I feel like that happens a lot when making something over on Instagram. I share a recipe that I just happen to be making, with no intention on publishing a written blog recipe, and suddenly everyone wants the recipe.

After making that recipe again last weekend, the messages again poured into my inbox, “Is this recipe on your blog?” Today is the day. Finally, I’m sharing the official recipe for the nut and seed butter.

This homemade nut and seed butter is made with a combination of hazelnuts and pumpkin seeds. I discovered a new love for hazelnuts during our recent visit to France. (If you want to see the photos from our trip, I shared all the details in this post.)

Hazelnuts were regularly served at the hotel breakfast buffets, as well as pastry shops and cafes. And, of course, there’s this thing called Nutella in France which is made with hazelnuts. Hazelnuts have such a unique and delicious flavor. When we came home from Europe, I purchased a few bags of hazelnuts from Trader Joe’s–hungry to put them to use in my own kitchen. Trader Joe’s definitely has the best price on hazelnuts ($6.99 for a pound).

Over the past few weeks (we got home on January 4th), I’ve been using the hazelnuts to make homemade granola (this master recipe) and also nut and seed butter. If you haven’t tried hazelnuts before, you’re in for a treat! Hazelnuts are basically what make Nutella so fabulous. Well that and a load of sugar and chocolate, but hazelnuts are the main flavor you’re tasting when you eat a spoonful of Nutella.

Okay, so let’s talk about this requested hazelnut and pumpkin seed butter. First, if you’ve never made homemade nut butter before, don’t feel intimated. Homemade nut butter is such an easy food to make. It requires very little hands-on work. If you can put a sheet pan in an oven and press a button on a food processor, you can make homemade nut butter. It’s that easy!

Once you make homemade nut (and seed, in this case) butter, you may be wondering what to do with it. Of course, there’s the traditional nut butter and jam sandwich, which is fabulous and amazing in its own right. Beyond the traditional sandwich, I personally love using nut and seed butter in a variety of other ways. Let’s talk about my favs…

• Nut and Seed Butter Toast: Toast up a slice of sourdough bread and top it with nut and seed butter, banana slices, or another fruit (blueberries, strawberry slices, halved and pitted cherries).
• Sweet Potato Topping: Roast up a bunch of sweet potatoes–this recipe is life-changing! Top the sweet potatoes with this nut and seed butter and a sprinkle of cinnamon. So good!!
• Smoothie Addition: Add 1-2 tablespoons of nut and seed butter to a smoothie. This beet smoothie is delicious. You could also add blueberries or strawberries. Or, add some cacao or cocoa powder for a frosty-like (remember the Wendy’s Frosty?) smoothie.
• Pancake Sammies: Make pancake sandwiches with two pancakes and this nut and seed butter. Add sliced bananas, sliced strawberries, or jam for a pb&j feel.
• Waffle or Pancake Topping: Top your pancakes or waffles with homemade nut butter in place of maple syrup. I do this often on the weekend.
• Oatmeal Topping: Add nut and seed butter to your oatmeal. Swirl a tablespoon into a warm bowl of oats. Or, add a tablespoon to overnight oats.
• Apple Dip: If your kiddos can have nuts at school, serve this nut and seed butter in the lunchbox with apple slices.

With so many uses, homemade nut and seed butter is a great food to make in advance and use throughout the week (hello food prep!). It’s also a fun food to make with the kiddos. And the best part is a jar of nut and seed butter will keep in the fridge for up to 2 months. Well, that is if you can keep it around that long ?. If you’re like me, you’ll want to spoon this butter on just about anything!

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How to Make Homemade Nut and Seed Butter (with Hazelnuts and Pumpkin Seeds)

How to make a delicious nut and seed spread from hazelnuts and pumpkin seeds. 

Course Breakfast, Condiment, Homemade, How To, Side Dish

Cuisine American

Keyword Hazelnut Butter, Pumpkin Seed Butter

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes minutes

Total Time 55 minutes minutes

Servings 2 cups

Calories 2085kcal

Author Kristin Marr

Ingredients

• 1 lb hazelnuts raw
• 1/2 lb pumpkin seeds raw (also called pepitas)
• 2 TB virgin coconut oil doesn't need to be liquid, room temperature and solid is fine*
• 1-2 TB pure maple syrup
• 1 tsp salt

Special Equipment:

• food processor
• sheet pan
• mason jar or storage containers

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 325F. 
• Scatter the hazelnuts and pumpkin seeds on a sheet pan. Toast the nuts and seeds in the oven until warm and fragrant, about 20-25 minutes. 
• Remove the nuts and seeds from the oven, and while hot, add to the base of a food processor (fitted with the S blade). 
• On low speed, pulse the nuts and seeds. Once the mixture appears crumbly (this will take a couple of minutes) add the coconut oil and salt. It's best to add the coconut oil and salt through the feed chute so you can keep the food processor running. 
• Continue to pulse the ingredients on a low speed until smooth and creamy,  about 5-7 minutes. If you need to stop and scrape the bowl, due to extra chunks at the top of the bowl, do this now. 
• Once creamy, add the maple syrup to taste. I like to add 2 tablespoons. Continue to pulse the mixture for another 3-5 minutes, OR until smooth and creamy. The mixture should be runny. Once creamy and runny, stop the food processor. Don't over-process the nut and seed butter. The amount it takes for this to happen will depend on your food processor. 
• Pour the nut and seed butter into a storage container. I use a mason jar with a plastic lid. Store the nut and seed butter in the fridge for up to 2 months. 

Notes

*You don't have to add coconut oil to make nut butter. The oils from the nuts and seeds will naturally release their oils to make a creamy nut and seed butter; however, I prefer a softer nut and seed butter and find coconut oil produces exactly that. If you don't want to add extra oil, you don't have to. 

How to Use: 

There are so many ways to use this nut and seed butter. The flavor is incredible! I personally scoop a spoonful at night and enjoy it alone as a dessert. But you can also pair it with food. Here are my favorite ways to do that...

• Nut and Seed Butter Toast: Toast up a slice of sourdough bread and top it with nut and seed butter, banana slices, or another fruit (blueberries, strawberry slices, halved and pitted cherries). 
• Sweet Potato Topping: Roast up a bunch of sweet potatoes--this recipe is life-changing! Top the sweet potatoes with this nut and seed butter and a sprinkle of cinnamon. So good!
• Smoothie Addition: Add 1-2 tablespoons of nut and seed butter to a smoothie. You could also add blueberries or strawberries. Or, add some cacao or cocoa powder for a frosty-like (remember the Wendy's Frosty?) smoothie. 
• Pancake Sammies: Make pancake sandwiches with two pancakes and this nut and seed butter. Add sliced bananas, sliced strawberries, or jam for a pb&j feel. 
• Waffle or Pancake Topping: Top your pancakes or waffles with homemade nut butter in place of maple syrup. I do this often on the weekend. 
• Oatmeal Topping: Add nut and seed butter to your oatmeal. Swirl a tablespoon into a warm bowl of oats. 
• Apple Dip: If your kiddos can have nuts at school, serve this nut and seed butter in the lunchbox with apple slices. 

Nutrition

Calories: 2085kcal | Carbohydrates: 56g | Protein: 68g | Fat: 193g | Saturated Fat: 19g | Sodium: 1171mg | Potassium: 2482mg | Fiber: 28g | Sugar: 17g | Vitamin A: 45IU | Vitamin C: 16.4mg | Calcium: 322mg | Iron: 20.7mg

The post How to Make Homemade Nut and Seed Butter (with Hazelnuts and Pumpkin Seeds) appeared first on Live Simply.

1. My hair has gone through a lot of changes over the past five years. Lol, that’s random but true. Just dig through the blog and you’ll find photos of short hair Kristin, brown hair Kristin, long hair Kristin, and blonde hair Kristin (my natural color).
2. I’m a huge advocate for food prep! I haven’t always been a food prep loving gal. When I was a stay-at-home with little kiddos, I had more time to spend in the kitchen and loved the ability to make food in the moment. Now that I work full time and have kiddos in school, food prep is the key to keeping our real food lifestyle possible. As Robin Long said in our recent podcast chat, “There are seasons to our life and we need to remember to adapt to our seasons.” Adding food prep to my Sunday schedule is my way of adapting to our current season of life.

When I talk about food prep, I’m not talking about spending an entire weekend making “all the things.” What I am talking about is an intentional action of making a few foods, during a dedicated time, in order to prepare for the week ahead. See an example of this food prep here.

Food prep has become a form of self-care for me and my family. It’s a way of saying “yes!” to our health and wellness in an intentional way.

I rotate between the foods I prep on Sunday, but some things remain consistent. I always cut up some veggies, like carrot and celery and cucumbers and bell pepper. And to go along with the veggies, I usually prep a dip. Our favorite dips right now are hummus and homemade ranch.

