Drinks/ RECIPES

Chocolate Cashew Mocha Smoothie

This has been my go-to smoothie when I need a creamy and decadant snack. I love coffee and chocolate together, and the soaked cashews give this smoothie an amazing creamy texture. It is dessert-like, but so filling, and packs a great protein punch with 5 grams of protein. I love when my desserts are not just empty calories but actually have some nutritional value.

Not only are the cashews a healthful whole food, but cacao nibs are considered a superfood. Cacao nibs are my new favorite food, and they contain heaps of anti-oxidants to boot! They add a great texture to smoothies that reminds me of little chocolate chip bits. They are not sweet, but add a great chocolatey flavor to this smoothie.

Coffee Cashew Smoothie

via Shape.com

The creamy texture in this decadent drink comes courtesy of the cashews, which also add 5 grams of protein to help keep your blood sugar—and hunger—steady, Brazier says.

Ingredients:
1/4 cup cashews, soaked six hours or overnight (just add water to cover nuts and refrigerate)
1/2 banana, peeled and chopped (frozen optional)
1 tablespoon cacao nibs
1/2 cup Ice
1/4 cup cooled coffee
1 cup unsweetened almond milk
1/2 tablespoon coconut sugar (optional, or sweetener of choice)

Directions:
Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.

I added a bit of almond butter & cocoa nibs on top for pretty.

Nutrition score per serving: 361 calories, 7.5g protein

Drinks/ Healthy Eating/ HOME/ RECIPES/ Simplifying

Easy Iced Tea Concentrate Made In A Mason Jar!

Easy iced tea concentrate in a mason jar

I have a super easy way to make Iced Tea that does not include boiling water or sitting it in the sun all day, and uses a mason jar — which we all know I love!

Just take a jar, put in 4 tea bags, fill it to the top, screw on the lid and put it in the refrigerator overnight. In the morning, take the bags out and give them a little squeeze over the jar. Voila’…you now have iced tea concentrate!

When you want a glass of tea, pour about 1 part concentrate to 3 parts water into a glass of ice and stir. I adjust the amount of concentrate depending on how weak or strong that particular brand of tea is.

Here is the blog that I got the idea from, there are a bunch of comments regarding specific measurements if you are someone who likes more details.

*the picture above was taken before the jar sat overnight. The concentrate gets much more, well, concentrated:)

I plan on adding some fresh mint leaves or lemon balm from my garden for even more flavor. Herbs are incredibly good for you so this is a great way to take advantage of their health benefits.

GF, Vegan & Raw/ RECIPES/ Sweets

Peanut Butter Cream Filled Cupcakes With Fudgy Frosting {Gluten Free}

Don’t these cupcakes look scrumptious? They were. I can’t take credit for them, that goes to my amazing sister-in-law, Wendy. She had us over for dessert and I knew she would come up with something delicious…she always does. She has a son with Celiac disease and her desserts are always gluten free. I have found I am a big fan of gluten free desserts. They can tend to be a bit more dense than gluten desserts, and my palate LOVES that denseness and can never get enough of Wendy’s recipes.

These peanut butter filled cupcakes with fudgy frosting are actually a gluten-free cake mix, but the cream and frosting are both homemade. Wendy’s presentation was so beautiful and a major wow factor, and much easier than trying to get cream into each cupcake and perfectly frosting the tops. I thought they were just beautiful.

Are you drooling yet? Nothing like a cupcake that you must eat with a fork!

Isn’t her home and presentation of her desserts so pretty? I always tell her that when I come to her home, I could sit and stay forever. There are many reasons for this. Her home is beautiful, but never does one feel intimidated being in it. That is because Wendy is a beautiful person and just has a way of making those around her feel loved, cared for & wanted. She is a gift to me.

Angel food cake and peanut butter cupcakes

She also served angel food cake, with simple sliced strawberries and whipped cream. If you eat gluten free or have friends who need to eat gluten free, this is a great dessert to quick pick up at the market, slice some strawberries, sprinkle berries with a bit of sugar, and serve with cream. Easy!

