Gingered Pear Upside-down Cake

I'm back to blogging.. again.  :)  We lost Internet last week and finally got it fixed today.  If you're like me, that is a crisis that severely limits daily functionality!  I totally went through an Internet detox!!  LOL  Not proud of it, but I'll be the first to admit I depend on the Internet, email, Facebook, and social media connection on a daily basis.  [A quick disclaimer, that I do this all in the right balance to make sure my little man is well taken care of and he always gets my first attention and time every single day.  :)  We are an Attachment Parenting family and our child always comes first!]  But any free time I have during the day goes to the computer.  I learned this because last week my house got REALLY clean with all that don't-know-what-to-do-with-myself time.

I'm happy to be wired up again and have another dessert recipe for you that we enjoyed over the holidays.  It's another remake of a traditional, the pear upside-down cake.  Hope you enjoy it!  It's perfect with a cup of tea or coffee!

Gingered Pear Upside-down Cake
Makes 8 Servings

2 organic ripe pears (any kind is fine, I like Riesling the best)
Juice of 1 lemon
1 Tbsp raw local honey
1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 cup coconut oil, room temp
1 Tbsp Spoonable Stevita stevia
1/2 cup coconut flour, sifted
5 free range eggs
1/2 cup organic unsulfered molasses
1 tsp baking soda
1 1/4 tsp powdered ginger
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ground allspice
1/8 tsp sea salt

1.)  Preheat your oven to 350ºF.  Grease a 9 inch cake pan with coconut oil and set aside.  Cut the pears in half, then quarters, then core each quarter. Remove the stems and butts, then cut each quarter into 2 or 3 wedges (depending on thickness of your pear).  In a small bowl, toss together pear slices with lemon juice, raw honey, and cinnamon.  Let sit while you prepare the cake batter.

2.) In a stand mixer, cream together the coconut oil and stevia.  Add eggs one at a time with mixer on low speed, scraping down the bowl as needed.  Finally, add the molasses.

3.)  With the mixer on low speed, add in remaining dry ingredients/spices one at a time.

4.)  Place the pear wedges in a starburst pattern around the bottom of your greased 9 inch cake pan.  Pour the batter over the pears and pat down with a spatula or your fingers to fill in all the holes and distribute evenly.  (the batter is thick!)

5.)  Bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center, comes out clean.  To serve cake right side up, let the cake cool in pan until completely room temperature.  Run a knife around the edges of the pan. Place a plate over the top of the pan, and holding the plate with your fingers and the cake pan with your thumbs, flip the cake pan over, and remove gently (you may need to give it a little shake to release).

Caramel Apple 'Cheesecake'

Tomorrow is Day 1 of our 25 Days of Christmas Giveaways series!!!  I'm excited for you guys!  We've got 25 big name companies participating.  You'll have the opportunity to enter for a new prize every day for 25 days in a row, from November 30th until Christmas Eve December 24th.  Some days will have more than 1 winner, so be sure to read the details closely.  You'll have 24 hours to get entered every day.  Each day, there are two easy entry options, plus bonuses for tweeting, sharing, or liking the giveaway or company.  It should be easy and fun!  This is my way of giving back to you all for the years of support and love and suggestions and praise!!  Merry Christmas!

A hint for tomorrow's prize..... It promotes natural beauty and relaxation, and the beautiful lady behind this company has been generous here at Healing Cuisine many times in the past.  Her products have always been a hit!  So stay tuned, you'll want to get in on tomorrow's giveaway!

Now, on to those new dessert recipes I promised you.  These are the two desserts I made for Thanksgiving this year, brand new:  Caramel Apple 'Cheesecake' and Cherry Crumble Bars!  I've only got time at the moment to share the first one with you.  My friend Molly and I fell in love with this cheesecake, a new version of my summer favorite Strawberry Cream Pie.  This caramel apple cheesecake uses raw cashews as the base for the no-bake cheesecake, and is now our new favorite fall dessert.  You've got to give it a try!  The caramel sauce is optional, so if you're Advanced Plan feel free to leave that layer of the pie out.  The Cherry Crumble Bars were yummy, too.  Recipe is coming as soon as I catch up on unpacking these boxes!

