Raw Pumpkin Cookie Balls and Fall Favorites

Are you pumkined out yet?  Truth be told, I am not a huge pumpkin person, but these cookie balls are so good!  They almost taste like cookie dough and they definitely take care of a sweet craving!

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup canned pumpkin
• 3/4 cup almond butter
• 1/4 cup granulated sweetener (Maple Sugar would be awesome.  I used Swerve for a low sugar alternative)
• 1/2 cup almond flour
• 1/4 cup vanilla protein powder (optional, use almond flour as replacement)
• 1/4-1/2 tsp cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice
• 1/8 tsp sea salt
• 2 cups shredded coconut
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips (use Enjoy Life for dairy free option)

Instructions:

1. Combine the pumpkin, almond butter, sweetener, flour, protein powder, spice and salt
2. Add in the coconut and chocolate chip, stir until combined
3. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper 
4. Roll the dough into golf ball size balls and place them on the cookie sheet
5. Place in the fridge to harden 
6. Store in a glass container in the fridge

Enjoy!

Favorite Fall Finds

I wanted to share a few of my favorite finds for fall.  I am in love with Primal Palate's Organic Spices and have almost completely stocked my spice rack with them!  Their blends are seriously the best and the Pumpkin and Apple Pie Spice blends are a must for this time of year.  They also have a Gingersnap and Cinnamon Sugar Cookie blend that I cannot wait to try in recipes.  I could eat the Sugar Cookie one with a spoon...I'm not kidding!!  The best part is, they are available on Amazon Prime!!!

I have missed burning candles, but gave them up after learning how toxic most candles are. Everything from the wax to the wick and especially the fragrances are not good for us.  I love my diffuser, but there is something about burning a candle and enjoying the glow of a candle in the winter time.  I was recently introduced to Woodlot, a small apothecary out of Canada and am in love with their candles!  I also love supporting small business owners!  Their eco-friendly candles are free of petroleum, phthalates, synthetic fragrances and gmo's.  They are made with coconut oil and non gmo soy wax, cotton core wicks and are scented with pure essential oils.  I ordered three different candles, Cinder for fall with scents of cedarwood, cinnamon and orange, Wildwoods for Christmas with an evergreen, pine and clove scent and the Original.  These will be the perfect hostess gift and they arrived just a few days after I ordered them!!

The cold air has finally moved into Colorado and that means my skin needs extra moisture. Beautycounter's Lustro Face Oil is my must have skincare product for everyday, but even more so in the winter months!  The seven plant based oils are full of anti-oxidants and fatty acids that make your skin glow!  Unlike synthetic oils, which can sit on the skin, these face oils absorb easily for ultimate hydration!  I love the Soothing Oil and use it morning and night after cleansing and follow with a moisturizer.  Beautycounter is my favorite brand for safe non toxic skincare and makeup.  Give a Lusto Face Oil a try, you have 60 days to fall in love with it or return it for a full refund!  I promise your skin will thank you!  (Want to be in the know when Beautycounter offers amazing deals on products or when I am giving away a FREE product?  Sign up for email notifications here.  A pop up will show up shortly after you go to the page)

XOXO,

If you are an Amazon shopper, would you be so kind to use my affiliate link to make your purchases.  It is at no cost to you, it does provide a tiny kickback to Kate’s Healthy Cupboard.  This allows me to continue making and testing recipes for free.  Thanks so much!!

*I have recently switched all of my skincare and makeup to a company that is free of 1,500 chemicals!!  I am so particular about what goes into my body, I need to be just as picky as to what goes on my body!  Your skin is your largest organ and absorbs chemicals into the bloodstream faster than the gut does!  I am vain when it comes to my skin and was so thrilled to find products that are anti-aging and work!!!  Check out BeautyCounter for more info!!  You will love it!!

