Tag Archives: cookingwithYLEOs

Avocado Mint Chocolate Chip Pie

Everyone knows that I’m obsessed with avocados. I eat one at least once a day. Although I’ve made desserts with avocados before, this pie might be the best one yet. It is green, but you don’t taste the avocado. My children and their neighbor friend didn’t question me for a second when I told them it was Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream Pie. I call that a Mom win!

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Avocado Mint Chocolate Chip Pie (Vegan and Gluten-free)

  • Servings: 6 servings
  • Difficulty: easy
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Tips: Crust can be made homemade with this recipe or if you don’t have time for homemade, check out Mi-Del Cookie Crust. It is available at Wal-mart for $5 and most grocery stores, and it’s allergy-friendly (dairy, gluten, egg, soy, and nut-free) but not sugar-free.

Credit: My Real Dish

Ingredients

Paleo Pie Filling

  • 4 large avocados
  • 1 cup coconut milk refrigerated overnight (hard cream only)
  • ⅛ cup lime juice (juice from ~1 lime)
  • ¼ cup + 1 tablespoon maple syrup
  • 15 drops Young Living Peppermint Vitality Oil (you can buy it here)
  • 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips (I used mini chips)

Chocolate Sauce

The Best Vegan Chocolate Sauce (Optional, not sugar-free)

Crust

Easy Chocolate Crumb Crust (see tips for more details) 


Directions

  1. Prepare the chocolate pie crust first (or see tips for store-bought allergy-friendly crust).
  2. Put all of the ingredients, except the chocolate chips, in a Vitamix or high-powered blender, and purée until smooth.
  3. Stir in the chocolate chips.
  4. Put into pie crust, and freeze for 1 hour.
  5. The result is a minty “nice cream” cake.

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Acai Berry Smoothie

Acai is a healthy long reddish-purple fruit that has antioxidants, fiber, monounsaturated fats, iron, calcium, fiber, vitamin A, and anthocyanins. You can read about anthocyanins here. Honestly, if it weren’t for the health benefits of acai and the fact that I bought a bag of packets from Trader Joe’s, I probably would have given up. That would have been a shame because today I succeeded in creating a great flavor! Sometimes it takes me awhile to get a recipe just right.

Acai Berry Smoothie

  • Servings: 11 servings
  • Difficulty: easy
  • Print

This easy acai berry smoothie is loaded with antioxidants, is dairy-free, has ingredients from Trader Joe's, and a hint of cinnamon.


Credit: My Real Dish

Tips: (1) The Trader Joe’s frozen Organic Berry Blend has strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries. Feel free to find a similar berry blend if you don’t have a Trader Joe’s near you. (2) Using Young Living Cinnamon Bark Vitality essential oil brings a warm flavor to this smoothie that goes well with the almond butter. Cinnamon Bark Vitality essential oil as a dietary supplement can support healthy digestion and help maintain a healthy immune system. If you don’t have this oil, you can buy it here. Or, you can substitute 1/4 – 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon instead (taste to preference).

Ingredients

  • 2 cups spinach
  • 3.52 oz of acai ( I used 1 packet from Trader Joe’s)
  • 1 banana
  • 1/4 cup frozen blueberries
  • 3/4 cup Organic Berry Blend from Trader Joe’s
  • 1/4 cup almond milk
  • 1 tablespoon agave syrup
  • 2 tablespoons almond butter
  • 1 drop Young Living Cinnamon Bark Vitality essential oil (see tips for alternatives)


Directions

  1. Run the acai packet under warm water to dethaw.
  2. Put all the ingredients in the Vitamix, purée and serve.

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Shepard’s Pie (Gluten & Dairy-Free)

Shepard’s Pie (Gluten & Dairy-Free)

I was craving Shepard’s Pie (also known as cottage pie), but I only had three potatoes. So instead of Mashed Potatoes, I used Mashed Garlic Roasted Cauliflower on top. It added almost a cheesy taste, and it was great with the gluten-free vegan biscuits that I made using Pamela’s Biscuit & Scone Mix .IMG_1114.JPG

Here’s my twist.  In addition to the ingredients for the Mashed Garlic Roasted Cauliflower, you will need:

  • 1 lb ground lamb (or bison or ground beef)
  • 2 tablespoons Worchestire sauce
  • ½ teaspoon Redmond’s Real Salt
  • 10 twists on a  pepper grinder
  • 4 drops Young Living Thyme Essential Oil (or 1 tablespoon fresh)
  • 4 drops Young Living Rosemary Essential Oil (or 1 tablespoon fresh)
  • ¾ cup chopped carrot
  • ½ cup organic frozen peas
  • ½ organic frozen corn
  • ½ cup organic frozen beans
  • 1 large chopped onion
  • 3 cloves garlic finely chopped
  • 2 tablespoons vegan butter (I used Earth Balance)
  • 2 tablespoons gluten-free flour (coconut or almond flour make it Paleo)
  • 2 cups beef broth (I used Home Goodness Organic Beef Broth from Costco)

 

I’m personally a huge fan of cooking with essential oils, because at the time I didn’t have any fresh thyme or rosemary at my house –  I didn’t even have potatoes! The essential oils are so convenient, never expire, and still add great flavor. You can read about my dish with cooking with oils here. If you are interested in purchasing Young Living Essential Oils, you can click here. I’d love to help you learn to use oils not only in your kitchen, but in your daily life!

