Dark Chocolate Zucchini Bread

Well hello all!!  I am back!!  :)

So happy to finally say that!  Thank you to everyone who has stuck with me here at Healing Cuisine and on our Facebook page over the last few months.  I have been away while my "day job" kept me extremely tapped out.   If you remember my posts back in December/January of this year, my husband, Dr. Dave, and I opened our dream business the first week of the new year.  Our natural health clinic is called Triad Health Center and we are located in Greensboro, North Carolina.  I am happy to say I am finally at a place where I can care for our almost 2 years old Austin, manage clients and keep up with posting recipes again.  Yay!  I have a whole list of recipes to share from all the way back in December!  It's about time  :)

Hope you all have been well while I have been away.  I appreciate all the emails you have sent checking in and sharing your pictures of recipes from the archives.

I HAVE EXCITING NEWS!!!
August marks my 4th year anniversary since beginning this blog.  To celebrate, Healing Cuisine is getting a facelift!  Look forward to a BRAND NEW HealingCuisine.com in the coming weeks.  We are putting the final touches on the new design.  Some things to look forward to: simpler sleeker design, better search function, labels & categories for easy searching, easier commenting function, and more!  I hope you'll enjoy the new layout coming to Healing Cuisine in less than two weeks!

And now, on to a NEW RECIPE!  If you're growing zucchini at home this year, you've probably still got it coming out of your ears...  For me, I've made every single zucchini recipe from my archives already this summer (check them out here).  I was in need of something new.  Dr. Dave and I sure love our Advanced Plan zucchini bread, but eating it every week all summer long gets a little boring.  It was time to try making chocolate zucchini bread to fit the Advanced Plan.  Here's what we came up with, and boy is it good!  It has more of a moist cake texture than bread texture, which comes with using almond flour.  It was really good!  And it passed the toddler test!  Austin gobbled it up and asked for more!  I love it when we can take an already healthy grain-free recipe and sneak in vegetables.  Makes me feel like a supermom.  :)

Dark Chocolate Zucchini Bread
Makes 8-12 Servings

1 1/2 cups almond flour
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 cup raw cacao powder or cocoa powder
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp sea salt
1 cup organic zucchini, finely grated
1 egg (room temp)
1/4 cup organic full fat plain Greek yogurt or coconut milk (room temp)
1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 tsp pure liquid stevia
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup raw pecans, chopped (optional)
1/2 cup 73+% dark chocolate chips (optional)

1.)  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Line a medium loaf pan with unbleached parchment paper.  In a large bowl, mix together the almond flour, baking soda, cacao powder, ground cinnamon and sea salt.

2.)  In a medium bowl, whisk the egg until foamy.  Whisk in Greek yogurt, coconut oil, vanilla, stevia and apple cider vinegar until well combined.

3.)  Wrap the grated zucchini in a clean tea towel or 3-4 layers of paper towel.  Over a bowl or sink, squeeze out the excess water from the zucchini.  Shake the zucchini from the towel into the bowl of liquid ingredients.  Stir to combine the grated zucchini.  Stir in the chopped pecans and chocolate chips.

4.)  Fold in the flour mixture and stir until just combined.  Spoon the batter into loaf pan and bake for approximately 30-35 minutes or until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean.  Remove from oven and cool in pan for 10 minutes, then remove the loaf to a wire rack to cool completely before cutting.  Store in fridge in an airtight container.

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!  :)

How To: Homemade Baby Formula

The science is out.  Nothing comes close to true breast milk, because there is an innate connection between baby and mother.  When baby latches onto mom's breast, baby's saliva tells mom's body what baby needs (more water, protein, fat, nutrients, etc).  Our bodies were amazingly designed!

BUT, that doesn't mean everyone is blessed with an easy time breastfeeding or the ability.  I do recommend trying everything you can to keep your natural milk supply going first before jumping into supplementing milk for your baby.  Explore all avenues before settling on formula.  You can try many things...supplements like fenugreek and nettle, extended naked chest time and "kangaroo care" with your baby, extra pumping time to increase your flow are a few common methods.  (Email me if you would like other methods, or contact your local Le Leche League.)  But sometimes no matter how hard you try you cannot keep your milk supply going, or the nursing experience does not go well for mom or baby (extreme pain, inverted nipples with a struggle to keep baby latched).  Or perhaps you are adopting a child and do not have access to donor breast milk.  After you have weighed out all your options, these are the cases where proceeding with a homemade whole food breast milk formula is a good decision.

Today I would like to share my whole food formula recipe that when used as supplement will be closer to a woman's breast milk than one with synthetic vitamins and nutrients found at the store. I will write next week about why I recommend making your formula at home using whole food ingredients versus buying a store bought formula.  There are many many many reasons why making your own is important for the better health of your baby.  For time's sake, I will save that conversation for another day. (I will come back to link it when I post it!)

