The Best Grain Free Granola

Grain Free Granola

You guys have to try this granola!  I’ve made it a couple times now and it is my new go to. This recipe is completely grain-free and made mostly with nuts, seeds and some coconut! It is sweet, salty with the right amount of crunch that is perfect to add fresh berries to for breakfast or to yogurt for an afternoon snack. Now, this particular recipe is made with honey but can be made vegan with one ingredient swap, maple syrup.  Also, this recipe is Paleo as is.  It’s also a great way to use some of that almond meal we made last week! Preheat your oven to 300 degrees. First, add all your dry ingredients to a bowl, followed by your wet ingredients, then, mix well. Spread onto a cookie sheet.  I lined mine with parchment paper which makes it easier for transferring into a jar later on. cook for  28-32 mins depending on how dark or toasty you like it! let sit and cook for a couple of minutes before transferring into an airtight jar. Makes about 6 cups.

Ingredients (Organic perferred)

• 1 cup shredded unsweetened coconut
• 1 cup unsweetened coconut chips
• 1 cup unsalted sunflower seeds
• 1 cup pumpkin seeds
• 1 cup slivered almonds
• 1/2 cup cashews
• 1/4 cup almond meal
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 teaspoon of cinnamon
• 1/4 cup coconut oil
• 1/4 cup of honey or maple syrup

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees
2. Add all dry ingredients to bowl
3. Stir in wet ingredients and mix well
4. Spread mixture on parchment paper lined cookie sheet
5. Bake for 28-32 minutes depending on how toasted you like your granola
6. Let cool for at least 5 minutes
7. Add in raisins, dried cranberries, or goji berries (optional)
8. Mix if you added dried fruit
9. add to airtight container and enjoy

Spice Up Your Life!

I am always looking for new ways to be environmentally friendly, produce less waste, and save money, In doing so, I am always making new discovieries but my most recent, bulk spices!  Why has it taken me so long to discover this? This is such a simple money saver! The average cost of organic spices is around $3.99 a jar. Just the past two weeks when my spices ran out I have been washing, and saving my jars for grocery day. The first thing I did when I got to Whole Foods was go to customer service where they are always so kind. I had all my spice and mason jars weighed right there and it only took a minute. They just add a little piece of tape to your jar and write how much it weighs on it so when you check out, the cashier knows how much weight to deduct and you’re only paying for the weight of the contents your jar. Here is a list of spices I have purchased bulk lately with their weight and prices.

Can your old spice jars save you money?

• Pink Himalayan salt – 9.6oz – $1.19
• Organic fine ground pepper – 3.8oz – $5.04
• Organic Cumin – 1.45oz – $1.53
• Organic Garlic Powder – 2.72oz – $2.55
• Organic Paprika – 1.92oz – $1.80
• Crushed Red Chili Flakes – 1.28oz – $0.76

Although these weights vary, so do the pre-filled spice jars in the grocery store. I found  most of my pre-filled jars state that they contain about 1.2-1.9 oz of product. It’s hard to visualize weight but they all filled up a typical 3 oz capacity spice jar with the exception of salt and pepper which filled up smaller mason jars that hold about 12oz. I have since used some of these spices so some are fuller than others.

I am so excited I no longer have to toss out my spice jars! No more plastic tops and sea salt containers rotting in the landfill, No more wasted labeling, and I get to save a few bucks and you do too!

2 Ingredient DIY laundry detergent

Ever wonder how many toxic chemicals are hiding in your laundry detergent? Is it laundry day? Well, I got you covered with this non-toxic two ingredient laundry detergent recipe. My dear friend Dayna shared this recipe with me a couple years back and I am so thankful for it. This laundry soap works great! It’s all natural, cost efficient, and packagings for both products are recyclable so. For this recipe you will need one bar of Dr. Bronner’s castile hemp soap of your choice, (I go between lavender and peppermint) and one box of Arm and Hammer Washing Soda. Some additional items you will need —besides your ingredients— is a grater, scoop, and a container that will hold about 6-7 cups. This recipe is only two easy steps that will set you back just five minutes of your day.

I have worked out the cost I paid pre-tax and based this on medium sized loads. The total of this non-toxic all natural laundry detergent comes out to $5.64 for 80 tablespoons. This will last me 40 loads at about .14 cents per load.

I also have a fabric softener recipe as well if you are interested.  The specific reason I keep the detergent and the softener separate rather than tossing all the ingredients into one big container is because if you have a dishwasher the laundry detergent we just made can double as dishwasher detergent by using just 1 tablespoon.

Ingredients

• 4 cups of Arm & Hammer washing soda
• 1 bar of Dr. Bronner’s castile soap

Instructions

1. Scoop 4 cups of washing soda into your container.
2. Finely grate the entire bar of Dr. Bronner’s.
3. Mix the two together and start a load of laundry!

For a medium size load of laundry I use about 2 tablespoons. So if you have a small or larger load just add or subtract a tablespoon.

