Dark chocolate bark

Definitely an indulgence but perfect for any holiday gathering! 

-2 sticks of organic butter

-1 cup organic cane sugar

--bring to a boil, stirring constantly until fluffy and caramelized

--pour over a box of Glutino gluten free table crackers that are place closely on top of parchment paper on a cookie sheet 

--place in oven set at 350 degrees...watch until turns golden brown...about 8-10 minutes

--pour package of dark chocolate chips spread over top evenly  

--now pour on a bag of peanut butter chips

---let melt, swirl with spatula

--sprinkle with kosher salt

--place in fridge or at room temp until solid

--then indulge! 

Easy Pumpkin Pie

Thanksgiving is next week, and though I plan to continue with my Whole 30 plan, I would like to share with you a very easy pumpkin pie recipe that only has 4 ingredients. 

Ingredients: 

1 cup raw almonds  (soaked) OR 1/2 cup of almond or cashew butter if you don't have a very powerful blender

1 cup maple syrup

1 16 oz. can of pumpkin puree  

2 Tsp pumpkin pie spice

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until creamy. Pour mixture into a greased pie tin and bake at 400° for 15 minutes, then reduce heat to 350° and bake an additional 30 minutes. Allow the pie to cool for at least 2 hours before serving.

Enjoy! 

* Recipe credit to the detoxinista   for her amazingly simple and delicious pumpkin pie.

Hot Honey Tea

It has survived through numerous decades: hot honey tea, the homemade soother for adult and pediatric nagging coughs, snotty noses, and sore scratchy throats. Many versions exist; but, the standard three ingredients remain: lemon juice, honey, and hot water.

Add ginger, actual tea leaves, essential oils (lavender, chamomile, peppermint), and even a sprinkle of cayenne.  Adults have been known (my grandmother...oh heck...and even myself) to add a splash of whiskey or bourbon. 

Find what works for you and your family!  Supplement this cold and flu season with this homemade remedy.  We wish you your best health.

Be well,

MLC

Resource worth checking out...

This week, Becky and another “SpeedBumper” will be beginning their commitment to a Whole 30® “diet”.  I’ll leave it up to them to describe the concept as well as their experience with it!  I know it will be an enlightening journey!

To kick things off, I thought I’d provide everyone with a link to the Whole 30® website with enough recipes to keep your palate interested.

Enjoy and Be Well,

MLC

http://whole30.com/category/recipes/

Super Simple And Healthy Chocolate Chip Cookies

I know, healthy and simple isn't usually how we describe chocolate chip cookies, but these cookies are just that. These gluten free, low glycemic, heart healthy cookies are sure to be a family favorite. My husband, who doesn't typically like it when I attempt to "healthify" junk food, even requested that I keep these cookies coming! Enjoy!

Healthy Chocolate Chip Cookies  

 1 cup almond butter (or any nut butter) 

1 egg

1 tsp. vanilla (optional) 

1/3 cup coconut sugar

1 tsp. baking soda  

3/4 cup Dark Chocolate Chips

* Combine all ingredients then add your chocolate chips. Form into small balls. Bake at 350° for 10 minutes.   Let them cool for 20-30 minutes, then eat up!

BHW

Healthy Brownies

...well, at least that is what we call them at our house.  And to be honest...they really aren't that bad for you.  Minimal sugar profile, vitamins from the pumpkin, antioxidants from the cocoa and chocolate chips, and healthy fats from the almond butter. 

I found this recipe on: http://thebigmansworld.com

However, I switched up the sweet potato for canned organic pumpkin.  I found them to be fudgier with the pumpkin.  Also, I do not bother to melt the almond butter and maple syrup.

Super easy to make.  And I feel no "fear" when giving them to my kiddos.  Enjoy!

Eat well & Be well,
MLC

Ingredients

1. 1 cup mashed sweet potato
2. 1/2 cup smooth nut butter of choice (I used cashew butter and almond butter)
3. 2 T pure maple syrup
4. 1/4 cup cocoa powder (I used half dark cocoa powder, half standard cocoa powder)
5. Handful of chocolate chips (optional)

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven the 350 degrees, grease a small cake pan or loaf pan and set aside.
2. In a small microwave-safe bowl or stovetop, melt your nut butter with your pure maple syrup. In a large mixing bowl, add the mashed sweet potato, nut butter, maple syrup and cocoa powder and mix very well. If using chocolate chips, stir them through.
3. Pour the mixture into the greased pan and bake for around 20 minutes or until cooked through. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely before slicing into pieces.

