Green Egg Muffins/Casserole

Rem and I both eat eggs pretty much every day.  We love eggs all ways- scrambled, in a hash, over medium, hardboiled... and as egg muffins or casseroles.  Our 14 month old is also an egg fan!  He has been EATING UP these green egg muffins this week, which makes me really happy because they are full of nutritious protein and veggies that his little body needs!  

Green Egg Muffins

5 chicken sausage links (I used spinach feta chicken sausage)

2 c sliced mushrooms

2 c broccoli, small pieces

12 eggs, cracked into blender along with a large handful of spinach, a splash of milk, salt, pepper, and garlic powder

Line 24 muffins cups with paper liners (I like "If You Care" large baking cups).  Divide mushroom slices and broccoli pieces (roughly) evenly into muffin cups.  Slice sausage (I use kitchen scissors to do this) and split among the muffin cups (I put 3 slices in each).  Blend eggs in a blender with spinach, milk, and salt, pepper, and garlic powder,  Pour into muffin cups, filling each almost to the top of the cup.  This takes a little patience.  Just remember, perfection is not required.  Bake at 375 degrees 30-35 minutes.  They're done when the eggs are no longer runny on top and don't jiggle.  Store in the fridge and eat cold or reheat!

You could also make this in a 13x9 pan as a casserole.  Grease the pan with olive oil, coconut oil, or butter first, then layer the broccoli, mushrooms, and sausage in the pan.  Then pour the eggs in. *I like to use 18 eggs if I'm making a casserole so the egg covers all of the goodies inside,  Bake at 375 degrees for 30-45 minutes.  The time can vary a lot so just keep an eye on it- when you no longer see runny egg on top and the middle of the casserole doesn't jiggle, it's done.   

You can make so many delicious variations of these.  I love using broccoli because it gives some bulk to the muffins, but broccoli + roasted peppers + chunks of cooked sweet potato + crumbled sausage is AWESOME.  Another good combo is peppers + onions + bacon + cheddar cheese.  So many possibilities...

Just because, I wanted to share some other solid recipes I made recently- all keepers. Thanks to all of the great bloggers out there with such yummy recipes! 

Cashew Beef Stir Fry- delicious served with spaghetti squash for a lower carb/paleo meal

Asian Style Meatballs (*Breck approved!)- I used about 2 T fish sauce, ground pork, and my usual ginger paste and freeze dried garlic.

DAMY Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Fudge- I used vanilla SFH  protein powder, maple syrup, no stevia, and creamy natural peanut butter.  I used a small cookie scoop to scoop the mixture into roughly 20 mini muffin liners that I arranged on a cookie sheet and then froze the fudge.  No need for cutting later!

Flourless Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Muffins- I used regular sized chocolate chips and doubled the amount (I love chocolate chips...).  It made 11 muffins for me.  

Creamy Crockpot Chicken and Tomato Soup (*Breck approved!)- Ok I didn't make this one, my sister did!  She is awesome and brought me some to try.  I loved it and am making it this weekend!

Chicken Tortilla Soup

I think the best recipes I've ever created come from requests from Rem.  I am always asking him what sounds good to make because I work better within constraints- an ingredients, a cuisine, or even better, a specific dish.  This time he said Chicken Tortilla Soup sounded good, so I commenced my research and ended up with this warming, satisfying, perfect-for-fall soup.  

Chicken Tortilla Soup 

4 large chicken breasts

sprinkled with olive oil, cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper

2 T olive oil

2 small red onions, chopped small

1/2 green pepper, diced small

1/2 red pepper, diced small

2 tsp cumin

2 tsp chili powder 

about 1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

3 cloves garlic (*I used freeze dried garlic that I buy at Kroger in the produce section- my favorite because I HATE cutting garlic.  I just estimate 3 cloves)

4 c (1 carton) chicken broth (*I used Simple Truth Organic broth, regular salted variety)

4 c water

28 oz. crushed tomatoes (*I used pomi brand in the carton)

1 small can green chiles

2 c frozen corn

15 oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained

2/3 c maseca (corn flour- *also bought at Kroger) 

+ enough milk or water to create a paste of sorts (you are going to drop this into the soup like dumplings)

1/4 c chopped cilantro

1/2 c sour cream (optional, but delicious- you could use cream, milk, or plain yogurt instead, the idea is to add some creaminess)

juice of 1 lime

Bake chicken in an oiled glass dish at 400 degrees for 45 minutes (that's what worked well in my oven), OR prepare chicken however you normally do!  Another option is to use rotisserie chicken or leftover chicken.  If you are baking the chicken, let it cool for a few minutes when done, then chop into bite-sized pieces.

In a large dutch oven or stock pot, saute onions and peppers in olive oil.  After about 5 minutes, add spices EXCEPT garlic and saute until the veggies smell great and getting soft (10 minutes or so).  Add garlic and saute 3 minutes more.  Next add broth, water, tomatoes, chiles, corn, beans, and the chopped chicken.  Bring the mixture to a boil, then turn down to a simmer.  At this point, stir together the maseca and water/milk by putting the maseca in a bowl, making a well, and then stirring while you add the water/milk until a thick paste forms and all of the flour is incorporated with the liquid.  Then drop by very small spoonfuls into the hot soup.  This will create dumplings of sorts!  Stir the dumplings around in the soup.  Simmer the soup for 20 min-1 hour.  The longer the simmer, the deeper the flavor, but ours was really delicious after only 20 minutes or so.  Once you've decided you're done simmering, take the soup off the heat and stir in the cilantro, sour cream, and lime juice.  Enjoy!  

