Moist Honey Cake Without Sugar

Extra moist and sweet, this honey cake is so flavorful and so easy to make. A great dessert for Rosh Hashanah or an irresistable snack cake!  Raw honey is much healthier than using sugar, which most of the honey cake recipes include and it isn't necessary for a sweet moist cake.


Ingredients:

• 1 cup organic butter, room temperature
• 3/4 cup local or raw honey
• 3 organic eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups organic whole wheat pastry flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon aluminum free baking powder (I use Bob's Red Mill)
• 2/3 cup organic Greek yogurt
• 1/2 cup organic slivered almonds (optional)

Directions:

1. Heat the oven to 325F. Grease a 10" bundt pan. Set aside.
2. In a mixing bowl add the butter and honey. Beat on low speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
3. Stir in the vanilla extract followed by the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
4. Gently fold in the flour, baking soda and baking powder alternately with the greek yogurt.
5. Add the almonds to the bottom of the pan at this time. Spoon the batter into the prepared baking pan.
6. Bake the cake in preheated oven for 45 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
7. Remove the cake from the oven, leave to cool for about 30-35 minutes before inverting the pan and remove the cake.
8. Cool completely on a wire rack.

Enjoy the holiday!  Happy Baking!

Laurel  xoxo

Memorial Day Cooking

What is Memorial Day?

Memorial Day arose out of appreciation for and remembrance of all who gave their lives defending our nation.  Although the holiday was officially proclaimed in 1868 by General John Logan, many towns and communities decorated the graves of American soldiers and gathered to honor our nation's heroes well before Memorial Day was officially declared.  God Bless All of Our Soldiers That Gave Us Our Freedom!

Here are a few recipes you can make today or all summer ~

Homemade Honey BBQ Sauce

Whatever you happen to be grilling - hamburger, steak, chicken or ribs, try this delicious homemade barbecue sauce and add your own special ingredients to it.  There are so many ways to make barbecue sauce, but I'm just providing you with one that doesn't contain loads of sugar and it's easy to make.

Ingredients:

15 oz organic tomato sauce

1 cup spring water

1/2 cup apple cider vinegar

1/3 cup raw honey

1 T lemon juice

2 tsp garlic powder

1 1/2 tsp ground black pepper

1 1/2 tsp ground mustard

1 tsp paprika

Directions:

Combine all the ingredients in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat.  Stir to combine.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 1 hour.  Season with your own ingredients to taste.  Makes 1 1/2 cups.

Watermelon Lemonade with Fresh Mint

Who does not love a glass of lemonade on a hot summer day? This recipe is naturally sweetened by the watermelon so you do not need as much sugar to balance with the lemon juice as you will find in other lemonades. All you need is half a watermelon, 4 lemons, a pint of raspberries, fresh mint, spring water and a little cane sugar. If your watermelon is ripe enough, you may not need any sugar!

Ingredients:

6 cups watermelon cubes (seeds removed)
¼ cup fresh organic raspberries
1 cup spring water
1/3 cup raw honey (optional)
½ cup fresh lemon juice
Fresh mint to garnish

Watermelon slices to garnish

Directions:
Place watermelon, raspberries and water in container of food processor and blend until smooth. Strain through fine sieve into pitcher. Stir in sugar and lemon juice and continue stirring until sugar dissolves. Refrigerate until chilled, about 1 hour. Yield: 4 servings

Patriotic Pound Cake

An easy finale to your barbecue meal is this rich and buttery pound cake.  Serve it with fresh organic blueberries, strawberries and whipped cream and you'll have the perfect Patriotic Pound Cake.  It's so good, you may want to double the recipe for a large family gathering.

Ingredients:

3/4 cup unsalted butter (softened)
1 1/2 cups organic cane sugar
3 large eggs
2 tsps pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups organic unbleached flour
1/4 tsp baking soda
pinch sea salt
1/2 cup organic sour cream

Directions:

Position a rack in the lowest third of the oven and preheat to 300 degrees.  Butter a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan; set aside.

Place the butter and sugar in a medium bowl and beat with a mixer until smooth.  Add the eggs, one at a time, beating until the mixture is light and fluffy.  Add the vanilla extract.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt.  Add the dry ingredients to the batter on low speed in two additions, alternating with the sour cream.

Spoon the batter into the loaf pan and bake until the cake is set and a toothpick inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean, 75-85 minutes.  Remove from oven and cool.

Cut into slices and add fresh cut strawberries and blueberries.  Top with a dollop of organic whipped cream.

Celebrate Cinco de Mayo with 3 Popular Mexican-American Recipes!

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HAPPY CINCO De MAYO !

Cinco de Mayo, the day Mexico celebrates its victory over France in the Battle of Puebla in 1862.  This holiday is extremely popular in the US with Mexican-American citizens who celebrate with parades, parties and an array of Mexican foods.

