Sweet Jalapeno Hummus

OK. Be skeptical. It's cool. I can handle it! Because I was skeptical too! I have wasted MORE cans of stinkin' chickpeas on homemade hummus attempts that I have just NOT liked at all. And I really don't like the store bought versions :( But I WANT to like hummus. I really do! So... we had this at a friends' house the other night and it was good! It was REALLY good!!! And I'm not even a huge jalapeno fan, I don't do super spicy foods. But this isn't! It's like a magic trick. Anyways, try it, hope you like it!!

Sweet Jalapeno Hummus

Ingredients:

1 Jalapeno
1 can rinsed and drained chickpeas
1/4 cup tahini (I didn't have any and mine was still yummy, my friend made hers with tahini and it was good too. So I consider this kind of optional. Tahini definitely makes it more authentic)
1 1/2 Tbsp agave nectar
1/3 cup olive oil
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
3 Tbsp ice water

Instructions:

Cut jalapeno in half. Remove the seeds. Place under your broiler until browned in places. Quickly remove and place in a Ziploc baggie for about 10 minutes. This roasts the jalapeno, making it's flavor much more yummy, and it's flesh more soft. You can choose to use the whole jalapeno, or just 1/2 of it. I used 1/2 because I'm cautious of spicy stuff. Again, my friend used the whole one and it was really good too.

Rinse chickpeas and pull of any pea shells that are easily removed. Place these in blender or food processor and puree until relatively smooth. Add in the tahini (if using), agave nectar, and jalapeno. Blend until smooth (scrape the sides if necessary). Stream in your olive oil while food processor is still running and continue to blend until smooth. Add salt and pepper, blend, taste, and season according to your taste. Last, turn back on your processor and stream in the ice water until completely smooth. This gives it such good consistency. Scoop out and serve!

We used carrot sticks for ours, but you can also take brown rice tortillas, cut them into strips, spritz with olive oil and salt, bake at 425 until slightly crispy. Yum yum yum!

Coconut Shrimp

Oh MYLANTA this was the perfect treat. I needed something rich and "naughty" tasting on this 4th week of the detox. Everyone else was feasting on terrible super bowl foods, and I wasn't craving THOSE foods so much as I was just something rich. This recipe was so good!!!!

Coconut Shrimp Recipe:

Ingredients:

Cooking spray
7 Tbsp ground flaxseed meal
1/2 cup unsweetened light shredded coconut
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
2 egg whites
12 oz medium cooked shrimp

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 375 F.

Spray a cookie sheet with the cooking spray, set aside.

Mix together flaxseed meal, coconut, and pepper. Take 1/2 of it and place in a separate bowl for when the breading starts to clump and not stick as well. (after doing about 1/2 your shrimp, you can move on to this bowl)

Put egg whites in another bowl, and whisk them slightly.

Dip your shrimp in the egg whites, then roll in the flax mixture. Then place on cookie sheet. Bake for 15 minutes. Check on them after 10 minutes and make sure they're not getting tough. But mine took the whole 15 and they were great!

Now, I made two dipping sauces, and I honestly liked them both together on the shrimp at the same time! So do whatever sounds best to you :)

Sweet and Spicy Dip:

Heat 1/2 cup agave nectar and 1/4 cup coconut oil in a small sauce pan, add crushed red pepper, and a little chili powder. Whisk up and enjoy!

Pineapple salsa:

Blend together one small can of pineapple with about 1/3 of a red onion, and a small bunch of cilantro. Add about 2 Tbsp agave to the blender, mix until combined well. Voila!

Pan Seared Sea Bass with Asparagus and Mushrooms

Some dear friends had us over for an AMAZING dinner the other night, completely detox friendly. I felt like I was at a gourmet restaurant!!! Here is what she made:

Sea Bass:

Preheat oven to 450. Dry off all pieces completely with paper towels. Get your skillet hot over medium high heat. Cover pan with olive oil to prevent sticking. Place the sea bass fillets in the skillet, sprinkle with sea salt and pepper. Once browned, turn and brown on the other side. Place on cookie sheet lined with foil, and in oven for approximately 10 minutes or until the meat flakes easily - don't over cook. You can always let it rest  by covering it with foil and it will cook a little more. So if anything, undercook.