"Cheesy" Kale Chips

I love Whole Foods, wandering around seeing what new products have been granted self space and what local products are new to market as well.  I spend a lot of time in Scottsdale, Arizona and a lot of time at the Whole foods there.  Every time I go, I have to take some extra time that first trip to the store to see what's new.  Arizona is part of the western region for Whole Foods that includes California, where Colorado is part of the mountain west region, so we get different products.  Arizona gets a lot of products that originate from California and if they sell well, we will be lucky to hopefully see them on the shelves in Colorado and vice versa.

There are a couple things I can't find at my local Whole Foods that I love to get down there.  One item in particular, Quite Cheezy Kale Chips made by Alive & Radiant Foods (my Whole Foods only sells two of the flavors as of late and the Quite Cheesy is not one of them).  The entire line of their products are delicious. I think I seriously bought a bag every trip I made to the store (that is often) and ate the entire bag!  Serving size is 2.2, that's a joke...I eat the whole bag wishing I had more!  After looking at the ingredient list, I knew I could make these at home when I got back to my dehydrator.  This recipe is pretty darn close...close enough for me!

I know not everyone has a dehydrator, but you should (in my opinion), since there are so many great things you can do with them and they are reasonably priced (I have this dehydrator and it works great).  I have not tried this in the oven on the dehydrate setting, but if you do, please leave a comment on how they turned out.  This spread would be awesome as a "cheese" spread for crackers (I have numerous grain-free cracker recipes) or as a dip for vegetables.  So if you don't have a dehydrator, you can still enjoy this recipe!

“Cheesy” Kale Chips

Ingredients

• 1 cup raw cashews (soaked overnight)
• 1/3 cup roasted red bell pepper*
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons Nutritional Yeast**
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1 bunch kale (I used Dino, but any Kale will work)

Instructions

1. Wash the kale, pat dry and tear into pieces, about 1 1/2 inches and place in a bowl
2. Drain the water off of the cashews and place all of the ingredients in a food processor or blender until smooth
3. Pour the spread into the bowl and massage it into the kale to cover each piece
4. Place kale on dehydrator trays and dehydrate at 125 for 8-10 hours or until desired crispiness
5. Store in an airtight container, I prefer glass

Quick notes

*I used roasted peppers for additional flavor. The Alive & Radiant Foods is considered raw, so a red bell pepper is what they used. Either one will work.

**Nutritional Yeast is something a lot of vegetarians use to make things taste cheesy. It is full of B vitamins, some protein and lots of flavor. It can be found in the baking section of a health food store or may be sold in bulk. It looks like yellow flaky fish food to me:)

Variations

To make these a bit spicy, add some cayenne pepper or other seasonings you like.

If you are looking for ways to get more greens in your kids, this recipe will work!

Kate's Healthy Cupboard - Gluten Free Recipes

Raw Beet and Sunflower Seed Crackers

This may sound very similar to a recipe from a few months back, cause it is.  I basically took my recipe for my Raw Beet Sunflower Seed Pesto and made a few changes to create this delicious cracker!  If you are a beet person, this is a must try!  I used my dehydrator, but I believe this should work just fine in the oven.  Many ovens have a dehydrator option or just bake these at the lowest possible setting.

 Raw Beet and Sunflower Seed Crackers

Ingredients

• 2 large beets, peeled and chopped (about 5 cups)
• 4 garlic cloves
• 3/4 – 1 cup fresh basil leaves
• 1 cup raw sunflower seeds
• 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1 tbsp psyllium husk*
• 1 tsp sea salt

Instructions

1. Place the chopped beets into a food processor and blend until pureed
2. Add in the remaining ingredients excluding the sunflower seeds and blend until well combined
3. Add the seeds to the mixture and combine. Do not let the seeds get so small they disappear.
4. Dehydrate at 145 for 2 hours. Reduce the temp to 105 and dehydrate until crisp. Once the top is completely dry, I flip the crackers to finish. this is the best time to cut or score the “dough” into desired cracker size.
5. Oven Method: Bake on a parchment lined cookie sheet at lowest temperature setting or dehydrator setting until desired crunch. You may want to turn the crackers over part way through to cook evenly. You can try cutting or scoring the crackers at that time as well.

