Big Announcment Tomorrow!

I've got a big announcement coming at you TOMORROW morning!  (P.S.  If you are reading this in your feed reader, and it's December 1st right now, then the announcement has already been made and you better scoot on over to my website and check it out!!)

Red Lentils With Cabbage

Red Lentils With Cabbage
Makes 4 Servings

1 1/4 cups red split lentils, washed until water is clear and drained well
5 cups filtered water
1 tsp ground turmeric
5 Tbsp coconut oil
2 tsp ground cumin
4 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped
1 onion, peeled and cut into fine slices
3 cups organic cabbage, finely shredded
1 hot green chili pepper, finely sliced
1 tsp sea salt
1 medium organic tomato, chopped
1/2 tsp fresh ginger root, finely grated

1.)  In a stock pot, add the lentils and filtered water and bring to a boil. Remove any scum/foam that collects at the top with a large spoon.  Cover, leaving the lid slightly ajar, turn heat down to low, and simmer gently for 75 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Watch the water, you may need to add a little extra.

2.)  Lentils should be tender.  When the lentils are cooked thru, add sea salt, the tomato, cumin, turmeric and ginger to the pot.  Stir to combine.  Cover and cook thru another 10 minutes.

3.)  Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat the coconut oil over Medium heat.  Saute the garlic, onion, cabbage and green chilies for about 10 minutes or until softened and slightly browned.  Remove from heat.

4.)  Add the cabbage mixture and any remaining oil in to the lentils.  Stir to mix and bring to a simmer.  Simmer uncovered for 2 to 3 minutes until heated through.  Ready to serve!

Quinoa Apple Salad

Nicole, this one's for you!  Everyone else, enjoy!  :)

Quinoa Apple Salad
Serves 4

1/4 cup raw almonds
1 cup quinoa
2 cups filtered water
1 Tbsp shallot, minced
1 tsp curry powder
1/4 tsp sea salt
2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 Granny Smith apple, diced thin
1/4 cup loosely packed fresh mint leaves, chopped

1.)  Coarsely chop almonds in food processor.


2.)  Rinse quinoa thoroughly in a fine sieve.  Drain well.  Bring 2 cups filtered water to a boil in a medium saucepan.  Add quinoa.  Return to a boil.  Stir quinoa.  Cover and reduce heat to Low.  Simmer until quinoa is tender but still chewy, about 15 minutes (follow package instructions).  Fluff quinoa with a fork and let cool.

3.)  Whisk together shallot, curry powder, salt, and lemon juice in a large bowl.  Season with pepper. Whisking constantly, stream in olive oil, whisking until dressing is emulsified.  Add quinoa, apple, mint, and nuts.  Mix well to combine.  Serve.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving, Healing Cuisine fans!  Hope you are all enjoying the holiday.  I'm sure many of you are up cooking in the kitchen already this morning.  Dave and I will not be with family this year, unfortunately.  But we are still giving thanks for all God has done in our lives so far!  I am grateful for your continued support and send a special prayer to our Troops, where ever they may be.  God Bless!!

Pumpkin Chili

Hope you will enjoy this chili -- another spin-off of the classic.  The pumpkin gives it an initial sweetness when it hits your tongue, but kick it up with chili, cayenne, cumin and black pepper.  Feel free to throw in a jalapeno or two if you wish.  You may also exchange some of the beans for ground grass-fed beef or free-range turkey.  To make in a slow cooker, dump everything in your pot and cook over Low for 2-3 hours.  Yum.  SO GOOD with a slice of buttered Coconut Flour Bread.


Pumpkin Chili
Makes 4 Servings

2 Tbsp coconut oil
1 onion, chopped
1 cup organic red bell pepper, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
28 oz crushed tomatoes (in a jar is best to limit BPA plastic intake)
2 cups pumpkin puree (unsweetened, check the label)
2 cups tomato sauce (in a jar is best to limit BPA plastic intake)
2 cups kidney beans, washed and drained
1 cup black beans, washed and drained
1 cup chickpeas, washed and drained
3 Tbsp chili powder (to taste)
1 Tbsp ground cumin (to taste)
1/4 tsp cayenne (to taste)
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1-2 tsp sea salt
1 tsp fresh black pepper

1.) Heat a large saucepan over Medium-High heat.  Add the coconut oil, onion, bell pepper and garlic.  Saute 5 to 7 minutes until tender.

