Strawberry Plum Rose Sangria

Ingredients

• 3 plums sliced
• 1 cup sliced strawberries
• 1 cup of seeded and sliced cherries
• ¼ cup Chambord Liqueur
• 1 bottle Rosé Wine
• 1 can of lemon lime soda

Instructions

1. In a pitcher, add plums, strawberries and cherries.
2. Add Chambord and wine then stir.
3. Refrigerate up to 2 hours
4. Add lemon lime soda and stir before serving.

Notes

 

Add 1-2 tablespoons of simple syrup if you like a sweeter drink.

Zucchini Pizza Crust Recipe

Ingredients

• 3 cups shredded zucchini
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 eggs
• ½ tsp baking powder
• ⅓ cup whole wheat flour
• ⅓ cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese + 1 cup to top the pizza
• 1 large tomato, sliced into ¼ inch rounds
• fresh basil for serving

Instructions

 

For the crust:

1. Preheat oven to 450F. If using a pizza stone, place it inside at the lower part of the oven, while still cold.
2. Combine shredded zucchini and salt in a colander. Place over a bowl and let it drain for 15 minutes. After that, squeeze out as much liquid out of the zucchini as you can and transfer to a bowl.
3. Add eggs, baking powder, flour and mozzarella. Mix to combine.
4. Place over parchment paper and spread mixture, forming a circle. It should be 10-12 inches in diameter and ½ inch thick. Place on a pizza pan or over pizza stone.
5. Bake for 8 minutes and take pizza crust out of the oven.
6. Add tomato slices and top with cheese. Bake for additional 15 minutes at 375 F. Keep an eye on the pizza, take out of the oven, when cheese is melted and bubbly.
7. Slice and serve.

Creamy Spinach Tomato Pasta – Ready In 25 Minutes!

Ingredients

• 8 oz dry pasta - such as farfalle
• 1-2 tbsp olive oil or buttery spread or oil spray
• 1 1/2 tbsp minced garlic
• 3 tbsp flour (spelt, white, or sweet rice flour)
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1 cup cashew cream or unsweetened creamer – I like Nutpods Dairy Free Creamer
• 1/4 cup Parmesan-type topping or nutritional yeast, optional
• 1 cup unsweetened milk of choice or additional creamer
• 1 can diced tomatoes, or 14 oz diced tomatoes
• 1 cup fresh or 1/2 cup frozen spinach, optional

Instructions

Bring a salted pot of water to a boil. Boil pasta according to package directions, then drain fully but do not rinse. Meanwhile, sauté the garlic in the oil for 1 minute. (Technically, you can use oil spray, but the oil will give a richer flavor and will help the sauce adhere to the pasta – It amounts to less than a teaspoon per serving, and I really think the flavor will be much better if you use oil instead of spray.) Add the flour, onion powder, and salt. Sauté an additional minute, then whisk in the creamer, milk, oregano, and Parmesan, if using. Bring to a boil, whisking constantly. Boil and whisk for about a minute, then add the tomato and spinach – You can omit the spinach if desired. Stir until sauce thickens. Add the pasta and stir to coat. Season with salt and pepper if desired. If the pasta absorbs the sauce and looks dry, stir in a little more milk of choice until sauce is creamy again.

Amazing Benefits Of Pineapple

Pineapples are a delicious tropical fruit. They can be consumed fresh, cooked, juiced, or preserved.

Apart from being a popular ingredient for a wide array of cuisines, the pineapple lpiña in the Philippines, commonly used as the material for the men’s Barong Tagalog and women’s Baro’t saya formal wear in the country.
eaves are used to produce the textile fiber

The fiber is also used as a component for wallpaper and other furnishings.

Aside from all this cool stuff the pineapple can do and produce, it also provides lots of amazing benefits for your health!

1. Pineapples Strengthen Your Nails And Prevent Hair Loss

To soften and strengthen your nails, you can make lotion at home using 1 tablespoon fresh pineapple juice, 1 egg yolk, 1 teaspoon lemon juice, and 2 drops of lemon oil. Mix these together and then put it on your nails and cuticles (q-tips would work well, or a cotton ball, or thin makeup brush!). This is a safe lotion and can be used daily.

Just as Vitamin C is good for skin, Vitamin C is an important element that aids in preventing hair loss. It is a powerful antioxidant that combats free radical damage. Pineapple is a rich source of this water soluble vitamin. Eat pineapples in wedges or just juice them fresh to reap the benefits of Vitamin C and prevent hair loss and help thicken hair.