Apple Butter Oat Bake

I think this might be the beginning of the more regular posts from me!  I am finding that I have so many new recipes that I want to share with the world, and I finally decided to just make some time to write a post today!  If anyone reading this has any recipes they're looking for, PLEASE let me know because I have a quite a backlog of recipes that I could post!  

Today's recipe is one that I made last week and plan to make again today because it was REALLY GOOD!  We go through phases of being very into oat bakes around here, and right now we are "into" them.  Such a delicious, quick snack or breakfast!  This latest rendition is really hitting the spot right now.  It's very firm- you could cut it into thick, soft bars if you wanted.  I like it cold, chopped/mashed up with almond milk poured over top.  Rem likes it heated up then topped with yogurt!  Either way, if you love oats and are looked for a way to change things up, TRY THIS!  

Apple Butter Oat Bake

1 cup apple butter, no sugar added (You can find this at many Farmer's Markets/Farm stores this time of year- we got ours at Lynd's Farm Market in Pataskala.  You could also make your own- I want to try this recipe soon!)
1 c whole, grass grazed milk (any type of milk would probably work)
2 eggs
3 cups old fashioned oats
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 large apple, diced
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg (optional)
1/4 tsp cardamom (optional)
1-2 T coconut sugar (could also use brown sugar)
1/4 c chopped pecans (or walnuts or sliced almonds)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease 8x11 in pan with coconut oil. (*an 8x8 or 13x9 pan would also work- just keep an eye on it and bake longer in the smaller pan, shorter in the larger pan).  Whisk together apple butter, milk, and eggs.  Stir in oats, baking powder, salt, apple, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cardmom.  Pour into greased pan, then sprinkle coconut sugar and pecans on top.  Bake 30-35 minutes or until it no longer jiggles.  Let cool, cover, and refrigerate for up to a week (if it lasts that long).  

Party Foods! Featuring Buffalo Chicken Egg Muffins, Bacon Burger Meatballs with Paleo "Big Mac Sauce" and Homemade Garlic Mayo

I just had a doTerra party today and of course wanted to have an adequate supply of snacks and treats to serve my friends and family!  I made some tried and true favorites but also tested out some new ideas and recipes I found around the web.  I figured since a lot of people might be having SUPERBOWL parties next weekend, posting some party food recipes would be very timely!  
On the menu today was:

Buffalo Chicken Egg Muffins (see below)
Bacon Burger Meatballs with Paleo "Big Mac Sauce" (see below)
Veggies with Homemade Garlic Mayo (see below)
Homemade Guacamole with Trader Joe's plantain chips
Sweet Potato Almond Butter Fries
Knock-off Rolos *I doubled the recipe and altered it slightly, adding a little more peanut butter
Baklava Balls

I hope this list is helpful, especially for those of you who came to the party and wanted the recipes. :)

Without further ado....

Buffalo Chicken Egg Muffins

Adapted from Balanced Bites
Makes 48 mini muffins or 24 regular size muffins

My mom got me this awesome 48 cup mini muffin pan that I am using a lot lately to make egg muffins!  This version is a great breakfast or appetizer recipe!

2.5 lb chicken breasts (or thighs), baked with salt, papper and garlic powder
1/4 c Frank's Red Hot
2 T grassfed butter
4-5 green onions, chopped
12 eggs
garlic powder (about 1 tsp)
pepper
1/4 c Frank's Red Hot

Immediately after chicken is done baking (I cooked frozen breasts on a foil lined baking sheet at 375 degrees for 35 minutes), immediately shred with forks or your hands.  I also used some kitchen scissors to further chop the chicken up so it would fit well into mini muffin cups.  Mix together 1/4 c Frank's Red Hot and 2 T grassfed butter.  Pour over the chicken and refrigerate overnight to "marinate."  
The next day, prepare your mini muffin tins by greasing them with some olive oil or coconut oil.  If you're using standard size muffin tins, you could use liners for easier clean up!  Divide chicken mixture evenly among muffin cups.  Then sprinkle each cup with green onion.  Next, whisk our eggs with garlic, pepper, and Frank's.  Ladle the egg mixture into each cup, filling each almost to the top.  
Bake at 375 degrees 20 min. (For standard size muffins you might need to bake them for 10 min. longer).  Serve hot or refrigerate and serve cold later!  They are great both ways.  

Bacon Burger Meatballs

I don't know exactly how many meatballs this makes, but hopefully this picture is helpful! The amount pictured is roughly the number of meatballs it makes, depending on the size. I form mine about the size of a ping pong ball.  

