Best Granola EVER and Grain-Free!

This cookbook was on the table at a friend's home. It looked good so I checked it out on Amazon. At the time, there were 1600 reviews and the majority were positive. Many said that every single recipe was fabulous so I ordered it since I can't eat grains or dairy.

It is fabulous! Every single recipe is yummy. Every person I have given the granola to taste has LOVED it. I'll write the recipe so you can try it. If you love it like we do and want to fix your family nourishing food, order the book!

I bought all of these raw and organic at the health food store ~

1 cup almonds

1 cup walnuts

1/2 cup pecans

1/2 cup cashews

1/4 cup sunflower seeds

1 teaspoon sea salt

Put in a bowl, cover with water and let soak 24 hours.

Drain and dry them off with a towel.

Put them  in a food processor; process until they are the size of oats, then add ~

3/4 cup melted honey or maple syrup 
{I used maple syrup since it's much lower in fructose
 and I only used half this amount and it's still yummy!}

2 Tablespoons melted coconut oil

1 1/2 Tablespoon vanilla extract

1 Tablespoon cinnamon

Pulse until it's all combined.

You can then add 1/2 cup of shredded, unsweetened coconut, if you'd like.

Spread the granola out in a dehydrator or your oven set on low and dehydrate for almost 24 hours. Add 1/2 cup raisins also, if you'd like. I eat it plain or with her homemade almond milk which is SO easy to make! Your whole family will love it.

I've had this book for a week and have already tried her roasted garlic faux mashed potatoes, blueberry jam, marinated and grilled zucchini, waffles, bread, chocolate chip cookies {Oh my, are they delicious!} and my daughters-in-law made her Korean Beef Noodle and they loved it!

In my opinion, this cookbook is money well spent!

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, 
and cometh down from the Father of lights, 
with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.
James 1:17

Best Chocolate Dairy-Free, Egg-Free, and Wheat-Free Cookies!
The only problem is you eat half the batter; it's SO yummy!

Jelly Filled Whole Wheat Scone

Cassi made these for Christmas morning brunch and they were a hit!

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Put in a large bowl:

2 cups whole wheat flour

1 Tablespoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon soda

1/4/ teaspoon salt

6 Tablespoons butter

Mix all together with a pastry mixer or two knives until crumbly.

In another bowl add:

1 cup raisins {if you like raisins}

1/4 cup honey or maple syrup

2 Tablespoons yogurt

2 eggs

Mix these ingredients together thoroughly then add to dry ingredients. 
DON'T over mix!Flatten out to a circle about 1 1/2" thick and cut into 8 wedges. 
 Cook at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.

For additional flavor add before baking:

1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup fresh or frozen fruit {Press into the dough at the very end}

***Cassi has a food blog HERE that is filled with MANY delicious recipes!

Cherry Almond Pancakes

 Cassi made these on Sunday morning and shared them with me.  They were amazing!  I put a little bit of pure maple syrup on mine.  We were talking about our new way of eating, Paleo, and how much better our guts feel.  If you struggle with digestive issues, I suggest you try this way of eating for several months and see if it makes a difference.

Cassi started a new blog called Live Right Be Healthy last week that will show all her recipes.  So if you want to try the Paleo diet, this is a great place to start.

Here is the recipe for these amazing pancakes ~

Makes 10 medium-sized pancakes 

Blend together:

1 banana

2 eggs

4 Tbsp chocolate almond butter 

{or just regular almond butter}

Cook in coconut oil/butter on medium for 2-4 minutes on each side. 

Then top w/ cooked cherries, sliced bananas, homemade kefir or yogurt, and/or maple syrup. 

You can just use frozen cherries.

Every good thing given and every perfect gift 

is from above, com ing down from the Father of lights,

 with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow.

James 1:17

Finding Your Gifts With GF Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

 Alyssa knew from a very young age that she wanted to be a ballerina.  She would even make her younger brothers dance in her plays.  As she grew older, she would put on numerous dances for us with her ballerina friends.  When she grew up, she was a professional ballerina living out her gift.

 

My sons were gifted athletes.  They played soccer, baseball, and basketball until high school.  In high school, they played baseball and basketball.  Steven even played baseball through college.

 

I always wanted to be a teacher.  I taught my younger sisters how to tie their shoes when I was five years old.  I would gather all the children in the neighborhood and play school.  I grew up to be a teacher and now I am teaching women how to love their husbands and children.

 

Cassi didn't know what her gifts where when she was young.  She took ballet for awhile, then played soccer and basketball.  In college, she changed her major several times, held several different jobs, and is now a Treatment Coordinator at a local orthodontist practice.