Salted Caramel Apple 'Cheesecake'
Makes 8 Servings

CRUST LAYER
1 1/4 cups coconut flour
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
5 Tbsp coconut oil (solid room temp)
1 Tbsp raw almond butter or coconut butter
2 tsp Stevita Spoonable stevia
1/4 tsp sea salt
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 tsp cinnamon

CARAMEL PECAN LAYER
1 cup oozy caramel sauce
1 cup chopped pecans (optional)

CINNAMON APPLE LAYER
5 Tbsp raw butter
3 Tbsp raw unfiltered local honey
1 tsp ground cinnamon
pinch sea salt
5 small organic Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and chopped

APPLE CHEESECAKE LAYER
2 small organic Granny Smith apples, peeled and diced
3/4 cup raw cashews, soaked for 2 hours then rinsed
1 Tbsp Stevita Spoonable stevia
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 tsp fresh lemon juice
2 Tbsp coconut butter, melted
4 Tbsp coconut oil, melted

1.)  CRUST LAYER   Add all crust ingredients to food processor.  Pulse until well combined and small crumb texture forms.  Dump into a 9 inch spring form pan.  Press the crust into the pan edges with your fingers, going about 1/2 to 2/3 up the sides.  Place in fridge while you prepare the next layer.

2.)  CARAMEL PECAN LAYER  Spoon caramel sauce into the base of the pie crust.  Spread evenly with a spoon.  Sprinkle chopped pecan bits over the caramel.  Place pie crust in fridge while you prepare the next layer.

3.)  CINNAMON APPLE LAYER  Heat a large skillet over Medium-High heat.  Melt the butter then add the honey, cinnamon and sea salt, stirring to combine.  Cook the mixture until it is gently bubbling, about 1 minute.  Add the chopped apples to the pan and toss to coat.  Cook over Medium-High heat until the apples are very tender and just about all of the liquid has evaporated, about 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Remove from heat and allow to cool for 10 minutes, then add to the pie pan evenly over the caramel pecan layer.  Return the pan to the refrigerator while you prepare the final layer.

4.)  APPLE CHEESECAKE LAYER  Blend all apple cheesecake ingredients together in a high speed blender until completely smooth.  Scrape down sides as needed.  Taste for sweetness, add more stevia if you wish (it depends on how sweet your apples are).  Pour the 'cheesecake' over the cinnamon apple layer.  Add a fifth layer of whipped coconut cream, then drizzle caramel sauce over the top and swirl around with a knife (optional).  Chill in freezer for 5 hours then in fridge for 1-2 hours before removing ring and serving.

See you back here bright and early tomorrow for the big 25 Days of Christmas Giveaways kickoff! 

Guest Post: Mango Mint Sorbet

Today's recipe comes from the kitchen of Dr. B.J. Hardick, co-author of the book Maximized Living Nutrition Plans.  This book outlines the foundation of the Core and Advanced Plans and is what inspired me to change my family's lifestyle, and eventually start Healing Cuisine to share with all of you.

Dr. B.J. needed some menu planning help.  He was throwing a Latin American themed dinner party for his friends.  He wanted the perfect dessert to compliment his other courses.  My mind immediately went to mangoes.  Mango sorbet is a traditional dessert for many of the countries in South America.  And, it's super easy to make at home!  We combined two recipes to create this new spin on mango sorbet, from Fine Cooking and Healing Cuisine.

He didn't know this picture was making it on the blog.... Thanks B.J.!    : )

Mango Mint Sorbet
Makes 8 Servings

8 cups organic mango, diced and frozen
1/2 cup full fat organic Greek yogurt
1/2 tsp fresh orange zest
1/2 cup fresh squeezed organic orange juice
2 tsp fresh mint, chopped

Put frozen fruit, yogurt, orange zest, orange juice, and mint into blender or food processor.  Puree until creamy, stopping to scrape down sides of bowl as needed.  If frozen mangoes don't break down completely, gradually add water as needed through the feed tube while pureeing (a tablespoon or two at a time).  Serve immediately or freeze.  To serve later, allow 10-15 minutes for sorbet to soften at room temperature.