2.)  Add crushed tomatoes, pumpkin, tomato sauce, beans, chili powder, cumin, sea salt and pepper.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to Low.  Cover and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

3.)  This chili cooks up relatively quickly.  At the 30 minute mark it should be well combined and flavorful, slightly thickened.  Ladle into bowls, top with avocado bits, a sprinkle of sea salt, maybe a few pumpkin seeds and serve.

The Holidays are here - now what do I eat?

COUNTDOWN TO THANKSGIVING & CHRISTMAS

Do you ever ask yourself this question?  The holidays are here, now what?  This was my inspiration for creating Season's Eatings, my holiday e-book modeled around the Maximized Living Nutrition Plans.  Within its pages you'll find 62 Core Plan recipes, 46 Advanced Plan recipes (view the recipe list), advice on managing stress (Essential #1) thru the holidays, how to cook with natural sweeteners, a shopping guide, and bright tantalizing pictures to guide you thru!

Season's Eatings is so much more than a recipe book.  I designed it to be a menu planner and resource guide you can come back to year after year.  And what is the most loved food tradition of Thanksgiving and Christmas?  The cookies and desserts of course!  Well, I've loaded this e-book up with all of my favorite cookie and pie creations.  You will not be disappointed!

This e-book is also a fabulous resource for the array of holiday parties coming up.  Whether you have volunteered to bring one dish to share or are hosting a party of your own, Season's Eatings will supply you with health-inducing, whole-food options that taste SO GOOD your guests will never know they're healthy!

It's about living a Maximized Living lifestyle every day of the year.  And just because holidays come with a tradition of processed, high sugar, trans fat, and gluten laden dishes DOES NOT mean you have to eat that way.  Holiday eating should be guilt-free!  Start a new tradition within your family of Maximized food that tastes good and is good for you!

HEAR WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING

It is a blessing to hear and read how my recipes have been helping Maximized Living families all over the world.  I wanted to share what a couple families have to say:

This book is one of the best books we have ever cooked from.  There is no book out there that we have found that has perfect ratios for the recipes, great tasting food and wonderful ideas.  Eating healthy CAN be fun and extraordinarily tasty with Elise's "Seasons Eatings" e-book!  This year we are having my family over for Christmas and were worried how to make healthy desserts, side dishes, and entrees for them, but now we have a great book that we are comfortable cooking from.  Our favorite side dish from the book is the coconut bread.  It can go with so many things, stuffing, scones, etc.!  Our favorite dessert is the "Double Dark Chocolate Mousse Pie."  She even tells you how to make the crust.  We have literally gone through a ton of healthy cookbooks and recipe guides when it comes to healthy eating, but they all had horrible ratios of ingredients or never worked out like the picture showed.  With Elise's "Seasons Eatings" book all we have to do is follow the recipe and it turns out amazing!  If you were worried about how to make a healthy holiday meal and have the WHOLE family like it, this is it.  Completely worth the price!
               -  David and Abby Janis
                  San Leandro, CA

This next review is from a fellow blogger.  She goes by Tall Girl and is currently living in Wiesbaden, Germany.  Check out her post, Season's Eatings is toward the bottom.

You can read more about Season's Eatings holiday e-book here and purchase it here.  And don't forget to visit my YouTube channel to watch me make Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake from Season's Eatings!

HAPPY HOLIDAYS FROM ELISE

Thanksgiving is now just days away.  I want to wish each one of you many blessings with your families thru Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's this year!  I am thankful for you, your support, and the impact we are creating to help others live healthier lives every day.  Happy, Healthy Eating!