Mix together olive oil, lemon juice, capers, and garlic, and when you serve the fish, spoon some of this mixture on top! Delish!!!

Asparagus:

Ingredients

• 1 lb asparagus spears (thick spears are best for roasting)
• 1-2 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• Kosher Salt
• Freshly grated black pepper
• Lemon juice

Method

1 Preheat oven to 400°F. Rinse clean the asparagus. Break the tough ends off of the asparagus and discard.

2 Lay the asparagus spears out in a single layer in a baking dish or a foil-covered roasting pan. Drizzle olive oil over the spears, roll the asparagus back and forth until they are all covered with a thin layer of olive oil. (Alternatively you can put the asparagus and oil in a plastic bag, and rub the bag so that the oil gets evenly distributed.) Sprinkle with minced garlic, salt, and pepper. Rub over the asparagus so that they are evenly distributed.

3 Place pan in oven and cook for approximately 8-10 minutes, depending on how thick your asparagus spears are, until lightly browned and tender when pierced with a fork. Drizzle with a little fresh lemon juice before serving.

 

Roasted Mushrooms

Get more of the ingredients that you sprinkled the asparagus with, and the olive oil, mix those together. Cut up your mushrooms, and drizzle with that dressing. Roast at 400 with the asparagus for the same amount of time. Enjoy!

 

 

Cuban Halibut with Black Bean Quinoa

This dish is full of flavor. Sometimes you can get caught in a boring funk with cooking, try this exotic meal to stir things up a bit!

INGREDIENTS:

• 4 4-oz halibut fillets, skin and bones removed

Marinade:

1 tsp orange zest

1 tsp lime zest

Juice 1/2 lime

1/4 tsp sea salt

1/8 tsp ground black pepper

QUINOA

• 1 tsp coconut oil
• 1/2 cup diced red onion
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• 1/8 tsp ground black pepper
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 1 bunch or bag spinach (9 oz), roughly chopped
• 1 cup uncooked quinoa
• 1 cup cooked black beans
• 1 orange, sectioned with juice
• 1 tsp orange zest
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Set oven to broil. Place halibut in a large bowl.
2. Prepare marinade: In a small bowl, mix together orange and lime zests, lime juice, salt and pepper. Pour marinade over halibut and set aside.
3. Prepare quinoa: In a large sauté pan, heat oil on medium. Add onion, cumin, oregano, salt, pepper and garlic. Cook for 3 minutes, until spices release their aroma and onion begins to soften. If onion starts becoming too brown, add 1/4 cup water. In batches, add spinach and cook, covered, for 3 to 4 minutes, until slightly wilted. Add quinoa and 2 cups water. Increase heat and bring mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Cook, covered, for 10 minutes. Add beans and cook for 5 more minutes. Then gently mix in orange sections and juice, orange zest and cilantro. Heat through for 1 more minute.
4. Meanwhile, place halibut and marinade on a baking sheet and broil in oven for about 8 minutes. Serve halibut over quinoa mixture.

Roasted Turkey with Mushroom Sauce

For those days when you want a homey, warm, comfort food meal, this is perfect! I would pair this with baked sweet potato, or some boiled new potatoes with olive oil, rosemary and parsley on top.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1/4 cup chopped fresh rosemary
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp garlic powder
• 1 tbsp onion powder
• 1 tsp fresh ground black pepper, plus additional to taste
• 1 10- to 12-lb turkey (thawed if frozen), neck and giblets removed
• 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth, divided, plus additional if needed
• 1/2 oz dried porcini mushrooms, cut or torn into 1/4-inch pieces
• 1/4 cup arrowroot powder, dissolved in 1/4 cup cold water
• Sea salt, to taste