Quick notes

*Psyllium husk powder helps to bind the ingredients, like an egg does or flax meal mixed with liquid does. It can be found at most health food stores in the supplement section. It is a powder that is high in fiber and when consumed in high amounts, it can cause intestinal distress. I promise the one tablespoon of it in this entire recipe will not cause a problem for you!!

Kate's Healthy Cupboard - Gluten Free Recipes

Lollipop Rolls

For those of you that don't know me, I am a huge sushi fan!  Yes, I love raw fish!  I like cooked salmon, but raw salmon sashimi does not taste fishy at all, and if it does, it's old or bad quality!  I buy sushi grade salmon and tuna from Whole Foods and have never had it be bad.  They have it already portioned out in slices and pack it fresh on a regular basis.  Raw fish does not stay fresh for long, so please buy it to use that day or possibly the next.  So if you are someone that avoids sashimi because you can't stand how fishy cooked salmon is, give it a try, you might be surprised!!

One of my favorite sushi restaurants in Scottsdale that we frequent a lot, has four different lollipop rolls on their menu.  I just love how refreshing they are with the cucumber wrap and they are free of rice for all you grain free friends out there!  The roll I order consists of salmon, yellowfin tuna, crab and avocado wrapped in cucumber and served with a ponzu dipping sauce.  Being gluten and dairy free tends to mean you can not enjoy any sauces at sushi restaurants.  I love these as is with some wasabi on top, but for my lollipops I decided to dip them in my Avocado Vinaigrette.  I love the mixture of avocado and sushi so this is the perfect match!!  The other option is to eat it like a traditional roll and dip it in a mixture of wasabi and some Coconut Aminos (gluten free soy sauce alternative that tastes great!!).

I was so excited to post this recipe that I didn't want to wait any longer as I experimented with a gluten free ponzu sauce.  I will work on one, seems pretty simple.  I am also going to work on a pesto dipping sauce that many places serve with rolls as well.  These may look complicated, but really take no time at all!!!

Lollipop Rolls

Makes 12 rolls

Ingredients

• 3/4 lb of sushi grade fish (I used salmon and tuna, but crab or shrimp will also work)
• 1 large cucumber
• 1/2 of an avocado, sliced into 6 strips
• 12 bamboo skewers
• wasabi powder

Instructions

1. Using a mandoline, slice the cucumber lengthwise into 1/8 inch thick slices
2. Lay out a slice of cucumber vertically. Place fish slices and a slice of avocado horizontally across the cucumber. Set all of them right next to each other. You may need to trim off and pieces that are hanging over the edge of the cucumber
3. Roll the cucumber tightly until it overlaps itself.
4. At the overlap spot, poke a bamboo skewer into each side so you can slice it right down the middle to form two rolls.
5. Repeat the process until you have 12 finished rolls.
6. Combine wasabi powder with a bit of water to create desired consistency

Don't like sushi, enjoy these with chicken or beef strips and some raw veggies!  Don't be afraid to get creative!

Kate's Healthy Cupboard - Gluten Free Recipes

Banana Nut Protein Taffy

I am having so much fun with my food processor and dehydrator!  It's so hot here that I don't want to use the oven, so dehydrator it is!  Between all the dehydrated goodies and ice cream I have been making/eating, I'm one happy girl!

I was trying to create a banana bread type cracker and ended up with taffy.  I almost was going to call it banana jerky, but it's sticky once you start chewing...so taffy it is!  Regardless, this makes for a great high protein satisfying snack!  Feel free to add more flour and nuts or decrease the bananas to try to get it to a cracker consistency.

I have not tried this in the oven.  I would suggest the lowest heat setting or dehydrator setting if your oven has that option.  Spread the batter on a parchment lined cookie sheet.  Depending on how hot your temp is, you may want to crack open the oven door.   Or simply buy an inexpensive dehydrator, so worth it!!

