A Not-So-Green Smoothie

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In an effort to work on detoxing and cleaning out my system, along with trying to make sure I get all my nutrients in each day, I have been working on making "Green" Smoothies. So... here's the deal... I HATE raw veggies... especially lettuce... with a PASSION. However, they are so incredibly good for you, so I figured the best way to get them into my system was to hide them.
 I found a basic recipe for a "green" smoothie that I thought might work for me since it is VERY basic and can be used in a large variety of formulas. I can't remember where I saw this basic recipe, but here it goes..

Not-So Green Smoothie

2 c Spinach, or Kale (I use spinach since it is less bitter)

2 c fruits of any variety

 (I usually put in a cup of berries for their great antioxidants, and a cup of other fruits like peaches and mangos to give it a boost of flavor)

1/2-1 c liquid

 (for extra protein and creaminess try using soy or almond milk, for a boost of flavor try adding 100% fruit juice, for good intestinal health try adding 1/2 c Kefir or 1-2 T Apple Cider Vinegar, or, of course, you can always just use water)

That is it! 2 c greens, 2 c fruits, and some liquids to get it going. Throw it in the blender on low, if it is having trouble mixing add more liquid, then bump the speed up to medium/high till it is thoroughly blended. Tada! You now have a healthy detoxing smoothie that tastes great and is great for you!  

If you truly want your smoothie to be green in color than use lighter colored fruits like apples, pears, or bananas. I am not a stickler on the color, in fact I am much more likely to eat it if it is NOT green, so I enjoy putting in berries which turn my smoothies a deep reddish purple color. So pretty AND delicious!!! 

Coconut Oil and Chocolates

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I have been doing some research on Coconut oil and was AMAZED with this SUPER FOOD!!!


Here is a great link to a website I found with 160 uses for coconut oil. http://wakeup-world.com/2012/03/02/160-uses-for-coconut-oil/ They even have uses for our 4 legged family members!!!

Now I don't know how people just take a spoonful myself, so I have been sneaking this miracle food into my cooking instead.

Here is, by far, my favorite way to eat my coconut oil..

Homemade Coconut Chocolates

3/4 c Coconut oil

1/2 c Cocoa Powder

1/2 t Vanilla

Stevia to taste

Crushed almonds or hazelnuts (Optional)

In a small sauce pan melt your coconut oil and cocoa powder until well incorporated. Then Add your vanilla and Stevia. Now with the original recipe I found for these chocolates found here http://wholeintentions.com/2012/08/chocolate-coconut-cubes-candida-diet-allowed/ , it states to only add a teaspoon of Stevia but I found that it wasn't nearly enough, so I just add a Tablespoon, and taste the mixture, then add a little more at a time until it reaches the right level of sweetness. The problem with Stevia is that if you add too much it will start to taste bitter, so you just want it nice and strongly chocolate-y that is just sweet enough to not be too bitter. (It is not milk chocolate!)

Once you reach the right level of sweetness you can add your nuts. Next, spoon your mixture into an ice cube tray and freeze for at least an hour or two. Once it is hardened you can just pop one out and enjoy!!! (Yeah right like you could really just eat only one...)

This snack has all the best qualities! Not only are you getting your super food: Coconut Oil! But you are also getting the antioxidant rich chocolate. Plus it is Dairy Free, Gluten Free, and Sugar Free!!! Perfect for any candida diet!

Owl Hats

I have been crocheting like CRAZY lately! My sister-in-law found a cute owl hat and wanted something similar, so this...

is what I came up with!!!

Yeah, for Cute Owl Hats!!!

A Muffin for Everyday

I have been on a HUGE muffin kick lately... However, having issues with candida, which include having issues with sugar, gluten, and dairy, it is pretty hard to find a good recipe for a muffin I can actually eat. So I took the idea for some baked oatmeal, and made my own Oatmeal Muffin Recipe!!!

Everyday Oatmeal Muffins

Makes 6 muffins

1 Ripe Banana (or 1/2 cup pumpkin, squash, sweet potato, etc...)

1/4 c Nut Butter ie. peanut butter, almond butter, etc. (or substitute 2 T melted coconut oil)

1/4 c Honey, Agave, or Pure Maple Syrup

1 egg

1/2 c Almond or Coconut Milk

1 t Cinnamon

1 1/2 c Oatmeal

1 t Baking Powder

1/2 c fruit or nuts (Optional)

Start by mashing up your banana or other squashy filler, then add the rest of your wet ingredients and combine well. Next add your dry ingredients mix just until it is all incorporated. Spoon mixture into lined or greased muffin tin, and bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes. 

Tada!!! Delicious dairy free, gluten free, low sugar muffins!!!

Now the beauty of this recipe is that it is VERY customizable!!! For instance: for a great banana muffin just use banana, coconut oil, and add some walnuts. For Pumpkin Muffins use canned pumpkin, Maple Syrup,  and add a dash each of ginger, nutmeg, and ground cloves. For a Pina Colada muffin use banana, 1 c oatmeal, and 1/2 c unsweetened coconut, then add some crushed pineapple. Try adding some dried blueberries, or chocolate chips to a banana muffin. Use up those leftover yams/ sweet potatoes to make a batch of muffins! The Uses for this Recipe are Endless!!!

