This recipe is a great alternative for anyone following or transitioning into a raw food lifestyle!  It contains organic corn, no oil and is a 100% raw (living) food recipe.

Feel free to post any questions or comments you may have & don’t forget to subscribe here or at YouTube so you’ll know when I have a new video up.

The special tools & ingredients featured in this recipe are:

• Offset Spatula
• VitaMix Blender / Kitchen Tool
• Excalibur Dehydrator & Paraflexx Non-Stick Sheets

If you don’t already have a VitaMix, I strongly encourage you to check out what this machine is capable of!  For more information about VitaMix you can go directly to the VitaMix website.   For free shipping, be sure to use: Coupon Code: 06-004166

Click here to view the embedded video.

If you have the Living Cookbook software, you can import the free recipe file by cutting and pasting it right into your program.

Raw Corn Chips and Tostada Shells

All ingredients I used in the video were Organic.

Ingredients:

• 5-7 Ears of Fresh Corn (ideally you’d like approx. 5 cups of kernels to work with)
• 1/2 Cup Fresh Flax Meal (you can make your own flax meal in the VitaMix using whole flax seeds)
• 1/2 – 3/4 Cup Fresh Salsa (choose a fresh/raw salsa that does not contain vinegar)
• Pinch of Sea Salt or other Seasonings to taste (just remember, that flavors concentrate in the Dehydrator, so use sparingly!)
• 1/4 Tsp. Fresh Lemon or Lime Juice (if your salsa doesn’t  have it already)

Procedure:

1. With a sharp serrated knife, cut kernels of corn off of the cob – then place all kernels into the VitaMix.
2. Add the remaining ingredients into the VitaMix
3. Using your tamper, blend all ingredients on ‘High’ in the VitaMix for approx. 45 Seconds or until everything is well blended.
4. Adjust liquid to flax ratio as needed to create a ‘gloopy’ mixture – one that is easily spreadable.  It’s better to have your mixture a little runny than too thick. Remember that flax meal will absorb moisture & thicken over time.
5. Using an offset spatula spread mixture thinly on your lined Excalibur Dehydrator trays (I use the Paraflexx liners for the Excalibur, but you can also use some parchment paper instead.  If you’re making tostada shells, spread the mixture slightly thicker into 5″ rounds, so that they will not break under the weight of your toppings.
6. Dehydrate at 125-135 degrees for 1 hour, then reduce heat to 115 degrees.
7. When mixture is dry to the touch (approx. 4-6 hours), flip mixture and liners over onto the mesh screens and carefully remove the Non-Stick Sheets.
8. Dehydrate for an additional hour, then cut into triangle ‘chip’ shapes and return to Dehydrator. (skip this step if you are making tostada shells)
9. Continue dehydrating until chips/shells are completely done (approx 4-6 more hours) – which means that they will snap or break if you test them.
10. When done, remove the chips/shells from the Dehydrator and store in airtight containers in the fridge until use.

Yields:  Approximately 6-8 cups of chips (4-5 dehydrator trays)

Preparation & Cooking Time: 30 Minutes Prep & 12-18 hours dehydrating time. (your dehydrating time may vary depending on humidity, temperature, mixture, etc…)

Feel free to send me any questions or comments you may have!

~ Enjoy!

This recipe is wheat & gluten free and can easily be adapted to be vegan/vegetarian by substituting the ground beef for tofu, edamame or nothing at all!

Since we rarely eat meat, I like to serve our chili over quinoa in a small soup cup with a large salad as the main course.

Feel free to post any questions or comments you may have & don’t forget to subscribe here or at YouTube so you’ll know when I have a new video up.

The special tools & ingredients featured in this recipe are:

• Simply Natural Mild Chili Seasoning
• Organic Pinto Beans
• Organic Navy / White Beans
• Organic Diced Tomatoes

If you don’t already have a VitaMix, I strongly encourage you to check out what this machine is capable of!  For more information about VitaMix you can go directly to the VitaMix website.   For free shipping, be sure to use: Coupon Code: 06-004166

Click here to view the embedded video.

