Greek Style Quinoa Salad

We likey a lotta salads around here! My daughter Madeline's favorite salad, by far, is a Greek salad! She is all about the tangy kalamata olives, the salty, creamy feta cheese, and the bite of raw onions.

I am trying to mix it up in regards to school lunches... My girl's bring a cold lunch, since school lunches have much to be desired. There are some rare decent choices, but you know if you are eating away from home, you are likely consuming GMO (genetically modified organisms) foods, and most certainly pesticides, etc.

So, adding another fun salad to the arsenal. Since Madeline favorite cold lunch is Quinoa salad, I decided to do a fun Greek Style Quinoa Salad!

Greek Style Quinoa Salad


1 C uncooked quinoa
1 cucumber diced
1 tomato diced
1 medium onion diced
1 avocado diced
12 or more kalmata olives chopped
raw feta cheese to taste
1 C of  my Greek Style Salad Dressing

Cook quinoa as directed on package. Usually it is 1 C quinoa, to 2 cups water. Cover, and bring to a boil. Turn down to a simmer, and cook approx. 12 - 15 minutes. Uncover, fluff like you would rice, and allow to cool! This will make approx. 4 cups of cooked quinoa.
Add all ingredients into a bowl, then toss gently. Avocado breaks apart easily so be careful!

*You could easily double the veg here. I make it more quinoa ratio to the veg ratio here. You could make it more chopped veg to quinoa if desired!
*With all the raw vegetables, you are getting all of the nutrients and enzymes present in raw food! Your daily goal should be at LEAST 50% raw.
* I don't know if avocado is in the vein of Greek style, but I don't care. Avocado makes everything better... and it is a SUPER FOOD!
*I only use raw sheep's milk feta. Pasteurized milk products, pasteurized ANYTHING is damaging to human health! It ruins anything that may have been beneficial in the milk, and is denatured. Sheep's milk is also and A2 milk, which isn't harmful to humans like A1 milk most often found in our dairy products in the U.S.. Those with dairy allergy, can often consume raw sheep and goat milk products.

This is delicious and nutritious! Quinoa is a superfood in so many ways! As is the delicious, creamy, heavenly avocado! Onions have antibiotic properties, and are powerfully antiviral, and anticancer too! Cucumbers are a misunderstood, and underestimated vegetable! They are also a superfood! It is highest of the alkaline scale of vegetables! An alkaline pH won't allow disease or illness. Kalamata olives are a source of essential fats, their deep rich color offers phtyonutrients, and are just dang tasty! Raw sheep's milk Feta cheese also has SURPRISING health benefits, like being powerful against food born illness/ or food poisoning. Wow.

Yours in health,
Natalie

Tangy Greek Style Dressing

We are big on salads in my house... My daughter Madeline especially loves a good Greek salad- with the salty trimmings, kalamta olives, and feta cheese! She does take after her mama.

Of course the Greek bottled dressings at the store, and mostly likely, at most restaurants are filled with undesirables. Like corn syrup, preservatives, and most often, cow's milk feta cheese- all no-no's.

I make my salad dressings, so I threw together a tangy version of a Greek style dressing! We like it vinegary here. (Is that even a word?) This really fist the bill!!

Tangy Greek Style Dressing

1/2 C red wine vinegar
1/2 C olive oil
1-2 tsp raw honey
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp sea salt
6 kalamta pitted olives (optional)
1 Tbl raw sheep's milk feta cheese (optional)

I put everything into the blender, except the olive oil. I blended well, then in a slow stream, added in the olive oil! Allow to meld in the refrigerator for at least an hour. Boom shocky. Greek heaven!

*I make my own red wine vinegar, by adding 1/4 of Bragg's Raw Apple Cider vinegar to a bottle of red wine. I put wine in a gallon jar, add the Bragg's, cover with a napkin with a rubber band, and allow to sit for approx. 3 months! Now, it is a live probiotic vinegar:)  This is a much stronger vinegar than store bought, so I cut it in 1/2 with water. So, for 1/2 C of vinegar, I do 1/4 C homemade vinegar, and 1/4 C water!
* I only use raw sheep's milk cheese. Pasteurizing ruins and denatures the milk/cheese. Raw retains any nutrients present in the sheep's milk. Sheep have A2 milk, which isn't harmful to human health! On a personal note, my daughter and I aren't allergic to sheep or goats milk products.
* You could EASILY put everything into a jar, and shake well- and it would be fantastic. I just most often use the blender- if I have the time. It emulsifies the dressing.
*I double this recipe. Will stay a couple weeks in the fridge. Shake well before each use.

Let me know how you like it!
Yours in health,
Natalie

Grandma's Creamy Cucumber Salad (dairy free)

It's still very warm outside... Well, it is literally summer until the 21st! So, I plan on making a side dish my family really loves. Creamy cukes it is!  This is definitely a THROW-back dish, that most of us would remember. Certainly peeps from my neck of the woods.

