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.

Homemade Granola Bars

Ingredients:
2 cups raw oats
2 cups puffed rice
1/2 cup flax seed meal
1/2 cup wheat germ
2 cups of "add ins"*
(dried fruit; carob chips; pretzels; nuts; seeds; etc)
1/4 cup coconut oil
1/2 cup raw honey

Directions:
Put a thin coating of coconut oil in a 9x12 baking dish or pan of your choice.  Cut a 9x12 piece of parchment paper to press the mixture in the pan.

Place raw honey and coconut oil in a pan on the stove.  Heat on low until the two are melted together.  Stir well. Do not boil. Turn the stove off and let mixture sit while you are combining your other ingredients.

Place all the dry ingredients above in a large mixing bowl. Stir well.  Pour the honey/coconut oil mixture over the dry ingredients and mix thoroughly until the ingredients are coated with the liquid.


Then spoon the mixture into the 9x12 pan and press it down with the parchment paper.  You can even use a rolling pan to press more evenly.  Place the pan in the refrigerator to allow it to chill.  Then cut and serve!  Store in the refrigerator.



Take time to EXPERIMENT with ingredients you have or prefer.  Replace the puffed rice with more oats or with barley oats.  You can even add a few tablespoons of cocoa or carob powder for a chocolate taste.  The more granola bars you make, the better you will become at developing the taste and consistency that is your preference!

Spinach Salad

Salad
Ingredients:
4 cups raw spinach
1/2 cup shredded purple cabbage
1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
2 hearts of palm - sliced
2 T feta
6 grape tomatoes - chopped
4 baby portobello mushrooms

Wash and dry spinach. Place all ingredients in a mixing bowl. Pour dressing on top, toss, and serve!  This made 2 servings.

Dressing:
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 T balsamic vinegar
2 cloves of garlic - minced
Dash of celtic sea salt

After a morning of juicing, my friend, Katie Anderson, and I fixed this salad for lunch. It was light but filling. It was great as a meal but could also make a side dish.

Pear Pie

Last summer, our neighbor gave us pears from their farm. I canned them to use throughout the year. Tonight, Clayton made a pie with them.

Crust:
4 cups soft white wheat four- freshly ground
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup coconut oil
10-14 T cold water
(I used a deep dish pie pan that was my grandmother's.)


Filling:
4 cups of canned pears from last summer!
2 T arrowroot flour (or regular flour)

Grind soft white wheat berries into flour.  Place 4 cups of flour in the food processor with the salt.  Add the coconut oil (it will be solidified, so it will be thick and white in color).  Pulse the food processor until the coconut oil is combined.  Then add the water, 1 tablespoon at a time, and pulse the food processor.  Add water until the flour mixture begins to turn into a ball.  You want your dough to stick together but not be too wet.  If it gets too wet, just add a little more flour.  When it is the right consistency, remove it from the processor and divide it into 2 balls.  One will be for the crust and the other for the top.


Put flour on the surface you are going to roll the dough out onto.  Place the ball in the center and put flour on top of it.  Roll out the dough into a circle.  It will be about 1/4 inch thick.  Then place the piece of dough into a pie pan and smooth the bottom.  Tuck the edges of the crust under and pinch them all around the edge of the pan.

Now it is time to put your pears into the pie pan.  Before I did this, I poured them from my canning jar into a bowl and added 2 T arrowroot flour to the juice, so it would thicken as the pie cooked.  Otherwise the pie would have lots of liquid in it after it cooked.  You could also just add some of your freshly ground flour.





Then you can use your other ball of dough and roll it out as well.  I usually roll mine thicker than my crust.  Cut the dough into strips and arrange them on the pie in a basketweave formation.

 

Hot Lemon Tea

Ingredients
8 oz hot water
1/2 fresh squeezed lemon
1 T raw honey

Combine ingredients in your favorite mug. Enjoy!

Benefits of Lemon Juice
Powerful antibacterial
Can help relieve digestion problems
Acts as a blood purifier
Helps relieve constipation
Decreases the amount of phlegm produced by the body
The potassium in it helps control high blood pressure
Helps flush bacteria and toxins out of the body
Just to name a few.........