If you have the Living Cookbook software, you can import the free recipe file by cutting and pasting it right into your program.

Gluten Free Chili Recipe

I prepare this recipe in bulk, but you can adjust the ratio to cook smaller portions.

All ingredients I used in the video were Organic.

Ingredients:

• 2 Pounds Ground Beef (can substitute for Ground Turkey, Chicken, Crumbled Firm Tofu, or leave out entirely)
• 4 Cans White/Navy Beans (Drained & Rinsed)
• 4 Cans Pinto Beans (Drained & Rinsed)
• 4 Cans Diced Tomatoes (puréed in VitaMix or Blender)
• 4 Packets Simply Natural Mild Chili Seasoning

Optional Toppings & Sides:

• Serve on top of Steamed Rice or Quinoa
• Top with fresh Cabbage, Avocado, Broccoli, Shredded Carrots, and/or Green Beans

Procedure:

1. In large stockpot, over medium heat, brown ground beef until thoroughly cooked.
2. Add in all beans (which have been drained and rinsed)
3. Add in diced tomatoes (which have been pureed)
4. Add in seasoning mix.
5. Stir all ingredients until everything is well mixed.
6. Continue to cook over medium heat for 15-20 minutes.

Yields:  Approximately 30 cups

Preparation & Cooking Time: 30 minutes

Storage: After serving my family, I have approximately 4 x Quart Sized Ziploc Baggies left to freeze.  Wait until mixture has cooled (warm, but not hot) to place in bags.  Place in freezer for up to 6 weeks.  To re-heat, cut open bag and place frozen chili in frying pan and defrost/re-heat until warm over medium heat.  Flipping Chili over every few minutes to defrost evenly and prevent burning/overcooking.

Feel free to send me any questions or comments you may have!

~ Enjoy!

Popular energy drinks are being consumed at an alarming rate… even children are being allowed to drink them and that can be dangerous!   Some of the drinks are even being touted as ‘natural’ but hide behind a veil of ingredients that are anything but good for you.

This recipe is not only good for you, but it’s delicious and will energize you naturally!  Plus, it’s frothy, refreshing & may even help you ward off that cold you’ve been trying to catch.

Feel free to post any questions or comments you may have & don’t forget to subscribe here or at YouTube so you’ll know when I have a new video up.

If you don’t already have a VitaMix, I strongly encourage you to check out what this machine is capable of!  For more information about VitaMix you can go directly to the VitaMix website.   For free shipping, be sure to use: Coupon Code: 06-004166

Click here to view the embedded video.

If you have the Living Cookbook software, you can import the free recipe file by cutting and pasting it right into your program.

The 3GOP Energy Drink & Cold Buster!

Ingredients

All ingredients I used in the video were Organic.

• 1 Fresh Pineapple (rind removed – you can leave the core in if you are using the VitaMix… otherwise, remove the core and cut up into chunks before adding it to your conventional blender)
• 1 Pink Grapefruit (peel removed  – remove seeds only if you are using a conventional blender)
• 1 Orange (peel removed – remove seeds only if you are using a conventional blender)
• 1 Large Bunch of Purple Grapes (washed and removed from stem)
  OR: 2 – 4 Tablespoons of Unsweetened Grape Juice Concentrate if you do not have grapes on hand.
• 1 Chunk of Fresh Ginger (I use an approx. 1/2″ thick piece – be careful not use too much or it will overpower the drink)
• 2-4 Cups of Ice

Procedure

1. Place Pineapple, Orange, Grapefruit, Grapes & Ginger into VitaMix
2. If needed, use Tamper to thoroughly puree ingredients starting on Variable Speed 1 and working your way up to Variable Speed 10; then to ‘High’ just until smooth.
3. Add Ice to blended ingredients – being careful not to overflow the VitaMix container.
4. Blend ingredients again starting on Variable Speed 1 and working your way up to Variable Speed 10; then to ‘High’ for approximately 30 seconds (or until everything is well blended and smooth).
5. Turn off VitaMix and you’re ready to go!