Super Food: Pumpkin Seeds

With a wide variety of nutrients ranging from magnesium and manganese to copper, protein and zinc, pumpkin seeds are nutritional powerhouses wrapped up in a very small package. They also contain plant compounds known as phytosterols and free-radical scavenging antioxidants, which can give your health an added boost.

Add them to oatmeal, salads, or eat them by themselves. 

Photo credit www.livenup.com

Breakfast cookie dough

• 1 cup almond butter (or any nut butter)
• 1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats 
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup OR 1 tablespoon raw honey
• 1 scoop protein powder
• 1/2 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup mini chocolate chips (use dairy-free chocolate chips, if needed)

*Combine all ingredients and roll into bite size balls. Refrigerate and enjoy! 

This recipe was sent to me from my sister. She said her kids have made them 4 times in the past week they loved them so much. These delicious bite sized breakfast balls contain fiber rich oats and heart healthy fat that will keep your kids feeling full longer. Enjoy!

BHW

Photo by Mel's kitchen

Zucchini Noodles

  RAW & VEGAN ZUCCHINI PASTA WITH AVOCADO SAUCE

Zucchini noodles seem to be all the rage, as I have seen several different recipes that I would love to try. I don't yet own a spiralizer, but when I get one I look forward to trying this recipe from "Elephantastic". Be creative with your gluten free diet and try noodles made from veggies instead of alternative grains. Vegetables have less calories and more nutrition.

COOK TIME: 30 mins

TOTAL TIME: 30 mins

Author: Elephantastic

Serving size: 1

INGREDIENTS

• 1 large zucchini
• 1 avocado
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon lemon juice
• ground pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Wash and spiralize your zucchini using a capitalized.
2. Put the spiralized zucchini in a large bowl, sprinkle half of the salt over the zucchini and give it a good mix. Set aside for about 20 minutes.
3. Meanwhile peel the avocado, remove the seed and put it in a blender or food processor - mix it with the rest of the salt, the lemon juice and ground pepper until it's a smooth Avocado Cream. Taste it and add more salt or lemon juice to taste.
4. After 20 minutes the zucchini should have lost quite a bit of its water - drain it and put it back in the bowl.
5. Add the Avocado Cream and give it a good mix.
6. Put the Zucchini Pasta on a plate and enjoy.

If you want to make this recipe for more servings, I'd recommend using 1 large zucchini per person.

Juice It!!!

What do you do with all the fruit and vegetables sitting on your counter? Juice them! I love to juice the quickly ripening fruit that you just can't eat fast enough. Kids love to help put the fruit through the juicer and I love that they are drinking something that has no added sugar, food dyes, preservatives or artificial ingredients. Before you throw it out, try juicing it!

BHW

App & Website shout-out

SuperFoodsrx

I recently came upon a cool app and website: SuperFoodsrx.   It is a cool standby when you need info at your fingertips while shopping or looking up healthy recipes.   Give it a shot!  Tell us what you think.

Be well and eat well, 

MLC

Manuka Honey

This special honey comes from New Zealand (New Zealand Tea Tree flowers) and is known for it’s anti-bacterial properties. My friend in Ireland took this religiously and gave a spoonful to her daughter daily and swears that it kept them from ever getting sick.
The honey is labeled with a UMF rating, which is the Unique Manuka Factor. Most honey has a hydrogen peroxide component but manuka honey has another component known as methylglyoxal (MG) that is thought to contain the anti-bacterial power. The higher the MG amount the stronger the antibiotic effect. It’s important to choose a manuka honey with a UMF of 10+ to get this therapeutic effect from it.
Manuka honey is especially effective if used topically to treat wounds, mild burns and leg ulcers. However, it is also good if taken orally and may help lower cholesterol, ease gastrointestinal issues, reduce inflammation, and help cure ear, eye and sinus infections.
The studies of this honey are limited to smaller groups but it has certainly been reported to be effective in helping with numerous ailments. Obviously, this is not meant to replace antibiotic therapy when needed but perhaps it is a line of defense that can help reduce symptoms and prevent any worsening of certain conditions.
Be Well,
LEW
Resource: webmd.com

Simple Summer Salsa

What's better than chips, salsa, and a margarita on a Friday evening out on your porch with friends?  Ok, lots but humor me... ​

Here is a simple recipe for a delicious salsa.  Snacker beware: it's spicy!  Have that margarita near!​

Also, you can opt for a homemade version comprising of tomatoes and jalapenos from your garden or go semi-homemade.

• 1 can of Ro-tel​
• 1/2 red onion (more or less to taste)​
• Big handful of organic chopped cilantro​

Stir it up and enjoy!

Be Well!  Eat well!​

Summer Chopped Salad

Get creative!   

