Delicious Nutritious Frugalicious

Best Chocolate Cake (no sugar, no flour, no dairy)

2011-11-29T18:07:00.000-08:00

My daughter wanted a chocolate cake for her 4th birthday this past weekend. I decided to try out something new and my family ALL loved it. Everyone could eat it and everyone wanted seconds. I refused to reveal the secret ingredient! Shhh... I'll share the recipe but don't tell them what's in the cake!

1 can of black beans (drained, rinsed)
5 large eggs
1 Tbsp vanilla
1/2 tsp salt
6 Tbsp coconut oil (or butter)
1/2 cup honey
6 Tbsp cocoa powder
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda

Drain and rinse the beans. Place in a blender (we use our vitamix). Add 3 of the eggs, vanilla, and the salt. Puree it until it is smooth... make sure you let your blender work hard to get it smooth... this is the key to a lovely cake texture.

In a small bowl whisk the cocoa powder, baking powder, and baking soda.

Beat the coconut oil (or butter) in a bowl with the honey until light and fluffy (I use the vitamix blender for this but you may also use a conventional mix master). Add 1 egg and beat again... add the second egg and beat again for 1 minute.

Pour the bean mixture into the egg mixture. Beat well (until smooth). Gradually add the cocoa mixture and beat until smooth.

Pour into a greased 8" spring form (or round) pan. Drop the pan several times to allow the bubbles to pop.

Bake at 325 for 40-45 minutes (the top should be rounded and firm to the touch). Apparently this cake is even better after being left overnight.

You can ice this with whatever you like... healthy icing options are endless!!

BON APETIT!

Marvelous Muffins

2011-09-12T09:21:00.000-07:00

Dry ingredients
2 cups (500 mL) spelt flour (or whole wheat)
1 cup (250 mL) ground flaxseed
2 tsp (10 mL) baking powder
1/2 tsp (2.5 mL) baking soda
2 tsp (10 mL) cinnamon
1 tsp (5 mL) allspice

Wet ingredients
1/2 cup (125 mL) banana
1/2 cup (125 mL) zucchini
1/3 cup (75 mL) grape seed oil
1 cup (250 mL) milk or milk substitute
1/4 cup (60 mL) blackstrap molasses
1/4 cup (60 mL) maple syrup or honey
1/2 cup (125 mL) dates

Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C) and prepare a 12-muffin pan.

In a large bowl, combine dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, mix together wet ingredients.

Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and stir lightly until just blended. Do not over mix. Add chocolate chips. Pour batter into muffin pan and bake 15 to 20 minutes.

Allow to cool before removing from pan. Makes 12 muffins.

Bean Burritos (Crock Pot)

2011-07-08T15:07:00.000-07:00

1 can chick peas (drained and rinsed)
1 can black beans (drained and rinsed)
1 28-oz can tomatoes (with juice)
1 cup veggie broth (or water)
1/2 cup wild rice
2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp oregano

Place all ingredients in a crock pot, stir, and place the lid on.

Cook at low for 8-10 hours OR on high for 4-5 hours.

Serve in wraps with cheese, sour cream, salsa, lettuce, etc. OR on nachos with toppings!

A quick, easy dinner to prepare.

Coconut-Curried Sweet Potato Soup

2011-06-17T19:07:00.000-07:00

1 onion (chopped)
2 cloves garlic (pressed or minced)
1 Tbsp curry paste
1 can coconut milk
1.5 cups vegetable stock
3-4 sweet potatoes (about 4 cups)

* Open the can of coconut milk and skim off 4 Tbsp or so of the rich white coconut oil (fat). Place it in a large pot and bring to a high heat. Add the onions and garlic and allow to simmer and soften. Add the remainder of the coconut milk and whisk in the curry paste. Continue simmering.

* Peel and slice (or cube) the sweet potatoes. Add potatoes and vegetable stock to the pot and bring to another boil. Allow to cook (lid on) for about 15 minutes.

* Puree the soup (in a Vitamix in 1 large batch or with a hand mixer or any other blender).

Serve with crackers or panini bread and a salad.

Cookies

2010-12-01T21:53:00.000-08:00

1 c. whole wheat (or spelt) flour

1 tsp. baking soda

½ tsp. allspice

2 tsp. cinnamon

2 tsp. ginger

2 eggs

¼ cup olive oil or melted butter

1 ¼ cup unsweetened applesauce

½ cup honey

2 tsp. vanilla

3 cups oats

¾ c. chopped almonds

½ c. sunflower seeds

1 c. dried fruit (cut up apricots)

chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350. Combine flour, baking soda, salt, allspice, cinnamon, ginger and stir well. Set aside.

