Homemade Zesty Lemon Dill Seasoning Blend (Salt-Free)

Lemon Dill Seasoning (Salt-Free)

I created this salt-free seasoning blend to duplicate a blend sold in stores. It is much less expensive to make your own spice blends, plus, there are no added fillers, starches, or mystery ingredients, and you can customize them to your taste preference.

The lemon essential oil adds a definite brightness to this seasoning. This is a great basic to have in your spice cupboard. My family uses this seasoning on tuna and other fish. You can sprinkle this on salads, mix into sandwich spreads, dips, sprinkle over eggs, etc...


LEMON DILL SEASONING Recipe:

Yield: about 2 ounces

3 T. onion powder
1 T. granulated garlic
2 T. dill weed
2 t. dried lemon peel (or orange peel, 2nd choice)
2 t. dill seeds
1 t. Chile, dried and ground (or dried jalapeno)
20 drops organic lemon essential oil


Method:

Place the citrus peel in a 2-ounce glass spice jar. Drip lemon essential oil over citrus peel and let it be absorbed for a few minutes, with the lid secured.

Add the rest of the ingredients and shake together well (or blend in a bowl and pour back into the spice jar).

Store sealed in a cool, dark place.


Enjoy,

Leila

Chipotle Con Crema - Slather some on you Mexican food!

Chipotle Con Crema


I tasted a variation of this at our local farmer's market. It was so good that I had to go home and recreate it. And that is exactly what I did. It dresses up foods nicely, especially Mexican foods.


CHIPTLE CON CREMA Recipe:

1 large sweet onion, sliced into rings and then halved
1/4 c. real organic butter
1 c. sour cream
1/8 t. chipotle powder or chipotle peppers (more if you want hotter)
2 t. organic chicken base or bouillon
1/2 t. smoked paprika
onion salt, to taste, optional


Method:

Saute the onions in the butter until translucent and slightly caramelized.
Add chicken base and maybe a touch of water if needed to dissolve it. Heat until dissolved.
Stir in chipotle and smoked paprika. Take off heat and let cool to just warm.
Add sour cream after it has cooled down, and mix in well. Add a touch of onion salt, to taste.
Use immediately or chill. Store in the refrigerator.


Use:

Use as a topping or filling for various Mexican foods. We love it with burritos, inside chicken enchiladas, on tostadas, tamales, soups, taco salads... It is very versatile and makes almost any Mexican dish memorable. It is also good in wraps and sandwiches.

To use once it is chilled: Scoop out 8 ounces and put in loosely covered container. Microwave on high for 1 to 1 1/2 minutes. Stir and serve.


Enjoy,

Leila

Dilly Rice Salad - A very fast and flavorful dish (Gluten-Free)

Dilly Rice Salad or Side

Loaded with flavor, this is a great basic recipe that you will come back to again and again. It is quick to put together and it lasts several days in the refrigerator, saving you a lot of time in food prep. I like making a batch for quick meals throughout the week. It makes a nice lunch, great for taking to work or on picnics, and of course as a side for dinner. It makes a nice meal
served with a rotisserie chicken from Costco, and some fresh sweet melon and berries.


DILLY RICE Recipe

8 c. cooked brown rice
2 handfuls fresh dill weed, minced, to taste
2 T. fresh lemon juice, to taste
4 ounces crumbled feta cheese
4 small scallions, minced (or 2 large)
1 to 2 garlic cloves, pressed, to taste (my mom prefers 3 to 4 cloves)
1 bunch parsley, minced (or spinach)
1/3 to 1/2 cup high quality olive oil or GREEN OIL (recipe on this blog)
onion salt, to taste
garlic powder, to taste
fresh ground black pepper, to taste
BioSalt, to taste (recipe on this blog)
sliced olives, optional
Parmesan cheese, to sprinkle over top, optional
Dried dill weed, optional


Method:

In a large bowl, toss everything together well, seasoning to taste.
Chill. This is even better the next day. Taste again for seasonings before serving.

Fresh Orange Ginger Oriental Dressing (Oil-Free)

Dad's Dressing - Quick & Easy (oil-free)

We all love dad's delicious salad dressing. It has an Asian flair and is a nice combination of sweet, tangy, savory and spicy. He mixes it up fresh in the salad serving bowl, to taste. Then he adds the desired salad ingredients, tosses and serves at once.

At our house, we like a mix of romaine, spinach, and baby greens, topped with scallions, shredded raw vegetables (carrot, zuchinni, celery...), diced apples, oranges, even bananas, sprouts, slivered almonds, shredded chicken, etc...

Try this healthy alternative to store bought dressing!


DAD'S DRESSING Recipe:

Yield: Enough for 1 large salad

Juice and mashed pulp from 1 sweet orange
2 T. real maple syrup, or to taste
1/2 to 1-inch piece of ginger root, grated fine
2 t. sesame seeds, to taste
Tamari soysauce, to taste

Method:

Place the orange juice and pulp in a small mixing bowl.
Add the maple syrup, ginger and sesame seeds, mixing well.
Add enough Tamari to salt the dressing to taste.


This dressing is best used fresh and is good over many kinds of salads.


Enjoy,

Leila

Soft Butter Spread (Stays soft even when cold)

Soft Butter Spread

This is a healthy way to have a cold spreadable butter. Use coconut oil if you intend to use this for cooking, to avoid creating trans fats. You can store this in your refrigerator and still spread it on your toast.

Please do not use margarine. It has never been good for us!

SOFT BUTTER SPREAD Recipe:

Yield: 3 cups

Ingredients:

1 lb (4 sticks) real salted butter, softened (preferably organic)

1 1/2 to 2 c. healthy, light tasting liquid oil *

1/4  t. sea salt or BioSalt, or to taste (recipe on this blog)

Method:

In a blender or food processor, process the softened butter and 1 1/2 c. oil of choice, adding more oil as needed, until smooth and creamy. Another option is to use a hand mixer. Store in an air-tight container in the fridge. Recipe easily doubles.