Fresh veggies are easier to get in the warmer months and most likely come from local sources or home gardens. 

Pick a night each week and decide to eat clean and simple.  Give your body the gift of health and vitality by taking a break from digesting meats, cheeses, and processed foods and allowing it to take in and absorb wholesome nutrients.

Use what you have!  But strive to maintain a balance.  Again, keep it simple.

For this salad, I chopped up:

• Purple cabbage
• Red bell pepper
• Vine-ripened tomatoes
• And corn

*I drizzled it with EVOO, a teaspoon of raw organic honey, a splash of malt vinegar, and salt and pepper to taste.

It doesn't have to stop there!  Consider adding in or chopping up a combo of:

• Avocado
• Organic beans
• Jalapeños 
• Herbs (cilantro, basil, or parsley)
•  Add a splash of citrus such as: lemon, lime, or orange
• Organic lettuce chopped finely

Enjoy simple ingredients with complex flavored! 

Be well and enjoy healthy foods, 

MLC

Tummy Tamer: Fresh Ginger Tea

Got gas? An upset stomach? Poor digestion?   Forget about all the over the counter medications and get down to the basics of using fresh ginger root to tame that tummy. Simply grate fresh ginger root into a pot of water and boil it. Let it cool down a bit before drinking. I like to strain the big chunks of ginger before drinking it. Add a few drops of liquid stevia if you want a little bit of sweetness. 

BHW

Fresh Ginger Root Tea

Banana Mango "Gelato"

Decadent dessert without the guilt!  On a recent shopping trip to Costco, this small appliance caught my eye.  I am sucker for kitchen gadgets and its packaging sealed the deal.  It's called: Yonanas.  And it advertises that it whips up healthy desserts.  And it does. And they are tasty. And it comes with a recipe book that does not disappoint.  

Most of the recipes call for bananas which gives the frozen treats their sweet creaminess...about the same consistency as gelato.  Tonight, I made a simple banana mango gelato.  Yes, that was it...frozen bananas and mangoes.  My kiddos and my husband enjoyed it.  He is my toughest critic.

Definitelt worth trying.  If you have a Costco membership, you can pick one up for around $35 or purchase the Elite version for $79.99.  

Healthy and tastes good?  Yes!  The two can go together!  Only you can decide how healthy you want to be.  But more importantly, you can affect the health of your family.  Please choose to stay well! 

Enjoy life and live well, 

MLC

Watermelon Kiwi Popsicles

There is nothing better in the summer than an ice cold, fresh fruit popsicle. Simply puree fresh watermelon in your food processor, pour into a popsicle mold and freeze for 30-45 minutes. Then puree fresh kiwi and add it to your popsicle mold on top of the watermelon. Put on the bottom of the mold and freeze until you are ready to eat them. With no added sugar, preservatives, or artificial colors, this is a treat you can feel good about.

Enjoy! 

BHW

 http://theprettybee.com/2015/06/watermelon-kiwi-popsicles.html

Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV)

ACV-Have you heard of it?

Apple Cider Vinegar…it has amazing health benefits. I have recently started to take one teaspoon in some warm water with a shake of turmeric added to it to promote good health. It does not only cure things like hiccups but its unique properties have been proven to help with everything from lowering cholesterol, reducing blood sugar, weight loss, detox to even giving you a boost of energy. So why not try it? Bragg Apple Cider Vinegar with ‘the Mother’ is the one I have been using but there are other brands out there. Just be sure you get one that is raw unfiltered organic apple cider vinegar.

And if drinking it does not appeal to you, try adding it to salads and other dishes to incorporate it into your diet.

Be well! LEW

Cucumber Refresher

With summer on the way, I am getting ready by keeping a cool and refreshing drink in the refrigerator at all times! We are not big soda or juice drinkers, but sometimes want something that tastes good without all the added sugar. My kids love this one; Cucumber, lemon, ginger, mint water. Combine the juice from 2 lemons, then slice up 2 more lemons, 1 large cucumber, grate some fresh ginger and add 12 mint leaves. You can lightly sweeten with a few drops of stevia. Let it chill in the refrigerator overnight. Enjoy! It is the best on a hot day!

BHW

Chocolate Cherry Almond Smoothie

This is the best smoothie I've ever made and, literally, the only one my kids will drink!  It is loaded with heart healthy fat, antioxidants, and protein.

Chocolate Cherry Almond Smoothie  

1 cup frozen organic cherries

8 oz. Unsweetened almond or coconut milk

1 scoop protein powder 

1 tsp. Almond extract

1 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder  

1 Tbsp raw almond butter

Blend together and drink up! A perfect post-workout meal!

BHW