Act Natural Health & Wellness

Recipes

Coconut Oil Blueberry Muffins

Ingredients

1½ cups all-purpose flour
½ cup granulated sugar
½ tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
¼ cup coconut oil, melted and cooled
1 large egg
¾ cup low-fat milk
½ tsp vanilla extract
½ cup sweetened shredded coconut
1 cup blueberries

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a muffin tin with paper liners and set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, granulated sugar, salt and baking powder. Set aside.
In a separate bowl, whisk the melted coconut oil, egg, milk and vanilla extract until combined. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. Gently fold with a rubber spatula. The batter will be thick.
Add the shredded coconut and blueberries. Gently fold into the batter.
Divide the batter between the prepared muffin cups. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Transfer the muffins to a wire cooling rack and allow to cool completely.

Paleo Coconut Flour Brownies

Are you still making your brownies from a box? Because you could be eating these delicious and moist coconut flour brownies instead. Paleo coconut flour brownies are healthier for you than those “fat-free” brownies from a box. Not only are you getting harmful chemicals, but you’re also getting fat (even if they say fat-free). These brownies are made with coconut flour, which is a healthier alternative to white flour (which is bleached). It is made from ground dried, defatted coconut meat. Coconut flour is high in fiber and low in digestible carbs. Coconut flour is great if you’re on the Paleo diet and those who have gluten allergies.

Coconut flour requires an equal ratio of liquid to flour. It is unsweetened and does not contain added sulfites. This type of flour is considered raw. It is recommended that coconut flour be kept in an airtight container and stored in the fridge or freezer to keep it fresh once it’s been opened.

Ingredients:
One cup minus two tablespoons coconut flour
One cup cocoa powder
One cup and four tablespoons butter, melted.
Six eggs room temperature
One cup and four tablespoons honey or maple syrup
Two teaspoons vanilla extract (optional)

Directions:
1. Preheat your oven to 300 degrees
2. Grease an 8×8 or 9×9 glass dish
3. Mix all the ingredients together
4. Pour the batter into the baking dish
5. Bake for 30-35 minutes until a toothpick is inserted and pulled out clean.
6. Let cool for at least 30 minutes before cutting
7. Be sure to keep these brownies in an air tight container. They can be kept at room temperature or in the fridge.

Mini Quiche Muffins

Ingredients:

1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
8 ounces mushrooms, sliced
1/4 cup sliced scallions
1/4 cup shredded Swiss cheese
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
5 eggs
3 egg whites
1 cup coconut milk

Directions:

Position rack in center of oven; preheat to 325°F.
Add oil to the pan. Add mushrooms and cook, stirring often, until golden brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer mushrooms to a bowl. Let cool for 5 minutes. Stir in scallions, cheese and pepper.
Whisk eggs, egg whites and milk in a medium bowl. Divide the egg mixture evenly among the prepared muffin cups. Sprinkle a heaping tablespoon of the mushroom mixture into each cup.
Bake until the tops are just beginning to brown, 25 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Place a rack on top of the pan, flip it over and turn the quiches out onto the rack. Turn upright and let cool completely.

Vegetarian Chili

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon extra virgin organic olive oil

1/2 medium onion, chopped

2 bay leaves

1 teaspoon ground cumin

2 tablespoons dried oregano

1 tablespoon salt

2 stalks celery, chopped

2 green bell peppers, chopped

2 jalapeno peppers, chopped

3 cloves garlic, chopped

2 (4 ounce) cans chopped green chile peppers, drained

2 (12 ounce) packages vegetarian burger crumbles

3 (28 ounce) cans whole peeled tomatoes, crushed

1/4 cup chili powder

1 tablespoon

1 (15 ounce) can kidney beans, drained

1 (15 ounce) can garbanzo beans, drained

1 (15 ounce) can black beans

Directions:

Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Stir in the onion, and season with bay leaves, cumin, oregano, and salt. Cook and stir until onion is tender, then mix in the celery, green bell peppers, jalapeno peppers, garlic, and green chile peppers.
When vegetables are heated through, mix in the vegetarian burger crumbles. Reduce heat to low, cover pot, and simmer 5 minutes.
Mix the tomatoes into the pot.
Season chili with chili powder and pepper. Stir in the kidney beans, garbanzo beans, and black beans. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer 45 minutes.
Stir in the corn, and continue cooking 5 minutes before serving.

Healthy Zucchini Soft "Taco" Shells

Ingredients:

4 cups (950ml) zucchini, coarsely grated
1 large egg
1/2 cup (120ml) grated parmesan cheese
1/4 cup (60ml) bread crumbs
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated black pepper
1/4 teaspoon kosher or sea salt
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

Yield: 8 - 5-inch Shells

Total Time: 45 Minutes

Directions:

1. Pre-heat oven to 450 degrees F.

2. Remove as much moisture as you can from the zucchini. Add zucchini to large bowl and mix in remainder of the taco shell ingredients (egg, parmesan cheese, bread crumbs, black pepper, salt, garlic powder, and cumin).

