Bring your kiddos in the kitchen and have some fun. You can pack this granola with all types of nutrient rich goodies! Chia seeds add crunch and promote gut health and improve heart health. Pumpkin seeds contain zinc, a mineral that boosts the immune system and helps fight those nasty viruses. They are also rich in manganese and Vitamin K. Sesame seeds pack a healthy punch as they are a great source of minerals, fiber, B vitamins, healthy fats and antioxidants. You can make this sweet treat the kids will love and also slip in the health benefits we all need in our lives.
 
PREP TIME:   10 minutes      COOK TIME: 24 minutes         OVEN TEMP: 325°
 
INGREDIENTS
2 cups rolled oats (certified gluten-free if needing a gf diet)
2 Tbsp Chia seeds
1/2 cup milk chocolate chips, divided
¼ raisins
2 Tbsp craisins
¼ cup raw sunflower seeds
¼ cup pumpkin seeds
1/3 cup honey, (local if you can get it)
2 Tbsp sesame seeds
Optional: ¼ cup peanut butter
 
DIRECTIONS
1.Take ¼ cup of the chocolate chips and place in microwave bowl and melt. Mix well.
2.Add the peanut butter to the melted chocolate (if you are making this snack for home not school lunch) and mix well.
3.Put all chia seeds, ¼ cup of chocolate chips, raisins, craisins, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds and honey and mix well.
4.Next add the chocolate (and peanut butter if added) mixture and mix again. Make sure you cover all the seeds and oats well.
5.Place the mixture evenly on a parchment lined baking sheet.
6.Bake for 8 minutes. More the mixture around with a spatula and put back in for 8 minutes. Repeat.
7.After 24 minutes remove from the oven and allow to cool.
8.Break the granola apart and enjoy!
 
Tips:
*To make the most of the seeds and nut’s antioxidants and nutrients try to buy organic and raw when you can.
*So easy and yummy you will want to double this recipe. Simply spread it evenly on two baking sheets
*if you are making this snack for the kiddos at home add that peanut butter! It will be a great twist!
*Nuts like sliced almond, cashews, even coconut flakes make a great addition to this granola.

The 13th of September is National Peanut Day! When I want a dish packed with flavor, and that smooth hit of peanuts and spicy I dream of this dish! Serve it over rice and enjoy a quick dish in less than 30 minutes!
 
PREP TIME:  2o minutes       COOK TIME:  15-20 minutes         
 
INGREDIENTS
1 ½- 2 pounds chicken breast, cubed
½ cup creamy peanut butter, unsweetened
2 garlic cloves, minced (1 Tbsp)
3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 large shallot, cut in larger pieces (3-4 Tbsp)
1 ½ Tbsp ginger, grated
½ - 1 Tbsp red pepper flakes
½ tsp paprika
1 tsp sea salt
3 Scallions, bias cut
2 Tbsp lemon juice
½ cup water
1 large head of broccoli, cut heads long way (5-6 cups)
½ cup peanuts, salted (not roasted)
2 Boil bag of white or brown rice (4 cups of cooked rice)
 
DIRECTIONS

1. Cut all the vegetables
2. Make the rice according to directions
3. In wok or large sauce pan, add olive oil, garlic, ginger and shallots sauté for 2-4 minutes.
4. Add chicken to the pan.
5. Add lemon juice, salt, paprika, red pepper flakes, and scallions and cook for 4-5 minutes.
6. Add peanut butter and mix well.
7. Add water and broccoli, mix and cover the pan. Cook for 6 minutes.
8. Remove the lid and mix well.
9. Serve over rice.

Preheat the Oven to 350°
Prep Time: 12 minutes Cook Time: 12-16 minutes (depending on the size of balls)
Make 30-36 cookies
Sweet & Salty is a combo that is a must try! I love love it and these cookies are crazy good!
 