Place eggs, oil, applesauce and sweetener in large bowl and beat well. Add vanilla, oats, almonds and sunflower seeds and stir until well combined. Add flour mixture and stir well. Add dried fruit and chocolate chips and stir.

Drop onto cookie pans and bake apx 15 minutes.

Coconut Ice Cream

2010-11-14T20:54:00.000-08:00

1 can coconut milk
1 cup water
1/2 cup raw cashew pieces
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup pitted dates
2 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp salt
1 tray ice cubes
water as needed to make 5 cups total mixture

1) Blend ingredients (except ice cubes) in blender until creamy smooth - doesn't feel gritty (approx. 2 mins).
2) Add ice cubes and blend until smooth. Add more water to total 5 cups of mixture.
3) Pour into ice cream maker (OR pour into a shallow pan and freeze). When ready to use, thaw slightly until just soft enough to cut into squares. Place into blender with enough soy milk or water to blend into the consistency of soft ice cream.

Moroccan Yam Burgers (my favourite veggie burgers!)

2010-08-21T21:15:00.000-07:00

6 c. grated yams
2 T. chopped garlic
2 T. chopped ginger
1 x 19oz. can chickpeas, rinsed
1 1/2 c. mixed nuts
1/2 c. chopped cilantro
2 t. cumin
1 T. chili powder
1 t. coriander
1/2 t. cinnamon
1 t. pepper
2 T. soy sauce (I use tamari)
2 T. sesame oil
2 eggs, beaten
1/3 c. dry breadcrumbs (I use crushed sesame rye crackers)

Method
1. Grate yams in food processor and place in an extra large bowl.
2. Finely chop garlic and ginger in the food processor. Add half the chickpeas and process until smooth. Add to yams.
3. Mash the rest of the chickpeas and add to yams.
4. Grind nuts in the food processor and add to yams.
5. Add the cilantro and all of the spices to the yams.
6. Add soy sauce and sesame oil to the yams and mix well.
7. Add eggs and bread crumbs to - you guessed it - the yams. Add more bread crumbs if needed.
8. Measure into half-cup portions and form into patties.
9. Saute on medium low for 5 minutes per side. Or, freeze and grill.

* Adapted from the Whitewater Cooks recipe book

Banana Nut Muffins

2010-02-19T09:39:00.000-08:00

1 3/4 cups flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts

2 eggs
1/4 cup yogurt
2 Tbsp oil
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 Tbsp lemon juice
3 bananas mashed
1/2 cup dried fruit (raisins or cut apricots)

Mix the dry ingredients together in a large bowl. Mix the wet in a separate bowl. Stir wet ingredients into the dry and stir only to moisten. Pour into muffin tins. Bake at 375 for 20 minutes.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

2010-02-11T12:31:00.000-08:00

2 cups rolled oats
1 1/3 cup w.w. flour (or spelt)
1/4 tsp sea salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
2/3 cup raisins or chopped dried fruit
8 tbsp chocolate chips
2 tsp baking powder
2/3 cup flax meal (not flax seed)
1 cup pure maple syrup
6 Tbsp almond butter (may use cashew, peanut, hemp seed butter)
3 tsp vanilla extract

In a large bowl combine oats, flour, salt, cinnamon, coconut, raisins, chocolate chips and baking powder. In a small bowl whisk together flax meal, maple syrup, almond butter and vanilla. Stir in the wet ingredients into the dry and mix as little as possible (folding works well). Drop small balls onto a cookie sheet and bake at 350 for 13 minutes.

Yields 3 dozen.

Creamy Caesar Dressing

2010-01-17T12:48:00.000-08:00

2 cloves garlic
1/2 pkg (10 oz / 300g size) soft or silken tofu
2 Tbsp lemon juice
2 Tbsp water
1 Tbsp olive oil (or grapeseed)
1 1/2 tsp anchovy paste
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp salt (I use sea salt)
1/2 tsp pepper (fresh ground, if possible)
1/4 tsp dry mustard pwdr
2 Tbsp Parmesan cheese (freshly ground, if possible)

Mince garlic in food processor or blender. Add tofu, lemon juice, water, olive oil, anchovy paste, Worcestershire, salt pepper and dry mustard. Whirl, occasionally scraping down side, until smooth. Add Parmesan and whirl just until mixed. Toss with chopped romaine lettuce. Dressing keeps well 2-3 days if covered in the fridge.