Kombucha Smoothie

Kombucha Smoothie
Serves 1

3/4 cup raw Kombucha tea (plain or flavored, your choice)
1/2 cup filtered water
5-6 frozen organic strawberries (or handful of organic frozen blueberries/raspberries/blackberries)
2-4 frozen organic kale leaves
1 orange, peeled (omit if Advanced Plan)
1 pinch of spoonable stevia (optional)

Blend all ingredients until smooth and serve.

I haven't tried this with protein powder yet, not sure if the Kombucha would like that.. Watch out for foamage if you do add powder! :)  If you try it, please let me know how it goes!!  You'd be safe adding hempseeds for protein ==>  4 Tablespoons of hempseeds = 22 grams of protein!  And don't forget they're packed with healthy omega fatty acids!

download Season's Eatings e-Book today!

WATCH!  I'm making Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake from my holiday e-book, Season's Eatings.  The book is full of grain-free, sugar-free, gluten-free, dairy-free, holiday inspired recipes that follow the Maximized Living Nutrition Plans.  I am calling the book a menu planner because there are 62 recipes total included in the book, and I certainly don't expect you to make them all for one holiday dinner!  This e-book is designed as a tool for you to pick and choose which recipes you would like to use to form your holiday menu.

For this recipe and more, download Season's Eatings today! 

One Pot Wonders: Chicken and Dumpling Soup

I wanted to close out this week of One Pot Wonders with a real comfort dish, and if this isn't it then I don't know what is!  It's Chicken and Dumpling Soup, Maximized Living Advanced Plan style.  You can still enjoy bread, dumplings, biscuits, cake, etc, on the Advanced Plan -- you just have to know what to put into it to make it a whole, healing food.

This soup can be prepared in advance the night before.  Simply store the crock pot in the fridge over night then set on Low in the morning before work.  The dumplings are super easy to make.  Drop them into the soup when you arrive home from work and the soup will be ready by the time you get changed and settled in.

Hope this week of One Pot Wonders has been helpful for you and your family.  Dave and I personally live off of one pot meals thru each week, so we value the variety in our Advanced Plan options.  If you have your own favorite One Pot Wonder, I would love if you would share it and I will post for all to enjoy:  elise@healingcuisinebyelise.com.

Chicken and Dumpling Soup
Makes 6 Servings

DUMPLINGS  (Makes 8)
2 cups raw almond flour (finely ground)
1 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 free-range eggs

CHICKEN SOUP
1 whole free-range chicken, roasted and shredded (3-4 cups)
4-6 cups organic vegetable stock (sodium free)
2 tsp of sea salt, or to taste
1/2 tsp fresh black pepper
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1 bay leaf
1/4 tsp dried basil
1 cup organic celery, diced
1 medium onion, diced
1 cup frozen organic green peas, thawed
1/2 cup organic carrots, peeled and diced (CORE PLAN ONLY)
1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk or organic heavy cream (optional)

1.)  Make the dumplings: Mix together eggs, sea salt, pepper and almond flour.  Mix until well-blended - will be sticky.  Shape into balls by rolling in your hands.  Place in the fridge.

2.)  In large crock pot, add all Chicken Soup ingredients except for heavy cream, filling pot with enough vegetable stock to cover the chicken and vegetables.  Cover and simmer on Low for 6 hours or High for 3 hours.  OR store in fridge over night and simmer 8 hours on Low or 4 on High.

3.)  At the last 20 minutes of cooking, remove the dumplings from the fridge and place them in the soup.  Cooking the dumplings will take about 20 minutes.  At this time, you can also stir in the (optional) heavy cream or almond milk -- makes for a more rich and opaque broth.  When dumplings are ready, you can serve!

One Pot Wonders: Salmon Casserole

This casserole is quite yummy, a real comfort dish.  It reminds me of Lent, really the only time of year my family ate fish growing up.  My mom made a tuna version of this from a Hamburger Helper box.  It tasted so good, but was so bad for us.  After all, it was loaded with sugar, chemicals, grains, gluten, food dyes and preservatives.  My version is Healing Cuisine approved and Advanced Plan. 

You can prepare this dish up to 2 days in advance, store in fridge, add 20 minutes covered with foil to baking time.  Enjoy!