Satisfy your cravings with three of my favorite Mexican-American recipes to celebrate this day.  

GUACAMOLE


Ingredients: Always organic!

 * 3 avocados - peeled and pitted
 * 2 T. lime juice 
 * 1/2 tsp. sea salt
 * 1/2 cup diced onion 
 * 3 T. chopped fresh cilantro
 * 2 roma (plum) tomatoes, diced
 * 1 tsp. minced garlic 
 * 1 pinch ground cayenne pepper


Directions:

For smooth Guacamole -
1) Add all the ingredients to blender, except the onion and tomatoes, and process until smooth.  Then mix in the onion and tomato.

For chunky Guacamole -
1) In a medium bowl, mash the avocados with a fork and add the remaining ingredients.

Refrigerate for 1 hour for the best flavor or serve immediately with taco chips.  Serves 4.

MEXICAN CHICKEN & BEAN CASSEROLE











Ingredients:

* 1 lb. chicken ( I use Bare), cooked and shredded
* 2 (16 oz) cans black beans, drained
* 1 (16 oz) can corn, drained
* 1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce
* 1 cup salsa 
* 1 cup red onion, chopped 
* 1 green pepper, diced
* 1/4 cup chopped cilantro 
* 1 T. minced garlic 
* sea salt and pepper
* 12 oz shredded cheese

Directions:

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2) Combine the chicken, beans, corn, tomato sauce, salsa, onion, bell pepper, cilantro, garlic, sea salt and pepper in a bowl.

3) Place half the mixture in a 13 x 9 inch baking dish and sprinkle with half the cheese.

4) Add the remaining chicken mixture and sprinkle with t6he rest of the cheese.

5) Bake for 30 minutes and let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

*Add tomato or cilantro as a garnish on the side -

Enjoy a delicious fresh strawberry margarita smoothie after your dinner & have one for me!

FRESH STRAWBERRY MARGARITA SMOOTHIE

Ingredients:

* 2 oz tequila 

* 1 oz triple sec

* 3 oz lime juice 

* 1/2 cup fresh organic strawberries (trimmed)

* Raw honey ( about 1/2 T. to sweeten) - optional

* 1/2 cup crushed ice

* salt or sugar rim of glass

Preparation:

* Puree in blender until smooth and garnish with a fresh strawberry on the rim.

Have a safe and healthy Cinco de Mayo!

Laurel ♥

Happy Passover and Easter!

Happy Easter & Passover To all!

• Today is a day of forgiveness 
• A day of new beginnings
• A day to shake off the hurt and pain of the past and let new beginnings brighten your days a head
• Love and respect of your fellow human being, patience with others who are not as strong as you
• Giving back to all around you - For to hate is to sip on poison each day of your life. Hating needs action..it can not function without your complete dedication - Just like love, it needs your actions and dedication to grow. You have a choice you've always had a choice to love or 2 hate and to love is moving forward.  
• Enjoy each day like it is the first day of the rest of your life
• We have lost so many wonderful people who have given back to us in music, song, art and the spoken word... words to live by over the centuries.
• We as human beings can move forward and live our dreams by letting go of hate and helping others like ourselves to heal with love and friendship

The best is yet to come!

I sincerely hope you keep sharing and please know YOU ARE LOVED!



Love Laurel ♥

SUPER BOWL SUNDAY XLIX - Game Day Healthy Recipes

The Super Bowl is one of the biggest calorie fests of the year for many Americans. The average football fan eats about a day's worth of calories during the game, and that Americans pack away 11 million pounds of chips on Super Bowl Sunday. Try these delicious and healthy game day recipes:

Spinach-Artichoke Dip

Ingredients:
1 8-oz package of organic full fat cultured cream cheese (try Organic Valley), softened
2 cups organic full fat plain greek yogurt
1 14-oz can of organic artichokes (in water), rinse and roughly chop these babies
1 10-oz package of organic frozen spinach, thawed and rinsed with as much liquid removed as possible
1 cup organic baby spinach, roughly chopped
5 garlic cloves, smashed and minced
1/2 cup organic mozzarella
1/4 cup organic parmesan cheese
Sea salt, black pepper to taste
Raw veggies for serving

Directions:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
In a medium sized oven safe dish combine all ingredients except parmesan. Season generously with sea salt and black pepper.
Top with parmesan and bake for 30 minutes or until dip is bubbly and golden.
Enjoy with your favorite raw veggies or organic chips.

Homemade Onion Dip

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons organic olive oil

1 1/2 cups organic diced onions

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

1 1/2 cups organic sour cream

3/4 cup greek yogurt

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

Directions:

In a saute pan over medium heat add oil, heat and add onions and salt. Cook the onions until they are caramelized, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside to cool. Mix the rest of the ingredients, and then add the cooled onions. Refrigerate and stir again before serving.

