Total Health Counseling

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Grain Free Pumpkin Bars

December 18, 2013/in Recipe /by phiggins

I’ve been making pumpkin bars for a few years now, the original recipe is loaded with gluten so my husband was the only one in the house enjoying them. I decided to get sneaky and go grain free on this revamped recipe and the results are amazing. My husband even likes them, they don’t taste fake or weird, they are awesome!

Try these out today – incredible and are relatively healthy too. Yay Smile

Dry Ingredients:

2 cups Bob’s Red Mill Garbanzo and Fava Bean flour

1 T. pumpkin-pie spice

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. sea salt

Wet Ingredients:

2 T. ground flaxseed mixed with 2 T. water, set aside for 5 minutes

1/2 cup organic coconut 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 (I use Enjoy Life dairy free 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.

4. In a small bowl, mix together ground flaxseed and water; set aside for 5 minutes to gel.

5. In a separate bowl, mix together whisked egg, coconut oil, applesauce, vanilla, and sugar until smooth.

6. Beat in flax with water until combined.

7. Mix in pumpkin puree.

8. Fold into dry ingredients until just combined.

9. Fold in chocolate chips.

10. Spread batter evenly in prepared pan.

11. Bake until edges begin to pull away from sides of pan and a knife inserted in center comes out clean, 35 – 40 minutes.

12. Let cool completely in pan.

13. Cut into 12 or 16 squares.

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

Do you have any recipes you made grain free or gluten free that taste awesome?

Please share in the comments below, I’d love to hear from you!

XO,

Pam

Espresso Roasted Pork and Brussels Sprouts

November 12, 2013/in Product, Recipe, Review /by phiggins

This weekend we had a really exciting wedding in the family. My brother-in-law got hitched and there was so much wonderful time with family and friends in celebration of this amazing event.

The wedding was in held Delray Beach, so on Sunday morning we all joined again for brunch then meandered downtown in Delray. We stopped at The Ancient Olive, I’m totally obsessed with all of the interesting and high quality olive oils and vinegars.

I picked up this gem, limited edition Butternut Squash Seed Oil, from upstate NY town Geneva, NY, near where I grew up.

A taste of this oil and I knew I wanted to cook with it. Roasting with a green veggie came to mind.

I marinated pork loin from Maverick Farms (they have the very best pork) using espresso (you can use regular) balsamic vinegar and olive oil.

Ingredients:

1# Boneless Pork Loin, I recommend Maverick Farms brand or any humanely raised pork

1-2 Tablespoons Espresso Balsamic Vinegar from The Ancient Olive or your favorite balsamic vinegar

1-2 Tablespoons Organic Olive Oil

Sea salt, fresh ground black pepper

1.5# whole Brussels sprouts

1 Tablespoon Butternut Squash Seed Oil

1/8 teaspoon each turmeric, sea salt, black pepper

Method:

1. Remove meat from packaging and place in glass 9 x 13 baking pan. Feel free to use a meat tenderizer to flatten it a bit if you like.

2. Pour vinegar and oil over meat, then season with sea salt, fresh ground black pepper. Allow to come to room temp if cooking soon (30 – 60 minutes, otherwise, cover and place in fridge).

3. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400 degrees.

4. Prep Brussels sprouts by cutting off the stems, then cutting in half. Wash thoroughly.

4. Toss Brussels sprouts with 1 Tablespoon Butternut Squash Seed Oil, turmeric, sea salt, and black pepper.

5. Roast on a backing sheet for 30 minutes, remove from oven to turn over halfway through.

6. When Brussels sprou15 minutes into cooking, you’ll want to sear the pork loin before putting into the oven.

7. Heat large stainless steel skillet to medium-high heat.

8. Place pork loin onto hot skillet and sear on each side for 1 minute. You can sear top and bottom only or sear all 4 sides. This will get you a nice crust to lock in the flavor of meat during baking.

9. After removing your brussels sprouts from the oven. Set oven to 425.

10. Roast pork loin for 30-37 minutes, turning halfway through. It took mine 37 minutes. Cook until juices run clear, but meat can be slightly pink, just not bleeding.

