In need of a healthy treat for road trips this summer? These date-sweetened, flourless almond butter cookies pack well and are adored by children...a treat you can feel good about giving!
I have not tried this recipe using other nut or seed butters yet. It's possible the recipe might work using roasted cashew butter or roasted sunflower seed butter. I've also only made these with eggs but since the recipe uses just one egg you might be able to replace it with a "chia egg" (1 tablespoon finely ground chia seeds whisked with 3 tablespoons of warm water).
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Cinnamon-Date Almond Butter Cookies (grain-free, dairy-free, gluten-free)
By Unknown
We've had a few hot days here lately in the pacific Northwest! My children and I created this super simple slushie recipe using fresh watermelon the other day. They wanted me to share the recipe with you so you could make it too! Once you make this version I hope you try it with other types of fresh fruit as well....it makes the perfect, refreshing summer afternoon treat.
This recipe would be suitable to enjoy during our Elimination Diet. If you haven't seen our new online program and book.....then hop on over to our website and check it out today. I created plenty of super satisfying, tasty recipes that are gluten, dairy, egg, corn, soy, nut, nightshade, yeast, and citrus-free! Many of the recipes are grain-free, legume-free, and low-FODMAP as well.
Read more »Watermelon-Lime Slushies (sugar-free)
By Unknown
This healthy little cookie recipe came to me in a flash the other day....all written out in my mind. I knew I had to get busy in the kitchen and make them. They turned out great the first time! Living in the Pacific Northwest we have an ample supply of hazelnuts so I like to use every opportunity I get to incorporate them into my recipes. If you don't have hazelnuts on hand try using raw organic almonds instead.
I use pastured eggs in all of my cooking. These types of eggs are one step up from organic and usually have a much darker, orangish-colored yolk. Pastured means that the hens had ample space outdoors to roam and peck around for bugs, ate organic vegetable scraps and a minimal amount organic grains. You can find pastured eggs at your local health food store, farmer's market, or even your neighbor! Just make sure that any grain that is fed to the hens is organic and GMO-free!
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Chocolate-Hazelnut-Goji Berry Cookies (grain-free, gluten-free)
By Unknown
If there was one thing you could do right now to improve your health would you do it? Eating raw cruciferous vegetables daily might be our saving grace in this increasingly toxic world. Cruciferous vegetables will upregulate or "produce" the enzymes your body needs to eliminate environmental toxins and properly metabolize estrogen. They also provide the sulfur, folic acid, and magnesium these enzymes need to function optimally. Worried about cruciferous vegetables causing thyroid problems? If you closely examine the scientific literature, you will see that people who have thyroid issues after eating cruciferous vegetables are iodine insufficient. Eating nori, cooking your beans with kombu, and eating wild caught Alaskan salmon are ways to increase your iodine intake. We (including our children) also take a kelp extract supplement daily. Researchers are now finding that environmental toxicants have a major role in the rise of thyroid related disorders.....so eating raw cruciferous vegetables protects your health on many levels.
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Creamy Almond Kale Smoothie
By Unknown
After my last post I received many requests to share a pumpkin hazelnut muffin recipe that was also egg-free. As many of you know, replacing eggs in grain-free baked treats can be quite a challenge. I've only had a few successes with it myself. So rather than spend hours in the kitchen trying to create an egg-free, grain-free recipe, I made it simple and worked with teff flour to create a moist, wholesome vegan treat that most everyone can enjoy.
If you have our new cookbook, Nourishing Meals, you'll notice how many recipes contain teff flour. This ancient grain is native to Africa but is now grown in the Snake River Valley of Idaho. I buy it in 25-pound bags from Azure Standard. It is definitely a staple in our house. Teff is rich in minerals, low in phytic acid, and of course gluten-free. It seems to be one of the easiest gluten-free flours to digest. I make my sourdough starter primarily from teff flour so we can enjoy Injera a few times a week. If you are looking for more vegan, gluten-free baking recipes that are nutrient dense (that don't rely on a ton of starches, sugar, or xanthan gum) then please check out our new book. All of the recipes are refined sugar-free, use whole grain gluten-free flours, nut flours, and coconut flour......and none contain potato or cornstarch!