Daily consumption of pineapple can help prevent and ease inflammatory conditions, which affect the scalp, using Bromelain, the anti-inflammatory enzyme. It can also offer relief from infections of the scalp, preventing unwanted hair fall.

2. Pineapples Keep Your Skin Flawless and Firm

The Vitamin C in pineapples can be used internally as well as externally, as a cure for acne and other inflammatory skin conditions. Bromelain, the anti-inflammatory enzyme in this fruit, boosts up the healing power of Vitamin C!

Also, pineapple gives the collagen synthesis in your body a boost. The higher the collagen synthesis is, the firmer and more flexible your skin will be. The added nourishment comes from the presence of amino acids and Vitamin C, which ensures that the damaged cells and tissues are repaired quickly.
How to use: Apply freshly prepared pineapple juice on the face.

Wash off using tepid water after 10 minutes. Feel the tingle! Or try freshly crushed pineapple wedges to exfoliate your skin and make it look healthier! This will eliminate the dead skin and accentuate blood flow.

For more exfoliation, try using pineapple on your feet to help with callouses and cracked heels. The exfoliating property of pineapple, along with its collagen synthesizing nature, helps soften skin and get rid of dead skin. It will also assist with the inflammation associated with cracks on your feet.

In a 100 gram serving, raw pineapple is an excellent source of Manganese (44% of Daily Value) and Vitamin C (58% of Daily Value), and also includes potassium, copper, calcium, magnesium, beta carotene,  thiamine, B6, and folate, as well as soluble and insoluble fiber.

The health and medicinal benefits of pineapples include their ability to improve respiratory health, cure coughs and colds, improve digestion, help you lose weight, strengthen bones, improve oral health, boost eye health, reduce inflammation, prevent cancer, increase heart health, fight off infections and parasites, improve the immune system, and increase circulation.

I could spend hours telling you about ALL the benefits of pineapple, but here are a few big ones that are both interesting and informative!

3. Pineapples Reduce Symptoms of Arthritis

One of the most celebrated benefits of pineapple on health is its ability to reduce the inflammation of joints and muscles, particularly those associated with arthritis, a truly debilitating disease that impacts millions of people around the world. Pineapples contain Bromelain, which is primarily associated with breaking down complex proteins, but it also has serious anti-inflammatory effects, and has been positively correlated with reducing the signs and symptoms of arthritis in many test subjects.

4. Pineapples Help Cure Coughs, Colds and Sinusitis

The normal immune system boosting power of vitamin C is well known, but the enzyme, Bromelain, is also connected with the reduction of phlegm and mucus build up in the respiratory tracts and sinus cavities. It therefore prevents the illnesses that cause phlegm and mucus build-up, while also treating them by loosening those materials and helping you eliminate them from your body if you’ve already contracted an illness or infection. Eating pineapple along with prescribed medicines can help cure colds and coughs!

5. Pineapples Tackle Digestive Problems

Like most fruits, pineapples are a rich source of fiber, but they are special in that they contain both soluble and insoluble fiber. This means that eating a healthy amount of pineapples can protect you from a vast amount of digestive health conditions, including constipation, diarrhea, irritable bowel syndrome, atherosclerosis, blood clotting, and irregular blood pressure.

Let’s Eat It!

Cacao Cashew Butter

• 
  
  

• Ingredients

• 
  
• 250g cashews
• ¼ - ½ cup water, room temperature
• 1 tsp. sea salt
• 1 tsp. cacao
• ½ tsp,cinnamon 
• 1 tsp. maple syrup, more if needed
• Coconut oil or olive oil, drizzle
• Select all ingredients

• Method

• Place all ingredients apart from the oil in a food processor and blend until smooth.
• Add extra water until desired consistency is reached.
• Spoon into a jar and drizzle with coconut or olive oil, keep in the cupboard for a few days

Lemon Cheesecake Crescent Rolls

Super easy and incredibly soft Crescent Rolls filled with a sweet and delicious lemon and cream cheese mixture.

for more watch video:

Mozzarella Chicken in Tomato Sauce

A quick and easy Mozzarella Chicken In Tomato Sauce made in the one skillet in under 15 minutes?

 When craving a Chicken Parmigiana and no time to make it, I opt for this quick version, smothered in tomato sauce and topped with melted mozzarella cheese. If you don’t have the time to make a restaurant quality dinner, but you’re craving those flavours, this recipe is for you!

