Quinoa Energy Bites (gluten free)

This recipe was motivated by eating the "Aussie Bites" at Costco. I thought it would be fun to make them with out as much sugar and butter. I had all the ingredients so it was easy to whip them up. You have the option of eating them raw or baking them. I had them both ways. I enjoyed the baked version the best. The baked version reminded me of a many muffin. They are loaded with nourishing goodness that will add energy to your day.

Ingredients

1 C Old fashioned Oatmeal (gluten free)
1/2 C cooked quinoa
1/4 C sunflower seeds unsalted or pumpkin seeds
1/4 C ground flax seeds
1/4 C chia seeds
1/4 C honey or vegan sweetener
1/2 C dried apricots chopped or dried fruit of your choice
1/4 C raisins
1 tsp vanilla

Directions     makes 12

1. Pour all of the ingredients into a blender or food processor. Blend until the mixture is similar to cookie dough. It all sticks together.
2. Scoop into balls. You can eat them raw.
3. For baking version. Preheat oven to 350.  Bake in heated oven for about 8 min. Take out of oven and let cool.
4. Store leftovers in airtight container in fridge or freezer.

Chocolate Cherry Pecan Bites (no added sugar)

These are a wonderful protein bite that tastes delicious. They will help boost your energy for the day. They are wonderful because they are healthy at the same time. They are low in sugar. You can't guarantee that when you buy them at the store. 

 Ingredients

1 C chopped pecans
1/2 C old fashioned oatmeal
1/4 C chia *optional
1/2 C dried cherries
2 T coconut oil
1/3 C dark chocolate chips

Directions  makes 10-12

1. Pour all of the ingredients into the blender and pulse until all combined and broken down.
2. Pour out on clean surface form into balls.
3. Place in fridge to harden about 30 minutes.
4. Eat and enjoy. Store leftovers in airtight container store in the fridge.

Nutty Granola (Low sugar)

Oatmeal is one of my favorite grains. I love eating it in all sorts of ways. Granola is one of my favorite ways to eat. This is a nice low sugar recipe and it is easy to make. It is a wonderful snack or breakfast. Yum!

Ingredients

2 T honey or vegan sweetener 

1 T coconut oil

1/4 tsp salt

1 tsp pumpkin spice 

3 C old fashioned oatmeal

1 C unsweetened coconut flakes* optional

1/4 C chia* optional

1/2 C chopped unsalted cashews

1/2 C chopped unsalted almonds

1/2 C chopped walnuts or pecans

Directions

1. Heat oven 300. Line cookie sheet with parchment paper or grease. 

2. In a small sauce pan pour in honey and coconut oil and stir until come to a boil. 

3. Take off the heat and stir in salt and pumpkin spice. Set the pan aside.

4. Pour oatmeal, chia, coconut and nuts in medium size bowl and stir together.

5. Pour honey mixture over oatmeal mixture. Stir together until all combined.

6. Spread granola on to cookie sheet evenly.  Place in oven. 

7. Stir in the middle of the cooking to let it cook evenly. Bake about 20 min or until lightly brown. 

8. Let cool and store in air tight container. Serve with yogurt, fruit, hot cereal, or eat alone. 

Chocolate Covered Cookie Dough (Low Sugar)

 It is hard to resist a spoonful of cookie dough. This is a great way to enjoy a spoonful with out the guilt. So indulge yourself with a mouthful of yum. The nice thing is they are filling too. A great little snack with protein.  #Gluten Free #Low Sugar

Ingredients

1 C cashews unsalted pieces
2 T coconut oil
1 tsp vanilla
2 T honey or sweetener of your choice
1 C  Bob's Red Mill old fashioned oatmeal (gluten free)
1 C unsweetened shredded coconut *optional
2 T  Bob's Red Mill chia * optional
1/4 C dark chocolate chips chopped up
1/4 C dark chocolate chips
1 T coconut oil

Directions  makes 16

1. Pour into a blender cashews, oil, vanilla and honey. Blend and pulse until creamy.
2. Pour in oatmeal, coconut, chia, and blend and pulse till all combined and cookie dough consistency.
3. Stir in the chocolate chips roll into bite size balls.
4. Place on non stick pan. Place in freezer to harden about 20 min.
5. In the meantime put chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl add oil. Put in microwave about 45 seconds. Long enough to melt the chips. Stir together and let cool.
6. Take the bites out of the freezer and dip into chocolate. Place on non stick pan.
7. Place back in the freezer and and let harden about 20 to 30 min.
8. Take out and indulge yourself. Store left overs in air tight container in the fridge or freezer. Yum!

