Tag Archives: Gluten Free

Gingerbread Pumpkin Cups

You are definitely going to want to pop these in! These are a healthier homemade treat with all the flavors of gingerbread and pumpkin! The warming spices and the melty, but chewy texture of these Gingerbread Pumpkin Cups are so delicious and a special way of treating yourself without a lot of added sugar. The flavors are comforting and a perfect treat for fall and winter. The depth of flavor from just a small amount of molasses and the maple sugar makes these next level good! There is real pumpkin in them and also some wonderful, healthy spices.

The primary fat used in this recipe is delicious coconut butter. Coconut butter is a source of healthy fats, primarily saturated fats in the form of medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs). These MCTs are believed to be metabolized differently in the body and can provide a quick source of energy.

There is the perfect amount of sweetness to these Gingerbread Pumpkin Cups using a little maple sugar, which is derived from maple trees and is a natural sweetener with a lower glycemic index than white table sugar, and molasses which is rich in minerals and flavor. Both of these flavors together give these cups a really special, yummy flavor.

There is also pumpkin in these cups to give them a softer texture and a little pumpkin flavor to compliment the spices. Just two teaspoons of ghee gives them the buttery flavor. I like ghee because it is lactose and casein free for those with dairy intolerance, and it is tolerated by many. It is also rich in vitamins. A small amount was used in this recipe. It is a saturated fat, and should be enjoyed in moderation. I do love that ghee contains antioxidants, such as beta-carotene and conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), which may have various health benefits, including potential anti-inflammatory properties. Ghee has been used for centuries in traditional Ayurvedic medicine and Indian cooking. It is often praised for its potential health-promoting qualities. It also has a higher smoke point for cooking, so it is a good choice for roasting vegetables. These cups are gently warmed. I chose the ghee for the flavor in this recipe, and only used 2 teaspoons.

I have been enjoying one or two of these delicious Gingerbread Pumpkin Cups a day. I keep them in the refrigerator. If you want to make them vegan, substitute more coconut butter for the ghee. They will be a little firmer in texture.

Here’s the recipe. This will make ten using mini muffin cup liners. These are about two bites.

Gingerbread Pumpkin Cups

Line a mini muffin pan with ten paper mini liners.

Ingredients:

1/2 Cup plus 2 Tablespoons of Coconut Butter (my favorite brand)

2 Tablespoons of Canned Pumpkin

2 Tablespoons of Maple Sugar

1 Tablespoon of Blackstrap Molasses

2 Teaspoons of Ghee

1/4 Teaspoon of Cinnamon

1/8 Teaspoon of Nutmeg

1/8 Teaspoon of Allspice

a pinch of Ground Ginger

a pinch of Sea Salt or Pink Himalayan Salt

Directions:

Add all the ingredients to a medium saucepan, and warm over low heat, whisking until the coconut butter and ghee is just melted and everything is completely incorporated. You just want to warm and melt the ingredients not bring them to a simmer, because the coconut butter will seize and get hard. Scoop the melted ingredients evenly into the mini muffin cups, tap the pan on the counter to level the cups or smooth gently with a butter knife. Then, refrigerate until firm. Remove the Gingerbread Pumpkin cups from the muffin tin, and store in the refrigerator in a sealed container.

As always, I love to hear from you. Share this recipe with a friend.

Buffalo Chicken Tostadas, Gluten and Grain Free

Buffalo Chicken dishes are a huge fan favorite, and I can say I crave buffalo chicken! When I recently had a company I was unaware of offer to send me samples of their gluten and grain free Rise & Puff Tortillas with only 5 clean ingredients (cassava flour, tapioca flour, pure avocado oil, honey and sea salt) and no preservatives, I said yes, and started brainstorming a delicious recipe to make with them. These are the Rise & Puff Award Winning Tortillas with no added gums and quality ingredients that tasted delicious.

The sky is the limit with these tortillas, and I am so excited to find one on the market that toasted up nicely and remains flexible for folding, or you can toast it longer and it becomes crispy!

Let’s go! This Buffalo Chicken Tostada recipe has shaved purple cabbage and yellow onion for crunch, and Greek yogurt, a healthier alternative to sour cream, and creamy delicious avocado! I always feel like I’ve hit the jackpot when an avocado is perfectly ripe! You are going to love the homemade buffalo sauce that is bursting with flavor, and I used boneless chicken thighs, which are very tender and don’t dry out.

The buffalo chicken is made in a skillet on the stovetop, then you simply toast the tostadas in a pan and assemble them. I love that you can make the buffalo chicken in advance and reheat it when you want to make them. I am all about time saving and ease! It’s a crazy busy world, and this makes it easier to make them quickly with low stress when you have hungry people to feed, including yours truly. Nothing worse than a hangry cook! These are also great to have on hand in the fridge for breakfast tostadas with eggs, taco night, and quesadillas. There are a lot of recipe ideas on their website as well if you’d like more inspiration.

