Digestion

Digestion can be such a tricky thing. There are so many things that we are allergic to or have an intolerance to that mess with our digestion process. But consider the basics: God made our bodies to function well when used the way He intended. I'm not a medical person so this will sound very simplistic, but here goes:

Our stomachs have an entrance and an exit. When food is coming into the stomach (from the top) the bottom exit door (at the bottom of the stomach) is closed. That way the food is trapped in the stomach long enough for it to digest the food before moving on to the next station (about 3-4 hours). Each time we eat something (and open the top door) that food has to digest before the exit door will open. When we continue to eat between meals, that food that we ate in the morning could still be there in the evening, creating gas and bloating. We eat late into the night and then lie down to attempt to sleep. Your digestion has been working hard all day long and will have to continue to work into the night. We wake up tired and feeling worn out, only to start the process over again.

We have enough to deal with without sabotaging ourselves. Give your stomach a break between meals. Learn to recognize the hunger - thats a good thing.

Corn Chowder - Healthy Version

I probably shouldn't say "healthy" until after you taste it, because that often puts people off from trying something. This is really a good corn chowder!

Corn Chowder – Vegan GF

1 T. Olive Oil

1 green onion, chopped 

1 small yellow, white or red onion

2 c. peeled, seeded and diced butternut squash* 

2 red potatoes, scrubbed, peeled, and cubed

2 cloves garlic

1 (15 oz. Can) coconut milk

2 c organic frozen or fresh white or yellow corn 

¼ c chopped fresh parsley

¼ t. ground cumin

1 c. water                                                     

1 t. sea salt

¼ - ½ t. freshly ground black pepper

½ t. curry powder (optional)




Heat the oil in a large stockpot. When the oil is hot, add the green onion, onion, and butternut squash. Cook for 4-5 minutes over medium heat. Add the potatoes and garlic, and continue to cook until the potatoes and squash are beginning to soften, 6 to 10 minutes. If the veggies stick to the bottom of the pot, add a drip of oil. Add the coconut milk, corn, bay leaves, parsley, cumin, and water. Simmer, covered, until flavors blend and the potatoes and squash are cooked through but not mushy. Season with salt and fresh ground pepper. If you prefer your chowder thinner, add a little more water. Add the curry powder to each bowl if wanted.




*You can bake the squash before cutting.




You can use pumpkin instead of butternut, but I think the butternut gives it that sweet taste. 

Broth

I used to just go out and buy vegetable broth whenever I needed it, but then I started reading labels. (Reading labels does make life more complicated, doesn't it?) Every broth I checked had MSG in it. Usually in the form of "Yeast Extract".

Now I make my own broth. It is very easy. While preparing a meal, I keep a bowl handy to put all my scraps - wilting greens, the outer leaves, onion peels, garlic skins, the skins and stems, the parts we cut off of vegetables that we don't eat. They are all filled with nutrients and flavor. I keep a gallon sized ziplock baggie in the freezer and keep adding to it until it is full. A baggie full will fit into an Instant Pot or slow cooker.  Cover them with water, season, if desired, and cook them down for a few hours. When it is cooled, strain off the broth and put it into smaller bags (I use 4 cups in the quart size bags) and freeze. Now you have vegetable broth on hand whenever you need it - WITHOUT THE MSG! You can even toss the cooked vegetables into your compost pile. Nothing wasted!

You can do the same thing with chicken broth. Don't throw away the carcass of that poor bird (organic, range free, hopefully), throw it into a pot of water and cook it to death. The meat will fall off the bones. Cool.
Strain the broth off into quart baggies and you have chicken broth without the MSG. Be sure to mark the bags because you won't remember what is in it!

Since I hate to give you a recipe without the solutions, I hope this helps. Go ahead and make it up because next week I will give you a recipe calling for vegetable broth.

Be sure to label your bags because I promise you, you will forget what is in there!

Rice Milk

I wanted to have some cereal this morning, but I was out of plant milk. I don't like eating it dry so I got creative. I had some left over brown rice in the frig. I put about a cup of rice into the blender, added about 2 cups of water and blended until it looked smooth. I poured it through a sieve into a jar and had rice milk!

As I am my grandmother's granddaughter, I couldn't just throw away the thick rice goo that was left. I tasted it and it was very much like the Bob's Red Mill Creamy Brown Rice Farina (which I love). So that went on my cereal as well.

I am thinking that this creamy rice farina would make an excellent baby food. No chemicals, less processed than the purchased kind. And it took literally one minute to make from left over rice. Sometimes we just overthink things and make them more difficult than they need to be. Practicality is so simple.

