Spice Mix Party + 3 New Recipes

Take a gander at what a few girlfriends and I made at a Spice Mix Party we threw last month:

I'm not sure if we created the idea of a Spice Mix Party, but it sure was fun!  It all started with the realization of two Maximized mommy friends, Rachel and Jess, that pre-made spice mixes are A) SO convenient to have in the pantry, B) so gosh darn expensive, and C) commercially loaded with chemicals and preservatives.  Rachel and Jess decided to organize the spice night as a way to make delicious healthy spice mixes in bulk for $$$cheap.  When they invited me to be a part, you know I was in!

Read Rachel's account of our Spice Mix Party here!  She also lists our recipe modifications.  We had a blast cooking and mixing herbs and spices.  It was a fun excuse to get together to chat, eat, and let the kiddos mingle, too!

Here's what we made:  Dry Onion Soup Mix, Ranch Dressing Mix, Italian Dressing Mix, Taco Seasoning, and Cream of 'Something' Soup.  (In our case, we did cream of mushroom soup.)

You can make the spice mixes on your own, and still save money by making them yourself!  I also love the fact that we used organic ingredients, because conventional herbs and spices are loaded with pesticides and herbicides that concentrate as the herbs are dried.  Total, we each spent about $35 on the organic spice mixes and soups!  We each took home 2+ cups worth of each seasoning mix and 6+ 'cans' of cream-of-something soup, plenty to make months worth of tasty recipes!

WHAT TO MAKE WITH YOUR MIXES

I have waited to post about our spice party, because I wanted to share what I have been making with these new seasoning mixes.   I will share my latest recipe creations with you TODAY AND TOMORROW, so be sure to come back!  There are some great 30 Minute and One Pot Wonder meals coming!

Slow Cooked Beef Tips
ADVANCED PLAN
Makes 6 Servings

2 lbs 100% grass fed beef tenderloin, stew meat, chuck roast or chuck eye, cubed
1 onion, sliced
2 cups organic mushrooms, sliced
1 1/2 cups homemade cream of mushroom soup
1/3 cup arrowroot powder, whisked into 3 Tbsp cold water
3 cups organic sodium-free beef stock
1/2 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp fresh black pepper
1/4 tsp paprika
1/3 cup homemade dry onion soup mix
3 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.  Add cubed meat, onion, and mushroom to a 9 x 13 inch pan.  In a large bowl, whisk the remaining ingredients together.  Pour over the meat and toss to coat.  Cover with aluminum foil and bake at 300 degrees F for 3 hours.  Do not remove foil until 3 hours is reached. Serve over zucchini noodles, cauliflower rice, roasted veggies, smashed sweet potato or cauliflower mashed 'fotatoes.'  (Can be prepared in slow cooker on Low for 6 hours.)

Honey Glazed Italian Chicken
CORE PLAN
Makes 8 Servings

3 1/2 pounds skinless free-range chicken pieces (I like to use thighs and breasts, bone-in is fine)
2 Tbsp homemade Italian dressing mix
1/2 cup raw honey

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Grease a large baking pan and set aside (or cover with foil/parchment paper).  Rinse chicken and pat dry with paper towels.  Lay chicken pieces evenly onto baking sheet in one single layer.  Warm honey in a small saucepan over Low heat or using a hot water bath.  With a fork, stir in dry Italian mix.  Dip and press the chicken pieces into the honey mixture, coating front and back, and place each piece back down onto prepared pan.  Bake for 50-60 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.  Serve with steamed or roasted veggies.

Cheesy Chicken Ranch Casserole
ADVANCED PLAN
Makes 8 Servings

2 1/2 cups chopped frozen organic broccoli
1-2 cups frozen organic peas
6 Tbsp homemade ranch dressing mix
2 cans organic full-fat coconut milk
1 Tbsp arrowroot powder
2 cups shredded cooked free-range chicken
1/2 cup organic mozzarella cheese
1 cup raw cheddar cheese
sea salt & pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Blanch the frozen broccoli and peas in boiling water for 1-2 minutes, to remove ice crystals and slightly soften the outside.  Drain and shake as dry as possible.  Set aside.  In a large bowl, whisk together the coconut milk, cornstarch, and ranch dressing mix.  Stir in the shredded chicken, blanched broccoli, blanched peas, 1/2 cup of cheddar cheese, and sea salt/black pepper to taste. Transfer to a greased 3 quart casserole dish.  Layer the mozzarella cheese slices across the top and sprinkle the remaining cheddar cheese over the top.  Bake at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes, until heated through and cheese on top is browned.  We serve ours over wide cut zucchini noodles.  Brown rice pasta would also be tasty.