This is my recipe for homemade whole food infant formula.  It is based off of Sally Fallon's recipe in her book Nourishing Traditions.  (Every home should have this book on the shelf!  It's a go-to wellness resource!  Thank you Allison for the best wedding present ever!)  I have edited Sally Fallon's recipe to make it allergen-free as most of my clients and their children have an array of milk/nut/grain allergies.  I have listed alternative options in parentheses.

Homemade Whole Food Infant Formula
Based on Sally Fallon's original recipe found in Nourishing Traditions
Makes about 36 ounces

LIQUID
2 cups of rice milk (make your own via this link) (you can also use raw cow's milk or raw goat's milk)
2 cups pure water (reverse osmosis + remineralized is best)
2 Tbsp full fat coconut milk (or organic 100% grass fed heavy cream)
2 Tbsp organic unrefined coconut oil, melted
1/2 tsp fermented cod liver oil
1 tsp  extra virgin olive oil

DRY
1 Tbsp organic pea protein (or 1/4 cup organic 100% grass fed whey protein)
2 tsp gelatin from 100% grass fed cows
1/4 tsp Acerola powder
break open 3 capsules of colostrum

2 tsp nutritional yeast

break open 1 capsule of Kirkman Labs allergen-free Bifido probiotics 

Add the rice milk to the blender with all of the dry ingredients.  Blend on Low-Medium until blended smooth.  Add remaining liquid ingredients to the blender and blend on Low-Medium until smooth.  Pour into bottles and store in fridge with airtight caps up to 5 days.  Warm each bottle in a container of warm water on the counter before feeding, and shake well.

You may notice the cold formula will be chunky from the fridge -- that's just the coconut oil and other oils solidifying from the cold.  It will thin out once it is warmed.  Do not heat the formula on the stove top.

Disclaimer: Before using any infant or toddler formula with your child, please consult with your pediatrician or main family practitioner. No parents should use this information without first seeking advice from their pediatrician or primary care physician before starting a nutritional program with their children.

Hazelnut Latte

I have another Starbucks recipe hack for you!  Sara commented on my Pumpkin Spice Latte recipe looking for a natural and whole food alternative for her hazelnut lattes.  Here's what we do when we feel like hazelnut.  We don't use any of those flavor syrups, which are loaded with high fructose corn syrup, food dyes, and chemical flavorings.  Even the "sugar-free" options use chemically made artificial sweeteners.  Sure, there are some out there that use agave syrup, but did you know agave isn't a whole food and is processed the same way as HFCS? 

So, if flavoring syrups are out, what's a girl to do?  I'll tell you, read on!

Hazelnut Latte
Makes 1-2 Servings

10 oz fresh brewed hot organic coffee
1/3 cup raw hazelnuts (about 10-12nut)
10-30 drops of pure liquid stevia (to taste)*
Splash or two of almond milk or coconut milk (optional)**

Blend on high for 1-2 minutes. You can strain it if you want to remove the hazelnut pulp, but I don’t bother. The few small pieces of nut will sink to the bottom of your cup.
1.)  Add all ingredients to the blender and start on Low speed, gradually working up to High speed.  Blend on High for 1-2 minutes until completely smooth.  Strain if you wish, but I just drink the little bit of hazelnut pulp at the bottom of the cup. 

*You may wish to wait to add the stevia the end, once you can taste the sweetness.  Add 2-3 drops at a time and mix thoroughly, tasting between additions, if you're unsure the sweetness level of stevia.

**We don't usually add any nut milks to our hazelnut lattes, as the hazelnuts get nice and creamy when blended.  But, you may prefer it!  That is why I listed it.  We do foam some almond milk on the stove top to pour over the mug for the foam effect.

Four More One Pot Wonder Dinners

I am making an exception to our "Wordless Wednesdays."  I have too many recipes to share with you, and I need to honor someone extra close to my heart...

Yesterday was my son Austin's first birthday!  I am in awe of our little man each and every day as he is growing up and learning so quickly.  Year one has been filled with SO MANY great laughs, hugs, snuggles, and joyful memories.  I am so grateful that God gave us this bright, healthy, spunky little boy.  Happy birthday Austin!

We celebrated with a simple Advanced Plan vanilla cupcake, recipe found in my Kids Birthday Party e-book.  The frosting is whipped avocado with powdered xylitol (for Austin's cupcake I used powdered sugar, because babies cannot digest sugar alcohols).  Sunday is Austin's big 1st birthday party!  I'm excited to show you the little crafts and new recipes I have been working on for his celebration.  It's going to be a fun day, I can't wait!  I'll give you a recap next week! :)


More Quick Meals Using Spice Mixes

I have more yummy and QUICK dinner recipes to share that use the spice mix ingredients from our Spice Mix Party last month.  I'm only sharing my top favorites.  There were some dishes that didn't make the cut, so please try the ones I'm including below and in yesterday's post.  They are winners!  They're now topping my go-to list!

