I have come to realize that there are SO many amazing recipes out in the blogosphere…  and some of them just don’t need to be redone!  So I’ve decided to start reviewing other people’s recipes – and share the one’s I like with you!

Last night I made Teriyaki Chicken from The Nourishing Gourmet:  www.thenourishinggourmet.com.  Ernie and I just LOVED it!  To see Kimi’s recipe, click Here.  She uses chicken wings, with a very simple marinade that is oh so luscious!  I have made them as wings and was not disappointed.  Last night, I made them with boneless skinless chicken thighs, and they were Sooo good!  They do have a sweetener, so if you are avoiding that, I’d try my Filipino Chicken instead.

My slight variation to Kimi’s recipe:

1/2 cup wheat free soy sauce/ coconut aminos
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup honey or maple syrup
1 Tbs. fresh ginger, peeled and grated
5 cloves garlic, chopped
3 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Mix all ingredients except chicken in a roasting pan, add the chicken and flip each piece over a few times.

3. Bake for an hour, flip the chicken over.

4. Bake for another hour.  Watch it toward the end as it starts to caramelize.

5. Serve over rice, cauliflower rice, greens, or sautéed veggies!  Enjoy!

This is Dairy, Nut, Seed, Egg, Grain and Refined Sugar Free!  Yes, it has coconut (that is all that is left!)  And it is No Bake, creamy, delicious, and yum!  It is quite filling so even I can’t seem to over eat it – yaay!  I think this might be my birthday cake come October!  Enjoy

Crust:
3 cups unsweetened coconut,
*or 1 cup coconut cream concentrate/coconut manna, melted
1/2 cup dates, plus boiling water
1/4 cup cocoa powder (I used Hershey’s Special Dark which is Alkalized, but any would work)
1/2 tsp. sea salt

Chocolate Mousse Filling:
2 ripe avocados
1/4 cup cocoa powder (I used Hershey’s Special Dark which is Alkalized, but any would work)
1/3 cup maple syrup
1/2 tsp. sea salt
3 Tbs. thin coconut milk from a can, after the cream is taken out (see below)

Whipped “Cream” Topping:
1 can Thai Kitchen Full Fat Coconut Milk, Refrigerated overnight
1 tsp. maple syrup
splash vanilla

Crust Instructions:
1. Place the coconut in an 11 cup food processor and process 5 minutes.

2. Turn the machine off for 5 minutes so the machine can keep cool.

3. Meanwhile, bring some water to a boil.  Fill a one cup measuring cup with 1/2 cup of dates.  Add enough boiling water to fill in the cracks and bring it to 3/4 cup total.  Let it soak.

4. Turn the food processor back on for about 5 minutes or until you hear it splash.  It may need to be scraped down at some point.
*or you can skip the grinding coconut process and add 1 cup Melted coconut cream concentrate to your food processor.

5.  Add the hot water/date mixture, the cocoa powder and the salt to the ground coconut.  Process until it comes together and the dates are incorporated.  A few chunks are fine…

6. Line a 9″ square pan with plastic wrap.  Reserve 3/4 cup of the crumbs for a garnish, then press the rest into the bottom of your lined pan.  Place in the freezer while you prepare the rest of the cake.

Chocolate Mousse Filling Instructions:
1. In the same “dirty” food processor bowl, add all your mousse ingredients.  The cold can of coconut milk for the next layer will (hopefully!) have a nice thick layer of hard cream on top.  If you scoop that off into a separate mixing bowl for later, measure 3 Tbs. of the clear liquidy part for your mousse.

2. Process until it is completely smooth – no chunks here!  :)  Scrape the sides and process again… you shouldn’t see any green.

3. Spread on top of the crust.  Place back in the freezer.

Whipped “Cream” Topping Instructions:
1. Place the cold, hard coconut cream from the top of your can of coconut milk into a mixing bowl.  Add a little of the clear liquid part if it’s quite hard.  Add the maple syrup and vanilla, and beat with a whisk or wire attachment until it is fluffy.  Spread on the top of the cake.

