Even just a few years ago, people were asking, “What is hummus?” It was still considered an exotic dip or something that you’d eat at a Middle Eastern restaurant but probably couldn’t get your hands on in the store.

My, how things change. Hummus is one of the most popular dips out there now, with tons of brands and flavors available.

Like with most foods, though, I prefer making my own hummus recipe. While I always enjoy a good classic recipe, sometimes you need to mix things up a bit in the kitchen!

Enter beet hummus.

Key Ingredients

Hummus has its roots in Middle Eastern cultures, where it’s served at nearly every meal. It’s usually made from chickpeas and tahini, making it a veggie-friendly dip that’s perfect for spreading on bread, eating with veggies or just enjoy on its own.

The beauty of hummus is because it’s such a basic recipe, it’s simple to jazz things up according to your family’s tastes.

Extra garlic? Sure.

Spicy harissa? Yum!

Beet hummus, however, is not one you often see in supermarket refrigerators, so I’m extra excited to bring you this homemade hummus recipe.

What is beet hummus made of, and is beet hummus good for you?

Beets are a terrific source of vitamins and minerals. They’re especially high in disease-fighting antioxidants and have anti-inflammatory properties.

They lend a gorgeous hue to this hummus, too, but more importantly, eating a wide range of fruits and veggies exposes you to a ton of healthy nutrients. If you constantly eat the same vegetables, you miss out on what other, oft-overlooked foods (like beets!), have to offer.

I love this beet hummus recipe because it’s an easy way to add this vegetable into my diet. (For this important vegetable that unfortunately has been genetically modified, make sure you get organic beets.)

Because it’s still made with protein-rich chickpeas, too, you have a vegan beet dip that’s easy to make and delicious to eat.

How to Make Beet Hummus

Let’s make this hummus dip!

Start by preheating the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Place the sliced beets on a baking tray that’s been lined with parchment paper.

Roast the beets for half hour or until they’re fork tender. This will make them easier to whip into hummus, while also adding a ton of flavor.

Next, add the rest of the ingredients to the food processor, and blend on high.

One of the benefits of hummus is that it’s full of protein because of the chickpeas. It’s also loaded with fiber to keep you feeling satiated.

Tahini, or grounded sesame seeds, is also heart-healthy and loaded with “good” fats.

The lemon adds a nice, fresh zing.

Once the beet hummus has been blended, season it with sea salt and pepper to taste.

I love how colorful this beet hummus is! Top it off with sesame seeds, and serve with freshly chopped veggies.

This roasted beet hummus recipe makes an excellent appetizer or snack. Enjoy!

Healthy, Homemade Roasted Beet Hummus Recipe

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• Author: Dr. Josh Axe
• Total Time: 40 minutes
• Yield: 7
• Diet: Gluten Free

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Hummus is one of the most popular dips out there. If you’re looking to make your own healthy version with a twist, try my beet hummus recipe.

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Ingredients

• 2 large beets, washed and sliced
• one 15-ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 2.5 tablespoons tahini
• 2 cloves garlic, smashed
• juice of 1 lemon
• sea salt and pepper to taste

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Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 F.
2. Place the beets on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
3. Roast for 30 minutes or until fork tender.
4. Add all ingredients to a food processor, and blend on high until well-combined.
5. Serve with freshly chopped veggies.

• Prep Time: 10 min
• Cook Time: 30 min
• Category: Dips
• Method: Oven/Blender
• Cuisine: Middle Eastern

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 97g
• Calories: 129
• Sugar: 4.2g
• Sodium: 153mg
• Fat: 4.4g
• Saturated Fat: 0.5g
• Unsaturated Fat: 3.9g
• Trans Fat: 0g
• Carbohydrates: 18g
• Fiber: 5g
• Protein: 5.6g
• Cholesterol: 0mg

Keywords: how to make beet hummus, beet hummus recipe, roasted beet hummus,

The post Healthy, Homemade Roasted Beet Hummus Recipe appeared first on Dr. Axe.

These are also no-bake granola bars, which means this is one chewy granola bar! If you’re looking for a great recipe for oat bars or coconut bars, this recipe has you covered on both accounts with hearty gluten-free oats and rich pieces of coconut. It’s also low in sugar with great macronutrients, unlike most. Learning how to make these granola bars is also easy as can be.

Why Are Most Granola Bars Unhealthy?

Granola and pre-packaged granola bars commonly make the list of secretly unhealthy foods for good reason. The problem with most granola bars on shelves today is that they are not made of healthy, whole-food ingredients. Instead, they are loaded with refined sugars and unhealthy fats yet low in fiber, healthy fat and vital nutrients. The source of sugar in many conventional granola bars is often health hazardous high fructose corn syrup.

The high sugar content of most granola bars, even many homemade granola bar recipes, is something you really want to avoid for the sake of your health. Consuming too much sugar is well-known to lead to weight gain, inflammation and even wrinkles.

Conventional granola bars (and granola cereal) are also known for containing unhealthy partially hydrogenated oils, which means they contain trans fat. This is a highly concerning ingredient since trans fat increase LDL (“bad”) cholesterol in the body while lowering HDL (“good”) cholesterol.

This recipe completely skips the refined sugars and gets its sweetness from maple syrup and dark chocolate chips. These bars wouldn’t be the same if they were totally unsweetened plus the maple syrup helps to bind the ingredients together. If you’re not a fan of maple syrup, molasses is another natural sweetener with a similar consistency to help hold the bars together. You can also use honey but don’t heat it up, as that can create inflammatory properties.

Instead of hydrogenated oils, these homemade granola bars contain blood sugar-balancing good fat from ingredients like almond butter and coconut. Other healthy fat additions you might want to consider adding to homemade chewy granola bars or crunchy granola bars include chia seeds and nuts like pecans, almonds or walnuts.

Nutrition Facts

One serving of these homemade granola bars contain about:

• 156 calories
• 20.4 grams carbohydrates
• 2.8 grams fiber
• 7.3 grams sugar
• 6.8 grams fat
• 4.6 grams protein

You’ll note that this is perhaps the most balanced macronutrient granola bar you can find, with 20 grams of carbohydrates, 7 grams of fat and 5 grams of protein. In other words, it’s much lower in overall carbs and far lower in sugar than even rival homemade granola bar recipes.

What makes this granola bars recipe healthy? Here are some of the healthy and delicious stars of this homemade granola bar recipe:

• Almond butter: When you purchase almond butter, you’re looking for one that only has one main ingredient: almonds. Almond nutrition is rich in protein, fiber, calcium, iron and many other essential nutrients.
• Oats: Oats are a wonderful source of soluble fiber, specifically a type called beta-glucans, which research has shown can help to naturally lower cholesterol when eaten regularly. To avoid any cross-contamination with wheat, rye or barley, look for oats labeled “certified gluten-free.” Puffed rice is another gluten-free ingredient that you could use along oats.
• Dark chocolate chips: Not all chocolate is created equal, so if you’re looking to get the highest antioxidant and nutrient content from your chocolate, opt for an organic dark chocolate with at least a 70 percent cocoa content or higher. The higher the cocoa content, the lower the sugar as well, so that’s another plus.
• Maple syrup: One of the best natural sweeteners, maple syrup also can help lower inflammation, supply nutrients and better manage blood sugar, all while helping to make recipes taste great.

How to Make Healthy Granola Bars

Since these are no-bake granola bars, you don’t even need to preheat the oven before you get started making this healthy granola bar recipe. This recipe also only has six ingredients — many of which you may likely have on hand already. Minus the “cooking time” (more like sitting time) in the fridge, these homemade granola bars only take about 10 minutes to make!

The first step is to add the almond butter and maple syrup to a small pot over low heat and stir until they are well combined but are not hot (this shouldn’t take long at all). Once the almond butter and maple syrup are mixed together, you can remove the pot from the heat and set it aside.

Start putting the remaining ingredients into a large bowl. Once you have everything in the large bowl, you can mix it together lightly.

Pour the warm almond butter mixture atop the contents of the large bowl.

Stir until well incorporated.

In an 8×8 baking dish greased with coconut oil, dump, pack and flatten the mixture using your hands.

Cover the baking dish and refrigerate until firm (about an hour).

Cover the baking dish and refrigerate until firm (about an hour).

Slice into bars or squares, and that’s it.

Enjoy your healthy homemade granola bars!

Looking for other healthy snack bars? Try these recipes:

• Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
• Quinoa Crispy Bars
• Pumpkin Bars
• Lemon Bars
• Cheesecake Bars

Homemade Granola Bars Recipe

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• Author: Dr. Josh Axe
• Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
• Yield: 24
• Diet: Gluten Free

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Granola bars should be one of the great snacks, but nearly all store-bought and even homemade granola bars have way too much sugar and not enough good fats or protein in them. This chewy granola bar recipe fixed those problems with six healthy ingredients to produce the perfect granola bar.

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Ingredients

• ¾ cup maple syrup
• ¾ cup creamy almond butter, unsalted
• 2½ cups organic, gluten-free rolled oats
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• ¼ cup dark chocolate chips
• ¼ cup desiccated coconut

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Instructions

1. In a small pot, over low heat, add the almond butter and maple syrup, stirring until well-combined but are not hot (this should happen quickly).
2. Remove from heat and set aside.
3. In a large bowl, add the remaining ingredients.
4. Pour the warm almond butter mixture atop, stirring until well-incorporated.
5. In an 8×8 baking dish, greased with coconut oil, dump, pack and flatten the mixture using your hands.
6. Cover and refrigerate until firm (about an hour).
7. Slice into bars or squares.

• Prep Time: 10 min
• Cook Time: 1 hour
• Category: Snacks, Desserts
• Method: No Bake
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 bar (37g)
• Calories: 156
• Sugar: 7.3g
• Sodium: 54mg
• Fat: 6.8g
• Saturated Fat: 1.4g
• Unsaturated Fat: 4.9g
• Trans Fat: 0g
• Carbohydrates: 20.4g
• Fiber: 2.8g
• Protein: 4.6g
• Cholesterol: 0mg

Keywords: homemade granola bars, gluten-free granola bars, granola bar recipe, chewy granola bars, healthy granola bars

The post Perfect Homemade Granola Bars: Low in Sugar & Delicious appeared first on Dr. Axe.

You can eat pumpkin seeds raw, but many people enjoy pumpkin seeds roasted and crunchy even more. This pumpkin seeds recipe comes with even more health-boosting ingredients like cayenne pepper, which some research shows may help you to burn more calories while decreasing your appetite. What else is in my roasted pumpkin seeds seasoning? Other flavorful and healthy powerhouses like chili powder and paprika.

So how do you eat roasted pumpkin seeds? You can eat them by themselves or add them to healthy recipes as a topping. For example, they make a perfect crunchy addition to a salad. Is this the best pumpkin seed recipe? It just may be. Give it a try and find out!

Why Soak Pumpkin Seeds

Seeds, nuts and beans all naturally contain anti-nutrients, which can make them difficult to digest and make it harder to absorb their nutrients. Pumpkin seeds, for example, contain an anti-nutrient and enzyme inhibitor called phytic acid. Phytic acid is specifically known for decreasing the absorption of vital nutrients like iron, zinc, magnesium and calcium.

Why do healthy foods contain these anti-nutrients? These anti-nutrients help to protect plants from predators, and they also prevent premature sprouting. So while these compounds may be good for the plants themselves, they’re not the best for the people who eat them.

The good news is there is a way to reduce these anti-nutrients and make oven roasted pumpkin seeds even healthier. How? By soaking the seeds before roasting them. Soaking and sprouting seeds help to make them easier on the digestive system and increase nutrient availability. If you’d like, you can sprout your pumpkin seeds before roasting as well.

Some people opt to boil raw pumpkin seeds in salty water rather than wait for the seeds to soak for eight hours. In addition to soaking and sprouting, boiling is another way to reduce or deactivate anti-nutrients like phytic acid.

Nutrition Facts

Are toasted pumpkin seeds good for you? As you’re about to see, roasted pumpkin seeds nutrition is impressive, with numerous essential vitamins and minerals in every single bite!

A quarter cup (around 35 grams) of these spicy roasted pumpkin seeds contains about:

• 113 calories
• 3.1 grams protein
• 7.8 grams fat
• 8.9 grams carbohydrate
• 3.1 grams fiber
• 0 grams sugar
• 198.9 milligrams sodium
• 1.6 milligrams zinc (15 percent DV)
• 0.1 milligrams copper (11 percent DV)
• 42 milligrams magnesium (10 percent DV)
• 0.1 milligrams manganese (4 percent DV)
• 0.5 milligrams iron (2.8 percent DV)
• 14.7 milligrams phosphorus (1.2 percent DV)
• 10.8 milligrams calcium (1 percent DV)

How to Make Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

There are variations for how to roast pumpkin seeds with different times and temperatures, but I would not leave out the step of soaking, or at least boiling, the seeds before roasting to really get the most (nutritionally speaking) out of any pumpkin seeds recipe.

Once you have a pumpkin on hand, the first step is removing the seeds from the inside of the pumpkin. Once you cut the pumpkin in half or around the stem (if you’re making a jack-o’-lantern), pull the clumps of seeds out. Some seeds will be attached to the inner flesh of the pumpkin, so you’ll have to wash off any leftover flesh that you can’t easily pick off with your fingers. No harm if you leave some on though …

Next, you’ll place the pumpkin seeds in salty warm water (I recommend using filtered water rather than tap water). Make sure the seeds are completely submerged. Now, let them sit and soak at room temperature for the next 8 hours, or overnight. After soaking, drain the seeds and rinse them in a colander before putting them on a baking sheet to dry out for at least eight hours. Another option is to use a dehydrator or blot them with paper towels until dry.

While the oven is preheating, simply combine the roasted pumpkin seeds seasoning ingredients with the pumpkin seeds and avocado oil. Toss well and spread the seeds out on a baking sheet and cook them until they are lightly browned. Watch the seeds carefully toward the end of the cooking time as an extra minute or two can easily turn the seeds from a nice golden brown to overdone.

Enjoy your roasted pumpkin seeds by themselves as a snack or throw some into your next salad. They’re also a great crunchy topping for soup, such as pumpkin soup or butternut squash soup, or even a homemade pumpkin pie cheesecake.

Spicy Roasted Pumpkin Seeds Recipe

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• Author: Dr. Josh Axe
• Total Time: 40 minutes
• Yield: 8
• Diet: Vegan

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Spicy roasted pumpkins seeds are one of the great snacks, and they’re really easy to make. They also go well sprinkle on soups, salads and even select desserts.

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Ingredients

• 1½ cups raw, fresh pumpkin seeds
• ½ teaspoon sea salt, plus additional for soaking
• 2 tablespoons avocado oil
• ½ teaspoon chili powder
• ½ teaspoon paprika
• ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• ¼ teaspoon cumin

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Instructions

1. Remove seeds from pumpkin and wash off leftover flesh. Or buy raw pumpkin seeds.
2. Soak pumpkin seeds in warm water with salt for 8 hours at room temperature.
3. Remove the pumpkin seeds from water and let dry on a baking sheet at room temperature for 8 hours.
4. Preheat oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit.
5. Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and toss to combine.
6. Spread the seasoned seeds on a baking sheet, bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown, tossing every 10 minutes.
7. If needed, increase the temperature to 400 F for additional time until browned. Watch carefully for burning.

• Prep Time: 10 min
• Cook Time: 30 min
• Category: Snacks, Toppings
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1/4 cup (35g)
• Calories: 159
• Sugar: 0.3g
• Sodium: 198mg
• Fat: 14.4g
• Saturated Fat: 2.3g
• Unsaturated Fat: 10.8g
• Trans Fat: 0g
• Carbohydrates: 3.5g
• Fiber: 1.6g
• Protein: 6.7g
• Cholesterol: 0mg

Keywords: roasted pumpkin seeds, spicy pumpkin seeds

The post Spicy Roasted Pumpkin Seeds Recipe appeared first on Dr. Axe.

Let’s face it, guacamole can be used in a ton of ways. It’s a dressing, dip, spread and snack — it’s also wonderful as avocado toast. It’s vegan-friendly, gluten-free and good for you. But it needs to be made right, which you’ll be able to do with this easy guacamole recipe.

Key Ingredients

Guacamole is healthy because avocados are high in healthy monounsaturated fats, such as oleic acid. They also have anti-inflammatory properties and are high in potassium, magnesium and fiber. This is exactly why they are considered one of the world’s healthiest superfoods.

Other ingredients in this easy guacamole recipe include garlic and cilantro — two nutrient-dense herbs that contain antioxidants and possess anti-inflammatory, health-promoting properties.

Of course, another key part of guacamole is the jalapeño pepper, which contains the beneficial compound knowns as capsaicin.

But with avocados and guacamole, there can be too much of a good thing. Keep in mind that avocados are higher in calories, and although you don’t have to count your calories to be healthy, you should be mindful of portions when consuming high-calorie foods.

Guacamole Nutrition Facts

Guacamole is packed with nutrients and that’s mostly because of the avocado. This superfood fruit contain heart-healthy fats, fiber, folate, vitamin K, vitamin C, potassium and more.

The ingredients added to this guacamole recipe only enhance the nutrition profile. Garlic contains alliin and allicin, two health-promoting sulfur compounds, and it’s rich in flavonoids. While cilantro supports detoxification and lime is loaded with vitamin C.

One serving of this homemade guacamole contains approximately:

• 138 calories
• 2 grams protein
• 12 grams fat
• 9 grams carbohydrates
• 1.4 grams sugar
• 5.8 grams fiber
• 473 milligrams sodium (32 percent DV)
• 20 micrograms vitamin K (23 percent DV)
• 14.2 milligrams vitamin C (19 percent DV)
• 0.24 milligrams vitamin B6 (19 percent DV)
• 0.17 milligrams copper (19 percent DV)
• 70 micrograms folate (18 percent DV)
• 328 IU vitamin A (14 percent DV)
• 1.8 milligrams vitamin E (12 percent DV)
• 1.5 milligrams vitamin B3 (11 percent DV)
• 461 milligrams potassium (10 percent DV)
• 0.1 milligrams vitamin B2 (10 percent DV)

How to Make Guacamole

As promised, this simple guacamole recipe is easy to make. First, make sure your avocado is ready for great guac. A too firm avocado means much less workable “meat” and not as much flavor. Ideally, the avocado is a little soft to the touch and there aren’t any rotten bits. Often this can take a few days after buying it from the market.

For the recipe, for each avocado, slice lengthwise around the avocado seed, being careful with the knife. Open the avocado and carefully pop out the seed with the knife. Spoon out the avocado meat into a large bowl. Add lime juice, minced garlic and sea salt.

With a spoon or fork, mash together until mixture becomes creamy.

Add in diced jalapeño pepper, tomato, red onion and cilantro, and mix with a spoon until well combined. For the jalapeño pepper, make sure you thoroughly scoop out the seeds.

Serve immediately with sliced red peppers, celery or carrots. If your diet allows some carbohydrates, consider serving with some organic blue corn tortilla chips. It also makes a great breakfast: avocado toast!

Potential Add-Ins

When it comes to making an easy guacamole recipe, you have plenty of add-in options. This recipe calls for lime juice, garlic, sea salt, tomato, red onion and cilantro.

The combination of flavors in this creamy guacamole enhances the flavor, so if you want to know what to add to guacamole to make it best better — try these!

Looking for more potential add-ins for making guacamole from scratch? Try some seasonings, like pepper, paprika and cayenne pepper. Lemon juice enhances the flavor of guacamole and adding balsamic vinegar can add to the acidity, but features a bit of sweetness, too.

Storage Instructions

You’re likely familiar with the way guacamole turns a sad brown color over time. Even after an hour of being out, the color begins to change. This happens because the smashed avocado is exposed to air and an enzyme in the fruit reacts with the oxygen to cause this color.

So how do you make guacamole so it doesn’t turn brown? One way is to store the guac in a container, make sure it’s pressed down flat so there are no air pockets and cover the surface with a little bit water. Then seal the container. This ensures that no air gets inside.

Another way is to store the guac in a container and again, press it down and smooth-over the top so there are no air pockets. Then cover it with plastic wrap that sits against the surface of the guacamole, allowing no air to get inside.

There you have it — the best guacamole recipe that you can prepare ahead of time for entertaining or keep in the fridge for yourself.

Other Recipes that Use Avocado

• Creamy Avocado Cilantro Lime Dressing Recipe
• Huevos Rancheros Recipe
• Blackened Salmon
• Avocado Deviled Eggs
• Keto Smoothie Recipe

Guacamole Recipe

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• Author: Dr. Josh Axe
• Total Time: 10 min
• Yield: 6
• Diet: Vegan

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Guacamole is a dressing, dip, spread and snack. It’s vegan-friendly, gluten-free and very healthy. Here’s a classic yet simple recipe, with eight ideal ingredients helping it burst with flavor.

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Ingredients

• 2 very ripe avocados
• 1 lime
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• 1 jalapeño pepper, diced and with seeds removed
• 1 medium tomato, diced
• ¼ cup of diced red onion
• ¼ cup of chopped cilantro

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Instructions

1. Slice open the avocados, lengthwise and carefully. Spoon out avocados into large bowl.
2. Add lime juice, minced garlic and sea salt.
3. With a fork, mash together until mixture becomes creamy.
4. Add in diced jalapeño pepper, tomato, red onion as well as cilantro, and mix with a spoon until well combined. For the jalapeño pepper, make sure you thoroughly scoop out the seeds.
5. Serve immediately with sliced red peppers, celery or carrots. If your diet allows carbohydrates, serve with organic blue corn tortilla chips.

Notes

To store, place the guacamole in a container and press it down and smooth-over the top so there are no air pockets. Then cover it with plastic wrap that sits against the surface of the guacamole, allowing no air to get inside.

• Prep Time: 5 min
• Category: Snacks
• Method: By hand
• Cuisine: Mexican

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1
• Calories: 137
• Sugar: 1.4g
• Sodium: 16mg
• Fat: 12g
• Saturated Fat: 1g
• Unsaturated Fat: 8g
• Trans Fat: 0g
• Carbohydrates: 9g
• Fiber: 5.8g
• Protein: 2g
• Cholesterol: 0mg

Keywords: authentic guacamole, easy guacamole, simple guacamole, guacamole recipe, how to make guacamole

The post Easy Guacamole Recipe, with 8 Ingredients appeared first on Dr. Axe.

Key Ingredients

Almond flour: It’s simply ground-up almonds so it gives you all of the original almond’s health benefits. One cup of this flour contains about 90 almonds and provides more than 100 percent of the daily requirement for vitamin E. It’s super versatile and can be used in all kinds of baked foods.