* Examples of healthy oils than may be used: Fractionated coconut oil, GOLDEN OIL (recipe on this blog), chia seed oil, Cranberry seed oil, hemp seed oil, avocado oil, or extra light tasting olive oil.


Note: Do not bake, saute, or cook with anything but coconut oil and/or real butter (or animal fat) because they become unhealthy when heat treated. Even when healthy oils are heated below their smoke point, they still oxidize and turn into trans fats (not good).



Enjoy,

Leila

Sugar-Free Thai Cucumber Salad (Noodles & Co. Copy-Cat)

Thai Cucumber Salad  
-AKA- Noodles & Co. Tomato Cucumber Salad Copy-Cat


I find this salad very refreshing. I set out to duplicate this typically sugar-laden salad that is frequently served in Thai restaurants.  It is very easy to make, especially if you prepare a quantity of dressing in advance. My family likes this salad a lot. Sometimes I make this with only cucumbers and a touch of red onion, I like that it is very versatile. Now you and your family can enjoy this sugar-free version too.

I made a seasoned sprinkle to garnish your salad with too!



THAI CUCUMBER SALAD Recipe:

Dressing:

3/4 c. rice vinegar
1 1/4 c. xyitol (to replace the conventional 1 1/4 c. white sugar) (or Lakanto sweetener to taste)
1 clove garlic , mashed in a mortar & pestle
1 small shallot, peeled and finely sliced
1-inch piece of fresh ginger root, peeled and very finely sliced, or grated
1/2 to 1 small hot green chili, minced fine
2 cilantro roots, washed and minced or 12 cilantro stems, minced fine
6 ground coriander seeds (use if you do not have the fresh cilantro roots)
1 t. BioSalt or sea salt, to taste

Method:

Boil the vinegar with the sweeteners, garlic, and coriander roots (or the cilantro stems plus ground coriander seeds) for about 2 minutes, to blend flavors and thicken slightly.

Let cool to about room temperature before adding the minced shallot, grated ginger root, and minced hot chili.

I double the dressing recipe and store it in a jar in the refrigerator.


Salad:

1 large cucumber, diced
1 small bunch coriander leaves (cilantro), chopped, optional
1 - 2 ripe garden tomatoes, diced, optional
A few slivers of red onion


Method:

Place the prepared vegetables in a serving bowl.

Pour enough dressing over to coat and marinate the vegetables. Toss well and let marinate a few minutes before serving.

Garnish on top with the seasoned sprinkle (recipe below), if desired.

Serve as a side or relish.



Garnish:

2 t. sesame seeds (preferably toasted)
1 t. ancho Chili powder
1 t. sweet paprika powder
1/4 t. onion salt

Mix together and store air-tight. You have made enough for a few salads.

Enjoy!

Leila

Mother Nature's Salad Recipe - Does a body good!

Mother Nature's Salad 

This is one my most favorite salads, and has been so since I was in my preteens.
It is so fresh and beautiful piled high on a soup plate. It is quite stunning to present and is a meal in and of itself. This is a unique herbal dressing too and it goes perfectly with this salad. I often add even more of some of the herbs listed in this recipe (Tarragon and Basil).  I usually cut back on the thyme, for my personal tastes. Make sure there is enough salt or the dressing can taste a bit flat.

I do not have a picture of this salad yet....hopefully coming soon.



MOTHER NATURE'S SALAD & DRESSING Recipe:

Fill a soup plate with the following fresh ingredients in the order listed:

Diced Romaine Lettuce
Shredded carrots
Shredded red cabbage
Diced cooked beets (or raw shredded beets)
Sliced tomatoes
Sliced avocado
Diced white cheese (or shredded)
Thin-sliced mushrooms
Thin-sliced red onions
Alfalfa sprouts

Garnish the salad with:

Raw cauliflower florets
Raw broccoli florets

Top the piled-high salad with the dressing recipe below, to taste.


MOTHER NATURE'S HERB-OIL DRESSING:

3 c. olive oil
1 c. apple cider vinegar
1 t. sea salt, or BioSalt to taste
1/2 t. fresh ground black pepper
1 crushed garlic clove
1/3 c. dried parsley
4 t. dried dill weed
2 t. dried basil
2 t. dried thyme (or less. I think too much thyme makes foods taste moldy. Weird)
1/2 t. dried tarragon, crushed

Mix the dressing ingredients and give it some time to sit to let the flavors blend. Note that when you store this dressing in the refrigerator, the olive oil will solidify, so allow time to let it come to room temperature before using. shake well before use.

Mother Nature's Herb Oil Dressing

Enjoy nature's bounty,

Leila

Purple Power Mush - To nourish and sustain you for hours...

PURPLE POWER MUSH

This is a very delicious and nutritious hot cereal and another of my mom's creations. All the darker pigments of these nutrient-packed grains mean there are more beneficial antioxidants for your body. When you have this for breakfast, it will keep you full for a long time. Purple Power Mush is much lower in carbs that traditional breakfast cereals, white cream of wheat, instant oatmeal, etc... This is not a gluten-free recipe however.

It is very easy to prepare. Shop online for these unique ingredients and keep them in your pantry for other uses as well as for this recipe. I like to mix all these beautiful grains together with my hands, just for fun.

When it comes time for making a batch of hot cereal, decide if you want to first sprout your grains before cooking, or freshly grind the grains and cook immediately.

Research the benefits of sprouting grains before consuming them, to motivate you to plan ahead and sprout these babies!

Even though this post is wordy - this is REALLY EASY to make.


