Tag: recipe

  • Vegan Potato Soup

    Vegan Potato Soup

    Vegan Potato Soup

    with Christine Waltermyer

    Christine Waltermyer is a local and renowned Wellness Chef, private chef to celebrities, published cookbook author and founder of the Natural Kitchen Cooking School, which offers an online Plant-Based Cooking Program. She also loves shopping at Basil Bandwagon! Visit naturalkitchenschool.com to subscribe to her email newsletter for new recipes, tips, and FREE access to the Power of Veggies mini-course!


    Soups’ on! How do you keep yourself warm during the colder months? There are plenty of different ways – like warm sweaters, cozy blankets, and sitting by the fireplace. But our favorite way is enjoying a delicious hot soup with family and friends. Thanks to Christine Waltermyer and the Natural Kitchen Cooking School, we may have found our next favorite soup recipe – and it’s vegan! Featuring all products that can be found at Basil Bandwagon Natural Market 😊

    Vegan Potato Soup

    Course Lunch, Main Course, Soup
    Keyword dinner, lunch, main course, soup
    Servings 4

    Ingredients

    • 3 medium white flesh sweet potatoes such as Hannah or Japanese sweet potatoes peeled (or an equivalent amount of white potatoes)
    • 1 tablespoon olive oil
    • 1 cup onion diced (about 1 medium onion)
    • Sea salt
    • 2 stalks celery diced
    • 2 carrots peeled and diced
    • 4 cups vegetable broth
    • 1 6 oz package Lightlife Tempeh Smoky Bacon
    • Avocado oil
    • 1 cup thinly sliced leeks
    • ½ cup coconut cream

    Instructions

    • Peel the sweet potatoes. Cut into small dice pieces and place them in a pot of cold, salted water.
    • Heat a large skillet or large soup pot over medium high heat. Add the olive oil, onion and a pinch of the sea salt. Cook and stir for a few minutes. Add the carrots, celery and another pinch of sea salt. Cook and stir for five minutes. If the vegetables begin to stick to the pan add a small splash of vegetable broth or water.
    • Meanwhile, in a medium size saucepan, warm the vegetable broth over medium heat. If you used a skillet, transfer the cooked vegetables to a large soup pot. Drain the potatoes and add them to the pot. Add the warmed vegetable broth. Bring to a boil over medium high heat, then reduce the heat to simmer on medium low, lightly covered, for 20 minutes.
    • Cut the tempeh bacon strips in half. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add about a tablespoon of the avocado oil, then add the tempeh bacon in a single layer. Fry for a few minutes on one side, then turn to fry on the other side for a few more minutes, until lightly browned on both sides. Remove and transfer to a plate to cool. Chop the cooked tempeh into smaller pieces.
    • To the soup pot, add the coconut cream, 1 teaspoon of sea salt and a few grinds of freshly ground black pepper. Puree one third of the soup by using an immersion blender. Or, place a few cups of the soup into a blender and blend until smooth. Return the pureed soup to the pot and stir to combine.
    • In the large skillet, heat another 2 teaspoons of the avocado oil. Add the leeks, a pinch of sea salt and a few grinds of black pepper. Cook and stir for 5 to 10 minutes, or until the leeks are very tender and lightly browned. Serve the soup hot, topping each bowl with a tablespoon of the tempeh bacon bits and a couple of teaspoons of sautéed leeks.
    • Enjoy!

    Thank you to Christine Waltermyer and the Natural Kitchen Cooking School for working with us to help promote healthy, nutritious meals and products that are affordable, full of nutrients, and simple to make at home!

  • Holiday Frosted Sugar Cookies

    Holiday Frosted Sugar Cookies

    Holiday Frosted Sugar Cookies

    with Christine Waltermyer

    Christine Waltermyer is a local and renowned Wellness Chef, private chef to celebrities, published cookbook author and founder of the Natural Kitchen Cooking School, which offers an online Plant-Based Cooking Program. She also loves shopping at Basil Bandwagon! Visit naturalkitchenschool.com to subscribe to her email newsletter for new recipes, tips, and FREE access to the Power of Veggies mini-course!


    Impress your friends at this year’s cookie exchange with Christine Waltermyer’s Holiday Frosted Sugar Cookies! This sweet recipe can be decorated any way you’d like – maybe plant-based food dyes? How about festive Supernatural sprinkles? The sky’s the limit!

    Share your special creations by tagging us on social media:

    Instagram – @basilbandwagon & @naturalkitchenschool

    Facebook – @BasilBandwagonOfficial & @NaturalKitchenCookingSchool

    Find these ingredients at your local Basil Bandwagon Natural Market today!

