coconut – StyleNectar

Food, Health, Nutrition & Wellness, Nutrition & Beauty

Lemon Drop Coconut Snowballs

Lemon Drop Coconut Snowballs are delish little bites of bliss! Enjoy for snack, holiday party dessert, or pre/post workout boost. I served them at my recent Manifesting Your Deepest Heart’s Desire Yoga Workshop… always a hit. Without further ado let’s get to the recipe…

Lemon Drop Coconut Snowballs (makes approximately 24 snowballs)

2 cups raw Cashews
2 cups unsweetened flaked coconut separated into 1 1/2 c & 1/2 c)
3 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
3 rounded Tbsp (or to taste) raw honey or maple syrup
1 1/2 tsp vanilla powder or extract
2-3 Tbsp coconut oil
3 tbsp lemon zest

Place cashews, 1 1/2 cups coconut, lemon juice, honey, coconut oil and vanilla in food processor and pulse until mixture is sticky when pressed together (for a little more texture) or until a sticky mound forms (for a smoother texture). Remove and form into small balls. Combine the leftover 1/2 cup unsweetened coconut and 3 tbsp lemon zest by fluffing with a fork. Roll balls in mixture to coat. Place balls in freezer or fridge to set. Serve directly out of freezer or fridge for more bite, or allow to soften at room temperature for a moist, chewy texture. Store leftovers in fridge/freezer in tightly closed container. Please note: measurements are fairly flexible so feel free to play around according to your taste/texture preferences. Enjoy!

Do you have a favorite vegan or raw vegan recipe? Have you ever considered a vegan or raw vegan lifestyle? Share any questions and/or comments you have below!

Live Beautifully

Stay Well,

Juliane

email today to set up Holistic Life & Wellness Coaching,

or a Private or Corporate Yoga Program

Be sure to follow me on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, Twitter & YouTube to stay current on all things SN!

Thank you for visiting!

Comment, Like, Subscribe & Share

Food, Nutrition & Beauty, Style

Spumoni Christmas Gateau

It's that most wonderfully festive time of the year! When decadent, richly hued Italian Spumoni cakes layered with pistachio cream, chocolate-hazelnut and cherry ice-cream step out dripping in ganache and festooned like royalty in crisp wafer crowns! Let me tell you, I felt like royalty simply having this gorgeousness lighting up my table… so beautiful it was difficult to slice into. However, once past it's exquisite beauty, a creamy slab of this luscious Spumoni Christmas Gateau is a divine flavor celebration fit for holiday Kings and Queens! Heavenly layers of pistachio cream, chocolate-hazelnut and cherry ice-cream studded with candied fruit, chopped pistachios & hazelnuts galore luxuriously dazzle the tastebuds in ultimate comfort and joy!

High Vibe Living Foods like this Italian Spumoni Christmas Gateau are the most gorgeous and delicious on the planet… and they leave us looking and feeling the same way! Italian Spumoni Christmas Gateau is a truly spectacular way to celebrate the Season with amazing raw food deliciousness that doesn't weigh us down but lifts us up… in Peace, Joy and Happiness!

Raw Vegan Spumoni Christmas Gateau w Chocolate Ganache

This is my submission to Ren Behan at Simple & In Season and Jacqueline at Tinned Tomatoes for No Croutons Required Festive Photos and Bookmarked Recipes. Check them out!

Recipe for Raw Vegan Spumoni Christmas Gateau (Serves 6)

Ingredients

PISTACHIO CREAM

1/2 cup fresh young thai coconut meat (or sub soaked cashews)
2 super ripe bananas
1/2 cup pistachios, separated into 1/4 c & 1/4 c halved or coarsly chopped
4 drops edible grade lemon essential oil (or sub fresh lemon juice)
1/2 t vanilla powder
pinch of celtic salt
stevia to taste

CHOCOLATE-HAZELNUT CREAM

1/2 cup fresh young thai coconut meat or 1/2 cup soaked cashews
2 super ripe bananas
1/3 cup carob powder (or sub cacao or a combo)
1/2 t ceylon cinnamon
1/2 t vanilla powder
1/2 t celtic salt
stevia to taste
2 T + 1/4 cup hazelnuts, coarsly chopped

CHERRY CREAM

2/3 cup fresh young thai coconut meat or sub soaked cashews
2 super ripe bananas
2 1/2 T cherry juice concentrate or to taste
1/2 t vanilla powder
stevia to taste
pinch of celtic salt
1/3 cup dried, apple-juice sweetened cherries, lightly chopped as in halved – leaving several whole.

