Healthy Homemade Ice Cream

I am going to be honest here...I have seen this recipe a few times and never thought that 1) it would actually work and 2) that my kids would accept it as an ice cream replacement. Great news for me....both actually happened.

There are a few reasons that this recipe is now a favorite in my house. The first...it's super inexpensive to make! I am easily able to grab clearance bananas to use which are always marked down at my grocery store to like 19 cents a pound! The second...the health factor is so amped up here. No added sugar, no preservatives, no artificial flavorings...just FRUIT. The third is pretty simple....It tastes great! It has a creamy texture and you can easily add other fruits for different flavors: strawberries, blueberries, peanut butter, blackberries, chocolate chips, etc! As you can see by the photo, my kids opted for chocolate chip. I really didn't feel bad adding them since it was just bananas and chocolate chips!

The steps are SOOOO EASY to do and your kids will love helping!

1) Slice bananas into small discs and freeze in containers or baggies.
2) Load frozen bananas into food processor.
3) BLEND!

Those 3 steps will produce a super creamy "ice cream" that is packed with nutrients and low in calories. It also makes organic ice cream an affordable treat (that crap is expensive at the store!)

I hope you enjoy this recipe and try it at home.

Super Easy ORGANIC General Tso's Sauce Recipe

When my family and I began our healthy eating journey, we easily gave up having "junk food" around the house", eating fast food, and had no problems choosing organic vs. traditional. We made a pretty smooth transition but after time found that we missed some of our favorite dishes like General Tso's from our neighborhood Chinese restaurant.

This was one dish that I was VERY afraid to try making at home. I have mastered pizza, tortillas, desserts...BUT I was afraid that I wouldn't be able to match the General's Tofu we were used to. I still had to try because the cheat nights at the Chinese restaurant were filled with processed ingredients and sugar. If I could make it myself....we could have it more often without having a cheat day :)

I saw many recipes online and to be honest...some were pretty intimidating. May recipes called for a number of ingredients and most were items that I simply don't keep around the house. The recipe that I ended up with may NOT be a traditional General Tso's BUT it was one that I can make with ingredients that I keep around the house and it was extremely kid friendly!

TIPS:

• If you are looking for a spicy alternative, you can add fresh jalapenos, sriracha, or dried red pepper flakes. You can also add 1 teaspoon of ginger for extra zing :)
• Also note that this recipe calls for cornstarch...if you don't have any on hand - simply make a basic roux with butter and flour then add your sauce to it and bring to a simmer!
• I used all organic ingredients BUT you can use whatever you want
• If you want to reduce the sugar, try adding more orange juice or stevia!
• Try blending in 2 tablespoons of peanut butter!

This recipe was just enough for two people..I had to make a triple batch!

INGREDIENTS:

• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1/2 squeezed orange
• 3 tablespoons of sugar
• 3 tablespoons rice wine (any cooking wine works)
• 2 teaspoons of cornstarch
• 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon of minced garlic

DIRECTIONS:

1. Add all ingredients minus cornstarch and bring to boil to allow the sugar to dissolve.
2. Wisk in cornstarch and reduce heat.
3. Your sauce will quickly thicken and be ready to serve over veggies, chicken, beef, or tofu!

I hope you enjoy this version of General Tso's sauce and that it helps to keep you on track with your healthy living goals!

Organic Coffee's for My Keurig Exist!!! Even Decaf!

I was so happy when I received the email saying that I was chosen to receive a free Keurig 2.0 from Influenster. No joke, I felt like I won the lottery! This thing is AMAZING! Huge beautiful screen, can brew coffee at any set time, and best of all has a large CARAFE so when I am having friends over, there is no need to brew one cup at a time! I plan to go over more features in another post because there is so much to say!

I want to focus on some organic options for any Keurig!

I remember buying my husband our first Keurig a few years ago. We were just starting our organic journey and were excited to see what was out there in the way of organic options...we were kinda sad to see that our local grocery store had NONE! Everything we saw had artificial ingredients and flavors. I was starting to think that I had finally broken down and spent the money on a great machine that would either sit useless or cause us o abandon our new lifestyle. Happily for us...we found some great organic options just a few clicks away!