My sweet grandma, made this dish often in the summer, due to her may cucumber plants. My grandma and grandpa didn't have a big garden, but they really utilized their small plot of land, in the city of Milwaukee on 65th street. They planted cukes along their back fence, that enclosed their yard from the alley. The cukes climbed up the fence, and they would grow on both sides of the fence! They also planted tomatoes and peppers on the side of the garage, and along the back of their little home.

They used the area very well! I speak for myself and siblings when I say, going to grandma and grandpa's in the summer, and picking cukes and tomatoes right off of the vine, was one of our favorite memories.... My grandma with her sun hat, and very tan, farmer tanned arms from working outdoors.

So, this is my take on my grandma's creamy cukes. I know she used sour cream, and I know she used vinegar, and dill. I make mine dairy free, and sub with mayo- my favorite condiment! I use Bragg's raw apple cider vinegar, instead of white, because it is so darned good, and good for you! The cucumbers I use in the summer now, are from the farmer's market... good, but not like grandma's;)

Grandma's Creamy Cucumber Salad

2 large cucumbers, ( peels on if from your farmer or garden) very thinly sliced
1 medium onion,  cut in half, very thinly sliced
1/4 C Bragg's raw apple cider vinegar
1/4 C vegenaise, or good quality mayo
1 Tbl raw agave nectar, raw honey, or palm sugar
2 garlic cloves
1 teaspoon dill
1/4 tsp sea salt

I make the dressing in a blender, blending last 5 ingredients. I then
use my mandolin, to make light work of slicing the cukes and onion paper thin! Toss veg into dressing! Cover, and chill for at least 1 hour, but longer is better.

Pour dressing into the bowl over veggies!

Cool & creamy goodness!

*Today I used Penzeys Sunny Paris  blend. It was a gift from my friend Meg! It is a blend of purple shallot, chives, green peppercorn, French basil, French tarragon, chervil, bay leaf, and dill weed. It was perfect for this salad!
*Cucumbers are a very healthy vegetable! It is the most alkaline of all vegetables! A body that is of alkaline pH, cannot become ill. Cool as a cucumber? That's because they quell inflammation in the body!

So, thank you grandma for this inspiration! I don't ever remember her using a cook book... So, I guess that's where I get wingin' it from. However, I wish she wrote some of her recipes down. I would've cherished them.  Maybe I should... in my own handwriting, instead of just on the blog.  Hmmmmmmmmmm.

Yours in health,
Natalie

Summer Quinoa Salad

It's been a gorgeous summer... Sometimes a salad is in order as your main dish!

With summer being here, my daugthers and I love to kick it to local farmer's markets! It is a win/win/win. We have fun shopping together, we support local farmers, (local economy) AND we get to eat fresh local produce!

Quinoa is a fantastic, versatile product, that is used like a grain, but is really a seed! It is nutritious, is gluten and grain free, and is considered a SUPER food! Plus, it tastes great.

I normally throw together my salads, but in case anyone asks what I did, what is the recipe, I decided to measure, and to pay attention!

Summer Quinoa Salad

2 C quinoa uncooked
1 cucumber diced
1 zucchini diced
1/2 C sweet corn
1 lg tomato diced
1 avocado diced
1 pepper diced

Dressing
1/4 C raw apple cider vinegar
1/4 C olive oil
2 garlic cloves chopped or pressed
1 tsp raw honey
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp black pepper

Cook quinoa as directed. I put 2 C quinoa and 4 C water in a sauce pan, brought to a boil. Then turn down and simmer for approx. 12 minutes. Allow quinoa to cool.

Put all of the ingredients of the dressing in a jar, and shake well, and put into the fridge. Alternatively, you could blend ingredients in a blender. But why clean the blender? The dressing will meld flavors, as your quinoa cools.

Dice your veg, and put into a mixing bowl. When quinoa is cool, everything goes into the mixing bowl except avocado. Mix avocado in last, as it breaks apart easily... and voila! Summer salad, using a super food, and magically healthy produce from the market!

*Today I used a 10 oz. can of diced Mexican tomatoes. We ate all of our fresh tomatoes!
*I normally would dice an onion and have that in the salad. This might the first time ever, I didn't have onion in a quinoa salad or side dish.
*You could use lemon juice in lieu of vinegar as your acid in the dressing. 1/4 C lemon juice, or 1 lemon freshly squeezed.
*You could throw in 1/4 C chopped nuts of choice.
*Omit the corn for a grain-free salad. That would make it Paleo for those who are interested!

This salad could be made with veggies of choice. I used what I had on hand!

Yours in health,
Natalie

Gluten free Oatmeal Pancakes

If you are looking for an easy, reasonable, gluten free, and dairy free pancake recipe, look no further!