Salmon Casserole
Makes 8 Servings

4 free-range eggs
2 cups filtered water
2/3 cup raw cashews, soaked for 2 hours
1 tsp dried dill
1/4 tsp fresh pepper
16oz wild Alaskan salmon, cooked and flaked
1 1/2 cups frozen organic green peas, thawed
8oz raw cheddar cheese, shredded & divided
1 organic red bell pepper, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1/8 cup coconut flour, sifted

CRUMB TOPPING
1 1/2 c almond flour
1/2 c sliced almonds
2 Tbsp cold, unsalted raw butter
3/4 tsp sea salt

1.)  PREPARING THE CRUMB TOPPING:  Combine the almond flour, butter, and sea salt in a food processor and pulse until it resembles bread crumbs (or by hand, cut the butter into the flour with your finger tips until it resembles bread crumbs).  With your fingers, work in sliced almonds until well combined with the butter crumbs.  Refrigerate the crumble, covered, until the filling is ready to be topped.

To Make Your Own Almond Flour:  Pulse raw almonds in a food processor until they are a fine, fluffy flour.  Tilt the machine back and forth, side to side, to disperse the nuts every few pulses.  Don't switch the machine to ON (continuous) or you'll quickly wind up with almond butter.  Sift out any larger pieces of nuts using a medium-mesh strainer.  Measure out 2 cups of almond flour.  Freeze the rest.

2.)  Drain and rinse cashews.  In blender, combine filtered water and cashews.  Process until very smooth.  Pour into a medium saucepan and bring to a gentle boil over Medium-High heat, stirring occasionally.  Once it starts to boil, reduce heat immediately to Low and continue stirring until thickened.  Remove from heat.  Set aside to cool.

3.)  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  In a separate bowl, whisk eggs.  Stir in dill, pepper and cooled thickened cashews and mix well.  Add the flaked salmon, thawed peas, half of the cheese, bell pepper, onion, and coconut flour.  Stir to blend.

4.)  Transfer mixture to a greased (with coconut oil) 9x13 inch casserole dish.  Sprinkle with crumb topping.  Bake for 30 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining cheese and continue baking for 5-10 minutes, until cheese is melted.  Let stand for 10 minutes before cutting and serving.

One Pot Wonders: Italian Herb Chicken

The men of your family will love this dish, the best of both worlds -- spaghetti sauce and chicken!  If desired, serve with hot cooked brown rice pasta (CORE Plan) or spiralized zucchini/yellow squash (ADVANCED Plan).  We enjoy ours paired with a side salad.

Italian Chicken
Makes 4 Servings

1/2 of a medium head cabbage, cut into wedges
1 onion, sliced
1 cup button mushrooms, wiped clean and sliced
1 Tbsp arrowroot powder
1/4 cup iced cold water
2 1/2lbs chicken pieces (breast halves, thigh, drumsticks), raw and skinned
2 cups organic spaghetti sauce
1/2 cup organic vegetable stock (sodium free)
2 cloves garlic, diced
1 tsp ground basil
1 tsp ground oregano
Sea salt and fresh pepper (to taste)
Raw Parmesan cheese (to taste)

1.)  In a 6 quart slow cooker, combine cabbage wedges, onion, mushrooms and garlic.  In a small bowl, stir together iced water with arrowroot powder until dissolved.  Pour over vegetables in slow cooker.

2.)  Place chicken pieces on vegetables.  Sprinkle in seasonings (basil, oregano, sea salt, pepper).  Pour spaghetti sauce and vegetable stock over chicken.

3.)  Cover and cook on Low heat for 6 to 7 hours or on high-heat setting for 3 to 3-1/2 hours.  Plate and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese just before serving.

One Pot Wonders: Shepherd's Pie

Can't go wrong with this classic!  My friend Diane makes this dish in a few separate small casserole dishes and freezes them as individual servings.  These make for quick and easy lunches/dinners.  Just pop in the oven and heat thru!

