DIY Holiday Cards Keepsake

Turn all of your holiday cards into a keepsake memory book. 

I've seen this around the internet many times before and always thought it was a great idea.  Somehow, I managed to find an excuse not to do this for years, until now.  It took less than 5 minutes and will be a great keepsake to look back on over the years.  Especially as my daughter grows and starts a family of her own.  A snap shot of our friends and families at Christmas will be captured in time for whenever we want to reminisce. Great to display every Christmas to see how we all change!

Here's what you need:

Cards
Hole Punch
String

Here's what you do:

1.  Gather all the holiday cards you received, including your own.

2.  Mark the top left corner and begin punching holes through all the cards, making sure they all line up.

3.  Create your own "cover".  I chose a simple "Merry Christmas 2013" to easily mark the year and keep each year consistent.

4.  Thread your string through the hole and tie in a pretty bow.  Voila!



My family Christmas Card Keepsake

5.  Store in a memory box or with all of your Christmas decorations and take out to display each year. 

“I will honor Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year.” 
~ Charles Dickens    

To connect with others in this crazy journey called life, discover new parenting ideas and fun DIY projects, learn about holistic remedies, and find whole food plant based recipes, please visit our Facebook page Loving Green at Loving Green FB.

Soup Shooters...

Looking for a fun appetizer to bring to a New Year's party?  Having a quiet girls night in?  Or simply want to make dinner more exciting for your little ones?

Try these soup shooters.  They are a simple, elegant, and fun way to serve an individual appetizer, and can be customized to suit any specific tastes or needs.  It also makes it much easier to sip on soup as you mingle, without the mess and fuss of using a spoon.

Tomato Soup with Toasted Bread

During the winter, fill your shooters with hot soups, and try chilled soups for the summer.  Take them a step further with a customized topping such as grilled bread, a roasted veggie, or iced fruit (for those warm summer months!).  Make it a sampling and ask everyone to bring their favorite soup, pureed.

 Here are some ideas and combinations to get you started:

 

potato "cheese" with roasted broccoli

creamy tomato with crusted baguette

winter squash with roasted pumpkin

cream of asparagus with roasted asparagus piece

chocolate dessert soup with a roasted walnut

Creamy potato with Roasted Broccoli and Tomato with Toasted Bread

Be creative and have fun with it.   Any of your favorite soup recipes will work.  Just remember, all of your soups need to be pureed in order for easy sipping. 

Enjoy!

To find more whole food, plant based recipes your whole family will enjoy, as well as to connect with other loving parents, visit our Facebook page, Loving Green at Loving Green FB.

 

Fluffy Cinnamon Rolls

Growing up, my mom made the best cinnamon rolls ever.  She passed the recipe on to me, and I make them for breakfast every Christmas morning. 

Yet, as with nearly every old favorite recipe, it needed revamping to fit my vegan lifestyle.  Last year, I created a recipe that  yielded the best cinnamon rolls we've ever had. Yet it wasn't free of sugar.  This year, as my daughter is now old enough to join in on the tradition, I needed to revamp the recipe even further to avoid any sugar, and still manage to satisfy my husband's picky taste buds.

I believe any recipe can be revamped and recreated into a healthy, whole food, plant based version of itself that is even better than the original.  This recipe absolutely did that.  And I was relieved and happy that our Christmas morning cinnamon roll breakfast can continue.   The biggest teller of all... my husband LOVED these... and that says a lot!

This recipe might sound complicated and scare you a bit with my forewarning.  But please don't let it.  This recipe really is easy.  I just want to stress how important it is to follow the directions exactly.  I've made these rolls dozens of times, trying different techniques (mostly out of pure laziness), and different ingredients, and they can become an epic fail.  If the water is too hot for the yeast, or it's not kneaded enough...they will be hard, dense, and not enjoyable.  So please, take your time with this, and don't skip any steps.  I promise you, the end result will be SO worth it.  And remember to make this the night before you plan to eat them!

Also, the frosting is obviously NOT healthy in the least.  If you really want to skip the sugar, you can puree dates mixed with vanilla and plant milk, and spread this on top.  I simply skipped the icing on my daughter's rolls.  Enjoy!

What you need:

Dough
2 packages or 4 tsps. Active Dry Yeast
*1/2 cup Warm Water (I usually heat in microwave about 25 seconds)
2 cups Plant Milk, Warmed (I've used rice, soy, and almond - all work great!)
1/2 cup Medjool Dates, Pureed (If you want to use sugar or liquid sweetener - 1/3 cup)
1/3 cup Olive Oil
3 tsp Baking Powder
2 tsp Sea Salt
1 Tbsp Ground Flax mixed with 3 Tbsp Warm Water
6 - 7 cups White Whole Wheat Flour (Rice, Quinoa, and Oat Flour work ok here)
* Too hot and the yeast won't rise when mixed in with the dough.  You'll have a dense and hard roll.