Buffalo Chicken Tostadas, Gluten and Grain Free

This recipe makes 6 to 8 tostadas.

Ingredients:

To Cook the Chicken:

2 Pounds of Boneless, Skinless Chicken Thighs

1 1/2 Tablespoons of Olive Oil

1 Teaspoon of Sea Salt

1/4 Teaspoon of Black Pepper

In a large skillet add 1 1/2 tablespoons of olive oil, and brown the chicken thighs on each side sprinkling with the salt and pepper. They do not need to be cooked in the center. They will cook as the sauce simmers.

For the Buffalo Sauce:

In a medium bowl, whisk together:

1/3 Cup of Franks Hot Sauce

1/4 Cup of Pure Honey

1/4 Cup of Ghee

2 Tablespoons of Coconut Aminos

1 Tablespoon of Garlic Infused Olive Oil or 1/2 Teaspoon of Garlic Powder

1/2 Teaspoon of Salt

1/2 Teaspoon of Black Pepper

To assemble you will need:

1 Package of Rise & Puff Tortillas

Thinly Shaved Red Cabbage

Thinly Sliced Yellow Onion

1 Ripe Avocado, Sliced

Plain Greek Yogurt

Directions:

After you have browned the chicken on both sides and whisked together the sauce ingredients in a bowl, pour the sauce over the chicken in the skillet. Bring the chicken and sauce to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer with the lid 3/4 on, so the steam escapes, for 20 minutes, or until the chicken is fork tender. Remove the lid and continue to cook on medium heat until the sauce has evaporated a good bit and is thick. Remove the chicken from the sauce onto a cutting board, and shred or chop. Add the chicken back to the skillet. Now you are ready to toast your tostadas and assemble. In a hot skillet with a little bit of olive oil (I used a coated cast iron skillet) toast the tortillas for 15 second per side, or until they have bubbled and browned. (see the photo)

Remove them from the skilled and assemble the tortillas by adding buffalo chicken to the bottom, following by shaved red cabbage, onion, avocado and Greek yogurt. Sprinkle with additional salt and pepper if desired. Enjoy!

I always love to hear from you! Leave a comment for me.

Farmhouse Fennel and Zucchini Frittata with Chicken Apple Sausages & Beautycounter Clean Skincare Holiday Sets Are Here!

Farmhouse Fennel and Zucchini Frittata with Chicken Apple Sausages

Eggs in a skillet with loads of delicious ingredients! Frittatas are the perfect way to use your vegetables, cheese and proteins in the fridge and reduce food waste. They are an easy, all in one skillet to oven meal that makes weeknight dinners easier. I think you are going to love this recipe for Fennel and Zucchini Frittata with fully cooked Chicken Apple Sausages. It’s one pan cooking, and an all in one meal. This would be good with a crisp green side salad. I made it in a heavy cast iron skillet with a ceramic coating inside called ‘The Always Pan’. You will need an approximately 10 1/2 inch skillet for this recipe that is oven safe up to 400 degrees F. If you use a larger skillet, that’s perfectly fine. Just shorten your baking time.

It seems like I am always creating main dish recipes that are fairly quick. That’s because I feel the stress of getting dinner on the table for a family every night, and I think chances are you do too. I like to make homemade meals as much as I can, because they are healthier, and the bonus leftovers help pack lunches the next day. This Frittata is also a great breakfast choice!

You can use this frittata recipe as a template, and substitute equal amounts of other veggies that you have on hand instead too. Frittatas are very versatile, which is another bonus about them. Other suggestions are green, red or yellow peppers, leeks, spinach, kale, mushrooms, broccoli and asparagus.

Here’s how to make it!

Farmhouse Fennel and Zucchini Frittata with Chicken Apple Sausages

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F.

Ingredients:

12 Large Eggs

1 Large Fennel Bulb, diced

1 Medium Yellow Onion, diced

1 Medium Zucchini, diced

1/2 Cup of Grated Parmesan Cheese

1 cup of Grated Irish Aged Cheddar Cheese (I like Kerrygold)

1 Package of Chicken Apple Sausages, or Another Chicken Sausage you like that is Fully Cooked (I used Butcher Box Sausages)

1/4 Cup of Milk of Choice

2 Tablespoon of Garlic Infused Olive Oil

2 Tablespoons of Butter of Ghee

1 1/2 Teaspoons of Sea Salt of Pink Salt

1 Teaspoon of Black Pepper

Directions: In your oven safe skillet, add the olive oil and butter or ghee. Chop your fennel, onion and zucchini. Add the fennel and onion to the skillet after the fat has melted and the skillet is hot along with 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Sautee these two vegetables, stirring occasionally until they are becoming tender. Then, add the chopped zucchini and another 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper, and cook for five more minutes. Meanwhile, whisk the eggs in a large bowl, add the milk to the eggs, the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt and pepper, and fold in the cheese, reserving about 1/4 cup for the top. Smooth the vegetables in the skillet into an even layer. Slice your sausages, and place them in an even layer on top of the sauteed vegetables. Now, gently pour the egg and cheese mixture over the sausages, and sprinkle with the rest of the cheese.