CHOCOLATE GANACHE

1/4 c extra virgin coconut oil, melted
1/4 cup carob or cacao
2 T almond butter

Method

PISTACHIO CREAM

Blend all the ingredients in a Vitamix, except the extra 1/4 cup chopped pistachios, until ultra creamy. Taste to adjust flavors as needed.
Stir in the chopped pistachios.
Pour into the bottom of a 6 x 3" removable bottom cake pan and put into the freezer until set.

CHOCOLATE-HAZELNUT CREAM

Blend all ingredients in Vitamix, except the extra 1/4 cup chopped hazelnuts, until ultra smooth and creamy. Taste to adjust flavors as needed.
Stir in chopped hazelnuts.
Pour onto 1st layer once it is set. Place back into freezer to allow 2nd layer to set as well.

CHERRY CREAM

Blend all ingredients in Vitamix, except extra 1/3 cup dried cherries.
Stir in dried cherries.
Pour onto 1st two layers once they're totally set. Place back in freezer to allow 3rd layer to set.

RAW VEGAN CHOCOLATE GANACHE

Whisk together all ingredients until smooth and creamy.
Drizzle over cake once it has set. Add decorative toppings at this point so they'll stick. Pop back into the freezer.

RAW VEGAN SPUMONI CHRISTMAS CAKE ASSEMBLY

Well, it's practically finished! However, feel free to add your own special touch as I did, with raw vegan chocolate wafers, dried rose buds, chocolate shavings, a few more chopped pistachios & raw coconut.
Allow the cake to thaw for 45 minutes – hour (or longer just keep an eye on it as we don't want it to totally melt) prior to serving to maximize creaminess.

Enjoy a large slice of high vibe luxurious Christmas indulgence under the light of the tree!

Do you have a favorite "traditional" recipe you'd like upgraded into a beautiful Vegan & Raw version? Share it below for a chance to have me recreate it for you!

Be sure to follow me on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, Twitter & YouTube to stay current on all things SN!

All Love,

Juliane

Thank you for visiting 🙂

Comment, Like, Subscribe & Share!

Food, Health, Nutrition & Wellness, Nutrition & Beauty

Chocolate Covered Matcha Smoothie

I was absolutely thrilled when Williams-Sonoma invited me to help kick off “Smoothie Week” with my favorite “Not Your Average Smoothie”. It was a match made in heaven: an over-the-top, mega delicious, rocket-fuel smoothie and my family’s favorite gourmet cookware specialty retailer – all coming together in one fabulous post! So without further ado, I present the delectable…

Chocolate Covered Matcha Smoothie!

When I want to get my day started off fueled with maximum deliciousness and powerful energy (which is every day!) you’ll find me whipping up some tantalizing variation on this baby in my Vitamix. We’re talking layers of the most decadent, smooth, creamy chocolate and matcha infused nice-cream… so sweet, so divine AND brimming with the Wild superfood power of Wild Edible “Weeds”, Peruvian Maca Root, Essential Oil of Peppermint and Matcha Green Tea!

Yes, that’s right. Here, shining in one of the most delicious concoctions ever, are some of the most powerful sources of nutrition on the planet, beautiful ingredients, which, when tucked into a smoothie like this Chocolate Covered Matcha, can make us look and feel as beautiful and powerful as they are!

Lets start with the Wild Edible “Weeds”. Here, I’ve used a handful of baby Dandelion Greens, Stinging Nettles & Chickweed straight from my wild edibles garden, still thriving the near freezing temps of November (a testament to how powerful they are). People, Wild Edible Weeds are the new Kale. They’re used routinely in cooking in Europe and around the world, and they’re slowly but surely making their way into the mainstream here in North America. You’ve probably noticed dandelion greens for sale at your local Whole Foods. Or, if you’re a gourmet foodie, perhaps you’ve eaten at Trump Tower’s 2 Michelin Star “Sixteen” where diners rave over the dishes incorporating chickweed, stinging nettles and salsify (belonging to the dandelion family).

