This is one of my favorites!  Ingredients for this are:

Veggie mash:
2-3 sweet potatoes peeled and chopped
2 parsnips, peeled and chopped
1 small turnip, peeled and chopped
(lots of room to play with options here: carrots instead of parsnips, etc)
sea salt
pepper

Taco Meat
1 lb ground beef
1 ½  tablespoons chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon paprika


Toppings
4 cups sauteed chopped green cabbage
1 package grape tomatoes, chopped
¼ cup cilantro, minced (optional)
shredded raw cheddar cheese

Boil veggies for mash until soft. Mash together and add salt and pepper to taste.  Meanwhile, ground beef on stove top with added seasonings until cooked through. Set aside, while sauteing chopped green cabbage with a small amount of coconut oil (my choice!) and a touch of salt until slightly soft. Chop tomatoes and have shredded cheese prepared.
To make plates, divide veggie smash evenly among plates. Top with ground beef, then cabbage, tomatoes, and finally cheese. 

   ENJOY!!!

    I like simple recipes. I tend to lose interest in trying new recipes that are 23 ingredients long. So that is why this is one of my favorite recipes! Super easy and no mile long ingredient list to go with it. These can literally be made with 2 ingredients only. That's it!!! Although I like to add just a tad more to make it how I like it best. 

Ingredients list:
-one green banana 
-two eggs (you can stop here if you like!)
(optional):
-1/4 cup Bob's Red Mill whey protein
-3 Tbsp coconut flour
-1 tsp cinnamon 

     The picture above shows a large batch, so I probably tripled the above recipe to get that amount. Also depends on how large a banana you are using, and also the eggs. Notice, it MUST be a GREEN banana! Do not try to make this recipe using a slightly green banana or one that is ripe. It will not work. The stiffness of the green banana is what makes these pancakes hold together. So the greener the better! As long as you are able to peel it. Ha! 

      Place the ingredients into a blender or food processor and blend well. I like adding the whey protein and coconut flour for thickness. You must preheat a pan on the stove top and get it good and hot before starting.  I use a bit of coconut oil or ghee to grease the pan. Once the pan is hot, pour your pancakes out and let them sit a few minutes. Lift the edge gently to see if underside is cooked, then quickly flip the pancakes and cook the other side. These can get messy if the pan was not hot enough first, or if your banana was not green enough. Remove from pan once both sides are done. 
   
     Then the fun part! You can top these however you like! Some options to consider:
-Obviously, you can go the butter and maple syrup route (real maple syrup!!! Not the junk stuff with fillers!) if that is your liking.
-Top with some Greek yogurt and fruit
-Spread some peanut butter on and top with banana slices
-Spread homemade apple sauce on top
-Top with cottage cheese and fruit (or applesauce here too!
-Top with a sunny side up egg
​-Use as bread for a sandwich
-Or just grab one and eat it plain!  :-) 

      

   I am famous for doing this. Once in a while when I have zero idea what to make for dinner, I start looking around and decide to make something out of what I have. Sometimes that works well, other times.... hhhmmmm, not so much. Haha. But this was a good one and I am so happy to share with you all! 
 Ingredients for this recipe:
-2 small spaghetti squash (I would rather cut 2 small ones than fight with a big one!)
-1.5 pounds of organic chicken breast
-3 cups of fresh baby spinach
-2 tablespoons of coconut oil or ghee
-1 tablespoon dried basil
-2 teaspoons dried rosemary
-1/2 cup freshly shredded parmesan cheese
-sea salt to taste

First, preheat oven to 375. Cut the 2 spaghetti squash in half and scoop out the insides.

Use the 2 tablespoons of coconut oil or ghee and rub on insides and edges of spaghetti squash. Place squash face down on cooking sheet and place in the oven. Cook for about 30 minutes or until softened. 

In the meantime, lightly boil chicken on stove top until cooked through (about 20 minutes). Once cooled, shred apart. If desired, (I like to do this, but not necessary) briefly stir fry shredded chicken pieces on stove top with a little coconut oil or ghee just to give an added texture. 

Once spaghetti squash is cooled, use a fork and scrape out all the squash into a baking dish. Sprinkle with some sea salt to taste. 

Wash 2 cups of fresh baby spinach (shred or chop if desired) and add to the spaghetti squash. Mix it around well so the spinach gets some of the oil or ghee on the leaves. 
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Then add shredded chicken to the mixture. Sprinkle with basil and rosemary, then top with shredded parmesan cheese. Bake at 375 just long enough to melt cheese and wilt the spinach leaves a bit (about 15 minutes). 

Enjoy! 
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      This recipe is a great alternative for those who love bread, but don't eat regular bread. If you avoid gluten for any reason but love a soft piece of bread once in a while, this is for you! And if you hate recipes with a million ingredients, this is also for you! And if you are following a keto diet, again, this is for you! 

Ingredients for this recipe:
-6 eggs (separated)
-1/2 cup Bob's Red Mill whey protein powder

     2 ingredients. That's it! Can't get much easier than that. I love using eggs from my backyard chickens for recipes... healthiest and freshest eggs you can get! And Bob's Red Mill whey protein powder is my favorite for homemade recipes. You can find that here.