Place a baking pan under your skillet to catch any possible drips, and transfer it to your preheated 400 degree F. oven. Bake until golden and puffy and set in the center for 30 to 40 minutes.

This recipes makes 4 large servings or 6 regular serving

I’m so excited about these new safer beauty launches. What we put on our skin (our largest organ) absorbs into our bodies! Beautycounter’s 2023 Holiday Assortment has arrived! Yes, I am a consultant and use, trust and love them so much!

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Need a Fall Beauty Refresh? I do! Our Limited Edition Holiday Sets (14 sets!) include new formulas, new scents, new shades and a new category! It’s time to start your holiday shopping! You may not be in the holiday shopping mood yet, but we can always use some self care! So, go ahead and shop for yourself, you’re worth it!!

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**Keep in mind that these are limited edition sets and when they are gone, they are gone for good!! We have fewer sets this year, so this is your warning to shop early!!! But, you can get their amazing skin, body and lip care year round. These sets are always pretty special.

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I am so excited about so many of these sets! A few of my must haves is the Main Squeeze Lip Jellies in 5 shades. They are pocket sized and are ultra glossy in different flavors. I stock up every year. The Shimmer & Glow Makeup Duo has a gorgeous, talc free bronzing highlighter and a golden Lid Glow Shadow in a new shade! The Sugar and Silk Body Set (it smells AMAZING) and for all you Countermatch users, we finally have the travel size set!! There are 14 sets, so make sure you go check them all out!

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If you have wanted to give your skin extra glow, hydration and smoothness, this set has it all in one! This is the Polish and Plump Face Set! It’s Gorgeous for gifting and a wonderful skincare gift for yourself! This includes an entire smaller sized regimen. The Lotus Glow Cleansing Balm (I love this so much!) is multipurpose! —a hydrating cleanser that moonlights as an overnight facial mask, made with a soothing blend of lotus extract, jojoba seed oil, and avocado seed oil. For softer, smoother, radiant-looking skin in just 10 minutes, also included is our Mini Reflect Effect AHA Smoothing Facial Mask—This makes your skin as smooth as a babies butt! No kidding! It’s an exfoliating formula clinically proven to improve skin texture, tone, and radiance.* and to moisturize…Then the last step is, getting plumped up with the Mini Mighty Plump Ceramide Water Cream! It’s made with two forms of hydrating hyaluronic acid plus barrier-protecting ceramide! This formula works like filler and feels like skin care and delivers real results, real fast. It’s very lightweight.

All the holiday sets are packaged beautifully and the value is very good. For instance this set contains $116 worth of products, but is only $89 for three smaller but still generous sizes.

**Good Scents Hand Cream Trio for Smooth, Soft Hands is Beautycounter Holiday Pretty Set**

This is the hand cream trio in one of the 14 holiday gift sets. They are exclusive scents in a beautiful gift box. Beautycounter hand creams are wonderful year after year, and this is a set that *always* sells out. Aren’t they pretty?

Benefits:

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Featured Ingredients:

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Have a happy, health day!

**Beautycounter’s Safer Skincare Holiday Sets for 2023**

Buffalo Chicken and Ranch Oven Hashbrowns

The official days of Fall are almost here, and it is September, even though it has been pretty darn hot and humid, even up here in Northern Michigan! But that hasn’t stopped me from decorating my home for fall and dreaming up some new recipes for the crisp days coming when the football games start, kids are back to school, it gets more hectic, and we start craving hearty foods and always lots of flavor!

I don’t know about you, but I love a good hashbrown. But, they take so long to make and can be tricky on the stovetop, and by tricky, I mean, you can’t walk away from them. Buffalo chicken, potatoes and ranch all are crave worthy ingredients, and I thought, why not make a recipe using all these delicious foods that I can make quickly. Let’s face it, we are almost all juggling so much nowadays. Some days I feel like my whole day is a race, yet I am responsible for feeding an equally busy, hungry family, and I still want them to tell me how yummy it is. I have never been a “Grab it and Growl person”. My husband had that a lot growing up, and no disrespect to any loving mom. We all want good things for our children. I’m just an overachiever in that department and always have been having been trained by a mom who did mostly scratch cooking.

