Artichoke Goat Cheese Dip

 

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It’s that time of year again.  Football season has made its way into almost every American home.  That means it’s also the time of year where winter weight starts appearing.  Game day food is the culprit for much of the winter weight football lovers and haters gain.  I added ‘haters’ or shall I say I ‘could not care lessers’.  Unless it is USC, I could care less.  So how is it that I can still gain weight during this ‘football widow’ season?  I would rather eat than watch the game.

Before everyone starts giving me a hard time, I have tried to get into football for my husband’s sake.  He’s tried teaching me.  We even did our own Fantasy Football League one year.  I lost interest half way through and admitted defeat.  It’s just not my thing.  Trying to figure out who is injured, who is good/bad, and ugly is a lot of work.

So what is a girl to do that doesn’t want a fatty winter coat?  Bring healthier options.  Lets face it, most people don’t care or think about healthier options when football is involved.  So you are going to have to do it yourself.  Or not.  There is a quote that I love, “Summer bodies are made in the winter”.  Keep that in mind as you attend a multitude of game day parties.

strawberry hot wings

Options, they are plenty.  You can always go with a standard crudite platter (veggies and dip) but I like to fancy up my apps.  You can’t go wrong with my baked Strawberry Hot wings.  Or my Assyrian family recipe for Jajic dip.  But I’d like to introduce you to an upscale, lightened version of the artichoke dip.  I call her Artichoke Goat Cheese Dip.

This spicy, creamy, yet chunky dip is everything I look for in a crowd pleasing appetizer.  I combined lightly caramelized shallots, with garlic, red pepper flakes and a touch of sea salt. Then added the savory combination to goat cheese and 0% greek yogurt.  As if the mixture wasn’t already to do for, I added in chopped artichoke hearts.

I feel compelled to share with you my newest find in the realm of already steamed artichokes.  Raise your hand if you hate veggies in a can.  I raised both, because I hate them that much.  Canned veggies contain added salt, BPA, and sulfites.  Nothing you want in your body if you are trying to eat clean.

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Melissa’s Produce has recently come out with a new way to buy cooked artichokes.  No cans!  The artichokes are steamed then vacuumed sealed and packaged in a cute little box. No nasty chemicals to rinse off.  What I loved the most about the product is there is no chemical after taste, just pure artichoke goodness.  I measured out over a cup of artichoke hearts in the package.  Due to the lack of liquid in the packaging the weight is all artichokes!

I only used half the package in the dip.  I have scrumptious plans for the other half.  Stay tuned.

Disclosure:  I was not compensated for this post.  All opinions are my own.  Artichokes were provided by Melissa’s Produce.  

5.0 from 1 reviews
Artichoke Goat Cheese Dip
 
Author: 
Nutrition Information
  • Serves: 16
  • Serving size: 2 tablespoons
  • Calories: 32
  • Fat: 2.1
  • Saturated fat: 1.2
  • Carbohydrates: .8
  • Sugar: .5
  • Sodium: 106
  • Protein: 2.5
  • Cholesterol: 3.3
Recipe type: Appetizer
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
The perfect solution to your unhealthy game day options. A lightened up, upscale version of traditional artichoke dip.
Ingredients
  • 1 tablespoon Earth Balance Butter or Olive Oil
  • 1 large shallot, sliced
  • 2 garlic cloves, smashed (I used the bottom of a glass)
  • ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
  • ¼ - ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 4 oz plain goat cheese
  • ⅓ cup 0% plain greek yogurt (I like Fage)
  • 1 cup Melissa's Steamed Artichoke Hearts, chopped
Instructions
  1. In a small saucepan heat the butter or oil
  2. Over medium-low heat sauté the shallots, garlic cloves, salt, and red pepper till the shallots turn a golden brown color. About 10 -15 minutes. Do not over cook them. Remove from heat and cool.
  3. In a medium sized bowl, using a fork, smash the goat cheese with the yogurt till combined. Fold in the artichoke hearts.
  4. Add the cooled shallot mixture into the goat cheese mixture, cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.
  5. Serve with sliced cucumbers or Fig and Olive Crackers from Trader Joe's. They are delicious!

 

 

The Great Pepper & Hatch Chilie Cookbook Review {giveaway}

Great Pepper Book-close up14-1 640I talked about my life long passion for cookbooks in one of my last posts.  I can honestly sit for hours and read them.  I get excited about learning new things and love seeing a traditional recipe tweaked into a modern version.

Yes, I am a culinary geek to the core.  My library of cookbooks is pretty vast.  Although I love finding new recipes on the internet, nothing is better than sitting with a book, feeling the page between your fingers, finding new inspiration at the turn of each page.

The Great Pepper Cookbook is no exception.  Melissa’s Produce doesn’t hold anything back when they create a new cookbook.  I have personally been to their test kitchen and tasted the recipes made by their chefs.  They are talented and inventive.  The recipes in this book speak to that.

Of course when I received the books I immediately started going through them.  In each book, the first section talks all about the scoville scale (how hot a pepper is), describes each pepper type in detail and how to prepare fresh and dried.

I love spicy food!  I actually carry around packets of tabasco in my purse, just in case there is an emergency.  True story.  I like some spice to my food, not overpowering, but a wake me up, warm me up spice.