Shepherd's Pie
Makes 6 Servings

1 Tbsp coconut oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 lb grass-fed ground beef, turkey or lamb
1 stalk organic celery, finely chopped
1 cup frozen organic peas
1 organic bell pepper, finely chopped
1 carrot, finely chopped (CORE Plan only)
1 Tbsp arrowroot powder
2 Tbsp iced cold water
1 cup organic sodium-free vegetable stock
2 Tbsp organic Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp dried oregano
1 pinch ground cloves
Sea salt and pepper to taste
1 Mashed Fotatoes recipe

1.)  Prepare the Mashed Fotatoes recipe and set aside.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

2.)  In a large skillet, heat the coconut oil over Medium heat and add the onion and celery.  Cook, stirring occasionally, until soft.  Add the ground beef/lamb, increase the heat to Medium-High and cook until browned, breaking up chunks with a wooden spoon.

3.)  Add the carrot (CORE Plan only) to the pan and cook for 3 minutes.  Add remaining vegetables (you can add any veggies you'd like!) and saute for 4 minutes.  Add the stock, stirring to combine.  Add the Worcestershire sauce, thyme, oregano, cloves and sea salt/pepper.

4.)  In a small bowl, combine the arrowroot powder with the iced cold water, stirring with a fork until smooth.  Add arrowroot mixture to the veggies, stirring well to combine.  Bring to a boil and cook for 2-3 minutes, or until the gravy thickens.  Transfer the mixture to a 9" round or 3 quart rectangular casserole dish.

5.)  Spread the Mashed Fotatoes onto the meat mixture and spread evenly.  Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until the fotatoes are golden.

One Pot Wonders: Ratatouille

Another reason I looove One Pot Wonders is the fact that no matter the recipe, it always tastes better the next day!  It's something about leaving it in the fridge to let the flavors combine so perfectly that just gets me.

One Pot Wonders Day 3 is Ratatouille.  I started making and thoroughly enjoying this dish after the Pixar movie hit the screen in 2007.  It's one of my favorite movies.  When Dave and I got rid of cable TV two years ago to save up for opening our chiropractic office, we watched Ratatouille and No Reservations every weekend there for a good 2 months straight.  Love them both!  Rent them if you haven't seen 'em yet.  :)

Ratatouille
Makes 6 Servings

2 Tbsp coconut oil
4 cloves of garlic, minced
1 large organic eggplant, unpeeled & diced
1 cup organic button mushrooms, sliced
2 organic green bell peppers, diced
1 onion, diced
1 medium organic zucchini, halved & sliced
2 cups organic chick peas, rinsed and drained
1 Tbsp dried basil
1/3 cup tomato paste
1/2 cup red wine (CORE) or 1/2 cup vegetable broth (ADVANCED)
3 cups organic crushed tomatoes (glass jarred is best or Eden brand canned)
4 oz raw goat cheese (optional)

1. ) Heat oil in dutch oven over Medium heat.  Add garlic and cook about 1 minute, until fragrant.  Add eggplant, mushrooms, green bell peppers, onion, zucchini and basil.  Cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

2.)  Add tomato paste, crushed tomatoes and red wine.  Turn heat to Medium-Low and simmer until veggies are cooked through and tender, about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

3.)  Stir in chick peas.  Simmer uncovered for about 10 minutes to reduce liquid, stirring occasionally.  Season to taste with sea salt and pepper.  Serve.  ** You can prepare up 2 days ahead of time and refrigerate/freeze.  Thaw completely before baking.**

4.)  Preheat oven to 350°F.  Spread ratatouille in 9-inch round or 8x8" glass casserole dish.  Bake about 20 minutes, until center is heated thru.  Spoon onto plates.  Top with goat cheese (optional).  Serve.


Other optional additions:  Replace the chickpeas with shredded chicken or turkey.  Add in a handful of chopped olives before baking.

One Pot Wonders: Thai Curry Stir Fry

Don't let this somewhat long ingredients list scare you -- this Thai Curry Stir Fry is a very quick meal to make!  In these fall and winter months, Dave and I usually opt for frozen organic vegetables as it's hard to find organic options fresh at the stores.  To help with meal planning, we double this recipe and have it for dinner that night and fridge/freeze the rest for a lunch or dinner later in the week.  It reheats well in a saucepan on the stove.

