healthy eats

Ingredients: 

15 oz can garbanzo beans, drained

1 roasted red pepper, skin and seeds removed

2 tbsp fresh parsley, leaves only

2 cloves garlic

1 tbsp sesame oil

juice of 1 lemon

salt and fresh pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line baking sheets with wax paper.

In a large bowl combine the almond meal, baking soda and salt. Mix well. Over low heat, in small saucepan, gently melt coconut oil and honey. Add to bowl. Add eggs and mix well. Add vanilla and almond extracts. Add pecans, chocolate chips and berries. Mix until fully incorporated.

Optional: this granola is great with a few drops of NuNaturals Pure Liquid Orange Stevia mixed in when serving. Adds a little sweetness and a very pronounced natural orange flavor.

Preheat oven to 300ºF. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. You can also use a roasting pan, which is nice since you can just mix all of the ingredients right in it, without losing things over the edge.

Combine all of your dry ingredients: oats, figs, pistachios, flaxseeds and coconut with all of your spices, in a large bowl (or in your roasting pan). Mix well.

In a small bowl stir together all the wet ingredients: orange juice, zest, maple syrup, vanilla and blackstrap molasses.

Pour the wet ingredients over the dry ingredients and stir until well coated. Let sit 5 to 10 minutes.

If you aren’t using a roasting pan, spread the granola from the bowl onto the baking sheet(s) and bake for 30-40 minutes. Toss every 10 minutes or so to provide even toasting.

Directions:

Cook pasta according to package directions.

Separate the stems from the kale leaves and shred into pieces.

In large skillet, heat oil over low heat.

Add garlic and cook 2 minutes or until soft.

Add the sliced kale, saute until crisp-tender.

Drain the pasta and add the tomato paste and seasonings.

Add beans and kale and mix well.

Top with the sliced almonds and serve.

INSTRUCTIONS

** To lighten up this recipe, use 2 tablespoons of olive oil instead of the 2 tablespoons of butter and the additional tablespoon of olive oil.

Cook haricot vert in 2 quarts salted boiling water for 4 minutes; drain and set aside.

Ingredients

1 1/4 cups old-fashioned oats

1 cup whole wheat pastry flour (regular ww flour can be used)

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 1/2 tsp ground ginger

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp grated nutmeg

1/2 tsp salt

2 eggs

1 1/3 cup canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)

2 tbsp molasses

1 tbsp maple syrup

2 cups non-fat milk

1 tsp vanilla extract

Fresh fruit, nuts and/or maple syrup (if desired)

Instructions

Place the oats in the bowl of a food processor or a heavy-duty blender, and process until finely ground. Scoop 1 cup of the oat flour into a large mixing bowl. Reserve any remaining oat flour for another use.

To the oat flour, add the whole wheat flour, baking soda, baking powder, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Whisk to combine.

In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the eggs, pumpkin, molasses, maple syrup, milk and vanilla.

Pour the egg mixture into the flour mixture and stir to combine.

Heat a frying pan over medium heat or heat a griddle to 375 degrees F. Using a 1/4 cup measuring cup, scoop the batter onto the griddle. When the pancakes start to bubble on top, flip them over and cook until the batter is cooked all the way through.

Repeat with the remaining batter. Serve the pancakes with fresh fruit, nuts and/or maple syrup, if desired.

Notes

Method In a small saucepan, combine oats, water, pumpkin, spices, and salt. Heat over medium, stirring frequently until the liquid begins to thicken. Reduce heat to low and continue cooking until the oats are tender. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract. Serve with maple syrup, brown sugar, cream or non-dairy cream, and chopped nuts to taste. I like to get fancy and garnish with an extra dash of cinnamon or nutmeg, for style points.

1 large sweet potato, scrubbed and peeled, diced into very small cubes 2 Tbsp. Earth Balance, Ghee, or unsalted butter 1 large pinch of salt 1/4 cup raw pecans, chopped into similar size pieces as the potatoes 1 1/2 Tbsp. light brown sugar 1/2 tsp. cinnamon 2-3 jumbo marshmallows *Looking for gf/vegan marshmallows? Click here!

Melt the Earth Balance in a large cast iron or heavy bottomed skillet over medium heat. When completely melted and starting to sizzle add the cubes of sweet potato and a generous pinch of salt. Toss to coat and allow to cook covered for 5-7 minutes, occasionally flipping to ensure that all sides are getting crisp and are caramelizing. Remove the lid and add the pecans about 3/4 of the way through the cook time.  Continue to shake the pan and move the pieces around with the back of a spoon so that all of the pecans and sweet potatoes are getting nice and toasty. When the potatoes are about 1-2 minutes from being cooked through add the brown sugar and cinnamon. Stir well to incorporate and cook until the sugar melts. *All together my sweet potatoes cooked for about 12 minutes. Cook time will depending on how large your pieces are & what type of skillet you use.