In the Great Pepper Cookbook I found a multitude of recipes I wanted to make.  But there was one that HAD to be made first.  It combines my two food lusts together, spicy and chocolate.  Chile Chocolate Truffles, oh em gee, come to me.  I’ve had a love for spicy chocolate since I had it the first time at the San Diego Food & Wine Festival.  I couldn’t wait to taste that duo together again.

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Making the truffles was actually very easy. I changed the heavy cream to coconut milk in my version due to my intolerance.  You simply heat the cream/coconut milk together with spicy peppers, combine with the chocolate, sesame seeds and raisins.  Then cool the concoction in the fridge for two hours.  Scoop the chocolate with a melon baller, roll into balls and toss in walnuts.  Yup, pretty much the best truffle I have ever had.  No joke.  I will have these babies in the fridge from her on.  Each truffle is only 80 calories. Serious bonus!

Now onto the Hatch Chile Cookbook.  I actually have had this book for over a year.  I went to the recipe tasting event at Melissa’s test kitchen when they launched the book.  I was able to taste the Honey Mustard Pretzel Crunch, Hatch Chile Corn Bread, Hatch Chile Deviled Eggs, Hatch Chile cookies, and even a lemonade infused with hatch chili ice cubes.  Every single item was incredible.

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I’ve made a lot of the recipes from the Hatch Chile book and even developed this Hatch Chile Corn dog because I love the flavor so much.  I wanted to showcase something new and different for you.  I love stuffing portabellos, I’ve made them into BBQ Chicken Pizzas, and every now and then I crave one stuffed with creamed spinach.  I never thought to make them into a frittata. Kudos on that idea Melissa’s!

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You have to make the Frittata-Stuffed Portobello Stuffed Mushroom Caps.  Such a fun, spicy way to serve eggs.  It would be amazing as a brunch item during the holidays.  The colors are even perfect with the addition of tomato, hatch chilies and basil.

Lucky for you it’s Hatch Chilie season and during this time of year you can attend a live roasting!  Click here to find a location roasting chilies near you.  Then go buy the book, it is a chile lovers must have.

Melissa’s produce has always been extremely generous with me.  Not only did they supply all the produce for this post, they have allowed me to share both recipes I mentioned.  AND, they offered up FOUR of The Great Pepper Cookbooks to giveaway!  Entering is super easy!  Just follow the instruction in the Rafflecopter link here ——->  a Rafflecopter giveaway

For more awesome sneak peeks at these cookbooks check out what my fellow IEFB bloggers did:  My Imperfect Kitchen, The Devil Wears Parsely & It’s Okay to Eat the Cupcake.

 

5.0 from 1 reviews
Chile-Chocolate Mole Truffles
 
Author: 
Nutrition Information
  • Serves: 36 (1 truffle)
  • Serving size: 1 truffle
  • Calories: 80
  • Fat: 6g
  • Saturated fat: 2.5g
  • Carbohydrates: 7g
  • Sugar: 5g
  • Sodium: 0mg
  • Fiber: 1g
  • Protein: 1g
  • Cholesterol: 5g
Recipe type: Dessert
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
These truffles are an exotic, subtly spicy, decadent treat
Ingredients
  • 10 ounces semi sweet chocolate chips (can use vegan)
  • 1 tablespoon white sesame seeds, toasted
  • 2 tablespoons seedless raisins, minced
  • 5 ounces heavy whipping cream
  • ¼ ounce (about a 1 x 2-inch piece) dried ancho chile pepper
  • ½ teaspoon ground dried chipotle pepper
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon fresh lime zest
  • 1 cup walnuts, toasted and finely crushed
Instructions
  1. In a metal bowl, combine chocolate chips, sesame seeds, and raisins. In a small saucepan, heat cream over medium heat; stir in ancho chile, chipotle chile powder, cinnamon, and zest. Bring just to a simmer; immediately remove from heat. Remove and discard ancho, pour cream mixture over chocolate chip mixture, stirring constantly until chocolate is melted and mixture is completely blended. Let cool to room temperature; cover and refrigerate until firm, about 1 to 2 hours.
  2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. On a plate, spread the walnuts in an even layer. Using a ½ teaspoon measuring spoon (or melon baller) scoop out cooled chocolate mixture, form into a 1-inch ball, roll in crushed walnuts, and place on prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining chocolate mixture to form 36 truffles. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to 5 days. Serve.
Notes
Nutrition facts are for original recipe, not with coconut milk.

5.0 from 1 reviews
Frittata-Stuffed Portobello Mushroom Caps
 
Author: 
Recipe type: Breakfast
Ingredients
  • Oil for cooking spray
  • 12 large eggs
  • Melissa's My Grinder Organic Italian Seasoning
  • Melissa's My Grinder Rainbow Peppercorns
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
  • 1 large heirloom tomato, top and bottom removed, thickly sliced into 4 rounds
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 10 fresh basil leaves, cut into ribbons
  • 2 Hatch Chilies, roasted peeled, stemmed, seeded, and chopped
  • 4 large Portobello mushrooms stems and gills removed (see note below)
  • 4 ounces cream cheese, cubed
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly oil a baking dish.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs and a few grindings of the Italian seasoning and rainbow peppercorns. Set aside.
  3. In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat and cook the tomatoes, turning once, just until the tomatoes release their moisture, about 1 to 2 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper, then add the basil and chilies and continue cooking just until the basil begins to wilt, about 1 minute.
  4. To stuff the Portobellos, fit 1 tomato slice into each mushroom cap and one-fourth of the basil and chilies. Pour in egg mixture to nearly fill the mushroom. Top each Portobello with a few cubes of cream cheese.
  5. Bake the stuffed mushrooms in the prepared baking dish for 35 to 45 minutes, or until the filling is set.
Notes
Gently scooping out some of the meat of the mushroom cap often helps the stuffing fit nicely.