I use ranch for lunches and snacks (alongside cut veggies) and as a salad dressing. Get the recipe for homemade ranch.

Hummus is also used for lunches and snacks (alongside cut veggies or crackers), and sometimes a spread for sandwiches and wraps.

Hummus can be changed up to include veggies in the actual dip. Beet hummus has become one of our favorite veggie-based hummus variations, followed by roasted carrot hummus.

Now, if you’re not a beet fan, beet hummus may not sound super appetizing. I get it. But trust me, a former beet hater, beet hummus is absolutely delicious and beautiful. Roasting the beet before blending it with the chickpeas is the key to creating the subtle and delicious flavor. Roasting veggies naturally brings out their sweetness, which is exactly what happens with the beet. The end result is a beet hummus even beet haters will love.

I like to roast a few beets in advance, on Sunday morning while I’m showering and getting ready for church, and then use one beet to make hummus later that afternoon. The other beets are cut in half, stored in the fridge, and used to make smoothies (this beet smoothie is my fav) throughout the week or chopped up and added to salad.

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Roasted Beet Hummus: The Pink Hummus Kids Love

A vibrant, fresh pink hummus made from dried chickpeas and a roasted beet. Even beet "haters" will love this hummus and want to double dip. 

Course Appetizer, Condiment, Side Dish

Cuisine Mediterranean

Keyword Beet Hummus

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 2 hours hours

Servings 2 cups

Calories 1270kcal

Author Kristin Marr

Ingredients

Instant Pot Chickpeas:

• 1 lb dried chickpeas
• 1 TB extra virgin olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tsp salt *
• 8 cups water

Beet Hummus:

• 1 small/medium beet
• 1/3 cup tahini found in most grocery stores, I like the 365 brand from Whole Foods
• 2 TB extra virgin olive oil
• 1 lemon juiced, about 2-3 tablespoons of lemon juice
• 1 garlic cloved minced
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp salt or to taste
• 1 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas
• 2-4 TB cold water

Special Equipment:

• Instant Pot
• strainer
• food processor
• sheet pan

Instructions

Cook the Chickpeas:

• Rinse the beans and pick out any undesirables (stones, etc.) Add the beans to the Instant Pot. Add all the ingredients listed under "Instant Pot Chickpeas": chickpeas, olive oil, garlic cloves, bay leaves, salt, and water. 
• Lock the lid on and set the Instant Pot to Manual, High Pressure for 35 minutes. The valve on top should be set to Sealed. 
• Once the beans are done cooking, let the pressure release naturally for 30 minutes before releasing the remaining pressure (use a hot pad holder or towel) and opening the lid.
• Remove the aromatics (bay leaves and garlic). Use a sieve to separate 1 1/2 cups of beans from the water. You'll use the separated beans to make hummus. Drain the rest of the beans from the liquid, if desired. If you're storing some of the beans in the fridge, I recommend storing in some of the cooking liquid.

Roast the Beet:

• While the beans cook in the Instant Pot, roast the beet in the oven. To do this, preheat the oven to 400F.  
• Trim any leaves/stems from the beets and rinse the beets under water to remove any dirt. Wrap each beet (cook as many as desired, but you'll only need 1 beet for this recipe) in parchment paper and place on a sheet pan. You can see how I do this in the photos above. 
• Cook the beets in the oven until tender, about 45 minutes, depending on the size of your beets. This time will greatly vary depending on the size of your beets. Once your beets feel soft to touch, they're ready. 
• Allow the beets to rest for about 10 minutes to cool and then remove from the parchment wrapping and remove the beet peel with your hands. The peel should slip right off the beet now. As mentioned, you'll only need 1 beet to make the hummus. I usually roast 3-4 beets at a time. Store any extra beets in an air-tight container in the fridge. I love to add beets to salads or morning smoothies. 

Make the Beet Hummus:

• To a food processor bowl, fitted with the S blade, add the tahini, extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, cumin, and salt. Pulse until creamy, stopping to scrape the sides of the food processor (removing the lid), if needed. This will take about 30-60 seconds. 
• Add the cooked chickpeas (1 1/2 cups) and 2 tablespoons of cold water. Pulse until blended, adding more water through the chute of the food processor as needed to reach the desired consistency. I usually add about 4 tablespoons total. 
• Finally, add 1 cooked beet. You'll want to cut the beet into chunks before adding to the food processor. (I recommend 1 beet, but if you love beets then 2 might serve you better.) Pulse the hummus with the beet chunks until it turns bright pink and the beet is fully blended with the hummus. Serve the hummus immediately, or store in the fridge in air-tight container for up to 5 days. 

Notes

 

Ideas for Enjoying Beet Hummus: 

• Spread on sourdough toast and then top the beet hummus with 1/2 a smashed avocado mixed with a splash of lemon juice and salt. Top this with a few slices of radish and pea shoots or microgreens. AMAZING!!!! We had this exact toast in Germany over Christmas and I've been recreating it at home. 
• Serve the beet hummus with crackers (Jovial einkorn crackers or Simple Mills are my favorites), slices of pita, or veggies. This is a great lunchbox idea, too. 
• Spread the hummus over bread or a tortilla to make a wrap. Fill the wrap or sandwich with your favorites: meat, veggies...

*Personally, I use more than 1 teaspoon of salt. I use 1/2 tablespoon; however, I know everyone has a different taste preference when it comes to salt. 

The cook time is based on 30 minutes of pressure cooking and 30 minutes of natural release. Keep in mind, it will take the Instant Pot an additional 20-30 minutes to actually come to pressure and cook the beans. Learn more about how to use your Instant Pot, here. 

How to use extra cooked chickpeas: Freeze the extras in a bag or container to make hummus again in the future (you’ll want to defrost the beans before making hummus), or turn on your oven and roast the extra beans to make crispy chickpeas--at 400F with olive oil on a sheet pan until crispy-- an amazing salad topping or snack. 

 

Nutrition

Calories: 1270kcal | Carbohydrates: 152g | Protein: 51g | Fat: 56g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Sodium: 1866mg | Potassium: 2242mg | Fiber: 42g | Sugar: 25g | Vitamin A: 180IU | Vitamin C: 40.3mg | Calcium: 344mg | Iron: 16.6mg

The post Roasted Beet Hummus: The Pink, Vegetable-Based Hummus Kids Love appeared first on Live Simply.

Today’s hummus is slightly different than other hummus recipes because it doesn’t start with canned beans. Instead, this recipe starts with dry beans which are cooked in the Instant Pot (or electric pressure cooker of your choice). I know, we’re breaking out the Instant Pot, again. That, my friend, is because the Instant Pot is such a fantastic tool for simplifying food prep (or just making meals on the spot).

During my food prep session last Sunday, I used my Instant Pot three times, to make four different meal components: eggs, black beans, a whole chicken, and chicken broth (after de-boning the chicken). Since I only have one Instant Pot, this took a number of hours to accomplish, but nearly the entire food prep session was hands-off. Talk about simplifying food prep and life!

The base of this recipe starts with inexpensive dried beans, a pantry staple in my kitchen.

If you haven’t cooked dried beans in the Instant Pot before, and you have an Instant Pot, you need to do this ASAP. What are you waiting for? Dried beans cook to perfection when cooked under pressure. And, since the pressure cooker can improve the digestibility of the beans, you don’t need to soak the beans in advance. This means a package of dried beans may be cooked, without any soaking, in about 90 minutes. That’s seriously amazing!!

In this recipe, I recommend cooking 16 ounces or 1 pound of beans. While you won’t use all of the cooked beans to make hummus, you’ll be using your time wisely and efficiently.

Use some of the beans to make today’s hummus recipe or beet hummus (a beautiful pink hummus that’s won my daughter’s heart and tastebuds–recipe is coming), freeze the extras in a bag or container to make hummus again in the future (you’ll want to defrost the beans before making hummus), or turn on your oven and roast the extra beans to make crispy chickpeas (at 400F with olive oil on a sheet pan until crispy– an amazing salad topping or snack).

Once you turn dried chickpeas into tender, cooked chickpeas, remove the amount of beans needed from the Instant Pot (1 1/2 cups) and use your food processor to make homemade hummus.

I know, I’m asking you to use two appliances here, but both appliances are definitely ones I recommend having or purchasing in the future. I’m not a big appliance advocate, besides the standard oven and fridge (and dishwasher), but there are a few tools that make a real food lifestyle easier. A food processor and Instant Pot are definitely on that list. 

The food processor will turn the beans, tahini, lemon juice, olive oil, and other ingredients into a delicious spread of homemade hummus. And let me just say, homemade hummus tastes 1000 times better than store-bought hummus! It’s fresh and vibrant.

Use the hummus as a dip or a spread for sandwiches or wraps. My kids love hummus in their lunchbox, accompanied by veggies, crackers, or cut pita. And I love having hummus in the fridge for snacking.