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. In a medium bowl, combine rosemary, oil, garlic powder, onion powder and 1 tsp pepper. Place turkey on work surface, gently slip your fingers under the skin and work in herb mixture, distributing evenly over meat. Set turkey aside for an hour at room temperature, or if preparing in advance, overnight in the refrigerator. (NOTE: If turkey is marinating in the refrigerator, remove from fridge about an hour before continuing to Step Two.)
2. Preheat oven to 400°F. Arrange turkey, breast side up, on a roasting rack set in a roasting pan. Tie legs together (if they aren’t already) and tuck in wings. Add about 2 cups broth to roasting pan, enough to fill pan 1/4-inch deep. Loosely cover turkey with foil and roast for 1 hour.
3. Remove foil and baste turkey with pan juices. Continue roasting uncovered, basting every 20 to 30 minutes, until an internal thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh (without touching the bone) registers 165°F, about 2 1/4 to 2 3/4 hours total cooking time. (NOTE: If pan gets dry, add water or additional broth to maintain about 1/4 inch of liquid. If any part of the turkey gets too brown, cover it loosely with foil.)
4. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan on medium-high, combine remaining 1 cup broth with mushrooms and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and cover; set aside.
5. Transfer turkey to a cutting board and let rest, loosely covered with foil, for 20 to 30 minutes.
6. Meanwhile, carefully pour pan drippings from roasting pan into a measuring cup and set aside to let fat separate. Add porcini mixture to roasting pan and place pan on medium heat, straddled over two burners if necessary. Bring to a boil, scraping up any browned bits in the pan with a spoon. Skim and discard fat from pan drippings, add remaining liquid to the roasting pan and return to a boil. Whisk in arrowroot mixture and cook until sauce thickens, 30 to 60 seconds. Add salt and additional pepper and transfer sauce to a gravy boat.
7. Remove skin and carve turkey. Serve sauce on the side.

Another Version of Chicken Tortilla Soup

If I were more creative, I would come up with a new name for this since we already have a chicken tortilla soup on here... but "chicken and bean" doesn't sound good, and I'm not feeling uber creative today. So: "chicken tortilla soup, version 2" it is :)

Chicken Tortilla Soup

2-3 chicken breast (free range, organic) boiled & shredded
2 cans chicken broth (low sodium, organic)
2 cans stewed tomatoes
2 cans pinto beans, drained
2 cans black beans, drained
24 oz picante or salsa (clean - no vinegar or sugar)
1 sm-med onion, diced
1 pkg taco seasoning (low sodium, no MSG or homemade)
Optional toppings: Rice chips, cheddar "cheese" shreds, avocado slices, green onions

Cook 20-30 minutes stove top. This recipe is HUGE! A half-batch easily serves our family of 4 with 1-2 leftover servings. Try halving it or freeze second half for later time when you need a quick meal!

Coconut Lime Chicken Nuggets

Don't let junk food cravings do you in. If you see someone gobbling down one of your favorite treats, run (and I mean RUN) to your computer and google a healthy version of that. There are always ways around your favorites!!! Here's one of mine :)

http://www.dailybitesblog.com/2012/07/05/coconut-lime-chicken-bites/

Cream of... substitution

I have to thank the blog "cookin' with super pickle" for this recipe. It will be SO helpful!!! This way you can make so many of those creamy recipes :). Yumm!

http://cookinwithsuperpickle.blogspot.com/2010/09/condensed-cream-soups-substitute.html

Just make sure you use the tapioca starch rather than the flour, and use a detox friendly butter substitute like olive oil spread.

Remember that our taste buds are conditioned to a certain flavor (mainly things filled with high fructose corn syrup - even deli meat, some garlic salts, etc. have HFCS in them), so when you start using whole food substitutions, it will be different. But with some time, you will recondition those taste buds to appreciating good, whole foods!

Happy cooking!

Katy

Tip of the Day #2

Ok so it's happened two days in a row - PLEASE no holding your breath for a third tip in a row :)

This morning I was making waffles and realized I didnt have any almond milk or any other kind of milk in the house. I REALLY wanted waffles, and I just as equally REALLY didn't want to go to the store.

