A Perfect Taco Dip for the Super Bowl!

Taco Dip Recipe:

2 cups raw cashews, soaked for 2-3 hours and rinsed
1/2 cup water
1/2 red bell pepper diced
Juice from 1 lime
2 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

3 tablespoons taco seasoning
1/2 teaspoon chipotle powder
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 tsp cayenne pepper (if you want more spice)

pinch of salt

1/2 cup of water (if needed)

Veggies of choice, I love it with jicama, peppers, carrots, tomatoes. ( For dipping)

1) Combine all ingredients (besides your dipping veggies) into a high speed blender until smooth. If needed add a little bit of water at a time to loosen it up.

2) Place in the freezer until cool. Serve or keep in the fridge! 

3) Enjoy!

Make it into a taco salad dip! Layer black beans, this taco dip, lettuce, tomatoes, avocado.

Also, this can be a dressing, it is amazing over a romaine salad with carrots and tomatoes on top. 

Mini Twix Bars!

I tried Katie's twix bar recipe over at Chocolate Cover Katie. 

http://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/2013/01/11/healthy-twix-bars/

The Kitties were helping!

I changed a few things but most of it was the same. 

I used peanut butter instead of sunflower seed butter and added a few dashes of cinnamon and a splash of vanilla to the date mixture.

For the chocolate, mine was really thick so I just had to add a few teaspoons of milk.

Over all this was delicious! My boyfriend doesn't like chocolate so I just left his with the date mixture and cookie. I love them both ways. 

Only complaint I have was with the chocolate. I am not a fan of the chocolate chips we got. So find an amazing chocolate that you love!

Berry Syrup

Berry Syrup Recipe:

3 tablespoons maple syrup

1 cup blue berries

1/2 cup strawberries

1/3 cup black berries

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon cornstarch + 1 teaspoon water

1) Heat the maple syrup over medium heat, add your berries. Cook them down until a sauce forms but not too much, I love having berries still in the syrup. About 5 minutes. Add the vanilla. 

2) Mix the cornstarch and water then pour into the berry mixture. Simmer for 5 minutes.

3) Serve over your favorite pancake, waffle, or ice cream recipe! 

Orange Cranberry Granola

Granola Recipe:

2 cups rolled oats
1/2 cup chopped almonds or pecans
1/3 cup raw pumpkin seeds
2 tablespoons flax seeds
1/3 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon of cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoon orange zest
1/2 cup dried fruit
1/2 cup of fresh orange juice

1/3 cup maple syrup

1 tablespoon canola oil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

1) Spread on a baking sheet rolled oats, chopped almonds, flax seeds, and pumpkin seeds. Stir!

2) Add salt, cinnamon, dried fruit and orange zest. Stir!

3) Drizzle the maple syrup, orange juice, and canola oil. Stir until all covered evenly.

4) Pop in the oven. Bake for 5 minutes then stir it around. Repeat till light brown and crisp, like the photo, 2 photos below.

This batch was cooked perfectly! (photo below) The one with the milk, was not cooked perfectly.

Add some almond milk, fresh fruit, and it makes an amazing breakfast! - Lost track of time and over cooked a little ! haha 

Easy Trail Mix!

 Inspired by my Uncle Greg, every time we go to his house he has a jar of mixed nuts out and it is a great snack to grab when you are hungry.

We use to get a lot of seeds and nuts and we would never touch them because they were hiding in the cabinet. Now that I put them on the kitchen table everyone is taking a few hand fulls a day.

Layered just for the picture, mix in a bowl before you put in the jar. :)

 All you do is pick your favorite seeds and nuts and mix them together! I always add something sweet like raisins, golden raisins, goji berries, mulberries, or cocoa nibs or all of them!

I will have more seasoned recipes soon. :)