Yield: Approx. 64 Ounces of Juice

Preparation & Cooking Time: Approx. 5 minutes

Storage: Store leftover juice in glass canning jars in the Refrigerator for up to 3 days; or you can try popping it into Popsicle molds.  If you don’t think you’ll drink it right away, then try freezing the remaining mixture, and pull it out at a later date and re-blend in the VitaMix for a slushy frozen drink anytime!

Feel free to send me any questions or comments you may have!

~ Enjoy!

I always keep these mini-muffins on hand in the freezer for when I get that ‘gotta have bread’ craving… one little muffin will usually do the trick!  They’re also perfect for my teething toddler – I just take one out of the freezer and let my little monkey happily gnaw on one (without nuts).

I use this recipe along with my Sugar Free Cream Cheese Frosting (recipe coming soon) to make my children’s first birthday cakes.  This way, they can still messily devour their cake without me having to worry about all that horrible sugar and food coloring!

I also have a Dairy & Sugar Free Frosting Recipe and a Recipe for making your own food colorings out of fruits and veggies that I’ll have to share with you too!  Stores like Whole Foods Market carry sprinkles free from artificial coloring now too!

Feel free to post any questions or comments you may have & don’t forget to subscribe here or at YouTube so you’ll know when I have a new video up.

Click here to view the embedded video.

If you have the Living Cookbook software, you can import the free recipe file by cutting and pasting it right into your program.

Monkey Muffins – Banana Bread Using No Refined Sugar or Oil

Ingredients

All ingredients I used in the video were Organic.

DRY MIXTURE:
1  1/2 cups Flour (you can use any combination of flour – whole wheat flour, rice flour, etc…)
1/2 cup Ground Flax Meal (I grind mine fresh in the VitaMix right before – if you don’t do this, just be sure that your flax meal is fresh)
2 tsp Baking Soda
1 tsp Baking Powder
1/4 tsp Sea Salt

WET MIXTURE:
3 Ripe Bananas (the riper they are, the better & sweeter they will be)
1/3 cup Honey
1 Cup Milk (or Milk Alternative – Almond, Soy, Rice, etc…)
2 tsp Vanilla Extract
1 Large Egg

OPTIONAL TOPPINGS / INGREDIENTS:
Dehydrated ‘Shredded’ Coconut (all natural – no sugar)
Chopped Nuts
Raisins
Shredded Carrots
Whole Almonds

Procedure

1. Pre-Heat Oven to 350 degrees.
2. In medium sized bowl, combine dry ingredients.
3. In small bowl (or in VitaMix/Blender), beat wet ingredients until smooth and well pureed.
4. Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and whisk together until smooth.
5. Fold in any optional ingredients.
6. Pour mixture into greased or papered muffin pans.
7. Garnish with optional toppings before baking.
8. Bake for approximately 15 – 20 minutes until tops brown and toothpick comes out clean.
9. Let muffins cool completely before storing in a Ziploc bag.
10. Store muffins in refrigerator for up to 4-5 days (they will get moist) or in freezer for up to 2 months.

Yield: 12 Large or 24 Mini Muffins

Preparation & Cooking Time: Approx. 25 minutes

Feel free to send me any questions or comments you may have!

~ Enjoy!

If you need to feed your family on a budget, but still want to feed them healthy foods, there’s nothing better than cooking it yourself – The trouble is, there’s not always enough time… this is an delicious and easy recipe that you can prepare in bulk; it freezes fantastic; and you can serve it anytime!

Feel free to post any questions or comments you may have & don’t forget to subscribe here or at YouTube so you’ll know when I have a new video up.

Click here to view the embedded video.

If you have the Living Cookbook software, you can import the free recipe file by cutting and pasting it right into your program.

Blessed Burritos
** NOTE – The ‘how-to’ video I made was scaled to 1/2 the recipe.  **

Ingredients

All ingredients I used in the video were Organic.