** This is a conscious consumer side note:

Dr. Bronner’s brand is one of my favorites for so many reasons. Throughout the years they have stayed true to their brand and costumers, making good quality products with integrity. Their soaps are organic, non-gmo, vegan, kosher, not tested on animals, and fair trade! The company as a whole treats the earth with such respect by being involved in soil enrichment, tree planting, and organic farming projects. Also, the facility is in the process of installing solar panels to reduce energy consumption.  They only use recycled materials to make their plastic bottles for liquid soaps and are well on their way to reaching their goal of reducing waste to one dumpster a month. I truly support all of their efforts!

No Bake Coconut Cashew Date Bites

Happy Summer!! We are celebrating with some warm temperatures here in the Bay Area, I certainly did not want to turn my oven on, but had a bit of a sweet tooth this afternoon. These date bites were the perfect solution to satisfy my craving without having to heat up the entire house by baking. My eight year old son is home for the summer and loves to prepare food as much as I do so this was a fun activity for him, as well as a great treat. Dates help regulate digestion, and boost energy, cashews are high in vitamins, minerals and antioxidants and coconut is high in protein, fiber, iron and zinc. These bites are vegan, paleo, have no added sugar yet they are naturally sweet and delicious. Sounds too good to be true right?  This recipe should yield 10-12 bites

No Bake Coconut Cashew Date Bites

No Bake Coconut Cashew Date Bites

No Bake Coconut Cashew Date Bites

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup cashews
• 1 cup pitted dates
• 1/2 cup of shredded coconut plus set aside about 1/3 cup for coating bites
• 2 tsp of chia seeds
• 2 tsp cocoa powder
• 4 tsp of coconut oil
• 2 tablespoons of water

Instructions

1. Pulse your cashews to smaller pieces in a food processor or blender.
2. After the cashews are broken down to your desired size (I left mine coarsely chopped) add your pitted dates, unsweetened shredded coconut, chia seeds, cocoa powder, coconut oil and water and blend together until the mixture is finely chopped and looks a little sticky and rollable.
3. Set aside a little bowl with some extra shredded coconut. Roll the mixture into balls 1 to 1.5 inches in size, then roll the bites around in your coconut bowl to coat.

 

Broccoli Slaw with Creamy Peanut Dressing

 

 On a past blog post I talked about a couple different ways to use your broccoli stalks, broccoli slaw tossed in a peanut dressing is probably my favorite! This recipe is simple, yet fresh and flavorful. You can plate the slaw over some quinoa and make a full meal out of it, or bring it to a summer barbecue as a side. The dressing can easily be made paleo with one simple swap by substituting the peanut butter for almond butter. Keep in mind most recipes can be changed to your liking.

 Ingredients

Slaw

• 1/2 head of cabbage shredded,  4 to 5 cups depending on size
• 4 broccoli stalks, 3 cups of match sticks
• 2 carrots 1 1/2 cups of match sticks
• 1/2 cup of diced green onion

Dressing

• 1/2 cup of peanut or almond butter
• 1/3- 1/2 water
• 1/2 tsp diced or grated garlic
• 1/2 tsp grated ginger
• 2 tbsp rice vinegar
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tbsp maple syrup
• 1 lime wedge for juice

Instructions

1.  Using my food processor attachment I was able to create match sticks with my 4 leftover broccoli stalks and 2 carrots, I flipped my attachment over to shred 1/2 a head of green cabbage. I also had some green onions that were recently regrown so I sliced up about 1/2 cup and placed all ingredients in a large bowl.
2. Using a separate mixing bowl for the dressing, stir in a 1/2 cup of peanut butter, 1/3 cup of water, 1/2 tsp garlic, 1/2 tsp ginger, 2 tbsp of rice vinegar, 2 tbsp of soy sauce, coconut or liquid aminos, 2 tbsp of maple syrup, squeeze a lime wedge and sprinkle in some salt and pepper. Now, it is time to whisk your wet ingredients together. When making seed or nut dressings the sauce can thicken up while whisking if there is not enough liquid, if this happens, slowly add a tad bit more water to help give it that thinner yet creamy consistency you are looking for.
3. When the dressing is ready, pour over your slaw and toss together. Garnish with sesame seeds or cilantro if you have some and enjoy.

 

Golden Milk

Golden milk is such a soothing way to start or finish your day. This creamy beverage is enjoyed warm and made with beneficial spices. Turmeric, being the golden in the milk is a cancer fighter, anti-inflammatory and anti depressant. Cinnamon, has a high source of antioxidants, fights infections, viruses, and helps ward off common allergies. Nutmeg, boosts digestive health and helps with indigestion relief.  It has been used in ancient Chinese medicine for a number of years as a pain reliever and sleep aid. Lastly, raw honey (leave out/sub for maple syrup if you are vegan) is antibacterial, anti fungal, antiseptic, helps with sore throat, and irritation. There are many more benefits where that came from but I thought I would spare you a little and just get to this health bomb of a drink already…

This recipe serves one.

Ingredients *organic preferred

• 1 cup of non dairy milk
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 1 tsp raw honey

Instructions

1.   In a small saucepan, slowly warm up your non-dairy milk, preferably coconut or almond.
2. Stir in the turmeric, cinnamon, nutmeg and honey. If vegan opt for either unsweetened or add  maple syrup.
3. Whisk all ingredients together on low heat until warm enough to your liking, pour and enjoy.