Sugar Free Creme Brulee!
Who doesn’t love Creme Brulee? It’s an expensive, fancy dish that is usually only available at fancy restaurants, but if made properly, this is a very nutritious, low-carb and sugar free dessert! Read the rest of this entry »
Need an Energy Boost?
As parents one thing we all face, is keeping our energy levels up, as we keep up with our children. This month Whole Foods Market’s current podcast series suggests tips and action steps to support our energy levels naturally and safely. Read the rest of this entry »
Halloween: There’s a Monster at the End of this Month (and a few tips for how to survive it)
Seriously. I feel like Grover in the book “There’s a Monster at the End of This Book”. I feverishly want to scream at every parent; “Don’t turn the page! Don’t come to the end of the month! Don’t add an hour to your clock! Put your kids to bed at 5 pm, tell them that Halloween isn’t happening this year due to budget cuts, and wake up on November 1st happy and NOT in a sugar coma.
Admittedly, in my not-so-organic-and-thrifty days past, there were times when I could be found sucking down an ice-cold Slurpee or Starbuck’s Frappucino on a hot, summer day. Read the rest of this entry »
Two Cookbooks I Wish I’d Written
I have great aspirations of someday compiling enough original thoughts to be published into book form. Perhaps I’ll call it “The Thrifty Oreganic: How to Live Cheaply While Eating Rich” or some such thing. Read the rest of this entry »
Holiday Junkfood Makeover: Sugar Free Peppermint Bark!
Update: For more nourishing holiday treats, visit The Nourishing Gourmet !
The holiday season is full of culinary temptations, for sure. I’ve been pretty good about avoiding the cookies, fudge, and candy canes, but there are some treats that I really do miss, such as peppermint bark. Fortunately, I came up with a very satisfying sugar free alternative packed with good calories! Read the rest of this entry »
Better than Lara Bars!
Have you ever wondered how to make your own Lara Bar? Here’s my recipe!
Since becoming serious about cooking traditionally, I have had to give up an awesome convenience food / “on the go snack”: the “bar”. My favorite for a while was the Odwalla Bar; $.88 at Winco, I could load up on these babies and my kiddo loved them for her snack. Ironically, it was the Odwalla Bar that lead me to believe that my daughter was sensitive to wheat/gluten. I’ll spare you the delicious details, but suffice to say that it was the Odwalla Bar, in a way, that lead me on this journey!
Fast forward two years into the future. Lara bars come on the scene. What could be better? A whole food, gluten free snack bar! These have like 3 ingredients! But they are also expensive. And rightly so; I mean, the ingredients are good quality and good quality comes with a price.
I don’t know if the recipe below really comes out that much cheaper than a box of Lara Bars at Costco (~$18 for 18 bars). This recipe made about 18 bars and I’m pretty sure the ingredients, altogether would total a lot less than $18. It also takes very little time. Here’s the basic idea of the recipe. It’s not an exact science, so forgive the “Italian” style of recipe writing:
Better than Lara Bars
10-12 pitted dates
1/2 cup natural peanut butter (more may be necessary)
handful of raisins
1 cup of shredded coconut (plus more for coating)
1 TBS Raw Honey (or other liquid sweetener)]
Liquid Stevia to taste
handful of chopped crispy nuts (macadamia nuts or almonds are great)
1/3 cup of coconut oil or butter
2 scoops of Rainbow Light’s Chocolate Rice Protein Powder (optional, but really good!)
1) Place dates into food processor and process until you have a paste.
2) Add raisins, peanut butter, honey, and coconut and process until mixture forms a big mass.
3) Add your coconut oil now, as well as the protein powder, if using. Mixture may seem a bit “wet” from the coconut oil. This is okay,but if it seems too runny, add more shredded coconut. Taste for sweetness, and add a few drops of stevia (or more honey) to acheive desired sweetness.
4) At this point, add the chopped nuts.
5) Form pastey mass into balls or bars and roll in shredded coconut (or rapadura or cocoa).
6) Place bars on parchment-lined baking sheet and chill in freezer for about 10 minutes.
Notes: This is a pretty forgiving and versatile recipe. Try subbing raisins for any dried fruit (apricots or cherries would be great!) The coconut oil is not absolutely essential to the texture, either. You can get by without it, but it adds some good nutritional properties! You also don’t need nuts, the peanut butter is enough!
These are amazing! They are full of healthy fats, complex carbs, and protein! Enjoy for breakfast on the run or for dessert with a glass of milk!