2. Sprinkle with reserved crumbs.

3. Place in the Refrigerator for several hours, then enjoy!

I tried freezing it, but the whipped cream got some icicles – I think its best well chilled from the refrigerator – but I’m sure it would be great either way!

This recipe is featured on Pennywise Platter.  :)

Spring is here!  Asparagus is one of the first food signs.  (Followed shortly by rhubarb, I can hardly wait!)

Please look over/read this article about how amazing asparagus is for you!  It’s just too much to write here.  Or just trust me and go eat lots of it.  :)

Yummy days

Asparagus (enough to fit a single layer on your cookie sheet)
A drizzle of Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper
1 Lemon, zested and juiced
~OR~ if you can tolerate dairy, a sprinkle of Parmesan Cheese

1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.

2. Rinse and trim your asparagus.  Place in a single layer on a cookie sheet with sides.

3. Drizzle with olive oil; sprinkle with salt and pepper.  If you can tolerate dairy, sprinkle with Parmesan Cheese (otherwise, wait for the lemon until after you bake it…)

4. Place in the oven and bake for about 20 minutes – the timing will depend somewhat on the asparagus, but you want it to be crisp yet tender (slightly wilted).

5. Take out of the oven, and if you didn’t use the cheese, sprinkle with the lemon zest and a bit of the juice.

6. This makes a super easy, amazingly refreshing side dish.  Happy Spring!

While Ernie and I don’t eat grains regularly, one thing is for sure: if you are going to eat grains, This is the way to do it!  In order for grains to truly be whole, you should really Buy them whole and grind them, but who has a grain grinder these days?  The brilliant way to do it is Soak them (this makes the grains Much more digestible!) Rinse them (which helps rinse away any toxins), then Blend them in your blender!  (Most whole grain And white flours have the germ removed as the fragile oils go rancid very quickly…)

These waffles are light, fluffy, mild flavored, and kid approved!  (My niece and nephew are here, and they Love them!  Plus, buying the whole grains in bulk is Way less expensive than the junk gluten-free mixes out there.  (In my humble opinion!)  :)  This is my adaptation of this brilliant recipe.

1/2 cup brown rice
3/4 cup quinoa
3/4 cup buckwheat (untoasted buckwheat is quite mild, I buy it in the bulk section of my health food store, it looks like this.)
2 Tbs. apple cider vinegar

1 3/4 cups water
2 Tbs. olive oil or melted butter
1 Tbs. maple syrup
1 tsp. apple cider vinegar
2 Tbs. ground flax
1 tsp. sea salt

2 tsp. aluminum free baking powder

1. The night before you make the waffles, mix your grains together in a bowl with lots of water and the first apple cider vinegar.  Let soak overnight.

2. In the morning, strain the grains, rinse thoroughly, then put in your blender with the remaining ingredients, Except baking powder.  Blend until it looks like a smooth batter.

3. Heat up your waffle iron (or pancake griddle.)

4. While it is heating, add the baking powder and blend for just another second until incorporated.

5. Grease waffle iron/pancake griddle if necessary, and pour batter – cook as directed by your iron/griddle.

6. Enjoy with lots of grass-fed butter and maple syrup, Yum!!

My dear niece and nephew enjoying waffles!  They said they approve!

I made beet kvass using this recipe, with some slight variations.  You can read how she did hers, how I did mine, and try it!  Beet Kvass is a healthy tonic that originated in Russia.  It aids digestion and helps thin bile, is an amazing blood tonic, and is full of vitamins, vitality and life – you can read more about it here!

                                        The Kvass in this picture is not finished – I like mine a bit more opaque.

1 half Gallon mason jar
3 medium sized beets
1 1/2 Tbs. Sea Salt
1/2 cup purchased raw beet kvass (or from a previous batch – or whey)
Enough water to fill your jar

1. Peel and chop your beets.  You don’t want them grated, just peeled and rough chopped.

2. Combine them with the other ingredients in your half gallon jar.  Shake a little to dissolve.

3. Let sit out until the liquid is fairly opaque and tart.  Most people say 3 days, but my house is cooler and I let it go 7 days.  (If you taste it and it tastes like salty beet water, let it go longer…)  Just stick the jar in the refrigerator when you are done.