Food Processor Alternative: If you have a high-speed blender, you can try using it to make homemade. I personally haven’t had good success using a blender to make homemade hummus. A blender is great for liquids, but doesn’t do as well with blending dry ingredients. 

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Homemade Hummus Using the Instant Pot

Use your Instant Pot to make homemade hummus. This recipe starts with dried beans cooked in the Instant Pot (or electric pressure cooker of choice). 

Course Appetizer, Condiment, Side Dish

Cuisine Mediterranean

Keyword Hummus

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour

Total Time 1 hour hour 15 minutes minutes

Servings 2 cups

Calories 1272kcal

Author Kristin Marr

Ingredients

Instant Pot Chickpeas:

• 1 lb dried chickpeas
• 1 TB extra virgin olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tsp salt *
• 8 cups water

Hummus:

• 1/3 cup tahini found in most grocery stores, I like the 365 brand from Whole Foods
• 2 TB extra virgin olive oil
• 1 lemon juiced, about 2-3 tablespoons of lemon juice
• 1 garlic clove minced
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp salt or to taste
• 1 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas
• 2-4 TB cold water

Special Equipment:

• Instant Pot
• strainer or mesh sieve, for the beans
• food processor

Instructions

Cook the Chickpeas:

• Rinse the beans and pick out any undesirables (stones, etc.) Add the beans to the Instant Pot. Add all the ingredients listed under "Instant Pot Chickpeas": chickpeas, olive oil, garlic cloves, bay leaves, salt, and water. 
• Lock the lid on and set the Instant Pot to Manual, High Pressure for 35 minutes. The valve on top should be set to Sealed. 
• Once the beans are done cooking, let the pressure release naturally for 30 minutes before releasing the remaining pressure (use a hot pad holder or towel) and opening the lid.
• Remove the aromatics (bay leaves and garlic). Use a sieve to separate 1 1/2 cups of beans from the water. You'll use the separated beans to make hummus. Drain the rest of the beans from the liquid, if desired. If you're storing some of the beans in the fridge, I recommend storing in some of the cooking liquid. 

Make the Hummus:

• To a food processor bowl, fitted with the S blade, add the tahini, extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, cumin, and salt. Pulse until creamy, stopping to scrape the sides of the food processor (removing the lid), if needed. This will take about 30-60 seconds. 
• Add the cooked chickpeas (1 1/2 cups) and 2 tablespoons of cold water. Pulse until blended, adding more water through the chute of the food processor as needed to reach the desired consistency. I usually add about 4 tablespoons total. 
• Remove the lid from the food processor and spoon the hummus into a storage jar or a bowl (if using immediately). The hummus will keep for up to 5 days, when stored in the fridge in an air-tight container. (I shared my favorite fridge storage containers in this post.)

Notes

*Personally, I use more than 1 teaspoon of salt. I use 1/2 tablespoon; however, I know everyone has a different taste preference when it comes to salt. 

The cook time is based on 30 minutes of pressure cooking and 30 minutes of natural release. Keep in mind, it will take the Instant Pot an additional 20-30 minutes to actually come to pressure and cook the beans. Learn more about how to use your Instant Pot, here. 

How to use extra cooked chickpeas: Freeze the extras in a bag or container to make hummus again in the future (you’ll want to defrost the beans before making hummus), or turn on your oven and roast the extra beans to make crispy chickpeas--at 400F with olive oil on a sheet pan until crispy-- an amazing salad topping or snack. 

Nutrition

Calories: 1272kcal | Carbohydrates: 152g | Protein: 51g | Fat: 56g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Sodium: 1866mg | Potassium: 2242mg | Fiber: 42g | Sugar: 25g | Vitamin A: 180IU | Vitamin C: 40.8mg | Calcium: 344mg | Iron: 16.6mg

The post How to Make Homemade Hummus Using the Instant Pot (Pressure Cooker Recipe, Make-Ahead Snack) appeared first on Live Simply.

Walking down the wide aisles of the market, looking through the baskets of fresh produce from local farms and the cheese and dairy and bread from the other stands, is inspiring and refreshing. It’s hard to explain why this ritual brings me so much joy and inspiration. Maybe it’s the fresh food? Maybe it’s the community aspect? Maybe it’s the fresh air and getting out of the house? Maybe it’s all of the above.

One of the beautiful aspects about shopping at a farmer’s market is being able to experience the seasonal shifts in produce. It’s hard to get in a rut when it comes to produce. As soon as you fall in love with tomatoes, the season ends and it’s time for a new veggie to take center stage. Some veggies stick around much longer, and others have a very short seasonal window.

It can be challenging to know what to do with some veggies, or just how to use common veggies in different ways to avoid boredom. To solve this issue, our local farmer’s market has a chef booth positioned near the produce tents. The chef booth features a new recipe each week, made from the ingredients on sale at the market that week, mainly seasonal veggies.

A couple of weeks ago, I finally stopped in at the booth to see what the chef was making. I happen to arrive just in time for samples. Score! Remember being a kid and wanting to go grocery shopping with your mom because of all the free samples? Yep, this brought back so many memories. Instead of mini corn dogs, this sample was full of veggies. (Six year-old Kristin would have been disappointed.)

I loved the sample so much, a vegetable fried rice made with seasonal veggies, micro greens, and cooked rice, I came home and attempted to recreate the sample for dinner. My re-creation was a success. Even the kids raved about the fried rice and didn’t even question the green specks.

Let’s talk about the base of the “fried” rice.

The veggie base is made by pulsing broccoli and cauliflower crowns in a food processor. Now, if you want to save time you could use packaged cauliflower or broccoli “rice.” Many stores now sell this in the produce and freezer sections. Once the broccoli and cauliflower resemble “crumbs” or “rice,” it’s time to sauté the mixture with oil and add a few more veggies and then finally cooked rice.

To save time, I recommend prepping the rice in advance and keeping it in the fridge until you’re ready to make this recipe. I love to cook Instant Pot rice, which only takes about 4 minutes of cooking time, and stashing it away to use throughout the week to make this fried rice, Tex-Mex stuffed peppers, or to serve as a dinner side.

For the rice, you can either cook the rice on the stove-top or in the Instant Pot while the broccoli and cauliflower are prepared, or if you’re looking to save time cook the rice in advance and store it in the fridge.

How to Serve Veggie-Fried Rice and Meal Prep Option

The end result is a veggie-packed “fried” rice that’s made with simple, seasonal, fresh ingredients. Serve the rice as-is or alongside chicken, shrimp, salmon, or soft “boiled” Instant Pot eggs (as pictured). Another great option is to scramble an egg before cooking the veggie and rice mixture, set it aside, and then add the egg to the final fried rice.

If you can’t consume eggs due to allergies, the egg option won’t work. I added “egg-free” to the title because I know how hard it can be to find an egg-free “fried” rice recipe, and there are folks in the community with egg allergies.

If you’re looking for a make-ahead lunch option, fried rice is a great option for the lunchbox. Scoop the rice into meal prep containers and add sliced chicken or an avocado (cut in half and add lemon juice squeezed over the top–don’t add avocado until the day you enjoy the rice), and you’ve got yourself a nourishing, ready-to-go lunch! Or, store the rice in a large container and add it to a school lunchbox or thermos. The fried rice may be enjoyed at room temperature, warm in a thermos, or reheated on the stove-top or in the microwave. Since the rice is on the wetter side, it reheats well.

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Veggie Fried Rice with Broccoli and Cauliflower (Vegetarian, Egg-Free)

A veggie-packed fried rice made with cauliflower, broccoli, carrots, and your choice of rice. Make-ahead friendly. Vegetarian. Kid-approved!

Course Main Course, Side Dish

Cuisine American, Chinese

Keyword fried rice

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 40 minutes minutes

Servings 4 people

Calories 244kcal

Author Kristin Marr

Ingredients

• 1 small head of cauliflower or half a large head of cauliflower (about 1 1/2 lb head)
• 1 medium broccoli crown about 1/2lb--can also use the stem
• 1 1/2 cups shredded carrots 2 carrots shredded or use pre-shredded carrots
• 3 TB extra virgin olive oil or sesame oil or avocado oil
• 4 garlic cloves
• 1 TB fresh ginger minced*
• 1/2 cup sliced green onions
• 2 cups cooked rice brown or white rice**
• 1/4 cup tamari sauce or soy sauce or coconut aminos would also work
• 1 cup chopped pea shoots (stems and greens) or chopped baby spinach or microgreens

Special Ingredients:

• food processor
• large skillet

Instructions

• Cut the broccoli and cauliflower crowns into chunks. (You can also use the stem of the broccoli in this recipe.) Place the chunks in the bowl of a food processor, and pulse on high until the veggies look like "rice" or crumbles. Depending on the size of your food processor bowl, you may need to work in batches. I usually have to work in batches of 2-3, pouring the "riced" or crumbled veggie into a separate bowl before adding more chunks. 
• Add the oil to a large skillet. Place the skillet over medium-high heat on the stove-top. Once the oil is hot, add the riced/crumbled cauliflower and broccoli. Stir the veggies to keep them from sticking to the skillet. While the veggies cook, shred the carrots in the food processor (if using whole carrots versus pre-shredded carrots.) Add the carrots to the skillet. 
• Sauté the veggies for about 8-10 minutes, stirring every couple of minutes to prevent the veggies from sticking to the skillet. If you need to, you can add a bit more oil or reduce the heat. 
• Add the sliced minced garlic, ginger, and green onions. Sauté for another 3-4 minutes, until fragrant, stirring as the spices cook to incorporate them throughout the veggie mixture. Stir in the cooked rice. 
• Add the tamari sauce, stirring until absorbed by all the veggies and rice. Finally, stir in the pea shoots (or greens of choice).  
• Serve warm, or store in meal prep containers for future lunches (or dinners) or a large storage container. The rice will keep in the fridge for 4-5 days. 