Personally, we love to eat this dish as is, but you might feel like it's missing a little something...  If you are Core Plan, you can serve over wild rice.  If you are Advanced, you can finely shred and chop organic zucchini or yellow squash to serve as your rice.  Delicious!

Thai Curry Stir Fry
Makes 4 Servings

1 Tbsp coconut oil
2 free-range boneless, skinless chicken breasts, raw, chopped
1/4 cup organic vegetable broth (sodium-free, sugar-free, read the label!)
2 cups organic broccoli, chopped
1 cup organic cauliflower, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
6 ounces organic snow peas, strings removed
1 organic red bell pepper, chopped
1 cup organic zucchini, chopped
1/2 cup carrots, chopped (CORE Plan only)
1 Tbsp fresh ginger root, minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
2 Tbsp organic red curry paste (green or yellow can also be used)
1 tsp sea salt
1 can organic full-fat unsweetened coconut milk
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves (optional)

1.)  In medium bowl, dissolve curry paste with 2 Tablespoons of the vegetable broth.  Add chicken pieces and stir well to combine.  Set aside.

2.)  In large skillet or wok, heat coconut oil over Medium heat.  Add carrot (CORE only) and stir-fry for 3 minutes.  Next, add onion, bell pepper, snow peas, broccoli, cauliflower and zucchini and stir-fry about 2 minutes.  Add ginger and garlic; stir-fry for 1 minute.  Add chicken mixture, stirring well to separate meat; cook for 3 minutes.

3.)  Increase heat to Medium-High.  Stir in coconut milk, coriander, red pepper flakes, sea salt and remaining chicken broth.  Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are crisp-tender, about 5 minutes.  Uncover and cook for 1 minute to reduce any liquid.

4.)  Remove from heat. Stir in basil leaves.  Serve.

One Pot Wonders: White Bean Chili

To kick off this week of One Pot Wonders, I'm sharing one of our absolute favorites.  You are probably familiar with this sister to classic chili, savory and smokey White Bean Chili.  This is a super quick meal to prepare, taking less than 30 minutes.  You can also simmer it in a crock pot so it's ready by the time you get home from work.  I usually make this recipe with turkey, saving leftovers from the Thanksgiving or Christmas turkeys.  You can also use shredded chicken.  If I have other veggies on hand, I'll throw them in to the chili as well (zucchini, celery, bell pepper, carrot, kale), sauteing until softened with the onion.

This one pot wonder is perfectly paired with a hefty slice of Coconut Flour Bread.

White Bean Chili
Makes 8 Servings

2 Tbsp coconut oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 cup mild green chilies, chopped (fresh or canned)
6 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups great northern beans, rinsed
2 cups white kidney beans, rinsed
48 oz organic sodium-free vegetable broth (check the label for sugar and preservatives)
1 Tbsp ground cumin
1 Tbsp dried oregano
2 tsp fresh black pepper
1/2 tsp white pepper
1/4 tsp cayenne
1-2 cups cooked free-range turkey or chicken, shredded
Sea salt to taste

1.)  Heat oil in a large stock pot and add onion, chilies, and garlic.  Cook for a few minutes until tender.

2.)  Stir in beans, broth, cumin, oregano, and cayenne.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer 10 minutes.  As chili simmers, you can mash or puree some of the beans to thicken the chili (optional).

3.)  Add turkey/chicken.  Cover and simmer for another 10 minutes.  Add sea salt to taste.  Serve.  Fresh parsley or cilantro taste great sprinkled on top!

You can prepare this meal in the crock pot, simmer on low for 4 hours and it's ready!

Stay tuned for a week of One Pot Wonders!

Stay tuned for a week of One Pot Wonders!  I'll be sharing seven of my favorite one pot meals (casseroles, soups, stews) beginning Sunday afternoon!  These will be recipes you can make in advance, divide into smaller dishes and freeze for days/weeks to come!  Dave and I love one pot meals because they fit into our busy schedules.  These recipes will help your family if you're also in a time crunch, especially at the end of the day!  Just pull from the fridge and reheat on the stove.  Simple as that!

