Category Archives: organic food

Vegan Lavender Butter: A Sweet Herbal Treat From the Mountains…

Posted by KyAuthorProfessorJBowling499B in appalachian life, clean eating, clean recipes, drying herbs, farm living, garden time, ky author, my special days, organic food, Vegan recipes and tagged with , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

A foggy mountain morning in the mountains.

Good morning from the mountains of Kentucky! As I savor the taste of the rich bold coffee and listen to the comforting sounds of our small farm waking up and greeting the world this morning I am filled with a sense of peace and satisfaction. I enjoy the lulling sounds of the soft raindrops gently tapping the lingering puddles yesterday’s showers left behind, and the sounds of Pretty Boy’s boastful good-morning crows from his high-roost. The trees are filled with an anxious zeal for life from the beautiful sounds of music the families of robins, blue jays, and wrens are making, while a blanket of fog still lingers near the mountains tops and over the valleys creating a cocoon of safety in our little corner of the world. I agree with that all-too famous line from one of my childhood favorite movies, “there’s no place like home!”

Our domer rooster. Pretty Boy.

Today will be another busy day as the life of a professor, nanny, writer, and farm-wife never gets boring. There’s always something to keep me busy, but I can’t complain I can’t imagine my life any other way. Today’s agenda consists of editor deadlines, working on syllabi for my summer II courses, light housework, preparing a big kettle of homemade soup, and hopefully a little garden time, if the weather cooperates. But for now, I promised my readers last night that I’d post my recipe for Vegan Lavender Butter.

Have you ever wondered what to do with all those beautiful lavender blooms? Well wonder no more…I hope you enjoy this delicious herbal treat.

Lavender blooming near the basil.

Rich and delicious lavender butter

First, let me say that the picture does not do this delicious treat justice! But without further delay…here you go! I hope you enjoy it!

Ingredients:

  • 3 tablespoons of your favorite organic plant butter (my favorite is coconut plant butter…see photo below) plain butter for a non-vegan option
  • 1 teaspoon of pure organic maple syrup for a vegan option, honey for non-vegan
  • 3 teaspoons of dried lavender blooms

My favorite plant butter

Dried lavender blooms

Process:

Mix the plant butter, syrup, and dried lavender blooms in a small bowl and set aside in the refrigerator to allow it to chill for at least two hours before serving. As the butter chills the delicate dried blooms rehydrate and soften within the butter to create a smooth and delicious texture. The taste of this delicate and silky sweet treat can be enjoyed on toast, rolls, biscuits or even on a baked sweet potato. Our son-in-law enjoyed it on his steak a few nights ago! He described it as a savory taste that lingers on the back of the tongue.

I look forward to hearing from you and reading your comments and thoughts about this tasty herbal treat. Well, the day beckons me with a to-do list that can’t wait! God bless from my Kentucky mountain kitchen to yours!

Butterflies love our lavender blooms…

Random Thoughts on A Rainy Day in the Mountains…

Posted by KyAuthorProfessorJBowling499B in appalachian life, clean eating, farm living, garden time, my special days, organic food, Vegan recipes and tagged with , , , , , , , , , , ,

It’s been a rainy day in the mountains of Kentucky today. A day filled with a lot of rain, much work, cooking, reading, and a little relaxation. Rainy days provides me with opportunities to catch up on chores that need attention inside, which leaves sunny days wide-open for work and activities outside the house. I must admit, as much as I love working and spending time outdoors, I like an occasional rainy day inside. But, I also enjoy a little time outside on rainy summer days. I enjoy the scent that fills the mountain air after the rain subsides, and the beautiful earth that seems to come alive with sounds, sights, and new life. I made sure to take a little time today to enjoy a walk between the rain-showers to enjoy the beautiful mountains that surrounds our home.

Raindrops the rain leaves behind fascinate me.

Even though summer vacation is in full swing for me…to say it’s been a busy summer, would truly be an understatement. Edition two of Reading and Language Arts is in the final stages of editing, which consists of rigorous deadlines of revisions and editing in a short amount of time. Again, I was thankful for the rain today, because in bright red ink on my calendar was one of those deadlines looming over me and scheduled to be complete today! I’m happy to say that I met that deadline about noon today! I find myself getting anxious as the day of print draws closer and also knowing that the new edition will be ready for me to teach with and for my students to hold in their hands for fall classes! It’s always exciting as well as rewarding to see your words come to life in print! I shouldn’t, but below is a sneak peak of the cover of my latest book!

Here’s a sneak peak at edition two of Reading and Language Arts II. 

Our garden also fills many hours of our spring, summer, and fall days. And even though today’s forecast consisted of a lot rain, there was still time between showers to pick a few fresh veggies, and pull a few weeds away from the plants. One of the many things that I have learned about having a healthy garden is that it takes time, time for planting, plowing, hoeing, and nurturing our plants with little tender-loving-care. I enjoy organic gardening, which results in much reading and researching as well as experimenting with new ideas to make our garden as healthy and organic as possible.

