Amaranth Porridge [Vegan + Gluten-Free]

4/30/2015 0 Comments

Enjoy a warm bowl of porridge for breakfast with cinnamon, cloves, raisins and berries creating a healthy yet delicious way to start the day. Amaranth porridge is a popular breakfast in India, Mexico, Peru and Nepal. Amaranth is one of our favorite plants. Beside the fact that it grows like a weed, one plant produces 60,000 seeds, so it is grain-free and gluten-free. The greens are higher in nutritional content than kale and spinach, and can be popped into puffed amaranth. Amaranth is high in fiber, protein, and is a source key of other vitamins and minerals. We both noticed we felt light after eating this breakfast. I hope you enjoy this breakfast!

Total Time: 25 Minutes | Prep Time: 5 Minutes | Cook Time: 20 Minutes | Serves: 2

Amaranth Porridge

1/2 Cup Amaranth
1 Cup Water
2 Tbsp Coconut Milk
1 tsp Cinnamon
Dash of Cloves
Stevia to Sweeten

Top with:

1 Cup Blackberries
2 Tbsp Coconut Flakes
1 Tbsp Coconut Milk
1-2 Tbsp Agave or Maple Syrup

Directions:

Combine the porridge ingredients in a rice cooker, stir to mix and press cook. Relax as it cooks.
Once done, place berries around the edge.
Mix 1 the agave and coconut milk together, pour on top and sprinkle with coconut flakes. Serve hot!

Note: This will provide 2 servings at 316 calories each with 8.8 grams of protein and 9.9 grams of fiber and is 8 plus points for Weight Watchers.

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Creamy Pecan Butter Sauce

4/23/2015 0 Comments

Creamy Pecan Sauce is a wonderful sauce to dip vegetable wraps, rice wraps, smother over pasta, enjoy on salads and so much more. It is packed with flavor and really brings any meal, even roasted vegetables, to life! Enjoy!!!

Creamy Pecan Sauce

1/4 Cup Pecan Butter
1/4 Cup Water
2 Tbsp Tamari Sauce (or Soy for non GF)
1 Tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar
1 Tbsp Coconut Milk
1 Tbsp Tahini
¼ tsp Cayenne
Pinch Red Pepper Flakes
1 Tbsp Cashews (opt)
1 Garlic Clove – Peeled
1 tbsp fresh lime juice

Directions

Place the pecan butter and water in a blender, blend until whipped and creamy. Add the balance of ingredients and blend until smooth.
Pour into dipping cups for the rice wrap, save 1 tbsp for the soup.

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Mung Dip Yum [Vegan + Gluten-Free]

4/23/2015 0 Comments

We celebrated Mother Earth yesterday with garden fresh greens and herbs infused with 100% vegan and gluten free ingredients for an Earth friendly dinner for all of us earthlings! Gerald is on a roll today and came up with the witty name of Mung Dip Yum! This meal can be enjoyed for lunch or dinner. Mung Dip Yum contains rice noodles, fresh veggies, fresh herbs, veggie broth with a ginormous rice wrap on the side with creamy pecan sauce for dipping. A hearty meal that will leave you feeling refreshed and a full happy belly!

Tip, for kitchen harmony prepare everything first, then start cooking. I chopped and had everything lined up and then began. I first started by making the sauce and setting it aside in dipping cups. Then, I made the wraps and set them aside on the plate. After the first two items were ready, I proceeded to make the soup. It is easier for me to do each dish and then move on to the last so I stay calm and peaceful. This is what I find works best for me, do what works best for you!! Enjoy!