 

I think she may have finally found her gift, however.  See that banana bread in the picture above, she made that without any white flour or sweetener and it is fabulous!  She started on a 30 day program a few months ago and started making her food look real pretty.

 

Several weeks ago, she asked me to come look at something.  She had designed her own website a few weeks prior on instagram and had over 400 followers already.  She showed what meals she had for that day.  It has really inspired people to eat healthy.  She LOVES cooking and creating!

 

If you are looking for your gift, just ask the Lord to show you.  Usually, it is something you really enjoy and you are good at doing.  Life is a bit more exciting when you are able to practice your gift.

 

Here is the recipe for her banana bread ~

Mix together in a mixer:

•3 ripe, mashed bananas
•1/3 c melted coconut oil {or butter}
•6 eggs
•1-4 Tbsp honey {depending on sweetness of bananas & personal preference}
•1 teaspoon vanilla
•1/2 cup coconut flour
•1 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
•1/8 teaspoon salt
•1/3 cup dark chocolate {I used 100%, but I would only suggest this for dark chocolate lovers like me☺}

Optional:
•1/3 cup walnuts
•small handful raisins
•1 large Medjool date chopped up

  Bake in a bread pan at 350 degrees for 50 min. Makes 1 loaf.

 

 

 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above,

coming down from the Father of lights

with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.

James 1:17

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Pumpkin Spice Muffins

Even the thought of these muffins makes me feel like it is autumn.  They are perfect on a cold or rainy morning with a hot cup of tea or coffee, and one of my egg dishes.  I hope your family will love them as much as mine does.

6 large eggs

1/3 cup grapeseed oil

3 cups GF oat bran

1 15 oz. can pumpkin

2 tsp vanilla

1/2 cup coconut palm sugar

1/2 cup agave nectar

1 1/2 Tbsp aluminum-free, GF baking powder

1 1/2 tsp sea salt

1 1/2 Tbsp cinnamon

1 1/2 Tbsp pumpkin spice blend

1/2 tsp cloves

1/4/ tsp xanthan gum

1 Tbsp coconut flour

3/4 cup golden or dark raisins

1 cup chopped walnuts, optional

Preheat oven to 365 degrees.  Brush or spray muffin tins with grapeseed oil.  In a large bowl, whisk eggs and stir in the bran, oil, pumpkin, and remaining ingredients.  Rest the batter for 10 minutes before filling muffin tins.  Spoon batter into tins making them almost full, about half an inch from the top.  Bake about 15 minutes.  Muffins are ready when tops feel firm to the touch.  Let muffins cool in tins on a rack 3-4 minutes, then loosen around edges with a knife.  Remove muffins from the tins to a wire rack to cool completely or serve warm.

 

Find this recipe along with other gluten free recipes at Delightfully Free.

Heather commented, "Made these this morning and they were fabulous!!
Thank you for sharing the recipe!!"

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Kefir Soaked Granola

This Kefir Soaked Granola is yummy! I used my Homemade Kefir. Soaking grains makes them easier to digest and better for you. Cooking it at such a low temperature makes it healthier also.

Put into a large bowl ~

8 cups rolled oats

1 stick melted butter

1/2 cup melted coconut oil

1 1/2 cup kefir or yogurt

Stir well. Put a towel over it and let it sit for 24 hours.

Heat in a small pan on low just until warm ~

1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 1/2 teaspoon almond extract

3/4 cup raw honey

1 teaspoon sea salt

1 cup unsweetened coconut

Mix everything together along with ~

2 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 cup dates pieces

1/2 cup almonds

1/2 cup walnuts

Spread on two large cookie sheets and bake at 170 degrees for as long as you want. I baked them for 4 hours and the granola was chewy. If you want it crispy, you will have to bake it for a lot longer. I eat my granola with fruit and kefir for a healthy breakfast. Now my granola will even be healthier!

Fresh Lemonade And Becoming Alkaline

Babies are born very alkaline. They have pretty pink tongues. Breastfed babies keep pretty pink tongues. Formula fed babies get a white coating on their tongues. They become more acidic. When you die, you are very acidic. Disease breeds in acidic bodies. Therefore, the key is to stay as alkaline as possible.

There are lists out there of alkaline and acidic foods. All raw foods are alkaline. All processed foods are acidic. There are some neutral foods like butter. So eat as many alkaline foods as possible to keep a strong immune system.

Some ways I make sure I get plenty of alkaline food into my body is to have a big glass of warm lemon water or lemonade {1-2 lemons juiced, ice cubes, filtered water or sparking water, and stevia} first thing when I wake up. Your body has been fasting overnight and this is a good thing to start off with; NOT coffee which is very acidic and hard on your adrenals. Coffee is a drug and all drugs have side effects. Anything that is addictive can have side effects.