Keurig - man's Own Organics K-Cup Portion Pack for Keurig K-Cup Brewers, Newman's Own Special Blend, 24 Count

This one is a pretty great value! $.71 per cup :)
Keurig - man's Own Organics K-Cup Portion Pack for Keurig K-Cup Brewers, Newman's Own Special Blend, 24 Count - $16.90, 4.99 shipping - Available at Amazon.com Marketplace

Keurig - WICKED JO: 12 Single Serve Cups, SingleCup Jo is for Keurig K-Cup Type Brewers, Bold, Dark, Organic French Roast Coffee, Pure 100% Arabica Coffee, No Additives, USDA Certified Organic, Gourmet Coffee from the Jo Coffee Collection

AMAZING COFFEE and TONS OF FLAVOR!
Keurig - WICKED JO: 12 Single Serve Cups, SingleCup Jo is for Keurig K-Cup Type Brewers, Bold, Dark, Organic French Roast Coffee, Pure 100% Arabica Coffee, No Additives, USDA Certified Organic, Gourmet Coffee from the Jo Coffee Collection - $10.99, 5.33 shipping - Available at Amazon.com Marketplace

Keurig - Van Houtte Cafe Swiss Water Decaf, Fair Trade & Organic Light Roast Coffee for Keurig Brewers, 24-Count K-Cups (Pack of 2)

This one is a little pricier BUT is going to give you tons of decaf flavor and a real coffee house feel. They use a special process to decaffinate the coffee using only water!
Keurig - Van Houtte Cafe Swiss Water Decaf, Fair Trade & Organic Light Roast Coffee for Keurig Brewers, 24-Count K-Cups (Pack of 2) - $44.98, Free shipping - Available at Amazon.com Marketplace

Keurig - "Zaire" Congo Kivu Organic Coffee, 48 ct. FRC Cups for Keurig K-Cup Brewers, Fresh Roasted Coffee LLC

This one is from Africa and boasts some great flavors!
Keurig - "Zaire" Congo Kivu Organic Coffee, 48 ct. FRC Cups for Keurig K-Cup Brewers, Fresh Roasted Coffee LLC - $29.95, Free shipping - Available at Amazon.com Marketplace

Keurig - Nicaraguan Fair Trade Organic - K-Cups

Another great deal and Fair Trade!
Keurig - Nicaraguan Fair Trade Organic - K-Cups - $17.45, 8.95 shipping - Available at Keurig Canada

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links provided by Postpresso.

Healthy Toasted Curried Chickpeas

As you all know, the easiest way to stick to any healthy eating plan, is to have the right foods and snacks readily available. This is especially true for those who are trying to stick to an AFFORDABLE diet. It seems like their is a premium on all products with any type of "healthy" label. After eating "clean" for 2 years, my family has found certain snack and foods that SIMPLY have to be in the cupboard.

At first, while I was a work from home mom, there were no convenience foods in the house at all. Everything was made by me including all of our breads, snacks, even cereals! Clearly, as I returned to full time work out of the home....some convenience foods eventually made their way into the house - BUT NOT INTO THE BUDGET. We had done such a good job getting our "frugal life" into check while being organic....now, it was not so in check.

My husband became ADDICTED to these curried cashews that he found at local health food store. They were organic and tasted great but they were $8 a bag! He would easily devour a bag in one sitting! So, to keep his "go-to" snack in our budget, I had to come up with a way to get the flavor without getting the huge price tag....enter- chickpeas!

Over the years, I have found that there are so many things that you can do with chick peas (also called garbanzo beans). I have made "mock" chicken salad, toasted them, turned them into chicken nuggets, and of course made the usual batch of hummus. They are so versatile and lend themselves well to flavors so I though...why not?

This snack is SOOO easy to make and a batch costs way less than the $8 bag of cashews. It is packed with wholesome goodness, can be made organically for no extra cost , and is budget friendly. I use organic seasonings BUT anything will do and they are still a very healthy way to do snack time  :)

You will need:

Plain now...but in a few seconds - AMAZING!

