Pure Thyme

For a Balanced Life

Sunwarrior Spring Detox Smoothie Bowl

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Sunwarrior Spring Detox Smoothie BowlSpring is here and if you are like me, you are ready for some beautiful, fresh looking food that fits well with sunshine and soft breezes. I want to thank the beautiful weather we are having for inspiring this smoothie bowl.

Sometimes it is difficult for my mornings meals to be as balanced as I would like. I am constantly running from the minute I wake up during the week, so I might grab a piece of toast with hummus and my cup of coffee and go! When the weekend comes and I have some more time to get some creative and healthy foods on the table I am one happy momma.

I didn’t know what to expect from my 7, 5 and 22 month old when I changed it up from our regular old smoothie and presented them with this smoothie bowl. But, they absolutely loved it, ate it up, and asked for more. They loved being able to pick and choose their own toppings and decorate their smoothie bowl, so that was a bonus! Anytime they can take ownership of the food they are eating is a win-win situation at our house.

 

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I want to thank the good people over at Sunwarrior for supplying me with their fabulous products to take this smoothie bowl up a notch. I added some of their raw, vegan, sprouted and fermented vanilla protein and raw supergreens. I love getting some extra health benefits out of my meals especially when I am feeding them to my children.

I love that smoothie bowls give us a fresh new way to enjoy our smoothies and they are so beautiful to look at, don’t you think so? I just feel good eating these types of meals and also feeding them to my family.

If you start out your day with a healthy breakfast like this one, it will give you energy, satisfy your appetite, and set the stage for an amazing day!

4.7 from 7 reviews

Sunwarrior Spring Detox Smoothie Bowl
 

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Spring into wellness with this delicious protein and superfood smoothie bowl to start your day.
Serves: 2-3

Ingredients
For the smoothie:
  • 2 frozen bananas
  • ½ cup frozen diced pineapple
  • 1 packet Sunwarrior Classic Vanilla Protein
  • 1 packet Sunwarrior Ormus SuperGreens
  • ½-3/4 cup non-dairy milk of choice or coconut water
Topping Ideas:
  • Fresh Fruit
  • Unsweetened Shredded Coconut
  • Granola
  • Goji Berries
  • Seeds

Instructions
  1. Add all smoothie ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth.
  2. Transfer to a bowl, and top with your favorite toppings! Enjoy!

Have you ever tried a smoothie bowl before? What’s your favorite smoothie to make?

xoxo,

Jennifer

Vegan Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Muffins

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Courtesy of the lovely and amazing Julieanna Hever, also known as “The Plant-Based Dietitian” and host of “What Would Julieanna Do?,” airing on Veria Living (the TV network that showcases healthy lifestyle and wellness programming).

Julieanna is an advocate of the benefits of following a whole food, plant-based diet. She is the author of the best-selling book, The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Plant-Based Nutrition and the nutrition columnist for VegNews Magazine.  Her new  TV series  is a great source for healthy and delicious recipes!

Julieanna was kind enough to share this amazing recipe for her Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Muffins with us. This is the perfect recipe for this time of year. These muffins are amazing, I made these for breakfast this morning and they are half gone already! =) The kids loved, loved, loved these!

Oh, and they are oil-free and refined sugar-free taboot! *love*

5.0 from 1 reviews

Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Muffins (vegan, oil-free, refined sugar-free)
 

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Author:
Recipe type: Breakfast
Serves: 12

Ingredients
  • 1 medium banana, mashed
  • 1 (15-oz.) can sweet pumpkin puree
  • ¼ cup 100% pure maple syrup
  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 2 cups whole oat flour
  • ½ tsp. baking soda
  • ½ tsp. baking powder
  • ½ tsp. salt
  • 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
  • ½ tsp. ground nutmeg
  • ¼ tsp. ground ginger
  • 1 cup grain-sweetened dairy-free chocolate chips

Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 375°F. In a large bowl, combine mashed banana, pumpkin puree, maple syrup, and vanilla extract.
  2. In a small bowl, combine oat flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger. Transfer mixture to large bowl and mix together gently until well-combined. Avoid over-mixing to prevent toughness in the final product. Fold in chocolate chips.
  3. Spoon batter into silicon muffin cups and bake for 20 minutes or until the muffins are lightly browned. Remove muffins from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes. Store muffins in an airtight container.