 

 

 

Lemon Panna Cotta with Dragon Fruit Gelee

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My new kick of trying and making new things continues. I can officially say that panna cotta and dragon fruit can be checked off the list.  I have always wanted to try them.  They both sound so mysterious and foreign to me.  So why not get crazy and try them at the same time!

I’ll be honest, I was not sure what to expect with the dragon fruit. She looked (yes she) so exotic and travelled.  I was scared and excited.  The outside surface looks scaly and feathery.  I needed to open her up and check her out.

The flesh of the fruit is stunning!  Nature’s pallete is simply amazing.  It was the brightest pink I could ever imagine seeing, speckled with seeds reminiscent of a kiwi.  Some varieties has white flesh too.

dragon fruit

What I thought it was going to taste like and what I got were completely different.  I expected a sour, yet sweet, but strong flavor.  In reality it was mild, slightly sweet, with a gentle texture less firm than a kiwi.

I can’t even remember why I thought to pair the dragon fruit with a panna cotta, let alone a lemon panna cotta, but it just sounded refreshing.  It was five thousand degrees outside and I wanted some relief.

What exactly is panna cotta?  Translated from it’s Northern Italian roots it means ‘cooked cream’.  Hmmm.  Well cream doesn’t get along with my stomach very often so I knew I would have to be creative to make it “me” friendly.  In it’s orginal form cream is combined together with sugar, vanilla and gelatin over heat and then sets in the fridge.  It can be served with fruit or plain.  I am so not a plain Jane, I knew the bright dragon fruit would be the perfect accessory for the panna cotta to shine.

Not ever having a panna cotta I had to do some serious research on what I was getting into.  So to the internet I went.  Apparently I am the only one that has never had panna cotta or made it.  There is a plethora of recipes out there.  Not one really screamed to me, so of course I made up my own hodge podge of a billion recipes.

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So lets recap.  I have never made a panna cotta in my life and made up my own recipe for it.  Then I decided to serve it to 3 other very experienced food bloggers at our second Inland Empire Food Bloggers meeting.  Not my brightest moment.  THANK GOD it worked.  Phew.  Although I have nothing to compare it to I thought it was darn good and my fellow bloggers liked it as well.

You will be excited to know that in addition to dragon fruit’s beauty she also has many health benefits; high in vitamin C, full of antioxidants, good fats and protein from the seeds, and 1 gram of fiber per 100g of fruit.

Typically pitaya is grown in South and Central America, Asia and Mexico.  When shopping for this beauty of a fruit look for skin that isn’t blemished and not molded.

Since I chose to make my panna cotta without any dairy this baby is pure vegan, gluten-free and scrumptious.

Now that you are armed with the knowledge to pick the best dragon fruit and make panna cotta, you should go for it.  Speaking of, there is a panna cotta in the fridge with my name on it.  Toodles!

*Disclaimer* I was not compensated for this post.  All opinions are my own.  The dragon fruit was supplied by Melissa’s Produce.  To purchase this product and many other incredible products click here.

Lemon Panna Cotta with Dragon Fruit Gelee
 
Author: 
Nutrition Information
  • Serves: 6
  • Serving size: 1
  • Calories: 203
  • Fat: 7.6
  • Saturated fat: 5
  • Unsaturated fat: .3
  • Trans fat: 0
  • Carbohydrates: 32
  • Sugar: 30
  • Sodium: 44.2
  • Fiber: .4
  • Protein: 3.5
  • Cholesterol: 0
Recipe type: Dessert
Cuisine: Italian
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
A bright and tangy dragon fruit gelee tops a light and tart lemon panna cotta.
Ingredients
  • Lemon Panna Cotta
  • 6 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 3 teaspoons, unflavored powdered gelatin
  • 1 cup full fat coconut milk
  • 1 cup almond milk
  • ½ cup honey (maple syrup for vegans)
  • 2 tablespoons lemon peel, grated or minced
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Dragon Fruit Gelee
  • 2 ounces of boiling water (can be done in microwave safe mug)
  • 2 teaspoons, unflavored powdered gelatin
  • ½ dragon fruit, pureed
  • 3 tablespoons honey (maple syrup for vegans)
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Instructions
  1. Lemon Panna Cotta
  2. Sprinkle gelatin over the lemon juice, let sit for 10 minutes.
  3. Combine the remaining ingredients in a heavy saucepan until steam forms. Stir the gelatin into the warm mixture till dissolved over low heat.
  4. Pour mixture evenly into ramekins, mason jars or small glasses.
  5. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate till set.
  6. Dragon Fruit Gelee
  7. Stir the gelatin and water together till dissolved.
  8. In a medium bowl combine the dragon fruit juice, honey, and lemon juice.
  9. Combine the gelatin and dragon fruit mixtures.
  10. Distribute the dragon fruit mixture evenly over each set panna cotta.
  11. Refrigerate till gelee is set, about 4 hours.

 

Pork Tenderloin with Fig and Grape Compote

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One can only hope that as we get older we learn and grow progressively.  I discovered my love of cooking as soon as I was able to read.  At five years old I received my first cookbook, I was instantly hooked.  I read that book over and over again.  Then moved on to the Joy of Cooking, which I destroyed reading so much.

