Whole Food 1st Birthday Party Menu

Photo courtesy of Marissa Nixon Photography

After a month of planning, our son's first birthday party arrived last weekend.  We wanted to make this a special day for Austin, even if he won't remember it.  Turning 1 is a big milestone; a momentous occasion to honor and celebrate all of his growing and learning done over the past 12 months!

We celebrated at a local park and invited Austin's closest friends.  The day was filled with extra bright sunshine!  We had a few guests with certain food allergies and some who were strictly eating the Advanced Plan, so I wanted to tailor the recipes to their nutritional needs as much as possible.  (I also wanted to design a new birthday party menu, different from my Kids Menu Planner e-book, to give you all some different options.)  I had many parents who were at the park with their children come up to me and compliment on how fresh and healthy everything looked, and one mom passing by even said she couldn't believe all the kids were eating the healthy food!  It was quite humbling to hear compliments from strangers, but also a sobering reminded me that Standard America does not associate fresh whole foods with birthday parties.  I hope some parents realized you don't have to overload kids with sugar and sweets to have a fun celebration.

We celebrated with a healthy spread of Core & Advanced Plan whole food dishes.  {Plus, a new cupcake recipe that I am in love with!}  A special thanks to our skilled photographer and friend Marissa Nixon for taking many of the photos shared today.  Her photography portfolio can be found here.

Use my invite template here.

The party planning started with the theme.  Since he was just a few months old, Austin has loved balloons.  And while Dave might have fought for a Green Bay Packers theme for a day or two, we both agreed that Austin would love a balloon party.  The invitation design was the foundation for the rest of the party decor.  I love bold colors, and picked grass green, medium blue, and sky blue as the color scheme.  I laid out a simple but cute invite layout in inDesign using the balloon as the main focus.  I also found sheets of 100 balloon stickers at the Dollar Tree, perfect to use as embellishments on the envelopes.  (The stickers were my Plan B after ordering the wrong size blue envelopes from a company online.  Oops.)  You can now customize and print the invitation template I designed at Zazzle.com

 Once the invites were sent out, I had about 3 weeks to design the table scape.  Decor items I made or purchased: polka-dot glassine cupcake wrappers from Bake It Pretty, polka-dot nut cups from Bake It Pretty, polka-dot straws from Bake It Pretty, 5 oz clear cups from Party City for white bean dip, 3-tier plate stand from Target, I spray painted the bottoms of clear plates from Dollar Tree with green & blue, spray painted cake boards green for the cupcakes, punched 2-inch circles from scrapbook paper and taped to skewers to make balloon decorations for cupcakes, 30 helium balloons from Party City, balloon napkins and banner from Dollar Tree.   The table scape also included the food!  I wanted lots of green on the tables to play against blue table cloths.  The recipes also had to be kid friendly.  Here is what I came up with:

1ST BIRTHDAY MENU

Photo courtesy of Marissa Nixon Photograpgy

White Bean Dip with fresh veggies
Makes 6 Servings
(multiplied by 4 for 30 guests)
Advanced Plan

1 15-oz can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
2 cloves garlic
2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1/3 cup olive oil
1/4 cup fresh Italian parsley leaves
Sea salt & fresh black pepper, to taste

Add all ingredients to food processor.  Pulse until the mixture is as smooth as you'd like it (I puree to hummus consistency, but some people like their bean dip coarse). Season with sea salt and pepper, to taste. Transfer the bean puree to a bowl and refrigerate until ready to serve.


Chickpea Pesto Salad  (YES, the kids ate this, even the babies loved it!)
Makes 6 Servings
(multiplied by 4 for 30 guests)
Advanced Plan

PESTO
1 garlic clove
1/4 cup raw almonds
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves
3 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp freshly grated Parmesan cheese

SALAD
2 15-oz cans organic garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
1 organic English cucumbers, sliced
2 celery stalks, thinly sliced
2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
Sea salt and fresh pepper, to taste

Add garlic clove, almonds, and basil leaves to food processor.  Pulse until finely chopped.  With machine running, drizzle in olive oil.  Add Parmesan and pulse to combine.  In a large bowl, toss together together garbanzo beans, cucumber, celery, lemon juice and pesto. Season with sea salt and fresh ground pepper.  [This salad is also delicious with shredded chicken.  I often have this for lunch, replacing one can of chickpeas with roasted chicken.]

Photos courtesy of Marissa Nixon Photography

Kale-Carrot Salad  (Kiddos love this marinated kale!)
Makes 8 Servings
(multiplied by 3 for 30 guests)
Core Plan

2 bunches organic kale, destemed, rinsed, and dried
1/2 cup shredded organic carrot
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
3/4 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp fresh black pepper

Stack two or three kale leaves and slice into strips.  Then, chop the kale strips in half.  Add all ingredients, including the chopped kale, to a large bowl and cover with a tight fitting lid.  Shake the bowl, then turn upside down and shake some more.  Kale should be completely covered in dressing.  Let sit in fridge 24-72 hours to marinate.  Serve cold or room temperature.


Fresh Fruit with Coconut Cream Sauce  (A healthier alternative to a cool whip jello salad)
Makes 6 servings
(Multiplied by 4 for 30 guests)
Core Plan

3 organic bananas, sliced
3 organic granny smith apples, chopped
1 organic pineapple, chopped
8oz organic cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup coconut cream, chilled (the thick white fatty cream from the top half of a can of coconut milk)
1 cup powdered xylitol (pulse xylitol in a spice grinder)

In a stand mixer, whip together the cream cheese and coconut cream until smooth.  Add powdered xylitol and whip smooth.  Stir chopped fruit together in a large bowl.  Toss with whipped coconut cream.  Serve immediately or chill until ready to serve, up to 48 hours.