Notes
I had to bake these for longer than the recipe states. Total time: 35 minutes

All ovens vary, so use your kitchen intuition!

 

Thanks again for sharing your recipe with us Julieanna and good luck on your new TV series. We are all looking forward to watching!

xoxo,

Jen

 

 

Christy Morgan’s Blissful Bites Cookbook Review and Giveaway!

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And Christy’s recipe for Coconut Bliss Granola with Key-Lime Soy Yogurt Parfaits – just in time for your Mother’s Day Brunch.

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Let me first introduce you to Christy Morgan – The Blissful Chef – Vegan Macrobiotic Chef , Author,  Educator, Recipe Creator and Speaker. She will show you how to access your bliss with tasty recipes that are free of processed foods, totally plant-based and good for you.

Blissful Bites: Vegan Meals That Nourish Mind, Body, and Planet (BenBella) is Christy’s  first full-length cookbook and I had the pleasure of getting a copy to try out and offer to one lucky reader for a giveaway. You are not going to want to miss entering for your chance to win a copy; it’s an incredible cookbook.

There is something for everyone in this cookbook. Almost all of the recipes are gluten-free and she uses very limited amounts of oil, if any. The recipes are easy to follow, take less than 45 minutes to prepare, and contain ingredients that you can find in your local supermarket and/or health food store. The recipes are categorized by seasons, which will help you plan and eat accordingly. There’s also a great section detailing items that you should have in your pantry and cooking tools, so you can be well on your way to eating the blissful way. =)

I tried out several of Christy’s recipes in her cookbook and all were effortless to make, as well as incredibly fresh tasting and delicious. I chose to share her recipes for Coconut Bliss Granola and Key-Lime Soy Yogurt. Combined this makes a beautiful breakfast parfait to enjoy any day, but is also perfect for brunch with friends or family. For us, it will be on our menu for our Mother’s Day Brunch this Sunday.

Beautiful, isn’t it? And oh, so delicious…

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Coconut Bliss Granola
 

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Store-bought Granola is usually full of oil and sugar. Yet it’s so easy to make yourself for half the cost – and half the guilt. You’ll fall in love with this granola recipe, which you can serve with nondairy milk or with key-lime soy yogurt.
Author:
Recipe type: Spring Recipe
Serves: 8

Ingredients
  • 3 cups rolled oats
  • 1 cup raw sunflower seeds
  • 1 cup shredded dried coconut, unsweetened
  • 1 cup brown rice crispy cereal
  • ¾ cup sliced almonds
  • ½ cup walnuts, chopped if whole
  • ¼ cup sesame seeds
  • 1 tablespoon cinnamon
  • Dash nutmeg
  • 2 tablespoons grapeseed oil
  • ½ cup maple syrup
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla flavoring
  • Pinch sea salt
  • 1 cup raisins (optional)

Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 250 degrees F.
  2. Mix all dry ingredients, except raisins, in a large bowl.
  3. In a smaller bowl, whisk together wet ingredients.
  4. Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and combine thoroughly.
  5. Transfer to a 9×13 glass casserole dish and evenly smooth across the top.
  6. Bake for 45 minutes.
  7. Remove from oven and stir in raisins.
  8. Bake for another 10 minutes.
  9. Remove from oven and cool.

Notes
Store in an airtight container and it will last for weeks.

Key-Lime Soy Yogurt
 

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This is tastier than store-bought vegan yogurt, but it’s missing the acidophilus. No worries – you won’t miss it, because it’s still healthy and actually has no refined sugar like store brands.
Author:
Recipe type: Spring
Serves: 4-6

Ingredients
  • 2 packages Mori-Nu silken tofu
  • ½ cup maple syrup or brown rice syrup
  • 2 limes, zested and juiced
  • 1 small lemon, juiced
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla flavoring

Instructions
  1. Blend all ingredients in a food processor. Be sure to scrape the edges of the bowl a few times to incorporate all the tofu. Blend until smooth.
  2. Layer with Coconut Bliss Granola and fresh berries for a parfait.

This Giveaway is now closed..thanks to all who entered! 

Now for the Giveaway…

To enter the contest, leave a comment telling me what’s your favorite vegan brunch recipe. Don’t forget to leave your contact information so I can let you know if you win. =)

BONUS ENTRIES

You MUST leave each entry as a separate comment or only one comment will count.