3-4 lb. grassfed beef
12 oz. bacon (use the kind without all the preservatives- Kroger Simple Truth is good, or Applegate Farms)
1/2 red pepper, diced
1/2 onion, diced
3 large pickle spears, diced
1/4 c tomato paste (about 1/2 a 5 oz. far)
garlic powder, crushed red pepper, salt, and pepper to taste
3 eggs
3/4 c almond meal

First, you will need to thinly slice the bacon and cook it over medium heat until you have brown and crispy pieces.  Next, mix ALL meatball ingredients together- it works best if you mix it with your hands until everything is fully incorporated.  You can prepare this mixture in advance and just refrigerate it for up to a day until you're ready to make the meatballs!  When you're ready to cook them, form the meat mixture into balls and place on either a foil lined baking sheet OR a broiler pan with grates.  (I like to use this because it helps drain some of the fat from the meatballs and helps the outside of the meatballs brown a little better).  Bake at 375 degrees about 30 min. 

Paleo "Big Mac Sauce" 

Honestly I have never had big mac sauce, but this is based on copycat recipes for big mac sauce, with substitutions to make it paleo.  All I know is, this is GOOD.  

1 recipe homemade mayonnaise (see below)
4 T tomato paste
1 T honey
1 pickle spear, diced
onion powder (1/4 tsp)
garlic powder (1/4 tsp)
pepper
salt to taste

Make homemade mayonnaise then add remaining ingredients and mix with immersion blender until tomato paste is incorporated throughout.  Refrigerate, then serve cold.  

Homemade Mayonnaise (*use this for the Paleo "Big Mac Sauce" and Homemade Garlic Mayo)

This is the easiest mayo recipe ever, it just requires that you have an immersion blender.  I asked for an immersion blender for Christmas a few years ago for the sole purpose of making homemade mayo (true story).  I use it all the time to make mayo all the time.  I often use mayo as a dressing, a veggie dip, or a dressing for chicken salad or cole slaw.  It's easy and infinitely healthier than store-bought Miracle Whip or Mayonnaise.  

1 egg
1/2 T apple cider vinegar or lemon juice
1/4 tsp dry mustard (optional)
1 c avocado oil or light olive oil

Crack egg into cylindrical container that is wide enough to fit an immersion blender into.  (I use the measuring cup that came with my immersion blender).  Add apple cider vinegar/lemon juice and dry mustard.  Pour in 1 c of oil (all of it at once).  Then stick your blender over top of the egg and let it run, without moving it, for 30 sec.  Then, gradually and gently, swirl the blade head around and bring it to the top of the mixture.  It should be nice, thick, and creamy!

Homemade Garlic Mayo (Best Veggie Dip!)

1 recipe homemade mayonnaise
handful fresh chives, chopped
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp dried dill
1 garlic clove, minced (then sprinkle some salt on it and mash it up)
1/8 tsp paprika
pepper

Make homemade mayonnaise then add remaining ingredients and blend again until everything is mixed together.  

Pumpkin Banana Baked Oatmeal

Pumpkin Banana Baked Oatmeal

2 T coconut oil
2 ripe bananas
15 oz. can pumpkin puree
2 eggs
1 c almond milk
2 c oats
1 c brown rice crisps or puffs
1/4 c ground flaxseed
2 T pumpkin pie spice
1/2 c raisins


Melt 2 T coconut oil in a tall, round casserole dish.  Add bananas to the dish and mash them until they are soft and almost liquid.  Add pumpkin and eggs and stir.  Add almond milk, oats, brown rice puffs, flaxseed, pumpkin pie spice, and raisins.  Stir until everything is uniformly incorporated.  Bake at 375 degrees about 30 minutes or until it doesn't jiggle when you jostle the pan around.  For a firmer oatmeal, bake longer, and for a more runny one, bake for a shorter time.  You can play around with the baking time each time you make it to get the consistency just right for you.

Ground Turkey and Pasta Skillet with Greens

Ground Turkey and Pasta Skillet with Greens

1 lb. ground turkey
1/2 large onion, diced
1 c mushrooms, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp basil
1 tsp oregano
1/4-1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
1/2 tsp fennel
1/2 tsp pepper 
1/4-1/2 tsp sea salt
32 oz. strained tomatoes (or tomato sauce)
1/4 c sundried tomatoes, chopped
4 cups greens of choice (I used spinach)
4 servings cooked quinoa or brown rice pasta (I used this brand from Trader Joe's) 

Saute ground turkey and onion in a pan, halfway through adding the mushrooms, garlic and spices. When turkey is cooked through, add the tomatoes, sundried tomatoes, and the greens, cooking until the greens are completely cooked down and can be stirred into the turkey mixture.  Taste your sauce and add more seasoning if it needs it!  Meanwhile, cook your pasta according to the directions on the package.  When pasta is done cooking, add it to the ground turkey mixture.  I served mine over steamed broccoli and cauliflower and it was delicious!  

Chocolate Hazelnut Bites

And one more "bite" recipe for good measure...  These are probably my all time favorite of all the fruit and nut bites I have made.  Can't stop, won't stop... eating them.  (Does anyone else constantly have that lyric from the new Taylor Swift song running through their head???)  Enjoy!

Chocolate Hazelnut Bites

12 medjool dates, soaked in hot water for about 5 minutes
1 c hazelnuts (Skins can be on! I get mine at Trader Joe's)
8 T cocoa
7 T unsweetened shredded coconut

After soaking dates, process them in a food processor until they start to break down and form a paste.  Add the rest of the ingredients and continue to process until everything comes together and can be easily rolled into a ball.  As you can tell from the picture, I don't process them until the nuts are completely broken down- I leave them a little chunky.  Process longer for smoother bites and shorter for chunkier ones.  Roll into balls and store in the freezer.  They are awesome straight from the freezer!