Summer Squash Dressing
ADVANCED PLAN 
Makes 6 Servings

2 cups organic yellow or green zucchini/squash, diced
2 cups crumbled coconut bread
1/2 cup coconut oil or raw butter, melted
2 tsp dried sage
2 tsp garlic powder
1 1/2 cups cream of mushroom soup
2 eggs, beaten
1 onion, chopped
1/4 cup organic unsweetened almond milk
Sea salt and fresh pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Grease a 2-3 quart casserole dish.  In a large bowl, stir together the squash, coconut bread, coconut oil, sage, garlic, cream of mushroom soup, egg, onion, almond milk, sea salt and black pepper.  Transfer to prepared baking dish.  Bake for 40 minutes, until lightly browned.  Let sit 5-10 minutes before serving.

Ranch Parmesan Chicken
CORE PLAN
Makes 6 Servings

6 free-range skinless chicken breasts (bone-in is okay)
1/2 cup organic sour cream
1/2 cup Healing Cuisine Mayonnaise
1 Tbsp homemade ranch dressing mix
1 cup almond meal
1/2 cup raw Parmesan cheese, grated
1 Tbsp season salt (salt-free and MSG-free)
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp fresh black pepper

Wash and dry chicken breasts.  In a large bowl, stir together sour cream, mayonnaise, and ranch dressing mix.  Add the chicken breasts and use your hands to coat the chicken in the ranch dressing.  Marinade chicken breasts in the fridge for at least an hour or overnight.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.  Grease a glass 9x13 inch pan and set aside.  In a separate 9x13 inch pan, combine almond meal, Parmesan cheese, season salt, garlic powder, and black pepper.  Dip marinaded chicken (remove any extra dressing) in the almond crumb mixture, covering both sides evenly.  Place crumb covered chicken in greased glass baking dish.  Cover baking dish with aluminum foil and bake for 25 minutes.  Remove foil, and bake for another 15 minutes,  until internal temperature reaches 180 degrees F and almond crust is lightly browned.  We serve with steamed broccoli or roasted veggies.  P.S., this recipe also makes great chicken strips!

Slow Cooker Italian Chicken
ADVANCED PLAN
Makes 6 Servings

6 chicken breasts (bone-in is okay, you can slice or cube the raw chicken, too)
3 Tbsp homemade Italian dressing mix
8 oz organic cream cheese, room temperature
3 cups cream of mushroom soup
2 Tbsp garlic powder

Add all ingredients to slow cooker and cook on Low for 4-6 hours.  If sauce is too thick, thin it with a little vegetable broth or almond milk.  We served over spiral brown rice noodles, but I'd like it with zucchini noodles as well.

Beef Stroganoff
ADVANCED PLAN
Makes 4 Servings

1 1/2 lbs 100% grass fed top sirloin steak strips OR ground beef
4 Tbsp coconut oil
1 onion, chopped
8 oz mushrooms, sliced
4 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
3 Tbsp homemade dry onion soup mix
2 Tbsp organic tomato paste
1 Tbsp arrowroot powder
2 cups organic sodium-free beef stock
1 cup full-fat coconut milk
Sea salt and fresh black pepper, to taste

In a skillet, heat the coconut oil over Medium-High heat.  Add the mushrooms and onion.  Saute until slightly softened and browned.  Remove to a plate.  Brown ground beef until no longer pink.  Return onion and mushrooms to pan.  Stir in garlic, dry onion soup mix, and tomato paste.  Reduce heat to Medium.  Sprinkle arrowroot powder over meat mixture and stir to combine until arrowroot is completely mixed in.  Add beef stock and  coconut milk, stirring thoroughly.  Sauce will begin to thicken as it comes to a simmer.  Reduce heat and simmer for about 5 minutes.  Remove from heat and let cool before spooning onto plates.  We serve over cooked smashed cauliflower, zucchini noodles, cauliflower rice or roasted spaghetti squash.

Fudgy Walnut Brownies

MORE BROWNIES!!  :)

Last time, I shared my Moist Black Bean Brownie recipe made with, as the name says, pureed black beans.  Today's is a new brownie, still super moist but with an almost fudge like texture.  Paired with a tall glass of almond milk, and that is HEAVEN if you ask me!  these brownies remind me a little of grandma mistake bars... anyone remember those?

I went out and bought some raw walnuts this weekend to use in a cookie recipe someone emailed to me.  (Hint: It was for a chocolate cookie that has white frosting sandwiched in between...  :]  Recipe coming SOON!)  I had some walnuts leftover, and decided that brownies topped with walnuts have always tasted so good.  And this recipe was born!  I was out of eggs, so made do by substituting with chia seed meal.  You could forgo the chia seed meal and apple cider vinegar and instead use one large egg.