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My first cookbook

Present day my cookbook collection has tremendously grown in size, now including Juila Child, Bobby Flay and Jamie Oliver. In each of these cookbooks there are recipes that intimidate the crap out of me.  So naturally I see these scary recipes as a challenge.

I made a goal for myself this year to do things that truly challenge me.  Make and develop recipes that I have never done before, while keeping them healthy.  I’ve been sticking to the things that I am comfortable with for too long.  It’s time to break out of my culinary comfort land and add new skills to my growing repertoire.

Melissa’s Produce recently sent myself and three other talented Inland Empire Food Bloggers (IEFB) a mystery box of their seasons best.   We challenged ourselves as a group to make recipes using the ingredients that came, whatever they were.

The day it came I was like a little kid on Christmas.  I had been having a crudtastic day and this box of goodness brightened my day like only a great box of produce can.

This simple, but heavy brown box was filled with four types of grapes, three types of figs, a young coconut and two dragon fruit.  Christmas was the wrong holiday to use to describe this box.  It felt much more like crisp, comfortable fall meets a tropical vacation.  Sounds like my kind of trip.

The grapes were a huge hit in our house.  All four varieties had my boys coming back to the kitchen for more.  They hated waiting for the green light to devour them after I finished with what I needed.  Among the quad of grape flavors were black muscato, red muscato, champagne, and cotton candy.  I loved them all, but the red muscato were my favorite.

Grapes have a whole host of benefits including:

  • supports muscle recovery
  • fights diabetes
  • fights fat
  • improve brain power
  • fat cell storage reduction
  • protects heart
  • fights inflammation

fig and grapes

The trio of figs made me anxious.  The last time I had a fig I was seven.  If you follow me you know that there is only one food that is on my do not eat list, beets.  It’s not that I don’t like figs.  Actually the extreme opposite. I ate so many figs straight from my grandfather’s friend’s tree when I was seven that I made myself extremely sick.  Why no one stopped me before I devoured 20 raw figs I can’t say.  All I know is that I never wanted to touch one after that.

So as you can imagine I was concerned when I opened the box.  I cautiously tasted each of the figs; Mission, Brown Turkey, and Tiger.  I was brought back to why I devoured so many in one sitting.  Figs are sweet, fiber and calcium filled treats.  The 5.5g of fiber per fig explains my stomach issues after eating too many.  I am happy to say that eating an appropriate amount I was perfectly fine.

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I can’t wait to tell you about the dragon fruit and young coconut, so stay tuned for another post where I gush about them in detail!

Being that both grapes and figs have a high sugar content I wanted to make a savory dish.  It also needed an acid component to cut through the sugar.  Wine immediately came to mind.  after searching through recipes I finally decided this was a time to challenge myself.  Not only have I never made a compote, I have never actually had one either.  Not knowing what to expect in the end was going to make this even more challenging.  Challenge accepted.

The final product made my taste buds sing.  I have learned that a compote is a reduced, yet chunky sauce.  The fruit doesn’t break down completely, but the sugars release and create a syrup like base for the fruit.  The gentle spice of the garlic and ginger in the pork make this a perfect pairing to the light sweetness of the compote.

It may sound like a complicated dish, but it couldn’t be easier.  The pork can be marinated and frozen up to three months (thaw in the fridge overnight).  The compote can be made up to 3 days in advance or frozen up to 3 months, defrosted in a pan over low heat till heated through.

The bright raspberry color of the compote and yellow dots of mustard seed make this vibrant dish a dinner party must.  Impress your friends with this stunning dish.  You can even pretend it took all day.  I won’t tell, I promise!

For step by step directions, scroll down to the recipe below.

Want to see what my fellow bloggers did with their mystery box from Melissa’s?

My rockin’ fellow blogger Natalie from The Devil Wears Parsley made an out of this world Fig & Grape Pork Loin Roulade Sandwiches w/ Coconut Gravy & Dragon Fruit Greens.

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The extremely talented Sara from My Imperfect Kitchen made a mouth watering Fig Grape and Walnut Spread.

CheeseFigGrapeTorte

Sue, the vivacious writer of It’s Ok to Eat the Cupcake came up with a dazzling recipe for Quinoa with Roasted Grapes and Grilled Chicken.

sue quinoa with grapes

To find a store where these succulent fruits are sold please click here.

*Disclaimer* Thank you to Melissa’s Produce for sponsoring this post through supplying the figs, grapes, coconut and dragon fruit.  I was not compensated for this post.  All opinions are my own.

Chocolate Strawberry Protein Smoothie

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It’s that time of year again moms and dads.  School is back in session.  No more night swimming or sleeping in.  The mom only overnight wine tasting tours are on hold.  The leisurely weekday breakfasts have come to a sudden halt.  There is a gloom in the hot molten air that can only be described as buzz kill.

I’m sure some of you are scratching your heads as to why we are already back in school.  Ask California’s Governor Jerry Brown to answer that one for you.  Apparently it had something to do with California Standard testing which has been dissolved.  Hey Jerry!  Can we have a September start date again?

Back to reality.  Literally.  6:10 a.m. wake up times are again my new reality for the next 10 months.  Back to being super organized in the morning, even more so since I have two in school.  Two completely different lunches to pack, two kids that lose shoes on a daily basis, two kids to keep from killing each other while they brush their teeth.  The most handsome third grader and first grader are now in my midst.