Kombucha Tea Flavorings Round 2

Looking back through my posts in the last few years, I see it's been a while since my last post about brewing kombucha.  Hard to believe!  Well I have about a year's worth of new flavor combinations to share with you.  But first, take a look back at our past discussions about brewing kombucha at home.  If you haven't started yet, believe me it's easy and takes very little effort!  The cost savings of home brewing and health benefits of consuming regularly are abundant!

Weird science project or tasty drink?: How to Brew Kombucha

Is My SCOBY Moldy?

Kombucha Tea Flavorings Round 1

Kombucha Smoothie 

Kombucha Mojito

I hope you like some of these new kombucha flavors.  These ingredients are added during the second fermentation period.  We love to try new combinations.  Exotic blends are at the bottom.  Always use organic ingredients, because chemicals and pesticides can harm the SCOBY and kill the natural yeast production.  Be sure to check out the original kombucha tea flavorings post from 2010 first to see if you want to try any if the classic flavors, too!


Kombucha Tea Flavorings Round 2

To 3 quarts of kombucha tea for the second fermentation period, add:

Watermelon-Lime Kombucha

Watermelon-Lime:  1/3 cup fresh squeezed watermelon juice  +  1/4 cup lime peel cut into strips

Pineapple:  1/4 cup fresh pineapple

Pineapple Pomegranate:  1/4 cup fresh pineapple  +  1/4 cup pomegranate juice

Apple Berry:  1/3 cup unsweetened organic apple juice  +  1/3 cup fresh mixed berries (or thawed frozen berries, or 1/4 cup unsweetened jam)

Cherry Vanilla: 1/4 cup dried cherries OR 1/3 cup pitted fresh cherries  +  2 tsp pure vanilla extract 

Pear-Almond:  1/4 cup fresh pear  +  2 tsp pure almond extract

Orange-Grapefruit: 1/4 cup fresh squeezed orange juice  +  1/3 cup fresh squeezed grapefruit juice   OR  1/4 cup orange peel  +  1/4 cup grapefruit peel 

Lemon-Blueberry:  1/4 cup lemon peel cut into strips  +  1/3 cup fresh blueberries (or frozen thawed blueberries, or 1/4 cup dried blueberries)

Peach:  1/3 cup fresh peaches (or thawed frozen peaches)

Strawberry-Mango: 1/4 cup fresh mango  (or frozen thawed mango)  +  1/3 cup fresh strawberries (or frozen thawed strawberries)

Kiwi:  1/3 cup fresh kiwi

Calm Blend:  1 tsp dried lavender flower  +  1 tsp dried chamomile flower

Chai Blend:  2 tsp of my favorite whole chai spice blend

Apple Pie Kombucha

Apple Pie Chai:  1/3 cup unsweetened apple juice  +  1 tsp chai spice blend  +  1 cinnamon stick

Apple Pie:  1/3 cup unsweetened apple juice  +  1 cinnamon stick

Pumpkin Pie:  1/3 cup pumpkin puree (optional)  +  4 whole cloves  +  2 cinnamon sticks  +  1/2 tsp ground nutmeg  +  3/4 tsp ground ginger  +  1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

Chocolate Malt:  1 heaping Tablespoon raw cacao powder  +  1 heaping Tablespoon maca powder

Continue with the second ferment for at least 2 days.  Sometimes we forget and let our bottles go about 7 days for the second ferment.  They still taste good, but start to get a bit vinegary tasting again.  I think 3-4 days is the sweet spot.  Then pop in the fridge overnight, strain and enjoy!

Don't be afraid to experiment!  And don't be afraid to pour a batch down the drain if it didn't come out how you wanted.  I've done that a few times myself.  You can always make more!  The fun is in the experimenting, creating, and enjoying.

If you have a favorite flavor, please share it in the comments section!  I'd love to hear from you!