Aquafaba Chocolate Mousse

I was looking for a replacement for eggs. I have recently been trying to be vegan. It's not as easy as it sounds. I have always been a vegetarian, but have relied on diary and eggs for many foods. I stumbled onto an article about egg replacements (https://www.plantbasednews.org/post/vegan-plantbased-amazing-vegan-substitutions-eggs). I try to stay away from processed foods, so wanted natural whole food options. This article provided both. I knew about bananas, chia seeds and flax seeds, but had never heard of aquafaba. It is simply the liquid from cooked chickpeas (garbanzo beans) with a fancy name. Actually it can be any bean, but I think they recommend chickpeas because they have the least amount of flavor. I wonder what would make someone think whipping bean juice would create meringue! My mind would never have gone there. 

Whipped Chickpea Water

This article claimed you could whip this liquid and have egg white results. I was very skeptical. But it worked! It almost tasted like a meringue. I was still skeptical that it could be made into anything.  So I tried this very easy Chocolate Mousse recipe. After it was very cold, it had the consistency and flavor of a really fluffy chocolate mousse. I was impressed. I am now ready to explore other aquafaba recipes. You can simply open a can of chickpeas and use that liquid, or cook your own from scratch and use the water from that. It will have the consistency of egg whites. Good luck, let me know how you go.

Chocolate Mousse

INGREDIENTS

the liquid of 1 can of chickpeas (around 125ml)

100 grams dark chocolate - melted

1-2 tsp of either stevia, or confectioner’s sugar/icing sugar*

a pinch of salt

METHOD

Chocolate – melt in a bowl placed over a pan of simmering water. Take the pan off the heat, remove the bowl from the pan, and allow it to cool down while you prepare the next stage.

Beat the liquid of your chickpeas, I used a Kitchenaid with a wire whisk for mine (or use a handheld whisk) – whisk until peaks form and you have created a meringue, then add the remaining ingredients except for the chocolate – whisk for another 15 seconds.

Now gently fold in the chocolate (make sure it has cooled down, don’t just chuck it in the middle of the whisk, pour or spoon gently) with a spatula, and very slightly stir it, just enough to incorporate it. Refrigerate for several hours to chill completely. 

*I blend raw cane sugar in the blender to make my own confectioner's sugar, just another small step to healthier.

Note: I froze some of it and it had the texture and taste of a Wendy's Chocolate Frosty (do they still have those?) 

I'll definitely make this again.

Aquafaba Chocolate Mousse

Sticky Sesame Cauliflower

This recipe is fast becoming a favorite at our house. I add more vegetables to it. You can either roast them with the cauliflower or saute them and add at the end. I added red capsicum (bell peppers), onion and snow peas. Rusty adds roasted chicken to his as well. The sauce is really tasty on everything. Experiment and make it your own! Thank you Chocolate Covered Katie for this recipe (how can you not like her website with that name?!)

Ingredients
• 1 small head cauliflower, chopped (6 1/2 cups florets)
• 1/3 cup low-sodium soy sauce
• 1/4 cup pure maple syrup, honey, coconut syrup, or rice syrup
• 1/4 cup rice vinegar
• 1 tbsp minced garlic
• 1 ½ tsp toasted sesame oil
• ½ tsp powdered ginger
• 1 1/2 tbsp cornstarch or arrowroot
• 1/4 cup water
• sesame seeds and scallions, for garnish
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 450 F. Grease a baking pan or line with parchment. Cut cauliflower into florets, then slice so one side of each floret is flat. Arrange in a single layer in the greased pan. Bake 10 minutes on the center rack.  (You could also steam or sauté the cauliflower) Meanwhile, whisk together the soy sauce, sweetener, vinegar, garlic, sesame oil, and ginger in a saucepan. Bring to a boil. While waiting, stir together the cornstarch and water until cornstarch dissolves fully, then slowly whisk this into the saucepan as soon as it boils. Turn heat to medium and cook 2 minutes, stirring more frequently once it returns to a boil. Cook until thick. You can also make the sauce ahead of time if desired, and it thickens more as it sits in the fridge. Flip cauliflower florets and bake 10 additional minutes. If desired, you can now move the pan to the top rack and broil 1-2 minutes. Pour sauce over florets. Sprinkle sesame seeds and optional scallions on top, and serve.


Read more at http://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/2017/01/09/sticky-sesame-cauliflower/#vgwc2gKBzFZ4VaS7.99

Avocado

The avocado is an amazing fruit. Did you know it takes 9 months for an avocado to fully ripen? It is the shape of a woman's womb with a seed in the middle. Getting the picture? AND the nutrients of the avocado support a woman's reproductive organs. See how God did that? I love His order of nature.