2 cups dried chickpeas

1 small yellow onion, peeled and quartered

3 cloves of garlic, smashed

1 cup packed fresh cilantro leaves

1 cup packed fresh parsley leaves

Zest of one large lemon

¼ tsp. cayenne

1 Tbsp. ground cumin

1 Tbsp. ground coriander

1 ½ tsp. salt

½ tsp. ground black pepper

oil for frying, I like peanut oil

coarse kosher salt

                *NOTE: Only if necessary, 2-4 Tbsp. chickpea flour and ½ tsp. baking soda

Place chickpeas in a large bowl and fill with water to cover them to a depth of 3 inches. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and leave on counter for 24 hours. The garbanzo beans will triple in size and absorb quite a bit of the water so check a few times during soaking to see if you need to add more water.

Once the beans have soaked for 24 hours, drain and rinse well. Place all of the ingredients into the bowl of a food processor and alternate between pulsing and blending, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl occasionally until the chickpea mixture is uniform in size and still slightly grainy in texture not smooth. Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary. **If your food processor seems like it is straining you can add water or lemon juice to loosen up the mixture, no more than a tablespoon at a time though. Try to avoid adding any liquid if at all possible.

Roll a small amount of the mixture into a walnut sized ball or a small patty with your hands. The mixture should hold together nicely and not fall apart. *If it seems too wet sprinkle with a small amount of the chickpea flour, no more than a tablespoon at a time. Once texture is correct sprinkle the baking soda over the falafel and stir the mixture until combined.

Continue rolling the rest of the batter into uniform size balls or patties so that they will cook in the same amount of time. I used a small ice cream scoop and had falafels that were about the size of golf balls. Place the uncooked falafel on a large plate or baking sheet until ready to cook.

Pour oil in a Dutch oven or a large, high-sided skillet to a depth of 3 inches, enough to cover falafel. Place a thermometer into the oil and heat over med-high heat until the temp reaches 360° – 375° F.  *Adjust flame as necessary to keep the oil within temp range. Avoid temps over 375° F as this will fry you falafel to oblivion and you will be terribly sad.

While the oil is heating place a flattened paper grocery bag into a baking sheet and cover with a few clean paper towels. This will help to collect the oil as it drains off of your yummy fresh falafel.

Date Caramel Sauce:

Ingredients

16 dates, soaked in water for 1 hour

1/2 c. agave nectar or maple syrup

4-5 Tbs coconut oil

7 Tbs water

Pinch of salt

Instructions

De-pit and chop dates into thick chunks.

Place all of the ingredients into a blender and blend until completely smooth. Takes a good 5 minutes to get the right consistency

Chocolate Cupcakes:

Ingredients

3/4 c. sugar

3/4 c. quinoa flour

1/4 c. brown rice flour

1/4 c. arrowroot

1/4 c. potato starch (not flour)

1/3 c. dutch-processed cocoa powder

2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp xanthan gum

3/4 c. hemp milk

2 Tbs apple cider vinegar

1/3 c. oil

1/2 tsp vanilla

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Line cupcake pan with muffin liners.

Combine sugar, flours, starches, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt together and whisk until evenly combined.

Add hemp milk and apple cider vinegar together and allow to sit for 5 minutes.

Add oil and vanilla to “buttermilk” mixture (hemp milk and vinegar).

Make a well in the center of the flour mix and add the liquid mix. With a wooden spoon, stir until combined

Place approximately 1/3 c. of batter into each liner. Bake for 20-23 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean in the center of cupcake

Buttercream Frosting:

Ingredients

1/2 c. vegan cream cheese (I used Tofutti)

1/2 c. vegan butter (I used Earth Balance)

3-4 c. powdered sugar

Dash of coconut or vanilla extract

1/2 c. toasted coconut

Instructions

With an electric mixer, combine cream cheese and butter.

Slowly add powdered sugar until fully combined, light, and fluffy.

Add extract of choice and blend.

Fold in toasted coconut.

Caramel Coconut:

Ingredients

1 c. toasted coconut (if you cannot find toasted coconut, simple bake shredded coconut on a baking sheet for 10 minutes at 350 degrees)

4 Tbs caramel mixture

Instructions

Stir together until sticky, firm, and well combined.

ASSEMBLE:

Cut out a 1″ circle out of the center of the cupcake. Be sure not to dig too deeply into the capitvity. Pipe caramel mixture into each hole (needs just about 1 Tb) by placing caramel into a Ziploc baggie with one corner cut out.

