Guest Post: Strawberry Doughnuts!

Look at these...Advanced Plan Strawberries-n-Cream Doughnuts from Tall Girl (Jessica) over at Tall World After All!

Jessica took the original recipe for Strawberries-n-Cream Cake and, voila!, turned it into doughnuts!  Can you say GENIUS?!

Prepare the recipe as normal, but increase the baking powder by 1 teaspoon.  Spoon the batter out into the doughnut pan and bake at 350 degrees F for 15-20 minutes.  Test with a toothpick for doneness.

Great on their own, or make a simple and lovely glaze by melting down some coconut butter.  You could stir in vanilla, stevia or a little almond milk to thin.

Be sure to check out Tall Girl's blog.  She is a world traveler, currently living in Madrid.  She always has interesting experiences and stories to share, and some new recipes along the way.  Thanks for this new spin on a recipe, Jessica!  :)

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).

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!

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.

How To: Cherry Jam

I hope you enjoyed our discussion on pectin and jams/jellies on Tuesday.  I am excited to share some of my favorite jam recipes with you, most of which will be Advanced Plan approved!  If you have a tried and true jam or jelly recipe to share that you love, please share it with me!  I am looking for guests to share their recipes on upcoming posts!  Email me: elise@healingcuisinebyelise.com

When I was growing up, we had a big sour cherry tree in our backyard.  Actually, I should clarify that.  It was in our neighbor's yard, but most of the branches hung over into our yard.  I didn't appreciate sour cherries then.  Every summer I went over to the tree as the cherries were turning blush red and nibbled into one.  And every summer I spit it out because it was sooo sour.  I opted to walk to my grandpa and grandma's house and climb up their black cherry tree and enjoy their stash.

Fast forward to today...oh how I wish I had access to fresh sour cherries in my back yard.  I love to make a sour cherry jam.  It's actually quite good over vanilla ice cream!  We also enjoy it over toasted coconut bread with butter.

Cherry Jam
Makes 5 half pint jars

6 cups organic sour cherries, pitted and halved
3 cups xylitol (I use powdered to ensure it dissolves)
1-2 cups fruit bodied organic red wine (CORE PLAN ONLY and completely optional!  I got this tip from a girlfriend a couple years ago.  It adds a third layer of flavor to the jam, makes it extra exciting on the tongue. )
4 organic Granny Smith apples or 6 crabapples, as under-ripe as you can find
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice (reserve rinds and pits)
Rinds and pits of 2 lemons

1 large muslin bag or tea strainer
5-6 sanitized half pint jars & lids

1.) Put the sour cherries, lemon juice, xylitol, and optional wine in a large non reactive stock pot. Chop the apples roughly, leaving cores intact.  Place the chopped apple and lemon pits in a large muslin bag or giant tea ball (so you can remove from the pot later, after pectin is released).  Add to the pot, hooking off to the handle of the pot.  Bring mixture to a rolling boil over High heat while stirring and cook for 10 minutes, or until xylitol is completely dissolved.  Apple pieces should start to soften a bit, too. Remove from heat, cover and place in the fridge overnight.  The pectin will extract more as it sits.

2.)  The next day, put pot back over High heat and bring to a full boil.  Stir constantly until the jam begins to thicken and set -- around 220 degrees F (I use a candy thermometer clipped to the pot to test the jam temperature throughout cooking).   Once you reach 218-220 degrees F, it's time to do the ice cube test.  Take a spoonful of jam and hold it over an ice cube until the cube cools the jam.  (You can also use a plate pulled from the freezer.)  Once jam is cooled down, test its texture on the spoon.  If it has gelled to your preference, remove jam from heat, take out the bag of apple/lemon pulp,  and begin jarring it.  If it's still too wiggly/watery, boil a few minutes longer and repeat the test until you get the consistency you'd like.

3.)  I seal my jars right away.  Fill the jars, apply the lids, and place them into a pot of boiling water for 10 minutes.  Remove from the water carefully and set on counter to cool.  Before dumping out the hot water from the pot, I always check the lids after 15 minutes to make sure they sealed properly.  This jam will store on the shelf for up to 5 years.