Total Time: 30 Minutes | Prep Time: 15 Minutes | Cook Time: 15 Minutes | Serves: 4

Mung Dip Yum

3/4 Carrot - Sliced into Fine Rounds
1/2 Green Chili Pepper - Sliced
1 1/2 Cup Mung Bean Sprouts
1 Cup Dark Leafy Greens
1/4 Cup Fresh Parsley
1/8 Cup Fresh Basil
1 Jalapeno or Serrano Pepper
3 Cloves Garlic, Minced
3 3/4 Cup Vegetable Broth
1 tsp Black Pepper
2 Tbsp Tamari Sauce (or Soy for non GF)
1 Tbsp Creamy Pecan Sauce (Below)
Salt, Pepper, Red pepper flakes
Opt: Boost with ginger to taste
150 grams - Rice Noodles (Tip use 1/2 of that amount for more soup like consistency vs. noodle)

Directions

Heat water or veggie broth in a wok or pot. Add the minced garlic and saute until fragrant over medium-high heat. Add the carrots and saute for 2-3 minutes.
Add the vegetable broth, sliced peppers, black pepper, tamari sauce, pecan sauce, and any additional seasoning and bring to a boil. Add the rice noodles and cook for 3 minutes.
Reduce the heat, add the greens and fresh herbs. Stir to incorporate. Stir in adding the sprouts right before you serve. Stir to incorporate and enjoy! Would also be good with tofu, add tofu cubes when you add the herbs in the boiling hot water.

Opt to serve with a Veggie Rice Wrap and Creamy Pecan Sauce - found in Sauces!

Veggie Rice Wrap

1/4 Carrot - Sliced Fine into Matchsticks
1/2 Green Chili Pepper - Sliced in Matchsticks
1/2 cup Mung Bean Sprouts
1/2 cup Cooked Rice
2 Rice Wraps

Directions

Place Rice Wraps in Warm/Hot water for a couple of minutes, pull out and fill with 1/4 cup cooked rice, carrot sticks, green chili and mung bean sprouts.
Wrap by folding the front and back inwards, take the left and wrap in and fold. Repeat. Set aside on plate. Opt to slice in half if serving 4, or increase the amount of rice wraps and filling. May be made ahead of time.

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Ki Lime Cookies [Vegan, Gluten-Free, Oil-Free]

4/22/2015 0 Comments

Happy Earth Day! I asked my husband, Gerald, what a good way to celebrate was and he said "Ki Lime Cookies!" I was so excited with his response I made some right away. In Sumerian text, Ki, refers to Planet Earth. Check out Gerald's site to learn more about the Anunnaki. I think the name is perfect! We tested the cookies and they are fantastic!

Sweet with a little tang. The cookie dough is soft and sticks together well and they're rolled in coconut sugar for an extra tasty treat. Enjoy these easy cookies. I whipped these up in and was eating one in about 30 minutes!

Total Time: 30 Minutes | Prep Time: 10 Minutes | Cook Time: 20 Minutes | Makes: 10 Small Cookies

Ki Lime Cookies

1 Cup Gluten Free Flour
1/4 Cup Coconut Sugar
1/8 tsp Salt
1/4 tsp Baking Soda
1/4 + 2 Tbsp Coconut Milk
3.5 tsp Lime Zest
Juice of 3 Key Limes (Ki Limes)
1/2 tsp Vanilla
1 tbsp Coconut Sugar to roll

Loving Preparation

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Mix the lime juice and coconut milk together, set aside. Mix the dry ingredients together in a large bowl. Mix the wet ingredients together in a small bowl, including the coconut milk mixture.
Combine the wet to the dry, mix until combined. With clean wet hands mix the dough together. Roll into 10 round balls. Roll the balls in coconut sugar and roll in your hand to distribute. Place on a cookie sheet about 2" apart and bake for 15 - 20 minutes or until desired consistency. I baked ours for 15 minutes and decided to go a few extra. Remove from oven, allow to cool on pan for 2 minutes. Cool on cooling rack for balance. Enjoy!!

Note: I find Coconut Sugar is similar in taste and texture to brown sugar, feel free to use that instead.

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Applesauce Muffins [Gluten-Free + Vegan]

4/21/2015 0 Comments

Moist applesauce muffins are a hands down keeper. These muffins are delicious, flavorful, healthy and very hard to resist.

If you want to double the recipe and freeze the balance they freeze fabulously and make a wonderful easy treat to enjoy at any time of the day.