Spread
*2 cups Medjool Dates, Pureed
4 Tbsp Cinnamon
* Can use coconut oil and top with 1/2 cup raw sugar (I did this last year)

Icing
2 cups Powdered Sugar (Make your own with raw or coconut sugar - blend until powder forms)
2 Tbsp Plant Milk (any works)
1 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract

What you do:
1.  Dissolve yeast in warm water.  Pour into stand mixer with bread hook attachment. (Imperative to use a bread hook!)

Yeast dissolved in Warm Water

2.  Add milk, 1/2 cup pureed dates, oil, baking powder, salt, flax mixture, and 2 - 3 cups of flour.  Beat until smooth, scraping down sides as necessary.  Mix in enough remaining flour to make dough easy to handle. 

3.  Turn dough onto a well-floured board.  Knead until smooth and elastic.  At least 6 minutes.

Kneaded Dough

4.  Place in greased bowl.  Turn greased side face up.  Cover with a cloth, and let rise in warm place until doubled.  Roughly 1.5 hours.  (Dough is ready if an indentation remains when touched.)

5.  Grease two 13x9 pans.  Divide dough in two halves.  Take one half and knead for a few minutes on a well floured board, making sure not to overwork.  Roll the dough out into a rectangle, roughly 12x10 inches.  Spread with half the pureed dates and sprinkle with half the cinnamon.  (If using coconut oil, just spread with a very light layer and top with raw sugar and cinnamon).

With Pureed Medjool Dates and Cinnamon

With Coconut Oil, topped with raw sugar and cinnamon

6.  Roll up, beginning at wide side.  Pinch edge of dough into roll to seal each end.  Stretch the roll if need be to make even.

Roll Dough

Roll

7. Cut roll into slices roughly 1 - 2 inches thick.  Place slightly apart in one pan.  Wrap tightly with aluminum foil.  Repeat with remaining dough.  Refrigerate overnight (minimum 12 hours but no longer than 48 hours). 

Ready to be refrigerated overnight

8.  Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Remove foil and bake about 30 - 35 minutes, until golden.  Spoon icing over while warm.

After sitting overnight - Ready for Oven

Enjoy!

Enjoy!

To find more whole food, plant based recipes your whole family will enjoy, as well as to connect with other loving parents, visit our Facebook page, Loving Green at Loving Green FB.  

Chickpea Chia Crackers

In my never ending quest for creating variety in my daughter's food, along with her long awaited teeth, I decided to tackle the cracker.  I searched the internet endlessly looking for a suitable recipe that was healthy (or could be easily revamped to my whole foods plant based preference) and simple.  I found one from Oh My Veggies that was a great starting point, and went from there, revamping the recipe every step of the way.

What I created was a protein rich, gluten free, healthy cracker that I was happy to serve my daughter.  and the best part, she absolutely LOVES them.  Especially when spread with my homemade sundried tomato and basil cashew cheese (it is to die for...seriously).  This combination puts a whole new twist on the traditional cheese and crackers; it's actually good for you, and does not harm the animals nor environment. 

So let's get started.  Here are a few important tips when making your crackers.

~ Don't over work the dough.  Just get everything incorporated
~ Roll dough out fairly thin in order to have a crispy cracker
~ Roll dough thicker to have more of a chewy cracker
~ Make sure dough thickness is uniform, otherwise you will have an unevenly cooked cracker
~ You can play around with different flours (quinoa and brown rice are great!)

What you need:

* 1 3/4 cups Chickpea Flour (besan)
1/4 cup Black Chia Seed
1/2 tsp Sea Salt
3 Tbsp Olive Oil
1/2 cup Water

* Nearly any combination works here. Easily make your own by grinding whole, uncooked chickpea (rice, wheat bulgur, or quinoa) until a powder forms.  It's much cheaper and easy to do!  I've tried:
~ 1 cup chickpea flour + 3/4 cup whole wheat (easiest dough to handle)
~ 1 cup chickpea flour + 3/4 cup rice flour (needed a little more water)
~ 1 cup quinoa flour + 3/4 cup chickpea

What you do:

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2.  In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, chia seed, and salt.  Add olive oil and water and stir until just combined.

3. Line a large baking sheet with a silicon mat or parchment paper.  Scoop cracker dough onto baking sheet and roll out dough to the thickness of a saltine, remembering to keep it uniform.  Use a knife or pizza cutter to mark dough into rectangles, careful not to cut through dough completely (this helps you easily break the crackers into even pieces once they're done baking -- the first time I made these I skipped this step and had a big jumble of cracker mess!)