    Holiday Frosted Sugar Cookies

    Course Dessert
    Keyword cookies, dessert, holiday
    Servings 24 cookies

    Ingredients

    • ¼ cup ghee or butter of your choice
    • 6 tablespoons maple syrup
    • 1 room temperature egg
    • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
    • 1 ¾ cup fine almond flour
    • ¼ cup arrowroot flour
    • ¼ cup cassava flour
    • ¼ teaspoon sea salt
    • ½ teaspoon cream of tartar

    Toppings

    • Simple Mills frosting
    • sprinkles of your choice (I used Supernatural Sprinkles)
    • colored sugar
    • coconut sugar
    • cinnamon

    Instructions

    • In a large bowl (or stand mixer or food processor), combine the ghee, maple syrup, egg and vanilla. Whisk well to blend.
    • Add the almond flour, arrowroot flour, cassava flour, sea salt and cream of tartar. Whisk again or use a fork to combine into a smooth dough.
    • Wrap the dough with plastic wrap and form into a flat disc. Refrigerate for two hours.
    • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the chilled dough on a piece of parchment paper. Place another piece of parchment paper on top. Roll out the dough to desired thickness, about ¼-inch thick. Or you can make it slightly thinner if you prefer. Use cookie cutters or a glass jar to cut out shapes of your choice.
    • Transfer the cut out cookies onto the prepared baking sheet. If you want to make some cinnamon sugar variety, top them with a mixture of half coconut sugar mixed with half cinnamon. Leave the rest of the cookies plain for frosting later when cool. Bake for 10 minutes, or until lightly golden on the bottoms.
    • Cool the cookies. Prepare your toppings. If you want to add food coloring to white frosting, place ½ cup of the frosting in a small bowl and add a teaspoon of the desired dry food coloring powder. If using liquid food coloring drops you will need less. Mix until completely uniform in color. Carefully frost the cookies and add sprinkles of your choice. Store cookies in a single layer in a glass storage container, lightly covered.
    • Enjoy!

    Thank you to Christine Waltermyer and the Natural Kitchen Cooking School for working with us to help promote healthy, nutritious meals and products that are affordable, full of nutrients, and simple to make at home!

  • Paleo Pumpkin Pudding

    Paleo Pumpkin Pudding

    Paleo Pumpkin Pudding

    with Christine Waltermyer

    Christine Waltermyer is a local and renowned Wellness Chef, private chef to celebrities, published cookbook author and founder of the Natural Kitchen Cooking School, which offers an online Plant-Based Cooking Program. She also loves shopping at Basil Bandwagon! Visit naturalkitchenschool.com to subscribe to her email newsletter for new recipes, tips, and FREE access to the Power of Veggies mini-course!


    Tuesday, 10/26/21 is National Pumpkin Day! 🎃 What’s your favorite way to incorporate pumpkins this fall? Whether it’s as a decoration, gutted out for the seeds, or used in a recipe, the possibilities are endless. Christine Waltermyer and the Natural Kitchen Cooking School have picked the perfect recipe… that’s gluten-free AND egg-free! Shop all of the needed ingredients for this Paleo Pumpkin Pudding in all of our locations today!

    Paleo Pumpkin Pudding

    Course Appetizer, Breakfast, Dessert, Snack
    Keyword appetizer, breakfast, custard, dessert, egg free, fall, gluten free, paleo, pudding, pumpkin, snack

    Ingredients

    • 1 small pumpkin to make ¾ cup pumpkin puree from scratch, or use canned
    • ½ teaspoon agar powder
    • 2 tablespoons warm water
    • ¾ cup cooked pumpkin purée
    • 1 ½ cups full-fat coconut milk
    • ¼ cup maple syrup
    • 1 tablespoon creamy almond butter
    • 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
    • teaspoon sea salt
    • ½ teaspoon vanilla bean powder

    Coconut Whipped Cream

    • 1 (13.5 oz.) can heavy coconut cream refrigerated overnight
    • 2 tablespoons powdered monkfruit sweetener
    • ¼ teaspoon vanilla bean powder
    • nutmeg for garnish

    Instructions

    • Prep and cook the pumpkin if using: Cut the pumpkin in half. Use a large spoon to remove the seeds. Cut into big chunks. Place the chunks into a medium size saucepan. Add enough water to cover the bottom of the pan by one inch. Cover and bring to a boil over medium high heat. Reduce to simmer on medium low, covered, for 25 minutes, or until easily pierced with a fork. Transfer to a blender and blend until smooth.
    • In a small bowl, mix together the agar powder and warm water.
    • In a blender or food processor, combine ¾ cup of the pumpkin purée, coconut milk, maple syrup, almond butter, pumpkin pie spice, sea salt and vanilla bean powder. Blend for a minute or two. Transfer to a medium saucepan.
    • Over medium-high heat, bring the pumpkin mixture to a gentle boil, stirring occasionally. Stir in the agar-water mixture. Whisk well. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook for 20 minutes, whisking occasionally.
    • Meanwhile, make the coconut whipped cream: Place the heavy coconut cream, powdered monkfruit sweetener and vanilla bean powder in a blender. Blend until smooth. Drain any excess liquid that separates from the cream. Set aside. I don’t recommend chilling as it will get too hard.
    • Remove the pumpkin custard mixture from the heat. Transfer to 3 or 4 small pudding dishes. Cool to room temperature, then chill for 1 hour before serving. Serve the pumpkin custard with a dollop of coconut whipped cream and a pinch of nutmeg.
    • Enjoy!