Using avocado as a base for things like sauces and dessert is wonderful. Since the avo is so mild in flavor, you get the nutrition and fiber from the avo without contrasting flavors. Avocado is my favorite go-to way to make creamy desserts without using dairy. Here are a few of my top avocado recipes: (Just putting these together has made me hungry for an avo dessert! I just bought a bag of avocados at the market.......I'll be in the kitchen today!)

Creamy Avocado Sauce (much like an Alfredo Sauce)
2 avocados, pitted and peeled
1 garlic clove
1 bunch scallions, roughly chopped
juice of one lemon
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil (little less)
salt and pepper to taste
I also added a ½ cup fresh basil, optional

In a food processor, pulse the avocados, garlic, scallions, lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper, and basil (if using) until smooth. Add 1 tablespoon water and process. Add more water if too thick. You can serve this tossed with pasta (Tinkayada brown rice pasta is really good), tossed with julienned zucchini, or as a dip for vegetables.

Chocolate Cake with Avocado

Not pretty, but the best cake! That's why
I like the cupcake idea.

Cake Ingredients
• 3 cups of almond flour
• 5 tablespoons of cacao powder
• 2 teaspoons of baking powder
• 2 teaspoons of baking soda
• ¾ teaspoon of sea salt
• ¼ cup of avocado or coconut oil
• 1 ripe avocado (blend until smooth)
• 2 cups of water
• 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar
• 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons of maple syrup
• 1 ½ cup raw cane sugar

Frosting Ingredients
• 2 ripe avocados (blend until smooth)
• 2 cups of confection sugar*
• 6 tablespoons of cacao powder
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Grease and flour 2 x 9” round cake pans.
3. In a large bowl, mix all dry cake ingredients except sugar.
4. In another bowl mix all wet cake ingredients, once combined add the sugar.
5. Pour wet mixture into dry mixture and mix until cake batter is smooth.
6. Divide the batter between the two pans.
7. Bake for 30 minutes.
8. While cake is baking, mix all frosting ingredients in a bowl.
9. Let cake cool 15-20 minutes before frosting.
*I blend raw sugar until it is powdered. One step closer to healthy.
TIP: This cake is very moist and will fall apart easily. I recommend making cupcakes. Less mess.

Chocolate Pudding
2 avocado
½ c. raw honey, maple syrup or coconut syrup*
½ c. cacao powder
2 T coconut oil – melted
1 t. vanilla

Blend all until smooth. Sprinkle with shredded coconut or toasted almonds, if desired. Serve chilled. Freezes well and tastes more like a yogurt ice cream.
*You can use any sweetener you like. I have found the coconut syrup works well with my body (no sugar high) and it complements the cacao powder really well. And it’s about enhancing the chocolate, right?!

Chocolate Mint Avocado Popcicles
Ingredients:
2 ripe avocados
1/2 cup milk* (we used Almond Milk)
1/4 cup maple syrup or honey (we used maple)
1 Tablespoon of coconut oil
1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract (a little less is good)
1/4 cup mini chocolate chips*



Method:
1. Add all of your ingredients except for your chocolate chips into a high-powered blender. Blend until smooth and creamy.
2. Stir in your chocolate chips and pour into popsicle moulds or ice cube trays. I added the chips to the blender for a few seconds to make smaller chunks of chocolate.
3. Place mould in the freezer to set. This should take around 4-5 hours. Once frozen, remove your mould from the freezer, and carefully remove popsicles from the mould and enjoy! We put them in silicone ice cube trays for a smaller portion. They come out really easy.

*For dairy free switch cow's milk for unsweetened Almond Milk and chocolate chips for dairy free variety. Cacao nibs would also be good, adds extra antioxidants!

Putting the mix into small paper cups, adding a stick, and after freezing tear away the paper is a excellent way to make small servings for your little ones.

Lime Dessert

3/4 cup lime juice

1/2 cup honey

1/4 cup coconut cream (refrigerate can of coconut milk and “cream” will be on top)

1 cup avocado (approximately 2 avos)

2 teaspoon vanilla

1/8 teaspoon Himalayan salt

1/2 cup + 2 Tablespoons coconut oil (flavorless may be preferred)

Add all ingredients in a high speed blender and blend until smooth. 

Pour into cups. Refrigerate or Freeze. Let it thaw slightly to serve. Sprinkle chopped macadamia nuts on top. 

This dessert also makes a beautiful “cheesecake”. Use a springform pan with a nut crust in the bottom, pour in the lime mix and refrigerate for 4 hours. 

If you like lime flavor you will enjoy this one, guilt free indulgence!

Lime:

- is an aid to help regulate the body’s absorption of sugar into the bloodstream, reducing the occurrence of blood sugar spikes that are a serious risk to diabetic patients. 