Garden basket of baby dandelions, stinging nettles, wheat grass & nasturtium blooms.

Wild Edibles are the wild greens growing right in our own backyards! They’re so powerful they’re able to thrive despite the most adverse conditions, growing out of stone walls, between sidewalk cracks and in near freezing or low moisture conditions. They have incredibly long root structures, enabling them to pull incredible, intense nutrition from far below the depleted surface soil. All that magnificent power and nutrition goes straight into our bodies when we blend them up into a smoothie!

To make things even more fantastic, by blending these raw, living greens in a high speed blender such as the Vitamix Professional or Vitamix Personal Blender, we’re cracking the cell walls, unlocking far greater nutrition for our bodies than simple mastication or chewing a huge salad can yield. Therefore, we get way more nutritional bang out of our greens for a smaller amount used. This means we’re able to keep our smoothies super tasty because we don’t have to overload them with so many greens that they cease to be palatable. Additionally, compared to cooking, blending preserves essential vitamins, enzymes and nutrients. Therefore, making delicious green smoothies, with even the most bitter tasting greens, is quite easy as only a handful will provide a HUGE level of nutrition due to the “pre-digestion” that occurs in the blender 🙂

Check out all these other great blenders too!

As if all that wild power weren’t enough, I’ve tossed in these amazing superfoods as well:

Peruvian Maca Root – Maca root has been used by indigenous Andean societies as a source of healing and nourishment for thousands of years. Studies have identified alkaloids present in maca which are known to nourish the endocrine system. Maca root has been used as a stress-fighting adaptogen to increase stamina, boost libido and combat fatigue. It’s a nutrient-dense whole food packed with vitamins, plant sterols and many essential minerals, fatty and amino acids.

Essential Oil of Peppermint (highest grade edible only) – “One of the oldest and most highly regarded herbs for soothing digestion, it may also restore digestive efficiency.* Jean Valnet MD studied peppermint’s supportive effect on the liver and respiratory systems. Other scientists have also researched peppermint’s role in improving taste and smell when inhaled. Dr. William N. Dember of the University of Cincinnati studied peppermint’s ability to improve concentration and mental sharpness. Alan Hirsch MD studied peppermint’s ability to directly affect the brain’s satiety center, which triggers a sensation of fullness after meals. This powerful essential oil is often diluted before topical application. Peppermint may also be used to enhance the flavor of food and water. Peppermint has an approximate ORAC of 373,455.” (1)

Matcha Green Tea – Matcha Green Tea contains 10-15 times the overall nutrients and 100 times more antioxidants compared to traditional green, white, black, rooibos, and yerba mate teas. It has high concentrations of the amino acid, L-theanine which helps to improve cognition and mood while reducing physical and mental stress. Matcha assists to alkalize and detoxify via the powerful and renowned catechin EGCG and chlorophyll which help to alkalize and detoxify the blood. It contains potent antioxidants which help to strengthen the immune system by protecting against free radicals.

1) http://us.ylscents.com/ylo/shop/EssentialOilSingles/PeppermintEssentialOil

To say this Chocolate Covered Matcha Smoothie is incredible seems an understatement after all that! However, there is actually more great news…

It’s also a snap to make 🙂

Please enjoy!

Recipe for Chocolate Covered Matcha Smoothie (Serves 2)

Ingredients

4-6 super ripe organic frozen bananas
1 handful organic wild edible greens (such as dandelion, stinging nettles, plaintain or chickweed)
1 Tbsp matcha green tea powder
1-2 drops organic peppermint essential oil (edible, food grade)
1/2 tsp vanilla powder
1-2 Tbsp cacao or carob
1/4 tsp ceylon cinnamon
1/2 tsp maca powder
stevia to taste (or substitute dates or raw honey)

*Optional: 1 Tbsp coconut nectar, melted, whisked w/ 1/2 Tbsp cacao & a pinch of ceylon cinnamon to create dark chocolate crackly topping.