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With the organized chaos that ensues every morning sometimes I forget to make food for myself.  For instance, this morning I made 3 breakfast sandwiches with a side of strawberries.  As my husband and two boys were eating their sandwiches I looked down at the plate I set out for myself.  Empty.  With only 10 minutes before departure time my stomach growled loudly, reminiscent of the mountain lions that keep coming out of our foothills.  My only option was to make a smoothie, another sandwich wasn’t in my time constraint.

I’ve made this smoothie once before and inhaled it, creating massive brain freeze.  This time I used self control as to not repeat such idiocy.  In a moment of clarity I remembered that I had promised to post the recipe about a month ago on my Instagram.

So as promised here is the healthiest well balanced version of a chocolate covered strawberry you will ever ingest.  This smoothie has a whopping 26.5 grams of green organic whey free protein.  I started using the Orgain protein powder because it took care of my aversion to whey in my protein shakes.   This powder is a legit source of clean protein made from Organic Brown Rice Protein, Organic Sprouted Chia Seed, Organic Hemp Protein, and Organic Pea Protein.  The sugar comes from monk fruit and organic stevia.

We need to talk about the raw green chocolate powder in this smoothie.  If you haven’t started using raw green powder start today.  These powders are nutrient dense and cost less than buying the 1 pound of greens it takes to make 1 ounce.  Because the powder is raw the enzymes are still in tact when they are turned into powder form.  Raw greens will give you increased energy and repair cellular damage.  I know the next question, “what does it taste like?”.  My honest answer is I have no clue.  I always put it in a smoothie and I can’t taste it.

This surprisingly vegan, gluten-free smoothie will easily make it’s way into your rotation. It’s incredibly filling, nutrient dense, and above all it tastes like dessert.  I hope you enjoy it amongst the controlled chaos in your life.  Cheers!

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Now for some exciting news!   As of August 4, 2014 I became a full time food blogger!  Woohoo!  So what exactly does that mean?  More posts with more healthy, decadent recipes.  More giveaways, more awesomeness that you will notice in each post.  So stay tuned!  If you haven’t already, now would be the perfect time to subscribe to the blog so you don’t miss anything.  A lovely email with the newest post comes straight to your inbox.  No checking social media to make sure you didn’t miss anything.

You can subscribe by typing in your email on the right hand side of the homepage.

Questions?  Comments?  Feel free to leave a love note at the bottom of this post.

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New York Style Vegan Cheesecake

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There came a time in my journey towards a healthier me that I really started missing my former fatty friends.  No, I am not making a rude comment about anyone in my life.  I am referring to the unhealthy food choices that I constantly made.

I used to love McDonald’s french fries.  Actually, let me rephrase that, love, love, LOVED McDonald’s french fries.  There was something about those salty, hot sticks of pleasure that just made me happy.  Now they make me sick.  I am happy to say that fatty friend has not passed my lips in….well I can not remember when.  Good riddance.

Then there were the ridiculously large portions at any restaurant, which we would go to a couple of times a week.  More former fatty, GMO, preservative filled, friends like Chili’s, T.G.I. Friday’s, & Applebees.  Nothing they serve is fresh, and the amount of bad for you food that is put on your plate is mind-blowing.  I miss none of these restaurants.

Alas, there is one fatty friend my heart will always long for.  Who am I kidding?  My heart?  We all know it’s my stomach.  Let me explain it this way.  You know that one friend you had growing up that your mom told you was bad for you?  You know the one that never did anything good but made you feel great when you were around them?  Well that is how cheesecake is for me.  I know it’s bad for me, but I just can’t quit.

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I know I am not alone in my love affair with cheesecake.  It’s the one dessert that most people can agree on.  It’s smooth, creamy, sweet and savory.  What’s not to love?  Well there is that one thing, the damn calories!  One slice of New York style cheesecake holds a whopping 710 calories.  In the midst of devouring a heavenly piece of cheesecake that is the last thing I think about.  But then it comes, the guilt.  The ‘Why do I love that stuff so much that I would do this to myself?!”, self loathing.

One of my infamous cravings came on the other night.  I knew I couldn’t go down the fatty friend road.  I ‘ve been working way too hard lately to undo all of my work.  I went on a hunt for  a healthy version that was great, not just good.  It had big shoes to fill if it was going to take the place as my new cheesecake BFF.

I stumbled upon a version on the Minimalist Baker(If you have never heard of them, click on over and check them out.  So awesome!).  They had a recipe for Simple Vegan Cheesecakes that sounded like what I was looking for.  I thought I would give it a shot, but hope for the best.

I changed the recipe to fit my needs and what I came up with was astounding.  I honestly could not tell that it was vegan, and gluten-free.  I hate labeling this dessert as vegan or gluten-free because of the stigma that comes with it.  Most people make faces when they hear those words.  But, in my very picky, meat and potato eating, brutally honest husband’s own words, “It is really, really good!”.

I can truly say I have found a new skinny friend to add to my growing repertoire.  Eating healthy isn’t always easy, but recipes like this make it much easier.