4.  Prick each individual cracker with a fork a few times and sprinkle with salt if you desire.

5.  Bake for 18 - 23 minutes (depending on the thickness) or until crisp and just beginning to brown.  Baking time depends on thickness of cracker so make sure to keep an eye on these, especially the first time so you have an idea of time frame.  My dough thickness created 21 crackers.

6.  Store in an airtight container.  If crackers get stale, bake at 225 degrees for 10 minutes or until crisp.

Enjoy!

Nutrition Info Per Cracker:

Calories: 52

Fat: 2.8 g

Saturated Fat: 0.3 g

Cholesterol: 0 mg

Sodium: 49 mg

Carbohydrates: 4.7 g

Fiber: 1.2 g

Sugars: 0.8 g

Protein: 2 g
  

To find more whole food, plant based recipes for your little one and connect with other loving parents, visit our Facebook page Loving Green at Loving Green FB.

 

Sundried Tomato Basil Cashew Cheese Spread

Before giving up dairy over a year ago, I was a cheese lover.  I mean, really, I couldn't get enough. After having my daughter and learning more about the harmful impact dairy has on our bodies (not to mention what the poor animals endure), I knew I would be busy recreating cheese dishes that were healthy for both my daughter and myself. 

I'm not into vegan cheeses you can buy at the store because many contain casein (which is protein derived from cows milk that researchers have discovered promotes cancer growth), and they really aren't that much healthier for you.  Creating your own is actually easier than you think, and the result is to die for (figuratively, not literally!).  If you are or were a cheese lover like myself, than cashews will quickly become your new best friend.  They provide the rich, creamy base for many homemade vegan cheeses.  I use them to create alfredo sauces, cheese filling in lasagna, and creamy spreads for crackers and bread.  They are also my first choice in creating homemade nut milk for my daughter because it's one of the only nuts that doesn't have to be strained through a cheese cloth. (More on that later!).

Now before you look at the recipe and think, "I don't like sun dried tomatoes in my cheese, and basil??"  I thought the same thing.  But keep an open mind.  I promise, you will love this.  And make sure not to skip on one, because it just doesn't come together quite as well. 

What you need:

2 cups Raw Cashews, soaked for a few hours first
2 cloves Garlic
Juice of One Lemon
1 Tbsp of Apple Cider Vinegar
1/2 tsp Sea Salt
1/2 cup Fresh Basil
1/4 cup Sun Dried Tomatoes

What you do:

1.  Blend cashews, lemon, apple cider, garlic, and sea salt in a high speed blender or food processor until smooth.

2.  Add sun dried tomatoes and basil and pulse until chopped and incorporated (I like to have it slightly chunky).

3.  Store in an air tight container and keep refrigerated.  Can eat immediately, but will be slightly warm, very creamy, and easily spreadable.  If you let it set in fridge for a few hours, it thickens a bit and the flavors combine better, but it's harder to spread. But both are delicious!

Enjoy!

 

 

 

Nutrition Info Per 2 Tablespoons:

Calories: 130

Fat: 9.8 g

Saturated Fat: 1.7 g

Cholesterol: 0 mg

Sodium: 53 mg

Carbohydrates: 8 g

Fiber: 1 g

Sugars: 1.7 g

Protein: 4.2 g

 

To find more whole food, plant based recipes for your little one and connect with other loving parents, visit our Facebook page Loving Green at Loving Green FB.

 

Mineral Herbal Foot Bath for Detoxing Tired Feet

I was so excited to finally uncover all of my body and skin care recipes from my days studying to become a Holistic Health Practitioner.  Ten years ago I followed my passions for holistic healing and natural wellness and somewhere along the way (although always an important staple in my life) I chose a different career path believing it was the thing I "should" do.  Since having my daughter, I have realized more than ever how important it is to stick to what you're passionate about.  Luckily and unfortunately for me, that tends to be many different things!

What has always been at the forefront in the way I live my life, is healing and treating the body through natural remedies. 

What does this mean?

It means taking care of your body before it fails you.  It means figuring out the problem and treating it, instead of covering up the symptoms while the problem remains.

One key component I like to use in healing and/or aiding the mind and body is the use of pure essential oils.  I use Lavender and Chamomile with my daughter to soothe her to a relaxed state at bedtime for nights that she's overtired or teething.  Tea Tree Oil is also a regular in our home to heal any rashes or blemishes that strike.