• 1 can of chick peas
• olive oil or coconut oil
• 1 teaspoon. curry powder
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• Additional seasonings - I like to put some jalapeno slivers in with them for extra spice...coconut is great to add as well! Add whatever you like!
• 400 degree Oven

Directions:

1. Drain the chickpeas and allow to dry. You can also pat dry with a paper towel if you wish.
2. Toss the chickpeas in the seasonings and just a drizzle of the olive oil.
3. Coat a pan with olive oil.
4. Put the chickpeas in the oven for 30-40 minutes or until golden brown and crunchy
5. Allow to cool and enjoy!

For more easy and healthy chick pea (garbanzo bean) recipes, check these out...

Try my SOY FREE Vegetarian Breakfast Sausage Even the kids LOVE this

recipe and eat it  - usually before I get to! :(

 

You can also whip up some Vegetarian "Chicken" Nuggets in no time!

 

Vegan Chickpea Chicken Salad ROCKS!

 

More info on toasted chick peas

 

Easy 5 minute hummus

 

Also please remember to follow me on social media for updates. You can find me on Twitter, Facebook, and my other various outlets! I am always sharing great tips on living organically, vegetarian, and FRUGALLY!

Crap, I invited a vegetarian to dinner! 8 things to watch for

I know that , "crap, I invited a vegetarian to dinner" is probably something said by everyone in my family when I RSVP.  They love that I will be there but for some hosts, they stress over what I can and can not eat as a vegetarian. The truth is that it is not easy to be vegetarian these days...meat and byproducts are hidden in many of your favorite dishes- even those that you would think are safe. Take for instance something as simple as sweet potatoes...think they are safe.....they are- until you add gelatin filled marshmallows! Knowing how tough it is, I thought I would share 8 tips for cooking for those crazy veggies!

Here is the first and most important rule to remember as you read the list....we (special eaters) understand the difficulty in editing family dishes to meet our dietary needs...heck, we live it every day! We are totally fine with a plate full of amazing side dishes and desserts (thankfully, most desserts are vegetarian!). We would rather you spend your time enjoying what you cook than worrying about us....but, if you are dead set on being vegetarian friendly...here are 8 tips!

If you are up for some more reading after you finish the list...click HERE for 10 foods you only thought were vegetarian

1. Know your "special person".
My tips are just for hidden items and suggestions are all vegetarian and pescatarian friendly. Vegan substitutions for vegans are a bit more work!

• Vegetarian - does not eat beef, pork, chicken, or seafood (or any other meat that you know of). Will eat eggs, milk, cheeses, and butters.
• Pescatarians - will eat fish and shellfish BUT no other meat.
• Vegan - will not eat ANY animal byproduct. No eggs, butter, cheese, milk. No MEAT either!

2. Leave the dressing on the side!
So many hosts think a great salad is perfect for vegetarians...and it is...UNTIL, you dump most dressings on it. This is especially true if you are serving a vegan. Most dressings have hidden flavors,  gelatin, eggs, etc.

Here are three easy to make dressings that are perfect for vegetarians (and meat eaters).
Organic Ranch Dressing that is super yummy and super healthy..CLICK HERE!
Sweet Citrus& Onion Dressing HERE
Easy to make French Dressing HERE


3. Watch out for the breads!
Yep...I said bread. You totally thought bread would be safe right? nope. Check your package of cornbread mix.....most mixes have lard in them which is an animal byproduct. Vegetarian ones are easy to find and the same price.

4. Cheese can have meat in it!
 This is tough for me to accept because I love specialty cheeses. Sadly, many cheese ingredient lists show "enzymes" or "rennet". Some will list that they are from animal or not but others just leave it up to the imagination. For those of you wondering what "enzymes" and "rennet" are, I will spare you the details but will say that they are derived from the inner lining of the fourth stomach of a calf. It is used in the process of making cheeses and some milks. There are vegetarian options for cheese making but you do have to do some investigation about the brands that use them. I can tell you that cream cheeses are safe (they do not use any enzymes to make it) and Organic Farms Valley Organic Cheeses are as well. Everything else is a guessing game and varies by flavor.

5. Using soups for recipes....check them out too!
Sometimes the most vegetarian sounding soup will be filled with a meat flavor. Take for instance Panera's Broccoli Cheddar soup, it has beef flavor in it. Just check out the labels and ingredient lists to be safe.

