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RECIPES

Brunch/ RECIPES

Cinnamon Maple Pumpkin Oatmeal

We have had some of the most beautiful fall mornings lately, here in Nebraska.  It has put me in the mood for all things fall!  I’ve sprinkled some fake leaves here and there throughout the house, got my fall colored couch pillows out, and set some candles, pumpkins and gourds all throughout the house.   I love fall!
I have also been craving fall foods.  I picked up a box of Cranberry Bread Mix from Trader Joes {yum} and I have had squash almost every day this week.  My skin is starting to have a nice orange glow:)
Mornings have been a little chilly, so my Overnight Cold Chia Oats just were not cutting it for me.  I wanted something warm, comforting and full of fall flavors. I had a few cans of pumpkin and went searching for a Pumpkin Oatmeal recipe.  This is the second recipe I have made, and in my opinion it is perfect!  Creamy, with a touch of cinnamon, salty and maple sweet– but not too sweet.  A healthy comfort food.
Cinnamon Maple Pumpkin Oatmeal {serves 1}
{adapted from All Recipes}
1/2 cup old fashioned oats
1 cup milk (I used almond)
1/4 cup pumpkin puree
3 dashes cinnamon
1 dash ginger
1 dash nutmeg
2 pinches salt
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2 tsp maple syrup
1 pat of butter {I used Earth Balance spread}
chopped walnuts {optional}
Add all but maple syrup and butter to a saucepan.  Bring to boil.  Reduce heat and simmer for about 5 minutes or until thickened.  Place in a bowl.  Add the pat of butter and a swirl of maple syrup.

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Drinks/ RECIPES

Tropical Green Salad Smoothie

{can you tell my hair is totally wack?}

This smoothie is pretty much a salad in a smoothie.  It is delicious! I often make it breakfast, along with a piece of high fiber toast.  I love that I am getting all of the benefits of eating a big healthy salad, without having to eat another plate of big healthy salad!  Slurping my fruits and vegetables through a straw can be much more fun than all that chewing.

 I use 2 whole cups of baby spinach which is so mild tasting that it disappears once you add the fruit.  I add a bit of flax oil, it is the “dressing” of the salad.  I add it to help get my omega’s in for the day.  On a simple day, I use only banana and then add a cup of ice at the end.  Today was more special, I happened to have frozen mango chunks and frozen pineapple tidbits (both in the freezer section at Trader Joes), so I added those.  My girls argued over “who got more” of this smoothie today.  Never seen kids argue over a salad before, have you?

*Put the ingredients into the blender in the order that I list them.  They blend much more smoothly if you do.

Tropical Green Smoothie
1 Tbls flax oil (optional)
2 cups baby spinach
1 banana (can be frozen or not)
1 1/4 cups milk  (I use almond or coconut.  Can use dairy)
1/2 cup frozen mango
1/2 cup frozen pineapple
(if not using the additional frozen fruit, add a cup of ice)
Sweetener of choice, if needed (stevia, honey, agave, or sugar)–usually not needed
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Add the oil, spinach, banana, and milk to the blender.  Blend until
spinach disappears into tiny green flecks.  Add the frozen fruit or ice.  Blend until smooth.
This recipe makes 26 ounces.
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**can add a scoop of protein powder and a touch more milk if you desire.  I use a vegan pea protein powder,  Plant Fusion Vanilla Protein Powder which I love.  I buy the vanilla flavor.

**you can pour these into popsicle molds and let the kids have green popsicles for breakfast!

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RECIPES/ Sweets

Kettle Corn Crispie Bars

My mother-in-law served these Kettle Corn Crispie Bars at our last family get-together. They were AWESOME.  They are crunchy, gooey, chewy, buttery, salty/sweet, chocolate-y squares of heaven.  Yes, I ate them, despite the sugar and dairy.  I’m a 90/10 vegan, and boy, were these worth taking up my entire 10.  They actually took more than my 10 because she sent some home with me.  I gave one bar to my husband and ATE the last 4 within a day.  Yes, I even hid them from the rest of the family.  These bars are naughty I tell ya and make you do naughty things.  Enjoy!
{had to show you the beautiful bottom of the bar. Isn’t that a beautiful bottom?}
Kettle Corn Crispie Bars
8 cups popped kettle corn (kernals removed!)
One 8 ounce pkg chocolate covered toffee pieces
1 cup pecans, chopped
2/3 cup light corn syrup
2/3 cup sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
5 TBS butter
3 TBS granulated sugar
1 tsp vanilla
12 ounce pkg semisweet chocolate pieces, melted
1/4 cup caramel ice cream topping
1 -2 tsp coarse sea salt
Line a 13x9x2 pan with foil, overlapping the edges of pan.
Toss kettle corn, toffee pieces and pecans in a large bowl
Caramel sauce:
Combine syrup, sugars and butter.
Bring to a boil over medium high heat, stirring constantly.
Reduce heat and boil gently uncovered for 6 to 8 minutes until sauce is a light golden brown.
Remove from heat and stir in vanilla

Pour over kettle corn mixture. Stir to coat.
Transfer to prepared pan, pressing firmly with back of spoon
Spread melted chocolate over top.
Lift out and cut into bars
If you like, drizzle with caramel topping and sprinkle with salt (yes, you’d like!)
Chill 45 to  60 minutes to set.
Makes 20 to 24 bars
**REMEMBER: TAKE OUT THE UNCOOKED KERNELS OF CORN BEFORE MAKING.**
 
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HOME/ Meals/ RECIPES/ Simplifying