INGREDIENTS

• 1 teaspoon dried basil leaves
• 1 teaspoon dried parsley leaves
• ½ teaspoon ground oregano
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 skinless and boneless chicken breasts, halved to make 4 fillets
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 cup your favourite Marinara tomato sauce
• 1-2 teaspoons Italian seasoning (adjust to your tastes)
• ½ cup shredded mozzarella

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat the broiler/grill to a medium heat setting.
2. Combine the herbs in a shallow bowl with salt and pepper and oil. Coat both sides of each chicken fillet with the oil. Heat a large heavy oven-proof skillet over high heat. Add the fillets and pan fry on each side until golden (about 3 minutes on each side).
3. Add the garlic to the same pan and allow to fry until fragrant (about 30 seconds). Spoon the marinara sauce over and around the chicken. Add the Italian seasonings into the sauce and stir them through. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of the mozzarella over each chicken fillet; transfer to the oven and broil / grill until the cheese has melted and the chicken is cooked through (about 3 to 5 minutes).
4. Garnish with freshly chopped parmesan cheese and serve over zucchini noodles, rice, pasta, steamed vegetables, or with a salad!

Greek Yogurt Blueberry Waffles with Fresh Blueberry Sauce

Homemade Greek Yogurt Blueberry Waffles topped with fresh blueberry sauce. Fluffy, crispy, phenomenal.

Ingredients

Greek Yogurt Blueberry Waffles:

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 and 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons granulated sugar

1 and 1/4 cups whole milk

3/4 cup full-fat Greek yogurt

3 large eggs, at room temperature

1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted

1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries, if using frozen, do not thaw first

Fresh Blueberry Sauce:

1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries, if using frozen, do not thaw first

1/3 cup orange juice, divided

2 tablespoons maple syrup

1/2 tablespoon cornstarch

 

Instructions

1. Greek Yogurt Blueberry Waffles:
2. In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder salt. and sugar; set aside. In a separate large bowl, whisk together the milk, yogurt, eggs, and butter; stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fold in blueberries.
3. Using a 3/4 cup measuring cup, scoop batter, and pour onto a preheated waffle iron. Cook until waffle is browned and crispy on the outside, about 5 minutes. Repeat with remaining batter.
4. Meanwhile, make your fresh blueberry sauce.
5. Fresh Blueberry Sauce:
6. In a small saucepan, placed over medium-heat, add the blueberries, 3 tablespoons of the orange juice and all of the maple syrup. Bring to a boil. In a small bowl combine cornstarch and remaining orange juice and whisk until smooth; gradually stir into berry mixture. Bring back to a boil and cook, stirring constantly, for about 2 minutes, or until thickened. Serve warm with waffles.

Beef and Broccoli

This classic Chinese beef and broccoli recipe is quick and easy to make homemade, and tastes even better than the restaurant version!

Ingredients:

Beef and Broccoli Ingredients:

• 1 pound flank steak, cut into 1/4-inch-thick bite-sized pieces
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
• 3-4 cups chopped broccoli florets (about 1 medium head of broccoli)
• 1 batch of sauce (see below)
• 1 tablespoon peanut oil
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
• optional garnishes: toasted sesame seeds and/or thinly-sliced green onions

 

Sauce Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup water
• 3 tablespoons oyster sauce
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly-ground black pepper
• optional: 1-3 teaspoons sriracha, to taste

 

Directions:

 

To Make The Beef and Broccoli:

1. Add the steak to a large bowl, along with the soy sauce and rice wine vinegar.  Stir to combine, then let the steak marinate for at least 10 minutes (or up to 1 hour).
2. Meanwhile, fill a large stockpot halfway full of water, and bring it to a boil.  Stir the broccoli florets into the water, and cook for 30-45 seconds.  Drain (or transfer the broccoli to a strainer), and set aside.
3. Prepare the sauce (see instructions below).
4. Once the steak has finished marinating, add the peanut oil to a large saute pan or wok over medium-high heat.  Add the steak and garlic, and saute -- stirring occasionally -- until the steak is cooked through, about 5-6 minutes.  Add the sauce and broccoli, and toss to combine.  Continue cooking for 1-2 more minutes, or until the sauce comes to a simmer and thickens.
5. Remove from heat and serve immediately, topped with optional garnishes if desired.

 

Chili Cheese Fries Pizza

Yes, this chili cheese fries pizza is a thing. At least it is in my home. We can’t get enough of it. But more so, because it seems to give us a legit reason to eat chili cheese fries as din
er. Agree?

Along with that, it’s always a challenge to see who in the house can up with the best mash-ups, fusions and just plain crazy food. It’s a neck-and-neck tie right now. Every time I think I’ve edged Naomi out to win the title she comes back and gets me.

Although right now, I’ve got her beat according to our little man, Cole, who is like the Chopped judge in the house. So like any good parent, I rewarded him with my winning dish by repeating it two nights back-to back.