6. Be on the lookout for gelatin.
Gelatin is hidden everywhere.  For those who are wondering why the jiggly stuff is a no go for vegetarians..... gelatin is “made by prolonged boiling of skin, cartilage and bones from animals.” You can sometimes find kosher gelatin, which is made from fish instead of cow and pig parts. Oops,  I should have warned you to look away first! It is true though. You will find gelatin in dressings, jello, jellies, gummy bears...anything that is thickened. There are vegetarian ways to thicken so just check the labels for the little vegetarian symbol.

7. Spices and sauces!
They are a GREAT idea but just double check the labels. Sometimes, there will be chicken flavor or beef flavor. Worcestershire sauce is usually made with anchovy and beef.

8. MOST IMPORTANTLY....Let us bring something!
We absolutely love being able to bring something to share with everyone. It kinda gives us a thrill to hear meat eaters loving our dishes that are absolutely meat  (and bacon) free! Over the past year or so, I have even watched my husband become a vegetarian because he realized that - when the food is good- you don't need the meat! It actually hides the flavors! So, let us bring a few things!

I hope that this list was helpful in some way! It is not always east but it totally can be done! The best advice is to not overthink it and just keep it simple. The more you add to something, the worse the odds are for a vegetarian. We don't mind bringing items nor do we expect you to veggify every dish. Just leave us some on the side without all the jazz added.

All of the recipes on my site are vegetarian and there are some vegan ones there too! Please be sure to check them out!

ALSO....Looking for What to make? Here are 10 amazing protein sources for vegetarians!

Here are a few of my favorites!

 

 

These red pepper and feta zucchini cakes are a huge hit! (just watch the feta)

Sweet and Savory Pumpkin Squash Enchiladas (again, Feta can be omitted)

This black bean soup is AMAZING

LOW CARB VEGAN Chocolate Sauce - Organic!

Yes...you read it right! This chocolate sauce is low-carb, vegan, and ORGANIC!  I NEVER thought I could find a sweet chocolate sauce that was all 3!! It only takes a few minutes to make and is a fantastic frosting for cupcakes, sauce for ice cream,dip for fruits...you get the idea!

You can change up this sauce in ANY way you want! It is a very basic recipe but can be jazzed up with spicy peppers, mint, nuts, booze, etc!

Now....since I wanted to make my sauce low carb, I used stevia instead of sugar. 1 tablespoon of this sweet chocolate has only 3 grams of carbs! If you are not familiar with stevia, it is an organic sweetener that is notably better for those controlling their sugar intake! Yes, you can use other sugar substitutes in this recipe but I prefer to avoid chemicals whenever I can. Feel free to use your favorite sugar substitute or regular sugar for that matter.

I would also like to add that this totally can be considered HEALTHY chocolate! If you use the vegan recipe and use coconut oil, you are adding so many health benefits! Coconut oil is known to lower cholesterol,  boost metabolism, fight disease.... it is a never ending list of health benefits. You can read more about coconut oil HERE. Now, don't worry if you don't like the taste of coconut. It really doesn't impart too much coconut flavor....my hubby HATES coconut but LOVES when I use it to cook, bake, and make this chocolate sauce!

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup sugar (if you are making this LOW CARB by using organic stevia, start with less as it takes less stevia to sweeten)
• 1 pinch salt
• 3 tablespoons water
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil (if you are not vegan, use butter)
• 1/4 cup organic cocoa powder

Directions:

1) Put sugar, salt and water in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil then remove it from the heat
2) Stir in the butter and mix until incorporated (you may want to use a whisk)
3) Add remaining ingredients. Stir until glossy.
4) Pour into glass container.

You can TOTALLY make this in the microwave! Just follow the same steps!

If you enjoyed this easy Vegan recipe...you can check out a few others on my site! I focus on organic cooking that is easy, inexpensive, and that tastes good. After all, if it isn't good....the family isn't going to eat it. It is my challenge to prove that eating healthy does not mean boiled veggies for every meal! I actually aim to prove that healthy food tastes better!