    Notes

    Leftover pumpkin custard will keep in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

    Thank you to Christine Waltermyer and the Natural Kitchen Cooking School for working with us to help promote healthy, nutritious meals and products that are affordable, full of nutrients, and simple to make at home!

  • You’ll APPLE-solutely LOVE This!

    You’ll APPLE-solutely LOVE This!

    Celebrate National Apple Day on 10/21/21

    with Christine Waltermyer

    Christine Waltermyer is a local and renowned Wellness Chef, private chef to celebrities, published cookbook author and founder of the Natural Kitchen Cooking School, which offers an online Plant-Based Cooking Program. She also loves shopping at Basil Bandwagon! Visit naturalkitchenschool.com to subscribe to her email newsletter for new recipes, tips, and FREE access to the Power of Veggies mini-course!


    Christine Waltermyer and the Natural Kitchen Cooking School are awesome to the CORE! 🍎Whether you pick-your-own or you pick some up the next time you’re shopping with us, we have the perfect recipe for you – and it’s GRAIN-FREE! Just in time for National Apple Day on Thursday, October 21, 2021. Trust us, you’ll live apple-ly ever after once you’ve made some at home! (Okay, we’ll stop with the apple puns now 😄)

    Grain-Free Apple Dumplings

    Course Breakfast, Dessert, Side Dish
    Keyword apple, breakfast, dessert, dumplings, grain-free, side
    Servings 3

    Ingredients

    • 3 apples peeled and cored
    • 1 tablespoon butter of your choice
    • ½ cup butter of your choice
    • 2 teaspoons monkfruit sweetener with erythritol + extra for sprinkling the apples before baking
    • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
    • 1 ½ cups almond flour divided
    • 1 tablespoon coconut flour
    • 2 tablespoons arrowroot powder
    • ½ teaspoon sea salt
    • ½ teaspoon baking powder
    • ¼ cup almond milk

    Sauce

    • 1-2 cups water
    • 1 teaspoon arrowroot powder + 1 tablespoon cold water
    • ½ cup monkfruit erythritol sweetner
    • 2 tablespoons butter of your choice
    • 1 teaspoon molasses
    • ½ teaspoon cinnamon
    • Few pinches sea salt

    Instructions

    • Lightly oil a medium size baking dish.
    • Slice a thin piece off the bottom of each apple so that they sit evenly. In a small bowl, combine together 1 tablespoon of the butter, 1 teaspoon of the monkfruit sweetener and cinnamon. Fill each apple with a spoonful of this mixture.
    • Make the dough: In a food processor, combine ¾ cup of the almond flour, coconut flour, arrowroot powder, sea salt, baking powder and 1 teaspoon of the monkfruit sweetener. Process to blend. Add ½ cup of cold, cubed butter. Add the almond milk. Add the remaining ¾ cup almond flour. Blend again. Turn the dough onto a piece of parchment paper dusted with arrowroot powder. Shape the dough into a flat disk. Cut into 3 equal size pieces and reform the pieces into a round flat disk. Wrap each disk of dough with parchment paper or plastic wrap. Chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
    • Make the sauce: In a small saucepan, place the water. Use less water for a sweeter, more concentrated sauce. Or use 2 cups if you like more sauce with your dumplings. In a small bowl, stir together the arrowroot and the tablespoon of cold water. To the saucepan, add the monk fruit sweetener, butter, molasses, diluted arrowroot, cinnamon and sea salt. Simmer over medium low heat for 30 minutes. If you like your sauce sweeter, feel free to add more sweetener.
    • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Remove chilled dough from the refrigerator. Place one disk of dough between two sheets of parchment paper. Roll into a 6-inch circle. Place one of the prepared apples in the center of the dough. Use the parchment paper to wrap the dough up around the sides of the apple, covering it with the circle of dough. Repeat with remaining dough and apples. Place the apples in the prepared baking dish. Bake for 30 minutes.
    • Spoon the sauce over the apples to fill the baking dish. Sprinkle with a little extra monkfruit sweetener. Bake for another 20 minutes. Serve warm, drizzled with the sauce.
    • Enjoy!

    Thank you to Christine Waltermyer and the Natural Kitchen Cooking School for working with us to help promote healthy, nutritious meals and products that are affordable, full of nutrients, and simple to make at home!

  • Christine Waltermyer’s Quinoa Power Bowl with Orange Tahini Dressing

    Christine Waltermyer’s Quinoa Power Bowl with Orange Tahini Dressing

    Quinoa Power Bowl with Orange Tahini Dressing

    thanks to Christine Waltermyer!

    Christine Waltermyer is a local and renowned Wellness Chef, private chef to celebrities, published cookbook author and founder of the Natural Kitchen Cooking School, which offers an online Plant-Based Cooking Program. She also loves shopping at Basil Bandwagon! Visit naturalkitchenschool.com to subscribe to her email newsletter for new recipes, tips, and FREE access to the Power of Veggies mini-course!