Strawberry Lemon Italian Ice (low sugar)

So I know the shave ice places are really popular around here. They are also loaded with sugar. I thought it would be fun to make a refreshing ice drink without all the sugar. That tastes fantastic. Mission accomplished I was very happy with the results. It was wonderful to the last drop.

Ingredients

1 C water
2 1/2  C Ice cubes
2 C frozen strawberries unsweetened
2 T chia *optional
juice from 1 small lemon
3 T honey or other sweetener


Directions


1. Put ingredients into the blender starting with the water.
2. Then blend and pulse. I stopped in a couple times to stir it. It works best with a high powered blender.
3. Serve at once.
Enjoy

Favorite Power Bites

My good friend  Linda made these for me. They tasted really good. She said she would share a post about them so here you go. She is always making wonderful healthy creations. Thank you Linda for sharing the recipe with us. 

Favorite Power Bites* – by Linda Black adapted from doTerra Living Recipe

1 c. Almond Butter
½ c. + ½ c. finely shredded coconut
¾ c. dried cranberries
¼ - ½ c. raw honey (your sweetness preference)
½ c. Rolled Oats
¼ t. sea salt
2 TBS chia seeds
3 drops wild orange essential oil**
Place all ingredients in a mixing bowl reserving ½ c. coconut for later. Mix until well combined. Roll into 1” balls and coat with the remaining coconut.
Snack time! Makes 12-24 balls.

Store extras in the refrigerator or freezer.
*Use organic ingredients whenever possible. It does make a difference!
**Only use CPTG Oils (Certified Pure Therapeutic Grade)

Super foods like Chia Seeds are nutrient dense foods that add a powerful punch to any dish! Legend has it that the Aztecs and Mayans used chia seeds to fuel performance. In Christopher McDougall’s book “Born To Run” he tells of a hidden tribe of super athletes called the Tarahumara who honed the ability to run hundreds of miles without rest OR injury. They fuel themselves with Chia Seeds. A one ounce serving of this mild tasting wonder contains…

-          a whopping 4 grams of high quality protein,

-         11 grams of fiber,

-         Omega-3s,

-         calcium, manganese, and magnesium, phosphorus

-         along with a decent amount of zinc, Vit B3 (niacin), potassium, vitamin B1 Thiamine) and Vitamin B2.

Chia seeds are incredibly easy to incorporate into your diet. Their taste is very mild which makes 
adding them to soups and sauces easy to do without changing the flavor. When mixed with water or other liquids they become a sticky gelatinous ball the consistency of tapioca. Adding chia seeds to recipes will dramatically boost the nutritional value. Add a spoonful to your oatmeal, green smoothies, coconut milk, salads, cereal, yogurt, vegetables or rice dishes.

My favorite way to incorporate chia seeds is to add ¼ cup seeds to 1 cup of coconut milk.Refrigerate it in a glass jar for 2 or more hours. This makes chia seed pudding! Add your favorite fruit (banana and berries) and enjoy as a dessert or snack! Wowzer!

Linda Black ERYT – Linda is a Certified Yoga Instructor, Holistic Health Coach, and business owner. She has been teaching yoga classes since 2001. She is a health advocate with DoTerra Oils and representative for SevenPoint2, the Alkaline Company.

With over 1000 training hours and 2000 teaching hours, she has helped 1000’s of students align, tune-in, strengthen, reduce pain, lose weight, and live healthy. Her studies include training in Ayurveda, restorative yoga practices, meditation, nutrition, business training, yoga immersions, 200 and 500 hour yoga teacher trainings. She owned a local studio for 7 years and currently teaches yoga and healthy practices in the work place.

