RAW VEGAN COOKIE DOUGH BITES (Gluten/Dairy Free)

2 1/2 cups almond meal (feel free to use Gluten Free Oat Flour mixed w/ Almond Meal, too)
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 cup EVOO or Coconut Oil (I use a mix of both)
1 tbsp vanilla extract
1/4-1/2 cup of agave nectar, maple syrup, (or raw honey) (start w/ 1/4 cup, taste dough and add more until you reach preferred sweetness.  I usually end up using about 1/4 cup plus 1-2 tbsp)
1 cup dark chocolate chips OR dried cherries
1/4 cup of raw chia or ground flax
*Optional: unsweetened coconut flakes

Combine dry ingredients.  Stir wet ingredients together in separate bowl and then add to dry.  Form balls and chill...or just put in an air tight container and form balls when ready to serve.

These are delicious and my kids can't get enough!  Love all the raw goodness they are getting when they snack on these!

FAVORITE 11 SUPERBOWL FOOD!

#1A:  Hot Wings

Ingredients

3 to 4 pounds chicken wings, split and tips removed ordrummers
1 cup of coconut oil 
1 cup Sriracha hot sauce
3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
Salt

For the Blue Cheese Ranch Dressing:

1 cup FAGE
1/2 cup buttermilk (use fat-free milk or unsweetened milk alternative and add 1/2 tsp of vinegar, let sit 5 minutes and gently stir)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 clove garlic, grated
Salt and pepper
1 cup blue cheese crumbles
3 tablespoons fresh herbs such as chives, dill and parsley, finely chopped

Preheat oven to 450ºF.
Bring a large pot of water up to a bubble and par-cook the chicken for about 5 minutes. Drain and pat dry.
Combined blue cheese ranch dressing ingredients and reserve.
Place a small saucepot over medium heat and melt the Coc Oil. Whisk in the sriracha, white wine vinegar and salt until combined then set aside.
Place the wings onto a baking pan and roast 15-20 minutes, or until golden brown and crispy.
Transfer the wings to a large bowl then pour the coconut oil and sriracha mixture over top and toss.
Serve with Blue Cheese Ranch Dressing alongside for dipping.

#1B)  SLOW COOKER HOT WINGS

CLICK HERE FOR RECIPE

#2:  French Onion Dip and Chips/Veggies

 2 - 2 1/2 cups of FAGE mixed w/ 1 package of Organic French Onion mix.  
Lays SIMPLY potato chips contains less chemicals and/or you can opt for Veggie Straws.  Better yet, REAL VEGGIES!



#3:  Restaurant Style Salsa

Click HERE for recipe.

#4:  Shrimp De Gallo

Click HERE for recipe.

#5:  Paleo Meatballs:  

Click HERE for recipe.  Serve on hoagie rolls w/ spaghetti sauce or slather w/ your favorite tangy barbque sauce!

#6:  No Velveeta Nacho Cheese Dip

Click HERE for recipe

#7:  Misty's Favorite Guac/Pico De Gallo

Click HERE for recipe

#8:  Hummus:  Traditional and Red  Bell recipes included.

TRADITIONAL Ingredients

• 3 cans (14.5 Oz.) Garbanzo Beans, Rinsed And Drained
• 1/3 cup Plus 1 Tablespoon Tahini or Almond Butter
• 3 cloves Garlic, Chopped, Or More To Taste
• 1/2 whole Lemon, Juiced
• 1/2 teaspoon Ground Cumin, Or More To Taste
• Salt To Taste
• Fresh Herbs:  basil, cilantro or parsley (depending on what flavor you like best)
• 3 Tablespoons To 5 Tablespoons Cold Water
• 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil

Preparation Instructions

Combine chickpeas with all ingredients, except water and olive oil, in a blender or food processor.

Pulse until mixture becomes somewhat smooth and combined, but do not over mix.

Add water as necessary to facilitate blending. At the end, add olive oil and pulse no more than three times, just to incorporate.

Pour mixture into a bowl and stir to ensure mixture is combined. Serve immediately or refrigerate for up to three days in the fridge.

RED BELL PEPPER HUMMUS RECIPE:  CLICK HERE.

