Honey Mustand Italian Dressing

I love to make my own salad dressings.  You can whip up a fresh, tasty dressing at a moments notice, if you have a few pantry staples on hand.  Italian dressing is the most consumed dressing at my house.  It is a vinaigrette that really goes with everything! 
Making your own dressings, you can control the ingredients, they have no added chemicals, or preservatives or any other unwanted stabilizers or other junk!

Honey Mustard Italian Dressing

1 C cold pressed olive oil

1/4 Bragg's Raw Apple Cider Vinegar

2 garlic cloves
1 small onion
1 TBL Dijon mustard
2 TBL raw honey
1 TBL Italian seasoning
1 tsp granulated garlic
1 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp of celery salt

3-4 jiggers of hot sauce

Put the garlic cloves, and onion in the blender to chop first.  Then all all ingredients, except for the olive oil.  Blend until well incorporated, scraping down bits of garlic and onion as needed. 

Then while the blender is running, slowly add the olive oil in a stream.  This creates a well blended, and much creamier dressing.

Refrigerate for about an hour to allow flavors to meld.  Shake well before serving.

*I used Bragg's Raw Apple Cider Vinegar as my vinegar, and do for most of my dressings used at home.  It is a delicious, and healthful choice- that is raw, and is very nutritious.

*I used raw honey, Gentle Breeze Honey, which is local.  There are many health benefits of honey, but especially locally harvested raw honey!

*I used raw garlic, as I do in most of my dressings and dips, because of garlic's far reaching, miraculous healing properties!

*I used raw onion for the same reasons I use raw garlic.  Onions and garlic really are miracle foods, that are known cancer fighters and prevents.  I have the blood pressure of an athlete, and garlic and onions are one of the main reasons.  (As I am NOT an athlete.)  

*Italian seasoning is a blend of : oregano, marjoram, thyme, basil, rosemary, and sage.  The benefits of herbs and spices like these, have too many health benefits to even mention!  I could post a page of great healing benefits of each of these herbs... but didn't- today.  Know that herbs have ancient healing wisdom.  Use often, and liberally.

If you like a sweeter dressing, by all means add more honey.  If you prefer your Italian without the mustard, omit all together... If you like more of a vinaigrette that is clear, use garlic powder and onion powder, and do not blend with the blender, but shake in a jar, or whisk in a bowl.

This dressing is the bomb, and is super healthy to boot!

Enjoy!

Yours in health,

Natalie 

Easy Bean Tostadas

Healthy meals do not have to be complicated!  We love Mexican inspired meals, and we all could eat Mexican every, single day.  I like to take short cuts, just like every other Mom.  You really can have really quick nutritious meals, it's just knowing what to buy.
Most of my meals, look like anyone else's- I just choose the 'healthier' options of what is already familiar.

Tostadas are one of our many "go-to" super easy, super nutritious meals.

Easy Bean Tostadas

organic corn tortillas

1 can of refried beans

vegan cheese shreds

organic sour cream (or vegan sour cream)
jar of jalapenos
salsa
chopped onion
any other toppings of choice!

I buy the uncooked organic corn tortillas from Whole Foods, or the Food for Life, sprouted grain corn tortillas.  The latter you can find at Outpost, or most health food stores.  I drizzle a bit of olive oil on each tortilla, then use a pastry brush to spread the oil on both sides of the tortilla.  I use my baking stone, which is by far, my favorite item in the kitchen! (Baking sheets have driven me crazy all of my life, until THE BAKING STONE.  Easy clean up, rinse with hot water, and scrape off any debris.  EASY.)  Then bake for about 10 minutes at 400 degrees.
Next, simply spoon a good amount of refried beans, straight from the can.  Top with vegan cheese, I used Daiya Vegan Cheese.  Bake for about 10 minutes, or until cheese is melted.  Top with your favorite toppings! You can use salsa, jalapenos, onions, avocado, guacamole, vegan or organic sour cream!
I used Organic Valley sour cream... I know, real sour cream?  I am not an advocate for dairy, as it causes many health problems, and we are all allergic to dairy- BUT, I am a huge sour cream fan, and have it occasionally.  This is the only dairy product I have in my home.  This is a pasture fed, and non-homogenized product, and the cultures help to predigest the 25 allergenic proteins of cow's milk.  In my family, we all can tolerate small amounts of sour cream.  If you can't tolerate any dairy, omit, or try vegan sour cream!