Please note, while considered natural, some herbs and essential oils are not recommended while pregnant or nursing.  To see a list of which ones, click here.  All essential oils must be diluted with a carrier oil such as jojoba, avocado or apricot kernel oil (these are beneficial oils for sensitive skins) before using on a child.  All essential oils should be 100% pure.  Always make sure to do your own research, and consult with a trusted doctor or naturopath first. 

So during this busy time of year, we tend to be on our feet more, eating food that we normally wouldn't be eating, and are desperately in need of a quick cleanse of the toxins that have been building up.  This mineral herbal footbath recipe is very therapeutic with detoxifying mineral salts and purifying essential oils.  It's easy to do on your own, bottle it up and give as a gift, or to create an at home girls spa day.

What you need:

1/2 cup (4 ounces) Coarse Sea Salts
1/2 cup (4 ounces) Dead Sea Mineral Salts
*5 Drops Juniper Berry Essential Oil
5 Drops Grapefruit Essential Oil
5 Drops Bitter Orange Essential Oil

* Should not be used while pregnant or if you have kidney problems.

What you do:

Mix all ingredients together and store in an air tight container.  Glass jars work best.  Keep in a cool, dry place, away from direct sunlight.  This recipe is good for two uses.  Feel free to make more at once!

To use:

Fill a basin with hot water.  Add half the mixture to the hot water.  Allow feet to soak for 15 - 20 minutes.  Remove feet and rinse.  Air dry (if you have the time!) and follow with a natural skin balm or salve.  I like to use Simply Balm for Skin.

Enjoy!

 

To connect with others in this crazy journey called life, discover new parenting ideas, learn about holistic remedies, and find whole food plant based recipes, please visit our Facebook page Loving Green at Loving Green FB.

 

Feel Good Cheese Sauce

One day I was craving a baked potato with cheese.  Rarely do I ever crave cheese since giving it up over a year ago (I know, a crazy thought if you're a cheese lover!), but today I just had to have it.  So what was I to do?

I've been experimenting awhile now with different whole foods, and figured I could whip up something that would satisfy my craving for the creamy hot "feel good" cheese.  And after a few attempts, I managed to get it exactly right. 

I use this cheese sauce for creating multiple recipes.  It's ideal to mix with pasta to create the beloved mac n cheese dish, which I happily serve up to my daughter, or poured over steamed veggies. No need to worry about loads of saturated fat, cholesterol, and hormones leaking in this cheese.  It's healthy and satisfying without the addiction.

So here we go....

What you need:

1/2 cup rice milk (or any plain plant milk)
1/2 cup raw cashews
8 ounces non GMO firm tofu (1/2 of one block)
3 cloves garlic
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1 Tbsp nutritional yeast flakes (optional - I've made without and it tastes great!)
Salt and Pepper to taste

What you do:

1.  Combine all ingredients in a high speed blender or food processor.  Puree until smooth.  You may need to add additional milk to thin it out.  (Makes about 3 cups).

2.  Transfer the cheese mixture to a small pot and cook over low heat to warm.  (Just a couple minutes).  It may begin to thicken slightly so just add more milk to reach your desired consistency. 

3.  Enjoy!


Baked Potato with "Cheese" Sauce and Steamed Green Beans

Nutrition Info:

1/2 Cup Feel Good Cheese Sauce	vs.	1/2 Cup Velveeta Cheese Sauce
148	Calories	360
9.7 g	Fat	30 g
1.5 g	Saturated Fat	8 g
13.3 mg	Sodium	2280mg
0 mg	Cholesterol	50 mg
8.5 g	Carbohydrates	10 g
1.8 g	Fiber	0 g
1.3 g	Sugars	10 g
8.4 g	Protein	14 g

I've had readers ask if there is an alternative to tofu...

Yes.  I have experimented a few different ways and there are other options that do work and taste great, although, in my opinion, not completely spot on for cheese sauce. 

Here are some ideas for substituting 8 ounces of tofu:

1/2 head of cooked cauliflower
3/4 cup raw cashews
3/4 cup raw walnuts (soaked overnight first)
1 cup cooked white beans
1/2 cup cooked chickpeas + 1/4 cup cashews

To find more whole food, plant based recipes for your little one and connect with other loving parents, visit our Facebook page Loving Green at Loving Green FB.
 

 

No News. No Thank You.

A lot has changed for me over the past three years.  Being married to the military, we are constantly uprooting our lives, the friends we've made, the careers we've begun, and the places that have become home.  In doing so, it's hard to lay down roots.  It's difficult to forever be changing your job, in an already terrible economy.  It's hard to move ahead in your career.  I have found my "identity' which had previously always been my work, to be taken from me.  I no longer lead my own life, but instead have become a follower to someone else's.