Dark Chocolate Chip Orange Bread

We had some friends staying with us this weekend from Minneapolis area.  You know that if you're a guest at my house I am going to make you a healthy treat.  We all wanted something with a touch of chocolate.  Chocolate orange sounded pretty good on Saturday evening, so I made an almond flour loaf with orange zest and dark chocolate chips.  I wanted to make a coffee frosting for it using coconut butter, but to be honest it was so late when we finally ate the bread that I didn't feel like melting down the coconut butter and whipping it with coffee.  (I still think it would be an amazing pairing!)  Instead I opened a can of coconut milk and scooped out the fluffy white cream solids from the surface.  Save the separated oil in the fridge for a smoothie later.  To the coconut cream solids, stir in some stevia, cinnamon, and vanilla and you're good to go!  It makes a yummy sauce to drizzle over your slices of bread.  Eat them with a fork and a nice cup of tea!

Dark Chocolate Chip Orange Bread
Makes 2 Loaves

3 cups almond flour, sifted
3/4 cup coconut flour, sifted twice
1 1/4 cup 73+% dark chocolate chips
5 tsp spoonable Stevita stevia
4 tsp baking powder
2 cups pureed organic Granny Smith apple (OR two whole organic oranges, peels removed and pureed)
3/4 cup raw butter or coconut oil, melted
2 free range eggs, beaten
2 Tbsp fresh orange zest (zest of 2 oranges)

1.)  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Grease two standard loaf pans and line with unbleached parchment paper.  In a large bowl, combine almond flour, coconut flour, chocolate chips, stevia, and baking powder.

2.)  In separate bowl, mix together pureed apple, melted butter, eggs, and orange zest.

3.)  Add the wet ingredients into the dry and blend until just combined.

4.)  Spoon batter into greased loaf pans.  Bake 45 - 50 minutes, until knife inserted into center comes out clean.  Cool 10 minutes in pan before removing loaves to cool completely on wire rack.

How To: Rhubarb Jam

This is the third jam recipe as part of our pectin discussion.   You may like to check out the past two Advanced Plan jam recipes for Strawberry Jam and Cherry Jam.  Today we're using rhubarb, another low glycemic fruit (well technically it's a vegetable, but most people call it a fruit, kind of the opposite of a tomato...).  This jam is very low in sugar, and by carb count, you can have about a 2 Tablespoon serving if you are on the Advanced Plan.  I add a bit of honey, because it needs the little bit of sugar to make the pectin gel up.  Rhubarb has so little sugar in it naturally that we need to add some to move the process along.

Both Dave and I grew up with bushes of rhubarb in our backyards.  I think it's a pretty common thing to grow in Michigan (maybe the northern mid-west) if you have the room for it.  If you asked Dave what his favorite pie is, he'll always tell you his mom's strawberry-rhubarb custard pie.  You just don't find fresh rhubarb down south like we had in Michigan or Minnesota.  There is maybe a couple week opportunity at the grocery store when I can find it tender and perfectly ripe.  When I do, I clear out the shelf and make what I can so Dave can have a taste of home.

This jam is one I made while living in Minneapolis a few years ago.  You get a subtle sweetness from the honey to balance out the tart bite of the rhubarb.  We mix it with fresh strawberries and granola for a refreshing strawberry-rhubarb breakfast.  Or we spoon it over pannukakku for a rhubarb-custard dessert.

Rhubarb Jam
Makes 4 half pint jars

6 cups (2 pounds) diced organic rhubarb
1 cup raw honey
1 cup xylitol (I used powdered to ensure it dissolves)
Juice of 1 lemon (reserve the rinds)

4-5 sanitized half pint jars
a muslin bag or tea ball

1.)  Combine diced rhubarb, honey, xylitol, and lemon juice in a non-reactive pot.  Stir and combine.  Chop the reserved lemon rind and place it in the muslin bag / tea ball.  Add the bag to the pot, cover, and place in fridge for 24 hours.

2.)  Remove pot from the fridge, stir, and place over High heat.  Bring to a boil, stirring constantly.  Continue to boil while stirring until setting point is reached, between 218 - 222 degrees F (use a candy thermometer).  Do the ice cube test to check the gel consistency (hold a spoonful of the jam over an ice cube for a minute or so.  If it wrinkles up and gels to your preference, it's ready to can.  If not, continue to boil for a few more minutes and recheck.)