Coconut flour: High in fiber, protein and healthy fats, it’s also free from wheat and other grains. It is also low in sugar, digestible carbohydrates and calories. Plus, this flour has a low score on the glycemic index. This makes coconut flour a favorite among Paleo dieters, gluten-free eaters.

Eggs: Eggs are also a great source of protein and can help provide a wealth of important nutrients, including selenium, vitamin B12, phosphorus and riboflavin, all of which play a key role in overall health.

Strawberries: Most of the health benefits associated with strawberry nutrition are due to the presence of anti-inflammatory antioxidants. Strawberries contain numerous anti-aging flavonoid antioxidants, including anthocyanin and catechin, in addition to many others, that are associated with lowering the risk for chronic diseases.

How to Make Strawberry Shortcake Cupcakes

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F and place 12 cupcake liners in a muffin pan.

Sift dry ingredients — almond flour, coconut flour, baking soda, sea salt — together into a bowl. Add the coconut flakes separately.

Separate the yolk from the whites of two of the eggs. Set the egg whites aside.

Next, combine 3 whole eggs, two egg yolks, coconut oil, maple syrup, vanilla and lemon juice with a hand mixer. Be careful that you don’t over mix.

Turn the mixer to low and add the dry mixture and wet mixture in alternate batches until the batter has no lumps.

In a small bowl, beat the egg whites until thick, soft peaks form. (Using a hand mixer works best.) Fold into the batter very gently with a scraper.

Pour or spoon batter evenly into the 12 cupcake liners. Bake for about 20 minutes or until done. Allow to cool for 5–10 minutes, then carefully remove cupcakes from the pan. Cool completely.

When the cupcakes are cool, cut a small circle off the top and scoop out a little of the cupcake and put one whole strawberry in the cupcake.

Frost the cupcakes with the whipped coconut cream.

Strawberry Shortcake Cupcakes Recipe

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• Author: Dr. Josh Axe
• Total Time: 30 minutes
• Yield: 12
• Diet: Gluten Free

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This strawberry shortcake cupcakes recipe includes only the best ingredients, and it’s free of refined sugars and gluten. Sweet enough for dessert but also not overly sweet, so it’s also suitable for a healthy snack!

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Ingredients

• 1 cup almond flour
• ½ cup coconut flour
• ¼ teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon sea salt
• ¼ cup coconut flakes, unsweetened
• 5 eggs
• ½ cup maple syrup
• ½ cup coconut oil, melted
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 12 whole strawberries
• 2 cups whipped coconut cream

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Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Place 12 cupcake liners in a muffin pan.
3. Sift dry ingredients together into a bowl. Add the coconut flakes separately.
4. Separate the yolk from the whites of 2 of the eggs. Set the egg whites aside.
5. Combine 3 whole eggs, two egg yolks, coconut oil, maple syrup, vanilla and lemon juice with a hand mixer. Be careful that you don’t over mix.
6. Turn the mixer to low and add the dry mixture and wet mixture in alternate batches until the batter has no lumps.
7. In a small bowl beat the egg whites until thick, soft peaks form. (Using a hand mixer works best.) Fold into the batter very gently.
8. Pour or spoon batter evenly into the 12 cupcake liners.
9. Bake for about 20 minutes or until done. Allow to cool for 5–10 minutes, then carefully remove cupcakes from the pan. Cool completely.
10. When the cupcakes are cool, cut a small circle off the top and scoop out a little of the cupcake and put one whole strawberry in the cupcake.
11. Frost the cupcakes with the whipped coconut cream.

• Prep Time: 10 min
• Cook Time: 20 min
• Category: Desserts, Snacks
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 cupcake (92g)
• Calories: 258
• Sugar: 9.7g
• Sodium: 112mg
• Fat: 21.7g
• Saturated Fat: 14.5g
• Unsaturated Fat: 5.9g
• Trans Fat: 0g
• Carbohydrates: 13.5g
• Fiber: 1.5g
• Protein: 4.9g
• Cholesterol: 68mg

Keywords: strawberry shortcake cupcakes recipe, gluten-free strawberry shortcake cupcakes

The post Strawberry Shortcake Cupcakes Recipe appeared first on Dr. Axe.

Plantains are less sweet yet starchier than bananas. Unlike their cousins, they’re often cooked rather than eaten raw. They’re full of vitamins, especially vitamins A and C. They’re also loaded with potassium and are high in fiber, keeping your digestion system running, ahem, smoothly.

If you’re ready to add plantains to your menu but aren’t sure how, you’re in luck. My fried plantains recipe is super simple and so tasty. It makes an excellent side or a quick snack.

What Are Fried Plantains?

Plantains are commonly enjoyed in the Caribbean islands and Latin America. They’re enjoyed at almost any time — as a snack, alongside your meal or for dessert. While this fried plantains recipe is already naturally sweet, if you’re craving an even sweeter treat, you can adapt this recipe to include a bit of coconut sugar, which will create a caramelization on the outside of the plantain slices.

Once you eat caramelized or fried plantains, you won’t want to stop. The best part is you can enjoy this tropical dish in the comfort of your own home … but you’ll feel like you’re on a beach in Jamaica.

Another way to enjoy plantains is using green plantains and slicing it thin and then baking in the oven for plantain chips.

How to Make Fried Plantains

Here’s how to fry plantains. First, make sure you wait until the plantains are ripe, when the peels are mottled yellow and black.

Start by heating a tablespoon of coconut oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. While it warms up, diagonally slice the plantains crosswise about a half-inch thick.

Add the plantains to the pan and sprinkle with cinnamon. Let the slices cook for 5–6 minutes before flipping and sprinkling the rest of the cinnamon on top. Cook for another 5–6 minutes or until the fried plantains are cooked through and browned. That’s all there is to it!

Fried plantains are yummy served hot but still tasty cold — and they reheat beautifully.

Try serving them alongside a spicy chicken and rice dish or as a snacking alternative to popcorn or crackers and hummus. Plantain recipes are versatile, unique and delicious. You won’t mistake them for a banana again.

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Fried Plantains Recipe

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• Author: Dr. Josh Axe
• Total Time: 15 min
• Yield: 2
• Diet: Vegan

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Plantains are less sweet yet starchier and delicious in recipes. Waiting until the fruit is ripe, this fried plantains recipe is super simple to make. It makes an excellent side or a quick snack.

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Ingredients

• 2 ripe plantains (with peels mottled yellow and black)
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon, divided

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Instructions

1. Heat a large skillet over medium-low heat.
2. Peel and diagonally slice the plantains into half-inch slices.
3. Add the coconut oil to the heated pan, allowing it to melt.
4. Add the plantains to the pan. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of cinnamon evenly over the plantains. Allow plantains to cook for 5–6 minutes.
5. Flip, sprinkle the rest of the cinnamon and let cook for another 5–6 minutes.

• Prep Time: 3 min
• Cook Time: 12 min
• Category: Sides Dishes, Snacks
• Method: Stovetop
• Cuisine: Jamaican

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 serving (188g)
• Calories: 283
• Sugar: 26.9g
• Sodium: 7mg
• Fat: 7.5g
• Saturated Fat: 6.1g
• Unsaturated Fat: 0.7g
• Trans Fat: 0g
• Carbohydrates: 59.2g
• Fiber: 5.5g
• Protein: 2.4g
• Cholesterol: 0mg

Keywords: fried plantains recipe, jamaican fried plantains, fried green plantains, fried ripe plantains

The post Fried Ripe Plantains, the Ultimate Caribbean Snack appeared first on Dr. Axe.

Introducing Keto Tortilla Chips, with a hint of lime. Made mostly from almond flour and goat cheese, these are low-carb, hold together nicely and are delicious. Serve with a low-carb salsa and enjoy without guilt!

Key Ingredients

Goat cheese: Goat’s cheese is a good alternative to cow’s milk cheeses because it’s lower in lactose, contains type 2 casein protein, is typically easier to digest, and is usually much less allergenic and inflammatory.

Almond flour: People love almond meal because it’s a gluten-free flour, and it’s also a great choice for anyone on a low-carbohydrate diet. Science has shown that almonds are a natural powerhouse when it comes to heart health, blood sugar management and even some types of cancer.

Lime: This citrus fruit is a powerhouse of nutrition, a good amount of fiber and vitamin C. Plus it adds a bit of zing to these keto tortilla chips.

Sea salt: High-quality sea salts typically contain upwards of 60 trace minerals and for specific types like Himalayan sea salt, that number is said to be closer to 84. Either way, sea salts are a great source of micronutrients.

How to Make Keto Tortilla Chips

Preheat the oven to 350 F. In a small, microwavable bowl, heat goat cheese in increments of 15 seconds until fully melted. Stir to combine. Alternatively, use a small pot over a low flame on the stovetop.

On a cutting board, first zest the lime and then slice each lime and squeeze out the juice in a small bowl.

In a mixing bowl, add in almond flour with the melted goat cheese, plus the lime zest, lime juice and sea salt. If you find the dough is too dry, add in one tablespoon of water at a time until it forms a ball of thick dough. If the dough is too wet, add in almond flour, one tablespoon at a time.

Place a sheet of parchment paper onto an even surface. Place the ball of dough onto it and lightly flatten with your hands.

Place the second piece of parchment paper on top and then use a rolling pin to roll the dough into a rectangle/square shape until flat and thick, around ¼ inch. 

Using a pizza cutter, cut the dough into triangles. Use leftover scraps and repeat the process to make additional chips. 

Place tortilla chips on a lined baking sheet, and bake for 8–10 minutes, or until golden. Remove from the oven and let cool on a cooling rack.

Enjoy with some fresh salsa or especially guacamole!

Keto Tortilla Chips with Hint of Lime

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• Author: Holly Darnell, RD
• Total Time: 25 minutes
• Yield: 4 servings
• Diet: Vegan

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Made mostly from almond flour and goat cheese, these keto-friendly tortilla chips are low-carb, hold together nicely and are delicious. Serve with guacamole and enjoy without guilt!

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Ingredients

• 4 ounces goat cheese
• 1 cup almond flour
• 1 lime, zested
• 2 lime, juiced
• 2 teaspoons sea salt or Maldon flaky sea salt

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Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350. 
2. In a small, microwavable bowl, heat goat cheese in increments of 15 seconds until fully melted. Stir to combine. 
3. In a medium bowl, add in almond flour, goat cheese, lime zest, lime juice and sea salt. If you find the dough is too dry, add in 1 Tablespoon of water at a time until it forms a ball of thick dough. If the dough is too wet, add in almond flour, 1 Tablespoon at a time.
4. Place a sheet of parchment paper onto an even surface. Place the ball of dough onto it and lightly flatten with your hands.
5. Place the second piece of parchment paper on top and then use a rolling pin to roll the dough into a rectangle/square shape until flat and thick, around ¼ inch. 
6. Using a pizza cutter, cut the dough into triangles. Use leftover scraps and repeat the process to make additional chips. 
7. Place tortilla chips on a lined baking sheet, and bake for 8-10 minutes, or until golden. Remove from the oven and let cool on a cooling rack.

Notes

Serve with any kind of low-carb salsa (most qualify) or, perhaps even better, keto-friendly guacamole.

• Prep Time: 15min
• Cook Time: 10min
• Category: Snacks
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: Mexican

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 serving (79g)
• Calories: 281
• Sugar: 2.1g
• Sodium: 790mg
• Fat: 22.8g
• Saturated Fat: 7.9g
• Unsaturated Fat: 10.7g
• Trans Fat: 0g
• Carbohydrates: 8g
• Fiber: 3.3g
• Protein: 14.4g
• Cholesterol: 30mg

Keywords: keto tortilla chips recipe, low carb tortilla chips

The post Keto Tortilla Chips with Hint of Lime appeared first on Dr. Axe.

What Is An Acai Bowl?

Acai is actually a type of berry that’s native to Central and South America, particularly Brazil. The antioxidant-rich fruit is packed with nutritional benefits, including fiber and electrolytes. In Brazil, acai bowls are sold on the beaches and at juice bars, usually blended with guarana and topped with fruit. In Brazil, Amazonian tribes like the Caboclo have been eating acai for hundreds of years, but it’s only recently that the trend has caught up to the west, and we’re lucky it has!

Acai bowls are the ultimate healthy breakfast when you’re craving something a little sweet. They’re easy to make, delicious to eat and can be packed with as much goodness as you like. One of the reasons acai was slow to reach this part of the world is that the fruit doesn’t last long; Acai berries perish soon after they’re picked, making them nearly impossible to export from Brazil as a whole fruit.

Wondering where to buy acai? Instead, here in the States, you’ll likely find frozen acai berry puree in the freezer section of your local health food store and large supermarkets.

Types of Acai Bowls

Now, there are endless combinations of acai bowl recipes and toppings, but for all of them, the acai berry puree will make up the base. The trick to the perfect acai bowl is getting the texture right. You want to be able to eat the bowl with a spoon, but you don’t want it to be too thick. Blending the puree with a combination of fruits and adding a splash of your preferred milk if necessary usually does the trick.

As for acai bowl toppings, the sky’s the limit! Of course, what you put on the bowl will affect the acai bowl calories. I’m a fan of adding some more texture to each spoonful through crunchy toppings, like cacao nibs, granola or seeds. If you’re feeling extra ambitious, you can even make your own grainless granola to put on top.

I think this acai bowl recipe has the right mix. We’ll keep the tropical theme going by mixing the acai puree with a mango or papaya and adding some fresh bananas and your favorite berry. Once it’s all blended, we’ll top things off with seeds, coconut and more fruit.

How to Make This Acai Bowl Recipe

Are you ready to get your acai bowl making on? Start by prepping all your fruit.

You can already tell how tasty this acai bowl recipe is going to be!

Next, add all the ingredients to the blender.

Then blend on medium-high until the mixture is thick and creamy.

Divide the mixture into two to three bowls and top with your favorite toppings, such as shredded coconut flakes, hemp seeds, pumpkin seeds, blueberries and sliced kiwi. You can also add some granola, such as my grainless granola.

Enjoy your gorgeous — and delicious — acai bowl. Interested in another smoothie bowl? Try our berry chia seed smoothie bowl.

Tropical Acai Bowl Recipe

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• Author: Dr. Josh Axe
• Total Time: 5 min
• Yield: 4
• Diet: Vegan

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Skip the overpriced acai bowls at cafes and make your own. This tropical take on an acai bowl recipe will delight your taste buds for one of the best breakfasts ever.

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Ingredients

Bowl:

• 1 fresh mango or papaya, cubed
• 3 frozen bananas, sliced
• ½ cup frozen berries (of choice)
• 1 cup acai concentrate

Toppings:

• hemp seeds
• pumpkin seeds
• shredded coconut
• sliced kiwi
• fresh blueberries
• granola

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Instructions

1. Add all bowl ingredients to a blender, blending on med-high until thick and creamy.
2. Evenly distribute mixture into 4 bowls and top with toppings.

• Category: Breakfasts
• Method: Blending
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 bowl (272g)
• Calories: 297
• Sugar: 28.4g
• Sodium: 43mg
• Fat: 9.7g
• Saturated Fat: 4.1g
• Unsaturated Fat: 4.8g
• Trans Fat: 0g
• Carbohydrates: 52.7g
• Fiber: 7.6g
• Protein: 5.3g
• Cholesterol: 0mg

Keywords: tropical acai bowl recipe

The post Tropical Acai Bowl Recipe with Mango and Hemp Seeds appeared first on Dr. Axe.

Get ready to be surprised by how simple making nutrition-rich banana bread at home really is — and how good for you it can be. My super moist gluten-free banana bread is a recipe that everyone (even gluten lovers!) will enjoy.

What’s Wrong with Regular Banana Bread?

You might wonder what the point of making a gluten-free banana bread is. Why mess with a classic?

Unfortunately, like so many recipes we’ve grown up with, classic homemade banana bread, even the homemade versions, aren’t very good for you. For starters, they’re usually made with a whole lot of white flour. Refined carbohydrates like those don’t add any nutritional value and can be difficult for your body to break down.

And then there’s the sugar. Traditional banana bread has a ton of refined sugar in it, leading you to a sugar high followed by a sugar crash. Sugar is one of the top “foods” that causes inflammation in the body, which can contribute to heart disease, diabetes and high cholesterol levels.

Finally, while I enjoy organic butter when it adds something to a dish, normal banana bread recipes can have up to a cup of the stuff. There’s just no need when you have this gluten-free banana bread that tastes amazing and is healthy — and ready to be baked.

How to Make Gluten-Free, Paleo Banana Bread

My Paleo banana bread recipe keeps all the best parts about banana bread while making it a bit more nutritious. We’ll use almond flour, a heart-healthy, low-carb alternative to all-purpose white flour. You can also experiment with a Paleo flour blend, which incorporates various flours such as almond, coconut, tapioca and arrowroot flours, for this recipe.

Incorporating overripe bananas makes this bread sweet, but we’ll add honey to make sure your sweet tooth is satisfied. If you’re hesitant to heat honey, you can also try maple syrup or a natural granular sugar like coconut sugar. Just be sure to use less of these!

Instead of butter, we’ll get that same silky texture with coconut milk while keeping this recipe dairy-free. Now this is a banana bread you can indulge in without feeling bad!

Don’t miss my video at the end to see how I make it!

Start by preheating the oven to 350 Fahrenheit. Grease a standard loaf pan and set aside.

In a bowl, mix together the eggs, banana, honey, coconut milk and vanilla. The vanilla extract adds a little extra flavor. Mmm!

In a separate bowl, combine the baking soda, almond flour, sea salt and cinnamon. Combine both of the mixtures and stir until well incorporated.

Add in the apple cider vinegar and stir until it is distributed throughout the mixture.

Pour the batter into greased loaf pan. Bake for 45–50 minutes.

Serve the banana bread either warm or cooled — both are delicious! You can even add this recipe to your list of dishes to meal prep on Sunday to enjoy throughout the week for breakfast or with your cup of coffee. If you want to reheat it, simple pop it in the oven for a couple minutes. You’ll keep more of the moisture by eating it cool, though.

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Gluten-Free Banana Bread Recipe

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• Author: Dr. Josh Axe
• Total Time: 1 hour
• Yield: 12
• Diet: Gluten Free

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Standard banana bread is surprising unhealthy. But get ready to be surprised by how simple making nutrition-rich banana bread at home really is — and how good for you it can be.

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Ingredients

• 4 eggs
• 3 medium overly ripe bananas, mashed
• ¼ cup raw honey
• ¼ cup coconut milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 2¼ cups almond flour (or use Paleo flour)
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

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Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
2. Grease a standard loaf pan and set aside.
3. In a bowl, mix eggs, banana, honey, coconut milk, and vanilla.
4. In a separate bowl, combine baking soda, almond flour, sea salt and cinnamon.
5. Combine both mixtures and stir until well incorporated.
6. Add in apple cider vinegar and stir until it is distributed throughout the mixture.
7. Pour batter into greased loaf pan. Bake for 45–50 minutes.

• Prep Time: 10 min
• Cook Time: 50 min
• Category: Snacks
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 slice (79g)
• Calories: 197
• Sugar: 10.6g
• Sodium: 329mg
• Fat: 12.4g
• Saturated Fat: 2.3g
• Unsaturated Fat: 9.4g
• Trans Fat: 0g
• Carbohydrates: 17.4g
• Fiber: 3.4g
• Protein: 6.4g
• Cholesterol: 55mg

Keywords: paleo banana bread, gluten-free banana bread

The post The Best Gluten-Free Banana Bread Recipe appeared first on Dr. Axe.

See, when you add chia seeds to a liquid and let them soak in it, the chia seeds absorb the liquid and puff up in size, transforming from a seed-like texture to a gel consistency that’s reminiscent of pudding.

Best of all, this chia seed pudding can be eaten as breakfast, snack or dessert. You have to try it!

3-Ingredient Chia Seed Pudding

This is the classic chia seed pudding, with just three ingredients: a nondairy milk, chia seeds and vanilla extract. Each serving is roughly two tablespoons of chia seeds, a half-cup of nondairy milk (coconut or unsweetened almond milk work best) and a quarter teaspoon of vanilla.

Because of the fiber in chia seeds, this classic version also doubles as a keto chia seed pudding, with only 4 net carbs per serving. It’s also friendly to nearly any kind of diet, including vegan and Paleo.

Beyond the benefits of chia seeds, coconut milk adds great creamy texture, electrolytes and healthy fats. As an alternative, almond milk contains far fewer calories and contains half a day’s recommended intake of vitamin E, a significant amount of vitamin D and a hearty dose of calcium.

Optional Toppings

If you want to dress up this pudding, consider making a strawberry rhubarb compote.

Rhubarb does more than give the pudding a gorgeous color. The vegetable lowers inflammation and eases digestion while adding a tart taste to this chia seed pudding.

Start by mixing the first three ingredients — coconut milk, chia seeds and vanilla — in a bowl and place in the refrigerator.

Next, chop up the rhubarb and strawberries, then add to a small pot over medium heat. Cook until the rhubarb is tender.

Add the rhubarb mixture plus maple syrup and water to a blender, and blend until all the ingredients are well combined.

Remove the chia seed pudding from the refrigerator and separate into four glasses, topping with the strawberry rhubarb compote once it has cooled.

Place the glasses in the fridge for about an hour to let them chill and set. Top them with coconut flakes, cacao nibs or both and serve! (This pudding will also last in the fridge for a week.)

This strawberry rhubarb chia seed pudding is easy to take on the go to work — just put in a portable container. It also doubles as a super healthy dessert that the entire family will enjoy.

If you dig the taste of this chia seed pudding, try our chia seed smoothie bowl next!

Chia Seed Pudding Recipe

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• Author: Dr. Josh Axe
• Total Time: 15 minutes
• Yield: 8
• Diet: Vegan

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The classic chia seed pudding only requires three ingredients. On top of this pudding, you can add any kind of fruit, or this strawberry rhubarb compote.

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Ingredients

Chia Pudding Mixture:

• 3 cups coconut milk (full fat/canned)
• ¾ cup chia seeds
• 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract

Compote Mixture (Optional):

• 5–6 rhubarb stalks, chopped
• 1½ cups strawberries
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• ⅓ cup water
• top with shredded coconut flakes/cacao nibs

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Instructions

1. Mix well the first 3 ingredients in a bowl and place in the refrigerator.
2. For the optional compote, chop up the fruit and add it to a small pot. Cook over medium heat or until rhubarb is tender, about 8 minutes.
3. Add mixture, maple syrup and water into a blender and blend until well combined.
4. Distribute chia seed pudding evenly into four glasses and top with the compote, once it has cooled. Place in refrigerator and allow to chill for up to 1 hour.
5. Serve topped with shredded coconut flakes and/or cacao nibs.

