Author Archives: Lisa @ Me & My House

Can(‘t) be Beet Veggie Berry Green Smoothie

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Beets are a great cleansing food. Fantastic to add to our fresh juices, green smoothies, and grated in our fresh salads. The rich red color indicates a high level of antioxidants. They are also anti-inflammatory and a great detoxifier.

beet-veggie-berry green smoothie

This delicious green smoothie, that doesn’t look very green despite the fact that it has twice as much greens as everything else put together, is higher on veggies, including beet, and lower on fruits than others. But beets and carrots are both naturally sweet, so this is not a bitter, or even savory smoothie. If you aren’t used to eating beets, you may want to start with 1/4 beet, and gradually work up in the amount you include here, due to the cleansing properties. I’ve given amounts to start with. You can certainly add more veggies than listed in the recipe.

Can(‘t) be Beet Veggie-Berry Green Smoothie

  • 1/4+ beet with greens (from whole beet)
  • 1+ carrot
  • 1+ celery stalk
  • handful strawberries
  • large handful (or 2) baby spinach
  • 1 Tbl. fresh ground flax seed
  • water kefir (or purified water)

As always ingredients should all be organic, as much as you are able to find. Strawberries are #1 on the Dirty Dozen list for pesticides. Celery and Spinach are also in the top 12.

Blend till smooth, in a high performance blender. Enjoy!

What was in your Green Smoothie today? Comment below!

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Raw Carrot Cupcakes

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I made a special dessert last week that I’ve been wanting to for quite sometime. The “sometime” became just in time for my mom’s 85th birthday. I just didn’t know it. I wasn’t planning to go see her, 4 hours away, because I was working on taxes. You can never realistically take a break when doing taxes with a deadline looming. But I’d made the dessert, and my mom’s birthday came, and I couldn’t not go. My mom was diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer about 6 months ago. Even though I’d just seen her a week and a half before, I had to go for her birthday.

SO, I was super glad I had just made these scrumptious yummies, and they were in the fridge ready to go celebrate a birthday, with someone who needs good whole raw veggie food.

The amounts in my recipe fill my entire 14 cup food processor, so feel free to cut it down, like in 1/2. This was my maiden voyage and it’s how much carrot pulp I had from juicing for me and the kids.

In getting double duty out of foods, I like to use: juice pulp (even if it is just to feed the chickens), almond pulp from making almond milk makes almond flour, and veggie scraps for soup stock (or to at least feed the chickens). This recipe used 2 of these 3. BINGO!

Raw Carrot Cupcakes

  • 1 cup almond meal/flour (I use dried pulp left from making almond milk, blended into flour)
  • 1 cup medjool dates

Process well in food processor. Add:

  •  1 tsp vanilla
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp nutmeg
  • 1/2 cup raw coconut

Process well again. Add:

  • approx 2.5 cups carrot pulp (you could probably use shredded carrots if you squeeze moisture out)

Process really well to get all mixed well. Optional, add:

  • approx. 1/2 cup raisins (in retrospect, you could add the coconut now, if you don’t want it as finely processed in.)

Process a bit, to just chop them, not completely break down. (I did 1/4 cup in half the batch.)

Press into silicone cupcake cups, (or muffin tin, or cake pan). Chill. (Can also freeze to keep longer than several days.)

Or on the other end, dehydrate overnight. These will get a drier “crust”, but still be moist inside.

Top with Cashew Cream Frosting.

Happy Birthday, Mom!

1-2-3 Avocado Pudding

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1-2-3! It’s time to revisit Avocado Pudding again. Even though I’ve never posted the recipe here before. Not sure why, since I’ve posted it in social media several times.

avocado pudding

This is a revisit because I’ve been working at converting some of my recipes from natural sweeteners to whole food sweeteners–experimenting with dates and other fruits. Since I use dates as my sweetener in a lot of recipes, I decided to try them in my Avocado Pudding. Success!

1-2-3 Avocado Pudding

  • 1 Avocado
  • 2 tsp vanilla
  • 3 Tbl raw cacao powder
  • 3 juicy medjool dates, optional to soak first (originally, 1/4 cup maple syrup)
  • 1/3+ cup water (May need up to 1/2 cup depending on size of avocado and whether you soaked dates)

Blend until smooth.

Yum!

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6 Weeks to a Change for Life

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Whatever health issue you are facing, whether you are looking for
The End of Dieting,
The End of Heart Disease or
The End of Diabetes,
or whatever! — you need to
Eat to Live.
6 weeks to a change for Life!

Get Started Now!
‪#‎freelyeat‬ ‪#‎simplywhole‬ ‪#‎WFPB‬ #nutritarian ‪#‎realplantfood‬

Eat to Live

Food Happens

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Food happens with you start throwing things together. Good food.

Put my blueberries in before cooking my steel cut oats in my Instant Pot, because they were frozen. Had some homemade coconut yogurt I wanted to eat up. Have been experimenting with date paste as sweetener in more recipes, so had a bit of that left to use. And, as always, a sprinkle of a Tbl. of ground Flax Seed always boosts the goodness.