3.) Ladle jam into jars, leaving 1/4 inch space at the top for air.  Push out bubbles with a spatula.  Place lids on jars and place in a pot of boiling water for 10 minutes.  Remove from pot and set on counter to cool.  I check the lids for proper seal after about 15 minutes before I dump out the hot water pot from the stove.

Cinnamon Baked Apples

The boys are in bed, so I sneaked away to my couch and a cup of tea to type out this post and pin away on Pinterest (I admit, I'm an addict to all the DIY projects)!  I have a simple recipe to share with you tonight, but an ever growing list of new ones that I just can't seem to find the time to type out and put a quality post together for.  I foresee many more nights on this sofa in my future if I ever want to accomplish that!

This recipe for baked apples is one we enjoyed for breakfast on Thanksgiving morning.  I have made it many more times since, completely inspired by my dear friend (and fellow Healing Cuisine addict) Ashley's recipe.  She shared hers with me last Christmas, and I was called to make it almost a year later as a breakfast treat.  And yes, that is an outrageously large scoop of Advanced Plan vanilla ice cream slowly melting next to the warm, tender, cinnamon glazed apple.  I may have forgotten to mention that we treated ourselves to the ice cream maker attachment for my KitchenAid stand mixer!!!  (Praise the Lord, no more cranking by hand, sore arms for two days, or messing with all the ice and salt just to make a quart of ice cream!)  We saved up for the electric mixer attachment and found it at a good price for the holidays.  Decided to make the purchase, and it has been so fun to have it!!  I've made probably 4 times more ice cream in the last couple months than I did in the last 3 years that we had our crank-by-hand maker.  Look forward to more icy treats to come!  We've had some real winners already!

Okay, back to the baked apples with ice cream...  I wanted to note that it wasn't until after we enjoyed our sweet breakfast treat that I thought to stuff the apples with oatmeal before baking them.  How breakfast appropriate would that be, am I right??  I tried it the next time and it turned out great!  I cooked steel cut oatmeal (flavored with cinnamon, vanilla, stevia, butter, and raisins) on the stove top first, then prepped the apples and stuffed them to the top with the oatmeal mixture.  Finished the recipe off as stated and they were indeed a yummmmy breakfast.  Would also be a great snack or easy dessert!  My next idea is to fill them with pumpkin pie filling and bake....oh, who wants to come over to taste test?!

Cinnamon Baked Apples
Makes 4 Apples

4 organic Granny Smith apples, washed
4 Tbsp raw butter
About 1 tsp Spoonable Stevita stevia per apple (you may prefer more or less)
1 Tbsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1 1/2 cups unsweetened apple juice (or filtered water)

1.)  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Create a well in each apple by scoopin out the core -- but do not go all the way thru the bottom.  Use an apple corer and a spoon, being careful to stop with at least half an inch at the bottom of each apple.  Score each apple horizontally in a complete circle.

2.)  Stuff each apple with 1 Tablespoon of butter.  Place apples in an 8x8" glass baking dish.  Sprinkle the apples evenly with cinnamon, nutmeg and stevia.  Pour apple juice (or simply water) in the bottom of the dish.

3.)  Cover baking dish with foil and bake for 20 minutes.  Remove foil and continue to bake about 10 more minutes, until apples are fork tender and slightly caramelized on top.  Remove from oven and serve either warm or cold.  Pair perfectly with homemade ice cream, whipped cream or whipped coconut cream, or steel cut oatmeal.

Green Green Smoothie

Smoothies are always fun to create. It's especially fun to make green smoothies, hiding the sometimes bitter and pure vegetable flavors in a refreshing glass of energy. Feel free to twist around my Green Green Smoothie below. I throw in usually whatever we have on hand. Kale instead of spinach, a frozen cucumber or fresh grapefruit instead of banana. Play around with ingredients and see what new creations you can come up with in your blender!