This recipe uses real food ingredients, and I added a shortcut! You can use a store bought quality rotisserie chicken as an option. (Make sure it’s gluten free if you are eating g/f.) They are very easy to find anymore, and it makes this recipe super quick. Also, if you have an Instant Pot, you can cook a whole seasoned yourself chicken in there during the day and have it ready and warm at dinner and just need to take it off the bone. Or…… cook the chicken the day before, debone and shred it for making this recipe the next day. Didn’t I tell you I have options for ya? I get it! Some days are crazy. I’m right there with you. But, there is nothing better on a crazy day than to make this feel good recipe! I even had leftovers for lunch the next day.

Let’s make Buffalo Chicken and Ranch Oven Hashbrowns!!

Buffalo Chicken and Ranch Oven Hashbrowns

Ingredients:

1 Whole Roasted Chicken, deboned and shredded (however you like to make it. Mine was in the Instant Pot seasoned with salt and pepper)

2 Pounds of Frozen Hashbrowns (I use Cascadian Farms 1 lb bags. I order from Thrive Market here.)

1 Medium Chopped Yellow Onion (omit if Low FodMap and substitute 1 Tablespoon of Garlic Olive Oil for 1 Tablespoon of Ghee)

4 ounces of Romano Cheese, shredded finely

4 Ounces of Asiago Cheese, shredded finely

3 Tablespoons of Butter or Ghee

1/2 Teaspoon of Onion Powder (omit if Low FodMap)

1/2 Teaspoon of Sea Salt

1/2 Teaspoon of Black Pepper

For the Sauce:

1/4 Cup of Frank’s Hot Sauce

4 Tablespoons of Butter or Ghee

1 Tablespoon of Apple Cider Vinegar

4 Tablespoons of Honey

I use my recipe for Won’t Miss a Think Ranch here. Make this or use your favorite clean ranch dressing.

Fresh minced parsley and basil for the top (optional) plus more hot sauce to drizzle on top if you like extra heat.

Directions:

Shred your chicken. Melt the buffalo sauce ingredients in a saucepan, and pour over the chicken and toss to coat it evenly. Set aside.

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. Let’s make the easy, crispy and absolutely delicious sheet pan hashbrowns in the oven. I’m getting excited now! 😉 In a large bowl, break up the frozen hash browns with your hands. If they are really frozen, you can use a meat pounder. Isn’t it convenient these are made from frozen and you don’t have to thaw them first? I love that for convenience. Add 3 Tablespoons of melted butter to the hashbrowns along with a medium chopped onion, the onion powder, Romano and Asiago cheeses, salt and pepper. Toss to coat thoroughly. Lay out a large rimmed baking sheet, grease it lightly and then lay a piece of parchment paper on top. Pour your hashbrowns onto the sheet pan and press them firmly down in one even layer. Bake the hashbrowns on the top shelf of your oven for 40 minutes until golden brown with crispy edges. Make sure to check them after 35 minutes as every oven is slightly different. You can make just the hashbrowns too!

When the hashbrowns are golden brown and crispy, pull them out of the oven. Make sure your buffalo chicken is still warm. If not, reheat it in the microwave. Now, dollop the shredded buffalo chicken on top the the hashbrowns as shown, drizzle with ranch and sprinkle with fresh minced parsley and basil and extra hot sauce if desired.

Take it to the table and serve it cut into squares with a large spatula! Can I say yum? It’s so good. I like to serve it with more veggies on the side and a leafy green salad.

Crustless Quiche Florentine (Spinach Quiche)

Ahhhhh! Spring has arrived in Northern Michigan! or has it? That is always the big question Up North. But oh the beauty of it when it does. Spring up here is fickle. We had glorious days last week with the daffodils blooming and the sunshine so warm on your skin. The weather was nice enough for a picnic outside, and I actually put out my repurposed, hand painted ladder back chair I am using this summer for garden decor with a pot of daffodils. Later I will replace them with petunias. See photo down below. But the snow this morning! It was just a skiff and will be melted by noon.

Nice weather always makes me crave a good quiche! This is a new recipe I have written for Quiche Florentine. It is so light and fluffy, and it popped up in the oven and browned beautifully. I used baby spinach and a good aged cheddar with plenty of pastured local eggs. It is delicious, and I am so glad there is a piece left for me for lunch today!

Crustless Quiche Florentine (SCD, Low FodMap, Grain Free)

Crustless Quiche Lorraine

Preheat your oven to 375 Degrees F.