Recipe: Banana Nut Protein Taffy

Ingredients

• 2 small bananas

• 1 cup vanilla protein (I used Jay Robb's Vanilla Egg White Protein)
• 1 cup almond flour
• 1/8 - 1/4 cup liquid sweetener
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tbsp coconut oil
• 1/2 cup walnuts, chopped

Instructions

1. Mash the bananas until smooth
2. Add the remaining ingredients to the bowl and mix well
3. Spread the mixture onto lined dehydrator trays
4. Dehydrate at 115 for 8-10 hours or until desired texture
5. Remove from trays and break into pieces.  Store in a glass airtight container

Feel free to substitute the protein for more flour.  The flour may absorb more liquid and make it more of a cracker.

Kate's Healthy Cupboard - Gluten Free Recipes

Coconut Vanilla Bean Dough Bites

The title says it all, but I will add one more thing...MELT IN YOUR MOUTH DELICIOUS! If you like coconut, go make these and report back to us about how good they are.

I used my dehydrator for this recipe, been using it a lot lately.  These can certainly be done in an oven as well.  My oven has a dehydrator setting on it so check to see if yours has that option too.  If not, set the temperature for as low as possible (mine is 175).  I have quite a few recipes coming up that use the dehydrator.  It is a favorite among raw foodies because you are simply removing all of the moisture without cooking.  It does take a lot longer than the oven, but also allows for more nutrients to be present.  I personally prefer the dehydrator over the oven method for the treats that I have been making.  I have a very inexpensive one (for now, looking at a different one for the shape of it will make some recipes easier) that can be found at Bed, Bath and Beyond or Amazon.  It is the round Nesco that you can purchase additional trays if need be.

This recipe calls for Lucuma Powder, a superfood referred to as Inca Gold.  I have had a package of this sitting in my frig for over 6 months so I decided to finally use it! It is not necessary in this recipe, but it does add flavor.

What is Lucuma...a sweet and edible fruit of the Lucuma tree (Pouteria obovata, or Lucuma obovata), resembling a persimmon in appearance.

According to Navita Naturals, (where I order my superfoods from) Lucuma is considered a healthy alternative sweetener as it lends a sweet taste to recipes, but is very low in sugars. With naturally occurring beta-carotene, niacin, and iron, lucuma powder is a welcome antidote to notorious “empty calorie” sweeteners.  Lucuma Powder has a distinctively sweet fragrance and full-bodied, maple-like taste. A deliciously versatile dessert ingredient, lucuma blends well to make alluring smoothies, puddings, and ice creams, and can also be used as a flour in exotic pies and pastries.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups shredded coconut
• 1/4 cup vanilla egg white protein (optional, replace with almond flour but this adds great flavor)
• 1/2 tsp vanilla bean powder (1-2 pods)
• 1/2 tsp vanilla ext
• 1 tbsp Lucuma Powder (optional)
• 3 tbsp virgin coconut oil, softened
• 2 tbsp coconut cream/butter, softened
• 3 tbsp liquid sweetener* (maple syrup, honey or coconut nectar)

Instructions

1. Place the coconut, protein powder and vanilla beans into a food processor and blend until coconut reduces in size
2. Add in the remaining ingredients and blend until a dough forms
3. Using a small cookie scoop, place each dough bite onto dehydrator tray or onto a parchment lined cookie sheet
4. Dehydrate at 125 for 2-4 hours
5. Bake at 175 for 1-2 hours
6. Check the bites regularly to see if desired level of "doughiness" has been met

Quick notes

*I used xylitol honey which is not as sweet as regular honey. I added 2 tbsp of Lakanto (erythritol) as well.

These are best right out of the dehydrator/oven.  Don't get me wrong, they are still delicious the next day too...if they last that long.  You can throw them into the dehydrator or oven for 5 minutes to reheat before you enjoy them again!  Store in an airtight container, I prefer glass.

Kate's Healthy Cupboard - Gluten Free Recipes

Raw Beet Sunflower Seed Pesto

If you like beets...yum is all I can say!!!  I think beets are very polarizing, you either love them or hate them.  I personally love them!  I got the inspiration to make this recipe from a restaurant in Denver, Root Down.  For those of you that live here, it's a must for dinner and brunch!  It is a laid back atmosphere with very unique dishes designed to appeal to just about anyone.  From the meat eater to the vegan, you can find something fantastic on their menu.  They cater to food allergies and offer many different variations to most items.  They try to use almost all local food companies for their menu items and create their menu to reflect the season.  I Highly recommend it!