    What comes to mind when you think about the first day of spring? For us, it’s bright, fresh, fruits and vegetables to help energize us through the day. Thanks to Christine Waltermyer, we can combine all of that into a delicious & nutritious power bowl that’s perfect for lunch or dinner! Check out the recipe below…

    Quinoa Power Bowl with Orange Tahini Dressing

    Course Main Course
    Keyword dressing, power bowl, quinoa, vegan

    Equipment

    • Baking pan
    • Small saucepan
    • Large skillet
    • Medium bowl

    Ingredients

    • 1 large sweet potato or yam peeled and diced (½-inch dices)
    • 2 tablespoons avocado oil (or vinegar or vegetable broth)
    • Sea salt and black pepper to taste
    • 1 teaspoon onion powder
    • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
    • 1 cup quinoa (I used the pre-rinsed kind)
    • 2 cloves garlic minced
    • ½ red onion thinly sliced
    • 16 ounces sliced button mushrooms
    • 1 medium zucchini cut into half moons
    • ½ cup corn kernels
    • 2-4 tablespoons sesame tahini
    • 2 tablespoons maple syrup
    • 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
    • The juice of one orange
    • 1 avocado pitted and diced
    • 13 ounces cooked kidney beans (I used the Jovial brand)
    • Fresh parsley chopped, as a garnish (optional)

    Instructions

    • Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
    • Place the peeled and chopped sweet potato in a baking pan. Lightly drizzle it with 1 tablespoon of the avocado oil. Add sea salt and black pepper to taste. Sprinkle with onion powder and garlic powder. Mix the seasoning into the sweet potato with your hands. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, or until fork-tender.
    • Meanwhile prepare the quinoa. In a small saucepan, place the quinoa. Add 2 cups water or vegetable broth. Bring to a boil over high heat. Add an optional pinch of sea salt. Reduce the heat to simmer on low, covered, for 15 to 20 minutes.
    • Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add a tablespoon of the avocado oil. Add the onion and cook and stir for a minute or two. Add the mushrooms and a pinch of sea salt. Cook and stir for a minute, then cover with a tight-fitting lid to help release the moisture from the mushrooms. Cook for several minutes over medium heat. If it seems to be dry on the bottom you can add a teaspoon or so of water.
    • Add the garlic, corn and zucchini to the mushrooms. Cook and stir briefly, then season with salt and pepper. Cover and cook for a few more minutes. Uncover and stir.
    • Make the dressing: In a medium bowl, combine the tahini, maple syrup, apple cider vinegar and fresh orange juice. Whisk together and add more tahini if a thicker consistency is desired.
    • Place the avocado in a small bowl. If not serving the bowls right away you can toss it with a little lemon juice, lime juice or vinegar to prevent browning.
    • Now arrange the bowls. In two serving bowls, place a scoop of the cooked quinoa (there will be leftovers or enough for a third or fourth bowl), a portion of kidney beans, some sweet potato and the sautéed mushrooms, zucchini and corn. Add some avocado as well.
      Bonus! If you want to add a teaspoon of raw sauerkraut or another raw pickle that adds a nice touch.
    • Wipe the edges of the bowls if needed. Top with a drizzle of the tahini dressing over all of the ingredients. Sprinkle with optional chopped parsley.

    Thank you to Christine Waltermyer and the Natural Kitchen Cooking School for working with us to help promote healthy, nutritious meals and products that are affordable, full of nutrients, and simple to make at home!

  • Vegan St. Patrick’s Day Traditions with Christine Waltermyer

    Vegan St. Patrick’s Day Traditions with Christine Waltermyer

    Vegan St. Patrick’s Day Traditions

    with Christine Waltermyer

    Christine Waltermyer is a local and renowned Wellness Chef, private chef to celebrities, published cookbook author and founder of the Natural Kitchen Cooking School, which offers an online Plant-Based Cooking Program. She also loves shopping at Basil Bandwagon! Visit naturalkitchenschool.com to subscribe to her email newsletter for new recipes, tips, and FREE access to the Power of Veggies mini-course!


    Who said you can’t turn holiday traditions into diet-friendly favorites! Celebrate Irish culture with a warming vegan stew and naturally colorful shamrock sugar cookies.

    Vegan Irish Stew

    Course Main Course
    Keyword gluten free, St. Patrick’s Day, stew, vegan
    Servings 4 people

    Equipment

    • Large pot
    • Large mixing bowl
    • Small mixing bowl

    Ingredients

    • 1 tablespoon olive oil
    • 1 cup onion chopped
    • 2 cloves garlic minced
    • 8 ounces button mushrooms quartered
    • sea salt
    • 1 cup sliced carrots
    • 1 cup sliced celery
    • ¼ small head of green cabbage
    • 1 large parsnip peeled and chopped
    • 3 small Yukon Gold potatoes cut into bite-sized pieces
    • 2 cups vegetable broth
    • 1 cup beer (non-alcoholic or stout beer)
    • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
    • 1 tablespoon maple syrup
    • 1 tablespoon apple butter
    • 3 tablespoons kuzu starch (or cornstarch) to thicken the stew (more as needed)
    • freshly ground black pepper

