Update & Black Bean Burgers

Fellow moms, it's happening.  Teething!  Ah!  I have been so quiet on the blog because I have been tending to my little dude.  Last week was okay, a little fussiness here and there.  I think I was in denial about what was coming.  Monday thru Friday of this week have been horror days, particularly today.  Austin just turned 6 months, and he's ringing it in with his two bottom teeth.  I feel so bad for him, but I know he has to go through this.  He has been awake since 12midnight when he couldn't stay asleep from the gum pain.  I shouldn't say he's been awake that entire time, he'll get at most 10 minutes in here and there, but snaps back awake when he rests his gums against each other.  I had to email Dave this morning to tell him our son was a sad little mess today and needed some daddy time.  Thankfully, daddy came home and snuggled with Austin for a little while, and finally he and daddy are snoozing in bed going on 30 minutes now.  :)

So far, here is what we are doing for natural teething relief: amber necklace, lots of chilled wash clothes to chew on, chilled spoons, Thieves oil for his gums (1 drop to 10 drops olive oil), Hyland's homeopathic teething tablets, and night time foot rubs with Young Living's Calming oil blend.  It's all been working well so far, but his teeth are really shooting up today.  Any other natural tips out there?  Let me know what worked for your babes!

So while my boys are resting, I wanted to get on here and post a recipe!  I literally have like 30 recipes I need to post.  I just snap pictures at meal time as a memory to post them when I get time.  How do other mom-bloggers do this??  It's amazing to me how life can change so drastically after having a baby, especially following the attachment-parenting lifestyle as we try to.  Six months in and I'm still trying to get the hang of it.  Maybe by 5 years it'll sort itself out....

We like our burgers pretty spicy and with a kick of smokey cumin.  Feel free to adjust the seasonings however you like!  I thought these would also be yummy with a handful of fresh cilantro blended in.

Black Bean Burgers
Makes 8-10

2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed
1 bell pepper, roughly chopped
1 small onion, roughly chopped
4 cloves garlic, smashed (more/less to taste)
2 free range eggs
2 Tbsp chili powder (more/less to taste)
2 Tbsp cumin powder (more/less to taste)
2 tsp hot sauce (more/less to taste)
1 1/2 cups almond flour or meal

1.)  Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.  Lightly grease a large baking sheet with coconut oil.  Set aside.

2.)  In food processor, pulse together the beans, onion, bell pepper, and garlic until almost smooth.  (You want to leave the beans mostly pureed but with a little bit of meatiness left to them.)  Transfer mixture to a large bowl.

3.)  In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs with a fork.  By hand, stir the eggs into the bean mixture.  Add the chili and cumin powders, hot sauce, and almond meal.  [You may need to add a little more almond meal until the mixture turns sticky and holds together well.  If too thick, add a little bit of water, 1 Tbsp at a time, to thin.]

4.)  Divide mixture into 8 equal portions and form into patties.  Place on baking sheet and bake for about 30 minutes, until crunchy on the outside and warmed through the center.  Serve any way you'd like, we love them over salad with tangy chipotle mayonnaise.  (You can grill these for 10 minutes on each side.)

Happy Father's Day!: Grilled Hamburger Salad

I've been racking my brain for ideas for a great ML Nutrition Plans approved recipe for Father's Day.  Especially this year, as it's Dave's first official Father's Day.  I wanted to surprise him with an awesome and manly dish.

For weeks I was thinking and thinking, jotting down ideas on scratch paper, but nothing had come together in a "That's It!" kind of way.  So, I went to the source.  I asked papa Dave, "What does the best Father's Day food look like to you?"  And I waited, praying he would offer the inspiration for an amazing new recipe.  He thought about it, and finally said, "A burger on the grill."  That was it, all he wanted.  I had one of those duuuuhh moments I usually get at these times and proceeded to flip my mindset away from chicken dishes and stir fries back to the classic, manly summer dish, the hamburger.

I've twisted it up, Healing Cuisine style, to make the Grilled Hamburger Salad!  It's everything but the bun!  Dad can keep it Advanced Plan easily, and still get all the great tastes of his fav summer meal.  Try it for your dad this Father's Day!

I'm serving this salad with a combo of mayo-ketchup dressing.  Mustard is also optional.  I think it would be great with my Homemade Buttermilk Ranch dressing or Healing Cuisine's BBQ Sauce as well.  Feel free to experiment!  Caramelized onions also sound really good atop if you want to stray from the classic red onion.

(By the way, the burger recipe below is my signature recipe for classic burger patties.  They'll turn out perfect every time, guaranteed!  Add in your favorite seasonings, like chili powder or cumin, as you make homemade gourmet burgers at home with different toppings!)

Hamburger Salad
Makes 4 Servings

THE BURGER PATTIES
1 lb free-range 100% grass fed ground beef
1 large egg, beaten
1/3 cup red onion, grated
1/4 cup almond meal
1 Tbsp unsweetened Worcestershire sauce
2 cloves garlic, minced or smashed
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp black pepper

SALAD
4 grilled hamburger patties (above)
3/4 cup red onion, sliced
2-4 dill pickles, sliced (I love the Real Pickles brand)
1 large organic tomato, diced
1 avocado, diced
1 large head organic iceberg lettuce, chopped
1 large head organic romaine lettuce, chopped
1 cup raw cheddar cheese, grated (optional)

DRESSING
3/4 cup Healing Cuisine Mayonnaise
3/4 cup Healing Cuisine Ketchup
Squirt of unsweetened organic mustard (optional)
Few drops of Tabasco sauce (optional)

1.)  Prepare the hamburger patties.  In a medium bowl, with your hands, mix ground beef, egg, onion, almond meal, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, sea salt and pepper until just blended.  Be careful not to over mix as it will make tough burgers.  Divide mixture into four equal portions and shape each into a patty about 4 inches wide.

