1 box Trader Joe’s Gluten Free Pumpkin Bread & Muffin Baking Mix
(There are other brands you could try if you don’t have a TJs nearby)
1/2 t ground ginger
1/2 t ground cinnamon
1/2 t ground cloves
1/2 t ground nutmeg
1 cup water
1/2 c coconut oil, plus a little more
2 eggs

For chocolate icing:
3-3.5 OZ dark chocolate bar -– around 75% chocolate is great
(I used Trader Joes 75% dark chocolate bar w/ sea salt)
1 Tablespoon coconut oil
Sprinkles or other edible decor (optional)

Heat oven to 350F. Generously grease 12 silicon donut baking molds with coconut oil. I use two of these wonderful silicone pans for mine.

Mix cake mix and spices with water, eggs, and 1/2 c coconut oil and stir till mixed well. If using silicone molds, put them on sturdy cookie pans before pouring batter into them. Spoon mixture into molds. Bake about 25 minutes until a knife inserted in the batter comes clean.

Let cool in molds for 10 minutes then break free and let cool on their own another 10-15 minutes till warm but not crumbly.

Meanwhile, break apart the chocolate bar and add a T of coconut oil. Over a double boiler melt together, or if you like it quicker, microwave for 30 seconds and stir till melted. Drizzle over cooled donuts and if you have sprinkles or some decoration have fun adding those 🙂 Enjoy and put the remaining ones in the fridge. Reheat a bit before eating!

3 cups any kind of milk – dairy, almond, coconut, etc.
1/2 t tumeric
1/2 t ceylon cinnamon
2 peppercorns
3/4″ diced fresh ginger or 1/2 t powdered
2 cardamom pods or 1/8 t powdered cardamom
1/8 t allspice, any form
2 cloves
1 t ghee (clarified butter) – optional
1-2 t honey, maple syrup or other sweetner – optional

Combine all ingredients except honey or sweetener. Heat on medium on stovetop, stirring frequently so the milk doesn’t burn for about 5 minutes, then turn on low and let simmer 10 more to really blend flavors. Stir in sweetener and then strain, sip, enjoy!

Makes 2 servings. You can refrigerate the second one for tomorrow if you like and reheat.

A handful of salad greens of your choice – spinach, romaine, mixed greens
A handful of pomegranate seeds
A handful of chopped pecans
A few tablespoons of shredded carrots
A few slices of cucumber
A few crumbles of goat cheese or some grated Parmesan (can be omitted)

Toss salad. Drizzle with raspberry vinaigrette. Enjoy!

Raspberry Vinaigrette:

Blend the following together in a blender. Refrigerate when not using and shake well to remix before serving

1/2 (6-oz) raspberry or cranberry frozen juice concentrate
8 ounces seedless raspberry jam
1 teaspoon minced fresh garlic
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup red wine vinegar
2 cups safflower oil

1 cup cooked chicken, shredded or diced
1 14 1/2 oz can garbanzo beans or 1 1/2 cups home cooked
1 shallot, minced
1 head green onions, trimmed and chopped, with some greens
2″ fresh ginger minced
1 zucchini either spiralized into noodles or chopped
1/2 head of kale, stems removed, cut into bite sized pieces
about 1/4 c chopped or shredded carrot
1 1/2 t salt
cracked black pepper
olive oil
about 1/2 cup lemon juice or more if you like
fresh dill – optional

32 oz of chicken or veggie broth
1 can of coconut milk

Heat the olive oil in the bottom of a soup pot. Toss in shallots, green onions, ginger, zucchini, and carrots. Saute till a little soft. Add in the broth and coconut milk.

Bring to a boil. Meanwhile toss in the kale. If you don’t like kale, try spinach. Add in the lemon juice. Let boil for about 5 minutes till kale is wilted and flavors mix.

Reduce to a simmer. Add in the garbanzo beans and simmer 10 minutes or so. If you need to add more liquid, go ahead, any kind you like – water, broth, etc.

Season with salt, pepper, and if you like, optionally fresh dill. If you like a more lemony taste add more lemon juice. I had some old preserved lemons to use up so I tossed those in too!

That’s it!. This stores extremely well in the fridge in airtight containers (I like old fashioned wide mouth bell jars) and reheats however you like. Healthy, summery yum!

Crust

1 cup dates softened in water a few hours ( or zap 3 min on 50%)
1 cup mixed nuts – I used walnuts and almonds
1/4 c shredded coconut
1 c cooked rice

Food process into a paste and press into a buttered pie plate

Filling:

5 cups blueberries
2 bananas
1/2 c chia seeds

1 cup bluberries reserfed

Blend 5 c blueberries & 2 bananas & chia seeds. I like it this way. If you want more sweetness add a few T honey.
Pour in pie shell. You may have a little leftover, just save in a custard dish for more treats

Sprinkle coconut flakes on top.