Method

Toss 2 or 3 of the frozen nanas, 1/2 handful of wild edible greens, matcha powder, 1-2 drops peppermint essential oil & 1/2 tsp vanilla powder into your Vitamix. Blend til irressitably smooth and creamy, using the tamper to assist. Dump into your fav smoothie jar or bowl.
Toss the other 2 or 3 frozen nanas into your blender along with the second 1/2 handful of wild edible greens, 1-2 Tbsp cacao (or carob depending on your preference), 1/4 tsp ceylon cinnamon, 1/2 tsp maca, and stevia to taste. Blend til delectably smooth and creamy. Layer atop the matcha nice-cream.
Optional: Drizzle all this yumminess with dark chocolate to make a divine crackly topping.
Get ready to have THE BEST, most MAGICAL DAY EVER!!!

You may also enjoy these fabulous smoothies:

Cleansing Quadruple Berry Acai Smoothie
Daily Detox Green Smoothie
Chocolate Covered Strawberry Shake
Chocolate Chip Mint Shak e
Epic Baby Thai Coconut Smoothie
Blueberry Coconut Shake
Delicious Green Smoothie
The Happy Shake

What’s your favorite ingredient to put in your “Not Your Average Smoothie” ?

Follow me on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, Twitter & YouTube to stay current on all things SN!

All Love,

Juliane

Thank you for visiting 🙂

Comment, Like, Subscribe & Share!

Food, Health, Nutrition & Wellness, Nutrition & Beauty, Style

Raw Vegan Carrot Cake w Lemon Cashew Cream Cheese Frosting

An amazing slice of Raw Vegan Carrot Cake w Lemon Cashew "Cream Cheese" Frosting

This insanely delicious and beautiful raw vegan Carrot Cake with Lemony Cashew Cream Cheese Frosting is hands down The BEST cake I've ever had… ever, ever, ever! Layers of incredibly fresh, moist, gorgeous cake tucked between the dreamiest, luscious, lemon cashew cream cheese frosting. Sweet decadence that tastes like food fit for the Gods. The stuff dreams and Birthday's are made of…

Raw Carrot Cake w Lemony Cashew Cream Cheese Frosting topped with zest, pistachios, flaked coconut & edible rose petals

Proving once again, we literally can have our (carrot) cake and eat it too… no sacrifices to our tastebuds, health or beauty here! Nope! We get to enjoy outrageous flavor, high vibrational health and beauty boosting rawsomeness galore.

Yes, we can have it all!

Please enjoy this little slice of heaven. I made a smaller 6 inch cake with a glass dish I had in the cupboard. I simply lined it with saran wrap, let the cake set, then lifted it out with it's saran handles. Alternatively, one could use a 6 inch removable bottom cake pan or free form the layers by hand. If you want to make a larger cake just double the recipe. I topped my carrot cake with a sprinkling of large flaked dried coconut, chopped lime green pistachios, the candied zest* of a lemon and an orange, and lastly, some edible dried rose petals from the very last rose of the season in our garden.

This is my submission to Tinned Tomatoes & Fuss Free Flavours Bookmarked Recipes Challenge and to Ren Behan's & Feedingboys' Simple and in Season.

Raw and loaded with vitamins, minerals, and enzymes, this Carrot Cake with Lemon Chream Cheese Frosting is full of life!

Enjoy!

Recipe for Raw Vegan Carrot Cake with Lemon Cashew Cream Cheese Frosting

Serves 4 or 6 smaller pieces. This is a nutritionally dense recipe & a small piece is very satisfying)

Ingredients

Lemon Cashew "Cream Cheese" Frosting

NOTE: Below is a double frosting recipe since it would be a crime to run out of frosting mid-cake prep… + I love the extra in breakfast parfaits, as smoothie topping & as a divine mousse. However, feel free to cut this recipe in half if you wish.

2 cups cashews (soaked overnight, well rinsed & drained to remove enzyme inhibitors)
1/2 lemon peeled, seeded
1/2 tsp vanilla powder
2 Tbsp coconut nectar or to taste (or sub stevia)
pinch of celtic salt
coconut water as needed (or sub water)

Carrot Cake

4 or 5 large carrots peeled & chunked (I used 4 this time cause I forgot the 5th in the strainer basket)
1/2 lemon peeled & seeded
2 cups pitted dates
1/2 cup dried apricots (or substitute another 1/2 cup pitted dates)
1 pinky fresh ginger
2 Tbsp coconut nectar (or sub raw honey or maple syrup)
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp vanilla powder
pinch of celtic salt
Optional Cake Toppings: Sprouted nuts like pecans, walnuts, pistachios, dried fruit, candied citrus zest*, flaked raw coconut… its up to your imagination!