Reworked: Mediterranean Salmon-Quinoa Salad

Last night, my husband and I had a booth at a local Family Fun Festival where we put on our "Dr. Dave" and "Health Expert Elise" hats and greeted families in our community to create awareness for our wellness clinic.  A lovely couple, who as it turned out belong to our church (such a small world!), came over to say hello and tell me they are Healing Cuisine followers and their favorite recipe is my Mediterranean Chicken-Quinoa Salad.  I told them that is on the top 10 favorites list in our home, too.  And as I told them this suggestion to "rework" the recipe for a little something new, it reminded me I still needed to share it with all of you.  Introducing the One Pot Wonder:

Mediterranean Salmon-Quinoa Salad
Makes 4 Servings

1 cup dry white quinoa, rinsed
2 cups sodium-free vegetable stock
3 5-oz cans wild caught Alaskan salmon, drained and picked for bones
1/2 cup red onion, diced
3/4 cup organic sun dried tomatoes, diced
1/2 cup organic artichoke hearts, diced
1/3 cup organic capers, drained
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/3 cup olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 Tbsp dried oregano
1/4 cup dried parsley flakes
1 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp fresh black pepper

1.)  Bring vegetable stock to a boil in a large pot.  Add rinsed quinoa to boiling stock.  Lower heat and cover at a simmer.  Let cook for about 20 minutes, or until all liquid is absorbed.

2.)  Remove from heat.  Fluff with a fork.  In a large bowl, add quinoa, salmon, onion, sun dried tomatoes, artichoke, and capers.

3.)  In a small bowl, whisk together red wine vinegar, lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, oregano, parsley, sea salt, and pepper.  Pour over quinoa mixture and toss to coat.  Serve warm or cold.

I like to top my plate as the picture shows above: a few dashes of hot sauce (my favorite flavor is Shoot That's Hot!), a couple hefty pinches of nutritional yeast, grated Parmesan cheese, and half an avocado.  SO GOOD!  Enjoy this rework!

Lemon Garbanzo Bean Pound Cake

**UPDATE**  I have changed the recipe slightly by removing the whipped egg whites.  I received a few emails about the pound cake falling after removing from oven and it seems the whipped whites + humidity was the problem.  Updated recipe is now reflected and you should get the same results as shown in my picture below every time you bake this tasty treat!

(Originally Posted on March 5, 2012)

I'm not leaving much mystery to the secret ingredient in this lovely light yet dense pound cake.  Garbanzo beans make up the bulk of the batter!  I originally designed this recipe for a friend of mine.  We share the same birthday, and this past January 29th, this was her birthday cake request.  She was trying to stay on the Advanced Plan while eliminating coconut, almond, chocolate, and cashew from her diet.  For a moment, I thought I had no idea what to make her!  But then I thought back to the recipe for Black Bean Brownies, and I know others have made cakes using beans and even veggies like cauliflower.  So using the brownies as a base recipe, I designed this garbanzo bean lemon cake and it was divine!  We topped ours with organic whipped cream sweetened with stevia and vanilla and large scoop of almond milk ice cream.  It would also be lovely on its own with a cup of tea.  You could also add poppy seeds if you wish.

Lemon Garbanzo Bean Pound Cake
Makes 1 9" Round

2  15oz cans garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed well
6 free-range eggs
1 1/4 cups powdered xylitol
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp sea salt
zest of 2 lemons
juice of 2 lemons

1.)  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Line the bottom of a round 9 inch spring form pan with unbleached parchment paper.  Grease the sides of pan with coconut oil.  Add garbanzo beans and eggs to food processor and puree until smooth, about 2 minutes.

2.)  Pulse in the xylitol, baking powder, baking soda, vanilla, sea salt, lemon zest and lemon juice, until batter is smooth

3.) Pour batter into spring form pan and bake about 45-55 minutes, until light brown on top and a knife comes out clean from the center.