Four more delicious dinner recipes coming at you tomorrow!

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!

100% Pure WINNERS + Broccoli Cheese Soup

Thank you to everyone who entered and shared the giveaway this past week!  I hope you all have enjoyed getting to know 100% Pure.  Be sure to bookmark their website!

We have TWO lucky winners of the 100% Pure Black Tea fruit pigmented mascara.  Congratulations to our winners: KristenB and Natalie Bean!!!  Please email me with your mailing address and your tube of Black Tea mascara will be on its way to you by tomorrow.

Now, I need to answer Cortney B.'s question:

"I  am looking for ideas for broccoli cheese soup.  I used to use Velveeta.  Any suggestions on how I can alter it for either Core or Advanced Plan?"  - Cortney B., Wyoming

I've been working on perfecting my broccoli cheese soup quite recently actually, just as Courtney wrote in.  I like to add quinoa to mine, which will thicken the soup up quite a bit, but makes it hearty and filling.  Adding the protein of quinoa also makes this soup a complete meal on its own!  Alternatively, you can leave the quinoa out for a thinner soup.  Replace with shredded chicken or white beans to make this a whole meal.

Broccoli Cheese Soup
Makes 6 Servings

3 cups organic broccoli florets (I used frozen)
1 Tbsp raw butter or coconut oil
1 cup yellow onion, chopped
1/2 cup dry organic quinoa (I like the tri-color, but any color is fine)
4 cups sodium-free organic vegetable stock
1 1/2 cups organic unsweetened almond milk
Sea salt and fresh pepper, to taste
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp ground thyme
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 1/2 cups raw cheddar cheese, shredded

1.)  If you prefer, chop the broccoli into bite-sized pieces now and set aside.  (I leave mine whole.)  In a large saucepan over Medium heat, add the butter and onion and saute until soft, about 8-12 minutes. Add the vegetable stock and bring to a boil.

2.)  Rinse the quinoa until water runs clear, then add to boiling vegetable stock.  Reduce heat to Medium-Low.  Stir in broccoli, cover, and simmer for about 16-20 minutes, until quinoa is tender.

3.)  Puree the cooked mixture with an immersion blender or carefully in a standing blender. (I don't puree mine, I like the quinoa and broccoli texture.  However this soup is traditionally prepared smooth.)  Return the soup to the saucepan and add the almond milk, garlic powder, ground thyme, Worcestershire sauce and nutmeg.  Season with sea salt and pepper.  Reheat the soup on Low heat, being careful not to boil it.  When the soup is hot, stir in the cheese until just melted and serve immediately.

Homemade Hamburger Helper

We are back!  Austin and I took about a month off from our normal routine and spent a lovely couple of weeks in Houghton and L'Anse, Michigan.  So refreshing to relax and put all our cares away for a little while.  And a few of you asked how Austin enjoyed the water...well, he loved Lake Superior!  I was a little too busy trying to save him as he leaped into the lake that I couldn't take a picture.  But here he is right before as he crawled across the shore splashing, giggling, and eating sand.

I am still catching up to all of your emails and messages.  So sorry if you haven't heard back from me yet!  A reply is coming!!  Little man is popping out two more teeth, rounding out to a pearly 9, so my attention to anything else has been a bit thin. I appreciate your understanding!

Now, this is a new recipe that I made sort of by accident one night.  We hadn't done the grocery shopping.  In fact, we had been many days over due for a full on grocery store trip.  I was left with one can of coconut milk and tomato paste in the pantry and a pound of ground beef thawing from the freezer....let me just say it's times like these that some of my best kitchen magic happens.  (After all, a very similar scenario is how the Lemon Garbanzo Bean Cake was born!)  I call this Homemade Hamburger Helper.  And it takes less time to prepare than the boxed version!