- is also very high in vitamins, especially Vitamin C.

Honey:

- is high in antioxidants. Antioxidants protect the body immune system, protecting against disease.

- is a natural antibacterial, it will kill the “bugs” we don’t want.

Coconut:

- is high in antioxidants. 

- the fat in coconut oil helps the body burn more fat. 

- helps reduce hunger, helping in weight loss. 

- helps reduce cholesterol.

An avocado:

- has approximate 14 grams of fiber in each avocado, making it the highest food source of fiber. Fiber is indigestible plant matter that can contribute to weight loss, reduce blood sugar spikes and is strongly linked to a lower risk of many diseases. 

- An avocado has more potassium than a banana. Potassium is an important mineral that most people don’t get enough of. Potassium supports healthy blood pressure levels. 

- Avocados have been found to reduce cholesterol and triglycerides and the risk of heart disease. 

- Avocados are very high in antioxidants, which reduces inflammation (inflammation is the start of ALL disease)

Date Pecan Muffins

Satisfying and highly nutritious, these lightly sweetened muffins have chunks of date (a good source of potassium, calcium, and iron) and pecan (high in protein, fiber, and antioxidants) in every bite.

Makes 12 Muffins

3 cups blanched almond flour
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 cup grapeseed oil
2 Tablespoons honey
2 large eggs or chia seeds*
1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
2 medium apples, peeled, cored, and sliced
1 cup pecans, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup dates, chopped into 1/4 inch pieces

Preheat the oven to 350F. Line 12 muffin cups with paper liners. In a large bowl, combine the almond flour, salt, baking soda, and nutmeg. In a blender, combine the oil, honey, eggs, vanilla extract and apples; process on high until smooth. Stir the wet ingredients into the almond flour mixture until thoroughly combined, then fold in the pecans and dates. Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin cups.

Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, until the muffin tops are golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean. Let the muffins cool in the pan for 30 minutes, then serve.

*1 Tablespoon Chia seeds ground in a coffee grinder, soaked in 3 Tablespoons water will substitute nicely for eggs.

Mild Dahl

This lentil dish was created by my friend, Jules. It is super simple and quick. What she calls a "no brainer dish".  I use my Instant Pot, but it works well in a medium size pan on the stove top. 

Saute: 

1 onion, chopped fine

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1 teaspoon cumin,

1 teaspoon turmeric, 

salt and pepper to taste

Add:

3 cups chicken-like stock (I used 2 Tablespoons Bill's Best Chik'nish in vegetable stock)

1 1/4 cups red lentils

Cook slowly until lentils are cooked (see lentil package instructions). You may need to add more water if it is too thick. Serve over brown rice.  Enjoy!

Mushroom Soup

What do you do when you want to make an old favorite that calls for a can of mushroom soup? The Campbells version is filled with MSG and, for the gluten intolerant, wheat. This mushroom recipe is very easy and takes the place of the canned version. You can make up a large batch and freeze it in one cup baggies for easy recipe access. It is also really good on it's own.

Best Ever Mushroom Soup

Serves: 2
Ingredients
• 1 large white onion, diced
• 1 package white button mushrooms (10 oz) sliced
• 1 package baby portobello mushrooms (10 oz) sliced
• 10 stalks fresh thyme, leaves removed
• 1 cup organic vegetable broth*
• 1 tbs. tapioca flour
• 1 cup almond or cashew milk (unsweetened)
• 1 dried bay leaf
• ½ tbs. liquid aminos (GF) (or soy sauce)
• ½ tsp. salt
• freshly ground pepper

Instructions

1. In a large saucepan, over medium heat, add the diced onions. Allow to sweat while slicing the mushrooms. About 5-7 minutes.
2. Move onions to the sides of the saucepan and add mushrooms, allow to cook 5 minutes uncovered.
3. Stir the onions and mushrooms together. Add fresh thyme and allow to continue to cook, at least 10 minutes.
4. You will notice a substantial amount of water has come out of the mushrooms, and they are reduced in volume by half.
5. Add the bay leaf, the salt and the liquid aminos to the mushrooms.
6. Stir the 1 tbs. of tapioca starch into the organic broth. Add to mushrooms and stir. Add almond milk.
7. Allow to cook for at least 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Taste and add freshly ground black pepper to taste.
8. This soup is amazing the next day as well and can easily be doubled.
9. Add cashew cheese, Parmesan cheese or enjoy the soup just as it is!
*follow my link to homemade vegetable broth: http://gale4health.blogspot.com.au/2017/10/broth.html