Let me know what you think about this brownie, and compare it to the black bean brownie.  I think I like this one a little more???  But really, they're both so good!  How can you pick a favorite?!

Fudgy Walnut Brownies
Makes 9 Squares

1-2 cups raw walnuts
1 16oz can navy beans (can substitute black beans)
1 tsp chia seed meal (ground in coffee grinder)
1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
30 drops pure liquid stevia
1/3 cup powdered xylitol
1/4 cup organic full fat coconut milk
1/8 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp Bragg apple cider vinegar
a couple handfuls of chocolate chips (optional)

1.)  Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.  Grease a 8 inch x 8 inch square pan with coconut oil and line the bottom with unbleached parchment paper.  Pulse the walnuts in your food processor to make a fine ground walnut meal.  Measure out 1/2 cup meal for the batter, plus 1/2 cup for an optional topping.  [Note: You can also substitute almond flour in the batter if you wish.]

2.)  To your blender or food processor, add navy beans, chia seed meal, melted coconut oil, stevia, xylitol, coconut milk, sea salt, baking soda, and apple cider vinegar.  Puree until very smooth.  Add 1/2 cup walnut meal and cocoa powder to the blender.  Puree until just combined.

3.)  Scrape into greased square baking dish.  Top with chocolate chips and leftover walnut meal (OPTIONAL).  Bake for 25-35 minutes, until knife comes out clean from the center.  Remove from oven and cool before slicing.  Store in airtight container in fridge.

Pumpkin Pie Smoothie

Last night, I snapped this picture with our iPad and shared it on the Facebook page:

... And told you it was a Pumpkin Pie Smoothie.  You wanted to know how to make it.  I didn't realize I have never shared my recipe here with you before.  So here it is!  And who said you could only enjoy pumpkin in the Fall?  :)

Pumpkin Pie Smoothie
Makes 2 Servings

1 15oz can organic pumpkin puree
2 cups unsweetened vanilla almond milk
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground allspice
20-30 drops pure liquid stevia, to taste
8 ice cubes
2 scoops vanilla protein powder
2 handfuls organic certified gluten-free rolled oats (optional)
coconut milk (optional)

Add all ingredients to blender and puree until smooth.  I recommend adding the protein powder last, after all other ingredients are blended smooth, to prevent foaming.  If you like your smoothie thick, replace half of the almond milk with coconut milk.

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!

Product Review: The Coconut Tool + NEW RECIPES!!!!

Who here loves coconut?  And who here eats a ton of coconut (milk, shredded, flour, water) on their Maximized Living Nutrition Plan?  Hands up!  I am about to share with you a kitchen tool designed specifically to make your life with the coconut 1000 times easier.

It's called The Coconut Tool, and it was designed, patented, and mass produced by a friend of mine (who also happens to be a Minneapolis area Maximized Living doctor) Dr. Hugh Wegwerth.  He started with a vision, and turned that vision into an amazing tangible tool that has revolutionized the way the world deals with fresh raw coconuts.  The Coconut Tool came to be after Dr. Hugh struggled to get the meat out of a fresh coconut.  He, like so many of us, wanted to reap the health benefits of fresh raw coconut meat, but found it impossible to get the meat out of the coconut.

His plan?  Design a kitchen tool that helps you remove the fresh raw meat from the coconut in a minute flat!  The old way of getting the meat out involved making a mess, using a special shredder to slowly shred all the meat out, or being strong enough to chop the coconut (shell and all) in to pieces, baking the coconut in attempts to loosen it from the shell (yes, I said baking it...hmmm, damaging affects to the raw quality?), and then you still had to peel the meat after all that.  Phew!  I'll be honest and say it was way too much work for me, and it made a huge mess that I didn't feel like cleaning up afterward.  We had used fresh coconut meat maybe a handful of times in the four years we've been married, and I never planned to buy fresh again.  Until now!

Here's The Coconut Tool:

Think about how much money you can save by purchasing your coconuts fresh and whole, and making your own coconut everything!  Well, almost everything.  :)  I'll still buy my coconut oil in bulk, but this tool seriously makes pulling the meat out so fast and easy that I'll be making our own coconut milk, flour, and shreds, and in the long run I'll be saving $$$ and gaining huge nutrient benefits along the way.  Check it out!  Here's how to use The Coconut Tool (and I didn't even need to ask my husband for help!  You don't need to be big and strong to use this gadget!):

What you need to get started:
     a cleaver or a clean hammer
     a bowl
     a fine mesh strainer
     The Coconut Tool
     a fresh organic coconut

(How to tell if a coconut is fresh and ripe?  Hold it up to your ear and shake.  You should be able to hear the water splash around inside.  If you don't hear the water, that's and old coconut.)

