Friday, February 25, 2011

Gingersnap Cupcakes

Gingersnap cupcakes with cream cheese icing......all made without refined sugar and with a little help from my OmniBlend V blender!

I grew up with a few family members that had a sugar sensitivity and watched my parents modify recipes so that we could all enjoy home made deserts.  "The apple doesn't fall far from the tree" as the saying goes, as I too, enjoy the challenge....and my family is happy and healthier for it.

gingersnap cupcakes & cream cheese icing...all made without refined sugar!
 gingersnap cupcake recipe:
    • 1 C. pitted honey dates
    • 1 C. water
    • 1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
    • 1/4 C. canola oil
    • 1/4 C. black strap molasses
    • 1/4 tsp. salt
    • 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
    • 1/2 tsp. ginger
    • 1/4 tsp. cloves
    • 1 egg
    • 1 C. flour ~ I used 3/4 C. whole buckwheat flour (I used my OmniBlend to make the buckwheat flour) and 1/4 C. spelt flour ~
    • 1/4 C. water
- blend first 9 ingredients in OmniBlend V blender for 60 sec.
- reduce to low and add egg until just mixed (maybe 5 sec.)
- pour liquid mixture into a bowl with the flour and stir until moistened
- rinse the blender with 1/4 C. water and pour into batter and mix again


bake @ 375 for 20 min.  makes 11 large cupcakes


cream cheese icing:
  • 1/4 C spreadable cream cheese
  • 2 tbsp. pure maple syrup
cream together with a fork until smooth
spread over cupcakes and enjoy!

Amber

Sunday, February 13, 2011

Hummus

Hummus recipe:
  • 1 (19 oz.) can of bean medley or chickpeas
  • 1/4 C tahini
  • 1/4 C extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 clove of raw garlic (3 for a spicier dip)
  • 1 raw red pepper, seeded and cut unto quarters
  • pinch sea salt

Place all ingredients in blender and blend using 90 sec. button.  Use tamper to gently move ingredients to the bottom of the blender, once all ingredients are pulled into the blades, remove tamper. 

Serve with pita bread wedges or veggie sticks.

Our family enjoys this dip year round.....with both the bean medley and the chickpeas.  I use less garlic than most recipes call for (but we still find it very flavourful).  The addition of a red pepper and a bit more olive oil, keeps the consistency nice and smooth.

Enjoy!
Amber






Saturday, February 12, 2011

Minty Melon Smoothie

Minty Melon smoothie recipe:
  • 1 lg leaf kale
  • 1 C romaine lettuce
  • 1 C frozen honeydew cubes
  • 1/4 C frozen pear apple cubes
  • 1 tsp flax seed
  • 1 tsp salba (chia seed)
  • 1 orange, peeled
  • 1/2 lemon, peeled
  • 3 sprigs of mint (leaves only)
  • 1 C unsweetened almond milk
  • 1 C pure water or ice for desired consistency



blend for 60 sec. with your OmniBlend Blender V. 

minty melon smoothie

TIPS:
  • I had previously cubed and frozen the melon, pear apple, flax seed and salba together.  you can speed up your smoothie making process by taking a little bit of time each week to pre-package your own ingredients into single serving containers. 

  • Another great time saver is pre-washing and drying your greens and storing in bags with all of the air squeezed out of the bag.  You can only do this a few days in advance, but then there is also the option of freezing the portions of greens with the fruit. 

  • I also make green cubes by blending my dark leafy greens with some lemon and a little water, then pour the puree into ice cube trays and freeze.  I do this when the greens are starting to wilt and I don't want to waste them.

Monday, February 7, 2011

GRINDING your own FLOUR

One of the great features of the OmniBlender is the dry blade and wet blade in one container.  In one competitor's blender, you have a bunch of attachments and extras to purchase.  I love that this one features both blades!
 
We did a little testing with whole grains and ground them to see how well the Omniblender did.

MILLET: 
  1. pour under 2 C of grain into blender.  1 3/4 C works best as a maximum....otherwise the grains will not be completely ground.

  2. use the 60 sec. function button
  3. I had to use the pulse button a few times after the 60 sec. feature because I filled the container with 2 C of millet.....just to see how far I could take it...I think I'll keep it to 1 3/4 C in the future....hahaha!
I made muffins with the millet flour...but we couldn't taste them because our dog jumped up onto the counter and ate them while they were cooling...they sure looked good!!


2 C millet

OmniBlend grinding the millet into flour

top view of the millet flour





BUCKWHEAT:
I used all of the buckwheat I had left in the house, and you can see it was only 3/4 C.  Lets see how it does in the OmniBlend V blender!  I used the same 60 sec. button and let the blender do its work.  I am very pleased with the results!  A very fine grind....you can't even see one grain left whole.  Fantastic!!!