3. Cover baking sheets with parchment paper or oven proof baking mat. Scoop about ¼ cup of mixture and press down on baking pan into a thin circle, about 5” wide. Repeat for remainder of mixture.

4. Bake shells for about 25 minutes, or until the shells look “crisp’ and brown around the edges. We like to bake the shells a little longer for a more charred texture and flavor. Just be careful to not bake too long or else the shells dry out and are hard to peel off.

5. After zucchini soft taco shells are cool, gently peel them off the parchment paper.

Enjoy these shells as a snack or a wrap, so think beyond the taco. Don't bake them too long, or they'll dry out and be difficult to peel off. To help from sticking, you can lightly spray the parchment paper with oil. But you'll end up with a less crispy shell.

Squeezing out as much excess water in the grated zucchini will make the taco shells a little more “firm”. One method is to microwave the zucchini till moisture releases, then squeezing out the water. Or lightly sautéing the zucchini for a few minutes, then squeezing out the water. Just be careful to not cook the zucchini too much or use too much oil, or else you’ll get mush.

Oven Roasted Potatoes

Ingredients:

2 lbs. potatoes, (red or yukon golds)

Olive oil (first, cold pressed)

Sea Salt

Black pepper (optional)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425°F. Scrub potatoes clean. Leave very small potatoes whole. Cut all other potatoes into bite-size pieces.

Put potatoes in a baking pan large enough to hold them in single layer (more or less). Drizzle potatoes with olive oil and, using your hands, toss to coat potatoes thoroughly and evenly. Sprinkle with salt and toss to combine.

Bake potatoes until browned and tender, about 30 minutes. Sprinkle with black pepper, if you like, and serve hot or warm.

Coconut Cake with Pineapple

Ingredients:

3/4 cup coconut flour
1/4 t salt
1/2 t baking soda
3 eggs
2 egg whites
1/2 t vanilla
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup coconut milk
1/2 cup coconut oil melted
2 T coconut flakes
2 cups coconut cream
2 T coconut sugar
1/4 cup arrowroot powder
1/4 cup pineapple, diced

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.

2. Combine flour, salt and baking soda in a bowl and set aside.

3. In a separate bowl, whisk together eggs, egg whites, vanilla, syrup, milk, and oil. Fold wet ingredients into dry ingredients and then stir in coconut flakes by hand.

4. Line an 8 in. x 8 in. baking pan with coconut oil (so cake doesn’t stick) and then pour batter into pan and place in the oven. Bake for approximately 30 minutes or until edges are slightly browned and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

5. For the icing: combine coconut cream, sugar and arrowroot together with an electric mixer (or by hand). Place in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes, allowing time for icing to thicken.

6. Chop pineapple and set aside.

7. Once everything is ready, ice cake and then top with coconut. If you prefer, you can layer the cake (pictured) by cutting it into 4’s and then icing each piece, topping the pieces with coconut and then layering them on top of one another.

Cracked Pepper Cream Biscuits

These flavorful, pepper-spiked biscuits are perfect for a "big day" buffet. Although they're best just minutes out of the oven, they can be made the night before or in the morning and reheated just

before serving.

Ingredients:

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
3 teaspoons organic black pepper, divided
1 tablespoon organic cane sugar
1 1/4 teaspoons sea salt, divided
1 1/4 cups organic heavy whipping cream
2 tablespoons organic, pasture fed Butter

Directions:

Heat oven to 425 degrees. Sift flour and baking powder into a medium-sized bowl. Use a fork to thoroughly mix in 2 teaspoons of the pepper, plus the sugar and 1 teaspoon sea salt. Stir in the cream until mixture forms a soft dough.
Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and use floured hands to knead it gently 8 times.
Melt butter and let it cool while you pat out the dough into a 9-inch square that's about 1/2 inch thick. Dip a rectangular cutter (about 2 3/4 x 1 3/4 inches in size) into flour, and use it (or a sharp knife) to cut out as many rectangles as possible. Gather scraps into a ball, pat out dough and make more biscuits in the same manner.
Dip the tops of the biscuits into the melted butter (or use a brush to apply the butter to the biscuit tops). Arrange the biscuits buttered sides up and 1/2 inch apart on a baking sheet. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 teaspoon sea salt and remaining 1 teaspoon pepper. Bake in the middle of the oven until golden and cooked through, about 15 minutes.
Biscuits may be made 6 to 8 hours ahead and cooled completely, then wrapped well and stored at room temperature. Just before serving, reheat biscuits in a 350-degree oven until warm, about 5 minutes.

