Honey Chicken and Beets

Beets are one of my favorite root vegetables. They contain potassium,iron, natural sodium and manganese. Of course, they are more beneficial raw than cooked, but sometimes I just want a treat… and this does it for me.
I was already using some (local) honey for the chicken and decided to spread some of that “sweet joy” on the beets.

Chicken:
chicken breast
soy sauce or Braggs
honey
Place about 1 Tablespoon of grapeseed oil in skillet and put on med heat. Add chicken, either whole breast or cut up. Saute until juices run clear. Mix together honey and soy sauce and pour over chicken. place lid on skillet and let cook for 30 or 40 mins.

Beets:
wash beets and peel off the outer layer skin. Cut into thin slices and place in baking pan. Add a little water, sea salt and then drizzle honey over beets. Bake, covered on 375 for about 30 mins.

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Black Bean and Coconut Brownies

As I was cleaning the kitchen from baking these brownies, I asked myself, ” Why do I bake…so much?”
As I look at my weekly menu, a sweet is truly in four of the six days of cooking. I bake alot and I enjoy it. Which leads me to the answer of “Why?” Because, it is relaxing. It is creative. And it brings joyous anticipation to those waiting for the sweets to be ready. I used to think it was an adrenal issues, but it came to me, that I do not even eat the sweets, I truly like baking for the down time and moment of… no where to be.
I wanted to bake a flourless, protein filled sweet so I came up with these little yummies.
Black bean and coconut brownies with a bit a dark chocolate thrown in. 🙂

Brownies:

4 squares of dark chocolate ( bitter – no sweetener added )
1 cup of unsweetened coconut – shredded
2 cups cooked black beans
1/2 cup xylitol
3 eggs
1/2 teaspoon sea salt

In food processor, blend up chocolate until grainy. Then add coconut and blend for about 10 seconds. Add sweetener and eggs and blend for another 10 seconds. Finally add beans and sea salt. Blend until thoroughly blended. Spoon into choice of cupcake baking papers and bake for about 10 – 12 mins.

Split Pea Dip

Tonight is a celebration night. We just got word that a really good friend passed his real estate exam. Therefore, this calls for a rejoicing with those who are rejoicing.
I am always looking for a reason or excuse 😉 to cook or bake something. Grace may daughter wanted a dip, so I came up with this recipe in a matter of minutes. Of course we had a trial run with celery and sugar snap peas. 🙂

Green Split Pea Dip:

2 cups cooked split peas
1 cup roasted red peppers or sun dried tomatoes
1/4 cup feta cheese
1/4 cup fresh basil or 2 Tablespoon of basil pesto
Enough extra virgin olive oil for it to blend smoothly in the food
processor. I used about 2 tablespoons.

Blend everything in a food processor until well blended. Add some real sea salt if you desire.

*** Split peas are really good for you. They carry 65% of your daily fiber. They stabilize blood sugar and are healthy for your heart.

Pecan Clusters

Yesterday I was talking with a really good friend about the “love of chocolate” that a few of our family members have…
Most people who find themselves slaves to the chocolate crave, don’t deny it and seem to boast with their very talk of it. Some hide their favorite candies or bars… even bags of chocolate chips find their way stashed behind things. It is truly a sight.
Chocolate, dark chocolate that is, is higher in antioxidants than blueberries and has tremendous health benefits – minus the sugar 😉
It has high levels of flavonoids (which are found in dark veggies and fruits) this helps  free radical damage to the body. And has cardiovascular benefits.
I chose pecan for a couple of reasons; One, because they are so good for you. There are full of antioxdiants. They contain vitamin E. They support your nervous system and are great for heart health. Two, because the first batch I made with almonds did not turn out. 🙂
These are good. Give them a try.

Pecan Clusters:

8 oz. raw, organic chocolate – if you cannot find that use bitter chocolate squares.
1/4 cup xylitol
1/4 cup coconut cyrstals
dash of real sea salt
1 cup or so of pecans

Heat chocolate, xylitol, coconut crystals til melted and creamy,
you may need to add a bit more xylitol so that the consistency is good for mixing. Add pecans and real sea salt. Mix thoroughly. Drop by the spoonful onto wax paper and let cool.
Get creative and come up with your own ideas for the chocolate lovers in your life.

*** so you know – the craving of chocolate usually indicates the need of magnesium. Look for a magnesium combination with magnesium citrate and maltate. Both have there benefits. Citrate is good the bowels and the heart and maltate relaxes the muscles. The one way you will know you have taken too much… loose bowels. So find the right amount.

Cole Slaw

Listen to your body. It’s smart and will tell you the things that it needs. I truly believe that everyone has the ability to listen to what their body is saying. Pay attention to what is going not only around you but inside also. You will be amazed at what it says…
Thus, cole slaw.
I was craving cabbage the other day and not just a spoonful, mind you. So I bought some cabbage and made some cole slaw. Enough for the family that night and enough to make some the following day. I am more of a broccoli eater, so this was out of the norm and something I paid the utmost attention to. It was good.
Cabbage has so many health benefits. It would truly be beneficial to add it to your diet routine from time to time.
Cabbage helps protect from free radicals which cause aging. It fights cancer. It builds both muscle and blood and is rich in iron and sulfur.

