Quick Summer Pickles

These pickles are basically instant - just boil the vinegar mixture, douse the cucumbers, and cool it off in the fridge. Super easy and super delicious.

Add the vinegar, honey, water, sea salt and mustard to a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil.
While waiting for the pot to boil, slice the cucumbers and pack tightly into two quart jars (if using dill or garlic, put in jar prior to packing in the cucumbers).
When the honey has dissolved in the boiling mixture, pour over the cucumbers until the jars are full.
Refrigerate until cool.

Chocolate, Maple & Vanilla Fluffy Fruit Dips

I’m always trying to think of ways to make food more healthy, but still get our girls to want to eat it. I came up with this idea a few days ago when I found some nice strawberries at the store on sale. No refined sugars are used to make these and you would never know it. These dips would be great to serve at a party. You could also cut the recipe in half or just make one flavor as each individual recipe makes about 2 3/4 cups of dip.

For the whipped cream:
Whip all ingredients together until stiff peaks form.
For the dips:
In a mixing bowl, mix together all of the ingredients (except for the whipped cream) on low speed until well blended, about 1 minute. Then mix high speed until smooth and creamy, about 3 minutes.
Fold in whipped cream by hand using a spatula.
Store in an airtight container in the fridge.
Serve with cut up apples, bananas, strawberries, blueberries, oranges, kiwi, etc.

Soaked Chickpea Falafel

A Meatless Monday recipe idea! I make them, and a lot of them, because they are a quick and handy dinner idea. They freeze well, and my husband will pack them in his cooler to take to work. Serve them with freshly made pita bread.

Soak chickpeas over night in water and lemon juice.
Drain and place in a food processor.
Add all herbs, spices, and salt.
Blend until it forms a paste.
Transfer to a large bowl, add baking soda.
Knead to throughly to combine.
Cover and rest for one hour.

Heat a cast iron pan and melt coconut oil to 325 degrees.
Shape into 1 oz balls, flaten slightly.
Slowly lower falafel into oil and fry unil golden in color.
Remove and drain.
Serve with fresh pita bread.

Simple Homemade Peanut Butter

Real peanut butter, as smooth or crunchy as you like, is easy and economical to make in 5 minutes or less using your food processor. There is no need to add additional oil. Unsalted or salted, with or without added flavorings, you will never want to go back to “store bought” again!

Pour your peanut halves into the bowl of a food processor.
Process, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl occasionally, until your butter is quite smooth.
If you prefer “chunky” peanut butter, just put in a handful of peanuts when the peanut butter is smooth and let the processor run just long enough to chop them up a bit.
You may, of course, add some good sea salt to taste, if you wish.
You can add sweetener or other flavorings, if you like.
If you will be storing your peanut butter for any length of time, it may be refrigerated or frozen. I leave a small amount out at room temperature and refrigerate the rest, as it is too stiff right out of cold storage.

Healthy Soaked Whole Wheat Cherry Clafoutis

This subtly sweet cherry clafoutis is a perfect breakfast dish with hints of maple syrup and buttermilk laced throughout the batter and beautiful sweet black cherries adding a burst of sweetness and beautiful coloring along the top of the clafoutis. This dish will please even the littlest members of your family.

Mix the flour and buttermilk in a small bowl. Cover the bowl and set in a warm place over night.
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
Mix the eggs, maple syrup, milk, applesauce, vanilla and sea salt in a small bowl.
Slowly incorporate the egg mixture into the flour mixture. Do not over mix.
Pour the batter into a greased pie pan or medium cast iron skillet.
Arrange and place the cherries in the batter. Press down gently to make sure the cherries are fully incorporated into the clafoutis.
Bake the clafoutis for 20-22 minutes or until the edges are golden brown and separating from the edge of the pan and a toothpick comes out clean from the center of the clafoutis.

Peach Pie Fruit Leather

Peaches are now in season and bountiful. Similar to the plum recipe, this one is made using some cinnamon which gives this a unique flavor profile.

Pit peaches (peels and all) and place in med. sauce pot. Add water and cook until tender. Place in a blender or food processor and puree until smooth adding honey during the process. Spread over lined dehydrator sheets and dehydrate for 6-8 hours. Cut to desired shape.
**My children loved “Fruit by the Foot.” So now I lay them on unbleached parchment, cut them into 1 in. strips, and roll them up.**

Jalepeno Pepper - Cream Cheese Snack

Jalapeno peppers are delicious and nutritious, as they are high in Vitamin A, C, and folate. They are very easy to grow, but not everyone can just eat them fresh out of hand. Adding the cream cheese nicely balances out the heat of the peppers and adds the needed fat to absorb the fat soluble vitamins! Quick and easy to prepare. Great for a buffet or summer picnic.

