Watermelon Mint Blended Juice

Refreshing!! That word best describes this delicious blended juice. Oh and I need to add in easy, too! Refreshing and easy! Oh and one more word- delicious! Okay, you get the point!

My husband and I loved this, our kids loved it......I think it'd be perfect served at a BBQ.....it could even be spiked for an adult beverage.

This made approx. four 8 oz glasses of juice.

I forgot to put the sugar in this picture.....but, just a little goes a long way! The watermelon itself is very sweet.

4 cups of seedless watermelon, cubed (about 3 lbs)
1/2 cup coconut water (you can use regular water instead)
24 mint leaves
1 Tbl coconut sugar (you can use regular white sugar instead)
1/2 a lemon, seeded with rind removed
2 cups of ice

Place all ingredients in a powerful blender (I use a Vitamix). Blend until juice is smooth without any lumps. The consistency should be like juice, not a smoothie. Enjoy!

My Excellent Banana Bread- Healthier (and Yummier) than EVER!

I'm super excited about this updated version of my amazingly delicious banana bread (not to toot my own horn but I make a mean banana bread)....my healthier version is so moist and flavorful, despite the fact that I omitted the butter and chocked it full of wheat germ and hemp seeds. My kids just love this bread and ask me to make it all the time. They have no idea that it is an improved upon recipe (and by improved upon I just mean that it is healthier....my original recipe is still the bomb and if you are looking for more of a classic banana bread, click here).  Enjoy the yummy healthiness!!!

1/3 c coconut oil (and a little bit for greasing the pan)
3 very ripe bananas
3/4 cup coconut sugar (find this at Whole Foods or in the organic section of the grocery)
2 eggs
1/4 cup yogurt
3/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 cup oat flour
1/4 cup wheat germ
1/4 cup hemp seeds
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup Enjoy Life chocolate chips (these are dairy, nut and soy free)

Preheat oven to 350F

Grease a meatloaf pan with a little coconut oil.

Melt the coconut oil in a large microwave safe bowl for about 50 seconds. Remove bowl from microwave and use a wooden spoon to stir it around until it is completely liquid. Add the two bananas and mash well. Add the coconut sugar to the banana/oil mixture and stir until combined. Add the eggs one at a time and combine; add yogurt and stir. Add the rest of the dry ingredients from the whole wheat pastry flour to the cinnamon. Stir to combine. Fold in chocolate chips.

Bake on 350F for 50-53 minutes (or until a toothpick comes out clean - check around 45 minutes). Remove from the oven and let cool for about an hour before turning the bread out and slicing.

Kale, Potato & White Bean Tacos with Creamy Verde Salsa

Okay, I have to admit it, I'm back to being a vegetarian. There is something about the summer that makes it easier for me to ditch meat altogether.  These incredibly tasty tacos were inspired by my new favorite taco and fresh squeezed juice joint (I mean, could there be a better restaurant combination on earth?). My husband agrees that I nailed this taco!!! They are so tasty and delicious.....you will not miss the meat one bit!!! Don't skimp on the yummy sauce- it is muy muy beuno.

If you have been eager to get in on the whole "kale craze", you couldn't pick a better recipe to start with. Even my son kept swiping kale from the skillet every time he walked by. I actually had to tell him to stop eating all the kale! I mean, really, who says that to an eight year old!?!? Make these this week!

1 Tbl olive oil
1 small onion, very finely chopped
1 poblano pepper, finely chopped
1 small white potato, finely chopped (if you do not chop your potato into small pieces, it won't cook in time)
Vegetable or chicken broth (just a little bit to de-glaze the pan)
1 15oz can navy beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 to 3/4 head of curly kale, remove thick spines and use only the leaves
Salt & pepper
Cojita cheese (if you can't find this, a very mild Feta will suffice)
6-8 Corn Tortillas (THE best brand is La Tortilla Factory- I have never had a better store-bought tortilla in my life; try to find these!)
3/4 cup salsa verde (find this green salsa in the International section of the grocery)
1/4 cup sour cream (don't use light, it's just yucky and will ruin my tacos!!) 

