Blender Zucchini Brownies

Blender Zucchini Brownies
1/4 c applesauce
1/4 c coconut oil, melted
2 eggs (or 2 T chia with 6 T water)
2 t vanilla
1 1/2 c coconut sugar
1/2 c cocoa
1 zucchini, halved lengthwise
2 c whole wheat flour
1 t sea salt
1 1/2 t baking soda
dark chocolate chips

First 6 ingredients to blender until smooth. Add remaining ingredients(except chocolate chips). Pulse til incorporated. Bake in 9x13 pan at 350 for 25-30 min. Remove and cover with choc chips.

Pesto with Chicken Sausage and Brussel Sprouts

Next time you make pesto pasta, save some of the pesto. It freezes great! Just thaw and use in this recipe and it's DELICIOUS!

Pesto with Chicken Sausage and Brussel Sprouts
1 lb fresh brussel sprouts, ends trimmed and any yellowed/browned outer leaves removed, then sliced in half
3 T olive oil, divided
1/2 t sea salt
1/2 t freshly-ground black pepper
1 lb rice pasta
4 chicken sausage links (I used the hormone-free ones from Publix)
5 cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced
Fresh pesto, store bought or HOMEMADE (EVEN BETTER!)
Parmesan cheese, for serving

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. In a large bowl, mix together brussel sprouts, 2 T olive oil, salt and pepper. Gently stir until well-combined. Prepare a baking sheet with aluminum foil, then spread the brussels sprouts on it evenly. Roast for about 20 minutes, stirring once partway through, or until they are crispy on the outside and cooked on the inside. Remove from oven and set aside. 

Meanwhile, remove sausage from casings. Heat the remaining olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and cook, breaking up the sausage into crumbles. Cook until browned and very fragrant. Add the garlic, and continue cooking for another 1-2 minutes until the garlic is fragrant.

Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Once the pasta is cooked, drain the water (reserving 1/4 cup pasta water), and then toss together the pasta, pesto, cooked sausage and garlic, and brussels sprouts. Add in some of the reserved pasta water if needed for extra moisture. 

Serve warm, and sprinkle with freshly-grated Parmesan cheese.

Fresh Lemonade...WITHOUT SUGAR!

My little gal can't have sugar...which really used to be a pain in the rear but ultimately has guided our family to much better health. Well, the other day there was a little boy in our neighborhood who was selling lemonade to support his baseball team. My oldest child's heart melted and she bought lemonade for all....forgetting that her sister couldn't drink it. Ohhhhhh, the tears! Well, I had just gotten home from my bestie's house where she and her hubs made fresh lemonade almost every day, and it tasted delicious on a hot day! I texted her for the recipe and my little one was, as you can see, pleased with the results!

Fresh Lemonade...without sugar!
2 lemons
water and ice
liquid stevia

Squeeze lemons into quart jar. Fill the rest of the way with filtered water and ice. Add a dropper or two of liquid stevia (to taste! Don't add too much!) and shake it up.
Enjoy!

New Lunch recipes! Energy Bites & Zucchini Carrot Raisin Muffins

 Energy Bites
2 c regular oats
1 c peanut butter (or other nut butter)
2/3 c raw honey
2 c shredded coconut
1 c freshly ground flaxseed
1/2 c mini chocolate chips
1/2 c raisins
2 t vanilla
1-2 T chia seeds

Mix everything above in a medium bowl until thoroughly incorporated.  Let chill in the refrigerator for an hour. Once chilled, roll into balls and enjoy!  I chill the night before, and then roll into balls the next morning.  Store in an airtight container and keep refrigerated for up to 1 week. Very filling and delicious!

Zucchini Carrot Raisin Muffins
1 c regular oats
2 c whole wheat flour
3/4 c coconut sugar (or sucanut)
1 T + 2 t baking powder
1 c grated zucchini
1 c grated carrot
1 1/2 t cinnamon
1 t sea salt
3/4 c raisins
3/4 c coconut oil
2 ripe bananas
1/2 apple
1/2 c agave

Preheat oven to 350. Combine the first 9 ingredients in large bowl. Combine the last 4 ingredients in blender and blend until smooth. Pour over dry ingredients and mix well. Bake for 20-23 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. These freeze well and taste DELIGHTFUL!

Cherry Almond Granola

Cherry Almond Granola
4 c regular rolled oats
1 cup chopped almonds
1 c uncooked millet
1 c dried cherries
4 T ground flax seed
2 T chia seed
1/2 c coconut sugar (or sucanut)
1 1/2 t sea salt
1 t cinnamon
1/2 t cardamom (optional)
dried coconut (optional)
pumpkin seeds (optional)

4 heaping T applesauce
1/2 c raw honey
6 T nut butter (peanut, almond, sunflower, etc.)
2 heaping spoonfuls coconut oil
2 t vanilla extract
1 t almond extract

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line 1 baking sheets with parchment paper. In a large bowl combine dry ingredients until well combined. In a microwaveable glass dish combine wet ingredients-MINUS THE EXTRACTS!. Microwave for 1-2 minutes and stir until well combined. Pour in extracts and stir again. Pour over dry ingredients and stir well until evenly coated. Scott onto baking sheets and bake for 40-50 minutes, stirring halfway through. Allow to cool before putting it into airtight container. It will still be a little bit wet, but will harden up as it cools.

This is delicious with almond milk and fresh fruit. We also eat it over vanilla goat yogurt, too! For most of us...this is our favorite!
Enjoy!