Ingredients:

10 Ounces of Baby Spinach, sauteed in olive oil and sprinkled in salt

12 Pastured Eggs

4 oz. of aged cheddar cheese, shredded

1/2 Cup of Coconut Milk

2 Teaspoons of Dried Chives

1/2 Teaspoon of Salt

1/4 Teaspoon of Pepper

a pinch of Nutmeg

Directions: Grease a deep dish pie pan.

Sautee the spinach in a separate pan with a tablespoon of garlic olive oil, set aside.

Whisk the eggs with the coconut milk, salt, pepper, nutmeg and chives. Fold in the cheese. Pour the egg mixture into your prepared deep dish pie pan. Now, take the cooked spinach and using tongs, place it artfully on top of the egg mixture. Place the pan in your preheated 375 degree F. oven for 40 minutes on the middle shelf until the eggs are set and the top is puffed up. The casserole should register 165 degrees F. in the center. Cool ten minutes before slicing.

Let me show you it sliced!

The quiche is SCD Legal, Gluten Free, Grain Free and just delicious, real food ingredients.

This is the chair I repurposed for my garden this summer. What do you think? I found it at a consignment shop where I live and had a hole cut in the base and then primed and painted it in whimsical colors with flowers. We get quite a bit of foot traffic by our house in the spring and summer, so I thought it would be enjoyed by the passerby.

At the end of a long, productive day, I like to take a little me time to unwind, and one of my favorite ways to do that is by reading a good book. I recently discovered Viola Shipmen! I was browsing a local bookstore and found a signed copy of The Heirloom Garden. Oh my gosh! Don’t you get so excited when you find an undiscovered to you new author whose books thoroughly suck you in with strong female characters? Now I am reading The Summer Cottage by Viola Shipmen and have more to look forward to after that, with a new one coming out this Summer.

I find a great way for winding down is a good book and a soak in the tub. I’m using Lemongrass Spa’s new Rejuvenate Bath Soak, the luscious Lemon Sorbet body polish and Cactus & Guava body wash. Lots of lovely aromatherapy!

So how have you been doing? Leave me a comment below on your favorite Spring food. Here’s to a wonderful Spring!

Sandra

Mediterranean Lentils and Cannellini Beans with Sundried Tomatoes, Olives and Peppers, Benefits of Laughter and Lemongrass Gluten Free Lip Products!

**Mediterranean Lentil and Cannellini Bean**

Hi friends! I have so much to share with you today. Let’s start with this new delicious recipe that can be served as a side dish or a main. This combination of brown lentils, cannellini beans and savory sundried tomatoes, peppers and olives is super delicious and nutritious, packable the next day for lunches, and can be prepped in advance. It is great mounded onto a green salad, served alongside chicken and fish, and good hot or cold.

You will cook the lentils first and then pour a flavorful vinaigrette on them while still warm. They soak up all the flavor of the vinaigrette, and then you layer more flavor in with the tangy, savory and salty sundried tomatoes, olives, roasted red peppers and parmesan cheese!

Lentils are a nutritious and an inexpensive way to get in some wonderful nutrients, fiber, and improve gut flora. They are often overlooked, but so delicious! Did you know that a serving of lentils has 90 percent of your RDA of folate? They are also high in polyphenols and are a good source of zinc, B6 and other important vitamins.

I used Cannellini Beans in this recipe because they are a bigger bean and creamy. They are a good source of protein and fiber. You can use any bean in this recipe you like. My favorite brand of beans is Eden Organics because they soak them overnight and that makes them easier to digest.

Mediterranean Lentils and Cannellini Beans with Sundried Tomatoes, Olives and Peppers

Ingredients:

1 Cup of Brown Lentils cooked according to package directions

1 Can of Canned Cannellini Beans (I use this brand because they are soaked)

1/3 Cup of Kalamata Olives, sliced

1/3 Cup of Oil Packed Sundried Tomatoes, finely chopped

1/3 Cup of Roasted Red Peppers, chopped

1/3 Cup of Parmesan Cheese, Grated

Vinaigrette:

2 1/2 Tablespoons of Balsamic Vinegar

1 1/2 Tablespoon of Garlic Infused Olive Oil my favorite brand, or 1 fresh minced clove of garlic

1 Tablespoon of Dried Chives

1 Tablespoon of Dijon Mustard

1/8 Teaspoon of Salt

1/8 Teaspoon of Black Pepper

(Whisk the vinaigrette all together)

Directions: Cook the lentils according to the package directions. Pour over the whisked vinaigrette after they are fully cooked and all the water is absorbed. Set aside.

While the lentils are cooling, chop up your remaining ingredients and drain and rinse your cannellini beans under cold water.

