Green Smoothies - all natural.

Green Pina Colada

In the Spirit of St. Patricks Day I thought I would post one of our Green Smoothie recipes. We enjoy these year round but thought you may all enjoy this festive treat and a fun way to introduce the green smoothie.

First off if you think your kids will not drink it because its green, tell them you made it green just for St. Patricks Day (you can tell them later it is loaded with spinach!)

Here is what you need:
Raw organic spinach
1 fresh pineapple (cut up then frozen, then leave sit out to partially thaw for a few hours)
1 can of coconut milk (cold, keep in the refrigerator)
1 banana
2 T flax seeds
1 cup of whole fat plain yogurt

1.In order to get the spinach to liquefy properly it needs to be the first thing you add to the blender. I fill the blender about half full then push it down.

2.Add your partially frozen pineapple (this gives your smoothie a thicker colder taste.)

3. Add your coconut milk (sometimes its very thick at the top but there is a watery milk at the bottom of the can, put this all in.

4. Throw in your banana, yogurt and flax seeds. Blend.

*note My kids are used to things that are not that sweet if this is not sweet enough for you try adding an extra banana or some raw honey.





It makes such a pretty green color.

Falcon and Robin happily sucking down their green smoothies with their green straws.

Spinach -is loaded with calcium, folic acid, vitamin K and iron.
Spinach is also rich in vitamin C, fiber and carotenoids.It also contains lutein and bioflavanoids, spinach is a nutritional powerhouse.

Coconut Milk - it’s an excellent choice. It’s high in saturated fatty acids and medium-chain triglycerides (MCT), which are both easily burned as fuel by the body. MCTs are particularly beneficial in that they don’t require bile acids for digestion, and they’re directly shunted to the liver via the portal vein.

Bananas - are so high in vitamins B6 and B12 and so low in sodium they are a perfect dietary supplement. They also contain magnesium and potassium but beware they are VERY high in sugar.


Pineapple -Bromelain in pineapple is also regarded as an effective anti-inflammatory. As well as many vitamins and minerals.

Flax seeds - a good source for Omega-3 essential fatty acids

Whole fat yogurt- because fat is not your enemy carbohydrates are!

Gluten free pumpkin walnut bread.

I am so excited to finally have a great pumpkin bread recipe that does not taste dry or grainy. I hope you enjoy my dad tried this and did not know it was gluten free!

4 cups of almond flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
3 eggs
1/4 cup butter- softened
1 cup pumpkin
1/2 cup walnuts
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/2 cup sucanat

Combine almond flour, baking soda,salt, and spices in a bowl then set aside.

In another bowl combine butter, sugar, pumpkin, and eggs add this mixture slowly to the flour mixture then fold in walnuts.

Pour into a greased 4x8 inch loaf pan then bake at 300 degrees until top of the loaf feels firm.

Enjoy the yummy moist gluten free bread!

We ate this so fast I never got a picture I will add one as soon as I make this again.

Paleo (gluten free) Lemon-Coconut Balls

Paleo Coconut -Lemon balls

You will need:



Makes about 30 cookies

Dry Ingredients

1 & 1/2 cups Almond Flour
1 & 1/2 cups dried Shredded Unsweetened Coconut
1/3 c Coconut Flour
2 big pinches of Salt

Mix all of your dry ingredients together - set aside.


Wet Ingredients

In a small mixing bowl combine the following:

3 Tbsp Pure Maple syrup
3 Tbsp Raw Honey
4 Tbsp Lemon Juice
2 tsp Vanilla (optional)
If you are using a fresh organic lemon grate some of the peel (about a Tbsp) for added lemon flavor, otherwise skip this step and just use Organic Lemon juice



Mix your wet and dry together
*You will add your coconut oil and butter in the next step.

I let my kids just use their hands and squish this all up, you could be more civilized and use a mixer though!





Melt

1/4 cup of coconut oil AND 1 Tbsp butter in a pan 1 Tbsp butter (you could use coconut oil if you prefer to go dairy free)
Then, slowly pour this into the bowl and mix some more. Then roll into 1 inch balls.

Now you have two choices you can either make them warm or cold I really love both.
I have been calling them summer and winter cookies.

Summer Balls (to make cold)
just place in your refrigerator until they harden .... DONE!

Cooling in the refrigerator.

Winter Balls (warm chewy cookie type texture)
These are my kids favorite because they taste like the chewy cookies we used to eat with gluten in them. My son said they remind him of how yummy fresh bread is... all warm and chewy.

Winter Balls getting all toasty in my oven.

Put you oven on it's lowest setting (mine is 170) and bake with door open a crack for 1 hour. You are not really cooking these just drying them out a bit to get that crunchy/chewy texture that is in gluten cookies. When the outside is just hardening up and the bottom of the ball is golden brown they are DONE! Eat them right out of the oven or save for later. These are just as good at room temperature.

Enjoy!

Finished Balls, The lighter ones on the left are the Winter Balls the ones on the right are the Summer Balls.

Note: This was adapted from a recipe on someones blog if I could remember her name I would mention her.