Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bars

/2 Comments/in /by

If you are looking for a pumpkin treat to share for the holidays or to keep for yourself, this one is a keeper. I make these for my husband all of the time then I individually wrap and freeze them so he can grab for a snack on the go or enjoy after dinner. Whole wheat flour, ground flaxseed, and canned pumpkin offer a healthier nutritional profile than typical bars. I use half cup oil and half cup of applesauce to ensure the bars are moist but contain less fat without compromising flavor.

Pair of Pumpkin Bars (640x480)

Dry Ingredients:

2 cups whole-wheat flour (regular or whole wheat pastry flour)

1 T. pumpkin-pie spice

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. sea salt

2 T. ground flaxseed

Wet Ingredients:

1/2 cup organic coconut (or canola) oil

1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce

3/4 cup sugar (organic cane sugar, sucanat, or turbinado)

1 large organic egg

2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 cup canned pumpkin puree

1 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 350.

2. Grease 9 x 13 inch baking pan with coconut oil.

3. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, pie spice, baking soda, salt, and ground flaxseed; set aside.

4. In a separate bowl, mix together oil, applesauce, and sugar until smooth.

5. Beat in egg and vanilla until combined.

6. Beat in pumpkin puree.

7. Fold into dry ingredients until just combined.

8. Fold in chocolate chips.

9. Spread batter evenly in prepared pan.

10. Bake until edges begin to pull away from sides of pan and a toothpick inserted in center comes out with just a few moist crumbs attached, 35 – 40 minutes.

11. Let cool completely in pan.

12. Cut into 12 or 16 squares.

These are great to individually wrap and throw in the freezer.

Pumpkin Bars (640x480)

Hemp Seed Pesto (Dairy Free)

/in , /by

I was craving salad for dinner tonight but wanted to add some oomph to it without adding meat. I started by hard-boiling some eggs. I noticed my basil plant was looking rather full out on the patio, so I took my scissors to it with pesto in mind, hehe.

This recipe is based from a great website called www.choosingraw.com. This is a great clean eating recipe made from all fresh, whole foods. Hemp seeds are used instead of traditional pine nuts or walnuts for this recipe. I love hemp seeds as they are a good source of healthy Omega-3s fats, high in protein, and high in: Iron (20%), Thiamin (20%), Phosphorus (45%), Magnesium (45%), Zinc (20%), and Manganese (110%). Hemp seeds are also a good source of: Riboflavin (6%), Vitamin B6 (8%), Folate (8%), and contain 3 grams of fiber in a 3 Tablespoon serving.

hemp seed pesto over salad (640x480)

Hemp Seed Pesto

Ingredients:

1 cup shelled hemp seeds (Manitoba Harvest is my preferred brand)

1.5 –2 cups fresh basil leaves, measure out by firmly packing into measuring cup

1 garlic clove

2 T. olive oil

2/3 cup water

sea salt and black pepper, to taste

Method:

1. Raid your basil plant and collect as many leaves as possible. Shoot for 1.5 to 2 cups. You can also use store bought. Rinse well.

2. Add hemp seeds to food processor and pulse for about a minute, until the seeds are ground up.

3. Add basil leaves, garlic clove, olive oil and pulse in food processor to combine.

4. Add water to make a creamy consistency.

5. Serve over fresh salad immediately or store in fridge.

DSC03573 (640x480)

Save Time: Make Ahead Lunches For Work

/2 Comments/in , , /by

Sunday night means a little bit of prep for the week ahead can go a long way and save you time when you need it the most. Here is a simple one pot dish that can be packed for lunches. This one features ground turkey with onions, red potatoes, summer squash, and bok choy.

Set your stove top to medium heat and add 1/2 pound of ground turkey to your stainless steel saute pan. Use a wooden spoon to break up the turkey while it’s browning. Chop up your onion and red potatoes and add while the meat is cooking since it takes a while to cook. Drain excess grease from pan if needed. Push meat to one side, tip pan and use paper towels to soak up excess fat. Fat is very hot, so use caution.

*Short cut tip, cut up your potatoes, put into a glass bowl, cover and microwave for 2-3 minutes. This saves in cooking time on the stove top.

Add cut-up potatoes, summer squash, and bok choy once turkey is fully cooked. Season with fresh ground sea salt (Himalayan pink sea salt is the best!), fresh ground black pepper, oregano, basil, anything you like. Turmeric is great too!

DSC03563 (640x480)

Cook until veggies softened to your personal preference.

Remove from heat, cover and cool about 30 minutes. Measure out equal portions and put into glass containers to grab and take to work.