Pumpkin Bites

My arsenal of dried fruit and nut "bites" is growing rapidly, as I find that these naturally sweetened bite size treats are my favorite thing to snack on.  Today I have a recipe inspired by a pumpkin bar created by a friend at my CrossFit gym.  These little balls have all the flavors of fall and are a nutritious treat for any time of day.  

Pumpkin Bites

10 medjool dates, soaked in hot water (*I microwave about a cup of water and then let the dates soak in it for about 5 minutes)

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp pumpkin pie spice

1 tsp cinnamon

1/4 c pumpkin puree

1 c pumpkin seeds

1/2 c pecans

1/4 c flax

1/2 c unsweetened shredded coconut 

1/2 c golden raisins

After soaking the dates, process them in a food processor until they are mostly broken down and have started to form a paste.  Then add the rest of ingredients and process until the ingredients come together and can be easily formed into a ball (if you want them less "chunky" process longer, and for more chunky process for a shorter time).  Roll into 1 inch balls.  I store these in the freezer and they can be eaten straight out of the freezer!  Enjoy!

Mediterranean Quinoa Salad

This salad is yummy.  I know because I ate it for lunch (and dinner) yesterday!  A friend at school made this for a potluck at the end of the school year, and I have made it several times this summer.  It's a great cold summer salad that fits in perfectly at any barbecue or potluck!  I think what I love most about it are the contrasting textures and flavors- the crunchy red onions and cucumber contrast nicely with the creamy chickpeas and feta cheese.  The refreshing and sweet cucumber and tomato pair well with the salty feta and olives.  The Greek dressing brings it all together nicely and gives just enough lemon and oregano flavor without being overpowering. Visit Closet Cooking for the recipe!  

Samoa Bars

I made these bars over the weekend and they were a hit with my friends!  If you are a coconut fan, you will LOVE these rich, dense, date-sweetened, creamy, gooey, coconut-filled bars!  The only added sugar comes from the thin layer of chocolate on top, so you can feel good about eating these treats that have lots of healthy fat and fiber.  I just wouldn't go eating the whole pan... make these to share with your friends so they're not sitting around your house tempting you, because I guarantee they will be calling out your name from the fridge!

I found the original recipe on the fantastic food blog Eat Good 4 Life.  Check it out!  

No Bake Samoa Bars

Slightly adapted from Eat Good 4 Life

Crust
1/2 c dry roasted macadamia nuts
1 1/2 c almond meal
1 c unsweetened, shredded coconut
4 dates
1 T coconut oil (add more if the "dough" seems too dry)

Filling
12 medjool dates (about 1 1/2 cups), soaked in hot water
1/3 c full fat canned coconut milk
1/8 tsp sea salt
1 1/2 c unsweetened, shredded coconut

Topping
1 c enjoy life chocolate chips

1. Heat up about 1 1/2 cups of water in the microwave.  Remove the pits from the 12 dates for the filling and submerge them in the water, letting them soak while you make the crust.
2. In the food processor, process the crust ingredients until well combined.  Add more coconut oil if it doesn't seem to be coming together.  Press firmly into the bottom of an 8x8 in. pan.  Put the pan in the freezer while you make the filling.
3. No need to clean out the food processor here (just scrape the crust out with a spatula the best you can!).  Put the soaked dates in the food processor and process until they form a paste.  Then add in the coconut milk and process until smooth.  Next, add the salt and coconut and process briefly til everything is incorporated together.
4. Take your pan out of the freezer and spread the filling over the crust, creating a smooth layer.  Put the pan back in the freezer for about 15 minutes.
5. After 15 minutes, melt your chocolate chips in the microwave (I melt them on 50% power for 1 min, followed by 30 sec intervals, stirring each time I take them out until they are melted).  Spread the chocolate layer on top of the filling.  
6. Refrigerate the bars for several hours, then use a very sharp knife to cut them into pieces!  I cut mine into 32 small bars, which worked perfectly because these are very rich!  Store in the refrigerator.
 

"Pasta" Carbonara

Carbonara is a pasta dish made with bacon or ham, egg, and cream.  This version is a veggie-filled take on the traditional pasta carbonara, with several substitutions that make it very nutritious and incredibly delicious.  To be honest, it is actually very reminiscent of fried rice!  I'm pretty sure it's the peas and egg that give it that taste.  Either way, this is a unique dish that would be great served for breakfast, as a non meat-heavy main dish, or as a chicken side dish.  

"Pasta" Carbonara

1/2-3/4 lb. of bacon, cut into small pieces
2 candy onions (very small onions), minced (about 1/2 c onion)
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups frozen peas
freshly ground pepper
6 egg yolks (I used yolks because I made biscuits with the whites the day before, but you could use 3-4 whole eggs instead!)
3 large zucchini or squash, spiralized

Cut bacon into small pieces and saute in a large dutch oven or high sided pot.  Once the bacon is crispy, remove the pieces but leave the fat in the pot.  Add the onion, cooking until soft, then add garlic and cook until fragrant. (This dish is very much based on feel- I don't have exact cooking times or temperatures, you just have to go by the look of the ingredients!)  Then add peas and saute until the peas are hot.  Sprinkle a generous amount of pepper on top of the peas.  Pour the egg yolks on top of the peas and stir everything until the egg yolks no longer look wet.  Then add the zucchini/squash noodles, and add the bacon back in as well.  Cook, stirring occassionally, until the "noodles" are soft.  For us, this made about 4 servings!