Healing Cuisine Chicken Salad  (A classic for outdoor parties!)


Lime-Mint Infused Stevia Water
Makes 3 Gallons

3 gallons filtered water
4 sprigs of fresh mint leaves
2 limes, sliced
2 Tbsp lime Stevita stevia powder

Stir together all ingredients in a drink dispenser or pitcher.

Photo courtesy Marissa Nixon Photography

Vanilla Buttermilk Cupcakes
Makes 36 Standard Size Cupcakes
Core Plan

1 cup organic butter, room temperature
1 1/4 cup organic sugar (or xylitol)
5 free range eggs, room temperature
1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract
3 cups fine ground blanched almond flour, sifted
1 Tbsp baking powder
1/4 tsp sea salt
1 1/2 cups buttermilk, room temperature

With a stand mixer, beat the butter and sugar on until light and fluffy, about five minutes. Beat in the eggs one at a time until combined.  Beat in the vanilla.  In a small bowl, whisk the dry ingredients together.  With the mixer on low, add 1/2 of the flour mixture to the butter mixture, beating to combine.  Beat in the buttermilk, then the remaining flour mixture until just combined.  Scrape down the bowl as needed.   Pour into lined cupcake tins and bake at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes.  Let cool for 10 mins then remove from pan to a cooling rack.


I cheated on the frosting for the cupcakes.  I ordered 4 pounds of butter cream frosting from Whole Foods, 2 pounds each of green and blue.  They make their frosting with all natural food dyes from fruits and veggies, so this was the least expensive route to go for colored healthier frosting.  And, since we were having a lot of babies at the party, I didn't want to make my usual xylitol sweetened frosting as babies can't digest xylitol.  I was fine with giving my baby just a little bit of sugar on his special day.  Whole Foods also uses organic rBGH-free butter and milk in their frosting, so that put my mind at ease enough to go ahead and order it.  The only thing I was bummed about is that when we went to pick up the frosting, the blue color was more purple.  It's understandable because you can't get a true blue color using natural dyes, but I was still bummed by how purple it came out.  Instead, we took home white and green frosting, and I was very pleased with how it looked on the table with the cupcakes and embellishments.

Alternatively, you can make sugar-free frosting many different ways.  I shared my 4 favorite cake and cookie frostings in my Season's Eatings holiday e-cookbook.  You can also use bananas, cashews, or avocado as the base for you frosting.  We made a bright green frosting using avocados for Austin's actual birthday at home.

Avocado Frosting

The cupcakes, the food, the colors, the details...it all came together just as I had hoped.  It was a fun 1st birthday party filled with happy memories we will cherish forever.

Photo courtesy of Marissa Nixon Photography

Photo courtesy of Marissa Nixon Photography

See more professional photos from our celebration here.

Questions Answered: Grain Free Chicken Nuggets

Happy WEEKEND everyone!

Boy did I ever need this weekend to arrive.  It's been a long week with Austin, and I appreciate the few extra hours that I have my husband home to help me this weekend.  Austin is about 10.5 months now, and his mood swings are high and often lately.  From what I've read on some attachment parenting forums, this is about the age where he's developing a lot of new skills all at once (walking, talking more, expressing new emotions, eating new foods, more teeth, etc etc) and it can be overwhelming, so babies often release in this way.  What do you all think?  Experience the same moodiness with your little one(s) at this age?  Well it's been almost a week straight.  I'm fried.  And on top of it, I've worn myself down and come down with a cold.  I am in need of a momcation!!  :)

Now, while I sip on my Healing Cuisine Tincture Tea and think of all the ways today was a blessing and a gift, I'll answer a recipe question from Tyese P.:

"I wanted to know if you can help me come up with healthy versions of chicken nuggets and pizza. My kids love to eat them, but I don't like the unhealthy ones... If you could help me out I would appreciate it.  Thanks!"  - Tyese P., Illinois

These are two great recipe requests, and two that every mom should have up her sleeve.  You are right on, Tyese.  Chicken nuggets and pizza bought in the frozen food aisle, the deli section, or from a fast food restaurant are all extremely unhealthy and can be laden with chemicals, preservatives, and food dyes.  Grains and sugar can be the least of your worries when buying a manufactured chicken nugget or pizza!  Have you peeked at the ingredients list of one of those packages lately??

I'll be sharing my recipe for chicken nuggets today, and pizza tomorrow.  I looked up Tyson Chicken Nuggets.  That is the brand my mom fed us growing up.  This nutritional and ingredients info is direct from their website.  Check it out:

At first glance you might say, wow that's not so bad!  But let's remember where this chicken came from, how it was raised, and how it was butchered.  When you hear the brand name "Tyson," you may remember that they are known for loading their birds with chemicals BEFORE the butchering takes place...probably so they don't have to post the chemicals on the ingredients label since it's not added during the manufacturing process?  I remember news reports came out about that a few years back, also about the way they treat their animals....  Google it!

My point is, this meat is not coming from free range pastured chickens.  We don't know the chemical burden of the meat, which also means the fats are compromised.  If we continue to look at the ingredients list, you can see there is a lot of wheat going in (sugar), and corn (sugar), and vegetable oil (bad fat).  And look at all the salt!  Bad salt, too.  It's not our healthy Himalayan mineral sea salt.  And on a label when you see "spices" or sometimes it can read "other flavorings," that can mean MSG.  Who really knows what they are hiding by using a vague term like that.

