RECIPE: Broccoli Salad

BROCCOLI AND BACON SALAD

Dressing:

1 cup Best Foods Real Mayonnaise or you can make your favorite homemade mayo
3 - tablespoons raw honey
1 - tablespoon real maple syrup
1 to 3 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar
Mix all ingredients above in a bowl add vinegar to taste starting with 1 tablespoon at a time, mixing, and adding more if your taste requires.  It should be a bit sweet and tart.

Cook 8 to 10 slices of bacon, cut into thin slices about 3/4" to 1" thick and fry until crisp. Set on paper towel to drain off all grease. Set aside

In a large mixing bowl add;
2 large or 3 medium size crowns of broccoli, cut into small florets, chop and peel stems.  (I personally, don't use that many stems, but if you like they can be used.)
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup almond slivers
1/2 cup raisins or dried cranberries
1/2 fresh blueberries
1 large Fuji apple sliced in small to medium chunks ( before adding apples to salad drizzle with fresh lemon juice to prevent the apples from browning.)  then add to the rest of the ingredients.
Add cooked bacon pieces and mix.

Combine salad dressing with all the ingredients, refrigerate for a about 2 to 3 hours and serve.
It is delicious... Enjoy!

NUTRITION: Are You Nuts About Nuts? You Should Be!

I am reposting this from  Walk with Walgreens ...

Many consider the mighty walnut to be more beneficial to your health than any other nut. According to Joe Vinson of the University of Scranton in Pennsylvania, "A handful of walnuts contain almost twice as much antioxidants as an equivalent amount of any other commonly consumed nut. But unfortunately, people don't eat a lot of them.” 

The quality antioxidants in Walnuts can protect the body from disease. Walnuts also provide the body with high-quality protein, vitamins, and minerals. And let’s not forget, they’re delicious! Drop some in your morning no-atmeal or yogurt, toss some in your salad, or bake some in a healthy fruit dessert. Walnuts make almost anything better.

Based on the popularity of our post about walnuts, we wanted to continue the nutty discussion with Brazil nuts. Act like an Amazonian and grab a handful. They’re higher in calories than other nuts because of their fats, but they are also rich in vitamins, anti-oxidants, and minerals. A cup of brazil nuts can get you toward your daily recommended value of thiamin, vitamin e, calcium, magnesium, and selenium. 

Brazil nuts are also free from gluten, which makes them a popular ingredient in the preparation of gluten-free food formulas. And we can’t forget about brazil nut oil. It can be used in cooking as well, but also as massage oil, for aromatherapy, and even to make paints. 

We’ve already highlighted the health benefits of walnuts and Brazil nuts, so we thought we’d tackle almonds too. Almonds are like miracle nuts – they’re good for your entire body! They help with brain development, so kids should munch on a few every morning. Mono-saturated fat, protein and potassium contained in almonds are good for the heart.

Got dry skin? Put some almond oil on it. Almond milk is even added to some soaps to improve complexion. Almonds can also boost energy, help with weight loss, prevent constipation, and regulate blood pressure. You have every reason to grab a handful!

RECIPE: Fruit and Nut Bars

So by now you all have figured out I really like nuts, berries, and dried fruits. I do. Guilty as charged. I absolutely LOVE the "Blonde Cave Girl" cookies I invented, but I'm still not ready to let that recipe out. I've been approached about marketing them, so I'm going to keep that recipe under wraps for a while longer ... BUT, I found a great recipe for a baked crunchy bar that has a very similar taste!
I made a few alterations to the original recipe, so here's my version.

INGREDIENTS:
1 cup raw Almonds
1 cup raw Macadamia Nuts
1/2 cup Walnuts
1/2 cup Sunflower Seeds
1/2 cup dried Cranberries
1/2 cup dried Blueberries
1/2 cup melted Coconut Oil
1/2 cup Honey
2 Eggs
2 tablespoons Cinnamon

DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Place almonds in food processor and pulse until the nuts are small chunks - not meal or butter. Place almonds in a mixing bowl. Do the same to the macadamia nuts, then walnuts. (I prefer to do them separately to make sure they get chopped evenly.)

3. Add dried fruits to the nut mixture.

4. Put eggs, honey, melted coconut oil and cinnamon in the food processor and blend well.

5. Add liquid to nut/fruit mixture and stir well.

6. Spread mixture into a greased 8X11 (or 9X13 for thinner bars) pan, spreading with a spatula to make sure mixture is evenly distributed in pan.

7. Bake for 20-25 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. (In my oven it took 20 minutes)

 8. Allow the bars to cool to room temperature before cutting. Allowing them to be in the refrigerator for an hour or so before cutting will help them cut without tearing or crumbling.

