Gluten-Free Lunch-Box!

Back to school means making lunches everyday for my daughters ... it is challenging to come up with creative, healthy ideas for every  single day, especially if one of your kid is on a gluten-free diet! Here are few of my lunch- box ideas...  I try to limit my lunch making time to about 20 minutes a day or less...

Day 1 : Grapes, carrots & cucumbers, chocolat chip 70% cacao, organics eggs, goat feta cheese 

and finally my gluten-grain-free coconut raspberry delicacy!

Day 2: Raspberries, Pickled cucumbers, Date, yellow pepper, olives, salad with 

Day 3 : Grapes, Carrots & Cucumber, Cheesy Kale Chips, Date, veggies salad with goat cheese

Day 4 : Strawberries, Pickled cucumbers, goat feta cheese, coconut delicacy, salad with veggies & chickpeas

Btw, I got this amazing PlanetBox lunch-box for my daughters 2 years old, they make my life way easier! no more plastic containers or bags needed! One box to fill and you are good to go :)

Click here!

Where to buy Planetbox Lunch-box

Gluten-Grain-Free Raspberry-Coconut Delicacy

Ingredients:

- 6 eggs
- 1/2 cup of coconut flour
- 1/2 cup of shredded coconut
- 3/4 cup fresh raspberries
- 6 Tbsp melted coconut oil
- 1 or 2 Tbsp raw honey ( I use just 1, that's enough for me! )
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 1/4 baking powder


1-2-3 step:

1- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F
2- Blend all ingredients together until smooth ( except for raspberries )
3- Add raspberries and mix gently!
4- On a parchment paper, make small galette with the batter.
5- Bake for 16-20 minutes

Bon appétit ! :)

Homemade Sweet Potato Chip!

Sweet Potato Chip are so easy to make! Sweet potatoes are considered one of 10 Super foods to eat to maintain optimal health! They are full of fiber and high in Vitamin A, C, iron, beta carotene, potassium and calcium!

You need :

- 3 medium sweet potatoes scrubbed and sliced 1/8 inch thick. (I use a Mandoline to slice the potatoes very thin. )
- 1 tablespoon organic coconut oil
- Sea Salt
- Nutritional Yeast ( not to be confused with Brewer's yeast)
- 1 lime, cut for serving!


1-2-3 Step:

1- Preheat oven to 400 degrees
2- Allow the sliced potatoes to soak in cold water for 10 minutes / then dry them!
3- Mix the sliced potatoes with coconut oil, salt, yeast
4- Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. Add the sliced potatoes and toss to coat
5- Bake, flipping once, for 20 to 25 minutes ( or longer if you want it more crispy! )

KEFIR THE WONDER FOOD!

I've started making my own kefir almost 1 year ago.  What is Kefir?

Kefir is a fermented milk product that is made with live active cultures ( similar to those found in yogurt ) 

Every morning my girls have their homemade "kefir" shake. They love it with strawberries, raspberries, cranberries, blackberries... name it! Kefir is the "original" probiotic - long long before people even knew what probiotics were. By adding some kefir in your life you'll boost your immunity, have a better digestion, regulate your cholesterol and blood sugar levels. They also say that kefir can treat a variety of diseases and health conditions, as ulcer, tuberculosis, eczema, depression, anxiety, osteoporosis... 

How do you make your own kefir? You need to get your own kefir grains from someone ( like I did ) or to purchase them on internet. The kefir grains look something like that : aren't they beautiful my little babies? ;)

When you have your grains, you can start making kefir!  Its easy. You put your kefir grains into a clean glass jar. Add Milk ( organic please! ). Cover the jar and let out at room temperature for 24 hours. 

Click here for 1-2-3 step-by-step!

How to make Kefir

DID YOU KNOW ?

 In Russia Kefir is commonly used to aid in Tuberculoses treatment? 

Kefir is easier for people to digest than milk or even yogurt, since the lactose and milk protein ( casein ) are digested by the friendly bacteria during the fermentation process!

Scientific studies in different countries show that friendly bacteria have an anti-tumour potential and act as anti-carcenogenic!

Creamy Homemade Coconut Milk

Easy Homemade Coconut Milk with 3 simple ingredients!

- 3 cups organic coconut
- 5 cups Filtered water
- pinch of Celtic sea salt

Directions

Take 3 cups of organic coconut flakes, a pinch of salt, and 2 1/2 cups filtered water. In a saucepan, bring to a boil, then turn off the heat. Let the flakes steep in the water for 20 minutes.Then press the coconut mixture through cheesecloth. Voila! 

Do this entire process a second time with the coconut flakes that you just pressed, a pinch of salt, and another 2 1/2 cups of filtered water.

Fermented Cilantro Salsa

Delicious Homemade Cilantro Salsa Baby! ;)

Ingredients:

- 3-4 ripe tomatoes

- 2 green onions

- 2 small bunches of cilantro

- 3-4 cloves of garlic

- 2 jalapeño peppers or more!!!

