beans are tender.

I put the beans over quinoa, but you could use rice as well, and I topped it with green onions and chopped cilantro.  This meal provides a wonderful source of fiber and protein.

We take the leftovers and use them later in the week to put into a tortilla and add salsa, lettuce, green onion, cilantro, and purple cabbage for a lunch or dinner option!

Zucchini and Tomatoes

It is great having a wonderful local market to get fresh fruits and vegetables and herbs.  This dish was one of the ones I served while our family was doing a juice/whole food fast for a week.  The flavor of zucchini, tomatoes, basil, and garlic are amazing together.  I baked this dish for about 20 minutes, but I tried it raw, and it was excellent as well.

Ingredients:

2 fresh whole tomatoes sliced

3 medium zucchini

1 small onion thinly sliced

4 cloves of garlic, minced

4 leaves of fresh basil, chopped

salt and pepper to taste

Place all ingredients in a pan and toss.  Bake at 350 for about 20 minutes.  I served this dish with a noodle recipe that I topped with a pureed almond sauce.

Simple ingredients, quick to prepare, little clean up, lots of nutrition!

Apple Cherry Oatmeal Breakfast Bake

Summertime offers the opportunity to enjoy fresh fruits and veggies not in season at other times.  Cherries are one of my favorite fruits, and they are packed with phytonutrients.  My sister-in-law makes a similar dish which inspired the one I made this morning....

Ingredients:

3 cups organic rolled oats

2 red apples (washed and diced - not peeled)

1 cup fresh cherries chopped

1 tsp cinnamon

4 cups filtered water

I simply placed the oats into a 2 quart square baking dish (that had a lid).  I poured the water over it, added the cherries and apples, and sprinkled the cinnamon over the top.  I covered it with the lid and baked it at 350 for 45 minutes.

When I served it, I poured almond milk and a little bit of honey over the top.  It only took 30 minutes for me to turn around and see the pan completely empty.  We all enjoyed it and will definitely be making this one of our breakfast summertime staples.  

After tasting the dish, I thought about using peaches as the fruit and doubling the amount (probably 4-5 cups) to make a healthier cobbler. I would add some raw sugar to the oats.

Ice Pops!

Summer fun has already begun at our house!  We just got in our Norpro Ice Pop makers!  They are a silicone sleeve with a top designed to be reused in the freezer.  We put organic strawberries, pineapple, and oranges in the blender and pureed them.  Then we poured them in the makers and left them over night.  They are better than any popsicle you can buy at the store.  These provide a healthy and more economical alternative to many bought summertime treats.  So easy, very healthy, and something the kids can make together!  Thank you Sallie Belle for telling us about these!

Homemade Pizza

We really enjoy making homemade pizza at our house!  This time I just used our basic bread dough recipe since I was making homemade bread for the week. I rolled the dough out and transferred it to the pan.  I pricked it all over with a fork and baked it at 400 for 8 minutes then took it out of the oven. I had marinara sauce leftover from spaghetti from the week that we added on top of the crust.  Then we sprinkled what we had left over - broccoli, onions, and spinach.  We added 1/2 teaspoon of italian seasonings and fresh garlic.  Then we sprinkled cheese on top and baked at 400 for about 15 minutes until the top began to bubble and turn brown.  I made a salad to serve with it!

I made two pizzas, so I would have an extra one to freeze for later.  

Homemade Granola

Ingredients:

7 cups of whole oats

1 cup flax seed meal

1 cup almonds

1 cup walnuts

1 cup pumpkin seeds

1/2 cup sesame seeds

1 1/2 cups honey

1/2 cup melted coconut oil

2 cups dried fruit (I used cranberries this time.)

1 tsp cinnamon (optional)

Put almonds, walnuts, and pumpkin seeds in the food processor and pulse until they are chopped to the consistency that you like.  (You can use whatever nuts you like best or whatever you have on hand at the time!) Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl and stir well.

Combine honey and coconut oil in a pan.  Heat on the stove until coconut oil is melted, and it is combined with the honey.  Pour the mixture over the dry ingredients and combine until the mixture is coated.  You may need to use your hands to combine it well.

Spread it evenly in a baking pan.  Bake on 325 for 15 minutes.  Then stir it well on the pan.  Continue to bake for 5 minutes at a time and stir well until granola is dry and slightly toasted.  Be sure to watch it well as it can easily get too brown.  Store in an airtight container.  This recipe will easily freeze for use whenever you are ready!