Enjoy!
Yours in health,
Natalie

Tropical Smoothie

Knock-your-socks-off-smoothie right here folks!!  It tastes like the tropics, but can be whipped up in a matter of minutes in your blender!  I have many, many smoothie recipes- (in my mind, because I usually just wing it,) but this is one of our favorites in the warmer months.
This was an after school snack, BUT can be made for breakfast, OR for adults you could put in a little rum, vodka, or tequila!!  Oh yea!

Tropical Smoothie

1 banana
1 C frozen mango
1 C frozen pineapple
1/2 C of juice (o.j., mango, pineapple, or omit)
fill blender with coconut milk, or other dairy free milk, just until it reaches the top of the ingredients in the pitcher. 
1 tsp of probiotics

Blend in spurts until it is mixing well, then let it blend on high for a little while.  That's it!  Voila!

I used a frozen banana- after a banana is too ripe to eat, I throw it whole in the freezer to use for smoothies.  I simply warm it a bit with my hands, then peel and break into pieces.  I used organic mango from Trader Joe's, but you could use fresh, or even a frozen puree that you can find at the store.  The pineapple I took out of a bag of our favorite blends of frozen fruit, Dole's Wildly Nutritious Fruit Blend, that has strawberries, peaches, pineapple and mango in it!  I put whatever is frozen in first, and add whatever is softest last- then pour the juice and milk, then any add-ins.  Today I used Good Belly in Mango flavor as my juice.  It is a probiotic juice!  Then I added my favorite kids probiotic, Garden of Life Primal Defense.  Yep, a probiotic with a probiotic.  The latter is made up of soil organisms.
They think it is a rockin' special treat, when it really is a nutritional POWERHOUSE of magical nutrition!

If you add alcohol, you will think YOU ARE a magical POWERHOUSE.  While getting loads of healthy stuff in a cocktail!  It's a win, win here folks!  Many more smoothie recipes to come...

Yours in health,
Natalie

Decadant Chocolate Coconut Milk Ice Cream!

This is a luscious, decadent, indulgence!  It is rich, creamy, and oh, so chocolaty, that will please even the most skeptical.  I choose coconut milk for ice creams, ( most often) as they have the closest 'mouth feel' to dairy ice cream.  This is due to it's high fat content- however, this is a healthy fat.  Let's clear up the 20 year misinformation that coconut oil and/or fat  is unhealthy, it is the contrary, it is very healthy!!

Making your own ice cream is so easy!  My Cuisinart Ice Cream Maker is one of my best investments in the kitchen- I love it!  At around $50.00, it has well paid for itself years ago!  At around $5 a pint for non-dairy ice creams, it is much more reasonable to make your own!  I watch for coconut milk to go on sale, and stock up!  Most recently, I found coconut milk, the Whole Foods 365 brand for only $1 a can!  Wha?  Yep, $1 a can, score!


Decadent Chocolate Coconut Milk Ice Cream

2 cans of coconut milk (or cashew cream, or other nut milks)

2/3 C of unsweetened cocoa powder

3/4 C organic sugar (or agave)
1 TBL vanilla extract
1 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp xanthan gum (optional)




Blend in a blender, then cool in the fridge for an hour. ( It is excellent just like this, a sort-of mousse.)  Pour into your frozen ice cream maker bowl, and use your maker as directed.  Mine is for 25 minutes or so.  It will turn out like soft serve, and is fantastic!  You can freeze in an air tight container for a harder ice cream. 
This has an intense chocolate flavor- you can use less cocoa powder for a milder chocolate flavor.
Welcome to heaven my friend.

Enjoy!

Yours in health,
Natalie

Tartar Sauce

It's easy to make your own tartar sauce!  You can control the ingredients, and tweak it just the way you like it!  Don't bother buying it in that little, expensive jar again!  You probably have the ingredients on hand at all times anyway!  I much prefer homemade to bottled any day.

Tartar Sauce

1 C mayonnaise

1/4 C  pickle relish

1/2 onion ( grated, or finely chopped)

1 garlic clove (grated or finely chopped)
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
1 tsp sea salt
couple jiggers of hot sauce

All ingredients into bowl, and blend.  Easy and delish.  Refrigerate to allow flavors to meld.