In case you aren't already following our 40 Day Renewal through Lent, check out today's post.  It's a guest post from me!  Top 6 Reasons to Eat Breakfast

Mediterranean Chicken-Quinoa Salad

In case you're not following my adventures and interesting article shares on Facebook, I wanted to let you know what Dave and I are up to for Lent.  We have helped launch a 40 day renewal series at our church focusing on renewing the temple God gave you -- your body!  We're already in to the second week, hard to believe!  That link takes you to the website/blog for the 40 day series, and we're also doing in-depth workshops weekly at church.  I invite you to follow along online and make some commitments and sacrifices for yourself (together with your family) this Lenten season.  By tightening your focus, you will grow closer to Him.

In case you missed it, here is the post where I shared the recipes I made for the kick-off workshop the Sunday before Ash Wednesday.  I threw together a few new recipes for the event, and all are listed in that post, so don't miss out!!!

And I just can't help but share one of those new recipes right here, mostly because I am so so satisfied at how it turned out, but also because I literally threw ingredients into a bowl at 3am, stirred it, put it in the fridge and rolled in to bed.  Didn't even taste test along the way, I was so dang tired.  Well this new on-a-whim salad turned heads and wowed even the kiddos!  Can you say "show stopper!?!"  Lunch, dinner, snack...it's perfect!

Mediterranean Chicken-Quinoa Salad
Makes 4 Servings

1 cup dry quinoa
2 cups sodium-free vegetable stock
3 cups cooked chicken, diced
1/2 cup red onion, diced
3/4 cup cucumber, diced
1/2 cup artichoke hearts, diced
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/3 cup olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 Tbsp dried oregano
1/4 cup dried parsley flakes
1 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp fresh black pepper

1.)  Bring vegetable stock to a boil in a large pot.  Under cold running water, rinse quinoa until water runs clear.  Add to boiling stock.  Lower heat and cover at a simmer.  Let cook for about 20 minutes, or until all liquid is absorbed.

2.)  Remove from heat.  Fluff with a fork.  In a large bowl, add quinoa, chicken, onion, cucumber, and artichoke.  (Is also great with added capers, tomatoes or garbanzo beans.)

3.)  In a small bowl, whisk together vinegar, lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, oregano, parsley, sea salt, and pepper.  Pour over quinoa mixture and toss to coat.  Serve warm or cold.

Baked Eggs Florentine

I've got a yummy breakfast recipe for you today, folks!  It would also be a wonderful lunch, or heck, why not dinner, too!

Tune in tomorrow for the our first GIVEAWAY of 2012, our January Gymboss Giveaway!  (Sorry to those who came on Monday looking for it.  My Auto-poster didn't run my post on it Monday morning as it should have!  Don't worry, I'll make up for lost time with TWO prizes tomorrow!)

Today, we're enjoying Baked Eggs Florentine.  It sounds fancy, the ingredients list looks a little long, but believe me..it's not very tedious and you can whip it up in less than 20 minutes!

Baked Eggs Florentine
Makes 4 Servings

3 large egg yolks
1/4 tsp Dijon mustard
1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
Pinch sea salt
Pinch cayenne pepper
1/2 cup unsalted raw or organic butter, melted and hot
1 Tbsp grape seed oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
24 ounces of baby spinach, washed and shaken dry
8 free-range eggs
Paprika (for decoration)

1.)  Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  In blender, place the 3 egg yolks, mustard, lemon juice, pinch of sea salt and cayenne.  Blend for about 5 seconds on High or until fully combined.  With the blender running on Medium, remove the plastic insert from the lid and slowly stream in the hot, melted butter. Continue to blend until all the butter is incorporated.  Set aside.

2.)  Heat the grape seed oil in a large oven proof skillet (we used cast iron) over Medium High heat.  Add the onion and cook until translucent.  Add the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds longer.  Turn the heat up to High and add the spinach, a couple handfuls at a time, and cook until wilted by tossing with tongs.  Turn off heat.

