Coconut-Cranberry Avocado Pudding

Avocado is a great texture for pudding and the taste is quite mild that you can add almost anything and make a simple snack.

ingredients:
1 avocado
2 T shredded coconut
1 T dried cranberries

Mash the avocado and stir in coconut and cranberries. Enjoy!

Tahini Sauce/Dressing

ingredients:

1/2 cup tahini
1/2 cup + 2 T water
juice of one lemon
2 cloves garlic, crushed
salt and pepper to taste
dash of olive oil

Puree till smooth in a blender or even just a quick stir with a spoon. I make my sauce in a pint mason jar and then store it right in the same container.

Delicious as a salad dressing, veggie dip, sauce for Falafel or Kefta or Middle Eastern Chicken

Green Soup

Inspired by: Recipe from Eating Well by Anna Thomas

Ingredients

2 tablespoons coconut oil

2 large yellow onions, chopped

1 teaspoon salt, divided

2 tablespoons plus 6 cups water, divided

1/2 cup arborio rice

1 bunch green chard (about 1 pound)

1 bunch kale 

14 cups gently packed spinach (about 12 ounces) or another green of your choice (collards are great, but have a strong taste)

4 cups vegetable or water broth

Big pinch of cayenne pepper 

2-3 cloves garlic, crushed

1 tablespoon lemon juice, or more to taste
Olive oil drizzle for serving

Instructions

1. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add onions and 1/4 teaspoon salt; cook, stirring frequently, until the onions begin to brown, about 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to low, add 2 tablespoons water and cover. Cook, stirring frequently until the pan cools down, and then occasionally, always covering the pan again, until the onions are greatly reduced and have a deep caramel color, 25 to 30 minutes. Add garlic and cook together for 3-5 minutes. 

2. Combine the remaining 6 cups water and 3/4 teaspoon salt in a soup pot or Dutch oven; add rice. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to maintain a simmer, cover and cook for 15 minutes. Chop the chard greens and spinach.

3. When the rice has cooked for 15 minutes, stir in the chard greens. Return to a simmer; cover and cook for 10 minutes. When the onions are caramelized, stir a little of the simmering liquid into them; add them to the rice along with the spinach, broth and cayenne. Return to a simmer, cover and cook, stirring once, until the spinach is tender but still bright green, about 5 minutes more.

4. Puree the soup in the pot with an immersion blender until perfectly smooth or in a regular blender in batches (return it to the pot). Stir in 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Taste and add more lemon juice, if desired. Garnish each bowl of soup with a drizzle of olive oil.

To make ahead: Prepare through Step 4 (omitting the lemon), cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days.

Curried Carrots, Broccoli and Kale

Ingredients
4-5 carrots, halved and cut into 2-3 inch sticks
1 broccoli crown, cut into bite sized pieces
1 onions, cut into thin slices
1 bunch of kale, cleaned and torn into pieces (remove tough rib down the middle)
2-3 garlic cloves, crushed
1 T fresh ginger, grated
1 tsp curry
salt and pepper to taste
coconut oil

Directions:
1.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2.  Melt about 1 T coconut oil. Place carrots and broccoli on a roasting pan. Drizzle with melted coconut oil. Sprinkle curry, add crushed garlic, grapted ginger, salt and pepper over veggies, mixed together. Roast for 20-30 minutes till veggies are tender and crispy.
3.  In a saute pan (cast iron if you have it). Melt 1 T coconut oil and saute the onion. (about 5-8 minutes). Add kale and continue to saute till soft.
4.  Once carrots and broccoli are finished in the oven, stir them into the kale and onion mixture.
5.  Add more curry, salt or pepper if desired. *Add a dash of Cayenne for more spice!

Enjoy! We often call any roasted vegetables "veggie fries" at our house. My little boys love anything that is called "fries."

Bullet-Proof Coffee

ingredients:
1 cup brewed coffee
1 Tb coconut oil
1 tsp unsalted grass fed butter
1/4 tsp vanilla (or peppermint or almond flavoring)
1-2 tsp maple syrup or honey

Blend it together on high for 20 seconds. Enjoy!

Original Recipe from: Wellness Mama

Moroccan Beef Chili

inspired by Clean Eating Magazine
ingredients:
2 T oil oil or coconut oil
1 lb beef (stew meat or sirloin) or Venison
1 yellow onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
3 cups beef stock (use homemade bone broth if you have it)
2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 or 2 inch cubes
1 1/2 cups diced tomatoes
2 cups cooked chic peas
1/3 cups dried apricots
salt to taste
zest of one lemon
mint leaves for garnish

directions:
1.  Heat 1 T oil in large skillet, brown beef (about 3-5 minutes). Transfer meat and oil to a crock pot.
2.  Return skillet to medium heat. Add remaining oil, garlic, turmeric, cumin, cinnamon, black pepper and cook stirring constantly for 3 minutes. Add 1 cup stock and stir scrapping up all of the spices. Transfer spice mix to crock pot.
3.  Stir in remaining stock, potatoes, tomatoes, chickpeas and apricots to crock pot. Cook on high for 4 hours. Season with salt.
4.  Just before serving, combine lemon zest and mint leaves. Top the chili with the mint mixture.

*Add hot sauce if desired...such as Harissa