Blueberry Muffins

2010-01-14T18:21:00.000-08:00

1 cup cashews
1 cup water
1/2 cup honey
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
1 egg
1 tsp lemon juice
1 1/4 cups flour
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
2 cups blueberries

Blend cashews and water until smooth (NO grit remaining at all).
Add remaining liquids and continue blending until combined.
Place flour and powder in a bowl, mix. Pour liquids into dry and stir only to combine. Fold in blueberries and pour into pan. Bake at 350 20-25 minutes. Yield: 12

Granola Bars

2010-01-06T02:24:00.000-08:00

1 c sunflower seeds
1/2 c pumpkin seeds
1/2 c walnuts
1/2 c slivered almonds
1/4 c hemp seeds or sesame seeds
1/3 c raisins or other dried fruit
1/3 c tbsp flax meal

1/3 c brown rice syrup
1/4 c almond butter
1/4 c coconut oil (optional)
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp sea salt

Combine seeds, nuts raisins and flax seeds. On med- low heat rice syrup, almond butter, coconut oil, cinnamon and salt. Stir until heated through. Don't boil. Add wet mixture to dry. Put on lightly oiled 8X12 baking dish. Press down and refrigerate or freeze until cool. Refridgerate.

Fudge

2009-12-19T13:07:00.001-08:00

1 cup dates
1 1/2 cups chocolate chips (semi-sweet)
1 cup almond (or another nut butter)
1/2 cup maple syrup
walnuts

1. Melt chocolate chips in a pot or in a glass bowl in the microwave on medium heat. Stir in dates and allow them to sit and soften for 5-10 minutes.
2. Meanwhile puree the nut butter and maple syrup in a food processor.
3. Add melted chocolate and dates and puree again.
4. Pour and press into a 9" or 8" square pan and press walnuts into the top.
5. Cool in the fridge and then slice into small pieces.

(adapted from Silver Hills cookbook)

Claire's Favourite Smoothie

2009-11-27T15:35:00.000-08:00

fresh squeezed OJ
spinach leaves or 1 piece of kale (not the stalk)
1/2 banana (frozen or fresh)
1/2 cup blueberries (frozen)
Brad King's Protein Powder (vanilla)

Blend first 4 ingredients and pour into a cup. Add the protein powder and sip(-:

Pear Ice Cream

2009-09-29T18:29:00.001-07:00

1 cup raw cashews (pieces work well and are cheaper!)
1 cup pear juice (from canned pears)
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
1/3 cup honey or maple syrup
2 x 14 oz tins canned pears

1. Place cashews and pear juice in blender and blend until creamy. Do not underblend (make sure there is no grit).
2. Add remaining ingredients and blend well again.
3. Run through your ice cream machine and freeze until ready to serve

(Silver Hills Cookbook)

Raincoast Crackers

2009-08-08T19:27:00.000-07:00

3 cups spelt flour
1 cup sesame seeds
1/2 cup honey
1 cup flax seeds
1 1/4 cups chopped pecans
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 3/4 dried cranberries
1 3/4 cups pumpkin seeds
2 1/2 cups buttermilk

Mix dry ingredients, honey and buttermilk.

In 2 greased loaf pans pour equal amounts of mixture.

Bake at 350 for 40-50 minutes (until baked, not crispy). *Note: it barely rises.
Freeze (it is much easier to cut thin when frozen). When frozen, cut into THIN slices (usually 24 slices per loaf) and re-bake at 225-250 for 40-50 minutes.
Delicious!!

(source unknown)

Cosmetics

2009-07-25T11:39:00.001-07:00

The Environmental Working Group is the website that I research all of our cosmetic products on. Many products are listed and if they are not you can research individual ingredients. The website is http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com/

Homemade Bubble Bath

2009-07-04T19:59:00.000-07:00

3/4 cup boiling water
1 package gelatin
1/2 cup liquid castile soap (eg Dr. Bronner's)
a few drops of essential oils

Pour 3/4 cup of boiling water over the gelatin and stir to dissolve (apx 2 minutes). Then slowly pour in the liquid castile soap and essential oils and stir. Let sit until cooled. Store in a container and pour desired amount under running water when it's bath time!

Nutty Bok Choy Salad

2009-04-23T12:05:00.000-07:00

Our friend Kyla made this AMAZING salad and I couldn't get enough of it! It is DELICIOUS(-: Enjoy.

Nutty Bok Choy Salad

dressing-
3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
3 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp honey
2 tbsp peanut butter

salad
5-6 cups thinly sliced bok choy
1 thinly spiced red pepper
2 thinly sliced green onion
1 pkg ichiban noodles- (roasted 8-10 min 350)
1/2 cup roasted peanuts

Cosmic Cookies

2009-03-07T12:25:00.001-08:00

YUM... these are an adaptation that my friend Carrie made - DELICIOUS and NUTRITIOUS from a recipe she got from Planet Organic!