Don't get me wrong, I would not change my life for anything in the world.  And I certainly am not looking for pity.  This is the life I knowingly chose and agreed to.  Having said that, it still can be hard. 

I was always one of those people that felt if I didn't have work, than what did I have?  I would go from sun up to beyond sun down, busting my butt to create the life I wanted, to get to that next step, and be where I wanted to be.  Work was my identity and value in this world.  So what do you do when you lose that too?

Two years ago, Jamie and I decided we were ready to start a family.  I had always thought prior to having my daughter, that I would be a mother who balanced both work and motherhood.  But as I became pregnant, I realize I wanted to be home.  I wanted to be with my daughter and be the one who raised her.  I wanted to see all of her accomplishments and milestones with my own eyes and ears instead of through someone else's. 

By becoming a mother, I've found how all consuming this new job is.  Yet I hate to even call it a job, because I feel it's a privilege.  I'm extremely lucky to be able to stay at home and raise my daughter.  Yet it's still all consuming with little to no validation (other than the smiles and accomplishments from your little one!).  To be a good mother, and really allow your child's individual personality to blossom, grow, and develop with the utmost confidence, it takes a LOT of work, energy, and time.  My thoughts are constantly with Nya, and how to prevent my fears, hang-ups, and viewpoints from becoming hers.

Yet there is still that small part inside myself, that asks and wonders if I'm doing enough?  Is being a stay at home mom enough?  Is that all that I am?  What does that mean?  What about my career?  The validation I received from it?  Am I no longer interesting to others because I spend my days with a 14 month old?

When someone hits on those vulnerabilities, it stings.  Because they are voicing what you already feel inside about yourself.  And when that happens, it forces you to take a deep breath, step back and reevaluate your life.

Yesterday I was asked if I could read the news more, because I no longer have anything interesting to talk about.  Even if it's just the headlines.  So I know something.

Um...What?!?! 

It was a complete slap in the face.  Hurt and anger rushed inside me and I wanted to tell the idiot to go F off.  After spewing my own truth, I kindly said, "No thank you" and walked away.

The entire evening I mulled those words over in my head, wondering if they held any truth.  Have I become this boring person?  Am I no longer interesting because I'm a few days behind with what's going on in the world?   Do I really not know anything?

I follow what's important to me.  My energy is placed on what matters to my heart. 

So maybe I don't always keep up with the latest news story.  To be perfectly honest, I don't really care.  My focus is Nya.  But I have a lot of passions and interests. I just choose to share them with those that actually want to listen.

My priority is to be present in the moment with my family and just enjoy this gift of life. It's so short and years pass in the blink of an eye.  I don't want to miss any of it.  I don't have time to always be up to date with the latest news story, and I simply don't want to. Really, is that what life is about?  Ignoring the people right in front of you so you can check the current newsfeed on your IPhone in order to talk about it later with those same people that are sitting right in front of you?  No thank you.

After getting over the initial shock and hurt by those statements (I do respect speaking your truth, even if I don't like it!), I got angry, and then simply just got over it.  The words really made me take a moment and look at my life and where I'm at.  And where I'm at, is good enough. 

Are there moments and times that I wish for more?  That I long to have a career again and simply live in one place?  To spend my time with family, the same friends, and be able to build on those relationships instead of starting all over? 

Absolutely.  And one day I will be.  But for now, this is where my life is and I welcome it with open arms.  I think I'm pretty interesting and fun, even if it is in a different way than I was 10 years ago.  Sure, it was easier than.  I was younger.   I was at the peak of my career. I had stability and freedom in my life.  I was surrounded by a great support network of family and friends that weren't leaving.  Life was easy.

But I've learned life changes.  I have the most important job I will ever have: that of being a mother.  All we ever have is this moment, and I proudly say that I take this moment with my daughter over reading the latest news story any day.

 "I am a damn good mother, and I am more proud of that than anything else." ~ Anonymous

"When you are a mother, you are never really alone in your thoughts.  A mother always has to think twice, once for herself and once for her child."  ~ Sophia Loren

To connect with others, find healthy whole food recipes, and share in this journey called life,

please visit our Facebook page, Loving Green, at Loving Green FB.

 

When you are a mother, you are never really alone in your thoughts. A mother always has to think twice, once for herself and once for her child.

Sophia Loren

Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/s/sophialore106851.html#VGVu4kOCeq83cRub.99

When you are a mother, you are never really alone in your thoughts. A mother always has to think twice, once for herself and once for her child.