I’ve recently begun experimenting with the use of herbal teas in both the vegetable and herb garden. I love drinking a wide-variety of herbal teas and always wondered what I could do with all those used tea bags. After reading and researching, I discovered other gardeners who used the discarded tea bags for feeding their plants and also for pest control in their gardens.

I decided to try making a weak tea from used organic green tea bags. I cooled the tea and poured it in a spray bottle. I’ve been spritzing my herbs and many of my vegetables for weeks now with the tea. I’ve noticed a significant difference in the reduction of pests feeding on the leaves of my veggies and also noticed a rich darker green color on both the herbs and veggies. I’ve also been burying the used tea bags near the base of the plants to help fertilize the roots and also protect them against burrowing pests. The rich antioxidants from the organic tea has truly made a visible difference in the health of our plants.

Sweet Basil that’s been fertilized with herbal tea. 

With that being said, I’m off to salvage the remainder of the evening and be a little creative in the kitchen! I’m anxious to experiment with a new recipe I’ve been working on for clean and vegan energy balls. By the way, cooking is another passion of mine. I love creating new and exciting healthy dishes and meals. I made vegan lavender butter this evening that we enjoyed with our supper. I’m happy to say the first attempt at this tasty addition was a success! Our daughter and her husband both loved it, but unfortunately I neglected to take pictures of the process. I hope to have a new post with the recipe for this delicious sweet treat posted sometime tomorrow. Yes, I remembered to take pictures today!

I look forward to a relaxing with a good cup of coffee this late evening and read the final chapters of the current novel I’m reading! For now, God bless from our little corner of the world in the mountains of Kentucky! Feel free to leave comments. I love hearing from my readers. Also, feel free to follow my blog. Readers are always welcome! Blessings from our home to yours!

 

 

Vegan Tofu-Spinach Scramble and a Good Book!

Posted by KyAuthorProfessorJBowling499B in appalachian life, clean eating, clean recipes, farm living, my special days, organic food, relax with a good book, Vegan recipes and tagged with , , , , , , , , , ,

Tofu-spinach scramble, soy-based meatless sausage, tomatoes, and salsa! Delicious!

I love quiet cool spring mornings at home. I also enjoy preparing and enjoying one of my favorite breakfasts while reading a great summer read. Tofu-spinach scramble with veggies is my new favorite alternative to eggs. Tofu is low sodium, low cholesterol, low carb, and low calorie…but doesn’t lack in taste, if prepared and seasoned correctly. Tofu is also very cost-efficient. I prefer the organic extra firm tofu to the others.

Tofu can be prepared to replace meats, eggs, and many more creative and tasty dishes. I enjoy experimenting with the breakfast options the most, but am excited to see what other new dishes awaits me! I’m anxious to share this tasty and also very healthy low carb vegan dish with you.

Ingredients:

  • Extra firm organic tofu (amount based on serving size)
  • 1 tablespoon of organic olive oil
  • Diced yellow or red onion (varies with taste preference and serving size)
  • Quartered zucchini and yellow summer squash (add as much as you desire based on serving size and taste)
  • Organic baby spinach (add as much as you desire based on serving size)
  • Black pepper
  • Turmeric
  • Paprika
  • Salt or salt substitute
  • Chopped blades of green onions or chives
  • Medium salsa (optional)

Heat olive oil over low heat and add desired amount of onions and add squash and zucchini. Season lightly with each of the above spices.

While onions, squash, and zucchini are being prepared, cut desired size of tofu. Tofu portions are very similar to measuring egg portions. Press tofu in a tofu press to release the water. If you don’t have a tofu press, no worries! You can place the tofu between two white paper towels and press until the tofu feels nearly dry. Set tofu aside.

Sauté the onions and squash mixture until onion become translucent and squash and zucchini become tender. Add tofu to the skillet of veggies crumbling it as you add it. Sprinkle tofu and veggies with turmeric and paprika. Treat the scramble much as you would scrambles eggs while they’re preparing. You will visually see the white tofu change to a beautiful yellow. This color change occurs from the combination of turmeric and paprika.

Add baby spinach and allow it to slowly wilt into the tofu scramble. Season with salt or no-salt, which I prefer and black pepper. Once the spinach has wilted remove from heat. You are ready to add your favorite sides and enjoy. I love to top my scramble with chopped chives or scallions and a little mild salsa for an extra addition of flavor, while also enjoying meatless sausage and tomatoes on the side. I have also found that avocado is a great addition.

A few other favorite tasty additions include adding mushrooms or peppers. The possibilities are endless. I also like to add basil and oregano to create a tasty Italian scramble. I like to substitute the salsa with marinara sauce. Again, tofu is a blank slate that can be modified to meet the preferences of your pallet.