Start by cracking open the coconut.  Look for the line around the coconut (the "equator").  You'll aim the blunt end of your cleaver (or hammer) at this line.

Give the coconut a good one or two whacks, the rotate a few inches down the "equator" and whack one or two more times.  Continue around the entire equator.  Have a bowl on hand with mesh strainer resting inside.  This will catch the coconut water as it spills out when the coconut splits in half.

Grab your Coconut Tool firmly in your good hand (I'm a righty).  Insert the tip of the tool in between the coconut meat and the brown hard shell.  It should slip right in with a little pressure.

 Carefully rock and scrape the tool back and forth, gliding it around the entire inside of the shell.  I found it easiest for my little hands to use the aid of the table to anchor my work.  My husband tested the tool out on a second coconut and he just stood holding it, gliding through with ease (bigger hands, haha).

 In about 3-4 turns of the coconut you'll have made your way around.  It takes all of 60 seconds!  And *pop* out comes your coconut meat!  It's that simple!

To finish the job, you can use a sharp vegetable peeler to take off any left behind scraps of the brown papery shell lining.  Then you can start turning your meat into yummy creations!

You can get your own Coconut Tool here.  I promise, you will not be disappointed!  See what other users are saying.  I can say personally this tool is THE BOMB!  We are going to be enjoying fresh coconut a lot more often now!  It's now on my list of kitchen must haves!

Now, here is what we made with our first Coconut Tool try: fresh raw full fat coconut milk, shredded coconut AND coconut chips!

First, the Better Than Store Bought Coconut Milk.  I forgot to take a picture while blending... but, all you need to do is chop up the meat of a whole coconut into rough chunks.  Drop into your blender.  Add 1 cup of filtered water and blend away.  A Vitamix blender will give you the best coconut milk I expect, but I just have a simple Bullet style blender.  Depending on the quality of your blender, you'll have some of the coconut solids left behind in varying thicknesses.  Strain out the coconut milk from the solids using a nut bag or a fine mesh strainer.  And voila!  You are left with the richest creamiest and freshest coconut milk you have ever tasted!

 The shredded coconut pulp that is left behind can be used in baked goods, add on top of salads, blend again in your smoothies, whatever you'd like!  I put mine into the freezer for later use in my Blueberry Bread.

 And finally, lightly toasted Coconut Chips.  Super simple!  Take the meat of one coconut.  Run it through a slicer (I used the slicer blade in my food processor).  Spread the sliced chips out on a baking sheet.  Place in a 350 degree F oven and bake for about 15 minutes, or until the edges of most of the pieces are a light brown and fragrant.  Remove from the oven and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of sea salt.  Let cool and store in an air tight container in the fridge.  So easy, and they make a delicious and nutritious snack or salad topping!

Before

After

 And that is everything we made with our first two coconuts and The Coconut Tool!  A lot of food, isn't it??  Guess how much it cost us?  $1.98 per organic coconut, so all of this coconut milk, coconut pulp, and coconut chips only cost us $3.96!  That's it!  The Coconut Tool is a time saver AND a money saver!

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.

Mint Chocolate Creme Tart

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas celebration with your loved ones!  This was our first year away from home for the holidays, which for us is the U.P. of Michigan.  A little bittersweet to be away from from family and snow, and still have a good time with our Austin on his first Christmas.  We ended up driving up to the Washington D.C. area to spend Christmas with my aunt.  We had a cozy time with good food, drinks, and stories of past years.  Very fun!  Here is our 2011 family portrait:

I have a lovely dessert recipe to share today.  This dessert is a lighter version of my Grasshopper Pie that I shared with you last December.  It turned out this year I couldn't find any avocados that weren't shipped in from Mexico (and in extremely bad condition, if I may add), so I nixed that layer of the pie and changed it up a little.  This Mint Chocolate Creme Tart was delicious with a dollop of my Advanced Plan vanilla flavored Coconut Whipped Cream on top (find that recipe in my Season's Eatings Holiday e-Book).  Sorry no picture to accompany...we had the intention but devoured the tart before grabbing the camera!

Mint Chocolate Creme Tart
Makes 8 Servings

CRUST
1 1/4 cups coconut flour, sifted
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
5 Tbsp coconut oil (room temp solid)
1 Tbsp raw almond butter
2 tsp spoonable Stevita stevia powder
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

FILLING
2 1/2 cups cashews, soaked 6 hours in water
1 cup unsweetened organic coconut milk
1 tsp pure liquid stevia, or to taste
5-8 drops pure mint essential oil, or to taste
5 drops liquid chlorophyll (for natural green color)
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/4 tsp sea salt
5 Tbsp coconut oil, melted

1.)  CRUST    In your food processor, add all crust ingredients and pulse until it is of uniform consistency.  It should be crumbly.  Transfer your crust to a spring form pan or 9 inch tart shell and press firmly and evenly to line it.  Place in fridge to set slightly while preparing filling.