Method

**NOTE: You can (& should) make this cake a day or two in advance as the flavors meld & become even more fantastic with each additional day.

Blend all the frosting ingredients together in a high speed blender such as a Vitamix to create a thick, smooth "cream cheese" frosting, adding only as much liquid as necessary. Pop it in the fridge while making the cake.
Add all the Carrot Cake ingredients into a large food processor and pulse til fully incorporated and sticking together.
Press half the mixture into a 6" wide by 3" deep dish (ideally, use a removable bottom cake pan, I happened to have a 6" x 3" glass dish which I lined with saran).
Spread a thick layer of cream cheese frosting over the first cake layer and pop the whole thing into the freezer to set for an hour.
Add the second half of cake mixture pressing gently on top. Place cake back in freezer for an hour or overnight.
Remove the cake from the pan or dish and place on top of your cake plate (if using my saran method, simply lift out using the saran handles)
Frost the entire cake and decorate with your choice of toppings.

Do you have a favorite "traditional" recipe you'd like upgraded into a beautiful Vegan or Raw version? Share it below for a chance to have me recreate it for you!

Be sure to follow me on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, Twitter & YouTube to stay current on all things SN!

All Love,

Juliane

Thank you for visiting 🙂

Comment, Like, Subscribe & Share!

Food, Health, Nutrition & Wellness, Style

Spicy Sesame “Noodles”

Spicy Sesame Noodles…

Decadent. Rich. Creamy.

Tantalizing yumminess that delivers freshness, zip and zing in each and every bite.

Spicy Sesame Noodles… Indulging never tasted & felt this good!

Something this fabulous couldn't possibly be fabulous for you… yet it is! Indulge your tastebuds and your eyes with a gorgeous symphony of color and flavor.

Living Foods make us feel Alive!

I love to make Spicy Sesame Noodles for friends who always want the recipe 🙂 Serve it on white plates in pretty little stacks using a ring mold.

Packed with Antioxidants, Phytonutrients & Enzymes.

Make all your raw pasta dishes taste a whole lot better with perfect texture, by using my favorite tools: a spiralizer (best for squash), a coconut noodler (great for squash, cucumber & coconut) and a julienne peeler (for carrots).

Spicy Sesame Noodles are packed with Iron, Calcium and Protein

Enjoy this Living Foods rainbow of deliciousness & health!

The vegetables we use are limited only by our imaginations!

Carrots julienned using the julienne peeler.

Recipe for Spicy Sesame Noodles (2 large or 4 medium servings)

Ingredients:

Noodles

2 large yellow zucchini (peel for more of a pasta feel- or leave peel on for added nutrition & color) or 2 large baby thai coconuts, or mixture of both
1 small cucumber, peeled
1 carrot
1 red bell pepper
2 scallions or a handful chives
small handful cilantro, coarsley chopped

Sauce

(This is a double recipe of sauce. Feel free to cut in in half. Not having enough sauce for your noodles if your veg are larger than norm would be very sad. Simply store leftover in the fridge for soba noodles 2 days later.

2/3 cup raw sesame butter (or cashew or almond butter)**
4 Tbs low sodium tamari
3 Tbs ume plum vinegar or rice wine vinegar
2 -4 tsp garlic chile paste or my fav chili paste + 1 finely minced clove garlic
1 tsp (or to taste) liquid stevia (or honey)
lime wedges
1 -2 tsp sesame seeds for garnish (optional)

Method:

Spiralize the yellow squash. A coconut noodler is easiest for the cucumber- do not use the skin or seeds. A julienne peeler is best for the carrot. Very thinly julienne cut the red bell pepper by hand.
Add all the noodle ingredients (yellow squash thru cilantro) to a large mixing bowl. Gently combine with clean hands to incorporate.
Combine the sauce ingredients together in a small bowl, whisking with the tines of a fork til smoothly integrated.
Drizzle half (you can always add more later) the sauce over the noodles and toss gently to distribute. Add more to reach desired consistency if needed. Store extra in fridge for up to 2 days for use on more veggie noodles, soba noodles etc.
Serve on white plates, to show off the colors, using a ring mold to make neat stacks.
Spritz each stack with a lime wedge. If desired drizzle extra sauce over stacks & plate. Garnish with sesame seeds or chopped cashews or almonds depending on the butter you used (optional). Serve with chopsticks.