Homemade Hamburger Helper
Makes 4 Servings

1lb grass fed ground beef
1 small onion, minced
1 cup filtered water
4 red potatoes or 2 sweet potatoes, quartered and sliced  [CORE PLAN]
(Replace potatoes w/ 2 cups cauliflower, broccoli, or zucchini)  [ADVANCED PLAN]
1 can organic full-fat coconut milk
1 small can organic tomato paste
2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp ground thyme
1/2 tsp onion powder
1 tsp arrowroot powder
Sea salt, to taste
Fresh black pepper, to taste

1.)  In a large stainless steel or cast iron skillet, cook the ground beef and onion over Medium heat.  Remove from pan.

2.)  Add 1 cup of water to the skillet, leaving any fatty or brown bits in the pan.  Bring to a simmer over High heat.  Add sliced potatoes (or vegetables), cover, reduce heat to Medium-Low, and simmer for about 6-10 minutes or until fork tender.

3.)  Uncover and stir in coconut milk, tomato paste, garlic powder, thyme, onion powder, and sea salt and pepper.  Sprinkle arrowroot over top and stir in thoroughly, leaving no clumps.  Stir in ground beef.  Bring back to a simmer over Medium-High heat and simmer for about 10 minutes, until thickened.  Serve immediately.

We have my husband to thank for realizing this dish tastes almost exactly like the potato stroganoff version of Hamburger Helper.  He couldn't get over the taste and texture, and he was actually the one who encouraged me to share this recipe.  To enhance the stroganoff experience, you could leave out the tomato paste and add in some mushrooms.  Enjoy this easy dinner fix everyone!

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!

Sweet Potato Chicken Casserole

It's summer, but does that mean we can't enjoy a good One Pot Wonder?  I didn't think so!  This is a super easy casserole that takes all of 15-20 minutes to mix up.  You can prepare it the night before, and pop in the oven in the evening when you get home from work.  This might also be a good crock pot recipe..  Just skip the pan cooking, dump everything into the crock pot for 6-8 hours.

We like to serve ours over fresh spinach leaves.  A quick supper that even the kids will eat!

Sweet Potato Chicken Casserole
Makes 4 Servings

1 Tbsp coconut oil
1 1/4 cups onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
4 cups sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
4 boneless skinless free-range chicken breasts, chopped
1 Tbsp arrowroot powder
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp fresh black pepper
1 cup dry white wine (or vegetable stock)
1 cup sodium free organic vegetable stock
1/4 cup full fat organic coconut milk

1.)  Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  Grease a 9x13 inch baking sheet with coconut oil.  Heat 1 Tablespoon of coconut oil in a large stainless steel or cast iron skillet over Medium heat.  Cook onion and garlic until golden.  Add sweet potatoes.  Cook 8-10 minutes until lightly browned, stirring occasionally.

2.)  Move vegetables to the edges of the pan.  Put chopped chicken into the center of skillet.  Cook chicken until seared on all sides.  Sprinkle chicken with arrowroot, sea salt, and pepper.  Gradually whisk in chicken stock a bit at a time until all is added to the skillet and arrowroot is dissolved.  Scrape any brown bits from the bottom of pan while whisking.  Stir in wine and coconut milk.

3.)  Scrap casserole mixture into oiled baking dish.  Bake for 1 hour until heated through and bubbly.

Sushi Salad

This is a yummy fresh salad that I've been having for lunch lately, as I had been given a huge bag of brown rice to use up.  And who doesn't love sushi!  This is a play on the California Roll, minus the surimi.  You get all the sushi flavor, in a simpler form!  I've just been doing a vegetarian version, but of course add whatever sashimi you'd like! 