Green Green Smoothie
Makes 2 Servings

1 1/2 cups organic unsweetened almond milk
1 head organic Romaine lettuce, chopped
2 handfuls organic spinach
3 stalks organic celery, chopped
1 organic Granny Smith apple, cored and chopped, frozen
1 organic pear, cored and chopped, frozen (Core Plan only)
Small handful fresh cilantro
Small handful fresh parsley
1 organic banana, frozen (Core Plan only)
3 tsp fresh lemon juice
2 scoops plain or vanilla protein powder

Add almond milk, romaine lettuce and spinach to blender. Starting the blender on Low speed, blend until smooth.  Gradually moving to higher speeds, add the celery, apple, pear, cilantro and parsley. Finally, add the banana and lemon juice. Finish with 2 scoops of your favorite protein powder. Serve immediately.

Raz-Apple Smoothie

A tasty tart and tangy smoothie!

Raz-Apple Smoothie
Makes 1 Serving

1/3 cup organic unsweetened coconut water or almond milk
1 Granny Smith apple, cored, chopped, frozen
1/3 cup organic raspberries, frozen
1/4 cup full-fat organic Greek yogurt or coconut milk
8 drops pure liquid stevia
1 scoop plain or vanilla protein powder
Ice (optional)

Blend together the frozen apple and raspberries with coconut water until smooth.  Add in remaining ingredients and blend until smooth.  Serve immediately.

Gluten Free Blueberry Loaf

Enjoy this delicious blueberry bread.  Simple to stir together and pop in the oven.  Makes for a filling breakfast smothered in soft butter with a cup of tea!

Gluten Free Blueberry Bread
Makes 1 Loaf

1 cup fresh ground flax meal
1 cup almond flour, sifted
1/2 cup shredded coconut flakes, unsweetened
1 scoop unflavored whey or pea protein
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
6 tsp Stevita Spoonable stevia powder
1/2 cup xylitol
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 cup raw walnuts, chopped (optional)

5 free range eggs
1/3 cup filtered water
2 tsp vanilla extract
3 Tbsp organic unsalted butter, melted
2 Tbsp coconut oil, melted
1 cup blueberries, fresh or frozen thawed

1.)  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Grease a medium loaf pan with coconut oil and line with unbleached parchment paper.  In a large bowl, stir together flax meal, almond flour, coconut flakes, protein powder, baking powder, baking soda, spoonable stevia, xylitol, sea salt and walnuts.

2.)  In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs with the water.  Add the vanilla, melted butter, and melted coconut oil.  Whisk until smooth.  Pour the liquid ingredients into the dry while stirring until combined.  Fold in the blueberries.

3.)  Pour the batter into the pan evenly.  Bake for 60-70 minutes.  The crust should be quite brown and firm to the touch when done.  Insert a knife in the center and when it comes out clean it is ready.  Remove from oven and let sit for 5 minutes.  Run a knife around the edges to loosen the loaf and turn over on a cutting board.  Let cool on a wire rack before cutting and serving.

We're Back! & Melon-Lime Smoothie

Hi guys!

We are BACK!  And I am finally getting this post posted!  If you've been following us around on Facebook or Twitter, you'll know we made it back from our trip to the U.P. of Michigan a couple Saturdays ago.  And ever since I have been Internet deprived, and thus have had a huge lack in updates and new recipe postings to Healing Cuisine.  Good news is Dave ordered me an Internet package and we should be wired in by Monday or Tuesday of next week.  I can't wait!

We had a fabulous time in Michigan, albeit too short of a visit with family and friends.  We didn't have quite enough time to jump into Lake Superior, but we did accomplish just about every thing else we planned to on our visit home.  This included Dave taking charge and packing our 12ft Penske truck with all our earthly belongings, while my mom and I sat inside talking baby and looking at the gifts she crocheted for baby Schwartz.  We also successfully brought home 6 pasties.  Pasties have been the one and only food I have craved while pregnant, but haven't been able to find in Florida or North Carolina.  I was determined to bring some home with us to enjoy this final month of pregnancy.  Baby and I are in heaven!  (Core Plan heaven that is... ;)

The drive down from Michigan took us about a day and a half.  It wasn't too bad, I supported and propped up my body with plenty of pillows and a doughnut for my tush.  Baby and I handled it all pretty well.  After arriving home and getting the boxes and furniture all moved into our new diggs, nesting started and is in full swing!  Apartment is cleaned from top to bottom and all the baby stuff is washed and set out, ready to go!  About 4 weeks left until we get to meet our little bundle of joy, God's greatest blessing!

