Cauliflower Taco Salad

I saw this recipe for Cauliflower Taco Salad show up on a few of my Facebook friends' feeds recently and knew I wanted to try it.  It was awesome - a keeper!  The ground cauliflower and lentils together are so similar to ground taco meat, my oldest didn't even know it wasn't until I told her!  This recipe makes quite a bit, so you will likely have extra for leftovers or to freeze for another quick taco night.  I did have to put the cauliflower in my food processor in several small batches (as opposed to stuffing it all in at once) in order to get all of the cauliflower ground up into rice size.  

I used this Sprouted Lentil Trio by truRoots brand, which I found at Harris Teeter.  I was so excited to discover these sprouted lentils cook in only 6 minutes!  Sprouting is known to boost vitamins and minerals and increase accessibility of nutrients, while cutting cooking time.  Pretty cool, huh.

Enjoy!
dawn  

Banana-Date Muffins

These are some of the best muffins I have made in a while!  They are featured in Gwyneth Paltrow's book It's All Good.  These muffins are great for breakfast or a snack.  They contain a G-BOMB food - pumpkin seeds - (my kids are really into all meals having at least one G-BOMB).  Oh and my kids and husband thought they were delicious which means they are a keeper!

2 cups flour (I used a combination of oat & whole wheat pastry flour.  You can also use gluten-free flour.)

2 teaspoons baking powder

2 teaspoons baking soda

A pinch of sea salt

2 overripe bananas, mashed

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil (I used coconut oil.)

2/3 cup good-quality maple syrup (I used a little less than this.)

2/3 cup unsweetened almond milk

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1/2 pitted and chopped cup dried dates (about 6 large dates) (I used chopped dates coated in flour you find at Whole Foods.)

1/4 cup roughly chopped pumpkin seeds, plus 3 tablespoons for the tops of the muffins

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.  Line a 12 cup muffin tin with paper liners.  I use silicon muffin tins which don't need liners.

Whisk together the 2 cups of flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl.  In a separate bowl, whisk together the bananas, oil, maple syrup, almond milk, and vanilla.  Thoroughly combine the dry and wet ingredients.  Toss the dates and pumpkin seeds with a little flour before folding them into the mixture to keep them from sinking to the bottom.  Divide the batter among the muffin cups and sprinkle each muffin with a pinch of the extra pumpkin seeds.

Bake until the muffins are browned and a toothpick comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes.

enjoy!

leanne

Quinoa Salad with Lemon Basil Dressing

I know, it's another quinoa salad.  I hope you are not bored with quinoa yet.  It is such a nutritious complete protein, that I find myself using it often.  With our busy lives and the need for quick, healthy lunches for my husband and I, I have taken to fixing a large batch of a cold bean, quinoa, or orzo salad on the weekends, that we are able to use all week.  This is a new favorite.  Sorry...no picture.  

Blondie Brownies

One of the most common questions we get when eating "clean" is, "What do you eat for dessert?"  
I do love to bake (more than cooking actually).  The trick is finding recipes that use "secret ingredients" as my 8 year old likes to say!  

You can't find healthy baked treats on a shelf at the grocery store because they are overly processed to last on the self for a VERY long time.  

sweet eating-
leanne


Blondie Brownies

Ingredients

• 1 can (15 oz) chickpeas, rinsed and drained

• 1/2 cup all natural almond butter or peanut butter

• 1/3 cup pure maple syrup or honey

• 2 teaspoons vanilla

• 1/2 tsp salt

• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder

• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda

• 2 tbs chocolate chips - dark is preferred

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and lightly spray 8×8 inch pan with nonstick cooking spray.  I use a Pampered Chef baking dish that is non-stick.
2. In a food processor, add all ingredients except chocolate chips and process until batter is smooth.  Batter will be thick and yummy - my girls love to lick the bowl!
3. Spread batter evenly in prepared pan then sprinkle 2 tablespoons of chocolate chips on top. (The batter may stick to your spatula, so I like to spray my spatula with nonstick cooking spray first.) Bake for 20-25 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean and edges are a tiny bit brown. The batter may look underdone, but you don’t want them to dry out!
4. Cool pan for 20 minutes.  Makes 16 blondies.