Healthy "Raw Balls"!

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Ok, these chocolate-y, coconut-y treats are AMAZE-BALLS!!  I've had a couple of "raw balls" recipes, but I've tweaked it a little because I don't like walnuts a lot and changed a couple of other things, so these are the ones I make at home.  They work great as a snack or dessert!  They are considered a "raw" food because there is NO cooking involved…so they are super easy to make and super healthy!  Well, I still wouldn't recommend eating them all in one sitting…just as a "treat" ;)

Makes 20 Balls

• 1/2 cup pecans (if you want to use walnuts, go for it)
• 1/2 cup pitted unsweetened dates
• 1/2 cup raw Cacao or raw Carob powder
• 1/4 cup Grade B Maple syrup (if you can't find the healthier Grade B, find the healthiest one you can)
• 1/4 cup Raw Honey
• 1/2 cup raw unsalted Almond Butter
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• 1/2 cup whole raw almonds
• 1 - 2 cups raw unsweetened shredded coconut

Place the pecans in a food processor (I use my Vitamix) and pulse until coarsely ground.  Add the dates and pulse until well combined with the nuts.  Add the cacao powder, syrup, honey, almond butter, vanilla extract and salt.  Process until think and smooth.  Add the almonds.  I should look something like this…the mixture kind of "balls up" and looks like a brownie mix.

Pulse a few times until the almonds are combined, but still are chunky…for crunch!

Prepare two bowls, one with the mixture and one with the coconut.  A shallow bowl works well for the coconut to roll the balls in the coconut to coat them well.

Form into golf-ball size balls by rolling between your palms.  Roll the balls in coconut.  Place in a container lined with wax paper and freeze until hardened.  Depending how you like them…eat them straight from the freezer or transfer to the fridge for a little bit softer texture…that's what I like to do;)

After they are hardened you can transfer them to a ziplock so they don't take up too much space!  ENJOY!

Healthy Chicken Salad

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Healthy Chicken Salad!  Great for a light lunch!

• Chicken (shredded or chopped)
• Celery (diced)
• Radishes (diced)
• Garbanzo beans
• Lemon juice
• Dash of Olive oil
• Cayenne pepper
• Toss with plain Greek yogurt (you could even mix in a little Homemade Mayo!)
• Add a little sea salt and pepper to taste

Serve on arugula (or any healthy greens...) dressed with olive oil & lemon, top with halved grape tomatoes, shelled pumpkin seeds, cilantro & avocado... The great thing is....add or subtract the stuff you like or don't like! It's light, delicious and satisfying!

Garlic Mashed N'otatoes!

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If you find yourself craving garlic mashed potatoes, but don't want all the starch, cream, butter...mashed N'otatoes is a great alternative that satisfies!  I didn't tell my husband that they were made from cauliflower and he didn't know the difference.  I filled him in after he was done eating;) Take 1 head of cauliflower and chop it up into smaller pieces and put it in a pot.  Add 2 cups chicken broth (low sodium), 5 cloves of garlic, and any herbs you like....boil for 15 mins until cauliflower is tender.  Strain, but save the broth.  Put the cauliflower in a Vitamix and add a small amount of the broth.  Blend until smooth.  Add more broth if needed to get the consistency you like.  It should look like this...

I added some chives for color, served it with some meat and a salad...If you have a "meat & potatoes" husband this is a great "swap"!

Bread crumb swap...you won't miss them at all!

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Who LOVES food that's breaded and fried?  I do....because it's gooooood.  But it's not good FOR you.  So this is a great way to feel like you're being a little bit sinful without feeling guilty!

My mom used to make orange roughy fish and it was so good.  She used to dip it in egg, dip it in flour or smashed up saltine crackers, and fry it in oil.

My husband isn't a huge fan of fish like I am, so I don't cook it very often.  About a week ago I was just craving that fish the way my mom used to make it.  I thought, "I'm going to try to make this healthy!"  I did a bread crumb swap!

I got Orange Roughy fish, which is a very thin, mild white fish.  I dipped it in egg, dipped it in Almond Flour (which is just almonds ground into a flour!) and fried it in coconut oil (a healthy fat!)  I served it with steamed artichokes, homemade mayo and lemon!  It was DELISH!  I didn't miss my mom's recipe at all, this was even better!

...and guess what?  My husband ate the whole thing;)

Feeling deprived is what ruins healthy eating.  Get creative and try swapping out healthier options for the old school favorites you used to love!  That's what's so exciting about eating healthy...you CAN feel indulged without feeling the BULGE!!  I'd love to hear some of your healthy "swaps"!

Lose 5 lbs of Bloat...in a Healthy Way

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We all have felt that "bloated" feeling coming on, especially during that special time of the month!  I wanted to share what works for me...to lose that feeling of retaining extra water weight...it's SO easy.

• Get 60 oz of distilled or pure water
• Add one Dandelion Root tea bag
• Add 1 Tbsp 100% pure unsweetened cranberry juice
• add 2 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice

Drink the 60 oz every day for 7 days.  (Yes, you still eat normally;)

This recipe works because it helps flush out excess water weight you are carrying around in your body and...

You'll lose 5 lbs or more in 7 days depending on how much excess water weight you're carrying around.

This recipe originated from Jillian Michaels and is intended to lose 5 lbs of bloat in a healthy way...use as needed!

Paleo-friendly, N'oatmeal cookies - amazing!!

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When I tried this N'oatmeal cookie recipe I was AMAZED it was so healthy!!  My husband and his friend were going surfing so I packed up some of these cookies for them and they were a HIT!  They have a hearty texture and just a hint of sweetness.  They taste like traditional oatmeal cookies without all the junky ingredients!!  No sugar, no flour, no grains….oh my!!

Ingredients:

• 2 cups almond meal
• 1/2 cup flaxseed meal
• 1/2 cup unsweetened, shredded coconut
• 1/2 cup raw sunflower seeds
• 1/2 cup raw pumpkin seeds
• 1 tbsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup pure maple syrup (I use grade B)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup coconut oil (melted)
• 1 cup raisins
• optional:  reduce raisins to 1/2 cup and add 1/2 cup dairy free, grain free chocolate chips!  Mmmmmmmm:)  I've also made these with dried cranberries and extra dark chocolate chips - delicious!

Process:

1. Preheat oven to 325 F.
2. In a large bowl, combine dry ingredients.
3. In a small mixing bowl, combine eggs, maple syrup, vanilla extract, and melted coconut oil with a mixer.
4. Stir wet ingredients into dry ingredients.
5. Stir in raisins…or raisins & chocolate chips:)
6. On a parchment lined baking sheet, drop tablespoon-sized amounts of cookie batter, I press them a bit to flatten them.
7. Bake the cookies for 15 minutes…or until golden brown.
8. Allow cookies to cool on a wire rack and serve.

These N'oatmeal cookies are always a HUGE hit when I've made them for friends;)

Another note….the recipe said it would make 12 cookies.  Well, I ended up with close to 36 cookies!!!!!  So that's okay by me, just thought I'd mention it in case you check out the cookbook I got this from:)

Enjoy, and let me know if you have any other yummy healthy goodies!