These are delicious for lunch and great to pair with baby carrots, watermelon slices, or berries. This lunch is not huge so enjoy an afternoon snack about 3 hours later. Try pumpkin seeds with an apple, plain Greek yogurt with walnuts and local honey, or mashed avocado with crunchy celery.

DSC03566 (480x640)

Full Recipe:

Ingredients:

1/2 pound ground turkey

1 small onion, chopped

3 small red potatoes, washed and cubed

2 summer squash, washed and cubed

1 pound bok choy, washed and chopped

Spices to taste: sea salt, black pepper, oregano, basil

Method:

1. Heat a 3-inch deep sauté pan to medium heat. Add ground turkey and onion.

2. Break up turkey with back on a wooden spoon.

3. Drain fat from pan by pushing turkey and onion to one side, use paper towels to soak up fat and discard paper towels. Use caution, fat is extremely hot.

4. Place red potatoes in a small glass or ceramic bowl, cover and microwave for 2-3 minutes. This is to save cooking time.

5. When turkey is fully cooked and onion is starting to soften, add red potatoes, summer squash, and bok choy.

6. Cook until veggies are softened to your preference. Add spices to taste, fresh ground sea salt, ground black pepper, dried oregano and basil, even turmeric is great!

7. Remove from heat, cover and let cool for 30 minutes. Set a timer as a reminder.

8. Divide equal portions of food into glass containers  for lunches.

9. Store in fridge, then grab and go in the morning!

Easy Weeknight Grass-Fed Beef Taco Salad

/in , /by

taco salad (640x480)

Make life easy on yourself during the week with this easy beef taco salad! Cook the ground beef, add seasoning and water, cover and let it simmer. Then prep your veggies, pull out the organic non-GMO (recommended) chips and salsa and there you go!

Source: http://allrecipes.com//Recipe/taco-seasoning-i/Detail.aspx

Ingredients:

* 1 tablespoon chili powder

* 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder (optional)

* 1/4 teaspoon onion powder (optional)

* 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

* 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano

* 1/2 teaspoon paprika

* 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin

* 1 teaspoon sea salt

* 1 teaspoon black pepper

Directions:

1. In a small bowl, mix together chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, red pepper flakes, oregano, paprika, cumin, salt and pepper. Store in an airtight container.

Taco Salad:

Ingredients:

1# ground beef (preferably grass-fed beef or organic – no added hormones or antibiotics!)

1 batch Taco seasoning from recipe above

Lettuce – romaine, mixed field greens

Avocado, cut into chunks

Salsa of choice, Drew’s brand is really great or Publix Greenwise

Plain Greek yogurt as substitute for sour cream, can also mix with salsa – very yummy!

Tortilla Chips or tortillas if making tacos (whole grain)

Shredded cheese (optional)

1 can or 2 cups cooked Pinto beans

Method:

1. Cook beef thoroughly in deep skillet on medium heat.

2. Add prepared taco seasoning plus ¾ cup water (just like the packets!)

3. Bring to a boil, then turn down to simmer. Cover and let simmer for about 10-15 minutes or until water is absorbed.

4. For salad, spread lettuce onto place and top with beans, meat, avocado, cheese, and salsa.

5. For tortillas, fill with lettuce, beans, meat, salsa, avocado, and cheese.

Enjoy!!

Cool Off With Red Raspberry Fizz

/in , , , /by

Berries are in season mid-summer and a great way to enjoy them is in a cool drink. I picked up some fresh Driscoll’s berries at Publix and was inspired to create a mocktail, perfect on a hot day. I specifically seek out Driscoll’s berries if local are not available. They use high quality practices to grow delicious berries and none of their berries are GMO (genetically modified) or irradiated. That gives me peace of mind Smile

Raspberries are low in sugar, high in fiber, and a good source of Vitamin C. They also contain a ton of antioxidants which fight free radicals in our bodies and help lower inflammation.

To make this drink, pour 8 ounces of club soda (pure carbonated water) into a glass. Add ice if you like. Grab a handful of fresh mint leaves and fresh red raspberries. Wash thoroughly, then toss into glass. Find a cozy spot outdoors and enjoy!

This fun drink is delicious and low in calories and sugar. The mint and raspberries are a lovely cooling combination.

red raspberry fiz (480x640)

Ingredients:

8 oz club soda (pure carbonated water)

small handful of fresh mint leaves

small handful of fresh red raspberries

Method:

1. Pour club soda and ice (optional) into a glass.

2. Wash mint leaves and raspberries thoroughly.

3. Toss mint and raspberries into glass.

4. Sit back and enjoy!

red raspberry fiz close up (640x480)