Author: Kimberly Roberto

Wife, Mom, Daughter, Business Owner with a Passion for Cooking and Eating Healthy Food and Helping Others to do the Same!

Creme de Menthe – Hot or Cold

My favorite taste of all time is mint and chocolate –  Growning up, my favorite treats were:  Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream, Peppermint Patties, Girl Scout Thin Mints, you name it. If it was minty and chocolatey…I would eat it.

This is a great treat that is completely healthy while satisfying any mint/chocolate lovers taste buds.  You can enjoy this warm like a mint hot chocolate or cold as a smoothie.
Creme de Menthe
1 serving
1/2 can coconut milk
2 tablespoons cocoa powder (or to taste)
2-3 drops peppermint extract (check label for no sugar)
1/2 head romaine lettuce (optional)
stevia to taste OR 1/2 scoop Perfect Protein
Put everything in a blender or Vita-Mix and blend.  If you are using the romaine lettuce- make sure you blend it thoroughly.
For a COLD smoothie – add some crushed ice, for a HOT chocolate drink, transfer to a saucepan and heat over low/med heat.
Whipped Cream:

1 1/2 cups organic heavy cream
1/4 cup xylitol or erythritol (or to taste)
Blend and top your drink

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Apple Strawberry Cobbler

I had made a batch of Almond Power Bars for an event this past weekend and as usual, ended up with  a lot of leftover crumbs and small chunks after cutting the bars.  I usually just throw them away but for some reason, I poured them into a bowl and put them in the refrigerator thinking I could maybe use them as a cereal.

Looking through a magazine, I came a cross a recipe for apple cranberry cobbler and had an idea to use my Almond Power Bar crumbles as a cobbler topping.  It turned out fabulously!!!  Best of all, it is Advanced Plan approved.

2 granny smith apples, chopped
handful frozen strawberries (approximately 8 )
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon xylitol (or more to taste)
1 – 1 1/2 cups Almond Power Bar Crumbles (Recipe in the Maximized Living Nutrition Plans book)
8 pats butter

Put chopped apples and strawberries in a pie dish, sprinkle with cinnamon and xylitol and mix.  Top with crumbles and pats of butter.

Bake in a 350 degree oven for about 30 minutes or until apples are tender and cobbler is bubbly.

(Sorry, we ate this up before I could take a photo)

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Wilted Spinach Salad with Warm Bacon Dressing

Dinner tonight was one of those instances where I was in a rush and admittedly lacking a plan.  I stood with the refrigerator door open hunting for ingredients.  I came across spinach and bacon and the lightbulb went off.  I had a flashback of a classic restaurant salad that I have avoided for years because it is usually made with pork bacon.  I decided to take a stab at adapting it to be Maximized Living “approved” and it turned out fabulously.  It has the crunch of the turkey bacon and the sweet and sour tang of the dressing which makes it a perfect adaptation of the original.

1 package baby spinach (about 9-10 oz) or that much washed spinach leaves
2 Tablespoons grapeseed oil
4-5 pieces of organic turkey bacon, chopped
¼ cup onion, grated or minced
1 clove garlic
2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
Sea salt and pepper to taste
2 teaspoons xylitol
OPTIONAL:  Chopped hard boiled egg, mushrooms, red bell peppers

Put the spinach (and optional vegetables if desired) in a large bowl.  Fry the bacon in the grapeseed oil until crisp. Remove, drain on paper towels and chop.  Keep the leftover oil in the pan and cook the onion in the fat for 2-3 minutes, and then add the garlic – cook for 15-30 seconds but DO NOT let the garlic brown.  Add the vinegar, and scrape up the brown bits in the pan. Add the salt, pepper, and xylitol. Stir to dissolve, and pour the dressing over the spinach.  Top with the chopped bacon.

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Sweet & Savory Pumpkin Soup

This is a terrific fall soup that has just the right blend of spices to really get your taste buds going.  It is sweet and savory and great for a brisk fall day.

1 tablespoon butter
1/2 onion, chopped or grated
2 – 15 oz cans of pumpkin puree
3 cups organic chicken or vegetable broth
1 bay leaf
2 teaspoons xylitol
2 teaspoons curry powder
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander (I like to crush my own)
1/4 cup coconut milk
2 tablespoons walnut oil
parsley, optional

Saute onions in butter in a large saucepan until translucent.  Stir in the pumpkin, broth and all of the spices.  Simmer for 15-20 minutes uncovered.  Remove the bay leaf and transfer to a blender (or use a hand held immersion blender).   Add the coconut milk and walnut oil and blend.  Pour back into the saucepan and heat.  Do not boil.

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Short Cut Kimchi

Kimchi is a Korean condiment that is commonly served as a side dish with meals.  Traditional Kimchi is fermented which can be time consuming but this recipe can be used right away.  It is deliciously spicy and amazingly satisfying.  Feel free to adjust the spice to your taste.  You can also use it to mix into brown rice, put in soups or stews, top a nice grass fed steak, etc.

2 red or green jalepenos (the red are a bit spicier)
4 cloves garlic
1/4 cup xylitol
2 tablespoons chopped ginger
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 1/2 tablespoons sea salt
2 tablespoons fish sauce
1/2 large head of napa cabbage

Put all ingredients in a food processor and pulse until it forms a paste.  Chop the cabbage into 1-2 inch pieces and toss with the jalepeno paste.  Refrigerate at least 4 hours.

 

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Scrambled Eggs & Smoked Salmon

This is a great morning breakfast.  It is still super-quick to make but it is quite elegant.  You can feel as if you are having breakfast at a 5 star hotel.  For those of you who think you don’t like salmon, try smoked salmon- it has a smoky, bacon-y flavor.  Just make sure you get wild caught, Alaskan salmon.  Most grocery stores carry this item so it is easy to find.

2 tablespoons organic sour cream, organic full fat plain yogurt, or organic heavy cream
1 teaspoon fresh squeezed lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon grated lemon peel (use a microplane)
1/4 teaspoon fresh thyme or 1/8 teaspoon dried thyme
sea salt/pepper to taste
4-6 organic, free range eggs
1 tablespoon butter
2-3 slices wild caught Alaskan smoked salmon
1 scallion, chopped (optional)

Mix sour cream, yogurt, or cream, lemon juice, lemon peel, and thyme and salt/pepper in bowl.  Whisk eggs and sprinkle with more salt and pepper.  Melt butter in a non-toxic pan (no teflon).  Add green onion, if desired, and sautee for 1 minute.  add eggs and cook until almost set, stirring often to scramble.  Top eggs with thinly sliced smoked salmon and drizzle with lemon cream sauce.

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