Your kids deserve better!  Start with some free range organic chicken and make these nuggets with Advanced Plan ingredients!  My recipe is below.  I have decided to share this recipe which is originally found in my Kid's Birthday Party e-Book.  Inside, you'll also find easy Core and Advanced Plan menu options perfect to please your birthday boy or girl and their party guests!  The menu list includes: Almond Crusted Chicken Strips, Sweet Potato Fries, Caramel Apple Slices, Banana Nut Stacks, Chocolate Almond Snack Bars, Very Berry Smoothie, Strawberry Lemonade, Vegetable Art, Vanilla Cupcakes with Chocolate Frosting.

Grain Free Chicken Nuggets
Makes 24 Nuggets

1/2 cup almond flour, sifted
3 Tbsp coconut flour, sifted
2 tsp paprika
1 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp dry mustard
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp fresh black pepper
1 1/2 tsp olive oil 
3 free range eggs
1 lb free-range boneless, skinless chicken breasts (approx. 2 large breasts)
4 Tbsp coconut oil, melted

1.)  Preheat oven to 475°F.  Set a wire rack on a foil-lined baking sheet and brush with coconut oil. Wash and dry chicken breasts.  Cut each breast into 6 uniform strips, then cut each strip in half.  Use a meat mallet to pound out thick nuggets to each nugget is of uniform thickness.  Lay out on a plate and set aside.

2.)  Place almond flour, coconut flour, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, dry mustard, sea salt and pepper in a food processor.  Pulse until the the paprika is mixed throughout, about 1 minute.  With the motor running, drizzle in the olive oil.  Blend until just combined.  Transfer the mixture to a shallow dish.

3.)  Whisk eggs in a second shallow dish.  Add chicken nuggets to eggs and turn to coat.  Transfer each nugget to the almond mixture and dredge evenly on all sides.  Place the chicken nugget on the prepared rack.  Repeat until all chicken nuggets are dredged and on the prepared rack.

4.)  Brush each nugget with coconut oil.  Flip and coat the other side.  Bake the chicken nuggets until golden brown, crispy and no longer pink in the center, 20 to 25 minutes.  Serve with organic ketchup and honey mustard.

TIP:  Prepare in advance:  Bake, cool and freeze in an airtight container.  Simply remove from freezer and pop, frozen, into oven at 350 degrees F until warmed through.  May need to cover with aluminum foil to prevent burning during reheat.

Tune in tomorrow for Advanced Plan PIZZA!

Creamy Artichoke Soup

A great soup for spring/summer!  And it's super quick to prepare, too.  I've made this as a Core Plan soup with just a few redskin potatoes because they really add a creamy body to the soup.  However, you can make this Advanced Plan by simply replacing the redskins with 2/3 cup pureed white beans.

Easy Creamy Artichoke Soup
Makes 4-6 Servings

1 shallot, minced

1 clove garlic, minced

1 Tbsp coconut oil

32 oz organic sodium-free vegetable broth

2  9oz packs frozen artichoke hearts

4 small red skin potatoes, thinly sliced (peeling optional)

1/2 tsp celery seed

1 tsp dried cilantro

Sea salt, to taste

White Pepper, to taste

1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

1/2 cup organic almond milk, unsweetened plain flavor

1.)  In a medium pot, saute the shallot and garlic in coconut oil over Medium heat until softened.  Stir in artichoke hearts, potatoes, celery seed, cilantro, and vegetable broth.

2.)  Bring to a boil then reduce heat to Low.  Simmer for 20 minutes or until the artichokes and potatoes are fork tender.

3.)  Remove from heat.  Blend, carefully, until smooth with a steel immersion blender or in a glass blender in small batches.

4.)  To the soup, add sea salt, white pepper, lemon juice, and almond milk.  Return to a boil for 10 minutes.  Remove from heat and serve.  Top with a dollop of organic Greek yogurt (optional).

Chipotle Mayo

Spring is in the air!  Last week, Dave and I were really feeling in the springy summer spirit and found ourselves really wanting burgers!  Well, we had some organic ground buffalo in the freezer, so we took advantage of frying up some patties.  To our sprouted buns, we added crisp organic romaine leaves, sliced avocado, and red onion, but wanted some pizazz.  Dave requested "chipotle something!" and the idea hit me for chipotle mayonnaise!  I LOVE chipotle mayo, one of my favorite condiments.  It truly rounded out the burgers perfectly with spice.  We steamed up some sweet potatoes and mashed the chipotle mayo into them.  Mmmm.  Makes a great dip for parties, too, and SO EASY!

Chipotle Mayo
Makes 1/2 cup

1/2 cup Healing Cuisine Mayonnaise
2 chipotle chillies in adobo sauce - more if you want spicier (find it in the oriental or Mexican section in the grocery store, look for the brand in a glass jar vs. can if you can.  There should be no preservatives or sugar.)
1 Tbsp adobo sauce from the chillies
1 clove fresh garlic
2 tsp fresh lime juice

Add all ingredients to your blender and puree until smooth.  Serve immediately or store in fridge up to 1 week.

Cardamom-Glazed Grilled Mango

I LOVE FLORIDA!!  Whole Foods had local organic mangos, perfectly ripe, on sale today.  I indulged and bought a few, a special treat for Dave and I who have been sticking to Advanced Plan berries and Granny Smith apples since last fall.  Prepared this simple side dish and served along side grilled chicken.

I've added about 1-2 Tablespoons of raw honey to this recipe to aid in caramelization.  Leave it out if you don't want the added sugar.  It will be just as good without, just a little less crunchy!  The slightly burned sugar gives the mango a really nice flavor, which compliments the cardamom beautifully.  If omitting honey, use a bit of lemon juice and olive oil instead.

Cardamom-Glazed Grilled Mango

2 ripe mangoes, skinned & cubed
1-2 Tbsp organic raw honey
3 green cardamom pods, shelled and ground with mortar and pestle
2 Tbsp unsweetened coconut flakes
1/4 tsp cinnamon
about 6 bamboo skewers, soaked in water

1.)  Preheat grill on High heat.  Mix all ingredients together in a medium bowl, being sure to coat all sides of the mango chunks.  Grease the grill with coconut oil.

