My family loves this, and it always disappears at potlucks! Mike & I especially enjoy the spicy version of this, but it can be made mild. This hummus is extra healthy as it contains raw energy, omega oils and antioxidants.

Fast Fresh, Mouthwatering Hummus

2 C cooked chickpeas or garbanzo beans
½ C tahini
(sesame butter)
1 red bell pepper, cut in chuncks
1 jalapeno pepper (optional)
1 tsp apple cider vinegar, unfiltered
1 TB flax seed oil
1 TB olive oil
1/2-1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp lemon or lime juice

Blend all in a food processor. Add a small amount of water if needed.

Spread on veggie wraps, warm whole wheat pitas or use as veggie dip. Perfect for healthy lunches!

Do you eat hummus? What are your favorite hummus ingredients?

The ingredients can get a bit expensive, which is why I buy in bulk beforehand, but it’s worth every penny for at least one batch. We wrap the nuts festively and share them with our best friends.

The Yummiest Spice Combo Ever (Chili Powder, Cinnamon & Allspice)

• 2 C almonds (use all raw nuts)
• 1 C pecans
• 1 C walnuts
• 1 C cashew pieces
• 1 C pumpkin seeds (the green raw kind)
• 1/2 C Sucanat or Florida Crystals (dried cane juice)
• 1/2 C Pure Maple Syrup (don’t settle for the fake stuff)
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp chili powder mix
• 1 tsp allspice

Chop or break big nuts into halves or smaller pieces.

In a large bowl mix the spices together,

then add the sugar and maple syrup and stir.

Dump in the rest of the ingredients and mix well.

Line two large baking pans with parchment paper (it’s oh so easy to clean afterward) and heat your oven to 350°.

Lightly spray the parchment paper with oil and spread mixture evenly between the pans.

Bake for 12-15 minutes on the middle rake, stirring once, until nuts are slightly brown. Watch these like a hawk when they’re almost done so they don’t over brown.

Let pans cool for 10 minutes, then pull paper and nuts onto a rake or counter to finish cooling. The mixture hardens as it cools. Break into pieces.

Here’s the gift basket I made for some family friends. The nuts are in a festive bag within the basket.

These baskets are so easy to make! The most important thing to do is hit the after Christmas sales and buy cellophane, ribbon (Costco has it for cheap before Christmas), bags and inexpensive buckets or containers.

I included a loaf of bread in this one, but a few pieces of fruit goes a long way to make it beautiful. Then I just put in my goodies in a separate bag, wrap the whole thing in cellophane and add a pretty ribbon.

Do-it-yourself, beautiful gift giving and addictive, delicious yet healthy, holiday treats.

Holiday Wassail

1/4 C evaporated cane sugar, or brown sugar
2 C water

6 cloves, whole
4 allspice berries
1 cinnamon stick
1/2 inch slice ginger root (or 1 tsp powder in a teabag)

2 C orange juice (And 5 drops wild orange essential oil if you have it. I’m sorry if you don’t. It’s divine!)
1 C cranberry or grapefruit juice (optional)
1/2 C lemon juice or 5 drops lemon essential oil
1 quart (4 C) apple juice
dash pure stevia extract (optional)

Combine sugar, water and spices in a large pot.
Bring to a simmer for 10-15 minutes.
Strain out spices and add juices.
Bring to a simmer again.
Remove from heat and serve, or keep the pot on low and serve for a few hours.
Double this recipe for a crowd.

I made a batch last night and put a toothpick into my clove essential oil and stirred that in, along with 1 drop of doTERRA’s OnGuard blend. It was soooooo good!

If you already drink wassail, please share your favorite variation with me.
If not, you will LOVE this!

Announcing Mom Essentials – Yummy, Healthy Recipes eBook

Click HERE to watch my video!

My recipes are now available in downloadable eBook format.  That’s over 100 pages of recipes, instructions and fun pictures!

Just in time for the holidays are Roasted Maple Nuts and Oat Chip Cookies with Dried Cranberries. Yum!