    Dumplings

    • 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary or thyme (use ½ teaspoon if using dried herbs) minced
    • 1 ½ cups gluten-free all-purpose baking flour (or regular all-purpose baking flour)
    • ¾ teaspoon baking powder (aluminum-free)
    • 1 teaspoon sea salt
    • 3 tablespoons olive oil
    • 1 cup almond milk (or oat milk or rice milk)

    Instructions

    • In a large pot, heat the olive oil (or ¼ cup vegetable broth) over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic. Cook and stir for a few minutes, then add the mushrooms. Add a pinch of the sea salt. Cook and stir for a few minutes. Cover and let cook a few more minutes to help them soften up. You can add a small splash of water if needed.
    • Add the carrots, celery, cabbage, parsnip and potatoes. Add the broth, beer, thyme, maple syrup, and apple butter. Bring to a boil over medium high heat, then reduce the heat to cook, lightly covered, on low for 20 minutes.
    • To make the dumplings, in a large mixing bowl combine the all-purpose baking flour, baking powder, sea salt and fresh rosemary. Stir well. Add the olive oil and almond milk. Stir well again.
    • In a small bowl, stir the kuzu or cornstarch with a few tablespoons of cold water to dilute it. Add to the stew and stir until thickened. Add a little more if you want to achieve a thicker stew consistency.
    • Add the black pepper.
    • Now add spoonfuls (2 to 3 tablespoons in size) of the dumpling dough all around the pot. Cook, covered, for 15 minutes. The dumplings will rise. Serve hot with Irish soda bread, sourdough bread or gluten-free bread of your choice.
      Note: If you like fluffier dumplings you can add 1 full teaspoon of the baking powder.

    Shamrock Sand Tart Cookies

    Course Dessert
    Keyword cookies, St. Patrick’s Day, vegan
    Servings 3 Dozen

    Equipment

    • Large bowl
    • Small bowl
    • Rolling Pin
    • Baking sheet
    • Shamrock cookie cutter

    Ingredients

    Wet Ingredients

    • ½ cup plant-based butter or butter of your choice
    • 1 cup maple sugar or raw cane sugar
    • 1 tablespoon golden flaxseed meal
    • 3 tablespoons water
    • ¼ cup cooked pumpkin puree
    • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

    Dry Ingredients

    • 2 cups soft wheat flour (or gluten-free flour)
    • ¼ teaspoon baking soda
    • teaspoon sea salt

    Colored Sugar

    • ½ cup raw cane sugar
    • A few drops green liquid natural food coloring

    Instructions

    • In a large bowl, cream together the butter and maple sugar (or cane sugar).
    • In a small bowl stir together the flaxseed meal and water. Let sit for 5 or 10 minutes, until it has thickened up a bit.
    • Add the flaxseed meal mixture and pumpkin puree to the butter-sugar mixture. Stir well. Add the vanilla and stir again.
    • Sift together the flour, baking soda and sea salt. Add this to the butter-sugar mixture. Mix well, until you have a uniform cookie dough. Gather into a ball and wrap in wax paper. Refrigerate overnight.
    • Make the colored sugar: Mix together the raw cane sugar with the food coloring until it’s uniform in color. Let it sit overnight, uncovered, to let it dry out overnight. You can even spread it out on a piece of parchment paper to help it get really dry.
    • The next day, unwrap the chilled dough. Depending how thick the dough shape is, you can cut it half to make two flatter disks of dough. Place it on a floured board. Using a rolling pin, roll it out to about 1/8-inch thickness.
    • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly dust a baking sheet with a little flour.
    • Lightly dip the shamrock cookie cutter in flour, then press it into the dough to cut out shamrock shapes. Fit in as many shapes as you can over the dough’s surface. Then carefully pick them up using a spatula to place them onto the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining dough, spacing them out an inch or so apart.
    • Sprinkle each shamrock cookie evenly with some of the green-colored sugar.
      *Note: You can make other cookie shapes and use different colored sugar, depending on the holiday. For example, you can make heart-shaped cookies topped with red sugar for Valentine’s Day.
    • Bake for 7 to 8 minutes, checking them closely after 7 minutes. Lift one cookie with a spatula to check the bottom. If lightly browned and the edges are light brown, remove the baking sheet from the oven.
    • Transfer the cookies to a cooling rack to cool completely. The cookies will crisp up more as they cool. Once completely cool, serve the cookies or store in a cookie tin or glass container, loosely covered. The cookies will keep up to a week.

    Notes

    • Using the raw cane sugar will make the cookies crispier. 
    • Two eggs can be used in place of the flax egg and pumpkin puree.

    Thank you to Christine Waltermyer and the Natural Kitchen Cooking School for working with us to help promote healthy, nutritious meals and products that are affordable, full of nutrients, and simple to make at home!

  • Christine Waltermyer’s Gut-Boosting Homemade Pickles – 3 Ways!