Cut off the stem ends of the Jalepenos and, under running cold water, scoop out the seeds and membranes from the inside.
Fill each half pepper with cream cheese.
Serve cold.

Cheese Stuffed Fresh Figs with Balsamic Glaze and Mint

Sounds like a fancy gourmet option, but it’s really a very quick snack that I whipped up with some fresh figs. All kinds of flavors are going on here: sweet, spicy, tangy, savory and fresh. Real ingredients paired together in a delicious way.

Cut figs lengthwise and arrange in a small baking dish. Cut cheese into 16 equal squares and stuff into the middle of each fig half.
In a small bowl whisk together honey, vinegar and oil.
Drizzle the oil mixture over the figs. Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper.
Place under a broiler for 3-5 minutes or until cheese has browned slightly and is melted.
Garnish with chopped mint leaves.
* I happen to like cheddar in these, but they are also great with cream cheese, Goat cheese, blue cheese and Gruyere. Experiment with your favorites!

Sweet and Sour Pickled Beets

My husband’s favorite! These beets are pickled using raw vinegar, rapadura, and fresh spices. A delicious treat for anyone who likes beets.

In a med sauce pan, place beets and water cook until beets are tender. This should take anywhere from 15 -20 min. Drain and reserve liquid. In a small pan add 2 C of reserved beet liquid, rapadura, vinegar, and spices. Bring to a boil until sugar dissolves. Place beets back into med. pan and add hot pickling liquid, bring to simmer for another 10 minutes. Place beets in cleaned and prepaired canning jars, and can accordingly. Do not open for 5-7 days.

Crunchy Baked Zucchini

This recipe makes a fun side dish that has wide appeal. I avoid using the store bought cooking sprays in the cans as they use cheap oils and added junk that I don’t want. Nor Pro makes a “Mr. Mister” that I use for my oil spraying needs. The oil aids in browning in this recipe, which gives a better appearance, texture and flavor. I make my own bread crumbs from bread failures (bricks) and keep them in the freezer so they are ready to use.

Combine sprouted flour (see my recipe for home sprouted flour), cheese, bread crumbs and seasonings. Coat each zucchini round in beaten egg, then in flour mixture, place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and sprayed with oil. Once laid out, spray the tops of each round with oil and bake for 18 minutes at 375 degrees. Serve with ranch dressing.

Crispy-Crunchy Lemon Garlic Roasted Chickpeas

Seriously, a nearly perfect real food on-the-go snack. The chickpeas (or garbonzo beans, if you will) are crispy like nuts, salty and have a tasty seasoning. The texture reminds me of Corn-Nuts, but they are so much healthier! These roasted chickpeas are a favorite with kids and so many different flavors can be made.

Rinse chickpeas well and place in a large bowl. Cover with at least 2 inches over the top of very warm water. Add 3-4 tablespoons of raw apple cider vinegar, lemon juice or whey. cover and allow to soak in a warm place for 12-24 hours. 24 hours is best.
Drain and rinse chickpeas thoroughly. Place in a large pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil and skim off any foam that rises to the surface. Lower heat to a simmer and cook until done, about 1-3 hours. If desired you may want to remove the outer skins: Drain cooked chickpeas and fill the pot with cool water. Grab handfuls of chickpeas with your hands and rub them together between your palms. Do this several times, skimming off the skins as they rise to the surface. Then drain the chickpeas in a colander. This is an optional step.
Place chickpeas on a stainless steel baking sheet or one lined with parchment paper. Drizzle on olive oil and seasonings.
Roast chickpeas in the oven at 350 for about 40 minutes. Watch to be sure they don’t burn. I shake the pan several times during cooking.
Allow to cool and store in an airtight container.

Creamy Enzyme-Rich Apple Pie Dip

One of my favorite snacks is raw yogurt cheese, flavored in a variety of ways. I made this one today, and it tastes like apple pie in a bowl! Chock full of probiotics and enzymes from the raw yogurt and raw honey, your body will love it as well as your taste buds! Serve with crackers for a classic apple pie flavor, or fruit for a grain-free option.

Saute peeled and chopped apple in butter until soft and fragrant, adding a splash or two of water if it gets too dry. Let cool to room temperature. Mix together yogurt cheese, honey, and spices, and then stir in apples. Serve with fruit or graham crackers, or eat with a spoon!
If you can, it is good to refrigerate this for several hours to let the flavors meld. This also makes a great packed lunch!