3.)  Add 1/3 cup of the blender hollandaise sauce to the skillet and stir well to combine.  With the back of a spoon, make 8 indentations in the spinach. Break the eggs into the indentations (eggs may run into each other -- that's okay).  Sprinkle each egg with a little sea salt and pepper.  Transfer the skillet to oven.  Bake until the egg whites are set and the yolks are still slightly runny, about 6-8 minutes. 

4.)  Remove from oven.  Spoon remaining hollandaise sauce over each egg, sprinkle with paprika and serve.

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.

Creamy Cucumber Salad Dressing

This turned out to be quite the yummy experiment, so had to share!  Usually you'll find the cucumbers under the dressing, but in this case they ARE the dressing!

Cucumber Salad Dressing
Makes 1 1/2 cups

2 cucumbers, chopped
1 cup Healing Cuisine Mayonnaise OR full-fat Greek yogurt
1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 Tbsp unsweetened almond milk
2 Tbsp fresh chopped green onion

Add all ingredients to blender.  Puree until smooth.  Taste test (mine needed a little sea salt and fresh pepper, but go with your tongue).  Chill about 1 hour before serving.

Light and Fresh Spring Elixir

Hope you all had a great weekend!  We still have no Internet connection at home, and with the blazing temperatures outside I just can't bring myself to venture out to the free wifi at the pool.  Baby wouldn't like that much, and neither would this mama!  So, sorry for the sporadic posting lately and to come!  Blogging has been taking a hit, but recipe creation has not!  Just need to find time to get some of my tasty new creations posted for you to enjoy!

We're also heading home to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan later this week.  We've been storing almost all of our belongings at my mom's house for the past year while we've been on this "chiropractic journey" as we call it.  In the last year we've lived in 8 different places while training at various clinics around the US and Canada.  It's kind of surreal looking back to think about all the places we've been in such a short time and that we've been living out of a suitcase for that long.  I'll be the first to tell you I am SO EXCITED TO GET OUR STUFF BACK!! :)  We've been using one skillet, one medium sauce pan, 2 bowls and 2 plates for all too long of a time.  I'm ready to get my baking utensils back as well as my KitchenAid stand mixer!  Wahoo!!!  So we'll be on a mini vacation for the rest of this week as we fly up to the U.P. and drive down a moving truck with our stuff.  Hoping the drive back down to Charlotte won't be too brutal.  Baby belly sure is growing by the day it seems, and it's becoming harder to get around and sit or lie down.  Say a little prayer for baby and me on Saturday!

Here is a quick and simple recipe that I am LOVING this summer.  It's sure saving me!  The summer heat calls for drinking even more water every day.  For some people, it's hard to get in the minimum half your body weight in ounces of water daily to stay hydrated.  For pregnant ladies, it's even harder because we have to drink more for baby, and even more if we go outside in the heat!  I've become a bit bored with plain old water, so I've started playing around, adding different fruits and herbs to flavor the water naturally.

I keep a glass pitcher full of this recipe in my fridge and especially enjoy it early and mid-morning.  The cinnamon and ginger help to cleanse out your body and cells naturally, and the sweetness from the citrus is subtly refreshing.

Some other great and simple additions to your water can be sliced or muddled: strawberries, raspberries, kiwi, orange, lemon, mint leaves, pineapple, watermelon, green apple, cucumber, rosemary or grapes.  These and combinations of them have been some of my favorites so far this summer.  And kids LOVE to eat the fruit bits at the bottom of the glass, so it's a great way to encourage your kids to drink all their water, too!  It gives them a goal to reach.

Light & Fresh Spring Elixir

1 liter filtered water
Handful of ice cubes
A couple inches of fresh ginger, chopped into chunks
Handful of fresh mint, slightly crushed
1 cinnamon stick, snapped in half
1 organic orange, lemon, or lime, sliced/wedged

Add all ingredients to a pitcher, stir and enjoy!  Refill pitcher throughout the day as needed, the flavorings will keep on giving!