Thank you to Molly Mogridge for bringing me the ingredients and
for sharing your amazing raw honey.  What a kind gift!

Whole Grain Biscuits

This morning we had biscuits with Jim Mogridge's Mom's homemade blackberry jelly. YUM!

Ingredients:
5 cups freshly ground hard red wheat
2 T baking powder
1 t. salt
2 cups almond milk
1/2 cup canola oil
3 t. Xanthan Gum

Mix dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Combine almond milk and oil in an enclosed container and shake. Pour liquid mixture into the dry ingredients. Stir just until combined. Fold onto a floured surface and roll to a 1/2 inch thickness. Cut with a round glass or cookie cutter.

Place biscuits (touching each other) on a greased pan or on a pan lined with baking paper. Bake at 350 degrees for about 15 minutes. Makes about 2 dozen 2 1/2 inch biscuits.

*Xanthan gum is made from the outer layer of a tiny inactive bacterium called xanthomonas campestris. It is a great all purpose thickener. It holds small particles of food together. It is an ideal substitute for gluten.

Whole grain flour has a much lower content of gluten. It actually contains all the nutrient rich parts of the grain whereas white flour is basically the gluten left after the "good stuff" is sifted out.

PS- White flour (and white sugar) depresses the immune system.  It actually sends out a trigger that your body has something in it that needs to be fought.  I cannot stress enough to make the things you eat with white flour an occasional treat (and one your REALLY enjoy) and not a daily or weekly occurrence.  70% of your immune system is locate in your "gut", so you want the things you eat to promote life and health in your body and not trigger your immune system to fight.  When this happens your body has less energy to fight the real invaders that come.

Arugula & Baby Portobella Salad

Arugula is a leafy green herb from the mustard family. It can have a somewhat peppery, hot taste to it. It makes a unique addition to a salad.

Salad Ingredients:
Arugula
Spinach
Avocado
Baby Portobello Mushrooms
Red Onion
Bragg Nutritional Yeast
Kelp Sprinkle

Chop lettuce and vegetables as you like them. Add nutritional yeast, kelp, and dressing on the top. Toss and serve!

Balsamic Vinegar Dressing

Ingredients:
1/4 cup Balsamic Vinegar
3/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 T fresh minced garlic
1/2 t. Celtic Sea Salt
1/2 t. Ground Pepper

Combine all ingredients in a jar and shake well. Refrigerate.

Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Peanut Butter Cookies

Ingredients:
2 cups freshly ground soft white wheat grain
1 cup oats
1/2 cup wheat germ or flax seed meal
1 cup turbinado
1 1/2 sticks butter softened
1/3 cup peanut butter (or almond butter)
2 eggs
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup pumpkin seeds or other seed or nut of your choice
1/2 cup chocolate or carob chips

In a mixer, blend the butter and sugar. Add eggs and peanut butter and beat well. Add all the other ingredients and mix just slightly until everything is moist.

Spoon onto a well-greased pan or onto a pan lined with baking paper.

Bake at 325 degrees for 12 minutes.

Basic Muffin Recipe

Ingredients:
2 cups almond milk
2 1/2 cups freshly ground soft white wheat grain
1/2 cup flax seed meal
1/2 cup oatmeal
1 tsp. baking soda
3 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1/4 cup sucanat
2-3 mashed ripe bananas
1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Place all dry ingredients into a large mixing bowl and stir well. Add the milk, nuts, and bananas. Stir just until moistened.

**You can add dried fruit, fresh blueberries, or even carob chips! We have served them with homemade chocolate icing as dessert. Get creative and come up with your own combination!

Pour into a muffin tin that has been well greased with oil. I use safflower which is a high heat oil. Makes about 18 muffins.

Bake at 350 for 15-18 minutes.

This recipe has no oil, eggs, or dairy. I keep boxed almond milk in the cabinet to always have on hand. This recipe works great for days when we are low on refrigerated items. You can freeze your bananas that are turning brown, and you will always have them on hand. Just put them in the fridge to thaw over night. These muffins freeze well.

Thanks Anna Kathryn for asking for this recipe!