Result? FANTASTIC tasting Breakfast!

Blueberry SC Oats

 

What did you fuel your day with today?

 

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Stir-fried Veggies & Brown Rice

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My Instant Pot likes to play leading role in the kitchen these days. Last night it had to play second fiddle to the wok. Stir-fried Veggies & Brown Rice. ‪#‎simplywhole‬ ‪#‎freelyeat‬ ‪#‎instantpot‬

stir fried veggiesbrown rice ipot

 

Brown Rice instructions here.

Stir-fried Veggies:

  • Cut up lots of veggies (for long veggies, on the diagonal)–Carrots, Celery, Broccoli, Cauliflower, Onions, Garlic, Mushrooms, …
  • Stir-fry them

We like to add a sauce of:

What was in your Instant Pot last night?

 

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Brown Rice {Instant Pot Recipe}

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Rice is a staple food for many cultures, including mine personally when it is whole grain. I eat brown rice for breakfast, lunch and supper–and sometimes for a snack. Although short grain is better for “sticky” rice, in desserts and sweet dishes, and long grain better for fluffy, non-sticky dishes, and basmati and others can be more flavorful, much of the time I just use plain ol’ organic long grain brown rice, because that’s what I use the most of, so that’s what I buy in bulk, 25# bags. 

Instant-Pot-1-300x300Making rice on the stove was never my thing. I purchased rice streamers and cookers early on. My Instant Pot has simplified perfect rice even further–by cutting the time down.

Like most things around here, I keep it pretty simple, just cooking it plain, so leftovers can be used in a variety of ways. If I make unflavored, plain rice for supper, to serve super flavorful Savory Mushroom Gravy over, like I did last night, I can eat the leftover rice as a sweet breakfast, with fresh organic strawberries and coconut milk poured over it, like I did this morning. 

I make flavored rice, and use it in casserole type recipes too, but for today, we’re focusing on the basics. Make up a large pot of plain brown rice in the Instant Pot, and use throughout the week, for breakfast, lunch, supper, or snacks. I’ll share the Savory Mushroom Gravy recipe next time I make it–if I remember to take a picture (which I didn’t last night, and it’s all gone.) This morning, the little bit of leftover rice, got coconut milk and strawberries added. So here it is.

 

 
To make brown rice in the Instant Pot, use 1.25 cups purified water for each cup of organic brown rice. Just measure rice into pot and add water and close the lid. Cook on high pressure for 21-22 minutes. Quick release, and fluff with a fork right away, then let it sit on keep warm until ready to serve. 

To reheat, put 1/2 cup water in Instant Pot, put the trivet in and set a an oven safe bowl of leftover rice on the trivet. (I use Pyrex or stainless steel bowls.) Put the Instant Pot lid on and Steam (high pressure) for 5 minutes, then quick release. This is the time usually needed for my glass bowls straight from the fridge. In stainless steel, for small amounts, or not so cold, it might not take 5 minutes to heat through.

Enjoy the Whole Grain Goodness!
How do you like to eat rice?

Savory Mushroom Gravy {Recipe}

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Savory Mushroom Gravy has become a family fave (except for 1 son who hates mushrooms). We love it over rice or potatoes. Although I don’t make the gravy in the Instant Pot, I do make its underpinnings there. This no-fat gravy is rich, hearty and flavorful. (You meat eaters will never miss the beef.)

Savory Mushroom Gravy

Savory Mushroom Gravy

Dry or water Saute:

  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced

Add:

  • 3 cups veggie stock/broth (or water with 2 veggie bouillon cubes, stir to dissolve and disperse).

Add:

  • 3/4-1# mushrooms, chopped (crimini)
  • 2 Tbl. Bragg’s Liquid Aminos
  • black pepper

Simmer until mushrooms start to soften.

Mix (I shake in a small mason jar):

  • 6 Tbl. fresh ground whole wheat flour
  • 1 cup water

Whisk in. Simmer till thickened.

Serve over Brown Rice or baked or mashed Potatoes.

I cook both Brown Rice and Potatoes in my Instant Pot. The Brown Rice link will take to instructions.

red potatoes brocolli iPot

For Potatoes:

  • approx. 3# medium red potatoes

Place 1 cup water in Instant Pot pan. Place potatoes on trivet set in pan. Put lid on. Seal. Hit Manual and 10 minutes. Quick Release is fine, or let it sit on Keep Warm until you’re ready to serve dinner.

To add the frozen Broccoli, I stopped the Instant Pot with 2 minutes left. Added the frozen Broccoli in a stainless steel pot that fits. Restart Instant Pot for 2 minutes. Quick Release. (If using fresh broccoli, you may need 0 minutes.)

Add a fresh greens and veggies salad and enjoy this hearty, potatoes and gravy dinner. Try it and let me know what you think.