#9:  No Bake Energy Bites

Click HERE for recipe

#10:  Middle Eastern Chicken Burgers

Click HERE for recipe

#11:  AIR POPPED POPCORN

Click HERE for recipe

Creamy Chocolate Avocado Smoothie

THIS IS AMAZING!!!!

I can't take credit for this...for website click here.

I’ve been making a variation of that smoothie now for the past year, but have altered it to better fit my dietary needs. I use raw cacao instead of the syrup and have switched (not without a fight) from peanut butter to almond butter. I’ve also recently started adding a half of an avocado to add some healthy fat and vitamin E. The avocado taste is not detectable but it makes this smoothie incredibly smooth, thick and creamy. I also sprinkle in all of my supplements when I make this: L-Glutamine, Vitamin D, Vitamin B12, Folic Acid, and fish oil.

 Ingredients (serves 1)

8 ounces almond milk
½ cup crushed ice
1 ripe banana
3 dates, or 1 tablespoon honey
½ avocado (about ¼ cup)
2 tablespoons raw cacao
2 tablespoons almond butter
1½ teaspoon golden flaxseed

HOW TO MEAL PLAN 101

Let me be honest...I HATE HATE HATE planning.  My husband calls me "Queen of Wing" for a reason.  I am one of those people who sometimes produces my BEST WORK when I wing it 'off the fly'.  I absolutely LOVE to be spontaneous and completely embrace change.  I drive people like my husband, the ultimate-must-know-ahead-of-time-guy, CRAZY!  And I often tell him his need to know the hour by hour play by play of tomorrow's events STRESSES ME OUT!  Thank goodness we view our differences with lots of humor.

BUT...when it comes to our meals...I. MUST. PLAN.  And so should you.  When I don't, there is too much temptation to eat out, eat from boxes/canned goods, etc.  For the most part, I only plan out ONE WEEK at a time.  Some people plan out an entire month and even have a calendar just for that purpose.  But I'm not as organized and since I cook w/ lots of fresh foods, 1 week works for me.  I have been known to have a wild hair on occasion and plan out TWO weeks worth, but on a regular basis I'm more of a "1-week-ata-time" kind of gal.  Do what works for YOU.

STEP #1:  FILL UP YOUR FREEZER W/ SOME GOOD, HEALTHY FROZEN STAPLES.

There are a few staples I try to always have in my freezer for those nights when I get home late and the kids are starving and remind of me little baby birds saying, "Feed Me! Feed Me!"  I think it is very important for everyone to have some freezer staples that are healthy but fast.  Here are some of my favorites:

Frozen Tortilla Crusted Tilapia Filets (from Costco)  Bake time: 7 min
Frozen Marinated Smoked Salmon (from Costco) Bake time: 10 min
Frozen Make-Ahead Paleo Meatballs (in my Jan 2013 blog) Microwave: 2-5 minutes
Frozen Organic Chicken Apple & Gouda Sausages (Costco) Microwave 2 min
Frozen Sesame Chicken (Trader Joes) Bake time:  20 min or less
Frozen Vegetables: (Costco has several different choices) Makes great, healthy and quick side dishes.
Homemade Pizza:  (Dough/sauce/pepperoni's-Trader Joes) Cost per pizza about $5-$6 Bake 20 min *FYI:  the fresh dough freezes/thaws beautifully
Frozen Make-Ahead Meals that I've put in disposable pans.

**DEEP FREEZER:  Obviously you'll need freezer space in order to do this.  If you don't have one, start saving.  We bought a used one off Craigslist.  We are currently looking for a larger one so I've been looking at Estate Sales, Auctions, etc.

STEP #2:  PICK OUT 3-6 MEALS THAT LOOK APPEALING TO YOU.

I save lots of money by planning my meals w/ what is "in season" or on sale according to ad's.  For example...at Aldi's this week, avocado's are only $.19 each.  That is an incredible price.  (And since I know avocado's are not on the "dirty dozen list" when it comes to the fruit absorbing pesticides, I know I can get away with NOT buying organic varieties.)  So this week I'm going to make Mexican Beans and Rice with an avocado-lime-greek yogurt sauce.  By looking at ad's whether in the mail or getting online, you can save lots of money by cooking w/ fresh foods that are IN SEASON.  Sometimes there are fresh foods "in season" that I have no clue how to cook with.  For instance...Butternut Squash.  I used to have no clue how to cook with that.  But a quick google search such as "Butternut Squash Recipes" and I'm on my way.  As I tell my kids all the time, "Let's go on an adventure with our taste buds!"