Her passion is to help others see the beauty in themselves, connect at a deep level with their authentic self, and nurture the soul to each individual’s potential. She offers workshops, yoga classes, retreats and transformation courses throughout the year and healthy advice through her monthly newsletter.  Visit her website at www.theyogacoach.me.

Nutty Bars (gluten free and low sugar)

"Some times you feel like a nut some times you don't.... " This song has been running through my head. I usually feel like a nut. haha I love eating nuts. The funny thing is I used to think I didn't like pecans and now I realize that I do. It is fun to eat different nuts because they all contain different benefits. They are a great source of protein too. The key is to enjoy them but to not go overboard eating them.

I made this mixture of nuts into a bar and was very pleased how they turned out. It is a great combination of flavors. Do you feel like a nut today?

 Ingredients

1 C chopped unsalted cashews
1 C chopped almonds
1 C chopped pecans
1/2 C chopped dark chocolate chips
4 T chia *optional
4 T coconut oil melted
1 T honey
1/2 C chopped dark chocolate chip
1 T coconut oil

Directions    makes about 1 dozen

1. In a medium size bowl pour in cashews, almonds, pecans, chips and chia. Stir until all combined.
2. In a small bowl stir together oil and honey. Stir into the nut mixture until all combined.
3. In a small bowl melt remaining chips and oil in microwave. Stir the oil and nut mixture together. The chips melt a little bit with the warm oil and honey. I liked that.
4. Line a long bread pan with parchment paper. Pour the melted chips on the bottom of the pan spreading evenly. Then pour the nut mixture on top. Spreading it evenly. I used a small metal spatula to flatten the mixture down.
5. Place in fridge to harden. It will take about an hour. Cut into squares and enjoy.
6. Store leftovers in fridge in air tight container. YUM!

Cashew Butter Bites (gluten free and low sugar)

This are a fast and easy healthy snack to make. I love having snacks like these on hand. It is a nice source of protein that gives you energy.

Ingredients

1 C unsalted cashew pieces
2 1/2 T cashew butter (you could use another nut butter)
1 pinch of salt
2 T chia * optional
1 T honey

Directions   makes 9

1. Pour all the ingredients into a bowl. Stir until all combined.
2. Form into balls with hands or with cookie dough scooper.
3. Place on cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Chill in the fridge.
4. Store in airtight container in the fridge or freezer.

Bob's Red Mill Protein Powder in a Smoothie

I was so excited when I found out that Bob's Red Mill had a protein powder. I went to the store yesterday and found it in the bulk section. I was so happy to give it a try. I had it in my morning smoothie it was wonderful. I am excited to do some more recipes with it. The fun begins.

Ingredients

1 C cashew milk or other milk
1 frozen banana
1/2 apple
1 C fresh spinach
1 T chia
3 T Bob's protein powder

Directions  Serves 1

1. Pour all the ingredients into the blender starting with the liquid. Blend until smooth.
Enjoy!

Almond Joy No-Bake Cookies (Gluten free)

I had a great couple days celebrating the birth of our first granddaughter. I think the angels sing each time a child is born. It is a sweet time. It is wonderful to watch my son become a Dad and our daughter in law become a Mom. What a the sweetest things in life. I look forward to going and seeing her soon.

These are a fun healthier option than eating an almond joy. They  are a greaat little treat or a great way to get a protein boost. These are a winner.



Ingredients
3 ounces dark chocolate chips
3 tablespoons coconut oil
3 tablespoons honey
1/2 cup coconut milk
1 cup almonds, chopped
2 cups unsweetened coconut
3 T chia *optional

Directions  Makes 15
1. Melt the chocolate chips, oil, and honey in a small saucepan on low. Stir in the coconut milk.

2. Take off the heat. Stir in the coconut almonds, and chia until well mixed.

3. Scoop onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper in 1.5 inch balls. Place them in the fridge to harden, at least 1/2 hour.

4. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator or serve immediately.

Here is another No bake chocolate peanut butter cookie recipe.

Mango Pineapple Salsa

So I have been reading a great book Anti Cancer. It has some great tips on how you can take care of your body better. I love those kind of books.  One of the things he recommends is eating 25 servings of fruits and vegetables a week. He also said it is a good idea to include variety in your servings. So this salsa is a great way to include a lot of variety into your servings for the week. The extra bonus is it tastes great too. It got a thumbs up from my family.

Ingredients

2 C diced  fresh pineapple
2 C diced mangoes (I thawed frozen)
1/4 C red pepper diced
1/2  C chopped red onion
2 T minced jalapeño
1/4 C chopped cilantro
1/4 tsp salt
3 T chia * Optional (nice thickener)

Directions serves 4-6

1. Place all the ingredients except chia in a medium bowl and toss the mixture.
2. Toss the chia on top and then toss the mixture again. The chia adds nutritional benefits also it works as a nice thickener. It is Delish!

Lemon Chia Parfait

I have always loved lemon yogurt and have struggled with buying it because it has so much added sugar and additives. So I made my own homemade lemon parfait. It was so amazing smelling the lemon zest. I love that smell it almost as good as the food. The real lemon juice adds a nice flavor to it too. This was a winner.

Ingredients

1 C plain Greek yogurt
1 1/2 tsp fresh lemon juice
2 tsp lemon zest
1 T chia
1 tsp honey or more for sweeter version
garnish 
with lemon zest

Directions      serves 1

1. Put yogurt into the bowl and stir in juice, zest, chia and honey until creamy.
2. Garnish with more lemon zest and enjoy.

Homemade Chia Lemonade (or slushie)

We had a wonderful day yesterday watching our daughter get married to a wonderful man. We are very excited to have him join our family. It was a beautiful day. "It's a wonderful life."

Oh Happy Day!

It is a regroup day putting things back together. I have been dreaming about making my own homemade lemonade. I finally took the time to do it today and it was good.

Ingredients

1 C water
7 T honey (more if you want it sweeter)
3/4 C fresh lemon juice
1/4 C chia
3 C Ice Cubes

Directions  Serves 2

1. In a saucepan heat water and honey together on medium heat until they are all combined. Then stir in the lemon juice.
2. Take off the stove and stir in the chia.
3. Pour into blender with ice and blend until combined. (If you want it slushie wait until the lemon mixture cools to add the ice.) Serve right away after blending.

Strawberry Spinach Salad With Vinaigrette

This salad reminds me of Spring! I love Spring. My husband made this salad yesterday. I love when he helps in the kitchen. He adds a nice extra touch to the things he makes. It is a busy time around here getting ready for our daughters wedding next week. Happy Time!

The salad was:

5-6 C spinach

1/2 C sliced almonds

1 C sliced strawberries

1/2 C sunflower seeds
sometimes I also add a thinly sliced red onion

Optional items

1/3 C bacon bits

1/2 C shredded Parmesan

Layer the ingredients so you get all the ingredients in each serving. 

I put the dressing on right before serving.  It will get soggy if you do it too far ahead. Add a little bit of dressing at a time to get just the right mix. 

dressing:

2/3 cup olive oil

1/4 honey or sugar 

2 TBSP. diced purple onion

1/2tsp. salt

3TBSP. apple cider vinegar
1/4 C chia *optional

Blend in blender or food processor until smooth. 

*If you use bacon. An easy way to do the almonds is to take the bacon bits and the almonds and saute' them together.  This gives the almonds some of the bacon flavor and roasts them a bit.  

Citrus Power Drink (Great way to fight a cold)

I 

I have been fighting a cold the past few days. I have been really enjoying a lot of citrus. I have found that when I drink citrus when I have a cold it tastes so good and breaks up the congestion. I made this today and it was so good. I was sad when it was all gone. Next time I will have to make a bigger batch. 