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Pumpkin Hazelnut Teff Muffins (vegan, gluten-free)
By Unknown
I know it is a wee bit early to be posting pumpkin recipes. In fact, the winter squash and sugar pie pumpkins are not quite ready for harvesting yet in our garden; but these cool crisp mornings are beginning to remind me of spicy pumpkin treats! Yesterday morning I baked up a batch of these healthy gluten-free muffins to have for the children as an after-school snack. After school we went to the river and played until dinnertime. These muffins kept them satisfied until we finally sat down for a late dinner. Beautiful, sunny September weather calls us to spend a lot of time outside here in the Northwest.
I used organic canned pumpkin in this recipe. If you use puree made from a freshly baked pumpkin or other winter squash you may need to place it into a fine mesh strainer to let the extra moisture drip out. I have found that canned pumpkin has much less moisture than Homemade Pumpkin Puree.
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Hazelnut Pumpkin Spice Muffins (gluten-free, grain-free, dairy-free)
By Unknown
I've made homemade popsicles so many ways! You can puree whole fruit and pour it into molds, use any type of freshly pressed juice, or use mixtures of coconut milk or yogurt and fresh fruit purees swirled together. The other week when we had a whole counter full of freshly picked organic strawberries, I made strawberry fruit pops by chopping up a bunch of fresh strawberries, placing them into the molds and then filling them up the rest of the way with fermented apple juice. Does anyone else ferment their apple juice or is it just me? We accidentally did it a couple of years ago by leaving the jug on the counter for a few days because there was no room in the fridge. It is so bubbly and delicious, with far less sugar! Now if I buy a glass jug of organic apple juice I always leave it out to ferment, though too long and you begin to get Hard Cider!
This recipe is acceptable to enjoy during Phase 2 and 3 of our Elimination Diet! Yes you can have healthy treats such as these lovely popsicles while on a restrictive diet!
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Watermelon Whole Fruit Popsicles
By Unknown
Have you ever tried those salty seaweed snacks you buy at places like Trader Joe's? I know, they're addicting, we've tried them before and my children loved them! I won't buy them because they have so much packaging and because canola oil is listed as one of the ingredients (which is often genetically engineered). My 10 year old daughter has been thinking about a way to make them for months and she finally decided to figure it out last week. I asked her to write a "guest post" for me but she didn't want to. She did, however, write the recipe below but wanted me to "introduce" it.
When she makes these, the other children hover over the pans as they come out of the oven and devour them ALL in one sitting. She will then proceed to make another batch and quickly hide some of them for her lunch. Seaweed, with the addition of unrefined sea salt, is a very nutritious trace-mineral snack!
Here is Lily's recipe. I was amazed that she knew how to organize and write a recipe....must be from using my cookbook and cooking on her own. She asked me quite a few times what she should say next and I would reply: "what was your next step?" Then she would realize that she already knew the answer and proceed to type it up.
Read more »Homemade Seaweed Snacks
By Unknown
Warning: Kale Chips are highly addictive! There are so many different ways to make kale chips. Usually I just toss kale pieces in olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt. Blended cashews, red peppers, lemon, and nutritional yeast is another popular combination. Here I combine a little almond butter, lime, olive oil, maple syrup, and chili flakes to create a very addictive, yet healthy snack. This kale chip recipe is the perfect thing to bring to any spooky Halloween parties you may be attending this weekend!
Kale chips can be baked at a low temperature in the oven or dehydrated in a food dehydrator at 115 degrees overnight, or about 10 to 12 hours. I always have great intentions of making large batches of kale chips and then storing them in glass jars on the counter for the kids to munch on but they never make it that far. I prefer making kale chips with curly kale because all the good stuff that you drizzle over the kale tends to stick a bit more. But since we have a lacinato kale forest in our back yard that is what I have been using. Lacinato kale is also called black kale, Tuscan kale, or dinosaur kale by the way.