We had ours with fresh squeezed orange juice this morning for breakfast. We may or may not have sampled another with coffee to ensure it was blog-worthy, it is! Cinnamon, raisins, applesauce, vanilla and oats come together magnificently. Plus muffins are so easy to eat, to take with you on the go, pack in your lunch, as a treat for your loved-ones or yourself! These are hard to keep around, enjoy!!!

Total Time: 35 Minutes | Prep Time: 15 Minutes | Bake Time: 20 Minutes | Servings: 12 Muffins

Applesauce Muffins

1 Cup Oats [Bob's Red Mill Gluten-Free]
1/4 Cup Coconut Sugar
3/4 Cup All Purpose Gluten Free Flour*
1 Tbsp Baking Powder
1/2 tsp Baking Soda
2 tsp Cinnamon
1/4 tsp Salt
1 Cup Applesauce
1/2 Cup Almond Milk
1/4 Cup Warm Water
1 Tbsp Flax Meal
2.5 Tbsp Coconut Oil
1.5 Tbsp Nut or Seed Butter
1 Cup Raisins

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Place 12 muffin liners in muffin tin.
Mix 1/4 cup warm water with 1 Tbsp flax meal and set aside. Mix together the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Mix together the wet ingredients in a small bowl, including the flax meal mixture. Combine the wet to the dry, trying not to over-mix. Fold in the raisins.
Evenly distribute the batter between the 12 muffin liners and bake 15-20 minutes, until a knife or toothpick comes out clean. Ensure not to over-bake for a moist muffin!

Notes

Use your favorite non-dairy milk
Trader Joe's offers an all purpose gluten-free flour baking blend. Bob's Red Mill also makes a nice blend. I like to make my own using this recipe: http://www.sarahbakesgfree.com/2012/05/sarahs-gluten-free-flour-blend.html
Use 4 tbsp coconut oil for a nut free version. Use 4 tbsp nut butter or seed butter for an oil-free option.
Use raisins and cranberries, cranberries, vegan chocolate chips, goji berries, nuts, seeds or whatever your heart desires!
5 Weight Watcher Plus Points Per Muffin - 163 Calories Per Muffin
Adapted from The Pioneer Woman

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Homemade Applesauce - 4 Ingredients [Vegan + Gluten-Free + Raw Option]

4/16/2015 0 Comments

Applesauce brings me back to Washington state where we lived on a couple acres and had some apple trees growing. We'd harvest the apples and my mom would have baskets and buckets full of apples. She'd get out her huge pot and spend the day in the kitchen making cups and cups of applesauce. We'd have so much we'd freeze it so we could enjoy it in winter months. I was so spoiled with the homemade applesauce growing up. As an adult, I'd buy organic applesauce at health food stores trying to find the right blend but to no avail. Love was missing! Love is such a key ingredient that often is overlooked.

We've tested this recipe 3 times and each time consumed the fruits of the labor willingly! We've tried it cooked, raw and cooked. Raw is easy, quick and very delicious but for me, the cooked version wins. Probably because that is how my mom made it and it reminds me of her. It tastes amazing, heavenly, the flavors dance together and tickle your senses. Now, you can make your own homemade applesauce. It's an easy no muss, no fuss recipe. Peel apples, core them, combine them in a pot with a few ingredients over med-low heat for 25-30 minutes and then blend them into a delicious applesauce. I don't recall my mom blending, we'll apply my husband's engineering side and optimize!!

Homemade Applesauce

6 Apples
1/2 cup Apple Cider Vinegar
1/4 cup + 1 Tbsp Coconut Sugar
2 tsp Cinnamon Sugar

Directions

Wash, peel and core the apples. Combine the ingredients in a pot over medium-low heat, stirring frequently for 25-30 minutes until the apples are soft.
Blend 1/2 of the mixture at a time in a high speed blender until very smooth. Enjoy immediately, store in the fridge or freezer to use in a variety of recipes or enjoyed on its own!