Notes

*If you don't have fresh ginger, I would try 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger. 

**For the rice, follow the directions on the package. I like to use white basmati rice. I use 1 cup of rinsed rice (rinse the rice in a sieve under fresh water for a couple of minutes). Add 2 cups of water, the rinsed rice, and 1 teaspoon oil or butter with 2-3 pinches of salt to a saucepan. Bring the rice to a boil, covered, and then reduce to a low simmer and cook until the water is absorbed for 15-20 minutes. Day-old rice works very well in this recipe, as well as freshly-cooked rice. You could probably use cooked quinoa as well. 

I love to make Instant Pot rice over the weekend and use the leftover rice (basmati or jasmine rice are ideal for this recipe) for Teriyaki chicken recipe, quick fried rice, Tex-Mex stuffed pepper recipe, or this cauliflower and broccoli fried rice, etc. throughout the week to cut meal prep time in half.

The tamari sauce should provide enough saltines to the dish so you won't need extra salt. If you taste the rice and feel like you need salt, add it at the end. 

If you're grain-free or don't want to use rice, you could skip this ingredient. I would also cut down on the amount of spice used (garlic and ginger) and tamari sauce. 

Nutrition

Calories: 244kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 858mg | Potassium: 258mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 8385IU | Vitamin C: 46.9mg | Calcium: 41mg | Iron: 0.9mg

The post Veggie Fried Rice with Broccoli and Cauliflower (Vegetarian, Egg-Free, Make-Ahead Meal Prep Option) appeared first on Live Simply.

CSA is short for Community Supported/Sustained Agriculture. Crop Share is another common term for this.

A CSA allows consumers to support local, small farms and provides these farms with the assurance (through an upfront financial commitment) that consumers are invested in their hard work and future harvest. The consumer (that’s you and me) pledges to pay a farm upfront for future harvest shares provided by the farm. The farm pledges to grow, tend to, and deliver the harvest to the customer over a certain period of time. A CSA can be strictly for produce, while others may include meat, eggs, milk, and even cheese. Of course, this depends on what the farm grows or raises, or if the farm partners with another farm in the area (think: a veggie farm partners with a dairy farm).

A CSA is a win-win for both the consumer (fresh, affordable, nutrient-rich food) and the farm (financial support to run operations and make a living from the local community).

In a day when romaine lettuce and beef are recalled, I can’t think of a better way to get to know your food source than through supporting local farms. A CSA allows us to do this is in a very intimate way.

Last year, after enjoying a CSA program from Little Pond Farm (the local farm we decided to partner with), I wrote a post answering your questions in detail: how much it costs, how to find a CSA in your area, what our CSA looks like, etc. If you’re interested in learning more about a CSA, check out this post.

One of the benefits of joining a CSA, or just getting out of the supermarket and visiting a local farmer’s market, is the exposure to “new” foods. Of course, these foods aren’t “new” but to the average supermarket shopper–where the shelves generally lack a ton of variety–there are so many new foods to explore.

Last year, I was challenged for the first time to venture out of my weekly broccoli purchase and reach for new-to-me veggies. I didn’t know how to use most of the veggies, but I was determined to experiment. With the help of the farmers (they are super knowledgeable about how to use the food they grow and raise) and Google (you can find anything with Google), I fell in love with roasting beets to use in a variety of ways (smoothies, on top of salads, mixed with chickpeas to make hummus), kohlrabi (make this winter slaw, it’s so good), and pea shoots. The list could go on…

Florida is slightly different than the rest of the country in that we don’t have a true winter season so our markets and CSA programs run from October through May. Summer is like our winter, as it’s too hot for anything to grow.

I truly missed getting our veggies from Little Pond Farm (our CSA program) over the summer. I also found myself back in a broccoli-at-every-meal rut. I was literally counting down the weeks until the market and our CSA program were ready to share a harvest again.

One of the foods I looked forward to enjoying again was pea shoots. Before joining the CSA with Little Pond Farm, I had no idea what a pea shoot was or how to use pea shoots.

What is a Pea Shoot?

Pea shoots are basically the vines of a young pea plant. The vines are 100% edible, both the leaves and stems. Pea shoots have a delicate flavor (a mix between young peas and baby spinach) and may be cooked like baby spinach. I love to add pea shoots to stir-fry like this recipe, blended in smoothies, used in place of lettuce on sandwiches or avocado toast (my favorite), or blended with olive oil and nuts/seeds to make a pesto. Of course, being a plant and a leafy green, pea shoots are packed full of nutrients.

If we’re friends over on Instagram, you know that I’ve been making pea shoot pesto regularly since October (the start of our CSA and market season). I never tire of homemade pesto, and pea shoot pesto is one of my favorite versions of pesto. Pea shoot pesto is incredibly easy to make and has a mild flavor compared to the robust flavor of basil pesto.

Pesto may be used in a variety of ways, so it’s a great food to make on the weekend and store in the fridge for use during the week (hello, food prep). My favorite way to use pesto is tossed with warm pasta (Jovial brown rice pasta is my favorite) and roasted tomatoes. Pesto may also be used as a dip for veggies or spread on crackers, in place of marinara sauce on homemade pizza, or as a spread for sandwiches. Another idea is to mix pesto in meatballs for additional flavor and nutrients (similar to this recipe idea).

While I highly recommend visiting a local farmer’s market, where you’ll easily find pea shoots, you can also find pea shoots at many health food stores. If you can’t find pea shoots, you can always make this pesto with basil or try a combo of half basil and half baby spinach for a different twist.

When it comes to making pesto, the best cheese to use is Parmigiano Reggiano. This cheese adds saltiness and a ton of flavor to the pesto.

The making of Parmigiano Reggiano dates back almost 1,000 years. Today, Parmigiano Reggiano must meet very strict quality standards, which are rooted in the tradition of a natural, artisanal cheese-making process.

According to European law, one of the many requirements for a cheese to be labeled as “Parmigiano Reggiano” is that the entire process must take place in the place of origin – a very small, very beautiful region in Italy. The region in which this 1000 year-old tradition was created.

Parmigiano Reggiano is made using a traditional fermentation process and 3 ingredients: milk, salt, and rennet. The milk comes from cows that are fed forage from local meadows (never treated with pesticides). The salt is Mediterranean sea salt. And rennet is a natural enzyme that is used to jump-start the fermentation process.

The result of this fermentation process is a food that’s not only delicious but also good for you: gut-loving probiotics, zinc, iron, manganese, biotin, copper, & B6. The process also eliminates lactose which means that people with lactose intolerance can enjoy the cheese without negative effects.

It’s important to know you’re getting the real deal, so when purchasing Parmigiano Reggiano, look for the words “Parmigiano Reggiano” engraved in a dot pattern on the cheese rind. If you don’t see this pattern, it’s not the real deal!

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Pea Shoot and Pumpkin Seed Pesto (A Nutrient-Rich, Nut-Free and Basil-Free Pesto)

A unique twist on traditional basil pesto. A mild pesto made with pea shoots and pumpkin seeds. 

Course Appetizer, Snack

Cuisine Italian

Keyword Pea Shoot Pesto

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 10 minutes minutes

Servings 6 ounces (3/4 cup)

Calories 226kcal

Author Kristin Marr

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup pumpkin seeds unsalted, you can use raw or roasted pumpkin seeds
• 1 small garlic clove
• 2 cups packed pea shoots may also use: radish tops, basil, spinach, arugula, or carrot tops
• 1/4 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano
• 1 lemon juiced
• 1/2 tsp salt to taste, this will depend on the saltiness of your cheese
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

Special Equipment:

• food processor
• mason jar or storage jar with a lid, if storing in the fridge

Instructions

• Place all the pesto ingredients, except the oil, in a food processor. Pulse until the ingredients are crumbly.
• Slowly add the oil while pulsing the food processor, adding enough oil to reach the desired consistency (1/2 cup is recommended). The final pesto should have some "bite" (it won't be completely smooth). 
• Use the pesto immeadiately and/or store the pesto in an air-tight jar in the fridge for up to 5 days.  Alternatively, you can also freeze pesto in ice cube trays (this makes for the perfect amount) and store in a bag or container in the freezer for several months. 

