Black Bean Burgers

I have decided that I am only going to eat organic grass-fed beef, organic free range chicken and eggs and wild caught fish. Needless to say...I will not be eating those these very often because they are dang expensive!

So I have decided to go semi-vegetarian and get my protein from other plant and animal sources. I found a recipe for black bean burgers and tweaked it to my liking. They are delicious! I am going to make some huge batches and freeze them.

Black Bean Burgers

1 can of black beans (1 1/2 C)

1 C brown rice (or quinoa, which is faster to cook)

1 egg, lightly beaten

1/2 onion, diced

1/2 green pepper diced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 C flour or bread crumbs (I used gluten free bread crumbs)

1/4 tsp cumin

1/4 tsp garlic salt

2 tsp olive oil

dash of hot pepper sauce (optional)

Heat 1 tsp of the olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Sauté the onions, green pepper and garlic until just softened. In a medium bowl mash the black beans with a fork. Add the onions, garlic and peppers and the remaining ingredients. Mix well.

Form 6 patties. Heat the other teaspoon of olive oil over medium heat. Place the patties on the pan and cook 4 minutes on each side.

You can eat these as a hamburger using a bun or by themselves. I melted mozzarella cheese on mine, then topped it with a little salsa. Avocado or guacamole would be delicious too.

Coconut Flour Carrot Cake - GF

My sister that hates any "healthy desserts" loved this cake. It is moist and yummy!

Gluten Free Carrot Cake

1/2 C butter, melted

1/2 C coconut milk

12 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

1 C sweetener (I used 1/2 palm sugar and 1/2 agave)

1 tsp salt

1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp ground nutmeg

1/2 tsp ground cloves

1 C sifted coconut flour

1 tsp baking powder

2 C finely grated carrots

1 C crushed pineapple, drained

1/2 C nuts, chopped

Frosting

Combine butter, coconut milk, eggs and vanilla. In a separate bowl mix together sweeteners and spices; stir into wet mixture. Combine coconut flour with baking powder and whisk into batter until there are no lumps. Fold in carrots, pineapple and nuts. Pour batter equally into 2 greased 8 or 9x1 1/2 - inch layer cake pans or one 9x9x2-inch pan. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until knife inserted into center comes out clean. Cool. Cover with Cream Cheese frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting

This delicious frosting is easy to make and saves you 3,000 calories over the sugar equivalent and tastes better.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick) at room temperature

8 oz. cream cheese at room temperature

1 tbsp. lemon juice

2/3 cup agave

Steps:

Put all ingredients into a large bowl and blend until smooth with an electric mixer. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Chicken Salad w/ Candied Pecans and Apples

This is my favorite new salad. I eat is several times a week!

Grilled Chicken Salad w/Candied Pecans and Apples

1 grilled chicken breast
10 Candied Pecans (recipe below)
1 crisp apple, cut into pieces
1 slice red onion
lettuce
Raspberry Vinaigrette Dressing (recipe below)

1. Combine all ingredients in medium bowl and toss well.


Candied Pecans
1 C raw pecans
1/4 C agave nectar
2 TB melted butter or oil
dash of salt

1. Set oven to broil
2. Mix all ingredients in a small bowl.
3. Cover a baking sheet with aluminum foil and spread the covered pecans over the bottom and place under broiler.
4. Cook for 5-8 minutes, stirring and flipping the nuts 2-3 times. Check the nuts every 1-2 minutes to avoid burning (if you are like me you burn the nuts 9 times out of 10!)

Raspberry Vinaigrette Dressing
1 TB all fruit raspberry jam
2 tsp olive oil
2 tsp balsamic vinegar
1 tsp agave nectar
1 TB fresh citrus juice (orange is my favorite)
2 tsp filtered water

1. Combine all ingredients in small bowl and whisk together.

Chocolate Truffles

This recipes is for the chocolate lovers out there (Mom and Reta Ann!). I made them last night and they are amazing!



