Month: June 2013

Carrot Ginger Detox Salad (Vegan, Gluten Free)

Melissa King 15 Comments

Carrot Ginger Detox Salad.  On Memorial Day, my daughter wanted to have a picnic at the park.  Since it was a spontaneous decision, we stopped at Whole Foods to get some picnic food.

My husband and I shared two things that day they were absolutely delicious.  The first one was a rice salad.  I re-created that for the blog already with my Wheat Berry Salad with Cranberries.  The other thing we had was a detox salad.  So, this is my version of that.

 

carrot ginger detox salad

 

This was amazing!  Super easy too.  I just had to share it with all of you.

 

Carrot Ginger Detox Salad

Carrot Ginger Detox Salad

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Ingredients

    For the salad

    • 1-2 heads of broccoli
    • 3 carrots shredded
    • 2 cups cooked quinoa

    For the dressing

    • 2 cloves garlic minced
    • 2 T toasted sesame oil
    • 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
    • 1/4 cup mirin
    • 1 T soy sauce or Bragg's Aminos (for GF) (I used organic SanJ shoyu )
    • 2 tsp fresh grated ginger
    • salt to taste

    Instructions

    1. Steam the broccoli. I used a rice cooker/steamer to do this. 
    2. In a sauce pan , cook the quinoa according to the package instructions.  I already had some quinoa in my fridge.  We always have some kind of grain in the fridge to make our meals stretch longer. 
    3. While the broccoli is steaming and the quinoa is cooking, throw all the ingredients together for the dressing. 
    4. Whisk them in a small bowl . 
    5. Once the quinoa and broccoli are done throw everything together in one big bowl .

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    Recipe Notes

    This should last at least a week in the fridge. I think it tastes great hot or cold. I got about 4-5 servings out of my batch. Enjoy!

    Overnight Oats in a Jar

    Melissa King 78 Comments

    I am a fan of all things oats.  Loaded with protein and fiber, but relatively low in calories.  The high amount of fiber keeps you with a full feeling for a long time afterward.  Something that boxed cereal could never do.  I often have homemade granola for breakfast.  This is so easy, I wonder why I didn’t try it sooner!

    overnight oats watermark

    I initially saw a recipe on Food Babe’s blog called, The Perfect Parfait.  Her recipe inspired me to try it.  So good!  I love how this recipe is very adaptable.  You can really add whatever you like and change it up daily so you never get bored. I used a recycled pickle jar to hold my oats, but a mason jar would work well too. This is great for those mornings that you really have to rush.

    Overnight Oats in a Jar

    Overnight Oats in a Jar

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    Prep Time 5 min

    Ingredients

    Instructions

    1. Rinse your groats beforehand. Throw everything in the jar the night before.  If you like things a little sweet, you could throw in some chopped dates or raisins. 
    2. Store in the fridge overnight.  Just pull out and eat in the morning.  Easy as that. This will be a breakfast I will have at least twice a week. I love it and I hope you will too.

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    Strawberry Rhubarb Sorbet

    Melissa King 19 Comments

    Sorbets are so perfect for this time of year.  Light and refreshing.  I have been wanting  to make a strawberry rhubarb sorbet ever since I got my ice cream machine.  I can honestly say that this is the very first time I attempted anything with rhubarb.  I have eaten it, but I had been intimidated to cook with it.  I know both rhubarb and strawberry are seasonal ingredients so now was the time to make a strawberry rhubarb sorbet recipe. I think this rhubarb sorbet with the strawberry came out pretty good.

    strawberry rhubarb sorbet watermark

    Yesterday was the perfect day to try.  It was super hot and humid and I had just walked all over the mall with the two kids.  We are doing a family photo this weekend and they needed matching shirts for that.  I was super hot when I got home, so I popped this in the machine real quick.  I must admit, my older daughter was not a fan. Not sure why since my younger daughter and I loved it!  I threw a few carob chips on top for some crunch.  This recipe couldn’t be easier.  If you don’t have an ice cream machine, you can pour the mixture into popsicle molds.  🙂

    Strawberry Rhubarb Sorbet

    Strawberry Rhubarb Sorbet

    Strawberry Rhubarb Sorbet

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    Prep Time 2 hr Serves 4-5 servings     adjust servings

    Ingredients

    • 2-3 large stalks of rhubarb
    • 1 16oz package of strawberries
    • 1/4 cup maple syrup
    • Juice of 1/2 an orange
    • 1 cup water

    Instructions

    1. In a sauce pan , add the rhubarb, orange juice, water and maple syrup.
    2. Bring to a boil. Then turn down and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the rhubarb has turned to a mush. Mine took about 10 minutes.
    3. Once it is mushy, turn it off the heat and let it get back to room temp.
    4. Once at room temp, place the mixture in a container in the fridge for a few hours.
    5. Once cooled in the fridge, pour the mixture into a blender with the strawberries. Blend until smooth.
    6. Take a taste test. Mine came out a bit tart. I liked that, but if you prefer a more sweetened sorbet, you can add a few tablespoons of maple syrup or honey and blend for another 30 seconds.
    7. Pour the mixture into the ice cream machine. Mine took about 15 minutes to get to a soft serve consistency. If you like a harder sorbet, you can put it in the freezer for an hour before eating.
    8. Enjoy!

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    Healthy Homemade Pop Tarts

    Melissa King 103 Comments

    I made Healthy Homemade Pop Tarts for you.  I have been thinking about doing a pop tart recipe for quite some time.  After looking at the ingredients on the label, I knew I would never buy those again.