2 1/4 cups oats

2 cups flour

1 cup sunflower seeds

3/4 cup pumpkin seeds

1/2 cup shredded coconut, unsweetened

1/4 cup flax seeds

1 tablespoon cinnamon

1 3/4 cups dark chocolate chips or carob chips

1 1/4 cups raisins ** (I often substitute dried apricots cut into small pieces)

1/4 cup water

1/4 cup molasses

1/2 cup honey

1/4 cup oil (I used olive)

1 cup milk (use whatever kind you like... skim, soy, almond, etc)

Mix all dry ingredients in a large bowl. Mix all wet ingredients together in a small bowl. Mix wet into dry and stir until mixed - don't over mix.

Drop 1/3 cup of the batter at a time and form into cookies. Bake at 350 for 24 minutes or until lightly browned.

These are VERY yummy and very filling. Enjoy(-:

(adapted from Planet Organic)

Recipe for Baby Wipes

2009-01-31T06:51:00.000-08:00

My friend Stacy shared this recipe with me. It is so easy and economical plus not full of a lot of junk like commercial wipes.

1 roll of paper towel cut in half * I used the roll single use sheets as they're smaller so I use less
2 cups water
2 Tbsp baby soap (we use Dr. Bronner's unscented castile soap)

After you've cut the paper towel roll in half set 1/2 aside and use 1/2 for now.
Place the 1/2 roll in a ziplock bag.
Mix the water and liquid soap in a bowl and pour over the towels.
Let it soak in and remove the cardboard tube.
Seal (make sure to get the extra air out).
USE!

Disinfecting Cleaner

2009-01-29T13:26:00.000-08:00

To make a kid safe and economical disinfecting cleaner, combine...

3 cups distilled* water
1/4 cup food grade* hydrogen peroxide
essential oils of your choice

*Food Grade Hydrogen Peroxide can be purchased at your local health food store
* Distilled Water must be used otherwise the reaction of the chlorine in the water with the peroxide will make your bottle leak!
* We use a few drops of peppermint and lemon essential oils

Tortellini Bake

2009-01-09T10:59:00.000-08:00

1 package of cheese tortellini (cooked as per directions)
1-2 large jars of tomatoe sauce (your fav)
cut up veggie (zucchini, red pepper, green pepper I usually use)...
optional others can be baby corn, mushrooms, etc(-:
mozzarella cheese
Optional: cut up chicken breasts or tofu for a veggie option

Directions
1). Cook tortellini as per directions. Rinse with cold water and drain.
Divide between 2 large casserole dishes.
2). Cook chicken breasts and cut into bite sized pieces or cut tofu into small cubes. Divide between the casserole dishes.
3). Cut veggies into bite sized pieces. Divided between casserole dishes.
4). Pour tomato sauce over the pasta, veggies & chicken and stir well to
combine. If you use 'regular' tom sauce you'll want to add some spices.
5). Sprinkle mozza cheese on top.
6). Bake at 350 or 375 for 30-45 minutes (until heated through and cheese
is melted).
ENJOY - this is a family fav(-:

Curried Carrot Soup

2008-12-23T09:48:00.000-08:00

2 Tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion
1 rib celery
4 Tbsp fresh ginger (grated)
3 cloves garlic
4 tsp curry pwdr or curry paste
1 tsp garam masala
6 cups vegetable stock
6 large carrots (cut into chunks)
1 can (14 oz) coconut milk
1 lemon (juiced)
salt & cilantro

Add onion, celery, garlic & grated ginger to a soup pot with heated olive oil. Cook on medium heat until the onions are softened. Add the curry & garam masala and cook for a few minutes.
Stir in the stock and carrots and cook until carrots are soft. Bring to a boil, add coconut milk. Heat through and remove from heat. Add lemon juice & salt.
Blend soup well until smooth. Serve and enjoy!!! It freezes well too(-:

Even my carnivorous man loves this for lunch.

Cloth Diapers

2008-12-08T11:38:00.001-08:00

Some of you are well past the diaper stage with your kids and / or grandkids but for those of you who are in the midst of it I need to tell you about our amazing experience with cloth diapers.
My husband was initially apprehensive about trying them but now he can't imagine not doing cloth diapers. We started with a service in town which was AMAZING (you put out your dirty diapers each Monday and they pick them up and drop off a sanitized new bag for the week) - amazing! We've now just switched over to buying our own cloth and doing our own washing and I must say it is FAR easier than we ever thought. For those of you who are trying to save money this seems a 'no brainer' to me. Plus being that we are quite environmentally conscious we feel this is the best way to go. Anyhow, for anyone interested in either the service and / or buying your own supplies I HIGHLY recommend Kelly at http://www.tidytushees.ca/store/catalog/ She delivers within the Kelowna area and for those outside of Kelowna she ships and ONLY charges the actual shipping cost. She's a work at home mom (WAHM) so I love to support her! I can't rave enough about her.