Put the lentils with the vinaigrette into a medium bowl, and add the remaining ingredients except the cheese. After stirring in the vegetables, beans and olives, fold in most of the grated parmesan and keep a little to sprinkle on the top.

You can serve the dish right away while warm, or refrigerate it and serve it cold. It is good either way.

It feels so good to laugh, and there are reasons why. Laughter reduces stress, increases your intake of oxygen, helps deepen bonds with others, reduces anxiety, and helps lower blood pressure. Sounds good, right? Just make sure you aren’t laughing at the expense of others and it’s appropriate laughter. The average 4 year old laughs 300 times a day and the average adult over 40 laughs only 4 times a day. So, because laughter is so good for you here’s a bean joke, which seems appropriate for the theme of this blog post: What’s beans’ favorite hat? A beanie 🙂 Dad joke! So sorry.

**The Benefits of Laughter for your Health**

As my loyal readers know, this is a gluten free blog, because I have gluten intolerance, I write recipes that are gluten free. I also use ONLY gluten free lip and makeup products for the same reason. It is especially important for any lip products! I absolutely love all the Lemongrass Spa makeup and lip products, because they are #1 beautiful, and #2 ALL Gluten Free!!

**Lemongrass Spa Gluten Free Lipstick and Lip Gloss**

What’s really in your lipwear?

Since lipstick, gloss and balm are so readily ingested, it should be as safe as possible. I use Lemongrass Spa Lip products because ALL of their Lipwear is Gluten Free and Organic! They actually list all the allergens on all their products.

When navigating the cosmetic aisle, it’s hard enough to find the perfect shade. It gets harder still when you want to find a safe, non-toxic version of your favorite color! It’s especially important to look for safe lip wear because the lips are a very sensitive part of the body. Everything is gluten free, and the lip glosses, lip oils and lip tints are nut free also!

I trust Lemongrass Spa Organic lip wear in all the attractive, long-lasting shades, glosses and moisturizers!

What do you prefer ?

A) Lip Balm

B ) Lip Gloss

C) Lipstick

D) Lip Oil

E) Tinted Lip Balm

**Gluten Free Organic Lipsticks and Glosses from Lemongrass Spa**

**Gluten Free Lip Oils and Lip Balms from Lemongrass Spa**

Sundried Tomato, Bean and Sausage Frittata

Well hello! I hope the end of January is finding you well! We are craving warming, hearty meals here this time of year, and if you are busy, this one dish cast iron skillet meal checks all the boxes!! My hand is raised here. I am feeding a family of five who all seem to devour food like lumber jacks. No offense to the lumber jacks, but having three full grown children and a hard working husband with a hearty appetite in the house keeps me hopping! Fortunately, I have lots of help in the kitchen too. Clean up is my least favorite part of cooking. Especially the dish washing, and Doug is happy to get in there. He is an excellent scrubber.

This Sundried Tomato, Bean and Sausage Frittata is loaded with tasty ingredients like tangy sundried tomatoes, roasted red peppers, onion, pecorino Romano cheese for a sharp, salty flavor, savory sausage, and creamy white beans! My mouth is watering!

Who else loves a wonderfully seasoned cast iron skillet? It is non-stick when cared for properly and seasoned well, plus it is a wonderful non-toxic pan!

Let’s make an awesome, hearty frittata!

Sundried Tomato, Bean and Sausage Frittata

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. I used a ten inch cast iron pan. If yours is larger or smaller, it is fine, but the oven times will vary.

Ingredients:

1 Pound of Good Quality Pork Sausage

10 Eggs

1 Cup of White Navy Beans or Cannellini Beans (I use Eden Organic canned. Drain and rinse them under water in a colander before using.)

1 Medium Yellow Onion

1 Cup of Grated Pecorino Romano Cheese

1/2 Cup of Greek Yogurt

1/2 Cup of Green Onion (sliced)

1/2 Cup of jarred Roasted Red Peppers (chopped)

1/4 Cup of Olive Oil Packed Sundried Tomatoes (finely chopped)

2 Tablespoons of Olive Oil

salt and pepper

In your cast iron skillet, cook your sausage until brown and no longer pink. Remove it from the skillet to drain on a plate with paper towel. Wipe your skillet of excess grease. Then, melt your olive oil over medium heat and add the chopped yellow onion, a sprinkle of salt and pepper, and cook until translucent. While the onion is cooking, whisk together your eggs in a bowl along with the Greek yogurt, 1/2 cup of the Pecorino Romano cheese, 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper.

After the onions are translucent, fold in the rinsed beans and chopped roasted red pepper maintaining the heat at medium. Add the cooked sausage back to the pan and evenly mix the vegetables, beans and meat. With a spatula make an even layer of your mixture, then pour the eggs over the top. Do not stir! Sprinkle the Frittata with sundried tomatoes, sliced green onion and the remaining 1/2 cup of cheese. Place the cast iron skillet in your oven, and bake for approximately 25 minutes until set and the top is golden brown. Serve! This goes really well with a leafy green salad!