Directions

    1. Preheat oven to 400ºF & prepare Baked Cauliflower Recipe
    2. Heat a large skillet over medium high heat, then add lamb. Brown lamb until fully cooked, about 5 minutes (I find there’s enough fat released in the beef that I don’t need to add oil to the pan). While it’s cooking, prepare your vegetables.
    3. Chop onion, and garlic (smash with knife and then chop).img_1063
    4. Chop carrots. I only had baby carrots, so I chopped them in fourths and then cut them.IMG_1068.JPG
    5. Soak up excess grease with a paper towel.img_1067
    6. Add onion, garlic, and carrot, worcestershire sauce,Real Salt, pepper,Young Living Rosemary Essential Oil, Young Living Thyme Essential Oil, then cook for approximately 10 minutes, until carrots are soft.
    7. Add the frozen peas, corn, and green beans (I snapped the green beans in half), and cook for 2 minutes.IMG_1076.jpgIMG_1077.JPG
    8. Add gluten-free flour and vegan butter to the pan, and toss around until butter is fully melted and the flour disappears (~1 minute). IMG_1078.jpg
    9. Add beef stock. Then, bring liquid to a boil over high heat.IMG_1079.jpg
    10. Cook for a minute or two until broth thickens into a light sauce.
    11. Remove pan from heat, and transfer meat and veggie mixture to an 8×8 baking dish.IMG_1085.JPG
    12. Preheat oven to 425ºF.
    13. Pull Baked Cauliflower from the oven, and finish preparing Mashed Garlic Roasted Caulflower 
    14. Top lamb mixture with  Mashed Garlic Roasted Caulflower img_1093img_1091
    15. Bake 20 – 25 minutesShepard's Pie.jpg

What are your favorite comfort foods?

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Eggplant Pizza Bake

Eggplant Pizza Bake

I was craving pizza, and planned on making eggplant pizzas. However, when I started to brainstorm my meals for the week, I wanted a way to stretch my recipes and save prep time. So after making the Protein Loaded Pizza Sauce, I prepped the veggies for pizza, and then made extra for this dish. It’s a divine combination of tomato, eggplant, zucchini, cajun spice, and goat cheese. 

Start with the Protein Loaded Pizza Sauce. It will take 30-60 minutes to simmer. Then prep your veggies and start your Eggplant Pizza Bake.eggplant-pizza-bake

Ingredients

Directions:Prepare the Protein Loaded Pizza Sauce.

  1. Preheat oven to 500.
  2. Clean the veggies. I soaked the mushrooms in Young Living Fruit and Vegetable Soak – it is the best at getting dirt off fruits and vegetables.
  3. Chop garlic and shallots.
  4. Slice zucchini into ¼ inch thick slices, and slice mushrooms.
  5. Slice eggplant in ¼ inch slices, and place them on a couple cookie sheets. img_0799
  6. Put 1/4 cup olive oil in a measuring cup with 4 drops Young Living Basil Essential Oil and 2 drops Young Living Thyme Essential Oil. I talk about my dish with essential oils here in this veggie pasta sauce post. I’m available to help you use them in and out of the kitchen. Click here to learn how to order them. img_0798
  7. Brush the olive and essential oil mixture on the slices of eggplant. Salt and pepper generously. Flip them over and repeat with the other side.
  8. Sprinkle 2 chopped cloves garlic on the eggplant.
  9. Broil eggplant at 500 for 7 mins
  10. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in pan on medium-high heat, add zucchini, shallots, and remaining 2 cloves of garlic, and sauté for 3 minutes. 
  11. After three minutes add 2 tablespoons olive oil, mushrooms, 2 drops Young Living Basil Essential Oil, and 1 drop Young Living Thyme Essential Oils. Cook until tender, but not mushy.
  12. Change the oven temperature to 350.
  13. Slice the sausages (if desired). I like this brand because it’s antibiotic, gluten, casein, nitrates, nitrites, and MSG-free. This flavor has a little kick, and one sausage adds just a hint of cajun spice to the dish. I’ve been in search of vegan / gluten-free sausages and they are a hard findimg_0805
  14. Spread a thin layer of pizza sauce at the bottom of a 10 x 12 glass pan – this prevents the eggplant from sticking without using a spray.
  15. Place eggplant on top of the sauceimg_0811
  16. Sprinkle the goat cheese over the eggplantimg_0816
  17. Top with a layer of mushrooms, zucchini, and sliced andouille chicken sausage (omit for vegetarian, but consider a sprinkle of a cajun spice if avoided).
  18. Repeat layers. Eggplant, sauce, goat cheese, mushrooms, zucchini, and sausage. IMG_0824.JPG
  19. Bake for 45 minutes. 
  20. Remove from oven, and let it cool for 10 minutes.IMG_0831.JPG
  21. Serve & enjoy!img_0841

What are your favorite eggplant dishes?