Notes

This is a low sugar version, feel free to add more coconut sugar as desired or your favorite sweetener. Use stevia for sugar free!
Use water instead of apple cider vinegar or mix it 1/2 and 1/2. Use apple juice.
Add your favorite flavors: vanilla, banana, chocolate, berry.. mix it up!
For the raw version use the recipe above modified with 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar with 1/4 cup water. Blend 1/2 of the mixture at a time until smooth adding more liquid and sweetener, cinnamon as desired.
I used 5 green apples and 1 red apple. Use any variety you please!
On FaceBook , DonHenrietta mentioned: "I use organic cinnamon sticks in water till it looks like tea add three different kinds apples cook until soft mash till a little chunky cool and enjoy." - Sounds like a new variation to try! : ) However you make it, make it to your liking with love and it will surely come out to please!!
Adapted from The Pioneer Woman

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Alkalizing Fiesta Salad

4/15/2015 0 Comments

Lately we've been eating raw food for the first half of the day with a cooked meal at night. We both LOVE the way raw food makes us feel. Vibrant, alive and energized. We just enjoyed a Detox Smoothie from the Oh She Glows Recipe Bundle filled with greens, fresh herbs, cayenne and more and I am feeling energized and ready to share this wonderful meal my husband and I enjoyed yesterday for lunch. I meant to make a light lunch, it turned out grander than planned. It is amazing how filling plant based foods can be!

We had a Fiesta Salad with carrots, zucchini, jalapenos, avocado, cilantro, lime and green olives covered in a Creamy Cilantro Lime Dressing. It was heavenly. I attempted to make a cheese dip but it was more like a big glob that dare not be shared until revised. It made us laugh at the consistency. Thankfully the salad offered more than enough good food to re-fuel and re-set our bodies. This salad can do the same for you! Envision fresh flavors at their finest that are high in alkalinity to help balance your body.

Fiesta Salad

1 Carrot - Peeled and Julienned
1/3 Mexican Squash - Peeled and Julienned
1 Jalapeno - Julienned (Less if desired)
1/2 cup Fresh Cilantro Leaves - Diced Finely
1/2 Avocado - Diced
1 lime - Squeezed
7 Green Olives Stuffed with Red Peppers (Opt) - Sliced
1/4 Cup Cashews
Opt: Serve with Oil Free Baked Tostadas and Cilantro Lime Dressing!

Directions

Wash and prepare the vegetables, placing the first six ingredients into two bowls evenly.
Gently combine the ingredients together, top with sliced olives and cashews.
Opt to serve with chips, I chose oil-free baked tostadas broken up with Cilantro Lime Dressing on top!

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Banana Berry Smoothie

4/11/2015 0 Comments

One can never go wrong with a banana berry smoothie! This is one of our favorite smoothie combinations and it is just bananas, berries and dairy free milk creating a very creamy, flavorful smoothie. I love to add boosters that you can't tell are there so we get our natural vitamins and minerals easily, first thing in the morning. I topped it with puffed amaranth, the health benefits continue to grow. Enjoy this easy yet glow worthy smoothie!

Total Time: 10 Minutes | Servings: 2 Smoothies

To enjoy take:

2 Cups Dairy-Free Milk (Almond Milk, Rice Milk, Coconut Milk..)
2 Bananas (fresh or frozen)
1.5 Cups Frozen Berries (I used Blackberries)
Opt: Protein powder, super-food editions (Ex: Moringa, Spirulina, Maca, Reishi, Flax, Chia....), stevia

BLEND, Pour, Enjoy!

Opt to top with:

1/4 Cup Puffed Amaranth (or granola)
1 Banana Sliced
A few Berries
Pinch of Coconut Sugar

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Black Bean Ensalada with Creamy Cilantro Lime Dressing

4/10/2015 0 Comments

Today we've been refueling our body with fresh raw meals. From green smoothies, fresh squeezed orange juice to this! An almost raw dinner with black beans, fresh vegetables, cilantro, lime and avocado with pecans on top. We had ours with a homemade healthy dressing made from avocados, cilantro, lime and even a little jalapeno to spice it up. This salad made us feel great! The flavor is sensational and we both ate our full bowl, leaving us feeling vibrantly healthy from all of the fresh living foods. One of our healthy habits is to take a walk before dinner, even if it isn't very big and get some movement in. Then we work up an appetite and are ready to be refueled. I hope you enjoy this healthy, delicious, brain-food, alkalizing, heart healthy salad! This meal is free of gluten, dairy, oil and is high in protein!