11. Allow pork to rest for 5 minutes before serving.

12. Plate sliced pork with brussels sprouts with a fresh garden salad.

Save Big At Sustainable Bedner’s Farm

September 13, 2013/2 Comments/in Beneficial Foods, Local, Recipe, Review, Tips /by phiggins

I love a good bargain, but when it comes to my health and the health of my family, I can only bargain so low – that I why I skip on processed foods, they are so expensive! Good thing we have a local farm with fresh produce that is grown in a SUSTAINABLE way. I spoke with the owner at Bedner’s and he told me they have not used pesticides or herbicides for 4 generations!! How wonderful is that :). I was beaming with joy when he told me! He said to get certified organic, they would have to shut down operations and the cost of their produce would be much higher. I’m glad he chose to stick with being a SUSTAINABLE farm and not organic.

This week I went to Bedner’s and spent $35 on SUSTAINABLE and local produce!! This is what I got:

· 3 Baby bok choy, 3 large carrots for juicing,

· 2 macintosh apples, 5 organic gala apples ,

· 2 barlett pears, 2 bunches of beets,

· 2# bag onions, 1 bunch kale, watercress, cilantro,

· 4 lemons, 3 limes, 4 red bell peppers, 4 Georgia peaches,

· 2 bunches asparagus, 2 haas avocados, dried dates.

This much produce from the grocery store would have cost twice as much or more.

Bedner’s Farm located on 441 in Boynton Beach

10066 Lee Road, Boynton Beach, FL 33473

http://www.bedners.com/index.html

I was excited to whip up some good eats with my farm fresh produce. This colorful delight below is my Superfood Salad, made with: watercress, red bell peppers, avocado, pumpkin seeds, and goji berries. I topped it off with lavender vinegar from The Ancient Olive in Delray Beach for an antioxidant rich lunch!

Super Food Salad Recipe

2 cups Watercress (or dark leafy greens of choice), washed and chopped

1/2 cup Red bell peppers, washed and chopped

2 Tablespoons Pumpkin seeds

1/4 Avocado, diced

1 Tablespoon Goji berries

Method:

1. Wash and chop vegetables.

2. Arrange on plate watercress, bell peppers.

3. Sprinkle with pumpkin seeds, avocado, and goji berries.

4. Drizzle with high quality balsamic vinegar.

5. Enjoy!

Tips for Eating Well + Saving Money

· Shop at your local farmers market

· Buy fresh produce that’s in season – it tastes better and will be on sale!

· Create a fresh salad with your favorite market produce

· Skip the processed/packaged foods and make your own snacks with nuts, seeds, berries, yogurt. Homemade granola bars or pumpkin bars, Heman’s favorite are posted on my website. https://www.totalhealthcounseling.com/2012/pumpkin-chocolate-chip-squares/

· Cook up a whole chicken, use leftovers to make chicken salad, make homemade chicken soup with leftover chicken bones (much cheaper than broth at the store, freeze leftovers)

· Make large batches of soup or chili, freeze leftovers or bring for week day lunches

· Enjoy! Full and happy bellies for all :).

If you wanna learn the exact way I plan out healthy meals to save money. Schedule a Jump-Start session with me. You’ll get my new Yummy Good Eats Cookbook “30 days of inspiring recipes, transform your health in 30 simple days”, personalized notes, handouts, and a clear plan on how to jump-start your health with yummy good eats!

This plan is how I live my life. Thank goodness for having a plan when you have family and need to save money.

XOXO,

Pam

Cacao Love Birthday Cake

September 3, 2013/2 Comments/in Recipe /by phiggins

September is my birthday month and up until my birthday, I am planning out my birthday cake every year. The store bought cakes won’t do. I have food allergies and eat gluten free and dairy free so I have to create my own. This version includes bean flour to make it grain free plus organic cacao I picked up from Bedner’s local farm a few weeks ago – my new obsession and coconut oil, another favorite of mine for baking or just eating by the spoonful.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free Garbanzo and Fava Flour

3/4 cup Turbinado sugar

1/4 cup organic cacao powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

2 Tablespoons ground flax meal

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 tablespoon raw apple cider vinegar (I like Bragg’s)

4 Tablespoons applesauce PLUS 2 Tablespoons coconut oil

1 cup water

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

2. Sift flour, sugar, cacao, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and flax meal together into a medium size bowl.