    Christine Waltermyer’s Gut-Boosting Homemade Pickles – 3 Ways!

    Gut-Boosting Homemade Pickles

    with Christine Waltermyer

    Christine Waltermyer is a local and renowned Wellness Chef, private chef to celebrities, published cookbook author and founder of the Natural Kitchen Cooking School, which offers an online Plant-Based Cooking Program. She also loves shopping at Basil Bandwagon! Visit naturalkitchenschool.com to subscribe to her email newsletter for new recipes, tips, and FREE access to the Power of Veggies mini-course!


    Did you know that gut health is essential for a strong immune system? Some of the best gut health boosting foods are those that are fermented and pickled! There are many health benefits of pickling, but the most talked about benefit is the fact that they are probiotic – and you can pickle so many different vegetables to change up your flavor profiles. Check out (& print!) these three simple homemade pickle recipes thanks to Christine Waltermyer!

    24-Hour Mixed Vegetable Tamari Pickles

    Course Snack
    Keyword gut health, pickles
    Servings 1 cup of pickles

    Equipment

    • Wide-mouth 16 oz glass canning jar with a lid (Make sure it’s really clean. You can even boil it for a minute to sterilize it.)
    • 8 oz glass canning jar that fits inside the 16-ounce glass jar
    • Cheesecloth
    • Small pot

    Ingredients

    • ½ cup water
    • 2 ½ tablespoons tamari
    • 2 tablespoons brown rice vinegar
    • ½ cup broccoli stems (peeled) sliced into thin rounds
    • ½ cup carrot slices (thin)
    • ½ cup thinly sliced celery
    • 1 tablespoon maple syrup

    Instructions

    • Place the water in a small pot. Bring to a boil briefly, then shut off the heat and remove from the stove. Set aside to cool.
    • Once the water is cool, place it in the glass canning har. To make the pickling brine, add the tamari and brown rice vinegar. Place the lid on the har and shake well. Pour the pickling brine into a bowl.
    • Layer the vegetables in the glass jar. Pour the pickling brine over them. Place the smaller jar on top of the vegetables, inside the jar. The weight of the har will press the vegetables under the surface of the brine.
    • Cover the jar with a square of cheesecloth and secure it in place with a piece of kitchen twine or a rubber band.
    • Let the jar sit at room temperature for 24 hours. The room should be between 65 to 80 degrees F.
    • After 24 hours have passed, add the maple syrup. Place a lid on the jar and gently shake to mix the maple syrup into the brine. Refrigerate the pickles at this point. Enjoy a teaspoon or so at a time with a meal. Pickles will keep up to 5 days in the refrigerator.

    24-Hour Pink Fennel Pickles

    Course Snack
    Keyword gut health, pickles
    Servings 3 /4 cup of pickles

    Equipment

    • 16 oz glass canning jar with a lid (Make sure it’s really clean. You can even boil it for a minute to sterilize it.)
    • 8 oz glass canning jar
    • Cheesecloth
    • Small pot

    Ingredients

    • ¾ cup water
    • ¾ cup fennel thinly sliced
    • ¼ beet thinly sliced
    • ¼ cup ume ("umeboshi") vinegar

    Instructions

    • Place the water in a small pot. Bring to a boil briefly, then shut off the heat and remove from the stove. Set aside to cool.
    • Once the water is cool, place it in the glass canning jar. To make the pickling brine, add the ume vinegar. Place the lid on the jar and shake well. Pour the pickling brine into a bowl.
    • Layer the vegetables in the glass jar. Pour the pickling brine over them. Place the smaller jar on top of the vegetables, inside the har. The weight of the har will press the vegetables under the surface of the brine. If the liquid is too high in the har, you can remove it as long as all of the vegetables are submerged under the brine liquid.
    • Cover the har with a square of cheesecloth and secure it in place with a piece of kitchen twine or a rubber band.
    • Let the jar sit at room temperature for 24 hours. The room should be between 65 to 80 degrees F.
    • After 24 hours have passed, place a lid on the jar. Refrigerate the pickles at this point. Enjoy a teaspoon or so at a time with a meal. If you find the pickles too strong tasting, rinse a small amount before serving them. Pickles will keep up to 10 days in the refrigerator.

    3-Day Radish Pickles

    Course Snack
    Keyword gut health, pickles
    Servings 1 1/2 cups of pickles

    Equipment

    • 32-ounce glass canning jar with a lid (Make sure it’s really clean. You can even boil it for a minute to sterilize it.)
    • Small pot

    Ingredients

    • 2 cups water
    • 2 cups thinly sliced radishes (I used purple daikon radish and watermelon radish but red radish works too)
    • 1 ½ tablespoons sea salt
    • 1 teaspoon pickling spice OPTIONAL – In the video I used 1 tablespoon but it’s a little strong tasting so I recommend using less for most people’s taste.