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Sweet and Spicy Kale Chips
By Unknown
It is harvest time and we are working on ways to not only preserve the harvest but also to use up nature's bounty while it is nice and fresh. Green smoothies are a great way to use up fresh produce. Plus, they are the perfect vehicle to deliver raw, digestible green vegetables to your children! We began giving green smoothies to our children when they were around nine months old. We always made them without lemon until they were at least twelve months old because citrus can sometimes be harsh on a baby's digestive system.
Offering smoothies when they are young primes their taste buds and other sensory organs, such as the eyes, to like and beg for these drinks. Children who don't get them when they are very young sometimes have a harder time adapting to drinking something bright green when first introduced. Our 3 year old twins love green smoothies. You can watch them help prepare a smoothie with Tom in this video when they were two years old. The other day, I told them that I was going to make a green smoothie but I was still busy in the kitchen with another project. One of my twins said...."mommy when are you going to make the green moothie......momMY, PLEASE make the moothie NOW!" After I made it they each gulped down about 12 ounces. If your child isn't fond of green smoothies, try making them with mostly fruit and maybe only one kale leaf, then, over the days and weeks that you make them, slowly add more greens to let your child's taste buds adapt. Keep trying! Sometimes it takes 15 times of tasting something new for your child to accept it. A straw can also make smoothie time fun! I don't buy plastic straws, but if I were ever to buy some I would purchase either stainless steel or glass drinking straws.
Harvest Green Smoothie
I have been making smoothies out of all of the amazing fruit and greens we have available right now. Honeycrisp apples and bartlett pears create the most delicious fruit base with lovely flowery undertones. The greens are sweet and delicious right now, not as bitter as they are in the middle of the summer. These cold, crisp nights cause them to become sweeter. We like to create green smoothies with whatever we have on hand. I have been freezing plenty of pears and peaches to use when these fruits are out of season. Right now there are plenty of varieties of apples to choose from, pears, grapes (blend the seeds in too), still some peaches, and of course plenty of dark leafy greens to choose from (kale, collards, carrot tops, bok choy, cabbage, arugula, spinach, lettuce). You can be very creative with your smoothie. If it doesn't taste right just add more fruit, lemon juice, or more greens. Please note that this recipe is designed using a Vita-Mix which can make about 2 quarts at a time. Cut this recipe in half if you are using a regular blender. This recipe is acceptable for Phase 2 of the Elimination Diet.
2 honeycrisp apples, cored and cut into chunks
2 small bartlett pears, cored and cut into chunks
1 white peach, pitted
1 lemon, juiced
1 chunk of ginger
3 to 4 cups water
3 to 4 collards leaves
3 to 4 kale leaves
2 to 3 large handfuls spinach leaves
Place the apples, pears, peach, lemon juice, ginger, and water into the Vita-Mix, blend until smooth. Add the greens, a little at a time, blend, and then add more greens, blend again until smooth. Taste the smoothie to determine if it needs more greens, fruit, lemon, or water. I usually taste it and if it too sweet I just keep adding greens until my Vita-Mix is practically overflowing with green smoothie! Source: www.NourishingMeals.com
Breastfeeding Update: Now that our daughter is a month and a half old I am making smoothies with kale and collards. I like to drink a quart at a time in between meals as a late afternoon snack (green smoothies are an awesome energizer!). For the first few weeks after she was born, Tom was making smoothies for me using just fruit, spinach, lettuce, and no lemon. She seems to be fine now when I eat many different foods including kale, collards, raw sauerkraut, a small amount of lemon or lime, and even cauliflower soup! You can read the post I did a few weeks ago where I talked about foods for a breastfeeding mama if you are interested.
