Broccoli Slaw Asian salad

Crisp, Clean, Easy, and Flavorful

Throw this together in minutes to enjoy for a simple lunch or side salad at dinner.

Broccoli Slaw Asian Salad

Salad:

Combine in bowl:

Broccoli Slaw (you can make this on your own by grating the broccoli stalk, 

or cheat by buying a bag in the produce section)

Chopped Sugar Snap Peas

Raisins

Shredded Carrots

Chopped Celery

Diced Pineapple

Roasted Edamame

Chopped Raisins

(Sprouts, avocado, and cucumber would also be yummy!) - be creative and have fun!

Dressing:

Whisk in a bowl:

2 Tbsp Rice Vinegar

1 1/2 Tbsp Tamari or Coconut Aminos

2 diced Green Onions

1 large Clove Garlic minced

1 tsp Sesame or Peanut Oil

2-5 drops of Saracha sauce

1-2 tsp Honey

Salt and pepper if you want

Cinnamon Cacao Roasted Almonds

Have you ever tried activated (or soaked) nuts? Let me tell you, its simple and the results are amazing! It results in a LIGHT and CRUNCHY bite!

Also - OIL FREE!!!!

Activating nuts mean that by soaking you encourage beneficial enzymes and increases the vitamins! And it makes the nuts so much easier to digest!

But thats not whole reason I do this - they taste so MUCH BETTER!!

These are the nuts - your kids will ask for!

Use in a trail mix with dried fruit and carob/dark chocolate chips

Chop and top yogurt

Chop and add to your granola

Top your breakfast oatmeal (search my amazing recipes!)

Or just eat PLAIN! 

In the morning:

Place 1-2 Cups of Almonds 

(and any other nut you want to add - I used pecans and pepitas (pumpkin seeds),

in bowl and cover completely with water. 

Add 1 Tbsp of Kosher or Rock Salt. Let sit all day.

Before bed:

Put parchment paper on cookie sheet. 

Turn oven to lowest setting, (or set dehydrator to 150). 

Drain and lightly rinse nuts.

 In a small separate bowl combine 1/4 cup of Cacao powder (or cocoa powder), 

1 tsp salt, and 1 packet of stevia, and 1 Tbsp Cinnamon.

 (This mixture is for 1 cup of nuts, feel free to double this if you have more) 

Sprinkle Cacao mixture over wet nuts. 

Use a spatula to lightly stir and mix. 

Place in oven overnight (about 8-10 hours). 

You will know when they are done, by how crispy they are in the morning. 

They do crisp a little as they cool, so don't go too long!

An amazing, SUPER Easy Snack!!

ENJOY!!

Roasted Red Pepper Pasta Sauce

Simple, Delightful, and Versatile!
Enjoy on spaghetti squash noodles, zucchini noodles, or any noodle of choice!
Also as a veggie dip or sandwich spread!

And... it gets even better! 

Served over roasted Spaghetti Squash. YUM!

For Roasted Spaghetti Squash:

Brush inside of squash with olive oil and salt.

Turn upside down in pan with 1/4 c water.

Back at 375.

 For about 40 minutes or until fork tender.

For Roasted Red Pepper Sauce:

1 Onion

4 Cloves Garlic

LARGE handful fresh basil (the more the better)

Roasted Red Pepper (directions below)

2-3 Tomatoes, chopped

1 Tbsp Italian Seasoning

1 tsp Oregano

pinch of red pepper flakes (or more depending on taste)

4-5 Fresh (preferably garden fresh) tomatoes, diced

1/2 tsp baking soda (thrown in at the end to prevent acidic taste)

Salt and Pepper

Cook onion and garlic until soft (about 5-7 minutes), then add the rest of ingredients including roasted pepper. Simmer 10 minutes. Puree or blend everything. Then pour back into pot add baking soda and simmer until thickened. (optional)

Roast 3 red peppers under broiler, until blackened. Turn with tongs every 4-6 minutes. When skin is blackened, throw in bowl and cover with plastic wrap and let sit 10 minutes. When cool, put on cutting board and pull off blackened skin. Cut off tops and cut open and dig out seeds.

Serve with parmesan if desired 

Enjoy!

NO FAT Baked Lays / in (five) MINUTES

THis is one of my favorite snacks when I am DYING for the crunchy goodness of a potato chip. Maybe you're at a BBQ and want to bring a little something to balance out all that other greasiness :)

Fastest snack ever!

My kids love this and people are amazed to see it happen!

4 EASY STEPS and 5 MINUTES! DONE!

I used red potatoes here, but you could use Idaho Potatoes as well.

 Stay tuned for my sweet potato post, they are a little trickier - 

(they have more sugars and are easier to burn.)

1. Use a mandolin slicer to evenly slice into slices. The width is a personal preference. The thicker ones are softer and the thinner ones are crispier. Up to you.

2. Take the tray out microwave. Cover with parchment paper and trim edges to fit. Lay the slices out evenly around the tray. Sprinkle with desired seasonings. I prefer garlic salt. But you can do Garlic, Paprika, Chili Powder, Splash of Vinegar and Salt, Cinnamon/sugar/salt, Salt and splash of lime! 