Notes

Ideas for how to use the pesto: Toss with fresh pasta and roasted tomatoes (roast cherry tomatoes with a splash of olive oil at 425F until soft, about 25-30 minutes), spread the pesto on a wrap or bread to make a sandwich, replace your favorite pasta sauce with pesto sauce, replace pizza sauce with pesto sauce on homemade pizza dough, or toss with roasted veggies.

Nutrition

Calories: 226kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 3mg | Sodium: 274mg | Potassium: 67mg | Fiber: 2g | Vitamin A: 355IU | Vitamin C: 63.9mg | Calcium: 53mg | Iron: 0.7mg

The post Pea Shoot and Pumpkin Seed Pesto (A Nutrient-Rich, Nut-Free and Basil-Free Pesto) appeared first on Live Simply.

Once again, we’re going to open up the flour jar and make biscuits with the ancient grain so many of us have come to love: einkorn.

All-purpose einkorn is perfect for making biscuits, because it acts similar to white flour in that it produces a super fluffy and flaky biscuit. And that, in my opinion, is the only way a biscuit should be.

Besides using einkorn, the technique used to make the biscuits is very important. Let’s talk about exactly how to make the perfect biscuits.

How to make fluffy and flaky homemade biscuits…

First things first, you’re going to need butter, and not just any butter. Good quality butter is a must. Kerrygold brand is what I prefer. Any rich, grass-fed butter should do.

Second, the butter needs to be kept chilled in the fridge before it’s added to the flour.

Third, don’t use your fingers to crumble the butter with the flour. Your fingers are warm (body temperature), which means your fingers will warm up the butter quickly. Warm butter = good biscuits, but not flaky and fluffy biscuits. Just like with pie crust and scones, it’s important to keep the butter as cold as possible throughout the process. This means using a pastry cutter, or two knives, when working the butter into coarse crumbs.

Next, let’s talk about kneading. Einkorn naturally doesn’t love to be over-worked. Einkorn is more of a hands-off grain. Knead einkorn dough as much as needed, nothing more. This is also true when mixing einkorn muffin batter.

For biscuits, it’s particularly important to stir the liquid and dry ingredients together, just until they begin to come together. Then stop using a spoon and form the dough with your hands. (I know, I just told you not to use your fingers, but this is the only option at this point. That’s okay.) Knead the dough a few times to get it to come together and form a smooth ball, then let it be. No more kneading or mixing.

Finally, let’s talk about the folding technique. I learned this technique from a cookbook (I can’t remember the name) years ago, and it’s been my favorite method to use when making biscuits. Use your hands to quickly shape the dough (on a floured surface) into a long rectangle. Then fold one half of the rectangle on top of the other half.

There it is, my best biscuit-making advice.

Now, before you get to work making your own biscuits, let’s talk about einkorn flour. I know, if we hang out together often you’re probably well aware of what einkorn is.

Since it’s not a super popular grain, I always like to spend a minute or two sharing the details about einkorn. If you’re familiar with einkorn already, skip ahead, biscuits are waiting to be made.

What is einkorn flour? 

For me, einkorn has been a game-changer in the way I bake and also my ability to consume gluten-based baked goods. (Sourdough and ancient grains, one being a method and the other an ingredient, are easier to digest and a great option for people who may feel sensitive to gluten–not for someone with celiac disease.) In a day when gluten is feared, I think it’s important to reconsider the use of ancient grains and also ancient methods, like souring and sprouting.

Einkorn is known as the oldest variety of wheat making it an “ancient” grain. The ancient grain is believed to have originated in the Tigris-Euphrates region and is possibly the main grain referenced in the earliest accounts of the Bible.

Einkorn is said to be the wheat men were eating in the earliest days before modern day wheat varieties. While modern wheat has undergone hybridization, einkorn still holds true to its original properties. Einkorn is slowly gaining popularity, but it’s still grown in only a few regions in Europe. This means many people, including myself just a few years ago, don’t know about this wonderful grain.

Einkorn is my favorite flour to work with when making traditional, flour-based baked goods. The sweet, ancient grain has a lighter texture and taste than modern day wheat, and contains a more favorable gluten ratio.

Pair the einkorn biscuits alongside eggs (one of 16 different egg styles), healthy yogurt bowls, or a smoothie.

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Homemade Einkorn Biscuits

Easy to make homemade biscuits made ancient einkorn flour. These biscuits are perfectly fluffy and also delightfully flaky. 

Course Breakfast, Side Dish

Cuisine American

Keyword einkorn biscuits

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 18 minutes minutes

Total Time 33 minutes minutes

Servings 8 large biscuits, depending on size

Calories 261kcal

Author Kristin Marr

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose einkorn flour (293g)
• 1 1/2 TB baking powder
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 8 TB unsalted butter cubed and kept chilled until ready to use
• 3/4 cup whole milk or a dairy-free milk, like almond milk also works

Optional:

• 1 TB whole milk or dairy-free milk for brushing the top of the biscuits

Special Equipment:

• sheet pan
• parchment paper
• pastry cutter or two knives, for crumbling the butter
• biscuit cutter

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 400F. 
• Cut the butter into cubes. Place the butter in the fridge to keep chilled until ready to use. 
• In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and baking powder. 
• Add the cold butter cubes to the flour. Use a pastry cutter (or two knives) to crumble the butter into the flour mixture, until the butter resembles coarse crumbs.
• Pour the milk into the the flour mixture, stirring just until combined. Using a wooden spoon and then your hands (gently kneading the dough if necessary), form the dough into a ball.
• Sprinkle a parchment-covered surface with a small amount of extra flour. Form the dough, using your hands, into a long rectangle. Fold the dough in half, lengthwise and gently press together.
• Using a biscuit cutter, cut out individual biscuits. Place the biscuits on a sheet pan or stone. I like to line my sheet pan with parchment paper. Brush the top of each biscuit with the 1 tablespoon of milk, if desired. Another option is to use melted butter instead of the milk. 
• Bake for 17-20 minutes, until the tops are golden and the sides are firm. The time it takes for your biscuits to bake will depend on the size of the biscuits, so keep an eye on them through the oven door. I make fairly large biscuits. 

Notes

If you’re making a sweet biscuit, you could add 1-2 tablespoons of cane sugar to the dry ingredients. 

To Freeze: 

Place the uncooked, cut-out biscuit dough on a cookie sheet. Freeze the raw biscuits until frozen (about 30 minutes-1 hour). Once frozen, place the biscuits in a freezer-safe bag or container. When you’re ready to cook a biscuit, follow the cooking directions in the recipe above. You’ll need to add additional time for cooking the biscuits, so keep an eye on the biscuits while they bake. 

Another option is to bake the biscuits, allow to cool, and then freeze the biscuits fully cooked. 

Nutrition

Calories: 261kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 33mg | Sodium: 233mg | Potassium: 299mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 390IU | Calcium: 135mg | Iron: 2mg

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How to Make Chai Concentrate (From Tea Bags)

The post Homemade Einkorn Biscuits appeared first on Live Simply.

This wanting-to-do-it-all can paralyze me from actually doing any prep at all (or anything in life). Anyone else like this? My perfectionist tendencies always have a way of coming out.

I know that prepping ahead is vital to enjoying real food on a daily basis. Between my work schedule, Dustin’s work schedule, and the kids’ school life, real food must be intentionally planned each week. Adding in prep work helps to simplify the plan — and our lives.

In order to simplify meal prepping, I’m learning to be intentional about this time, just like I’m intentional about my meal planning time.  Practically, here’s what this looks this…

Each week, after creating a simple meal plan, I sit down with the plan and my family’s calendar and ask myself: “What’s the most important food to prep based on our schedule? What’s going to simplify our life this week? What’s going to make the biggest impact?” Pausing to answer these questions makes the thoughts of wanting-to-do-it-all fade away. Within seconds, prepping for the week ahead feels doable, approachable, and practical for a weekend afternoon.

If upcoming mornings are going to be busy (Dustin needs to leave early and I’ll be getting the kids up, fed and off to school), I’ll prioritize making one breakfast food that can be served multiple times: pancakes, granola, smoothie packs, etc. 

Other times, evenings are going to be busy.  I’ll plan to make a couple of prep-ahead lunch options so I can focus on enjoying my evenings with my family, versus worrying about next day’s lunch. Making just one food (such as roasting a whole chicken or chopping veggies for lunches and snacks), or focusing on one category (such as lunch or breakfast), simplifies my food prep.

