Current breads I've done

Amish Honey wheat rhubarb muffins with the first rhubarb of the season!



Eating Well's Honey wheat bread




My basic first loaf of boule from Artisian Bread in 5 min a day.






Following the Artisian Bread in 5 min a day... But also did a few others this week as well. I'm baking the Artisian free form rye today thats ready to go in the fridge.

Vita-cost wholesale pricing

I found a new website to buy from that saves mucho time for us with lots o' kids! Vita-cost! Their prices are below store pricing, and its a fixed price to ship. That = must buy! They have everything from hemp oil to grocery items. And hard to find Nuvita items cheap as can be....

http://www.vitacost.com/productResults.aspx?Ns=P_SoldQuantity%7c1&previousText=hemp&Ntk=products&Ntt=hemp&No=100

Ani Phyo's new book!!!!!

Her new essentials book is due out April 1st! You can follow this link to preorder!

http://www.amazon.com/Anis-Raw-Food-Essentials-Techniques/dp/0738213772/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1265169121&sr=8-1

Raw carob/cacao bark

Well, I've been satistying some sweets cravings with this bark, and its a great way to "sneak" in some healthy coconut butter to kids tummies! and some cranberries, coconut shreds, or whatever! Here's the recipe I used.

1 cup raw coconut butter/oil

3/4 cup raw cacao, or carob

2t vanilla extract

1 cup raisins, coconut shreds,cranberries,almonds, whatever...

melt coconut butter and cacao and vanilla over double boiler, or as I used, a bowl over a saucepan filled 1/4 way up with water. Boil water gently, and stir with a whisk till incorperated. Take off heat, add items you like, and put on plate lined with a piece of wax paper that has been Pam'd. Put in freezer for about 2o min till hard.

Book bake along!

Joining the bake along w/ Food snob. Just got this book "Artisian bread in 5 minutes a day". I'll be starting the master dough tonite and making items through out the week.

More of the menu plan for this week...

Greek quinoa and avocado's




Black bean burgers




Middle Eastern wraps





Mexican pizzas






Vegetable Biryani

This weeks menu plan

Cajun "chicken" and rice dinner



Sesame tofu stir fry




Hazelnut cranberry crackers




Homemade chai concentrate

Falafel dinner

Juices: beet/carrot/apple, orange/strawberry, carrot/apple/ginger

Silicone chocolate molds!

I found these simple effective chocolate molds in different shapes. They will be my next new kitchen item! The silicone makes unmolding of such things as chocolates much, much easier. These can be found at most kitchen stores now days.

Come to me new cookbooks!

All can be found on Amazon.com and I will be saving for these asap!

Grow my little sprouts!

This is a awesome new sprouter and seeds from www.amazon.com for $13. I am just finding out how awesome Amazon can be! I did'nt even know they had all this organic/raw food! And if you click on free ship only, you only see items that can be shipped for free! I think spouting is a nice way to add some raw nutrition.

Got my dehydrator and Vita mix blender and juicer

Almond milk

Juiceman juicer

Carrot juice

Hemp flax dehydrator crackers w/ guac

Both just came this week, and I've been already looking up yummy raw and vegan recipes to fill them! So far I've done,

-Banana ice cream sundaes (Green and crunchy blog)

-Buckwheat raw crispies (Ani Phyo.com)

-Raw ginger Asian dressing

-Apple/carrot/ginger juice

-Apple/nectarine juice

-Almond milk

This weeks menu plan

Roasted poblano corn chowder

Apple oatmeal

Lentil soup

Dal and Chappati

Back and forth I go, lots of raw meals for me, vegan meals for us all, and healthy meat added meals for Jay (DH). So, heres the weeks plan:

Homemade pizza and dough

Grilled cheese and roasted tomato basil soup

Veggie lasagna

Falafel w/ home made pita

Roasted poblano Corn chowder and cheddar bread

Lentil sloppy Jane's on home made ww buns w/ coleslaw

Stir fry over brown rice

Root beer floats over Toft's (local) vanilla bean ice cream

Pumpkin chip muffins

Honey oat bread (cooking light)

Coconut-lime cupcakes (vegan)

almond milk butterscotch pudding

Lentil sloppy Jane's

We used a package of fantastic sloppy joe mix, added lentils and a few other items... And voila' dinner!

Feeling icky from junk!