2.)  FILLING    In a blender, combine the cashews, mint leaves, and coconut milk.  blend until smooth.  Add remaining FILLING ingredients and blend until combined.  (Start with less mint oil and stevia, tasting between blends until you get the perfect combination to your personal taste.  I shared my preference above in the ratios. You can use mint extract instead of oil, but will need to use lots more to achieve the right taste.)

3.)  Pour filling into chilled tart crust.  Cover and place tart in fridge for at least 2 hours before serving.  Best if in fridge over night to set.  Enjoy!

Pumpkin Pie Ice Cream

Pumpkin Ice Cream
Makes 4 Servings

1 can full-fat organic coconut milk
1/2 cup cooked pumpkin, pureed
20 drops pure liquid stevia
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 Tbsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground cloves

1.)  In a medium bowl, mix together all ingredients until smooth.

2.)  Pour into ice cream maker bowl.  Follow ice cream maker's instructions.

3.)  When ice cream is set, eat immediately or store in freezer to firm up if desired.  Top with cinnamon coconut whipped cream (add 1 tsp of fresh cinnamon to the mixer while whipping the cold coconut milk).

SKIN Organic Body Care Giveaway #2 WINNER

Hi folks!  Hope you had a splendid Thanksgiving!  We had our first holiday with just us, and it was really nice.  Especially because we have the greatest little guy to share it with this year and start new family traditions with!  I made many of the side dish and dessert recipes from Season's Eatings and also tried out some new recipes and ideas I have been playing with.  I'll share our successes soon in future posts!  We also skipped the turkey this year and did Cornish hens.  They were so cute on our plates!  And only take an hour to cook...even if you have 4, 5, 6...in the oven at a time.  An hour, people!  They came out with crispy skin and super juicy meat, too.  No basting required!  I'm sold, Cornish hens for all future Thanksgivings in the Schwartz household.

Now enough of my babbling.  Time to announce the SKIN Organic Body Care giveaway winner!  And the winner is Nancy D.!  Nancy, please send me an email with your mailing address and Stephanie from SKIN will send you your very own jar of Healing Calendula Cream: elise@healingcuisinebyelise.com.  Congrats!!  And thank you to all who entered and took the time to tell us what you are grateful for this year.  We loved reading your responses!

I do have a quick recipe to share today.  Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal.  Since I started breastfeeding, I've been craving oatmeal.  Every day for the last 2 months.  You'd think I'd be sick of it by now, or at least I try to tell myself I should be sick of it.  Sometimes I (embarrassingly) have two bowls of oatmeal in one day.  A lactation consultant and friend told me that there's something in oats / oat straw that stimulates milk production and that some women need different things in their diet to enhance milk production.  Oats seems to be my thing.  Since I'm boiling up a bowl of steal cut every morning, as I stand there watching it and stirring occasionally, I have been thinking of ways to switch it up and make it more flavorful, more than my bland butter, stevia and oats.  Sure there's cinnamon, raisins, coconut milk...etc that can be added.  "But why not pumpkin?" I thought to myself one morning.  And that was the beginning of Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal.  It is the perfect fall comfort breakfast!

This is a Core Plan treat because of the oats folks, just to clarify.  (Shhh...even though Dave has me on the Advanced Plan for Austin's dairy allergy, he *probably* doesn't know I've been eating oatmeal every single day since Austin's birth.   Don't tell him! ;)

Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal
Makes 1 Serving

1 cup steal cut oatmeal, cooked
1/2 cup cooked pumpkin, pureed
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/8 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
12 drops pure liquid stevia (more/less to taste)
Full-fat organic coconut milk (optional)

To warm prepared steal cut oatmeal, stir in pureed pumpkin, spices, vanilla, and stevia until well combined.  Serve as is or drizzle a couple spoonfuls of coconut milk over top.  Dave likes to add hempseeds to his bowl for extra protein.

Questions Answered: Pumpkin Spice Latte

Kristin commented on my Chai Tea Latte recipe asking for one of the most amazing fall drinks ever - the Pumpkin Spice Latte!

