Our Favorite Green Smoothie (Vegan, Refined Sugar Free!)

The brilliance of this simple smoothie is not lost on me. I cannot take credit for it, but it doesn't surprise me that it comes from one of my very favorite food bloggers of all times. Check out oh she glows  for this amazing Classic Green Monster recipe. It's also 100% approved by my kids who don't care that there is lots of spinach in it!

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Almond Pulp Cinnamon Raisin Crackers - Grain Free/Vegan

The almond pulp I have left over after making almond milk starting piling up in the fridge and I was looking all over the place to find recipes to use it up. I strangely didn't find anything that looked appealing and the things that did look good said you had to dehydrate the almond pulp before using it….ain't nobody got time for that. So I decided to put a spin on the usual cracker recipe that I like which uses almond meal and work with the almond pulp I had. The cinnamon raisin crackers I came up with are super yummy! My kids L O V E them. Seriously, I can't get them out of the oven fast enough, and the entire batch of crackers would be gone in one day if I didn't purposefully save some off to the side for snack time tomorrow. Too much almond pulp? No problem.

Almond Pulp Cinnamon Raisin Crackers - Grain Free/Vegan

• 2 Cups almond pulp
• 1 Tablespoon arrowroot powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2-1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 Tablespoon flax meal
• 3 Tablespoons coconut oil 
• 2-3 Tablespoons raisins 

First, pulse the almond pulp, arrowroot powder, salt, baking soda, cinnamon & flax meal in the bowl of your food processor. (I have this model and don't know what I'd do without it!) Add the coconut oil & pulse again until fully incorporated. Last, add the raisins and pulse just a few times leaving big chunks. 

Roll half the dough at a time out between two sheets of parchment paper, making sure it's very thin. Put the dough, still on the parchment paper, onto a baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 7-10 minutes. When the edges start to brown, remove from oven. Using a sharp knife, gently cut the crackers. Once cut, flip then over and return to oven. Continue checking every 2-3 minutes removing the crackers as they are done. (The middle ones always take longer.)

Enjoy!


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Dairy Free Lasagna - Gluten Free/Vegan Options

I all but gave up on lasagna long ago when I stopped eating dairy. It just didn’t seem like it was possible to have a delicious satisfying dish without cheese. I’ve learned over the years to be more content living without, but believe me, after eating this dish, you will not be missing cheese at all because you will fully believe you are eating ricotta! This lasagna is full of homestyle italia goodness and whenever I make it, everyone begs for the recipe! I also love how diverse this can be. If you’re vegan, just omit the meat. If you’re gluten intolerant, use gluten free lasagna noodles!

DAIRY FREE LASAGNA (WITH GLUTEN FREE AND VEGAN OPTIONS)

2 Tablespoons olive oil or coconut oil 4-6 cloves garlic, minced 1 large brown onion, diced 3-4 assorted baby bell peppers, diced 2 packages crimini mushrooms, cut in slices 3-4 zucchini’s chopped 1/2 cup baby spinach, chopped 1 lb hamburger (omit for Vegan option) 3 or 4 fresh basil leaves, finely chopped 1 lb can of marinara or your favorite pasta sauce 1 28 oz can tomato sauce 9-12 lasagna noodles (Or use Gluten Free Option) cooked, drained & rinsed OR use no boil noodles Salt and pepper to taste 1 recipe vegan ricotta cheese (see recipe below) First, prepare vegan ricotta cheese. This can be done a day or two in advance and stored in an airtight container in the fridge. In a large pan saute garlic, chopped peppers, and onions in olive or coconut oil until tender. Add mushrooms & zucchini and cook until juices start flowing. Add baby spinach and cook a couple of minutes longer until the spinach is wilted. In another pan brown hamburger (if using meat. You can also add extra garlic & onion to the browning beef if desired) and when it’s finished add the marinara & tomato sauces bringing to a simmer. Add chopped basil, salt and pepper to taste. To assemble lasagna, the pattern is sauce, noodles, ricotta, then veggies. First spread a thin layer of pasta sauce in bottom of a 9×12 inch dish. Place lasagna noodles in the bottom of pan. Spread vegan ricotta over each noodle, add a layer of veggies, (drain off liquids from the veggies) then add a layer of sauce. Repeat for 3-4 layers depending on how deep your dish is. Cover with tin foil and bake in a 400 degree oven for 40-45 minutes or according to the instructions on the box of lasagna noodles used.