RICE MIXTURE:
4 cups Brown Rice (I use long grain, but any variety will do – just not instant)
4 cups Water (if using a rice cooker, otherwise follow directions for stove-top preparation)

WET MIXTURE:
1/2 cup Olive Oil
3 – 4 Cups Salsa (pureed)
2 cans Black Olives (minced with the brine/juice from one can)
1/2 tsp Sea Salt (season to taste – be careful not to oversalt)
4 cups Mozzarella Cheese – Shredded

BEAN MIXUTURE:
4 cans Whole Black Beans – Drained & Rinsed (16 oz. Cans)
4 cans Whole Pinto Beans – Drained & Rinsed (16 oz. Cans)
4 cans Refried Black Beans – (16 oz. Cans)
4 cans Refried Pinto Beans – (16 oz. Cans)

TORTILLAS:
72 Large Flour Tortillas

Procedure

1. Take Brown Rice water to Rice Cooker – Turn On and let cook until done.
2. While Rice is Cooking: In Large Bowl, combine Olive Oil, Salsa, Olives, Olive Juice, Salt, and Cheese then Set-Aside.
3. In Gigantic Bowl, combine all 16 Cans of Refried and Whole Beans – Mix Well, then Set-Aside – Be sure to rinse the Whole Black and Pinto Beans before adding.
4. When Rice is Ready: Immediately add the hot rice to Large Bowl with the Salsa, Olive & Cheese Mixture.  Mix well – You will notice the mixture becoming a cheesy/gooey mix due to the heat of the rice.
5. Add Cheese mixture from Large Bowl into the Gigantic Bean Mix Bowl – Mix Well.
6. Stuffing the Tortillas:  Lay down approx. 12″ square piece of plastic wrap, and place tortilla on it.  Scoop approx. 3 Tablespoons of Burrito Mixture into the center of a Tortilla and roll into a burrito (don’t over-stuff the tortilla).  Roll the Burrito up in the plastic wrap and fold ends over.  Repeat until all Burritos have been made.
7. Freezing: Wrap Burritos individually into plastic wrap.  Take 10 wrapped Burritos and wrap together again with plastic wrap for easy storage and extra protection from freezer burn.  Freeze for up to 2-3 Months.
8. Re-Heating: Remove Burrito from plastic wrap and roll into parchment or waxed paper.  Microwave for 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 minutes or until completely heated and serve!

Yield: 72 Individual Burritos

Other Options: If you don’t care to use tortillas, feel free to freeze the bean mixture in plastic wrap or containers and serve rolled in a green leaf lettuce or collard greens.

Preparation Time: Approx. 30 minutes
Assembly Time:  Approx. 30 Minutes

Feel free to send me any questions or comments you may have!

~ Enjoy!

Thank you all for your prayers – please keep praying for the precious Birthmother who chose life for this precious little boy and who gave us the extreme privilege to call him ‘son’.

Feel free to post any questions or comments you may have & don’t forget to subscribe here or at YouTube so you’ll know when I have a new video up.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Next update coming soon, so stay tuned!

Feel free to post any questions or comments you may have & don’t forget to subscribe here or at YouTube so you’ll know when I have a new video up.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Making your own naturally dehydrated fruit is cheap and easier than you think, plus they taste like the real thing… because that’s exactly what they are!  Enjoy!

Feel free to post any questions or comments you may have & don’t forget to subscribe here or at YouTube so you’ll know when I have a new video up.

The special tools featured in this recipe are:

• EdgeCraft 610 Chef’s Choice Premium Electric Food Slicer (got it here at Amazon.com and they shipped it Free!)
• Excalibur Dehydrator – Model #3926T
• Cuisipro Apple Corer – I think I got mine at Kmart… but this is a much better one from Amazon.com that will automatically release the core – instead of having to push it out (and cut yourself like I’ve done a few times).

Click here to view the embedded video.