Have not posted for awhile... But, I'm BACK.... I've made it to 150 lbs, thats down 12. And had my second fat testing done. I am down signifigantly in the fat lbs and up signifigantly in the lean muscle catagory. I've lost 2 inches on thighs, hips, and waist. So very happy about that. My goal is to get down another 5 lbs before I leave for "home" for vacation on the 19th of Jan. That would put me in the healthy range of weight. My favorite new blog is called food snob. She has wonderful meal ideas and pictures of even what she bought at the natural food store. I wish we had as much local food here as they do in Minnesota! Here are some goals for the new year...

1. Eat more fruits/veggies/beans/

2. Eat more local produce when in season.

3.Can more next summer

4.Grow a bigger, organic garden next summer

5.Hit the farmers market next season every month

6.Continue to lose weight, and gain muscle. (145 goal by Jan. 19th)

7.Continue to educate my children about a healthy diet, and feed them better

8.Drink more water! 8 glasses/day goal, buy a sigg or similar bottle

9.Take pictures of meals, do meal plans

10. Shop at Trader Joes' once a month (its an hour away)

Lara bar type recipe

Well, I've been eating SO good! I've been adding a green smoothie each day consisting of filtered water, coconut butter,frozen fruit,spirulina, hemp oil, and hemp vanilla protein powder, blended with a stevia packet. I've been adding lots of raw mini meals, and totally vegan otherwise. And yet still I've somehow managed to add 3 lbs... Oh yea, and I work out 6 days a week. So, I upped my workouts another 5 minutes to burn 400 calories on the stepper, and am trying to eat more raw. Here is the lara bar type recipe I made for our dessert/snack after the gym with my water. I'm also trying to up my water intake in case this is the problem.

handfull dried apricots,

1/4 c dried dates, pitts removed

some coconut

pistachios

add all into food processor until crumbs, use hands and mold into balls, or logs or whatever...

Cocoa hearts for christmas baskets

Coco Hearts, Black and White

Servings: 20 pieces

I found a whole jar of tropical traditions coconut cream in my pantry, and was in the mood for something special. This recipe was inspired by the vivapura website's recipe for white bark.

Ingredients:

1 16oz jar coconut cream/coconut butter (not oil)2 T each-raisins, goji berries, bee pollen, chopped chocolate pieces, shredded coconut1/2 cup chocolate chips, cacao paste or chopped chocolate1/2 tsp vanilla powder and optional mesquite/lucuma powders1/4 tsp each optional spices-cardamom, cinnamon, ginger, coriander
Preparation:
over bain marie, liquefy coconut butter. divide dried fruit, bee pollen and chocolate pieces between prepared mold or individual small shaped molds. add powdered vanilla and pour into molds. refrigerate to solidify. they're beautiful! they're not too sweet, so you could add more powdered sweetener but i don't think i'd use agave because the coconut butter may seize when you mix it in. i didn't try it.to make the dark ones, add the chocolate chipr or chopped chocolate and the spices to the melted coconut butter. pour into molds alone or over dried fruits as well. refrigerate to solidify.

Incan Warrior Hot Cocoa

Incan Warrior Hot Chocolate

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp. Navitas Naturals Cacao Powder

1-2 Tbsp. Navitas Naturals Maca Powder

1 scoop. Amazing Grass Chocolate Superfood Powder, or carob powder

8 oz. So delicious coconut milk, vanilla hemp milk, or nut milk of choice

8 oz. Brewed yerba mate tea (or can leave out for kids)

1 Tbsp. Sweetener (raw sugar, agave,stevia, or maple syrup)

cinnamon to taste

Directions:
Mix all ingredients in a blender, then transfer to a small pot. Gently heat until warm, but do not boil.

Laptop lunch ideas

Here are a few of the lunches I have done for the kids lately. I also would like to say to check out http://www.veganlunchbox.com/ she has GREAT ideas, and has published 2 books on these lunch ideas. You can find them at http://www.amazon.com/ I love that my kids like ethnic foods. So, we do lots of those kinds of meals, and most other places than America have lots of vegetarian/vegan foods normally!

#1 Lunch is: vegan mac n cheese,yogurt w/ blueberries,carrots,homemade vegan ranch,and cukes/tomatoes over greens.

#2 is: vegan burritos, salad, vegan carrot cake, blueberry yogurt w/ hemp granola, and vegan chocolate bar.

#3 is: breakfast for lunch! silver dollar pancakes, faux sausages, apples (fuji), vegan caramel sauce, and assorted fruit.