9. Store the bars in an air-tight container or individually wrap them if you plan to eat them while on-the-go.

RECIPE: Powerhouse Fruit and Nut Snack Mix

I LOVE nuts and I LOVE dried fruit, so it's only natural that I combine the two with some seasonings. So, I measured and mixed and seasoned and tasted and came up with something pretty darned good! 

INGREDIENTS
1/4 cup Walnuts
1/4 cup Pecans
1/4 cup Macadamia nuts
1/4 cup Almonds
1/4 cup dried Cranberries
1/4 cup dried Blueberries
1/4 cup dried Apricots (cut into chunks)
1/4 cup Carob chips
1 teaspoon Pumpkin Pie seasoning
1/2 teaspoon Vanilla Powder
1/4 teaspoon Sea Salt (not pictured)

DIRECTIONS
1. Cut dried apricots into quarters, then add all nuts, fruits, and chips in a bowl.
2. Add seasoning, stir and taste. Add more of whatever your tastes prefer.
3. Serve and enjoy!


*Note* 
Feel free to try different nuts or fruits, add coconut, use dark chocolate chips, etc. I'm sure the end product will be delicious!

RECIPE: No-atmeal

Crazy name, huh! Well, I have fond memories of eating oatmeal when I was a kid, but since it's a grain, it's a no-no. Since I have sensitivities to oats, it's a double no-no. So, I went in search of alternate recipes for a hot breakfast dish that would be similar to my once-beloved oatmeal. 
I was digitally 'thumbing through' the Primal Blueprint Reader-Created Cookbook when I fond something interesting ... No-atmeal, submitted by Doug Descant. 
NO-ATMEAL (No-Oat Breakfast Cereal)

INGREDIENTS

1 small handful of walnuts

1 small handful of pecans 

2 tablespoons ground flax seeds
1 tablespoon unsweetened ground coconut

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 

1 pinch of ground nutmeg 

1 pinch ground ginger 

1 tablespoon almond butter 

1 banana, mashed 

3 eggs 

1/4 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk (add more if you prefer it a little runny) 

2 teaspoons chopped macadamia nuts*

1 handful of fresh strawberries

(**NOTE: Macadamia nuts are not in photo below - They were an after-thought)

Quoted from the cookbook ... 

"Pronounced “note-meal” (as in, no oatmeal), Doug’s recipe is for all you ex-cereal lovers out there and for anyone who needs a warm bowl of comforting goodness on a cold winter morning. As Doug says, “it’s a hot meal full of essential proteins and fats, not to mention the necessary vitamins and minerals, in order to stay energized for the cold weeks ahead.” Just thinking about eating No-atmeal for breakfast is guaranteed to coax you out of bed in the morning."

DIRECTIONS

1. Add walnuts, pecans, flax seed and spices to a food processor and pulse it down to a course grain, making sure to stop before it’s totally ground into a powder. Set aside. 

2. Whisk together eggs and almond milk until the consistency thickens a little bit into a loose custard. Thoroughly blend together the mashed banana and almond butter and add it to the custard, mixing well.

3. Stir in the nut mixture. 

4. Microwave until the “no-atmeal” reaches your desired consistency; this should only take a few minutes. I checked and stirred it every 30 seconds and removed it after 2 minutes.

5. Sprinkle macadamia nuts and strawberries on top. Add more almond milk if you want. 

6. Lick the bowl clean!

RECIPE: Pumpkin Pie Clafoutis with Walnuts and Coconut

Okay, so I'm cheating a little. Not in what I'm using in this recipe, but because I'm repeating one ... Sort of. As I have mentioned before, I LOVE Pumpkin pie so naturally I love pumpkin pie clafoutis. This time I wanted to venture out and make a few changes. I added walnuts and ground unsweetened coconut. It was FANTASTIC!!
Pumpkin Pie Clafoutis with Walnuts and Coconut

INGREDIENTS:
1/2 cup coconut oil (or 1/2 cup butter or ghee)
1 3/4 cups pumpkin puree
1/2 cup honey
4 eggs
1/2 cup coconut milk
1/2 cup almond flour
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 cup chopped Walnuts
2 tablespoons grated unsweetened Coconut
(You may prefer less spices, but I prefer experiencing their flavors mixed with the pumpkin!)

 DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Melt butter, ghee, or coconut oil (whichever you use) in a small pot over low heat or in the microwave.
3. Blend together all ingredients with the exception of the walnuts and coconut. This time I use my blender to make sure everything is well blended. Taste for sweetness and add more honey, if you feel it needs it. Add the chopped walnuts and coconut then pulse a few times to mix.