Nut Milk and Nut Pulp Recipes! (Homemade Almond Milk + Homemade Brazil Nut Milk + Almond Pulp Freezer Cookies + Brazil Nut Pulp Fudge Balls)

The recipes I'm about to give you require some special equipment... a nut milk bag. These bags are basically very fine mesh strainers, in the form of a bag with a drawstring. They allow you to strain nut milk, chicken stock, and act as a cheesecloth for making your own yogurt.  I use mine mainly for nut milk, and I have been using it a LOT lately.  Since I've been on a smoothie kick, I've also been on a nut milk kick (since it tastes so good in smoothies!)  
Nut milk bags cost between $7-12 on Amazon and are SO worth it if you are interested in making your own nut milk.  In fact, I'm not really sure how to make it without one.  It's a small price to pay for such a valuable piece of kitchen equipment, so I encourage you to buy one!  Just search on amazon for "nut milk bag" and you'll find what you need.  

Homemade Almond Milk

1 c raw almonds
filtered water, to cover the almonds
4 c filtered water

Cover 1 c raw almonds with filtered water in a large glass bowl with a lid and let them soak overnight (really, anywhere from 4-24 hours).  You can let them soak in the fridge or on the counter, at room temperature.  When you're ready to use them, drain the water and rinse the almonds.  Place them in a high powered blender with 4 cups fresh filtered water.  Blend until almonds are pulverized, and then some (about 1-2 minutes).  Next, place the nut milk bag in a bowl with the mouth of the bag open.  Pour the milk into the bag.  The nut pulp will accumulate in the bag and the milk with accumulate in the bowl.  When you're done pouring, (with very clean hands), you will need to squeeze the bag to get the rest of the milk out.  You're squeezing the pulp to extract as much milk as possible.  When you're done squeezing, you'll have yummy almond milk in your bowl and yummy almond pulp in the bag (well, the almond pulp isn't really great by itself, but you can MAKE yummy things with it!).  This makes about 4 cups of almond milk. 

VARIATION: Vanilla Almond Milk
*Add 2 soft, medjool dates, 1/2 tsp vanilla, and a pinch of sea salt to the blender with the almonds and water.  I highly recommend this version!

Homemade Brazil Nut Milk

1 c raw brazil nuts
4 c filtered water

Unlike almonds, brazil nuts do not need to be soaked before using them to make nut milk! Place 1 c brazil nuts in a high powered blender with 4 cups fresh filtered water. Blend until brazil nuts are pulverized, and then some (about 1-2 minutes).  Next, place the nut milk bag in a bowl with the mouth of the bag open.  Pour the milk into the bag.  The nut pulp will accumulate in the bag and the milk with accumulate in the bowl.  When you're done pouring, (with very clean hands), you will need to squeeze the bag to get the rest of the milk out.  You're squeezing the pulp to extract as much milk as possible.  When you're done squeezing, you'll have yummy brazil nut milk in your bowl and yummy brazil nut pulp in the bag (well, the brazil nut pulp isn't really great by itself, but you can MAKE yummy things with it!).  This makes about 4 cups of brazil nut milk

VARIATION: Vanilla Brazil Nut Milk
*Add 2 soft, medjool dates, 1/2 tsp vanilla, and a pinch of sea salt to the blend with the brazil nuts and water.  I highly recommend this version!

Almond Pulp Freezer Cookies

Now, I hate to waste food.  So I like to find recipes to use the pulp leftover from making nut milk.  These cookies are the first thing I ever tried making with nut pulp.  I am always on the lookout for more good recipes, so please post any recipes you have made with nut pulp!  I would love to try them!

1 c (128 g) almond pulp
1/4 c rolled oats
1/4 c coconut oil
1/4 c raw honey
1/4 c raw almond butter
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 T cinnamon
2 c brown rice puffs OR brown rice crisps

Mix ingredients in a large bowl until well combined.  Roll into balls then flatten slightly. Freeze on cookie sheets until frozen, then transfer to containers to store in freezer.  For me, this made about 32 cookies.

I was in the process of licking the food processor bowl clean...

So good...

Brazil Nut Pulp Fudge Balls

Adapted from Rawtarian

I'm not kidding, this might be my favorite dessert recipe of all time.  I tasted this and a smile literally broke out on my face.  They are DELICIOUS.  

Leftover brazil nut pulp from making brazil nut milk (a little less than 1 c)
1 c cashew meal (I find mine at Trader Joe's; you could also make this by pulverizing cashews in a food processor until they create a fine, powdery meal- it will have more texture than flour)
10 large, soft medjool dates, pitted (about 1 c) (I find mine at COSTCO)
5 heaping T cocoa powder
4 T unsweetened, shredded coconut
pinch sea salt

Process all ingredients in food processor until a huge "mass" forms.  Basically, you will see a large "ball" rolling around in the food processor.  At this point, all ingredients should be well blended.  Roll the mixture into small balls.  Store them in the freezer.  For me, this made about 25 balls.  