This makes six generous servings.

Guest Post: Traditional Spanish Tortilla

I am so delighted to welcome Max from My Health Food Service as a guest today! Max lives in Spain and is sharing with us an authentic Spanish Tortilla Recipe:

Spanish Tortilla (Tortilla Española) is a traditional dish from Spain that is made with potatoes, onions, and eggs. It is a simple yet satisfying dish that can be enjoyed as a main course, a side dish, or even a quick snack. It does require some practice to get it right, so don’t worry if you don’t nail it first try.

Ingredients:

Around 1 Kg of potatoes (about 5 medium sized potatoes)
1 medium-sized onion, thinly sliced
7-8 eggs
Salt and pepper, to taste
Olive oil

Feel free to use more or less of these ingredients. The quantities are not necessarily exact. Try to use around 0.7-0.8 eggs per 100g of potatoes.

Instructions:

Peel the potatoes, clean them and chop them up into slices as seen in the image below. Add some salt to the potatoes and stir.

Add the sliced potatoes to a pan with olive oil and fry them until they are soft and lightly browned. If you have an air fryer, use that as it will be a healthier option.
In a separate pan, fry the chopped-up onions on low heat until they are translucent. Once ready, add into a large bowl together with the potatoes
In a separate bowl, beat the eggs and pour them over the potatoes and onions. Gently stir everything together.
Heat a splash of olive oil in a pan on medium-high heat, and once ready pour the whole mix into the pan. leave for a few minutes, and then start separating the tortilla from the sides or walls with a wooden spoon.
Once you can reach down and move the whole tortilla with the spoon, and you can just see that the bottom is going golden brown but the top is still liquid, it’s ready to turn around. This is the most important part.
Get a large plate that can cover the whole pan easily and place it over the top. Place a hand on the top of the plate and hold it firmly whilst you lift quickly turn it over. The tortilla should be left on the plate. Most Spanish households have a special plate designated for flipping tortillas, like the image below, but any plate large enough to cover the whole pan fully will work fine.

Place the pan back on the fire and slide the tortilla back in, so that the golden brown side is now on the top, and flatten it out with a wooden spoon. Leave it for another few minutes until you can again see that the bottom is turning golden brown.
Once ready, place the plate over the pan again and perform the same flip as before, just to take out the tortilla.

Some people like to have a tortilla with a solid middle part and some people prefer the center a bit more liquid. Feel free to try both by leaving the mix a bit longer or shorter on the second side before taking it out.

The Spanish Tortilla can be served hot, warm, or at room temperature, and can be garnished with chopped parsley or chives if desired. It’s great as a main course, side dish, or even as a snack and it’s a great way to use up leftover potatoes. You can also add some diced vegetables such as peppers, zucchini, or spinach, or even some cooked bacon, chorizo, or other meats, to make it more hearty and filling.

If you liked this recipe and would like to see more content like this, please check out My Health Food Service. Feel free to ask any questions related, to the editor Max.

Delicious Spiralized Antipasto Zoodles Salad, Winter Health Tips, and Clean Skincare

**Winter Health Tips, Spiralized Antipasto Health Zoodles Salad and Safer Skincare**

Happy New Year friends!! The days are getting longer, and I am craving fresh, delicious, food that makes me feel good because of all the nutrients in it! This Spiralized Antipasto Zoodles Salad is full of all the flavor, is low in carbs and it’s fun to make…..because….zoodles are just so fun!

First off if you don’t already have a spiralizer, it is affordable! and a great investment in your kitchen accessories. I use my spiralizer frequently and is as necessary to my kitchen as a food processor and blender. This is my favorite spiralizer of the three I have tried. This one suctions to the countertop and makes a wonderful variety of spiralized shapes, and I have had it 5 years and it is still going strong. Oh, and this is a no cook recipe!

Delicious Spiralized Antipasto Zoodles Salad

Ingredients:

5 medium to small zucchini, spiralized (I used the FS Blade on my spiralizer)

1 Teaspoon of Salt to draw moisture out of the zucchini (see directions)

3 oz. of Sopressata, diced (I used Culinary Tours gluten free brand.) You can also use thin sliced Salami

1/4 cup of Fresh Basil, torn

3 Green Onions (scallions), sliced

Sliced Black Olives (I used a 3.8 oz. can)

1/4 cup of Roasted Red Peppers, diced

1/4 cup of oil packed Sundried Tomatoes, finely diced I use Mediterranean Brand Organic Sundried Tomatoes In Olive Oil

Dressing:

3 Tablespoons of Garlic Infused Olive Oil

3 Tablespoons of Red Wine Vinegar

2 Tablespoons of Good Olive Oil

1 Tablespoon of Fresh Lemon Juice

1 Teaspoon of Nutritional Yeast (adds umami and a cheesy flavor)

1/4 Teaspoon of dried Oregano

1/4 Teaspoon of dried Parsley

1/4 Teaspoon of Salt

1/4 Teaspoon of Black Pepper

Whisk all the dressing ingredients together in a bowl until emulsified.