Sushi Salad
Makes 4 Servings

THE DRESSING
about 2 tsp cold filtered water
2 Tbsp Coconut Aminos
1/2 tsp ground ginger
2 tsp wasabi powder (more/less to taste)
1 Tbsp boiling water

THE SALAD
3 cups cooked brown rice
1/2 cup rice wine vinegar, divided
12-15 drops pure liquid stevia OR 1 Tbsp raw honey
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 Tbsp raw sesame seeds
3 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp pickled ginger, chopped (more/less to taste)
3 organic green onions, chopped
2  organic carrots, shredded
1 organic red bell pepper, chopped into match sticks
1 organic cucumber, shredded
1 cup organic green peas
3 sheets nori (dried seaweed), broken up in to bite size pieces
1 avocado, diced
4 large handfuls organic spinach

1.)  Mix the dressing.  Stir together the wasabi powder with the boiling water until a paste forms (if using less wasabi paste, use less boiling water; if using more wasabi paste, use more boiling water).  Whisk other dressing ingredients into the wasabi paste.  Set aside.

2.)  In a large bowl, toss together all of the salad ingredients.  Can be served room temperature or chilled.  On each plate, add a large handful of washed organic spinach.  Spoon salad mixture over the spinach and drizzle with dressing, then serve.

Leek, Asparagus & Herb Soup

Leek, Asparagus & Herb Soup
Makes About 6 Servings 

1 Tbsp coconut oil
2  medium leeks trimmed, washed and finely chopped
4 clove garlic, minced
1/2 pound new potatoes, scrubbed and diced
2 cups organic vegetable broth, sodium-free
1 1/2 cups fresh asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
2/3 cups snow peas, stemmed and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
3 Tbsp chopped fresh chives, divided
2 Tbsp chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 Tbsp chopped fresh dill
2 cups organic unsweetened almond milk
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1/4 tsp sea salt to taste
Fresh pepper, to taste
1/3 cup organic plain Greek yogurt (optional)

1.)  Heat coconut oil in a large saucepan over Medium-Low heat.  Add leeks and cook, stirring often, until softened but not browned, about 5 minutes.  Add garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 minute until fragrant.

2.)  Add potatoes and broth.  Bring to a simmer over Medium-High heat.  Cover and reduce heat to Medium-Low.  Simmer, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are tender, 15 to 25 minutes.

3.)  Increase heat to Medium-High and stir in asparagus and peas.  Simmer, covered, stirring 2 or 3 times, until just tender, 6-8 minutes.  Remove from heat; stir in chives, parsley, and dill.  Transfer the soup to a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. (this step is optional)

4.)  Return the soup to the pan.  Add almond milk and bring to just below a simmer, stirring, over Medium heat.  Stir in lemon juice, sea salt and pepper.  Ladle into soup bowls.  Garnish each serving with a dollop of Greek yogurt and sprinkling of the remaining fresh herbs.

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.)

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.

Smoked Turkey Pea Soup

Happy Monday!  Hope your weekend was relaxing and fun.  Mine was both of those, with a little bit of work mixed in.  But the work was fun, of course, otherwise I wouldn't put the time in (lol).  Dave and I are helping to plan and deliver a seminar titled "Rebuilding the Temple" at our church, CLC.  The kickoff is next Sunday, and it will be a "40 day renewal of body-mind-spirit" over Lent.  We're getting very excited as the big seminar day approaches.  The entire church will be involved, and it will be led by our pastors and a few other speakers, as well as Dave and me.  I'm working on the menu for Sunday's luncheon among a few other things.  I just get so happy to help people strengthen their faith thru the 5 Essentials!

Congrats to this past weekend's 5 winners who won a copy of my Valentine's Day Menu Planner e-book.  Thanks to everyone who entered!  And, there is still time to enter the SKIN Organic Body Care giveaway.  But today is the final day, so be sure to register before midnight!!  There are multiple ways to enter, too, so check out the list and see if you can enter more than once.  Good luck!

Also among my weekend projects was mass pea soup stewing.  Ohhhh how I love pea soup.  We haven't eaten it in so long though, because I couldn't bring myself to make it without a ham bone (how Dave and I grew up eating it).  We're strictly a no pork family now, after learning a bit about the pork industry and the animals in general.  Thinking back, I would guess it's been at least seven years, maybe even longer, since I last had a bowl of pea soup.  I would get the cravings for pea soup every now and again, especially on chilly days where a nice warm bowl of the salty sweet goodness seemed so perfect.  Dave had the idea to use a smoked turkey leg in place of the ham.  I have no idea why we didn't think of this sooner!