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The Perfect Sliced Potatoes

When I got the results of my wheat, egg and dairy allergy, I thought – how will I eat breakfast without a cheese omelette?! Well, the answer is a good potato. It is a great base for a load of veggies; it tastes amazing as a side dish for dinner, like with ketchup and a burger. It is a homemade and healthier way to fulfill my craving for french fries. I miss being able to go to a restaurant and have a side of fries, but if I succumb to temptation then my stomach and head will pay the price (I don’t need a migraine for days!). Cross contamination kills me. So, I make these sliced potatoes instead.

The Perfect Sliced Potatoes

You can find my dish about cooking with oils here. The oils add a savory flavor with these potatoes, and you don’t have to worry about having fresh herbs on the counter.

Directions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 425
  2. Clean the potatoes – I put them in a bowl of water with the Thieves Fruit & Veggie Soak in order to clean them naturally without chemicals
  3. Chop the onion or shallot
  4. Smash the garlic with the flat part of a knife, and finely chop it
  5. Spread the potatoes on a large cookie sheet
  6. Evenly distribute the onion / shallot over the potatoes
  7. Pour the ¼ cup olive oil in a liquid measuring cup; add the garlic and herbs / drops of the Sage, Basil and Rosemary Essential Oils.
  8. Pour oil mixture over your potatoes
  9. Bake at 425 for 15 minutes – I like mine a little crunchy.
  10. Remove from the pan and salt and pepper to tasteimg_9007
  11. Serve with ketchup if desired or use as a base for a veggie hash. I’ll share this dish soon!IMG_9091.JPGlogo-small

Chili Peppered Cabbage (Paleo)

One day, my son and I were rushing to Costco while my daughter was at gymnastics. They were giving samples of the Columbus Turkey Bacon (it’s nitrate, MSG and gluten free). In attempt to keep my kid quiet in the store, I gave him a sample. He LOVED it. So I tried it, and it was really good! I normally do not like turkey bacon, but this has a nice texture. My kids will eat it plain for breakfast. So, if you think you dislike turkey bacon, try this brand and let me know your thoughts!

Did I mention that I never used to eat bacon because it is bad for you? And, it is…Ugh, guilty pleasures. I felt like I had given up everything with my diet, so I caved after I went dairy, wheat and egg free. I felt like I needed some pizazz in my diet. But, guess what?!  You can make this recipe vegan in a snap with coconut bacon! Cookie and Kate has a recipe! Check it out at: http://cookieandkate.com/2014/how-to-make-coconut-bacon/.

Chili Peppered Cabbage with Bacon, Peppers, Onions and Garlic

  • bacon (whatever kind floats your boat: 1 pack turkey, pork, or coconut; if you are making coconut bacon you will need coconut flakes, GF soy sauce, GF liquid smoke, and maple syrup)
  • 1 head of cabbage
  • 1 red bell pepper
  • 4 drops Black Pepper Essential Oil (I use Young Living Vitality Black Pepper) or 1 tsp ground pepper
  • 1 onion chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves
  • ¼ teaspoon paprika
  • 1 teaspoon gluten free chili powder 
  • 1 teaspoon onion salt (I used Redmond Real Onion Salt)
  • 1 teaspoon salt (or to taste – I used Redmond Real Salt)
  • 2 – 4 tablespoons olive oil

Tips: 

  • If you are making the coconut bacon it takes 2 minutes to prep and 13 minutes to cook. Set your oven for 350 degrees, and mix it together.
  • For the turkey bacon, I set the oven to 375 degrees, put the bacon on a cookie sheet, and bake it for 15 – 20 minutes. I like to bake my bacon on a cookie sheet in the oven because it’s easy; I set the timer, and start chopping my veggies. Then I won’t burn it on the stove, splash grease everywhere, and set off the smoke alarm.
  • You can read about my dish on cooking with essential oils here and real salt here.