PURPLE POWER MUSH Recipe:

Ingredients:

Whole-Grain Hot Cereal Base (not grain flours):

2 c. Black or red quinoa
2 c. Forbidden black rice
2 c. Sweet black rice
2 c. Black barley
2 c. Red barley
2 c. Red Wehani rice
2 c. Brown teff
2 c. Amaranth
2 c. Wild rice
2 c. Dark rye
2 c. Spelt


When Cooking the Hot Cereal:

1 1/2 c. Whole-Grain Hot Cereal Base (above)
2 T. Kasha buckwheat (or toasted buckwheat flour)
2 T. Poppy seeds
Purified water, as needed
BioSalt or sea salt, to taste

****************************

Method:


Whole-Grain Hot Cereal Base:

This is a bulk mix you make ahead of time to store for future hot breakfasts.

Mix together all the grains in the hot cereal base above. All these grains are left whole.

Transfer to an air-tight container for storage. Store in a cool, dark place. For longer term storage, keep in the refrigerator of freezer.

Note that the buckwheat and poppy seeds are not added to the premix.



When Preparing the Hot Cereal:

You can make this hot cereal 2 different ways:

1. You can sprout the 1 1/2 c. whole grains before you cook the mush (more nutritious).

2. You can freshly grind 1 1/2 c. of the whole grain mix before cooking the mush (quicker).

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1. The sprouted version:


Sprout the grains:

Plan about 48 hours in advance to allow for sprouting time.

Measure out 1 1/2 cups of the whole grain mix above and add 2 T. poppy seeds. Pour the mixture into a sprouting jar. Rinse the mix and then soak in water overnight.

Drain in the morning. Keep rinsing and draining about 3 to 4 times a day, for about 48 hours. You can do less time if you choose.

The sprouted grains can be kept in the refrigerator a few days if needed.



To cook the grains:

Place the sprouted grains and 3 c. purified water in a high-powered blender or food processor. Roughly grind the grains. Do not puree.

Transfer to a cook pot on the stove. Add another 1 c. water and  1 t. sea salt or BioSalt, to taste (BioSalt recipe on this blog).

Bring just to a boil, while stirring occasionally. Once it comes to a boil, turn down the heat and simmer, covered, for about 30 minutes, or until it is the texture you want. you may need to add more water.

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2. The un-sprouted version: 


Grind the un-sprouted grains:

Measure out 1 1/2 c. of the whole grain mix and pass through a wheat grinder or high-powered blender (VitaMix or BlendTec). You may also grind it in smaller batches in a spice/coffee mill (Krupps is a great brand). AFTER grinding, add 2 T. Kasha buckwheat or toasted buckwheat flour and 2 T. poppy seeds.



 To cook the cereal:

Transfer the ground flour mix into a medium sized pot. Pour in 4 cups of purified water, while stirring to prevent lumps. Add 1 t. sea salt or BioSalt, to taste (BioSalt recipe on this blog).

Bring it just to a boil on the stove-top, stir occasionally. Once it comes to a boil, turn down the heat to low, and simmer about 30-60 minutes, until it is creamy and cooked through. You may need to add more water.

****************************

To Serve:

Serve individual bowls with a dab of organic butter, or drizzle with "GOLDEN OIL" (recipe on this blog) and sweeten to taste (*agave/glycerine nectar, raw honey, real maple syrup, agave, or an IMO syrup for a sugar-free option). Pour over milk of choice (Nut milk, seed milk, coconut milk, or organic dairy milk).

I also like to sprinkle with organic raisins and ground cinnamon and sometimes ground ginger and cardamom, to taste.

* See this post for the agave/glycerine nectar recipe:
http://kitchencheetahs.blogspot.com/2015/01/the-best-agave-nectar-ever-with-new.html


See the pretty grains...

Amaranth

Black Barley

Brown Teff

Dark Rye

Forbidden Black Rice

Red Barley

Red Wehani Rice

Spelt

Sweet Black Rice

Wild Rice

Black Quinoa

Red Quinoa

Enjoy!

Leila

Essene Raisin Bread - Easy to make at home.

Organic Essene Raisin Bread

Essene bread is unleavened bread that is moist, sweet, and strangely addicting. It is perfect with real salted butter slathered on top. OR - load it up with my mom's recipe for "REALLY BUTTER". I will have to post that recipe later. She created it when she was off dairy for a long time, and she sooo missed butter. It tastes amazing.

My mom created this bread recipe when my children were younger and she served it to them with a generous helping of her REALLY BUTTER. They would beg her to make more. So did I.

It is very affordable to make this bread yourself, as it is a bit pricey at the health food store - IF you can find it. It is an easy recipe to make and the only thing I might change is to add a little sea salt or BioSalt ...If I were especially daring.

Note that sprouted wheat is much more nutritious than wheat flour of any kind. You could sprout spelt or Kamut instead, if you choose. Please make sure you use organic raisins, you don't want little pesticide-ridden morsels wreaking havoc with your health. Right?



ORGANIC ESSENE RAISIN BREAD Recipe:

6 cups organic wheat (not ground)
4 to 6 cups organic raisins

 Method:

First sprout the wheat by soaking the 6 cups wheat overnight. Drain and rinse periodically for 2 days, until the wheat has sprouted.

Grind the drained sprouted wheat in a food processor along with  2 to 3 cups organic raisins.

Scrape out the sticky wheat mixture onto a silicone mat and knead in 2 to 3 cups more raisins.

Shape dough into four 8-inch loaves about 2 to 2 1/2 inches thick.

Place loaves on oiled pans (coconut oil).

Bake in a 225 degree F oven for 4 hours, switching oven racks halfway through baking.

Let cool and store air-tight in the refrigerator.

Sprouting the wheat...

Grinding the wheat...

Kneading the wheat...

Does this remind you of the story of THE LITTLE RED HEN?

I hope you enjoy the fruits of your labors my friends,

Leila.

Wake up your taste buds with this Perfectly Seasoned Quinoa recipe

Perfect Seasoned Quinoa

Cooked Quinoa

This is a flavorful and healthy gluten-free side dish created by my mom. Use as a great replacement for white rice, pasta or Bulgar... You will want to make this again and again.