Notes

• If you want to reduce the calories, use reduced fat coconut milk or unsweetened almond milk.
• Rather than a compote, you can also simply add some fresh fruit: blueberries, strawberries, pineapples, cherries, etc.
• Coconut flakes, raw sliced almonds, hemp seeds and cacao nibs all offer good toppings, with or without fruit.

• Prep Time: 5 min
• Cook Time: 10 min
• Category: Snacks, Desserts
• Method: Stovetop
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 serving (135g) of pudding only
• Calories: 327
• Sugar: 0.1g
• Sodium: 18mg
• Fat: 30.5g
• Saturated Fat: 22.1g
• Unsaturated Fat: 6.7g
• Trans Fat: 0g
• Carbohydrates: 12.1g
• Fiber: 7.1g
• Protein: 5.7g
• Cholesterol: 0mg

Keywords: chia seed pudding recipe, 3 ingredient chia seed pudding, keto chia seed pudding

The post 3-Ingredient Chia Seed Pudding, with a Compote appeared first on Dr. Axe.

Luckily, one easy recipe covers all those bases: olive tapenade.

What Is A Tapenade?

A tapenade is a spread usually made from crushed olives and capers. While it likely originated in the Mediterranean diet regions, where capers are from, tapenade became popular in France’s Provençal region in the south. There, tapenade is usually served alongside bread or crackers, so you can add as much or as little of the spread atop. It’s also mixed with butter and used to stuff chicken or cook fish with.

Though olives and capers are tapenade staples, different regions also add in their own favorite mix-ins to jazz up the original. Sun-dried tomatoes, roasted garlic, anchovies and eggplant are all common additions that take a traditional olive tapenade and make it even more unique.

The heart-healthy, cholesterol-lowering foods like nutrition-rich olive oil, garlic, anchovy, eggplant and the like are what helped make the Mediterranean diet so famous.

How to Make Olive Tapenade

Because I am a big fan of sun-dried tomatoes, I’ve added some to my version of olive tapenade. You’ll love the extra zest they add.

Since this easy olive tapenade recipe is made from so few ingredients, I urge you to find the best quality olives and capers you can get your hands on. They will make a huge difference!

You can use either olive oil or avocado oil (a French favorite) for this recipe; both taste great. We’re loading up on herbs, too, including fresh basil and parsley, for some serious flavor.

Finally, though old-school tapenades are made with a mortar and pestle, in this tapenade recipe, I’ll spare your arms — you’ll use a food processor to achieve a nice, smooth spread in just seconds.

Add all of the ingredients to the food processor.

Then blend on high until all the ingredients are well-combined. It’s OK for the tapenade recipe to be a bit chunky.

Serve the olive tapenade with your favorite crackers or gluten-free crostini …

If you don’t feel like using this easy olive tapenade as a dip with crackers or crostini, you can be innovative and use it as a condiment for your next Mediterranean-inspired sandwich or atop a salad. You can’t go wrong with however you choose to serve this olive tapenade. As the French say, bon appétit!

Olive Tapenade Recipe

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• Author: Dr. Josh Axe
• Total Time: 10 min
• Yield: 12
• Diet: Vegan

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A tapenade is a spread usually made from crushed olives and capers. This delicious appetizer can be served alongside bread or crackers, so you can add as much or as little of the spread atop. It’s can also be used to stuff chicken or cook fish with.

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Ingredients

2 cups pitted black and green olives (or Kalamata olives)
½ cup sun-dried tomatoes
½ cup capers, drained
⅛ teaspoon sea salt
½ teaspoon pepper
½ teaspoon garlic
½ teaspoon onion powder
1½ teaspoons oregano
½ cup fresh basil leaves
½ cup fresh parsley leaves
2 tablespoons olive oil or avocado oil

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Instructions

1. Add everything to a food processor and blend on high until well-combined.
2. Put on top of gluten-free crackers or toasted bread.

• Category: Appetizers
• Method: Food Processor
• Cuisine: Mediterranean

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 2/3 cup (57g)
• Calories: 86
• Sugar: 1.2g
• Sodium: 843mg
• Fat: 8.3g
• Saturated Fat: 1g
• Unsaturated Fat: 6.9g
• Trans Fat: 0g
• Carbohydrates: 3.7g
• Fiber: 2g
• Protein: 1.1g
• Cholesterol: 0mg

Keywords: olive tapenade recipe, black olive tapenade, green olive tapenade

The post Olive Tapenade Recipe: A Mediterranean Diet Staple appeared first on Dr. Axe.

The only downside is that many pumpkin recipes are full of flour, making them a no-no for people avoiding or unable to tolerate gluten. While you can sometimes find gluten-free versions of the same foods, they’re often packed with sugar to make up for the loss in texture. But that’s not the case at all when it comes to this easy gluten-free pumpkin bread with almond flour and coconut flour.

With this recipe, I was determined to make a flavorful, gluten-free pumpkin bread with coconut flour and almond flour that was moist and fluffy, which is the best part of any homemade bread. I think it’s safe to say this Paleo pumpkin bread is a success.

Key Ingredients

Though pumpkin has just hit its stride in the last few years, it’s always been fantastic for your health. Its rich orange color means it’s packed with beta-carotene, an antioxidant that converts to vitamin A once consumed. The vitamin help keep the immune system in shape, preserve vision and keep our skin looking great.

Pumpkin is also a top fiber food, making it a more satiating food choice. And it’s full of potassium, which is key to keeping our bodies hydrated and our organs working properly.

Now let’s talk about this gluten-free pumpkin bread. It’s likely you have all the ingredients already on hand.

Instead of white flour, we’ll use almond flour and coconut flour. This is such an awesome flour blend because they’re both high in fiber, low in sugar and easily digested — no tummy issues with these.

A lot gluten-free recipes call for xanthan gum, but you don’t even need it for this yummy pumpkin loaf.

Instead of refined sugar, we’ll sweeten this healthy pumpkin bread with maple syrup, which is lower on the glycemic scale than regular granulated sugar, so it won’t send you on a sugar crash. With coconut oil and spices rounding out the ingredients list, you can whip this gluten-free pumpkin bread up in just minutes with minimal effort.

This easy pumpkin bread is good for breakfast or to serve alongside a cup of coffee or tea. You might find yourself making loaves quite frequently!

Nutrition Facts

One serving of this amazing pumpkin bread contains about:

• 201 calories
• 11.6 grams carbohydrates
• 5.6 grams protein
• 15 grams fat
• 2.6 grams fiber
• 6.1 grams sugar
• 209 milligrams sodium
• 62 milligrams cholesterol
• 1,608 international units vitamin A (32 percent DV)
• 6 micrograms vitamin D (29 percent DV)
• 1 milligram iron (4 percent DV)
• 23 milligrams calcium (2 percent DV)

How to Make Gluten-Free Pumpkin Bread

Let’s talk about how to make this pumpkin loaf. First, you’ll want to have some helpful kitchen tools on hand, including a whisk, or fork, and a spatula. Also, make sure your oven is preheated to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.

This recipe is so simple — all you basically have to do is mix the wet ingredients together, add all of the dry ingredients and mix again. Now you can pour the mixture into a greased pan, and in 60 minutes tops, your delicious gluten-free pumpkin bread will be ready for you to eat!

You can also add some gluten-free dark chocolate chips or nuts to this recipe if that sounds good to you.

Let’s get started. Preheat the oven to 325 F, then add all the wet ingredients into a bowl.

That includes the pumpkin puree, maple syrup, coconut oil and eggs. Mix together with a whisk.

Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Stir until well-combined.

Once that’s done, pour the gluten-free pumpkin bread mixture into a greased loaf pan or glass dish. (I like greasing with coconut oil.)

You’ll probably have to smooth down the top of your bread with a spatula before putting in the oven.

Then bake the bread for 45–60 minutes.

Let the bread cool for 10 minutes or so before slicing and serving warm.

I like to serve my bread with grass-fed butter, but it’s delicious all on its own!

Want another spin on the pumpkin flavor concept? Try our pumpkin butter, pumpkin pie oatmeal or pumpkin pie cheesecake.)

Vegan Pumpkin Pie Ice Cream Recipe

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• Author: Dr. Josh Axe
• Total Time: 4 hrs
• Yield: 8
• Diet: Vegan

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This vegan pumpkin pie ice cream is fun to make … and creative. It relies on coconut milk and a base of butternut squash and apples! A tasty ice cream packed with fiber, vitamins and antioxidants? Yes, please.

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Ingredients

• 1 medium butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and diced
• pinch of salt
• 1½ cans full fat coconut milk, divided
• ¾ cup coconut sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 sweet-tart apple, cored and sliced thick
• ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon ginger
• 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• 2 tablespoons whiskey or bourbon

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Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 425 F.
2. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Spread the squash evenly on the parchment.
3. Sprinkle the squash with the salt and bake for 30 minutes. Make the coconut-caramel syrup while the squash is baking.
4. In a small pot, heat half a can of coconut milk over medium-high heat. When hot, add the coconut sugar and simmer at medium heat for 6–8 minutes. Remove from the heat. Add the vanilla, stir and set aside.
5. Remove the squash from the oven. Add the apples to the pan and bake 20 minutes more
6. Remove the squash and apple from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes.
7. In a high-powered blender, combine the remaining can of coconut milk, coconut-caramel syrup, squash, apples, spices and whiskey/bourbon. Puree on high until thoroughly blended and thick.
8. Refrigerate in an airtight container at least 3 hours or overnight. When completely chilled, churn in an ice cream according to manufacturer’s instructions.

• Prep Time: 15 min
• Cook Time: 30 min
• Category: Desserts
• Method: Ice Cream Maker
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 small bowl (222g)
• Calories: 285
• Sugar: 23.5g
• Sodium: 14mg
• Fat: 15.3g
• Saturated Fat: 13.5g
• Unsaturated Fat: 0.9g
• Trans Fat: 0g
• Carbohydrates: 36.6g
• Fiber: 2.7g
• Protein: 2.6g
• Cholesterol: 0mg

Keywords: vegan pumpkin pie ice cream, pumpkin pie ice cream, vegan pumpkin ice cream

Gluten-Free Pumpkin Bread Recipe

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• Author: Dr. Josh Axe
• Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes
• Yield: 8-10
• Diet: Gluten Free

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This gluten-free pumpkin bread recipe is soft, sweet and satisfying. The fluffy texture melts in your mouth with a rich pumpkin flavor.

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Ingredients

• 1 cup almond flour
• ¼ cup coconut flour
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• ¾ cup pumpkin
• ¼ cup maple syrup
• ¼ cup melted coconut oil
• 3–4 eggs

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Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 325 F.
2. Combine all wet ingredients in a bowl. Mix.
3. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Stir until well-combined.
4. Pour the mixture into a greased loaf pan. Bake for 60 minutes. (Check at 50 minutes, as some ovens vary in temperature.)

Notes

• For sweetness, you can swap any natural sweetener if you don’t care for maple syrup.
• Add dark chocolate chips and/or nuts for added taste if you choose.

• Prep Time: 25 min
• Cook Time: 60 min
• Category: Snacks
• Method: By hand
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 slice
• Calories: 201
• Sugar: 6.1g
• Sodium: 209mg
• Fat: 15g
• Saturated Fat: 6.9g
• Unsaturated Fat: 8.1g
• Trans Fat: 0g
• Carbohydrates: 11.6g
• Fiber: 2.6g
• Protein: 5.6g
• Cholesterol: 62mg

Keywords: healthy pumpkin bread, easy pumpkin bread, paleo pumpkin bread, healthy gluten free pumpkin bread,

The post Gluten-Free Pumpkin Bread Recipe appeared first on Dr. Axe.

But have you looked at the ingredients list? For such a small product, Pop-Tarts have a massive list of unsavory ingredients.

The fantastic thing about this toaster pastry recipe is it’s fairly simple to make on your own — and you can add it my list of amazing pumpkin recipes. While the instructions here might seem a bit long, they’re not super-involved.

Best of all, once you get the hang of these and discover the wonder of gluten-free flours, you can have this toaster pastry snack ready for any occasion, chock-full of healthy ingredients.

Key Ingredients

Speaking of healthy ingredients, here are the main players in this gluten-free toaster pastry recipe:

• Allspice: You may be wondering: What is allspice? While many think it’s a blend of spices, it’s actually just one spice that comes from the ground berries of a Jamaican plant. Full of antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory compounds, it’s a healthy spice that adds flavor while keeping sugar levels and calories in check.
• Grass-fed butter: Butter is a staple in baking, and these toaster pastries are no exception. As always, make sure you use grass-fed butter to get the highest-quality choice of this healthy fat.
• Coconut sugar: As a substitute to unhealthy, refined sugar, coconut sugar adds sweetness while keeping this recipe Paleo-friendly.
• Paleo flour: Speaking of Paleo-friendly, you can’t make a pastry without flour, and this recipe uses gluten-free flour so it’s safe for any diet. Try my Paleo flour blend, or use gluten-free flours like coconut, sprouted corn, oat, rice, almond or tapioca flour, among others.
• Sugar pumpkin: A smaller variety of pumpkin, sugar pumpkin makes for a great option for baking and provides the same pumpkin benefits you’re familiar with, such as providing a host of vitamins and antioxidants to support heart, gut and immune health.

Roll up your sleeves, and let’s get these pop tarts happening!

How to Make a Toaster Pastry

Start by prepping the pumpkin, also known as the toaster pastry filling. (You can also cheat and use one cup of pumpkin puree.) Turn the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit, and grease up a baking sheet.

Wash and remove the stem from your sugar pumpkin.

Slice that bad boy up vertically, and remove the seeds. Don’t toss them, though! Roast them for an on-the-go healthy snack later.

Place the de-seeded pumpkin halves on the waiting sheet, and bake for about 45 minutes or until you can stick a fork into the pumpkin with no trouble. Because time is valuable, while the yummy pumpkin filling is roasting, we’re going to prep the dough.

Start by whisking flour, coconut sugar and salt in a bowl. With a fork or pastry blender, start cutting in the butter until the entire mixture is crumbly.

Add in the ice water, just a tablespoon at a time, until the dough is formed.

Divvy up the dough in half, and roll each half into a ball. Wrap each in plastic wrap, and let it cool in the fridge for 15 minutes.

Time’s up! Remove and unwrap one ball of dough, smoothing out any cracks along the sides. Then, on a smooth surface that’s been dusted with flour, like a kitchen counter, roll the ball of dough into a 9-by-12-inch rectangle, with dough about 1/8 inch thick.

That’s right, these homemade toaster pastries are really starting to take shape!

If you’re picky about the edges, use a paring knife to get these looking clean, and give them a more “authentic” toaster pastry look. Cut the rectangle into three equal pieces, and then cut those into three pieces, leaving you with nine rectangles.

Next, line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and place the rectangles on the baking sheet, refrigerating while you prep the rest of the dough.

Remove that second ball of dough that’s been hanging out in the fridge, and repeat the process. One of the balls will be the bottom of the toaster pastries, while the other will make up the top.

Once you’ve cut and made all your rectangles, let both sets hang in the refrigerator. It’s filling time!

By this point, your pumpkin should be roasted. Slide it out of the oven, but don’t turn turn it off just yet. Instead, lower the temperature to 350 F.

Let the pumpkin cool before doing your thing, as it will be hot!

Using a spoon, scoop out the pumpkin “meat,” and toss out the rinds. Then it’s time to bust out the food processor.

Combine the pumpkin filling, butter, coconut sugar, vanilla and all those yummy spices, and pulse till they’re mixed.

Once that’s ready, grab the waiting toaster pastry rectangles from the fridge. With a tablespoon, scoop a heap of the pumpkin mixture onto each bottom dough rectangle, leaving about a 1/4-inch border.

Next, place the second rectangles on top of each toaster pastry, and seal the edges down with a fork. Poke three teeny holes on each top to let air escape while these cook.

Finally, bake the toaster pastries for 45 minutes or until they’re golden brown. Let them cool for 20 minutes before sprinkling each with coconut sugar and serving!

They might more labor-intensive than those store-bought processed food versions, but these toaster pastries are so much healthier — you can actually feel good about serving them to your family! Once you get comfortable making them, you could also play around with the filling ingredients.

Enjoy!

Want another spin on the pumpkin flavor concept? Try our pumpkin butter, pumpkin pie oatmeal or pumpkin pie cheesecake.)

Vegan Pumpkin Pie Ice Cream Recipe

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• Author: Dr. Josh Axe
• Total Time: 4 hrs
• Yield: 8
• Diet: Vegan

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This vegan pumpkin pie ice cream is fun to make … and creative. It relies on coconut milk and a base of butternut squash and apples! A tasty ice cream packed with fiber, vitamins and antioxidants? Yes, please.

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Ingredients

• 1 medium butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and diced
• pinch of salt
• 1½ cans full fat coconut milk, divided
• ¾ cup coconut sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 sweet-tart apple, cored and sliced thick
• ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon ginger
• 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• 2 tablespoons whiskey or bourbon

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Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 425 F.
2. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Spread the squash evenly on the parchment.
3. Sprinkle the squash with the salt and bake for 30 minutes. Make the coconut-caramel syrup while the squash is baking.
4. In a small pot, heat half a can of coconut milk over medium-high heat. When hot, add the coconut sugar and simmer at medium heat for 6–8 minutes. Remove from the heat. Add the vanilla, stir and set aside.
5. Remove the squash from the oven. Add the apples to the pan and bake 20 minutes more
6. Remove the squash and apple from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes.
7. In a high-powered blender, combine the remaining can of coconut milk, coconut-caramel syrup, squash, apples, spices and whiskey/bourbon. Puree on high until thoroughly blended and thick.
8. Refrigerate in an airtight container at least 3 hours or overnight. When completely chilled, churn in an ice cream according to manufacturer’s instructions.

• Prep Time: 15 min
• Cook Time: 30 min
• Category: Desserts
• Method: Ice Cream Maker
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 small bowl (222g)
• Calories: 285
• Sugar: 23.5g
• Sodium: 14mg
• Fat: 15.3g
• Saturated Fat: 13.5g
• Unsaturated Fat: 0.9g
• Trans Fat: 0g
• Carbohydrates: 36.6g
• Fiber: 2.7g
• Protein: 2.6g
• Cholesterol: 0mg

Keywords: vegan pumpkin pie ice cream, pumpkin pie ice cream, vegan pumpkin ice cream

Gluten-Free Toaster Pastry with Sugar Pumpkin Filling

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• Author: Dr. Josh Axe
• Total Time: 2 hours
• Yield: 9
• Diet: Gluten Free

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Pop-Tarts are popular processed foods, but they’re really unhealthy. Instead, make your own toaster pastry with healthy ingredients!

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Ingredients

• 1 sugar pumpkin (or 1 cup pumpkin puree)
• 2 cups Paleo flour
• 3/4 cup coconut sugar
• 1 teaspoon Himalayan pink salt
• 2/3 cup Nutiva shortening
• 7–8 tablespoons ice water
• 4 tablespoons grass-fed butter, sliced into 1/2 tablespoon pieces
• 1/4 cup coconut sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon allspice
• 1/4 teaspoon chili powder

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Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 375 F. Grease a 9 x 12-inch baking sheet with avocado oil.
2. Wash and remove the stem from the sugar pumpkin. Slice the pumpkin vertically and remove the seeds.
3. Place the pumpkin halves face down on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 45 minutes or until the pumpkin is easily pierced with a fork. Prepare the dough while the pumpkin is roasting.
4. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, coconut sugar and salt. Using a fork or pastry blender, cut in the shortening until the mixture becomes crumbly. Stir in ice water one tablespoon at a time until dough is formed.
5. Divide the dough evenly in half, forming each half into a ball. Wrap both halves in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 15 minutes.
6. Remove and unwrap one ball of dough. Smooth out any cracks along the sides of the dough. On a smooth surface dusted with flour, roll the dough into a 9 x 12-inch rectangle. The dough should be about 1/8 inch thick.
7. Use a paring knife to trim and create clean edges. Cut the rectangle vertically into 3 equal pieces, then cut those pieces horizontally into three equal pieces, creating 9 rectangles (you can use a ruler to help guide you).
8. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the rectangles on the baking sheet. Cover and refrigerate while you work with the rest of the dough.
9. Remove the other ball of dough and repeat the process above. One set of rectangles will be the bottoms of the pop-tarts; the other set will be the tops. Refrigerate both sets of rectangles while you prepare the pumpkin filling.
10. Remove the pumpkin from the oven and lower the heat to 350 F. Allow the pumpkin to cool before handling it. It will be hot!
11. Use a spoon to scoop the pumpkin meat out of the rind. Discard the rind.
12. In a food processor, combine the pumpkin meat, butter, coconut sugar, vanilla and spices and pulse on high until mixed.
13. Remove the pastry rectangles from the refrigerator. Using a tablespoon, spoon a heaping tablespoon of the pumpkin mixture onto each bottom rectangle, leaving a 1/4-inch border. Place the pop-tart tops on top and seal the edges with a fork. Poke 3 rows of 3 tiny holes in the tops to allow air to escape.
14. Bake for 45 minutes or until golden brown. Remove the tarts from the pan and allow them to cool for 20 minutes. Sprinkle with coconut sugar and serve.

• Prep Time: 30 min
• Cook Time: 90 min
• Category: Desserts, Snacks
• Method: Oven
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 pastry
• Calories: 357
• Sugar: 17.4g
• Sodium: 300mg
• Fat: 20.5g
• Saturated Fat: 7.9g
• Unsaturated Fat: 12.6g
• Trans Fat: 0g
• Carbohydrates: 44.5g
• Fiber: 2.2g
• Protein: 0.6g
• Cholesterol: 14mg

Keywords: toaster pastry recipe, toaster pastries

The post Gluten-Free Toaster Pastry with Sugar Pumpkin Filling appeared first on Dr. Axe.

There’s precious little as satisfying and impressive as a homemade baked brie! Enjoy this decadent recipe, perfect for sharing at a party or on a holiday.

First, you’ll chop up dried apricots and soak them in your choice of brandy, whiskey or bourbon. If you plant to serve this brie in the evening, the best time to start soaking your apricots is right after you eat breakfast. (If you don’t drink alcohol, simply leave out.)

Next, carefully roll out the pie crust, not too thin, into a large circle between two sheets of wax paper and freeze the whole thing for 10 minutes. This keeps your counter clean and prevents crust breakage.

Once frozen, remove from freezer and peel off both sheets of paper, carefully placing the crust in a glass baking dish: It will thaw fast, so you can work with it.

Slice brie in half horizontally and place bottom half on dough.

Top the bottom half of the brie with half of the apricots and herbs. Place remaining brie on top and finish with remaining apricots and herbs. Definitely reserve the soaking liquor! It will be part of the caramel on top.