-I used a micro plane to grate the onion and garlic.  Man, I love a micro plane, no need to chop by hand, or pull out the chopper, and the pain of cleaning the chopper.
-In a pinch you certainly can use onion powder, couple tsp., and garlic powder, 1/2 tsp. will do.
-I used Trader Joe's mayo because it is all natural.  (My favorite, however, is Hellman's.  C'mon Hellman's come out with an organic please!!)
-I used organic pickle relish.  Have you ever read the label of regular relish?  Why do they have to put so much junk in regular foods?  You could finely chop organic pickles here too.
-You can omit the mustard if you prefer.
-A jigger is a good shake of the bottle.  The hot sauce in that small amount lends no heat, but nice flavor.  A jigger or 2, is a secret in many of my dips, dressings and the such.
-A couple of my favorite add ins are: 1 TBL of lemon juice, and or 2 TBL chopped capers.  Both add more great flavor.
-If you like restaurant tartar sauces that are sweeter, you could add a couple tsp. of honey, or organic sugar.

Next time you serve fish, or seafood, whip up some homemade tartar sauce.  You'll never buy jarred again!

Yours in health,
Natalie

Natalie's Olive Tapenade

Like everything I make, I make it to my own tastes, this included!  I love olive tapenade- and it is so very versatile, and uses are endless!  I make it often in the Summer, as it makes a great dip, an excellent topping, a wonderful dish to pass at parties!  There are many, many recipes for olive tapenade, but in reality, you can make it pretty much any way you'd like.  It is at it's base, olives and capers that are chopped- what else you do with it, is up to you... This is the way I like to make it!

Natalie's Olive Tapenade

1  can black olives (7.75 oz.)

1 jar green olives (10 oz.)

1 jar kalamata olives (6 oz.)

1 jar capers (3.5 oz.)

2-5 garlic cloves

2 tsp. anchovy paste, (or 3-4 fillets)

2 tsp. mustard ( I used grainy brown)
1/2 C olive oil

Process the garlic cloves first in food processor, or blender.  Add the rest of the ingredients and chop coarsely.  

That's it!!

I like it coarsely blended, so you can see the different colors, or you can really process it a lot to make it creamy.  Today I blended it more than I usually do, so it is difficult to see all the different olives- oops.

*There are many additions you could do here, or things you can omit.  I love having the combo of olives, but you could omit any one of the 3... You can do less olive oil if you'd prefer it less of a dip, and more of a chopped topping.  You can add fresh lemon juice- which I often do when I make it fresh for company.  Today I added 2 tsp. of red pepper flakes, because I just wanted to make it with a little kick!

*This tapenade is again, so very versatile.  I use it often because I love olives!  My favorite way to use this tapenade is to top a rice cracker with goat cheese then the tapenade!!  I also love to use the tapenade in lieu of just olives, as in Mexican dishes- on tacos, on tostadas, and on top of my famous layered bean dip.  It is excellent on broiled fish, chicken, even on top of baked potatoes!  Great as a dip fresh veggies!

*Olives are NOT fattening, and are nutritional powerhouse, and have the HEALTHY FATS that your body and brain needs.  There are many healing properties to olives, garlic, olive oil- so enjoy without guilt!

Your family and friends will thank you.  This is gourmet taste, without the gourmet effort!

Yours in health,

Natalie

Baba Ghanouj

This is one of my all time favorite dips!  It's hard to believe, that it was only about a year ago, when I first had the pleasure of trying it... My neighbor Meg's sister Margo, brought this fabulous dip to share, from one of her favorite gourmet stores.  (I love gourmet stores, and dips, but not the gourmet price!)  I had heard of the name "baba ghanouj", but thought it was perhaps an Indian inspired soup?  Boy was I wrong, and sorry that I never really knew what this was!
So, of course in the name of saving, and making it to my tastes, I have made this FAB dip many times.  I know there are many ways to make baba ghanouj, and most certainly have honed the recipe to my liking!
Here's the way I LOVE to make this dip!

Baba Ghanouj

1 med. eggplant

1-3 cloves garlic  

1-3 TBL tahini

2 TBL olive oil

2 TBL lemon juice

1 tsp sea salt

1 tsp cumin

Cut off the top of the eggplant, and cut in half length wise.  Brush the surface with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt.  Bake for 45 minutes at 400 degrees.

Put garlic in the food processor first, then add all of the other ingredients, and blend until desired consistency.

I use the entire eggplant, with the skin and all.  Most recipes call for only the inside of the eggplant.  I think this is a waste, of the very nutrient rich purple skin.  I think it is prettier, and more nutritious with the skin on.

I use at least 3 garlic cloves because I really love it garlicky- and only 1 TBL of the tahini... All of these ingredients can be adjusted to your own tastes!

Enjoy!

Yours in health,

Natalie