Total Time: 15-20 Minutes | Servings: 2 Salads

Black Bean Ensalada

1/2 cup pre-cooked Black Beans (Add more if you are hungrier!)
1 Carrot - Chopped Fine
1/4 Cucumber - Chopped Fine
1/4" Slice Red Onion - Chopped Fine
1 Green Chili - Chopped Fine
1/2 Cup Fresh Cilantro - Chopped Fine
1 Key Lime - Freshly Squeezed
1/2 Avocado - Sliced and Diced

Directions: In a food processor, pulse the carrot and place in the bottom of 2 bowls. Proceed with the cucumber, pulsing until fine, add on top of the carrots. Continue with the red onion, pulsing until fine and placing in the bowl. Continue with the green chili, pulsing until fine, placing on top of the other ingredients. Slice the cilantro, squeeze the lime, add the diced avocado and with clean hands gently mix together.

Creamy Cilantro Lime Dressing

1/2 Avocado
1/2 Cup Water
2 Key Limes - Freshly Squeezed
Opt: 1/2-1 Jalapeno
To Taste: Salt, Pepper (Opt: Red Pepper Flakes)
1/2 Bundle Fresh Cilantro
2 Tbsp Diced Onion

Directions: Combine the ingredients in a blender, pulsing for 60+ seconds until extremely smooth. It will thick and creamy. Add more water to thin if desired. Enjoy on top of the salad, top salad with a handful of pecans or your favorite toppings! Enjoy!!

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GO Vegan!

4/9/2015 0 Comments

Eating plant based foods can restore your physical body within a matter of months and in turn lead to spiritual growth. Eating pure living food is one of the easiest ways to nourish, cleanse and energize your body! Originally I didn’t start out for the animals, but as the years go on, my compassion only grows. I see the sentience in animals, even birds. I’ve become more sensitive to meat and dairy, even in food pictures. It no longer appeals to me, and I am so thankful for that.

The abundance of food and options is what really tickles me. I’m constantly learning new things in the kitchen from vegan cheeses, milks, butters and so much more. Raw vegan food has really helped us take our creativity and energy to a whole new level! I made a cheese today that had heart healthy ingredients with digestion cleansers instead of clogging our arteries or giving us bad cholesterol. I love it!

Go Vegan Today! Here are some reasons:

For your health – Heart disease, cancer prevention and much more!
To save healthcare costs
Anti-aging, potential to repair DNA damage
Healthy digestion
Restore alkalinity
Control weight
Nutrition
Detox and Cleanse constantly
Healthy Bones
Insulin, blood pressure, cholesterol and inflammation health + again, much more!
For the PLANET! For Mother Earth!
For your FAMILY!
For YOURSELF! We’d like you to stick around, ya here!
For the CRITTERS!!!! Stop the animal abuse! Love is the way!
Read more here! http://nutritionfacts.org/topics/plant-based-diets/

I got asked today (again) “what about protein?” on a recent posting. I looked up the protein content of that meal and it was 31 grams for a smoothie, oil free fries and guacamole! Not bad! That was only one meal. I also recommended watching the Forks Over Knives movie as it explains how we don’t need as much protein as we are trained to believe we do. My husband and I maintain strong physiques as well as many other vegans. The benefits outweigh the desire for meat and dairy in my opinion. Although, this is my opinion after being vegan for 5 years now! I recommend trying a plant based lifestyle TODAY! Even if you can only visualize it, do that! Then try one meal, then one meal per week and so and so forth. You can do it!!!

~ Love & Light! ~ Christa