Large bowl of strawberries on a kitchen counter

Back to the cupcakes, they do not have to be gluten free if you do not have a gluten sensitivity. Any chocolate cake mix will do…but…when I make them, I will use a gluten free mix, just because the denseness really made me happy and stood up to the cream and frosting.

PEANUT BUTTER CREAM

2 cups creamy peanut butter
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, softened
3-3 3/4 cups (16-oz. box) powdered sugar

Beat peanut butter and butter until combined. Add powdered sugar until desired consistency.

………………..

PERFECTLY CHOCOLATE” CHOCOLATE FROSTING

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine
2/3 cup HERSHEY’S Cocoa
3 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Melt butter. Stir in cocoa. Alternately add powdered sugar and milk, beating to spreading consistency.
Add small amount additional milk, if needed. Stir in vanilla. About 2 cups frosting.

Meals/ RECIPES

My Go-To Italian Pasta Salad With A Secret Key Ingredient

This is one of my favorite pasta salad recipes, I’ve been making it for years. It is not really even a recipe, it is another no recipe, recipe!

It just takes one pound of any shaped pasta, (I like using whole wheat pasta for extra fiber), 3-4 cups of chopped fresh veggies of your choice (I use carrots, broccoli, cucumber, red pepper and sometimes peas.) The dressing is your favorite Italian dressing about 1/2 bottle or to taste. The secret key ingredient is red wine vinegar. I sprinkle on about 1/4 cup or to taste. That is it!

I took it to our family 4th of July potluck and came home with only one little scoop left, which I had for lunch the next day. The flavors are even better the next day.

I like having this in the refrigerator during the summer to eat as a quick and refreshing lunch. The more veggies the better. I have been trying to have more veggies in it than pasta when I make it for myself at home. Gotta get those plant foods in!

Go-To Italian Pasta Salad Recipe
1 lb pasta, drained
3-4 cups chopped fresh veggies (I use carrots, broccoli, cucumber, red pepper and sometimes peas.)
1/2-1 bottle of Italian dressing (I used Paul Newman’s)
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
Optional: shredded parm cheese

Toss all together and refrigerate until serving. Can be made a day ahead.

Drinks/ RECIPES

Green Smoothie For Kids

I’ve been able to get more greens into my kids this summer than ever before, thanks to our new Vitamix blender. I have been wanting a Vitamix for years, and finally saved enough Amazon bucks (thanks to you all clicking on my amazon links in the sidebars!) to get one for our family. They are pricey, but MY WORD they are worth every penny.

We have been making green smoothies at least 5 times a week. I’ve been freezing them in Popsicle holders which my kids love. Kids are used to seeing green Popsicles, so this is a great way to get picky little ones to eat green.

Back to the Vitamix. I got the top of the line, the professional series 750 The difference in this blender compared to others is its power. I can make crushed ice in seconds. It chops our greens so small that they just end up coloring the smoothie, there are no tiny green pieces to get stuck between your teeth or for your kids to turn their noses up to. The series 750 has pre-programmed settings so I can walk away and let it do its thing. There is a smoothie setting, a puree setting (oh my the peach and strawberry puree’s I’ve made are to die for!) a soup setting (it whips so fast that it creates just enough heat to make perfect soup), and my fav, the self -cleaning setting. You just fill the container half full of water, add a drop of dish soap, and push the button. It cleans itself!

Here is more from the Vitamix website:

With all the quality and precision of a commercial machine and a quieter, more elegant design, the Professional Series 750 offers five pre-programmed settings, including a self-cleaning option. The ultra-responsive Variable Speed Dial and Pulse feature allow you to precisely chop and mix ingredients to your exact specifications, making this blender the ultimate sous chef for your home kitchen.

Five pre-programmed settings ensure simple cleaning, walk-away convenience, and consistent results for smoothie, frozen dessert, soup, and purée recipes.

Newly designed 64-ounce container is perfect for family meals and entertaining, while fitting comfortably under most kitchen cabinets.

It is big, POWERFUL, and I love it. If you have been thinking about getting a Vitamix, I highly recommend them! If you use this link from Amazon I will get percentage of your purchase, which I will put towards the food dehydrator I’ve been eyeing..and will be most grateful.