SO... I got creative and I mixed up protein powder with water and used that in place of the almond milk. It make the waffles SO smooth and DELICIOUS!!!! I honestly think I'll be using protein powder and water instead of almond or rice milk in the future. Seriously, it was that good. Yumm!

I put some frozen berries in a saucepan and boiled them down and mashed them up until they were good and squishy, added some stevia, and the whole family absolutely loved our healthy, yummy breakfast :). Success!!!

Tip of the Day

I'm making it sound like I post a tip each day. I don't. Sorry :). Anyways... this is a tip that maybe you're already doing and it's a big "duh" for you, but it just occurred to me yesterday!

So, pretty much every week I cook a big batch of brown rice in my rice cooker and add it to things like breakfast burritos, soups, broccoli and some ginger/sesame oil/sesame seeds, etc. throughout the week. Makes life a lot easier if I'm hungry and need an emergency meal! I've been doing this for seriously almost two years. Oh my. Anyways, it's SO bland, and especially on the detox, there aren't many condiments we can use to spruce up rice, and it seems like my bland rice actually sucks the flavor out of any food that mix it in with. Yet, for nearly 2 years I continued to mindlessly eat it that way! UGH.

Ok. Moving on. So I was making my batch and a light bulb went off. What if I were to use my organic vegetable broth for the liquid, rather than only water? So I put a full carton of vegetable broth in the rice cooker and a little water, turned that baby on, and viola! Delicious, flavorful rice!!! I am so proud of my discovery :). It doesn't have so much flavor that it will overpower anything you use it on, but it's just not bland like before where it killed anything with flavor.

I hope this helps any of you "flavor-seekers" like myself. Enjoy!!!

Chocolate Protein Powder Cupcakes

Ok. I'm not going to lie to you, these have more of a "muffin" texture than a "cupcake", but perhaps thats in the type of flour I used. I didn't have coconut flour like the recipe calls for, so I used part Bob's Red Mill gluten free baking mix, and part tapioca flour. I'll post the icing recipe too, just know that I thought it was way too sweet, but had to be that sweet to combat the bitter carob chips, and it made my tummy hurt :( But it took care of my sweet tooth, and my snack attack for sure :)

CHOCOLATE CUPCAKE RECIPE

¼ cup coconut flour
¼ cup chocolate protein powder
¼ teaspoon sea salt
½ teaspoon baking soda
3 eggs
¼ cup grapeseed (or coconut oil)
½ cup agave nectar

1. In a medium bowl, combine coconut flour, protein powder, salt and baking soda
2. In a large bowl, blend together eggs, oil and agave
3. Blend dry ingredients into wet thoroughly
4. Line a cupcake tin with paper liners and scoop a scant ¼ cup into each
5. Bake at 375° for 20-22 minutes
6. Cool and cover with icing if you want :)

ICING RECIPE:

Melt 1 cup unsweetened carob chips with 1/2 cup grapeseed or coconut oil (get the expeller pressed so it doesnt have a strong coconutty [is that even a word] taste) over VERY low heat, stirring constantly. Add a dash of sea salt, 1 Tbls vanilla, and then 1/2 cup agave. Whisk that together. I had to add more agave, and then some more, and then a little more before it was tolerable and tasty. Then whisk it really well, and put it in the freezer for about 15 minutes. Take it out a whip it with a hand mixer until it gets pretty fluffy and spreadable. Put on cupcakes and enjoy!

CHOCOLATE BLACK BEAN BROWNIES

1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
3 eggs
3 tablespoons oil
3/4 cup agave/brown rice syrup &/or coconut nectar
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
pinch of salt
1 teaspoon baking powder (optional- makes a cake-like brownie)
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)


Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease/spray an 8-inch square baking pan and set aside. Add black beans to food processor or blender and process until a paste forms. Easier if beans are slightly heated. Add eggs (or egg replacer), oil, sugar, cocoa, salt, vanilla and baking powder (if using). Process/blend until smooth and well combined. Stir in nuts (if using). Spread batter evenly into prepared pan. Bake in preheated oven for about 30 minutes or until done. Top will be dry and edges should pull away from sides of pan.

