Chocolate Mint Cookies

1 1/4 C almonds, soaked and dehydrated
1/2 C walnuts, soaked and dehydrated
15 drops of Peppermint essential oil
1 1/2 C pitted, packed dates
2/3 C cacao nibs

Place the almonds and walnuts in a food processor and process until coarsely chopped. Add the remaining ingredients and process until the mixture sticks together. Form the dough into 2-inch round balls and flatten slightly with the palm of your hand. Refrigerate. You could also roll the cookies in powdered almonds, but I generally skip this step.

Mediterranean Kale Salad
2 small bunches dinosaur kale, stems removed
2 T extra virgin olive oil
2 T lemon juice
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/4 C pine nuts
1/4 cup golden raisins, soaked 10 minutes, drained, and rinsed (I was out of golden raisins, so in this picture you can see that I used regular raisins and it was still just as yummy!)
1/4 tsp fresh ground black pepper

Stack two or three of the kale leaves with the stem end facing you. Fold in half lengthwise and roll tightly like a cigar. Slice crosswise into thin strips. Repeat with the remaining leaves. Chop the kale strips crosswise a few times, so they aren't too long.

Place the kale in a mixing bowl along with the olive oil, lemon juice, and salt. This is where you get your hands dirty! Massage the dressing into the kale until the leaves are nice and tenderized, this makes the kale much more enjoyable to chew. Add the pine nuts and raisins and toss gently. Season to taste with black pepper. This salad will last three days in the refrigerator. 

Here are some different variations to this salad: substitute 1/4 C sliced kalamata olives for the raisins and add 1 diced red bell pepper. OR eliminate the raisins and pine nuts, add 1 seeded and diced tomato, 1 diced avocado, and a dash of cayenne pepper. Be creative! Kale never tasted to good!

recipe courtesy of Jaylene Johnson

We had this the other night and everyone loved it, so I had to share! It's pretty simple, a green salad with baked sweet potatoes, chicken that I seasoned with garlic and paprika, some alfalfa sprouts and a little dressing on top!

Orange Creamsicles

1 C fresh orange juice
1 C coconut milk
2 T honey or maple syrup
5 drops stevia
(and I added one drop of tangerine oil)

Blend and pour into popsicle molds. I freeze any extra in ice cube trays and then we put it through the Champion Juicer with chunks of frozen banana and we eat it like ice cream!

Spinach Turkey Roll-Ups

Tortillas (here I used whole wheat)
Hummus
Spinach
Shredded Cheese
Sliced turkey breast

This is a recipe I found in a magazine and it has been a hit with the hubs. They work great for a snack, quick lunch, or potluck dish and they are super easy to make! Spread a thin layer of hummus on a tortilla, then layer with spinach, cheese, and turkey slices. Roll tightly together and slice with a knife. I love how there can be many different variations of this. Try different tortillas, flavors of hummus, greens, cheese and meat. Simple, quick, and they look nice too!

It's Easy Being Green Smoothie

Spinach
Kale
Pineapple (fresh or frozen)
Fresh Orange Juice
Wheatgrass juice
1 banana

This is by far my favorite smoothie! I feel awesome every time I drink it! This is my copycat recipe of a smoothie they have at Ginger's Cafe in Springville, UT. I don't know their exact measurements so I just wing it every time based on what I have. I juice about 2 or 3 oranges and blend that with the spinach and kale. Then add the pineapple (tropical frozen fruit mix works great too), banana, and wheatgrass juice (I usually do 2 or 3 ounces) and blend until smooth! I add a little water or ice as needed for a good consistency and temperature (who likes to drink a warm smoothie right?)

Never had wheatgrass juice before? Do a Google search and check out all the amazing health benefits, it will blow your mind! It's an acquired taste for sure, so if you don't like the taste all by itself then this smoothie is a great way to sneak in this awesome superfood!

Sweet Potato Fries

Thinly slice the sweet potatoes, saute in coconut oil, then sprinkle with seasonings you like and toss well. I used Salt-free Mrs. Dash and then added a little Himalayan salt. Yum! My boys loved them!

Eating healthy makes me happy!