Strawberry Paradise

My son Landon named this "Strawberry Paradise" because him and his friends love it so much.  His friend even asked for the recipe.  :)  I told him I would blog it so his Mom could print it for him.  He didn't even want to wait that long because he wanted to make it again for his family that day.  I thought that was so cute.  So now you know this is teenager approved!!  It's the perfect summer day afternoon refreshing drink.  It will give you the little sugar boost you're looking for :)  It's a healthier version of a frozen strawberry lemon or limeade. Enjoy!

Strawberry Paradise

Serves 3-4

2 c. water or sparkling mineral water

½ lemon or lime, peel on (only if using high powered blender. Remove peel if not)

20 drops liquid Stevia, regular or lemon flavored

2-3 T. lemon or lime flavored fish oil swirls (Barlean’s brand)

(Blend the first 4 ingredients first!!!)

2 c. of frozen strawberries (approximately-use more if a thicker slush is desired)

2-4 T. of sugar (if needed)

Blend the first 4 ingredients for about 30 seconds or until the lemon/lime peel is totally pulverized.  This step is necessary, otherwise you might end up with a lot of peel in your drink.  Then add the frozen strawberries and blend until there are no more chunks.  If needed, add 2-4 T. of sugar.  

Wildflower Green Smoothie

Wildflower Green Smoothie

(recipe demo at the Wildflower Pedalfest Women's Bike Race)

1 c. water

1 inch slice of pineapple (about 1 c.)

1 banana

1 orange, peel cut off

1/4 lime wedge, peel on

2 large handfuls of spinach

ice

agave, optional

Blend all the ingredients together except the ice.  Once the spinach is totally liquified, add ice.  If you would like it sweeter, add a little agave or another 1/2 banana.  Enjoy!!!

Red Quinoa, Mango, & Avocado Salad

If you bring this to your next party, I promise there won't be any left!!  The sweet mango combined with the savory beans & grains is a winning combination! 

Red Quinoa, Black Bean, & Mango Salad

1 c. red or white quinoa, dry (cooked according to directions)

2-3 avocados

2 mangoes, diced

1 red, yellow, or orange bell pepper (or 4 baby ones), finely chopped

1 can corn, rinsed

1 can low sodium black beans, rinsed

1 c. tomatoes, chopped (I prefer grape or cherry tomatoes)

1 bunch cilantro, chopped

1 jalapeno, finely diced (optional)

½ red onion, finely chopped

1 lime, squeezed

2-3 T. red wine vinegar

2 T. extra virgin olive oil

S & P, to taste

Cook quinoa according to directions & chill in the refrigerator for a couple hours.  You can cook it in advance up to a day or two before.  Chop all ingredients and toss together in a bowl.  Drizzle with vinegar, lime juice & oil.  Make sure your oil is extra virgin and if possible, get a good vinegar from the health food store that is “raw.”  Then you will reap the good health benefits from your vinegar & oil. Season with salt & pepper, if needed. 

You can use this as a dip, in a wrap, or on a salad!!  Enjoy!!

Here's a tip for cutting your avocado's into perfect little chunks:

Score them both ways, then scoop out with a spoon.

Look at all of the beautiful colors in this salad!!  This is health food at it's finest!! Gorgeous :)

 Enjoy as a dip,

in a wrap,

          or on a salad!!  

"No Bake" Granola Bars

"No Bake" Granola Bars

2 c. rolled oats (not quick cook)

1 c. crispy rice cereal (brown rice if you can find it)

1/2 c. unsweetened coconut

1/4 c. flaxseed meal

1/2 c. chocolate chips

1/4-1/2 c. chopped nuts (optional)

If you use nuts, you might need to add a little extra syrup

1/4 c. honey

1/4 c. brown rice syrup

(If you can't find brown rice syrup, substitute honey or brown sugar)

1/4 c. coconut oil

1 t. vanilla

Mix dry ingredients in a large bowl.  Melt wet ingredients in a pan over medium heat or melt in a glass bowl in microwave for about 30 seconds.  Pour the wet ingredients over the dry mix.  Mix well.  If you don't want your chocolate chips to melt, save them until after it is mixed and in the pan, then sprinkle with chocolate chips and push into mixture.  

Once mixture is coated evenly, push into a 8x8 or 9x9 pan that is sprayed or rubbed with coconut oil.  Let set in refrigerator for 2-3 hours so they will harden into bars without crumbling. 