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Vegan New York Style Cheesecake

Adapted from Minimalist Baker

12 Servings

Crust:

1 cup fresh dates, pits removed

1 cup salted almonds

1 tablespoon ghee (or vegan butter like Melt)

Filling:

1 1/2 cups cashews, soaked for 6 hours

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

2 tablespoons vanilla

1/3 cup melted coconut oil

1/2 cup agave (honey for non-vegans)

1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons full fat coconut milk (refrigerated upside down 12 hours)

Topping:

1 8 oz. container vegan cream cheese

1/4 cup agave (honey for non-vegans)

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon vanilla

Directions:

Line the bottom of a 9 inch spring form pan with parchment paper.

Soak the dates in hot water for 10 minutes.

In a food processor pulse the dates, almonds, and ghee till finely chopped and well combined.  Mixture should stick together when pressed into the bottom the spring form pan.  Evenly press the mixture into the bottom of the pan.  Put in the freezer to set while making the filling.

Using a food processor or blender combine all filling ingredients till completely combined and smooth.  Remove the crust from the freezer and pour the filling on top of the crust.  Using a spatula (or back of a spoon)  spread the mixture evenly in the pan.  Return back to freezer for 4 – 6 hours.

Using a food processor or blender puree the topping ingredients till smooth.  Pour over the filling, spread evenly.  Return to freezer for 2 hours.

To serve, cut into 12 equal slices, serve immediately or let thaw for 10 minutes before eating.  Store in freezer.

Nutrition

Servings: 12• Size 1/12th of the Cheesecake Calories 399: • Fat 27.4g • Carb: 36.8g • Fiber: 2.5g • Protein: 5.9g • Sugar:  28.6g Sodium: 215.5mg • Cholesterol: 2.8mg

Chocolate Paleo Energy Bites

energy balls 5I get hungry, a lot.  I eat 3 meals a day but I need daily snacks to hold me over to each meal.  I don’t purchase bad snack options because I know I will eat them if available.  BUT, my lovely husband used to bring tempting devilish snacks into our home.  Chips, donuts, oreos, you name it.  So every now and then I would get a craving for an item on the “Do not eat” list, and go nuts.

Thank goodness in the last month he has decided to come over to the fit side.  Hallelujah!  Every morning he wakes up at 5:45 a.m. to work out, and has cleaned up his diet tremendously.  Needless to say I am incredibly proud of him.

Due to his change in eating, the bad stuff is no longer crossing the threshold into our pantry.  Instead I need to make sure I have snacks for both of us now.  Two hangry people in the afternoon can be dangerous.  I keep the obvious staples, like hard-boiled eggs and hummus on hand, but sometimes that doesn’t quite hit my sweet spot.  My sweet tooth needs to be fed every now and then.

Chocolate Almond Energy Bites hit my sweet spot every time.  Two small bites pack almost 4g of protein, enough carbs (7g) to level your blood sugar.  The good fats and fiber give you a satiated feeling, making the bridge to your next meal a happy one.

The bites last in the fridge for two weeks, but can be frozen for up to 3 months.

Do yourself a favor and make a large batch so you always have a healthy, yet decadent option ready.

energy balls

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Recipe

Serves 12

1 1/2 cups whole almonds

1/2 cup dark chocolate chips (can use vegan chips, I love Enjoy Life!)

1/2 cup unsweetened dried flake coconut

2 teaspoons water

Directions:

In a food processor pulse the first 3 ingredients till smooth, but still has some texture.  Add in the water one teaspoon at a time, pulse till combined.

Using a melon baller scoop up the mixture, press mixture firmly, and then roll into a ball.

Refrigerate till firm or freeze till ready to use.  If frozen, thaw at room temperature for 30 minutes before eating.

 

Nutrition

Servings: 12• Size: 2 bites Calories 124: • Fat 9.5g • Carb: 7.7g • Fiber: 1.6g • Protein: 3.3g • Sugar:  2.6g Sodium: 92.9mg • Cholesterol: 2.2mg

Best 100 Juices for Kids Review + Giveaway

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My children love their morning glass of juice.  It has become a morning ritual that they look forward to.  I am not a huge fan of unnecessary sugar deposited into my kids.  Especially right before they are going to sit in a classroom all day.  But, their pediatrician actually recommended they enjoy one glass in the morning to alleviate morning time hypoglycemia.  So it was easy for this health loving mama to give them their one glass without guilt.  To keep the juice healthy I buy organic apple juice for them, and sometimes I get wild and crazy and pull out orange juice.

A few weeks ago I received a fabulous fellow blogger’s new cook book in the mail, Best 100 Juices  for Kids (The Harvard Common Press).  The fabulous author, Jessica Fisher, writes the popular blogs, Life as Mom, and Good Cheap Eats. Both blogs have been an inspiration for my own blog.  She is witty, brilliant, and gracious.

I was lucky enough to sit next to her at Camp Blogaway last year.  Immediately I liked her.  Shortly after we met, she took me under her wing.  As a new blogger I needed help to make my blog into what it is today.  She gave me the tools to improve my blog without batting an eye.   So when she asked who would like to review her new book, I eagerly shot up my hand.  It was the least I could do after all the help she has given me.

From the moment I cracked open 100 Juices, I was in love.  FishMama openly shares her journey through their family’s eating habit reform.   She talks about her days as a former soda junkie, something I can most definitely relate to.  About how that addiction led to unwanted dental visits for the family.

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There was one line that really grabbed me hook line and sinker in her intro.  She mentions that even though feeding her six children (FishKids) can be expensive, she wanted to make “every bite count”.  I internalized that statement.  Pondered what it meant for the G family, and my two kids.  I got the concept of the book in its entirety, as applied to our life.