- 2 teaspoons of Celtic Sea Salt

- 4 tablespoons of whey

1. Wash all the vegetables. Chop the tomatoes, green onions, cilantro, and garlic very fine.Put everything in a large glass bowl.

2. Add the whey and the salt to the vegetables, and mix well.

4. Pour the mixture into a quart-sized Mason jar. There should be at least one inch of space between the top of the jar and the mixture. It is important that the mixture does not touch the lid.

5. Cover the jar, move to a dark place (I use the inside of a cupboard), and let rest for two days while the fermentation takes place, then refrigerate.

Gluten-free chocolate chip cookie recipe

Gluten-Free chocolate chip cookies everyone will love!

Ingredients:

- 2 1/2 cups of almond flour
- 1/4 teaspoon of salt
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 8 tablespoons of butter or 1/2 of coconut oil
- 1/4 cup of honey or maple sirup ( i used less )
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup chocolate chips 

Put in oven for 15 minutes at 350 Degrees

 Voilà! Easy- peasy! :) 

~Cheesy Yummy Kale Chips~ That your kids will love!

Baked Kale Chips, another yummy idea for kid's lunchbox! Yes, your kids will eat them!

Kale is considered a Superfood that helps detoxify your body and brain. The minerals, nutrients and dietary fiber in kale help reduce oxidative damage and chronic inflammation. Kale also ranks really high for its large amounts of vitamin A, vitamin C, B6, calcium, copper, and potassium!

If you want to read more about Kale SuperPower : http://www.naturalnews.com/029318_kale_superfood.html

Ingredients:

3/4 cup cashews
1 bunch kale, washed and dried
1/2 red/or/yellow bell pepper
2 clove garlic, peeled
Celtic salt 
1 tablespoons olive oil
1/3 cup nutritional yeast (not to be confused with Brewer's yeast)
1 lemon juice
1 bunch cilantro

1-2-3 Steps! 

Cover the cashews with water in a small bowl and let the soak for at least one hour before proceeding.

Preheat oven to the lowest heat setting (mine is 180 degrees). Line several baking sheets with parchment paper. Drain cashews and set aside. Trim stems the from each kale leaf and cut each leaf into chip-size pieces.

Add the cashews, red pepper, garlic, salt, oil, cilantro and nutritional yeast to a food processor. Scoop the flesh from the lemon and add this to the food processor as well. Blend until smooth. (Alternatively, you can use just the lemon juice for a slightly less bright lemon flavor.)

In a large bowl, combine kale and cashew paste, making sure kale is evenly coated. Place kale pieces on baking sheets allowing space between each piece so they do not touch or overlap. This will take more than one batch, so reserve any remaining kale and refrigerate, covered, until first batch has finished baking.

Bake kale until crisp and completely dry, between 2 and 4 hours. Check after the first hour and turn leaves over. Check kale periodically. Chips will be ready when crunchy and stiff and topping doesn't feel chewy or moist.

Kale chips will keep in an air tight container for one week.

Fermented Dilly Carrots Sticks

Kids love carrots & fermented carrot sticks are an easy ‘side dish’ to add probiotics to any meal or snack! Why are fermented veggies so healthy? The health benefits are endless... First,  they are raw and unpeeled ( which contain all sorts of wonderful nutrients & enzymes!)  Second, fermenting process gives vegetables healthy bacteria that helps strengthen your digestive & immune system. Third, fermented carrots will look great in your kid's lunchbox! ;) Give it a try, your kids will love it!

Ingredients:

* 6 medium carrots, not peeled and cut into sticks
* 1 tablespoon whey  ( can be replace with vinegar )
* 2-3 cloves of garlic
* 1 tablespoons sea salt
* 1-2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
* Filtered water

- Put the carrot sticks into a jar and add the rest of the ingredients. 
- Add filtered water 
- Cover and keep at room temperature for 4-7 days; you can try them at 3-4 days and see if you like them to get more sour.
- After fermenting place your carrots in your fridge! They last for weeks...

Healthy Eating Habits Start Young...

Its never too early, its never too late to start instilling healthy eating habits in children. Kids love being in the kitchen, so if we embrace that, we can turn it into something great! :)

Raw Zucchini Rolls

Raw zucchini Rolls with cashew cheese and broccoli sun-dried tomato pesto! DELICIOUS! " Warning" : Make enough cuz they disappear quickly ( esp. if kids around! ) The question is : who's gonna have the last one ? 

Ingredients: 

Sun-dried tomato and broccoli pesto: 
1/2 head of broccoli
2 tablespoons sun dried tomatoes 
1 tablespoon olive oil 
Salt, pepper and dried herbs, to taste
Water, as needed 

( You have to blend all ingredients in your food processor or blender until smooth)

Cashew cheese:
2/3 cup cashews
2 peeled garlic cloves
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2-3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
Salt and pepper, to taste
Water, as needed

( Now blend all ingredients in your food processor or blender until smooth and thick, adding as little water as possible)

A yummy lunch for hungry kids!

Less than 25 minutes grain/gluten-free lunch idea! Creamy Squash Soup, Organic boiled eggs and a spinach salad with tomatoes & grated carrots! Voila! 

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