Directions: Spiralize your zucchini. Spiralizing really magnifies the amount of zucchini. Look!

Place the spiralized zucchini in a colander over a bowl, and toss the zucchini in the teaspoon of salt. Let sit over the bowl for 30 minutes. The zucchini will release some juices. This helps prevent the salad from being watery. Zucchini has a lot of water in it. After 30 minutes, take a large serving spoon or rubber spatula and press the zucchini in the colander firmly to release more of the liquid. Now, we are ready to make the rest of the salad! Let’s go!

It really is just assembly at this point and so easy! Put your zoodles in a large bowl. Add the rest of the chopped, sliced and diced ingredients. Whisk up your delicious dressing, and pour it over everything. Grab you salad tongues and toss thoroughly, but gently. It’s ready to eat, or you can store it in the refrigerator until you are ready to serve it. It will just increase in flavor.

This Spiralized Antipasto Zoodles Salad is a wonderful addition to any meal or a delicious lunch. It’s pretty, fun, and healthy and good for you!

Now, here’s some health tips to get your through the winter months! Since the days are colder and darker, it is important to implement mindful self care for yourself.

Which of these have you already implemented and which ones are you going to add? Please reach out to me with any questions. I love to hear from you.

As far as the sunscreen in the winter goes, are you choosing a safe sunscreen? It defeats the purpose of protecting your skin if you are putting chemicals on that absorb into your bloodstream. I recommend Beautycounter safer sunscreen with non-nano zinc. It is the safest out there and also reef friendly. My family and I have been using it for 9 years now, almost as long as Beautycounter has been making safer skincare products. They celebrate their ten year anniversary in March, and I love their mission and the high quality and safety of their products. If you want to know more or go see all the safer skincare, makeup and family care they have, here is the link. I have been a consultant with them for almost four years now after using their products for several years before, and they are a highly reputable company that is changing laws for safer skincare and beauty for all, have a strong recycling and sustainability mission, and their skincare is high quality.

https://beautycounter.com/sandrashields

Getting through winter requires maintaining all areas of our health. This time of year we can get restless and tired of the constant darkness and cold. Many people suffer from seasonal affective disorder (SAD) which lasts through the winter months. Try these 12 health tips to help get your through the winter.

Enjoy the salad recipe! I plan on making this on a weekly rotation, wearing my sunscreen, and implementing winter health tips!

Healthy Chocolate Avocado Date Sweetened Pudding

There is not many who don’t like a sweet treat, but sugar can be very addicting and not good for our health. A whole foods diet rich in plants, healthy fats like olive oil, avocado, nuts, seeds and good sources of protein is very beneficial to our bodies and promotes health. This chocolate pudding satisfies my sweet tooth, and I know it is good for me. It is guilt free, creamy and chocolatey! It is sweetened with whole dates which are a natural whole food, plant based sweetener that contains the health benefits of antioxidants and minerals, and has creamy avocado that is full of healthy PUFA’s…..the good fat, raw cocoa powder that is a great source of antioxidants and a mood elevator (good for winter blues!), coconut milk for a creamy non-dairy pudding. If you want a touch more sweetness, a little bit of pure monk fruit can be added, but less sweetness in desserts is an acquired taste, so if you already are eating less sugar, you may not need it.

Here is to the healthiest you in 2023. I wish you a healthy, happy, bountiful new year and will be sharing other health promoting recipes and tips throughout the coming year!

Healthy Chocolate Avocado Date Sweetened Pudding

Ingredients:

2 Cups of Ripe Avocado, cubed

1/2 Cup of Full Fat Coconut Milk

6 Medjool Dates soaked in hot water for five minutes to soften and then pitted, Joolies are my favorite!

1/4 Cup of Raw Cocoa Powder

1 Teaspoon of Vanilla Extract

1/8 teaspoon of pure Monk Fruit I use this brand

a pinch of Sea Salt

Cocoa Nibs (optional)

Blend all the ingredients in a high speed blender until completely smooth. Spoon into 4 serving dishes, sprinkle with cocoa nibs and eat immediately or keep it in the refrigerator for up to two days. Enjoy!! I always love to hear from you!