Splish Splash... Safe Baby Bath Toys

2008-11-28T10:49:00.001-08:00

Our little girl just turned one and absolutely loves her bath so I thought it would be fun to add some toys to the tub. Unfortunately SO many of the tub toys out there (duckies, etc) contain PVC and / or Phthalates and / or BPA so... I did a little research and was thrilled to find that there are many products that are deemed 'safe' by the greenies (-: and don't cost a fortune.

http://www.squidoo.com/saferbathtoys

I just went to our local Toys R Us and found the Sassy Count 'N Spell letter & numbers as well as the Double Duckies and they were not expensive. There are plenty more out there and this site has lists for safe teething toys and others too.

Enjoy!

The 'Dirty Dozen'

2008-11-20T16:04:00.000-08:00

With 'organic' being the buzz word these days it's challenging to know which things to splurge for and which ones to not bother with.

I've found this link really helpful...
http://www.foodnews.org/pdf/EWG_pesticide.pdf

You can go there and print off a wallet sized guide for the 'dirty dozen' (12 produce items MOST highly sprayed with pesticides and chemicals). It also tells you which ones not to bother with (unless you really want to).

So bananas, broccoli, avacados and onions are among those that are 'best' (don't bother buying organic). But the 'dirtiest'... peaches, apples, peppers, celery, lettuce, spinach, potatoes and on. You can go online for the full report but thought this might be helpful for you. Also, this site is funded by donations so there is no industry funding which means it is pretty 'grass roots' and not being encouraged to 'fudge' any numbers by any food / grower industry associations.

Salmon with Cucumber Dill Sauce

2008-11-16T18:49:00.000-08:00

This is another family favourite. Healthy and delish!

1 salmon fillet (size depends on how big you are cooking for)

Mix in a small glass bowl and cover in fridge for at least 1 hour...
2 shallots, diced
10 cloves garlic, minced
3 Tbsp fresh dill, snipped
3 Tbsp fresh thyme, chopped
2 Tbsp cilantro, chopped
2 Tbsp grated lemon zest
3 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
2 green onions, chopped
1 tsp olive oil

Bake or BBQ for about 30 minutes at around 350.

CUCUMBER DILL SAUCE...
1/4-1/2 cucumber
1/4 tsp salt
1.5 cups plain yogurt
1 tsp lemon juice
pepper to taste
3 green onions, finely chopped (white part only)
2 tsp dill, chopped (or 1 tsp dried)

Chop cucumber finely and toss with salt and let sit 15 minutes in a sieve.
Stir it into 1.5 cups of plain yogurt and 1 tsp lemon juice. Salt & Pepper to taste. Stir in onion an dill.

ENJOY! It's awesome with rice (basmati or wild are our favourites).

Roast Sticky Chicken (Crock Pot)

2008-11-14T11:24:00.001-08:00

4 tsp salt
2 tsp paprika
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp onion pwdr
1 tsp thyme
1/2 tsp garlic powder /or 1 whole clove minced
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 cup chopped onion
1 large roasting chicken
potatoes

Rub the spice mix into the skin of the chicken. Arrange potatoes around the chicken and bake on LOW for 8-10 hours or HIGH for 4-5 hours. This is VERY moist and will be 'falling off the bone tender'. ENJOY - it's my husband's favourite(-: For those of us who don't eat meat this is a great spice mix for tofu or eggs too(-:

Nan Knows Best

2008-11-12T19:26:00.001-08:00

Our great-grandma is turning 90 next month and is a wealth of knowledge. I was talking to her about what kind of cleaners she used growing up. Talk about cheap!

VINEGAR
Disinfecting cleaner (non-toxic) ... dilute vinegar with water. Use to clean and disinfect bathrooms, counters, kids toys, door handles, etc. We also use a 1 part vinegar to 10 parts water solution with essential oil drops to wash the floors.
Bleach alternative ... pour in 1/2 cup to your load ... it works to eliminate static too.
Fruit flies... put out a small shallow dish of vinegar to get rid of them.
Tag / sticker removal... to get rid of the residue left from sticky stickers or tags just use vinegar.
Insect bites... dab on vinegar to take the 'itch' out!
To de-clog a drain... pour in 1 cup of baking soda... then 1 cup of hot vinegar (I don't always heat it first) and then let it sit for 5-15 minutes (sometime I wait 30 minutes). They pour a kettle full of boiling water down. VOILA!
Glasses that are 'cloudy'.... rinse in vinegar.
Coffee Maker or kettle... use vinegar to de-scale

BAKING SODA
Fridge... leave a box in your fridge and freezer to absort odour.
Shoes, sports equipment... fill an old rag or towel with soda and leave to sit (or live in a sports bag that is stinky!)
Fire extinguisher... have a box handy in the kitchen. If you ever have flames from an electrical fire the baking soda will put it out.
Veggie cleaner...sprinkle soda in water and soak and rinse your veggies to clean them.
Heart burn... if you have heart burn just drink water with 1/2 tsp in 1/2 cup of water.
Laundry... add 1/2 cup to your load to eliminate odours.
Dishwasher... run a load through with soda to clean out the inside of your d/w.
Shower curtains... if they're stinky soak them in a sink of baking soda and water.
Deoderant... my friend uses soda as a deoderant. She just rubs it onto her arm pits.