Directions:

  1. Prep the bacon, and while it’s baking – chop the cabbage, onion, and garlic.
  2. Heat a large pan to medium heat with 2 tablespoons olive oil for turkey bacon or 4 tablespoons for the vegan / vegetarian option using coconut bacon.
  3. Pull the bacon from the oven, and pour a little of the grease, and put the bacon back in the oven. Obviously, skip this part if you are using coconut bacon.
  4. Add the cabbage, onion, and garlic to the pan.
  5. Chop the red bell pepper next, and then add it to the pan (I like it a little crisper so I don’t cook it right away).
  6. Continuously sauté vegetables and add the Young Living Black Pepper Essential oil, paprika, chili powder, onion salt, and salt. The secret to this dish is the chili powder, and I like the subtle flavor of the Black Pepper essential oil. 
  7. Vegetables will be tender and done at approximately the same time as the bacon. Pull your bacon off the pan, and chop it into small chunks with a knife.
  8. Mix the bacon and the veggies together, and serve.

My son and I ate it as a complete dish. My 4-year-old gobbled it up!! He said that it needed the bacon because he didn’t like the cabbage and peppers alone; that’s cool with me – when he eats cabbage and peppers, I do a happy dance!

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Loaded Veggie Pasta Sauce

Have you ever wondered how to get your family to eat more veggies? My husband complains about squash and zucchini because he doesn’t like the texture, and he hates the flavor of eggplant. His vegetables are limited to broccoli, green beans and peas. When he’s not traveling for work, I set out Young Living MultiGreens for him, but I feel like I’m constantly slathering him in Thieves and Oregano essential oils (our kids are germ boxes and he takes the hit), and his immune system could definitely benefit from some veggies. So I sneak the veggies in this sauce, and he eats them because he likes its flavor. 

The secrets that make this dish delicious (even for a non-veggie lover) are:

  1. Cut your vegetable into very tiny pieces. I slice the eggplant, zucchini, squash, and shallots lengthwise in half. Then, thinly slice them in ¼ inch rows. Next, slice them ¼ inch rows horizontally.img_9046-updatedimg_9049
  2. Sauté your vegetables until they extremely tender.
  3. Essential Oils – I love cooking with oils and sautéed vegetables, because it adds a very flavorful mild taste. It’s also convenient for me, because when I buy a fresh herbs they often spoil quickly or I don’t have them when I am ready to cook. On the other hand, Young Living oils never expire and I can use them for lots of other health benefits too. Make sure that you are only using medicinal therapeutic grade essential oils if you cook with them, because a pure oil is not really pure. 100% pure means that an oil only needs to contain 10% plant, and that leaves room for chemicals and fillers; I wouldn’t apply them to my body, let alone ingest them. If you’d like to cook with essential oils – the 2016 Essential Oil Culinary Collection is a great place to start. 2016-culinary-collectionI never thought that I would cook with oils, but I was traveling to visit friends and wanted to make a veggie hash for breakfast. They didn’t have any fresh or dried herbs, but you know that I had my oils! We were all floored at how delicious the dish turned out. You can learn more about cooking with essential oils here: https://www.youngliving.com/en_US/products/vitality

 

Loaded Veggie Pasta Sauce

  • 3 shallots
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • 1 zucchini
  • 1 yellow squash
  • 1 eggplant
  • 1 jar Organic Pasta Sauce (I use the Kirkland brand from Costco or Trader Joe’s)
  • 2 cans organic tomato sauce (I use the Kirkland brand)
  • 5 drops Young Living Basil Essential Oil ( 2.5 – 3 tablespoons fresh or 2.5 teaspoon dried)
  • 3 drops Young Living Thyme Essential Oil (1.5 tablespoon fresh or 1.5 teaspoon dried)
  • ¼ cup fresh parsley (dried works too)
  • Extra virgin organic olive oil (I use the Kirkland brand)
  • 1 lb grass-fed organic ground beef or bison (optional – Costco has a great selection)
  • ½ tspRedmond’s Real Salt
  • Pepper to taste
  • Gluten-Free noodles (my favorites are Andean Dream Quinoa Pasta or Trader Joe’s Quinoa Pasta)

Directions: 

  1. If you are going to use meat – brown it first. Drain the juice from the meat, put in a bowl, and set it aside.
  2. Cut your vegetables very fine. See pictures above.
  3. Peel your garlic cloves, smash them with your knife, and finely mince them.
  4. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in the pan. Add your vegetables and sauté them. Add additional olive oil when needed.
  5. Chop your parsley and fresh herbs if you are using them instead of oils or dried.
  6. Add the parsley, basil, and thyme, and continue to sauté until they are very moist and tender.
  7. Add pasta and tomato sauces, salt and pepper to taste, and meat if desired. Stir and simmer on low heat.
  8. Creates a hug pot of delicious veggie sauce.
  9. Serve over gluten-free noodles or make a killer lasagna with it; I will post the dairy-free gluten-free  lasagna recipe with cashew cheese next.

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Modification: Not in the mood for pasta? I sometimes substitute the tomato sauce and pasta sauce for a can of organic tomatoes. These vegetables have so much flavor that you can eat them as they are or serve them over rice!

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