All entries must be completed no later than Saturday, May 18th 2013,  at 11:59 p.m. EST.

Winner will be announced on Sunday, May 19th 2013, on my blog, and the winner will also be notified via the email address they provided in the comments section.

Giveaway open to U.S. and Canada residents only. =)

Good Luck!

xoxo,

Jen

Green Power Smoothie

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In the mood for a new green smoothie? I know we were at my house this week and this is what I came up with.

This smoothie is nutrient-rich and delicious. Spinach is a powerhouse of nutrients including iron, beta-carotene and vitamin C that fights heart disease and provides anti-cancer benefits. Cucumbers provide us with valuable antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-cancer benefits as well. Coconut water is full of potassium and electrolytes which makes this the perfect after-workout smoothie. I have it right after my morning run and it gives me the boost and energy I need to keep me going for the rest of the day chasing around two small kids. =)

We are loving this smoothie and will be drinking it every morning this week. Enjoy and let me know how much you love it too. =)

Green Power Smoothie

Yield: 2 servings

Ingredients:

2 cups baby spinach, washed

1/2 cup cucumber, peeled and chopped

1 banana

1/2 cup unsweetened non-dairy vanilla milk of choice

1/2 cup fresh squeezed orange juice

1 cup 100% pure coconut water

2 tbsp flax, hemp or chia seeds

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in a blender. Puree until smooth and serve.

Dont’ forget to check out my article which was published on Wednesday, September 7th in print and online here Jackson Sun including an interview and featured recipes. Very exciting for me and I can’t wait to get the print version! =)

Have an amazing day folks!

 

Summer Fest: Fresh Cherry and Almond Scones – Vegan and Sugar Free

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This week for FNdish season long Summer Fest 2011 garden party, we are featuring cherries. Cherries not only boast a distinctive flavor – ranging from sweet to tart – but this high-antioxidant fruit will help reduce inflammation, pain and may help you get a good night’s sleep. You can check out a great article on the health benefits of cherries.

Scones make a wonderful summer treat to enjoy outside while hosting an afternoon tea party. Fresh instead of dried cherries make these scones pop with flavor. Prepare to savor the crunchy, slightly sweet outside that is complimented with a spring flavor that is light and soft on the inside. Break off a bite-sized piece of this scone and spread some fresh fruit preserves or some vegan butter on it. Or enjoy these scones plain – like I did – they are so delcious they don’t need anything at all.

These scones are nutrient-rich and good-for you. They are made with whole-wheat pastry flour and get their sweetness from the fresh cherries and date sugar. I also used a small amount of Earth Balance Organic Cocount Spread and was blown away by the results. The folks over at Earth Balance gave me a coupon to try it out. The coconut spread is rich, creamy and helped make these scones super moist and fluffly on the inside. I highly recommed trying it out if you get a chance. It’s also lactose-free, soy free, gluten-free, organic, vegan, made without genetically modified ingredients and packed with medium-chain fatty acids. Perfect! You can make these scones gluten-free by just substituing the whole-wheal pastry flour with your gluten-free flour of choice.

Enjoy!

What’s your favorite way to eat and enjoy cherries?

Fresh Cherry and Almond Scones

Yield: Makes 8 scones

Ingredients:

2 cups whole-wheat pastry flour

1/4 cup date sugar, I use Aunt Patty’s

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp ground cinnamon

4 tbsp Earth Balance Coconut Spread

1/4 cup raw almonds, chopped

1/2 cup fresh cherries, chopped

3/4 cup plain dairy-free yogurt

1 tsp almond extract

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

2 tbsp flaxseed meal, mixed with 6 tbsp warm water (to replace two eggs)

1 tbsp date sugar for topping

1/2 tsp cinnamon for topping

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425 degress F. Line a baking tray with a non-stick baking mat or parchment paper.

Stir together flaxseed meal and warm water in a small bowl. Allow to stand for five minutes or until thickened and gooey like an egg.

In a large bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda and cinnamon.

In a small bowl, stir together yogurt, almond extract and almond extract.

Add dry ingredient to food processor. Add coconut spread, flaxseed meal mixture and yogurt and pulse until just combined.

Transfer back to large mixing bowl and gently fold in chopped cherries and almonds.

Transfer dough to lightly floured work surface and form into a 3/4 inch thick rectangle. Using a sharp knife, cut into 8 egual wedges.