There are PLENTY more uses but there are a few(-: And these two are pretty inexpensive and versatile. Non-toxic too.

Dishwashing Detergent

2008-10-24T11:02:00.001-07:00

We are testing out a home-made dishwashing mix that is inexpensive and green. Feel free to try it and let me know what you think...

1 cup borax
1 cup baking soda
1/4 cup table salt
1/4 cup citric acid
** essential oil is optional for scent (lemongrass is nice)

Mix and store in an empty jar. Use 2 Tbsp / load.

**note: be sure to fill your rinse dispenser with VINEGAR to help your dishes get clean and prevent them from clouding.

Edible Play Dough Recipes

2008-10-01T21:51:00.000-07:00

One warning. These smell pretty good so the smell may entice your child to begin nibbling(:

PEANUT BUTTER PLAY DOUGH
Ingredients:
One 18-oz jar creamy peanut butter (or another nut butter)
6 tablespoons honey
3/4 cup non-fat dry milk

Directions: Mix ingredients together, using varying amounts of dry milk for desired consistencies.

Storage: When not using, MUST be stored in an airtight container.

SMOOTH PEANUT BUTTER PLAY DOUGH
Ingredients:
2 cups smooth peanut butter (or another nut butter)
2 cups rolled oats
2 cups dried milk
2/3 cups honey

Directions: Mix all ingredients until thoroughly combined. Storage: When not using, MUST be stored in an airtight container.

Baby Food Guide

2008-10-01T21:49:00.000-07:00

A few of you have been asking me about baby food recipes. My recommendation to anyone with a baby is to purchase SUPER BABY FOOD by Ruth Yaron - it is a MUST and a very practical guide that helps you introduce foods age appropriately. She has done SO much research and has endless ideas and recipes for healthful, affordable food!!

www.superbabyfood.com

Cake-in-the-making

2008-09-15T15:33:00.000-07:00

My parents were up for a birthday visit and I wanted to make a cake that we could all eat. So that meant a cake with no dairy, no sugar and heart healthy(: I modified a couple of recipes to make a tastey cake thought it wasn't as moist as I'd like so I'm suggesting to add in some banana and it''ll be tastey.

1 cup cashew pieces
2/3 cup water
1/2 cup honey
salt
1 tsp vanilla
1 egg
1 tsp lemon juice
1-2 bananas
1 cup flour
2 1/2 tsp baking powder

Blend cashews and water until VERY smooth (make sure there is no grit left from the nuts).
Add honey, salt, vanilla, egg and lemon juice and blend again.
Combine dry ingredients. Pour wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix well.
Pour into an 8" square or round pan (I grease mine with coconut oil).
Bake for about 35 minutes at 350.
Remove and cool.

Chocolate FROSTING
1 cup dates
1 cup walnuts
1/4 cup cocoa

Puree all ingredients in a food processor. Spread onto cake - it is DELICIOUS!! If there's leftovers you can use a spatulat to put it into a glass loaf pan and freeze it. Tastes like gelato!

Cashew Cream Sauce Recipe

2008-08-23T21:41:00.001-07:00

I have served this to several friends and family. It is delicious and most people just though it was a cream sauce and I didn't mention it was a CASHEW cream sauce(: This is heart healthy and the 'good' fat!

1 cup raw cashews
3 cups water
2 Tbsp flour

flavour options...
onion powder, celery salt and / or salt, chicken style seasonsing

Place cashews into a blender. Add 1 cup of the water and blend until VERY smooth and creamy (no grit left AT ALL).

Add all remaining ingredients EXCEPT remaining water and continue blending.

In a sauce pan bring 2 cups of water to a boil. Add blended mixture while whisking constantly and bring to a second boi.

Remove from heat and serve hot over veggies or use as a sauce for scalloped potatoes or creamed noodles. For a plain white sauce omit the seasonings.

Granola Bar Recipe - YUM!

