The Easiest GF Pancake... EVER

Good Morning!!

I don't know about you, but I woke up HUNGRY.

Now, what I'm about to share with you is likely to change you life... or at least your breakfast... FOREVER.

My best friend is really who deserves the credit for these. She and I lived together many moons ago in the great city of Des Moines and both learned so much about flavors and nutrition and the differences of each person's needs - this simple breakfast was one of the many great findings from that season!

I will tell you that these are extremely versatile. Anything you're craving can be incorporated... pretty much.

You will need:

1 cup oats (I prefer thick cut, but quick cooking would make the pancakes softer and more traditional in their texture)

1 egg

1 splash OJ (I base this on how much egg white is in the egg - just try to make the dough as close to the density of your favorite pancakes!)

I always add:

cinnamon

fresh grated nutmeg

fresh grated ginger

You could also incorporate:

pumpkin

berries

apples

bananas

chia seeds

the limits are endless!

Mix together oats, egg, OJ, and seasonings in a bowl.
(This batch I added pumpkin to my dough.)

Pour into hot skillet with either butter or coconut oil to ensure it doesn't stick!
Once the edges begin to bubble, you're good to flip it.

When your second side bubbles, flip it once to see that it's cooked all the way through (remember, we're working with raw eggs here...)

Plate with honey, fruit, and anything else you desire... and ENJOY!!

A nice cuppa and some beautiful flowers are always a nice addition as well.

Let me know how YOU prefer your delicious pancakes!

Detoxifying Sushi Salad

If you have not yet taken the time to watch 'Hungry for Change', the sequel to the food documentary, 'You are What you Eat', I suggest you do so at your earliest convenience. Vast amounts of knowledge regarding your very best health and wellness. 

This is a salad from the detox I did a few days ago - it was by far the best surprise to find how delicious this meal is! The rest of the detox was a little less appealing to my palette, but I will continue to make this salad as a part of my regular rotation of staple meals!

Sushi Salad

*You can find the full 3-day detox plan here. 

You can also find other great articles and recipes through their website!*

This salad contains some of the most nutrient-dense plant foods on the planet - nori, or dried seaweed. It is high in calcium and iodine, which helps draw toxins from the body. 

For the dressing: 

-1 tablespoon finely grated ginger root

-1 tablespoon organic tamari sauce

-juice of 1 lemon

For the salad: 

-1 ripe avocado, chopped

-2 small cucumbers, halved and chopped

-1 carrot, grated

-handful of alfalfa sprouts

-handful of fresh cilantro, finely chopped

-1 nori sheet, cut roughly into bite-size strips (I use my hands to rip them up, but scissors would work too)

-1 tablespoon sesame seeds

To create the dressing, mix your ginger, lemon juice, and tamari sauce. Mix well.

To create the salad, simply mix the avocado, cucumbers, carrot, sprouts, cilantro, and nori together in a medium bowl and toss with the dressing. Sprinkle seeds over top as garnish. 

**I use organic tamari sauce rather than soy as I try my best to steer clear of gluten. These two sauces are very similar, but do differ in a few ways: both are made from fermented soybeans, the amount of wheat in them being the main difference between the two. Tamari is a class of soy sauce made with little to no wheat (read your labels!) and from a greater concentration of soy beans.

This difference makes the flavors differ as well. Japanese tamari is thicker, richer, and less salty than most soy sauces - because of this, I find the flavor to be a bit more smooth. 

...food for thought! ;)

giada's pecorino and bean salad

I love having something healthy all put together and easy to grab in my fridge. I've gotten into the habit of putting together different salads and keeping them in smaller containers so I can just grab them either in a hurry or when I'm past that point of 'hanger' (for those of you who are unfamiliar with the term, it's hunger that's turned into anger...) 

Today, I tried THIS fabulous recipe - it's fast with a prep time of 6 minutes and it'll be great to share with the roomies for the next couple of days. 

You will need:

2 tablespoons EVOO

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh rosemary leaves

2 cups (9 oz) shelled edamame beans

1 (15 oz) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

5 oz pecorino, cut into 1/2-inch chunks

1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf/Italian parsley

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon finely ground black pepper

Directions:

In a small skillet, heat the oil over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, but not brown, about 30 seconds. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the rosemary. Set aside.

Combine the edamame beans, cannellini beans, cheese, parsley, and salt and pepper in a serving bowl. Add the garlic mixture and toss well until all the ingredients are coated.