Here are some suggested ingredients for dehydrating fruit and the procedure for this recipe – feel free to experiment with it!  If you have the Living Cookbook software, you can import the free recipe file by cutting and pasting it right into your program.

Fruit Chips for the Dehydrator

Ingredients

Fruit Suggestions:
Apples – Dehydrating Time: Approx. 8-10 hours*
Pineapples – Dehydrating Time: Approx. 12-20 hours*
Bananas – Dehydrating Time: Approx. 12-20 hours*
Pears – Dehydrating Time: Approx. 8-10 hours*
Strawberries – Dehydrating Time: Approx. 8-10 hours*
Mango – Dehydrating Time: Approx. 12-20 hours*
Papaya – Dehydrating Time: Approx. 12-20 hours*

Almost any fruit will dehydrate!

* Drying times will vary depending on your humidity and dehydrating temperature.

Lemon-Water Solutions:
1 Part Pure Lemon Juice (no sulfites and not from concentrate) to
3 Parts Water
Combine in Spray Bottle (unused portion can be stored in sprayer in the fridge)

Procedure

1. Using a very sharp knife or Food Slicer, slice fruit as evenly as possible in the desired thickness…. Remember that fruit will shrink as they dehydrate, so the higher the water content, the smaller the final product will be. (For best results, it is important to use a stainless steel knive/blade when cutting your fruit – otherwise, you will have bruising/browning of fruit.)
2. Layer sliced fruit on your Dehydrator tray/screen. Do not overlap fruit.
3. For non-citrus fruits, spray generously with lemon water solution (only need to do the tops).
4. Place trays in Dehydrator and set temperature to 105 – 115 degrees (you can do it higher, but the nutrient loss will be greater).
5. If your Dehydrator has a timer, set timer for approximately 10-12 hours and check fruit regularly for desired ‘done-ness’ (is that even a word? LOL!).  Rotate trays if necessary and set-timer so that the fruit will not over dehydrate.
6. Store finished fruit in an airtight container (ie. mason jar, ziplock bag, etc…).  Keeps best in fridge, and even longer if using a food sealer.

Yield: Varies depending on amount of fruit used.

Preparation Time: Approx. 15-20 minutes
Dehydrating Time: 8-20 hours (depending on humidity and what you’re dehydrating)

Feel free to send me any questions or comments you may have!

~ Enjoy!

Feel free to post any questions or comments you may have & don’t forget to subscribe here or at YouTube so you’ll know when I have a new video up.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Here is the ingredient list and procedure for this recipe – feel free to experiment with it!  If you have the Living Cookbook software, you can import the free recipe file by cutting and pasting it right into your program.

MojoLicious Snack Bars

Ingredients

Wet Mixture Ingredients:
1 cup Peanut Butter (all natural, no sugar – can use raw)
1 cup Organic Brown Rice Syrup
1/3 cup Raw Agave Syrup
1 1/2 Tbs Vanilla
1 1/2 Tbs Vegetable Oil
1 1/2 tsp Sea Salt
1 to 1 1/2 tsp Xanthan Gum (don’t use too much of this or your bars will taste slimy)

Dry Ingredients:
1 cup Raw Peanuts or Cashews
1 cup Raw Almonds
1 cup Dry Roasted Soy Beans (non GMO)
1 cup Raw Pumpkin Seeds
1 cup Raw Sunflower Seeds
1 cup Raisins (or currants)
1 cup Natural Coconut flakes (nothing added)

Add Last Ingredients:
12 oz Box of Perky’s Crunchy Rice Cereal (4.5 Cups)
1 cup Thin Pretzel Sticks (broken into pieces)
3/4 cup Chocolate or Carob chips (optional)