Almond Butter, Banana, and Honey Sandwich!

Ingredients:
Homemade Bread
Almond Butter or your favorite nut butter
Banana
Flax Seed Meal
Raw Honey

Slice bread and spread your nut butter on it. Add bananas and sprinkle flax seed meal on top. Drizzle honey. My kids love this as a meal or snack. You can add another piece of bread on top for lunch to go!

Blueberry Muffins

Ingredients:
4 cups freshly ground flour
1/2 cup ground flax seeds
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp Celtic sea salt
2 1/2 cups almond milk
1/2 cup coconut or canola oil
1/2 cup applesauce
1/2 - 1 cup raw sugar or honey
2 eggs or egg substitute
1 1/2 cup blueberries

Combine dry ingredients. Add wet ingredients. Stir just until all ingredients are well combined. (When using coconut oil, melt in a pan, then add with the wet ingredients.) If you do not have flax seeds or flax seed meal on hand, substitute it with 1/2 cup flour.  Bake at 350 for approximately 15 minutes.  This recipe will make 24 regular muffins.  Take them to a brunch, to your new neighbors, to a mom who has just given birth, etc!  They will freeze well.

1/4 cup of blueberries have 15 grams of fiber and are loaded with antioxidants!  The whole grains from the flour and flax have fiber as well!

Broccoli, Chicken, Quinoa Soup

Ingredients:

3 cups cooked quinoa

5 cups water

1 cup chicken broth (or an additional cup of water if you do not have any)

1 cup chopped carrots

1 cup chopped onion

1 cup chopped celery

1 cup chopped mushroom

2 cups chopped broccoli

2 cups diced cooked organic chicken

4 T flour (I used freshly ground soft white wheat.)

1 T olive oil

2 cloves of garlic - diced

1 tsp basil

1 tsp oregano

salt and pepper to taste

In a large stock pot, saute carrots, onion, celery, mushroom, broccoli, and garlic until just slightly tender.  Add water, chicken stock, chicken, quinoa, basil, oregano, salt, and pepper.  Simmer on medium.  When the liquid has been heated, remove 1 cup of the broth (in a measuring cup or small bowl) and with a wisk or fork add 4 tablespoons of flour and stir rapidly.  This will begin to thicken.  Slowly add this liquid back to the soup, stirring as you pour it.  Continue to allow the soup to simmer until flavors have had time to blend together.  Serve immediately or turn the soup off and and let it sit, continuing to season, until you are ready to eat. (I allowed mine to simmer for about 5 minutes then turned it off.  We ate it about an hour later.)

I served this with homemade bread.  A fresh salad would be great with it as well.  You could double this recipe and freeze the leftover portion in order to have a quick meal to pull out of the freezer.

You could easily add different vegetables or leave out the ones you do not have on hand.  I had several leftover organic chicken legs.  I used the broth I had saved from baking my chicken and chopped the chicken up.  (Note - I always add more water to the chicken I bake in order to have broth to reserve for something later.  You can freeze the broth until you are ready to use it!)

Soups make an easy way to use up what you have in the refrigerator.  This soup was created by what I had leftover from the week.  Try creating your own recipe sometime.  Just take the leftovers that sound like they might be good together!

Forks Over Knives Trailer.....

The feature film Forks Over Knives examines the profound claim that most, if not all, of the degenerative diseases that afflict us can be controlled, or even reversed, by rejecting animal-based and processed foods.  Take time to watch this amazing documentary.  It no doubt helped me to refine my food habits!  Plant based diets have proven over time to help people remain healthy and even reverse degenerative disease.

You can watch the movie on several online places including Netflix.  Movie2k has also it posted for free.

Pretzel, Banana, & Almond Butter Snack

My oldest daughter came up with this great snack. It works well as an after school or at bedtime if it's been a while since kids have eaten dinner. It could even work as lunch!

Pretzels
Sliced Bananas
Almond Butter (any nut butter will work)
Flax Seed Meal

Layer bananas on top of pretzels. Add almond butter, and sprinkle flax seed meal next. Top with another pretzel. Enjoy!

Orange Delight Smoothie!

Ingredients:
4 fresh oranges
2 cups fresh spinach
1 cup almond milk
1/4 tsp nutmeg
2 cups ice
10-15 drops stevia








Place all ingredients into the blender. Blend well and serve! Makes 30 ounces.

