Kale Chips

This is an idea that has been floating my head for awhile- I have had a few friends tell me about the idea and I have seen it a few times in cookbooks or cooking sites, and well, I am just now getting around to posting it! It's super easy, takes little effort, and is an easy way to incorporate dark green veggies into your diet- NOT TO MENTION that my child ate almost the whole plate herself- they have the crunch and crispy flavor of a potato chip- your little ones will probably like it too!

Raw Kale with Grape Seed Oil and Sea Salt

Baked Kale or "Kale Chips!"

Ingredients:

1 bunch kale, rinsed & patted dry

2 TBSP grape seed oil

1/2 tsp sea salt

Directions:

I rinsed my kale then chopped it into 3 inch pieces (you can chop or tear it) then I through mine in my salad spinner. I removed the tough stems before putting them in a bowl with the oil and salt. Toss them well and then lay them on a cookie sheet to bake for 20 minutes on 325. Bake them for 12ish minutes, then with a pair of tongs, turn them over and bake for another 8- 10 minutes until the edges are browned and the leaves are crispy. Serve them immediately as an appetizer or a side, they don't stay crunchy for too long, so gobble them up quick!

Peanut Butter Pop 'Ems

Oh my GOODNESS!!! These are divine, and if I was totally honest, are better than the "real deal" Resse's cups. They have no sugar and yet are sweet and satisfying when you need a little pick me up- just pop one in for a little bit of heaven! Thanks to Amy Flory for sharing the idea with us, we are enjoying the goodness girl!!!

The Ground Flax seed gives them some texture and more nutty flavor!

Ingredients:

1/2 cups peanut butter (use the natural kind, not Skippy)

5 TBSP ground flax seed

1 tsp vanilla

1 1/2 TBSP honey

1/2 cup chocolate, I use dark chocolate

** wax paper

Directions:

Your peanut butter needs to be natural because of the consistency and it needs to be chilled (room temp will make it too runny). Add your flax seed, vanilla, and honey stirring it until well blended. You might have to refrigerate your peanut butter mixture if it is too gooey to roll into balls. Once it hardens, melt your chocolate, I used a double boiler (you could also use a glass bowl in the microwave, just watch it to know when it's done and be careful because the bowl might be hot). The using a tsp sized spoon, scoop and roll your peanut butter mixture and drop it into the chocolate, rolling it around with a spatula, then setting it on the wax paper to harden. I had my wax paper on a plate, then transferred the plate to the fridge for it to chill faster. Enjoy, these are delicious!

Homemade Apple Sauce

Here's a recipe for those who have a high-tech blender, like the Vitamix or Blendtec. Now, don't think I am getting all fancy on you- it's a real no brainer- so simple you won't believe it. I came up with this the other day when I was making some delicious muffins that called for apple sauce and I didn't have enough on hand- so I made it fresh- here are the measurements if you should ever find yourself in such a predicament or if you have a hankering for some homemade apple sauce...

Ingredients:

1 apple, cored

1/4 tsp cinnamon

2 TBSP water

Directions:

Blend. That's it.

*** When choosing your apple decide whether you want tart or sweet sauce- Granny Smiths, Pippins and Jonagold will give you tart sauce while Fuji, Gravenstein, and Gala will give you a sweeter sauce and are more common when making sauce. If your tart sauce turns out too tart, add a pinch of sugar or honey to sweeten it up!

Don't forget about little ones or babies- this is a great, healthy, all natural, homemade treat! I used to even boil some kale and throw it in there with it to add some greens for more nutritional value! You can disguise anything in apple sauce!

Homemade Mango Sorbet

Okay, so my hubby is the BIGGEST fruit-loving-ice cream fan in the world so for his birthday this year I thought he would LOVE this for a treat. Happy Birthday my sweet mango-loving honey!

Ingredients:

1 bag frozen mangos (from Trader Joe's)

1 can coconut milk (TJ's also)

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 cup agave (again TJ's carries it)

** I updated this recipe after trying it a few times. I omitted the sugar (used to be 1/2 cup) and lessened the agave (used to be 1/2 cup) and I like it better this way. It has less stuff, more economical, and no sugar!

Mix it all up, put it in your ice cream maker (follow the directions with the machine) or put it all in the Vitamix for a few minutes and your tummy will thank you!