Ingredients:
¾ cup salted butter, softened (1 ½ sticks)
¼ cup of organic cane sugar
1 1/4 cup of packed brown sugar, packed
1 1/2 cups of milk chocolate chips
½ cup dark chocolate chips
2 tsp ghee (or butter)
1 egg
1 egg yolk
¼ cup cocoa
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
½ cup tapioca flour
½ cup cassava flour
1 1/2 cups brown rice four
1 teaspoon xanthan gum
Directions:
1.Melt dark chocolate chips with ghee in microwave 15 seconds, stir. Repeat.
2. Add cocoa to the chocolate and ghee and stir until smooth.
3.Add to butter and sugar and mix well.
4. Cream butter and sugar together for 1-2 minutes.
5.Add egg, egg yolk, and vanilla, mix.
6.Sift together the flours, baking soda, baking powder and the salt. Mix well.
7.Add the dry ingredients to the sugar and butter mixture bowl and mix until smooth.
8.Add chocolate chips and mix.
9.Form 1" balls and place 2” apart 
*KEEP the dough cool. May need to put in refrigerator in between patches. Dough should be cool to the touch.
7.Prepare a greased baking sheet, on silicon sheet or parchment line a baking sheet.
8. Bake time for 1” dough ball = 12 minutes. Time for 2” dough balls = 14-16 minutes.
9.As soon as you remove the cookies from the over, top with Madlon (finishing) salt flakes and allow to cool,
*Always make sure your dough is COLD! You may need to pop it back into the refrigerator to cool off before baking! Otherwise, you will get a flat cookie!
*If you’d like to use salted butter for this recipe, you can reduce the salt to ½ tsp
*Play with the flour: You can do this recipe with 1 cup white rice flour, 1 cup brown rice flour and ½ cup tapioca.
*Can double the xanthan gum to 2 tsp and omit the baking soda if you don’t have it on hand for a fluffy cookie
 

Prep Time: 15 -20 minutes
 
Ingredients:
3 ripe avocados, diced
2 small garlic cloves, pressed
1 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
½ large onion (1 cup), diced small
2 medium tomatoes (1 ½ cups)
3 TBS fresh lime juice (2 limes)
1 tsp Himalayan salt
½ tsp pepper
 
Directions:
1.Mince garlic fine or use garlic press. Add to a medium mixing bowl.
2.Dice the onion and tomatoes. (Cut the tomatoes in half and remove the seeds, then dice.) Add to bowl.
3.Loosely chop the cilantro. Add to bowl.
4.Cut avocado into pieces. It’s fine if the pieces are different sizes or some of the avocado has to be scraped out of the skin. Just make sure it ALL makes it into the bowl!
5.Squeeze the limes into the bowl.
6.Mix well.
7. Add salt and pepper and mix again.
7.Cover and place in refrigerator for at least 30 minutes for the best taste!

It’s like a pecan sandie and a lemon shortbread cookie had a marvelous baby! It is a match made in  heaven!  I made them as a request for my daughters birthday cake. I came up with this recipe and it was a huge hit as the crust to her NY style cheesecake. But this cookie can stand on its own as well. Delicious and flaky...and refreshing lemon taste!


Preheat oven to 325°

Makes 24 small cookies
1 1/2 butter, salted
1/2 cup raw cane sugar
Cream together
Zest of (2) lemons
2 TBS fresh squeezed lemon juice
1 cup pecan, food processed into tiny pieces/almost flour consistency
2 cups gluten-free all-purpose flour ( I use my own mixture- click here for it)
 
Add the rest of ingredients to the butter. Mix until a dough is formed. Place the dough in the refrigerator for 20-30 minutes at least.
Form into small balls (Can use ice cold water on hands to help form balls) that you’ll flatten with bottom of ramkin or glass.
Place onto parchment lined baking sheets and into the oven for 20 minutes.
 
If you would rather have a softer cookie …I suggest adding 2 TBS COLD WATER to the mix, do everything the same! A second cookie for your cookie cravings!

Prep time: 20 minutes

Ingredients for Dressings:
2/3 cup avocado oil
1 tsp sesame oil
2 ½-3 TBS fresh chives
2 TBS shallot, cut
1 tsp himalayan salt
1 TBS turbinado sugar
3 TBS lemon juice
1/3 cup rice vinegar
1 TBS white wine vinegar
¼ tsp fine garlic powder
¼ tsp fine onion powder
¼ tsp ginger powder

Ingredients for Salad:
2 broccoli crowns, cut into small bite sized pieces
1 large carrots, cut
½ cup onion, diced
2 scallions, cut
½ cup sliced almond
​
Pour half over the salad and mix well. Add a bit more as you desire and store the remaining dressing in the refrigerator. This salad is CRAZY DELICIOUS the next day. Some salads are just THAT MUCH BETTER when they marinate a bit and this is one of those salads!!

​You really can never go wrong with this type of pasta salad. Whether you are gluten-free or not this flavor packed salad is a BIG CROWN pleaser!
 