More Smoothie Recipes:
Blueberry Cucumber Smoothie
Cherry Beet Detox Smoothie
Super Antioxidant Smoothie
Harvest Green Smoothie
By Unknown
I know my blog posts have slowed down quite a bit lately. Remodeling a house, finishing a book, and being pregnant have taken up most of my time. I wanted to share this very easy, nourishing popsicle recipe with you and your children. These popsicles are sugar-free, sweetened only with the fruit itself. Ripe honeydew melon is very sweet, in fact, when I make these with the melon and mint alone, my children think they are too sweet! Adding the cucumber balances the flavors and adds nutrients like silica, and extra potassium and vitamin C.
I made a large batch of this recipe the other day, thinking they would make a great snack during labor. I made about 15 popsicles in varying sizes. Today we have five left. I usually only keep foods in the house I feel comfortable having my children eat; meaning they can go into the pantry, refrigerator, or freezer at any time and make themselves a snack. Today, though, I needed to cut them off from these healthy popsicles!
Everything is ready now for the homebirth our new baby. I have scrubbed the house down, pulled out the cloth diapers, slings, and blankets. I've washed and folded the little newborn clothes. The girls are really looking forward to being "mini-doulas" helping get the receiving blankets and hats when the time comes, as well as anything else that needs to be done. It could be anytime in the next few weeks.....oh the excitement around here lately! The boys ask everyday when the baby is coming.
Honeydew-Cucumber-Mint Popsicles
I like to use a very ripe honeydew melon for this recipe. You could also add the juice from one to two limes for a refreshing tart flavor. If you don't have very many popsicle molds, I would suggest using either a small melon or half a melon and a medium cucumber. You could also add ice cubes to any leftovers that won't fit into the molds and make a refreshing smoothie. Please note that this recipe is also suitable for all phases of the Elimination Diet!
1 medium to large honeydew melon, seeded
1 large cucumber, chopped
1 large handful fresh spearmint leaves
Cut the melon in half, scoop out the seeds, and then scoop out the flesh into a bowl to catch the juices. Add the melon and juices to a blender or Vita-Mix. Then add the chopped cucumber and fresh mint. Blend until smooth. Pour into popsicle molds. Freeze overnight. Source: www.NourishingMeals.com
More frozen summer treats:
Watermelon Sorbet
White Nectarine Ice Cream (dairy-free)
Avocado Fudgesicles
Frozen treats from other bloggers:
Watermelon Fruit Popsicles from the Spunky Coconut
Banana Ice Cream Pops from Gluten-Free Goddess
Red, White, and Blue Popsicles from Cook It Allergy Free
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Honeydew-Cucumber-Mint Popsicles
By Unknown
These moist, delicious, high-protein gluten-free, sugar-free bars are made with almond flour, carob powder, and a touch of cinnamon. They are sweetened only with mashed banana and liquid stevia. Carob powder is naturally sweet unlike cocoa powder which is very bitter. This means that you do not need to add massive amounts of sweetener as you need to with cocoa powder. Carob is also a decent source of protein and high in calcium. Although carob doesn't taste like chocolate, it does have a sweet, nutty, molasses-like flavor that adds depth and a unique taste to your baked goods.
If you would like to replace the carob in this recipe with cocoa powder then I suggest either increasing the liquid stevia or consider adding about 1/4 cup of coconut sugar to the recipe. I use blanched almond flour in this recipe which is very different from the almond flour you find in most health food stores. It can only be ordered online and can't be substituted with other ingredients. I know many people who are gluten-free already use this flour. It is perfect for grain-free cooking and also adds tenderness, flavor, and nutrition to grain-based gluten-free baking.
Grain-Free Carob-Banana Bars
These bars make a nutritious, quick breakfast or a healthy after-school snack. Serve them with a glass of raw almond milk. I buy my almond flour from Lucy's Kitchen Shop here in Bellingham but you can also find it at Honeyville or Benefit your Life.
Dry Ingredients:
2 cups blanched almond flour
1/2 cup carob powder
1/4 cup arrowroot powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
Wet Ingredients:
2 large ripe bananas, mashed (1 heaping cup)
2 large organic eggs
1/4 cup melted virgin coconut oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
20 to 25 drops liquid stevia
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Oil an 8 x 8-inch glass baking dish with coconut oil.