Mujadara

Mujadara is a traditional Middle Eastern rice, lentil, and onion dish.  We've enjoyed it at many local Middle Eastern restaurants and have loved every version we've tried.  It was only a matter of time before we tried making it at home, and I am sure glad we did!  The complex flavors of this dish make it downright addictive, from the sweet caramelized onions to the toasted pinenuts and hints of cinnamon, it is the perfect combination of textures and flavors that makes you want to keep eating more!  

Mujadara

3 large sweet onions, thinly sliced
4-5 T grassfed butter
sprinkling of sea salt
1 1/2 c cooked basmati or long grain white rice
1 1/2 c cooked green or brown lentils
1/4 c pinenuts, toasted in a dry pan on high heat for 5 minutes
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp cumin
pepper and salt to taste

1. Caramelize the onions by cooking them in the butter over medium-high heat for about 30 minutes.  Stir occasionally to make sure they don't burn.  You want them to cook down but not get too brown.  Part way through the cooking time, sprinkle them with a bit of salt.  
2. While the onions caramelize, toast your pine nuts by placing them in a small pan, turning the heat to high and toasting for 5 minutes, stirring the pine nuts often to make sure they don't burn.  They should start to brown a little and give off a nutty aroma.  At this point, remove them from the heat.  
3.  Once the onions are caramelized, stir the rice, lentils, pine nuts, cinnamon, cumin, salt and pepper into the onion mixture.  Then enjoy!

Honestly, you can use whatever quantities you want in this dish!  Have 3 cups of leftover white rice?  Throw it all in.  Love the taste of pinenuts?  Use 1/2 c instead of 1/4 c.  The quantities I used happened to work for us- we love the flavor of onions and wanted equal parts lentils and rice.  Don't like onions as much?  Only use 1 or 2.  Just don't leave anything out!  You'll lose some of the great complexity of the dish.  

Grandma's Potato Salad

Rem grew up eating his grandma's famous potato salad, which is a traditional take on potato salad and absolutely the best version I have ever had!  His grandma passed the recipe down to his mom, who passed it to Rem when he moved out and wanted to make it himself.  We make it frequently in the summer when cold salads just hit the spot!  

The original version calls for all-purpose flour and granulated sugar, both of which we typically exclude from our diet, but I was able to make some simple substitutions that do not change the taste or texture from the original at all (gluten-free all purpose flour for regular flour, and raw honey for granulated sugar)!

So without further ado... our take on Rem's grandma's potato salad

Grandma's Potato Salad

Potato Salad Base:
3-4 lb. Russet potatoes
4 hardboiled eggs
1 bunch green onions, diced
4 ribs celery, diced small
1 jar dill pickles (*You will need 1 cup of the pickle juice for the sauce.  Take the pickles and puree them in the food processor to create a homemade relish.  You will need 1/2 cup of the relish for the potato salad)
celery seed
black pepper
salt

Potato Salad Dressing:
1 whole egg
1 egg yolk
1/2 c bob's red mill gluten free all-purpose flour
1 huge squirt of yellow mustard (about 3 T)
1/4 c raw honey

1. POTATOES: Cut potatoes into bite sized pieces.  The actual size doesn't matter a whole lot, as long as the pieces are roughly the same size.  Dump the potatoes into a large pot, fill the pot with enough water to cover the potatoes, and boil them on medium high until the potatoes are soft.  You can test them by smashing a potato against the side of the pot with a fork.  If the potato easily "gives" and falls apart, it's done.  Or you can remove a potato and just eat it to test for doneness!  Just wait a minute or so to eat it after removing it from the pot do you don't burn your mouth!  Once the potatoes are done, drain them (don't rinse!) and let them cool off a bit.  I usually just leave them in the colander I drained them in!

2. EGGS: While the potatoes are boiling, hard boil your eggs.  Place them in a small pot and fill the pot with water until it just covers the eggs.  Place the pot over high heat until the water starts to boil.  Let the water boil for 1 minute, then turn off the heat, remove the pot from the stove, cover the pot, and let it sit (off the heat) for 10 minutes.  After 10 minutes, rinse the eggs with cold water.  Then peel them, dice them up, and put them in a LARGE bowl. (We usually skip this step because I make a mass amount of hardboiled eggs at the beginning of each week to have on hand for breakfasts, snacks, and dishes like this!)

3. CELERY AND GREEN ONIONS: While the eggs and potatoes are cooking (this dish requires lots of multi-tasking!), dice up the celery and green onions.  Add them to the large bowl that you are putting the eggs in.  

4. SAUCE: Now it's time to make the sauce!  In a small saucepan, combine: 1 cup of dill pickle juice, 1 whole egg, 1 egg yolk, 1/2 c gluten-free all purpose flour, 1 huge squirt yellow mustard, and 1/4 c raw honey.  Cook this mixture over medium heat, whisking the whole time.  After a few minutes, the mixture will start to "come together" and really thicken up.  Keep whisking and cooking until the mixture is very thick and difficult to continue whisking.  Remove from heat.  Set this aside.

5. RELISH: After you've cooked the sauce, put the rest of the contents of your dill pickle jar in the food processor (or a magic bullet!) to make your own relish.  Process until mostly smooth.  Whisk about 1/2 cup of this into your sauce.  If you want a thinner sauce, add even more.  Store the rest of your relish in a jar in the fridge for up to 1 month.