Procedure

1. Prepare a deep cookie sheets (aka – Jelly Roll Pan) by lining with Parchment or Wax Paper.  Set-Aside.
2. In large bowl: Combine all Dry Ingredients (except the ‘add last’ ingredients) and mix well.  Set-Aside.
3. In separate bowl:  Combine all wet mixture ingredients and stir well with spatula…mixture will be thick.
4. Bring wet mixture to a thinner consistency by warming it in a dehydrator or double boiler  – but only until mixture is warm and thin – do not over heat!  If using a Microwave, cook on High for 1 minute – stirring well every 20-30 seconds. Microwave for an additional 30 Seconds until mixture is thoroughly warm.
5. Add wet mixture to dry ingredients and mix WELL!  Mixture should be sticky.
6. At this time, add in the Nutty Rice Crisps, Pretzels, and Chocolate/Carob Chips.  Continue mixing with Rubber Spatula until mixture is evenly and well blended.  This may take a few minutes.
7. Using the Rubber Spatula, spread and press mixture evenly into prepared pan. You may need to press mixture with hands to ensure bars are solid and evenly spread out.
8. Freeze or Refrigerate for 1/2 hour, then cut into 2″ x 2″ bars and store in airtight bag/container or wrap individually in plastic wrap .  Best if kept refrigerated.

Servings: 48
Yield: 48  2″ x 2″ Squares or ‘Bars’

Ready In: Approx. 30 minutes

Tips

• Almost any other ‘Nut’ Butter may be substituted for Peanut Butter.
• If you have allergies to a particular nut, feel free to replace it with another one of your choice.

Feel free to send me any questions or comments you may have! 

Enjoy!

~ Erika

Whoever says they can’t get their kids to eat greens hasn’t tried this juice… and it’s not just for kids! It might be hard to believe, but it’s so delicious!

Feel free to send me any questions or comments you may have & don’t forget to subscribe here or at YouTube so you’ll know when I have a new video up.

Here is the ingredient list for this ‘non’ recipe – feel free to experiment with it!  If you have the Living Cookbook software, you can import the free recipe file by cutting and pasting it right into your program.

JimBob Juice in the VitaMix

Ingredients

Fruit Ingredients:
1/2 Frozen Pineapple (cored or not)
1 Frozen Banana (or you can use a fresh one)
1 Cup Frozen Strawberries (non-sweetened – not shown in the video above)
1 Orange
1 Slice Fresh Lemon (pith on, no outer peel)
1/2 Mango
1/2 Papaya
1/2 Lychee (doesn’t add any real flavor)

Optional Fruit Ideas:  Frozen Grapes, Apples, Lime, Pear, Lilikoi/Passion Fruit, Grapefruit, Melons, etc…

Veggie Ingredients:
1/2 Head Green Leaf Lettuce
10 Fresh Green Beans
1/2 Fresh Cucumber
1/4 Fresh Beet (not shown in the video above)
1 Half Inch Cube of Ginger (ginger is a strong flavor, so use sparingly unless you like it strong)

Optional Veggie Ideas:  Spinach, Kale, Cabbage, Carrots, etc… (just be sure to stay away from high fiber/pulp veggies like broccoli or Brussel sprouts – otherwise you’ll end up with Dirty Juice!)

Liquid Ingredients:
2 TBSP Unsweetened Apple Juice Concentrate
2 TBSP Unsweetened Grape Juice Concentrate
1 Cup Water
2 Cups Ice (use to taste/texture)

Procedure

1. In the VitaMix, add all ingredients in the container and top with water, then ice (start with less, and add more ice if needed as you go).  Start at Variable Speed 1 and slowly move to speed 10 as the mixture begins to puree.
2. Bring the speed up to ‘High’ and use the tamper to push the frozen ingredients into the blades.  Remove the tamper and put the cap back on until the smoothie is… well, smooth!
3. Bring the speed down at this point, turn off the VitaMix and you’re done!
4. Serve as you would any smoothie and Enjoy!

Servings: 4-6
Yield: Approx 8 Cups

Ready In: Approx. 5 minutes

Tips

• Fill any remaining mixture & toppings into Popsicle molds and freeze for later!
• This recipe can be easily adapted for a 100% ‘Raw’ diet… just leave out the Juice Concentrates.

Feel free to send me any questions or comments you may have! 

Enjoy!

~ Erika