After choosing your 3-6 meals, move on to step #3.


STEP #3:  WRITE OUT A DAILY MEAL PLAN.

EXAMPLE

Here is my for list for next week:

Monday:  (Meatless Monday)  Mexican Rice w/ Avocado Sauce
Tuesday:  Crock Pot Roasted Chicken (use left over chicken for future recipes)
Wednesday:  Spicy Orange Chicken
Thursday:  Chili
Friday:  Leftover Night
Saturday:  Brazilian Chicken with Coconut Milk Reduction
Sunday:  Gluten-Free General Tsao's Chicken


STEP #4:  WRITE OUT YOUR GROCERY LIST

Your list will be according to the meals you have chosen.  And don't forget...IF THE RECIPE IS FREEZER FRIENDLY DON'T BE AFRAID TO DOUBLE/TRIPLE IT SO YOU CAN FREEZE SOME!!!!  This is a HUGE time-saver for me.  Every time I cook, I almost ALWAYS cook more than I need so I can freeze some meals.  I cannot even begin to tell you how much you will appreciate doing this.  1.  It allows me to have a dinner ready for crazy nights.  2.  It gives me AMPLE opportunities to love on people who could use a meal, whether they have a baby or medical emergencies, etc.  The other night the UPS truck pulled up right as I was serving dinner and since I had made extra, I was able to send off a huge bowl of beef stew with the man in the "big brown truck". It's really fun to be able to minister to people in such an easy, practical way.

**FREEZER FRIENDLY TIP:  I buy my disposable pans at DOLLAR TREE.  You can buy 3 for $1 and they come w/ a cardboard lid so you don't have to use aluminum foil.  I use a sharpie to write on the lid what is inside and baking directions.  Typically I thaw out my meal the night before and bake according to directions.

STEP #5:  HIT THE STORES

Since I shop at MULTIPLE places, this may take a whole week before hand to get all the supplies needed.  Today I am going to hit Natural Grocers at 91st/Metcalf to stock up on my specialty flours and a few other items.  I will then hit Trader Joes and should be good to go.



STEP #6:  BE FLEXIBLE

Sometimes I get home too late to start cooking.  This is where my freezer staples come in handy and I simply adjust my meal plan accordingly.  Sometimes we end up with lots of left-overs so I can have multiple left over nights per week, allowing me to plan a 1-week-meal-plan but actually end up with 2 weeks!  (Yay!)

I hope this helps some of you who are not quite sure how/where to start.

IF Paleo Meatballs

My beautiful and talented sister in law (who is an AMAZING cook) sent this my way.  She got the recipe from a friend who got it from a gym...so friend at the gym, THANK YOU!  (and if you come across this and can help me give credit to where credit is due I'd sure appreciate it!)  

Paleo Meatball

2 lbs. grass fed beef 
1/2 cup almond flour (I used Trader Joes almond meal)
3 garlic cloves/chopped
1/4 cup onion
handful fresh oregano chopped
2 eggs (Although tonight I will use ground flax mixed w/ water as egg substitute)
pinch of kosher salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
10 baby bella mushrooms, chopped finely OPTIONAL

combine all ingredients and form into balls (I use a cookie scoop)... recipe calls for pan frying in EVOO or butter , but I scooped mine onto parchment paper and popped them in the oven until cooked through.  (Pictures to come!)

Serve w/ your favorite CLEAN marinara sauce over quinoa pasta or spaghetti squash.


EGG ALLERGY SUBSTITUTE DIRECTIONS:  I do this ALL the time.  It really does work in just about anything.

To replace one egg:
1 tablespoon ground flaxseeds
3 tablespoons water (or other liquid)

Stir together and let sit for about 5 mintues until thick and gelatinous.

