Zesty Italian Salad with Homemade Dressing

 I used to make a salad similar to this when my husband and I were first married. We would make it nearly every weekend when we had friends over for games and dinner!!  We used to drown it in Kraft zesty Italian dressing! Now I make my own salad dressings so I know exactly what I am eating! This is my healthified version of the zesty Italian dressing and salad I used to make!! I have to say it made me SO HAPPY to eat this because it was utterly delicious and also healthy for my body! It made me feel GOOD after I ate it!!  That is the ultimate goal for me with food....yummy and healthy! 

Zesty Italian Salad with Homemade Dressing 

Red leaf lettuce, chopped

grape tomatoes, halved

black olives, drained

baby carrots, chopped

fresh mozzarella, cubed

artichoke hearts, chopped

cooked quinoa

(Dressing)

1 cup extra virgin olive oil

2/3 cup red wine vinegar

1/3 cup water

1/4 cup raw honey

2 t minced garlic

1 T Italian seasoning

1 t dried basil

1/2 t onion powder

1/2 t Himalayan salt

1/2 t black pepper

1/2 t crushed red pepper

Mix all ingredients for dressing in blender and place in quart glass mason jar or cruet. (This makes it easier to shake it up if needed.) We served this salad buffet style so we could choose which ingredients we wanted and how much!! (Which is why there is no exact ingredient amounts for the salad portion.) But you could also mix everything together and serve as one big salad. Enjoy!!

Asian Napa Cabbage Salad with Honey Soy Dressing

 

I love Napa cabbage and wanted to make a salad similar to the Asian chicken salad from Paradise Bakery!!

Asian Napa Cabbage Salad with Honey Soy Dressing

1 head Napa cabbage, chopped

4 medium carrots, shredded

6 scallions, chopped

3/4 cup edamame, shelled

(Dressing)

1/3 cup rice vinegar

1/2 T Nama Shoyu (raw soy sauce)

2 T extra virgin olive oil

2 T raw honey

1/8 t garlic powder

1/8 t ginger powder

chow mein noodles (optional garnish)

Mix all veggies in large bowl. Combine ingredients for dressing and mix with all other ingredients except the chow mein noodles. Garnish with chow mein noodles if desired. Would also be good with raw chopped almonds on top! Enjoy!

Strawberry Banana Coconut Milk Ice Cream (Vegan)

We LOVE ice cream at our house!!  This is our favorite vegan ice cream we have made so far!!  It is super easy and full of whole foods so you can feel good about serving it as a healthy treat!!

Strawberry Banana Coconut Ice Cream

1 can (14 oz) Savoy coconut cream

1 cup unsweetened almond milk

1/2 cup raw agave

1 T vanilla

2 ripe bananas

2 cups fresh strawberries (about 12 medium)

Mix everything in blender and place in ice cream machine for about 20-25 minutes. This will give you soft serve consistency like above. You can also place in freezer to harden if you want more firm scoops. This is the ice cream machine I have and I absolutely LOVE it!!  ENJOY!!

Chile Cilantro Lime Brown Rice

This makes a great side to tacos or burritos and is excellent in taco salad!!  

Chile Cilantro Lime Brown Rice

2 cup water

1 cup short-grain brown rice

1 can (4 oz) diced green chiles

1/2 cup cilantro, chopped

juice from one lime

1/2 T raw agave

1/4 t Himalayan salt

1/4 t onion powder

1/4 t garlic powder

Cook water and brown rice according to directions. I boil mine and simmer for about an hour. When rice is cooked, add all other ingredients and combine. My favorite way to serve it is in taco salad!!

Veggie Taco "Dump" Soup

This is a super easy soup to make. I like to call it Taco "Dump" Soup because it is so easy you literally dump the cans in the pot and heat up!!  I have added a few more veggies and spices and it is delicious!!  

Veggie Taco "Dump" Soup

1 T extra virgin olive oil

1 t minced garlic

1 onion, finely chopped in food processor

2 carrots, chopped in food processor

2 celery spears, chopped in food processor

1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes

1 can (14 oz) black beans, rinsed and drained

1 can (14 oz) northern beans, rinsed and drained

1 can (14 oz) organic corn, drained

1 can (14 oz) black olives, drained

1 can (4 oz) diced chiles

2 cups tomato juice

1/3 cup coconut sugar (or sweetener of choice)

2 t Himalayan salt

2 t chili powder

1 t cumin

1 t oregano

1 t paprika

1/4 t cayenne (optional for added spice, but so good with this!)

(Optional garnishes: fresh cilantro, organic corn chips, sour cream, cheezy queso dip)

Heat olive oil in pot. Saute garlic and onions until translucent. Add carrots and celery and saute a few minutes. Add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Let simmer on stove until flavors have combined and you are ready to serve. Garnish soup if desired.

Carrot Spice Muffins

I saw a recipe for carrot spice muffins and knew I had to create my own version. These are adapted from fatfreevegan. They turned out super yummy! My children gobbled them up tonight!!  We will definitely be making these again soon! 

Carrot Spice Muffins

1 3/4 cups whole wheat flour

3/4 cup coconut sugar

1 T sprouted ground flax

1 t aluminum-free baking powder

3/4 t baking soda

1 t cinnamon

3/4 t ground ginger

1/2 t all spice

1/4 t nutmeg

1/2 t Himalayan salt

1 1/2 cups shredded carrots (3 medium)

1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce

3/4 cup unsweetened almond milk

1 t pure vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Mix dry ingredients in bowl. Add wet ingredients. Oil muffin pan. Use large scoop and place batter into 12 muffin tins. Bake for 15 minutes. Enjoy!

Pear German Pancakes (Gluten Free)

I LOVE german pancakes!!  They are super yummy and I wanted to healthify my recipe so I could enjoy them. The addition of pears turned out amazing!!  You could also use whole wheat flour instead of the gluten free flour.

Pear German Pancakes

2 T coconut oil

4 eggs

1/2 c rice milk

1/2 cup almond milk

2 T coconut sugar

3/4 cup gluten free flour

1/2 t Himalayan salt

1/2 t cinnamon

1/8 t  nutmeg

2 Bartlett pears, cored and thinly sliced

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Heat 12" skillet with coconut oil in oven until liquid. Remove. Combine all other ingredients except pear in blender. Pour batter on heated skillet and top with pear slices. Bake 20 minutes or until lightly browned. Top with powdered coconut sugar. (To make powdered coconut sugar, take 1 T coconut sugar and blend in spice blender until fine.) Enjoy!