Now is the time to seal up the brie with the pie crust dough. If the dough cracks or breaks, don’t worry — just patch it so it’s sealed up tight and pop it in a 400 degree oven for 30 minutes.

After baking, let this beauty cool while you make the caramel sauce. In a small saucepan, heat the reserved soaking liquid slightly above medium heat just until it begins to reduce, 5–8 minutes. Then add coconut sugar and swirl to melt, simmering at medium heat for about 5 minutes, until it gets nice and gooey.

Once it feels thick like a caramel, immediately pour it onto the brie, and your creation is finished! Enjoy the applause and savor this luxurious baked brie.

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Baked Brie Recipe

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• Author: Dr. Josh Axe
• Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
• Yield: 12
• Diet: Gluten Free

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Want something a little fancy for a party or holiday but that doesn’t take a ton of time? Try my homemade baked brie recipe. Yum!

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Ingredients

• ⅔ cup chopped dried apricots or apples
• 1 cup brandy, whiskey or bourbon
• 1 large brie, about 14 ounces
• 1 gluten-free pie crust recipe refrigerated 1 hour
• pinch nutmeg or ½ teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
• brandy from soaking
• ¾ cup coconut sugar

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Instructions

1. Soak apricots for 4 hours or overnight in brandy in a covered non-plastic container.
2. Between 2 sheets of wax paper, roll out pie crust into a large circle. Place in freezer for 10 minutes or until frozen.
3. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
4. Slice brie in half horizontally and remove apricots from liquor, reserving soaking liquid. Grease a 9” round glass pie pan.
5. Remove crust from freezer. Peel off both sheets of wax paper and place crust in baking dish.
6. Place half brie in center of crust and top with half the fruit and nutmeg or rosemary. Top with remaining brie, then fruit and herbs.
7. Fold pie crust around brie, patching crust as necessary so that brie is sealed in crust.
8. Bake for 25–30 minutes or until crust is golden brown, and remove brie to a cooling rack for 10 minutes.
9. Meanwhile, place brandy from soaking into a small saucepan. Heat just above medium for 5–8 minutes or until it begins to reduce.
10. Add coconut sugar and swirl pan to melt. Simmer on medium heat for 4–6 minutes until thickened.
11. Pour caramel over brie and serve immediately with sliced apples or pears.

• Prep Time: 35 min
• Cook Time: 30 min
• Category: Appetizers
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 3 oz
• Calories: 288
• Sugar: 16.5g
• Sodium: 307mg
• Fat: 13.2g
• Saturated Fat: 6.8g
• Unsaturated Fat: 5.7g
• Trans Fat: 0g
• Carbohydrates: 24g
• Fiber: 0.8g
• Protein: 8g
• Cholesterol: 33mg

Keywords: homemade baked brie, baked brie recipe

The post Baked Brie Recipe appeared first on Dr. Axe.

They are loaded with perfectly seasoned, grass-fed ground beef and topped with all sorts of delicious ingredients, like benefit-packed goat milk cheese, fiber-rich black beans and spicy jalapeños, so each bite is packed with flavor. If the sound of everything delicious baked in one dish gets you excited, let’s make these double layer nachos.

Key Ingredients

Why did I select these ingredients? Because they far surpass the nutrient value of typical nachos ingredients.

Goat cheddar cheese: Goat’s cheese is a good alternative to cow’s milk cheeses because it’s lower in lactose, contains type 2 casein protein, is typically easier to digest, and is usually much less allergenic and inflammatory.

Grass-fed ground beef: Conventional ground beef emanates from CAFOs (Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations), neither good for the cow nor good for you! Instead, opt for grass-fed ground beef. It includes significantly more omega-3 fatty acids and more conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) than grain-fed beef. CLA is a powerful polyunsaturated fatty acid we must obtain from our diets that’s been shown to help fight cancer, discourage weight gain and build muscle.

Black beans: One of the healthiest beans, black beans are a great source of protein, filling fiber, disease fighting antioxidants including flavonoids, and numerous vitamins and minerals, like folate, manganese, magnesium, copper, iron and more.

Jalapeños peppers: Even though jalapeños are usually fairly small in size coming in around two to four inches in length, they carry a rather powerful taste of fire — and it’s that powerful taste that makes them a power pepper nutrition-wise. They contain a compound known as capsaicin. This compound gives way to its ability to help you fight cancer, lose weight, prevent bacterial growth, fight the common cold and more.

How to Make Loaded Nachos

We’ll begin by heating a skillet over medium-high heat and add in the ground beef, chili powder, cumin and salt. Since the beef has its own natural fat, there’s no need to add oil.

Cook until the beef is no longer pink and is done, about 10 minutes. Remove the pan from heat and crank up the oven to 425 F. Arrange a layer of tortilla chips (I usually choose blue corn over yellow corn) in a 9 x 13-inch baking dish or roasting pan. Add half of the beef and cheese to the chips.

Then, arrange another layer of chips in the pan. Here’s where the double layer nachos come in! Sprinkle the rest of the beef onto the chips, then add the black beans, tomato, jalapeños and fresh peppers to the chips.

Bake for 5 minutes in the oven, or until the cheese has just melted. Remove from the oven and serve with your favorite toppings. I enjoy these double layer nachos with scallions, salsa, sour cream or yogurt.

I love that these loaded nachos are full of protein, fiber and fresh veggies and so simple to make. Serve these at your next game day party as snacks, as an appetizer or even as an easy weeknight meal with some soup. I hope you love this loaded nachos recipe as much as I do.

Loaded Nachos Recipe

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• Author: Dr. Josh Axe
• Total Time: 20 minutes
• Yield: 14
• Diet: Gluten Free

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Much healthier than regular nachos, this loaded nachos recipe is literally loaded with perfectly seasoned, grass-fed ground beef and topped with all sorts of delicious ingredients, like benefit-packed goat milk cheese, fiber-rich black beans and spicy jalapeños. Each bite is packed with flavor.

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Ingredients

• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• ¼ teaspoon sea salt
• 16 ounce bag organic corn tortilla chips (blue or yellow corn)
• 8 ounces goat’s milk cheddar, shredded (raw hard cheese, if possible)
• 15 ounce can of black beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 jalapeños, sliced and diced (seeds removed)
• 1 large tomato, diced
• 1 large orange or yellow pepper, diced
• optional toppings: chopped scallions, salsa, goat’s milk yogurt or sour cream

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Instructions

1. Heat a medium skillet on medium-high heat and add ground beef, chili powder, cumin and salt. Cook until beef is done, stirring frequently, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat.
2. Preheat oven to 425 F.
3. Arrange a scant layer of chips on a roasting pan or 9 x 13 dish. Sprinkle half the beef mixture and cheese on chips.
4. Arrange a second layer of chips on pan. Sprinkle the rest of the beef on chips.
5. Add beans, tomato, jalapeños and peppers on top of chips. Cover with remaining cheese.
6. Bake for 5 minutes, or until cheese is just melted.
7. Remove from oven. Optionally scatter scallions over nachos, and serve with salsa and yogurt or sour cream.

Notes

Serve these at your next game day party or even as an appetizer.

• Prep Time: 15 min
• Cook Time: 5 min
• Category: Snacks, Appetizers
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 145g
• Calories: 321
• Sugar: 1.7g
• Sodium: 249mg
• Fat: 16.9g
• Saturated Fat: 6.4g
• Unsaturated Fat: 9g
• Trans Fat: 0.1g
• Carbohydrates: 25.8g
• Fiber: 2.7g
• Protein: 16.5g
• Cholesterol: 46mg

Keywords: loaded nachos recipe

The post Loaded Nachos Recipe, A Double-Layer Special appeared first on Dr. Axe.

It’s easy to re-create these delicious dips at home without weird fillers or preservatives. When you want a meaty, cheesy dip, nothing tastes better than my chili cheese dip recipe. I love serving this one on game day, but it’s delicious any time.

Key Ingredients

By combining my buffalo chili with this recipe, you’re going to have a real crowd-pleaser on your hands. Because it’s made from healthy ingredients like coconut oil and grass-fed beef or bison, this dip is good for you, too!

Here are some of the main players in this homemade chili cheese dip recipe:

• Grass-fed beef or bison: It’s your choice here, but make sure you opt for grass-fed versions to avoid the unnecessary hormones and unhealthy feed given to factory-farm meat. Grass-fed beef is a tremendous source of protein, and when eaten in moderation, it can even be good for the heart and blood sugar and is better for the environment than non-grass-fed varieties. The same goes for bison meat, which is also high in vitamin B12, zinc, selenium, niacin and iron.
• Coconut oil: A tremendous source of healthy fats, coconut oil is perfect for high-heat cooking and can support overall health in a number of ways.
• Goat cheese: I love goat cheese because it’s lower in lactose than cow’s cheese, making it easier for the body to digest — plus, it clocks in at less calories.

Ready to make one of the best dips ever?

How to Make Chili Cheese Dip

Start by preheating the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Then, in a small dish, crumble half of the goat cheese.

Spread the buffalo chili over the cheese, and then add in the remaining goat cheese. Slide the dish in the oven, and let it bake for eight to 10 minutes or until heated through.

Serve with your favorite gluten-free chips and enjoy!

How easy is that? This chili cheese dip recipe is so simple.

The buffalo chili portion requires little prep, too. You can let the chili simmer in a crockpot throughout the day before making the chili cheese dip or whip it up in about an hour.

Every game is a good game when you serve this dip!

Chili Cheese Dip Recipe

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• Author: Dr. Josh Axe
• Total Time: 1 hour 50 minutes
• Yield: 4
• Diet: Gluten Free

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Tempted to buy chips and dips from the store? Don’t. Instead, when you want a meaty, cheesy dip, try my chili cheese dip recipe.

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Ingredients

• 4 ounces chèvre goat cheese
• 1 cup Buffalo Chili Recipe
• 1 cup goat cheese, shredded

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Instructions

1. Make Buffalo Chili Recipe.
2. Preheat oven to 400 F.
3. Crumble chèvre goat cheese into a small baking dish.
4. Spread hot chili over top.
5. Sprinkle goat cheese on top of the chili, and bake for 8–10 minutes.

Notes

• It’s up to you whether you use grass-fed beef or bison. It’s up to personal preference.
• To make this vegetarian-friendly, you can simply skip the meat and use some extra veggies in the chili instead.

• Prep Time: 10 min
• Cook Time: 100 min
• Category: Dips
• Method: Oven/Slow Cooker
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 157g
• Calories: 481
• Sugar: 2.7g
• Sodium: 546mg
• Fat: 35.4g
• Saturated Fat: 23.3g
• Unsaturated Fat: 12g
• Trans Fat: 0.1g
• Carbohydrates: 3.7g
• Fiber: 0.6g
• Protein: 36.3g
• Cholesterol: 122mg

Keywords: chili cheese dip recipe, homemade chili cheese dip,

The post Chili Cheese Dip Recipe appeared first on Dr. Axe.

What is baba ganoush? It’s a classic Middle Eastern dip originally from Lebanon, though it’s popular and made throughout the region, including in Iraq, Turkey, Egypt, Jordan, Israel and Palestine.

Key Ingredients

You may wonder: Does baba ganoush contain tahini? Is baba ganoush healthier than hummus?

It is quite similar to hummus. Both dips use a hefty amount of garlic and ground sesame seeds, or tahini, for a lot of the flavor.

When looking at baba ganoush vs. hummus, however, it uses eggplant instead of chickpeas as the main ingredient.

Because nutrition-rich eggplant is low in calories and high in fiber, it’s a great choice in a dip.

Additionally, eggplant is rich in nasunin, which is found only in deeply colored fruits and veggies. This powerful antioxidant, which is found in eggplant’s skin, is known to fight free radical damage and inflammation while protecting DNA from oxidative stress.

What does baba ganoush taste like? Thanks to the mix of baba ganoush ingredients, it has an earthy flavor and is eggplant-centric.

This baba ganoush recipe calls for just a few ingredients, and taste can vary across baba ganoush recipes depending on what else is added.

What to Eat with Baba Ganoush

If you’re wondering what to eat baba ganoush with, the answer is: Get creative!

Like most dips, baba ganoush is excellent with crunchy veggies, like carrots, celery or bell peppers. It’s also excellent as meze, or an appetizer, when served with warmed pita bread.

I also enjoy spreading it on sandwiches as a spread instead of mayonnaise and adding a dollop to salad is tasty, too. Of course, sometimes you just want to eat baba ganoush with a spoon and nothing else — totally fine!

How to Make Baba Ganoush

Making baba ganoush is pretty simple. All you need is a food processor and 10 minutes!

Start by lining a baking sheet with parchment paper and lying the eggplant slices on it. Salt the eggplant, and allow it to sit for 15–20 minutes.

Because eggplant is naturally high in water, this step draws out the vegetable’s moisture so you don’t wind up with a runny finished product.

Use a paper towel to dab the excess water off the eggplant, and then slide the eggplant under the broiler for 5–8 minutes. This extra step adds a smoky flavor to the eggplant, which really comes through in the recipe.

At this point, you can remove the eggplant’s skin, but I prefer leaving it on for all the healthy benefits that come along with it.

Next, add the eggplant to the food processor, and pulse until you’ve broken the vegetable down. Add in the other ingredients, and blend until they’re well-combined.

If you haven’t used avocado oil yet, this is a great recipe to try it in. Avocado oil adds just the right amount of smooth texture and flavor without overpowering the other ingredients, the way olive oil can sometimes.

It’s also versatile and especially great for cooking at high temperatures because of its high smoke point.

That’s all there is to homemade baba ganoush recipe! Serve it with chopped veggies or my earlier suggestions.

As you get more comfortable making this recipe, you can mix up the ingredients a bit. Add more garlic, a little hot chili pepper for spice, different herbs — this is a very forgiving recipe that makes it easy to love and customize the dip.

Homemade Baba Ganoush Recipe

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• Author: Dr. Josh Axe
• Total Time: 20 minutes
• Yield: 6
• Diet: Gluten Free

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Description

Baba ganoush is a Middle Eastern eggplant-based dip originally from Lebanon. It uses garlic and ground sesame seeds, or tahini, for flavor.

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Ingredients

• 1 medium eggplant, sliced
• ¼ cup tahini
• 3–4 garlic cloves, smashed
• 1–2 tablespoons avocado oil
• 1 cup parsley, chopped
• Sea salt and pepper to taste

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Instructions

1. On a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, lay out the eggplant slices.
2. Salt the eggplant, and allow eggplant to sit for 15–20 minutes to remove moisture.
3. Use a paper towel to dab eggplant, removing excess water.
4. Broil eggplant on top oven rack for 5–8 minutes.
5. Remove skin (optional*).
6. Place eggplant in a food processor, and pulse until broken down.
7. Place all other ingredients in the food processor and blend on high until well-combined.
8. Serve with chopped vegetables.

Notes

• As you get more comfortable making this recipe, you can mix up the ingredients a bit. Add more garlic, a little hot chili pepper for spice, different herbs, etc.
• This is a Lebanese baba ganoush recipe, but you can also opt for a Turkish baba ganoush recipe for a slightly different taste.
• Baba ganoush without tahini is also a possibility if you don’t enjoy the flavor or want to mix it up.

• Prep Time: 15 min
• Cook Time: 5 min
• Category: Dips
• Method: Food Processor
• Cuisine: Lebanese

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 118g
• Calories: 130
• Sugar: 3.4g
• Sodium: 19mg
• Fat: 10.3g
• Saturated Fat: 1.3g
• Unsaturated Fat: 9g
• Trans Fat: 0g
• Carbohydrates: 8.8g
• Fiber: 4g
• Protein: 3g
• Cholesterol: 0mg

Keywords: baba ganoush ingredients, baba ganoush recipe, baba ganoush recipes, baba ganoush vs hummus, how to make baba ganoush, what is baba ganoush

The post Homemade Baba Ganoush Recipe appeared first on Dr. Axe.

Since then, Buffalo wings have been a staple in bars across the United States and Canada, but what if there was a more health conscious option? Good news — you can get the same flavors using cauliflower instead of fried chicken wings, and a slew of health benefits, too.

Buffalo Wings Are Better with Cauliflower

Typically, Buffalo wings are deep-fried in vegetable or canola oil until they are well browned, then they are drained and mixed with sauce. I don’t like to eat anything that has been fried in canola oil because it’s a refined oil that’s often partially hydrogenated to increase its stability, but this increases its level of trans fats and negative health effects. Also, over 90 percent of canola oil is genetically modified. Consuming genetically modified canola oil can lead to kidney and liver problems and life-threatening heart trouble, like high blood pressure and increased LDL cholesterol levels.

For my Buffalo wings, I think cauliflower is better. Cauliflower is a cruciferous vegetable that’s rich in health-promoting phytonutrients and anti-inflammatory compounds. It also supplies essential vitamins and minerals, including 73 percent of your daily value of vitamin C.

If there’s any doubt how good these Buffalo cauliflower wings are for you, look at the nutritional info below. Only 100 calories per serving, with 8 grams of healthy fats along with only 6 grams of carbs, making it friendly for keto and Paleo dieters.

How to Make Buffalo Cauliflower

Not only are Buffalo cauliflower bites incredibly healthy, but it’s also pretty easy to make. Start by preheating your oven to 450 degrees F and preparing a 9 x 13 baking sheet with parchment paper.

While the oven preheats, make a Buffalo sauce with these delicious ingredients: butter, hot sauce (choose a low-sodium hot sauce like Tabasco; Frank’s is too high in sodium), apple cider vinegar, coconut aminos and garlic powder. Place these ingredients into a small saucepan over medium heat. Once the butter is melted, then whisk up the mixture to fully combine.

Take a medium head of cauliflower and remove the stem. It should then naturally break apart into large florets. Then use your knife to chop these florets into smaller, bite-size pieces and put into a large mixing bowl.

Pour two-thirds of the sauce over the cauliflower and mix with a wooden spoon, careful not to break up the cauliflower any more than it is. (Or use your hands!) The rest of the sauce will be used for dipping later.

Pour the cauliflower out on your parchment paper-lined pan and spread the pieces evenly.

Pop the baking sheet into the oven for 30–40 minutes, depending on how crispy you like it.

It’s as simple as that! Your Buffalo cauliflower bites are ready to go. Serve with the remainder of the Buffalo dipping sauce, along with an optional vegan blue cheese dip.

Enjoy this healthy alternative to Buffalo wings!

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Buffalo Cauliflower Recipe

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• Author: Dr. Josh Axe
• Total Time: 50 minutes
• Yield: 6
• Diet: Gluten Free

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Buffalo wings have been a staple in bars across the U.S. and Canada, but what if there was a more health conscious option? Good news! You can get the same flavors using cauliflower instead of fried chicken wings, and a slew of health benefits, too.

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Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons butter
• ½ cup hot sauce (choose a low-sodium hot sauce like Tabasco; Frank’s is too high in sodium)
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon coconut aminos
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 cauliflower head, medium-size

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Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F and prepare a 9 x 13 baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Place butter, hot sauce, apple cider vinegar, coconut aminos and garlic powder into a small saucepan over medium heat.
3. Once the butter is melted, then whisk up the mixture to fully combine.
4. Take a medium head of cauliflower and remove the stem. Chop these florets into smaller, bite-size pieces and put into a large mixing bowl.
5. Pour two-thirds of the sauce over the cauliflower and mix with a wooden spoon or hands. (The rest of the sauce will be used for dipping later.)
6. Pour the cauliflower out on your parchment paper-lined pan and spread the pieces evenly.
7. Bake for 40 minutes and remove from oven.

Notes

Serve with the remainder of the Buffalo dipping sauce, along with an optional vegan blue cheese dip

• Prep Time: 10 min
• Cook Time: 40 min
• Category: Snacks
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 134 grams
• Calories: 99
• Sugar: 1.9g
• Fat: 8.1g
• Saturated Fat: 5g
• Unsaturated Fat: 2.4g
• Trans Fat: 0.3g
• Carbohydrates: 5.6g
• Fiber: 2.1g
• Protein: 2.5g
• Cholesterol: 20mg

Keywords: buffalo cauliflower, buffalo cauliflower bites, buffalo cauliflower wings

The post Buffalo Cauliflower Recipe (Paleo and Keto Friendly!) appeared first on Dr. Axe.

Of course, ceviche is a traditional South American dish that typically is made with two essential ingredients: raw fish and lime juice. The seafood used in ceviche never comes in contact with a flame, but it gets chemically changed in its own unique way.

The “cooking” of ceviche is actually accomplished by marination with some type of citrus juice.

While most ceviche recipes call for using fish or shellfish, I wanted to change things up a bit and create a ceviche recipe that is vegetarian and vegan-friendly. It’s also a ceviche recipe packed with nutrition and explosive flavor.

Instead of seafood, this recipe uses nutrition-rich mushrooms as the star, and let me tell you — this vegetarian ceviche recipe is so tasty you won’t miss the fish at all.

What Is Ceviche?

What is ceviche exactly? Ceviche, also spelled as “cebiche” or “seviche” and often misspelled “cerviche,” traditionally takes some type of raw seafood and marinates it for a substantial amount of time in acidic citrus juice, usually lime or lemon.

Many people debate whether ceviche originates from Peru or Ecuador, while other food historians say the Spanish should get the credit.

Either way, it is a centuries-old dish that remains popular all over South America, the Caribbean and Mexico. These days, ceviche definitely has fans around the world, and it’s not too hard to find it on restaurant menus, especially if you’re treating yourself to some South American cuisine.

Fresh seawater fish fillets are at the heart of traditional ceviches recipes. Since ceviche never gets cooked by an actual heat source, it is absolutely essential to use very fresh seafood.

In addition to using white fish, scallop ceviche and shrimp ceviche are also popular, but I highly recommend avoiding shellfish ceviches due to the many inherent problems with shrimp and other shellfish.

Ceviche additions or garnishes can vary by country or individual creator. One of the most common additions to a ceviche recipe is aji pepper or another spicy chili pepper variety. Sea salt, black pepper, chopped onions and cilantro are also commonly found in ceviche recipes.

The way ceviche is served can also vary from place to place. Peruvian ceviche is typically served with sweet potatoes or corn on the cob slices, while Ecuadorians tend to serve their ceviche with nuts or popcorn.

Mexican ceviche takes an entirely different approach and puts the pieces of cured seafood on toasted tortillas with raw onion on top.

Traditional Ceviche vs. Vegetarian Ceviche

Traditionally, the best ceviche recipe is one that uses the absolute freshest, highest quality seafood. Acidic citrus juice is able to change the chemical composition of the seafood used in ceviche —making it not completely raw like it was before, but it still doesn’t cook it in the traditional sense of the word.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the changes that result from ceviche’s marination are not enough to get it of the raw food category. The CDC states, “Raw meat or seafood may contain germs; this includes raw meat that is “cooked” with citrus juice, vinegar, or other acidic liquid (such as ceviche, a dish of raw seafood marinated in citrus juice).”

