Raw Caramel Apples

 It has been an eventful past week.

That is for sure.

Some good.

Some bad.

So I thought it was definitely necessary to get in some baking.

Or well.. In this case, not baking.
But essentially with the same result.

Dessert.

Oh so perfect, sweet & tart dessert.

Enter, your new favorite sweet treat.

Caramel Apples.

Raw Caramel Apples.

Keeping it classy with the impromptu "sticks" for our apples..

Raw-licious Caramel Apples
4 Apples

Date Caramel Sauce

• 10 dates, depitted
• 2 tbsp water
• 2 tbsp coconut oil, melted
• 2 heaping tsp peanut butter
• 2 tsp agave nectar

Chocolate Sauce
Note: this is a different sauce recipe than what I used! Mine was pretty thin.. So this one should be better!

• 2-3 tbsp agave nectar (or pure maple syrup)
• 2-3 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2-3 tbsp peanut butter
• 3 tbsp coconut oil

Additional ingredients..

• 4 apples + 4 sticks or.. in my case, forks. Lol.
• Any toppings your pretty little heart desires! Amongst my selection, I used..
• Coconut
• Sprinkles
• Chopped almonds and pistachios
• Pretzels

Using a sharp pointed knife, cut out the stem & the blossom end of the apple. Stick each apple on a lollipop stick or a fork. Blend together the Date Caramel ingredients in a high speed blender. Stirring periodically to make sure the dates blend smoothly. (This might take a few minutes!) So be patient. The result is 100% worth it!

Spoon lickin' good.

Now get to spreading! Cover each apple sufficiently with your "caramel sauce" & cover with whatever toppings you want.

Let's just say..

We had a little bit of fun with our topping.

The adventurous one.

 The pretty one.

The quirky one.

The salty one.

Now, because a caramel and topping covered apple is just not enough.. It is time to make the chocolate drizzle.

Again, more spoon lickin' goodness!

Mix together the coconut oil, liquid sweetener, cocoa & peanut butter until smooth. Drizzle over your apples. I placed each of the apples in the fridge for 10-15 minutes to firm up the caramel a bit, but you can dig in right away if you want.

These are the perfect healthy treat to satisfy you sweet tooth without expanding the waist band on your pants! Enjoy. :)

Spicy Chocolate Peanut Butter Tofu

This Chocolate PB Tofu is amazing. I know what you are probably thinking.. Chocolate Peanut Butter.. TOFU!? Yes friends.. & it is life changingly good. Give it a shot, you will not be disappointed.

Spicy Chocolate Peanut Butter Tofu

It is slap you in the face good

• 1 block extra-firm tofu
• 1 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 tbsp liquid aminos or soy sauce
• 2 tbsp organic peanut butter
• 3 tbsp water
• 1 tbsp 100% pure maple or agave syrup
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (It is quite spicy! So if you aren't a huge spice fan, tone it down a little bit. It will still turn out amazeballs. I promise.)

Before you can get to the chocolately peanuty goodness, you have to prep that tofu! Emily over at the Daily Garnish has an easy to follow "tofu tutorial" that you can go follow. Perfect golden chunks, every time.

Get your tofu browning on the stove, then it is time to get saucy. Whisk together cocoa powder, liquid aminos/soy sauce, peanut butter, syrup & cayenne in a small bowl until smooth.

Once your tofu is nice and golden brown you can add your nutty chocolate sauce mixture into the pan. Stir well to coat.

No chunk left behind.

The sauce will thicken up from the heat, then it is time to serve it up.

 I will be the first to admit.. I had my doubts.

But it is delicious.
I promise.
& Al even gave it the carnivore seal of approval.

Welp.. It is off to study some anatomy for me.

You're jealous..

I know this.

Lots of MN Love,
-Jules

Oh hey.

P.S.

I am running a 10 miler THIS SUNDAY. If you would like to receive texts to keep you up to date on my pace/how I am running during the race you can go to this link:

http://athletetracker.cloudapp.net

Just type in your cell number & search for my name to follow me!

:)

Easy Peasy Texas Caviar

Good morning my lovelies.

