Daily Smoothie

wellness forum health smoothie

Since I am asked often about my daily smoothie, I wanted to share it with you.  This health promoting smoothie mix contains spirulina, beet, spinach, wheatgrass, tomato, carrot powders, and Stevia. I order without Stevia (upon request). I pre-grind the whole flax seeds and it's the finest food grade organic flax seeds you can buy! Larger, flatter, softer and tastier than other flax seeds. The Brewers Yeast contains B vitamins and trace minerals.  The green tea is optional as well. This food-grade tea is grown in a remote area of China. Each leaf is hand-picked and packaged to preserve nutrient density. 

The super foods smoothie gets me going in the morning with lots of energy to do my morning workout. 





Ingredients
  • 8 oz plant milk
  • 1 cup frozen berries
  • 2 tablespoons smoothie mix
  • 2 tablespoons raw oatmeal (optional, but it makes it creamier)
  • 1 banana
  • 1 tablespoon flaxseeds
  • 1 tablespoon Brewer's Yeast (optional)
  • 1 tablespoon green tea (optional) 
Instructions
Place all ingredients in a blender! 

I always have smoothie mix for $26 for a 1 lb bag (includes shipping) in stock to bring to events, as well as the other dry ingredients and other products such as soup mixes, probiotics and Elderberry Syrup.

These are some of the products that I keep on stock:
Smoothie mix $26 1 lb bag
Brewers Yeast $6.75 1 lb bag
Flax seeds $6.00 1 lb bag
Date & Almond Granola $8.70 
Chocolate Oatmeal Bar mix $9.25 

  To view all of the products and to order directly, click on Foods and Products - Wellness Forum Health. Prices listed on the Wellness Forum Health website do not include shipping, however, shipping is free on orders over $250. To order directly, call 614-841-7700 and tell Kelly that I sent you! 



Shepherd's Pie

shepherd's pie

Comfort food at its finest! This plant-based Shepherd's Pie can be modified by adding some lean, organic ground beef. I have found that using Yukon Golds for the mashed potatoes is best as they are creamier. The nutritional yeast is a dairy free way to add a cheesy flavory to the mashed potatoes.  You can make this dish heartier by adding 1 cup of cooked lentils.

Ingredients
  • 3 lbs Yukon Gold potatoes
  • 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 2 - 2 1/2 cups veggie broth
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 3-4 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 1 lb portabella mushrooms, sliced
  • 1 large carrot, thinly sliced
  • 1 cup frozen peas, defrosted under warm water
  • 1 cup frozen corn, defrosted under warm water
  • 3 tablespoons whole wheat flour (for gluten free, use oat flour)
  • 1 teaspoon each: sage, thyme
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions
Clean and cube potatoes and place in a pot with cold water and the bay leaves. Boil til tender, drain, remove bay leaves. Add the nutritional yeast and about 1/2 cup of the veggie broth (or almond milk if desired). You can add a bit of plant-based butter as well. Mash until creamy, adding more broth until you achieve your desired consistency.  Set aside and let cool.
While your potatoes are boiling, sauté the mushrooms until browned and set aside. In a hot frying pan, sauté the onions until translucent, add the garlic, stirring to prevent sticking. Add the carrots and 2 cups of the broth. Bring to a simmer, add the flour and stir, simmering for 2-3 minutes, stirring so that your gravy will not stick to the pan. Add the peas and corn, salt, pepper and herbs.  When the gravy is to your liking, add the mushrooms. Carefully place the vegetable mixture into a 8x8 casserole dish. Top with the cooled mashed potatoes and spread them out evenly with a fork. Bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes, keeping an eye on it as it might bubble over. I usually place aluminum foil under the dish.  Remove from oven and let sit about 10 minutes. 



Mushroom Stew

Mushroom Stew

Here is a hearty stew to warm you during the colder months. 

Ingredients
  • 1 yellow onion, diced
  • 1 cup carrots, sliced
  • 1 cup celery, sliced
  • Salt & Pepper to taste
  • 1 lb mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
  • 6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
  • 2 tsp thyme
  • 1 tsp oregano
  • 1/2 tsp sage
  • 2 Tbsp flour
  • 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
  • 2 Tbsp soy sauce or Tamari
  • 1 lb potatoes, cubed
  • 1 cup split red lentils, uncooked
  • 1 (15 oz can) tomato sauce or diced tomatoes
  • 3 cups vegetable broth
  • 2 bay leaves
  • parsley for garnish (optional
Heat stock pot and add onions, carrot, celery and a couple pinches of salt and pepper. Cook 8 minutes, stirring frequently. No need to add oil as the onion will add moisture. Add mushrooms, garlic, thyme, oregano and sage. Cook 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently. Add flour, cook and stir for 1 minute. Deglaze with the balsamic vinegar and soy sauce. Add potatoes, lentils, tomato sauce, broth and bay leaves. Cook to just below boiling over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat, and simmer 15-20 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Season with salt and pepper. Remove bay leaves. Makes 6 servings.
Want to make it heartier? Serve with a dollop of mashed potatoes!  Comfort food at its best!



Recipe courtesy of Midwest Foodie Blog






Recipe of the Month: Roasted Acorn Squash Dessert!

roasted acorn squash

I saw a picture of this recipe and I could not wait to try it. I had a Carnival Squash on hand, which is a hybrid of an Acorn Squash and about the same size. It's the one with the creamy skin and stripes and has a nutty and sweet taste when roasted. So, let's make it sweeter and have it for dessert! 
The measurements and instructions are for one squash. 

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Cut the squash in half and scoop out the seeds. Place the squash cut side down on parchment paper. You can brush a bit of olive oil on the cut size. Roast about 30-35 minutes until tender. As you can see by the picture, I roasted a little longer. It looks burnt, but it was caramelized. If roasting more than one squash, add to the roasting time. Remove from oven and flip over when cooled a bit. 

Melt a heaping tablespoon of a plant-based butter, add a heaping tablespoon of brown sugar, 1-2 tablespoons of pure maple syrup, (please don't use the high fructose corn syrup brands!), and a few dashes each of cinnamon and nutmeg. Mix this together and drizzle over the squash halves. Top with some chopped pecans. Roast for another 10 minutes. 

Enjoy!







Recipe of the Month: Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

Roasted Red Pepper Sauce
I love making this sauce when red peppers are in abundance, or whenever I have the hankering for it! It is so quick and easy. What makes this sauce creamy is using raw, unsalted cashews. Cashews are a great way to make creamy, non-dairy sauces and creams, The key is to soak them in hot water for at least 2 hours. Soaking overnight is better.  I used 1 yellow pepper for this recipe for a substitute. You can skip the cashews for a lower fat, thinner sauce. 




Ingredients
3 or 4 large red peppers, sliced in half with seeds removed
4-5 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced in half
2-3 fresh tomatoes
Small handful of fresh basil or 1 teaspoon dried
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 cup raw unsalted cashews
                                                              1/3 cup vegetable broth
                                                              Salt & pepper to taste
Soak cashews in hot water for 1-2 hours or overnight. The longer, the better. Roast the peppers at and garlic at 350 degrees for about 30-40 minutes, or until they start to soften but not burn. You will not be peeling the skin off.  Place the peppers, garlic, basil, oregano, tomatoes, drained cashews, salt, pepper, and the broth in a high-speed food processor, Vitamix, or blender. Puree for about 5 minutes until all ingredients are combined and creamy looking. Pour sauce into a sauce pot and simmer while you are cooking 8 oz of your favorite pasta. If you would like a thinner sauce, add more vegetable broth while it is simmering.











 
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