So while ceviche may be a step above the completely raw and untouched fish commonly used in sushi and sashimi, it still comes with the risk of ingesting potentially harmful bacteria because it is technically uncooked. A vegetarian ceviche recipe doesn’t come with the same danger as traditional ceviche since mushrooms don’t require cooking to be completely safe to consume.

What is vegan ceviche made of? In this vegan ceviche, mushroom is the star.

While you may think that using mushrooms instead of seafood as the main ingredient in ceviche will result in a zero protein content, mushrooms are actually an impressive non-meat source of protein.

Mushrooms are low in carbohydrates and calories but a great source of B vitamins, trace minerals, fiber and protein. They’re also an anti-inflammatory food, containing high levels of beta-glucans compounds that keep immune cells alert, plus a powerful antioxidant called ergothioneine that helps lower bodywide inflammation.

In addition, this recipe calls for nothing but fresh veggies and some lime juice. The tomatoes and peppers provide a huge boost to immunity thanks to their vitamin C content, while avocado packs a nutritional punch as a true superfood and healthy fat source.

This vegetarian Peruvian ceviche recipe is topped off with onion and cilantro, making it simple, healthy and delicious.

How to Make Vegetarian Ceviche

When it comes to how to make ceviche, no matter what ingredients you use, the preparation is extremely easy and quick. Simply cut up your main ingredients, add citrus juice, allow some marination time, and then you’re ready to start eating.

For this vegetarian ceviche recipe, you just need to wash, dry and chop your key ingredients, and then you’re ready to create this flavorful delight.

In a large mixing bowl, add all of the recipe ingredients, and mix until well-combined.

Next, cover the mixing bowl, and refrigerate it for 30 minutes. This allows the ingredients to marinate and come together nicely.

Serve your vegetarian ceviche recipe with your favorite grain-free tortilla chips and enjoy!

Vegetarian Ceviche Recipe with Mushrooms

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• Author: Dr. Josh Axe
• Total Time: 30 minutes
• Yield: 7
• Diet: Gluten Free

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Most ceviche recipes call for using fish or shellfish. Here is a vegetarian ceviche recipe that is packed with nutrition and explosive flavor.

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Ingredients

• 3 cups of mushrooms of choice, chopped
• 3 Roma tomatoes, chopped
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped
• 1 jalapeño, stem removed and chopped
• 1 avocado, pitted and diced
• 1 red onion, chopped (optional*)
• juice of 4–5 limes
• ½ cup cilantro, chopped

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Instructions

1. In a large mixing bowl, add all of the ingredients, and mix until well-combined.
2. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes, allowing ingredients to marry.
3. Serve with your favorite grain-free tortilla chips.

Notes

• The onion is optional. Feel free to skip.
• For additional citrus flavor, add lemon juice.

• Prep Time: 30 min
• Category: Dips/Snacks
• Method: By hand
• Cuisine: South American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 190g
• Calories: 83
• Sugar: 4.1g
• Sodium: 9mg
• Fat: 4.5g
• Saturated Fat: 0.7g
• Unsaturated Fat: 3.8g
• Trans Fat: 0g
• Carbohydrates: 10.9g
• Fiber: 3.7g
• Protein: 2.8g
• Cholesterol: 0mg

Keywords: vegetarian ceviche recipe, vegan ceviche mushroom, vegetarian peruvian ceviche,

The post Vegetarian Ceviche Recipe with Mushrooms appeared first on Dr. Axe.

This colorful salsa is a rainbow of nutrients and flavor. Made from nutrition-rich cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, bell peppers, onions and spicy jalapeño peppers, this green cucumber salsa with fresh tomatoes is just what you need to take your chips or tacos to the next level.

Key Ingredients

As I mentioned, this cucumber salad recipe is made with nothing but fresh ingredients. Here are the main players in this keto salsa:

• Cucumbers: As a low-calorie, hydrating food, cucumber is great for skin and detoxification. Thanks to its vitamin K content and antioxidants, it can also aid heart, metabolic, digestive, bone and immune health.
• Tomatoes: Tomato nutrition is high in vitamins C, A and K, along with lycopene. As a high-antioxidant food, the tomato can help combat chronic disease, protect eye health, support healthy skin and more.
• Bell peppers: Bell pepper nutrition provides a healthy dose of B vitamins, vitamins A and C, along with fiber. As low-calorie foods, these peppers can support healthy weight, immunity, vision, brain health and skin.
• Onion: Another food that packs a great nutritional punch, onion nutrition can help combat chronic illness, manage diabetes, defend against respiratory infections and so much more.
• Jalapeno: Many spicy foods are known to boost immune health, and jalapenos are no different. They’re high in vitamins C, B6 and K, and they provide vital minerals as well. In addition, jalapenos can help prevent bacteria growth and calm migraines.
• Lime juice: You’re likely accustomed to cucumber salsa with vinegar, but this recipe calls for lime juice instead for a burst of citrus.

How to Make Cucumber Salsa

This is truly the easiest recipe ever. Once you’ve seeded, chopped and diced, throw the ingredients into a large bowl.

You are literally done!

This cucumber salsa recipe is crunchy and delicious. It’s great with Tex-Mex dishes.

You could even sweeten things up a bit by adding some diced mango. I encourage you to add this cucumber salsa to everything. You won’t regret it!

Similar Recipes

Looking for other salsa recipes to try? Here are some of my other favorites:

• Pico De Gallo, or Salsa Fresca, Recipe
• Chunky Tomato Salsa Recipe
• Cranberry Salsa Recipe
• Mango Avocado Salsa Recipe
• Cowboy Caviar: The Best Hearty Salsa Alternative

Cucumber Salsa Recipe

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• Author: Dr. Josh Axe
• Total Time: 10 minutes
• Yield: 6
• Diet: Gluten Free

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This cucumber salsa recipe is spectacular. It promotes healthy hair, nails and skin thanks to its healthy ingredients. Try it today!

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Ingredients

• 3 cups cherry tomatoes, quartered
• 1 cup green, red and yellow peppers, chopped
• 2 medium cucumbers, peeled, seeded; chopped
• 1 jalapeño pepper, seeded & chopped
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 4 tablespoons lime juice
• 1 teaspoon fresh parsley, minced

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Instructions

1. Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl.

Notes

• You can add some sweetness to this salsa with some mango if you choose.
• This salsa make a great addition to several dishes, or you can eat it on its own as a snack.
• If the spice is too much for you, feel free to go mild my skipping the jalapeno.

• Prep Time: 10 min
• Category: Dips
• Method: By hand
• Cuisine: Mexican

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 182g
• Calories: 35
• Sugar: 4.3g
• Sodium: 7mg
• Fat: 0.33g
• Saturated Fat: 0.04g
• Unsaturated Fat: 0.29g
• Trans Fat: 0g
• Carbohydrates: 7.5g
• Fiber: 2g
• Protein: 1.4g
• Cholesterol: 0mg

Keywords: cucumber salsa recipe, spicy cucumber salsa, cucumber salsa with fresh tomatoes, green cucumber salsa,

The post Cucumber Salsa Recipe appeared first on Dr. Axe.

For starters, just one muffin might set you back hundreds of calories, with heaps of refined sugar and other unsavory ingredients. And if you need a gluten-free muffin, you’re often better off eating cardboard — those muffins have no taste!

Luckily, we can make these Paleo Muffins your new go-to healthy snack. These yummy treats have it all: They’re ready in under half an hour, are full of recognizable, good-for-you ingredients, and there’s not a grain in sight. We use almond meal instead of flour and add sweetness with maple syrup, coconut sugar or stevia. Yum!

How to Make Paleo Muffins

We start by preheating the oven to 375 F. Then in a large mixing bowl, whisk the eggs. You know they’re ready once they lightened up in color.

Add the remaining wet ingredients to the bowl and then whisk them into the eggs until they’re all mixed up. I especially love that these Paleo muffins have ground flaxseeds in them, keeping you full longer.

Now grab a medium bowl and combine the dry ingredients in it. Once they’re mixed up well, add these dry ingredients into your larger bowl with the wet ingredients. Give everything a few good stirs before letting the Paleo muffin batter sit for a few minutes.

Add paper liners to your muffin pan and fill each muffin cup 3/4 of the way. We want to leave some room for the muffins to puff up and expand while they bake. Slide the muffins into the oven, and bake for 13–15 minutes or until the muffin tops are a nice golden brown.

How easy were these Paleo Muffins to prepare? They’re a great recipe to let your kids help out with, too. Give them a wooden spoon and let ’em stir! And if you’re feeling extra naughty or want these muffins to be more of a dessert, you can even replace half the cacao nibs with chocolate chips. I hope you enjoy these Paleo muffins!

Paleo Muffins with Almond Meal and Cacao Nibs

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• Author: Dr. Josh Axe
• Total Time: 25 minutes
• Yield: 6
• Diet: Gluten Free

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These Paleo Muffins have it all: ready in under half an hour, are full of recognizable, good-for-you ingredients, and there’s not a grain in sight.

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Ingredients

• 3 eggs
• ¼ cup coconut oil, liquefied
• ¼ cup maple syrup OR ½ dropper of liquid vanilla stevia OR 2 tablespoons coconut sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ⅛ teaspoon apple cider vinegar
• 1 cup almond meal
• 3 tablespoons arrowroot starch
• 1½ tablespoons ground flaxseed
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• ½ cup cacao nibs

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Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 375 F.
2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk the eggs until they’re lighter in color. Add the remaining wet ingredients and whisk together.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk the dry ingredients together until well mixed. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Stir to combine thoroughly, then let the mixture sit for 2 minutes.
4. Add paper liners to a muffin pan. Fill each muffin cup 3/4 full and bake for 13–15 minutes or until golden brown.

Notes

Want these muffins to be more of a dessert, replace half the cacao nibs with dark chocolate chips.

• Prep Time: 10 min
• Cook Time: 15 min
• Category: Snacks, Desserts
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 muffin
• Calories: 340
• Sugar: 11.2g
• Sodium: 230mg
• Fat: 25.6g
• Saturated Fat: 11.6g
• Unsaturated Fat: 12.3g
• Carbohydrates: 22.2g
• Fiber: 4.3g
• Protein: 8g
• Cholesterol: 82mg

Keywords: paleo muffins, paleo muffin recipe

The post Paleo Muffins with Almond Meal and Cacao Nibs appeared first on Dr. Axe.

With two bags of vitamin-rich spinach nutrition, protein-packed kefir benefits and delicious artichokes, you’ll get a healthier dip than any kind you order at a restaurant. Ready to make this dip for your next game day? Let’s do it.

How to Make Spinach Artichoke Dip

Start by adding the trimmed spinach to a pot of boiling water. Don’t step away from the stove just yet — you want it to cook for just 30 seconds. After, drain the spinach and rinse with cold water to keep it from continuing to cook. Give it a rough chop and put it aside for now.

While your spinach hangs out, it’s time to get the base of your dip ready. Melt butter in the pan or medium heat; make sure it doesn’t burn! Add your minced onion and garlic (using a food processor will make that step super easy) and season with sea salt.

Stir the onion until it’s soft and translucent. Add flour into the pan, stirring briskly for one minute before adding in your kefir. Stir for another minute before removing the pan from heat.

Return the pan to the stove on medium heat. Add in the cheddar cheese, artichoke hearts and the spinach you set aside earlier, and stir the whole tasty dip until the cheese melts. If you want your dip a bit spicy, this is the time to add in some hot sauce or crushed red pepper.

Now’s the moment you’ve been waiting for. Grab your favorite crackers, veggies and friends and dig in!

Spinach Artichoke Dip Recipe

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• Author: Dr. Josh Axe
• Total Time: 13 minutes
• Yield: 6
• Diet: Vegetarian

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Dips are some of my favorite snacks, especially when you can get a dose of veggies and healthy ingredients in them. This Spinach Artichoke Dip delivers on all counts.

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Ingredients

• 2 bags (10 ounces each) fresh spinach, large stems trimmed
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 2 tablespoons minced onion
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 teaspoons gluten-free flour
• 1¼ cups kefir
• 1¼ cups grated Parmesan cheese
• ¼ cup goat milk yogurt
• 1 teaspoon coconut aminos
• ½ teaspoon fresh lemon juice
• ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese
• ½ cup artichoke hearts, chopped
• dash of sea salt
• dash of hot sauce or crushed red pepper, optional

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Instructions

1. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Stir in spinach and cook for 30 seconds. Rinse and drain under cold water and squeeze out excess moisture. Roughly chop spinach and set aside.
2. Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and season with sea salt. Cook, stirring, until onion is soft. Add flour and stir for 1 minute. Add kefir and stir for 1 minute longer.
3. Remove pan from heat. Stir in Parmesan, yogurt, coconut aminos and lemon juice. Return to heat. Add shredded cheese, artichoke hearts and reserved spinach and stir until cheese melts.

Notes

This recipe stores well, so if you have a game day the following day or are throwing a party, feel free to make it a day or so ahead of time.

• Prep Time: 5 min
• Cook Time: 8 min
• Category: Dips, Snacks
• Method: Stovetop
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1.3 cups
• Calories: 231
• Sugar: 4g
• Sodium: 765mg
• Fat: 12.9g
• Saturated Fat: 7.3g
• Unsaturated Fat: 4g
• Trans Fat: 0.3g
• Carbohydrates: 15.6g
• Fiber: 5.1g
• Protein: 16.8g
• Cholesterol: 37mg

Keywords: spinach artichoke dip recipe, spinach and artichoke dip

The post Spinach Artichoke Dip Recipe appeared first on Dr. Axe.

Benefit-rich eggs are a serious powerhouse food. They’re a relatively inexpensive source of meat-free protein that can help prevent disease, improve eye health and help you drop pounds.

While they’re most often enjoyed as a breakfast food or a baking ingredient, they make a pretty tasty — and popular — appetizer in the form of deviled eggs. Add in another superfood, and this avocado deviled eggs recipe is something to enjoy anytime.

Are Deviled Eggs Bad for You?

Deviled eggs are hard-boiled eggs that have had the yolks removed and mixed with other ingredients, which are then stuffed back into the egg.

Why are they called “deviled eggs”? Back in the 1800s, “deviled” foods referred to foods that were super seasoned. That’s where the name for deviled eggs, devil’s food cake and other naughty foods came from.

While they might taste good, traditional deviled eggs are a fairly unhealthy food. Most of that is thanks to the mayonnaise they’re usually drowned in — just one tablespoon of mayo has about 90 calories.

When you consider that most store-bought mayo brands are also made with GMO-laden canola or vegetable oils, it’s clear that deviled eggs with mayonnaise aren’t the healthiest option.

What if you could replace the creamy texture that mayonnaise provides with another ingredient, something that adds flavor, texture and health benefits? It’s time to replace your old recipe with these avocado deviled eggs.

Key Ingredients

Avocado deviled eggs are a deliciously healthy option. One egg is about 78 calories and has a whopping 6.3 grams of protein, while one serving of avocado is packed with 113 calories, vitamin K, folate, vitamin C, healthy monounsaturated fats, fiber and protein. That’s a lot for the little green fruit.

When you combine the amazing benefits of eggs and avocado with spices that help boost immunity, protect the heart and so much more, you can’t go wrong. That’s exactly what this deviled eggs recipe does thanks to the additional seasoning provided by the garlic, chili powder, cumin, cilantro, sea salt, black pepper and paprika.

These healthy deviled eggs are vegetarian-friendly, dairy-free and fit into Paleo and ketogenic diets.

How to Make Avocado Deviled Eggs

Best of all, these avocado deviled eggs are ready in under an hour, making them perfect for impromptu guests or to take as a party appetizer. Let’s get cooking.

First, we need to hard-boil the eggs.

In a medium pot, add the eggs and cover with water until they’re fully submerged. Bring them to a boil, then remove from heat and cover the pot for 12–13 minutes.

Next, fill a large bowl with ice water. Use a slotted spoon to gently place the eggs into the bowl.

Let the eggs chill here for five minutes.

Next, remove the shell from the eggs and slice in half lengthwise, removing the yolk.

Add the yolk, along with the avocado and spices, to a bowl.

Mix all of the ingredients until they’re well-combined.

Now, spoon the avocado/yolk mixture into the egg halves.

Top each egg half with fresh cilantro and a drizzle of fresh lime juice if you’d like. Serve at your next event and watch your guests devour!

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Avocado Deviled Eggs Recipe — The Ideal Keto Snack

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• Author: Dr. Josh Axe
• Total Time: 25 minutes
• Yield: 6
• Diet: Gluten Free

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These avocado deviled eggs are vegetarian-friendly, dairy-free and fit in to Paleo and ketogenic diets. Try them today!

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Ingredients

• 4–6 eggs
• 1 avocado
• ¼ teaspoon sea salt
• ¼ teaspoon pepper
• ¼ teaspoon garlic
• ¼ teaspoon chili powder
• ¼ teaspoon cumin
• ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika, optional*
• 2 tablespoons cilantro
• drizzle of lime juice, optional*

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Instructions

1. In a medium pot add eggs and cover with water until fully submerged.
2. Bring to a boil, then remove from heat and cover for 12–13 minutes.
3. Fill a large bowl with ice water and, using a slotted spoon, gently place eggs in the bowl, allowing eggs to chill for 5 minutes.
4. Remove outer casing from eggs and slice in half lengthwise, removing the yolk.
5. Add the yolk, along with the avocado and spices to a bowl, mixing together until well combined.
6. Add the mixture to the egg halves.
7. Top with cilantro.

Notes

• Feel free to skip the paprika if you prefer.
• Adjust the other spices as you see fit for desired taste.
• Drizzle some lime juice if you want some extra zest or just eat as is.

• Prep Time: 10 min
• Cook Time: 15 min
• Category: Snacks
• Method: Boil, mix by hand
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 egg
• Calories: 118
• Sugar: 0.4g
• Sodium: 143mg
• Fat: 9.2g
• Saturated Fat: 2.1g
• Unsaturated Fat: 7.1g
• Trans Fat: 0g
• Carbohydrates: 3.5g
• Fiber: 2.4g
• Protein: 6.3g
• Cholesterol: 164mg

Keywords: avocado deviled eggs recipe

The post Avocado Deviled Eggs Recipe — The Ideal Keto Snack appeared first on Dr. Axe.

Energy Balls — The Perfect Healthy Snack?

What makes energy balls the perfect healthy snack? Quite a few things! They’re portable, making them easy to carry along for a food fix on the go. They use minimal ingredients; you likely have everything you need to make these energy balls in your pantry already. Oh and did I mention they taste great?

These easy-to-make energy balls are also vegan-friendly, are naturally gluten-free and have no refined sugar. They require no baking or crazy kitchen tools, so they’re excellent for getting kids in the kitchen. Yep, they are the perfect healthy snack!

Nutrition Facts

One energy ball contains approximately:

• 190 calories
• 15 carbs
• 13.2 grams fat
• 5 grams protein
• 73.4 miligrams sodium
• 12 grams sugar
• 183 milligrams potassium (5 percent DV)
• 5.4 grams fiber (22 percent DV)
• 30 milligrams calcium (3 percent DV)
• 4.9 milligrams iron (22 percent DV)
• 0.6 milligrams vitamin C (1 percent DV)

The ingredients in these energy balls are packed with health benefits of their own:

Cacao nibs are a superfood that have been used for thousands of years to increase energy. They’re full of fiber, so you’ll feel full longer after eating these energy balls, and are useful in helping you stay regular. Because cacao nibs are a good source of iron as well, they can help prevent anemia.

Sunflower butter is a great alternative to nut butters. It’s high in protein, so your muscles will particularly enjoy it after a session at the gym. It’s also full of healthy fats to keep your skin looking good.

Medjool dates sweeten these energy balls the all-natural way. These dates are the fruit of the date palm tree, and they’re one of my favorite ways to add a sweet flavor to recipes. They’re also a natural energy booster and can help decrease cholesterol. Not too shabby!

How to Make Energy Balls

What’s best about these energy balls is just how simple they are to make. Start by placing the cacao nibs and the shredded coconut into a food processor. Pulse until well-combined.

Next, place the remaining ingredients in the food processor. Blend them up until well-combined.

Roll the mixture into 12 balls (approximately 1 inch in diameter). Roll the balls individually in cacao nibs, shredded coconut or hemp seeds.

… then place on a baking sheet that’s been lined with parchment paper.

Cover the baking sheet and let chill for an hour in the refrigerator before eating, or freeze up to 2½ weeks.

No-Bake Energy Balls

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• Author: Dr. Josh Axe
• Total Time: 1 hr 10 min
• Yield: 12
• Diet: Vegan

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These easy-to-make energy balls are also vegan-friendly, are naturally gluten-free and have no refined sugar. And yeah, they give you natural energy!

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Ingredients

• ¼ cup cacao nibs
• ¼ cup shredded coconut
• ¼ cup almond flour
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil, melted and then cooled
• 8–10 Medjool dates, pitted
• ½ cup sunflower butter (or almond butter)
• ¼ cup hemp seeds
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

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Instructions

1. Place the cacao nibs and shredded coconut into a food processor and pulse until well-combined.
2. Place the remaining ingredients into the food processor and blend until well-combined.
3. Roll the mixture into 12 balls (approximately 1 inch in diameter).
4. Roll the balls individually in cacao nibs, shredded coconut or hemp seeds and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
5. Cover and chill for an hour or freeze up to 2½ weeks.

• Prep Time: 10 min
• Category: Snacks, Desserts
• Method: Freezing
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 ball
• Calories: 190
• Sugar: 12g
• Sodium: 73mg
• Fat: 13.2g
• Carbohydrates: 15g
• Fiber: 5.4g
• Protein: 5g

Keywords: energy balls recipe, vegan energy balls, gluten-free energy balls, no-bake energy balls

The post No-Bake Energy Balls: Your Afternoon Pick-Me-Up! appeared first on Dr. Axe.

But one of my favorite ways to use strawberries is baking them into a loaf of strawberry bread. If you’ve never tried strawberry bread, prepare to be dazzled. This recipe creates a fresh loaf of the stuff that’s full of heart-healthy coconut oil, crunchy pecan nuts for a dose of healthy fats and cinnamon, one of the healthiest herbs.

Because it uses gluten-free flour, it’s appropriate for those following a gluten-free diet and is vegetarian friendly, too. It does double duty as a sweet breakfast — combine it with yogurt for more protein — or a dessert. And because this strawberry bread recipe requires only 15 minutes of hands-on time, it’s the perfect recipe to make when company unexpectedly arrives.

Let’s get started, shall we?