 

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(Not) Reese’s Cheesecake Squares

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Who can resist a yummy cheesecake? Especially on a HoliDay? Yes, I knew last Sunday would be full of sugary offerings–all day long, as we gathered as a family to Celebrate the Ressurection of Jesus. All those store-bought candies wouldn’t hold much temptation, but there might be a homemade specialty that would call out. Besides, I wanted a special treat that I could enjoy–and feel good about.

I have seen so many cheesecakes lately on the Instant Pot Facebook groups. Those have definitely been on my mind. But I really wanted to make a raw dessert. The adventure began.

As most of my recipes I share here, this is one that both worked well that I and others loved, and also one that my mind is still turning gears for changes I plan to try. Next time I will replace sweeteners with dates, try fresh coconut milk, and experiment for oil free. Those are ways I’d like to improve this. But as a special treat, this was fantastic as is. Very yummy–even to those that don’t eat real foods for health. For those, rather than calling it healthy vegan cheesecake, I named it Reece’s Cheescake.

Enjoy!

Lisa’s Reece’s Cheesecake Squares

Crust:

  • 1 cup Almond Meal
  • 1/3 cup Maple Syrup
  • 1/2 cup raw Cacao Powder
  • 1 tsp. vanilla

Mix in a food processor until it is well mixed and holds together when pinched together. Press 1.5 Tbl. into the bottom of each square (or other shaped) silicone cupcake liner.

Filling (adapted from Minimalist Baker):

  • 1.5 cups raw cashews, soaked overnight in refrigerator
  • 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (approx.)
  • 1/3 cup coconut oil
  • 1/2 cup + 2 Tbsp canned coconut milk
  • 1/2 cup maple syrup (or honey)
  • 2 Tbl. peanut (or almond) butter

Mix well in food processor until smooth. Scoop 1/4 cup onto each crust. Tap each cup to dispell air bubbles.

Freeze for a few hours. Remove from freezer 10-30 minutes before serving.

Top with Ganache.

Ganache:

  • 1/2 cup maple syrup
  • 1/2 cup raw cacao powder
  • 1 tsp. vanilla
  • 1 Tbl. coconut butter
  • 2-3 Tbl. coconut oil.

Blend well. Spoon or drizzle on top of cheesecakes.

Bon Apetit!

Lisa’s Easy Veggie & Lentil Stew {Instant Pot Recipe}

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Quick and easy, delicious and filling, and Good for You-Naturally!™ Those are the criteria I am looking for in developing most of my recipes (and looking for in others’ that I try). In other words, Freedom & Simplicity™ that’s Good for You-Naturally!™ This one fits the ticket!

It’s a recipe that had become buried in the box. We used to really enjoy it but somehow it hadn’t been made recently, and certainly not since I’d got my Instant Pot. It was time for it to come back to life. Especially now when I needed something quick and easy (time was short), something warm and hearty (spring blizzards are no fun), and as always, something both very yummy and health promoting.

Veggie & Lentil Stew

Here’s my recipe as I developed it years ago. Below that is my adaptations yesterday, when we were in a hurry. We all dove in and I didn’t think to take a pic until I was jarring up the leftovers. Yes, it makes a pot full! Fantastic lunch for today.

Lisa’s Veggie & Lentil Stew
(all ingredients are organic here, get as many as you can that way)

  • 12 c. purified water (approx.)
  • 1 c. brown rice
  • 1.5 cups lentils (dried)
  • 1/4 tsp. dried minced garlic (approx.)
  • 2 tsp. dried basil
  • 3 bay leaves (optional)
  • 1-2 tsp. dried parsley
  • 1 chopped onion (or 3-4 Tbl. dried minced)
  • 4 stalks celery, chopped (or a handful dried)
  • 2 carrots, sliced
  • 1-2 cups corn
  • 1-2 cups peas
  • 2 cups green beans
  • 2 cups tomato sauce (or whatever they’ve shrunk that can down to now)
  • 1 qt. crushed tomatoes (or whatever they’ve shrunk that can down to now)
  • nice squirt of Bragg’s liquid aminos

Add it all to the pot and simmer until done.

How it came together yesterday:

Was out of bay leaves, so they truly are optional. Used dried onion and celery. Had a big bag of frozen mixed vegetables on hand–carrots, corn, peas, green beans. Well how perfect is that?! I used 4 cups of the mix, and added an extra cup of frozen corn. I threw everything into my Instant Pot (6 qt.), filling with water to about the 4 L line. I have no clue how much water that was. I hit the buttons for high pressure and 22 minutes (the time needed for brown rice, the longest cooking ingredient) and left for Good Friday church service. We got home to stew done and on Keep Warm. (i.e. Natural Pressure Release–it was full enough it probably would have splattered if I tried to Quick Release.) The water was all absorbed, so I added more. Served it with fresh veggie sticks, and whole grain oatmeal muffins.

Mm-mm Good for You-Naturally!™ Mushrooms would have been a fantastic add-in (that I will add to the recipe card), but didn’t think of at the time (and not sure I had any on hand.)

Let me know if you make this recipe and how you like it!

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