Fall Chopped Salad, By Diane

 

I came up with this recipe the other week before traveling as I needed something quick and healthy, and the weather was just starting to turn to feel like fall. This has been an amazing meal to have prepped in the fridge ready to go! I also made it when I got home from traveling and it has been really nourishing. The ingredients are easy to swap out, and sometimes I can reduce cook time by heading to Whole Foods bar and grabbing a few of the roasted veggies- they always have roasted butternut squash with herbs and roasted brussels with apples on their bar! That combined with pre-made chicken strips makes this super easy to chop up and prep. YUM.

This recipe makes 3 servings (b/c I work 3 days a week and need quick lunches!)

Ingredients:

2 breasts grilled chicken (I just buy one pack of grilled chicken strips)

One head red butter lettuce

12 Dates

1 small butternut squash, cubed and roasted with evoo/poultry seasoning/salt until browned

1 large golden beet, cubed roasted w evoo and salt until browned 

1 large red apple, roasted until softened

2 cups brussels sprouts, roasted w evoo and salt

6 tbsp blue cheese, crumbled

6 tbsp chopped pecans

Drizzle blackberry balsamic vinegar

Champagne vinaigrette to taste

Directions:

1. Roast all the veggies together with noted seasonings and allow to cool- the squash, beets, apples, brussels.

2. Combine lettuce, roasted veggies, chicken, dates, and cheese on a large cutting board and chop finely all together.

3. Divide into 3 bowls and store until ready to serve. This makes great meal prep!!

4. When ready to serve, add in chopped pecans, balsamic vinegar, and vinaigrette and combine well. 

Cinnamon Buttered Dates, by Diane

 

This was our dessert for cooking through the countries, for the country of Qatar. This was so so, but neither of us thought we would make it again. I accidentally used salted butter, which didn’t help! 

Ingredients:

3/4 lb dates, pitted
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1/3 cup flour
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
Powdered sugar for dusting

Directions:

1. Arrange dates on a plate and set aside.

2. In a small saucepan, melt the butter and whisk flour and cinnamon in until it forms a gravy consistently.

3. Pour over top of the dates and sprinkle with powdered sugar. 

Chocolate Sea Salt Dates with Almond Butter, by Diane

This was a FREAKING HIT. I needed a Whole 30 snack and I was craving something sweet, so I whipped this up. Holy moly this was a great combo. The sea salt was a last minute addition that changed the whole flavor in the best way possible! I suggest eating these far away from the kitchen because they are so easy to make and so delicious that you will be tempted to run back in and make 25 more. :)


Ingredients:

4 dates
4 tsp almond butter
2 tsp cocoa or cacao powder (I recommend the cacao, as it tastes deeper in flavor and pairs well)
Coarse sea salt


Directions:

1. Slice into the dates lengthwise, being careful not to cut all the way through.

2. Stuff a tsp. of almond butter into the dates and squeeze shut.

3. Sprinkle with cocoa/cacao powder and sea salt.

4. DEVOUR.

Sweet and Smoky Brussels Sprouts Slaw, by Diane

I made this as a side dish to go with my sausage patties for lunches this week. I have been getting so much inspiration from Instagram for healthy Whole30 recipes lately! I added the first step to get more flavor, but you can always cook the shallots separately. I also added sunflower seeds and currants for extra crunch and sweetness. This came out really good, the different flavors worked well and it was quite addictive and crunchy! The only complaint is with the title, there is nothing smoky in the salad so I'm not sure why it was called that but it's a very good side dish to have on hand.

Ingredients:

1 1/4 brussels sprouts, shredded
1 medium shallot, thinly sliced
5-6 strips bacon, chopped (I subbed in prosciutto here)
1/3 chopped dates
1/3 cup toasted almonds
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
2 tbsp currants
1 medium lemon, zested and juiced
1 small orange, juiced
1 date
1 garlic clove
2/3 avocado oil or evoo
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp dried thyme

Directions:

1. Cook the bacon and shallot together, placed on a paper towel lined plate and set aside.

2. Combine brussels sprouts through currants in a large bowl.

3. Blend the remaining ingredients until combined well, pour over the brussels sprouts mixture.

Apple Cinnamon Energy Bars, by Cheryl

I was looking to make some granola or energy bars when Jon came across this recipe. There are healthy and clean bars to buy out there, but they can be pricy and it's always fun to try to make your own! These bars have minimal ingredients, all which are readily available anywhere. I would definitely make these again, but the only thing is that they came out just a touch dry. Any suggestions as to what I can do to make them a little more moist? I followed the recipe exactly, but mine don't look as thick as hers do in the picture so maybe they didn't need as much cooking time. I also used a bigger pan so that could be the reason they were thinner and didn't need to cook as much. I'll try again next time since these are great! Yum!

Ingredients:

2 cups pecans
2 cups rolled oats
1.5 halved and pitted dates
2 cups chopped granny smith apples
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions:

1) Preheat oven to 350.

2) Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and spread pecans and oats onto it in a single flat layer. Bake for 10-15 minutes, until toasted and fragrant.

3) Keep the oven preheated and line a pan with parchment paper.

4) Place the toasted nuts and oats in a food processor along with the dates, cinnamon, and salt. Process until the mixture is coarse and crumbly, with no large pieces remaining. Add the chopped apple, and pulse in until there are no more large chunks left. Continue to process until everything starts to clump together, using a spatula to help move things around. This process may move slowly, but eventually everything will come together.

5) Transfer the mixture to the prepared pan, using a wide flat spatula to pat it down into a flat compact layer that takes up the entire space of the pan. The bars will look exactly the same once they come out of the oven.

6) Bake for 20 minutes. Cool for 10-15 minutes and then slice into bars. Once completely cool lift out of the pan. Store in an airtight container in the fridge.

Maple Bacon Wrapped Blue Cheese Stuffed Dates with a Balsamic Honey Glaze, by Diane

For this batch, I drizzled on only balsamic vinegar before they cooked, but if you make it according to the recipe, there will be a mouth-watering glaze on these babies!

This is hands down the best party appetizer in my bag of entertaining tricks. I've made this several times before and they are always the first things to go! These are gooey, hot, and the most amazing combination of sweet and salty ever. The maple bacon, tart blue cheese and balsamic vinegar, and sweet caramel-y dates and honey are such an amazingly addictive combo. They do take a bit of prep work (about 15-20 min) to set up, but each time I make them it gets a little quicker. Bonus- if you're the host your whole house smells amazing for your guests! :)

*Note- I've learned that dates that are packaged in plastic bags or containers are more moist and sweet than in a cardboard container!

*Note- If you are more in a hurry, as I was for the occasion in this photo, you can simply drizzle balsamic vinegar over the dates before you place them into the broiler and omit the honey glaze.


Ingredients:
Pitted whole dates (the amount depends on your guest count, I now plan for about 5 a person!)
Blue cheese (again amount depends, typically one container works well)
Maple flavored bacon (I like to use thick cut here, one package typically works well)
3 tbsp balsamic vinegar (a good, thick one works best!)
3 tbsp honey


Directions:

1. Line a large baking sheet with foil and set aside.

2. On a large cutting board, slice open all dates horizontally, being careful not to cut all the way through (you're only cutting open one side). I've found the best way to streamline this process is to line all the dates up on the cutting board once sliced.

3. Stuff a generous portion of blue cheese in each date, going row by row. Pack in the cheese and press down until it's nearly one solid piece of cheese (this ensures that it won't fall out onto the baking tray during cooking so that you get a nice big cheesy bite!).

4. Slice each bacon slice in half width-wise, then roll around each date and fasten with a toothpick. Place each bacon wrapped date on the baking tray, separated by 1/2-1 inch.

5. Place tray in broiler for 10-20 minutes on high. You want the bacon to be fully cooked at the end but not burned. Halfway through, you'll need to flip the dates and pour out some of the grease so that the dates can continue to crisp up. It may be necessary to remove some of the dates that have cooked already to let the remaining dates continue to cook without burning some of the ones that are done.

6. While the dates are cooking, combine the balsamic vinegar and honey in a small saucepan over medium high heat and stir for about 5 minutes until it thickens into a syrup. Set aside.