Pipe frosting onto the top of the cupcake (use same Ziploc piping method).

Top with caramel/coconut mix.

Drizzle with melted chocolate stripes (pipe with a Ziploc and cut a small slit in one corner).

Preparation: Soften cream cheese and peanut butter in microwave on HIGH for 20 seconds. Add cream cheese and peanut butter to a mixing bowl.  Measure out granular erythritol. Powder it in a coffee grinder or blender. Add powdered erythritol, stevia, and vanilla to the peanut butter and cream cheese mixture. Beat together on low, then turn up the speed on your mixer and mix the until thoroughly combined. Smooth mixture around bowl with a spatula if it looks crumbly until it becomes a smooth paste.

In a separate bowl, combine heavy cream with the 2 tablespoons of powdered erythritol and a tiny pinch of stevia. Beat on low until you see soft peaks, then raise the speed on your mixer, and beat until you see stiff peaks. Do not overbeat the cream. Using a spatula, take a generous dollop of whipped cream and stir it into peanut butter mixture to lighten it up and smooth it out. Gently fold in the rest of the whipped cream until most of the streaks are gone. Smooth mixture into the Sugar-Free Chocolate Cookie Crust (see recipe below) and chill in the refrigerator for several hours, preferably overnight. Top with Sugar-Free Chocolate Peanut Butter Topping (recipe below).

For the fresh whipped cream garnish, beat 1/2 cup heavy cream with 2 tablespoons erythritol and a pinch of stevia until stiff. Spoon or pipe cream on to pie around the edges. Refrigerate for several hours, preferably overnight. Drizzle the optional Chocolate Peanut Butter topping on the pie before serving, and wait 5-10 minutes for it to set before serving the pie.

Sugar-Free Chocolate Cookie Crust

Serves 10-12

Ingredients: 4 tablespoons unsalted butter 1 ounce good quality unsweetened chocolate, chopped 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 2 scant tablespoons beaten egg 4 tablespoons erythritol, powdered 1/8 + 1/16 teaspoon NuNaturals white stevia pure extract 1 cup blanched almond flour, packed 1/8 plus 1/16 teaspoon fine sea salt 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

Preparation: Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.

Powder erythritol in a coffee grinder or blender. Melt chocolate and butter together in a microwave safe mixing bowl for 35 seconds. Stir well. Heat for another 10 seconds, and stir chocolate and butter until smooth. Whisk egg, stevia, vanilla, erythritol into chocolate mixture. In another bowl, combine almond flour, salt, baking powder, and cocoa powder. Add the dry ingredients to the chocolate mixture, and stir until a ball of dough forms. Refrigerate the dough for a few minutes before pressing it into a pan if it is sticky and too difficult to handle. Grease a pie tin, and line the bottom with a circle of greased parchment paper. I create my parchment liner for pie plates by tracing the bottom of a pie pan on top of a piece of parchment paper and cutting out the circle of parchment. Press dough into bottom and up sides of tin. Poke holes all over crust with the tines of a fork. Bake for 17 minutes. Freeze crust for 20 minutes, or until no longer warm to the touch.

The topping is optional, and can be omitted or cut in half if you are saving carbohydrates. It’s quite rich! It adds a decorative touch criss-crossed over the top with a piping bag. You can just use a plastic bag with the corner cut if you don’t have a piping bag.

Sugar-Free Chocolate Peanut Butter Topping

Ingredients: 1 1/2 ounces good quality unsweetened chocolate, chopped 3 tablespoons natural creamy peanut butter 1 tablespoon butter 3 1/2 tablespoons xylitol, powdered

Method

1. Heat the oven to 150 degrees centigrade.

2. Grease a 12 cup mini bundt pan with butter and then dust lightly with cocoa.

3. Blend the almonds to a fine powder in your food processor.

4. Pour the almonds out into a mixing bowl.

5. Add the bananas and eggs to the food processor and blend until smooth and a little bit fluffy.

6. Add the sugar, cocoa, mixed spice and baking powder and blend again for a minute or so.

7. Pour the mixture into the mixing bowl with the almonds and add the coconut.

8. Stir gently with a spatula until all combined.

9. Sprinkle a little coconut and sea salt into the bottom of each cake tin.

10. Spoon batter into the cake tin and tap the pan gently a couple of times on the counter to level off the

batter.

11. Bake for 25 minutes or until set in the centre.

12. Remove from the oven, allow to cool for 5­10 minutes and then gently lever out of the pan with a knife.

13. Dust with drinking chocolate.

Notes

This recipe is gluten­free.

Can be made in a food processor.