Organic Guacamole Recipe

Ingredients:

2 avocados halved, pitted, and removed from peel

1/2 tsp sea salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1/4 cup fresh organic tomatoes, diced up

1/2 of a lime, juice squeezed out, about 1 tbsp

2 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped

1 tbsp red onion (optional)

Directions:

Combine all ingredients and mash with fork.

Serve immediately.

Baked 7 Layer Mexican Dish 

Here is a perfect one-dish meal that's easy to make and one of my favorites!

Layers:

1.  Refried beans

2.  Cooked chicken or ground beef

3.  Avocado mixture

4.  Sour cream or plain yogurt

5.  Tomatoes

6.  Black olives

7.  Cheese (I like to use colby-jack)

Ingredients:

1 16oz can organic refried beans

1 lb. grass-fed ground beef 

1/2 pkg. organic taco seasoning mix 

2  avocados  ( add 1 T. lemon juice, 1/4 tsp. sea salt, and 1/8 tsp. ground pepper), and mix in blender until smooth.

1 cup organic sour cream

1/2 large organic tomato, cubed

1/2 can black olives, drained and rinsed well

2 cups shredded organic colby-jack cheese

Directions:

Cook the ground beef with taco seasoning ahead of time and set aside.  Blend your avocado mixture and also set aside.  Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  

Use a 7 x 11 inch baking pan and begin layering the pan with the refried beans for the bottom, then add the ground beef on top of the beans.  Spread avocado mix next, and add the sour cream layer.  Add the tomatoes and black olives.  For the last layer, sprinkle the grated cheese over the top.

Bake at 325 degrees for 10-15 minutes.  Serve with warm whole wheat tortilla chips.

Enjoy the game and good luck to your team!

Laurel ♥

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

I wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a healthy holiday!

Laurel ♥

One of my favorite songs at Christmas time is "The Christmas Song" , as sung by Michael Buble'

Winter Squash & Chicken Tzimmes

Welcome to Healthy Intuitions! Please add your comments and suggestions.

                                                               Happy Rosh Hashanah!

Fresh orange juice and cinnamon infuse this winter squash and chicken stew. Tzimmes (pronounced "tsim-iss") can also be made with brisket and is served during the Jewish New Year. A fairly SWEET DISH, it's said to offer wishes for a sweet year ahead.

Ingredients:

1 cup small ORGANIC pitted prunes
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 medium shallots, thinly sliced and separated into rings
1 teaspoon ground CEYLON cinnamon
1 teaspoon dried, oregano
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon sea salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
8 skinless, bone-in chicken thighs, (about 3 1/2 pounds), trimmed
1 cup organic chicken broth, or vegetable broth
1 teaspoon freshly grated orange zest
1/2 cup fresh ORGANIC orange juice


Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Place squash, prunes, garlic, shallots, cinnamon, oregano, thyme, 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper in a large bowl and mix well. Transfer to a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Sprinkle chicken with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and place on top of the vegetables. Mix broth, orange zest and juice in a small bowl and pour over the chicken. Cover the baking dish with foil.

Bake for 40 minutes. Uncover and continue baking until the vegetables are tender and the chicken is cooked through, basting often, about 1 hour more. A fairly sweet dish, it's said to offer wishes for a sweet year ahead. Makes 8 servings



Shana Tovah everybody! Wishing you all a beautiful year!


Intuitively Yours,
Laurel  ♥

Father's Day Breakfast - Bacon Mushroom Egg Bake

Happy Father's Day!

Prepare a delicious Father's Day breakfast for the entire family.  This Bacon Mushroom Egg Bake can be served for breakfast, brunch or even dinner.  Serve dad a slice of the bacon mushroom dish on a tray, with coffee and fresh orange juice, and make his day special!

Bacon Mushroom Egg Bake:

I use uncured center cut low sodium bacon because it's lower in fat and doesn't contain the harmful nitrites and nitrates of conventional bacon.  It tastes the same, therefore you won't lose the great flavor of bacon.

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons butter

5-6 strips uncured center-cut bacon, pre-cooked and cut -up

8 ounces fresh organic crimini mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (about 4 oz.)
1/2 cup organic whipping cream
1/4 teaspoon chopped green onions
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
6 large eggs, lightly beaten

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 325°. In a large frying pan over high heat, melt 2 tablespoons butter. Add mushrooms and cook, stirring often, until lightly browned, about 5 minutes.
2. Butter an 8-inch square baking dish and sprinkle cheese on the bottom. In a small bowl, mix cream, onions, salt, and pepper. Pour half the cream mixture over the cheese. Top with bacon, mushrooms and eggs. Pour remaining cream mixture over the top.
3. Bake until eggs are set, about 35 minutes.  Serves 8.