Whole Grain Dough Recipe

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups hot water
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup honey or sucanat
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. gluten (optional)
1 T lecithin
4 - 4 1/2 cups freshly milled flour
1 T yeast

In a mixer with a dough hook, combine water, oil, honey/sucanat, and salt. Add yeast and 4 cups of flour. Mix until smooth. Add flour 1/4 cup at a time until dough is only slightly sticky. Allow mixer to knead the dough until smooth and elastic- about 5-6 minutes.

This will make 2 one pound loaves. Roll dough out on a slightly floured surface and roll up into a loaf and place in a greased loaf pan. Allow dough to rise until double in size.

Bake at 350 degrees for 22-25 minutes. Remove from the oven. Allow to cool for 10 minutes in the pan. Place loaf on a cooling rack to cool completely. Or you can eat it hot with fresh butter and honey!

This recipe is easily doubled or tripled, and the bread freezes well!

Live Active Nutrition Instead of Coffee

Try starting your morning with live active nutrition. This morning we made Carrot Spinach Apple Juice in the juicer. It will give your body energy and feeds your cells living nutrition to get you started right! It helps to turn your body alkaline.

We think coffee gives us the boost we need to get our body and mind going but actually it has a negative affect on the body. It turns the body acidic which produces an environment that disease thrives in. It also acts as a diuretic contributing to dehydrating your body. It can contain caffeine which is NOT a nutrient. It is a stimulant which actually triggers your body's stress response.

Your body adapts to the stress by stealing nutrients and energy from a system that does not have to have it for immediate survival. Essentially you are robbing one system to pay another which is not a longterm strategy to keep your body healthy.

For true sustainable energy you want to give your body excellent nutrition on a daily basis. This will decrease your need for outside stimulants to give you a boost.

Apple Beet Morning Treat!

Apple Beet Juice

Ingredients:
4 Gala Apples (large)
2 Beets

We have a Hurom Juicer and enjoy making fresh juice in the mornings.  It is a great way to get power packed nutrition to start your day.  It is nutritious as well as cleansing for your body.  Apples and beets are filled with antioxidants which prevent disease and feed your cells live active nutrition.

This made enough for our family of 5 to have 4 ounces each!  Yes, it does taste different from store bought.  But there is NO COMPARISON.  Store bought juice is mostly sugar, often with additives and dye, and contains limited fiber and no living nutrition - not to mention you have no idea from where that juice originated!! We do not buy juice in our home. Period.  This is the option for our kids.  It did take a little while for them to adjust to fresh juices, but after they adapted, they love it and ask for it!

Our kids are allowed to take different days to choose their own fruit and vegetable combination.  When they are involved in the process, they take ownership and begin to enjoy it.  As we make the juice, we talk about what is actually in the fruits and vegetables and what it is doing in their bodies when they drink it.  Kids minds are sharp enough to realize the benefits.  When given the good options to choose and the proper education, they begin to make these excellent choices on their own!

Is it always easy to get them to adapt to the healthier option?  NO!  Do we have some difficult conversations?  YES!  But I NEVER regret the investment and time it takes them to learn to enjoy the healthier option.

Carob Banana Walnut Smoothie

Ingredients:
2 cups almond milk
4 T carob powder
3 frozen bananas
1 cup ice cubes
1/4 cup agave nectar
1/4 cup flax seed meal

Topping:
Carob Chips
Bananas
Walnuts

Place all ingredients in the blender and blend until smooth and creamy. I had a cup of pulp left from juicing that morning that I added as well. It contained apple, spinach, and carrot. Top with carob chips, bananas, and walnuts.  This made enough for 6 servings that were about 6 ounces each for our family.  You can adjust the recipe for the serving size you need!  You can also add more almond milk if you like a thinner smoothie.

If Food Products Were Honestly Labeled

I ran across this cartoon from Natural News.  I have learned so much from reading food labels, mainly that I need to stay away from many products that have a list of ingredients!  This is what has spurred our family on to eat more whole foods, grind our own grain, and come up with ways to make the prepackaged items that we like from scratch.

Start reading food labels and google the words that you are not sure what they mean.  I think you will be inspired as well!

A great resource for examining food additives is a book by Dr. Russell Blaylock called Excitotoxins: The Taste that Kills.