Soaking and then sprouting the quinoa heightens it's nutritional value and removes all of the quinoa's bitterness and enzyme inhibitors you can sometimes taste. This also makes the quinoa very easily digested and its vitamins and minerals more absorbable. If you don't want to make time to barely sprout the quinoa, just soak it a little while and then rinse very well. This will remove much of the bitter saponins (soapy-tasting) from the quinoa.  A lot of people don't know about soaking and rinsing quinoa, and then they often dislike the bitterness of it as a result. I like to place the quinoa in a large fine-mesh strainer immersed in a large bowl of water. This makes it very easy to rinse and drain. You can even let it sprout overnight this way.



PERFECT SEASONED QUINOA Recipe:

1 c. barely sprouted quinoa (or regular quinoa, soaked and rinsed if in a hurry)
1 c. purified water

Seasoning Mixture:

1 T Tamari soy sauce (it's gluten-free)
1 T. olive oil or "GREEN OIL" (recipe on this blog)
1 T. UDO'S OIL or "GOLDEN OIL" (recipe on this blog)
Several drops orange essential oil, to taste
1 drop lemon essential oil
BioSalt to taste (recipe on this blog)


Method:


To sprout the quinoa:

First place the quinoa into a large fine-meshed strainer. Fill a large bowl with water and place the strainer inside, so that the quinoa is fully immersed. Soak the quinoa 30 minutes to remove the bitter saponins. The water will become discolored. Rinse the quinoa, then soak again overnight. Rinse and drain. With the drained quinoa still in the strainer, place back over the now empty bowl and cover with a clean dish towel. In about 6 hours it will have sprouted short tails.

To prepare the quinoa:

In a medium sauce pan, pour 1 c. water and bring it to a boil.
Once boiling, add the quinoa.
Reduce heat and simmer, covered for 20 minutes.
Fluff with a fork. Cover and let stand 20 minutes.

To season the quinoa:

Mix the Tamari, oils and essential oils together. Drizzle this oil mixture over the warm quinoa and toss together well, adding BioSalt to taste.

Serve.

Sprouted Quinoa

Note: You can use raw sprouted quinoa in many ways: As a base for taboulli and other salads, as a garnish or topping, on omelettes, in fruit smoothies and fresh vegetable juices or green drinks.



Enjoy, 

Leila

Easy Peasy Almond Squeezy - A quick recipe for almond milk

Speedy-Fast Almond Milk

This is a yummy almond milk from my mother's recipe archive. We often have pre-soaked almonds in a jar in the fridge, which makes preparing this delicious almond milk a 'breeze'. This recipe requires no straining, so it saves you time. This is not as smooth as my previous almond milk recipe, because of the almond fiber, but you gotta do what you gotta do...


QUICK ALMOND MILK Recipe:

Difficulty level: Easy Peasy Almond Squeezy
Yield: 1 quart

1 1/2 c. raw almonds
4 c. warm water
1-2 t. raw organic honey or organic agave nectar (use xylitol for a sugar-free version)
a few drops of real vanilla extract (or clear vanilla to keep the milk white)
a pinch of sea salt or BioSalt (recipe on this blog)
a pinch of fresh ground nutmeg


Method:

To prepare the almonds:

Rinse and soak 1 1/2 cups raw, shelled almonds in water for a total of 24 hours, rinsing every so often until the soaking water is no longer colored. Drain. The almonds will have expanded in size a bit. Store in a sealed jar in the fridge until use.

You can plan ahead and pre-soak the almonds and keep them in the refrigerator until needed.

For the whitest almond milk, peel off the brown skins, if you care to....I don't.


To make the almond milk:

In a high-powered blender, thoroughly puree the soaked almonds with 4 cups of warm water. While blending, add the sweetener of choice, vanilla, salt and nutmeg.

Taste and pour into a 1-quart jar with tight fitting lid. Keep chilled.



Note: 

If you only have a regular blender, puree the almonds in 2 batches, using 2 cups warm water per batch.


Enjoy! 

Leila

Better than Almond Breeze (Copy-Cat Recipe)

Smooth and Delicious Almond Milk

This is a recipe I created and demonstrated when I was teaching healthy cooking classes. This formulation tastes much better than the other almond milks out there (with the exception of my mom's). You may drink this as a beverage, or pour over breakfast cereals, and use as a healthy replacement for pasteurized commercial almond milk. You can also make a sweetened almond milk with out all the sugar that commercial almond milk has. A key to making good almond milk is to remember to add a touch of BioSalt, as it brings out the flavor.

Almond milk is an excellent choice for people who are health conscious, watching their dairy and sugar intake or are on low-carb or paleo diets. This is also great for people on cleansing raw-food diets.


ALMOND MILK Recipe:

Yield: 1 gallon

3 c. soaked raw almonds (see how to do this below)
purified water to make a total of 1 gallon
2 T. xylitol or Lakanto zero-cal granular sweetener
20 to 25 drops stevia glycerite (like NOW brand or the stevia glycerite recipe on this blog)
2 t. real vanilla extract
1/2 t. BioSalt (recipe on this blog)
1/2 t. almond extract, optional


Equipment Needed:

High-powered blender
Fine mesh cloth bag, for straining
1-gallon jug with tight-fitting lid, for almond milk storage


Method:

To soak the almonds:

Rinse and soak about 3 cups raw, shelled almonds in water for a total of 24 hours, rinsing every so often until the soaking water is no longer colored. Drain. The almonds will have expanded in size a bit. Store in a sealed jar in the fridge until use.


To make the almond milk:

Put 3 cups soaked almonds into a VitaMix or BlendTec blender and add enough purified water to reach the 6-cup line on the blender container. Secure lid tightly.

Puree the almonds very well on high speed.

Strain by pouring the almond slurry into a finely woven cloth bag, placed inside a large bowl. (Or you can put the cloth bag inside a strainer that is placed over a bowl.)

Wring out and squeeze the pulp in the cloth bag well.