I have been rotating grains for over a dozen years now... and currently rarely using grains, that are truly grains, with the exception of oats. More and more research is showing that grains are not actually healthy for us! More and more people are being diagnosed with gluten allergy, and gluten sensitivity!
Oats are gluten free, if they are processed in a facility that doesn't process wheat or gluten grains. Look for oats that are organic, and state they are gluten free, if you are avoiding gluten.
This recipe is using long cooking oats, not quick cook. Soaking the oats overnight makes the oats easier to digest, AND will allow you not to process your oats into flour first. Oats are cheap, and easy to obtain! No fancy, expensive gluten free flours, nor any special stabilizers needed here!

This recipe is loaded with super foods: organic oats, organic eggs, cinnamon, raw honey, flax milk, and coconut oil! It is a breakfast that is fun, but you can feel GOOD about!
My girls love, love, love these pancakes!

Gluten Free Oatmeal Pancakes                                                     Yield: approx 18

2 C oats
2 C flax milk (or any milk alternative)
3 eggs
2 Tbl melted organic smart balance (or coconut oil, or other cold pressed oil)
2 Tbl raw honey (or raw agave nectar)
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp sea salt

coconut oil (or olive oil, or other cold pressed oils) for griddle
organic smart balance
real maple syrup


Soak your oats, in the milk alternative overnight.

Oats will look dry after soaking.

Added rest of ingredients!

Blend oat/milk mixture well, in a blender.
Add the rest of the ingredients in blender, and blend just until incorporated.


Grease your griddle or pan very well with coconut oil. Preheat until drops of water spatter on griddle.  Drop by 1/4 cup full of batter.  Cook until bubbles are all over cake, and edges are just starting to get golden. I turn down the griddle to cook the second side a bit slower.

See the loads of bubbles? Edges just crisp- ready to flip!

Serve with organic smart balance spread, and real maple syrup!

*You could mix a tsp of apple cider vinegar to flax milk, let sit a few minutes, than add to oats to soak, for a faux buttermilk.
*You can skip the honey, but we use little syrup, so it adds the right sweetness.
*This batter is very thin. It is preferable, as oats make it more difficult to cook through in pancakes or waffles.
*You can freeze the cakes, in a single layer on a plate or cookie sheet. Once frozen, you can put into a freezer bag. Easily warmed in a toaster! Using the 1/4 cup measure, insures they are large enough to be warmed in the toaster!

Have about 12 left... Time to freeze 'em!

Going, going, almost gone!

These are crispy deliciousness. They are delicious, AND nutritious.! You haven't had oatmeal like this before y'all!  YUM! YUM! YUM!

Yours in health,
Natalie


Raw Honey Lemonade

Nothin' says summer, like lemonade! Since I prefer to avoid refined sugars, I have been making my lemonade for years, with my FAV sweeteners... raw honey! Raw honey isn't like other sugars, as many people think. It is rich in antibiotic, antiviral, anti fungal properties, and is full of nutrients and enzymes. Raw honey is a gift to our health, from those hard working bees.


Raw Honey Lemonade

1 C lemon juice
1 C raw honey
6 C filtered water

Blend the honey and lemon juice in the blender. This will allow the honey to render to a thinner liquid that can easily be mixed with the water. Add honey/lemon mixture to a 2 quart pitcher, and add the 6 cups of water, and mix well. Pour over ice!

*I used organic lemon juice, that I bought at Costco. Fresh squeezed is of course, more tasty! Juice 5-6 lemons to make approx. 1 cup of juice. I love to add some zest too, (only if using organic lemons) to punch up the flavor!  Also, if you fresh squeeze the lemons, this would be considered a "raw" drink. For you "raw foodies".

*You could add a tsp. of sea salt to the pitcher of lemonade, to create your own electrolyte drink! Never pay big bucks for those artificially colored, artificially flavored, and corn syrup sweetened, crappy, toxic, over-advertised sports drinks again!! (Can you tell I am not a fan...) Again, pour over ice, OR mix 1 part lemonade to 1 part cold water for your to-go bottle

.One sip of this, and there is no goin' back to the powdered mixes, or canned concentrate stuff! This is summer in a glass, with a big dose of HEALTHY!


Yours in health!
Natalie

Cowboy Caviar Dip

Sometime back, I was at a friend's party, and tried this incredible dip... There were several of us, hovering around this dip, ooo-ing and ah-ing about how good it tasted!  I asked what it was, my friend called it "cowboy caviar", and confessed it was super easy to make. Super easy, and this good? I was hooked! Thank you Colleen for introducing me to this dip!

I've now made it countless times. I bring it to parties, and I make it as a delicious topping for tacos and tostadas. I love it, my family loves it, and my friends love it... Now I'm the one being asked how to make it! So, here goes my version of the easy, tex-mex kinda dip, that really can be used a thousand ways, and it can be made probably a thousand ways.
Here's my version.