2.)  Load the skewers with the crusted mango and set on the grill. Let it go until it just starts to brown/blacken and flip, doing the same with the other side (should take 3-4 minutes).  Serve on a bed of greens for a nice side salad.

6 skewers was a little much for just the two of us, but the grilled mango was SO good that we enjoyed for dessert atop Greek yogurt with chopped raw almonds.  Grilled mango is delicious!

Green Apple Salad with Almonds

This turned out to be quite the elegant little salad.  We had it as an appetizer to my Chicken with Oranges dinner (recipe coming next!).  A very good pairing, although this salad can stand its own as a lunch and would be great paired with beef as well.  Mmm, I loved it!  And I was so excited to dive in, that I forgot to take a picture.  But trust me, it's worth making!

Green Apple Salad with Almonds

1 cup organic, unsweetened apple juice
1/4 cup Bragg apple cider vinegar, divided
1 shallot, minced
1/4 cup olive oil
1 Tbsp fresh tarragon, torn
1 1/2 tsp spoonable stevia powder
Sea salt to taste
Fresh black pepper to taste
2 organic Granny Smith apples, sliced
3 ribs organic celery, thinly sliced on the bias
1/4 cup raw almonds, coarsely chopped
1 Tbsp fresh chives, chopped
2 oz raw goat cheese
Mix of fresh organic spring greens and spinach

1.)   In small saucepan combine apple juice and 2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar.  Heat to boiling and continue boiling until liquid is reduced by half (about 15 minutes).  Set aside to cool.

2.)  In a small bowl, mix remaining vinegar with the shallots, olive oil, tarragon, spoonable stevia, sea salt and pepper.  Whisk together with fork until stevia dissolves.

3.)  In medium bowl, toss together apples, celery, almonds and chives.  Stir in vinaigrette.

4.)  Assemble salad on small plates, greens first, stacking the apple mixture next.  Sprinkle goat cheese over top.  Drizzle with apple juice reduction and enjoy!

Green Herbed Hummus

Dave and I are huge hummus fans.  We eat a quart of hummus just about every week.  Our top favorites are this recipe for Green Herbed Hummus, Roasted Garlic Hummus, and Roasted Red Pepper Hummus (the classics, right?).  We also rotate in Beet Hummus, Zucchini Hummus, and Broccoli Hummus when we need a break from the chickpeas.

Hummus is a great snack or component to a fabulous lunch!  Full of protein, good fats, antioxidants, it provides you with fuel! :)  We'll eat with zucchini and celery sticks or served over a bed of spinach.  Mmm mmm good!

Green Herbed Hummus
Makes About 2 cups

2 cups of organic chickpeas, rinsed and drained
2 garlic cloves
2 Tbsp raw almond butter
1/4 cup fresh parsley leaves
6 fresh basil leaves
1 organic scallion, chopped
1 Tbsp fresh dill
1-2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/3 cup olive oil

In a food processor or blender, add all ingredients except olive oil.  Pulse until slightly combined.  Run on High speed and stream in olive oil until combined.  Refrigerate 2 hours before serving to allow flavors to mix.

Chickpea Stuffed Cucumber Cups

At a party a while back (it was a cocktail party, I had to wear a dress, which I don't necessarily enjoy so to distract my mind from the uncomfortableness, I focused in on the food tables looking for ideas!), they had these little things I thought were hummus stuffed sushi.  I took a bite, but to my surprise they were hummus stuffed cucumbers!  What a delight!  So...here's my take on this cute little appetizer.  I've adapted this recipe from one in my not always so healthy for you Better Homes & Gardens cookbook for Asian inspired deviled eggs.  These make great snacks or appetizers for your own party!

Chickpea Stuffed Cucumber Cups
Makes 12

2 organic cucumbers
1 cup organic chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 inch of fresh ginger root, finely grated
3 scallions, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1 Tbsp Bragg's liquid aminos
a dash of hot sauce or cayenne pepper (optional)
1 Tbsp white miso paste OR Healing Cuisine Mayonnaise
Fresh black pepper to taste

1.)  Start by cleaning and slicing the cucumbers into 1 1/2 inch thick coins.  Hallow out the centers using a melon baller or small spoon, leaving a little at the bottom of the cucumber so the filling doesn't leak thru.

2.) Throw all the remaining ingredients into the food processor or blender and puree (including the scooped out cucumber seeds!).  When it’s mostly smooth, spoon (or use a piping bag) filling into the cucumber cups.  Refrigerate two hours before serving.  If you have leftovers, try it spooned over a salad or as a spread for a sandwich or wrap!

Experiment with flavors!!  ... curry?  mint?  roasted garlic?  You can also stuff with various salads (egg salad, salmon salad, chicken salad, black eyed pea salad...etc).  Another idea is using raw zucchini cups instead of cucumber.   So many possibilities!

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds - 3 Flavors

It's here!  Pumpkin season!!  Whether you're carving jack-o'-lanterns or making Pumpkin-Coconut Soup, Pumpkin Dip, Pumpkin Bread, Pumpkin Pudding, Pumpkin Bars or Pumpkin Pie, don't forget to save your seeds!  I know in my family, we'd cut open the top of the pumpkin and scoop out the pumpkin innards, seeds and all, into a black garbage bag, never to be seen again.  Well, for all those years we were throwing away some of nature's most nutritious seeds; the pumpkin seeds!