Check out a few recipes while you are here:
Organic Vegan Chicken Salad
Healthy and EASY Organic Black Bean Soup
Healthy Homemade Almond Butter
Soy Free Vegetarian breakfast sausage

Be sure to follow me on Social media to get quick updates!

Click HERE to follow me on Facebook

Click HERE to follow me on Twitter

Also..don't forget to click here to check out my pal Jelli over at JelliBean Journals! She blogs all about cloth diapering, being a mommy, and has some AMAZING treats--they are all brought to you from sunny Costa Rica!

Organic Vegan "Chicken" Salad

I have been a vegetarian for 5 years and I will ALWAYS tell you that I do NOT MISS MEAT! Not one burger looks good enough to eat, not one chicken "chunk" good enough to dunk, nor a hot dog good enough to munch! That being said though...I do miss all of the things that go along with these carnivorous snacks. I do miss sauces, toppings, and condiments. I know that I can eat these on the morning star, boca, and quorn meatless options BUT have you looked at the back of the package? These meatless options are filled with chemicals and additives...things that I am trying to avoid!

So...I found a recipe from my friend over at Hoppy Bottoms for Vegan Tuna Salad. HERE IT IS . Now, I have not eaten fish since I was a young girl so I can not imagine why ANYONE would want to recreate Tuna Salad (giggle) but I know that people do! So...I basically took her inspiration and ran with it!
She has tons of Vegan options so check her out at her site Hoppy Bottoms. 

This got me thinking...I REALLY miss chicken salad! Something HAD to be done! I really wanted to make some vegan chicken salad BUT I wanted it to stay as organic as possible. Storebought mayo is packed with chemicals and usually vegan options are too. Neither would work. I ran to the health food store and found that there are organic vegan mayo options available. SCORE!  *I also found some vegan chicken salad in the deli - it was $10 per POUND!!! For $10 you could make tons of this recipe!

And don't worry! If you are not vegan and want to make this, it is a crowd pleaser! It will just look like a chickpea salad not a "mock meat" recipe. You can still make it organic by using my 5 minute/5 ingredient  homemade mayo recipe found HERE. The chemical list for storebought mayo is pictured there as well so it is worth a look!

This vegan "chicken" salad recipe is so easy to make and can be altered in any way you would like to fit your favorite chicken salad. Since everyone has their favorite recipe, I am leaving the amounts off. This is merely for inspiration! This recipe from start to finish takes about 15-20 minutes and that includes toasting the chickpeas!

Here is what you will need:
I noted that I use organic. Please know that you can use ANY product available to you and it will still make an amazing vegetarian salad!

• Can of chickpeas (I use organic but any will do)
• Organic Vegan Mayo
• Celery (diced)
• Sweet Relish (organic)
• Onions (diced)
• Apples (small dice) - my favorite part!
• salt, pepper, seasonings

Instructions:

1. Now, this step may be  omitted but I believe it is what MAKES the salad. Drain your chickpeas and rinse well. Then toss them in a bit of oil and seasonings (my favorite is chili powder, salt, and pepper). Pop in the oven for about 15 minutes. For more complete instructions on making toasted chickpeas - click HERE. 
2. Try not to eat all of the toasted chickpeas! They are addictive and a great snack but you need to remember that you are making chicken salad.
3. While the chickpeas are cooking, dice your ingredients.
4. Mix together all ingredients (including chickpeas) and finish with a sprinkle of salt and pepper!
5. I like to allow this recipe to sit in the fridge in an airtight container for about an hour before serving. It really allows the flavors to melt together!

That's it! It is honestly that easy to recreate something that is vegan and organic!

If you would like some other recipes that can save you money while staying vegetarian....Feel free to check these ones out!

Try my SOY FREE Vegetarian Breakfast Sausage  Even the kids LOVE this recipe and eat it - usually before I get to! :(

You can also whip up some Vegetarian "Chicken" Nuggets in no time!

Organic Ranch Dressing can be SOOOO EASY! Click here to get the recipe!

Also please remember to follow me on social media for updates!

Find me on Twitter, Facebook, and my other various outlets! I am always sharing great tips on living organically, vegetarian, and FRUGALLY!