I’ve spent years, countless hours and a painful learning curve finding recipes with healthy ingredients that my family would love. Now you can benefit from my investment without having to go through that learning curve yourself. I lay it all out for you, with pictures and instructions!

Yummy, Healthy Recipes eBook is only…$9 or you can get it in a package with my 2 other article eBooks for $25.  So get it today!

“I’ve used some of Jenni’s recipes over the years and our family has really enjoyed them. They weren’t difficult to make and I had all of the ingredients on hand.  I make her steel cut oats in the rice cooker which most of my kids prefer over regular cooked rolled oats. Thanks Jenni! ~ Karina McDonald”

Having these recipes on hand will save you time hunting and searching for healthy recipes your family will love!

Yummy, Healthy Recipes eBook

 For an even better value…

Yummy, Healthy Recipes eBook, Jenni’s Stories & Education, and Mom Essentials Doctoring

all for $25!  Click HERE to purchase.

Please purchase additional copies for gifts. Proceeds go to support Mom Essentials and My Causes.
Copyright 2011 – All rights reserved.

Jenni’s Favorite Pumpkin Cookies

1/2 C butter, softened
1 egg
3/4 C honey, liquid or softened
1 C pumpkin (homemade, well-mashed or blended or from a can)
2 1/4 C flour (I use whole white wheat flour)
2 tsp baking powder (non-aluminum)
1 tsp ground allspice
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp sea salt

1/3 C semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 C walnuts, chopped (optional)
1/3 C raisins

Cream the first 4 ingredients in a medium bowl. Mix the first 5 dry ingredients in a separate bowl and then combine with the wet stuff to make a thick dough. Gently stir in chips, nuts and raisins.

Drop by teaspoons onto a non-aluminum cookie sheet an inch or 2  apart.

Bake at 350 for 11-13 minutes.If they squish when you squeeze them then you know they’re not done.

Let cool for 5 minutes before eating or moving them. I usually triple this batch so I can use a 24 oz can of pumpkin. This makes enough cookies to share with the neighbors.

Jenni’s Favorite Pumpkin Cookies Triple Batch

1 1/2 C butter, softened
3 eggs
2 1/4 C honey, liquid or softened
3 C pumpkin (homemade, well-mashed or blended or from a 24 oz can)
6 3/4 C flour (I use whole white wheat flour)
2 TB baking powder (non-aluminum)
1 TB ground allspice
2 TB ground cinnamon
3/4 tsp sea salt
1 C semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 C walnuts, chopped (optional)
1 C raisins

If you love pumpkin treats, you have to try my Pumpkin Muffin/Bread recipe. I love this recipe even more (but it it’s impractical for crowds as it makes many less servings).

Do you have any favorite pumpkin recipes you’d like to share?

In the fall it’s relatively easy to find bulk tomatoes for salsa-making (if you don’t already have enough from your own garden). I didn’t plant enough tomatoes myself, so I found a deal on some and decided to make salsa.

Store salsa costs on average, $3-4 a bottle, so making it yourself saves lots of money. Not to mention that salsa and chips are easy to grab (and save a trip to the store) when heading to a party or other get-together.

Jenni’s Sweet ‘n Mildly Spicy Salsa

2-2 1/2 C tomatoes, quartered
1/2 small onion, coarsely chopped
1 clove garlic, peeled
1/2 Anaheim or banana pepper, with top removed (for an extra kick, use a jalapeno)
2 TB lime juice (or lemon in a pinch)
1/2 tsp mild chili powder
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground oregano
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1 1/2 tsp Sucanat
or brown sugar

Put onion, garlic, and pepper into a food processor, chopper or blender and pulse until well chopped.

Add rest of ingredients and pulse until well chopped. Try raw or simmer for 10 minutes, cool and eat.

This recipe, tends to be watery because whole tomatoes contain lots of water. I spooned a little off the top of my batch, but if you want it less watery just pour it through a medium mesh strainer.