Cowboy Caviar

1 14oz. can black beans (or favorite bean)
1 10oz or 14.5oz of Mexican style diced tomatoes
1 bell pepper diced (any color)
1 medium onion diced
1 cup corn
1 avocado diced
1/4- 1 jalapeno pepper, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, pressed or finely chopped
2 Tbl cilantro, chopped (optional)
1 lime, juice and zest
1/4 C olive oil
sea salt to taste

Drain and rinse the black beans. This certainly can be a chop, dump and gently mix recipe. But, I like to create the dressing first, by putting the oil, lime juice and zest, onion, garlic, and jalapeno, then whisk well. Then I put the black beans in, toss well, and let it sit for at least a half hour. I add in the rest of the ingredients, except the avocado, and toss well. Lastly, I add, and gently toss in the avocado- as it can break apart easily.
That's it! Tastes best, if you allow it to meld flavors in the refrigerator for about an hour, before you serve it. However, I've mixed it up, and served immediately, with no complaints:)
Healthy, tasty... and EASY!

*Serve with tortilla chips, or as a topping for Mexican food!

*I have mixed in 2 cups of cooked quinoa, or brown rice, to make a delicious salad!!

Yours in health,
Natalie

I like to macerate the jalapeno, a bit of onion, and a pinch of sea salt!

Easy Turkey Meatloaf! (Gluten Free!)

We are one of those families, where not all of us eat meat... It will be 3 years in March that I stopped eating meat. I had been leaning away from meat for about a decade, so it wasn't an overnight decision. However, my husband didn't join me on giving up meat! (Thinking he never will, and that's okay!) Although, since we've been married, we have always eaten vegetarian meals. We never referred to them as 'meatless', or 'vegetarian', but just skipped the meat where it wasn't absolutely needed. For example, spaghetti, chili, even tacos! But, when your meal is meatloaf, or baked chicken- well, it's not as easy to skip the meat;) For me, I think the many meatless meals were born out of need, having been rather poor as a kid. We didn't have the money to have meat everyday, much less for every meal!! So, I really did just learn to cook without meat. Certainly cost effective, earth friendly, and better for health reasons too! I urge everyone to LEAN into eating more vegetarian meals!

When I used to eat meat, meatloaf was one of my all time favs. Well, my family eats meat occasionally, so once in awhile, I bust out the meatloaf on a cold winter day! You'll see here, I use ground turkey only! I use oats instead of bread crumbs, to make it gluten free, and more nutritious!

I like to use ground turkey, that is dark and white meat. Research has shown, dark meat is more nutritious than breast meat. Besides, turkey has so little fat to begin with, the addition of dark meat is important here to keep it moist.


Easy Turkey Meatloaf

1 lb. of ground turkey
3/4 C of oats
1/4 C ketchup
1 med finely chopped onion
1 med roughly chopped
2 cloves crushed garlic
1 Tbl mustard
1/2 Tbl Worcestershire sauce
2 eggs
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp pepper

Glaze
1/4 C ketchup
2 Tbl mustard of choice
1 Tbl brown sugar
1/2 C sauteed chopped onion

Preheat oven for 350 degrees.
Mix the ingredients for the meatloaf by hand, except the roughly chopped onion. Blend until incorporated, but do not over mix! Oil your bread pan, because the meatloaf has so little fat.
Saute the roughly chopped onion, until just translucent.
Mix glaze ingredients together well. Top the meatloaf with glaze, then with the sauteed onion.

Bake for about an hour.  Like any and all meats, allow to rest for about 20 minutes, before slicing.
That's it! This will be the best meatloaf, and your family won't even know it is turkey, or that it is healthier!

*You can easily double the recipe.  Bake for an additional 20-30 mins. more.
*There are countless add-ins. i.e. 1/4 C finely chopped peppers, carrots, or celery.
*You can add a Tbl of horseradish, for a gentle but delicious bite, making everyone wonder, "what is that'?

Usually I saute the onion in the meatloaf as well as on top. Today, I didn't. I would suggest you do try it! When you saute the onion first, it makes them sweet and just incredible. I suggest sauteing other veggies like mentioned above, if using them in the loaf!
For super busy moms, you can purchase a frozen chopped veggie blend at your grocery store, in the frozen veggies section! Seriously. They make one blend with onions, celery, and herbs, and another one with just chopped onion and peppers. I do admit, if they go on sale for $1, I will buy them- for the easiest prep!! Just dump into bowl.

I make it a habit, to most often allow meat to come to room temp., before cooking. If you don't this, it may add to your cooking time.
I have been making this meatloaf for many, many years now. I thought I would finally share... I hope you enjoy it, as much as my family does! My family LOVES this comfort food meal!
Enjoy!
Yours in health,
Natalie