Cole Slaw:

1/2 head purple cabbage – chopped
1/2 head white cabbage – chopped
1 1/2 Tablespoon grapeseed mayo
1/4 teaspoon real sea salt
dill – to taste – either fresh or dried
Mix together and enjoy.

Dark Chocolate Cake

Recently I purchased some dark chocolate powder to make a “good for you” hot dark chocolate drink for one of our cool, fall evenings as we sat on our front porch. Which by the way, was a big hit. It’s so simple to make, just add desired dark chocolate powder to mug with a packet of stevia. Pour hot water over powder mixture and add some coconut creamer. Dark chocolate contains the highest amount of antioxidants. This doesn’t justify dark chocolate mixed with white sugar,so check out your local health food store and see what they have to offer. 🙂
As I was making our wonderful-antioxidant-filled-dark-chocolate drink, I notice the recipe on the back of the container and decided to bake. I baked one for us and our neighbors. 🙂

Dark Chocolate Cake:

1 cup xylitol
1 cup honey crystals or sucanat or coconut crystals
1 3/4 cup brown rice flour
3/4 cup dark chocolate powder
1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoon xanthum gum
1 teaspoon sea salt
Mix all the above ingredients together then add:
2 eggs
1 cup rice milk
1/2 cup grapeseed or light olive oil
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup boiling water
Blend all ingredients together for about 2 minutes then pour into desired pans and bake at 350* for 30 – 35 minutes. Let cool then top with frosting.

Frosting:

1 cup xylitol
1 cup honey crystals
3 teaspoons of vanilla powder
2 packages of alternative cream cheese
6 oz of alternative sour cream
*** you can substitute a stick of butter for one of the packages of cream cheese.

Blend until creamy.

Broccoli and Cheese Soup

One of my husband’s favorite foods is soup, soup of most any kind.  Broccoli and cheese soup being one of his most favored… and he had been asking for it.  But seeing that we stopped eating real cheese quite some time ago, I have not ventured to make it thinking “alternative” cheese just wouldn’t do it justice… but I was wrong. This soup is so tasty and full of flavor. I did my best to make it as healthy as I could and enjoyable to the whole fam., and I succeeded. Of course, make some cornbread and have a fresh green salad with some homemade dressing.

The Soup:

1/2 stick of butter
1 small red onion – minced
Melt butter and add onion. Saute for a couple of minutes then add 2 heaping tablespoons of brown rice flour. Once blended well, slowly add 32 oz of organic chicken broth or veggie broth. Stir well. Then add 1 carton of plain coconut creamer or 2 cans of coconut milk. Blend well. Then add:
2 lbs of broccoli – cut up
sea salt to taste
1 1/2 package of cheddar rice cheese
Cook on low/med. for an hour or so. Make sure the soup does not boil.

I did not have any organic corn meal on hand, so I used organic corn flour and oat flour to make my corn bread and it was delish!

Cornbread:

1 1/3 cup organic corn flour
2/3 cup oat flour
1 t sea salt
1 t xanthum gum
1 egg
1/2 cup grapeseed oil
some rice milk – enough to make it cake batter thickness
Pour into iron skillet, if your from the south and bake at 425 for about 20 mins. or so

Pumpkin Cookies

Yes, completely gone!  Before I could get a picture taken, there was nothing left. I am so glad they were enjoyed. I actually had 3 myself… at one time. They hit the spot! I’ll be making these again, tomorrow.

Pumpkin Cookies:

2 cups sorghum flour – you can use rice or sweet rice or oat
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon xanthum gum
1 teaspoon pumpkin spice
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 stick butter
1 cup coconut sugar/crystals or honey crystals
1 egg
1 can pumpkin
1/2 bag healthy chocolate chips

Place softened butter, crystals, egg, pumpkin and sea salt in bowl and blend until well blended. Add flour, baking soda, xanthum gum and pumpkin spice and mix well. Spoon unto greased cookies sheet and bake for 10 mins at 350 degrees.

Honey Chicken with Curry Vegetables

I needed something quick and something easy. I had lots to do around the house and didn’t want to stay in the kitchen too long…
Thus the wonderful meal before you.
My son to whom isn’t  fond of most veggies, except for lettuce,spinach and broccoli, ate up to his belly’s fill.

Honey Chicken:

5 chicken breast
honey
Tamari sauce – soy sauce
Place chicken breasts in baking pan, crock pot or skillet.
Mix honey and soy sauce in bowl and then pour of chicken.
Cook or bake covered, until chicken is cooked through. Then a little extra to blend well with honey mixture.

Curry Veggies:

1/2 lb of green beans
1 head of cauliflower – cut up
1/2 lb of broccoli – cut up
1 onion – chopped
3 – 4 carrots – peeled and sliced
3/4 cup water
1 -2 teaspoons sea salt
1 1/2 teaspoon curry powdered
1/2 teaspoon ginger – fresh or powdered
1/2 teaspoon cumin
2 bay leaves

Pour water in large pot or dutch oven. Add onion,sea salt, curry powder, ginger, and cumin. Cook for 2 mins. Add the rest of ingredients and let cook on low/med for 20 mins. You want the veggies to be lightly cooked, not mushy. Stir frequently.