The key to simplified prep? Intentionality!

I don’t prep snacks very often. Our snacks are generally very simple: a smoothie, some nuts and seeds, nut butter and apples, or hummus with veggie sticks (Costco sells individually-portioned hummus perfect for school snack). None of these options require any prep (other than chopping a fruit or veggie).

Occasionally, I’ll make a treat that can double as both a snack and a lunchbox treat. By far, my favorite treats to prepare are bites, or balls. I’m sure you can imagine why I’m going with bites here… we’re all mature adults ;).

There are a few bite recipes already on the blog. These Lara Bar-like bites are a big hit with my kids (and my big kid). The chocolate chip cookie dough bites are my favorite since they taste like cookie dough. And these peppermint chocolate bites are a fun snack to make around the holidays.

Today’s bites are pumpkin seed-based. The seeds are blended together with dates, which act as a binder and sweetener. Satisfying fats are added to the seeds and dates (coconut oil and coconut butter) and unsweetened chocolate is added (because, why not?). The bites keep in the fridge, in an airtight container, for about 2 weeks. Yum!

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Chocolate Pumpkin Seed Bliss Bites

Packed with pumpkin, dates, and coconut, these plant-based bites provide a real-food treat sure to satisfy any sweet tooth! 

Course Dessert, Snack

Cuisine American

Keyword Chocolate Pumpkin Seed Bliss Bites

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 25 minutes minutes

Servings 8 medium bites, or 12 small bites

Calories 135kcal

Author Kristin Marr

Ingredients

• 1 cup pumpkin seeds unsalted
• 10 medjool dates pitted*
• 4 TB coconut butter or coconut manna**
• 3 TB coconut oil room temperature
• 2 TB unsweetened shredded coconut
• 2 TB cacao powder or unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/4-1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract depending on taste, I like 1/2 tsp
• 1-2 pinches salt depending on taste, I like 2 pinches

Topping:

• unsweetened shredded coconut optional

Special Equipment:

• sheet pan
• food processor
• storage container

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350F. 
• Place the pumpkin seeds on a sheet pan. Roast the pumpkin seeds for 10 minutes, until fragrant and toasted.  
• Pour the toasted pumpkin seeds into the base bowl of a food processor. Pulse the seeds until finely chopped (about 30-60 seconds). Add the dates, and pulse again until finely chopped (another 30-60 seconds). 
• Add the remaining ingredients: coconut oil, coconut butter, shredded coconut, cacao powder, and salt. Pulse the mixture until the ingredients are well combined and begin to stick together (about 30-60 seconds). 
• Scoop small amounts of the dough into your hand. Press the ingredients together with your hands to form golf-ball size bites. If the dough feels too dry and it's hard to form the bites, add a bit of water to the dough (1/2 tsp as needed) and wet your hands with water. Optional: After forming the bites, roll them in shredded coconut.
• Place the bites in a storage container, and store in the fridge until ready to enjoy. The bites keep in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. 

Notes

*If the dates are hard and dry (fresh dates should be moist and soft), soak the dates in a bowl of water for about 30 minutes to soften them. 

**Soften the coconut butter in the microwave for a few minutes (or place the jar in a bowl of hot water) if it’s too hard to scoop from the jar.

The bites aren't super sweet. If you'd like sweeter bites, you can add a few more dates, or add 1-2 tablespoons of honey while pulsing the ingredients. You could also add more flavor to the bites with cinnamon (I would start with 1/4 teaspoon and work from there based on your taste). 

Nutrition

Calories: 135kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Sodium: 5mg | Potassium: 172mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 25IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 15mg | Iron: 0.9mg

The post Chocolate Pumpkin Seed Bliss Bites appeared first on Live Simply.

A lot happened that year, including many things I simply can’t remember. I was just beginning my motherhood journey around this time, with both a new baby and toddler in our home. It’s no wonder I can’t remember many details. #motherhood #iwastired

One thing I can remember from 2013, is the birth of Live Simply.

When I first started Live Simply, I didn’t know much about professionally writing recipes. What I did know was a passion for sharing the real food recipes coming out of my kitchen on a daily basis. Because of this passion, I took pictures of everything I made and then published the pictures and recipes on Live Simply. At the time, my mom, grandma, and a few Facebook friends were the only people reading the recipes and looking at the pictures. The writing was short and enthusiastic, and the photos were tiny and poorly lit (and shot with my iphone 3).

Over time, as more people visited the blog, I became passionate about making this space visually appealing. I wanted this space to truly reflect the joy found in enjoying good food and a more natural lifestyle. The tiny, dimly-lit photos just didn’t covey this joy.

Dustin had previous experience with both video and photography, so I asked him to teach me the basics of shooting photography with a DSLR camera (at the time we borrowed a Canon 60D from his work). He taught me the basics, and then I pushed myself to learn more about authentic food photography and styling.

Fast forward to 2017…

Many of the recipes that are now published on Live Simply still originate in my kitchen, based on my family’s appetite and our desire to enjoy real food. Some recipe ideas come from reader friends who request real food makeovers of their favorite meal. And some recipes are perfected in the kitchens of my wonderful recipe helpers, Helen and Laura.

Now, the process of developing and writing a good recipe is incredibly detailed and time-consuming.  Recipes aren’t posted on the same day they’re created and enjoyed. Rather, recipes are tested over and over again to ensure accuracy and dependability (sometimes by multiple people). I want you to come to Live Simply knowing that recipes work!

The photography has also changed quite a bit since 2013. Today, the photos are big and bright. My goal for each photo is to covey just how amazing real food (or a natural product) tastes, feels, and smells.

A lot has changed over the years (for the better), but one thing hasn’t: passion and joy for living and sharing this journey!

Today, I thought it would be fun to pull out an old recipe from the 2013 archives. A recipe in need of a good “remodel.” You know how much we love remodeling projects around here! The recipe, a homemade frozen yogurt, is perfect for summer being that it’s easy to make, light, and refreshing.

And before moving on, here are the photos from the 2013 recipe post…

The frozen yogurt only requires five real food ingredients: probiotic-rich yogurt, frozen berries (frozen berries are critical to the success of this recipe), a bit of honey, fresh mint, and vanilla extract. That’s it! The ingredients are blended together in a food processor, and then chilled in the freezer until set. I like to make this frozen yogurt in the afternoon, and then pull the chilled frozen yogurt from the freezer after enjoying a summer-themed dinner.

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5-Ingredient Strawberry-Mint Froyo (Frozen Yogurt)

A naturally-sweetened, easy-to-make homemade berry frozen yogurt with fresh mint. 

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword Strawberry-Mint Froyo

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 2 hours hours

Total Time 2 hours hours 10 minutes minutes

Servings 6 servings

Calories 601kcal

Author Kristin Marr

Ingredients

• 1 cup plain whole milk yogurt or a dairy-free yogurt of choice
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1/8 cup fresh mint leaves about 12 medium-large leaves
• 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 4 cups frozen strawberries frozen mango is another option and equally delicious

Instructions

• Place the yogurt, honey, mint leaves, and vanilla extract in the food processor, pulse until the mint leaves are finely chopped. 
• Add the berries, one cup at a time, until the mixture is smooth (it takes a few minutes to fully blend the frozen berries).
• Spoon the mixture, evenly, into a freezer-safe container with a lid (if you're storing it for a few days) or a bread pan.
• Freeze the yogurt mixture for 1-2 hours, until the yogurt is firm to touch (this will depend on your freezer). To serve, wet an ice cream scoop with water and then scoop the frozen yogurt from the container/bread pan into individual serving bowls. Keep any extra frozen yogurt in the freezer. The frozen yogurt will keep in the freezer for up to two months (if it's stored in the freezer for days or weeks, it will require a bit of resting time on the counter before scooping). 

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 601kcal | Carbohydrates: 126g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 31mg | Sodium: 123mg | Potassium: 1305mg | Fiber: 11g | Sugar: 109g | Vitamin A: 550IU | Vitamin C: 341.7mg | Calcium: 402mg | Iron: 3mg

The post 5-Ingredient Strawberry-Mint Froyo (Homemade Frozen Yogurt) appeared first on Live Simply.

Don’t get me wrong, I love the floured messes that come from making homemade (baked) sugar cookies or hearty cowboy cookies. But I also love the simplicity of a no-bake treat that tricks my holiday senses into thinking that I’m enjoying an indulgent baked cookie. Today’s recipe does just that.

A couple of years ago, I was scrambling for an easy and impressive recipe to make for holiday parties. As a mom with two young children, I knew spending a ton of time in the kitchen just wasn’t going to happen, but at the same time, I wanted to make something special and homemade to enjoy with friends and family. After all, I had just started a semi-food blog (we talk about more than just food around here ;)), so bringing a store-bought treat seemed a bit ironic for someone like myself.