Oh, I almost forgot to tell you about the book I’m reading. I am enjoying a wonderful book that has intrigued me, made me cry, wonder, and to learn more about a very diverse and rich character who’s story is based on her real-life. I encourage you to check out, purchase, or borrow the book, “Educated: A Memoir of Tara Westover” written by Tara Westover. This is a look at the life of Tara and her family that will linger in your thoughts, and in your heart for quite some time.

I am 80% finished with this intriguing book and would rate it as a true five-star memoir that has stirred emotions deep within me. Every person that I’ve recommended this very interesting and inspiring book to has enjoyed it equally as much as I have.

Be sure to try my tofu scramble for a healthy low car, low calorie, and low cholesterol dish that doesn’t lack flavor! Feel free to leave feedback about the tofu scramble or the book suggestion. Also, feel free to follow my blog for future delicious clean and vegan dishes as well as book suggestions.

I think I’ll enjoy a little time outdoors in the beautiful green mountains and our vegetable garden! God bless from mountains of Kentucky!

An early morning visitor…

Clean Chocolate Chip Vegan Date Bars

Posted by KyAuthorProfessorJBowling499B in appalachian life, clean desserts, clean eating, clean recipes, farm living, garden time, organic food, Vegan recipes and tagged with , , , , , , ,
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Morning in the mountains of Kentucky

So, it’s been too long since I last posted. My apologies for that. It has been a very busy semester, but a satisfying one. Summer break has begun…as well as gardening time! I’m not going to complain about either. Summer break is a time to rest, relax, and revive before another hectic, but wonderful semester begins. Gardening time means a lot of hard work, but also very tasty and healthy vegetables follow and make all of the hard work very worth while. Gardening is one of the most therapeutic and satisfying forms of work that I can think of. Each time I breath in the beauty of the mountains, gardens, and nature’s bounty that surrounds me in the mountains of Kentucky…I am revived, rejuvenated, and renewed. A sense of peace consumes me as I walk through our garden awaiting the fruits of our labor, fresh ripe organic veggies.

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Our vegetable garden

With that being said, I am super excited to bring one of my new favorite vegan sweet-treats to you. I have worked diligently to perfect my recipe before adding it to the blog. My family has been “guinea pigs” for this delicious sweet treat and I must say that it has quickly become a favorite of theirs as well. Chocolate chip vegan date bars are very satisfying, rich, and delicious. I hope you and your family enjoy them as much as my family does.

Ingredients:

2 cups organic fresh medjool pitted dates
1 cup natural organic smooth peanut butter
1 1/2 cup organic semi-sweet or dark vegan chocolate chips
1/2 cup organic unsweetened shredded coconut
1 cup organic gluten free oats
1/3 cup organic pure maple syrup (can substitute with sorghum, or honey for non-vegan bar).

My favorite chocolate chip date bar

Process:

Rough chop dates and add them to a food processor (I use a ninja and works great). Fine chop the dates and add all but one tablespoon of the peanut butter, 3/4 of the chocolate chips, coconut and oats. Slowly add the maple syrup. Mix completely until mixture forms a smooth ball. Press the date mixture into a pan lined with parchment paper and spread the reserved tablespoon of peanut butter over the mixture and refrigerate. While the mixture is cooling and setting in the fridge, heat most of the remaining chocolate chips in the microwave and drizzle over the date mixture. You may add a few chocolate chips to the top of the mixture as well. I also like to lightly sprinkle the top with shredded coconut, but I love the taste of coconut. Allow bars to chill up to two hours for the best results. Cut into desired size and enjoy!

Tips/Ideas:

Date mixture can also be rolled into balls, rolled in the shredded coconut, and drizzled with the melted chocolate chips. The presentation is different, but the taste is same! The bars or date balls lasts for weeks in a covered container in the refrigerator, if you can resist them that long.

Vegan chocolate chip coconut date balls

I hope that you enjoy this sweet healthy vegan treat as much as my family enjoys it. I am super excited to share my recipe for my vegan frozen treat! Our grandchildren love it! I love it, and it’s plant-based and healthy! Until the next post, which will hopefully, be soon…bon appetit from the mountains of Kentucky.

 

 

Clean Vegan Summer Squash Soup

Posted by KyAuthorProfessorJBowling499B in appalachian life, clean eating, Kentucky memories, organic food, plant-based, Vegan recipes and tagged with , , , , , , , ,

https://ahealthiermesimpleandclean.com/2018/08/06/clean-summer-squash-soup/

click on the link to take you to the recipe.