Jenni’s Peach Salsa

2-2 1/2 C tomatoes, quartered
1 large or 2 medium ripe peaches, diced
1/2 small onion, coarsely chopped
1/2 Anaheim or banana pepper, with top removed (for an extra kick, use a jalapeno…for less, use a green bell)
2 TB lime juice (or lemon in a pinch)
1/2 tsp mild chili powder
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
2 tsp Sucanat or brown sugar
1 mini spoonful Pure Stevia Extract Powder (optional)

This recipe is similar to the one above. Put onion and pepper into a food processor, chopper or blender and pulse until well chopped. Add rest of ingredients EXCEPT for the peaches, and pulse until well chopped. Then add the diced peaches. Eat raw or simmer for 5-10 minutes, cool and eat.

Again, you can strain off some of the extra water if you prefer.

These salsas are so yummy raw, so try them first. These stay good in the fridge for about 2 weeks.

I’d like to expand my repertoire. Do you have any recipes you love? Please share!

I’m definitely a picky eater (you mean there are more food groups than cheese, chocolate and eggs out there?) and I’m always on the lookout for healthy recipes my family (and especially I) will like!

This salad was adapted by a friend of mine (thanks Anne) from our local Harmon’s deli, and  I’ve further evolved it to fit my tastes.  The first time I saw it I was scared to death to even give it a try.  Such a random combination of foods that I don’t know if I like, and it just looked so weird.

I took a tiny bit on my plate so as not to offend my friend who so graciously brought it, only to find out it was the most delicious concoction I had sampled in the previous month.  I went back for about 6 servings (that might be an exaggerated estimate, or not), and when no one was eating the last couple of bites, I went back for more (did I mention I was pregnant when I discovered this salad?)  And after we had licked the bowl clean, I was still left wanting.

Yep, it’s really THAT good.  So let’s get down to how you can make some of this yummy happiness for yourself.

Sweet n’ Healthy Quinoa Salad

1 C quinoa
2 C water
1/4 C almonds, chopped
2 C fresh strawberries, diced
1 bell pepper, diced (or 2 halves, different colors)
1/2 C raw pumpkin seeds (or called pepitas-they’re green)
2 C or 1 can corn
2 C (cooked) or 1 can black beans
1/2 C Craisins
Approximately 1/3 C Brianna’s Poppyseed Salad Dressing
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1-2 tsp cumin powder
1/8 tsp ground black pepper, or to taste

This recipe is extremely flexible.  If you want you can add various ingredients like the green bell pepper I mentioned earlier, some onions or other types of nuts.  And if you’re short an ingredient (I did that once too for a potluck Christmas party last year), don’t worry, people won’t know the difference and it will still taste great!

You may already be familiar with the whole grain “Quinoa.”  If you’re not, then the first thing you need to learn is how to pronounce it: KEEN – WA.  It’s a whole grain, super good for you, high in iron, fiber and amino acids, and it can be dressed up in many different ways.

I had only had quinoa as a hot breakfast cereal with rice milk and brown sugar or vanilla or steviabefore encountering this salad.  Seeing it in this salad has really opened up my mind to its possibilities!  Now, don’t be scared to try something new and different, especially if you’ve never cooked quinoa before.  It’s as easy to make as rice and will be a nice healthy change to your normal routine.

Measure out 1 cup of quinoa and 2 cups of water.  (See, just like rice).  Bring the water to a boil, add the quinoa and cover the pot.  Cook it over medium heat for 12 minutes or until most of the water is absorbed.  Don’t overcook it; we want it to be nice and moist.  This should give you about 4 cups of quinoa.

You can gather the other ingredients while the quinoa is cooking.  I prefer this salad to be cold, so you’ll want to leave enough time to let it cool off before you’re eat.

First you’ll need about 1/4 cup almonds.  We really like to soak almonds in our family.  All you do to soak them is put them in a little water for 6-10 hours and they start to absorb the water and plump up like they’re going to sprout.