Summer is amazing, isn't it?

Sunshine. Fresh air. Pool time. Relaxation.

At the end of this last semester of school I was feeling completely burnt out.

Seriously, burnt out.

This is the first summer that I haven't taken summer classes so it has been such a blessing to be able to kick back, relax, & forget about school for awhile.

Easy Peasy Texas Caviar
Light & full of refreshing flavor, this salsa is perfect for any get together. It is equally as good on chips, lettuce cups, salads, wraps, etc. Plus, it's hearty body of beans, veggies, & corn will fill you up without weighing you down. What's not to love?

• 1 (16 ounce) can white Shoe Peg corn, drained
• 1 (16 ounce) can black beans, drained *
• 1 (16 ounce) can black-eyed peas, drained *
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped
• 1 bunch green onions, chopped
• 3 fresh tomatoes, chopped  or 1 can chopped tomatoes, drained and rinsed
• 1 (12 ounce) bottle low-fat Italian salad dressing

*Canned items, I try to buy Eden brand because all of their cans are BPA free!
*Also, any Italian dressing would work. I noticed that almost all of the options at the grocery store had cheese in them except this one. This dressing is thicker than most Italian dressings, but it was equally delicious!

Combine the rinsed corn, beans & black-eyed peas in a large bowl. Add in chopped green pepper, onion, and tomatoes. Stir in the Italian dressing. I add it in slowly, mixing throughout so I can judge just how much to use. Mix all the ingredients thoroughly, cover & preferably chill for 2 hours minimum. 

When you are finally ready to dig in, uncover, stir well again & serve with chips of choice.

I had at least 10 people ask me for this recipe at his graduation.

If that doesn't prove to you that it is good, then I don't know what will!

Texas Caviar is quick, easy, & a total crowd pleaser.

Hello?

Forth of July party recipe?

I think so.

Well, I'm off to tackle my morning workout.

Then the boyfriend & I are going to have a day date in Cedar Falls.
Love him.
Then fathers day & my niece Jaeda's birthday party tomorrow.

Whew..

Busy, Busy!

What about you guys?
Any big, wild, crazy & exciting plans for the weekend?
=)

Banana Bread

Let's talk bread..

Banana bread.

No fun story behind it, really.

Just some dang good bread.

I suppose I could mention that it is healthy & low-fat too.

Nom. Nom. Nom.

I will take a slice for breakfast, lunch & dinner. Please & thank you.

Banana Bread

• 2 large very ripe bananas
• 1/4 cup applesauce
• 1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
• 1/3 cup brown rice syrup
• 2 tbsp molasses
• 2 cups all-purpose four
• 3/4 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2-4 tbsp almond milk, depending on the thickness of your batter
• Optional: 1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Start by preheating your oven to 350 degrees on the convection bake setting. Lightly spray a 9 by 5 inch loaf pan, then set aside.

You can melt your coconut oil in the microwave if you like, but I heated mine on the stovetop in a small dish placed inside a water filled pan.

Now, time to get mashing. Add your bananas to a large bowl and mash the heck out of them. I used a potato masher, but I'm sure a fork would work just fine.

Mix in brown rice syrup, applesauce, oil, and molasses. Whisk together until just incorporated.

Mix in flour, baking powder, baking soda, spices and salt.

Continue to stir the batter until all ingredients are just combined. I usually end up adding a few tablespoons of almond milk to loosen up the batter a bit. It should still be thick, but a little almond milk will keep the resulting bread from being too dense.

Now it's time to fold in the nuts, if using. Personally, whenever given the option, I always choose the bread that has nuts over it's more plain counterpart. Plus, walnuts are naturally rich in fiber, B vitamins, magnesium, antioxidants & heathy omega 3 fatty acids. What's not to love?

Now scoop the batter into your prepared loaf pan and pop in the oven for 45-50 minutes. Until you can poke a toothpick in it and have it come out clean. 

The top should be nicely golden brown when finished baking.

Oh & in case you were wondering, the aroma is killer.

Let the bread cool for a few minutes in the pan before transferring it to a cooling rack.