You can find smoked turkey legs at the meat counter at the grocery store, but we got ours from our free-range farmer.  Wherever you can find it, give this a try.  It turned out so so yummy!!  I'm completely satisfied with the overall taste of the soup and texture of the turkey.  It's almost like we used a ham bone, the taste is almost spot on!  I made a huge pot of it, so if following my ratios you'll need a really big stock pot.  I like to double or triple soups and stews so I can save a batch in the freezer for a month down the road.  Cut the recipe below in half for a standard 6 quart size stock pot.

Smoked Turkey Pea Soup
Makes 24 servings

STOCK INGREDIENTS
2 large smoked turkey drumsticks
32 cups filtered water (8 quarts)
2 whole onions, rinsed
6 whole carrots, rinsed
6 stalks celery, rinsed (I use the center of the celery for this and save the outer stalks to chop into the soup)
20 whole peppercorns, tied off in cheesecloth
3 bay leaves

SOUP INGREDIENTS
4 lbs split green peas (about 9 cups), rinsed and picked thru for stones
6 carrots, peeled and sliced
6 stalks celery, sliced
1 cup diced onion
5 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp ground allspice
1 Tbsp dried thyme
1 Tbsp dried oregano
1 Tbsp dried sage
about 30 cracks fresh black pepper (more/less to taste)
2 big pinches of Himalayan sea salt (more/less to taste)

1.)   Add all Stock Ingredients to your pot and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to Low or Medium-Low to keep it at a simmer.  Let simmer uncovered for 5-6 hours.  By the 5th or 6th hour of simmering, the meat on the turkey legs should pull away from the bone on its own.  Your stock is ready at that point.

2.)  Remove from heat.  With a slotted spoon or long tongs, remove the turkey legs from the stock and let cool on a plate.  Also remove the boiled veggies, bay leaves and peppercorns from the stock and discard.

3.)  Return stock to a boil.  Add in sliced carrot, celery, onion and garlic.  Stir in the dried herbs.  Reduce heat to simmer for about 20 mins.  Meanwhile, shred the meat from the turkey legs, pulling out bones or tendons.

4.)  Add the rinsed split peas and shredded smoked turkey to the simmering stock.  Stir well, making sure nothing is sticking to the bottom of the pot.  Cover loosely and continue to simmer for 2 hours, stirring often, again making sure nothing sticks to bottom of pot.  The peas will absorb all of the stock and become soft, that's when it's ready.  Season with sea salt and black pepper (to taste) and serve.

Salmon Cakes

Are you a salmon patty fan?  My husband and I weren't the biggest fans growing up.  Sorry to our moms but they were a mushy, bland, and [in my house] overcooked mess.  Actually, I think around Lenten season it was either salmon patties or tuna Hamburger Helper on Fridays (as my dad was Catholic).  It had been quite some time since my last salmon patty until Dave suggested it one evening as we tried to figure out what to do with a can of prime Alaskan salmon that had been in the pantry for longer than I dare say publicly.  As the words came out of his mouth, "How about salmon patties?"  We both paused and looked at each other.  I think we shared the same initial thought of "hmmm...ew."  But then I thought about it and said, "I'll give it a try, if they don't turn out as patties, at least the mixture will taste good over a salad!"

Based on the picture below, you'll see that they did indeed turn out, and if I might add quite tasty at that!  We have enjoyed this dish about 5 times for dinner since, and even served it to company who gave it four thumbs up for their family!  This picture was our first trial, served over steamed sweet potatoes with Dijon mustard on top.  They are also great served on a spinach salad with balsamic-Dijon dressing or over zucchini noodles with a white wine dill sauce.

The only problem I had to get over personally was calling them "salmon patties."  It was something about the word "patties" that didn't suit my appetite.  And thus, Salmon Cakes it is!  This recipe can be easily doubled, tripled, etc., based on your family's needs.  Simply add everything to a big bowl and mix together with a fork.