Trail Mix

Take handfuls of cashews, almonds, sunflower seeds, and any other nut you want - like pecans, hazelnuts, pine nuts, whatever, and mix them together.

Get a bar of 100% pure cacao. You're going to smell it and want to taste it. Don't do it. Well, I already know you're not going to listen to me, so go ahead, but just know that I warned you. It will make your mouth want to turn inside out! Anyways, use a big knife and shave of itty bitty pieces of the cacao and sprinkle that into your mixture of nuts.

Now, put everything in some kind of storage container you can put in the fridge. Drizzle it with agave or coconut nectar and stir it up.

you can even add some air popped popcorn to this if you want! I eat this by the spoonful out of my fridge as a nutrient packed, semi sweet treat. So don't ever come grab some outa my fridge - I double dip :)

Garlic Shrimp with Brown Rice Pasta

Garlic Shrimp with Brown Rice pasta

1 lb deveined and peeled shrimp
several cloves of garlic
olive oil
salt & pepper
Onion
cooked brown rice pasta

Ok. Sautee the minced garlic and chopped onion in your pan with some olive oil. Once that's good and starting to brown, throw in your shrimp. With shrimp, you don't want to over cook it, so flip the shrimpies around until they are no longer translucent. During this time, sprinkle some salt and pepper on them. Once the shrimp are all white, hurry up and remove them from the heat. Toss with your brown rice pasta, then enjoy your meal!

Thai Salad

Dressing

2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 tablespoon fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon creamy almond butter, salted but unsweetened
1-1/2 tablespoons lime juice
1/2 tablespoon Coconut Aminos
  1/2 tablespoon fresh chopped ginger
1 tablespoon coconut milk
1 teaspoon agave
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
1/4 teaspoon chili sauce (optional)
1/4 cup safflower oil

For the Salad
2 carrots
1/2 medium jicama, peeled
1 cup sugar snap peas, julliened
2 cups napa cabbage
1/2 cucumber, thinly sliced
1 cup mango, peeled and sliced
2 tablespoons sliced almonds
2 tablespoons chopped hazelnuts
1 cup boiled and cooled chicken breast meat, shredded (optional)
1/4 cup salad dressing
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro

Blend the dressing ingredients together (except the oil), then drizzle the oil in slowly. Either chop the jicama and carrots very finely, or pulse in a food processor. Top the cabbage with all the other ingredients and drizzle with yummy dressing!

Asian Chicken Salad

With summertime upon us, it's far too hot for me to eat things like spaghetti and chili. My body actually craves a cool crisp salad. But I get BORED with salads super quickly, so I need all sorts of good dressings to keep my interest. So, enjoy the next few posts on yummy salads!

Asian Chicken Salad

Salad:

6 to 8 cups thinly sliced greens (kale, collards, savoy cabbage, bok choy)

2 to 3 cups shredded cooked chicken

2 large carrots, julienned
1 cup slivered almonds, lightly toasted

sesame seeds for garnish

Dressing:

4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon sesame oil

3 tablespoons coconut vinegar

3 tablespoons coconut aminos

2 to 3 teaspoons agave

1 clove garlic

one 1-inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled

Toss all of the ingredients for the salad into a large bowl if serving immediately. If you want to stretch the salad over a few days place all ingredients into separate containers and store in the fridge. Use what you would like for each serving.

To make the dressing, place all ingredients into a blender and blend on high until combined. Pour dressing over salad, toss and serve. Garnish with sesame seeds if desired. Source: www.NourishingMeals.com

Raw Blueberry Pie

This is BEYOND delicious!!! I can't believe it's detox friendly.

For the CRUST:
1 cup pecans
1 cup dates
dash sea salt

For the PIE:
3 cups blueberries, divided
1 cup soaked and drained dates
2 TBLS lemon juice

Directions: Blend the pecans, salt and dates together until crumbly. Firmly press mixture into small pie plate and freeze for 1/2 hour. If your pie pan is big, just increase the amount of both.