How to Make Strawberry Bread

Choose the freshest, juiciest strawberries you can get your hands on and slice ‘em up. Throw them in a bowl and then sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of coconut sugar, reserving the rest. Steal a few sugary berries from the bowl and nibble. I won’t tell.

In a separate bowl, combine flour, the rest of your coconut sugar, cinnamon, salt and baking soda and stir to combine.

Back to the berry bowl! Add coconut oil and eggs into the bowl and then add in the bowl of dry ingredients. Don’t mix these up too much; we want to stir these together until all the ingredients are just combined.

Add in pecans (or another nut of your preference — even chocolate chips would be delicious!) and transfer the whole heaping mixture to a standard-sized greased loaf pan.

Bake for 50 minutes or until done.

Tip: stick a toothpick in the loaf. When the toothpick comes out clean, the loaf is ready. Let the loaf cool and enjoy! If you’re serving this as a dessert, a heaping scoop of ice cream makes a delicious accompaniment to this strawberry bread recipe. Enjoy!

Strawberry Bread Recipe

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• Author: Dr. Josh Axe
• Total Time: 1 hour
• Yield: 10
• Diet: Gluten Free

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One of my favorite ways to use strawberries is baking them into a loaf of strawberry bread. If you’ve never tried strawberry bread, prepare to be dazzled.

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Ingredients

• 1 cup fresh strawberries
• ½ cup coconut oil
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1½ cups gluten-free flour
• 1 cup coconut sugar
• 1½ teaspoons cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• ½ cup pecans, chopped

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Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Slice strawberries and place in a small bowl. Sprinkle lightly with coconut sugar.
3. In a big mixing bowl, mix coconut oil and eggs together.
4. Add flour, rest of coconut sugar, cinnamon, salt and baking soda.
5. Stir in the strawberries and pecans.
6. Transfer mixture to greased (with coconut oil) loaf pan. Bake for 50 minutes or until cooked through.

• Prep Time: 10 min
• Cook Time: 50 min
• Category: Snacks
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 slice
• Calories: 291
• Sugar: 22.4g
• Sodium: 198mg
• Fat: 15.8g
• Saturated Fat: 10.1g
• Unsaturated Fat: 4.7g
• Carbohydrates: 36.7g
• Fiber: 2.9g
• Protein: 4.1g
• Cholesterol: 33mg

Keywords: strawberry bread recipe, gluten-free strawberry bread

The post Strawberry Bread Recipe appeared first on Dr. Axe.

I love them because they’re made wholly from chickpeas (aka garbanzo beans), coconut oil and seasonings. Nutrition-rich chickpeas are a terrific source of animal-free protein and full of fiber. And if you haven’t tried them, they are delicious when cooked and crispy, like in this recipe.

Slip these fried chickpeas in a sealed plastic bag as an on-the-go snack or enjoy them while watching your favorite TV program. You’ll never go back to those unhealthy chips again.

Key Ingredients

Are fried chickpeas good for you? They certainly can be.

These pan-fried chickpeas balls take the negatives of fried foods out of the equation thanks to healthy ingredients this recipe calls for, starting with the star of the show:

• Chickpeas. Also known as garbanzo beans, chickpeas aren’t only loaded with protein, but also high in manganese, folate, copper, phosphorus, and several other vitamins and minerals. As such, they benefit blood sugar control, weight maintenance, digestion, immunity and more.
• Coconut oil. Coconut oil benefits extend to many aspects of health. This source of healthy fat can help with brain, heart, kidney, liver joint, immune, digestive, bone, skin, oral, hair and hormone health.
• Spices. Cumin aids digestion, immunity, respiratory issues, skin, sleep, bone health and cholesterol, while antioxidant-rich paprika is a spice that can help the entire body. Of course, we already know garlic is one of the healthiest foods on the planet.

How to Make Fried Chickpeas

Wondering how to cook chickpeas? Frying is one method for how to cook garbanzo beans, which is what this fried chickpeas recipe calls for.

Start by heating the benefit-rich coconut oil in a large frying pan over low heat. While that happens, pat the chickpeas dry with a paper towel to blot out any excess moisture.

Next, add the chickpeas and spices to the pan, and turn the heat up higher to medium.

Fry the chickpeas for 10–12 minutes until they’ve reached your desired crispiness level. Personally, I like mine pretty crunchy and toasty. Serve in bowls and eat!

This fried chickpeas snack is an easy-to-make recipe and very customizable. Swapping out the spices can give these crispy chickpeas a whole new tastes, too — make curry-flavored ones or Italian-spiced ones. However you choose to jazz these chickpeas up, they’re going to taste great.

Similar Recipes

Cooking chickpeas is a great way to get these healthy legumes in your diet. Try these chickpeas recipes for healthy chickpea snacks and dishes:

• Easy, Blended Pea Soup Recipe (With Chickpeas!)
• Vegan Falafel Recipe
• Classic Hummus Recipe

Healthy Fried Chickpeas Recipe

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• Author: Dr. Josh Axe
• Total Time: 20 minutes
• Yield: 4 servings
• Diet: Vegan

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These fried chickpeas are one of those healthy fried options. I love them because they’re made from chickpeas, coconut oil and seasonings.

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Ingredients

• 2 cans of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil
• 2 teaspoons of each: cumin, chili powder, garlic, smoked paprika, sea salt, pepper

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Instructions

1. Dry the chickpeas with a paper towel to remove excess moisture.
2. In a large frying pan over medium low heat, melt the coconut oil.
3. Add the chickpeas and spices to the pan, and turn the heat to medium. Fry for 10–12 minutes or until desired crispiness.
4. Serve and enjoy!

Notes

• You can adjust the spices to customize your fried chickpeas. Try curry-flavored ones or Italian-spiced ones.
• You can swap the coconut oil for the cooking oil of your choice, though it will change the nutrition a bit.

• Cook Time: 20 min
• Category: Snacks
• Method: By hand
• Cuisine: Middle Eastern

Nutrition

• Calories: 137
• Sugar: 0.6g
• Sodium: 1,057mg
• Fat: 8.2g
• Saturated Fat: 6g
• Unsaturated Fat: 2.2g
• Trans Fat: 0g
• Carbohydrates: 13.2g
• Fiber: 3.6g
• Protein: 4.6g
• Cholesterol: 0mg

Keywords: how to cook chickpeas, how to cook garbanzo beans, fried chickpeas recipe, pan fried chickpeas, fried chickpeas balls, crispy chickpeas, fried chickpeas snack, chickpeas recipes, cooking chickpeas, chickpea snacks

The post Healthy Fried Chickpeas Recipe appeared first on Dr. Axe.

This slow-cooker pumpkin butter recipe makes a great homemade gift or addition to your own table, and it’s one of my favorite pumpkin recipes. All you need are a few ingredients, your slow cooker, some containers and a few hours, and everyone will be so impressed that you made it yourself.

Key Ingredients

Pumpkin butter is similar to apple butter, just made with pumpkin. It’s great on toast, oatmeal, pancakes, waffles or just eaten from the spoon. The pumpkin health benefits are numerous, such as lots of vitamin A, fiber and beta-carotene, so there are more reasons than just the taste to enjoy this autumn squash.

The benefit-rich cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, ginger and allspice you use in this recipe not only taste amazing, but they’re naturally antimicrobial. In other words, they:

• fight disease and infections
• boost your metabolism and immune system
• help balance blood sugar, fighting diabetes
• contain loads of antioxidants, which fight aging, coronary heart disease and cancer

Plus, this pumpkin butter is completely natural, so you know you’re giving your family and friends a treat without preservatives, high fructose corn syrup, and artificial flavors and colors. Did I mention this recipe is also gluten-free, Paleo-friendly and vegetarian?

Ready to get to some hands-off cooking?

How to Make Pumpkin Butter

There is no shortage of recipes for pumpkin butter to choose from. This one puts the onus of cooking on your slow cooker for a low-maintenance way to make this cold-weather favorite.

Start by adding your pureed pumpkin to the slow cooker. I use two 15-ounce cans of organic pumpkin puree (make sure they’re pure pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling), but if you’re feeling really ambitious, you could make your own homemade pumpkin puree from a three- to four-pound pumpkin.

Next, add 1 cup of raw honey, 1/2 cup of apple cider, some vanilla extract and fresh lemon juice, and your cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and salt. Stir the mixture well to incorporate all the spices.

This recipe makes a pretty spicy pumpkin butter, so if you’d like a milder flavor, back off the spice amounts and taste the mixture to see how you like it. The final product will taste similar, just more intense.

Now turn your slow cooker on low, and allow it to do its thing for 4 hours. Check on the pumpkin butter every half hour or so, and stir it to keep it from sticking and burning. You don’t want it to burn!

After 4 hours, add in the cloves and allspice. These are the stronger spices, so adding them later in the cooking will prevent them from becoming bitter. Then stir, stir, stir.

Cover and allow the mixture to cook for another 1–2 hours. Check on the butter frequently now, and stir it.

The time will depend on your slow cooker, so when the pumpkin butter looks to be the thickness you like, turn it off. If it’s still not thick enough, you can remove the lid and allow it to keep cooking until it reaches your desired consistency.

Spoon the pumpkin butter into jars or other sealable containers. You’ll have about 5 cups of pumpkin butter.

Allow the pumpkin butter to cool in the containers before putting the lids on. Then refrigerate or freeze until you’re ready to enjoy!

The pumpkin butter will keep for 2–3 weeks in the refrigerator and up to a year in the freezer, but I doubt it will hang around for that long.

Wondering what the best pumpkin butter uses are? Have it on sprouted toast, like Ezekiel bread, and enjoy this delicious tribute to our favorite fall squash in any number of ways, whether as part of dessert, a side dish or snack.

Similar Recipes

Looking for some more pumpkin recipes to try out? Here are a few to consider:

• Pumpkin Spice Latte Recipe
• Gluten-Free Pumpkin Bread Recipe
• Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal Recipe
• Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake

Slow-Cooker Pumpkin Butter Recipe

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• Author: Dr. Josh Axe
• Total Time: 5 hours 10 minutes
• Yield: 5 cups
• Diet: Gluten Free

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Packed with vitamins, antioxidants and flavor, this easy slow-cooker pumpkin butter recipe is a treat on toast, oatmeal, pancakes and more!

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Ingredients

• 30 ounces cooked pumpkin puree
• 1 cup raw honey
• 1/2 cup apple cider
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• generous pinch of sea salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

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Instructions

1. Add all of the ingredients except the cloves and allspice to a slow cooker. Stir well to combine. Cook on low for 4 hours, stirring several times to keep the mixture from sticking.
2. Add the cloves and allspice. Cook for 1–2 more hours or until thick. (This time may vary based on your slow cooker.) Continue stirring to prevent sticking or burning. If at the end you want the pumpkin butter to be thicker, remove the lid and continue cooking until it reaches the desired consistency.
3. Transfer the pumpkin butter to jars and allow them to cool, then store them in the refrigerator. Pumpkin butter will keep for 2–3 weeks in the refrigerator or for up to a year in the freezer.

Notes

• This recipe makes a pretty spicy pumpkin butter, so if you’d like a milder flavor, back off the spice amounts and taste the mixture to see how you like it.

• Prep Time: 10 min
• Cook Time: 5 hours
• Category: Breakfasts
• Method: Slow cooker
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 cup
• Calories: 286
• Sugar: 64.3g
• Sodium: 13mg
• Fat: 0.8g
• Saturated Fat: 0.4g
• Unsaturated Fat: 0.4g
• Trans Fat: 0g
• Carbohydrates: 74.4g
• Fiber: 6g
• Protein: 2.2g
• Cholesterol: 0mg

Keywords: Pumpkin butter cream, pumpkin butter recipe, how to make pumpkin butter, Pumpkin butter uses, Recipes for pumpkin butter

The post Slow-Cooker Pumpkin Butter Recipe appeared first on Dr. Axe.

That’s why I’m a huge fan of making gluten-free goodies at home, like these outstanding Gluten-Free Lemon Bars with Cranberries. You’ll be delighted at how fluffy and cake-like these are when they’re made with nutritious coconut flour, one of the best gluten-free flours. And the flavor? It can’t be beat. With fresh lemon zest, creamy coconut milk and tart cranberries, this rivals anything Betty Crocker could whip up.

Trust me, when it comes to these Gluten-Free Lemon Bars, there’s no time to waste. Let’s get baking!

How to Make Gluten-Free Lemon Bars

Start by heating the oven to 350 F, so it’s nice and toasty, then grease an 8 x 8 x 2-inch glass baking dish with coconut oil or butter.

In a medium bowl, whisk up the eggs until they’re well blended; they’ll actually turn lighter in color. Then add in the vanilla, coconut milk, maple syrup, cranberries and lemon zest and stir until everything’s all mixed up.

Pro tip: If you want a subtle lemon flavor, the zest from 1 lemon will do it. Ready to get crazy and get your lemon on? Use the zest of 2 lemons.

Next, in a small bowl, whisk together the coconut flour, baking powder and salt. Then add the dry ingredients to the wet mix and stir it all up, making sure everything’s blended thoroughly. Let the batter hang out for 5 minutes and take a water break.

It’s time! Pour the Gluten-Free Lemons Bars batter into the dish you’ve greased up and slide it into the oven. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean. If it doesn’t come out clean, lick the batter and try again in another few minutes.

Once the bars are ready, let them cool slightly before slicing.

I love that, with these bars, gluten-free doesn’t mean flavor-free. Because of their cake-like texture, I love serving these Lemon Bars with Cranberries at breakfast or as a snack along with hot tea. They do hold up well for traveling, so wrap ’em up and pack them for a yummy on-the-go snack.

Looking for other healthy snack bars? Try these recipes:

• Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
• Quinoa Crispy Bars
• Pumpkin Bars
• Healthy Granola Bars
• Cheesecake Bars

Gluten-Free Lemon Bars with Cranberries Recipe

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• Author: Dr. Josh Axe
• Total Time: 45 minutes
• Yield: 8
• Diet: Gluten Free

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These lemon bars are fluffy and cake-like when they’re made with nutritious coconut flour, one of the best gluten-free flours.

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Ingredients

• 3/4 cup coconut flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 6 eggs
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup coconut milk
• 2/3 cup maple syrup
• 2 tablespoons melted butter or coconut oil
• zest of 2 medium lemons
• 2/3 cup dried cranberries

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Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 375 F. Line an 8 x 8 x 2-inch glass baking dish with parchment paper and trim any excess paper.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together the coconut flour, baking powder and sea salt.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs until blended and lighter in color. Add the vanilla, coconut milk, maple syrup, melted butter, lemon zest and cranberries. Stir to incorporate.
4. Add the dry ingredients to the wet mix and blend thoroughly. Allow the batter to rest for 5 minutes.
5. Pour the batter into the prepared dish and bake for 30–35 minutes, watching closely in the last 5 minutes of baking.
6. When knife inserted in middle comes out clean or nearly so, remove pan from oven and remove bars to cooling rack. Enjoy!

Notes

I love serving these Lemon Bars with Cranberries at breakfast or as a snack along with hot tea.

• Prep Time: 10 min
• Cook Time: 35 min
• Category: Desserts
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 bar
• Calories: 246
• Sugar: 23.4g
• Sodium: 223mg
• Fat: 13.2g
• Saturated Fat: 9.1g
• Unsaturated Fat: 3.1g
• Trans Fat: 0.1g
• Carbohydrates: 23.4g
• Fiber: 1.3g
• Protein: 4.9g
• Cholesterol: 130mg

Keywords: gluten-free lemon bars, lemon bars recipe

The post Gluten-Free Lemon Bars with Cranberries Recipe appeared first on Dr. Axe.

Trust me — this one’s tastier (and much healthier) than any spinach and artichoke dip or cheesy dip I’ve ever had.

Goat Cheese Appetizers

Goat cheese is one of my favorite cheeses. It’s tangy and creamy, perfect for adding to your favorite dishes.

It’s also lower in the milk proteins some people are sensitive to, so even if you struggle with digesting traditional cow’s milk cheeses, you might find you can tolerate goat’s milk better.

Different countries call goat’s cheese by different names. One of the most common is the French chèvre, which is what we’ll use here.

If you’re new to goat cheese, get ready to fall in love with this cow’s milk alternative. Some of my favorite appetizers and salads incorporate goat cheese.

For a light pre-meal salad, this berry goat cheese salad is delicious. Fruit and goat cheese make a really great combination, and if you like the berry salad, you’ll love this balsamic peaches and goat cheese salad recipe.

For a more traditional, cheesy appetizer, this eggplant-wrapped goat cheese is a winner.

Nutrition Facts

You might be worried about how healthy artichoke dip is. Here’s what you’re getting with one serving (½ cup) of this dip:

• 386 calories
• 8.8 grams carbohydrates
• 23.8 grams protein
• 29 grams fat
• 3.2 grams fiber
• 570 milligrams phosphorus (81 percent DV)
• 0.8 milligrams vitamin B2 (76 percent DV)
• 669 milligrams calcium (67 percent DV)
• 0.5 milligrams copper (61 percent DV)
• 1,283 international units vitamin A (55 percent DV)
• 23.7 micrograms vitamin K (26 percent DV)
• 73 milligrams magnesium (24 percent DV)
• 1.6 milligrams zinc (20 percent DV)
• 0.4 milligrams manganese (20 percent DV)
• 2.2 milligrams niacin (16 percent DV)
• 2.1 milligrams iron (12 percent DV)
• 0.1 milligrams thiamine (12 percent DV)
• 8.3 milligrams vitamin C (11 percent DV)
• 43 micrograms folate (11 percent DV)
• 6.2 micrograms selenium (11 percent DV)
• 0.5 milligrams vitamin B5 (10 percent DV)
• 0.1 milligrams vitamin B6 (10 percent DV)
• 0.2 micrograms vitamin B12 (8 percent DV)
• 0.9 milligrams vitamin E (6 percent DV)
• 265 milligrams potassium (6 percent DV)

The cheeses in this artichoke dip provide quite a few health benefits. For starters, it’s packed with protein.

Good-for-you dairy like goat cheese is a terrific meat-free source of protein that is often overlooked in favor of meatier choices.

I also love that artichokes are an integral part of this dip. Artichokes made the cut as one of my top high-antioxidant foods for good reason.

They’re rich in fiber, which helps you feel full longer and can assist in weight loss efforts. They also keep your skin looking bright and firm, and they can reduce inflammation and lower cholesterol levels, helping improve your heart’s health.

Combine these two healthy foods with doses of fresh herbs and refreshing lemon, and you’ve got a recipe for artichoke dip that’s going to be a new dip staple.

How to Make Artichoke Dip

This healthy artichoke dip recipe couldn’t be easier to make.

Start by adding all of the ingredients except for the pecorino romano cheese to a food processor.

Make sure all your ingredients aren’t too tightly packed!

Pulse all of the ingredients together until a creamy, well-combined dip is formed.

Grab your hunk of pecorino romano cheese and grate half a cup of it.

Sprinkle the pecorino over the artichoke cheese dip and serve.

This artichoke dip is excellent with veggies, your favorite GMO-free corn chips, pita bread or most things, really. Enjoy!

Goat Cheese & Artichoke Dip Recipe

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• Author: Dr. Josh Axe
• Total Time: 5 minutes
• Yield: 6-8
• Diet: Gluten Free

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If you’re ready to take your dips to the next level, it’s time to try this tasty and healthy artichoke dip recipe made with goat cheese.

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Ingredients

• One 14-ounce can artichoke hearts, drained
• 1 pound chévre goat cheese
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• ½ cup pecorino romano, grated
• 1 tablespoon parsley
• 1 tablespoon chives
• ½ tablespoon basil
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• Dash of cayenne pepper (optional*)

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Instructions

1. In a food processor, mix all ingredients except the pecorino romano until well-incorporated and creamy.
2. Top with freshly grated pecorino romano.

Notes

• For a little kick, add a dash (or more) of cayenne pepper. If you aren’t keen on spice, you can skip it.
• In place of pecorino romano, you can utilize other types of cheese, such as parmesan, if you prefer.

• Prep Time: 5 min
• Cook Time: 0 min
• Category: Snacks
• Method: By hand
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: ½ cup
• Calories: 386
• Sugar: 2g
• Sodium: 623mg
• Fat: 29g
• Saturated Fat: 17.6g
• Unsaturated Fat: 11.4g
• Trans Fat: 0g
• Carbohydrates: 8.8g
• Fiber: 3.2g
• Protein: 23.8g
• Cholesterol: 74mg

Keywords: artichoke dip recipe, artichoke dip recipes, recipe for artichoke dip

The post Goat Cheese & Artichoke Dip Recipe appeared first on Dr. Axe.

There’s nothing better than snacking on chips and dip when you’re watching a sports game … or a movie … or even when you need a quick healthy snack for kids. But if you’re brave enough to read the ingredients list on a bag of most potato chips, you’ll lose your appetite quite quickly. It’s hard to find anything resembling an actual potato in those — which is why you should give this spicy kale chips recipe a try!

There’s no reason to give up munching just because the average chip is filled with artificial ingredients. These spicy kale chips are spectacular.

Key Ingredients

Not only do you get the health benefits of kale, including loads of vitamins K and A, but you have the choice of two drool-worthy dressings to flavor the chips: Indian spice and chipotle spice. So if you’ve been hunting for guilt-free, tasty snack foods for game day, movie night or to pack in the kids’ lunch boxes, these spicy kale chips are it.

Here are the main healthy players in this recipe:

• Kale: The leafy green is loaded with vitamins and minerals. It truly is a superfood that can aid health in so many ways, including fighting inflammation, aiding detoxification, supporting eye and heart health, and so much more.
• If you go with the Indian spice dressing, almond butter and coconut oil provide healthy fats and make for much better choices than traditional butter and processed vegetable oils.
• This dressing also features garlic, cumin and cardamom, three immune-boosting herbs. The allicin in garlic helps combat chronic disease like cancer while also protecting the heart. High in iron, manganese and calcium, cumin aids digestion, immunity, skin health, bones, cholesterol and sleep. And cardamom is great for oral health, blood pressure, digestion and more.
• As for the chipotle spice dressing, it features tahini, olive oil and nutritional yeast … in addition to garlic. Tahini, made from ground sesame seeds, is another source of healthy fats and amino acids, and it’s a strong source of B vitamins and vital minerals. Extra-virgin olive oil is one of the healthiest oils you can cook with. It’s heart-healthy and can support the brain while helping manage weight. While it’s made from sugarcane and beet molasses, nutritional yeast is actually strong source of B vitamins and is a healthy addition to recipes in moderation.

Ready to dig in?

How to Make Spicy Kale Chips

Start by heating the oven to 275 degrees Fahrenheit. It might sound low, but we want crispy, not burnt, kale chips.