         Start by separating the egg yolks from egg whites. Set egg yolks aside, and whip egg whites with a mixer for several minutes. Keep mixing until stiff peeks form. 
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         Next, add the egg yolks and gently mix until blended in fully with egg whites. Then add whey protein and gently mix until fully blended.
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       Add mixture to a greased baking pan (I like to grease pan with ghee for added taste).  Bake at 325 for 40 minutes. Batter will puff up very high while baking, and will drop after cooling for a while. 
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           I love lightly toasting this bread and putting almond butter or peanut butter on it with some sliced banana. Soooooo yummy! Fluffy, soft and tastes great. Enjoy! 

This has been a favorite of mine for years. Crunchy, a little bit sweet, and very satisfying. Makes a great topper for yogurt, cottage cheese, or just as a small snack on it's own! 

Ingredients for this recipe: 
-3.5 cups of nuts  (I use 1.5 cups slivered almonds, 1 cup cashews and 1 cup walnut pieces)
-1 cup coconut flakes
-1/3 cup almond butter
-1/3 cup coconut oil
-1/3 cup raw honey
1/4 cup almond meal or coconut flour (if using coconut flour, use slightly less than 1/4 cup)

Start by breaking up any nuts that are large into small pieces (if using whole nuts, place in a storage bag and break up nuts using a large spoon).  Place nuts in a large mixing bowl. 
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  Add one cup of coconut flakes to the nuts.  Next, mix together almond butter, coconut oil (melted) and raw honey. Add to nut mixture and stir well.
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Place mixture on a cookie sheet lightly greased  with a little coconut oil. Place in the oven at 325 for about 30 minutes, depending on how crunchy you like it. Baking it at higher temps for shorter time, I find just burns the edges too quick before the entire sheet is done, but you can play around with that. 
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You can find many ways to use this, just don't eat it all at once!  ENJOY! 

Mayonnaise. It's one of those condiments that most people  either love or hate. I happen to like mayo for certain things, but I don't like my food swimming in it by any means. We tend to think of it as something that's really not considered a "healthy" option, but does it have to be all that bad? Not really. One tablespoon of mayo generally contains about 90 calories and around 10 grams of fat. Just keep this in mind when thinking of what a serving is. The "mayo lovers" out there can easily triple this amount or more without batting an eye. 

So what's so bad about mayo? Let me tell you. If you're buying it off the grocery store shelf, you can be ingesting hydrogenated oils, high fructose corn syrup, and/or added sugars. And so many are made with soybean oil which is not a great choice for health, and is also found in almost every package of processed food out there. These are all things we should be trying to avoid if eating for good health. So let me show you a way to make your own mayonnaise at home that you can feel better about... and it will taste better and so much fresher! 

Ingredients for this recipe:
-1 large egg
-1 cup avocado oil 
-1/2 teaspoon of sea salt
-1/2 teaspoon ground mustard
​-2 teaspoons of apple cider vinegar

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This recipe certainly does not call for all the eggs shown in that photo, but I just think it's fun to show how pretty the different colored eggs are from my backyard chickens (that's a whole other blog post on it's own)!  :-)   Anyway, you want to combine all these ingredients into a mason jar that you will use to store the mayo. Blend everything together with an immersion blender... and that's it!!! Creamy, fresh tasting mayonnaise. 

But let me give you a few tips that I find help this recipe come out best. I have made this before and had it come out a bit runny. Things I find helpful to prevent that are, first, use a larger egg rather than a small one. Next, I find it better when I refrigerate the avocado oil before making this. Avocado oil can turn very thick and difficult to pour out if it is in the fridge for a long time, so just leave it in there for a day or so for it to become a bit more viscous. Follow these steps, and you should end up with a great texture and a great taste. 
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This should last in your fridge for about 5-7 days. This works great if you're making any large amount of chicken salad, tuna salad, some kind of coleslaw, or any salad that uses mayo as a base dressing. 
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   Just in time for Christmas! These muffins make a great addition to a holiday brunch or Christmas morning treat. These are gluten free and made of all pure ingredients. They are definitely a favorite in my house.

Ingredients for this recipe:
-2 ripe bananas
-1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
-1/4 cup pure maple syrup
-2 cups Oat Flour
-2 teaspoons baking powder
-1 teaspoon vanilla extract
-1/2 teaspoon sea salt
-1 and a half cups fresh cranberries
- zest of one orange
-2 Tablespoons chia seeds

Preheat oven to 350. Then start by mashing bananas in a large bowl, and all all other wet ingredients. Then add dry ingredients. I like to use this Gluten Free Oat Flour by Bob's Red Mill.

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Add all other dry ingredients and mix well. You can find chia seeds HERE on my Amazon Store.  They add such a nutritional boost!  Then add cranberries and orange zest and mix together well. 
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Spoon batter into lined or  greased muffin tins and bake for about 18 minutes. This makes about 10 muffins. So delicious.   :-)
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ENJOY!!!