    Instructions

    • Place the water in a small pot. Bring to a boil briefly, then shut off the heat and remove from the stove. Set aside to cool.
    • Once the water is cool, place it in the glass canning jar. To make the pickling brine, add the sea salt and pickling spice. Place the lid on the jar and shake well. Pour the pickling brine into a bowl.
    • Layer the vegetables in the glass jar. Pour the pickling brine over them. Make sure that all of the vegetables are submerged under the brine liquid.
    • Cover the jar with the lid.
    • Let the jar sit at room temperature for 3 days. The room should be between 65 to 80 degrees F.
      IMPORTANT: Unscrew the lid of the jar once a day to release some of the air that naturally builds up inside. At that time make sure the veggies are all submerged and if not, gently push them down under the liquid.
    • Taste after 3 days and if you want to let it ferment longer it should become more sour in another day or two. These pickles are salty so I recommend rinsing the pickles before serving. If you want to balance the flavor with some sweetness just add a tablespoon or two of your favorite sweetener and it will make them a little more mild tasting. Pickles will keep for 2 weeks in the refrigerator.

    Thank you to Christine Waltermyer and the Natural Kitchen Cooking School for working with us to help promote healthy, nutritious meals and products that are affordable, full of nutrients, and simple to make at home!

  • Looking to Keep Your Immune System Strong? Country Life Vitamins is Here to Help!

    Looking to Keep Your Immune System Strong? Country Life Vitamins is Here to Help!

    Take your immune health to the next level with Country Life Vitamins

    It’s not always easy to eat a balanced diet with all the nutrients we need, and something as important as our immune system needs extra attention. To fill the gaps we might be missing, adding in certain vitamins to our daily wellness routine makes sure we’re covering all our bases without the added stress. Thanks to Country Life Vitamins, we can trust that the ingredients they use in their products follow their 5 pledges – Authenticity, Cleanliness, Freshness, Consistency & Accuracy.

    Immune Support When It Matters

    Vitamin D

    Also known as the Sunshine Vitamin, Vitamin D aids in the absorption of calcium, helping to form and maintain healthy bones and teeth, as well as promote immune health.*

    Multivitamins

    Get the essential nutrients you need for  health and wellness. Their Core Daily-1 multivitamins simplify your daily nutrition with support across seven key nutritional areas.*

    Minerals

    Minerals are elements used by the body that are not produced by plants, and play an important role in metabolism and other various bodily functions.* Many of their minerals are chelated (bound to amino acids) and they provide both single forms as well as multi-mineral formulas.

    Calcium

    Formulated to maximize your body’s calcium absorption for healthier teeth and bones, their calcium supplements may also be blended with minerals for total-body utilization. Adequate calcium and vitamin D as part of a healthful diet, along with exercise, may reduce the risk of osteoporosis later in life.*

    Looking for a great way to add vitamins into your daily morning routine?

    Check out this refreshing smoothie recipe!

    Immune Boosting Berry Orange Smoothie

    Gluten-Free & Dairy-Free ~ Serves 2

    This delicious smoothie is rich in antioxidants, Vitamin C, with an added boost of sunshine – Vitamin D!

    Ingredients

    1 1/4 cups fresh squeeze orange juice

    1 cup of your frozen berry of choice – we used blueberries (can use fresh but will not be as thick)

    1/2 cup of fresh or frozen strawberries

    1/4 cup of almond or coconut milk (we used almond)

    1 banana

    1 tablespoon lemon juice

    1 teaspoon of honey or maple syrup

    4 sprays Country Life Vitamin D3 spray (2 sprays = daily serving size but this recipe yields 2 servings)

    Method

    Blend all ingredients in a blender until smooth. Pour into 2 glasses and enjoy!

    DISCLAIMER: *These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

    References:

    https://www.countrylifevitamins.com/

    https://www.instagram.com/countrylifevitamins/

    https://www.cottercrunch.com/cranberry-orange-smoothie-dairy-free/

  • Introducing: Hudson Valley Fisheries

    Introducing: Hudson Valley Fisheries

    Healthy. Local. Sustainable.

    Hudson Valley Fisheries was inspired by their commitment to environmental stewardship. Their goal is to protect wild populations and the environment through a state-of-the-art land-based biosecure Recirculating Aquaculture System (RAS).

    As an aquaculture teaching facility, they are educating future fish farmers in best practices, collaborating with the Culinary Institute of America and numerous colleges and universities in the Hudson Valley region. Every aspect of their business model is designed to keep their carbon footprint small, including their central location, to offer impeccably fresh, local fish via delivery trucks, thus eliminating the environmental costs of trans-Atlantic and international seafood transportation.

    Fed a responsibly-sourced, GMO-free and balanced diet of natural antioxidants, proteins and lipids, New York Steelhead are completely traceable from egg to place.

    Flavor Profile

    • Clean flavor, subtle and herbaceous

    • Pairs well with many flavors and ingredients

    • Rich in omega 3 and fatty acids

    Texture Profile

    • Smooth and velvety

    • Meaty, lean with nice fat content

    • Medium moist flake that holds together with cooking

    • Pan roasting and grilling yield a wonderfully crisp skin

    What makes Hudson Valley Fisheries healthy?