Once completely cooled, you can get to slicing. My favorite way to eat it is slathered with a little Earthbalance on top. Mmm. Mmm.

Perfection.

Dirty Dozen vs. Clean Fifteen

So it has come to my attention that I am very poor with time management. Well.. I am in reference to school work that is. I always seem to find a way to waste away my morning & afternoon, then have to do homework all night. This often leaves me with zero time to blog.. I'm working on reprioritizing though. ;)

However, on a very positive note..
Only FIVE WEEKS LEFT until finals!
Hallelujah! Praise Jesus. ;)

Then it's summer time, working for my daddy, & then off to Minnesota for Chiropractic school..
Wow. This (school) year has flown by.
Crazy how that always happens, isn't it?

This week has been madness. Two big exams today and numerous homework assignements earlier this week has left me with no real time to blog/cook.
Sad day..

Don't worry though. This girl has got a plethura of good info to keep you entertained until I introduce you to some new & exciting recipes in the (hopefully) not too far off future.

^ Let's discuss these guys ^

Shall we?

Let's face it.. I'm sure we all wish that we could afford to buy the best quality ingredients, all of the time. But, as unfortunate as it is.. Healthy (organic) food is not always the cheapest..

I'm a college student. I understand what it is like trying to buy the healthiest foods you can on a budget. I do buy non-GMO foods always & mostly all organic, with just a few exceptions.

Organic foods have countless benefits. They're is grown free of toxic pesticides & chemical fertilizers. Not only is this good for you to not be consuming them, but think about the people growing the food. They too don't have to be exposed to the nasty chemicals & the soil that the plants are grown in remains plush & fruitful for years to come! Eating organic means you are better sustaining the Earth & it's abilities to provide for us, as well as doing your part to more healthfully treat yourself. It also doesn't hurt that organic fruits & veggies contain more nutriets than their toxic relatives do, so if possible you should always go for organic. 

But.. Did you know that there are certain fruits & veggies that you don't necessarily need to buy organic?  It gets costly, I know. So below is a list of the fruit & veg items that you should always, always buy in the organic section & a list of the items that you don't necessarily need to always buy organic. (I do want to note that all of the non-organic items should be washed super-duper well to ensure all of the chemicals/pesticides have been washed off!)

The Dirty Dozen

1. Apples
2. Celery
3. Strawberries
4. Peaches
5. Spinach
6. Nectarines
7. Grapes
8. Sweet Bell Peppers
9. Potatoes
10. Lettuce/Kale/Collard Greens
11. Cherries
12. Pears

Clean 15

1. Asparagus
2. Avocado
3. Banana
4. Onion
5. Pineapple
6. Mango
7. Broccoli
8. Cabbage
9. Kiwi
10. Sweet Corn
11. Sweet Peas
12. Mushrooms
13. Watermelon
14. Tomatoes
15. Sweet potatoes

A good tip to remember when shopping, the most highly contaminated fruits and veggies are typically tree fruits, berries and leafy greens. As you can see though, celery doesn't fall into any of those three categories yet it still lands on the dirty dozen list. So you can't only assume these types of fruits/veggies are the only highly contaminated ones. Again I will say, if possible, always buy organic. Not only for the reasons I listed previously, but buying organic means you can be sure you are not eating GMO (genetically modified) foods. I could go on about GMO foods for days, but we shall save that for a later post.

Tomato Basil Cashew Cream Pasta

Ugh.. What a weekend. I have three, yes THREE, big exams this week (pray for me!!) so my weekend has consisted of studying, studying, a little cooking/baking, & more studying. Sounds thrilling, doesn't it? I won't complain though, I've got a batch of PB Chocolate Chip Cookies to keep me company. ;)

I've noticed a trend of dessert & sweet recipes on this blog, so I thought it was probably time for a savory dish recipe. What better than a healthy & filling pasta dish? If there is one thing I've learned in my short twenty-one years of life, it is that people love carbs. Everyone loves carbs. If you claim you don't.. You're lying. Ha. ;) 

Tomato Basil Cashew Cream Pasta

(adapted from: OhSheGlows)

Yields: 3 servings

• 1 large ripened tomato
• 1/2 cup raw cashews (i soaked mine in water for an hour or 2 beforehand so they would blend more smoothly, but it isn't necessary!)
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 3 large garlic cloves
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup packed fresh basil, finely chopped
• 3 servings uncooked spaghetti (i used udon noodles, but any variety will work fine)
 

 

First fill a large pot with water and place on the stove to boil. Rough chop your tomato and add to a blender (include both the skin & seeds).