Put in fridge for an hour.
Enjoy!

2 bananas cut into 1/2 to 3/4” slice
1/4 c flaked coconut

For peanut butter topping, Mix thoroughly:
1/4 c peanut butter
1/4 c coconut oil

For chocolate dipping sauce:
3/4 c bittersweet or dark chocolate chips
(I like bittersweet dark chocolate)
1 T coconut oil

First cut bananas into slices. Mix the peanut butter and 1/4 c coconut oil and “frost” each banana slice this mixture. Put on a plate or tray lined with waxed paper and then sprinkle the 1/4 c of flaked coconut. Put in the freezer for at least a half hour till the peanut butter mixture hardens. When the peanut butter is hardened, make the chocolate dipping sauce.

Meanwhile melt the dark chocolate with 1T coconut oil, either over a double boiler on the stovetop, or in a microwave, in 30 second bursts, stirring every 30 seconds or so till its liquefied but not too hot.

Dip the banana slices into the chocolate dipping sauce and return to the wax paper lined tray. Put in the freezer or refrigerator depending on whether or not you want them frozen or a little softer.

Enjoy!! They taste like insanely good candy!

Banana slices frosted with coconut oil/peanut butter and dusted with coconut flakes

Ready for the freezer

After being dipped in chocolate!!!

1 regular sized can coconut milk
8 T chia seeds
4 t vanilla
4 small or 3 large ripe bananas
4-6 T cocoa powder, I’m fine with 4
if you want it sweeter you can add a dash of honey but I think its sweet enough.

Blend until seeds break up. Refrigerate overnight. Gobble down!
It makes about 3-4 cups which would be 4-6 servings I’m guessing.

What selaed the deal was a lady in the grocery store who caught me looking at the cauliflower. “Did you know you can make fake mac & cheese with that? Its SO good!” she told me. My eyes must have bugged out. “That’s what I was thinking of doing.” “You have to try it!!!” She convinced me . Me being me, I can’t just follow a recipe, so I made up my own version based on a real one from years past, and with roasted instead of boiled veggies. OMG!!! This recipe is a keeper! INsnaely good and even the cauliflower haters will not suspect! Tastes like creamy good Mac & Cheese with veggies. I’m serious. Make some 🙂

Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 head cauliflower chopped into tiny florets
1 bunch broccoli chopped into tiny florets
About ten mushrooms sliced
1 T butter
1 cup chopped cooked ham or better yet canadian bacon

1 cup Greek yogurt
1 cup sour cream
1 cup milk
8 oz grated sharp cheddar

1/3 c ground flaxseed

Toss chopped cauliflower and broccoli in olive oil to coat. Sprinkle lightly with salt. Roast in 450 degree oven for 25 minutes on a baking sheet lined with foil (for easy cleanup). When done they’ll be crisp brown edges to some of the pieces. Remove from oven and dump into a big bowl.

Meanwhile chop ham or canadian bacon into small bits and crisp in olive oil. It’ll start popping like bacon. Add to veggie mix.This step is not required. It just adds a nice texture this way.

In the fat leftover from cooking bacon, add 1 T butter and saute sliced mushrooms. Add to veggie/ham mix.

Mix Greek yogurt, sour cream, milk, and cheese. Fold into veggie mix.

Pour into an 8×8” dish or small casserole dish and bake at 250 for 20 minutes uncovered. Let sit a bit to firm up and enjoy!!!

1 to 1 1/5 lbs sweet Italian Sausage
1 T fennel seed
1 T thyme seed
1 1/2 cups chopped cooked pumpkin*
4 c loosely packed spinach
olive oil

Heat olive oil to medium high and cook sausage, breaking up and cooking till browned. While cooking, add in fennel and thyme to flavor more.  Add chopped cooked pumpkin or puree and spinach. Sautee till pumpkin is heated through and spinach is wilted.

* To cook a pumpkin, Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Cut the stem off. Quarter the rest, and remove seeds. You can save them to toast them later if you like. Put flesh side down in a baking dish or foil lined large cookie tray (it will leak so make sure you have sides on whatever you use to prevent your oven from becoming a mess. If quarters are too big, chop them up further till they fit. Bake at 450 for 1 hr. Peel off the skin and chop some up into cubes for this recipe, or puree in the blender when cool enough to work with. A medium size pumpkin gives you 8 cups… between the size of a soccer and a basket ball!