Next, line two cookie sheets with parchment paper. Using two means the kale won’t be overcrowded as it bakes.

If you have only have one sheet, no problem. Just bake the chips in batches.

This is a good time to prep the kale, too. For this recipe, we want the ribs of the kale removed.

The simplest way to do this is to grab the base of the stem with one hand and run your other hand to the end, taking the leaf with you so the rib is left leafless. Don’t toss those ribs out, though. Freeze them to toss into smoothies at a later date.

Next, in a small bowl, mix all the ingredients from your choice of dressing until smooth. Whichever version you choose will have an awesome flavor.

If you’re like me and can’t choose (or if you know one batch won’t last very long), make a double batch of dressing and chips. Problem solved!

Then, in a large bowl, pour the dressing over the chopped and kale. Work that dressing in so all the kale is covered and the leaves turn a dark, shiny green.

Spread the kale evenly on the cookie sheets, making sure the leaves aren’t overlapping. These babies need room to breathe so they don’t become soggy.

Bake the chips for 15 minutes and then rotate the cookie tray and flip the chips over, so each side gets nice and crisp. Bake for another 15 minutes and check on the crunch factor.

If they’re not super crispy yet, slide the sheets back into the oven and bake for another 5 to 10 minutes.

When the spicy kale chips have reached optimal crispiness, remove from the oven and allow them to cool for 5 minutes before devouring.

I love how healthy and delicious these kale chips are. I love the dressings on these, but once you get the hang of making it, you can switch it up, too and use your own favorites — or even salt, pepper and crushed red pepper flakes. Enjoy!

Other Recipes with Kale

Looking for more kale recipes? Try these:

• Kale Chips Recipe with Coconut Oil and Lemon
• Massaged Kale Salad Recipe
• Salmon Kale Salad Recipe
• Peachy Super Kale Shake Recipe
• Sautéed Kale Recipe

Print

Spicy Kale Chips Recipe

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• Author: Dr. Josh Axe
• Total Time: 55 minutes
• Yield: 2-4
• Diet: Vegan

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Spicy kale chips are the ultimate snack. Not only do you get the health benefits of kale, but you have the choice of two dressings.

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Ingredients

Kale:

• 1 bunch curly kale, washed and chopped, ribs removed

Indian Spice Dressing:

• 1 tablespoon almond butter
• 1 tablespoon melted coconut oil
• zest of 1 orange
• 2 garlic cloves, pressed or minced
• 1 teaspoon garam masala
• ¼ teaspoon cardamom
• ⅛ teaspoon cumin

OR Chipotle Spice Dressing:

• 1 tablespoon tahini
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, pressed or minced
• 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• ½ teaspoon chipotle powder
• ½ teaspoon cayenne
• ¼ teaspoon salt

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Instructions

1. Heat oven to 275 F. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.
2. In a small bowl, mix all the ingredients from your choice of dressing together until smooth.
3. In a large bowl, pour the dressing over the chopped kale. Massage the dressing into the kale so all parts are covered with dressing and the leaves turn a darker, shiny green.
4. Spread the kale evenly on the cookie sheets. Make sure the leaves aren’t overlapping. This prevents sogginess.
5. Bake the chips for 15 minutes and rotate the cookie sheets front to back and top to bottom.
6. Bake for another 15 minutes and check for crispness. If the chips aren’t crisp yet, rotate the cookie sheets again and bake for 5-10 minutes more.
7. Allow the chips to cool for about 5 minutes on the cookie sheets, and then enjoy.

Notes

• Nutritional info is with the chipotle spice dressing. The nutrition is very similar with the Indian spice dressing.
• You can play with the spices to add different flavors.

• Prep Time: 15 min
• Cook Time: 40 min
• Category: Snacks
• Method: By hand
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Calories: 120
• Sugar: 1.7g
• Sodium: 429mg
• Fat: 8.1g
• Saturated Fat: 1.1g
• Unsaturated Fat: 7g
• Trans Fat: 0g
• Carbohydrates: 9.4g
• Fiber: 3.7g
• Protein: 5.4g
• Cholesterol: 0mg

Keywords: spicy kale chips recipe, kale chips, spicy kale chip recipe

The post Spicy Kale Chips Recipe appeared first on Dr. Axe.

This is a great recipe to use for apples that don’t look too pretty but are still safe to eat. It’s sweet enough to satisfy a sweet tooth, but not overly so. And while they take a little while to bake, there’s so little hands-on time that making these spiced apple rings is a breeze. Bonus: the kids will love them! (Kids will also love our dairy-free caramel apple recipe.)

Key Ingredients

Apples: Apple nutrition benefits include the ability to improve your digestion, thanks to being one of best high-fiber foods. Apples are also a top source of pectin, a soluble, gelatinous polysaccharide that binds to cholesterol in the gastrointestinal tract and slows glucose absorption.

Cinnamon: Did you know that researchers have found that cinnamon ranks No. 1 out of 26 of the most popular herbs and spices in the world in terms of its protective antioxidant levels.

Ginger: Ginger contains a diverse array of many important vitamins and minerals. It also contains gingerol, a powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compound.

Nutmeg: This amazing spice nutmeg has been well-studied for its impressive benefits, including its effects on brain and heart health, digestion, inflammation and more.

How to Make Spiced Apple Rings

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F. This low temperature allows the apples to get nice and crispy without burning. First core the apples, then use a mandolin or a knife to slice the apples thinly into a ring shape.

Toss the spiced apple rings in a bowl with the cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger. Then lie them flat on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet.

Bake the apple rings for an hour. Sprinkle them with a little extra cinnamon — and some coconut sugar if you’re feeling naughty — and enjoy!

You can easily pack these with lunches or serve as an after-school snack. Make a big batch, because they’ll go quickly!

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Baked Spiced Apple Rings Recipe

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• Author: Dr. Josh Axe
• Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
• Yield: 6
• Diet: Vegan

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Easy to prepare, delicious to eat and portable are my top snack criteria, and this Baked Apple Rings recipe ticks all the boxes!

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Ingredients

• 6 large apples
• 1 teaspoon of each: cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg

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Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 200 degrees F.
2. Core apples then slice thinly with a knife or mandolin.
3. Toss apples with the spices and place of baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
4. Bake for 1 hour. Sprinkle with additional cinnamon and serve.

Notes

Tart apples like Granny Smith, Honeycrisp and Golden Delicious tend to hold up best in baking.

• Prep Time: 5 min
• Cook Time: 1 hour
• Category: Snacks
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 6 apple rings
• Calories: 119
• Sugar: 23.2g
• Sodium: 2mg
• Fat: 0.5g
• Carbohydrates: 31.4g
• Fiber: 5.7g
• Protein: 0.6g
• Cholesterol: 0mg

Keywords: baked apple rings, spiced apple rings recipe

The post Baked Spiced Apple Rings Recipe appeared first on Dr. Axe.

This weekend, let’s bench those fried buffalo wings (or make a healthy version of buffalo chicken tenders) and sub in this Buffalo Chicken Dip, which has all the flavor of wings and bleu cheese dressing mixed into one easy dish. Best of all, this dip is packed with healthy fats, is keto-friendly and gluten-free, and leaves no messy fingers behind. Try it served up with some cut up raw veggies, and you’ll be getting your daily fiber in a delicious way.

How to Make Buffalo Chicken Dip

Start by whipping up my Homemade Ranch Dressing Recipe. Fair warning: once you try this dressing, you’ll want to always have some on hand, especially if you have little ones who will only eat their veggies when they can dunk them.

This buffalo chicken dip is also a terrific way to use up leftover meat — or on a busy day, grab an organic rotisserie chicken from the store to use. Your friends and family are going to love this game day snack!

We’ll kick things off by preheating the oven to 350 F. placing the cooked, shredded chicken into a bowl. Next, add in my Homemade Ranch Dressing, three cheeses (oh yes, this is going to be a good one) and your favorite hot sauce. Mix it all up really well.

And if you want to turn up the heat, you can definitely add a few extra dashes of hot sauce!

Next, transfer the chicken mixture to a greased baking dish for easy cleanup later. Slide this bad boy into the oven and let it bake for 20 minutes.

This Buffalo Chicken Dip is best straight right out of the oven. It’s terrific for dipping raw veggies like benefit-rich celery sticks, carrots or bell pepper strips — or eating straight from the baking dish with a spoon!

Serve this for the next football game for a snack that’s sure to satisfy.

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Buffalo Chicken Dip Recipe

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• Author: Dr. Josh Axe
• Total Time: 35 minutes
• Yield: 8
• Diet: Gluten Free

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Description

This weekend, let’s bench those fried buffalo wings and sub in this keto-friendly Buffalo Chicken Dip, which has all the flavor of wings and bleu cheese dressing mixed into one easy dish.

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Ingredients

• 1 pound chicken, roasted and shredded
• ½ cup homemade ranch dressing
• 16 ounces organic cream cheese
• ½ cup organic bleu cheese
• 2 ounces shredded buffalo mozzarella
• ½ cup buffalo hot sauce

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Instructions

1. Heat oven to 350 F.
2. Place the chicken in a large mixing bowl. Add the ranch dressing, cheeses, and hot sauce and mix well.
3. Transfer the mixture to a baking dish and bake for 20 minutes. Serve warm with raw veggies.

Notes

This Buffalo Chicken Dip is best straight right out of the oven. It’s terrific for dipping raw veggies like celery sticks, carrots or bell pepper strips.

• Prep Time: 15 min
• Cook Time: 20 min
• Category: Appetizers, Dips
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 3/4 cup
• Calories: 395
• Sugar: 2.8g
• Sodium: 1094mg
• Fat: 32g
• Saturated Fat: 14.8g
• Unsaturated Fat: 13.4g
• Trans Fat: 0.1g
• Carbohydrates: 5.8
• Fiber: 1.2
• Protein: 21.8g
• Cholesterol: 94mb

Keywords: buffalo chicken dip recipe

The post Buffalo Chicken Dip Recipe appeared first on Dr. Axe.

When learning how to make kale chips, it should comforting to know that it only requires 15 minutes, an oven, baking sheet and four ingredients. You’ll be able to whip these up even on your busiest (or laziest) days!

What Are Kale Chips?

Kale nutrition is pretty impressive. These leafy greens are loaded with vitamin A, vitamin K and vitamin C, which help support the incredible health benefits of kale.

One thing I really love about kale chips is just how versatile they really are. These roasted kale chips fit just about any diet. Following a gluten-free, Paleo, vegetarian/vegan, gut friendly or ketogenic diet? You can have them!

While this homemade kale chip recipe keeps things simple, you can always switch up the seasonings for something like paprika … or even parmesan (or nutritional yeast like in these spicy kale chips for those with dairy intolerances).

Some kale chip recipes will call for olive oil, but olive oil actually has a low smoke point and begins to decompose at about 200 degrees Fahrenheit. When you heat olive oil above this threshold, it can oxidize and become rancid/toxic.

Nutrition Facts

The nutrition information for these kale chips is not completely accurate since some of the coconut oil, lemon juice and salt drips down to the bottom of the bowl, but one serving of these kale chips (the recipe makes two) contains approximately the following:

• 150 calories
• 2.41 grams protein
• 14 grams fat
• 3.61 grams carbohydrates
• 2.4 grams fiber
• 265 milligrams sodium
• 2,108 IUs vitamin A (42.16 percent DV)
• 7.6 milligrams vitamin C (8.44 percent DV)
• 96 milligrams calcium (7.38 percent DV)
• 0.93 milligrams iron (5.17 percent DV)

How to Make Kale Chips

Start prepping for making this kale chips recipe by preheating the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and lining a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Chop the bunch of kale into ½-inch pieces — but not before the kale is washed. Be sure to thoroughly dry the leaves. If you want, you can put them in a salad spinner, but patting them with a paper towel also works just fine.

Place all of the ingredients in a large bowl.

Massage the oil, lemon juice and sea salt into the kale using your hands.

Place on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake for 12 minutes.

Your homemade kale chips should be browned and crispy, but you can adjust the baking time to get the perfect amount of doneness for your preference. If you want crispy kale and your pan isn’t big enough to hold all of your kale chips without much overlap, I recommend you do one batch and then another to avoid having hidden patches of mushy kale that couldn’t quite get roasted. I used two baking sheets.

Once these chips come out of the over, you’re done. Grab a kale chip and enjoy!

I hope you make this healthy low-carb, keto snack again and again.

Kale Chips Recipe

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• Author: Dr. Josh Axe
• Total Time: 16 minutes
• Yield: 2
• Diet: Vegan

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Easier than you’d think, you want to make this healthy low-carb, keto snack again and again.

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Ingredients

• 1 bunch kale, chopped
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil
• ¼ teaspoon sea salt

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Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Chop kale into ½-inch pieces.
3. Place all ingredients in a large bowl and massage the oil, lemon juice and sea salt into the kale using your hands.
4. Place on parchment-lined baking sheets and bake for 12 minutes.

Notes

Get your kale at your local farmers’ market if you can and choose different varieties of kale to mix it up!

• Prep Time: 4 min
• Cook Time: 12 min
• Category: Snacks
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 medium bowl
• Calories: 150
• Sugar: 0g
• Sodium: 265mg
• Fat: 14g
• Saturated Fat: 12g
• Carbohydrates: 3.6g
• Fiber: 2.4g
• Protein: 2.4g
• Cholesterol: 0mg

Keywords: kale chips recipe, how to make kale chips, baked kale chips

The post Kale Chips Recipe with Coconut Oil and Lemon appeared first on Dr. Axe.

Why is it so flavorful? It only uses fresh, uncooked ingredients. That’s also what sets it apart from other kinds of salsas.

If you’ve spent anytime in Mexico or are a big fan of Mexican cuisine then you’re probably already a fan of pico de gallo. The pico de gallo recipe I’m about to share with you uses pico de gallo’s classic vegetable-centric ingredients that are all loaded with nutrients and antioxidants.

Love your salsas spicy? You can always substitute the green bell pepper for a jalapeño or serano chili pepper to up the heat factor.

What’s the best way to eat pico de gallo? There are so many options.

A corn tortilla chip is the standard vehicle for this delicious dip, but fresh veggies work well and offer even more health benefits than chips. This fresh salsa recipe can be used as a sauce too!

I highly recommend topping off my taco salad recipe with this pico d gallo. I would also try putting it on top of eggs, fish, chicken or whatever else sounds tasty to you!

What Is Pico De Gallo?

Pico de gallo is a type of salsa that originates in Mexico but is also commonly used in its neighboring countries as well as the United States.

What does pico de gallo mean? The term literally means “beak of the rooster” from pico (“beak”) and gallo (“rooster”).

Many of the salsas you may be familiar with contain the same ingredients as pico de gallo, but the ingredients have been cooked. Pico de gallo offers a distinguishable pop of intense flavor and freshness thanks to its uncooked ingredients.

What goes into a typical pico de gallo? Most of the time it contains chopped tomatoes, onions, some type of pepper, cilantro, lime juice and salt.

There’s typically not too much variation to this recipe, but no matter what goes in, the ingredients should always be really fresh. The fresher the ingredients, the tastier and more flavorful the resulting dip.

How to Make It

Pico de gallo requires minimal effort and zero cooking or heat — especially this pico de gallo recipe. All you have to do is chop up the key ingredients and mix them together.

Is pico de gallo healthy? Yes, and in 10 minutes or less, you can create a super healthy and flavorful dip that is sure to be a crowd pleaser!

In a medium-sized bowl, add all of your chopped ingredients, which includes the tomatoes, bell pepper, red onion and cilantro. I do recommend including the cilantro unless you absolutely can’t stand the taste of it.

Cilantro is definitely a classic pico de gallo ingredient, and it’s loaded with cilantro health benefits.

Now add in the garlic powder, black pepper and sea salt, giving it a quick stir.

Squeeze limes over the mixture or pour in lime juice.

Mix together until well incorporated. Serve immediately with cut veggies or organic corn chips, or try as a complement to my chicken fajitas.

How long does pico de gallo last? It can keep for up to a week in a sealed, tight container.

Pico De Gallo Recipe

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• Author: Dr. Josh Axe
• Total Time: 10 minutes
• Yield: 4-6
• Diet: Vegan

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Description

This classic pico de gallo recipe is flavorful, nutritious and easy to make. Also known as salsa fresca, it only uses fresh ingredients.

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Ingredients

• 2 cups chopped tomatoes
• 1 cup chopped green bell pepper
• 1 cup chopped red onion
• ½ cup chopped cilantro (optional)
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon sea salt, plus more to taste
• 2 limes, juiced

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Instructions

1. In a medium-sized bowl, add tomatoes, bell pepper, red onion and cilantro (if using).
2. Add in garlic powder, black pepper and sea salt, giving it a quick stir.
3. Squeeze limes over the mixture or pour in lime juice and mix together until well incorporated.
4. Serve immediately with cut veggies or organic corn chips or try as a topper to my Taco Salad or Chicken Fajitas.

Notes

You can skip the cilantro if you don’t care for it.

• Prep Time: 10
• Category: Condiments
• Method: By hand
• Cuisine: Mexican

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 4-6
• Calories: 41
• Sugar: 4.7g
• Sodium: 381mg
• Fat: 0.3g
• Saturated Fat: 0g
• Unsaturated Fat: 0.3g
• Trans Fat: 0g
• Carbohydrates: 10.3g
• Fiber: 2.6g
• Protein: 1.5g
• Cholesterol: 0mg

Keywords: pico de gallo, pico de gallo recipe,

The post Pico De Gallo, or Salsa Fresca, Recipe appeared first on Dr. Axe.

If you’re looking for the perfect sweet and savory recipe for your next party or get-together, look no further than these incredible grape jelly meatballs. I know it may sound like a strange combo, but meatballs with grape jelly are actually really delicious and very satisfying. This recipe is definitely a must-try!

The Perfect No-Fuss Appetizer

Grape jelly meatballs are a perfect choice if you’re looking for an appetizer that doesn’t require a lot of time or effort. Once the meatballs are made, you simply toss them in the slow cooker with the jelly and barbecue sauce. Then you can sit back and relax (or get some things done) while they cook for several hours.

These grape jelly meatballs are uniquely rich and flavorful with ground grass-fed beef, lamb and bison. Add in some raw smoked goat cheese, fresh herbs, eggs and cassava flour and you have yourself some truly impressive meatballs that are totally gluten-free and delicious.

To ensure this grape jelly meatball recipe is a healthier take on the usual recipe, make sure to opt for a jelly that is organic (important since grapes make the Dirty Dozen list) and has under 10 grams of sugar per serving (with no added sugar!).

Like jellies, barbecue sauces are often loaded with sugar too, but if you use my homemade sweet and tangy barbecue sauce recipe, you’ll ensure the sugar content per serving is much lower than the majority of store-bought versions.

Another take on this recipe is chili sauce and grape jelly meatballs. So instead of barbecue sauce, you could add some spicy chili sauce if you’re looking to up the heat factor.

Recipe Nutrition Facts

One meatball with sauce contains about: (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 23)

• 92 calories
• 4.8 grams protein
• 3.9 grams fat
• 9 grams carbohydrate
• 7.9 grams sugar
• 16 milligrams cholesterol
• 195 milligrams sodium
• 11 milligrams vitamin C (12 percent DV)
• 0.7 milligrams iron (3.9 percent DV)
• 113 IUs vitamin A (2.3 percent DV)
• 25 milligrams calcium (2 percent DV)

How to Make Grape Jelly Meatballs

To make this meatball recipe with grape jelly and barbecue sauce, it’s truly as simple as making the meatballs, putting them into the slow cooker and adding the two sauce ingredients. That’s it! Then you just need to allow for some low and slow cooking time, which results in some super flavorful meatballs.

This recipe is for grape jelly meatballs with my homemade tangy barbecue sauce. As I mentioned earlier, another popular and more spicy option to consider is meatballs with grape jelly and chili sauce.

Are you ready to make some grape jelly meatballs?

Combine all of the ingredients from my gluten-free meatball recipe in a large bowl and using your hands, mix until well-combined.

Roll the mixture into small meatballs.

Place the uncooked meatballs in a slow cooker.

Stir the barbecue sauce and grape jelly together.

Pour the sweet and tangy mixture over the meatballs. Gently stir to combine and cook covered on low for four to six hours.

Top with fresh green onions and serve.

Toothpicks can help to make serving and eating easier, especially with a large group. Enjoy!

The post Sweet & Savory Grape Jelly Meatballs (Slow Cooker Recipe) appeared first on Dr. Axe.

The thought of eating liver may not be so appealing to you, but that’s because you’ve never tried my chicken liver pate. It’s a quick and easy recipe I make at home all the time. And it really tastes amazing, especially when you pair it with a gluten-free crostini, sourdough bread, cucumber slices or even fermented vegetables.

So if you’re open-minded and adventurous enough to try eating liver, blend up this chicken liver pate. And did I mention that it’s completely gluten-free and can be considered a keto diet recipe? Give it a try and let me know what you think!

How Do You Eat Pate?

If you’re hesitant about trying chicken liver pate, or any type of pate for that matter, keep it mind that its accompaniments can make for a much more enjoyable experience. Pate is rich in flavor and may even be described as gamey, so it works best when it’s spread on a gluten-free crostini or sourdough bread. A crusty, crunchy piece of bread goes perfectly with pate because of the textural contrast of the two foods.

I also love pairing my pate with fermented vegetables, like pickles or pickled red cabbage. The acidity and crunchy texture of these veggies go well with the spreadable pate.

And, of course, pate tastes better with some butter, which is why I like to add grass-fed butter as a top layer of my chicken liver pate. I also add rosemary, thyme, garlic and shallots when preparing my chicken liver pate to give it a more well-rounded and pleasing taste.

Did you know that thyme belongs to the mint family? It contains thymol, which gives it antiseptic properties and makes thyme a popular ingredient in mouth washes and hand sanitizers. It has a subtle minty flavor and pairs well with meat dishes.

And I chose to use shallots in my chicken liver pate recipe because it adds a sweet and pungent flavor to the mix. Shallots are part of the onion family, and they are considered an important plant in medicinal Indian practices, like Ayurvedic medicine.

With the right combination of ingredients and accompaniments, you will be surprised how much you enjoy the taste of chicken liver pate. It’s rich in flavor and makes for the perfect appetizer or lighter meal.