Almost Healthy Cookies

Sometimes there is just nothing that satisfies like a good old fashioned chocolate chip cookie. This is a slightly healthier version of a Mrs. Fields cookie. I hope you enjoy it.
Almost Healthy Cookie
1 lb. Organic Butter
2 cups raw sugar
2 cups Coconut sugar
4 organic or cage free eggs
3 heaping teaspoon baking soda
3 heaping teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoon Himalayan salt
1 Tablespoon vanilla
4 - 5 cups whole wheat pastry flour (can be made gluten free with GF flour instead)
2 cups rolled oats
2 cups chocolate chips
1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

In large mixing bowl, beat butter to soften. Add sugars. Beat in eggs. Slowly add all dry ingredients. Add flour until the dough is soft, but not sticky. Add chocolate and nuts. Mix well. Place on cookie sheet (use baking paper for easy clean up) in whatever size you wish to make. Bake at 400ºF (200C) for 10 - 12 minutes. Times vary with ovens. Take out when cookies are just starting to brown on top. For crispier cookies leave in longer. They will appear darker because of the whole wheat flour, but you don’t want to let them get too brown. You can adjust the oats - less for a thinner, chewier cookie and more oats for a thick, cake like cookie. Yield: 5 dozen cookies

For an even healthier cookie, try this one: http://gale4health.blogspot.com.au/2012/10/yummmmmm-cooookies-ive-always-felt-that.html

Chocolate Mint Avocado Popsicles

My granddaughter, Charlie and I decided to suffer the trial process and test these for you :). Well, it gets a big thumbs up from us!

Chocolate Mint Avocado Popcicles
Ingredients:
2 ripe avocados
1/2 cup milk* (we used Almond Milk)
1/4 cup maple syrup or honey (we used maple)
1 Tablespoon of coconut oil
1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract (a little less is good)
1/4 cup mini chocolate chips*



Method:
1. Add all of your ingredients except for your chocolate chips into a high-powered blender. Blend until smooth and creamy.
2. Stir in your chocolate chips and pour into popsicle moulds or ice cube trays. I added the chips to the blender for a few seconds to make smaller chunks of chocolate.
3. Place mould in the freezer to set. This should take around 4-5 hours. Once frozen, remove your mould from the freezer, and carefully remove popsicles from the mould and enjoy! We put them in silicone ice cube trays for a smaller portion. They come out really easy.

*For dairy free switch milk for unsweetened Almond Milk and chocolate chips for dairy free variety. Cacao nibs would also be good, adds extra antioxidants!

Putting the mix into small paper cups, adding a stick, and after freezing tear away the paper is a excellent way to make small servings for your little ones.

Chocolate Cake with Avocado

This cake is so moist that it is more like a "Volcano" cake. I would recommend making it into cupcakes. Maybe I didn't bake it long enough, but mine came out looking undone. Since it has no eggs I didn't worry about it. This is honestly one of the best tasting cakes I have eaten! But it looked like I had dropped it on the floor. See?

              That's why I'm thinking cupcakes would be good.  I mix the original recipe up a bit to make it easier....wet ingredients first in a blender. You can get the original recipe at: TheHeartySoul.com

Cake Ingredients: In blender
• 1 large ripe avocado (blend until smooth)

• 2 cups of water

• 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar

• 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract

• 2 tablespoons of maple syrup
 or coconut syrup*
• ¼ cup coconut oil

• 1 ½ cup raw cane sugar
 or coconut sugar**
• 3 cups of almond flour
 or meal
• 5 tablespoons of cacao powder

• 2 teaspoons of baking powder

• 2 teaspoons of baking soda

• ¾ teaspoon of sea salt

Frosting Ingredients****
• 2 ripe avocados (blend until smooth)

• 2 cups of confectioners sugar
***
• 6 tablespoons of cacao powder

• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. 

2. Grease and flour 2 x 9” round cake pans.
 (or use cupcake liners)
3. In a large blender or food processor, mix all wet cake ingredients except sugar, once combined add the sugar.
4. Slowly add and blend in the dry ingredients. Blend until smooth.
5. Divide the batter between the two pans or cupcakes.
6. Bake for 30 minutes.

7. While cake is baking, mix all frosting ingredients in a bowl or blender.

8. Let cake cool 15-20 minutes before frosting.


*I have found that coconut syrup works really well with cacao powder.
**I used coconut sugar because my body reacts better to it than cane sugar.
*** I take raw cane sugar and blend it in a blender to make "Powdered Sugar". Just a little healthier option.

****This frosting is really good and healthier. When you want a chocolate frosting for anything, I'd recommend this one. This cake and frosting didn't give me the sugar rush I would normally get from eating a piece of chocolate cake. Listen to your body!

