Fruit and Nut Energy Bites

Ingredients

1 cup dried apricots

1 cup dried cranberries

1 cup walnuts

1 cup roasted salted almonds

2 TBSP chia seeds

5 TBSP honey

Directions 

Put all ingredients in food processor and pulse until mixture is able to form a ball in your hands.

Make rounded TBSP sized balls. Makes approximately 37 bite sized balls. Refrigerate.

*Chef's note: I used a heavy duty food processor made by Breville.  If you have a "regular" food processor you might want to pulse the nuts first, mix the honey and chia seeds together first and add slowly, and then slowly add the dried fruit.  You also might want to cut the recipe in half.  I've burnt out several less durable food processors by asking them to do too "much". 
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Chia Pudding and Fruit Cocktail Parfait

Ingredients

• 14-oz. almond milk
• 6 tbsp chia seeds
• 5 tbsp shredded unsweetened coconut
• 5 tbsp maple syrup 
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 15 oz. can of fruit cocktail or 4 serving sized cups

Directions

1. In a bowl, combine the almond milk, chia seeds, shredded coconut, maple syrup and vanilla extract. Whisk until well combined.
2. Let the mixture sit for about 30 minutes at room temperature.
3. Mix once more, cover, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. 
4. Using 4 serving glasses, alternate layers of chia pudding and fruit cocktail until glasses are filled to the top, ending with fruit cocktail.
5. Top with some shredded coconut and serve immediately or keep in the fridge until ready to serve.

Serves 4.

My inspiration came from http://vegetariangastronomy.com/2014/08/fresh-mango-coconut-chia-seed-parfait/

Raw Dehydrator Buttery Kale Crackers

According to copyright law, I cannot just cut and paste the recipe on my site, so here is a link to the recipe.

Changes I made...

I changed the title because I thought they tasted more buttery than cheezy.
I decreased the chipotle to 1/2 tsp because they were too spicy for my taste.
I also just used regular paprika.
I didn't use himalayan salt.
I also added 1/2 tsp sea salt to the recipe and sprinkled a bit on the crackers before I put them in the dehydrator.

Does that make it a new recipe?  Who knows?  I'm just playing it safe.  Enjoy!

Here is the link:

http://www.rawmazing.com/cheezy-kale-crackers/

Creamy Dreamy Green Smoothie

Ingredients

1 granny smith apple.  Leave skin on.  Remove core and cut into pieces.
½ -inch knob of fresh ginger root.  Peel off skin.
2 cups spinach or kale leaves
1 banana
1 cup pineapple in natural juice
1 stalk celery

·  Add as needed  ½ -1 cup water
  

Directions
Put all ingredients in blender. Blend until smooth.  Add water as needed.
Makes 2 large servings.

Delicious Orange Smoothie

Ingredients
2 Large Carrots - scrubbed and/or peeled and cut up
1 15 oz. can mandarin oranges with juice
1 Green Apple with skin, cored and cut up
1 banana
1 inch piece raw ginger root
1 20 oz. can natural juice pineapple

Directions
Put all ingredients in blender.
Add water as needed.
Makes 2 large servings.

Notes
IF you don't have the exact sizes for the ingredients it's ok.  More or less of one or two ingredients is ok.
If I have leftovers I just put them in mason jars and put them in the refrigerator.  The smoothie keeps well unlike juicing.

Cran-apricot Oatmeal Energy Bites

Ingredients

1/2 cup dried apricots

1/2 cup dried cranberries

½ cup vanilla protein powder(any variety) or vanilla meal replacement powder

1 1/3 cup oatmeal

2 T. ground flax seed meal

3 T. hemp seeds

½ tsp. ground ginger

¼ tsp. sea salt

1/3 cup honey

Note - If you want to make the recipe vegan, use brown rice syrup or agave nectar for the honey.

Directions

I like to put ingredients in one at a time in the above order.  When everything has been added,  process until mixture is blended.  You know the dough is ready when starts chunking up in the food processor.Roll into bite sized balls and refrigerate.  

Apricot Oatmeal Energy Balls

Ingredients

1 cup dried apricots

½ cup vanilla protein powder (any variety i. e. whey, soy, brown rice, etc.) or vanilla meal replacement powder

1 1/3 cup oatmeal

2 T. ground flax seed meal

3 T. hemp seeds

½ tsp. ground ginger

¼ tsp. sea salt

1/3 cup honey

Note - If you want to make the recipe vegan, use brown rice syrup or agave nectar for the honey.

Directions

I like to put ingredients in one at a time in the above order.  When everything has been added,  process until mixture is blended.  You know the dough is ready when starts chunking up in the food processor.

Roll into bite sized balls and refrigerate.  

Oatey Cocoa Sunflower Seed Balls

Ingredients
2 cups sprouted sunflower seeds ( See how to sprout sunflower seeds link)
1 1/4 cup pitted dates
1 cup raisins
2 T. Cocoa powder unsweetened
3 cups old fashioned oats
1 T honey

Directions
Put all ingredients in a food processor.
Blend until mixed.
Roll into bite sized balls.
Roll in oats
Refrigerate.

How to sprout sunflower seeds.
http://www.ehow.com/how_4430694_sprout-sunflower-seeds.html

Cocoa Date Energy Bites

 

Ingredients

1 cup pitted dates

1 cup dried cranberries

1 cup walnuts or to be heart healthy sprouted sunflower seeds

2 TBSP cocoa powder

2 TBSP honey

Directions

Put all ingredients in food processor and pulse until mixture is able to form a ball in your hands.

Make rounded TBSP sized balls.

Refrigerate.

White Bean Hummus

Ingredients

2 cups cooked white beans

3 T. lemon juice

1/2 tsp sea salt

1 tsp. basil

1 tsp. oregano

1 tsp. parsley

Directions

Put in food processor.  Add water as needed until creamy consistency.

Serve with chips or vegetables.

Can be used as a sandwich spread!

Yum!

Store in refrigerator.

Healthy Snack Mix

What you will need:
A large tub
Smaller containers to portion out servings and/or pack them in your lunch/bag/purse.
Whole almonds
Dried cranberries
Ghiradelli dark chocolate chips 60% cacao

This little container holds 1/2 cup which is 2 servings.
Watch your serving sizes!
For example: for each of these ingredients each package says that a serving size is 1/4 cup.
That doesn't mean you get to eat 1/4 cup of each!

One of the keys to eating healthy is that you have to have healthy stuff around and not the bad stuff.
It's also not really a good idea to deny yourself sweets if you are a sweets kind of person.
You just have to have healthy sweets around.
I've learned to satisfy my chocolate craving by making healthier choices.
I only eat dark chocolate with 60% cacao or higher for my health.
I combine my chocolate with other things that are healthy for me so I don't just fill up on chocolate.
The key is finding what works for you.
Mixing a large batch saves time.
Having healthy snacks around keep you from making bad food choices!

Milk Chocolate Chia Protein Balls

• 1/2 Cup Vanilla Protein powder
• 2 Tbs almond butter
• 2 Tbs honey
• 2 Tbs coconut oil, melted
• 1 Tbs cacao powder
• 1 Tbs chia seeds

Mix together all ingredients until chia seeds are fully incorporated. If necessary, add a splash of almond milk to thin out mixture. Once combined, form into balls! Makes about 8 tbsp size balls.

I based this recipe off of the dark chocolate recipe but exchanged the chocolate powder for vanilla and didn't add the coconut.  http://toneitup.com/2013/11/featured-chocolate-treats/