Place the almond pulp back into the blender, add water and puree again. Pour back into the cloth bag and squeeze it as dry as you can.

Rinse out your blender container. Pour in some of the nut milk and add the xylitol, stevia, vanilla, BioSalt, and almond extract, if using. Blend a few seconds more.

Pour into a 1-gallon jug and add the rest of the almond milk that's left in the bowl and then add enough purified water to make a total of 1 gallon. Shake to blend.

Taste the almond milk for sweetness and salt. if it tastes flat, add a pinch more Biosalt.

Store in the refrigerator. Shake before use.



Variations:

For a sweeter almond milk add a total of 3 T. xylitol, and no more than 30 drops stevia glycerite. you may also add a pinch of fresh ground nutmeg, if desired.

For a creamier almond milk that doesn't separate as easily, add 1 t. guar gum and 2 t. liquid lecithin.

Squeezing the almond pulp dry in a cloth bag

Notes: 

Reserve the almond pulp for other uses or compost it.

You can freeze the almond pulp and add to foods to increase the fiber content. Try adding a little to hot cereals, baked goods, pancakes...

You may also dehydrate the almond pulp and then grind it finely, so that you can add it to gluten-free/paleo baking mixes, home made granola, etc...  If you are on a raw-food diet, dry the pulp at or below 110 degrees F.


Enjoy!

Leila

Home Made Nut Butters with Added Protein - Great for Low Carb Diets

Protein-Packed Nut Butter 

This is a cool recipe. This protein-enriched nut butter resists that oily separation, that can be messy and annoying, even when stored at room temperature. Nuts stay fresher longer when kept in the refrigerator however, so I recommend doing that.

This recipe uses no unhealthy hydrogenated fats or starches, which are usually used in commercial peanut butters to prevent separation. You can tweak the recipe to reflect your tastes. If you add the xylitol, you have a sugar-free nut butter (most peanut butters contain sugar too).

Try this recipe if you are eating a low-carb, low sugar diet, or high protein diet. If you are a vegetarian or vegan, using a vegetarian or vegan protein powder, will immensely enhance your needed protein consumption.


PROTEIN-PACKED NUT BUTTER RECIPE:

Difficulty level: Easy


1 1/3 c. Fresh roasted nut butter of choice (almond, cashew, peanut...)
1/2 c. Unflavored, unsweetened protein powder of choice
1/4 t. Powdered BioSalt (recipe on this blog), to taste
1 T. Powdered xylitol, optional
1/2 c. Coarsely ground roasted nuts, optional


Method:

In a seed or coffee mill, grind together the BioSalt and xylitol to make a fine powder. You may add some of the protein powder to this,
to make grinding easier. (A Krupps Seed mill is the best.)

In a food processor, place the room temperature nut butter, protein powder, and xylitol/BioSalt mixture. Process to blend well. Taste for salt and adjust if needed.

Blend the mixture until it makes a smooth paste.

If you like a chunky-style nut butter, add the coarsely ground nuts of choice and pulse the food processor to just mix in.

Transfer to a container with an air-tight lid and store until needed.


Variation:

In the finished nut butter, you can swirl in 1/2 cup commercially prepared xylitol-sweetened jam or jelly. Do not use a raw jam or freezer jam, or it will spoil. Grape jelly would be good, for example.


Note: 

You could add a touch of GOLDEN OIL (recipe on this blog), if the mixture seems a bit too thick. It will make the fat content of the nut butter even healthier.

Ruby Red Raw Beet & Apple Salad - Nourishing for your body

Raw Beet & Apple Salad

My mom used to make this for us when I was little, using beets from our garden. The sweet crisp apple compliments the earthy taste of the beet beautifully, and the lemon brings it all together.

This is a refreshing, detoxifying salad. Besides being high in fiber, the beets are known to be a blood and liver cleanser. A Dr. friend of mine recommends eating a raw beet a day for a week to cleanse and nourish the body. This is a delicious way to do that. And you know what they say about apples...



RAW BEET & APPLE SALAD Recipe:

1 large raw beet, grated
4 medium apples, cored and grated
zest of 1/2 organic lemon, optional
1/2 organic lemon, juiced


Method:

Mix the raw shredded beet and apples together. It should be about equal parts beet to apple.
Add the lemon zest, if using and fresh lemon juice. Toss well to mix.
Taste the salad, it should be a little tangy from the lemon juice, add more if its not.
Eat immediately or chill. This salad lasts a few days in the refrigerator.


Enjoy,

Leila

The Best Agave Nectar Ever - Recipe with a new lower sugar content!

The Best Agave Nectar (Lower Carb - Vegan - Gluten Free)

This is my amazing mother's creation. We have been using agave this way for years now and it works great. We love this easy formula because the added vegetable glycerine cuts way down on the sugar and carb count of the agave, yet, you still get the delicious taste of the agave shining through. It is a great alternative to using honey, and it doesn't crystallize like honey does.

We like to use this nectar in fruit salads, salad dressings, beverages and smoothies, sauces, desserts, hot cereals, and anywhere else where you want a touch of sweetness.

You may know already that vegetable glycerine is naturally quite sweet, it is also warming in the mouth, and it acts as a natural preservative. Glycerine has been traditionally used to make very gentle herbal tinctures for children, so it is very safe and time tested. This is just a cool new way to use it!



AGAVE NECTAR Recipe:

Difficulty Level: Easy peasy!
Yield: 16 ounces

8 ounces raw organic agave nectar
8 ounces natural vegetable glycerine

Method:

In a clean bowl, mix equal parts agave and glycerine thoroughly.
Pour into suitable bottles with tight fitting lids. Store in a cool, dark place.


Tip: We like to store this blend in a glass jar, and refill a convenient to use squeeze bottle from that.



Enjoy,

Leila

Stevia Glycerite Recipe (Now brand copy-cat)

Stevia Glycerite (Now brand copy-cat recipe)



This is an awesome recipe - and so easy!