Clean Vegan Summer Squash Soup

Posted by KyAuthorProfessorJBowling499B in clean eating, clean recipes, farm living, garden time, organic food and tagged with , , , , ,

I’m not sure if it’s just me or what, but I feel like we are going to have an early fall here in the mountains of Kentucky. The evenings are becoming cooler and my canning is once again filling the pantry. As our summer yellow squash and zucchini are producing their final blooms and the freezer is well stocked with both, I began to feel creative. I wanted to try something new with the squash and zucchini.  I wanted to try something other than sautéed squash and zucchini, dried zucchini, zoodles, pickled squash and zucchini and all the other creative and delicious dishes that my family enjoys each summer. I had wanted to try using our delicious summer squash in a tasty soup. After a couple of attempts, and a few alterations…we enjoyed a delicious and very satisfying summer squash soup! I am very excited to share my delicious clean summer squash soup recipe with each of you. This soup has quickly become a favorite of my entire family, even my mom!

Ingredients:

1 small onion (I prefer red onions)
1/2 of a red bell pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic minced
1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
1 cup of sliced Portobello mushrooms
1 to 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
2 medium size yellow squash
1 large zucchini 
1 can of organic no salt added diced tomatoes
1/2 teaspoon of paprika
salt and pepper to taste
1 box of organic vegetable broth
1 can of drained and rinsed organic cannellini beans
2 tablespoons of dried parsley
1 cup of organic frozen baby peas
1 cup of either fresh corn or 1 cup of no salt added organic corn

squash

Yellow Summer Squash

Process:

Heat one tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil in a 4 quart cooker add diced onion, diced red pepper, minced garlic, and saute until the onions and peppers become tender. Add salt, pepper, rosemary, and paprika, stir and simmer for 1 to 2 minutes. Add sliced mushrooms. You may need to add more olive oil once the mushrooms absorb the oil in the cooker. Only simmer for about two minutes, or until the mushrooms change color.

Add tomatoes and the entire box of vegetable broth. Reduce heat to a simmer. Cut zucchini and squash into cubes. I like to cut mine into about one inch sections. I slice the squash and zucchini and then cut the slices into wedges (similar to cutting a pie) this allows each piece to maintain some of the peel, which is important for texture. Add squash and zucchini and stir. Drain and rinse beans and add to the soup. Add frozen peas and corn. You may season with additional salt and pepper to meet your own taste preference.  Add dried parsley flakes and cover. Allow to simmer at a very low temperature for twenty minutes. Remove from heat and serve.

I have tried this recipe both with corn and without corn. My mom and I both agree that it’s best with corn. I also use fresh ears of corn cut off the cob. You may make changes to the recipe to meet you and your families needs. I hope that you and your family enjoy this savory and very easy recipe as much as my family has. You may follow my blog by adding your email and clicking on the follow button at the bottom of the page. Also, feel free to comment on my post. I love to hear from my readers.

Blessings to you and your family from our family in the mountains of Kentucky. Be sure to check back or to follow my blog for upcoming recipes, book reviews, clean eating tips, eating and living a healthy lifestyle, inspiring and uplifting articles, farm life, and what it’s like living in the Appalachian Mountains of Kentucky.

squash soup

Summer Squash Soup

How to Dehydrate Summer Squash & Zucchini

Posted by KyAuthorProfessorJBowling499B in appalachian life, canning, clean eating, clean recipes, farm living, garden time, my special days, organic food and tagged with , , , , , , , , ,

chickens

I love quiet mornings in the Appalachian Mountains. With the house filled with the aroma of brewed coffee and the roosters crowing their good morning wake up call I am filled with enjoyment, peace and the security of home. I’ve always believed in that all too familiar cliche…”there’s no place like home”…even when home is buzzing with activity. Activity is actually an understatement. It’s been a very hectic week around our home. My kitchen is still buzzing with action as we plan, prepare and fill our pantry and freezer with healthy garden food for the upcoming winter months. 

As our garden flourishes our table continues to be filled with family, memories, conversation and wonderful healthy dishes. We’re also still enjoying the process of canning, dehydrating and freezing for upcoming winter months. It’s a comforting feeling and a feeling of accomplishment to know that our family will be enjoying green beans, okra, corn, apples and many more delicious homegrown treats from our garden including summer squash and zucchini. Yes, those big bountiful plants are still producing an impressive amount of deliciousness daily! We have been blessed with enough of both vegetables to enjoy daily and to also preserve for our family, our families family, our church family and our neighbors! God has truly blessed our garden with a bountiful harvest this year!

squash

In my last blog post I shared twelve ideas of how to enjoy all those summer squash and zucchini that you’ve grown. I hope you  stepped outside of the traditional banana bread and baked as well as enjoyed the tropical pomegranate bread made with summer squash! I’ll be honest…we’ve enjoyed a couple more loaves since I posted the recipe. It has quickly become a new family favorite. When you bake don’t forget to vacuum seal a few extra slices for that warm winter evening snack, or anytime snack! If you’ve not checked out this delicious recipe…don’t hesitate…check it out! What are you waiting for? You’ll love it! Tropical Squash & Pomegranate Bread/Muffins For your convenience, just simply click on the link above and introduce your family to my families new favorite!