Vegetable Mineral Broth

This immune boosting soup is filled with magnesium, potassium, and sodium which can help the body replenish and re-store itself. Forget about the chicken soup, try some Mineral Broth!

Ingredients:
6 unpeeled carrots, cut into thirds
2 unpeeled yellow onions, cut into chunks
1 leek, white and green parts, cut into thirds
1 bunch celery, including the heart, cut into thirds
4 unpeeled red or russet potatoes, quartered
2 unpeeled sweet potatoes, quartered
5 unpeeled cloves garlic, halved
1/2 bunch fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 (8-inch) strip of kombu or dulse
12 black peppercorns
4 whole allspice or juniper berries or 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and ¼ teaspoon cloves
2 bay leaves
8 quarts cold, filtered or spring water
1 teaspoon Real Salt

Directions:

Rinse all of the vegetables well, including the sea vegetables. In a 12-quart or larger stockpot, combine the carrots, onions, leek, celery, potatoes, sweet potatoes, garlic, parsley, sea vegetables, peppercorns, allspice, and bay leaves. Fill the pot with the water to 2 inches below the rim, cover, and bring to a boil.
Remove the cover, decrease the heat to low, and simmer, uncovered, for at least 2 hours. As the broth simmers, some of the water will evaporate; add more if the vegetables begin to peek out. Simmer until the full richness of the vegetables can be tasted.
Strain the broth through a large, coarse-mesh sieve (remember to use a heat-resistant container underneath), then add salt to taste.
Let cool to room temperature before refrigerating or freezing. Use the remaining vegetables in sauces, soups, over pasta or in your next smoothie!

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 2 to 4 hours
Storage: Store in a glass airtight container in the refrigerator for 5 to 7 days or in the freezer for 4 months. If freezing be sure to leave about an inch from the top of the container to allow for expansion. Makes 6 quarts

Creamy Chocolate Mousse

Ingredients:

2 cups coconut cream or 2 cups fresh coconut meat

¼ cup almond milk (alternative: coconut water )

¼-½ cup cacao powder, depending on how chocolatey you prefer

¼ cup pure maple syrup, more as desired

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

pinch sea salt

Optional toppings:

fresh berries

cacao nibs

coconut flakes

Instructions:
Place all of the ingredients in a blender along with a handful of ice cubes and blend on high until smooth and creamy.
Top with fresh berries or cacao nibs. Enjoy!
Notes
For the coconut cream, use 1-2 cans of coconut milk and scrape off the thick cream that has settled on top. Letting it sit in the fridge for a few hours helps thicken it up too if you like your mousse to be denser.

Serves: 4

Creamy Roasted Garlic & Cauliflower Soup

Ingredients:

1 head cauliflower, chopped

1 head garlic
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, divided
1 stalk celery, diced
1 small yellow onion, diced
1 carrot, peeled and diced
4 cups vegetable broth
1 can coconut milk (13.5 ounces)
2 tbsp nutritional yeast

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. Cut the garlic in half, drizzle with olive oil and wrap in foil.

3. Toss the cauliflower pieces with 2 tablespoons olive oil, salt and pepper to desired taste.

4. Place garlic and spread cauliflower on baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes.

5. In a pot over medium-high heat, place the remaining olive oil and onions.

Cook onions a few minutes until translucent.
Add carrots and celery. Cook for 3 minutes.
Add vegetable broth and bring to a boil.
Add roasted cauliflower and garlic (push the garlic out of the cloves).

6. Bring soup to a boil and then reduce heat to simmer for 15 minutes.

7. Remove from heat and use a blender to puree until smooth and creamy.

To serve: Pour into a bowl and top with a drizzle of olive oil or your favorite herbs and spices, such as parsley, dill, cayenne pepper, or turmeric.

Vegetarian Pad Thai

Ingredients

1 small package of flat wide brown rice noodles

(8 ounces)

1 tablespoon coconut oil

2 cups broccoli florets

2 carrots, grated

½ yellow onion, thinly sliced

2 garlic cloves, minced

Sea salt and pepper, to taste

2 scallions, chopped

4 lime wedges

Almond Sauce:

1 tablespoon almond butter
3 tablespoons hot water
2 tablespoons low sodium tamari
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
Pinch red pepper flakes

Instructions

Cook the brown rice noodles according to package instructions and set aside.
While the noodles are cooking make the almond sauce. In a small bowl mix the almond butter with the hot water and whisk until combined. Add the rest of the ingredients and whisk again until combined.
In a saute pan, add 1 tablespoon of oil over medium high heat. Add the broccoli, carrots and onion and cook for 4-5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook an additional 1-2 minutes.
Add the almond sauce and rice noodles to the pan and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper. Take off the heat and top with the scallions and lime wedges. Enjoy!

Serves: 2-4

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