7. Remove the dates and place onto a paper towel lined plate to remove any extra grease. Transfer to a serving dish after a minute or so open side up, then pour the balsamic honey glaze over the dates. Let cool for 5 min before serving.

No Bake Pumpkin Pie Tarts, by Diane

These gluten, dairy, and refined sugar free heavenly bites of deliciousness were a definite hit at a recent Thanksgiving-themed gathering, and I will definitely be making them again! They are a fantastic alternative to regular pumpkin pie, and are quick and easy to prepare. They don't even require precious oven space during holiday prep! And the best part is that they are both healthy and bite-sized, so you don't really overdo it like you would on normal pumpkin pie (or you can feel free to have 5 and still feel relatively ok with yourself!). Bonus- the crust recipe is extremely versatile and will be on heavy rotation for lots of fun future recipes!

Recipe from: http://detoxinista.com/2013/10/no-bake-pumpkin-tarts-vegan-paleo/


Ingredients:

1 cup walnuts
1/4 cup shredded coconut
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 tablespoon coconut oil, melted
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup pumpkin puree
1/4 cup almond milk
1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
3/4 cup Medjool dates, pitted and soaked in boiling water for at least 30 minutes
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves


Directions:

1. Line a standard muffin tin with 8 parchment cups, and set aside.
2. To prepare the crust: pulse the walnuts and shredded coconut in a small food processor until ground into a fine meal. (Be careful not to over-process, or you’ll wind up with nut butter instead!) Add the maple syrup, coconut oil and salt and process again until just mixed, and the dough sticks together when pinched between your fingers. Scoop the dough by heaping tablespoons into the 8 parchment cups and use your fingers to press down and form a crust for each cup. Place the pan in the fridge to set while you prepare the filling.
3. To prepare the filling: simply combine all of the ingredients in a blender, and blend until completely smooth and creamy. Remove the pan of crusts from the fridge, and pour/spread the batter evenly into the 8 cups. Smooth the top, then return to the fridge to set completely, about 4-6 hours.
4. When the center of the filling is firm to the touch, the tarts are ready to serve. Top with whipped cream, if you like!

Green Trekker Smoothie, by Diane

At long last, I've finally found a way to make these green smoothies look as appetizing as they taste!

The problem with having a favorite smoothie from your local Whole Foods within walking distance (2 blocks away!) is that you wind up spending lots of money at Whole Foods for something you could easily make at home (and for way cheaper!). This smoothie is my latest in a long line of green smoothie obsessions. It's packed with greens, antioxidant-rich blueberries, potassium-rich bananas, electrolyte-balancing coconut water, and superfood energizers/anti-inflammatories maca and cacao powder. Because of these ingredient properties, this smoothie is great for managing dehydration, low energy, and inflammation. And the flavor is that banana chocolate combo that I crave all day long, naturally sweetened without any sugar. YUM.


Ingredients:

2 large handfuls of greens (spinach/kale/chard blend is my vote- or just spinach for beginners!)
1 large frozen ripe banana (for a milkshake consistency) or 1 large fresh ripe banana plus 1 cup ice
1/2 cup blueberries (I love Wyman's wild blueberries in the freezer section!)
3 dates (sometimes I skip these as they make the smoothie very sweet!)
2 tbsp raw cacao powder and 1/2 tbsp maca powder OR 2 tbsp of TerrAmazon Organic Raw Cacao Powder with Maca (this stuff is seriously delicious and tastes like dark cocoa!)
1 cup coconut water (or less/more for consistency)


Blend all ingredients until smooth- if using dates blend for longer!

*Note- to make this smoothie more energizing and anti-inflammatory, I usually add in a small amount of the following: turmeric, ginger, cinnamon, and chia. You can't taste any of these except hints of cinnamon!*

*Girly Note- if it's that time of the month, definitely add the dates and consider upping the cacao for more chocolatey sweetness, also include 1/4 of an avocado for cramps and bloating. This should take care of any cravings/symptoms! :)*

Fall Couscous Salad, by Diane

I made this for lunches this week, it was the perfect fall dish and so delicious! Jam packed with nutrients, this is an easy way to enjoy something quick and on-the-go!