squash II

 

With the freezers beginning to fill up and the canning shelves being carefully lined with a multitude of goodies, I decided it was time to crank up the dehydrator and begin filling up a couple of gallon jars that house dehydrated squash and zucchini each year. Year after year I am amazed how quickly a gallon of each delicious dried veggie accumulates! Dehydrating is a simple process that is also an easy an effective way of preserving almost any kind of fruit or vegetable. For squash and zucchini the process is easy. Simply follow the directions below and then enjoy your favorite summer vegetables year round.

Process:

Wash and dry squash and zucchini
Slice in desired thickness and shapes (I prefer thin sliced) with the peel
Long spiral noodles are great as well
Line dehydrator trays
Set temperature to 135 for 13 & 1/2 hours
Dehydrators will vary, but this works best for me
Check vegetables for crispness.
Stop the process when vegetables become crispy.
Place slices in an airtight jar (glass works best)

dehydrated zucchini

These wonderful slices of goodness can be enjoyed in a variety of ways. Put a few in a bowl or zip lock baggie and season them with your favorite seasonings and eat them as a snack. They make great veggie chips! I enjoy putting the crispy slices in soups, omelets, casseroles and many other dishes. When the crispy slices are added to dishes they will rehydrate from the moisture of the other ingredients in your dishes. For example, in soups the broth will rehydrate the veggies and bring them back to plump deliciousness. Either way…crispy or rehydrated you can’t go wrong with dehydrated vegetables. The shelf life is great as long as the container is airtight, they don’t take much shelf space, are very versatile, they’re healthy and they taste great!

I hope you and your family enjoy yet another method of preserving, enjoying, and serving all of those wonderful summer squash and zucchini. As always, it’s a pleasure to hear from each of you. Feel free to share your comments, ideas, recipes and your thoughts on my posts. Don’t forget to clik follow to be notified of new posts in the future. Also, check out and enjoy my recipe of the week Tropical Squash & Pomegranate Bread/Muffins I’m sure your family will enjoy it as much as mine. As always, God bless from the mountains of Kentucky.

http://www.ahealthiermesimpleandclean.com Copyright 2017

 

 

Tropical Squash & Pomegranate Bread/Muffins

Posted by KyAuthorProfessorJBowling499B in appalachian life, clean eating, clean recipes, farm living, garden time, organic food and tagged with , , , , , , ,

It’s that time of year again! What time? The time to figure out what to do with the bountiful harvest of summer squash and zucchini that consumes our garden, refrigerator, counter space and even the dining room table. Even though our family enjoys both squash and zucchini…the multitude and rate at which it grows during the month of July can be a bit overwhelming, especially if you don’t know what to do with these tasty and healthy veggies. God has truly blessed our garden abundantly this year. I’m excited today to share some creative ideas of how we are preparing both squash and zucchini for our summer meals as well as filling our freezer and pantry for the winter months ahead. So grab a cup of coffee and delve into day one of our journey of preparing and processing summer squash and zucchini.

So what did we do with our bountiful harvest of zucchini and squash? We prepared them and also processed them into the following;

1. zucchini & pomegranate bread/muffins (today’s recipe)
2. tropical squash bread/muffins
3. dehydrated zucchini and squash slices
4. dehydrated zucchini noodles
6. zucchini chips
7. zucchini & squash vegetarian lasagna
8. canned pineapple zucchini
9. zucchini and squash stir fries
10. pickled squash and zucchini
11. parmesan zucchini boats
12. zucchini & squash omelets

What better way to kick off this series of blogs than with bread recipes! I love the smell of fresh-baked breads in the winter and just as much in summer months. Actually, I like the smell of fresh-baked breads any time of the year. But, there’s nothing quite as aromatic and satisfying as tropical squash bread baking. Yes, that’s right, squash bread. I have and enjoyed a variety of zucchini breads over the years but had never attempted squash bread until last week. As I worked around my kitchen with the abundance of both squash and zucchini that we had picked my mind raced with what to do with all of those beautiful yellow squash. With the dehydrator full of both zucchini and squash slices awaiting their fate of being vacuumed sealed for later rehydration. I began planning a new zucchini bread recipe…so why not try baking bread with squash. I am so happy that I followed through with this idea. Both breads were amazing! I hope you and your family enjoy them as much as my family does.