4. Mine got a white film on it, so I looked it up, and you can read this site, it is fine!  Just skim it off and don’t worry about it.

5.   Only drink a few ounces before a meal.  A little goes a lone way!  *Be careful, beets stain Everything!

6.  Enjoy and be healthy!

I’m usually partial to beef burgers, but these were just so incredibly gingery yum that I think they are my new favorite!  You’ve Got to try them!  The flavor of the grated apple wasn’t strong, so feel free to leave it out – but I think it added to the complexity of flavors, so my vote is for it to stay in.  These would work great as meatballs, too!  SO delicious!

2 pounds ground Turkey
5 cloves garlic, minced
1″ – 1 1/2″ ginger, grated with a microplane grater
2 Tbs. dijon mustard
2 Tbs. wheat free soy sauce or coconut aminos
2 tsp. sea salt
Black Pepper to taste
1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
2 carrots, peeled and grated
1 granny smith apple, peeled and grated

1. Mix all the ingredients together.  Form into burgers, and place on a cookie sheet.

2. My burgers were quite soft, and I worried about getting them from the cookie sheet to the grill – so I froze them for several hours.

3. Place the frozen/semi-frozen  burgers on a hot grill.  Flip when ready – make sure they are cooked well.  (They have no problem staying together once they are cooked…)

4.  Enjoy!  (These would be so good with avocado!)

*This recipe was shared on Pennywise Platter.  :)

These were my Easter treats!  They were so yummy!  If you know my recipes, you won’t be surprised…

3 cups unsweetened coconut  (or 1 cup coconut cream concentrate/coconut manna Melted)
1/2 cup maple syrup
1 Tbs. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 cup chocolate chips or chunks

1.Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.   Place your coconut in an 11 cup food processor, and process for five minutes.

2. Turn the machine off, and let it rest for five minutes.

3. Turn the machine back on, and let it go another five minutes, or until you hear it splash.  (If you are using MELTED coconut cream concentrate – you can just mix all the ingredients in a bowl.)

4. Add the maple syrup, vanilla, salt,  remaining coconut and baking soda, and turn the machine on until it balls up (10 seconds, ish)

5. Add the chocolate chips.  (You may need to stir the chocolate chips by hand to make sure they are uniform.)

6. Drop by teaspoonfuls on a cookie sheet.  Bake for about 10-15 minutes, or until toasty.  :)

This is a picture of the unbaked version.  This recipe is featured on Pennywise Platter.  :)

I know that just about every dairy free blog whips coconut cream, but I had never done it!  Finally I had to try.  I’ve heard that its hit or miss as far as getting the cream to separate from the water, but I didn’t have any trouble using Thai Kitchen Coconut Milk!  And the results were better than I had even hoped!  It whipped, for sure, but it was a bit more dense than whipped cream – more mousse like.  Which is No Problem!  I love mousse, too!  It doesn’t need sweetener if you have fruit on top, but feel free to try it.  I also tried adding some cocoa powder and maple syrup which was luscious!  I’m trying to be sweetener free, so I’m saving that for my husband, who doesn’t have a sugar addiction problem.  :)  Lucky him!  But I was altogether pleased with how this turned out!  Enjoy!

Vanilla Whipped Coconut Cream:

1 can Thai Kitchen Full Fat Coconut Milk, Refrigerated Overnight
Splash Vanilla
pinch salt
Maple Syrup to taste (optional!)
Sliced fruit or berries
Cinnamon

1. Take your coconut milk out of the refrigerator, open, and scoop out the stiff cream from the top of the can.

2. Put in a mixer, and beat!  I added a little of the coconut “water” from the bottom of the can because it was so thick.  Stir in whatever ingredients you want as far as sweeteners.

3. Dallop the cream along with some fruit in a pretty dish – sprinkle with cinnamon!

This is what it looked like, freshly whipped!