I skimmed through cookbooks and Pinterest, but I couldn’t find anything that appeared to be easy for a mom with very little time to spend on extra-circular recipes. A recipe just had to be created, and that’s exactly what I did. How does the desperation saying go? I think it’s something like, “Desperate times call for desperate measures.” In my case, desperate times call for recipe testing delicious and practical possibilities.

My time of desperation, which led to testing delicious possibilities, resulted in an easy no-bake recipe that tasted like a mix between a dark chocolate brownie and a cookie. And while the festive flavor was definitely a huge plus, the simplicity of the recipe won my tired mom heart. I finally found my go-to treat to bring to holiday parties.

I made my new cookie bites for just about every party we attended that year. And I received so many requests from family and friends for my special recipe. To be honest, I debated whether or not I should share my secret recipe. I loved that people wanted the recipe, but I felt embarrassed by the fact that my recipe didn’t require any fancy steps or ingredients. Silly, right?! What has Pinterest and Instagram done to us?

Well, two years later, I’m finally sharing my secret no-bake cookie recipe. The good news is that you don’t have to attend a holiday party to make these cookie bites. The bites comes together in just ten minutes, and that time even includes measuring, scooping, and rolling, which means you can make these cookies anytime you desire something sweet and minty.

I like to keep a container of cookie bites in the fridge during the holiday season for a special snack. That’s right, a snack! Did I mention that my cookie bites are healthy enough to enjoy as a snack?

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No-Bake Peppermint Chocolate Cookie Bites

A minty no-bake chocolate cookie in perfect bite-sized portions. These wholesome, naturally-sweetened bites are perfect to enjoy as a grab-n-go snack or a fancy dessert. 

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword No-Bake Cookie Bites

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 10 minutes minutes

Servings 12 Cookie Bites

Calories 150kcal

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup raw almonds unsalted (133g)
• 1 cup medjool dates pitted (185g // about 10-12 dates)
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (43g)
• 2 TB coconut oil virgin
• 2 TB honey
• 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp pure peppermint extract See "Recipe Notes"*
• 1/2 cup shredded unsweetened coconut

Instructions

• In a food processor, pulse the almonds until they resemble a coarse meal (there should not be any large chunks of almonds).
• Add the pitted dates and cocoa powder to the almonds and pulse until the dates are shredded and the ingredients appear “wet” and crumbly (approximately 45 seconds).
• Add the coconut oil, honey, vanilla, and peppermint extract to the cocoa mixture. Pulse for 30-45 seconds, until the mixture begins to come together and the dough feels/appears wet.
• Form the dough into tablespoon-size balls and roll in the shredded coconut.
• Refrigerate for up to three weeks in an air-tight container.

Notes

*I use Simply Organic or Frontier brands (linked above) for the peppermint extract. You'll notice that both brands label their extract as "flavor" since they're made with sunflower oil and peppermint oil. McCormick makes a peppermint extract, if you'd prefer to use an alcohol-based extract. Either way, make sure you read the ingredients on any extract/flavor product. 

Nutrition

Calories: 150kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Sodium: 2mg | Potassium: 223mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 20IU | Calcium: 37mg | Iron: 1.1mg

The post No-Bake Peppermint Chocolate Cookie Bites appeared first on Live Simply.

Are you ready for some photos?

If you didn’t read that in an American football announcer’s voice, then you must read that question again.

ARE YOU READY FOR SOME PHOTOS?

Much better!

Today’s post is overloaded with photos, because last week we went on vacation to Anna Maria Island, Florida. Tourist on vacation = lots of photos! For seven whole days we unplugged from the online world (at least for the majority of the time), played tic-tac-toe in the sand, surfed in the waves, caught fresh fish for dinner (mackerel), ate homemade granola bars while twiddling our toes in the sand, and watched night after night of Netflix movies. It was exactly as a vacation should be: relaxing, delicious, simple, unplugged, and refreshing.

And now, more photos! Because today we’re going to make one of the treats that we enjoyed on our vacation: Homemade No-Bake Trail Mix Granola Bars.

I’ve been working on a simple homemade granola bar recipe, that doesn’t require baking, for a few months now.  After lots of testing, and some really nasty failures, today’s recipe was successfully created and has become one of our family’s favorite homemade treats.

So what makes Homemade No-Bake Trail Mix Granola Bars so different than other granola bar recipes on the blog and Pinterest?

Friend, this recipe simplifies the entire granola-bar-making process with a no-bake freezer preparation method. Yes, there’s a bit of chopping and heating involved, but that’s about as tricky as this recipe gets.

I promise the chopping and heating steps are totally worth the effort of making these bars, because these bars are everything a granola bar should be: salty, crunchy, and filling. They don’t disappoint! And, to top off their amazingness, these bars are stored in the freezer, which means they keep forever. Okay, maybe not forever, but you get the point: these bars last quite a long time. One batch of granola bars may be enjoyed multiple times for breakfast, a quick snack, or a late night treat.

Before we get started making a batch of homemade granola bars, let’s talk about the “trail mix” part of the recipe.

Typically, trail mix is a blend of salty, crunchy, and chewy foods (think: dried fruits and salty nuts). These bars remind me of a bag of trail mix in bar form: a blend of crunchy nuts and seeds (including the nut butter that holds these bars together) and dried fruit (dates). Just like any good trail mix base, there’s definitely room for experimentation in this recipe. Sub out the pumpkin seeds for sunflower seeds, try adding a handful of chocolate chips (you’ll want to make sure the mixture is cool before adding the chocolate chips), or use almond butter instead of the peanut butter.

And now for the granola bar recipe you’ve been waiting so patiently to make, and a video to help guide you through the process.

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Homemade No-Bake Trail Mix Granola Bars

This recipe simplifies the entire granola-bar-making process with a no-bake freezer preparation method. 

Course Snack

Cuisine American

Keyword Granola Bars

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Freeze 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 50 minutes minutes

Servings 8 rectangular bars, 16 square bars

Calories 282kcal

Author Kristin Marr

Ingredients

• 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats 110 g
• 1 cup puffed brown rice cereal I prefer Arrowhead Mills brand which you can find at most health food stores for about $3/bag., 20 g
• 1/2 cup unsalted chopped almonds 80 g
• 1/2 cup roasted and unsalted pumpkin seeds 80 g
• pinch salt
• 1 cup medjool dates packed, (9-10 dates 195 g) , pitted
• 1/3 cup honey 60 ml
• 1/3 cup peanut butter 100 g
• 1 TB pure vanilla extract homemade

Instructions

• In a large bowl, combine the dry ingredients: rolled oats, puffed brown rice, chopped almonds, pumpkin seeds, and a pinch of salt.
• Place the pitted dates in a food processor bowl, or you can do this step with a knife but it will require more time. Slowly pulse the dates, pausing between pulses, until the dates are chopped into pieces. Ideally the dates shouldn't form a ball, but if this happens you can separate the dates into smaller pieces with your hands. Add the dates to the dry ingredients, and then combine the ingredients with your hands (it helps to wet your hands first!). The mixture should feel sticky once the dates are incorporated in the dry mixture.
• In a small saucepan, over medium heat, combine the honey and peanut butter. Stir the honey and peanut butter until smooth and creamy. You may need to use a whisk to combine the ingredients. Turn off the heat, and stir in the vanilla extract (yes, 1 tablespoon).
• Pour the sticky honey and peanut butter over the dry ingredients. Stir to combine the ingredients, making sure the honey and peanut butter covers all the dry ingredients.
• Line an 8x8 baking dish with parchment paper. Press the granola down into the pan. I like to use the back of a measuring cup (you'll want to wet the back of the measuring cup first) to level the top of the granola and make sure it's packed tight in the baking dish.
• Freeze the granola bars for 30 minutes. Remove the granola bars from the freezer and cut into even bars. Place the bars in a freezer-safe container or bag. Freeze the granola bars until you're ready to enjoy. I like to pull a granola bar from the freezer, and let it warm up at room temperature for about 1 minute before enjoying.

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 282kcal | Carbohydrates: 38g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 51mg | Potassium: 337mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 25g | Vitamin A: 25IU | Calcium: 47mg | Iron: 1.6mg

Ingredient Notes

I recommend using an “all natural” peanut butter. This means the peanut butter should only contain 1-3 ingredients: peanuts, and possibly salt and oil. If your peanut butter contains salt, you’ll probably want to skip the pinch of salt.

For a nut-free granola bar, I think you could sub out the almonds for more pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds. Sunflower seed butter, or maybe even tahini, might work as a sub for the peanut butter.

The dates should be soft. If your dates aren’t soft, you can soak them in warm water for 15 minutes. This really shouldn’t be an issue unless your dates are old.

The post Homemade No-Bake Trail Mix Granola Bars (Freezer-Friendly) appeared first on Live Simply.

As the weather gets hot(ter), which sounds kind of funny to say when you live in Florida, my desire to cook hearty meals begins to diminish.