Place scones on baking sheet. Mix date sugar and cinnamon together and sprinkle over tops of scones.

Bake for 12-15 minutes or until lightly brown and toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. These scones are best eaten the day they are made.

summerfest

 

Summer Fest is a season long event where Food Network Editors team up with blogs to share tips and recipes about seasonal produce. During Summer Fest, we celebrate the season’s bounty of fresh fruit and veggies. For more inspired dishes cooking with cucumbers, be sure to check out all these great sites that are participating in Summer Fest this week.

What’s Gaby Cooking: Cherry Chocolate Truffle Ice Cream

Big Girls Small Kitchen: Cherry Cornmeal Cake

Cooking With Elise: Roasted Cherries with Lavender and Almond Panna Cotta

Daydreamer Desserts: Cherry Crumble Cake

Ingredient Challenge Monday: Black Forest Ice Cream Done Two Ways

Spices and Aroma: Dilkush with Cherries

And Love It Too: Cherry-Pecan Chicken Salad

FN Dish: The Ultimate Cherry Pie

Daily*Dishin: Simple French Cherry Clafouti

Glory Foods: Collard Greens and Cherry Reduction

Chez Us: Gluten-Free Cherry Clafoutis

Food for 7 Stages of Life: South Indian Hot and Sour Soup

Virtually Homemade: Dark Chocolate Cherry Kuchen

In Jennie’s Kitchen: Cherry Conserves

The Sensitive Epicure: Gluten-Free Cherry Almond Clafouti

Cooking Channel: Very Cherry Sangria

Napa Farmhouse 1885: Cherry Balsamic Vinegar

Zaika Zabardast: Balsamic Cherry and Peach Crisp

Mooshu Jenne: Rainier Cherry Panna Cotta

Food2: A Very Cherry Recipe Round-Up

CIA Dropout: Italian Cherry Cake

Sweet Life Bake: Honey-Tequila Pickled Cherries

Cooking With Books: Cherry Cooler

Recipe Girl: Cherry Limeade Pound Cake

 

Quinoa Oatmeal Mini-Muffins

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Today, I decided to try out quinoa flour for the first time. I actually want to experiment with all gluten-free flours so I thought this was a good starting point. I am a HUGE fan of quinoa in general for its nutritional benefits and use it often, but I’ve never made anything out of quinoa flour. Quinoa has a slightly bitter taste, but I love it and most of you probably do as well! There are definitely many recipes out there that use it, but I had to try it out for myself. I modified a recipe I’ve had for a long time for oatmeal muffins by just replacing the whole wheat pastry flour with the quinoa flour.

The end result…the muffins do have a distinct quinoa flavor to them, but are they good? My husband thinks they are fantastic, they are kid-approved, and I kind of like them too. These are a great, healthy snack for kids. Every time I eat one I like them even more…they are growing on me…yep. I definitely need to experiment with quinoa flour some more and maybe mix the quinoa flour with another gluten-free flour like amaranth. I think that is what I will do next time I make these, which will probably be in the next couple days because I will obsess about it until I try it!  

Have you tried quinoa flour? What do you think about it? If you haven’t, try these muffins out and let me know what you think!
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Quinoa Oatmeal Mini-Muffins
Yield: 24 mini-muffins
Ingredients:
1 tbsp flaxseed meal mixed with 3 tbsp water
1 ¼ cup quinoa flour
1 cup old fashioned oats (not instant)
2 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp baking soda
½ tsp ground cinnamon
1 cup unsweetened almond milk
1/2 cup date syrup
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
¼ cup raisins
¼ cup chopped dates
¼ cup chopped pecans
Directions    
Preheat oven to 375 Degrees F.
Lightly spray a mini-muffin pan with cooking spray. Mix 1 tbsp flaxseed meal with 3 tbsp water, set aside. Sift the flour, cinnamon, baking powder and baking soda into mixing bowl.  Add oatmeal and stir to combine. In a separate bowl combine flaxseed meal mixture, almond milk, date syrup, and vanilla extract. Stir to combine. Fold in dry ingredients and add raisins, dates and pecans.  Mix until just combined. Spoon the batter into muffin pans, filling each one almost to the top. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the tops are lightly browned and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Cool slightly, remove from the pan, and serve.
Happy healthy eating!