After some quick research I found the organic apple juice I was buying from the store contained 15g more sugar than a freshly juiced apples.  Even though I thought I was making a healthy choice for my kids, I was not making every bite count.  Switching to freshly juiced apples would meet that goal.  The 15 g of hidden sugars wouldn’t exist and I would spend less money by making my own.

Even though this was the best choice, would my kids follow suit and drink the fresh concoctions?

I had the boys become official Best 100 Juice taste testers.  To my surprise and joy, they loved it.  Not only did they approve of the recipes, they loved the process of making them.  They are still enjoying the same morning ritual, but it has been improved.  Less sugar, more nutrition.  Just the way I like it.

I like that beyond writing 100 recipes Jessica also added in advice on how to juice on a budget, types of juicers, how to get the most juice out of them, and how to clean them.  Oh, and wonderful tips on making the experience fun for kids.

Among the juices are smoothies, popsicle, sports drinks, fizzy drinks or sparklies, fruit/veg drinks, and slushies too!   Such a fun array of recipes for parents that want their kids to learn healthy eating habits.

I am looking forward to making a new recipe every day of summer break with the boys.  Only 15 more days till that glorious day!  But, who’s counting?

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Recipes from 100 Best Juices for Kids

This is a great recipe for my two boys that are always on the go.  I personally despise the store-bought sports drinks.  Typical ‘ade’ drinks contain two kinds of artificial sugar, artificial flavoring and preservatives. These are not items I want my child rehydrating with. For FishMama’s clean version, I had all the easy pronounce ingredients on-hand.  This is a sports drink I will say YES! to.

Lemon-Lime Sports Ade

Lemon-Lime Sports Drink fishmama

3 1/2 cups water

6 tablespoons Honey Syrup (1 cup honey to 1 cup water, boiled)

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice

1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt

1.  In a pitcher, whisk together the water, honey syrup, lemon and lime juices, and salt.

2.  Store in a covered jar or container in the refrigerator.  Serve chilled.

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I want to share one more of her brilliant recipes.  Not only could this be a fun breakfast for the kids, but also for mom and dad.  This fiber and protein filled smoothie will please everyone.  It has three of my favorite ingredients, banana, chocolate and peanut butter.  Yum!

Chocolate & Banana Nut Butter Blast

Chocolate Banana Nut Butter Blast fishmama

Serves 1

1 cup crushed ice

1 small banana, broken into chunks

1/2 cup milk

1 tablespoon natural unsweetened cocoa powder

1 tablespoon peanut butter or other nut or seed butter of your choice

1.  Place the ice, banana, milk, cocoa powder, and nut or seed butter in the blender cup or pitcher.

2.  Blend until very smooth.

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GIVEAWAY!

best juices book

Do you love these kid approved healthy recipes as much as I do?  I thought you would!  Well you are in luck my friend.  Harvard Common Press is giving away a copy of this incredible book.  To enter follow the rafflecopter link below.

Click here to enter Best 100 Juices for Kids Giveaway!

 

Disclosure:  I did not receive any compensation to write this post.  All opinions are my own. 

Photo Credit:  Harvard Common Press

Paleo Carrot Cake & Throwdown {$50 gift card giveaway}

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Spring has officially sprung, the signs are everywhere.  Birds are busy building their nests.  The intoxicating smell of blooming flowers is in the air.  All of this means that Easter is on it’s way!  Not only do I love this holiday for spiritual reasons, but for the candy, cakes, and sugar.

My name is Rebekah and I am/was a sugar-a-holic.  Even though I have cleaned up my diet tremendously, this is the area I still struggle.  If there is a Reese’s Peanut Butter Egg within 5 feet of me, I will seek and destroy.  It’s embarrassing to be caught shoving said egg in your mouth by your 5 year old.  The yellow wrapper and chocolate lining my lips didn’t help.  Sorry C-Bear, I owe you.

My addiction to sugar is so bad that I gave it up for Lent this year.  What is Lent?  Christians & Catholics use this time of year to give up anything that may take their focus away from God.  It symbolizes the sacrifice that Jesus made for us.  So for 40 days we try to simulate a sacrifice.  For me that means 40 days without processed sugar.

The Lent period starts Ash Wednesday and ends on Easter Sunday.  There have been serious temptations sent my way, but I have stood firm against the sugar demons.  Don’t worry, those peanut butter eggs don’t stand a chance on Easter.  Hide your eggs, hide your chocolate, I’ll be on a mission to give my self a horrible stomach ache.  Then I won’t want to touch it for at least a day, maybe day and a half.

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Another favorite spring time treat of mine is carrot cake.  I can’t resist the buttery, sweet, carrot filled, cream cheese topped cake.  In moderation it wouldn’t be so bad, but I don’t know anyone who is satisfied with a small sliver of the carrot-filled goodness.  I want a satiating piece.

Wanting a satiating piece of carrot cake was one of the reasons I started conjuring  up a healthy version. Giving up processed sugar was the biggest reason.  This was truly a passion project.  It took many tries to get it right, but I am truly proud of the finished project.  You will not find any ounce of processed sugar or grains in this paleoan beauty.  All you gluten-free lovers can eat this proudly.  Vegetarians, you can enjoy this freely.   Clean eats all the way.