Here's an updated belly picture that we took during our trip home, at about 34 weeks.  Since, babe has dropped and we are right on track for a successful birth!

Hoping to be back to a more regular posting schedule by next week.  I'm working on a neat article all about dry brushing, so stay tuned!  That will be the next one to go live!  For today, enjoy a refreshing Core Plan smoothie perfect for beating this summer heat!

Melon-Lime Smoothie
Makes 2 Servings

1/2 cup full-fat organic coconut milk
2 cups organic frozen watermelon, cantaloupe, or honeydew melon, diced
Juice of 1 lime
1/2 tsp fresh lime zest
2 scoops unflavored or vanilla protein powder
1-2 handfuls ice

Blend ingredients together in blender until smooth.  Serve immediately.

Peanut Butter & Jelly Ice Cream

Is it summer where you live yet??  It's been summer just about everywhere across the U.S. this week.  Can't complain really.  A week straight in the sunny 90's calls for some cold ice cream experimentation!  And thus, PB&J Ice Cream was born!

Peanut Butter & Jelly Ice Cream
Makes 4-6 Servings

1 can organic full fat coconut milk
1 1/4 cups unsweetened almond milk (plain or vanilla)
1 tsp pure liquid stevia (more/less to taste)
1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup unsalted organic raw Valencia peanut butter

1/2 cup unsweetened organic strawberry preserves

In a large bowl, whisk together the coconut milk, almond milk, stevia, vanilla and peanut butter.  Cover and chill in the fridge for about 2 hours.  Freeze in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s directions.  During the last few minutes of churning, add in spoonfuls of strawberry preserves.  Serve immediately or freeze until ready to serve.

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!

Turkey Strawberry and Blackberry Salad with Fresh Peach Dressing

I got kind of fancy plating this for Dave's lunch last week, so we decided to take a picture and post it.  ALSO because of the dressing, it was SO FABULOUS!  Dave was on a No Fat week prepping for his gallbladder flush this past weekend.  So, that meant no oil in his dressing.  Well, I didn't want him to have to taste only vinegar, so I somehow got the idea to Magic Bullet half of a peach with some red wine vinegar.  Voila!  A masterpiece was born!  Try it and be pleasantly surprised.  I'm sure it would be even better with a little oil oil blended in!

Turkey Strawberry and Blackberry Salad with Fresh Peach Dressing
1 Serving

Toss together:
1/2 c shredded organic free-range turkey breast
1/3 c organic black beans, rinsed
4-6 organic strawberries, rinsed, hulled and sliced.
A handful of organic blackberries, rinsed
Two handfuls of fresh organic spring greens and spinach, rinsed and dried


Peach Dressing
1/2 of an organic peach, rinsed (I left the peel on)
1/4 c red wine vinegar
1/4 c olive oil (optional)

Blend until smooth then drizzle over salad.

Ginger Lime Dip

Ginger Lime Dip

1/2 cup organic sour cream
1/3 cup Healing Cuisine Mayonnaise
2 Tbsp honey
1 Tbsp lime juice
2 tsp grated lime peel
1/2 tsp ground ginger
Cantaloupe and honeydew slices

In a small bowl, combine the sour cream, mayo, honey, lime juice, lime peel and ginger.  Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving. This is a great dip for melon and cantaloupe.

Raw Strawberry Rhubarb Pie

We were blessed with the gift of a bag full of rhubarb from our naturopath, Dawn.  She had more than she knew what to do with, and we were more than happy to take a bunch off her hands.  :)  It is one of Dave's spring favorites after all!  I have been messing around with raw desserts lately, and I hope you enjoy this Raw Strawberry Rhubarb Pie!