Pumpkin seeds are packed with a great supply of vitamins, minerals and healthy fatty acids.  Considered one of nature's nutritional powerhouses, just 1/4 cup provides a daily dose of phosphorous, magnesium, tryptophan, vitamin K, iron, copper, zinc and healthy fatty acids.  They are also a good protein and fiber source!

Pumpkin seeds can be eaten raw or roasted, shelled or intact.  Simply remove the seeds from the pumpkin, wipe them off and leave them to dry overnight on a baking sheet (I line mine with parchment paper to help absorb moisture).  Once dry, you can then choose whether to use them raw or to roast them.  To keep raw, simply store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for a month or two.  If you choose to roast (3 great recipes below!), remember we want to keep the center of the seed shy from heat to keep all of the nutrients intact.  Thus, we don't want to bake the seeds until they are brown -- this means they've had too much heat and the nutritional value has plummeted, in fact the fats are probably rancid and no longer good for us.  Instead, we want to bake at a low temperature for a short period of time to bake flavor in to the shell only.

And leave on your shells!  Pumpkin seeds with shells have more flavor and a crunchier texture than those without shells.  And the shells contain more fiber to keep your digestive system functioning properly.

Pumpkin seeds can be scattered on salads, used to make hummus, baked in bread or just munched as a snack food.  Some recipes call for "pepitas" which are hulled green pumpkin seeds.  If pepitas are what you prefer, learn how to shell your own seeds here.

On to the recipes!

Simple Salted Pumpkin Seeds

1 cup pumpkin seeds, cleaned and dried 24 hrs
2 tsp olive oil
1 tsp sea salt

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.  In a medium bowl, mix seeds with olive oil and coat well.  Spread evenly on baking sheet.  Sprinkle with sea salt.  Bake for 15 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes.  Remove from oven, let cool on baking sheet.  Enjoy.

Curried Pumpkin Seeds

1 cup pumpkin seeds, cleaned and dried 24 hrs
1 free-range egg white
2 tsp curry powder
1/2 tsp sea salt

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.  In a medium bowl, mix pumpkin seeds with all 3 ingredients.  Toss well to coat.  Using a strainer, drain off any excess egg white.  Spread evenly over a baking sheet.  Bake for 15 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes.  Remove from oven.  Carefully taste one seed -- it will be hot, let cool on a separate plate for a minute first.  Taste for seasoning, you  may prefer more curry or sea salt.  Add more to your taste.  Cool and enjoy.

Spiced Pumpkin Seeds

1 cup pumpkin seeds, cleaned and dried 24 hrs
1 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp organic Tabasco sauce (more/less to taste)
1 Tbsp chili powder
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp cumin

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.  In a medium bowl, mix pumpkin seeds with olive oil and Tabasco sauce.  Toss well to coat.  Spread evenly over a baking sheet.  In a small bowl, combine dried spices. Sprinkle spices over the pumpkin seeds.  Bake for 15 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes.  Remove from oven.  Sprinkle with sea salt to taste.  Cool and enjoy.

Have a happy Halloween everyone!

Pumpkin-Coconut Soup

I used seasonal pumpkin for this colorful soup.  A benefit is you can make this soup any time of the year, as organic unsweetened canned pumpkin is readily available year round.  This soup is a great option for a filling lunch or light dinner!   We usually pair with a small salad with chicken breast and hempseeds or a protein shake.  Have to make sure you're adding protein to every meal!

 

Pumpkin-Coconut Soup

15 oz organic pumpkin (or any other winter squash), either canned (unsweetened) or fresh roasted
1 cup organic lima beans, drained and rinsed
8 cups organic sodium-free vegetable or chicken stock
1 large organic carrot, peeled and chopped
1 medium onion, peeled and chopped
4 large cloves garlic, sliced
2 c full-fat organic coconut milk
1 Tbsp organic coconut oil
Sea salt and pepper to taste

OPTIONAL - For a less sweet, more traditional pumpkin soup flavor add:
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp curry powder
1 tsp fresh ginger

1.)   In a large stock pot, heat coconut oil over Medium-High heat.  Add onion, carrot and garlic to pot and saute about 5 minutes to soften.  Add vegetable stock, turn to High heat and bring to boil.

2.)   Add lima beans and pumpkin flesh, continue to cook on High.  Once it returns to a boil, reduce to simmer, stirring occasionally.

3.)  Simmer for about an hour until the beans are tender.  If the soup thickens too much and starts to stick, add  more stock. You want a very thick soup, but not dry.

4.)  When everything is tender, turn off the heat.  With either an immersion blender or standing blender, blend the soup until smooth.  Add half a can of coconut milk and blend again, adding more coconut milk to get your desired consistency & taste.  Garnish with shredded coconut (optional).

Chocolate Coco-Hazel-Nut Spread

I had a family approach me yesterday with questions about Nutella.  They recently started the Advanced Maximized Living Nutrition Plan and had purchased a jar of Nutella after watching a commercial claiming it is an all-natural spread perfect for breakfast.  In fact, their tag-line is: "Treat yourself with Nutella spread as part of a healthy, balanced breakfast."  Thankfully mom and dad read the label and knew to throw it out before feeding to the family.

Take a peek at the Nutella label.  Ingredients:  Sugar, modified palm oil, hazelnuts, cocoa, skim milk, reduced mineral whey (from milk), soy lecithin: an emulsifier, vanillan: an artificial flavor.

So, the hazelnuts and cocoa are great, but sugar and palm oil as the first two ingredients?  That volume of sweetness, the bad oil and processed dairy make this "all natural" spread a poor choice for any family at any meal.  Mom and dad asked me how can they replicate Nutella without the sugar, oil and milk?

Enjoy this raw chocolate hazelnut spread!  A truly healthy way to enjoy breakfast, snack, or dessert!