 4. Pour into a well greased 9" deep dish pie plate and bake for roughly 45 minutes - until center is set. 

 5. Allow clafoutis to cool before placing it in the refrigerator. It's tasty warm, but it is AMAZING cold!

RECIPE: Strawberry Banana Smoothie

I bought a huge package of beautiful strawberries at the market, so I decided to use some in another smoothie this morning. I'm varying my ingredients to get a better idea of what I like and what I don't. I will admit during my "Smoothie Month" I have made a couple of smoothies that aren't going to be posted here ... One was so bad I took one sip and poured it out! Maybe someday I'll blog about that one, but not right now. :) Here's what I made this morning and it was very much like a strawberry banana milkshake.

STRAWBERRY BANANA SMOOTHIE

INGREDIENTS
1 cup Whole Milk

1/2 cup Vanilla Greek Yogurt

1 banana

8 fresh Strawberries

6 - 8 Walnut halves

6 Ice Cubes

 DIRECTIONS:

1. Place all ingredients in blender. Blend until smooth and creamy.

 2. Pour. Serve. Enjoy!

RECIPE: Pumpkin Pie Smoothie

For a thick, rich, nutritious smoothie that will remind you of the Holidays, try this recipe. Smoothies are notoriously nutritious, and with a hand full of ingredients, they can be made quickly and consumed while you're on-the-go.
PUMPKIN PIE SMOOTHIE

INGREDIENTS:
1 cup unsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk
1 banana
1/2 cup Pumpkin puree
2 teaspoons Pumpkin Pie Spice
2 tablespoons walnuts
(I never measure nuts for smoothies - I just grab them with my fingers and put two sprinkles of them in.)
6 - 8 Ice Cubes

 DIRECTIONS:
1. Add all ingredients to blender and blend until smooth and creamy.
2. Pour. Serve. Enjoy!

RECIPE: Chicken Salad

Last night we had a roasted chicken for dinner. Okay, we only ate half of it, so I decided to make chicken salad out of the other half. Now I'm going to make some Paleo bread so I can have a 100% Paleo sandwich for dinner!

INGREDIENTS:
1/2 roasted chicken, obviously de-boned
1/4 cup Paleo mayonnaise
1/4 cup bleu cheese crumbles (optional)
1/2  stalk celery
1/4 sweet onion
14 walnut halves
1 teaspoon curry
salt
pepper

DIRECTIONS:
1. Cut chicken into bite sized pieces and place in a medium sized bowl.
2. Cut celery and onions into small pieces, and add to bowl with chicken.
3. Add mayonnaise, bleu cheese, chopped walnuts, and curry.
4. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

RECIPE: Banana Nut Bread

Banana nut bread is one of my all-time favorites. I decided to go out on a limb and try to create some Paleo banana nut bread muffins this morning. They turned out very well! I'll definitely be making these again!

INGREDIENTS:
3 ripe bananas (peeled and mashed)
2 eggs
1 cup almond butter
1 teaspoon vanilla*
1 tablespoon honey*
1 cup almond flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
(*Please note vanilla and honey are not pictured below. I added them after tasting the batter.)

DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Using a blender, food processor or immersion blender mix all wet ingredients - eggs, bananas, almond butter, vanilla and honey.
3. In a large bowl mix dry ingredients with a spoon - almond flour, baking soda and baking powder. Stir with a spoon to mix soda and powder in with the almond flour.
4. Add dry and wet ingredients together and mix well.
5. Fold in walnuts or what ever nuts you want to use.
6. Pour batter into prepared loaf pan or into muffing cups.
(Not sure why, but the color is off in the photo. They really aren't green!)

7. Bake 35 - 40 minutes for a loaf, or 25 minutes for muffins. Be sure to monitor them close to time as not to burn or under-bake them All ovens are different. The center of the bread should be firm.

RECIPE: Paleo Almond Cranberry Cookies

Since Christmas is right around the corner I thought it would be a good time to post a new recipe I found online. I love almonds. I love walnuts. I love cranberries. And, I love honey, so this recipe seemed to be right up my alley. I made them the other day and I was correct ... I LOVE them! They are little energy bombs and are great for any time of the day. Try them out and see for yourself!
INGREDIENTS:
2 cups almond flour
¼ cup ghee or butter (melted)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup honey
2 eggs
1/4 cup cranberries (whole or chopped)
1/4 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoon almond butter (optional)
1/2 cup walnuts (chopped)
DIRECTIONS:
1. Mix all ingredients together in a medium sized bowl.
2. Roll dough in plastic wrap.
3. Refrigerate 1 hour.
4. Slice.
5. Cook on parchment covered cookie sheet about 10 - 12 minutes until light brown.
325 degrees
Makes 36 cookies