"I just started working for a Maximized Living doctor and am doing the Advance Plan.  Have you ever made a Pumpkin Latte that fits the plan?"  - Kristin

My answer is no, not until today!  But what a fabulous request!  Too many autumns have come and gone since my last taste of a Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte.  Did you know the kinds of chemicals, artificial sweeteners, HFCS, and food dyes put into many of the drinks at commercial coffee shops like Starbucks?  Once I started asking the cashier What's in my drink?, that was the last sip of Pumpkin Spice Latte for me.  So I have no clue why I never thought to create this delicious treat at home!  I tried it a couple different ways, after consulting a few different friends' blogs and based on what we had in the pantry.   The recipe below turned out great, and I think better than the commercial version.  :)

Pumpkin Spice Latte
Makes 1-2 Servings

2 cups unsweetened vanilla almond milk
2 Tbsp unsweetened pumpkin puree (canned is fine)
1/4 cup espresso OR 1/2 cup strong brewed organic coffee (we took the coffee route)
3/4 tsp pure vanilla extract
3/4 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground cardamom
1/4 tsp ground ginger
Liquid stevia, to taste

1.)  Whisk all ingredients together in a medium saucepan until well blended.  Heat over Medium-Low until it reaches a simmer to ensure pumpkin completely dissolves.  Remove from heat and pour into mug(s).

OPTIONAL:  To create a foamy top, add 1 teaspoon unsweetened pumpkin puree, 1/4 cup warmed coconut milk, 12 drops Stevita liquid stevia, a dash of nutmeg, and 1/4 tsp cinnamon to a blender.  (We used out Bullet blender and it worked perfectly.)  Blend on High for 30 seconds or so until foamed.  Pour on top of the warm latte and serve immediately.  (You can also create foam using an electric stirring rod and a tall glass.)  (Don't have a blender or stirring rod?  Top it with a dollop of hand whipped organic cream sweetened and spiced up.)

Almond Joy Ice Cream

Okay, you can't pass this recipe up.  This ice cream reminds me of an Almond Joy bar...all the flavors are there, but hey, it's Advanced Plan!  :)

Almond Joy Ice Cream
Makes 6 Servings

2 cups unsweetened almond milk
1 cup full-fat coconut milk
3 free-range egg yolks
1 Tbsp arrowroot powder
1/2 tsp pure liquid stevia
2 tsp pure vanilla
Pinch of sea salt
4 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
3/4 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
1/2 cup raw chopped almonds

In a blender, mix almond milk, coconut milk, egg yolks, arrowroot, liquid stevia, vanilla, sea salt and cocoa powder until smooth.  Add in coconut flakes and almonds and pulse a few times to fold in.  Pour into your ice cream machine (be sure bowl is prepped if needed) and follow your makers instructions.

Raz-Apple Smoothie

A tasty tart and tangy smoothie!

Raz-Apple Smoothie
Makes 1 Serving

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

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

Coconut Dream Cake

This cake is for the coconut lover (aka my hubby)!  I've titled it as Coconut Dream Cake as it's got a dreamy like texture to it, almost a custard-like cake if you will.  Yummmo!  Crushed macadamia nuts only add to the dreamy flavor.  For our second serving, we dolloped on a spoonful of my Coconut Whipped Cream (recipe found in Season's Eatings e-book) as a topping and it was truly divine!  A great coffee or tea cake.

Idea just came to me -- would also be great topped with fresh crushed pineapple, ooooo, trying that next!

Coconut Dream Cake
Makes 12 Servings

8 free-range eggs
3 cups unsweetened almond milk
1 cup full-fat organic coconut milk
1 cup coconut flour, sifted twice
1/2 cup xylitol
3 tsp Stevita Spoonable stevia
1/2 cup melted butter or coconut oil
2 tsp aluminum-free baking powder
3 cups unsweetened coconut flakes
1/2 tsp nutmeg (plus more for top)
1 tsp cinnamon (plus more for top)
Handful or two of chopped macadamia nuts (optional)

1.)  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Grease a 9"x13" glass baking pan with coconut oil and line with unbleached parchment paper.

2.)  In a stand mixer (or with a hand mixer) beat eggs, almond milk, coconut milk, coconut flour, xylitol, butter/coconut oil, baking powder, nutmeg, and cinnamon until smooth.  Fold in coconut flakes and chopped nuts.

3.)  Pour batter into pan and sprinkle additional cinnamon and nutmeg over top.  Bake at 350 degrees F for 60-70 minutes, or until top is golden brown and a knife inserted in middle comes out clean.  Remove from oven and cool to room temperature before cutting and serving.

We're Back! & Melon-Lime Smoothie

Hi guys!

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

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

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

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

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

Melon-Lime Smoothie
Makes 2 Servings

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

Blend ingredients together in blender until smooth.  Serve immediately.

Peanut Butter & Jelly Ice Cream

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

Peanut Butter & Jelly Ice Cream
Makes 4-6 Servings

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

1/2 cup unsweetened organic strawberry preserves

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

Strawberries-n-Cream Bundt Cake

It's kind of fun when our birthdays come around.  Mine is January 29th and Dave's on the 31st, so we are just two days apart.  This means duo celebration every year!  For the last few years, there has been a Maximized Living seminar on our birthdays since we fall on the weekend.  Usually this means a January birthday trip to Orlando, FL on our birthdays for training in chiropractic and nutrition, and hope we can sneak outside a little thru the weekend to enjoy the sun!  Thankfully this year we live right here in Orlando and the seminar is just a short drive away from our house!