Nutrition Facts

One serving of my chicken liver pate made using this recipe contains roughly the following: (1, 2, 3, 4)

• 109 calories
• 10 grams protein
• 7 grams fat
• 1 gram carbohydrates
• 0.1 grams fiber
• 0.2 grams sugar
• 9 micrograms vitamin B12 (392 percent DV)
• 6,422 IUs vitamin A (275 percent DV)
• 1 milligram vitamin B2 (92 percent DV)
• 335 micrograms folate (84 percent DV)
• 3.5 milligrams vitamin B5 (71 percent DV)
• 31 micrograms selenium (57 percent DV)
• 5.5 milligrams vitamin B3 (40 percent DV)
• 0.5 milligrams vitamin B6 (39 percent DV)
• 0.2 milligrams copper (32 percent DV)
• 5 milligrams iron (29 percent DV)
• 173 milligrams phosphorus (25 percent DV)
• 1.5 milligrams zinc (19 percent DV)
• 0.17 milligrams vitamin B1 (16 percent DV)
• 10 milligrams vitamin C (15 percent DV)
• 0.17 milligrams manganese (10 percent DV)
• 75 milligrams sodium (5 percent DV)
• 12 milligrams magnesium (4 percent DV)

How to Make Chicken Liver Pate

To begin making your chicken live pate, chop three cloves of garlic and one shallot.

Next, chop one sprig of rosemary …

and one sprig of thyme.

Now your ingredients are ready to go. Take out a medium-sized saucepan and add in your chopped garlic, shallots, rosemary and thyme, plus a teaspoon each of salt and pepper.

You’ll also want to add 3 tablespoons of butter. I prefer using grass-fed butter because it’s richer in fatty acids and fat-soluble vitamins.

Sauté this mixture for about 5 minutes and then get ready to add in 1 pound of chicken livers.

Cook the chicken livers until the pink disappears. This should take about 15 minutes. Use a spatula to flip and stir the livers so every side is cooked evenly.

Next, add all of the ingredients from your saucepan to a food processor and blend them until they’re smooth.

Then spoon your chicken liver pate into a dish and spread it out evenly. You have the option to melt 3 tablespoons of butter on top fo your pate too.

Before you dive in, chill your pate in the refrigerator for 1–2 hours.

I love spreading this healthy and delicious pate on a gluten-free crostini with fermented vegetables or fruit and veggie spreads. Enjoy!

The post Chicken Liver Pate Recipe appeared first on Dr. Axe.

But as it turns out, samosas aren’t too difficult to make, and this homemade samosa recipe means you can chow down on them at any time. As a bonus, this recipe is way healthier than any samosa recipe you’d find at a restaurant.

What Are Samosas?

Versions of samosas exist throughout Asia. In fact, though samosas are linked most closely with India and Pakistan, they actually originated in Central Asia.

The ones usually found in the U.S. are the Indian kind, which are crisp, deep fried and full of fresh herbs. Because so much of India is vegetarian, samosas tend to be too, though meat versions do exist. Samosas are often served as an appetizer or snack with a hot cup of tea.

If you’re avoiding gluten, samosas are generally off limits, as white flour is used. Until now, of course. These veggie samosas are gluten-free, vegetarian and baked instead of deep fried, upping the nutritional content and slashing the calorie count.

Nutrition Facts

So what’s in each of these samosas? (1)

• 560 calories
• 9.9 grams protein
• 20.5 grams fat
• 85.8 grams carbohydrates
• 7.62 milligrams manganese (423 percent DV)
• 55.2 milligrams vitamin C (74 percent DV)
• 0.813 milligrams vitamin B6 (63 percent DV)
• 0.335 milligrams vitamin B1 (30 percent DV)
• 420 milligrams sodium (28 percent DV)
• 3.41 milligrams vitamin E (23 percent DV)
• 463 IUs vitamin A (20 percent DV)
• 61 milligrams choline (14 percent DV)
• 10 micrograms vitamin K (11 percent DV)

You’ll notice that this samosa recipe is loaded with manganese. This nutrient is critical for supporting bone health, keeping your cognitive skills sharp and helping prevent arthritis.

These samosas are also rich in vitamin C, thanks to the bell peppers. Vitamin C is necessary for keeping skin healthy, absorbing nutrients and boosting your immune system.

And to keep these gluten-free, we’ll use a mix of tapioca flour and cassava flour. Tapioca flour has almost no nutrients, but it’s really useful when you’re recreating recipes like this one. It helps the samosas get crisp and flaky.

Cassava flour, on the other hand, is an excellent alternative to wheat flours. It has a neutral taste that works in most recipes. Together, these flours work to create a delicious samosa pastry.

How to Make Samosas

So are you ready to make samosas right at home? It’s pretty simple!

Start by preheating the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. While that happens, combine the filling ingredients in a large pan over medium heat. Stir occasionally, cooking until the potatoes and peppers have softened, about 20 minutes.

In a medium-sized bowl, mix all of the wrapper ingredients until they’re well-combined. Then lay parchment paper on a flat surface and sprinkle it with some flour.

Using your hands, roll the dough into 2-inch balls to keep the dough from drying out.

Then, flatten the dough into a 5-inch circle with a rolling pin onto the parchment paper.

Cut each circle in half, creating two samosa wrappers.

Fold the straight edges inward to create a cone shape.

Then dampen your finger with water, and seal the edges together.

Take a spoonful of filling and place some in each of the wrappers.

Gently close the samosas to create a triangle shape.

Bake for 10–15 minutes.

Make them a part of your next Indian meal as an appetizer before a curry or just enjoy them along with a side salad as a main! Serve the samosas alone or with your favorite dipping sauce.

The post Baked Samosa Recipe: A Vegan, Gluten-Free Appetizer for Your Next Indian Dish appeared first on Dr. Axe.

My lactation cookies are made with gluten-free oats, ground (or milled) flaxseed, almond butter, brewer’s yeast, coconut oil and cacao powder — all nutrient-dense ingredients that promote the production of breast milk while strengthening your immune system, helping to fight depression and boosting your energy levels. There is absolutely zero flour in this no-bake recipe, but don’t worry. Your cookies will still come out the perfect amount of crumbly and delicious!

It’s reassuring to know you can turn to healthy lactation recipes like this one when you feel like you’re not producing enough milk for your little one. Not only will these oatmeal lactation cookies, sometimes referred to as lactation bites, help to keep your baby well fed, but they are super easy to prepare, they taste great, they’re filling and they are good for your digestion, too!

What Are Lactation Cookies?

You’re probably wondering if lactation cookies really work. Although there’s minimal research on the benefits of foods for breastfeeding women, anecdotal evidence and scientific surveys suggest that consuming foods like oats, flaxseeds, wheat germ and brewer’s yeast can help to boost milk supply. These foods are called “galactagogues,” and they are often used as an alternative therapy for mothers who feel like they aren’t producing enough breast milk. (1)

The foods I use for my no-bake lactation cookies are rich in protein, fiber, healthy fats and important nutrients like B vitamins, manganese and iron. Together, these ingredients can not only promote increased breast milk supply, but they can help lower your cholesterol levels, boost your immune system and increase your energy levels — all issues that can alter your ability to produce enough milk for your child.

Lactation cookies are also full of comforting foods, like oats, almonds and cacao. When a mom is feeling relaxed and comfortable, it promotes let-down and can influence her milk supply. And the ingredients in these cookies may even help to combat the “baby blues” or symptoms of postpartum depression.

Nutrition Facts

One lactation cookie made using this recipe contains roughly the following: (2, 3, 4, 5)

• 244 calories
• 6.8 grams protein
• 14.7 grams fat
• 24 grams carbohydrates
• 5.3 grams fiber
• 8 grams sugar
• 1.5 milligrams manganese (88 percent DV)
• 0.3 milligrams copper (37 percent DV)
• 0.33 milligrams vitamin B1 (31 percent DV)
• 92 milligrams magnesium (30 percent DV)
• 0.32 milligrams vitamin B2 (29 percent DV)
• 196 milligrams phosphorus (28 percent DV)
• 1.6 milligrams zinc (20 percent DV)
• 2.8 milligrams vitamin E (19 percent DV)
• 41 micrograms folate (10 percent DV)
• 1.75 milligrams iron (10 percent DV)
• 0.4 milligrams vitamin B5 (9 percent DV)
• 1 milligram vitamin B3 (8 percent DV)
• 112 milligrams sodium (7 percent DV)
• 74 milligrams calcium (7 percent DV)
• 268 milligrams potassium (6 percent DV)
• 0.07 milligrams vitamin B6 (6 percent DV)
• 2.4 micrograms selenium (4 percent DV)

Here’s a quick glance at some of the top health benefits associated with the ingredients in this lactation cookies recipe:

Steel cut oats: Steel cut oats have a chewy and nutty flavor, and because they are made by splitting the oat groat into pieces, they are less processed than other forms of oats on the market. Eating steel cut oats can improve your immunity, reduce inflammation, provide trace minerals like manganese and phosphorus, supply the body with plant-based protein and improve your digestion. Oats are a high fiber food, so they can also help you to feel full for a longer period of time, which can support weight loss and reduce cravings. (6)

Almond butter: Almonds nutrition is quite impressive because it contains disease-fighting antioxidants, unsaturated fatty acids, fiber and protein. Almonds and almond butter are also rich in vitamin E, riboflavin, manganese, magnesium and phosphorus. Eating almonds can help you to prevent heart disease, maintain healthy skin, support the health of your brain and control your blood sugar levels. (7)

Flaxseeds: Flaxseeds, which are high in fiber but low in carbohydrates, can help to lower your cholesterol levels, improve your digestion, support weight loss, boost your cognitive health and even potentially fight cancer. They contain powerful antioxidants (like antiviral and antibacterial lignans), omega-3 fatty acids and protein. (8)

Cacao powder: Cacao powder, which comes from ground cacao nibs, are packed with antioxidants like flavonoids, which makes it a powerful superfood. Consuming cacao powder can help you to maintain muscle and nerve function, aid your digestion, keep you satiated and reduce your risk of coronary heart disease. Plus, it boosts your mood by stimulating your brain to release neurotransmitters that trigger your emotions. (9)

How to Make Lactation Cookies

For these lactation cookies, you’ll need a large bowl for mixing your ingredients as well as a lined baking sheet. You don’t have to bake these cookies, so no need to preheat your oven.

Start by adding your ingredients to a large bowl. Begin with your dry ingredients, which includes 2 cups gluten-free steel cut oats, ½ cup ground flaxseeds, 3 tablespoons cacao powder, 1 tablespoon brewer’s yeast and ½ teaspoon salt.

Then add in ¼ cup of finely chopped almonds and ¼ cup of unsweetened coconut flakes.

Now it’s time to add in your wet ingredients, starting with ½ cup of either honey or maple syrup.

Then add ¼ cup coconut oil, ½ cup almond butter and 2 teaspoons black sesame oil.

Use a spatula to mix your ingredients together. Once everything is well-combined, take out your baking sheet and line it with parchment paper.

Form the dough of your lactation cookies into golf sized balls and then flatten them slightly when you place them on the baking sheet.

Since you aren’t baking these cookies, they wont’ expand, so you can place them pretty close together on your pan.

Your final step is to let the cookies sit in the refrigerator or freezer for at least 30 minutes so they can fully solidify.

How easy was that? You can top your cookies with cacao nibs if you’d like a little extra flavor.

And your lactation cookies are ready to enjoy! I hope you notice your milk supply improving, and if you do, pass this recipe on to your friends and family who can use some help too!

The post The Best Lactation Cookies Recipe to Support Milk Supply appeared first on Dr. Axe.

This recipe is a healthy and even tastier twist on your typical bacon wrapped stuffed dates. With a few key tweaks and additions, these bacon wrapped dates actually gain a lot when it comes to flavor. Plus, this bacon wrapped dates recipe is so easy to make and nutritious!

Health Benefits of Dates

When it comes to date recipes, especially date appetizers, dates wrapped in bacon are definitely one of the most popular options around. By themselves, dates are loaded with vitamins, minerals and high levels of soluble fiber. This type of dietary fiber is excellent for preventing constipation because it helps to keep bowel movements regular by adding bulk to the stool and moving things along in the intestines.

Dates are also known to be very beneficial to cholesterol levels since high fiber foods like dates have been shown to actually lower cholesterol in the body, especially LDL (“bad”) cholesterol and triglycerides. (1)

Looking for a pre-exercise snack to give you an energy boost? Dates or bacon wrapped dates are an excellent choice because the fruit sugars in the dates are easily processed and utilized by the body. Bacon wrapped dates may seem like a recipe reserved for guests, but with their awesome balance of fat, carbs, protein and sugars, they can be a the perfect snack to get you ready for your next workout.

Dates also contain calcium, which is is crucial to bone health and warding off major bone problems such as osteoporosis. Individuals who don’t get enough calcium in their diet may also have an increased risk for high blood pressure. (2)

Nutrition Facts

One serving of turkey bacon wrapped dates with balsamic maple dressing contains about: (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)

• 272 calories
• 14.6 grams protein
• 5.9 grams fat
• 40.4 grams carbohydrates
• 13 grams fiber
• 33.5 grams sugar
• 51 milligrams cholesterol
• 529 milligrams sodium
• 60 milligrams calcium (6 percent DV)
• 1 milligram iron (6 percent DV)
• 200 IUs vitamin A (4 percent DV)

I just talked about many of the numerous health benefits of the small yet mighty date. One thing dates don’t have a ton of is protein. But this recipe is certainly not lacking in the protein department. With the additions of both a high-quality meat and a high-quality cheese, this dates recipe is a major source of protein. And these stuffed dates with bacon don’t have just any old cheese inside of them either — they have creamy goat cheese that comes from goat’s milk.

Goat milk benefits are superior to cow’s milk due to a more impressive nutritional profile for starters. Goat’s milk also has less allergenic proteins compared to cow’s milk. In fact, research has shown that avoiding milk containing A1 casein (such as most cow’s milk) and instead opting for milk with only A2 casein (such as goat milk’s) can help consumers avoid gastrointestinal inflammation. (12)

Of course, this recipe also swaps out the hazards and unhealthy fat of conventional pork bacon for organic turkey bacon or organic grass-fed beef bacon. As I’ve talked about before, it goes a  long way for your health to avoid factory-farmed meats and spend a little extra on healthier protein sources. If you’re not a meat-eater at all, I recommend checking out my Eggplant Wrapped Goat Cheese Recipe.

How to Make Bacon Wrapped Dates

This entire recipe only takes about 25 minutes to make and that includes 18 minutes of effortless cooking time. Before you get started with these few simple steps, make sure you have your oven preheated to 400 F.

If you’re using whole dates with pits, then you’ll need to remove the pits from the dates before you stuff them.

Stuff the whole dates with goat cheese.

Now, it’s time for all of the dates to get their bacon wraps. Holding a single date in one hand, wrap a piece of turkey or beef bacon snuggly around each one with the other hand.

Bake the stuffed dates wrapped in bacon for 18 minutes in the oven.

While the dates are cooking, add the maple syrup, butter, balsamic and coconut aminos to a small pan over medium-low heat, stirring until well combined. Once the ingredients have married, remove from heat and add in the arrowroot starch, stirring again until well incorporated.

Drizzle the balsamic maple mixture over the dates and serve.

This recipe serves approximately five people, assuming each person has two dates each.

The post Turkey Bacon Wrapped Dates with a Balsamic Maple Glaze appeared first on Dr. Axe.

If you are a big fan of beets, you’ve probably already tried and love pickled beets. What if you’re someone that normally doesn’t enjoy the taste of beets? I would highly recommend trying this root vegetable in pickled form. First off, pickled beets are not eaten hot. They also spend time bathing in vinegar and salt — make that apple cider vinegar and mineral-rich Himalayan sea salt in this case. This pickled beet recipe gives you beets that taste noticeably different from a steamed or roasted beet. These pickled beets are still naturally sweet and delicious, but they have an added pop of flavor and tang.

Canning beets requires specific supplies you may or may not not have on hand. Canning pickled beets also equates to a good amount of time and effort. Of course, if you already know how to can beets, then you can go that route with this recipe and your final product can last longer. But this pickled beets recipe is meant to be quick and easy.

So just in case you’re thinking how to pickle beets must be hard, let me tell you — it’s not! This recipe for pickled beets is seriously simple yet packed with flavor and nutrients. So are you ready to find out how to make beets into a pickled delight that you can eat as a healthy snack or side dish?

Health Benefits of Beets

Of course, this delicious pickled beet recipe also provides you with impressive beet health benefits. Beets are obviously the star of any pickled beets recipe.  It’s no surprise that beets and beet greens make my Healing Food Shopping List. What’s so great about this vibrantly colored vegetable? For starters, beets are are a rich source of disease-fighting antioxidants, phytonutrients, vitamins and trace minerals.

Beets also contain nitrate compounds, which have been shown in studies to positively affect blood pressure levels (1). Research has shown that regularly consuming nitrate-rich vegetables like beets in moderation may protect heart health in multiple ways. (2)

In addition to supporting heart health, beets can help to reduce bodily inflammation, which we know is huge since inflammation is a root cause of so many health problems today. The peels and flesh of beets also contain phytonutrients called betalains that are not just anti-inflammatory, but encourage healthy detoxification as well. (3)

Nutrition Facts

Beet nutrition is very impressive. Beets are high in manganese, potassium, folate and magnesium just to name a few nutrients. Pickled beets are not typically eaten in large quantities. With the serving size of this recipe, you’ll only be consuming a sixth to an eighth of just one beet. So the calories are very low, but the nutrients are also on the lower side since it’s such a small serving size. If you have two helpings, which wouldn’t be so crazy, then these nutrient numbers will all double.

One serving of this pickled beets recipe contains about: (4, 5, 7, 8)

• 22 calories
• ​< 1 gram protein
• ​< 1 gram fat​
• ​< 1 gram fiber​
• 4.9 grams sugar​
• 5.3 grams carbohydrates​
• 1,823 milligrams ​sodium
• 0.22 milligrams manganese (11 percent DV)
• 86 milligrams potassium (2.5 percent DV)
• 0.33 milligrams zinc​ (2.2 percent DV)
• 5.7 micrograms folate​ (1.4 percent DV)
• 0.14 milligram iron​ (1 percent DV)
• .7 milligrams magnesium​ (1 percent DV)

How to Make Pickled Beets

How to can beets the proper way can take a lot more time, effort and tools, but how to make pickled beets is a lot easier than you might guess with this recipe. This pickled beets how-to allows you to make pickled beets quickly and easily. So let’s get started!

First, you’ll need to take the skin off of your beet and either slice it or chop it. Before you start cooking your beets, you’ll want to make the pickling liquid. In a medium bowl, combine vinegar, maple sugar and salt, whisking until salt is dissolved.

Add your sliced or chopped beets to a medium sized pot.

Cover them with 2 cups of water.

Bring the beets to a boil and then remove from heat.

Put the cooked beets into a jar.

Combine the hot water from cooking the beets with the pre-made vinegar mixture.

Pour the liquid into the jar.

Allow the mixture to set at room temperature for 1 to 2 hours.

Tightly cover the jar and place it in the refrigerator.

Your homemade pickled beets should last for a few weeks if stored in the refrigerator. Enjoy!

The post Tangy and Sweet Pickled Beets Recipe appeared first on Dr. Axe.

What Is Cowboy Caviar?

No one is quite sure how cowboy caviar got its name and, depending on where you’re from, you might’ve heard it called a few things: black-eyed pea salad, Southwestern dip or black bean salsa. But whatever its name, you’ll want to lasso up this recipe.

This cowboy salsa is full of some pretty tasty ingredients, like black beans, black-eyed peas, avocado and seasonings. The beauty of cowboy caviar is its simplicity. Aside from chopping your veggies, this is a “throw in a bowl and forget about it” type of recipe. No cooking means it’s a summertime favorite, perfect for those nights when the last thing you want to do is turn on the oven.

Because it’s a salad/salsa/dip hybrid, there are also tons of ways to enjoy cowboy caviar! You can eat it solo or serve it as a side for burgers or BBQ chicken. The fresh flavors make it a delicious topping for tacos, and I’ve never had a chip that doesn’t love cowboy caviar on top of it. If you really want to get creative, you can serve this cowboy caviar recipe with scrambled eggs or as a topping for oven-baked potatoes or French fries. With this flavor combination, you can’t really go wrong.

Best of all, this cowboy caviar is suitable for all palates. Vegans, vegetarians, gluten-haters — cowboy caviar is for everyone! No dairy, no gluten — just a whole lot of flavor.

Nutrition Facts

But, you wonder, is cowboy caviar healthy? You’re in luck because this is one of the healthiest dips around! Here’s (approximately) all the good stuff you’re getting in one serving: (1)

• 130 calories
• 4.26 grams protein
• 6.11 grams fat
• 15.66 grams carbohydrates
• 5.6 grams fiber
• 6.47 grams sugar
• 376 milligrams sodium
• 57.7 milligrams vitamin C (77 percent DV)
• 1,411 IUs vitamin A (60 percent DV)
• 35.9 micrograms vitamin K (40 percent DV)
• 0.432 milligrams manganese (24 percent DV)
• 0.219 milligrams copper (24 percent DV)

Now let’s talk about some of the ingredients that make this cowboy caviar so good for you.

Black beans are an inexpensive way to get your fill of fiber, protein and legume goodness. These affordable beans are awesome at reducing inflammation. They also protect your heart from disease thanks to the phytonutrients in beans, which help get rid of bad cholesterol.

Black beans also are packed with fiber, which joins in on the fight against “bad” cholesterol levels and keeps you feeling full for a longer amount of time, along with removing waste and toxins from your body.

Black-eyed peas aren’t as common as black beans, but they should be. They’re especially good for your digestion and help keep bowel movements regular. Additionally, black-eyed peas are rich in iron, which helps to prevent anemia and are fantastic for your skin and hair thanks to the vitamin A.

Another ingredient in this cowboy caviar that you’ve likely seen popping up a lot is apple cider vinegar. Not only are there a ton of home uses for apple cider vinegar, but when you ingest it, ACV can boost your metabolism, is full of good probiotics to give your gut a friendly kick and even lowers blood pressure.

How to Make Cowboy Caviar

Now that you know why cowboy caviar is so good for you, it’s time to get this healthy dip going. Because this recipe is basically just assembly, you can prepare it ahead of time and save yourself from slaving in the kitchen while guests or family are in a different room.

Go ahead and dice up your pepper and tomatoes…

…and then your onion.

At this point, if you’re making the salsa in advance, you can go ahead and chuck the onions, pepper and tomato in a bowl and place it in the fridge until you’re ready to add the rest of the ingredients.

But if you’re ready to go to town on this cowboy caviar ASAP, add everything in a large bowl now.

If you’re feeling extra zesty, a splash of freshly squeezed lime juice is a nice addition!

And the next step? Chow down, of course!

You should taste test it before serving, of course. You know, take one for the team.

As mentioned, try this dip with your favorite grain-free chips or with tacos!

Just be careful, once you have cowboy caviar, you might not be able to turn back!