 Add in your cashews, water, & tomato paste. If you soaked your cashews beforehand, pat them dry before adding to the blender. Blend the mixture until it becomes smooth and creamy.

In a large skillet, heat the olive oil & minced garlic on low, sautéing for a few minutes. Pour the sauce from the blender into the skillet, stir well, then bring to a simmer. Add in salt and pepper, let cook for 4-5 minutes or until hot. While the sauce is cooking, add your noodles to the boiling water and cook until al dente.

When your sauce is thoroughly heated, remove from heat & stir in the fresh chopped basil.

When the pasta is finished, strain out all water, then return the noodles to the pot. Add in desired amount of sauce and stir well to combine. I wouldn't add all of the sauce right away, as I had some left over afterwards. Now you're ready to enjoy!

This pasta is smooth, rich, and packed with flavor. The fresh basil & cracked pepper add a perfect bite to the otherwise creamy & mellow sauce. The cashews provide a creamy base, but unlike most "cream" pastas this one is actually healthy! This is by far my favorite pasta dish I've ever made. It tastes so decadent &... dare i say, expensive? Haha. No seriously, if you're wanting to feel like some amazing accomplished italian chef, this is the dish to make. ;)

Alright, I suppose it's back to studying for me.

Hope you're all having a great Sunday. =)

Mama Molstead's Great Granola

Nothing fills you up in the morning quite like a hearty bowl of wholesome granola. When it comes to cooking, baking, or anything food related.. Mama knows best. Everything I've learned about food & being healthy, I have learned from her.

Well, I technically cannot take credit for this granola because it is her recipe. But it is too good to not share with you guys! 

This granola has that perfect balance between the toasted oats, nuts, and seeds, all with subtle undertone of sweetness from the maple syrup, agave, & dried fruits. Providing the perfect pairing with almond milk, of course. ;)

This granola is both a blessing and a curse.. It is chock full of healthy ingredients, but when I've got a batch in the house I can't keep myself from sneaking handful after handful throughout the day. Let's just say, this is not a recipe that lasts long in this house!

I've found that most store bought boxes of granola are: 1.) EXPENSIVE & 2.) a lot of them contain puff cereal & other filler ingredients. No thank you! Give me the hearty & wholesome ingredients, please. 

I promise. This recipe does not disappoint.

MAMA MOLSTEAD'S GREAT GRANOLA

Subtly sweet & full of robust flavor. This granola will keep you full for hours & ready for anything your day decides to throw at you.

• 6 cups rolled oats
• 1/4 cup shelled hemp seeds
• 1/4 cup ground flaxseed
• 1 cup raw almonds, sliced
• 1 cup raw walnuts, chopped
• 1/2 cup raw pepitas
• 1/2 cup raw sunflower seeds
• 1 cup coconut, unsweetened
• 1/4 cup coconut oil
• 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
• 1/2 cup apple juice
• 1/2 cup honey
• Recommended Mix In Options: Dried cranberries, raisins, blueberries, etc. Let that imagination run wild! =)

Mix together dry ingredients (excluding any mix-ins!) in a large bowl- set aside. In a saucepan, mix together the oil, syrup, agave, and apple juice- bring to a boil. Pour wet ingredients into the bowl of dry ingredients & stir until well coated. Spread mixture onto 2 rimmed cookie sheets & bake for 20-25 minutes at 350 degrees. (can also place onto a few dehydrator sheets & dehydrate until crisp!) 

Make sure to open the oven and stir the granola every 5-10 minutes. Add in raisins, cranberries, blueberries, etc. in the last 5-10 minutes of baking. 

Pour into a container or bowl & get munchin'!

Almond Milk- The perfect partner in crime.