Laptop Lunchbox

We use these alot. Although they have just came out with an improved version 2.0. But here is the link to the site, and some pictures of them. Also new, is the flower carrying case.

www.laptoplunches.com

Lunch box reusable wraps...

We are a fan of not using seran wrap,foil, or wax paper. And I really don't like napkins or paper towels either. I made little napkins for our kids lap top lunch boxes and they like them really well. We just buy on sale fabric from Joannes fabrics and make and sew little squares. Its neat cause you can even tailor them to the season for fun. We found these ideas to save you from using those one time use items above.

http://www.reusablebags.com/store/new_arrivals-n.html

Avocado truffles!

Yes, you read it right! This is a recipe for Avocado Truffles. You absolutely won't believe how delicious these truffles are until you have tried this very easy-to-make recipe. The texture of the avocados mixes wonderfully with the chocolate. But, beware, these truffles are very rich!

Avocado-Chocolate Truffles:

1/2 cup butter

1 large very ripe avocados, peeled and pit removed*1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract1 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa3 cups powdered (confectioners) sugarPowdered sugar for rolling
* If an avocado is ripe, it will yield to a gentle pressure.
In a large saucepan over low heat, melt butter; remove from heat; set aside.
In your food processor or food blender, puree the avocado until a smooth consistency. NOTE: If you add a little of the melted butter to the avocado, it helps in the process. Be sure there are no chunks of avocado left.
Add the avocado puree, vanilla extract, cocoa, and powdered sugar into the saucepan with the remaining melted butter. Mix until well combined. Place the chocolate mixture into the refrigerator until it hardens.
When chocolate mixture has hardened, remove from refrigerator. Line a sheet pan or cookie sheet with waxed paper or parchment. Using a cold metal teaspoon, melon baller, or a mini ice cream scoop and your hands, roll the chocolate into small balls about 3/4-inch diameter and arrange them on the sheet pan. If the mixture gets too soft to mold easily, put it back in the freezer for a few minutes. Place the cookie sheet of chocolate balls in the refrigerator until firm.
Once the truffles have hardened, remove from the refrigerator and shape into balls by rolling between the palms of your hands. Roll in powdered sugar to coat the outside. Place the finished truffles in the refrigerator until they are set. They should be stored in a covered container in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Bring to room temperature when ready to serve.

Raw cacao truffles

Recipe - Judy’s Cacao Truffles
Ingredients:

1 cup Navitas Naturals Cacao Powder

2 cups Navitas Naturals Cashews grind into powder using a spice mill

1/2 cup Navitas Naturals Coconut Oil

1/2 tsp. of Navitas Naturals Twister Tropical Blend Powder coating

¾ cup Raw Agave Syrup
Directions
1. Blend all ingredients by hand or in a food processor.
2. Pour raw chocolate puree into a metal baking tray, dust with topping (twister powder or maca) & freeze to make squares.
3. Alternatively, form into balls & coat with Navita’s Twister Powder - Tropical Blend or Navita’s Maca Powder.
4. Place in an air-tight container & store in the freezer.
5. These treats will keep for up to 1 month but unlikely to last longer that one week! Impossible to resist...

Sweet Buckwheat energy bar recipe

Sweet buckwheat energy bar:

Dehydrator
Blender

Sweet and crunchy, it saves the day when you are hungry away from home...

Ingredients:

3 cups of sprouted buckwheat

½ cups of chopped date

½ cups of prunes

juice of a half lemon

pinch cinnamon

little water

Preparation:
Put the date, prunes,lemon juice and cinnamon into the blender and blend until smooth. Put a little water if needed. Put it in a large bowl and put the buckwheat in it. Mix well and spread it on the teflex sheet of the dehydrator. Dehydrate it for 10-12 hours. Cut up into pieces!

Fridge cleaning day...

Sheri over at http://www.veganfamilyinc.com/ got me a good idea to clean out my fridge and toss old stuff before shopping today. So, I also liked the idea of the bowls/containers to see all the fruit and veggies. Hopefully, this will keep stuff in eyes view and remind us to eat better choices. So, we got a fresh pineapple, fuji apples, raspberries, avocados,bananas,kiwi's,lovely red and green sweet long peppers, limes! Yum!

Raw lasagne recipe

Here is another meal I will be making this week. I found this on a another site called The Raw chefs blog and you can find this recipe at this link: http://therawchef.blogs.com/russell_james/2007/01/lasagne_recipe.html