Homemade Dark Chocolate

These chocolates are the perfect treat to have at home to avoid the white stuff (refined sugar). They're delicious and ridiculously easy to make. The chocolate base is 3 ingredients, that's it! Then you can add your flavorings and toppings of choice. If you like very dark chocolate, omit the sweetener and just use spices to sweeten. My favorite are turmeric and maca powders.

Ingredients

1/4 cup raw cacao powder

1/4 cup coconut oil, melted

1/2-1 Tablespoon coconut sugar or raw honey

Optional Flavorings and Toppings

Vanilla extract

Turmeric

Cinnamon

Ginger

Maca powder

Mesquite powder

Sea salt

Cacao nibs

Raw nuts and seeds

Shredded coconut

Procedure

1. Mix all ingredients in a small bowl. If adding flavorings, add them now.
2. Place mixture in chocolate molds or in a small dish lined with parchment paper. Top with desired toppings and place in freezer until firm (about 20 minutes).
3. Remove from mold or dish. Store in the refrigerator or freezer.

Serves 4

Homemade Tomato Sauce

Have you ever read the ingredient list of your store-bought tomato sauce? You'd be surprised to find that it's most likely loaded with added sugar, preservatives, and excess sodium. I got in the habit of reading labels years ago. It's amazing to find what is in products that are even labeled "all-natural," "organic," "sugar-free," etc. Point is, why spend money on these products that are not good for our health when they're so easy and more flavorful to make at home? Preparing your own sauces, dressings, and dips is fun and provides lots of health benefits.

There are many types of tomato sauces out there. This is my go-to base recipe. It's so simple, yet full of flavor. You can add different herbs and spices to make it your desired flavor (i.e. roasted garlic, chiles, etc.). Use sauce on vegetables, grains, chicken, or fish.

Ingredients

8 Roma tomatoes

2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 garlic clove

1 teaspoon red chili flakes (less or more to taste, I like mine spicy)

1/4 red onion (optional, gives it more spice)

Juice of 1/2 lemon

small handful of fresh basil

sea salt and black pepper to taste

Procedure

1. Preheat oven to 425 F.
2. Place tomatoes on a glass baking dish or parchment-lined baking sheet and roast in oven for 15-20 minutes, until tender and skin has cracked.
3. Let tomatoes cool for a bit and once manageable, take skin off and discard.
4. Place tomatoes and remaining ingredients in blender and blend until smooth. Taste and adjust if needed.

Makes ~2 cups

Green Superfood Granola

This granola is one of my favorite treats. It is grain-free, gluten-free, low in natural sweetener, high in healthy fats, and packed with energy boosting ingredients. It won't give you that sugar crash other granolas and cereals may give you due to their high amounts of refined sugars and oils. I sweetened this green granola with coconut sugar, which has a low glycemic index and won't spike your blood sugar. So what makes it green? Spirulina powder (Click the link to see the brand I buy). Spirulina is a nutrient-dense superfood that has great health benefits and is a great supplement to a healthy diet. Spirulina has a strong and overpowering taste, but just a little bit provides great nutrition. The taste can be masked with fresh fruits, vegetables, and healthy fats (add it to your smoothies and you won't even know it's there). Check out my Superfood Ice Popsicle recipe for another nourishing spirulina treat.

Aside from spirulina powder, I also used maca root powder and mesquite powder in this recipe. These are two other 'superfoods' that contain lots of health supporting nutrients even if using small amounts. Both maca and mesquite powders have a nutty, sweet taste to them. I often use them in recipes to add sweetness without having to add an actual sweetener.

This green granola has the perfect balance of bitterness and sweetness to take care of that sweet craving, but also provides a nutrition punch. I crave it all the time but only let myself make it every so often because it's so addicting. Even though it's addicting, it's still good for you compared to store bought granolas. You can enjoy it sprinkled on yogurt, chia pudding, or in a smoothie. Eat it dry as an afternoon snack, or pair it with almond or coconut milk to make a delicious healthy cereal.