Picnic Week: Broccoli Cauliflower Salad

I'm closing out Picnic Recipe Week with a yummy favorite, sure to please the kids.  I've cleaned up the classic broccoli-cauliflower-ranch salad to make it Advanced Plan.  Don't be intimidated at making your own ranch dressing!!  You'll see my recipe below is simple and easy to put together.  (See more easy salad dressing options here.)  Hope you have enjoyed this fun week of summer inspiration!  I sure had fun creating these tasty salads for you!  Enjoy!

Broccoli Cauliflower Salad
Makes 6 Servings

BUTTERMILK RANCH DRESSING
1 cup organic plain Greek yogurt (full-fat)
1 cup raw milk (full-fat)
1 1/2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup Healing Cuisine Mayonnaise
1 tsp garlic powder
1 Tbsp onion powder
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp celery salt
2 Tbsp fresh dill, chopped

2 cups organic cauliflower florets, diced
2 cups organic broccoli florets, diced
1/3 cup organic celery, finely chopped
1/3 cup green onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup raw cheddar cheese, shredded (optional)
1/2 cup raw sunflower seeds or chopped raw cashews (optional)

1.)  Prepare the buttermilk ranch dressing:  In glass measuring cup, add milk and lemon juice and let stand for about 5 minutes (turns the milk into a buttermilk substitute).  Add Greek yogurt, mayonnaise, garlic powder, onion powder, basil, celery salt, and 1 Tablespoon of dill into blender.  Pour lemon/milk mixture into blender.  Blend until thoroughly combined.  By hand, stir in remaining 1 Tablespoon of fresh dill.  Transfer to small bowl, cover, and let stand in refrigerator for at least one hour to allow flavors to blend.  (Sometimes I let it sit over night.  OR stop here for a great ranch dip!)

2.)  When dressing is ready, add all ingredients to a large bowl.  Toss well to combine.  Refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving (over night is best).  Stir and toss again before serving.

Picnic Week: Curried Chicken Salad

Picnic Week continues!  This is a fabulous new way to enjoy chicken salad.  It's great in lettuce wraps or over a bed of greens.  And of course so great on its own.  Surely a crowd pleaser!

Curried Chicken Salad
Makes 6 Servings

3/4 cup Healing Cuisine Mayonnaise
1 Tbsp curry powder
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
3 cups free-range chicken, grilled/roasted and shredded
1 1/2 cups organic Granny Smith apple, 1 inch thin slices
2/3 cup organic celery, diced
1/3 cup organic unsweetened raisins (OMIT IF ADVANCED PLAN)
1/2 tsp sea salt

In a large bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, lemon juice, and curry powder until smooth.  Add remaining ingredients to bowl and toss well to coat.  Refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving.

Picnic Week: Fresh Carrot Dill Slaw

Picnic Week continues with a fresh Core Plan coleslaw - Carrot Dill Slaw.

Fresh Carrot Dill Slaw
Makes 5 Servings

2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
2 tsp fresh lemon zest
3 Tbsp olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
Sea salt, to taste
Fresh ground pepper, to taste
2 cups organic carrot, grated
3 Tbsp fresh dill, chopped
2 Tbsp organic green onion, thinly sliced on bias

Whisk lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, sea salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Add carrots, dill and scallions; toss to coat. Chill 2 hours to over night before serving.

Picnic Week: Spicy Turkey Bean Salad

Picnic Week continues...  This salad is pretty darn yummy!  In my testing stages, I've also tried with chicken instead of turkey which was still really good, but tastes the best with roasted turkey!  Also replaced the olives with diced zucchini and that was good as well, for a different taste.

Spicy Turkey Bean Salad
Makes 8 Servings

DRESSING
1/3 cup Bragg's apple cider vinegar
1/2 tsp sea salt
a little less than 1/2 tsp pure liquid stevia
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 large clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp organic Tabasco sauce, or to taste
1 1/2 cups olive oil

6 handfuls of organic mixed salad greens, rinsed and dried
2 cups organic black beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup organic olives, sliced (I used black and red)
2 cups free-range turkey, cooked and shredded
1 organic avocado, diced
1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
2 tsp fresh lemon zest
1 Tbsp organic jalapeno pepper, minced
1/3 cup red onion, chopped
1/2 cup raw cheddar cheese, grated

1.)  In blender, add apple cider vinegar, sea salt, stevia, oregano, cumin, garlic, and Tabasco sauce.  Blend on Medium speed until smooth.  While running blender on Medium-Low, drizzle in olive oil until emulsified.