VEGAN RICOTTA 1 3/4 cups raw cashews soaked 30 minutes or over night in water just to cover 1/4 cup lemon juice 1/2 cup filtered water 4 Tablespoon olive oil 2 cloves garlic 1/2 teaspoon dijon mustard 1  teaspoon salt Pulse garlic in food processor or blender until chopped. Add remaining ingredients and process/blend until thick & smooth. Can be placed in an airtight contained and put in fridge a couple of days before using.

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Sweet Potato Shepherds Pie

This is the easiest recipe you will ever make! It's my go-to meal and a sure crowd pleaser. A much healthier version of the classic, but nobody complains when I make this dish. It's also a most requested meal when either of my brother's come to visit, which isn't that high of an honor because they'll eat almost anything, but it makes me feel special. I make this in large quantities because the entire family loves it, but also because it makes fantastic leftovers! Enjoy!

Sweet Potato Shepherds Pie

• 2 pounds ground beef
• 1 pound carrots, chopped into rounds
• 1 sweet onion, diced
• 1 bag frozen mixed veggies
• 5-6 sweet potatoes (or more! yum!)

Peel and chop sweet potatoes & then boil until fork tender. Drain off water & mash.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

While potatoes are boiling, brown the ground beef in a dutch oven or large stainless steel pan that is oven safe. When the meat is almost done, add chopped onions and carrots and cook for a few minutes more. Salt & pepper to taste. Once onions are translucent and carrots are starting to soften, add the bag of mixed veggies and cook for two minutes longer.

Spoon mashed sweet potatoes over the top of meat and veggie mix and flatten down with a fork. Bake at 400 degrees for 25-30 minutes. Serve & enjoy!

I just found this random picture of me that my sister took a while back. This is what my life looks like on a daily basis.

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Vegan Strawberry Milkshake + Homemade Almond Milk

Springtime is such a wonderful time of year. I love all of the fresh berries that come into season, but my very favorite are strawberries. I've been making tons of almond milk recently and thought how yummy a strawberry shake sounded. Did you know that strawberries have very few grams of fructose compared to other fruits? Only 3.8 grams per cup! That's pretty amazing if you ask me. This simple strawberry shake only has two ingredients and makes the perfect afternoon snack when you're craving something sweet but don't want to overload on sugar!

Vegan Strawberry Milkshake - Serves 1

• 1 Cup frozen strawberries (make sure they don't have added sugar!)
• 1 Cup homemade almond milk
• Stevia to taste (optional!) 

Blend together & enjoy!

If you've never made your own almond milk, I highly recommend it! It is very simple and the most delicious almond milk I've ever had! A big plus is that there is nothing in it but what you put in it! The almond milk you purchase from the store has lots of preservatives and additives! This is such a yummy alternative.

 

Almond Milk

• 1 Cup raw almonds and filtered water to cover
• 3 Cups filtered water
• 1/4 tsp vanilla (optional)
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon (optional)

Place one cup of raw almonds into a glass bowl or measuring cup & cover with filtered water. Add a few pinches of salt to keep the water from getting moldy. Let sit overnight or for at least 8 hours.

When the almonds have finished soaking, drain off water & place them in your blender with 3 cups filtered water. Blend for a couple of minutes. When it's finished, pour into a nut milk bag (I use this one!) that's draped over a wide mouth glass measuring cup and let the almond milk steep through following the directions that came with your nut milk bag. When the pulp has been strained out, return the almond milk to blender & add  vanilla and cinnamon if desired, blending for a few seconds just to combine. Store in an airtight glass jar and refrigerate.

Don't forget to save the pulp to use in my Almond Pulp Cinnamon Raisin Crackers (Grain free/Vegan)!


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Kale Salad Two Ways

Since everyone is obsessed with Kale, why not follow suit? Of course, the facts don't lie.
It's high in fiber, iron, vitamin k, vitamin A, vitamin C, calcium, it's an antioxidant, anti-inflammitory and offers cardiovascular support. Is that enough reasons to eat it? These are my two favorites so far, I'll add to the list as I find more that I love. The blueberry balsamic salad may be my favorite kale salad I've ever eaten!

Strawberry + Kale Salad

• 1/2 bunch of dino kale
• Handfull of rip strawberries, sliced
• 1/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
• 1/4 cup roughly chopped almonds
• Juice of one lemon
• 1 tsp honey
• 1 Tbs melted coconut oil or olive oil

Wash, remove tough stem pieces, thinly chop kale & add to your salad bowl. Add in sliced strawberries, shredded coconut, and chopped almonds. In a separate small bowl, melt 1 tablespoon of coconut oil, or skip if using olive oil. Add lemon juice and honey to oil and stir to combine. Drizzle over salad, toss & serve.

