Wisdom of the Willow
Swiss Chard Pesto
Ingredients:
1 clove garlic
1/2 cup brazil nuts
¼ cup walnuts
3 T of olive oil
1 T of nutritional yeast
3 cups chopped fresh swiss chard
1/4 tsp salt
Pinch of pepper
Directions: Put garlic in your food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Add nuts, 2 T olive oil, nutritional yeast, chard, salt and pepper and process until smooth consistency. Add remaining olive oil while processing to thin consistency. Toss with warm or cold zucchini noodles topped with cherry tomatoes and a splash of lemon juice.
Options: Pesto can be made with pumpkin seeds if someone has a nut allergy. It can also be made with basil, parsley, kale, arugula or any combination of greens. Nutritional yeast is used as a vegan option instead of parmesan to still get a hint of cheese flavor. Feel free to use your favorite gluten free noodles instead of zucchini. Pesto is a great way to use up extra greens and it freezes well.
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Quinoa Swiss Chard Burgers - Gluten Free
Ingredients:
2 cups cooked quinoa
3 cups swiss chard, finely chopped
½ cup parsley, finely chopped
½ cup red onion, finely chopped
⅓ cup cassava flour
3 eggs
2 medium cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons lemon juice
½ tsp salt
Dash of pepper
1 tsp dijon mustard
Directions: Put all the ingredients in a bowl and mix until thoroughly combined . Let the mixture sit in the fridge for 30 minutes to harden. Make small patties. Heat grapeseed or avocado oil to medium heat. Fry patties until golden brown on both sides approximately 5- 6 minutes a side. Store in refrigerator for up to three days or store in freezer for several months.
Substitutions: If you have another GF flour you like to work with instead of cassava feel free to substitute. Swiss chard could be replaced by kale or spinach or another green. Serve over your favorite green, I prefer arugula. Top burgers with avocado, tomato or your favorite topping.
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Maca (stop the) Madness
1 cup almond milk
1 frozen banana
1 T almond butter
1 T Maca powder (energy and hormonal balance)
1 T cocoa or cacao
½ tsp vanilla
½ tsp cinnamon
Directions: chuck all the stuff in the blender with ice and blend until smooth. Calm down and enjoy.
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Almond Pumpkin Coconut Muffins (Gluten Free)
Ingredients:
2 eggs
½ cup pumpkin
¼ cup maple syrup
2 T. coconut oil, melted
1 ½ cups almond meal
¼ tsp salt
¼ baking soda
¼ baking powder
¼ tsp each - cinnamon, ground ginger, cardamom
2 T. shredded coconut
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease muffin tin with coconut oil. In a medium sized mixing bowl whisk eggs and add in pumpkin. Stir in maple syrup and melted coconut oil. In a separate bowl combine almond meal, salt, baking soda, baking powder, and spices. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until combined. Divide the batter into 6 large or 12 small muffins. Sprinkle with shredded coconut. Bake for 25 minutes or top begins to brown. Enjoy!
Summertime 🏖
Healthy Grilling Tips
Grilling meat at high temperatures can cause carcinogens in the meat. The meat drippings on the grill can also make the grill smoke carcinogenic. It also reduces the nutritional value.
For healthier grilling
* Cleanyour grill before cooking to remove the leftover charred pieces
* Use a marinade with the following ingredients as can cut down on the carcinogens created: garlic, lemon, wine, apple cider vinegar
* Grill at lower temperatures (325)
* Marinate meats in grapeseed oil or avocado oil instead of olive oil
Vegetables do not develop carcinogens when grilled so grill more veggies!
Ideas:
Grill pineapple to use as bun for burger (turkey, veggie, or meat)
Grill radicchio and pull apart “cups” to fill with quinoa salad or other filling
Bunny Dogs-marinate carrots in ghee and grill and garnish like hot dog in romaine leaf or gf bun
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Avocado Energizer
Ingredients:
1 Ripe Avocado (peeled and pitted)
1 handful blueberries or strawberries
1 Tbsp coconut cream (Skim off top of thicker cream of can of coconut milk)
1 Tbsp coconut milk ( bottom of can of coconut milk)
1 tsp chia seeds
1 tsp spirulina, chlorella, maca or other powdered superfood
Directions:
Put all ingredients in a vitamix or blender and blend until smooth. Serve topped with fruit, goji berries, nuts or granola.
Tips: if your avocados are going bad freeze them in a small ziplock to use in this recipe. As to not waste the rest of coconut milk you can freeze that too for future use. You can also use kiwi, orange, banana or other fruit instead of berries.
Smoothie Time
Solar Plexus Smoothie
Ingredients:
1 cup plain yogurt
1 cup fresh pineapple
1 small orange peeled
½ banana
¼ inch piece of fresh ginger peeled
¼ tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp local honey
½ T bee pollen (optional)
Directions:
Place all ingredients in a blender with a handful of ice and blend until smooth.
Vegan Option:
Replace yogurt with 1 cup almond milk and ½ frozen banana for creamy texture.
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Make Your Own Almond Milk
- Soak 1 cup of raw organic almonds in 4 cups of filter water in a jar overnight
- Drain and rinse almonds now you have sprouted almonds ( see future posts about the benefits of sprouting )
- Combine sprouted almonds in a blender with 4 cups of fresh filtered water and 2-3 dates or handful of raisins (more or less depending on desired sweetness). Blend until smooth milky consistency.
- Strain milk through a fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth into a pitcher or jar. Store fresh almond milk in fridge for up to 4 days or freeze. Freeze almond meal for future recipes. (make your own crackers recipe to come.)
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Dandelion Juice
Ingredients:
1 large handful dandelion greens
4 stalks celery
½ lemon
2 apples (cored and pitted)
1 cucumber
Directions:
Wash and cut all ingredients to fit juicer and juice.
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Goji BEE
Ingredients:
1 cup plain or vanilla yogurt (coconut or almond milk yogurt for non dairy option)
½ cup fresh strawberries
1 small orange, peeled
Handful goji berries
1 T bee pollen
1 tsp local honey (or more for sweeter flavor)
Directions:
Place all ingredients in a blender with a handful ice. Blend until smooth.
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Cherry Almond Smoothie
Ingredients:
1 ½ cups Almond Milk (see recipe for homemade almond milk)
2 Tablespoons of raw almond butter
1 cup fresh cherries (pitted and stems removed)
1 frozen banana
1 tsp vanilla
Directions:
Add all ingredients to a blender with ice and blend until smooth.
Options:
*Any kind of organic milk will do.
*Add 1 Tablespoon of chia seeds for added thickness and Omega 3’s.
*Add 1 Tablespoon cocoa or cacao instead of vanilla to make into cherry almond chocolate.
*Add more ice if using a fresh banana.
*Add local honey for sweeter flavor.