Ingredients

1 juice orange

1/2 lemon

3 clementines peeled

1 T chia

1 T honey

1 C water

1 C ice cubes

Directions

1. Squeeze the juice of orange and lemon into the blender. Throw in the clementines, chia, honey, water and ice. Blend until smooth. 

Enjoy! 

Guilt Free Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cheese Cake

I had this for a snack yesterday and am craving it again today. It is so easy to make and tastes so good. The best part is it has healthy ingredients and it tastes like cheesecake. It is a great way pick me up as a snack with protein. Also would make a healthy dessert. Winner!

Ingredients

1 C greek yogurt
1 T honey
1 T natural peanut butter
2-3 T chopped up dark chocolate chips
1 T chia * optional

Directions     serves 1

1. Pour all of the ingredients into a bowl and stir it up. Enjoy!

Tossed Green Salad with Sweet Onion Vinaigrette

My friend Debbie made this a week ago and I loved it. I am always looking for more ways to eat vegetables. This is a great way to eat them and enjoy it. I have made the salad 3 times since she gave me the recipe. It is so good. Yum! 

The salad was:

5-6 C mixed greens - spinach and romaine (or red lettuce instead of romaine)

1/2 C sliced almonds

1/2 C craisins or dried cherries etc..

1/2 C sunflower seeds
sometimes I also add a thinly sliced red onion

Optional items

1/3 C bacon bits

1/2 C shredded parmesan

Layer the ingredients so you get all the ingredients in each serving. 

I put the dressing on right before serving.  It will get soggy if you do it too far ahead. Add a little bit of dressing at a time to get just the right mix. 

dressing:

2/3 cup olive oil

1/4 honey or sugar 

2 TBSP. diced purple onion

1/2tsp. salt

3TBSP. apple cider vinegar
1/4 C chia *optional

Blend together with a wire whisk. 

*If you use bacon. An easy way to do the almonds is to take the bacon bits and the almonds and saute' them together.  This gives the almonds some of the bacon flavor and roasts them a bit.  

Creamy Chia Dressing

Here is a fun way to enjoy chia. Chia is a nice thickener for dressing. This is great dressing for salad. It would also be great on fresh vegetables  as dip.

Ingredients

1/4 C plain yogurt
1/8 C olive oil
3 T honey
2 T vinegar
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp dry mustard
1 T chia

Directions  Makes about 1 Cup

1. Pour all of the ingredients into the blender and blend until smooth about 1 or 2 minutes.
2. Serve immediately or store in airtight container in the fridge.
3. If it thickens to much after being in the fridge stir in 1 or 2 T water to thin out.

Chocolate Chip Muffins (whole grain)

This is a super easy recipe that is whole grain. I chopped up the chocolate chips which added a little bit of chocolate in every bite. They make a great little snack or a nice addition to a meal. 

Ingredients

2/3 C honey

1/2 C olive oil or coconut oil

1/2 C almond milk

1/2 C water

2 eggs

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 C chia

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 C whole wheat flour 

1/2 C dark chocolate chips chopped up

Directions make 12 mini muffins Heat oven to 400

1. Beat or stir together honey, oil, water. Beat or stir in the eggs. Set aside.

2. In a small bowl mix together salt, chia, baking powder, and flour. 

3. Fold flour mixture into wet mixture stir until all combined. 

4. Fold in chocolate chips. 

5. Grease muffin tin. Scoop muffin mix into tins. 

6. Bake 12-15 min. 

7. Take out of muffin tins and let cool on wire rack. Enjoy

Apple Sandwiches (Gluten Free)

I love this idea of using the apples instead of the bread for a fun change. You can get creative as you can add fun toppings to them. I think they are a great snack. I also think they would be perfect for a fun thing to make for Valentines.

Ingredients

apples washed
peanut butter or any kind of nut butter
chia
raisins or  dark chocolate chips or ?

Directions

1. Slice thin slices off the apple on the sides until you get to the core. Then slice the other side of the apple.
2. Spread 1 T of peanut butter on an apple slice, sprinkle on 1/2 tsp chia then top with raisins or chocolate chips. Put a slice of apple on top and tada you have a fun apple sandwich.