Don't let the green fool you! You cannot taste the spinach. This is a way to get protein, fiber, calcium, and tons of phytonutrients! This recipe is kid tested. My kids love this combination. Our friend next door even asked his mom to get the recipe!

Healthy Homemade Granola

Ingredients:
6 cups whole rolled oats
1/2 cup chopped almonds
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup pumpkin seeds
1/4 cup sesame seeds
1/2 cup shredded coconut
1/2 cup ground flax seeds
1/2 cup wheat germ
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup raw honey
1/3 cup coconut oil
1/2 cup water
1 T. vanilla
1 cup "add ins" such as dried fruit, carob chips, etc.

Combine all dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl (except for add ins). In a pot combine honey, oil, and water. Heat on low until mixed together.




Pour liquid mixture over dry mixture. Stir until dry mixture is wet.


Pour mixture onto 2 baking sheets and spread evenly on pans. Bake at 350 until oats are crunchy. Stir mixture every 10-15 minutes.  Remove from the oven when crisp and pour into an airtight container.  Add additional items to suit your taste.  I added dried cranberries this time.  Leave the lid off and continue to stir every 15 minutes until granola is cool.  Cover with the lid and store!

Lettuce Wraps & Kale Salad

If you're looking for a super easy healthy meal, this is a great option. When we grill out, we cook extra chicken to use for wraps another night. This time I used rice with it but you could use anything such as barley, quinoia, or make them grain free by adding extra veggies.

Lettuce Wraps
Ingredients:
2 medium cooked organic chicken breasts- finely chopped
2 cups cooked brown rice or other grain
2 cups finely chopped raw vegetables (red pepper, onion, carrots, purple cabbage, water chestnuts, celery, zuchini, broccoli, etc)
1 T Braggs liquid aminos
3 T Ginger Dressing (can be purchased at the store)
1 head "living lettuce"

Place all ingredients except the lettuce in a bowl and toss. Place 2-4 T of the mixture onto a piece of lettuce.  Wrap it up like a tortilla and enjoy! Serves 6.

Kale Salad
Ingredients:
6 pieces of raw kale
2 T fresh lemon juice
1 t olive oil
2 cloves of garlic minced
Salt to taste

Chop kale into small pieces and place in a container that you can refrigerate. (You can keep the stems as you chop or remove them.) Mix the next 4 ingredients in a small bowl. Pour over the kale. Toss and eat immediately or refrigerate to allow kale to marinate. Unlike other lettuce salads that wilt with dressing on them when stored, this salad will keep in the refrigerator for several days!

*The lettuce wraps were inspired by my sweet friend Kathryn Onufrak!  I am always inspired by her creativity in cooking.

Mexican Night!

Ingredients:
4 cups spinach
1/2 Red Bell Pepper- chopped
1 cup Purple Cabbage- chopped
1/2 Onion - chopped
1/2 tsp Cumin
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 bag of Quorn
2 cups cooked brown rice
1 cup cooked corn
1 cup chopped tomatoes

In a skillet, saute the onion in water until soft.  Add Quorn crumbles, corn, tomatoes, cumin, rice, and salt. Cook on medium until the mixture is heated through.  (I found the quorn in the freezer section of Kroger.)

Now you are ready to serve your dish.  Lay spinach on the bottom.  Top with the rice and quorn mixture.  Add purple cabbage and red bell pepper.  You are also add green onions and salsa if you prefer.  I served this meal with blue corn chips.

This is a quick and easy meal to prepare, and you can adjust the ingredients based on what you have available at the time.

You can also take the quorn mixture, and serve it in a tortilla!

Farm Fresh Eggs!

Our dear friends, Jenny, Sarah Bennett, and Jim came to Oxford recently and brought us eggs from their chickens. It was such a special gift. We have enjoyed them so much, and look forward to one day when we will have chickens of our own!

Green Juice

Ingredients:
2 stalks kale
1 cup spinach
2 green apples
1 medium cucumber
2 stalks of celery
1/2 lemon
1 small piece of ginger

This recipe is for juicing. Place the kale and spinach in the juicer followed by the ginger. Then after that has run in the juicer for about a minute, add the other ingredients.  I use as many organic fruits and vegetables that I can get locally.  This makes about 24 ounces. Drink immediately and enjoy!

Thanks to my friend Binky for this recipe! It has become one of our favorites.