Once set, cut into bars or square.  I like to keep mine in the refrigerator because they last longer and they don't fall apart as easily.  Just cover them or put them in an air tight plastic container. 

Enjoy your healthy snack :)  Your kids will love them too!

(You can see in the picture, the bars on the bottom had the chocolate chips in the dry mix when I poured the hot mix over the top, so the chocolate is more melted.  The bars on the top of the picture are how they look if you add the chocolate chips afterwards just on top of the bars.  Just make sure to push them down hard into the mix or they will pop off after they cool)

100% Whole Wheat Bread

100% Whole Wheat Bread

Makes appx. 4 loaves

(Easiest, yummiest bread ever! There is nothing like homemade bread!)

4 c  warm water (approx 110°)       

2 T yeast 

1 T  salt                                          

1/2 c vital wheat gluten

1/3 c  oil                                            

3/4 c honey

1 ½ T dough enhancer*

   7 c  whole wheat kernels, freshly ground to appx. 10 cups

      (Do not use more than 11 c. flour)

In electric mixing bowl (preferably a Bosch), with dough hook, place water, salt, oil, honey, dough enhancer, yeast and gluten flour.  Turn on mixer and slowly add freshly ground flour, 1 cup at a time, just till dough begins to clean off the sides of the bowl. You might want to add a cup or two of white flour to lighten your loaf a little if you are using red wheat flour or if your family is just getting used to wheat bread.  It helps the transition to whole wheat much easier!  Allow mixer to continue to knead for about 12 minutes.  Remove kneaded dough from mixing bowl.  Divide into 4 pieces of dough and place in 4 bread pans.  Cover with clean, lint free cloths, and let rise till double (about 40-60 min) Remove cloth and bake at 325 for 30 minutes.  When loaves are done, immediately remove from pans, and let cool on wire rack.  Place cooled loaves in plastic bags.  Freeze any loaves that will not be used within a couple of days. 

*Dough enhancer keeps bread from crumbling.

**Gluten, Vital Wheat is the natural protein found in wheat. It contains 75% protein. A small amount added to yeast bread recipes improves the texture and elasticity of the dough. This is often used by commercial bakeries to produce light textured breads. Available in bulk at health food stores or kitchen stores.

To add flavor, variety and nutrition to your breads, follow the one-third rule: just add any grain to your bread recipe as long as you do not exceed more than one-third of your total flour.  For example, if your recipe calls for nine cups of flour, you can use up to three cups of any grain you want, in any form you desire.  The grain can be flour, cracked, cooked or whole grain.  The other six cups of flour must be some form of wheat, red wheat, white wheat or white flour and or spelt.

The formula:  1/3 grain + 2/3 wheat type flour = mulit-grain breads

Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins (or mini loaves)

Today was one of those days when I had WAY too many brown bananas and needed to do something with them!  So here you go!  One of my favorite snacks :)

Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

3/4 c. coconut oil

1/2 c. sugar * & 1/2 c. brown sugar           

3 eggs

1 c.- 1 ½ c.  0% fat Greek plain yogurt or light sour cream

3-4 ripe bananas, mashed

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla

2 1/2 c. wheat flour

1/2 c. flax meal (or wheat flour if you don’t have any)

1 tsp. baking soda

1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1- 1 ½ c. semi-sweet chocolate chips

Cream coconut oil and sugars together for a couple of minutes in a mixing bowl or Kitchen Aid.  Add eggs, sour cream or yogurt (1 ½ c. for more moist muffins), and vanilla and mix until well combined.  Add the mashed bananas.  Slowly add the flour, flax meal, soda, and salt. You don’t want to over mix the batter, so just mix until moistened.  Then mix in the chocolate chips.  Spread into mini loaf pans, or muffin tins with liners.  Makes 24-30 muffins.  Put a heaping cookie scoop full of batter in each liner.  Should be about ¾ full of batter.  Bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes (for muffin tins), 30 min (mini loaf pans) or until center is done.

Let cool for a couple minutes, then invert onto a cooling rack.  I enjoy them most about 5-10 minutes after they have come out of the oven when the chocolate chips are still warm!  Yummo J 

·      Sugar can be substituted with “Stevia in the Raw” or “Truvia Baking Blend” sugar.  Use ½ c. of either substitute.  You may use even less of the Truvia baking blend if desired.  Just play around with it and see how sweet you like them!  If your kids aren’t scarfing them down then try adding more sugar until they do, then decrease it gradually!