Stevia glycerite is a kitchen staple you will use all the time. Our whole family has used liquid stevia glycerite for years. I have also recommended it to many of my clients and friends, as a natural sugar substitute. For along time, our family purchased +Now brand stevia glycerite from the health food store. It is a bit expensive, so we researched a way to make our own. We found nothing online to help us, so a few years ago, we experimented and created this reliable formula, which we are now very excited to share with you!

This is a very valuable formula and it will save you a lot of money. The vegetable glycerine in this formula is a natural preservative, so no additional preservatives are needed. It is shelf stable too. We like to make up a larger batch and put it into squeeze bottles, old (washed) Now brand stevia glycerite bottles, or dark amber glass bottles with droppers.

We like to use this to sweeten smoothies, protein drinks, herbal teas, and other beverages. You only need about 3 to 4 drops to sweeten a large mug of herbal tea. I will use a little to sweeten applesauce, other fruit sauces and jams. There are lots of creative ways to use this healthy sugar alternative. It is also great to extend the sweetening power of other sugar-free sweeteners like xylitol or erythritol, or use to cut down on sugar sweeteners used like raw agave nectar, raw honey, maple syrup, and evaporated cane juice...We do not recommend using this alone in baked goods, as it does not give the necessary structure that sugar does.


STEVIA GLYCERITE Recipe:

4 C. natural vegetable glycerine, divided
1 C. purified or distilled water
150 grams 90% stevia powder (a white stevioside powder at 90% concentration)


Method:

Pour 2 cups of the glycerine and 1 cup water into a tall pot. Blend together well.
Add the 90% stevia powder while whisking with a wire whisk, to blend well.
Cook the mixture on high heat while whisking vigorously and constantly until it comes to a full boil.
Continue whisking vigorously while boiling for 1 full minute, then turn off  the heat.
Continue whisking vigorously for 5 full minutes.
Allow to cool, whisking occasionally.
When cooled, blend in the last 2 cups vegetable glycerine. Mix together well.
When it is completely cooled, package into air-tight bottles, and store in a cool, dark place.


Tip: This recipe easily doubles.


Note: Stevia leaves are an herb that is naturally very sweet, yet completely sugar-free. Stevioside powder is a concentrated and purified form of the stevia leaf. Very small amounts are needed to sweeten foods and beverages. it is a very good low-carb, sugar-free alternative for those who are concerned about their health.

Stevia leaf - the source for stevioside powder

Stevioside powder

Now brand stevia glycerite (Now you don't need to buy it anymore!)

Enjoy!

Leila

Addicting Spinach Cucumber Salad

Spinach Cucumber Salad (Sugar-Free, Gluten-Free)

Spinach

My mom made this delicious and healthy salad for us all the time when I was growing up. I remember planting a spinach patch next to our chives just for this salad. I'd go outside and check the growing spinach to check to see if there was enough to make this salad yet. Good thing spinach grows fast. We would pinch off the outside leaves, allowing for the continued growth of the plant. We would then snip off a few fresh chives and mince them up.

We always made this dressing (recipe below) for this salad. It is perfect. This recipe would make a meal for the two of us. If you use it as a side, it will serve at least 4.



SPINACH CUCUMBER SALAD Recipe:

1 large bunch spinach, washed and dried, destemmed
1 medium cucumber, peeled and sliced thin

DRESSING:

1/2 plain yogurt
1/4 c. mayonnaise
2 T. olive oil
1 to 2 T. fresh squeezed lemon juice
1/4 c. fresh chives, minced
1 T. fresh dill weed, minced
1/2 t. xylitol
onion salt, to taste
dash garlic powder
fresh ground black pepper, to taste


Method:

Mix the dressing ingredients to taste.

The dressing should have a nice tang and have enough onion salt added so that it isn't flat tasting.

Toss the dressing with the prepared spinach and cucumber and serve immediately.


Options:

You can use frozen minced chives. I harvest chives from my herb garden in the summer and mince them up and freeze them in a zip-lock bag. Then they are ready for me year-round.

You can add 2 to 3 T. finely minced scallion tops (the green part) for the chives.

You can substitute about 1 T. dried dill weed for the fresh dill weed, to taste.


Enjoy!

Leila

Cucumber

Beautiful Indian Rose Lassi - Low Carb

Sugar-Free Rose Lassi

For my birthday a while back, my daughters treated me to dinner at my favorite Indian restaurant. I tried my first Rose Lassi there. I fell in love. Again.

Rose lassi is a yogurt-based drink. It comes in different flavors (like yummy mango). It contains a lot of sugar though. So, I decided to create my own version of rose lassi that wasn't sugar loaded.This recipe contains healthy probiotics and protein from the yogurt, and is colored a pale pink from the dried beet root powder. Beet root powder by the way, is loaded with wonderful antioxidants and makes a very healthy food coloring. I use it a lot in my kitchen. You can buy beet root powder at the health food store.

Rose lassi makes a great breakfast or snack, and we love it at our house. I hope you pamper yourself with this unique drink.

ROSE LASSI Recipe:
Serves 2 to 3

2 c. yogurt (or Greek yogurt or buttermilk)
1 c. water or organic milk
4 T. xylitol or erythritol or Lakanto (or organic evaporated cane juice - not sugar-free), to taste
1 T. rose water (not rose syrup)
1 c. ice 
1/8 t. dried beet root powder, optional
1 pinch BioSalt, optional (recipe on blog)
1/4 t. cardamom powder, optional
Stevia glycerite, to taste, if the drink is not sweet enough (recipe on this blog)

Method;

Place all ingredients except the ice in a blender and blend until frothy.
Add the ice and just crush the ice in the blender, so that there are small chunks of ice throughout.
Serve at once in chilled glasses.

Perfect to serve with an Indian meal.

Enjoy!

