Pumpkin Pie Overnight Oats: Easy & Healthy Breakfast To Go! {GF, DF}

On September 9, 2014

In Anti-Inflammatory, Clean Eating, Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free, Gluten-Free, Nourish, Recipes, Savor, Vegan

It’s almost fall…and you know what that means…

PUMPKINS!

I love just about anything made with pumpkin.

From my favorite creamy, “I can’t believe this is good for me” pumpkin pie smoothie shake that literally tastes like pumpkin pie in a glass to pumpkin pie, pumpkin tea, pumpkin muffins and a whole slew of pumpkin recipes I plan to try this fall…pumpkin rocks!

It’s gotten some not so positive press this year due to the FoodBabe’s investigation of the ingredients in Starbucks’ Pumpkin Spice Latte (but if those are your thing, at least there are healthier recipes out there for how to make them yourself!).

Because I like to focus on the positives when it comes to our health and what we eat, here are just a few reasons pumpkin is so good for us and we should eat more of it!

Loaded with the antioxidant beta carotene, which the body converts to Vitamin A for healthy, glowing skin, strong vision, and to boost our immune system.
Contains anti-inflammatory compounds that reduce the risk of developing diseases like heart disease and arthritis.
Great source of potassium, an essential mineral we need to keep our hearts and muscles working at their optimal levels.

A few weeks ago, I made some “berry” quick overnight oats, and due to all of the positive feedback you shared, I wanted to try round 2 and make pumpkin-based overnight oats.

If you like the flavor of pumpkin and all of the wonderful, warming spices of fall, then you have to try this recipe 🙂 The longer I let it sit in the fridge, the more the flavors melded together. Seriously guys, this stuff is deeelish!

This will keep in the fridge for 3-4 days, so you can make up a few ahead of time and enjoy them throughout the week!

Pumpkin Pie Overnight Oats

Ingredients

1/3 cup canned pureed pumpkin, NOT pumpkin pie filling (I use this kind)
2 teaspoons chia seeds
1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice (or 1/4 tsp cinnamon, 1/8th tsp nutmeg, 1/8th tsp ginger, pinch clove)
Pinch fine grain sea salt
1 tablespoon pure maple syrup, divided
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup rolled oats, gluten-free
1/2 cup almond milk, unsweetened
Optional toppings: chopped walnuts, almond butter, raisins, unsweetened shredded coconut

Directions

In a pint-size (16 oz.) mason jar, combine pumpkin puree, chia seeds, spices, 1/2 tablespoon of maple syrup and vanilla extract and whisk until evenly combined.
Add oats and almond milk and stir with the whisk or spoon for about 30 seconds, so it combines evenly.
Cover with a lid and leave in fridge overnight or for at least 1 hour. Add remaining 1/2 tablespoon maple syrup and any additional toppings or mix-ins. A tablespoon of almond butter makes it even creamier!

"I Can't Believe There's No Mayo" Cole Slaw {Paleo, Too!}

By Rachel Druckenmiller

On September 9, 2014

In Anti-Inflammatory, Clean Eating, Dairy-Free, Detoxifying, Paleo, Recipes, Vegetarian

Guilt-free, mayo-less, nourishing, healthy…cole slaw?

It’s possible!

As I’ve mentioned before, I used to be a super picky eater (and wouldn’t even let different foods “touch” on my plate).

One of the foods I’ve never liked is cole slaw.

Since I’ve started experimenting more in the kitchen, I thought I would take a stab at a cole slaw recipe after my friend Elise posted one on my Facebook page a few months ago.

I first attempted this recipe a few weeks ago and brought it to a bachelorette party weekend to serve at lunch alongside this Chipotle-style burrito bowl (which was also a HIT!).

I don’t even know what cole slaw is supposed to taste like since I’d never eaten it, so I crossed my fingers and hoped everyone would like it.

Much to my surprise, they LOVED it!

What I like about this recipe is that it UPGRADES the ingredients in a traditional cole slaw recipe, and that’s what I like to focus on doing – upgrading our diet to nourish our bodies.

Cabbage is one of the ultimate anti-cancer GBOMBS foods. GBOMBS are a group of the most nutrient-dense, disease-fighting, health-promoting foods in the world, foods we should eat a lot of on a daily basis. Go to this post for the full details on GBOMBS and how you can benefit from eating them! In the meantime, here are the other health benefits of cabbage:

Anti-aging/great for your skin because it contains vitamins A, C and E
Helps to detoxify or purify the blood (which also contributes to clearer skin and reduced inflammation…good for anyone with inflammatory conditions like arthritis, skin irritations, diabetes, etc.)
High in fiber so it “keeps things moving” 🙂
Good for the thyroid and other endocrine glands because of its iodine content

I wrote about why two other ingredients in this recipe – raw apple cider vinegar and raw honey – are so good for our bodies in this post, so check it out!