Sophia Loren

Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/s/sophialore106851.html#VGVu4kOCeq83cRub.99

Quinoa Cake Stackers

I really like cooking with quinoa, but was getting a little bored of the same textured recipes.  One of my friends shared a recipe for Quinoa Patties from Craving Something Healthy.  The original recipe called for cheese, eggs, and bread crumbs (which contain an entire list of processed ingredients in itself). I was feeling inspired and thought I would give it a go.  The nutrition info is nearly identical in regards to calories, protein, and carbs.  Yet my Quinoa Cake Stackers have 0 cholesterol , 1/4 of the saturated fat, almost 2 grams more fiber, and only 1/4 of sodium.

They came out much better than I even expected.  The taste and texture was delicious and they held together really well.  (I have found most veggie pattie recipes tend to fall apart easily).  This recipe can easily be modified to suit whatever veggies you happen to have in the house, and it is super versatile as I will show below.  My little one liked these plain (no sauce or anything extra added...just cut into bite sized pieces).

So let's dive in to this simple, healthy, and tasty dish!

What you need:

1 cup Quinoa
3 1/2 cups Water

5 cloves of Chopped or Pressed Garlic
1/4 cup Ground Flax mixed with 3/4 cup Water
1/2 cup Almond Meal
1/2 Cup Oat Flour
*2 Medium Zucchini (Shredded)
1/2 tsp Salt
1 Tbsp Nutritional Yeast

*Vegetable Substitutions:

~1 cup Chopped Broccoli

~1/2 cup Shredded Carrots (will create a slightly sweet taste, so enjoy it or add more spice to balance)

~1 cup Chopped Spinach (may need to up dry ingredient by 2 Tbsps)

~1 cup Chopped Kale (may need to up dry ingredient by 2 Tbsps)

Almond Meal:  Same thing as Almond Flour. You can make your own by grinding raw almonds in a high speed blender or food processor until it turns to a flour (slightly chunky is ok here but it does need to be ground pretty well). You don't want it blending for too long or it will turn to almond butter.  You can use any nut meal here (walnuts would be wonderful!), or skip it altogether and double your oat flour.

Oat Flour: Easily make your own using a high speed blender or food processor.  You can skip this altogether and just use almond meal (needs to be doubled), or substitute another homemade flour.  Rice, chickpea, even quinoa work!

The whole point of these substitutions is to show you the versatility of the food. 

If there's an ingredient that scares you, you're allergic to, or you don't want to be consuming, find something that works for you and your family!

What you do:

 1.  In a saucepan, bring quinoa and water to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer until water is absorb.  Quinoa is cooked when you see a little "tail".

2.  Combine cooked quinoa, garlic, zucchini, nutritional yeast, and salt, to flax/water mixture and stir until well combined.

shredded zucchini (any vegetable you use should be this size)

ground flax and water

3.  Stir in almond meal and oat flour.  Season with additional salt and pepper if needed.

Combined with almond meal and oat flour

4.  Heat a slightly oiled skillet to 350

5.  Form mixture into desired size patties (makes 10 thick patties) and cook for 5 - 7 minutes, or until bottoms are deeply browned.  Flip patties with a spatula and cook an additional 5 - 7 minutes, or until golden.

Patties on skillet

6.  Remove from a skillet and cool on a wire rack.

Cooked patties

7.  Can be served as they are.  Or, as I made them the first night, layered between baked eggplant slices, topped with creamy marinara sauce (I had leftover homemade sauce in the freezer.)  Left over quinoa stackers freeze well. Enjoy!

Other Options:

~ Layered between eggplant

~turned into a veggie burger (add bun, veggies, and condiments)

~crumbled and enjoyed on top of a salad (cold and warm are both great!)

~crumbled into a pasta sauce

~rolled into balls instead of patties (in step 5) and cooked to form "balls" which can be enjoyed as a "no meat ball sandwich, or on top of spaghetti

Zucchini Noodles and quinoa balls, topped with marinara sauce  

*The balls also make a great appetizer dish...

Stick a toothpick in the top and serve with different dipping sauces.

 Nutrition info Per Quinoa Cake:

Calories: 176

Fat: 7.8 g

Saturated Fat: 0.6 g

Cholesterol: 0 mg

Sodium: 98 mg

Carbohydrates: 20 g

Fiber: 4.7 g

Sugars: 1.4 g

Protein: 7.5 g

To find more whole food, plant based recipes for your little one and connect with other loving parents, visit our Facebook page Loving Green at Loving Green FB.

Much Shiitake About Nothing...

It really is the small things that matter in life.  These little moments in time with the ones we love that flood our hearts with happiness and uncontrollable joy.  These are the moments that give our life meaning. 

I make a point to always try and be in the moment; especially with my daughter.  I feel like I've spent a good deal of my life (and I still fall into this from time to time) pushing myself and focusing on that next moment of what needs to be done.  It's in these times that I miss out on the greatness that surrounds me. 