Leila

Best Healthy Pina Colada Recipe (Sugar-Free, Protein-Enriched, Dairy-Free)

Pina Colada

Sugar-Free Pina Colada

Our family loves smoothies. The only problem with that is most smoothies contain a heavy dose of sugar. I like to create healthier options. Since pineapple is naturally sweet, just a bit of stevia does the trick here, with out any weird aftertaste. I like adding protein to our smoothies...and the problem with that is, most protein has "that taste" that protein powder gives you, ruining perfectly good food! Plain egg white protein is very neutral tasting so it does not interfere with the pina colada's taste. Nice.


Fresh Pina Colada (sugar-free, protein-fortified) Recipe:

2 c. fresh pineapple chunks
6 ounces fresh baby Thai coconut flesh
8-10 ice cubes (8 to 10 ounces)
4 T. plain egg white protein powder, optional (like Jay Robb brand)
2 T. coconut milk powder
10 to 12 drops stevia glycerite (like NOW brand)


Method:

Place all but egg white protein in a blender. Blend until smooth, adding the egg white protein at the end (egg white protein makes the drink foamy if added in the beginning).


Variations:

If you don't have fresh pineapple, you may use 1/2 c. unsweetened pineapple juice plus 1 cup purified water instead. (I prefer fresh pineapple for the protein digesting enzymes it contains.)

You can use 6 frozen ice cubes of Thai baby coconut puree instead of 6 ounces fresh baby coconut.

You can prepare baby Thai coconut puree in advance by freezing the puree in ice cube trays, and transferring to zip-lock bags once frozen. I like to use the ice cube trays that make 1-ounce sized ice cubes (the standard size).

You could use a rich canned coconut milk instead of the fresh baby coconut, and omit the coconut milk powder if you don't have it. Start with 6 to 7 ounces coconut milk.


Tip: Never buy "Light" coconut milk. It is just watered down regular coconut milk! As in, they just add about 35% tap water. I can do that myself. Remember, the fat in coconut is a healthy fat and it's a good idea for a person to consume 2 T. a day of the stuff. So save your money and buy the richest coconut milk that you can find.


Enjoy!

Leila

Cranberry Seed Oil - High in Omega-3's!

The Amazing Cranberry Seed Oil

Photo: http://www.fruitessentials.com

I'm very excited about this discovery and wanted to share it with you. I found this when researching healthy fats for the body. This oil is pleasant to the taste and is great for internal use, as well as for cosmetic use. I plan on using it in salad dressings, smoothies , and as a garnish for foods. I have already been using it in some of my cosmetic formulations and hair care formulations. I love this oil.

Cold Pressed American Cranberry Seed Oil is a quite stable oil having a shelf-life of 2 years, and is one of the few oils that contain high amounts of the beneficial Omega-3 Fatty Acids. Hemp Seed Oil is another highly beneficial oil, but it has to be shipped from outside the United States. Flaxseed oil is another choice but it oxidizes and goes rancid extremely quickly, plus it doesn't taste the greatest. Then there is my most favored oil, chia seed oil, which is about 60% omega-3 fatty acids, and has the perfect ratio of omega fatty acids; 3:1 (3 parts omega-3 to 1 part omega-6). Chia seed oil can withstand high-temperature cooking and tastes great, but good luck finding it (for now).

Note that Hemp Seed Oil has from 19 - 25% omega-3 fatty acids, 43 - 62% omega-6 fatty acids, and about 7 - 9% omega-9 fatty acids. Flax Seed Oil has about 28% Omega-3 fatty acids and 7% omega-6 fatty acids. See +www.mountainroseherbs.com

We tend to get too much omega-6 fatty acids in our diet and not nearly enough omega-3 fatty acids. Using cranberry seed oil is a great way to change that for the better. You can mix the cranberry seed oil with coconut oil or olive oil to improve the benefits of these oils, plus cut down on the cost of using cranberry seed oil alone. I have plans to create more healthy oil blends for food and cosmetic use. I'll let you know how it goes...

Some Benefits of Cold Pressed American Cranberry Seed Oil:

Very high in antioxidants, containing the highest tocotrienol (Vitamin E) level of all the edible oils.

Cranberry seed oil is one of the only oils with balanced high levels of both Omega-3 and Omega-6 essential fatty acids.

Cranberry seed oil has a 1:1 ratio of omega-3:omega-6 fatty acids (35% omega-3 and 35% omega-6).

So there you go.


See: +http://www.fruitessentials.com/cranberryseedoil/cranberry_health_benefits.html
+http://www.camdengrey.com/essential-oils/cranberry-seed-oil.html


To your health,

Leila

P.S. Here is a short article about what oils are safe to cook with and why. Most oils I never cook with, I just use them raw.

+http://www.immunitrition.com/uploads/Cooking_with_Grape_Seed_Oil_or_Rice_Bran_Oil_-_Is_it_Safe.pdf

Cafe Rio Copy-Cat Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette (Sugar-Free)

Cafe Rio Copy-Cat Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette (Sugar-Free)

I love this dressing. I had to recreate it. I did side-by-side comparisons until it was right. It will last a few days in the refrigerator, but I like it best fresh. The tangy-sweet balance of flavors goes great on a Cafe Rio-style Mexican salad, and on tacos or tostadas, along with the Cilantro Lime Rice recipe. I chose to use white wine vinegar instead of white vinegar for health reasons. If you decide you want to use sugar instead of xylitol, Just replace it with an equal amount of sugar. I hope you enjoy this as much as our family does.


Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette Recipe (Sugar-Free)

2 to 3 garlic cloves, finely minced (to taste)
1 T. finely minced sweet onion (to taste)
1 large bunch cilantro with stems
Fresh lime zest from 2 limes
1/2 c. fresh lime juice (from 4 limes)
1/2 t. fresh ground coriander
1/4 c. white wine vinegar (not regular white vinegar)
6 T. xylitol (to taste) (or Lakanto zero-cal sweetener)
1 T. BioSalt (recipe on blog)
1 1/2 c. salad oil



Method:

1.  Dissolve the xylitol and BioSalt into the vinegar by gently heating together in a  microwave-safe 2-cup measuring cup 20-30 seconds. Stir until completely dissolved. Set aside.