    You can get decent store bought pop tarts with the Nature’s Path brand, but I wanted a homemade pop tart version as well.  Now, I know that store bought pop tarts are normally crisp.  I tried two batches and mine didn’t get crispy.

    Mine are on the softer side.  Most likely due to the applesauce and coconut oil.  However, all my taste testers thought they were good.  So I thought I would share anyway. 🙂  Maybe if you put them in a toaster oven, they will crisp up.

     

    healthy homemade pop tarts

    I filled mine with two different fillings.  Some have my Blueberry Chia Jam and some have my Homemade Vegan Nutella. Make these ahead of time for a quick breakfast on those busy mornings.

    Healthy Homemade Pop Tarts

    Healthy Homemade Pop Tarts

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    Prep Time 30 min Cook Time 15 min Serves 15 pastries     adjust servings

    Ingredients

      Healthy Pop Tarts

      For the filling

      • Your favorite fruit spread

      Instructions

      1. Preheat oven to 350. 
      2. Mix all the dry ingredients in one bowl |.
      3. Mix wet in another bowl |. 
      4. Add dry to wet and mix until combined. 
      5. Wrap the dough in plastic and place it in the fridge for at least 30 minutes to firm up. 
      6. Once the dough is firm, cut two pieces of parchment paper the size of your baking sheets . 
      7. Lay one of the sheets out on the counter. 
      8. Using a bench scraper , cut the dough in half. 
      9. Using a rolling pin , roll the dough ball out onto the parchment, putting the plastic wrap between the rolling pin and the dough. 
      10. Rolling it onto the parchment will make for easy transfer to the baking sheets .
      11. Try to roll the dough into a square shape.  Roll out to about 1/4 in thickness. 
      12. Using a pizza cutter , cut the dough into even squares. 
      13. Put a spoonful of jam on a square and cover with another square of dough. 
      14. Use a fork to press the sides together. 
      15. Repeat this until all have been done. 
      16. Do all the same steps with the other half of the dough. 
      17. Transfer the parchment paper onto the baking sheet and put in the oven. 
      18. Bake for about 15-17 minutes.

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      Recipe Notes

      I got 15 small sized pop tarts out of my batch. These should last a couple weeks in the fridge. You can also freeze them for longer storage. Enjoy!

      Gluten Free Snickerdoodles

      Melissa King 235 Comments

      Gluten Free Snickerdoodles.  I have had a lot of requests for a cleaner version of the snickerdoodle.  So when Wholesome Sweeteners sent me a sample of all their products, I knew that now was the time to make a healthy gluten free snickerdoodle.

      These gluten free snickerdoodles came out really good!
      gluten free snickerdoodles

      These came out really good!  Between my husband and older daughter, they didn’t last long!  I got about 12 cookies in my batch.  They should last a week or so, but if you plan on keeping them longer, you can refrigerate or even freeze them.

      Gluten Free Snickerdoodles

      Gluten Free Snickerdoodles

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      Prep Time 10 min Cook Time 15 min Serves 12 cookies     adjust servings

      The classic cookie made gluten free!

      Ingredients

        For the cookies

        For the sugar coating

        Instructions

        1. Preheat oven to 350.
        2. In a large bowl , combine all the dry ingredients.
        3. In another bowl , combine all the wet ingredients.
        4. Add dry to wet and mix until combined.
        5. Roll dough into balls and coat them in the sugar/cinnamon mix.
        6. Place onto a lined baking sheet .
        7. Once all the balls are rolled and coated, use your palm to flatten them out.
        8. Bake in the oven for 13-17 minutes, depending on your oven. Enjoy!

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        Recipe Notes

        To get the oat flour, I just used my Vitamix to grind up rolled oats into a flour. If you do that, make sure the rolled oats you buy are gluten free. Some are produced in factories that also produce wheat.

        Wheat Berry Salad with Cranberries

        Melissa King 23 Comments

        On Memorial Day, my daughter wanted to have a picnic at the park.  It was kind of impromptu, so we stopped by Whole Foods to pick up a few things.  One thing we got was this delicious salad with wild rice and kamut.  I decided right there that I would have to create my own version.

        wheat berries watermark

        I used wheat berries and black rice instead of kamut and wild rice.  It turned out even better that way.  This is perfect for summer.  If you have never had wheat berries, they have a nutty flavor that goes perfect with the long grain black rice.  This is the kind of meal that will keep you full for quite some time.  Since it contains wheat berries and black rice, it could be a complete meal as well.

        Wheat Berry Salad with Cranberries

        Wheat Berry Salad with Cranberries

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        Prep Time 10 min Cook Time 30 min

        Ingredients

        • 2 cups wheat berries
        • 7 cups water
        • 1 cup long grain black rice
        • 1/3 cup dried cranberries
        • 2 T fresh thyme
        • 2 T fresh parsley
        • 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
        • Juice from 1 large orange or 1/4 cup orange juice
        • 2-3 T oil (I used avocado oil)
        • salt to taste

        Instructions

        1. Put the 2 cups of wheat berries and 7 cups of water in a large pot on the stove. 
        2. Bring to a boil and then turn down, cover and simmer until all the liquid has been absorbed.
        3. Cook the rice according to the package instructions.  You can even do both of these steps a day ahead if you like.  I did that myself. 
        4. Once the rice and wheat berries are cooled, add in the thyme, parsley, cranberries and salt. 
        5. In a small bowl, mix the remaining ingredients together to make a dressing. 
        6. Pour the dressing over the dry ingredients and mix well.

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        Recipe Notes

        This makes at least 4-5 good sized portions. Enjoy!