Spirulina Berry Smoothie

I've been adding 1 tsp of Spirulina to my smoothies these days. It is full of protein, iron, vitamins, antioxidants, and important fatty acids. You can learn more about the health properties here. 

 In this smoothie I used a banana, frozen mixed berries, spirulina, non diary milk, and a little lemon juice. 

 It's super tasty and is even husband approved in the taste test. Trust me, he has no problem telling me that some of my creations just aren't gonna work....This one passed the test!

 The berries hide the spirulina, but it's in there I promise! 

 

Banana Chocolate Cream Pie

There is a pie that I have been drooling over for quite a while now. My birthday was on Saturday so I knew it would be the perfect dessert to celebrate with. I used the recipe from The Spunky Coconut she creates gluten free, casein free, and sugar free recipes that are absolutely delicious. I have made several of her dishes and haven't been disappointed yet.

 mixing up flax meal, coconut oil, applesauce, and honey for the crust

 blended walnuts and coconut flour are also mixed in

 The pie dough is ready!

 press it into the pie pan

 bake it up

 blend cocoa powder, dates, banana's, and chia seeds together

 Let it chill for several hours and add the birthday candles

 Make a wish

Dig in! I received a whip cream dispenser for Christmas and if I put canned coconut milk in it I get whipped coconut cream! It all tasted so good! 

Muesli

I have been getting gluten free oats and making muesli. Living Young has some great info about properly prepared grains. When I made muesli in the past I never soaked my oats but after reading about the health benefits I have changed my ways!

 I soak the oats in water and fresh lemon juice overnight, then drain it in the morning

Scoop some of the soaked/drained oats into a bowl and add banana slices 

Next I warm up some frozen berries and place them on top 

Then I pour in some cashew milk 

Sometimes I add 3 drops of stevia and give it a couple of stirs. For those of you who enjoy your milk turning pink from those artificial breakfast cereals, you are lucky you will get the same result without the ill effects. 

Muesli

Soak 1 cup of gf oats in 2 cups of water with fresh lemon, orange, or apple juice. 

In the morning drain the oats and scoop some oats into a bowl. 

Add toppings that you like: fruit, nuts, seeds, cinnamon, nutmeg, or nut butters

Pour non-dairy milk over the top and enjoy!

Stevia

I get a lot of questions about stevia. What is it? Why do you use it? Is it better than sugar? Well I love Kelly's blog and she made a short video about stevia that I thought was great so I wanted to share it. 

Curried Sweet Potatoes and Black Beans

I have made this dish vegan with roasted chickpeas but I have also roasted organic free range chicken. Both ways are delicious and I am sure both ways will be made again.

 I found the recipe at A Good Appetite  they make theirs in a crock pot (which I've done). However this last time I baked the potatoes and cooked everything separately. Both ways taste great!

 I put the curry on top of spinach for dinner, but I prefer the spinach chopped and mixed in better

For lunch the next day I chopped up the spinach and mixed it in. I like the texture better this way. 

Ingredients

1 c dry black beans

1 small onion ,chopped

1 clove garlic minced

2 T curry powder

2 c chicken or veggie broth

3-4 sweet potatoes

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

1/4 cup raisins

3 c spinach, chopped

1/2 cup coconut milk (whole fat cream from a can)

Adding roasted chickpeas or chicken is optional

Directions

Soak and Cook the black beans. Other wise use 2 cans of black beans that have been rinsed and drained.
Bake 4 sweet potatoes on the oven at 400 degrees for 1 1/2 hours while the beans cook.

Once the sweet potatoes are done, caramelize the  onion and garlic in a large pot. Take the skin off of the sweet potatoes, chop them up and add them to the large pot.

Mix in the black beans, curry powder, broth, cayenne pepper,  raisins, chopped spinach, and coconut milk. Simmer for 15 minutes. 

Spicy Guacamole

Guacamole is one of the best snacks ever. Creamy goodness from the avocado, a little zip from the lemon, and a kick from the cayenne pepper; sign me up. I really like using my food processor because the acid from the lemon juice and the fat from the avocado whip together to make a mousse like mixture that literally melts in your mouth.

2 ripe avocados
4 sprigs of cilantro (optional)
3 small cloves of garlic
Salt and pepper to taste
Cayenne pepper to add a kick
Juice of 1 lemon
1 medium ripe tomato, chopped

Cut 2 avocados in half and remove the stones. Scoop the flesh into a food processor. Add the cilantro (if using), garlic, salt, pepper, and cayenne (a few dashes should do the trick). Blend until smooth, it was about 30 seconds or so for me. Squeeze in the lemon juice and blend for another 30 seconds, the mixture should "fluff up." Lastly, chop up the tomato into small pieces and stir it in. Give it a taste and add more salt or pepper if necessary.

Layered Bean Dip

I went to a party and brought this layered bean dip along with corn chips. Everyone there ate some and then came back for more. I left with an empty dish. 

I made it with black beans vs pinto just for fun, feel free to use whatever you enjoy the most

2 cups cooked and drained black beans (cook them with celery, garlic, and onions for flavor)

1 Avocado

Juice of 1 lemon

2 cloves garlic

Salt and Pepper to taste

1 cup cashew cheese sauce 

1 cup salsa

1/3 cup black olives, chopped

1/4 cup cilantro, chopped 

Mash up 2 cups of cooked beans (black or pinto) and spread at the bottom of a 9x9 glass dish or pie pan. Blend the avocado, lemon juice, garlic, and salt & pepper together. Then spread that on top of the beans. 

Put a layer of cashew cheese on top of the guacamole. If using daiya cheese sprinkle it on after the salsa. 

Spread salsa over the cheese and sprinkle with olives and cilantro.