**This recipe does not use peanut butter or peanuts because even raw, organic peanuts are highly allergenic, susceptible to molds, salmonella and toxins such as aflatoxin, which creates congestion in the liver, is associated with liver cancer and shown to stunt growth in children. As if this were not enough reason to avoid them, peanuts are also pro-inflammatory, pesticide laden and contain anti-nutrients known as lectins. I know, it's a food we associated with fond childhood memories, however I encourage you to do your own research on peanuts.

Have you ever eaten at a Raw Vegan restaurant? Where did you go?

Do you have a Raw Vegan restaurant in your area? Which one?

Wishing you a fantastic weekend!

All Love,

Juliane

If you liked this post say thanks by sharing.

Food, Health, Nutrition & Wellness, Videos

The Lean Green Express

The Lean Green Express is a delicious, Living superfood
green drink for those mornings we don't have 30 minutes to make a fresh juice. This supercharged drink is so packed with powerful, energizing nutrition there's no need to
feel guilty when we can't make our fresh juice! The Lean Green Express is
an anti-aging, longevity producing, beautifying, detoxifying high vibration
energy cocktail that takes all of 2 minutes to prepare! Be amazing and
Live Beautifully my friends!

As always, leave your questions about this recipe, or
anything else, in the comments below. I'm always happy to answer them
quickly and in significant depth. Our comments section has tons of
really excellent, additional info thanks to all your fantastic, fun contributions!

All Love,

Juliane

If you liked this post say thanks by sharing.

Food, Health, Nutrition & Wellness

Epic Thai Coconut Smoothie

Fresh, young, Thai Coconut opened by yours truly!

Open one young, fresh, Thai Coconut carefully with a heavy cleaver (As shown above, on a very steady cutting surface, make four good whacks to make a square in the cone top of the coconut, keeping one hand behind your back as you whack. Tuck the back corner of your cleaver into one side of the square to pull of the edge. If you've cut deeply enough the whole square will pull right up.) Pour the gorgeous coconut water into Vitamix. Scrape out tender, creamy, interior meat and add to Vitamix also.

Save 1 or 2 delectable pieces (like the underside of the "lid") to savor on the side during preparation.

Sprinkle in a touch of organic Ceylon cinammon (Cassia is toxic). A twist or two of Himalayan Pink Salt. A dash of pure vanilla powder (optional)…

& bit of raw coconut nectar (which assists digestion, is low glycemic, low in fructose, contains 17 amino acids, a host of minerals & vitamins B & C and is hypoallergenic, non-toxic, antiviral/antifungal/antiseptic/antibacterial & antiparasitic!) or stevia or raw honey (ideally manuka).

Blend til creamy.

Add a little extra purified water to acquire desired consistency as the mixture may or may not be very thick depending on the amount of coconut meat in your coconut (the amount of meat varies quite a lot between coconuts).

Blend once more.

Lunch. One Fresh Young Thai Coconut Smoothie enjoyed by yours truly

Enjoy your exotic, insanely delicious & nutritious meal 🙂

Much Love,

Juliane

How do you enjoy eating coconuts? Share with us in the comments below!

If you liked this post, say thanks by sharing it.

Food

Homemade Granola

Homemade Granola~recipe adapted from Bob's Red Mill

I wanted to title this post, Vanishing Homemade Granola, because quite honestly, even if you make a double batch like I do, this delicioso meal/breakfast/snack-on-the-go will not last long! But alas, I've already used the dissapearing concept (see Vanishing Blueberry Ginger White Chocolate Cookies)

…but don't say I didn't warn ya!

Incredibly easy to whip up and SO very delicious, you'll wonder why you ever considered buying the pre-made stuff. Plus, it's easily customizeable. Just use the same ratios and sub in your favorite nuts or seeds, use maple syrup if you're out of honey, or perhaps add dried fruits like raisins & chopped apricots at the end… You get the idea. Point is, you'll KNOW what's in your fabulous version: delicious, healthy, satisfying ingredients that will keep you humming along happily for hours.

