Grapefruit, Apple, Raspberry Juice

"Hey sis... If I buy all the ingredients will you make me my favorite juice?"

This is a regular question around our house as Gimmi loves this juice but hates using the juicer. So I juice it for her. She deserves it though, she's a pretty awesome sister and roommate!

While this juice is super yummy it is also filled with super healthy health benefits.

Grapefruit:
The powerful nutrient combination of fiber, potassium, lycopene, vitamin C and choline in grapefruit all help to maintain a health heart.

Raspberries:
Raspberries contain strong antioxidants such as Vitamin C, quercentin and gallic acid that fights against cancer, heart and circulatory disease and age-related decline.

Red Apples:
Apples are extremely rich in important antioxidants, flavonoids, and dietary fiber. The phytonutrients and antioxidants in apples may help reduce the risk of developing cancer, hypertension, diabetes, and heart disease.

So as you can see, this juice is a power house of health! All you need to do is wash your raspberries, slice up your apples, and peel your grapefruit. Then juice away! This is a juice the kids will love too!

Happy Juicing!

xoxo,
g

Here is one of my favorite juices too! 

Creamy Sweet Potato and Carrot Soup (vegan)

Creamy Sweet Potato and Carrot Soup (vegan)

This is a great winter soup! Some of us are vegans and others have vegan friends, sometimes it can be hard accommodating their particular diet when they come over to dinner. If you make this, I guarantee that they will absolutely love it and they will love you for making it!

Ingredients:
-2 large sweet potatoes peeled and chopped
-10 carrots peeled and chopped
-1can coconut milk
-1 box vegetable stock
-1yellow onion finely minced
-4 cloves garlic finely minced
-House seasoning
-chopped green onions for garnish
-2 tbl spoons EVOO

In a large pot saute onions, garlic, and EVOO on a medium heat for about 5 minutes or until they start to become translucent. Then add carrots and sweet potatoes. Season with house seasoning to taste, I used about a teaspoon. Mix to coat with onion mixture and seasoning. Then add the veggie stock. Bring to a boil. Once boiling reduce to medium/low and cover. Cook until all veggies are very tender, almost mushy, you don't want the vegetables to have any texture. Turn off heat. Use an emulsion blender to puree soup. Once you have an even texture (almost what you would imagine baby food to be like) add 1 can of coconut milk and use a spoon to stir it in until even incorporated. Garnish with green onions and enjoy.

xoxo,
gim

PB&J Pie

This recipe takes every kids favorite sandwich and turns it into an adult dessert!

Ingredients:
-1 store bought gram cracker pie crust
-1 pkg cream cheese left out to soften
-1 cup creamy peanut butter
-1 jar mixed berry jam
-1/2 cup sugar
-home made or store bought whipped cream
-2 eggs
-1teaspoon flour

Pre heat oven to 375. Mix softened cream cheese and peanut butter together using a mixer. Then and sugar and flour, continue to mix. Add eggs one at a time and continue to mix until everything is smooth and creamy. Take your jam and spread evenly on the bottom of your pie crust. Then pour peanut butter mixture on top of that. Bake for 30 minutes or until center is firm. Set out to cool completely. Then top with whipped cream and place in fridge for 2 hours to chill. Slice, serve and devour.

xoxo,
gim

Garlic Dill Pickles

Who loves a good and crunchy dill pickle? Well... the only thing better is a good and crunchy homemade garlic dill pickle. These babies are for sure a crowd pleaser. I brought a jar to work and they didn't last but an hour or two. 

If you love a good pickle. I highly recommend making your own. You won't regret it!

Ingredients:

2 quarts of water

1 cup white vinegar

½ cup sea salt

About 3 to 4 pounds of cucumbers - small pickling cukes are best

8 large heads of dill, or more if they are smaller

8 medium garlic cloves

about 20 black peppercorns

Instructions:

Bring your water, vinegar, and sea salt to a boil

While you wait, slice cucumbers into quarters long ways

Take the slices plus the dill, garlic, and peppercorns and place them into the jars

Once the liquid has come to a boil, poor it into the jars filling to the top (be careful as this is very hot)!