2.  In a food processor, place the cloves of garlic, process until minced fine.

3.  Add the onion and mince fine.

4.  Roughly chop the cilantro with stems and add to the food processor. Chop fine.

5.  Add the lime zest, lime juice, and coriander. Pulse to blend.

6.  Pour in the salad oil and vinegar mixture. Process just until mixed (do not puree).


Tip: If you do store it in the fridge, let it come back up to room temperature if the oil has solidified.


Enjoy!

Leila

Cafe Rio Copy-Cat Cilantro Lime Rice Recipe (A healthier Version)

Cafe Rio Copy-Cat Cilantro Lime Rice Recipe

This is my version of Cafe Rio's rice. There are several copy-cat versions online, but I wanted to create one that tasted more authentic. I think the cilantro should be added after the rice is cooked, not before. Cilantro's delicate volatile oils disappear when cooked. Cooked lime juice and lime zest also looses it's brightness. The flavors are balanced in this easy recipe.

I use a rice cooker to cook the rice first. Then I stir in the cilantro, lime juice and lime zest. I put the rice on the "keep warm" setting and close the lid. In a few minutes the flavors meld beautifully.

In addition, coconut oil is a healthy oil for the body, so I chose to use that, and BioSalt is a healthier, balanced salt. You can choose either brown or white basmati rice (Cafe Rio uses white rice). I hope you enjoy it.

CILANTRO-LIME RICE Recipe:

2 c. brown basmati rice (or white basmati rice)
4 c. purified water, divided
1 t. organic chicken base
2 garlic cloves, mashed in a mortar & pestle
1 t. BioSalt (recipe on this blog)
1/2 sweet onion, chopped fine
1 T. coconut oil (deodorized 76 degree coconut oil does not interfere with the dish's flavor)
zest and juice of 1 lime
1/2 bunch fresh cilantro, finely chopped


Method:

In an automatic rice cooker, place all but the lime juice, lime zest, and cilantro.
Push down the rice cooker's COOK button.
When the rice is done cooking, fluff the rice.
Add the cilantro and the zest and juice of the lime. Toss well to mix.


Tip: I like to mash garlic with the salt called for in a recipe. The salt makes it easier to do.

Enjoy!

Leila

French Creme Fraiche Recipes

French Creme Fraiche 


Creme Fraiche is a delicious alternative to traditional sour cream.  It has the benefit of not curdling when simmered, like sour cream does, and it is much easier to make than yogurt. Sour cream has a firmer texture and a blander taste than creme fraiche, but they are pretty much interchangeable. Try creme fraiche in salad dressings and sauces. It is also wonderful for topping fresh strawberries or fruit omelettes (add a little vanilla and xylitol to sweeten).

FRENCH CREME FRAICHE Recipe:

2 c. heavy cream
2 T. buttermilk

Method:

In a glass jar, stir together the cream and buttermilk.
Let stand on your kitchen counter top overnight or until fairly thick.
Cover tightly and refrigerate for at least 4 hours to thicken further.


Note:

This can be stored for several days in the refrigerator and the tangy flavor will continue to develop.


Variation:

My mom makes another version of  creme fraiche. Try them both and see which you prefer.

1 c. heavy cream
1/4 c. sour cream

Method:

Mix the cream with the sour cream in a glass jar and let sit in a warm place for 12 hours. Then refrigerate 2 days to fully develop a nice tangy flavor.


Enjoy,

Leila

Gluten-Free Wheat Bread Project (Jiffy Bread)

Gluten-Free "Wheat" Bread Project!

Up and coming TASTY gluten-free bread

There is a saying, "If it looks like a fish, smells like a fish, and tastes like a fish...it's probably A FISH!"

Well, we are working on a special project in the Kitchen Cheetahs Test Kitchens. It's wheat bread...but it isn't wheat bread. But it IS "Wheat " bread.

What I mean is, It looks like wheat bread, it smells like wheat bread, it feels like wheat bread, and it tastes like wheat bread! But it's NOT wheat bread! But you will think it is wheat bread. Got it?

This is a teaser of what is to come. As I mentioned in our very first post, we are professional food formulators. we specialize in gluten-free and sugar-free formulas. Most gluten-free recipes are full of sugar and starch, so in reality, you are only exchanging one problem for another! Our goal is to create Truly healthy recipes that will fool anyone into believing that they are eating the real thing. That's a tall order. I said before, "Food should taste good." I don't want to eat healthy, only to miss even more, the old "unhealthy" foods, and I know I am not alone in this.

Gluten-free bread seems to be the carrot dangling before the horse, longed for but never achieved - successfully. True?

Well, we are nailing it! We are working on several gluten-free bread formulas right now. Some of these formulas we will soon be able to share with you.
       
So far we have breads that are like a 50% whole wheat/50% white bread, Challah bread, corn bread, and a "white" sandwich bread that we are making great progress with. These breads have a yeasty flavor and smell like real bread, they have nice spring and hold their shape beautifully for sandwiches and toast. The texture is amazing in the mouth. They are not at all gummy, or sawdust-textured. They are not a gritty, rice bread, or a heavy coconut flour bread, or a dense almond bread. they are not loaded with starches, and they do not have weird off-flavors.

What these breads DO have is a healthy high-fiber content and a very low carb count (great for curbing appetite and aiding in weight loss).

We are very excited to share this with you.

Below are some photos of our gluten-free bread that takes the place of a regular 50/50 whole wheat/white flour gluten-containing bread. we wish you could smell and taste this bread. We really don't think you would miss real bread anymore.

Slices of our easy gluten-free bread

Look at the structure of this gluten-free bread

Perfect for toasting

Yeah baby!

Please stay tuned,

Leila.