Ingredients

2 cups coconut flakes

1/2 cup chia seeds

1/2 cup raw pumpkin seeeds

1/4 cup raw sunflower seeds

1/4 cup raw sesame seeds

1/4 cup melted coconut oil

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1-2 teaspoons spirulina powder (I used 2 tsps)

2 teaspoons maca powder (optional)*

1 Tablespoon mesquite powder (optional)*

1/2 - 1 Tablespoon coconut sugar (I used 1/2 Tbsp)

pinch of sea salt

*maca and mesquite powders are optional, but since they add sweetness to the recipe, you might want to increase the coconut sugar a bit if you omit them.

Procedure

1. Preheat oven to 225 F.
2. Place all ingredients in a large bowl and mix well.
3. Spread out on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for about 25 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes.
4. Remove from oven and let cool. Store in a sealed container.

Makes ~3 cups

Pumpkin Spice Smoothie

It's about that time. Pumpkin everything! Although I prefer starting my day off with greens, today I decided to switch up my green smoothie for a non-green but still nutrient dense smoothie. Pumpkin spice came to mind. And it was perfect.

Pumpkins are not only delicious and great to bake/cook with, but they also provide good nutrition. They are high in fiber, high in antioxidants, and low in calories which provide health benefits such as: aid weight loss, support immunity, support vision health, and reduce risk of cardiovascular and heart disease.

Here is my version of a pumpkin spice smoothie. Protein is optional, but it is great for stabilizing blood sugar and keeping you full longer.

Ingredients

1 heaping scoop of protein powder (I used brown rice protein powder, unflavored)

1/2 cup pumpkin puree (unsweetened, homemade or canned)

2 medjool dates, pitted (can use a banana to sweeten instead)

3/4 cup coconut water (can use nut milk)

1 Tablespoon sunflower seed butter (can use any nut/seed butter)

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 teaspoon maca powder (optional)

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

1/8 teaspoon cloves

1/8 teaspoon ground ginger

6 ice cubes

Procedure

• Place all ingredients in blender and blend until smooth. Serve.
• Garnish with coconut flakes, nuts, seeds, or more cinnamon.

Makes 1 serving

How to Make Almond Milk [Video]

Almond milk is a delicious and healthy alternative to cow's milk. It's fresh, light, and dairy-fee, which supports those with lactose intolerant or dairy sensitivity. Making your own at home is both fun and more nutritious because it doesn't contain additives, artificial sweeteners, and preservatives that the store-bought almond milk does.

Almond milk is low in calories, and high in vitamins, minerals, and healthy fats. Making it at home is very simple and often money saving. In 10 minutes, you will have fresh almond milk to add to your oats, smoothies, sauces, or simply drink as is.

Plain almond milk has a great rich flavor, but you can use a natural sweetener to give it additional sweetness and flavor. I love mine plain.

You will need

Blender

Nut milk bag or cheese cloth

Large bowl or pitcher

Ingredients

1 cup raw almonds (soaked overnight in filtered water and drained)

5 cups filtered water

Flavoring options

1/2-1 Tablespoon vanilla extract

2 pitted dates

1-2 teaspoons cinnamon

pinch of sea salt

Procedure 

1. Soak almonds overnight in filtered water. Soaking overnight makes them more digestible and increases nutritional value. If you forget to soak them overnight or don't have much time, soaking them for at least an hour is good enough.
2. Drain almonds and rinse well.
3. Add almonds and water to blender and blend until smooth, about 3-5 minutes.
4. Place nut milk bag or cheesecloth in bowl and pour mixture through it. Gently squeeze to strain until all liquid is extracted from solids. Enjoy!

Coconut Buckwheat Pancakes

I've been experimenting with pancakes lately. It's my new weekend thing. Of course they are always gluten and dairy free, so I like to get creative with different ingredients and flavors. They're not always a success, but this one I had to share. Simple ingredients and simply delicious.

Ingredients

Serves 1 

1/2 large banana

1/4 cup buckwheat flour

1 egg

2 Tablespoons unsweetened shredded coconut

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon baking soda

1 Tablespoon coconut oil (for cooking)

Procedure

1. Blend all ingredients together
2. Heat coconut oil on pan over medium heat
3. Pour batter into pan and cook for a few minutes on each side (covered).
4. Stack and top with toppings of your choice. I topped mine with organic raw honey and raw cacao nibs.

Spicy Avocado Soup

I've been playing with my new Vitamix way too much. It's been weeks of soups, puddings, and smoothies. I have made variations of avocado soup before, but this one is my favorite so far. This is a perfect summer soup, creamy and refreshing. It's very easy to make and you don't need any fancy equipment. Any type of blender will do.

