HEALTHY BLENDER SWEET POTATO MUFFINS

These healthy flourless sweet potato muffins are a quick, easy and no mess recipe! Made in a blender or one  bowl, they are moist and slightly fluffy on the inside and tender on the outside! Made with no butter, oil, grains (if you opt for the grain free option!) or sugar, they are naturally gluten free, vegan, sugar free, dairy free, with a paleo option too!    http://thebigmansworld.com

Muffin recipe not frosting.

For the oat based version

1. 2 cups gluten free oat flour (gluten free oats ground into a flour)
2. 1/2 cup granulated sweetener of choice
3. 1 T baking powder
4. 1 tsp cinnamon
5. pinch sea salt
6. 1 cup mashed sweet potato
7. 2 T shredded carrots (optional)
8. 1 cup dairy free milk
9. 1 flax egg (can sub for 1 large egg if not vegan)
10. 1 tsp vanilla extract
11. 6 T smooth cashew butter (can sub for any smooth nut or seed butter of choice)

For the paleo option

1. 1/2 cup almond flour
2. 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
3. 3 large eggs
4. 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
5. 1 cup smooth cashew butter (Can sub for any nut or seed butter)
6. 1/2 cup mashed sweet potato

Ginger Healthy Recipes: Pickled Cucumbers with Ginger

Health Benefits of Ginger

A good source of vitamin C, magnesium, potassium, copper, and manganese, ginger is listed as an herbal medicine with carminative effects: a substance that promotes the release of intestinal gas. It's also an intestinal spasmolytic, which relaxes and soothes the intestinal tract. That means it can settle an upset stomach, relieve vomiting, and ease gas and diarrhea discomfort; but it's also effective in preventing nausea in the first place.

Made into hot tea, ginger releases the compounds gingerol and protease, bringing a rush of comforting warmth that actually increases cardiovascular circulation.

Numerous studies have shown the effectiveness of ginger as a pain reliever, but the way it eases nausea and vomiting has to do with its ability to stimulate the flow of saliva. This is particularly effective for morning sickness (very safe, with only a small dose required) and motion sickness (said to be even more effective than the over-the-counter drug Dramamine).

Ginger reduces side effects associated with chemotherapy, including dizziness, nausea, vomiting, and cold sweating. Studies also show ginger to be protective against osteoarthritis pain and several cancers, including ovarian, colorectal, lung, and breast cancers. http://foodfacts.mercola.com/ginger.html

Ingredients:

• 4 cucumbers, peeled
• ½ cup sea salt
• 1 cup brown rice vinegar (hw: apple cider ?)
• 2 tsp stevia, or to taste
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 6 tablespoons sliced fresh ginger, peeled

Procedure:

1. Slice the cucumbers very thinly. Place in large bowl and sprinkle ½ cup sea salt. Using your hands, toss the salt throughout the cucumbers and lightly squeeze the slices as you toss. Cover and let sit at room temperature for 1 hour. The salt will draw the water content out of the cucumbers.
2. Pour the cucumbers and liquid into a colander to drain. While in the colander, use your hands to squish out as much water as possible. Return cucumbers to bowl.
3. Add the vinegar, sugar, salt, pepper, and ginger. Toss to combine. Cover and refrigerate 12–24 hours.
4. Remove from refrigerator and taste. It should be tart with a bit of sweetness and spice. Adjust flavors if necessary by adding more sugar or pepper. If it tastes watery, drain some liquid and add more vinegar.