They have a beet arugula salad that I love to get for brunch.  Along with the beets, arugula, toasted hazelnuts, it includes a beet-sunflower seed pesto dolloped next to the salad.  I mix it right in to the salad as a dressing along side the basil vinaigrette and the balsamic reduction that is drizzled around the plate.  I don't think I had ever really read the description of the salad until this past weekend when I ordered it.  Beet-sunflower seed pesto...that's all I needed to read to realize I could recreate something similar.  I decided to take the entire salad, excluding the nuts and arugula, and make a pesto from the remaining items.  Here is what I came up with and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!!

Recipe: Raw Beet Pesto

Ingredients

• 2 large beets, peeled and chopped (about 5 cups)
• 4 garlic cloves
• 3/4 - 1 cup fresh basil leaves
• 3/4 cup raw sunflower seeds
• 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1 tbsp olive oil (or more if you prefer)
• 1 tsp sea salt

Instructions

1. Place the chopped beets into a food processor and blend until pureed
2. Add in the remaining ingredients and blend until well combined

Variations

If you can tolerate cheese, you could certainly add some cheese chunks to this as well.

This could be enjoyed in so many different ways.  You could use it as a sauce over pasta, meats or spaghetti squash like traditional pesto.  It can also be served as a dip or spread for vegetables, crackers or chips.  I would even use it as a salad dressing!!!  I have two more recipes in the making that will incorporate this raw nut-free pesto deliciousness!!!

Kate's Healthy Cupboard - Gluten Free Recipes

Spicy Tuna Sashimi Salad

This is for all you sushi lovers...or for those that want t give it a try!!  I am a huge fan of sashimi, salmon being my favorite.  Sashimi is thinly sliced, raw seafood.  Many different kinds of fresh fish and seafood are served raw in Japanese Cuisine. It can be served plain or wrapped up in a sushi roll.  I prefer it plain topped with a slice of avocado and wasabi or drizzles with Avocado Vinaigrette.

I had the hardest time years ago trying to force myself to try sushi, let alone sashimi!  It is now a favorite and staple in my diet every week.  I would only eat this at a quality sushi/Japanese restaurant or from Whole Foods.  You can find sushi grade salmon and tuna sashimi in the seafood section of most Whole Foods.  If it is fresh, it does not taste fishy at all!!!  I actually think cooked salmon tastes more fishy than raw.  Be sure to buy it the day you plan to eat it or close to the day.

If you like to use wasabi with your sushi, you can buy it powdered.  It is typically found in the asian section and all you have to do is add a bit of water to the powder.  This recipe doesn't call for it, but it is something I enjoy along side my avocado and sashimi.

If you haven't tried sashimi, now is the time!!!  So easy to digest and full of good fats!  This salad has so much flavor you probably won't even know it's raw fish!!!

Recipe: Spicy Tuna Sashimi Salad

Servings: 2

Ingredients

• 8 ounces sushi grade tuna, chopped
• 1 large avocado, chopped
• 3 tbsp macadamia nuts, chopped
• 4 green onions, chopped whites and greens
• 1 1/2-2 tsp hot pepper oil
• 1 tsp avocado oil (could use lite olive oil or coconut oil or omit)
• 2-3 tsp Coconut Aminos
• Sesame seeds

Instructions

1. Roast the nuts in a dry skillet over high heat until slightly brown, let cool
2. Combine the tuna, avocado and onions in a bowl
3. Combine the oils and Coconut Aminos in a bowl, pour over the tuna mixture and stir
4. Top with a sprinkle of sesame seeds and the nuts

Enjoy this with homemade Taro Chips, on cucumber slices, on Grain Free Wheat Crackers or simply plain!

Visit Allergy Free Wednesday for additional allergy free recipes!

Kate's Healthy Cupboard - Gluten Free Recipes