Chocolate Coco-Hazel-Nut Spread
Makes 1 1/2 cups

1 cup raw hazelnuts
Flesh of one young coconut
3 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
Stevia to taste (I used about 1 tsp spoonable stevia)
Coconut water to perfect consistency

Add all ingredients to blender or food processor and blend on High until combined.  Stop and scrape down sides.  Slowly stream in coconut water while on Medium speed using just enough coconut water to get it to a spreadable smooth consistency.  Enjoy as is, with sliced Granny Smith apples or over sprouted bread!

Store leftovers in a jar in the fridge up to 1 week.

Roasted Red Pepper Hummus

Roasted Red Pepper Hummus
Makes About 6 Servings (multiplied by 5 for the party)

12 oz organic sodium free garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
1 organic red bell pepper, roasted, peeled and seeded
1 Tbsp chopped red onion

1 clove of garlic, minced

1 Tbsp tahini

Juice of 1 lemon

2 Tbsp olive oil
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (to taste)
1/2 tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp sea salt (to taste)

Combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth.  You may have to stop to scrape down the ingredients a few times.  Serve immediately with fresh veggies or on a salad.  Store the rest covered, in the refrigerator for a few days.

Citrus Beet & Rhubarb Salad

We happened upon some more rhubarb from a friend this week, our lucky day!  Here's a fresh spin on using rhubarb in something other than a dessert.  :)  I was inspired to do this salad from one I had a Good Earth a while back, possibly even last spring.

This salad won't qualify for the Advanced Plan, but it's a refreshing summer salad that Core followers can enjoy.

Beet, Rhubarb, and Orange Salad
Makes 2-3 servings

4 red and/or yellow beets
Sea salt to taste 
2 Tbsp coconut oil

3 c filtered water
2 tsp powdered stevia
1 pound peeled and trimmed rhubarb stalks, cut into 1/2" slices
1/2 tsp orange zest
3 large oranges
2 Tbsp Bragg's apple cider vinegar
1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 Tbsp minced shallot
2 Tbsp olive oil
3 tsp raw honey

10 fresh mint leaves, coarsely chopped

Sea salt to taste
Fresh black pepper to taste
3 c watercress sprigs (or other salad greens)
Top with raw goat cheese (optional, we didn't have any but I bet it'd be good!)

1.)  Preheat oven to 400°F. Place beets on large sheet of foil. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon coconut oil; sprinkle with sea salt.  Wrap beets in foil.  Roast beets until tender when pierced with fork, about 1 hour.  Unwrap and cool beets.  Peel, then chop into bit size pieces.

2.)  Bring 3 cups water, 3 tsp honey, and pinch of sea salt to simmer in large saucepan.  Add chopped rhubarb.  Simmer over medium heat until just tender but still intact, 1 to 2 minutes (do not overcook or rhubarb will be mushy).  Using slotted spoon, transfer rhubarb to platter and cool completely. (Beets and rhubarb can be made a day in advance!)

3.)  Grate enough peel from 1 orange to measure 1/2 teaspoon, transfer to small bowl and reserve for dressing. Segment the oranges, working over the orange zest bowl to catch juices (squeeze membranes to release juice before throwing away). Add orange segments to a separate large mixing bowl.

4.)  In the small bowl, whisk together orange zest, orange juice, apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, minced shallot, stevia, mint leaves and 2 tablespoons olive oil into bowl.  Season dressing with sea salt and pepper.

5.)  Time to plate:  Lay down a bed of watercress.  Add beet mixture on top and garnish with raw goat cheese/pine nuts/slivered almonds if desired.

Nine Layer Taco Dip

We love this dish as a snack, as lunch or a great addition to any party spread!  The picture is a little off -- we forgot to add the olives until after we devoured half of the dish.  It's great even with a layer missing!  :)


Also, a little note on the cheese, cream cheese and sour cream -- we get these organic and raw from our local farmer.  If you don't have access to an organic farm, the next best thing is to choose the organic dairy options in the grocery aisle.  It's very important for your health to keep the hormones, antibiotics and other nasty stuff out of your food!

Nine Layer Taco Dip

TACO SEASONING MIX:
3 Tbsp chili powder
1 tsp garlic powder
3 tsp ground cumin
1 1/2 tsp paprika
2 tsp oregano
1 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (more or less to taste)
1/2 tsp sea salt
2 tsp black pepper

THE LAYERS:
1 can organic refried black beans
8oz organic cream cheese, softened
16oz organic sour cream
16oz organic salsa
1 large organic tomato, chopped
1 organic green bell pepper, chopped
1 bunch organic green onions, chopped
1 heart organic romaine lettuce, shredded
6oz sliced black olives
2 avocados, diced
Squeeze of lime juice
2 cups raw cheddar cheese, shredded

In a medium bowl, blend the taco seasoning mix and refried beans together.  Spread the mixture onto a large serving platter.  Mix the sour cream and cream cheese in a medium bowl.  Spread over the refried beans.  Top the layers with salsa.  Place a layer of tomato, green bell pepper, green onions and lettuce over the salsa, and top with Cheddar cheese.  In a small bowl, mix the diced avocado with lime juice.  Garnish the layers with black olives and avocado.  Serve with organic flaxseed chips and vegetables.