Ingredients

2 avocados

2 garlic cloves

2 green onions

1 cucumber, peeled

1 teaspoon tamari (can omit)

3/4 cup water or vegetable broth

1/2 cup fresh parsley or cilantro

1/4 teaspoon cumin

1/4 teaspoon coriander

1/8 teaspoon cayenne

juice of 1/2 lemon

pinch of sea salt

pinch of black pepper

Procedure

1. Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth, about 2 minutes. Taste and adjust flavor to your liking. Serve and garnish with cayenne pepper or fresh herbs.

Serves 4

Balsamic-Ginger Glazed Carrots and Chard

Summer is one of my favorite seasons. I love going to the farmers market and being surrounded by all the wonderful colors of fruits and vegetables.

Have you seen those beautiful rainbow carrots yet? And the amazing varieties of cucumber? What about the juicy peaches and plums?

I can spend hours at the market just admiring (and tasting), but mostly, I go to get influenced to create new and delicious recipes. This week, I chose to make something different with carrots.

Carrots are available year round, but they have the most nutrients, freshness, and flavor when they are in season (fall and summer). They are an excellent source of vitamin A, vitamin K, fiber, and antioxidants (vitamin C and beta-carotene). They are anti-inflammatory, a good source of complex carbohydrates, and help cleanse the liver.

Ingredients

1-2 Tablespoons unrefined sesame oil (enough to coat the bottom of the pan)

1 bunch rainbow carrots, washed and cut into 2-inch pieces

4 large leaves red chard, chopped

1 garlic clove, minced

1-inch ginger root, minced

2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar

juice of 1/2 lemon

sea salt

Procedure

1. Cut off the large end of carrots. Cut carrots in half long wise, then cut into 2-inch pieces with a diagonal cut.
2. Heat sesame oil in a large pan. Add carrots and a generous pinch of sea salt and cook for 5 minutes.
3. Add garlic, ginger, balsamic vinegar, and lemon juice and cook for another 5 minutes or until carrots are tender.
4. Add chard and sauté for another few minutes until chard wilts. Serve.

Note: You can garnish with chopped herbs and/or seeds.

Grapefruit Pancakes

I'm constantly on a mission to find nutritious alternatives to the most common foods that we love to eat. I spend hours on Instagram, Facebook, health and food blogs, reading recipe books, and writing/testing my own recipes.

I personally am not a huge fan of pancakes, but I am most definitely a fan of pancakes that are sweet, fluffy, made with unrefined ingredients, AND nourishing. These pancakes are high in protein, gluten-free, filling, and really easy to make. I was completely satisfied with them and I hope you will be too.

Ingredients

Makes 4 small or 2 large pancakes

3 Tablespoons coconut flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

3 drops stevia (I don't love the taste of stevia, but you can add more if you'd like)

Zest of about 1/4 grapefruit (to taste)

1 Tablespoon greek yogurt

1/4 cup almond milk

3 organic egg whites

1 Tablespoon coconut oil (for cooking)

Procedure

1. Mix dry ingredients in a small bowl.
2. Combine wet ingredients, except coconut oil, in a separate bowl and whisk together. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and incorporate well. Batter should be thick. The thicker the batter, the fluffier your pancakes will be. Taste and adjust flavors to preference if needed.
3. Heat coconut oil in a medium-large size pan. Make sure pan is very hot. Spoon batter onto pan, cover, and cook for 3-5 minutes (until bottom is browned, but not burnt). Flip and cook for another minute. You can make pancakes as big as you want. I chose to make 4 small ones.
4. Stack pancakes on plate and top with slices of grapefruit, sauce, and anything else you desire.

Grapefruit sauce:

1 Tablespoon kefir (can also use yogurt)

1 teaspoon grapefruit zest (to taste)

1/2-1 Tablespoon fresh juice from grapefruit (to taste)

1/2 teaspoon grade B maple syrup

1/2 teaspoon chia seeds (optional, for thickness)

pinch of cinnamon

-Mix all ingredients together in a small bowl. Taste and adjust. Pour over pancake stack.

Other recommended toppings:

• chopped almonds
• chopped walnuts
• more cinnamon
• shredded coconut

Recipe adapted from clarkpharm.blogspot.com