This chowder is one of my favorite go-to's for a cold winter evening. It is comforting, warming, filling, and packed with great veggies. So here is the ingredient list for this recipe:

-One small-medium head of cauliflower
-one small onion
-3-4 medium sized carrots
-3-4 stalks celery
-2 cloves garlic, minced
-2-3 tablespoons coconut ghee (or plain ghee, butter or coconut oil is fine too)
-4 cups chicken broth
-1 cup whole milk
-4 slices cooked bacon (or turkey bacon) - optional
-1/4-1/3  cup arrowroot powder (for thickening, instead of flour)
-1/2 cup fresh chopped parsley (or 2 Tablespoons dried)
-1 teaspoon sea salt
​-fresh ground pepper to taste

Start out with your  chopped onion, carrots, celery and minced garlic. Heat a large pot on the stove top and melt your cooking fat. I LOVE the way this comes out using this Coconut Ghee. It is just delicious, but plain butter, ghee  or coconut oil will work too.  You can find it HERE.
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​Add diced vegetables to the pot once the ghee is melted. Cook on medium heat 3-4 minutes until slightly tender. Next, add the chopped cauliflower and heat for another 3-4 minutes.
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While these are cooking, add the arrowroot flour for thickening. I like to use arrowroot flour instead of regular flour, and it works great if you are trying to avoid gluten or any wheat products. 
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Once vegetables are slightly tender, add chicken broth and milk and bring to a boil. Then add crumbled bacon (optional), parsley,  and season with salt and pepper. I like to use celery salt in this recipe at times as well. It just adds nice flavor. Turn heat down and simmer for 15 minutes. And for an added benefit, add some collagen powder (maybe around 1/3 cup)... dissolves great in soups and gives you even more goodness! You can find collagen powder HERE. 
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ENJOY!
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 This is such a yummy little mix that I came up with about a month ago. I have always wanted to try Goji berries because I have heard of the supposed health benefits. SO this is my creation that came out of that desire.  I am calling it "Autumn Energy Mix" just because of the colors! They look so much like fall... at least that's what I think of when I look at this.  :-)



So let's start with  Goji berries. What are they?  These berries have a history of being used for medicinal purposes in ancient China. They are also known as Wolfberries, or by their nickname "The Happy Berry".  Ancient Monks gave this nickname after feeling jolly when drinking tea made from Goji berries. They have a beautiful deep red color to them and they come in a dried form like raisins. They are somewhat sweet with a slightly sour taste. Why are these so good for you? These berries are a great source of vitamin A, vitamin C, iron, fiber (will help you feel fuller for longer), zinc and antioxidants. They contain hypoglycemic properties which may help control blood sugar levels safely, and also contain anti-cancer benefits.  These berries contain all 8 essential amino acids... and this is quite rare to find in a fruit! We don't usually think of fruit as a protein source. And last but not least, Goji berries may help increase men's testosterone levels. I'll just leave that right there.  :-)

Who should avoid Goji berries? 
1. Anyone with known low blood sugar (these could worsen the condition)
2. Those with low blood pressure
3. If you are taking Warfarin (Coumadin), it is best to stay away from Goji berries since there are a few reported cases of these causing interactions with this medicine.
4. If you are pregnant or breast feeding - check with your doctor first (could increase uterine contractions). 

So now that we know a little bit about Goji berries, back to my recipe! Here is what this mix is made of:

-Goji Berries (If your local store doesn't have these, you can get them HERE!)
-Pumpkin seeds
-Sunflower seeds
-Coconut flakes (find them here for the best kind!)
-Diced dried apricots
-Carob chips (Carob chips are a great alternative when you want something different than chocolate chips! Find them HERE)

Mix a bunch together, and there you have my little snack. Filling, satisfying, yummy and nutritious. A different spin on your regular trail mix. And it looks like fall.  :-)

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These little sweet treats are super tasty, and of course, all good stuff! Perfect for a quick snack on the go, and kid friendly too! They are no bake and quick to make. These are 30 Day Reset approved as well, so no guilt here. :-)

Ingredients for this recipe:  
-1 cup pitted dates
-2 cups dried apple rings (the chewy ones)
-1/4 cup cashews
-1/4 cup pumpkin seeds (pepitas!)
-2 Tablespoons coconut oil
-1 and a half teaspoons cinnamon
-1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
-pinch of sea salt

Start with adding the dates and apple rings to a food processor.
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​Blend for a minute or so to break the fruit down. Then add all other ingredients. Pumpkin seeds are sometimes called "pepitas", so if you see that on a label, those are pumpkin seeds! They look like this (below - although this package is just labeled pumpkin seeds). Pumpkin seeds are loaded with fiber and also a decent amount of protien, so they are a great choice to add to recipes or sprinkle on a salad.
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Blend all ingredients together in food processor until well blended. Next, form small balls out of mixture and place on a clean surface. Once done, you can eat them right away, or let them sit in the fridge for an hour or so first. They store well in an airtight container in fridge for at least one week. 
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