2.)  In a large bowl, add all remaining salad ingredients, tossing to combine.  Pour dressing over the salad and toss until well coated.  Chill for 1-2 hours, then serve immediately.

Picnic Week: Apple-Cherry Slaw

Welcome to Picnic Recipes Week at Healing Cuisine!  I am SO SO excited to share with you some new and some classic picnic recipes that are simple to make and easy to tote!  These will of course fall right under the potluck category as well, which I am always getting emails from you all for new potluck friendly recipes.  So these will arrive just in time for your 4th of July celebrations!  Hope you find some inspiration for your summer events in the upcoming week's worth of recipes!

I'm kicking off Picnic Week with a sweet and tangy Apple-Cherry Slaw!  Enjoy!!

Apple-Cherry Slaw
Makes 8 Servings

DRESSING
1/4 cup Bragg's apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup fresh squeezed orange juice/lemon juice
10 drops pure liquid stevia
2 tsp organic unsweetened Dijon mustard
Dash ground cinnamon
Dash ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/3 cup olive oil

SLAW
4 cups organic red cabbage, shredded
2 cups organic arugula, rinsed and dried
1 Granny Smith apple, 1 inch thin slices
1/2 cup unsweetened dried cherries, coarsely chopped (can substitute raisins; OMIT IF ADVANCED PLAN)
1/4 cup red onion, thinly sliced
1/3 cup raw walnuts, coarsely chopped

1.)  In a large bowl, whisk together apple cider vinegar, orange juice, stevia, mustard, cinnamon, nutmeg, and sea salt until smooth.  While briskly whisking, stream in olive oil until dressing is emulsified.

2.)  Add remaining salad ingredients to bowl.  Toss well to coat.  Chill for up to 2 hours before serving for maximum crispness.  If making in advance, wait to add the Granny Smith apple and arugula until just before serving.

Sweet-n-Spicy Ginger Smoothie

Happy Father's Day to all dads and dads-to-be today!  What are you making for the special man in your life?  If you're not yet sure, I encourage you to try out my newest salad creation: Grilled Hamburger Salad!  It's quick and easy to make, and helps dad stay on his Maximized Living Nutrition Plan while still enjoying all the flavors of his favorite burger.

Stay tuned for Picnic Week starting tomorrow!  I've mastered 8 new picnic-friendly recipes that are simple to make and easy to tote!  Excited to share them with you over the next eight days.

Today, I am sharing what we had for breakfast this morning.  My tummy was feeling a little uneasy (thanks somewhat to the little person living inside of me I'm sure), so I wanted a gingery smoothie to help ease it.  This smoothie turned out very tasty!

Sweet-n-Spicy Ginger Smoothie
Makes 2 Servings

1 1/2 cups full-fat organic Greek yogurt
1/2 cup full-fat organic coconut milk
1/4 cup organic unsweetened almond milk
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 tsp fresh lemon zest
1 Tbsp fresh ginger root
12 drops pure liquid stevia
2 scoops unflavored or vanilla protein powder
1 cup ice
Pinch of cayenne (optional)

Blend ingredients in blender until smooth.  Serve immediately.

Come back tomorrow for the kick-off to Picnic Week!!

Questions Answered: Creamy Chicken Alfredo

Jacquelyn wrote in this morning with a special request:

"Hey wondering if you can help me out?  My daughter has made a birthday dinner request, and I want to keep it on ML plan as much as I can for her.  She wants grilled chicken and broccoli Alfredo.  Got any ideas for the sauce?  HELP!  It is the only thing she has asked for, and it's her sweet 16..."   ~ Jacquelyn

No worries, Jacquelyn!  Happy to help!  Below you'll find my signature Creamy Chicken Alfredo recipe.  I hope your daughter enjoys it and has a wonderful Sweet 16!