I think it's human nature to get caught up in life, and we all find ourselves there at some time or another. It's not always easy to be in the moment when life is pulling you in a million different directions.  But when you can let all else go, and just focus on what's in front of you, that is when the best memories are always made.

Tonight was one of those nights that I was able to be completely present and fully enjoy a moment in time with my daughter.  And it was all over the simplest thing that I wouldn't have given a second thought to if it weren't for Nya.

It began in the early afternoon after she awoke from her nap and I sat her at our island counter for a snack. I was preparing dinner and chatting with her while she ate. 

I'm going to deviate slightly here to fill you in slightly on how our family operates... Cussing is not that big of a deal in our house.  Since having Nya, my husband and I (mainly me) have cut way back in using "bad words", yet neither one of us is overly concerned about Nya hearing this language, because it's not said out of anger, so much as it is out of happiness (odd, I realize, but I feel they provide much more powerful adjectives than "great", "very", and "so").  We would much rather her here passion, love, and kind words that contain profanity, than words that are filled with anger, hate, and bitterness.  I realize the majority of parents do not feel this way and I fully respect and appreciate that.

Anyway....

I was preparing dinner when a piece of cauliflower flew up and out of the glass pan and slid across the island.  It caught me off guard and my first reaction was a quick inhale followed by, "Shiitake!" 

Yes, I actually said that word.  I have never used it in my life (unless referring to mushrooms) and really have no idea where it came from.  Subconsciously I must have been trying to avoid saying, "Shit!" as I normally would have, but it surprised me more than anything.  Nya, on the other hand, thought this was the funniest thing she has ever seen and heard, and began laughing hysterically.  I have never seen her laugh so hard and long as she did after this.  Her giggles got me going and we carried on this way for quite awhile. 

We went for a walk and played outside, forgetting all about what happened earlier and instead enjoying the new moments we were creating.  Then, after dinner, Nya was helping me clean up, and I said it again.  She immediately erupted into giggles and squeals.  For the next hour, we giggled ourselves uncontrollably in between a few more "Shiitakes".  Nya even eventually began speaking a few of her own, though they came out as "Shotkey", which prompted us to laugh even harder.

I don't know if it's a full moon, something in the air, or just a part of life and growing up.  And many may not understand how or why this is special to me.  But that's ok.  Because tonight I enjoyed a moment with my daughter that filled both of our hearts with happiness. We shared a laughter that makes every fiber of your body feel alive and free.  We created a memory that will stay with me a lifetime and is forever embedded in my heart.  I will always be able to picture that smiling face and hear the sounds of her laughter as she heard the word "Shiitake" for the first time. And I think why this was such a memorable moment, is because it was so incredibly random, and one I probably would have missed if I was focused more on preparing dinner instead of just being in the moment with my daughter. One day, I'll be able to look back fondly on this night when Nya is grown, and share this story with her. 

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Chewy Baked Oatmeal Cranberry Squares

I am always trying to invent, or recreate recipes into plant based, whole foods that are tasty and healthy for my daughter.  I found inspiration from Peas and Thank You  author Sarah Matheny, and recreated one of her wonderful recipes into a family favorite: Chewy Baked Oatmeal Cranberry Squares. 

Why cranberries?  We had a lot of fresh cranberries left over from Thanksgiving that I needed to start getting creative with.  None of us are huge fans of fresh cranberries on their own, but chopped up and mixed into recipes, they are great!  Also in disease-fighting antioxidants, cranberries outrank nearly every fruit and vegetable--including strawberries, spinach, broccoli, red grapes, apples, raspberries, and cherries.  How can you compete with that? 

Make sure to use fresh or frozen cranberries that have nothing added, and forgo the canned and dried versions that are packed with sulfur and sugar.

What you need:

3 Tbsp Ground Flax

1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp Water

2 cups Old Fashioned Oats

1/2 cup Whole Wheat Pastry Flour (Rice and Quinoa Flours work well here too!)

1 tsp Baking Powder

1/2 tsp Sea Salt

3/4 cup Pitted Dates pureed with 1/2 cup water

1/2 cup Natural Nut Butter of Choice (I like Almond)

1/3 cup Fresh Cranberries

What you do:

1.  Preheat oven to 375.  Combine ground flax and water.  Set aside.

2.  Combine oats, flour, baking powder, salt in a mixing bowl. 

Dry Ingredients

3.  Blend dates in a high speed blender or food processor until smooth.  Add this along with nut butter and the flax water to dry mixture and stir well.  The mixture will seem dry but continue to stir until fully integrated.

