Thursday, January 31, 2013

Lemon, Ginger & Goji Berry Tea

I had never tried goji berries before making this recipe. I had always been kind of curious about them, but not really knowing how/ what to prepare them in, I was a little clueless. Then I stumbled upon this post online  about a goji berry tea. Hmm..well lemon ginger tea is one of my favorite things ever, so why not throw in a few gojies while I'm at it? Turns out goji berries are really yummy! To me they somehow taste like dates..in a weird sort of way. But in any case they're really good. I drink this tea when I wake up, before my coffee and breakfast etc. It feels very cleansing and refreshing. Try doubling or tripling the recipe and keeping it in a container in your fridge for the week, either drink it cold or reheat whenever you please. So if you like ginger and lemon, and want to be a goji berry convert, try this little recipe.


Paprika Roasted Chickpeas

I first started making roasted chickpeas about a year and a half ago. I was really skeptical of the idea at the time, but out of my love for chickpeas, and indeed all things legume, I decided to try it out. The results were unreal. They are crunchy, and salty and healthy all at the same time! MMMM. They're awesome on their own as a snack, as additions to salads and soups...lets be real they'd be good in pretty much anything. So here's the recipe for one of my go-to power snacks.


Monday, January 28, 2013

Lentil Balls (The New Veggie Meatball)

So here's a personal fact that I don't tell too many people because of the myriad of "what-you're-such-a-weirdo" type looks I've received in the past upon divulging it. Having been a vegetarian since I was 10, I never got the chance to experience real meatballs more than once or twice. They always kind of weirded me out as a kid, to be perfectly honest. But recently the idea of a little something extra on top of pasta, the all american meatball sub, Italian wedding soup etc..has started to seem somewhat appealing. But whats the key missing ingredient here? Meatballs. No dice..so I decided to substitute the meat for lentils, a hearty, meaty textured ingredient. I kind of experimented a lot with this recipe and I'm sure I'll still make some more tweaks to it in the future, but for the moment these Lentil Balls turned out wonderfully. They are thick and meaty and taste great! This recipe makes about 32 balls, that's way too many to eat in one sitting so feel free to wrap the rest in tin foil and freeze em up.



Friday, January 18, 2013

Honey Kissed Cinnamon Apple Chips

MMMmm apple chips. They always bring me back to my childhood when my mom used to buy them for me. I think they're a ton better than potato chips (which may be due to my dastardly sweet tooth). So on this freezing cold winter day I decided to whip up a warm, crunchy batch of fresh apple chips (hopefully warming the house with the oven in the process..). To doctor these ones up I added a little bit of raw organic honey and a sprinkle of cinnamon. I think the honey really added to the flavor, it didn't make the chips overly-sweet, but gave them a very nice almost floral-y taste to balance out the deep spice of the cinnamon. Deliciouss!


Monday, January 14, 2013

Rustic Cauliflower Crust Pizza

Cauliflower is a great veggie. Its actually not too, too high in many vitamins and minerals but it does contain some, and that all important fiber! That's why I thought this whole idea of cauliflower pizza crust I've been seeing was a great idea; though it doesn't have all the nutrient density of some other veggies, it would still be a worthy replacement for pizza dough. I tried to doctor up this recipe a little bit, and the results were unbelievable. They actually surpassed my expectations. Guys, you have simply GOT to try this! Its a little more time consuming than just buying pre-made regular dough, of course, but not so much so that it isn't worth it! The crust is unreal, and putting a bunch of awesome toppings on is simply the icing on the cake...or...the topping on the pizza I guess. But all in all make this! You will not regret it, I promise!

Slow Roasted Grape Tomatoes

I don't think I've ever met anyone who doesn't like sundried tomatoes. We recently bought a huge bunch of grape tomatoes, so I figured I'd make an in-home version of sundried tomatoes. These little beauties are so good. They're so sweet they're almost like candy. They'd make a great addition to practically any dish..pastas, salads, sandwiches, pizzas (see next post...hint hint) and I think are just great to have on hand!


Friday, January 11, 2013

Gingerbread Coconut Milk Mousse

And now to continue on in my obsession with any and all things ~gingerbread~! Sorry if this seems slightly redundant in my recipes, but gingerbread is just so delicious and has so many awesome health benefits that..why not make a ton of gingerbread stuff? So this particular recipe is inspired by a bunch of different "coconut milk whipped cream" or "coconut milk mousse" recipes that I've seen floating around the internet. That struck me as a very interesting idea, as coconut milk is as a whole wayyyy healthier than whipping cream (delicious as it is..in moderation) and I love the subtle and rich taste of coconut that is in the milk. This recipe turned out fabulously. It is just like making whipped cream, except the result is much more of a mousse- like consistency I would say, hence the name of this yummy dessert. Try this one out :)


~*~*~*UPDATE: If you like hot chocolate, throw a spoonful of this on top. Trust me~*~*~*

Thursday, January 3, 2013

Cranberry Flax Blondies With White Chocolate Chunks...White Bean Style

Ok so I know this is really close in proximity to my black bean brownies recipe, but it was just so awesomely delicious that I simply HAD to try out a white bean blondie version. This is kinda the same recipe, minus the chocolate and plus a bunch of other healthy and delicious goodies. These turned out just as wonderful. Just amazing, in fact. And like the brownies, these blondies are wayyyy better after they sit out over night. Try them out!