To make this dish, it’s super helpful to have a spiralizer.  This magical little kitchen tool lets you turn any veggie or fruit (zucchinis, carrots, sweet potatoes, jicama, beets, apples) into thin, pasta-like strands.  This particular model that I've linked above (World Cuisine brand) is the best one I have tested myself and the one I use personally.  I love that it comes with many various attachments, so you control the shape and thickness of your noodles.  For this recipe, I usually go with the medium width flat blade, to resemble fettuccine noodles.  You can use spiralized veggies as a pasta base with any kind of sauce or as a quick and easy way to prepare your veggies for a salad.  If you don’t have a spiralizer, fear not!  You can get away with thin slicing the zucchini with a peeler or grating it.

I will often serve this dish, believe it or not, with plain almond flour scones with plenty of butter (recipe can be found in my Mother's Day e-book) as they're great for dipping in the Alfredo sauce!  I also pair it with a hearty leaf salad (kale, spinach, romaine) with a sun-dried tomato basil dressing.

Healing Cuisine's Creamy Chicken Alfredo
Makes 6 Servings

ALFREDO SAUCE
2 cups organic unsweetened almond milk (plain)
2/3 cup raw cashews, soaked for at least 2 hours
1/2 cup raw Parmesan cheese, grated
1 Tbsp Bragg's Liquid Aminos
3 Tbsp raw unsalted butter
1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
Pinch nutmeg
2-4 cloves garlic, to taste
Sea salt, to taste
Fresh black pepper, to taste

3-4 free-range boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and sliced
3/4 cup organic peas, fresh or frozen
4 organic medium zucchini, spiraled
1 1/2 cups organic broccoli florets, chopped

1.)  Drain and rinse the cashews.  Add all Alfredo Sauce ingredients to a blender and blend until very smooth.  You may need to scrape down sides a few times, and will take about 10 minutes on High to blend smooth.  Taste sauce and adjust seasonings as you go along (sea salt, pepper and garlic).

2.)  In a medium saucepan, pour in the blended Alfredo Sauce.  Heat over Medium-Low, stirring often, until thickened (about 8-15 minutes).

3.)  Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, bring some water to a boil.  Drop in broccoli florets and cook for 5 minutes.  Add in zucchini noodles and peas for an additional 4-5 minutes.  Drain immediately and drop blanched veggies into a large skillet.

4.)  Turn on heat under skillet to Medium.  Add in chicken.  Top with sauce and toss everything together to coat and combine.  Heat thru.  Taste once more before serving and adjust sea salt and pepper to your liking.

Zucchini Pasta Chicken Salad

Get out your julienne spiralizer!  It's time to make a healthy serving of today's recipe!  It gets better day after day as you eat the leftovers from your fridge, so I usually double this recipe.  I use my spiralizer on the thinest noodles setting, but you could make them any thickness that you prefer.

Spiralized Thin Zucchini Noodles

Zucchini Pasta Chicken Salad
Makes 4 Servings

2 medium organic zuccchinis
2 medium organic yellow squash
1 organic tomato, diced
1 cup black olives, diced (preservative free)
1 lb free-range chicken, cooked and shredded
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped

DRESSING
1/3 cup olive oil
1 Tbsp Bragg's apple cider vinegar
Juice of half a lemon
1/2 tsp dried basil
1 tsp organic unsweetened mustard
Sea salt and fresh pepper, to taste

1.)  Using your spiralizer, make noodles out of the zucchinis and yellow squash.  (TIP:  Keep the zucchini and squash cores for soups/stocks or stir fry dishes.)

2.)  In a large sauce pan, bring a few cups of water to boil.  Place steam in bottom of pan and steam the zucchini and squash noodles for about 5 minutes or until tender.  Remove from heat and drain.

3.)  Toss together the noodles, chicken, tomatoes, olives, and parsley.

4.)  In a small bowl, whisk together the dressing ingredients.  Pour over the salad and toss to combine.  Enjoy warm or chill for a few hours before serving.