So this year we can truly celebrate our birthdays.  I made this birthday cake, my own version of the popular boxed strawberry cake.  I remember asking for this flavor of cake mix many birthdays ago in my single digit years.  My mom will be the first to tell you she lacked the skill of baking from scratch, and thus she resorted the the box cake variety for all of our birthdays growing up.  I wanted to re-create this cake Healing Cuisine style this year!  And you'll be happy to know, this is Advanced Plan and EASY to make! :)

This recipe works best in a bundt pan in order to get the batter to cook thru the middle without burning.  You could probably get away with making two 8" or 9" round cake layers, but I haven't tried it yet.  Bake until a clean knife inserted comes out clean.

Strawberries-n-Cream Bundt Cake
Serves 12
1-2 tsp coconut oil (to grease the pan)
1/3 cup coconut flour, sifted twice
3 cups fine ground almond flour, sifted
3 Tbsp coconut oil, room temperature
1 16oz package frozen unsweetened strawberries, thawed
1/2 cup unsalted raw butter, room temperature
1 cup xylitol (organic, from birch trees)
3-4 tsp spoonable stevia (to taste)
1 tsp sea salt
1 Tbsp baking powder
4 large eggs
1/2 cup organic full-fat coconut milk
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 tsp natural almond extract
1 tsp lemon juice

1.)  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Grease a 12 cup bundt pan with coconut oil and sprinkle with fine ground almond flour to flour the pan.  Invert pan and tap lightly to remove excess almond flour. Set aside.

2.)  Puree thawed strawberries in a food processor or blender.  Since I only had a 16 oz pack of strawberries, bear with me on these reservations:  Reserve 3/4 cup of blended strawberries and refrigerate for another use (don't need this portion for the recipe, would be great in smoothies or other dessert).  Also reserve 2 tablespoons puree, pour into a mesh strainer and place over a small bowl.  This portion is for the strawberry cream frosting and we want to remove the seeds.  Occasionally scrape thru the strawberry puree pushing the juice thru and leaving the seeds in the strainer.  The remaining about 1 cup of puree is for your cake!

3.)  Place butter, coconut oil, xylitol, and stevia in mixer bowl.  Cream together on Medium speed for about 5-6 minutes, scrapping down beaters and bowl with rubber spatula as needed (I had to twice with my Kitchen Aid).  You're looking for a light fluffy mixture.

4.)  In a medium bowl, mix together the coconut flour, almond flour, sea salt, and baking powder.  In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, coconut milk, 1 cup of strawberry puree, almond extract, vanilla extract and lemon juice.

5.)  Add half of the dry ingredients to the mixer bowl with xylitol/butter mixture and mix on Low speed for 30 seconds or until moistened.  Scrape down bowl. Add half of the wet ingredients and mix on Low speed until incorporated, about 30 seconds.  Scrape down bowl.  Repeat with remaining dry and wet ingredients, scraping down bowl after each addition.  Finally, mix on Medium-High speed for 1 1/2 minutes, then scrape down bowl and beater.

6.)  Pour batter into prepared bundt pan and bake in oven for 45-55 minutes, until a clean knife inserted in center comes out clean.

7.)  Cool cake in pan on a rack for 15 minutes, then remove from pan to further cool.  (Run a knife along the edges to ensure a clean removal, then invert onto a cake plate.)

Strawberries-n-Cream Frosting
2 cups xylitol, pulverized into powder
1 Tbsp arrowroot powder
8 oz organic cream cheese, softened
4 Tbsp raw butter, softened
1/2 tsp lemon juice
2 tsp organic vanilla extract
2 Tbsp pureed strawberries, strained to remove seeds

1.)  Make "powdered xylitol" to use in place of powdered sugar/confectioners sugar in this frosting.  Here's a great trick.  In small batches, pulverize your xylitol by dropping thru the lid of your blender (on High speed) to create a fine powder.  Do this to the entire 2 cups and transfer the powdered xylitol to a medium bowl.  Whisk in the arrowroot powder.  You now have powdered xylitol!  I usually make a double batch and store in an airtight container in the pantry for future use.

2.)  In a mixer bowl on Medium speed, cream together the butter and cream cheese.  Add the 2 tablespoons of strained strawberry puree, lemon juice and vanilla extract.  Wait about 30 seconds.  Add in the powdered xylitol mixture 1/2 cup at a time until your frosting forms and is nice, fluffy, and pink!  This should take maybe 2-3 minutes.

3.)  Once cake is cooled, you can frost away.  Extra frosting can be covered and saved in the fridge for later. (I think this frosting would be great over these Advanced Plan fluffy pancakes!)  ENJOY! :)  This cake is heaven!