Ingredients

• PIZZA CRUST
• ¾ cup warm water (about 102-105 degrees F)
• 1 teaspoon active dry yeast
• 2 cups flour
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• TOPPINGS
• 1½ cup chili
• 20 oz. french fries
• 1 cup mozzarella
• 1 cup cheddar cheese
• OPTIONAL
• ¼ cup green onions
• ¼ sliced jalapenos

Instructions

1. Preparation: Place pizza stone in oven. Heat oven to 500 degrees F. Lightly cover a mixing bowl with olive oil; set aside.
2. To make pizza crust: Mix and combine water and yeast until looks like miso soup. Add mixture to flour, using a fork, stir mixture around until it becomes shaggy. Dump mixture out onto counter and knead until dough comes together and is moist and slightly tacky. If dough is too wet and sticky, add 1 tablespoon of flour at a time and knead. Transfer dough to a lightly oil mixing bowl. Cover loosely with a kitchen towel. Set dough aside for 15 minutes.
3. Remove dough ball and place it between two pieces of lightly oiled parchment paper and roll it to ⅛ inch thickness. Remove parchment paper from top. Spread on chili, leaving a ½ inch border all the way around. Layer with french fries and both cheese. Use a pizza peel or the backside of a baking sheet and transfer pizza on to heated pizza stone.
4. Bake for 5 minutes and then carefully remove parchment from underneath the pizza with a pair tongs. Bake pizza for another 3 minutes. Remove pizza from oven and allow to cool slightly on a wire rack. *Optional: serve with green onions and jalapenos

Spinach and Bacon Quiche

Quiche is one of my favorite foods. Which might seem kind of bizarre – because I don’t eat a whole lot of eggs – but I’ve come to the conclusion that it’s most likely due to the cheese and crust. You can almost never go wrong with cheese and pie crust. I think the best quiche I’ve ever had was in Paris (obvi), but the other top two were here in Tulsa, at Heirloom Bakery and Bramble. If you’re a quiche fiend like me, I’d recommend them! Today’s recipe is an easy spinach and bacon quic
he (with plenty of cheese, of course).

But Y’ALL…I don’t claim to be a baker. So here’s a disclaimer – I tried to make a pie crust. And it didn’t turn out that great. It tasted great but… It was pretty enough to photo, but there were definitely cracks in the bottom. So, in the recipe, I just encourage you to do whatever floats your boat in terms of the crust. Next time, I may just trust Pillsbury…Or one of you, if you happen to have a foolproof crust recipe that even an anti-baker like me can’t screw up.

The goods: I’m still trying to work through the two bags of spinach I got at the Farmers Market (and I did make a killer spinach dip for my community group). And you really can’t go wrong with the bacon and egg combo…ever. I have been out of town for the weekends of the winter market this month, so my friend Terry who raises chickens hooked me up with a dozen last week! I worked them into quiche AND a recipe coming for you pretty soon.

Ingredients

• 1 C. chopped frozen spinach (local) (about ½ C. thawed and squeezed)
• ½ t. sea salt
• 4 eggs (local)
• 4 slices of bacon, cooked and chopped finely
• 1 C. swiss cheese, grated
• ½ C. cheddar cheese, grated
• ½ C. milk
• pie crust of your choice

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit
2. Chop your spinach (if needed) and thaw
3. Make or prepare your pie crust
4. Pre-bake the pie crust for around 10 minutes, or until lightly puffy
5. Cook bacon and dice into small pieces
6. Squeeze out liquid from spinach (there won’t be much spinach left!)
7. Combine spinach, eggs, cheese, bacon, milk and salt in a bowl together until well incorporated together.
8. Pour egg mixture into your pre-baked crust.
9. Bake for 30-35 minutes, until set in the middle.
10. Serve warm.
11. #enjoy!

Grilled Chicken Skewers

We got home from vacation and realized two things: 1. Our garden has really taken off! And 2. We have no food in our house. Today was the last straw, so we were “forced” to go get the double deals at Sprouts!

There were apparently a lot of thunderstorms and rain while we were gone (thankfully not fCucumber Month? We may have Tomato Summer.
or us!), and our garden has pretty much turned into a tomato forest. So – just wait til this summer. Remember

Since everything has been growing so well, I decided to harvest some of my favorite flavors last night and embrace the fact that summer is very well on its way – by grilling out! Now…I’m not the griller. So I definitely cannot take full credit for the execution here, but J said he’d teach me how to do it soon! We are a charcoal grill fam, so it takes a bit more finesse than a gas grill (I assume…).
I hope you #enJOY these easy chicken skewers as a quick summer meal many times this summer. I have a feeling we will!