    Unlike open-sea fish farms that regularly use harsh chemicals to control pathogens, parasites and sea lice, our land-based farm uses RAS technology which provides optimal conditions for our fish to grow without the need for antibiotics, vaccines or growth hormones. Our land-based facility offers round the clock dedicated animal care and the strictest biosecurity which guarantees our fish never disrupt native ecosystems or wild seafood populations.

    What makes Hudson Valley Fisheries sustainable?

    It all starts with RAS. Our bio-secure facility uses a Recirculating Aquaculture System which provides optimal conditions for our fish to grow without the use of antibiotics, vaccines, or hormones. Fish waste is recycled into nutrient-rich plant food and kept out of our rivers and oceans. With a land-based facility, our fish never disrupt native ecosystems or wild populations.

    Looking for a way to prepare your New York Steelhead?

    Check out this delicious recipe below!


    Crispy Steelhead Trout Tenders

    with Herbed Yogurt Dipping Sauce

    Ingredients:

    New York Steelhead fillets
    (6 oz. New York Steelhead, filet), skinned and cut into 5 x 2 inch pieces

    2 eggs

    1 teaspoon dijon mustard

    1 cup panko breadcrumbs

    1 teaspoon lemon zest

    1/8 teaspoon salt

    1/8 teaspoon pepper

    1 lemon, squeezed

    For Sauce:

    1/2 cup whole greek yogurt

    1/4 teaspoon onion powder

    1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

    1/2 teaspoon chopped chives

    1/4 teaspoon chopped parsley

    1/8 teaspoon salt

    1/8 teaspoon pepper

    Method

    Fish Directions:
    Combine breadcrumbs, salt, pepper and lemon zest, in a plate. In a separate plate, combine eggs and mustard. Dip each tender in the egg mixture and then into the breadcrumb mixture. Set coated tenders aside on a plate. Spray tenders with olive oil cooking spray and place on a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake for 12 minutes at 375F flipping once.


    Sauce Directions:
    Mix well and allow to sit in the fridge for 1 hour for a stronger ranch flavor. Enjoy with tenders!

    References:

    https://www.hudsonvalleyfisheries.com/

    https://www.hudsonvalleyfisheries.com/blogs/steelheadcooking/crispy-steelhead-tenders-with-herbed-yogurt-dipping-sauce

    https://www.instagram.com/hudsonvalleyfisheries/

  • Introducing Sunscoop – From the Earth, But Out of This World.

    Introducing Sunscoop – From the Earth, But Out of This World.

    “We are powered by the sun to make the most delicious plant-based ice cream from organic coconut cream, superfoods, and no refined sugar.”

    They’re taking over the freezer aisle with a plant-based ice cream that is absolutely delicious, allergen-friendly, and makes you feel good. Their flavors are reimagined classics with a superfood twist. They’ve sourced the highest quality ingredients and let their tastes and nutrients shine.

    From the Founder Carli Blum

    Eat, Pray, Sneeze. Story of my life. Being born with food allergies is not easy. I love food, I celebrate with food, and I am endlessly inspired by it. Food for me is both my hardest challenge and biggest blessing. Being allergic to dairy, gluten, nuts, soy, eggs, and sensitive to refined sugar, I’ve struggled with inflammation and fatigue my whole life.

    In the journey of discovering what foods triggered me I also found the foods that healed. Being a lover of ice cream, I was never able to find a brand that was allergen-friendly and tasted good. One day I asked myself, why can’t dairy-free ice cream taste insanely delicious, have clean ingredients, and make your body feel good? From that point on I knew I wanted to bring Sunscoop to the world. 

    I hope you and your body feel the love and intention in every bite. Most importantly I hope you can truly enjoy the indulgence and feel great afterwards.  


    Love & Light,
    Carli

    They Are Proudly

    ☑️ Dairy-Free

    ☑️ Plant-Based

    ☑️ Vegan

    ☑️ Refined Sugar-Free

    ☑️ Gluten-Free

    ☑️ Nut-Free

    ☑️ Soy-Free

    ☑️ Allergen Friendly

    Pure Sun in A Mug Cake

    Gluten-Free & Vegan ~ Serves 1

    This is the perfect recipe for when you don’t feel like making a whole cake, cleaning a mound of dishes, or worrying about eating an entire batch of sweets. Not only is it OUT OF THIS WORLD but it’s packed with superfoods!

    Ingredients

    1/4 cup gluten free flour

    2 tablespoons coconut sugar

    1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

    1/4 teaspoon baking soda

    1 tablespoon plant-based milk

    1 tablespoon melted coconut oil

    1 scoop of your favorite Sunscoop flavor!

    Method

    1. Whisk all ingredients in a small bowl

    2. Coat a mug with a thin layer of coconut oil.

    3. Pour batter into mug.

    4. Microwave for 2 minutes.

    5. Add scoop of Sunscoop.

    6. Enjoy!

    References:

    https://sunscoop.com/

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CHOCYHmJ9BO/?hl=en