Grits (Polenta)

Cornmeal porridge is my favourite porridge.  Some call it grits, others polenta or mush. Here is the basic version which can be dressed up however you please.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup cornmeal
A pinch of Himalayan salt
2 cups water 

Directions:

1.    Place cornmeal, water and salt in a small, heavy saucepan.
2.    Bring the mixture to a boil then reduce the heat right down and cook gently for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring very frequently to prevent lumps forming.
3.    Be careful as it can be spitting back at you and it is very hot!
4.    Add more hot water from the kettle if the mixture becomes thick and dry. The best consistency is the one you prefer. That said when first making it look for a texture that is soft and thick.
5.    Allow the porridge to cool a little before eating; it holds the heat very well.

Now that you have the basic cornmeal porridge, there are so many variations of it.
•    A very simple thing to do is at the beginning of cooking, add a handful of sultanas/raisins or any dried fruit.
•    For a filling porridge add nuts or seeds or coconut – or all of them for a real fun luxurious porridge. My favorite is chia seeds (a great way to add those omega 3s)
•    You can even add spices like cinnamon, nutmeg or cardamom which is very yummy.
•    Serve with ghee or coconut oil (which is my favourite) 

No Bake Lactation Balls

These very yummy bites are the perfect snack. They are easy to make (food processor!) and store well in the freezer. My daughter found them because she was ready to give birth and wanted something to boost her milk supply. The baby is now one week old and at his first doctor appointment he was the same weight as he was at birth (9'4"). Usually babies lose their birth weight and take a couple of weeks to gain it back. So we are thinking that the 'bites' are doing their job! But they are not only for nursing moms, they are just plain healthy for anyone. Play with the recipe and add or subtract whatever sounds good to you. You can look at the original recipe (we tweaked this one to suit us) at www.thebakermama.com.

No-Bake Lactation Bites

Ingredients
• 2 cups old-fashioned oats
• ½ cup ground flaxseed or chia seeds (Kirsten likes flax and I like chia - same health benefits)
• 3 tablespoons brewer’s yeast
• 1 cup peanut butter or almond butter
• ½ cup honey
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• ½ cup cacao nibs or dark chocolate chips

Instructions

1. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or a food processor), add all ingredients except for the chocolate chips. Mix on low speed until mixture is well combined. If using chocolate chips, stir in last. If the mixture is too dry add a small amount of water.
2. Roll mixture into 1-tablespoon sized smooth balls and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Place in the freezer for 30 minutes or enjoy right away. Once the bites have set, transfer them to an air-tight container and store in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Notes
Mixture can be pressed into an 8x8-inch baking dish and cut into bars, if desired. Other optional add-ins: ½ chopped nuts (such as almonds or walnuts) and ½ cup dried fruit. Use your imagination!

Roaster Veggie Pasta

I really like the simplicity of this recipe, yet it is a favorite of so many. Roasting the vegetables makes it an easy choice.

ROASTED VEGGIE PASTA
By Thug Kitchen
Serves 4-6
Ready In: 40 minutes
INGREDIENTS:
1 pound pasta, brown rice pasta would be a healthier choice.
1/2 large red onion, sliced
2 medium carrots, cut into thin matchsticks
1 pint tiny tomatoes, halved
1 medium zucchini, cut into thin matchsticks
1 pound eggplant, skin on, cut into cubes
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme leaves
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons lemon juice
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
Salt and black pepper

Instructions:
1. Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Drain and pour back into the pot.
2. Preheat oven to 425°F. Grab two large Silicone or other non-stick baking sheets.
3. In a large bowl, throw in red onion, carrots, tomatoes, zucchini, eggplant, and salt. Mix
everything together. Spread out on the baking sheets and then slip them into the oven.
4. Roast for 20 minutes, then take them out, add the thyme, garlic, and lemon juice, stir, and throw them back in the oven until some of the veggies start looking a little browned around the edges, 10 to 15 minutes longer.
5. Add the roasted veggies to the cooked pasta, pour in the balsamic, pepper flakes, a pinch of salt and black pepper, and stir. Taste and add more garlic, vinegar, lemon juice, and/or thyme. If you want to up the greens level, serve the hot pasta on a bed of arugula or spinach with a squeeze of lemon juice on them.

Recipe adapted from Thug Kitchen: Party Grub

Cooking Quinoa

If you like rice, you will probably also like quinoa. It is a seed, instead of a grain that is one of the most nutritious foods you can eat. It is very easy to cook. If you have an instant pot, it just got even easier!