Squash Pomegranate Bread Ingredients

3 cups of self-rising flour (can be substituted with whole wheat or coconut flour)
1 pinch of salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon (I prefer fresh grated cinnamon)
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon of organic flax chia seed combination (optional)
1/2 cup organic dark brown sugar
1/2 cup fresh raw honey
1/2 cup semi-drained unsweetened crushed pineapple (fresh is best)
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
1 medium yellow crooked neck squash (about a cup and a half grated)
1/2 cup of dried pomegranates (can substitute with dried cranberries)
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce or apple butter ( I prefer using my homemade apple butter as it adds an additional layer to the flavor)
3 fresh eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 over-ripe organic banana
1/2 cup chopped organic pecans

Mix dry ingredients well and set aside. Mix remaining wet ingredients and add to the dry ingredients. Mash the banana and add to the mixture. Rough chop the pecans and add to the mixture. Don’t over mix. Wash, dry and grate one medium-sized crooked neck squash into the mixture. There’s no need to peel the squash as the peel adds wonderful flavor, color, and fiber to the bread. Don’t worry about the seeds as they will bake away as well. I use a simple hand grater to grate the squash. Once the squash has been grated give the mixture one last stir.

Pre-heat oven to 350 and spray a loaf pan or you may spray a muffin tin and bake as muffins instead. Once the oven is preheated pour the mix into the loaf pan or muffin tin and bake on the bottom rack of the oven for thirty minutes. Check the bread at the thirty minute mark for doneness with a toothpick. Ovens will vary therefore check every five minutes until baked. I like my bread to have a bit of a crispy edge and moist inside…so, usually fourty minutes and my bread is done! Don’t over bake the bread. You’ll know when your bread is done by the edges, when the toothpick comes out clean, and it springs back to touch.

squash II

Before you know it your kitchen will be filled with the aroma of tropical bread baking! This is a sweet delicious treat that is great served as a breakfast treat with a cold glass of milk, a hot cup of coffee or served as a dessert! Honestly, it tastes great anytime of the day or night. It’s tropical flavor dances on your tongue warm or cold.

Tip of the Day:

Once your bread has cooled  you can freeze individual vacuum sealed slices to ensure that you have a slice of this tasty bread anytime. I have vacuum sealed pumpkin roll, zucchini bread and now tropical squash bread. When you are ready to indulge in this sweet treat simply remove from the freezer and either allow it to thaw or defrost for a couple of seconds in the microwave. The bread is amazingly still moist and just as flavorful!

squash III.JPG

Pictured above are loaves of tropical squash bread and chocolate zucchini bread. I can’t wait to share the chocolate zucchini bread in upcoming days! I hope your family enjoys this delicious bread as much as mine! Please feel free to leave comments. To find out more creative and useful ways to preserve and bake both squash and zucchini click the follow button on my blog! From my kitchen to yours…Blessings from the mountains of Kentucky!

squash bread II

squash bread

 

 

 

Ooey, Gooey, Clean, Baked Apples

Posted by KyAuthorProfessorJBowling499B in clean eating, clean recipes, organic food and tagged with , , , ,

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Apples are a staple in my house! They’re  also one of my favorite healthy treats. I’ve loved them since I was a little girl. I remember sneaking apples from my papaw’s apple trees when I was growing up. We would rest in the shade of the trees and eat until our bellies were full! Papaw didn’t begrudge us food, never, he was had a very giving and loving heart! But, the apples on the trees were meant for canning apples, apple butter, and many other wonderful delicious treats that my mom and grandmother prepared. We, my sister, brother, and cousins could have all the apples that we wanted that had fallen to the ground, but were cautioned to not pick the apples from the trees. But, as we all know kids don’t always follow the rules. I was no exception. I loved the taste of apples then, and I still enjoy apples of all varieties.

I enjoy eating apples raw, cooked, as applesauce, apple butter, dried, in oatmeal, baked in breads, and in many more delicious healthy dishes. However, one of my all-time favorite dishes is definitely not a healthy dish! I confess…I love baked apples or apple dumplings. I love the richness, the sweet taste of brown sugar, and the deliciousness of the sweet apples.

Recently, for a week I found myself stopping and staring at the remains of a big bowl of apples. There were five apples left and they seemed to be crying out to me to be prepared in some type of rich, delicious, sweet dish. I considered baking apple bread, but that didn’t seem to be what my pallet was craving. I thought about fried apples with breakfast sweetened with honey and stevia. I even thought about breaking away from eating healthy and satisfying my craving and making apple dumplings. Then I thought about the consequences of the dough, the sugar, and all the butter that goes into traditional apple dumplings. The thoughts of feeling bloated and guilty caused me to refrain. Four years into a healthier lifestyle and the struggle is still real! So, I did what I love to do. I decided to create a delicious, clean, and healthy baked apple dish. With much thought, deliberation, a few errors, and a lot of love. I was able to create what truly satisfied my craving for a sweet, ooey, gooey baked apple dish that didn’t leave me feeling bloated and guilty. I am excited to share with you my Ooey, Gooey, Healthy, Clean Baked Apple dessert! I hope you enjoy it as much as my family has enjoyed it. Let’s get started!