SO MANY OPTIONS!

3. Place tray in microwave and cook for 5 minutes. Watch closely. If you start to see browning, stop microwave. If you don't see browning. Continue at 30 second intervals until you start to see browned edges. When you do, let sit in microwave for 1 minute. Then bring out and let rest until cool. 

They should crisp as they cool.

And there you go! The tray will be hot if you want to make a second batch. So watch the time closely if you do make another one!

ENJOY!

Chocolate Chunk Cherry Almond Cookies - Sugar Egg Gluten Dairy Free!

I know I've been on the dessert overhaul lately on this blog! 

Its the time I have the most fun and the love experimenting.

 I have an amazing GREEN SMOOTHIE CAKE coming soon! We used it for my Babies First Birthday! It was amazing and everyone loved it!

But before I get ahead of myself - this one is also an amazing crowd pleaser. DO NOT BE SCARED - everyone will like these - even those who are leery of trying anything 'healthy.' 

They will never know!

They are melt in your mouth amazing!!! I buy no sugar added Dried Cherries online, if you aren't so picky, feel free to pick up any dried cherries you can find.

2 Cups Almond Flour (Make your own by pulsing almonds, or buy some at Trader Joes)

1/4 C Date Sugar or Coconut Palm Sugar (or regular sugar if you don't care)

1/4 C Xyltiol (or leave out and add 1/2 tsp stevia or regular sugar if you like)

1/2 tsp Sea Salt

2 1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract

1/2 tsp Almond Extract

2 Tbs Melted Coconut Oil

2-3 Tbs Milk (any kind you like, Almond for dairy free)

3/4 C Chopped Unsweetened Cherries

Dairy Free/Sugar Free Chocolate Bar chopped into chunks. 

(Simply lite from TJ's is what I use, Enjoy Life chocolate chips work too)

Adapted from Real Sustenance

Mix all ingredients. Adding Cherries and Chocolate very last. Don't over mix. Form into balls with your hands and flatten onto a Silpat or parchment. 

Bake at 350 for about 12-14 minutes. 

Let Cool COMPLETELY! 

These do taste better the next day if you can stand waiting! Store in paper bag in fridge.

ENJOY!

Apple Pie Cookie Dough - SUGAR FREE

Its never the wrong time of year for Apple Pie right?

 Who cares if its not late july picnics or beautiful fall weather, I'm going to enjoy Apple Pie ANYTIME!!

(for more apple pie fun try Easy Apple Pie or Apple Pie Oatmeal)

I have to say,  my kids L.O.V.E.D this! 

I mean - couldn't stop asking for them. 

Which made me happy. All I have to do is make a huge batch, freeze, and remove for after school snacks. SOooo easy! 

I can even throw them into a lunch for a healthy sweet treat!

Go ahead and try these!!! Let me know what you think!

1 C Regular Oats (gluten free if possible) 

1/3 C Boiling Water

1 tsp Coconut Oil

1/2 tsp Sea Salt

1/4 tsp allspice

1 Tbsp Cinnamon

pinch of Nutmeg

1 tsp Vanilla

1/4 C Walnuts

1/4 C Pecans

1/2 LARGE Apple (honey crisp, pink lady, fuji) (or one small one)

1 Packet of Nunaturals Stevia (or 1/2 tsp) - to taste (or 1-2 Tbsp honey, for not sugar free)

Directions:

1) Put Oats in Blender or food processor and make Oat Flour

2) Mix in salt, allspice, nutmeg, and cinnamon with oat flour

3) Mix Oil into boiling water, and stir into oat mixture until it clumps together. Let sit a few minutes.

4) In food processor pulse nuts until chopped VERY small (almost a butter consistency, but not quite). Add in Apple with skin and pulse until apple is chopped. Add in Vanilla and Stevia.

5) Mix Oat mixture and apple mixture together. Either by hand or very lightly with food processor. You don't want to over process!

6) Roll into balls with hands (you may want to refrigerate a bit before doing this, but I never do). Roll into Oats.

7) Store in Fridge or Freezer for long term. I love microwaving for a few seconds to make them warm!

 It seriously tastes like Apple Pie Cookie Dough!!

(If you are a fan of Candied Ginger, this would probably taste great in these! 

I'm not a huge fan, but the flavors would be awesome! 

ENJOY!

Coconut Almond Butter Crispy Bars - NO COOK!

No Cook, Gluten Free, Sugar Free,

FAST, EASY, FUN!

1/2 c coconut butter

1/4 c almond butter

1/2 tsp salt

1 1/2 tsp vanilla

pinch of cinnamon (optional)

1 1/2 packets of stevia or 1/4 c maple syrup 

3/4 c brown puffed rice

1) Puree Coconut Butter, (you can buy or make homemade -  (put about 3 cups of unsweetened coconut in food processor and puree about 10 minutes until liquid)) and Almond Butter together. 

2) Add salt, vanilla, and sweetener. Mix. 

3) Stir in puffed rice. 

4) Press in parchment lined 8x8 dish and refrigerate about 15 minutes. 

Slice and serve. Yum! 

Enjoy!