After workouts or after you sweat a lot, instead of Gatorade which is full of junk, try the juice of one whole lemon or limes, sparkling or regular water, a dash of good air dried sea salt {to restore electrolytes and minerals}, stevia, and ice. It tastes similar to Gatorade but is much tastier and better for you!

I also make sure I have a big salad every day with all kinds of greens and vegetables of all different colors. Taking a greens mix every day is good also, especially if you can't get a lot of fresh greens. For snacks, give your children fruit and properly prepared nuts and seeds. I have jars of pistachios, sunflower and pumpkin seeds, almonds, walnuts and cashews on the top shelf in my refrigerator. Fruit and nuts were my children's favorite snack growing up. Give them healthy food growing up so they will have a taste for it when they are adults. If you live in a climate that supports lemon trees, grow them. I just planted two and have four others since we LOVE lemonade!

I know some mothers are unable to nurse their babies and dislike the idea of giving their baby formula. My grandma bought a goat and gave one of her babies raw goat's milk. A goat only grows up to be around 150 pounds, just like human beings so the protein is similar to human milk. Cow's milk is way too concentrated protein. Cows grow up to be a ton. Soy is full of estrogen which are not good for babies, especially boy babies.

So study nutrition. Being healthy along with a strong and healthy immune system are wonderful gifts you can give your children. It is a lot cheaper than being ill in the long run. My mom raised us on organic food way before it was popular. Most cancers and disease can be prevented. I just met a woman in bible study who is in severe, constant pain as a result of chemotherapy and radiation. She lives on morphine. She told me she is so sorry she went the chemotherapy route. It just wasn't worth it. Live to prevent cancer and other diseases.

He causes vegetation to grow for the cattle
 and all that the earth produces for man to cultivate, 
that he may bring forth food out of the earth.
Psalm 104:14

***Remember, I'm NOT a doctor. I'm just a homemaker who loves to research 
natural cures and have found many that have worked for my family and me. Information I have given is for educational and informational purposes only and to motivate you to make your own health care and dietary decisions based upon your own research and in partnership with your health care provider. Any statements or claims about the possible health benefits conferred by any foods or supplements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Nothing you read here should be relied upon to determine dietary changes, a medical diagnosis or course of treatment.

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Perfect Fluffy Quinoa

Quinoa is a very good food for you and very inexpensive.  It can take the place of breakfast cereals, oatmeal, and rice. 

Some of the health benefits are as follows ~

Complete protein. Quinoa contains all 9 essential amino acids that are required by the body as building blocks for muscles.

Magnesium helps relax your muscles and blood vessels and effects blood pressure. Quinoa contains high levels of this vital nutrient.

Fiber. Quinoa is a wonderful way to ensure that you consume valuable fiber that eases elimination and tones your colon.

Manganese and copper. Quinoa is a good source of these minerals that act as antioxidants in your body to get rid of dangerous cancer and disease-causing substances.

Compared to other grains, quinoa is higher in calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, potassium, iron, copper, manganese, and zinc than wheat, barley, or corn.

For perfect fluffy quinoa, take 1 cup of quinoa and rinse it well.

Put it into a pan with 1 1/2 cups of water.

Cover and bring to a boil, then turn it to simmer.

Simmer for 15 minutes.

Turn off the heat, keep covered, and leave for 15 minutes.

Fluff it up with a fork.

For breakfast, I add raisins, cinnamon, coconut oil, sea salt, and honey.

For dinner you can add any seasonings you like.

Quinoa has a very mild flavor but you need to make sure you rinse it well or it will be bitter.

Delicious Fruit Smoothie

This is a wonderful way to start off the day! 

1 cup of kefir or yogurt

2 cups of frozen berries

1/2 cup of juice

1 frozen ripe banana

A squirt of stevia

Blend it well.  We have a Vitamix which makes it like ice cream.  My grandbaby loves this!

 

Almond Crunch Coffee Cake

This is definitely a crowd pleaser, plus it is healthy.  I actually don't make many things that aren't healthy because I believe the purpose of eating is to nourish your body.  In order for your car to run well, you need to give it good gas.  In order for you to run well, you need to give it good food.  Even people who don't like whole wheat, healthy food like this!