This recipe makes four servings.
(From Healthy Recipes for Your Nutritional Type by Dr. Mercola)

Crockpot Lasagna Soup

Original Recipe : http://www.familyfreshmeals.com/2012/11/slow-cooker-crockpot-lasagna-soup.html

1 lb ground beef (turkey or chicken) 

3 cups of water

4-5 cloves of garlic, minced

1 TB dried parsley (optional)

1 TB dried basil 

1/2 cup chopped onion

1-24 oz bottle of strained tomatoes -Bionaturae (vitacost.com)

1-6oz can of tomato paste Bionaturae 

1 cup R.W. Knudsen Family Organic Very Veggie® Vegetable Juice Blend Original 

2 cups uncooked shell pasta (they have corn free wheat free versions at vitacost -buckwheat , rice, etc.
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp salt (this will be to taste since I omitted the beef broth in original recipe - you will need extra salt) 

1 cup of water
Optional topping- shredded cheese

1. First mix together the can of tomatoes, and tomato paste in crockpot.

2. Next add water, beef, garlic, parsley, basil, onion, very veggie juice and salt/pepper.

3. Cover and cook on LOW for 7-8 hours or on HIGH for 4-5 hours.

4. When 30 minutes are left of cook time, add in the 1 cup of water and noodles. Stir to combine. Put lid back on and continue cooking for 30 minutes.

NOTE:
If you like your soup to have more liquid,  feel free to add some extra broth and or water when you add the noodles.

Cheese Ball Pops/Bites

http://cookingontheside.com/cheese-ball-pops

Yield: 16 pops

INGREDIENTS:

• 1/2 cup finely chopped pecans
• 1/2 cup finely chopped dried cranberries
• 4 ounces crumbled feta cheese, at room temperature
• 4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1 cup Swiss cheese, shredded
• 2 teaspoons honey
• 16 lollipop sticks

DIRECTIONS:

1. Combine the pecans and cranberries in a shallow dish.
2. Mix the cream cheese, feta, Swiss and honey in a food processor until it’s combined. Measure out the cheese mixture a tablespoon at a time and roll each spoonful into a ball with the palms of your hands. Then roll each ball into the pecan-cranberry mixture, coating all sides evenly. Place each ball on a tray lined with parchment or waxed paper. Insert a lollipop stick into the center of each ball. Carefully cover the tray in plastic wrap and transfer it to the refrigerator to chill for at least one hour.
3. Remove the tray from refrigerator 15 minutes before serving.
4. OPTIONAL: If you’d like to display the cheese log balls in an upright position, you can do so using a block of styrofoam (found at craft stores) to hold the lollipop sticks in place.

Pizza muffins

Other people have successfully substituted the almond flour for sunflower seed flour (1:1) in their paleo bread recipes. I have not tried it with this recipe, but could be an option. Put in a bit of lemon juice to avoid getting green muffins due to the reaction between sun flower seeds and baking soda

Pizza Muffins

Serves: 12

Ingredients

• 1 ½ cups blanched almond flour (not almond meal)
• ½ teaspoon celtic sea salt
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• 4 large eggs
• ¼ cup tomato sauce, plus ¼ cup for topping (HW: I prefer tomato paste for the richness) 
• ½ cup cheddar cheese, plus ½ cup for topping
• ½ cup parmesan cheese, plus ½ cup for topping
• 2 ounces pepperoni, plus 2 ounces for topping

Instructions

1. In a food processor, combine almond flour, salt, and baking soda
2. Pulse in eggs and sauce until combined
3. Pulse in cheeses and pepperoni
4. Line 12 muffin cups with paper liners
5. Scoop a heaping 1/4 cup of batter into each cup
6. Bake at 350° for 25 minutes
7. Remove from oven; place 1 teaspoon sauce on top of each muffin
8. Sprinkle cheese over sauce
9. Sprinkle pepperoni over cheese
10. Place back in oven and bake for 15 more minutes
11. Cool for 1 hour
12. Serve

I (Elana) based this recipe on one from Pamela Salzman, a private chef in Southern California. I haven’t tried it, but I’ll bet this grain-free Pizza Muffin recipe would be incredible with various vegetable fillings and toppings such as mushrooms, spinach, or zucchini. If you experiment, please let us know what changes you make to the recipe and if you have to adapt any of the other ingredients. When you include vegetables it may be best to saute them first, otherwise they will be very wet.