Blueberry Balsamic + Kale Salad

• 1/2 bunch of dino kale
• 1/2 pint blueberries
• 1/4 cup raw cashews, roughly chopped
• 2 Tablespoons raw sunflower seeds
• 2-3 Tablespoons currants 
• 1/4-1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced

Wash, remove tough stem pieces, thinly chop kale & add to your salad bowl. Add the rest of the salad ingredients & toss. Dress with balsamic dressing (recipe below).

Balsamic Dressing

• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons coconut aminos (optional)
• 1 teaspoon raw honey
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
• Stevia to taste (I used 10 drops)

Combine all ingredients in a bowl or dressing karaf. Whisk or shake well before using.


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Meatloaf (Egg free, gluten free option)

I've been married for almost six and a half years and would you believe just a few weeks ago was the FIRST time I've EVER made meatloaf?! Isn't that like housewife fraud? Both my husband and I were scarred as children by meatloaf. Him by his mother's and me by mine. (Sorry if you're reading this, mom.) We both have these pictures in our mind of saltine cracker, heinz ketchup, eggs and hamburger in a mashed up nasty mess. I think it was only a couple months ago I said that I "hated" meatloaf. Those are strong words, so I'm assuming mom's meatloaf was psychologically damaging. I probably should have gotten therapy. But alas, I overcame the fear & took the plunge. I can now be truly initiated into housewife-dom. Meatloaf. Siggghhhh.  It's become something both the hubby and I dream about now. We've seen the light & realized how delicious & comforting this iconic food can be. I found the original recipe here if you want to see it, but have tweaked mine a bit to suite our personal tastes.

I did not take pictures of the raw meatloaf. You're welcome. No matter how good it tastes, it's just ugly.

I used homemade breadcrumbs from my einkorn sourdough bread that I made, but feel free to use gluten free! Croutons and breadcrumbs are so simple to make, once you do you will never buy them again! Check out my crouton/breadcrumb recipe HERE!


Meatloaf

• 2 lbs ground beef
• 1/2 cup bread crumbs (My Crouton/Breadcrumb Recipe) 
• 1/3 cup ketchup (MUST use homemade! It's super easy! Recipe HERE!)
• 1/3-1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce (I liked less so it wasn't as sweet)
• 1/2 tsp italian seasoning (optional)
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 2 Tbs dried parsley
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 large onion, grated or finely chopped
• 1-2 carrots, finely grated

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. In a large bowl, combine all ingredients mixing with your hands until well blended.

Place in a lightly greased loaf pan and brush top of meatloaf with a bit of ketchup.

3. Bake meatloaf approximately 60 minutes. Should be firm to the touch and a thermometer inserted should read 160 degrees F. 

4. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

*A friend who's family can eat eggs told me she replaced the applesauce with one egg & everyone loved it! 

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Homemade Croutons/Breadcrumbs! (Gluten Free Option!)

Oh croutons. What kid didn't pick every single one of those buttery, ranch flavored croutons out of the salad they weren't going to eat? While the days of packaged croutons are out of my life for good, I am not saddened. Homemade are so much better. And simple. Use whatever type of bread you want! Gluten free, sourdough, whole wheat….they all work.

Croutons/Breadcrumbs

• 2 Cups bread of choice, cubed* (see note for finer breadcrumbs)
• 1-2 Tbs coconut oil or butter if you eat dairy
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• 1/4-1/2 tsp italian seasoning
• garlic powder to taste
• onion powder to taste

In a medium size saute pan melt coconut oil or butter over medium heat. Add cubed bread and salt and stir to coat in oil/butter. Continue cooking and turning bread for 15-20 minutes, checking frequently to make sure the pan isn't too hot and they're not burning. Once desired crispness is attained, add garlic powder, onion powder & italian seasoning if desired. Stir to coat & remove from heat. They will harden more once cool. Use to top salads or as breadcrumbs where called for. Store in an airtight container once completely cool. 

*For making finer breadcrumbs, toast the bread before you begin & roughly grate it before browning it in the pan.


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Sweet Potato Casserole (Dairy Free, Refined Sugar Free, Gluten Free)

Sweet potato casserole (a.k.a. the best thing in the entire universe) is possibly my favorite thing to eat. Loaded with tons of sugar, gluten, fat and cinnamon spice goodness, it's like Christmas in a casserole dish. Only problem is, I can't eat any of those things anymore. What on earth will I do? Oh yeah, just figure out a recipe that tastes equally as delicious so I don't have to suffer in a world without it.