They are healthier this way too, and softer to eat, but still crunchy.  If you have time and can remember details, you can soak your almonds the night before and use those in the recipe.  I have done it both ways, but remembering details is definitely not my strong suit.  Either way grab your food chopper or a knife and cut them up into smaller chunks.

Next you’ll dice up your strawberries.  You want about 2 cups, but more or less is fine.

Next dice up a bell pepper.  I did half a red bell pepper and half an orange one this time around.  If you like a little contrast to the sweet you can do half of a green bell pepper.

Next measure out about a 1/2 cup raw pumpkin seeds. These are crunchy and so so so yummy in this salad!  You can usually find raw pumpkin seeds in the freezer at your health food store.

Open up your can of corn and black beans.  I drain them both, but I rinse out the black beans.  Maybe its overkill, but I think rinsing them helps them not be so gassy.

Once your Quinoahas cooled you can throw it all together in a big bowl with a ½ cup of craisins and some Brianna’s poppy seed dressing.  Start with 1/3 cup of Brianna’s dressing and then add more if you feel it is too dry.  I’ve never actually measured the dressing, so that’s my best guess on how much you’d need. Last we’ll add a few simple spices.

Add ½ tsp garlic powder, 1-2 tsp of cumin and a few shakes of black pepper (or more if you like black pepper).

That’s it!  If you’re artsy and domestic you can decorate the top with strawberries or something to make it look nice.  I am really not the domestic type, so here’s the salad without any special decoration.

Although, now that this batch I made is all gone,  I’m tempted to make it again so I can make it look extra beautiful and impressive.  Maybe next time around…

Feeling adventurous? If you try this recipe, please come back and tell us what you think.

Thanks!

This is a glass pitcher with lid that holds 2 quarts (2 liters to be exact) and I just keep it on the counter or in the fridge with sassy water all the time. The kids love it too. They are always drinking mine! I have to make a new batch once or twice a day.

This wonderful water has these benefits for me:

• Tastes great, so soda or sugar drinks are not tempting to me
• Gives my throat that quenched, well lubricated feeling
• Gives me energy
• Enhances my mood
• Helps diminish hay fever symptoms
• Improves my digestion
• Strengthens my immunity
• Acts as a gentle expectorant for mucus in my throat
• Even helps prevent cancer (believe it or not)

Now you know why I drink this ALL THE TIME!

I don’t think I need to review all the reasons why soda, especially diet varieties, are so bad for our bodies. If you have any questions about that, just visit Dr. Mercola’s website. He’ll give you an earful.

Essential Oil Sassy Water Recipe

2 quarts pure water
15 drops lemon essential oil
15 drops wild orange essential oil
heaping 1/4 tsp of Pure Stevia Extract Powder

I usually sprinkle in the stevia first and add the oils as I’m filling up the pitcher. This way it stirs itself. Some of the oils rise to the top, but the flavor goes through all the water. I keep the container covered so the oils don’t evaporate off. This keeps the flavor strong.

I try to always keep my sassy water in glass or stainless steel containers, since essential oils break down plastic. I’ve used plastic straws for awhile, but I’m finally upgrading to glass straws from Glass Dharma. I just need a couple 9″ ones to put in the quart canning jars I drink out from. I LOVE them.

I’ve tried different brands of essential oils and stevia. After using Doterra essential oils and KAL brand Pure Stevia Extract, I’ll never go back.

With membership, the lemon and wild orange cost $10 per bottle. This is worth it to me and makes many servings, especially because it’s good sickness prevention. I won’t have to spend as much on remedies later.

And that’s what doing-it-yourself health is all about!

So Say No to Soda!

Please tell us what healthy drinks you drink and serve your family?

Update 8/29/11-It is good to stir your mixture well, because as I mentioned, the oils tend to float on the top of the water. So if you or your child drinks the water without a straw, you may feel the skin around your mouth tingling. If this happens, just rub a little olive oil or other oil on the skin to stop it. I use straws mostly so I never notice that, but my kids have mentioned it a couple times.