THE CRUST (my standard crumb pie crust)

1 1/2 cup coconut flour (double sifted)
1/2 cup organic unsweetened coconut flakes
5 Tbsp coconut oil (melted)
1 Tbsp raw almond butter
1/4 tsp liquid stevia
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp vanilla or almond extract
1/2 tsp cinnamon

THE FILLING
4 cups organic rhubarb stalks, peeled, chopped to 1" lengths
Juice of 1 lemon
1/4 cup raw honey OR about 3 tsp spoonable stevia
2 cup organic strawberries, hulled and chopped
PLUS 1/2 cup organic strawberries, hulled and diced
3 Tbsp arrowroot powder
a few strawberries for garnish

1.)  THE NIGHT BEFORE -- THE FILLING:  In food processor, blend the rhubarb, lemon juice, stevia and 2 cups of strawberries until smooth, making sure to scrape down the sides if there are lumps.  Pour into a bowl and stir in 1/2 cup diced strawberry chunks (this step is optional, but we like the extra strawberry chunks in each bite).  Cover bowl and let sit in fridge for at least 12 hours to allow the flavors to blend (this is for the rhubarb, since it's raw it needs time to break down).

2.)  THE NEXT DAY -- THE CRUST:  In your food processor, add all crust ingredients and pulse until uniform consistency.  It should be crumbly.  Transfer your crust to a pie pan and press it firmly and evenly to line the pan.  Set in fridge to firm up for about 15 minutes.

3.)  To 2 Tablespoons of ice cold water, add the arrowroot powder and mix with fork until smooth.  Take filling mixture out of fridge and stir in arrowroot mixture.  With a spatula, pour the filling mixture onto the crust and spread it evenly throughout the pan.  Cover and freeze for a half hour before slicing.

It was verrrry good, Dave enjoyed it!

Spicy Mango-Cucumber-Coconut Salad

Lakewinds (our local co-op) had some enticing, perfectly ripe mangoes sitting on their shelf yesterday.  I just couldn't resist!  I placed them in my basket and thought, "What to do, what to do.."  How about a refreshing salsa-esque salad paired with some grilled Ginger Lime Chicken?  Perfect!  (Ginger Lime Chicken recipe to come in a few days!!)

Spicy Mango-Cucumber-Coconut Salad

1 mango, chopped
1/2 cucumber, chopped
1/2 inch fresh ginger, minced or grated
2 tsp fresh lime juice
1 Tbsp raw honey OR sprinkle of Stevia (less if the mango is really sweet)
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper (more/less to taste)
1/2 cup organic full-fat coconut milk

Toss all ingredients together (except coconut milk) and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight. Serve with a drizzle of coconut milk, garnish with a slice of ginger.  Makes for a refreshing afternoon snack on its own or a side dish for a meal!

How To: Natural Fruit and Veggie Wash

With farmer's market season in full swing, I wanted to share my recipe for produce wash.  While you are out buying fresh produce from the organic farmers, keep in mind you still don't know where that food came from, what was used to grow it, or what could be on it.  Some farmers feel they have to use a tremendous amount of chemicals when growing their crops, and they could still consider themselves "natural" or "organic" just because they are a local farmer.  Not only are most of these dangerous chemicals and pesticides sprayed on the crops, but also on the dirt to fight off bugs that live underground and feed off of the roots.  These chemicals are then absorbed by the crops and are later consumed by us.  So when visiting your farmers markets, ALWAYS ASK the staff at the booth if they are an organic farm (preferably Certified Organic).  Last summer we were shocked to find the majority of vendors used chemicals on their farms..  That is why this summer we will be primarily getting our produce from a Certified Organic CSA.

Read more about the toxins in America's produce here, here, here and here.

This is a great produce wash to rinse away any bacteria or airborne toxins/pollens that have settled on the veggies/fruits.  Remember this will not take away any chemicals or pesticides that have already absorbed inside the produce, but it will aid in cleaning up whatever is on the surface.

Natural Fruit and Veggie Wash

2 c filtered water
2 Tbsp lemon juice
1/4 c baking soda
10 drops citrus fruit/seed extract (optional)

Pour the water, lemon juice, baking soda and citrus seed extract into a spray bottle.  It's normal for the lemon juice and baking soda to foam a bit.  To use, spray on vegetables and let sit for 5 minutes.  Scrub the veggies/fruit and rinse under cold filtered water.  (not recommended for use on soft-flesh berries)  Will last in spray bottle about 2 weeks when refrigerated.  You can also fill a ceramic/glass bowl with this mixture and let your produce sit in it for about 5 minutes and then proceed with scrub and rinse.