Cooking Quinoa

Ingredients:

1 cup quinoa

2 cups water

Pinch of Himalayan salt

Directions:

  1. Rinse quinoa and drain.*

  2. Add 2 cups of water, bring to a boil.

  3. Add a pinch of salt.

  4. Simmer for about 15 minutes.

  5. Turn off heat and let stand for 10 minutes.

  6. Fluff with a fork and serve.

Note: You can add seasoning to the water like Bill's Best Chik'nish or use vegetable broth. For a sweet breakfast you can use orange juice instead of water, add a little honey and sprinkle with toasted nuts. Yum!

Always Rinse Quinoa, although highly nutritious, is actually coated with the toxic chemical saponin; you must rinse the quinoa thoroughly. Saponins can be challenging to the immune system and stomach. Commercial processing methods remove much of the bitter soapy saponins coating quinoa seeds, but it is best to rinse again to remove any of the powdery saponins that may remain on the seeds.

Blueberry Crumble Muffins

Muffin AND good for you? Here you go!

For Muffins:
2/3 cup (160 g) chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup (115 g) plain Greek yogurt
1/4 cup (80g) honey
2 cups (240 g) brown rice flour or unbleached all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup (60 ml) vanilla almond milk
2 egg whites
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup (50g) coconut sugar
3/4 cup (112 g) organic blueberries, fresh or frozen

For Crumble Topping:
2 Tablespoons (16g) brown rice flour or unbleached all-purpose flour
2 Tablespoons (28 g) unsalted butter
2 Tablespoons (24 g) coconut sugar

Preheat the oven to 375F. Spray the cups of a muffin tin with nonstick spray.

To make the muffins: Combine the chickpeas, Greek yogurt, and honey in a blender, puree until smooth.

In a large bowl, add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and sugar and whisk to combine. Add almond milk, egg whites, and vanilla to the chickpea in blender and blend. Add wet mixture to dry mix in bowl, combine. Fold in the blueberries.

Spoon the batter into the muffin cups, dividing it evenly. (Or spread it into a baking dish)

To make the topping: Mix together the flour, butter, and coconut sugar in a small bowl. Press a small spoonful of the crumble mixture onto each muffin with your fingers or the back of a spoon.

Bake for 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean. (If you use a baking dish, it may take a few minutes longer to bake.) YIELD: 12 Muffins.

Feel free to omit the crumble topping if you are trying to lose weight. I left it off and it was still really good. For extra "health" you can substitute 1/4 cup chia seeds in 1/4 cup water for the egg whites.

Key Lime Pie or Ice Cream

I have a bucket of limes sitting on my counter so decided to revisit an old favourite healthy treat. If you like sweet/tart you will love this!

Raw Lime Cheesecake

Ingredients - Crust
1 ¼ cups macadamia nuts or 1 1/2 c almond total
1 ¼ cups pecans
3 ounces date paste (5 Medjool dates)
¼ tspn vanilla
1/8 tspn salt (Himalayan)
• Combine all ingredients in food processor and process until there are no large chunks.
• Press into lined spring form pan and refrigerate till needed.


Ingredients - Lime Filling
¾ cup lime juice (8 limes)*
½ cup honey
¼ cup coconut cream
1 cup avocado (2 medium)
2 tspns vanilla
1/8 tspn salt (Himalayan)
2 tablespoons soy lecithin
½ cup + 2 tblspns coconut oil (flavourless may be preferred)

• Add all filling ingredients in a high speed blender and blend until smooth.
• Pour into prepared crust. Refrigerate at least 4 hrs or until set. (or freeze for about an hour and enjoy!)


For 'Ice Cream' skip the crust and place in a deep dish. Let it thaw slightly and it should scoop out like ice cream.

Freezes well and lasts a few weeks.

*This is very "limey." Just reduce the juice for a more subtle lime flavour. I have used bottle juice before and it’s good, but not as yummy as the fresh lime!

Candy - Amended

(AMENDMENT: This candy is still my favorite. I found a problem in making it too quickly that I wanted to share with you. I got lazy and just dumped all ingredients together and blended in the food processor. It was ok, but had a funny texture. Be sure to blend the nuts first, then add the rest of the ingredients and pulse just until blended, then remove to baggie and freeze. A small thing that made a big difference.)

This is the beginning of the Sugar Season.......starting with Halloween.  I don't know about you, but if I have a plan in place I don't succumb to the candy setting out EVERYWHERE. I make the following recipe and keep it in the freezer. It is my 'go to' when I need a little sweet something with chocolate to get me through. I've given you a "Healthy Fudge" recipe before, but I tweaked that one and came up with this version, my new favorite. The fat in it is nuts and coconut oil. The sweetness is coconut syrup and stevia, a healthier choice than the white processed sugar. I hope you will give this a go. 