Happy Father's Day to My Dad -

                        Bert Mankoff

Happy Mother's Day! A Perfect Gift - Make Mom Breakfast in Bed

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A special gift for Mother's Day - Serve mom breakfast in bed with a personal touch to show her your love and appreciation.  Although my mom has passed away, I'll be celebrating this day by sharing with you a healthy breakfast that I would have made for my mom if she were here today - French Strawberry Crepes with a puree fruit topping.

French Strawberry Crepes

Ingredients: Batter

1 cup organic all-purpose flour or coconut flour
1 1/2 cups coconut milk or almond milk
2 organic eggs
1 T. olive oil
1/4 tsp. sea salt
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Ingredients: Puree Topping

1 cup sliced organic strawberries ( or fruit of choice)
2 tsp. raw honey


Directions:

Preheat oven to 200 degrees.

1) In a large mixing bowl lightly beat the eggs and add milk, olive oil, salt and vanilla.

2) Add the flour and whisk until smooth with no lumps.

3) In a skillet, heat a dab of olive oil on medium-low and pour about 1/4 cup of the batter to cover the bottom of the pan.  Lift skillet off the stove and swirl it around to spread the batter evenly, and place back on the stove.  As soon as the crepe forms bubbles on the top, flip over and cook the other side.

4) Place the cooked crepe in a pan in the warm oven, and repeat process until you've finished the batter.

Top the crepes with the puree topping and garnish with strawberries or your favorite fruit.


*Serve with Organic Prairie uncured bacon or turkey sausage, a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice and a hot cup of herbal tea or coffee.  

Arrange the breakfast on a serving tray with a single rose in a vase, your greeting card and serve to your mom.  She will LOVE it!!

Happy Mother's Day Mom

All my love,
Laurel ♥♥♥

HAPPY 44TH EARTH DAY!

Earth day is all about appreciating and protecting our natural resources.  Today marks the 44th Earth Day.


What better way to celebrate the Earth than by going outdoors and enjoying it!  Get some exercise and sun for your health.

Eat Earth-friendly foods!  It's a fact that some foods are more Earth-friendly than others.  They add nutrients back into the earth and provide shelter for wildlife.  In many cases, the most Earth-friendly foods are grown and made locally without creating greenhouse gases or using fossil fuels.  Quinoa, honey and shade-grown chocolate are all delicious Earth and health-friendly options.


Have a healthy and happy 44th Earth Day everyone!

Laurel ☺

My Homemade Hamburger French Fry Casserole

HAMBURGER FRENCH FRY CASSEROLE

1 1/2 lb. hamburger  1 sm. onion, chopped 1 can cream of chicken soup 1 can cream of mushroom soup 1 can cream corn  (GMO only) 1 bag crinkle-cut potatoes  Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brown the hamburger and onion in skillet with canola oil; don't drain off grease. Put in a 2-quart casserole. Add the 2 soups and GMO corn. Finally add the fried potatoes and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cover and bake for 1 hour. Uncover and bake an additional 10 minutes to crisp the fries.

                                                                                 

Don't blame me if you eat this and get sick - I'm doing the best I can creating recipes for all of my readers.  I'm running out of ideas, so what can I do?

Happy St. Patrick's Day !

Hello everyone!   Today I'm not going to bore you with nutrition facts and advice.  But I happen to have for you a green breakfast smoothie recipe for the start of your day, and an easy healthy salad for lunch.  


Start your day with an organic green smoothie for breakfast -

Ingredients:

1 cup of fresh spinach
1 banana
1/2 cup of pineapple chunks

Blend with ice cold spring water ( add ice)



Shamrock Energy Salad for lunch - (take it to work)

1/2 cup shredded romaine lettuce
1/2 cup of clover sprouts
1/2 Avocado
1 carrot, grated
1/4 cup diced green pepper
1/8 cup of organic sunflower seeds (shelled)

Top with: My homemade Organic Honey balsamic Vinaigrette Salad Dressing (locate on my blog)


St. Patrick's Day is not a government holiday and most of you will be working 9-5 Monday.  My suggestion is to go OUT for dinner!  Eat and drink sensibly, but MOST of all have a wonderful time! 

Intuitively yours,
Laurel  ♣

Shamrock made with Clover

February 2, 2014 "Super Bowl Sunday"

Lauren "The Health Babe" I'm not particularly fond of football, but I still enjoy watching the Super Bowl. It's worth watching even if you're not into football that much because Bruno Mars and the Red Hot Chili Peppers are performing in the halftime show. But the real "kicker" (pardon the pun) is that after the super bowl, the show "New Girl" will air. Even if you've never watched this show, watch it if you happen to be a PRINCE fan! PRINCE is guest starring, and PERFORMING his new song! I am a huge fan of Prince...not only because he grew up and performed in Minneapolis, MN where I live, but he's an amazing performer and composer. "Tune in to Fox...it's worth the watch".



PRINCE  "Purple Rain"