Classic Hummus

This is a great classic hummus recipe. You can use this as a base recipe for other hummus variations too.

3 Tbs. Extra Virgin Olive Oil (cold pressed)
Juice of 1 Lemon
1-2 Garlic Cloves
1/8-1/4 cup Raw Tahini (I use less usually)
1 can Garbanzo Beans, drain most water leaving a little
1-2 teaspoons Cumin
Garlic Herb Bread Seasoning (Spice Hunter) to taste
Real Salt or Sea Salt to taste

Blend all ingredients in a Vita Mix blender or food processor until smooth. Serve with your favorite veggies, sprouted wheat tortilla, or use as a spread in wraps and sandwiches.

Christmas Tree Veggie Platter

I saw this adorable idea on the cover of the "Pillsbury Holiday Appetizers" magazine. Last night I took this to a Christmas dinner we attended. It was a huge hit! This would also be a fun platter for a children's Christmas party. My kids thought it was "awesome". Not only is it awesome, but teamed up with a dip like hummus over the traditional ranch dip, it's also very healthful.

HaPpY HoLiDayS!!!

Cranberry Sauce

Not only yummy on your Holiday table; put a dollop on crackers or nut cereal with yogurt.

4 cups fresh Cranberries (you could also use frozen)
1 cup Pure Maple Syrup

Put cranberries in a pan and simmer on low until they "pop". Mash cranberries a little while simmering, the sauce will thicken. Cool and serve.

Blender Pancakes

 

Easy, Fast, Nutritious and little clean up!

1 cup red or white wheat kernels
1 1/4 cup water
1 egg or 1 Tbs ground flax seed
2 Tbs apple sauce
1 or 2 Tbs honey, maple syrup or agave
1/2 ts sea salt
1 Tbs baking powder

Blend the wheat kernels and water in your blender in till smooth. (I promise this won't hurt your blender) Then add the next 4 ingredients and blend till all the way mixed. Lastly add the baking powder and pulse your blender a couple time. The batter should foam up a little bit and become somewhat airy. Then pour right onto your hot pan.

You can also use this batter for waffles. Enjoy!

Pesto Sauce

3 heaping cups Spinach
2.5 oz fresh Basil (they usually sell this amount in the store)
1/2 Lemon, juiced
2-4 cloves of Garlic
1 cup Pine nuts
1/2 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil (cold-pressed)

Place all ingredients in a blender, preferably a Vita-Mix, and blend. Blend until smooth. Serve as a dip or over pasta. We even use it on our homemade pizza.

By: Julene Ballard

Pesto Sauce pictured with Buckwheat Soba Noodles, pine nuts, and sun-dried tomatoes

Reindeer Sandwiches

Aren't these so cute! My friend Michelle showed me how to make them. When I made these reindeers today for my kids I wanted to make them not only cute but healthful. So these little guys are made with multi-grain bread and are filled with natural peanut butter, honey and banana slices. Their antlers are pretzels and their eyes and nose are made from raisins. I served them with blackberries. My kiddos went crazy, they loved them! Try them out and let us know what your healthy reindeers are filled with.

Whole Wheat Berry Pancakes

My husband makes these every Saturday morning. The kids love them!

2 cups whole wheat flour
1 Tbs aluminum-free baking powder
3 Tbs ground flax seed
3 Tbs sugar
3/4 tsp sea salt
3 egg yolks
1 1/2 cups milk or alternative (I used soy)
3 Tbs apple sauce
1 Tbs vanilla
3 egg whites
1 1/2 cups berries, fresh or frozen (I used white raspberries this time)



Mix the flour, baking powder, sugar, salt, and flax in a bowl. Add the egg yolks, milk, apple sauce and vanilla and mix well. Beat the egg whites in a bowl until stiff peaks form. (as shown below) Fold the egg whites into batter.



Beat in your berries.



Now your ready to cook them up. Depending on if you use fresh or frozen berries you may need to add a little more milk to make it the consistency you like. We like to eat these with pure maple syrup. Enjoy!

Christmas Lasagna

This is one of my husbands favorites. Very flavorful as well as colorful.

White Filling:
2 pkg. extra firm Tofu
2-3 Garlic cloves
2 tsp. Italian Seasoning
2 tsp. Onion powder
2 Tbs. fresh Basil
1 tsp. Real Salt or Himalayan Salt

Red Sauce:
3-5 Tbs. Sun Dried Tomatoes, julienne cut
5-8 firm Tomatoes, I like Roma
1 cup fresh Basil, chopped
1 tsp. Onion powder
1 Garlic clove, minced
1 tsp. Real Salt or Himalayan Salt

1 pkg. Lasagna, I use Rice or you can also use Whole Wheat
2 medium sized Zucchini, julienne sliced
1-2 cups Roasted Red Pepper, sliced
1/2-1 cup Green or Yellow Onion, chopped
Add any other favorite veggies you like
1 pkg. Rice or Soy Cheese, about 2 cups
Rice or Soy Parmesan Cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Prepare White Filling by first draining water from tofu. In Vita Mix blender or food processor blend tofu with the rest of the filling ingredients, thoroughly. Set aside.

Prepare lasagna according to package directions.Make Red Sauce by blending all sauce ingredients together. Set aside.

In a shallow baking dish start layering with lasagna first. Cover bottom of baking dish with one layer of lasagna, then spread a layer of White Filling. Layer veggies next and cover with a layer of Red Sauce; sprinkle with cheese. Repeat. Cover the last layer of lasagna with Red Sauce. Top with the rest of the cheese and sprinkle with parmesan, generously.

Bake for 15 minutes. This is only to warm the Christmas Lasagna. Serve immediately.

Perfect Steamed Broccoli

I get people I serve this to going back for seconds! Broccoli! Many say they don't usually like broccoli but they like it this way. I hope you like.

2-3 cups of washed florets of broccoli
1-2 Tbs. of good oil like EVOO (cold pressed), flax seed oil, Udo's Blend (my favorite)
1/2-1 Tbs. of Braggs Amino Liquids

Steam broccoli on stovetop on high for 5 minutes. Turn off heat and let it sit on stove for another 5 minutes. Spoon into a bowl. Dress Broccoli with the rest of the ingredients; mix. These ingredients can be to taste so have fun with it and enjoy!