Crockpot Dinners For The Freezer

I have no time today to write a post, so I thought I would share a super great post written by Stephanie of  Mama & Baby Love.  I am really excited to have stumbled upon her post at Pinterest.  
She writes about Crock Pot dinners for the freezer.  You buy and chop all ingredients in one day, freeze the meals separately, to be tossed into a crock pot for easy dinners throughout the month.
She includes 3 amazing-sounding recipes, which makes 6 dinners.  I love that her recipes are full of vegetables.

mabl
Go here to check out her recipes and her process of making Crock pot meals for the freezer!
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GF, Vegan & Raw/ Meals/ RECIPES/ Sides

Chilled Melon Soup with Kiwi Salsa

This is a lite, sweet treat that is very easy to make and makes quite a bit of soup!  My girls loved the kiwi salsa, it was their favorite part. The original recipe called for watermelon in the salsa, which would be so pretty, but I didn’t have any so we used bits of cantaloupe instead. We poured leftover soup into Popsicle molds for a refreshing frozen treat.

Chilled Melon Soup with Kiwi Salsa
{adapted from “If It Makes You Healthy“}
Serves 6
1/2 cup diced, cantaloupe (or watermelon)
1 kiwi, peeled and diced
2 good-sized mint leaves, chopped (optional)
1 medium sized ripe cantaloupe, peeled, seeded and chopped (about 3 cups)
6 ounces plain dairy or soy yogurt
6 ounces peach or vanilla dairy or soy yogurt
1/2 cup orange juice
11/2 tsp agave nectar or honey
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1. In a small glass bowl, combine the diced melon, kiwi and mint.  Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
2. In a blender, blend half of the cantaloupe, half the yogurts, and 1/4 cup of the orange juice on medium speed until very smooth.  Transfer to a plastic or glass container.  Repeat with the remaining half of these ingredients.
3. Whisk in the agave nectar and salt until all soup is well mixed.  Cover and refrigerate for 1-2 hours.  Serve garnished with the Kiwi salsa.
 
Healthy Eating/ Meals/ RECIPES

My New Favorite Lunch

I am having a ball exploring different plant-based foods.  My diet has never been more interesting and full of textures and colors.  No more boring sandwiches! 
The plate above consists of:
~French Lentil Soup (I make this recipe about every week!  Yum.)
~Creole Roasted Sweet Potatoes (recipe coming soon, another one I make and snack on all week)
~Spinach Topped with Raw Cashews
~Gluten-Free Lentil Crackers (I eat gluten, but bought them because they were on sale)
~Organic Green Grapes

I’ve also been making TONS of iced green tea every week and love drinking it with my lunch. I make an iced tea concentrate a couple times a week by doubling the tea bags.  I then store it in a mason jar in the refrigerator.  When I want a glass of iced tea,  I just add water and ice to some concentrate in another mason jar.  I sometimes use this Super Easy Iced Tea Concentrate overnight method.  When doing this, it reminds me to quick make my Perfect Iced Coffee recipe, as it too, is an overnight method. One cannot have too many great tasting beverages on hand!:)
Most days, I skip the overnight method and use one of my favorite kitchen appliances, an electric tea kettle.  It is great for heating water to the perfect temperature with just a flick of the button.  I really love it in the cold months, as it keeps the water hot for me all throughout the day.
My favorite brand if green tea Good Earth Lemongrass.  It is one of the only green teas that I don’t have the urge to add sugar to!  It is not bitter and the faint lemon flavor is delish.
What do you eat for lunch?
Do you have a favorite green tea?

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RECIPES/ Sweets

Fruit Pie With Apricot-Nut Crust

I’ve been eating a plant based diet for about 3 months now and I’M LOVING IT!  My taste buds have changed and I no longer crave animal products.  Eggs used to be my favorite food, now I don’t miss them at all.  I have had my blood work checked monthly and all of my nutrient levels, including iron, are exactly where they need to be.  
I realize this type of lifestyle eating is not for everyone, but I do know that everyone can benefit from eating more fruits and vegetables!  The recipes that I will be posting here at New Nostalgia will be mostly plant-based, as I post what I make and I am in a huge discovery phase when it comes to healthy plant recipes.  
While I have not been craving animal products or salt, I do have an occasional craving for sweet.  Because of this, I have been on a hunt for healthy recipes that will satisfy my sweet-tooth, and will please my family and pass for “dessert.”
THIS IS ONE OF THOSE RECIPES!  
It tastes like a treat but it is healthy enough to let my kids eat it as part of their breakfast!  It is super simple to make and contains no processed oils or sugar.  It is just fruit and nuts, baby!  Love it.
Fruit Pie With Apricot-Nut Crust {vegan, gluten-free, raw}
Ingredients for Crust:

1 cup dried apricots (the original recipe used dates)
1/3 cup walnuts
1/3 cup cashews
1/3 cup almonds
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1-2 Tbls water (do  not need if using dates)
Ingredients for Filling:

2-3 bananas, sliced lengthwise
4 ounces strawberries, sliced
4 ounces strawberries, blended into a puree
4 ounces raspberries
1 can mandarin oranges, drained
Blend the crust ingredients together in a food processor to acheive a sticky consistency.  Press the blended crust ingredients into a pie pan. ( I coated my fingers with coconut oil).  Lay the bananas on top of the crust and press along the sides.  Place the strawberry slices on top of the bananas.  Pour the strawberry puree over the strawberries and bananas, and press into the gaps.  Place the raspberries and mandarin oranges on top of the pie.  
Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour or longer before serving.

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