2008-08-19T15:14:00.000-07:00

4 cups rolled oats
2 cup quick-oats
1 tsp cinnamon
dash of salt
1/2 cup almonds
1 1/4 cup honey
1/2 cup almond milk
1/3 cup coconut (optional)
dried fruit (eg: dried apricots cut up or raisins or chocolate chips)

Process 4 cups of ROLLED OATS to make them into a flour-like texture.
In a large bowl combine powdered oats, quick oats, cinnamon, salt and almonds.
In a separate bowl combine wet ingredients.
Add wet ingredients to dry and mix. (Add dried fruit/mix ins if desired).
Use a spatula to pat into a baking dish (I grease mine with coconut oil).
Sprinkle coconut on top (if desired).

Cut into bars FIRST and then bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes. Cool and then re-cut them. Enjoy! Yields about 24 bars.

Coconut Curry Stir Fry Recipe

2008-08-15T20:56:00.000-07:00

1 onion
garlic
curry powder or paste
1 can coconut milk
fresh cut veggies --> suggestions:
carrots, sliced
celery, sliced
bok choy, sliced
kale, sliced
red pepper, cut
snow peas
bean sprouts
zucchini, sliced
(other options could include mini corn and mushrooms) -- use whatever you like and have!

Heat the coconut milk in a pan and add the curry (pud lid on for 2-3 minutes). Let the curry heat to release the flavour. Then add the onions & garlic and allow them to soften.

Add the vegetables starting with carrots as they take longest to cook. Cook until desired consistency is accomplished.

Serve on a bed of rice - we love basmati.

Protein options: you can add nuts, tofu or black beans/chick peas (or meat) to this. It is a family favourite - very tastey!

Smoothie Recipe

2008-08-08T12:59:00.000-07:00

1/3 - 1/2 cup orange juice (depending how thick you like your smoothie)
1 frozen banana
1/2 - 1 cup frozen berries
1/2 cup plain non-fat yogurt
stevia or honey

In a blender place orange juice, frozen banana, berries, yogurt and sweetener. Blend until smooth and enjoy. This is our family favourite smoothie! We really don't measure so you can guesstimate the amounts and adjust them to your liking for consistency.

Coconut Milk 'Whipped Cream' Recipe

2008-08-05T07:03:00.001-07:00

We have a number of family and friends that are unable to have dairy. This is such a quick, inexpensive and easy-to-have-on-hand recipe that we always have a few cans of this on hand.

1 can of GOLD* Rooster Brand Coconut Milk

Simply chill the can (we leave one in the fridge). When ready to prepare simply open the can and scrape all of the coconut fat and coconut milk into a bowl and beat on high speed until it is whipped. Add a bit of maple syrup or honey and/or vanilla if you like. That's it!

It's delicious and has a wonderful coconut flavour (very mild) too. We serve it with the oat waffles and berries and everyone loves it. Enjoy!

Oat Waffle Recipe

2008-08-04T19:01:00.000-07:00

Oat Waffles

Dry Ingredients:

4 cups rolled oats

½ cup ground millet (or cornmeal)

1 tsp salt

1 tsp vanilla (optional)

½ cup almonds

5 cups water

Preparation:

Mix all ingredients in a large bowl. Cover and place in fridge for a few hours (or overnight).

When ready to cook, pour 2 cups of batter at a time into the blender and blend until smooth.

Preheat waffle iron and bake until golden grown.

Freeze leftovers and pop them in the toaster to warm.

Yummy Muffin Recipe

2008-08-01T06:46:00.000-07:00

1 cup whole spelt flour
1 cup barley flour (or use 1 cup white and 1 cup whole wheat flour in place
of spelt and barley if you prefer)
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 ripe bananas, peeled
3 tablespoons blackstrap molasses
½ cup apple juice, plus more as needed
2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
1 zucchini, finely grated (about 1 ½ cups) --> I just blend the zucchini up in the blender separately
½ cup finely chopped or ground walnuts
½ cup raisins (optional, they add a touch of sweetness)

Preheat the oven to 375º. Line a muffin tin with paper liners.

Combine flours, cinnamon, baking powder, and baking soda in a mixing
bowl.

Place the bananas, blackstrap molasses, apple juice, and apple cider vinegar
in a blender and blend until smooth. Mix the wet and dry ingredients
together, then fold in the zucchini, walnuts, and currants or raisins. Use a
bit more apple juice if needed to wet all the flour.

Divide mixture evenly into the 12 lined muffin cups, and bake for 20
minutes, or until the top springs back to the touch. Remove muffins from the
pan and cool on a wire rack.

* These are SO delicious if I do say so myself(:

Chemical-Free Hand Sanitizer

2008-07-31T06:00:00.000-07:00

Mix together

1/4 cup witch hazel extract
1/4 cup aloe vera gel
1 tsp. vegetable glycerin
1 tbsp. lemon juice or organic apple cider vinegar
10 drops tea tree oil

Store in an airtight container. Simply squeeze a little onto your hands and rub in.