Chocolate Candy

3/4 cup macadamia nuts

3/4 cup cashews

1/3 cup coconut oil      

1/4 cup cacao powder  

1/4 cup coconut syrup  

3 drops liquid stevia              

1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt or Himalayan salt 

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

In food processor or blender, put macadamia, cashews and coconut oil and blend until it starts to "butter" a bit, but still has chunks. Add remaining ingredients, blend until completely mixed, scraping the sides to mix well.  Pour into a baggie, flatten out and freeze. When frozen, tear open the baggie, cut into bite size pieces. Put into a container and return to freezer. This will melt at room temperature so store in freezer or refrigerator. 

(Be sure to remove any plastic that sticks to the candy!)

Green Bean Casserole - Healthy Version

We all love the famous Green Bean Casserole for the holiday. But what if you have sworn off the chemicals in the can of Mushroom soup or you can no longer have gluten? Well, here you go.....a healthy version that you are going to love! You might want to subscribe to this brilliant lady's blog....she comes up with some great recipes!  Detoxinista.com

VEGAN GREEN BEAN CASSEROLE

Serves: 4 to 6

INGREDIENTS

1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil

1 yellow onion, chopped

1 pound frozen cut green beans (or fresh)

1½ cups cooked garbanzo beans, or 1 (15 oz.) can, drained and rinsed

1¼ cups water

1 clove garlic

1½ teaspoons salt, divided

1 sprig fresh rosemary (about 1 teaspoon minced)

Freshly ground black pepper

1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar

Optional topping:

½ cup dry roasted hazelnuts, skins removed

¼ teaspoon salt, for topping

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat your oven to 350ºF. Heat the olive oil in a 3½-quart dutch oven over medium heat and sauté the onion until it starts to soften, about 5 minutes. Add in the frozen green beans and ½ teaspoon of salt and stir well. Cover the pot and let the vegetables cook until heated through, about 8 to 10 minutes.

While the vegetables are cooking, combine the beans, water, garlic, 1 teaspoon of salt, rosemary, a couple grinds of fresh black pepper, and the balsamic vinegar into a blender. Blend until smooth and set aside. If you'd like to prepare the optional topping, use a mini food processor or blender to grind together the hazelnuts and salt, just until coarsely ground. (It's doesn't need to be super-fine like a nut flour-- you want some crunch!)

When the vegetables are tender, pour the sauce over the top and stir well. Adjust any seasoning to taste, then sprinkle the crushed hazelnut mixture over the top, if using. Bake the casserole at 350ºF for 30 minutes, until the vegetables are piping hot and the topping is lightly golden. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Author: Detoxinista.com

Mexican Rice Soup

This Mexican Rice Soup recipe by Heather McDougall caught my attention because I love all the ingredients. But as we all know, sometimes "healthy" doesn't satisfy the palate. I followed the recipe to the letter and Rusty's comment was, "It isn't healthy if no one will eat it." So we doctored it a bit. It's still healthy, but not as strictly as the original. 

We put TWO Tablespoons of chili powder in it for more spice. Because it has tomatoes in it, they tend to taste acidic, we cut that with 2 teaspoons of raw sugar. We added a teaspoon of salt. We also added a cup of roasted corn. I made this in my Instant Pot. If you have one, it makes it much easier. 

I recommend you start with the original recipe, then add to that as needed. We used the tortilla suggestion and ate it as a taco filling. Very nice. 

MEXICAN RICE SOUP

By Heather McDougall

Serves 6

Preparation Time: 45 minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes

INGREDIENTS:

1 medium onion, chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

6 cups low-sodium vegetable stock

1 15-ounce can kidney beans, drained

and rinsed

1 15-ounce can black beans drained

and rinsed

1 15-ounce can pinto beans drained

and rinsed

1 15-ounce can fire-roasted tomatoes

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 cup long–grain brown rice, toasted (see note)

Salt to taste

Toppings:

- Chopped tomato

- Sliced scallions

- Salsa

- Baked tortilla chips

Instructions:

1. In a large saucepan, sauté the onion and garlic in 1 tablespoon low-sodium vegetable            stock or water over medium-high heat for 7 minutes. (Gale note: if you add the chili              powder at this point as you cook, it will give it better flavor)

2. Add the rest of the ingredients, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 25-30 minutes.

3. Season to taste.

4. Serve with toppings of your choice, or the ones listed above.

(Note: To toast the rice, put the uncooked grain in a nonstick pan preheated to medium-high and stir constantly for about 5 minutes, or until it is lightly browned.)

Since this is such a thick soup, I like to have this rolled up in a tortilla for leftovers the next day. This recipe also lends itself well to using different ingredients that you have on hand. Switch up the beans, use some roasted corn, or add some kale. If you don’t want it to be so thick, add some additional stock or water. Enjoy!

From drmcdougall.com