Leek & Potato Soup

This is a delicious soup that we do on our "vacation" days, the days we bend the rules a little on what we eat.  We usually take a vacation meal once or twice a month, sometimes more if we're dealing with hectic times.  So keep in mind that a main ingredient in this soup is potatoes, and potatoes are not included on the basic or advanced Maximized Living Nutrition Plans for this reason:

Potatoes are a high-starch carbohydrate with high Glycemic Index (GI) values.  Carbohydrate means "carbon plus water" (citing the Dictionary).  While carbohydrates are an essential nutrient for brain fuel and health, keep in mind the type of carbs you are taking in.  Potatoes contain glucose, the simplest carbohydrate which turns to sugar extremely fast in the body.  All other vegetables in general contain much less glucose creating a relatively slower glycemic spike during and after the meal.  So while practicing the Maximized Living Nutrition Plan, whether basic or advanced, you want to steer clear of potatoes due to their high-starch, high glucose content.  New white potatoes (which you can use in this recipe) are better choices, with sweet potatoes being best of all.  Potatoes are a fat-free healthy food that provide useful amounts of vitamin C, potassium and fiber.  Their high GI value can be reduced by eating them with other low-GI foods as part of the same meal.

Leek & Potato Soup
Makes About 4 Servings

10 small red new potatoes
5 cups organic, sodium free chicken broth
2 leeks, chopped and rinsed
3 Tbsp coconut oil
2 cups unsweetened organic almond milk
6 cloves garlic, smashed
Sea salt and fresh pepper to taste

1.) Place potatoes into a large saucepan with water to cover.  Bring to a boil and cook until tender.  Meanwhile, saute leeks in coconut oil until translucent.

2.) When potatoes are done, skin them while they are still hot and cut them into bite sized pieces (skinning is optional).  Place potatoes into a stock pot with chicken broth, smashed garlic cloves and leeks.  Season with sea salt and pepper.

3.) Cook over Medium heat until simmering.  Stir in almond milk and return to simmer until thickened slightly.  Garnish with fresh parsley and serve immediately.

Warm Spinach and Sweet Potato Salad

This is really more of a meal salad than a side salad -- those sweet potatoes will fill you up!  But remember to add protein to your meal: maybe add some chicken, hard boiled eggs and/or almonds to the salad or side it with a protein shake/smoothie.  We didn't have much else in the kitchen protein-wise today, so we had the salad as is with vanilla protein shakes -- yum!

Warm Spinach and Sweet Potato Salad
Makes 4 servings

2 lg sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1" cubes
1/4 c and 2 Tbsp coconut oil
1 tsp sea salt
2 slices uncured organic turkey bacon (2 oz)
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 medium red onion, halved and sliced thin
1 Tbsp minced fresh ginger
1 tsp ground cumin
fresh squeezed juice from 2 oranges (about 1/2 c)
1 lb fresh spinach leaves, rinsed and spun dry

1.)  Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  Put sweet potatoes on baking sheet, drizzle with 1/4 c coconut oil (melted on the stove top if not already liquid) to coat.  Sprinkle with sea salt and place in oven to roast, turning occasionally.  Potatoes should be brown and tender after about 25 minutes.  Remove from oven and set aside.

2.)  Cook bacon in stainless steal skillet over medium heat while potatoes roast.  Turn once or twice until crisp and cooked thru.  Drain bacon pieces on paper towel, chop into bit size pieces and set aside.  Pour fat out of skillet, leaving and darkened bits on bottom of pan.  Put back on stove over medium heat.  Add 2 Tbsp coconut oil.  When coconut oil is melted and sizzling, add bell pepper, onion, ginger and sprinkle of sea salt.  Cook, stirring occasionally til veggies are cooked tender.  Stir in cumin and turkey bacon.  Stir in orange juice and turn off heat.

3.)  Place spinach in a large bowl.  Add sweet potatoes, warm dressing and sea salt & freshly ground black pepper to taste.  Toss to combine.  Serve immediately.

No Mayo Deviled Eggs

Here's a great idea to use up all your hard boiled eggs from Easter.  Make deviled eggs using no mayo!  (We were out of Vegenaise so I worked with what we had -- a ripe avocado!)  Another favorite of ours is to add some hard boiled eggs to our Healing Chicken Salad.

No Mayo Deviled Eggs

6 hard boiled eggs
1 ripe avocado
3 Tbsp organic sour cream
1 dash Bragg's liquid aminos
1 Tbsp chopped fresh dill
sea salt to taste
ground white pepper to taste
1 green onion, minced

1. Peel and rinse the eggs under cold water.  Halve the eggs lengthwise and scoop the yolks into a bowl.

2.  Halve and scoop out the avocado, dice it.  Add the avocado and sour cream to the egg yolks and mash into a smooth, creamy mixture.  Stir in the liquid aminos, dill, sea salt, and white pepper until the mixture is very well blended; spoon into the egg white halves and garnish with green onion.

Spinach-Artichoke Dip

Spinach-Artichoke Dip

1 c frozen chopped spinach or fresh spinach
1 1/2 c thawed frozen artichoke hearts
1/2 c Vegenaise
1/2 c organic sour cream
1 c freshly grated Parmesan (raw, organic)
1 c grated pepper jack cheese (raw, organic)
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

1.)  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.  Grease a casserole dish with coconut oil.

2.) If using frozen spinach, dump thawed spinach into a clean tea towel or tripled up paper towel.  Wrap towel around spinach and squeeze out all of the liquid remaining in the thawed spinach.  If using fresh spinach, wash and chop.

3.)  Coarsely chop the artichoke hearts in a food processor.  Combine all the ingredients except the jack cheese in a large bowl.  Stir well.

4.)  Scrape into the prepared casserole dish and sprinkle the jack cheese on top. Bake for 30 minutes.  Serve with vegetables.