*** I have omitted the sugar in the recipe and I think it still turns out great!

Oat'Nana Pucks....

Oat'Nana Pucks...

the ingredients and mixing....

it will look crumbly like this...

pucks on a cookie sheet :)

yummy goodness all over the face!

Ok folks, stick with me here.  This is a new recipe I tried off of a blog my sister in law sent me, and I really liked the idea of this "snack/cookie/granola/puck" thing. It has no sugar, butter, or cooking oil (just a little bit of coconut oil) and I thought it would be a great little something to snack on throughout the day when my "munchie" signal went off. And it turns out, it has become a fabulous little "treat" for Emery. The only "naughty" ingredient is the chocolate chips, but you could really use carob chips if you wanted to or you could leave them out all together-- but let's just be honest, that would take away from the oat'nana goodness. 

Ingredients:

3 ripened bananas

2 TBSP vanilla extract

1/4 cup coconut oil (you could use olive oil if you don't have it, but coconut has such good flavor!)

2 cups rolled oats

1/3 cup oat bran or wheat bran (I used oat bran from Trader Joe's)

2/3 cups finely chopped almonds

1/2 cup unsweetened, shredded coconut

1 TBSP cinnamon

1 tsp salt

1 tsp baking powder

3/4 cup semi sweet chocolate chips or carob chips

Directions

Preheat oven to 350. In a large bowl, mash you bananas with a fork and add the coconut oil and vanilla. In a separate bowl, add the remaining dry ingredients and mix them all together. Add your wet ingredients to the dry and continue to mix together until the mixture is well blended. On a baking sheet with parchment paper ( or use a little spray since there is no butter and hardly any oil in the pucks) scoop mixture onto the cookie sheet in small clumps. The mixture will be "loose" and not like dough. Flatten each scoop with the palm of your hand, hence the puck name, and place them about 1 inch apart because they will not expand when baked. Cook for 14 minutes and enjoy the goodness!

Fresh Fruit Juice Popsicles...

Happy 4th of July! Here's what we are serving for dessert today to the little ones- and to the adults that can't resist! I just juice some fruit- today's fruit is watermelon- I put it in my Vitamix for 10 seconds or so, and then pour into these nifty popsicle holders I found at Target for $3.49. Pop them in the freezer in the morning and they will be ready in a few hours! You can use any variety of fruit to make these, and you can use a juicer or blender if you don't have a Vitamix. They are great for a refreshing treat any day of the summer!

SIDE NOTE: For those of you who live in Bakersfield- Vitamix is coming to Bakersfield Costco around August 17 & 18th for those of you who have asked where I purchased mine. 

Trail Mix for Munchikins....

So, when I am on the go with Emery, I make sure to take a snack trap (love those little cups) full of something that will keep her busy when we are out. I decided to throw it all in a jar instead of making a small bowl of it everyday and I leave it on the counter for a quick go-to on my way out the door. There really are endless possibilities, so feel free to change it up- I try to keep it as nutritious as I can... Here we go:

Ingredient Options:

Raisins (Brown and Yellow ones)

Dried Cranberries

Dried Apricots (cut up into bit size pieces)

Dehydrated Bananas, Raspberries, Blueberries, and Mangos (see Trader Joe's/Lassen's/Whole Foods)

1 type of dried cereal (Cheerios, Puffins, or Shredded Wheat)

As your kids are older, you can add all sorts of raw nuts like:

Pepitas

Sunflower Seeds

Pumpkin Seeds

Cashews

Almonds (slivered or whole)

Pistachios

The list could go on and on! One bit of info that I want to pass on to you that my dentist told me, was to be careful when eating dried fruits. Because they are so sticky, they have a tendency to hang around and cause cavities because of the amount of sugar they have in them. For me, not a reason to avoid them, just something to take into consideration. Try to swish with water to get any remnants off and brush when you have the chance!

French Toast Sticks....

Here's a quick post I have been meaning to put up for awhile for a great kids breakfast! It's super easy and quick, and those little fingers will love having their own finger-licking stick for breakfast! 

