Cinnamon Maple Vanilla Nut Crunch Recipe (Gluten, Grain, Dairy Free)

by Jessica Espinoza on May 1, 2013

Cinnamon Maple Vanilla Nut Crunch Recipe (Gluten, Grain, Dairy Free)

(Don’t miss out on this great “Ultimate Ebook Bundle” that I am an affiliate of, on sale this week only! It covers a wealth of topics in 97 books. Plus has really great bonus gifts too.  ) -Kimi) 

Crispy, crunchy, sweet, and oh-so-satisfying, this Vanilla Maple Cinnamon Nut Crunch is so good you’ll have to fight the urge to eat your weight in nuts in one sitting! The warm vanilla maple flavor is perfectly offset with the spiciness of Vietnamese cinnamon (my favorite kind of cinnamon). This makes the perfect mid-day snack or topping for homemade ice cream or yogurt. Even better, make a big batch and give them away as gifts for loved ones, or party favors for your next get-together. No matter the occasion, this healthy gluten-, grain-, and dairy-free snack is sure to put a smile on anyone’s face.

I love nuts of all varieties. I have to practice serious self-control when I make a batch of this, because, as I alluded above, I am one of those people who can sit down and eat a whole bowl of this tasty snack without even thinking! I have always been a fan of those candied almonds and walnuts that you can buy at the store, but a quick look at the ingredient list is enough for me to steer clear. One of the things I enjoy most is taking common “non-real food” items and creating a healthier, real food version of them. For the best flavor, quality, and nutrition, make sure to use nuts that have been properly soaked and dehydrated, where they are extra crispy and salty.

[click to continue…]

{ 8 comments }

Ice Cream Kombucha Floats with Vanilla and Orange

by KimiHarris on April 30, 2013

Creamy, sweet ice cream is topped with orange juice, and kombucha flavored with vanilla, for a completely refreshing treat that is frothy, sweet, and bubbling from the kombucha. This is something to swoon over, especially if you love kombucha like I do.

Now that I have my continuous kombucha churning out kombucha on a regular basis, I have been dreaming up new ways to use it.

And this is definitely a fun way to drink it! It reminds me of my childhood favorite root beer floats, but is more refreshing, less cloying sweet, and lends itself to variations easily! I am truthfully pretty thrilled about the whole concept.

_________________________________

Hey, friends, please check out the wonderful, high-quality ebook bundle, including 97 books,  going on right now! Many of the bloggers I love are part of it, and it is not only going for a great price at $29.97 ( that’s less than .50 cents per ebook! Many of which are full sized books!), but it also comes with incredible free gifts – including many products that I love. I am pretty amazed at how much you get! So, don’t miss out as it is only for sale this week!

 _____________________________________

I used to love root beer floats growing up, and I think there were even some friend’s birthday parties where we skipped the cake and just had floats. They were a special treat that I adored.

I have completely lost my taste for soda though, and I am not exactly trying to introduce it to my littles. So, I was super excited to find a way to introduce them to a healthier version!

I think that kombucha floats will be very fun to make this summer on hot days. And I can’t wait to try some variations. What about strawberry kombucha over vanilla ice cream? Or using my raspberry syrup for a burst of flavor? I bet there are some really fun ways to do variations on this theme.

[click to continue…]

{ 9 comments }

Creamy Quinoa Porridge with Coconut Milk and Spices

by KimiHarris on April 26, 2013

 

Quinoa is cooked gently with coconut milk and spices, and sweetened with coconut sugar. Topped with currants, nuts, or berries, this hot cereal makes a great start to the day.

I’ve been rethinking oatmeal lately. As many of you know, I like to soak, sprout, or ferment all of my grains for better digestibility and nutrient absorption. But oatmeal is definitely harder to soak effectively since it is generally heat-treated. (If you are going to soak it, this may be the best method to use, except now I use a splash of kombucha, or kefir or something with live cultures instead of the lemon juice). Plus, half of our family is gluten-free, and while we do buy gluten-free oats, even these are somewhat suspect, as many gluten-free people find they cannot tolerate them.

While oatmeal hasn’t played a major breakfast role the last couple years of our lives, sometimes sitting down to hot cereal in the morning is just a wonderful way to welcome the day.

So, I made a quinoa porridge. Quinoa can be bitter if it isn’t rinsed really well. So take care. I am sure that homemade almond milk would be a great substitution for the coconut milk, and really, spice it how you like. My six-year-old has taken an odd recent dislike to spices –even cinnamon, so this wasn’t her favorite. But I loved the cardamom and cinnamon paired with the coconut milk. That is not surprising since I am the one in the family who adores Cardamon and Honey Milk.
[click to continue…]

{ 10 comments }

Grow your own food to save money…or not (52 ways to save money on a healthy diet)

by KimiHarris on April 25, 2013

This post is part of my series, 52 ways to save money on a healthy diet.

I have decided that I definitely have a black thumb. I have a hard time keeping houseplants alive, and many of my attempts to grow my own food have been failures. Whenever I mention that I want to try to garden again, my husband looks a little bemused. I think that it says a lot for my husband’s patience that he gamely helped me build garden beds this year for yet another attempt.

Why I am trying again? Three reasons. I like fresh food, food costs are rising, and I think that gardening connects you to your food in a unique and healthy way. But lest you think that I am exaggerating about my gardening failures let me walk you through what has happened thus far in my gardening attempts.

I was trying to garden on my parents two acres (which sounds ideal, right?). I spent hours combing over gardening books, plotting out my garden beds, buying seeds, weeding and preparing the beds. It was a lot of work.

I was thrilled when my seeds started sprouting into little green hopes of future produce, and then it happened.
[click to continue…]

{ 26 comments }

← Previous Entries

Next Entries →