Monthly Archives: August 2014

Raw Blueberry Energy Bars

Raw Blueberry Energy Bars

It can be hard to find snack food that is prepackaged and clean. What I mean by clean is free of dairy, soy, gluten, added sugar, corn and other allergens. I miss the days when I was out and could just grab a bar of some kind that sounded good when I needed something quick. I don’t leave the house anymore without some kind of emergency snack. Here is my recipe for Blueberry Energy Bars that are really delicious! They are sweetened with dates. The ingredients are all nutritious and will give you energy. I make these in my food dehydrator.

Blueberry Energy Bars

You will need a food processor and a food dehydrator for this recipe.

Ingredients:

1 Cup Raw Walnuts

1 Cup Raw Almonds

6 Medjool Dates (pitted)

1/2 Cup Finely Shredded Unsweetened Coconut

1/3 Cup Dried Blueberries

1 Tablespoon Vanilla Extract (Pure SCD Legal)

1/4 Teaspoon Himalayan Pink Salt

In a food processor, place the dates, walnuts and almonds and pulse until finely chopped. Add in the coconut, vanilla extract and salt. When it is all incorporated and starting to stick together (so you can form bars) add the blueberries and pulse a few times until they are incorporated. You want them to stay pretty much whole. On a teflon lined or parchment lined dehydrator tray, form the mixture into a dozen bars. Dehydrate for 22 hours at 105° degrees. Let cool, then individually wrap the bars.

You have a portable, delicious snack to take with you!

Raw Blueberry Energy Bars

Flavorful Golden Beet Sautee

These beets are magically delicious. Even if you think beets taste like dirt like several of my family members do…these do not! It is because of Nom Nom Paleo’s recipe for Magic Mushroom Powder. It is really insanely magical!

Flavorful Golden Beet Sautee

You can use any color beets you like. I used golden beets I found at my local market because they are pretty, but any variety will do.

Ingredients:

3 large beets or 5 medium, peeled and cubed into 1 inch cubes

1 tablespoon coconut oil

1 tablespoon Magic Mushroom Powder

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Directions: Melt your coconut oil in a large sautee pan and add the beets. Sprinkle with Magic Mushroom Powder and Pepper and sautee until starting to brown. Cover the beets for approximately ten minutes to soften and cook through. Then remove the lid again and continue sauteeing until the liquid is absorbed. Serve.

You will want to use this seasoning for many things. It stores in a jar for a long time just like any other seasoning salt. It does not add a mushroom flavor to your food, it adds umami. I would love to hear what you think!

Food As Medicine

Toasted Hazelnut-Vanilla Nut Milk & Lattes

Toasted Hazelnut Vanilla Nut Milk.jpg

Are you a hazelnut lover? I have this new recipe for Toasted Hazelnut-Vanilla Nut Milk that I adore with my cold brew iced coffee and matcha green tea. Nut milks are nutritious and easily made at home without the fillers and gums that can be difficult for your digestive system.

The nuts are plentiful in mono-unsaturated fatty acids and also essential fatty acid. Also, nutritionally, they contain Folate, B-Complex Vitamins, Copper, Magnesium, and Iron. They make delicious milk!

You can make the milk with raw hazelnuts, but toasting them boosts the flavor profile and makes the milk even more delicious. There is just three ingredients to make the milk. You do need a high speed blender and a nut milk bag. The nut milk bag is very inexpensive and handy to have around.

Homemade Nut Milk Tools. High Speed Blender & Nut Milk Bag

Ingredients:

4 Ounces Hazelnuts (Toasted & Skins Removed)

2 Tablespoons Pure Vanilla Extract (SCD Legal)

6 Cups of Filtered Water

1 Pinch Himalayan Pink Salt

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350° F.

On a parchment lined cookie sheet toast hazelnuts in one layer in middle of oven 10 to 15 minutes, or until lightly colored and skins are blistered. Using a lint free kitchen towel, wrap the nuts hot from the oven and let them steam 1 minute. Briskly rub nuts in the towel to remove loose skins (don’t worry about skins that don’t come off) and cool completely.

Place the nuts, vanilla, water and salt in your high speed blender and blend for three minutes. Pour into the nut milk bag and drain the liquid squeezing gently at the end to extract all the liquid. Pour into a pitcher or storage container and refrigerate. It stays fresh for about a week, if it lasts that long.

Makes 6 cups

Here are some of the ways I love to use it. You can also use it as you would any milk in your recipes and baking where you want a hazelnut flavor.

Make a Matcha Green Tea Latte!

Directions: Whisk 1 teaspoons of Matcha Green Tea into 1/4 Cup of hot water. Stir in 1 cup of Toasted Hazelnut-Vanilla Nut Milk and pour over ice. It is so refreshing!

Iced Hazelnut Matcha Green Tea Latte

Use it in Coffee for a delicious Hazelnut Flavor without the Syrups. Iced or hot! Here I made iced coffee with a cold brew coffee, ice and toasted vanilla hazelnut milk. You can choose to add honey if you like your beverages sweet.

Toasted Hazelnut Milk Iced Coffee

Eat Your Nutrients!

Asian Pork Ribs

Oh my gosh, who doesn’t love succulent ribs! I made these last night for my family, and they were tender, juicy and flavorful! You can get them marinating the day before you make them. They are cooked in the oven low and slow, so are perfect for a weekend dinner. I served them with golden beets and Chinese eggplant.

Asian Pork Ribs

Ingredients:

3 to 3 1/2 pound rack of pork ribs

Marinade:

1/3 cup chopped fresh ginger

1/4 cup garlic infused olive oil (the brand I use)

3 Tablespoons Clear Honey

2 Teaspoons Pink Himalayan Salt

1 Tablespoon Black Pepper

3 Kaffir Lime Leaves (optional, provides a mild citrus flavor)

3 Tablespoons Coconut Aminos

1 Tablespoon Jarred Anchovy Fillets

1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper

Asian Pork Ribs with Golden Beets, Chinese Eggplant and Salad

Directions: Blend together in a high speed blender all the ingredients for the marinade. Place the ribs on a foil lined, rimmed cookie sheet, and coat thoroughly with the marinade on both sides. Cover with wrap and place in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours or overnight. When ready to cook, remove from refrigerator and heat your broiler on high. Broil both sides of the ribs until browned and starting to caramelize. About 5 minutes a side. Remove from the oven, and set your oven on 250°. Cover the top of the ribs with foil and tightly seal. Bake in oven 4 to 4 1/2 hours until ribs are very tender.

Asian Pork Ribs

Eat Your Nutrients!

Ming is Almost Pure Angel!

She really is! I have always loved dogs. All that unconditional love they are so good at lavishing on humans. Ming was a Christmas gift two years ago. She was a tiny, fluffy, little butterball that fit in the palm of my hand. She is the first dog that was mine, and I am her person. I have never been a dog’s person before. We have had dogs in our family, but Ming, Ming adores Me. She follows me around the house, and in the evening when people are lounging around, it is my lap she seeks. I love her snortle breathing, her cute wrinkly face, her antics, and her love of food. Since finding this cute little collar tag this summer, whenever Ming, Ming is less than angelic, my family comments, “I guess her one percent is coming out!” I feel so lucky to be Ming’s person and that she is a part of my life. She really is an angel, even when she isn’t!