Mix together the dry ingredients in a medium-sized mixing bowl. Use your fingers to break up any clumps in the almond flour. Then whisk the ingredients together. Set aside.
In a small bowl, add the bananas and mash with a fork. Measure the mashed bananas to make sure they are just over 1 cup. Add more banana if needed or remove some. Then add the remaining ingredients and stir together with the fork.
Add the wet ingredients to the dry and whisk together. Pour into the prepared baking dish. Bake for approximately 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Let cool before cutting into bars. Source: www.NourishingMeals.com
More Grain-Free Recipes:
Vegan Chocolate Brownie Cupcakes
Strawberry Coconut Milk Ice Cream
Raw Chocolate Pie
Carob-Banana Bars (grain-free + sugar-free)
By Unknown
If you are craving something sweet and simple this holiday season then this recipe might be quite perfect. Making your own carmel corn using maple syrup is quick and easy! Bring a bowlful to your next holiday party or place it in a holiday tin and give it as a gift to a teacher. All you need to make this is an 8-quart pot, a small saucepan, two large bowls, and a large cookie sheet.
I've made this recipe using both butter and coconut oil. Using butter creates a more traditional caramel flavor, however, using coconut oil creates a bouquet of flavors that makes the caramel corn quite addicting. Pictured here is the recipe made using coconut oil.
I have two more giveaways to share with you today, so please scroll on down and leave a comment to enter to win one of these amazing cookbooks!
Maple Caramel Corn
Serve a large bowl of this tasty popcorn at your holiday party. It also makes a great gift for a teacher! If you double the recipe then make it in batches. Popping one cup of popcorn will nearly fill an 8-quart stockpot!
2 to 3 tablespoons virgin coconut oil
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1 cup organic popcorn kernels
1/2 cup virgin coconut oil or butter
1 cup grade B maple syrup
few dashes sea salt
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
Heat an 8-quart stockpot over high heat for a minute or so. Add oil and salt, then popcorn. Cover and cook for a few minutes, moving the pot vigorously, until the popping has subsided. Then quickly remove from heat to prevent burning and pour popcorn into two large bowls (or one really large bowl if you own one)!
In a small to medium saucepan heat the coconut oil or butter, maple syrup, and a few dashes sea salt over medium heat. Once small bubbles form begin timing for 4 to 5 minutes. Cook, whisking occasionally until thickened and foamy. Quickly pour over popcorn in bowls and toss together using two large spoons. Spread into two shallow baking pans or cookie sheets and place in the oven.
Bake for 10 minutes stirring half way through. Let cool completely. Caramel corn will crisp up as it cools. Store in a tightly sealed container once completely cooled to keep it crisp. Source: www.NourishingMeals.com
And now on to the giveaways! I am giving away two amazing cookbooks today. The first one is Silvana Nardone's new gluten-free, dairy-free book, Cooking for Isaiah. And the second is Alisa Flemming's book Go Dairy Free! I reviewed Alisa's cookbook last April here on this blog and included her dairy-free nacho cheese sauce. You can read my review for more info on her book. 
Enter to win one of these cookbooks! In the past when I've done giveaways such as this one, sometimes the winner doesn't respond. Since your email address is not embedded in your comment it is up to you to check back to see if you've won. If you subscribe by email or RSS you will be notified in my next post.To enter, just leave a comment with your name or initials.
To enter twice, share this post on Twitter, then come back and leave another comment.
To enter a third time, share this post on Facebook, then come back and leave another comment.
This drawing is open until 10pm PST on Thursday December 16th, 2010.
This drawing is now closed, thanks for participating!
Update: The winner of Go Dairy Free is: hoopyscoopsmom! Could you please email me with your shipping address? Thanks! And the winner of Cooking for Isaiah is an Anonymous commenter who left their email address and have already been contacted! Thanks everyone for entering!
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Maple Caramel Corn
By Unknown
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