If meal planning seems to be the big issue for your family, then you may be interested in setting up a time to meet with me either in person or over a video call.  You can read more about what you will receive here:  Services & Consultations Page.  And don't worry, you're not alone.  I get emails on a daily basis from all over the nation with questions on "maximized" meal planning.  There is a learning curve to it and practice makes perfect.  Don't be afraid to reach out for help!

And just an observation from this morning.  I made some coconut flour/quinoa flour pancakes this morning (recipe posting in a couple weeks) and used up the final few tablespoons of coconut oil in our gallon bucket.  That's right, a gallon of coconut oil.  Here is a cost saving tip: we buy our organic coconut oil in bulk for $50.  It lasted us 10 months (and we use it in/on everything...including our bodies - hair conditioner and body lotion) and traveled all over with us (we've been noted as the nomad Schwartz family lately with all the moving and living with other families we've been doing..:).

A small container of coconut oil (29 oz) is $22.  That's not even close to half the size of of a gallon bucket (128 oz) and is almost half the price.  We buy from Nutiva, www.nutiva.com.  They ship right to your door and all you have to do is scoop out a cupful or two and store in a smaller container on your counter.  Keep the bucket hidden away until you need to refill.  Simple as that, and well worth the savings!

Sweet Potato Chicken Burrito

This is a delicious new spin on the burrito, one of the recipes Dave and I concocted while formulating our gluten-free tortillas recipe.

I think it would have been fabulous to add a Tablespoon or two of fresh cilantro in with the avocado puree, but we didn't have any on hand.  Give it a try!  You might need to add a tad bit of water/olive oil to allow it to blend well in your blender.

Sweet Potato Chicken Burrito
Makes 8 Burritos

2 boneless free range chicken breasts
2 medium sweet potatoes
1/2 red onion, diced
1 jalapeno, seeded, veined and diced
1 Tbsp coconut oil
1 1/2 c black beans
1/2 Granny Smith apple, diced
2 tsp cumin powder
2 tsp garlic powder
1 Tbsp chili powder
1/4 tsp ground cayenne pepper (to taste)
1 Romaine heart, shredded
1 avocado, pureed smooth (like sour cream)
8 gluten free, grain free, sugar free tortillas

1.)  Peel and dice two sweet potatoes and steam or roast until tender.

2.)  Rinse, dry and cook the chicken (either grill, pan fry or bake).  Season it with a little garlic powder, sea salt and pepper.  Shred chicken when cooked thru.

2.)  In a separate skillet, add coconut oil over Medium heat and saute the onions and jalapeno until softened.  Add the black beans, diced apple, and seasonings.  Stir well to combine and cook until apples are soft. (May need to add a little more coconut oil, 1-2 teaspoons.)

4.)  Once the potatoes are done, gently stir them into the skillet being careful not to mash.  Fold in the chicken and heat the mixture thru.

5.)  Prepare the tortillas, topping the mixture with chopped Romain lettuce and avocado puree.  Wrap the burritos, folding the bottom edge up and rolling the left edge in and around to the right.  Serve and enjoy!

Green Apple Spiced Tea

A great antidote to a brisk fall day, like today!

Green Apple Spiced Tea
Serves 3 to 4

4 cups filtered water
1/2 tsp spoonable stevia
1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 tsp freshly grated cinnamon or 1 cinnamon stick
1 Granny Smith apple, seeded and coarsely chopped (reserve 4 thin slices for garnish)
4 thick strips of fresh orange zest
1/3 cup loose organic green tea OR 2 green tea bags

1.)  Combine water, stevia, nutmeg, cinnamon, apple, and orange zest in medium pot; bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer 2 minutes.

2.) Cover, remove from heat, and let steep 15 minutes.  Strain through a fine mesh sieve over a bowl or pot, pressing out all of the juice from the apple.  Add the green tea leaves.  Let steep for 1 minute. Strain out the tea leaves and serve.  So simple and delicious!