Pumpkin Spice Cookies These chewy, moist cookies are easy to make and delicious. The amount of pumpkin in this recipe has high amounts of beta-carotene, which is convertible to vitamin A – necessary for healthy vision and cell growth. Have this available as an alternative to cookies with particularly high levels of refined sugar. Makes 36 3-inch cookies Ingredients: 3 cups gluten free flour 4 teaspoons aluminum-free baking powder 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon salt 2 teaspoons cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg 1 15-ounce can solid-pack pumpkin purée (about 2 cups) or one fresh pumpkin 2/3 cup agave nectar, honey or pure maple syrup 1/2 cup molasses 1 cup…

I splurged and got myself the Forks Over Knives - The Cookbook: Over 300 Recipes for Plant-Based Eating All Through the Year recently and I am super excited about it. If you've not seen the Forks Over Knives movie, I highly recommend you do as soon as possible. Additionally, if you are on a quest for better health through whole foods nutrition, this book will get you off in the right direction! Here is a sample recipe that I've tried and really love: Peanut Butter Granola Bars Oh, these are so good and simple! They are full of crunchy, toasty, peanut-buttery deliciousness, with just a hint of cinnamon. These…

Jill’s Lazy Sunday Stew This stew is quick and easy. Serve it with some garlic bread and a salad for a great meal. The chili powder in this recipe gives the stew the kick it needs to keep you warm on those particularly cold days, while the beans provide protein, calcium, and fiber to keep you feeling fuller, for a longer period of time. Makes 8 servings Ingredients: Choose ORGANIC whenever possible! 1 30-ounce bag frozen hash brown potatoes 2 14-ounce cans tomato sauce or diced tomatoes (if you prefer chunky soups) 1 1/2 cups water 2 15-ounce cans kidney beans, drained and rinsed 1 15-ounce can black beans,…

Spiced Oatmeal Cranberry Cookies These cookies make a great treat and the cranberries contain an array of cancer-fighting antioxidants. The deep red pigments also protect against cancer. In the fall, raspberries make a comeback and you can try substituting cranberry for raspberry too. Feel free to substitute the brown sugar with 1/4 cup of date sugar or 1/2 cup agave nectar. (If using agave, reduce the 1/2 cup nondairy milk by a tablespoon.) Makes 27 cookies Ingredients: 3/4 cup organic butter or coconut oil 1 cup sweetened dried cranberries 3 cups quick-cooking or rolled oats 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger 1/2 teaspoon aluminum-free baking powder…

Easy Summer Tomato Salad I am notorious for throwing random things together and calling it lunch or dinner.  Today's lunch included three simple ingredients that I had received from my Community Supported Agriculture; tomatoes, yellow sweet peppers and okra. It was delicious, simple and nutrient dense! Easy Summer Tomato Salad Recipe Tomatoes- 3 small, cut in bite size pieces Okra - 3 raw, cut into bite size pieces Yellow Sweet Pepper  - one-half of large pepper cut into rings. 1 T of Balsamic vinegar and 1 T Extra Virgin Olive oil I cut them up, placed in a bowl and poured the balsamic and EVOO over them in…

Did you know watermelon seeds are good source of vitamin B like Thiamin, niacin, folate plus high in minerals like magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, zinc, Iron, potassium and copper. Midmorning snack idea: Watermelon Fruit Drink With Seeds: 1/4 or 1/2 of watermelon with seeds 2 T of gelled Chia seeds (for additional fiber, protein and calcium) Blend watermelon, I prefer using my Vitamix until seeds break down. Once mellon is blended, pour in a glass with 2 T of gelled Chia seeds and enjoy.