2.)  Have Dad to the grilling, after all it is his day!  Preheat grill over High heat and oil with coconut oil.  Lay burgers on grill over High heat (you can hold your hand at grill level only 2 to 3 seconds).  Close lid.  For medium-well cooked burgers, cook about 7-8 minutes, turning once.  Remove from grill.  Allow patties to rest 10 minutes before cutting into or serving.

3.)  While Dad is grilling, prepare your dressing.  In a small bowl, mix together the mayonnaise and ketchup with a fork.  Stir in the optional mustard and Tabasco.  Chill until ready to serve.

4.)  Plate the salads.  Lay out a bed of mixed lettuce.  Top with the onion, pickles, avocado and tomato.  Place 1 burger patty in the center of each salad.  Sprinkle with cheese (optional) and drizzle with Ketchup-Mayo dressing.  Serve immediately while burgers are warm.  Be sure to serve with a steak knife for easy cutting!

Now that's a Father's Day meal to remember!

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!

Healing Cuisine's Barbecue Sauce

This is a summer staple recipe!  Great with steaks, beef short ribs, chicken...yummmm!

Healing Cuisine's Barbecue Sauce
Makes About 2 1/2 Cups

1 c organic ketchup
1 c organic tomato sauce
1/3 c raw brown sugar
1/3 c honey
1/2 c red wine vinegar
1/3 c unsulfured molasses
2 tsp all-natural liquid smoke (I recommend Colgin's hickory flavor)
2 Tbsp grapeseed oil
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
1 Tbsp chili powder
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp celery seed
1/8 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper

1.)  In a large saucepan over medium heat, mix together the ketchup, tomato sauce, brown sugar, honey, wine vinegar, molasses, liquid smoke and grapeseed oil.  Stir in all the spices.

2.)  Reduce heat to low and simmer for about 20 minutes.  For thicker sauce, simmer longer.  Sauce can be thinned using a bit of water if necessary.  Brush sauce onto meat during the last 10 minutes of cooking.  Also makes a great pizza sauce for BBQ Chicken Pizza (I haven't posted this recipe yet?  Alright, I'm on it!).  Lasts up to 2 weeks in the fridge or many months in the freezer.

Ginger Lime Chicken

Ginger Lime Chicken

4 skinless, boneless organic chicken breasts
3 limes, rinsed, zested and juiced
3 Tbsp grated fresh ginger root
1-2 Tbsp raw honey (omit if Advanced)
1 Tbsp & 1/4 c unsweetened flaked coconut
Ginger Lime Dip recipe (optional)
Head of lettuce or spinach (optional)

1.)  In a glass bowl, mix lime juice, lime zest, 1 Tbsp coconut and grated ginger.  Add chicken breasts and toss to coat.  Let marinate for about 20 minutes in fridge, rotating once or twice.

2.)  Heat grill or skillet to Medium/Medium-High and grease with a little coconut oil.  Remove chicken from marinade and drizzle top side with honey.  Add to grill or skillet, honey side down, and grill for about 6 minutes.  Drizzle other side with honey and flip, grilling until cooked thru (about another 6-8 minutes, depending on thickness).  You should get a nice caramelization.

3.)  Plate the grilled chicken over a bed of greens and drizzle with Ginger Lime Sauce.  Sprinkle with flaked coconut and serve.  (Or eat as is.  We sometimes pair this dish with the Spicy Mango-Cucumber-Coconut Salad for a light, refreshing lunch or dinner.)

Grilled Watermelon Salad

Wouldn't you agree that summer demands that you eat watermelon?  Enjoying watermelon slices saturated with sweetness on a heat-drenched summer day -- YES!  Its juicy nature and bright color make it a natural HIT to any outdoor barbecue.  I thought of this recipe while grilling up peaches and plums on the grill one night for dessert.  I thought to myself "What would watermelon taste like thrown on the grill?"  After a quick Google on the subject, I found people do it!  I gave it a try -- so worth it!  Watermelon caramelizes ever so slightly when it's briefly grilled-- who knew?   This recipe will serve about 8, a great appetizer to your next outdoor dinner party!

8   slices organic watermelon (seeds removed)
2   tbsp olive oil
2   bunches watercress, trimmed
1/2 cup fresh chopped mint
2   tbsp balsamic vinegar
1   cup crumbled goat cheese
1   lemon
     Salt and pepper

1.)  Heat grill. Brush watermelon slices with oil. Season with salt and pepper. Grill watermelon 1-2 minutes on each side.

2.)  In medium bowl toss watercress and mint with vinegar. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.

3.)  To assemble, sprinkle each grilled watermelon slice with goat cheese. Top with watercress mixture.  Squeeze each dish with a bit of lemon juice to taste.  Serve immediately.