The sweetness in the cake comes from a mixture of dates, pineapple, and carrots.  I used Bob’s Red Mill Hazelnut Flour and Coconut Flour for the base.  Then added in Bob’s Arrowroot starch to stabilize the cake. To frost this luscious grain-free goodie, I blended together coconut oil and pure maple syrup.  I know it sounds strange, but it is out of this world good.

It’s hard to tell that this is a healthy version of the naughty nosh.  This cake would be the perfect end to your Easter dinner.  Or any dinner you choose to serve this season.

If you are looking for the best decadent, playful versions of carrot cake, check out my friends Jillian, Barbara, and Angela’s recipes.

After you check them out, enter to win a $50 gift card to the store of your choice!  You can enter multiple times by following each of our social media outlets.  Click the link below to enter!

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Jillian’s Bakery Style Carrot Cake Cheesecake Cake from Food Folks & Fun
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Barbara’s Carrot Cake Brownie Bars from Barbara Cooks
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Angela’s Rainbow Carrot Cupcakes from Aloha: Yinz Mangia
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Paleo Carrot Cake from Decadently Fit

Enter giveaway by clicking rafflecopter link below!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Paleo Carrot Cake

Serves 16

Cake

12 dates, chopped

1 1/2 cups boiling water

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 cup chopped pineapple, packed

3 cups carrot, finely shredded

6 tablespoons Melt Buttery Spread (or other vegan butter), melted

4 eggs, room temperature

3/4 cup Bob’s Red Mill Hazelnut flour

1/2 cup Bob’s Red Mill Coconut flour

1/4 cup Bob’s Red Mill Arrowroot starch

4 teaspoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 t. baking soda

2 teaspoons vanilla

Frosting

6 tablespoons pure maple syrup

1/2 cup room temperature coconut oil (do not melt)

Cake

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.

Prepare a 9 inch spring form pan by greasing the sides and bottom with Melt, and cutting a parchment paper circle to fit the bottom of the pan.

Combine the dates, boiling water and teaspoon of baking soda.  Set timer for 10 minutes.

After time is up, use a fine strainer to remove dates from mixture.  Pulse dates 1 minute in food processor.  If the mixture is too thick to pulse, use 1 tablespoon of orange juice at at time to make it easier.  Do not liquify the mixture, it should still be somewhat chunky.

In another bowl, combine the flours, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, baking powder and baking soda together.

In a large mixing bowling, whisk eggs till frothy.  Whisk in the Melt slowly.   With a wooden spoon mix in the dates, then the pineapple, carrots and vanilla.

Combine the wet mixture with the flour mixture till everything is incorporated well.

Pour batter into spring form pan and cover with foil.

Bake for 30 minutes, then remove foil cover and bake for another 30 – 40 minutes, or until cake is done.  It will be done when middle of cake springs back to gentle touch.

Frosting

With an immersion blender or high power blender combine the two ingredients till smooth.  Frost the cooled cake and enjoy.

Cake can be store at room temperature up to 3 days.

 

Servings: 16• Size: 1/16 Calories: 248• Fat: 15.5g • Carb: 25g • Fiber: 3.4g • Protein: 3.4g • Sugar:  18g Sodium: 222mg • Cholesterol: 53mg

 

 

 

 

 

 

7 Minute Hummus

hummus 5Being partially of middle eastern decent you would think I grew up on hummus.  Unfortunately, I did not meet hummus till I was 22 years old.  I will spend the rest of my life making up for its 22 year absence.

I’m going to assume that it was never present in my home due to the regional differences in my heritage.  Or it may have been considered hippy food.  My parents were and are far from being hippies.  How I ended up with a hippy soul I am not sure.

Anyhoo.

Fortunately, not only has it become a mainstream staple, but it is even easier to make.  Ingredients like tahini paste are no longer only sold at health food stores.  Olive oil, is present in most homes, and lemon trees seem to be gracing more properties than ever.

This healthy comfort food is also chocked full of health benefits.  Fiber, protein, and healthy fats make it a great way to snack.  I love dipping assorted vegetables in the creamy goodness.

Did you know chickpeas can help maintain your blood sugar?  They can also help prevent cholesterol from sticking to the walls of your blood vessels.

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Apart from all of the omega 3’s and myriad of good for you reasons, hummus is super easy and fast to make.  Seven minutes may be an exaggeration in time it takes to make it.

For all of my lent practicing friends, hummus is a great alternative to meat on Fridays.  I suggest slathering some hummus inside a whole wheat pita, then stuffing it with roasted mushrooms, bell peppers, and zucchini.

Now that I am drooling, here is the recipe.

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7 Minute Hummus

Serves 5

1 – 15 ounce can chickpeas (garbanzo beans)

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

4 tablespoons tahini

1 garlic clove

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon sea salt

2 tablespoons water

paprika, to sprinkle on top

Method

Rinse the chickpeas in a mesh strainer with cold water.  Set aside to drain.  Then pat dry.

Put all the ingredients in a food processor, minus the water and paprika.  Process till combined.

Scrape down the sides with a rubber spatula then add the water. Process again till smooth.

Serve in a bowl and sprinkle with paprika.  Traditionally olive oil is drizzled over the hummus to serve.  I do not because I do not want the added calories.

Can be refrigerated up to a week in an air tight container.

Servings: 5• Size: 1/4 Calories: 165• Fat: 9.3g • Carb: 15.4g • Fiber: 4.6g • Protein: 5.1g • Sugar:  1g Sodium: 600mg • Cholesterol: 0mg