Seal the jars and leave on the counter for two days. The lids will seal as the temperature drops.

After the second day place in the refrigerator for two more days and then you are ready to enjoy your homemade pickles. 

They will keep for several months. 

xoxo,

g

Southern Chili

Happy Monday! Well, it has actually been a little cold in our neck of the woods the last few weeks. So we decided to cook up a big pot of chili to enjoy and boy did we enjoy it. I think this is the best chili I have ever made. I hope you enjoy it too.

Ingredients
-2yellow onion
-2 tbsp EVOO
-5 cloves garlic, minced
-1lb ground turkey
-1lb ground beef
-1 green bell pepper
-4 roma tomatoes
-2 jalapeños
-2 cans red kidney beans (rinsed)
-2 cans corn
-3 cups chicken stock
-2 cans tomato sauce
-2 tbsp Chili powder
-1 tbsp Garlic Salt
-Pepper to taste

Directions
Dice onion and garlic, sauté in a large soup pot until translucent
Increase heat to medium high and add in ground meats, cook until browned
Add diced jalapeno, green onion, and jalapeños, sauté for 1 minute
Add chicken stock and tomato sauce
Add in remaining ingredients and stir
Simmer over medium heat for 40 min, the chili will thicken
Turn heat off and let rest for 5 minutes
Top with sour cream, cheddar cheese, and green pepper :: Other amazing toppings are green onion and avocado.

xoxo,
g

ps... How cute is Gimmi in that picture? I honestly have the best sister.

Roasted Beet & Goat Cheese Salad

So beets are kinda my jam... I juice them regularly and order them out all the time but I have always been a little intimidated to roast them myself... Clearly this is Gigi talking as Gimmi roasts them all the time because she is quite the more experienced chef than I!

Anywho, I felt like living life on the edge the other day and wrapped these bad boys up in foil and put them in the oven for an hour and guess what? I had roasted beets! It was actually super simple and I found myself feeling kinda silly for not doing it sooner.

I grabbed what I had in the kitchen and whipped up this healthy and super yummy salad. It was much more than I could eat so I brought the left overs to work and my co-workers were just as happy as I was with the results.

I hope you too live life on the edge and roast up some beets to make this or anything really. They are so so yummy!

Salad Ingredients:

3 medium to large beets
Bundle of fresh greens
1/2 cup walnuts
1/4 cup goat cheese crumbled

Dressing Ingredients:
1/4 cup EVOO
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
1/2 teaspoon dijon mustard

Cut beets from beet greens and wash them. Wrap them in foil and place in the oven on 400 degrees for an hour to an hour and half. Open the foil and let cool. Remove skins with a paper towel. Dice and place on top of greens. Garish with cheese and nuts. Add dressing as desired. ENJOY!

Xoxo,
G

Spicy Avocado Salsa on Black Beans & Rice

 Spicy Avocado Salsa Ingredients:

• 1 bunch cherry tomatoes cut in half
• 2 medium jalapeños diced
• 1/2 large red onion diced
• Handful of cilantro diced 
• 1 1/2 hash avocado's cubed 
• 3 tablespoons EVOO
• Garlic salt to taste
• 1 limes juice

Mix all of these lovely ingredients together and you should have some delicious salsa that looks like this... 

Now for the Black Beans & Rice

Ingredients:
1 cup white rice
1 small yellow onion
1 can black beans (good for up to 3 servings)
1 tablespoon EVOO
Salt to taste

Follow the directions on the bag of rice. I used white which calls for 2 cups water to 1 cup rice. Let it cook over low/medium for 20 minutes. Remove from heat.

Meanwhile...

Dice 1 small yellow onion and sauté in a medium sized pot with the EVOO.  Once the onion is translucent add 1 can of black beans. Salt to taste. Bring to a boil and then immediately bring temperature down to low.

When rice is ready, serve on the bottom with beans on top, finishing with the Spicy Avocado Salsa.
This can be served by itself or as a side dish as seen below.

Xoxo,
G