Chocolate Truffles

*Recipe from Madhava Agave Nectar site (adapted slightly by muah).
Makes 32 truffles

This dark, rich confection is the perfect treat for true chocoholics. Feel free to adjust the level of sweetness to your own taste. If you prefer a creamier consistency, just add and extra 2 tablespoons of cream.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons heavy (whipping) cream or coconut milk
8 ounces unsweetened bakers' chocolate
1 1/2 tablespoons butter
1/3 cup agave
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup pecans
1/2 cup dehydrated shredded coconut, unsweetened

1. Place the heavy cream in a heavy saucepan on your stovetop's lowest heat setting. Break the chocolate into smaller pieces and add to the cream. Add the butter, agave nectar (dark or light, both work), and vanilla. Continue heating the mixture, stirring constantly, until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth.

2. Place the mixture unto and 8 inch square pan and chill in the refrigerator for about an hour or until the chocolate mixture is firm.

3. While the mixture is chilling, spread the pecans on a baking sheet and toast lightly under the broiler. Watch them carefully and remove the nuts as soon as they begin to brown. Place the nuts in a food processor or choppers and cup until finely minced. Set aside in a small bowl.

4. Place the coconut in a separate small dish.

5. When the chocolate mixture is firm, remove it from the refrigerator. Using a teaspoon, scoop walnut-sized portions of chocolate from the dish. Then, roll each scoop of chocolate into small bite-sized balls. Roll half the balls in chopped pecans and half in the coconut to coat. Store, covered, in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Remove about an hour before serving for creamier consistency. Tastes best at room temperature.

Fruit Pizza - GF

I made this for a family Christmas Party last year and EVERYONE loved it.

Gluten Free Fruit Pizza

Crust
2 C almond meal/flour
1/2 stick butter
1 egg
1/2 C agave or palm sugar

Cream Cheese Topping
10 oz. cream cheese
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup agave or palm sugar
various fresh or canned fruits

1. To prepare crust mix almond flour, butter, egg, agave or palm sugar.
2. Spread into 10" spring form pan and bake for 15 minutes.
3. Cool at room temp, or in freezer.
4. Prepare cream cheese topping by mixing cream cheese, egg, vanilla and agave or palm sugar.
5. Spread mixture onto crust
6. Bake in water bath at 325 for 35 minutes. (Put the entire in another shallow pan with 1/2 inch water so the cheesecake is "floating"). Don't let it brown, just look for it to have a "dry" look.
7. Cool at room temp, or in freezer.

Top with your favorite fruits. You are DONE!!!

Pumpkin Shake

I love pumpkin with a passion! Anything pumpkin makes me smile. I adapted this recipe from a low carb recipe site.

Pumpkin Shake

1/3 C Pumpkin (NOT Pumpkin Pie Mix)
1/4 C Coconut Milk or other dairy alternative
1 raw egg (optional for more protein)
1/2 C water
1/2 TB Pumpkin Pie Spice (I like is spicy, so you may want to start out with a little less and add more to taste)
1 tsp vanilla extract
Stevia to taste

Put in blender and blend until smooth. If you need some more protein add a scoop of your protein powder or shake. If you use the Jay Robb Whey Protein you don't need to add any stevia or sweetener.

I freeze the pumpkin and milk ahead of time in an ice cube tray so I don't have to use any ice. I measure out the pumpkin and milk and figure out how many cubes it will be for one shake, then I freeze enough cube for 2-3 shakes. I am not sure how standard ice cube trays are, but mine is 3 cubes of pumpkin and 2 cubes of cream per shake.

Pumpkin Pancakes - GF

I LOVE anything pumpkin and have been craving it lately. Making pancakes with coconut flour takes practice, but it is worth it. They are so yummy!

Gluten Free Pumpkin Pancakes

2 eggs
2 TB coconut oil or butter, melted
2 TB coconut milk or whole milk
2 TB agave or honey
4 TB pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie mix)
1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1/8 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp salt
3 TB sifted coconut flour
1/8 tsp baking powder
1/4 C pecans (optional)
1/4 C grain sweetened chocolate chip (optional)

Blend together eggs, oil, milk, agave, pumpkin and salt. Combine coconut flour, spices and baking powder and thoroughly mix into batter. Heat some oil or butter onto a hot skillet making pancakes about 2 1/2 to 3 inches in diameter. Batter will be thick, but use the back of a spoon to spread it out thin. If you are adding pecans or chocolate chips sprinkle them on each pancake at this point. Makes 8 pancakes.

****The key to cooking coconut flour pancakes is to cook them at a low temperature, spread them thin and make them small.****