Filling Ingredients:

Five to six organic apples
3 cups of ground Old fashioned oats (I use a coffee grinder to grind the oats)
1/2 cup of Fresh honey or organic honey (I prefer fresh)
1/2 cup of Pure organic maple syrup
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons stevia
2 teaspoons maple extract
1 tablespoon almond milk
1 teaspoon of organic coconut oil (this replaces the butter)
1/2 cup craisons

I like to use a small Pyrex glass baking dish for this recipe. Spray the dish with cooking spray. I prefer coconut oil. Wash the apples and dry them well. Core the center of the apples out. Set the cores and the meat of the apples to include in the crumble.

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For the filling of the apples you will need to grind the oats to a fine flour-like consistency. Mix the ground oats with the above dry ingredients well and begin incorporating the wet ingredients slowly and one at a time until the consistency is pasty. Spoon the mixture inside the apples. Pack the mixture well and allow it to flow over the top of the apples. Don’t worry if you have extra filling you can incorporate it into the crumble. Place the apples in the dish. Now you’re ready to move on to the crumble!

Crumble Ingredients:

3 cups of ground old-fashioned oats
1 teaspoon of cinnamon
1 cup of craisons
1/2 cup of finely chopped almonds
2 tablespoons of stevia
1 teaspoon of maple extract
1/2 cup of fresh or organic honey
1/2 cup of organic maple syrup
bits and pieces of the reserved apple cores, minus the tough part of the core (this is optional)
1/2 cup of Organic brown sugar (I prefer the Simple Truth brand) do not add this to the crumble. (this is optional)

Again, mix the dry ingredients well with a fork. Add wet ingredients slowly one by one until the mixture is crumbly, but mixed well. Spoon the mixture around the pan of apples. Once you’ve added the crumble mixture sprinkle the brown sugar over the apples and crumble and drizzle either honey or maple syrup over the sugar. Cover the dish with non-stick foil, or spray the foil before covering. Bake at 355 degree for an hour. Ovens will vary. You will know if your apples are done when a skewer or knife inserts easily.

While your apples are baking make the drizzle! Yes, there’s more ooey gooey goodness!

Drizzle Ingredients:

1 cup of plain non-fat Greek yogurt
1 tablespoon of stevia
1 teaspoon of cinnamon
1 teaspoon of maple extract

Mix ingredients well and chill. Once the apples have baked allow them to cool a little before drizzling the glaze over the apples. I prefer to drizzle each individual apple as I eat them. Either way it is delicious!

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This dish will definitely become a holiday favorite for my household! Actually, I think this dish will be an anytime favorite. The total prep and cooking time was an 90 minutes. But, as we all know…any good dish is worth the work and the wait. I hope you enjoy my Ooey, Gooey, Sweet Clean, Baked Apple dish as much as my family has. I would love to hear from you. Feel free to leave your feedback. Until the next time…from the mountains of Kentucky…be blessed and be healthy!

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Eating Clean? Tips To Help You Through The Holidays!

Posted by KyAuthorProfessorJBowling499B in clean eating, clean recipes, organic food and tagged with , , , ,

The holidays are quickly approaching. Have I mentioned that I love all of the fall and winter holidays? I love everything about them. I enjoy watching the kids trick or treat, the family gathering for a traditional Thanksgiving feast, and a few weeks later the Christmas festivities begin. Each of my favorite holidays revolve around family, and food! Halloween candy seems to be everywhere during the month of October. My desire to bake breads, cookies, pies, and cakes increases as the falling leaves turn to snow. Oh, and how about all that Christmas candy, and cookies? A few weeks later, it’s time to indulge in all of those delicious Valentine chocolates. Yes, the holidays are a great time for family interaction, celebration, making memories, giving to others, and an opportunity to indulge in our favorite foods! It’s also a time that those extra pounds have a way of creeping up on us before we know it. Yeah, it’s happened to me in the past, year after year. But, not in the past four years!

Since I began the journey of a healthier lifestyle through clean eating, I have learned to be prepared and equipped for the holiday eating binges. How? You might ask. I want to share with you a few tips that have helped me to maintain my focus, resist temptation, and feel satisfied and not deprived of all the holiday goodies!

A Daily Promise

I have found that by making a verbal promise to myself each morning I am more motivated, dedicated, and have a clearer vision of my ultimate goal of maintaining a healthy lifestyle. I simply promise myself that I will be good to myself today by making healthy food choices, exercise, and drinking plenty of water. This is a simple statement that I make usually while I am making my morning coffee, and doing my routine stretches, and resistance exercises. I also give myself a little pep talk about how I deserve to feel healthy, have more stamina, energy, joy, and peace with myself. I follow-up with my morning prayer. I have found too that meditation, and prayer help me to stay focused.