Ingredients

• 1 T. basil, chopped finely
• 1 T. chives, chopped finely
• 1 t. sage, chopped finely
• ¼ t. thyme, chopped finely
• ¼ t. salt
• ¼ t. pepper
• 2 cloves of garlic, pressed
• ⅛ C. (3 T.) olive oil
• 1 lb. chicken breast, cubed

Instructions

1. Prepare grill to desired coal “heat” or temperature.
2. Chop all herbs finely and combine with pressed garlic, salt, pepper and oil in a bowl.
3. Cube chicken into 1 inch chunks and toss in the herb mixture, to fully coat all of the chicken.
4. Rinse bamboo skewers in water (to prevent burning).
5. Slide chicken pieces onto skewers, leaving about ¼ inch between each piece.
6. Grill until done, around 15-20 minutes, turning every 5 minutes or so.
7. #enJOY!

Notes

Naturally gluten-free, dairy-free, paleo friendly.

Homemade Granola Bars

For our lunches and snacks, we brought a big stash of various protein bars, and also made some of our own. They’ve got protein in the nuts, nut butter and chia seeds, fiber in the oats, and sweetness in chocolate and fruit.

This makes an 8×8 sheet pan of bars. It’s a great amount for snacking for the whole week, or on trips like us! I found out you can’t bring straight peanut butter on a plane, because it’s considered “liquid,” but if it’s mixed into these delicious treats it’s safe to bring along.

Today’s honey was brought to your by Roark Farms. It was recently also used in this springy spritzer! You can find the special granola with Jared’s Probiotics. It is a raw, kefir-soaked granola made with love and awesomeness. I found Jared for the first time nearly two years ago, because I had an insatiable obsession with popsicles and he sold them at the farmers market! It sells out fast though, so get your orders in today! Finally, the peanut butter is homemade! You can find that recipe here too.

I hope that you have a chance to make these bars! And also go on vacation! You deserve it.

Ingredients

1½ C. quick oats

1 C. roasted unsalted cashew pieces, crushed* (See Note 1)

½ C. matcha green tea blueberry probiotic granola

¼ C. dried cranberries

⅛ C. mini chocolate chips

¾ C. crisp rice cereal

⅛ C. oat flour* (See Note 2)

4 T. butter, melted

2 T. chia seeds

½ C. natural peanut butter (homemade)

½ C. brown rice syrup

2 T. local honey

1 T. water

½ t. sea salt

 

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Combine oats, granola, nuts, cranberries, crisp rice and oat flour in a bowl together.
3. Mix the remaining ingredients in a separate bowl together.
4. When well combined, pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and combine gently with a spatula, until all the dry ingredients are fully coated.
5. Line an 8x8 sheet pan with parchment paper and spray with cooking spray.
6. Scoop mixture into the pan, gently pressing to pack down tightly.
7. Bake the bars for 35-40 minutes, until the edges have turned brown and the center begins to brown as well.
8. Remove from the oven and let cool completely before slicing.
9. Carefully lift the parchment out of the pan and place square of granola on a cutting board. Cut into squares or bars with a sharp knife.
10. Store in airtight containers.
11. #enJOY!

Notes

Note 1: It worked best if the cashew pieces were smaller than they came. I crushed them with a meat tenderizing hammer, but you can also process them down a tiny bit in the food processor also, if that works better for you. You may also need to crush the big pieces in the probiotic granola also.

Note 2: I made my oat flour by just giving my quick oats into my food processor and giving them a whir until they made a flour-like texture.

3.5.3208

 

Rosemary chicken with tomato sauce

Ingredients

1 tbsp olive oil

8 boneless, skinless chicken thigh

• 1 rosemary
  
   sprig, leaves finely chopped

• 1 red onion, finely sliced
• 3 garlic clove, sliced

• 2 anchovy
  
   fillets, chopped
• 400g can chopped tomatoes
• 1 tbsp capers
  
  , drained
• 75ml red wine (optional)
• 
  

Method

Heat half the oil in a non-stick pan, then brown the chicken all over. Add half the chopped rosemary, stir to coat, then set aside on a plate.

In the same pan, heat the rest of the oil, then gently cook the onion for about 5 mins until soft. Add the garlic, anchovies and remaining rosemary, then fry for a few mins more until fragrant. Pour in the tomatoes and capers with the wine, if using, or 75ml water if not. Bring to the boil, then return the chicken pieces to the pan. Cover, then cook for 20 mins until the chicken is cooked through. Season and serve with a crisp green salad and crusty bread.