6. MIX IT ALL TOGETHER: At this point the potatoes should be somewhat cool.  Add them to the large bowl (that already has the egg, celery, and green onions in it).  Pour the sauce on top of the potatoes, then sprinkle celery seed, salt, and pepper over the whole mixture (Sprinkle a generous amount of celery seed and pepper, and just a bit of salt.  You can always add more later!)  Mix everything together and refrigerate!  This stays good in the fridge for up to 5 days.  The recipe makes a lot!  So if you live alone, I would invite some friends over to help you eat it.  Or make half of the recipe.  Or plan on eating potato salad for every meal for the next 5 days.  It's entirely up to you! :) 

Tips and substitutions:  Instead of using the pickle juice and making your own relish, you can substitute 1 cup of water or vinegar for the pickle juice, and use store-bought relish instead of pureeing your own.  

Almond Joy Balls

The last week of school there are always tons of potlucks and gatherings featuring a boatload of some healthy and some very unhealthy food.  Well, one of the parties featured Whit's frozen custard, which, if you have never tried it, is AMAZING.  Not a part of my normal diet, but I do enjoy the occasional ice cream treat from time to time, and I sure as heck enjoyed it at that party.  These balls are an ode to the flavors in Whit's Almond Joy frozen custard.  They are EXACTLY what I was going for when I set out to recreate all of the flavors in that ice cream.  No, they do not taste like ice cream, but they do taste like delicious chocolatey, almondy, coconutty heaven.  

Almond Joy Balls

10 soft medjool dates, pitted

2 scoops (28 g) chocolate protein powder (I used organic, grassfed dark chocolate Tera's whey)

1 c almonds

1/2 c unsweetened, shredded coconut

1-2 T unsweetened applesauce

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp coconut extract

Process all ingredients in food processor until ingredients all stick together enough for you to roll it into balls.  You can vary the texture (smooth to chunky) by processing it for a shorter or longer time.  The balls will be fairly sticky when you roll them.  Put them in a freezer safe container and freeze them to store.  They will still be a little gooey straight from the freezer... yum!

TIP: I only buy this Whey when it is on Manager's Special at Kroger, or a stupid good deal at Vitacost.com.  At full price it is super expensive.  

Carrot Cake Cupcakes with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

Before doing our current Detox, I was on a baking kick (probably part of the reason we decided to do the Detox....)  During this baking kick, I told a friend of mine I was going to make carrot cake cupcakes.  3 weeks later, I finally got around to making them and called her right away.  I tried a cupcake before taking them to her and was blown away by how good it was.  Dense, just sweet enough, and full of subtle flavors like cinnamon and cardamom.  The icing on the cake?  No added sugar in the cupcakes themselves.  You might even be able to get away with calling these carrot cake muffins!  But then of course you would need to leave off the frosting... which is kind of amazing. The frosting does have a small amount of maple syrup, but it's super rich from the cream cheese and not too sweet.  My friend LOVED these cupcakes, as did many other taste tasters.  One friend called them "friggin' awesome." Enough said!

Carrot Cake Cupcakes

adapted from Paleo Newbie

8 soft medjool dates, pitted

1 c hot water (I microwave mine for 1:11)

1/4 c apple butter (or unsweetened applesauce)

1/3 c whole milk (or coconut milk)

3 large eggs, whisked

1/4 c coconut oil, melted

1 tsp vanilla

3/4 c almond flour

3/4 c cashew meal (you could omit this and use all almond flour)

2 T coconut flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 T cinnamon

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1/4 tsp cardamom

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 c raisins

1 1/4 c grated carrot (I used shredded carrot and just chopped it up a little finer)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Heat your cup of water and place the dates in it for about 5 minutes.  Then place the softened dates in a food processor along with the apple butter. Process until it forms a thick paste.  Add the rest of the wet ingredients (milk through vanilla) to the food processor and process briefly until uniform.  

Stir the dry ingredients (except for the raisins and carrots) together, then pour the wet ingredients into the dry and stir until well mixed.  Next, fold in the carrots and raisins.

Place cupcake liners in muffin tins, then pour batter into tins about 2/3 full.  For me this made 18 cupcakes.  

Bake 20-25 minutes at 350 degrees or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the center of a cupcake.  Let cool before frosting.

Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

8 oz. full fat organic cream cheese, room temperature

8 oz. salted, grassfed butter (or unsalted butter + 1/4 tsp salt), room temperature

1/3 c maple syrup

1 T cinnamon

pecans
flaked unsweetened coconut

Whip cream cheese, butter, maple syrup, and cinnamon with handheld mixer until fluffy!  Frost cooled cupcakes with frosting.  Top the cupcakes with pecans or flaked, unsweetened coconut if you want!  You will have leftover frosting, so you can make a half batch if you want.  Or you could just eat the leftover frosting with a spoon.  Take your pick.

*If you don't have time to let the ingredients come to room temperature, microwave the butter until it is soft but not melted, and squeeze the cream cheese package between your hand until it is soft.  

Banana, Blueberry, and Greens Smoothie

Wow, it's been awhile!  The end of this school year was a whirlwind, but now that I'm on break from school for the summer, I think I'll be able to update the blog more frequently.  I have quite a few yummy recipes stocked up to share... so stay tuned!  