4.  In food processor, pulse cranberries until finely chopped but chunks remain.  Fold into the batter.

Chopped Cranberries

5.  Press the mixture into an 8 x 8 lightly oiled or silicon pan.  Bake for roughly 15 minutes, making sure not to over bake.  Allow to cool slightly before cutting.  Makes 16 bars.

Hot out of the Oven

6.  Store in freezer if not immediately eating.  These store well in freezer. Enjoy!

Nutrition Info Per Square:

Calories: 142

Fat: 6 g

Saturated Fat: 0.5 g

Cholesterol: 0 mg

Sodium: 61 mg

Carbohydrates: 21 g

Fiber: 3.5 g

Sugars: 8 g

Protein: 3 g

UPDATE: Just made these in a muffin pan for easy single servings. Made 12. Adjusted bake time to 12 minutes. 

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Blissful Blueberry Muffins

I'm going to be frank.  My daughter and I loved these muffins.  My husband, not so much. 

 

If you're not used to eating whole foods and sugar is a regular part of your diet, the recipes I provide will take getting used to.  While my husband eats fairly healthy and the majority of food I make, he still struggles with muffins and cupcakes because he misses that "fat" and "sugary" taste he is used to from these things.  Nya and I, on the other hand, are used to eating whole foods and using dates as a sweetener (Although in the beginning for me, it took some getting used to!). This type of whole food, plant based eating is all she knows.  So when she eats the muffins, cupcakes, and cookies I make for her, she thinks she is getting quite the treat.  For this reason, I constantly emphasize how important starting your children on a whole food path from the beginning, free of processed foods, is so important for their long term well being. 

With that being said, let's get into the recipe...  It is not as simple as I normally like to make my recipes because my goal in creating this was to come up with a texture that is similar to the typical store bought muffin.  When baking with dates and no fat, food tends to be more dense.  I actually prefer this, and again, it's all Nya knows.  But for those wanting to change their way of eating, it's a big deal.  The apple cider vinegar and tofu help to make this happen.   

What you need:

16 ounces of Organic Non-GMO Firm Tofu
1/2 cup plant milk (plain or vanilla)
1 Date
1 Tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar

6 Tbsp water
2 Tbsp Ground Flax

15 Pitted Dates
*8 Tbsp Coconut Oil (Pure and Unrefined)

2 1/2 cups White Whole Wheat Flour (Spelt works well too)
1 Tbsp Baking Power
1/2 tsp Baking Soda
1/2 tsp Sea Salt

1 1/2 cups Fresh or Frozen Blueberries (If using frozen, add 2 Tbsp flour to coat them.  This prevents "running")

* You can substitute vegan butter such as Earth Balance.  Nutrition info will remain the same, except saturated fat content will be cut in half.

What you do:

1.  In a separate bowl, combine all dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt).  Set aside.

2.  In separate bowl, mix together ground flax and water.  Set aside and let sit.

3.  Combine 15 Dates and Coconut Oil in food processor and process until smooth.  (If you are used to using sugar, and prefer sweet treats, you can add 1/4 cup of pure maple syrup to this mixture).   Then pour into the flax/water mixture and stir.

Dates and Coconut Oil

*4.  In a high speed blender or food processor (do not worry about washing out the processor in between!), combine tofu, milk, date, and apple cider vinegar.  Blend until smooth.  It will have the consistency of a yogurt.

5. Next, add 1/2 of your dry ingredients (step 1) to the coconut oil mixture (step 3) and stir until just incorporated.

6.  Add 1/2 of the tofu mixture (step 4) to this and stir until just incorporated.

Adding tofu mixture to batter

7.  Add remaining dry ingredients (step 1) and stir.  Followed by remaining tofu mixture (step 4) and stir. (Your batter consistency will be extremely thick and seem a little scary.  Don't worry!)

Consistency of batter

 

8.  Finally, fold in 1 1/2 cups of blueberries.


Frozen blueberries with flour coating

9.  Spoon in to lightly oiled or silicon muffin pan and bake at 375 for about 20 minutes (or until lightly golden).  Makes 18 muffins.

* If you prefer not to use tofu, you may substitute 1 1/2 cups of yogurt with 1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar here.  Just make sure you read your labels, use organic, and that it does not contain any additives that many do.

Nutrition Info per Muffin:

Calories: 200

Fat: 7.8 g

Saturated Fat: 5.3 g (Due to coconut oil)

Sodium: 74 mg

Carbohydrates: 28 g

Fiber: 4 g

Sugars: 15 g

Protein: 5 g

 

To find more whole food, plant based recipes for your little one and connect with other loving parents, visit our Facebook page Loving Green at Loving Green FB.