Homemade granola makes a most welcomed gift presented in mason jars- though I won't blame you if you can't bare to part with any of it:)

Homemade Granola Snack Cup

Homemade Granola (makes 15 servings)

Ingredients:

3/4 cup wheat germ
1/2 cup sesame seeds
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
1/2 cup shredded coconut
1/4 cup flaxseed
2 tablespoons poppy seeds
1/4 cup chopped nuts
3/4 cup + 1 tablespoon non-fat, powdered (dry) milk
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup coconut oil
2 cups Bob's Red Mill extra thick gluten-free rolled oats

Method:

1. Combine all dry ingredients together into a large bowl.

2. If necessary, soften honey by heating it gently. Then mix it with the oil, and water until well blended.

3. Stir liquid mixture into dry ingredients and mix well until all the dry ingredients are moistened.

4. Spray a rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray. Add the granola mixture to the cookie sheet and bake at 350° for about 35-45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes so mixture is evenly toasted.

**If desired, stir in your favorite dried fruit after baking.

Homemade Granola~recipe adapted from Bob's Red Mill Oats

What was your favorite after school snack growing up? Mine was graham crackers & milk. Problem was, Mom expected me only to have 1 or 2 crackers & I was always hungry enough for an entire sleeve!

Food

Tom Yum Soup

Tom Yum Soup

Who's ready for an insanely delicous, 15 minute Thai recipe?

Enter: Tom Yum Soup

This stealthy combination of silky-smooth coconut milk, lemongrass, shitakes, and ginger is rich and magical. Papery-thin slivers of chicken drenched in vibrant, buttery broth deliver perfection in every spoonful.

A dish this simple- yet so complex, so incredibly delicious, is a keeper in my repertoire! Soul warming, refreshing and filling at the same time. I’m obsessed

~ you will be too!

Ingredients for Tom Yum Soup

Recipe for Tom Yum Soup (Serves 4)

Ingredients (substitute tofu & vegetable stock for vegetarian version)

5 cups reduced sodium chicken stock
1 stalk lemongrass thinly sliced into rounds
1 inch piece fresh ginger root thinly sliced
1 large clove garlic, minced
1 tsp thinly sliced, fresh, medium-heat red chili pepper + slices for garnish (seed & devein for less heat)
2 cooked pasture raised, chicken breasts, thinly sliced across the grain **(See Note below)
1 ½ cups thinly sliced shitake mushrooms
3/4 cup coconut milk (DON’T use light!)
2 tablespoons fish sauce
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro + extra for garnish

Method

In a large pot combine first 5 ingredients (chicken stock through red chilies) and bring to a simmer for about 5 minutes.
Add remaining ingredients and simmer 1 minute.
Ladle into bowls adding extra fresh cilantro leaves & thinly sliced chili pepper for garnish. Enjoy!

**For perfect, easy roast chicken breasts: Preheat oven to 400F. Spray heavy duty, rimmed baking sheet with grapeseed oil (or canola) spray. Rub chicken breasts with a small amount of grapeseed (or canola) oil to coat and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast for 30-35 minutes or until cooked through. Let rest for 10 minutes in order to let the juices redistribute into the meat- otherwise those beautiful juices will all run out onto your cutting board & you'll be left with dry meat & no flavor!

Tom Yum Soup Simmering Away!

Questions of the day:

Do you have a favorite Thai dish?

What is your favorite cuisine?

Food

Coconut-Peach Yogurt Pops

Coconut-Peach Yogurt Popsicles

Before I launch into the recipe for these fabulously tasty popsicles, allow me to advise you to use a rectangular shaped mold for this particular flavor:) After many a lewd joke cracked by my husband, I realized the futility of attempting to photograph these pops in any other fashion than the above! (lol)

Coconut-Peach Yogurt Pops

Ingredients

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons honey (or use liquid stevia as I did for 0 cal!)
1 tsp vanilla extract (if you can, use Madagascar Extract, you will notice the difference!)
16 ounces frozen sliced peaches, thawed
1/2 cup coconut milk
1/4 cup Greek-style yogurt
2 tablespoons amaretto (optional)

Method

Purée honey and peaches in a blender until smooth.
Whisk in remaining ingredients.
Divide among molds. Cover; insert ice-pop sticks. Freeze until firm. Dip bottoms of molds into hot water for a few seconds to loosen pops. Remove pops from molds and serve. Enjoy!

Posts