Chocolate Chip Cookies (Dairy/Gluten Free)

Lots of people think that just because you eat gluten/dairy free you can't have some of your favorite foods.  This recipe proves them all wrong!  This recipe was taken from http://www.elanaspantry.com/dairy-free-gluten-free-chocolate-chip-cookies/

Chocolate Chip Cookies (Dairy Free/Gluten Free)

printer friendly

• 2 ½ cups blanched almond flour * (I used Trader Joes Almond Meal)
• ½ teaspoon celtic sea salt
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ cup grapeseed oil or EVOO (I used EVOO)
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• ½ cup agave nectar or honey (i used honey)
• 1 cup chocolate chips

1. Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl
2. Stir together wet ingredients in a smaller bowl
3. Mix wet ingredients into dry
4. Form ½ 1-inch balls and press onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet
5. Bake at 350° for 7-10 minutes
6. Cool and serve

Makes 20-24 cookies

* Please note: Bob’s Red Mill almond flour does not yield successful results when used in this recipe. For more information regarding this matter please see my FAQs.

Gluten/Dairy Free SANDWICH BREAD...yummy!

I'm on a 30 day gluten/dairy free fast so adapted this delicious recipe so I could have some bread.  It's delicious!  This recipe is adapted from:   Gluten-freee Makeovers by Beth Hillson

NOTE:  If your bread seems to "spill over" after baking, you might want to try making TWO SMALLER LOAVES.  I have been doing this now after a friend told me she can get 2 loaves out of 1 recipe...works great.  

The MIX (below) contains some specialty flours.  The cheapest place I found them was at NATURAL GROCERS on 91st and Metcalf.  You can find them in the organic section of your local grocer's but be prepared to pay more.  Sucanat can also be found at Natural Grocers for a mere $2.99/lb.  This is a GREAT price.

If you end up loving it, I would highly recommend making large batches of the mix so you don't have to mix this up every time you need a loaf of bread.

NOTE:  At the very end is BREAD MACHINE instructions.

Enjoy!

FIRST STEP:  MAKE YOUR BREAD FLOUR MIX AND STORE IN AIRTIGHT CONTAINER

MIX:

1 1/4 cups white or brown rice flour (I used brown)
1 1/4 cups sweet white sorghum flour
1/2 cup amaranth flour
3/4 cup cornstarch or tapioca starch (I used tapioca)
3 tsp xanthan gum
1 tsp of sea salt

SANDWICH BREAD DIRECTIONS:

3 1/3 cups of MIX from above
1/2 cup of almond or coconut milk
1/2 cup of sucanat OR 1/4 cup sucanat and 2 tbsp of honey
2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast (check expiration date!)
1 1/2 cups plus 2 tbsp of warm water (around 110 degrees)
2 large farm fresh eggs (vegan? you can sub out w/ flax and water)
1/4 cup EVOO

1.  Spray a 9x5 inch loaf bread pan or coat w/ coconut oil or EVOO
2.  In the bowl of a heavy duty mixer, add the flour blend, milk, sucanat (and honey if using), and yeast and mix to combine.  In a separate bowl, mix the water, eggs, and oil.  Add to dry ingredients.  Beat on low for 1 minute then beat on MED HIGH for 3 minutes or until the dough is smooth, shiny, and has thickened.  (it will be gooey)
3.  Scrape the dough into the prepared pan.  Cover w/ lightly oiled plastic wrap and set in a warm, draft-free area until the dough rises to the top of the pan.  (about 1 hour)  FYI:  it won't "double" in size like regular dough...but it will rise enough to be slightly higher than the pan.
4.  Preheat oven to 375.  Remove the plastic wrap and bake on middle rack for about 40 minutes or until the top sounds HOLLOW when tapped and the internal temp read 190.  (If you don't have a candy thermometer I suggest buying one if you want to start making your own breads)
5.  Remove and turn onto a wire rack to cool.  Cool completely before slicing (if you can resist!...I couldn't)

Store in airtight container.  It will last about 1 week before molding.

BREAD MACHINE INSTRUCTIONS:

Combine the eggs, water, milk, and EVOO and pour into bread pan.  Combine the dry ingredients but NOT the yeast.  Spoon the dry over the wet ingredients.  Sprinkle the yeast over the top.  Follow the instructions of the machine for proper setting or pick a setting that allows for one knead and rise cycle and a 50 minute bake time.