Two of the surprise ingredients in this delicious cole slaw!

Here’s a challenge for you. The next time you go to a party and need to bring a side dish, bring this.

I talked to a friend at a wedding this weekend, and she said she prepared this at home for her husband after the bachelorette party, and he said it was the best cole slaw he’d ever had!

Testing Note: Due to some helpful feedback from a reader, I revised the original recipe for improved taste, so check out the revised recipe below.

Serves: A crowd! You can easily feed 20 people with this recipe as a side dish. I pack it in mason jars and have it with my lunches during the week. It holds up well!

Ingredients

8-10 cups green cabbage, shredded
1 cup canned, full fat coconut milk (we use the Native Forest brand. Make sure you shake the can first)
2 tablespoons raw apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon raw honey
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon celery seed
You could also add some shredded carrots for an additional pop of color!

Directions

Whisk together coconut milk, apple cider vinegar, raw honey, sea salt, pepper, onion and garlic powder, and celery seed for the dressing. Set aside.

Shred one head of green cabbage. I cut mine into chunks, cutting off the tough, inner triangle piece at the base as shown in the picture below. I used the shredding attachment on my food processor and just pushed the pieces through the tube, but you could also use a knife or a box grater.

Pour dressing over cabbage and toss to combine, so all of the cabbage is coated. Set in the fridge for at least one hour (but preferably a few hours or even overnight), so all of the flavors combine.

Set out for about 10 minutes before serving (that’s what I prefer) and toss just before serving, as the dressing settles a bit at the bottom of the bowl. Enjoy!

The Recipe That Got My Husband to Like Green Beans

By Rachel Druckenmiller

On September 5, 2014

In Clean Eating, Dairy-Free, Detoxifying, Paleo, Recipes, Vegan

Everyone dislikes certain foods.

For me, it’s olives.

My friend Sam loves olives and would probably put them on just about everything if she could.

I’m just not a fan.

I even lived in Spain when I was in college, and Spain is THE place for olives.

I remember one meal in particular that my Spanish host family served me – a tuna fish, olive, and hard-boiled egg salad.

At the time, those three foods by themselves were a no-go, so the trifecta totally grossed me out.

But I had to at least TRY it because it’s rude not to in Spain (even if you’re 100% sure you won’t like it). After forcing down one nausea-inducing bite, I smiled and politely said, “It’s not my favorite” and was off the hook for the evening. Phew!

For my husband, Bill, that “thanks, but no thanks” food was green beans.

Until tonight.

Sometimes, the reason we don’t like certain foods is because we’ve only had them prepared in ways that doesn’t make them taste very good.

When most people think of green beans, for instance, images of the precut, brownish-green, mushy beans that come in a can and are then boiled to death come to mind.

Maybe you’ve only ever had canned vegetables and have never tried those same vegetable prepared a different way – roasted, sauteed, or tossed into a chili or stew.

Consider giving them a second chance…like Bill did!

To put it bluntly, we housed this recipe. We couldn’t stop eating them. They were that good.

Cooked “al dente” (AKA still crispy and brightly colored!), the green beans were tossed in a mixture of garlic, lemon, slivered almonds and a touch of sea salt. They were downright addictive.

We were licking the bowl clean, scraping up the last bits of crunchy slivered almonds before finally putting the bare dish in the sink.

My husband is a green-bean-hater no more. Mission accomplished!

Garlicky Green Beans Almondine with Lemon

Ingredients

Equal parts water and vegetable broth (see step 1 below)
2 pounds green beans, ends cut off
3/4 cup slivered raw almonds
4 cloves fresh garlic, peeled & minced
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2-3 tablespoons coconut oil (The original recipe called for cold pressed extra virgin olive oil, which you could also use. I use coconut oil because it holds up better than olive oil when it’s heated.)
½ tsp finely grated lemon zest
sea salt, to taste

Directions

Fill a large stock pot with half water, half vegetable broth and bring it to a boil. Make sure the amount of water/broth is at least twice as much as the amount of beans you intend to cook.
Gently blanch the green beans (cook them in the boiling liquid for about 3 minutes until just al dente (brightly colored and crisp)). Drain beans in ice cold water (or put them in a bowl containing an ice water bath and set aside). This stops the cooking process.
In a wok or large deep frying pan, heat the oil and garlic on medium heat for 2-3 minutes. Don’t let the garlic brown.
Add in the almonds and stir for about a minute. Then mix in the lemon juice and finely grated lemon zest.
Add the cooked beans to the stir fry mixture and toss to combine and coat. Add salt to taste (I added about 1/4-1/2 teaspoon of sea salt).
Top the beans with additional lemon zest, if you prefer.