Planning meals ahead of time!

Planning meals ahead of time!

Plan ahead

Temptation is the hardest when I don’t plan ahead. For example, I know during the month of October, bowls of candy seem to appear everywhere on campus, at the check out in many of our local stores, all over the store shelves, on television commercials, and in the hands of my students and colleagues. To be equipped to say no, I have found that if I keep a healthy treat with me at all times, I am more likely to say no. By planning ahead, I shop for small healthy and clean items that I can keep in my purse, and or my lunch tote along with a bottle of water. I have found that apples help curb my sweet tooth. Carrot sticks help curb a desire to eat something crunchy, and my homemade apple dips are wonderful to help curb a sweet craving, and are an easy take along treat. These are only a few of many treats that I have found to be satisfying. I love to have organic dried cranberries to snack on, as well as toasted almonds, Greek yogurt, granola, homemade energy balls, organic peanut butter, honey, sorghum, cauliflower bites, oranges, bananas, homemade clean breads, and even smoothies are a terrific way to help carry us through those weak moments. Don’t feel bad for having those weak moments, we all have them. We’re not machines that can be programmed. We are just human. Keep in mind there are loads of healthy and clean recipes that can made with organic peanut butter, dark chocolate, and fruits that are awesome! I’ll post a few of those recipes very soon!

Clean Pumpkin Apple Bread that is Delicious!

Clean Pumpkin Apple Bread that is Delicious!

Holiday Substitutes

For every delicious and fattening holiday recipe, there is also a delicious, clean, and healthy recipe awaiting to be prepared. Do you homework. Scour the Internet for clean recipes. I have several clean bread recipes, clean fruit dip recipes, and many more recipes to come before the holidays. However, there are many more blog sites, websites, and Pinterest pins filled with clean and healthy recipes just awaiting for you to try them. You may also fill up on vegetables, fruit, and healthy dishes of baked or roasted turkey, sweet potatoes sweetened with sorghum, and many more delicious healthy versions of various holiday recipes to substitute the unhealthy recipes that we’ve all eaten for years. It just takes a little creativity and careful planning.

Food journals help keep me accountable.

Food journals keep me accountable.

Food Journals

Food journals have been a source of inspiration for me for years. Many years ago, while I was in college we were required to keep a food journal for a health class. We not only had to record our food intake, but also our water intake, exercises, our daily weight, weekly measurements, and vitals if we had any medical complications. I was amazed how this made me more accountable than ever before. The trick is to be consistent and honest. As years have passed, technology has increased and many wonderful computer programs, apps, and other health monitoring equipment have been developed that makes it so much easier today. I have used various websites, and apps to help me track my food intake. I have also used several apps and interactive bracelets that have proven to be beneficial in tracking my exercise. I love using the map my walk app, and also wearing my fitbit, which can be purchased on amazon. Check out my amazon favorites for a quick look at them. Tracking, journaling, and recording have never been easier. It just takes desire, honesty, and dedication.

Every day brings hope, it's a brand new day!

Every day brings hope, it’s a brand new day!

Every Day is a New Day

Even when we’ve made ourselves a promise, meditated, read an inspirational devotion, planned ahead, made healthy substitutes, and recorded our food, exercise, and water intake…we still are only human, and we will make mistakes, and poor choices. I have my fair share of both. I have also learned through this three-year journey of eating clean, that when I make a poor choice, or I fall off the health wagon, it’s not the end of the journey. Everyday is a brand new day with new choices to make. In years past, when I made poor choices, I often felt so guilty and frustrated that I gave in, and gave up. One day of making poor choices turned into weeks of really bad choices, and before I knew it…five pounds had accumulated, my blood pressure was rising, and I was feeling really depressed. With the changes that I have made in my life through these last three years, I have learned that it’s not the end of the journey, I am only human, I don’t get angry at myself, I give myself a pep talk, re-motivate, and I start a brand new day with a new promise, new plans, new substitutes, and a clean slate. Life is too short to live in the past with regrets, and bitterness. Remember, every day is a brand new day in your journey of clean eating and maintaining a healthier lifestyle.

I hope you have enjoyed learning a little more about me and my personal journey to a healthier life. I have found that the above tips have helped me through this three and a half-year journey. I have also learned that with patience and loving myself, I have developed new eating habits that become easier to maintain with time, and new routines that also become easier over time. I have also learned that every day is a new day, and every day is precious. My desire is to live a clean, healthy, and happy life through healthy choices that I make. Feel free to check out my Pumpkin Almond Fruit Dip and my Almond Butter Fruit Dip to help curb your sweet cravings. I love to hear from my readers, so feel free to leave your comments. Make your holidays clean and happy!