Month: May 2019
MANGO
This tropical fruit is refreshing, juicy and delicious! Beyond the sweet, luscious taste of mangos, they also contain an abundance of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that assure your optimum health and hence great nutritional benefits. Nutritional benefits of mango Mango is a low-calorie fruit that is high in fiber and…
COCONUT & MOLASSES COOKIES
COCONUT & MOLASSES COOKIES
These deliciously soft and moist cookies are baked with healthy ingredients and make for a great dessert
Servings 16 Cookies
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup Almond butter (any other nut butter of choice would also work)
- 1/4 cup coconut oil melted
- 1/4 cup Coconut Sugar
- 1/4 cup Dark Molasses
- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
- 1 cup Almond Flour
- 1/3 cup Coconut Flour
- 1/2 tsp Baking Soda
- 1/4 tsp Salt
- 1 tsp Cinnamon
- 1 tsp Ground Ginger
- 1/2 tsp AllSpice
Instructions
- In a small bowl, whisk together the almond butter, coconut oil, coconut sugar, and molasses until all ingredients are well incorporated together.
- Add in the egg (or flax egg see note below) and vanilla and whisk.
- a medium bowl, mix together the almond flour, coconut flour, baking soda, salt, and spices.
- Add wet ingredients to dry and stir until completely combined.
- Place in refrigerator for 30 minutes for the dough to chill.
- Once chilled, remove the dough from the fridge and roll dough into balls
- Place coconut sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl, whisk together and roll the balls in the mixture until they are well coated.
- Place the balls on a baking sheet and flatten with hand. Bake for 10-15 minutes.
- Store at room temperature in an airtight container.
Recipe Notes
Note:
To make a flax egg, use a fork to whisk together 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed and 2 tablespoons warm water. Let sit for five minutes, until thickened. Continue with recipe as written.
Enjoy these yummy cookies with your coffee, tea or warm cocoa!
BUTTERNUT SQUASH & SPINACH LASAGNA
BUTTERNUT SQUASH & SPINACH LASAGNA
This healthy vegetarian dish rich in butternut squash and loaded with spinach will leave your taste buds dancing from the rich combination of flavors.
Servings 6 servings
Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Ingredients
For the Butternut Squash filling
- 1 medium Butternut Squash cubed
- 1 cup Ricotta Cheese
- 1/2 cup milk (you can also use plant-based if desired)
- 1/2 tsp. Salt
- 1/2 tsp. nutmeg
For the Spinach filling
- 500 grams Frozen Spinach
- 1 cup Ricotta Cheese
- 1 cup Mozzarella Cheese
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1/4 tsp. Salt
- Freshly Ground Black Pepper to taste
Additional needed ingredients
- 1 Box Lasagna sheets (I use the spinach lasagna)
- 2 cups Mozzarella Cheese
- 1 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
- 1/2 tsp. Italian Seasoning
- 1/2 tsp. Paprika
- 1/2 tsp. Dried Basil
Instructions
For the Butternut Squash Filling
- First, begin with cutting the butternut squash into cubes in order to cook, you can either boil in water for up to 20 minutes or until tender and you can also bake them in the oven for about 15 minutes or as needed.
- Once the butternut is cooked, transfer to a food processor and puree then add the ricotta cheese, milk, salt and nutmeg and pulse to combine.
- You can add more milk as per your liking, which will also make the filling creamier.
- Adjust salt & nutmeg as needed.
For the Spinach filling
- Heat 1 Tbsp. of olive oil to a skillet, add the frozen spinach and allow thawing. Once the spinach begins cooking, add the minced garlic and cook until fragrant. Add salt and pepper to taste and mix over low heat for another 4-5 minutes.
- Once the spinach is well cooked, allow cooking for a few minutes then add the ricotta cheese followed by the mozzarella cheese mixing all together.
- Adjust salt and pepper to taste. Set aside
For the Lasagna Sheets
- Bring a wide pot of water to boil, and place the lasagna sheets one by one in the boiled water to cook as per the package instructions.
- I usually dip each sheet for a few minutes and remove, when I am ready to assemble the lasagna altogether.
How to assemble
- Begin by greasing your lasagna dish with a tsp. of olive oil to prevent the bottom from sticking when you are ready to cook.
- Spread 1/3 of the butternut squash filling on the bottom, sprinkle with some mozzarella cheese and top with cooked lasagna sheets
- Spread half the spinach filling over the lasagna sheets, top with mozzarella cheese, and top with another layer of cooked lasagna sheets
- Spread another layer of butternut squash filling, sprinkle with mozzarella cheese and top with cooked lasagna sheets.
- Spread with another layer of spinach filling, top with mozzarella cheese and a final layer of lasagna sheets.
- Spread the remaining amount of butternut squash filling over the last layer of lasagna sheets, sprinkle with mozzarella cheese and finally grated parmesan cheese.
- Sprinkle the Italian seasoning, dried basil and paprika on top.
- Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for a final 10 minutes until the top is golden brown.
Recipe Notes
An all-time favorite dish!
PUMPKIN SEEDS
One of the best seeds you can include in your diet is the tiny but mighty pumpkin seed!
Pumpkin seeds are packed with valuable nutrients ranging from magnesium and manganese to copper, protein and zinc.
Pumpkin seeds may benefit your heart, liver and immune system, help fight diabetes, and offer unique benefits for men’s prostate health and women’s relief of menopause symptoms as well.
More detailed and additional benefits include:
The rich source of magnesium found in pumpkin seeds promotes bone health and a greater bone density which decreases the risk of osteoporosis in women after menopause.
Pumpkin seeds contain omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, antioxidants, and fiber. This combination has benefits for both the heart and liver.
Pumpkin seeds are high in fiber which helps maintain a healthy weight and enhances overall digestive health
Pumpkin seeds are considered a good source of zinc and hence recommended for pregnant women
Pumpkin seeds have long been valued as an important natural food for men’s health. This is in part because of their high zinc content, which is important for prostate health.
Pumpkin seeds may help improve insulin regulation and help prevent diabetic complications by decreasing oxidative stress
Pumpkin seeds are highly nutritious and packed with powerful antioxidants.
Besides eating them on their own, you can use them in baking, add them to smoothies, Greek yogurt and fruit or incorporate them into meals by sprinkling them into salads, soups or cereals.