3. Add in wet ingredients: vanilla, cider vinegar, applesauce, coconut oil, stir then add water last. Mix well to combine.

4. For mini cupcakes, put 1 Tablespoon batter into each mini cupcake tin. For regular size cupcakes, put 1/4 cup batter into each cupcake tin.

5. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 20 minutes (mini cupcakes) or 30 minutes (regular size cupcakes) or until tooth pick inserted comes out clean.

6. Cool completely, then frost with your favorite icing (see suggestion below).

Divine and chocolately, just the way a birthday cake should taste!

Cacao Love Frosting (vegan)

I love frosting, but the junk they sell at the store is less than appealing. Too many chemicals and an imminent belly ache for me.

Instead I created one with my favorite cacao and coconut oil!

Ingredients:

1/4 cup Organic cacao powder

1/4 cup Organic coconut oil

1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce

2 teaspoon raw honey, add more if you like it sweeter

Add ingredients to a small bowl and stir until well combined. Chill until ready to frost cupcakes.

What is you favorite kind of birthday cake? I grew up eating yellow cake with chocolate frosting. Now I go for chocolate cake with chocolate frosting. Yum!

Why I Was Doing Shots in Delray Beach

August 21, 2013/2 Comments/in Local, Product, Recipe, Review /by phiggins

(Pictured: My Brother-in-Law Andrew, My Husband Heman, and Me)

New store The Ancient Olive opens up in Delray Beach! Taste several gourmet and organic flavors of olive oil and balsamic vinegar. We tried many kinds of wonderful olive oil and balsamic vinegar – now these are the kind of shots I can get excited about! Located on Atlantic Ave in Delray Beach, this is the third store of The Ancient Olive. We were warmly greeted and invited to taste as many flavors as we wanted. A few of my favorites: Cranberry-Pear Balsamic, Espresso Balsamic, Garlic Olive Oil, Persian Lime Olive Oil, Chocolate Balsamic, Blood Orange Olive Oil. So many great flavors!! We sampled a few suggested pairings as well and decided to purchase the Persian Lime Olive Oil and Lavender Balsamic Olive Oil. This flavor combo is particularly great for marinating fish as suggested by shop owners. The deeper flavors of vinegar such as chocolate and espresso are great for marinating steak.

(Pictured: Brother-in-Law Andrew and Future Sister-in-Law Katie)

Katie and Andrew enjoying shots of Cranberry-Pear Balsamic vinegar which they ended up purchasing. This was one of my favorite vinegars too, so good you could just drink it Smile

(Pictured: Andrew, Katie, and Heman)

Several containers filled with lovely olive oil and vinegar to check out!

oily (480x640)

Tons of gift options for the cook! They also offer cooking demos and classes, sign up at the front counter for more info.

At home the next day, I was excited to try the new flavor combo we bought:

Organic Persian Lime Olive Oil + Lavender Balsamic Vinegar

We marinated fresh mahi filets in this amazing oil and vinegar combo.

I also sliced up onions from Bedners Farm on 441 to grill along with baby sweet bell peppers.

Heman grilled the fish 18-19 minutes on medium heat on the grill and the veggies for about 15 minutes.

Mahi salad with veggies for me.

Mahi fish tacos for Heman with Organic corn tortillas, cilantro, avocado, and salsa.

Stop in The Ancient Olive on Atlantic Ave in Delray Beach to do some shots of Organic Olive Oil and Balsamic Vinegar! We will return soon with our empty bottles; receive $1 off purchase when you bring back empty oil and vinegar bottles (way to recycle and reuse!). We’re looking forward to our next flavor combo to bring home and cook with soon!

The Ancient Olive

514 East Atlantic Ave (Across from The Colony Hotel)

Delray Beach, FL 33483

561.266.1099

http://www.theancientolive.com/

https://twitter.com/theancientolive

Posts

Grain Free Pumpkin Bars

Espresso Roasted Pork and Brussels Sprouts

Save Big At Sustainable Bedner’s Farm

Cacao Love Birthday Cake

Why I Was Doing Shots in Delray Beach

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This Way To Wellness