Ingredients: (ingredients are for one serving, increase for more servings)

1 slice of Bread ( I use Whole Grain Bread from Trader Joe's)

1 egg

1/4 tsp cinnamon

Directions:

In a mixing bowl, crack your egg, and pour in your cinnamon, use a whisk to blend the 2 ingredients together. Next, slice your bread (cut the crust off if needed for your munchkin). Then I slice it into 4 pieces, and then let them soak in the egg mix for a few seconds, turning them over. They don't need to soak very long because they are so small. Heat your frying pan medium to high heat, add  some kind of non-stick to it (coconut oil or olive oil or spray) and place your sticks on it. Let them cook on one side until it's browned (use a flipper to peek underneath) then flip it and brown the second side! Wha-la! That's it! Serve plain or with "dipping sauce" like agave, maple syrup, or fruit sauce.

Variations: When I have over rip bananas I add 1/2 of a banana smooshed up into the egg mixture and make it with banana chunks. Emery loves this kind! Give it a whirl- you may have to scoop the banana onto the slices once it's in the pan, but it's a fun variation (the pictures above have banana in it). Another variation, add 1/4 tsp of vanilla extract for a change.

Nut Balls!!!!

I know what you are think- she's lost it-"Nut Balls??? What's next???" But honestly, these are a really YUMMY and equally important, NUTRITIOUS snack and little fingers love them (as well as my husband!) If you have ever had a LARA BAR, this is essentially a home made version of one. They are SUPER EASY to make, quick, and last long if kept in the fridge (or longer if you freeze half the batch!). They are full of protein, fiber, and healthy fats. There aren't very many ingredients, but you could really change things up and get many different variations, I will share with you my favorite. Here we go:

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cup of nuts your choice ( I use 1/2 cup raw cashews, 1/2 cup raw pepitas, 1/2 cup raw sunflower seeds)
  
• 8 dates rolled in coconut (sold at Trader Joe's or Lassen's or Whole Foods- they come in a little tub, the dates are pre-rolled in coconut, that's not something you have to do)
  
• cinnamon (as much as desired)

Directions:

  Okay, first you are going to pour all of your nuts in your blender. I use my Vitamix for about 10 seconds until everything is finely chopped, almost like a chunky powder. If you leave the nuts too large, it will be hard to get them to mesh with the dates.

  Next, scoop the nuts out of the blender into a bowl and add 1/2 your dates. Take out something to mash with, I use a pastry mashing tool, you can use a potato masher or fork or even your hands. You want to incorporate the nuts throughout the dates. Generously sprinkle some cinnamon to the mixture. Add the remaining dates, continue to mesh together and sprinkle some more cinnamon (I am fairly generous with my cinnamon sprinkling, it's your flavoring- taste a smidge to decide if you have enough in your batch). Once you have a pretty good mixture of nuts and dates and your happy with your cinnamon, you are going to start balling the "dough" just like cookies. I make mine into small, bite size balls for Emery to chew on, but if you have older kids, you can make them a little larger (or if you wanna get in on the yumminess, make some larger ones or bar shaped ones for yourself). Place them on a plate, then cover them with plastic wrap and let them set in the fridge for a bit. You can freeze half the batch or keep them in the fridge to last about 2-3 weeks before they get dried out. Enjoy and experiment with different types of nuts, seeds, dried fruit, and seasonings!

Steel Cut Oats...

So, this isn't technically a recipe, more like an idea- but a friend of mine asked me the other day what I eat for breakfast, she was in a breakfast funk! So, I told her about my latest favorite quick & easy breakfast. You can buy steel cut oats anywhere, but I found my favorite brand of quick cooking oats and you guessed it- it's from Trader Joe's! I love this option because it's chunkier than oatmeal (not as mushy) yet it's filling and healthy!

Directions:

Boil 3/4 cups water, add 1/4 cup oats (just like the directions on the container) and I add a handful of raisins, and/or some bits of apple. Cover and let cook for 5-7 minutes, until it reaches the consistency that you like, I stir mine every once in awhile to keep it from sticking to the bottom. You can add some sprinkled brown sugar or a healthier option: honey and some cinnamon. 

 

Cupcakes!!!

So, recently my daughter turned 1 and I had a blast making her birthday cupcakes. I've had a few people ask me how I did it, and you will be happy to know it was SUPER easy! So, here's some quick tips if your are looking for a way to personalize and top-off your yummy little treats, thanks to ideas from "Hello Cupcake".

To start, I melted some milk chocolate chips in the microwave and then spooned them into a pastry bag (you could easily use a zip lock bag with the corner snipped and a thin metal pipping tip).