The recipe I have to share today may look absolutely disgusting, but it's incredibly delicious, healthy, and a new favorite of mine.  Lesson: don't judge a book by it's cover.  

Rem and I are currently doing a 28 day Detox that involves drinking fruit, veggie, and soaked nut smoothies for a portion of it.  Truth be told, before doing this Detox (1 week ago) I didn't think I was a huge smoothie fan.  One short week later, I am a smoothie lover.  The recipe below is my current favorite!

Banana, Blueberry and Greens Smoothie

1 frozen banana, cut in half (I freeze mine in 1/2 banana chunks)
1/2 c frozen organic blueberries
3/4 c water/milk/almond milk (*I used homemade almond milk)
2 large handfuls organic baby spinach
30 g raw organic walnuts, soaked in a covered bowl of filtered water for 4-8 hours OR 1/2 avocado

You have a few options here:
Option 1: You can throw everything in a regular blender and blend it until smooth.  I like my smoothies thick, and I actually eat them with a spoon rather than drinking them.... but if you want a thinner smoothie, add more water/milk/almond milk.  
Option 2: Put your spinach and almond milk in a single serve magic bullet and blend until smooth.  Then add the banana, blueberries, and walnuts OR avocado and continue to blend until smooth.  

Cracked Nut Butter Copcycat Recipes: Brownie Batter Nut Butter and Cinnamon Roll Nut Butter

I do not have pictures... but I felt that I needed to get these recipes out into the world!  I've never had Cracked Nut Butter, but people seem to love it!  When my friends placed a recent order for it, I decided to try making it myself, and although I've never had Cracked Nut Butter, I created two copycat versions that I think taste pretty darn good!  Try them and see if you agree!  I'd like to know what you think!

Brownie Batter Nut Butter

1 1/2 c raw almonds
1 1/2 c pecans
1/2 c unsweetened shredded coconut

Process the above ingredients in a food processor until a smooth nut butter is formed.  Then add:

28 g chocolate whey protein powder (I used "Tera's Whey")
1 T cocoa powder
1 T coconut oil (melted)
1 T Ghee (melted)

Process again until uniform.

This tastes good straight out of the food processor but is even better after it has been refrigerated for at least a few hours!  I stored mine in a mason jar.

Cinnamon Roll Nut Butter

1 1/2 c raw almonds
1 1/2 c pecans
1/2 c unsweetened shredded coconut

Process the above ingredients in a food processor until a smooth nut butter is formed.  Then add:

1 scoop (approx. 28 g) vanilla whey protein powder
1 T cinnamon
1 T coconut oil (melted)
1 T ghee (melted)

Process again until uniform.

Indian Chicken and Vegetable Stew

Rem and I discovered the original recipe for this stew when we started experimenting with Indian recipes at home a few years ago.  Indian is one of our favorite cuisines and we love to try new Indian recipes!  If you're not the adventurous type or think you don't like Indian cuisine, this stew might be a good stepping stone for you because the flavors are sweet and warming but not too overpowering.  

The original recipe is a vegetarian stew, but we like meat in all of our meals, so we added chicken to the mix.  We also subbed chicken stock for some of the water, replaced the red potatoes with sweet potatoes, and added peas.  I can imagine many other meat/vegetable substitutions would be great as well! Just keep that onion, garlic, and spice mixture! 

This is a great recipe to make for a big group OR if you want to have a lot of leftovers because it makes a LOT.  We never have enough leftover to freeze, but it would freeze well!  

Indian Chicken and Vegetable Stew

(Makes 10-12 generous servings)
Adapted from Eating Well

2 lbs. chicken thighs, baked with cumin, coriander, garlic powder, salt, pepper

2-3 T extra virgin olive oil
3 large onions, chopped
6 cloves garlic, minced

2 tsp cumin seeds
2 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp ground coriander
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp cardamom
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
10 good grinds black pepper

2 c unsalted chicken stock (I used Kitchen Basics brand)
2 large sweet potatoes, scrubbed and chopped into bite-sized pieces
3 cups baby carrots, chopped into bite-sized pieces
2 cups frozen peas
2 15 oz. can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
2 15 oz. cans fire roasted diced tomatoes

3/4 c fresh cilantro, chopped

whole milk, plain Greek yogurt for topping


The day before (or earlier in the day): bake chicken thighs then cut into bite-sized pieces.  Save for later use in the soup.  (You could also just use any kind of leftover chicken).  

To prep: Cut the onions (place in dutch oven), cut the sweet potatoes (leave on cutting board), and mix together the spices in a small bowl.  

Saute onions in large dutch oven or stockpot over medium high heat.  Cook until the onions begin to brown just a little.  Add garlic and saute 1-2 minutes.  Add all of the spices and saute 1 min longer.  

Next add the sweet potatoes, 2 c chicken stock and 2 c water.  Cover the pot and simmer for 15 minutes.

Then add the carrots, frozen peas, garbanzo beans, and tomatoes.  The pot will be very full at this point.  Cover the pot again and turn the heat down to medium-low.  Simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally, or until the carrots and sweet potatoes are cooked through.  

When ready to serve, stir in the cilantro.  This is great served with plain Greek yogurt on top too!