Ingredients:
1/2 yellow (1 cup) (or orange) pepper, diced
1/2  green pepper, (1 cup), diced
½ large sweet onion, diced (1 cup)
1 ½ (6 oz) cups artichoke hearts, cut into ¼’s
1 cup (3 oz) large olives, sliced
1 medium tomato, (1 cup) de-seeded, diced
4 oz Genoa Salami, sliced in strips (or cubed)
5- 5 ½ oz Smoked ham, cubed
5 oz Provolone (mozzarella), cubed
8 oz Italian Salad Dressing
12- 16 oz gluten-free ziti (or shell pasta), cooked according to package directions
½ cup Mayo (optional)

Directions:
1.Make pasta according to directions.
2.Cool down slightly but still slightly warm. Place in large mixing bowl.
3.Add all the cut veggies to the pasta.
4.Add dressing.
5.Add meat and cheese.
6. Mix well and serve.
 
Tips:
*Looking for a creamier salad- add the ½ cup mayo
*More possible goodies to add to this pasta salad:
 pepperoni sliced into strips
asiago cheese or parmesan cheese
banana peppers
*You can make your own Italian dressing with vinegar and oil and Italian seasoning.
*Store in the refrigerator in tight container. If you are eating it after refrigeration, you may need to add more dressing to “reconstitute” the pasta because it tends to get dry and firm, unlike gluten-pasta which stays moist.

Prep Time: 10 minutes              
Cook Time: 20-25 minutes (for roasting the garlic)
Preheat oven 400° (I like to use convection setting on my oven)
Ingredients
1 bulb of garlic (or 10-12 good sized garlic cloves), roasted
2 TBS olive oil
½ cup mayonnaise
1 TBS fresh lemon juice
½ tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
 
Directions
1.    FIRST you need to Roast Your Garlic!  Take your garlic bult and cut the top off-ensure each clove has been cut. Pour generous amount of olive oil (2-3 TBS) on top and sprinkle with Himalayan salt.
Place on a tin foil and make it like a little pouch or bundle, leaving a small hole to allow steam to vent out. Roast garlic in 400°oven for 20-25 minutes.
OR
Take 10-12 garlic cloves and cut the tip of them off. Follow the exact steps above.
2.   Allow the garlic to cool down.
3.   Add the garlic and to a small food processor and blitz until smooth. (Can use the oil from the frying pan if you like).
4.   Add all the rest of the ingredients to the food processor and blend until very smooth
 
More roasting tips:
* You can try your hand at roasting the garlic in a frying pan. Just make sure your garlic is peeled and does NOT burn. Move the garlic around often to avoid burning. Should be slightly golden brown after around 6-8 minutes.
*You can absolutely use a toaster oven, or air fryer to roast the garlic! Coat the garlic in oil then place same as mentioned above.
*If you choose to remove the skin of the garlic…look at the garlic around 10-minute mark. They tend to go much faster without the skin and with begin to brown. They make a TASTY treat when they are a tad crunchy.
**The softer roasted garlic is better for making a quick aioli though.
 
 

 

Preheat oven 375°
 
Prep Time: 20 minutes       Cook Time: 18-22 minutes
Makes About 18 balls
 
Ingredients:
 1 box of frozen chopped spinach (10 ounces)
3 eggs, beaten
1 TBS olive oil
1 cup of sharp cheddar cheese
2/3 cup of bread crumbs
¼ tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
1 tsp dried parsley
¼ - ½ tsp garlic powder
Tabasco sauce (6 shakes more if you like it HOT-ER!)
Directions:
1.Place the spinach box in the microwave for 2-3 minutes until defrosted. Set aside to cool
2.In a large bowl put the cheese, bread crumbs, salt, pepper, parsley, garlic powder. Mix
3. Squeeze the excess water out of the spinach. Place the spinach in the large bowl. Mix
4. Add the oil, eggs, and Tabasco sauce.
5. Form into balls. *Wet hands help. I do about 5 and wet my hands and carry on.
6. Place in the oven.
 
Suggestions:
I like to use the convection oven or air fryer with this recipe. I start taking a look in the oven around 18 minutes and see the cheese begin to bubble and become golden then I know it’s time!

*I have actually made this recipe with fresh spinach and prefer the frozen spinach consistency and ease for this recipe! If can’t find the chopped spinach at your local grocery store then you can still do this recipe with fresh spinach. Loosely chop the spinach and place in a frying pan with ½ TBS olive or avocado oil. Move it around constantly with a spoon until completely wilted. You can add ½ TBS of water to speed the process up, but it should only take 2-3 minutes in total. Allow cool before continuing on with the recipe.