Preheat oven to 200F (this is to warm the tortillas)

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add chopped onion and cook for approx 5 minutes. Add the poblano pepper and potato. Cook for about three minutes. Add a little bit of broth (about 1 Tbl) to de-glaze the potatoes from the pan (this helps them cook without sticking) and stir. Cook another 3 minutes and add about 1 Tbl broth to the pan again; stir. Every time you add the broth, it'll completely absorb. The mixture will not be soupy at all. Repeat this step one more time until the potatoes taste cooked through.....so, you will cook the potatoes about 9-10 minutes total.

Add the navy beans and stir. Add the kale and stir. With the skillet over medium/low heat, continue to stir the kale until it has wilted down and has become soft. This takes about 5 minutes.  Season with salt & pepper to your taste.

About 10 minutes before you are ready to eat, wrap the tortillas in foil and put them in the oven to warm. 

Mix the salsa verde and the sour cream together. 

To assemble the tacos, spoon kale/potato mixture into a warm tortilla. Spoon creamy verde salsa on top and sprinkle with Cojita cheese. Serve with chips and guacamole. Enjoy!! Eating meatless NEVER tasted so good!!!!

Chocolate Covered Rice Cakes with Coconut & Hemp Seeds

                      

Even though I'm a very healthy eater, I still have a major sweet tooth. Of all the sweets in the world, I crave chocolate the most. These chocolate covered rice cakes really satisfy my cravings - I promise, promise I'm not kidding!!! I love the crunch of the rice cake paired with the chocolate. The almond butter adds protein while the hemp and chia seeds are rich in Omega-3s - not bad for a "dessert".  I make one batch at a time and they last me for a week (and that includes my kids poaching a few of them for themselves).

1 package of brown rice cakes (approx 13 cakes)
1 package of Enjoy Life dairy/nut/soy free chocolate chips (about 2 cups)
2 Tbl almond butter (optional)
Use any or all of these to top the chocolate:
*unsweetened coconut flakes
*hemp seeds
*chia seeds
*wheatgerm
                       
Before you get started, put two pieces of wax paper on the counter and lay out all the rice cakes.  Covering the rice cakes with the melted chocolate is pretty messy, so it's a good thing to cover the counter (easy clean up!).

Put 1 cup of chocolate chips and 1 Tbl almond butter (if using) in a microwave safe bowl. Heat for 1 minute. Remove from microwave and stir until completely melted and smooth. Using a spoon, top half the rice cakes with melted chocolate.  Repeat with remaining chocolate, almond butter and rice cakes.

While the chocolate is still wet, lightly sprinkle with any of the suggested toppings. I like the coconut flakes on their own; I like to mix the hemp and chia seeds together. Or you don't have to sprinkle them with any toppings at all. My daughter likes them plain.
                              
                                   

I store these in a large plastic bag in the refrigerator and eat one for dessert each night!  Enjoy!

                              

Crunchy Kale Chips with Soy & Sesame Seeds

I seriously can't believe it has taken me THIS long to blog about kale chips!!!! I do appologize; I know you all expect more of me! These kale chips are down right scrumptious (even though I'm not the world's biggest kale lover). Two out of three of my kids love them, too (and the third one doesn't like them ONLY because he won't even let one near his mouth- he screamed when I offered him one). 

Please check out this website, Refinery 29. I found this site via Pinterest. This blogger has 10 different flavor combos for kale chips- awesome!!!!! The one below is her soy & sesame seeds recipe. I cannot wait to try some of her other recipes, too!!! These kale chips are going fast in my house.....

1 bunch of kale, washed, DRIED, and cut into "chip-sized" pieces
1 Tbl olive oil
2 Tbl soy sauce <I used Tamari & I also think 1 1/2 Tbl would be sufficient>
1/2 Tbl sesame seeds

 Preheat oven to 300F

Pour olive oil, soy sauce and sesame seeds into a large ziplock bag. Add kale pieces and shake well making sure the kale is evenly covered with the olive oil mixture.

Place a cooling rack on top of a foil lined cookie sheet* (this helps cook the kale from under too- giving you a nice crispy "chip"). Put half the kale on the cooling rack/cookie sheet (try not to overlap pieces) and cook for 30 minutes or until crisp. Remove from oven and repeat with the rest of the kale pieces. Try not to eat them all as you transfer them from the cookie sheet to a container.