During the sweaty Florida summers, I’d much prefer to lay out a spread of cured meats and cheese, toasted baguette or sourdough bread, pesto as a spread, and fresh fruit versus a traditional dinner meal. I can usually get away with this type of dinner at least once a week. On these laid back dinner nights, I take full advantage of my freedom from the stove by heading out to the beach or going on an extra long walk around the neighborhood with the family. There’s something incredibly fun and freeing about a finger food kind of dinner that requires very few dishes.

We still enjoy hearty meals during the summer, including soups and casseroles, but these foods definitely take a back seat to our favorite summer meals. Grilled barbecue chicken, cobb and Caesar-style salads, chicken salad sandwiches, cabbage salad, grilled steak and salad, veggie fajitas, and roasted seasonal veggies with pesto pasta are the summer stars.

Other than the refreshing nature of these recipes, my favorite part about summer food is that many of these classics may be prepared in advance, without sacrificing the final taste or textures. In fact, many of our favorite summer meals actually taste better when they’re prepared in advance. Barbecue sauce can be made during a prep time and later spread over grilled chicken or chicken kebabs. The flavor of homemade salad dressings have time to intensify when they are prepped a few days in advance. Some foods, like pesto, may even be stored in the freezer for later.

Pesto is definitely a classic summertime food/ingredient, and it’s for good reasons.

Pesto, traditionally, is made with basil, which is known as a summer-loving herb. During the summertime, basil plants flourish, and markets are usually overflowing with an abundance of freshly-picked basil. Basil is a super delicate herb, once it’s picked, which means it needs to be used quickly. Pesto is the perfect way to use up a ton of basil, since a good pesto calls for about 2-3 cups of fresh basil leaves.

Pesto is also an incredibly versatile ingredient/food for the hot summer months, when working around hot appliances (hello, gas oven) is less than desirable. Pesto may be spread on bread to add a zesty bite to a cold sandwich or wrap, or served on toasted sourdough or a baguette with tomato slices and fresh mozzarella (my favorite way to serve pesto, particularly on a finger food night). Pesto may also be served with hot food, such as homemade pizza (just a few drizzles really increases the flavor intensity of a traditional pizza) or pasta and roasted veggies.

Finally, pesto makes for a fantastic summer food because it may be prepped in advance, as mentioned earlier, and stored in the freezer for later use. Since basil leaves are delicate and go bad quickly, I like to freeze my fresh pesto in ice cube trays, then pour the frozen cubes into a large Ziploc bag. The cubes will keep for about 6 months in the freezer, which is about how long summer lasts in Florida ;). When I want to add something extra to a sandwich, or need a spread for a finger food night, I defrost a few cubes in the fridge or on the counter-top.

My reasons for making pesto during the summer could go on and on, but I’ll leave it here. I know you’re ready to blend up a jar or two of your own homemade pesto. Let’s do this!

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How to Make Easy Basil Pesto

Pesto is definitely a classic summertime food/ingredient, and it’s for good reasons.

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American

Keyword Basil Pesto

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 10 minutes minutes

Servings 1 cup

Calories 1936kcal

Author Kristin Marr

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup walnuts
• 4 small garlic cloves crushed (with a knife or the back of a spoon)
• 3 cups fresh basil leaves packed
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 1 lemon juiced
• 2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil plus or minus
• 1/2 tsp salt or to taste
• black pepper to taste

Instructions

• In a saucepan, over medium heat, toast the walnuts and garlic cloves, stirring every few minutes to avoid burning the ingredients. This usually takes about 5-7 minutes on our gas stove-top.
• Once toasted, place the toasted walnuts and garlic cloves, basil leaves, cheese, and lemon juice in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse the pesto for about 30-40 seconds, until everything is thoroughly combined and the basil leaves are finely chopped. With the food processor running (I use the high speed setting), drizzle the olive oil through the feed chute until you reach the desired consistency, add more or less olive oil as needed. I use about 2/3 cup + 2 tablespoons of olive oil for my pesto, but the final amount usually varies each time by a couple of tablespoons. If you'd like thicker pesto, use less olive oil. Finally, stir in the salt and pepper. I use 1/2 teaspoon of salt, but this amount will vary according to your taste, which is why it's added at the end.
• Store the fresh pesto in an air-tight container in the fridge for several days. Pesto is a great freezer food, too. Simply freeze the pesto in an ice cube tray, then place the frozen cubes in a baggie or freezer container.

Nutrition

Calories: 1936kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 32g | Fat: 197g | Saturated Fat: 32g | Cholesterol: 44mg | Sodium: 1938mg | Potassium: 730mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 4230IU | Vitamin C: 73.9mg | Calcium: 789mg | Iron: 6.1mg

Ingredient Notes:

Pesto is sometimes made with pine nuts. I personally don’t stock pine nuts in my pantry because they are so expensive. If you’d like to use pine nuts, use the same measurement and toasting instructions. Use a high-quality extra virgin olive oil, like California Olive Ranch (there are many great choices out there), for the best tasting pesto. I love my pesto on the oily side, and 2/3 cup is the perfect amount of oil for this kind of pesto. Use less oil for a thicker pesto.

The intensity of the garlic will vary depending on the size of your garlic cloves. I tend to use smaller garlic cloves. You can always add more garlic after you blend and taste the pesto.

Pesto is such a versatile food to keep on hand. Toss homemade pesto with pasta and roasted veggies, drizzle pesto on homemade pizza, spread pesto on a wrap or on toasted bread. Or, enjoy it straight from a spoon ;).

The post How to Make Easy Basil Pesto appeared first on Live Simply.

Contributor post written by Renee from Raising Generation Nourished

Afternoons get a little crazy around these parts.

While my 6 and 4 year-old are recovering from the school day, my 2 year-old is recovering from being carted around in the minivan taxi all morning, only to get shorted on her nap to get back into the elusive minivan taxi for another school pick up. And Momma is just keeping up with all the hustle and bustle while trying to get dinner ready.

I am not a huge afternoon snack person. I have found when it comes to kids, dinner just gets eaten better when they haven’t been snacking all day, but we found out really quick during our first year of full-time school last year that school days are long.

And those kids are so hungry when they get out of school. A simple, nutrient dense snack can be the difference between whining all the way until dinnertime, or your sanity saved with kids that have balanced blood sugars and a little energy boost to make it to the dinner meal.

Simple snacks are the name of my game, and even better yet is a snack that my 6 year old can fix herself. Most days she’ll grab veggie sticks and 5 minute Ranch from the fridge, or a handful of granola to put in a little cup of yogurt. But it is pretty fun to surprise them with a cookie every now and again!

My simple snack mantra is still alive with these Cranberry Walnut Snack Cookies! Literally everything goes into the food processor to blend. The cookies are then scooped onto the cookie sheet, baked in a warm oven, and ready in 10 minutes! This recipe makes a little over a dozen cookies, so the leftovers can be frozen for super quick snacks on the go or a fun lunchbox treat.

And bonus…

The kids will never know you didn’t use regular sugar to sweeten these delicious cookies! Potassium loaded dates make a great naturally-sweetened cookie! The walnuts are barely noticeable in case you have nut detectives in your home – they provide a great fat and protein source to balance their blood sugar and feed their brain!

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Cranberry Walnut Snack Cookies

My simple snack mantra is still alive with these Cranberry Walnut Snack Cookies! 

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword Snack Cookies

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 12 minutes minutes

Total Time 17 minutes minutes

Servings 12 cookies

Calories 261kcal

Author Kristin Marr

Ingredients

• 2 cups walnuts I like to use crispy walnuts for better digestion - I keep large bags of soaked/dehydrated nuts in my freezer for easy grab and go!
• 4-5 medjool dates pitted
• 1 1/2 cups tapioca flour
• 2 eggs I think flax eggs will work here for the bind if you're egg free - the cookies might not puff up as much but they will still work!
• 1/4 cup butter softened
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp pure almond extract vanilla works too!
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries I get big bags of dried organic cranberries at Costco

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350F.
• Put the walnuts in your food processor and blend until they resemble a meal-type flour. The walnuts won't get super fine, but don't leave huge pieces. If you pulse too far, the walnuts will get pasty from the oils in the nuts--don't go this far.
• Add the rest of the ingredients except the cranberries to the food processor and blend to combine.
• Add the cranberries and pulse to mix into the batter.
• Scoop the batter onto a Silpat or parchment paper lined cookie sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes. Cool before serving. To freeze, just wrap the cookies individually and throw them into a freezer bag! You could also just freeze the dough and defrost at a later time.

Notes

Find my favorite kitchen essentials, here.

Nutrition

Calories: 261kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 37mg | Sodium: 45mg | Potassium: 238mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 170IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 66mg | Iron: 1mg

The post Gluten-Free Cranberry Walnut Snack Cookies appeared first on Live Simply.