I lined a cookie sheet with parchment paper, then went to town making e's everywhere! ( I experimented with different sizes and styles on a paper towel first!)

After the sheet was full of letters, I doused them in little round sprinkles. **Hint, roll the sheet around and trap them all in the bottom corner to "reuse" some of your sprinkles.
Then I popped them into the fridge to harden. I would keep them in the fridge until right before you are going to apply them to the cupcake because they soften up quickly.
Frost your cupcakes, and while the frosting is still tacky, use a spatula to pop the letters off the tray and use your fingers to gently place them on top of the cupcakes. If you want the sprinkled edging around the sides of the cupcakes, pour some sprinkles onto a plate and roll the cupcakes on their side all the way around BEFORE putting the letters on top.
And your done! Here's the finished product, you could get really creative with this- the possibilities are endless! Happy cupcaking!

Kale Smoothie = Calcium

Ok, I can't help it, I have to launch off--- I try not to do this too often because I know my dietary beliefs are sometimes very different than others, but his one is near and dear to my heart. Since nursing my daughter, I have become even more concerned about getting more calcium in my diet because I know when you don't get enough calcium through your diet, your body will start leaching it from your bones. So, because I am not really a fan of dairy, for more reasons than just flavor, I look to my greens to increase my intake. You have to be careful when looking into calcium concumption because there is more there than meets the eye. For instance, it's not just the amount of mg/per serving, but it's the amount of mg that are actually useable and absorable to your body. An example, one cup of kale yeilds 170 mg of calcium while 1 cup of milk yeilds 302 mg of calcium. BUT- here's where is gets interesting- your body can absorb/use 50-70% of the calcium from kale (107 mg) while it can only absorb/use 30% of the calcium from milk (91mg). So, in short, greens (to me) seem to be like the wiser choice for concumption- especially because they are also LOADED with a ton of other vitamins and minerals- like vitamin A, C, folic acid, and fiber. (** Note: calcium requirements for 1 day are 800-1200 mg for an adult, and increase to 1600 when your prego). Here are some really interesting pages if you are interested in reading more. Calcium1 and Calcium2. Oh, and one more side note while we're here- a major component in ABSORBING calcium is Vitamin D3- which comes from the sunshine. You MUST have Vitamin D3 in order to be able to absorb dietary calcium, which means you should have AT LEAST 30 minutes of sunshine per day. On days when I know don't get this, I take this great suppliment called Osteo-sun. OK, so should I get to the recipe now??? HA! I try to make a kale smoothie 4 times a week, if not everyday- of course it's easier in the summer when you have more fresh fruits, but it's do-able with frozen fruit too. I use my Vitamix (my favorite kitchen appliance because it makes smoothies, soups, ice cream, sorbets, hummus, nut butters, sauces, fruit juice, baby food.... need I go on???!!) to make my smoothies, but you can also use a blender. I add a combination of the following depending on what I have on hand: 1 banana 1 orange 1 handful of frozen mango 1 handful of frozen pineapple 1 shake of frozen blueberries 4-5 frozen or fresh strawberries (with green tops!) 1 handful of frozen raspberries and/or blackberries 4-5 stems of raw kale (I pull the follage off the stem because the stems are bitter) 1 inch of juice (cranberry, orange, pomegranet, pineapple, whatever you have, of course, I think juice NOT from concentrate is better, although it's more expensive) ** If your blender gets stuck or your smoothie is too thick, add more juice. If you don't use frozen fruits, add some ice to the mixture.)

Here's what I start with, an estimation of the amount of fruit:

Then I add my Kale ( and or red cabbage, cauliflower, tomatoes) juice, and flax seed:

Finished product:

See, even Emery like it!
Like I said above, I use a combination of these ingredients depending on what I have- with the exception of the kale- I always use kale!!! (You can use spinach, but your body doesn't absorb as much calcium from it due to the high concentrate of oxalate, kale has a low concentrate of oxalate). Anyways, have fun with the combinations, try different flavors and experiment! No two smoothies ever taste the same in my house- and try them on your kids, my 11 month old loves them!

GREAT CALCIUM SUPPLYING SNACK to have on hand: raw almonds! They have 750 mg of calcuim per cup! Wow-zers!