Blend together 2 cups of blueberries, the dates, and lemon juice until smooth. Sprinkle the remaining blueberries in the pie pan, then pour the blended mixture over those. Refrigerate the whole pie for 2 hours and serve chilled.

Butternut Squash Apple Soup

Winter Flavors!

Butternut Squash Apple Soup Recipe

Note that the smaller you chop your vegetables, the faster they will cook. We like to finely dice the onion. celery and carrot, and cut the squash and apple into 1/2-inch chunks. For a variation add a couple dashes of smoked paprika and/or swirl in a little sour cream at the end (off the heat).

Ingredients

• 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
• 1 rib of celery, chopped
• 1 carrot, chopped
• 2 Tbsp Olive Oil
• 1 butternut squash, peeled, seeds removed, chopped
• 1 tart green apple, peeled, cored, chopped (squash and apple should be at a 3 to 1 ratio)
• 3 cups chicken broth (or vegetable broth if vegetarian)*
• 1 cup water
• Pinches of nutmeg, cinnamon, cayenne, salt and pepper

Method

1 Set a large saucepan over medium-high heat and heat the butter for 1-2 minutes. Do not let it turn brown. Add the onion, celery and carrot and sauté for 5 minutes, taking care to turn the heat down if the vegetables begin to brown.
2 Add squash, apple, broth and water. Bring to boil. Cover, turn the heat down to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes or until squash and carrots soften. Puree, and return to a clean pot.
3 Add salt and spices to taste, and garnish with chives or parsley.

Gingersnaps!

My friends must know I'm a snacker (there's that word again) because they send me the BEST recipes ever for my condition!!! Thank you Christina!!! These are also good for those who get queasy while their husbands drive the car on curvy roads :). Just sayin'....

Gingersnaps

Ingredients

Cinnamon sugar

• 2 tbsp xylitol (use organic sugar when not on the detox)
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon

Dry

• 1 cup brown rice flour
• 2/3 cup blanched almond flour
• 1/3 cup arrowroot powder
• 1 tbsp whole flax seed
• 1 tbsp freshly ground flax seed
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 3/4 tsp ground ginger
• 1 tsp gluten-free baking soda
• 1/4 tsp Himalayan rock salt (sea salt will totally work fine)

Wet

• 3 tbsp agave nectar (use molasses when not on the detox)
• 1.5 tbsp water
• 1/2 cup xylitol (again, use organic sugar when not on the detox)
• 1/4 cup grapeseed oil
• 2 tbsp canned pumpkin – just pumpkin, not the pie filling

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicon baking mat. Set aside.
2. Combine cinnamon sugar ingredients in a small bowl. Set aside.
3. Place dry ingredients in a medium-sized bowl and combine with a fork. Set aside
4. Combine all wet ingredients in a large bowl with a hand mixer until fully incorporated.
5. Pour dry into wet while the hand mixer is running. Mix for no more than 30 seconds, just until all ingredients are nicely combined.
6. Scoop 1.5 tablespoons at a time and roll into balls with your hands – dough will be sticky, don’t worry.
7. Roll balls in cinnamon sugar and place on prepared sheet.
8. Bake for 15 minutes. The longer you cook, the crispier they will be. I like mine a little chewy, so I took them out at 15 minutes. Some like their gingersnaps snappy, so you can cook that batch for 20 minutes juuust for them.

Maple, Turnip, and Carrot Mash

These is a yummy sweet veggie dish, very good around this time of year!

Maple, Turnip and Carrot Mash

Yield: 6 cups

Servings: 6

Ingredients

• 3 medium raw turnips, chopped
• 4 cups carrots, chopped
• 2 tbsp agave nectar 
• 2 tbsp extra virgin coconut oil

Directions

1. Place chopped turnips and carrots in a large saucepan. Fill with water and bring to a boil with the lid on.
2. Boil for 20 minutes, or until vegetables pierced with a fork are soft.
3. Drain, return back to saucepan and add maple syrup and coconut oil.
4. Serve with a protein .