Homemade Guacamole

Did you know that making your own, fresh guacamole could be so easy and so worth it?  Homemade guac has a much more intense flavor than the store bought variety -- and it's cheaper if you make it yourself, too!  Guacamole is a great condiment in place of ranch dressing, chip dips, or sometimes even ketchup or mustard!  Sometimes we even like to mix it with hummus while we enjoy our fresh veggies.  :) 

Homemade Guacamole

2 avocados
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
1 organic tomato, diced
Sea salt to taste
Chili powder to taste
Cumin to taste

Optional ingredients to taste:
1/3 cup green or red onion, diced
2-3 radishes, diced
4 stems of cilantro, chopped
Fresh ground pepper to taste

Cut avocados in half (long way), take out pits.  Spoon out avocados into a large bowl and mash with a fork to desired consistency.  Add lime juice, finely minced garlic and all other diced vegetables.  Add seasonings to taste.  Mix together and put the seeds in the bowl to prevent the avocados from turning brown.  Refrigerate and serve with a favorite vegetable (bell peppers, cucumbers, celery).

A No Reservations Valentine's Day Dinner

What is celebrating THE romantic holiday of the year like for you?  Does spending the night in sound about as romantic as vacuuming and folding the laundry?  For us, Valentine's Day dinner is an adventure into new territory.  For the past 4 years (I think) we have stayed in and cooked up a menu that is brand new to both of us.  While I recently started planning our menu for next weekend, I wanted to throw together a Valentine's menu for those of you who want to stay on track with eating foods that HEAL but still have the romantic and lavish experience of eating out.

Beyond the menu, of course remember to set the mood.  Ambiance is everything when trying to make a romantic night at home.  Start looking for great decorations now.  First look around your home and take an inventory of what you already have that you could move around to set the mood, or maybe you can use something that usually serves one purpose for another (like using your accent pillows as seats for the floor to cozy up together while you eat).  Candles are an easy way to create soft, romantic lighting.  [TIP:  Soy candles are the healthiest as they don't emit toxic chemicals or carcinogens into the air as they burn.]  Check your local Dollar Store for cheap candles, especially if you'll only be using them for this one night.  I've also found candles and other cute decorations in the $1 section at Target.  Definitely check there first for Valentine's themed decor!  Here's another idea.  If you like to do the cooking, have your spouse/boyfriend/girlfriend do the mood setting.  You can surprise each other that way!  Don't let the other see what you have been working on until they finish the room and you're ready to serve the meal.  It means even more to see how far your significant other went out of their way to do something for you.

Now to the menu:

First Course - Roasted Beet and Arugula Salad with Goat Cheese

Approx. 40 mins prep and cook time

2 organic red beets
3 Tbsp coconut oil
8 cloves garlic, peeled and left whole
2 handfuls of Arugula
Salt and Pepper to taste
1/2 cup crumbled goat cheese

1.)  Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Wash, peel and quarter the beets.  In medium bowl, combine beets, coconut oil (may need to melt it down to liquid), garlic cloves, salt and pepper.  Transfer to baking dish.  roast for 30 minutes or until fork tender.  Removed from oven and let cool about 15 minutes before serving.

2.)  After beet mixture has cooled, place Arugula on plates, top with beet mixture, and finish with a sprinkle of goat cheese to each plate.  A little extra salt and pepper and drizzle of olive oil may be desired.  Serve immediately.


Main Course - Chicken Cacciatore
Approx. 30 minutes prep/cook time

1 Tbsp coconut oil
4 free range chicken breasts, skinless (you can use bone in or boneless, your choice)
1 medium red onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
8 oz sliced white mushrooms (any mushrooms will do really, whatever is in your budget, organic is best!)
3 Tbsp chopped flat leaf parsley
2 tsp dried rosemary
1  15oz can diced organic tomatoes  (be sure the lining of the can is BPA-Free or else get a glass jar of tomatoes)
2 Tbsp organic tomato paste
1 Tbsp red wine vinegar
Sea salt and fresh black pepper, to taste

[TIP:  To clean your mushrooms, use a damp rag or paper towel and wipe the tops.  Do not rinse under water as the mushrooms will absorb the water and cause a spongy/chewy texture instead of the meaty texture you want.]

1.)  Over medium-high heat, melt coconut oil in a medium stainless steal skillet.  Rinse and dry chicken then brown lightly on both sides in the skillet, about 4 minutes per side.  Transfer chicken to plate and set aside.

2.)  In same skillet, saute onion until tender and translucent.  Add garlic and cook about 1 minute til aromatic.  Add mushrooms and cook, stiring often, until they release their liquid and soften up.  Should take about 6 minutes.  Add 2 Tbsp of parsley, the rosemary, tomatoes, tomato paste and vinegar.  As you stir in the vinegar, scrap the bottom of the pan to incorporate the brown bits into the sauce -- this will add a ton of flavor to the dish!

3.)  Return the chicken to the pan.  When sauce bubbles, reduce to low, cover and simmer for 15 minutes.  Turn chicken, stir sauce, then cook until chicken is cooked thru, about 5 more minutes depending on thickness of chicken.

4.)  Season dish with salt and pepper as needed.  Plate and top with parsley for garnish.  Serve.


Dessert  -  Chocolate Mousse
Make this the night ahead to save time on V-day, 15 minutes to prepare then chill time

2 ripe avocados
30-40 drops pure liquid stevia OR 1 Tbsp Stevita spoonable stevia
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
3/4 cup organic unsweetened cocoa powder or raw carob powder
3/4 cup unsweetened almond or rice milk (additional to thin out to your preference)
1/3 cup organic full-fat coconut milk
1 Tbsp brandy or rum (optional)
1/4 tsp cinnamon (optional)

1.)  Blend all ingredients together and chill.  To spice up the romance, top with fresh organic berries or blend berries into a puree and dollop.  To take it a step further, simmer berries in a small sauce pan until they cook down into a glaze.  Add stevia to taste, but will be very enjoyable plain drizzled over the mousse.


Happy Valentine's Day every one!  Hope you enjoy this menu idea!  Please share any other great V-day recipes you've done in past years or are trying out this year!