It only takes one skillet!

Easy Potato Frittata Recipe

• 6 potatoes, sm/med size, diced
• 1 head broccoli, small-medium
• 1 carrot, grated
• 4-6 eggs, organic preferably
• 1 TB olive oil
• grated cheese (opt)-I use raw cheese sparingly
• 1 tsp sea salt

Dice up your potatoes small, use a cutter if you have one. We pulled out the Cuisinart and used this attachment, which worked perfectly and saved tons of time. A fry cutter would work too.

Put the potatoes and olive oil in a large skillet on medium-high heat. Cook for 3-5 minutes.

Grate the carrot on top.

Add the chopped up broccoli and stir. Cook for another 3-5 minutes. Stir.

Add your eggs. We had plenty from our chickens.

Stir and cook for another 3-5 minutes. Top with a little grated cheese.

Optional Recipe Add-ins

• yellow or green onion, chopped
• garlic, pressed
• bell peppers, diced
• zucchini, diced
• spinach, chopped
• corn, cut
• peas
• asparagus, chopped
• ground pepper

I’m looking for more easy summer dinners. Will you please share your healthy favorites with me?

It serves as an afternoon snack for our family. It’s so nutritionally power-packed that I don’t have to worry about whether my kids eat their dinner veggies or not.
Raw, uncooked foods provide our bodies with live energy and enzymes, which help everything to work better. And this is the most convenient way I’ve found to make it happen.

Creating fruit drink only takes about 15 minutes from start to finish.

Start with water or juice. I’ve even used rice milk on occasion.

Add a cup of yogurt. This is optional if you’re avoiding dairy. We actually use goat yogurt made by our friends.

Add 2 cups of dark greens, either spinach, chard or kale.

Kale is most power-packed nutritionally and is good for cancer prevention, but it can be a bit heavy.

If you’re just starting, use spinach first in small amounts and then increase quantity or variety as your family adjusts to having “fruit drink.” Don’t worry! We balance it out so the kids hardly know it’s there.

Add 1-2 bananas, which add natural sweetness and smooth texture.

Then add one half pear or apple (or a whole for our size family).

I throw in whatever extra fruit is laying around needing to be eaten. In the summer I buy peaches in bulk and freeze them, so we sometimes use those as well. It’s a good idea to keep frozen ripe bananas in the freezer for days when you don’t have any ripe ones.

Then you need to have some kind of berries to give it good flavor and color. We use 1-2 cups of frozen blueberries or strawberries usually. If they aren’t frozen, then add a cup of ice.

Top it off with a dash of pure stevia extract if you have some. This gives it extra sweetness to hide the green, or if your kids don’t care, go without it.

We use a Blendtec with a pitcher that holds 3 quarts and can  handle this amount like a pro. Vitamix is another good brand that holds 8 cups at a time.

If you just have a regular blender, it won’t be as smooth.  Blend until no chunks remain. Adding some flax oil is a great way to get some omegas in too. I even put this in my babies’ bottle, when they’re old enough, of course.

Here’s the basic recipe:

Power Fruit Drink

• 1-2 cups water or apple juice
• 1 cup yogurt (optional)
• 2 cups packed greens, stems removed (spinach, chard or kale)
• 1-2 bananas, ripe
• 1/2-1 pear or apple, or other fruit
• 1-2 cups frozen berries
• ice as needed
• 1/8 tsp pure stevia extract
• 1/2 TB flax oil (optional)

Blend until smooth. Make sure the lid is on tight or you might get this.

Have you heard of the Green Smoothie Girl? She has a website all about green smoothies and whole food nutrition. I bought and love her book “Green Smoothies Diet” and her children’s picture book “The Adventures of Junk Food Dude.” My kids adore this book and it’s a great tool for teaching good nutrition through an engaging story.

As you increase the amount of raw, whole foods you and your family eat, you will have more energy and your family will be healthier and happier.

If you’ve made smoothies, tell us what you put in yours!