*If you do not have a cooling rack, just put the kale on a foil lined cookie sheet. I think the cooling rack on top helps with the crispy-ness, but, it isn't necessary.

I had to show you this picture of my daughter sneaking a kale chip as I was trying to take a photo! She LOVES these!!!! You will too!

 

Good Morning Pear & Celery Juice

I haven't blogged a juice recipe in quite a long time.....so, I thought I'd share this little gem today. I have been making an apple celery juice every week for quite some time now. Last week I decided to switch things up a bit by using pears instead of apples. WOW! How can one little orchard fruit make such a difference? I'm not sure, but, it does!! This juice is just yummy. My daughter was stealing sips of mine today after I made it. Fresh squeezed juice is a great start to the day!! Enjoy!

4 pears
4 mini cucumbers OR 2 large cucumbers
2 celery hearts
1 lemon, peeled

Run everything thru the juicer. Serve with ice if you like it cold. Place any extras in the refrigerator in an airtight container. Juice should be consumed within one or two days max*.  This recipe makes enough for three 8 oz glasses. If you want less, just cut the ingredients in half.

*I drink a glass of fresh pressed juice every morning for breakfast, but, I don't have time to juice every day. So, I pick one day a week (usually Sundays) to make myself enough juice for the whole week. I put 5 days worth in air tight, plastic jugs and freeze them. I defrost as I need them throughout the week. It isn't ideal, but, it's what works for my busy schedule and guarantees me a glass a day.

Shannon's Dreamy Ice Cream Cake (EASY!!!)

My friend, Shannon, has made this ice cream cake countless times for me. It is so dreamy. It is dreamy for two reasons: #1. It is crazy good and #2. It is CRAZY easy!!! I love recipes that take very little effort and culinary skill, yet impressive the pants out of friends and family (and I'm sure you do, too). This recipe is also very versatile. You can use any flavor of ice cream you like; you can also use any type of "fudge" (think caramel sauce) or Oreo cookie. The possibilities are endless yet the result is always the same = delicious! Thanks for sharing this with me, Shan!

To make a 9X13" ice cream cake:

1 whole package of Oreo cookies
1 jar of hot fudge
1 1/2 gallon of your favorite flavor ice cream
1 regular size container of Cool Whip, defrosted in the refrigerator overnight
1 container of sprinkles (I only used 1/2 because it was all I had)

Take the ice cream out of the freezer. Let it sit on the counter while you prepare the crust. Put the entire package of Oreos into a large Ziplock bag and crush them into small pieces.

 

Transfer the crushed Oreos to a large bowl. Heat the fudge in the microwave (lid off) for 45 seconds. Pour the hot fudge over the Oreos and stir to combine. 

 

Pour Oreo mixture in the bottom of a 9X13" baking dish. Cover the Oreos with a large piece of wax paper. Use your hands to press into the bottom of the dish so the crust is even and smooth. (This is how I make Rice Krispie Treats- I love using wax paper). If you don't have wax paper (and you really should) you can also spray a piece of foil with cooking spray and do the same thing. It works almost as well. 

 

Remove the wax paper. You should have a nice evenly spread Oreo crust. 

 

Rinse out your bowl (no reason to dirty up a ton of bowls). Put the whole tub of ice cream in the bowl and stir it up until it is smooth. 

 

Very carefully smooth the creamy ice cream over the top of the Oreo crust, trying not to disturb the crust. 

 

Very carefully smooth the Cool Whip on top of the ice cream layer. I had the best luck using a frosting knife. When I tried using a wooden spoon, the Cool Whip kept pulling the ice cream into it....it isn't the end of the world, but, it just won't look as pretty. Sprinkle with sprinkles!!!!

Cover cake with a layer of plastic wrap (careful not to touch the cake with the plastic) and then a layer of foil. Put back into the freeze for at least two hours so everything can firm up. When you are ready to serve, remove cake from the freezer and let sit for just a minute or two to soften up before slicing. Enjoy!!!!!!!!!!!