A few notes- I substituted the EVOO at the end that you toss everything with for apple cider vinegar (1/2-1tbsp) for a more tastier and healthier option. I also subbed pistachios for pecans because I felt like it, and I used couscous because it's easier to digest for most people than sorghum.

Recipe from: http://www.savorysimple.net/butternut-squash-cranberry-sorghum-salad/


Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups butternut squash, diced small

1/2 tablespoon olive oil for tossing + more for roasting

2 1/2 cups cooked sorghum

1/3 cup dried cranberries

1/3 cup pecans, toasted and chopped

4 medjool dates, sliced thin

1/4 cup pumpkin seeds, toasted

1/8 teaspoon sea salt or to taste

Crumbled goat cheese to taste

 

Directions:

 

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Toss the butternut squash in a small drizzle of olive oil and sprinkle of salt. Roast for 10-15 minutes, stirring once, or until soft but not mushy (the length of time will depend on how small the dice is).

2. Allow the squash to cool for several minutes and then gently toss together in a large bowl with olive oil, sorghum, dried cranberries, pecans, dates, pumpkin seeds and salt.

3. If using, sprinkle goat cheese on top of each serving.

Raw Dairy Queen "Blizzard", by Diane

In my quest to eat more nutrient-dense foods I have discovered that the more raw I eat, the better I feel. With that being said, there are certain things that I crave- one of them being blizzards from DQ. After thinking on this, I realized that my previously favorite dessert of frozen banana "ice cream" (literally whip them in a blender for 3 minutes and it's like ice cream!) can be turned into a blizzard of any flavor! So tonight I made a mock up of my favorite, Georgia Mud Fudge. DQ's version has chocolate ice cream, fudge brownies, chocolate chips, and pecans. My recreation was obviously not the original but super chocolatey and sweet, and pretty close in flavors! This was pretty much a hit from the first bite!! I had to remind myself of the calories even though it was raw, otherwise I would have made another 4 batches.

You can really go anywhere with this idea, fruity flavors work just as well. The other day I made a cookie dough version by blending raw cacao beans, dates, and coconut flour (or finely ground cashews works well too) in a blender and forming balls that dropped into the banana cream base (with some cocoa powder added in)- yum!

Ingredients:

3 frozen bananas
1/4 cup almond or coconut milk (I like raw but you can use whatever)
2 tbsp almond butter
2 tbsp raw cocoa powder
1/4 cup raw cacao beans
1/2 cup dates
1/4 cup pecans

Directions:

1. Blend the first 4 ingredients in a blender on the highest speed for 3-4 minutes. You will need to stop every few seconds to push the bananas back to the bottom to blend. Add in more milk if needed. (This is going to be your regular base to add anything else to, unless you don't want the cocoa or almond butter in which case just blend the first two ingredients)

2. Drop in remaining ingredients and blend to your desire. I blended for a few seconds only because the chocolatey dates were left in larger chunks reminiscent of the brownies.

Moroccan Chicken with Lemons and Olives

This is one of my most favorite recipes, so much so that it's hard for me to believe I haven't posted this over the years. It's simple, amazingly tasty, and impressive for company. Combined with a bed of couscous and mint tea you really can't go wrong!


Ingredients:

2 tsp paprika
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp tumeric
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground pepper
4 chicken breasts, cubed and patted dry
2 tbsp EVOO
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 onion, chopped
1 cup water
juice of 1 lemon
2 lemon peels, sliced thinly
1 cup green olives, pitted (reserve 1/2 cup liquid)

1/2 cup golden raisins
1/4-1/2 cup dates, sliced

Directions:

1. Combine spices in a large bowl, add in chicken and toss to coat. Refrigerate for one hour.

2. Heat EVOO in a large saucepan on medium high heat. Add in chicken and brown on all sides.

3. Lower heat to medium low, add in garlic and onions, cover, and cook for 15 minutes.

4. Add in water, lemon juice, and olive liquid to deglaze the pan, scraping the bottom to loosen any bits that have browned. Add in remaining ingredients, lower heat to low, cover, and cook another 30 minutes. All liquid should be evaporated, if not cover and cook until liquid is gone.