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Almond Topping:

Blend until crumbly~

1/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour

2 Tablespoons organic sugar

1 Tablespoon soft butter

Stir in 1 cup chopped almonds

In a separate bowl:

Blend thoroughly~

2 eggs

3/4 cup honey

Mix in 1 cup buttermilk (or 1 cup milk, or rice milk, with 1 teaspoon lemon juice)

Blend in separate bowl:

2 cups whole wheat pastry flour

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ginger

Blend dry ingredients into liquid ingredients until smooth.

Pour into greased 9" X 13" pan.  Top evenly with almond topping.

Bake about 30 minutes until knife comes out clean.

For more great recipes, check out: Tasty Thursday

Soaked, Salted, and Roasted Nuts

These are so good!  Soaking nuts  {our favorites are almonds, cashews, and walnuts} in salt water makes them much more digestible.

I buy raw organic nuts from the bins at the health food store.

Take 4 cups of nuts and cover them completely with good, filtered water.

Add one to two tablespoons of good, air-dried sea salt.
It depends on how salty you like food!

Let them soak overnight.  The exception is cashews which should only soak for 6 hours or they will not work.

Spread them out on cookie sheets and put them in your oven or dehydrator on the lowest setting for several days until they are nice and crunchy.   We use these almonds to make the best Healthy Peanut Butter Cups.  They taste even better than Reese's Peanut Butter Cups and they are full of good, healthy ingredients for you and your children.  Warning:  They are very addicting! Since I can't eat a wide variety of foods due to healing my IBS, they are the one snack I can eat! Yay!

These nuts make a great and healthy snack!

Cassi's Incredible Granola

My daughter, Cassi, LOVES to cook!  When people ask her for a recipe, she has a hard time giving it because it's a little bit of this and a little bit of that.   I have it almost every morning with some homemade kefir and blueberries.  It is so good!  Enjoy.

Mix together in a bowl:

1 cup coconut (unsweetened)

4 cup oats

1 cup sunflower seeds

½ cup whole wheat pastry flour

½ cup golden flax seeds

½ cup uncooked millet

1 cup nuts

1 Tablespoon cinnamon

Melt in a sauce pan:

½ cup butter or coconut oil

1 cup honey (if raw honey, add later)

½ Tablespoon vanilla (optional)

Pour over dry ingredients and mix well.

Spread onto 2 cookie sheets. (We have nonstick silicone baking sheets, but if you don't have them, you'll need to oil the cookie sheets.)

Bake for 30 minutes at 325 degrees, stirring every ten minutes and rotating the sheets.

*If using raw honey, add the honey at the 20 minute mark so the honey doesn't get overcooked.  You like raw honey to keep the benefits of it being raw.

Watch closely during the last five minutes to make sure it doesn't get too dark.

Add ½ cup raisins (optional)

Allow to cool undisturbed, then break into chucks.

Stores best in a ziplock bag in the freezer.

Feel free to experiment!! That is what makes granola so fun! One time we had dried cherries that needed to be used so I threw those in.  Let me know how it goes or if you have any questions!  (So ask Cassi!)

Buckwheat Waffles/Pancakes

Enjoy surprisingly light and crispy buckwheat waffles!  I usually double this recipe and it fits nicely in a Vita-Mix blender.  Buckwheat is very healthy for you and gluten free.  It is very calming for your nervous system.  My family loves these! 

Put in blender and blend for 3-5 minutes:

1 1/2 cup cultured milk {kefir} or non-dairy alternative {I suppose you could use yogurt if you add a little water to it and make it more runny.}

2 Tablespoon melted butter or coconut oil

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 1/2 cup raw buckwheat {You can get buckwheat at any health food store or probably order it online.}

You can let this just sit in the blender at room temperature for several hours if you like your grains to digest more easily.  If you don't have time, just make them now.

Add:

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 - 1 teaspoon sea salt

1 egg

Blend well.  Grease waffle griddle and bake until done.  The batter should be a bit thinner for waffles and thicker for pancakes.  Enjoy with maple syrup, butter, honey, jelly, etc. Yum!  These freeze really good.

Whole Wheat Scones

These are yummy!  We put jelly on top of them and they freeze really well.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Put in a large bowl:

2 cups whole wheat flour

1 Tablespoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon soda

1/4/ teaspoon salt

6 Tablespoons butter

Mix all together with a pastry mixer or two knives until crumbly.

In another bowl add:

1 cup raisins {if you like raisins}

1/4 cup honey or maple syrup

2 Tablespoons yogurt

2 eggs

Mix these ingredients together thoroughly then add to dry ingredients. DON'T over mix!

Flatten out to a circle about 1 1/2" thick and cut into 8 wedges.  Cook at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.

For additional flavor add before baking:

1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup fresh or frozen fruit {Press into the dough at the very end}