For more information about WHY green beans are so good for us (including building strong bones, filling us up, and being an anti-fat storage anti-cancer GBOMBS food according to Dr. Fuhrman) click here.

The recipe above is a variation of this recipe from Healthy Blender Girl.

Crispy Baked “Smokra” Bites (Incredibly Simple…and Hubby-Approved!) {Paleo, Vegan, Gluten-Free}

By Rachel Druckenmiller

On September 2, 2014

In Clean Eating, Dairy-Free, Detoxifying, Paleo, Recipes, Vegan

This is probably not the first vegetable you think to grab at the grocery store or farmer’s market.

Before this week, it wasn’t at the top of my list either.

In fact, I’d never bought it or cooked with it before, so all of us are in for a learning experience this week 🙂

I write for another blog (Hometown Harvest), and depending on the week, my friend Kaitlyn who works for them will send me challenges for seasonal ingredients to use.

“Can you make anything with…eggplant?”

(I was less than thrilled, considering eggplant was, at the time, my least favorite vegetable.)

“I’ll see what I can do!” I replied.

The best part of getting requests like that is having to think beyond what’s familiar to me and do something I encourage other people to do all the time…try new foods (even ones we’ve sworn we despise!).

So, on another creative culinary journey I went. It turns out that I actually don’t mind eggplant, as long as it’s prepared certain ways.

Eggplant fries = the recipe that got me to like eggplant! Check it out here.

My challenge vegetable this week?

Okra.

Prior to cooking okra for the first time this week, I knew two things about it:

1) It’s my dad’s least favorite vegetable, and

2) Stone Mill Bakery uses it in their ridiculously awesome vegetable soup (which, although a bit overpriced, is worth the splurge if you’re looking for a delicious lunch in Baltimore).

I can’t say I was super pumped about this one, considering how little I knew about how to prepare okra.

So, to Pinterest I went in search of a tasty way to cook up this less than popular veg…and ways to make it not slimy, since that was a common complaint among people trying to cook with it.

I also wanted to learn more about okra’s healthy claims to fame.

When I find out just how good something is for my body, I tend to be a lot more excited to try it!

Check out this blurb about all of the health benefits of okra from another blogger, Nourished & Grounded:

Okra is FULL of vitamins and minerals, especially vitamin C, A, K, Folate, Niacin, Thiamin, B6, magnesium, manganese, carotene, as well as lutein and zeazanthin [crucial for eye health]. It contains polysaccharides that improve blood circulation. It contains numerous antioxidants such as epicatechin, catechin, rutin, procyanidin B1 and B2 and quercetin which help the body prevent damage from oxidative stress and environmental factors. And what about that gooey liquid that gives it such a bad wrap? Surprise, that’s the best part! The gel-like fiber (mucilage) soothes and coats the intestines, and a healthy gut is crucial for overall health. This is the same stuff found in aloe vera and it’s SUPER healing.

My favorite way to make just about any other vegetable is to roast it, so that’s what I did with okra. Prep time is under 5 minutes, and these little okra bites will be ready in about 20 minutes!

Even after I tried them and approved of their crunchy texture, mild flavor, and pleasant “pop” from the edible seeds, I wasn’t 100% sure my husband would like them.

To my surprise (and satisfaction!) he did 🙂

That makes these crispy little bites wife-tested and hubby-approved.

Crispy Baked Okra Bites: 2 Ways

Basic Ingredients

1/2 pound okra, chopped into 1/2 inch discs (about 18 pods) – cut off the top and bottom stems
1-2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
1/2 teaspoon sea salt, or to taste
1/4 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste

**You can use any combination of spices you like on these. They taste great with just salt and pepper if you want to keep it simple, or try one of my favorite variations below:

Garlic Version: Add 1 teaspoon garlic powder.

Smokra Version: Add 1 teaspoon smoked paprika (also called “smoked sweet paprika” – This spice is AWESOME on everything from roasted veggies to soups to popcorn. Add it to your grocery list!).

Directions

Preheat oven to 450F.
Toss okra with coconut oil and spices and spread out in a single layer on a foil or parchment-lined baking sheet.
Roast for 20 minutes, stirring halfway through, until the bites are browned and crispy. Cook longer to crisp them up even more!
Serve immediately.

Crispy Baked "Smokra" Bites (Incredibly Simple…and Hubby-Approved!) {Paleo, Vegan, Gluten-Free}