Chocolate Whipped Coconut Cream:

1 can Thai Kitchen Full Fat Coconut Milk, Refrigerated Overnight
Splash Vanilla
Pinch Salt
2 Tbs. Maple Syrup, or to taste
2 Tbs unsweetened cocoa powder, or to taste
Fruit slices or Berries

1. Take your coconut milk out of the refrigerator, open, and scoop out the stiff cream from the top of the can.

2. Put in a mixer, and whip!  I added a little of the coconut “water” from the bottom of the can because it was so thick.  Stir in whatever amounts you want as far as sweeteners and cocoa.

3. Add dallops along with sliced fruit – this would be luscious with strawberries or raspberries!

Yes, it would have been prettier with strawberries!  I will take another picture when strawberries are in season!

This is what I make for my husband every day for lunch (in addition to dehydrated nuts, raisins, fruit and such!)  I usually use leftover meat from supper, but whenever it isn’t handy, I’m always grateful for wild canned salmon, which I get at Costco quite reasonably.  My dad is a fisherman, so I always prefer his fish, but this is fast and easy, and besides:  I’m out!  I guess I need to go home for a visit soon.  And yes, I Love Old Bay!  Feel free to use less, if you want, or make your own, which I plan on doing as soon as I run out of my current stock!  Thanks, Empowered Sustenance for leading me to that Old Bay recipe!  I can’t wait to try it

Salmon Salad:

1 can wild Salmon
1 Tbs. olive oil
2 tsp. dijon mustard
1 Tbs. lemon juice
1 tsp. Old Bay Seasonings
1/2 tsp. dill weed
pinch of salt and pepper

Salad:

A few big handfuls of baby greens
1/2 avocado, cubed
2 carrots, peeled and sliced
1/3 cucumber, peeled and sliced
Lemon juice/Olive oil
Salt and Pepper

1. For Salmon Salad: Squeeze moisture out of can salmon, put it in a bowl, and fluff it with a fork.  Stir in the remaining ingredients, feeling free to doctor it as you prefer.  (A little extra olive oil never hurt anything…)

2. For the Salad: Place the baby greens in your dish.  Place the salmon salad in one corner (this is a large portion!  It could easily make two salads…)  the avocado, carrots and cucumber in their corner (or any other vegetables that you prefer!)

3. Drizzle with lemon juice and olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and enjoy!

This recipe is the essence of all my present cravings.  The carrots are sweet and caramelized and satisfy my sweet tooth without sending me on a chocolate binge.  The Horseradish Cream is So creamy smooth and delicious!  (When dairy, eggs and nuts are out, creamy is hard to come by…)  And I’ve also been craving horseradish!  Horseradish is used for both medicine and food.  It has antibiotic qualities, improves digestion, and does amazing things in your body!

I used Thai Kitchen Coconut Milk, which when cold, worked perfectly!  Not all coconut milk will separate so nicely…  If you can eat eggs, homemade mayonnaise would work great instead of the coconut cream!  (As would good sour cream.)  :)

Carrot Fries
5 or 6 Carrots
1/4 cup coconut oil
Sea Salt

Horseradish Cream
1/2 cup cream from the top of a Cold can of  Thai Kitchen Coconut Milk
~or~  Good Mayo, or Good Sour Cream
1+ Tbs. prepared horseradish – the ingredients should just be horseradish, vinegar and salt
1/2 tsp. sea salt

1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.  Peel and cut the carrots into sticks.  The carrots don’t get super crispy, so if they are too long they bend when you try to dip them.  I will make them shorter next time.

2. Melt the coconut oil, dip the carrot sticks in them and place on a cookie sheet.  Sprinkle with salt.

3. Bake for 30 minutes or until they are starting to caramelize.

4. Meanwhile, mix all the ingredients of the horseradish sauce in a small bowl.

5. Dip the carrots in the horseradish sauce!  Sweet, spicy, creamy, delicious!

This recipe is featured in Pennywise Platter