Shipping was free through Amazon and delivery was quick. I was a happy girl the day this came in the mail!

On to our green smoothie! This is a delicious smoothie that my girls really like. It has twice the amount of fruit most green smoothies have compared to greens, so it is a good started smoothie. As you get used to the flavor of greens, I encourage you to use less fruit and more greens.

Green Smoothie For Kids

2 cups (I use handfuls) or spinach or kale ( I used baby kale)

1 cup water

1 cup frozen mango

1 cup frozen pineapple

2 frozen (or not) bananas

Place greens and water in blender. Blend until greens pieces disappear. Add the fruit. Blend until smooth.

If you look at the recipe, it counts for 8 servings of fruits and vegetables. This recipe made enough for my 3 girls to have about 4 ounces each, and I had about 12 ounces, which means this counted for 4 of my 8 daily servings of fruits and veggies for the day! Not bad for a snack, huh? This is precisely why I am a big fan of green smoothies.

Isn’t the color amazing? This is sweet, tropical-tasting, and delicious!

The bananas make it so creamy. I always make sure I have frozen bananas in my freezer, as they are the base for most of our green smoothies.

More smoothie recipes to come!

What do you think of green smoothies?

Have you tried them?

What is your favorite fruit/greens combination?

GF, Vegan & Raw/ RECIPES/ Sweets

Creamy Chocolate Vegan Ice Cream

by Teniel Moore, Raw Foods Contributor

Do you love indulging in ice cream but always feel guilty afterwards?

I never do when I make this ice cream. It satisfies every desire for that rich creamy chocolate experience.

I’ve eaten it for breakfast or just as a snack. Give it a go and guarantee your kids will love it also.

Best part about it, it’s so easy to make.

YOU WILL NEED:

Ice cream maker ( I use a cheap one I got for $30 )

Container to store the ice cream in

High speed blender ( I use vitamix )

1/2 small frozen avocado- does not need to be frozen.

1 can of BPA free organic coconut cream

pinch of good quality salt (never use table salt)

small capful of vanilla

1 heaped tbs of raw cacao powder ( add more if you prefer a stronger taste )

2 tbs of raw honey (this can be replaced with coconut nectar or maple syrup if you prefer and will make it vegan)

You will need to plan ahead when making this by freezing your ice cream bowl overnight. Unless you have a fancy ice cream machine that does not require this step. Also pop your peeled 1/2 avocado in the freezer to freeze.

MAKE IT:

Pop all your ingredients into a high speed blender and mix till creamy and all incorporated.

Have a taste and adjust the sweetness to your liking. Try not to eat it all now because it is delicious just like this!

Then simply pour your liquid chocolate mix into the ice cream maker as per your ice cream maker instructions and turn on. Mine takes 20 minutes. It then can be eaten straight away or if you prefer pop it into the freezer to firm up even more.

CHANGE IT UP AND ADD THINGS LIKE:

Nut butter

Pecans

Almonds

Macadamia nuts

Frozen banana

Ginger

——————–

Raw Foods Contributor

You can follow her here:

{Facebook}{Instagram}

Super Delicious Spicy Peanut Sauce

This sauce is amazing used as a dip for spring rolls, egg rolls or as a sauce to top udon noodles. It is a breeze to whip up and smells delicious as it cooks. I think I will double it the next time I make it, as it is something I would love to have handy in my refrigerator for a few days. Make sure you adjust the spice to fit your tastes…or leave it out all together if spice is not your thing.

Enjoy!

Spicy Peanut Sauce:

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons onion, chopped

2 garlic clove, chopped

1-4 tablespoons red pepper flakes*

2 tablespoons vegetable oil (I used coconut oil)

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons water

2 tablespoon peanut butter

2 tablespoon hoisin sauce

2 teaspoon tomato paste or ketchup

1 1/2 teaspoons sugar

In a pot over medium-high heat, heat the oil and cook the onions, garlic and red pepper flakes.
Add the remaining ingredients and combine. Cook for about 5-6 minutes.
*If you’re not fond of spice, you can reduce or omit the amount of red pepper flakes in the recipe.

____________

Spring Roll recipe coming soon!

Older Posts

Newer Posts