3/4 C buckwheat

grinding the buckwheat into flour

whole buckwheat and ground buckwheat flour

a very fine grind when you don't put too much grain in the blender (buckwheat)
NOTE: Please store your freshly ground flours in airtight containers in the freezer to prevent them from going rancid. 

Enjoy!
Amber

2 smoothies from one and a green muffin!

arugula, basil & melon smoothie recipe:
  • lg. handful kale 
  • lg. handful romaine lettuce
  • sm. handful arugula
  • 2 sprigs basil (leaves only)
  • 1 C froz. honeydew melon
  • 1/4 C froz. pear apple
  • 1 navel orange
  • juice of 1/2 lemon
  • maple syrup (to taste)
  • 6 ice cubes and 1-2 C pure water (to desired consistency)





blend using the 60 sec. button on the OmniBlend V.
pour two 16oz. mugs for the adults,



then add more fruit to the leftover smoothie (aprox. 8 oz.) for the kids:
  • 1/2 C froz. red grapes
  • 1/2 C froz. blueberries
  • 5 froz. strawberries
  • plain yogurt
  • 1 C pure water

two smoothies from one set of greens
Our six year old is getting tired of the green colour...this compromise keeps her happy and drinking her greens!

Nick and I loved the basil with the melon and arugula in this smoothie!
I had made another arugula smoothie a few days ago and found the spicy taste of the arugula very strong....with the addition of the herb (basil) it adds a depth to the refreshing taste.

My unsuccessful smoothie was a blend of the usual fruits and greens with the addition of 2 C of arugula and 1 tbsp virgin coconut oil.  This blend if flavours did not suit my palate...too strong!  I think that I will save the coconut oil for a pina colada smoothie (ideas for later).

SO what do  I do with a unsuccessful smoothie?....well....I decided to make MUFFINS!  I used an applesauce oatmeal muffin recipe and substituted the liquid and applesauce measurements for my undrinkable green smoothie...the result....a very delicious GREEN muffin.  Now my daughter's first reaction was, "I'm not going to eat that!" and after she watched me enjoying it, she gave it a try and quickly retracted her ill attitude towards greens in muffins.  I think these green muffins will be a great addition to our St. Patty's Day celebrations!  I still had some undrinkable smoothie left over, so I added another 1.5 C of berries some pure water and that diluted the strong taste...so I drank it!  That's me, can't waste the good stuff!


green smoothie oatmeal cranberry muffins
I hope you are having as much fun as I am.....creating and enjoying the many uses of your OmniBlend V blender.

Enjoy!

Amber

Friday, February 4, 2011

hidden veggies in pasta sauce

- add veggies such as carrot, cauliflower and green pepper (what ever your picky eaters have a hard time with) mixed with a bit of tomato sauce in the OmniBlend. 
- add the veggie puree to the remaining tomato sauce, the sausage or meat balls and sauteed veggies that your children will eat. 
- heat just until warmed through as to keep as many vitamins in the sauce. 
- serve over spaghetti or spiral pasta. 

I found that by adding a variety of veggies to tomato sauce, it helps to reduce the acidic taste in my pasta sauce, rather than just plain tomato sauce. I also believe that if your children get used to the taste of veggies without even knowing it, that they will begin to accept and even enjoy them in their whole form!

a little fact that I have just learned...cauliflower is rich in omega 3 fatty acids....cool hey?

Enjoy!

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

1010 = love & commitment.

1010 smoothie recipe:
  • 2 lg leaves Kale (stems removed)
  • 2 handfuls shredded cabbage (bagged coleslaw makes it easy)
  • (total greens = 4 Cups)
  • 1/2 C frozen cranberries
  • 1/2 C frozen blueberries
  • 4 lg frozen strawberries
  • 1 C orange juice
  • 1 C pure water
  • 1 C unsweetened almond milk
  • 1 tbsp honey
  • DHA omega oil (desired amount)
makes two 20 oz. servings.


I have been drinking smoothies every day for almost a whole month now....and for months before that I had been dabbling with a few smoothies each week.  If you want to get started with a healthier lifestyle, this is an easy and delicious way! 
I enjoy the simple flavour of this smoothie...now you might think, "kale and cabbage...aren't those strong flavours?" but they aren't....they surprised me as well!  These greens are easily masked by the fruit.  I try to use 4 C packed greens/smoothie, but if you are starting out...try 2 C of cabbage, and then slowly add the dark leafy greens after a week or so of cabbage.  Try new greens...whatever is freshest at the grocery store.  Just think of all of the health benefits of such a varied diet!  Another great addition to a smoothie is omega oils...there are so many studies out there proving how good they are for the whole body.

Enjoy!
Amber