Snicker Snacks Recipe

2008-07-31T05:51:00.000-07:00

Snicker Snacks

½ cup sunflower seeds

½ cup sesame seeds

¼ cup honey

½ cup nut butter (I use almond butter)

½ cup cocoa

¼ cup wheat germ

Coconut (optional)

In a food processor add 1 ingredient at a time and pulse until the mixture forms a large ball. Pinch off and roll into balls.

Oh my goodness – they are delicious! They really taste as good as Snickers Bars(:

Economical, Chemical-Free Laundry Soap

2008-07-30T06:10:00.000-07:00

In my recent research over the past year or so for a laundry detergent I have been amazed at how economical these products are and how little you use. Just because it is 'green' and chemical-free (and dye free and fragrance free) doesn't mean you'll pay more. Added benefits?

bb= safe for baby clothes and cloth diapers
- = you use MUCH less than commercial brands
* = WAY better for your clothes, the environment, your skin
$ = cheaper than brands you buy at the store
scent = unscented (scents are usually chemically derived and actually build up on your clothes and combine to the chemical residue)

Here is the best I've found in a powdered form...
Wonder Wash (www.wonderwash.net) gets 80 loads per container and costs about $0.14 / load if you buy in bulk direct. You literally use 1 Tablespoon per load. There are no phosphates, dyes, perfumes, bleach, color, brighteners, whiteners, sulfates, chemicals, etc. Best on the market!
--> since my original post of this I have been to Superstore pricing out these other brands (including NO NAME) which are ALL more expensive than ordering Wonder Wash directly from their company. The only thing is that you had to buy a large quantity box... what I'm doing is ordering a bulk order and splitting it with 3 friends so we'll all pay $50 and have enough to last us about a year!!! Check the website for ordering info or you can order it locally in smaller quantities but it is much more expensive(:

For price point comparison...
Watkins Laundry Soap gets 80 loads per box and costs about $0.22 / load (great ingredients)
Malaleuca ($0.23 / load) -- looks pretty good for ingredients too
No Name Superstore $18+tax 150 loads ($0.14 / load) it's full of scents, fillers and other junk
Tide $24.40 90 loads ($0.31/ load)

Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe (no sugar, no butter/marg)

2008-07-30T05:57:00.000-07:00

Mish’s Cookies...

Okay so you might think they'd not taste good without the abundance of butter, margerine and sugar but they are amazing and filling too! When my husband loves them too I know they're good. And as for the chocolate chips... you've gotta live so those are a 'must' in my opinion.

In a blender place

1+ cup dates

2/3-1 cup boiling hot water

1 cup cashew pieces (much cheaper than whole ones)

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla

1 Tbsp lemon juice

¾ tsp salt

Allow to sit for 10-15 minutes. Puree until smooth.

In a large bowl combine

½ cup spelt / whole wheat flour

½ cup rolled oats

2 tsp baking powder

Pour pureed ingredients into the dry and stir to mix. Add desired ‘add ins’ (I use 1/2 bag of mini chocolate chocolate chips).

Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes. YUMMY!

Economical, Chemical-Free HAND SOAP

2008-07-29T21:21:00.000-07:00

Purchase Dr. Bronner's Castile Soap (unscented or peppermint is nice) from any healthy food store (I pay $9.99 for 472 mL). Use 1 part liquid soap with 3 parts water in a sudsing soap pump. The pictures shown here are (LEFT) a glass one purchased from Winners / Home Sense for about $10 and a plastic one (kids bathroom) purchased from Whole Foods.

$ = minimal... I guesstimate about $1 per fill in your soap dispenser
scent = 'choose your own adventure' scent... add any essential oil
ingredients = water, organic coconut & organic olive oil, organic hemp oil, organic jojoba oil, citric acid, vitamin E.

* This is great soap for the entire family... from babies to adults. We use it as hand soap, body wash and baby soap/shampoo. A little goes a long way!

Groovy Granola Recipe

2008-07-29T21:13:00.000-07:00

Groovy Granola

My friend Tracy shared this wonderful recipe with me some time ago. We adapted the recipe slightly and have been hooked on this granola ever since!

Dry Ingredients:

3 cups rolled oats

2 cups rolled spelt

2 cups rolled kamut

6 Tbsp ground flax seed

1 cup pumpkin seeds

1 cup coconut

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp salt

Wet Ingredients:

1 ¼ cups hot water

¾ honey

1/2 cup grape seed oil

2 tsp vanilla

Preparation:

In a large bowl combine the dry ingredients.

In a glass measuring cup combine the wet ingredients.

Pour wet ingredients over the dry and stir to combine.

Bake in a large baking dish for 1 hour at 250 F stirring every 15 minutes or so.

Watch out – this disappears almost as quickly as you make it!