Sweet Potato Casserole (Dairy Free, Refined Sugar Free, Gluten Free)

• 4 Cups sweet potatoes, cubed (5 small/medium sweet potatoes)
• 2 Tbs honey
• 1/2 packet stevia
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 4 Tbs coconut oil
• 1/2 cup almond milk
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp allspice 
• scant 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 1/8 teaspoon cloves

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. 

Bring a medium size saucepan of water to a boil on medium high heat. Add cubed sweet potatoes & boil until tender. Drain off water and mash. Add all of the other ingredients and mix completely. Pour into an 8x8 casserole dish and spoon topping on (recipe follows). Bake at 325 degrees for approximately 30 minutes or until top is nice and golden & casserole has set. 

Topping

• 1-2 Tbs honey
• 1 packet stevia
• 1/2 cup walnuts or pecans, roughly chopped
• 1/4 cup coconut oil
• 1/4 cup oat flour
• 1/2 cup rolled oats

Combine all ingredients. It will be thick like a paste. Spoon it on top of casserole and bake as directed above.


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Coming Soon!

I’m very excited to launch my new and improved blog! I’m even more excited to start sharing new recipes, meal plans and personal experiences as I’ve been learning how to eat healthier & heal my body from the inside out! I’m going to be sharing a new series called “Eating to Health”. There will be a new “Eating to Health” post up every week for four weeks to start a 30 Day Challenge which features a week long meal plan of recipes from myself/and or my favorite websites. This is something I’ve wanted to do for a long time and I’m really looking forward to sharing great food & my favorite healthful recipes with you all. I find meal planning makes my life SO much easier and gives me the balance I need as well as keeping me from straying. Plus, I go to the market ONCE instead of five million times when I just happen to forget things because I wasn’t prepared with my handy dandy shopping list. I will make an announcement very soon when I will be posting the first week! Stay tuned for lots of exciting things coming your way!


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Chocolate Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Icing (grain free, vegan, refined sugar free)

I cannot tell you how good these cupcakes taste! I was DYING for a chocolate cupcake & tried a bunch of different recipes but couldn't find one that had the right texture & taste combo. The texture is so good for being grain free! The coconut milk and avocado make these nice and moist, and although if you're trying (when they are plain) you can taste the avocado a little bit (I don't mind it) once you put the peanut butter frosting on them, they are perfection! My biggest pet peeve on blogs is when they post a baked good & DON'T include a picture of the inside, so of course, I added one. Enjoy! 

Chocolate Cupcakes (grain free, vegan, refined sugar free) 

• 3 cups almond meal (Spoon measured) 
• 2 level TBS coconut flour
• 1 cup cacao powder
• 3/4-1 cup coconut palm sugar (depending on how sweet you like them)
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• ½ cup coconut oil, melted
• 1 cup coconut milk, full fat
• 1 small avocado (mine was a very large avocado so I only used half!)
• 6 tsp egg replacer blended with 6 TBS water in the blender or processor 
• 2 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2-3 tablespoons raw honey

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

 In a large bowl mix the almond flour, coconut flour, cocoa powder, palm sugar, baking soda & salt. (Make sure to spoon measure the almond meal! Using a spoon, scoop into measuring cup & level off.) 

In the bowl of a food processor or blender, add the egg replacer and water and process or blend until its thick and frothy. Add coconut oil, coconut milk, avocado, vanilla and honey and pulse or blend until completely smooth. 

With a rubber spatula, gently fold the wet ingredients into the dry just until moistened.  It may seem dry at first, but will become thick and moist as you keep folding in. Put cupcake liners into a muffin tin & scoop batter into liner almost to the top. They will puff up a bit. 

Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes. I made mini cupcakes & took them out after 15 minutes so I'm guessing at the time for bigger cupcakes! They may require longer. They should be slightly firm to the touch when finished. 

Peanut Butter Icing 

• 1 Cup natural peanut butter
• 1 Cup spectrum palm shortening
• 2-4 TBS raw honey
• 2 tsp vanilla 

Add all ingredients to the bowl of a mixer and beat until fluffy, scraping down sides as needed. Pipe onto cupcakes. 

Chocolate Icing (if you want a swirl) 

•  2 TBS cocoa powder
• 1/4 Cup spectrum palm shortening
• 1/4 tsp vanilla
• 1 TBS honey

Combine all ingredients in the bowl of a mixer and beat until fluffy.

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