Salmon Cakes
Makes 4 Servings

1  15oz can boneless, skinless Alaskan wild caught salmon
1 cup almond flour OR almond meal
1 free range egg
1/2 cup onion, finely chopped or grated
1 Tbsp dried parsley
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
grape seed oil for skillet

1.)  Drain liquid from salmon, rinse under cold water, then press any remaining liquid out using a fine mesh strainer.

2.)  In a large bowl, mix salmon, almond flour, egg, onion, and seasonings together with a fork.  Be careful not to mash everything together, but rather fluff with the fork while mixing to keep everything just combined.  This will ensure even cooking and even moistness in the finished cakes.

3.)  Heat a large skillet over Medium-High heat.  Form the salmon mixture into four evenly sized cakes using your hands.  (If too moist to form, add in almond flour until desired consistency is achieved.  If too dry, add an additional egg yolk.)  Add a Tablespoon of grapeseed oil to the skillet.  Place the salmon cakes into the skillet and fry for about 3 minutes, until light brown and crispy.  Flip and do the same on the second side.  (You may need to add more oil to the skillet.)

4.)  Remove from skillet and serve immediately.

Picnic Week: Healing Cuisine's Deviled Egg Salad

We've got just one more Picnic Week recipe to come after today.  I think you'll really enjoy today's dish.... Deviled Egg Salad!  It's a new spin on my Classic Egg Salad recipe.  It's great as a main dish or side dish, and is so yummy inside lettuce wraps or served over fresh greens!

Healing Cuisine's Deviled Egg Salad
Makes 8 Servings

10 free-range eggs, hard boiled, peeled and chopped
3/4 cup Chipotle Mayo
1/3 cup organic dill pickle, finely minced or pureed (more/less to taste) (I love the Real Pickles brand)
2 tsp organic unsweetened Dijon mustard
1/4 tsp sea salt
1 tsp fresh black pepper

In a large bowl, mix all ingredients together until well combined.  Chill for at least 2 hours before serving.  Sprinkle with paprika and cayenne 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: 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.

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!

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.

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).

St. Patrick's Day Menu Planning

I don't know how many of you actually celebrate St. Patrick's day and have it carry over into your kitchens.  Dave and I don't really celebrate it much more than acknowledging the day.  But I wanted to give you a few menu items that are of Irish cuisine.  You may have tried these recipes  before (a few of my personal favorites!), or maybe this is a good excuse to give them a try!  Either way, have a great day and may luck find its way to you!  ;)

Chicken & Dumpling Soup (A)

Leek & Potato Soup (C)

Braised Cabbage & Apple with Bacon (A)

Shamrock Shake (A) -- A fantastic breakfast or dessert!

And a new recipe in honor of St. Patrick's Day.  Commonly made with corned beef (which we know better than to eat!), here is a delicious Beef Hash suitable for the Core Plan!  Makes a fabulous breakfast or meal anytime in the day!

Beef Hash
Makes 4 Servings

2 tsp coconut oil
1 large onion (I prefer to use red)
3 cups diced sweet potatoes, boiled or steamed til tender
1 cup grass-fed beef brisket, chopped
1/2 cup organic sodium-free vegetable stock
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped fine
4 free-range eggs
Sea salt and fresh pepper, to taste

1.)  In a large skillet, heat coconut oil over Medium-High heat.  Add onion and saute until it just starts to brown, about 5 to 8 minutes.  Add sweet potatoes and cook, stirring until they brown in spots and become crusty, about 8 minutes more.  Stir in uncooked beef and cook about 5 minutes more, stirring once.

2.)  Add broth and scrape up any browned bits from bottom of pan.  Simmer until liquid is absorbed, about 5 to 8 minutes.  Add parsley and season with sea salt and pepper to taste

3.)  Meanwhile, fill a separate large stainless steel skillet with 2 inches salted water and bring to a gentle simmer.  Break eggs, one at a time, into a small tea cup and slide into the simmering water. Poach eggs until set to desired firmness, 4 to 5 minutes.  Remove with slotted spoon to a dry plate.

4.)  Place hash on plates and top with poached egg.  Serve and enjoy!