Cure That Cold Quick

So this last cold I had terrified me! You see, for the past year whenever I catch a cold I wind up with some sort of infection (sinus, eye, ear, lung). It isn't pretty... I inevitabley end up at Urgent Care or the ER and prescribed mega doses of antibiotics which only make my problems worse! 

This time I was going to beat the cold before I got to that horrible point! I went to my local health food store and begged for a cold cure. The very nice and knowledgeable lady led me over to Oil of Oregano...

I thought "What the heck... it's worth a shot!" and bought a bottle. I took a double dose 3-4 times that day and was shocked the next morning when I realized my cold was almost GONE!!! I still had some lingering effects, but I felt GREAT! I was sold!!!

Oil of Oregano comes in two delivery methods. You can either get a liquid form that you take via dropper, or you can get a capsule form that you swallow just like any other pill. Being that I am not a fan of tasting my medicine I opted to the capsule form.
This cure works best if you catch the cold early on, at the onset of symptoms, but can still help kick the cold faster when taken later on.
So.. the next time you get a cold skip the engineered meds and reach for your Oregano and you will be feeling better in no time!!!

Pumpkin Muffins

I just found this recipe for Pumpkin Muffins on the Elana's Pantry blog http://www.elanaspantry.com/pumpkin-spice-muffins/ . They are gluten free, grain free, dairy free, low in sugar, and DELICIOUS!!!

Pumpkin Muffins

1/4 c Coconut Flour

1/8 t Salt

1/2 t Baking Soda

1 t Baking Powder (I added) 

1 T Cinnamon

dash each of ginger, nutmeg, and ground cloves

3 Eggs

1/2 c Freshly Roasted Pumpkin (canned wont work...)

1/4 c Honey

2 T Coconut oil 

1 t Vanilla

Directions

In a blender, mix the coconut flour, salt, baking soda and powder, cinnamon, and other spices. Then add the rest of the ingredients and puree. (Make sure that you scrape a spoon around the bottom of the mixer to loosen up and mix in all the dry ingredients otherwise those ingredients get stuck in the corners). Pour the batter into muffin cup lined muffin tin. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 min. Then Enjoy!!!

How to Roast a Pumpkin

Since this recipe calls for fresh roasted pumpkin, here is how...

First you want to cut the top stem off the pumpkin. Then cut the pumpkin in half length-wise. Next you want to firmly take a spoon and scoop out the seeds and inside slimy strings (why yes that is a technical term ;) ).

Next you want to spray, or lightly coat with oil, a sheet pan. Then place the pumpkin halves open side down on the cookie sheet and poke holes through the skin with a knife to help release extra steam.

Next you want to stick the pan with the pumpkin into the the oven and roast it at 375 for 20-30min.

You will be able to smell the pumpkin, the skin will look darker, and it will look soft and slightly shriveled when it is done.

Then just scoop out the inside, puree, and enjoy in your pumpkin muffins or other favorite recipes!

One small pumpkin yields about 2 c pumpkin.  Make sure that you use a Pie Pumpkin, or Sugar Pumpkin, not the kind for carving...

Spaghetti Sauce

Ok, so let me start this out by saying: I HATE it when people post a recipe but first they give you a million pictures and some stupid back story, along with how incredible their results are, while you are (not so) patiently scrolling down the post going "Where the heck is the recipe?!?" I am going to skip all that mumbo jumbo, and just give you the recipe already!

Ashley's Spaghetti Sauce

1-2 T Olive Oil

1 Medium Onion, diced

1 lb Ground Beef or Italian Sausage (For our Vegetarian friends add a lb of your favorite veggies instead of the meat!)

3-4 Fresh Tomatoes, diced (Or one 15 oz can diced tomatoes, but let's face it, fresh is best!!!)

1 28 oz can of Tomato Sauce

3/4 t each Garlic Powder, Salt, Basil, Thyme, Oregano

1/4 t Ground Pepper

1 Bay Leaf

Directions

In large soup pot heat olive oil, then add onion and saute for 3-4 minutes. When onions start to become translucent add the meat and cook through.

                                 

Once the meat is cooked add the tomatoes, then let it simmer while you assemble your spices and take the lid off your tomato sauce.

Next, pour in your tomato sauce, and add your spices.

Stir to incorporate, then let simmer over medium heat for 20 to 30 minutes while you are preparing your noodles. (Cover for thinner sauce, leave uncovered for thicker sauce)

For our non-sensitive friends, serve over whole grain pasta. For our gluten sensitive friends serve over a corn-quinoa pasta. And for our grain free friends serve over spaghetti squash. YUM!!!

Ok, now my back story...

This recipe, like my blog states, was invented out of necessity. The pre made sauces at the store are all filled with extra sugar and preservatives (some of which do in fact contain gluten!) So I went on the hunt to find a recipe for a sugar free, gluten free sauce that actually tasted great.

I found this picture on pinterest http://pinterest.com/pin/238901955203244088/ with a caption for the "Best Ever Pizza Sauce." Naturally I tried making the sauce and LOVED it! So I figured I would take some of the spice combination from that recipe, while omitting the sugar, add some tomatoes, onions, and meat (making it a much hardier sauce), so that it could serve as a great spaghetti sauce. The result was fantastic! It is so simple and clean and delicious! Plus it is sugar, grain, and dairy free! Who could ask for anything more!?!

I hope you like our sauce as much as our family does! Enjoy!!!