Carrot Raisin Muffins

I’ve been getting up earlier in the mornings, so I know I have enough time to make different, but healthy things for the kids for breakfast! I was making oatmeal for them, but I know I need to do different things. Don’t get me wrong, they LOVE oatmeal, but I didn’t! So, I guess I was doing it for me too? ;)

So this recipe was in my Vitamix cookbook, and you can TOTALLY make this with a regular blender!

You know what; you don’t even need a blender! You can mix it the old fashioned way, by hand! ;)

This is really good and healthy! Once again, getting some really good nutrients in first thing in the morning! I think I am going to use whole wheat flour next time… The kids gobbled this one down with a smoothie and we were good to go!!! :D


Here's the flour, baking soda,, spices in a bowl


Mix it together


Then add the raisins


Yummy!


Stir it all up....


Carrots all blended by using the Vitamix


Add the eggs...


I used coconut oil, instead of olive oil


Blend it all up....



Add the carrot mixture to your flour mixture


Stir it all up


Drop into paper liners (I use my medium measuring scoop from Pampered Chef, it's PERFECT for this type of thing!! :) If you want a show, I know someone who sells it and can hook you up!! ;))


Here they are ready to go into the oven!


Here they are, all done!


Yummy! They were soooo good! They didn't last long at all! I only made 10, each kid of mine got 2 muffins, and I ate one and my hubs ate the last one! I am thinking I will need to double the batch next time! ;)



Carrot Raisin Muffins
1 2/3 cups flour
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon pumpkin spice
2/3 cup raisins
¾ cup peeled, chopped carrots
2 eggs
¾ cup sugar
2/3 cup light olive oil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 12 muffins tins, or just line with paper liners.
Place flour, baking soda, spices and raisins in a medium size bowl and stir to combine. Set aside.
Place carrots in Vitamix, or regular blender. If using Vitamix, select variable 1, turn machine on, increase speed to variable 6. Blend for 6-7 seconds until very finely chopped. Stop machine and remove lid.
Add eggs, sugar and oil to the carrots in the Vitamix container and secure lid.
Select variable to 1 if using Vitamix. Turn machine on, increase speed to variable 5. Blend for 30 seconds until thick and creamy.
Pour carrot mixture into the flour mixture and fold to combine. Spoon the mixture into prepared muffin tin.
Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden brown. Transfer to wire rack to cool a bit, and serve!

Again, these are really easy, you wouldn’t even need to use a blender to mix this up, and you can easily use a spoon and bowl! ;) Or you could put it in a regular blender if you don’t have a Vitamix.

Let me know what you think!!! Happy cooking and eating!! :D

Morning Glory Smoothie

Oh my goodness! This was one MESSY smoothie! Ok, well, maybe messy isn't the right word? Ok, let me try this again... Once my kids had drank a few sips THROUGH a straw, one of them smiled at me! So I smiled back, but then I did a double take... I said, open your mouth and let me see your teeth. So she did, and oh my, all of my kiddos teeth were PURPLE!!!!!! I kid you not! It was too funny! I am kinda glad that it wasn't a church day, it took a couple extra minutes of scrubbing their teeth to get them to look good! But, ya know what, it was all worth it!


This recipe also has 3 ingredients you don't have to add if you don't want, or don't have them. Honestly, I only had the one ingredient and that's because I got it from the Amish Farmer's Market to try it!



Place orange, yogurt, cranberry juice, frozen blueberries, frozen banana, and optional ingredients, bee pollen granules, shelled hemp seeds, lecithin granules in blender or Vitamix

Here are my bee pollen granules. I got these at the Amish Farmer's market this summer! In all honesty, this is the first time I am using them! Either using this or local honey will help with your allergies.

It's a bit pricey, but it's not like you eat the whole jar in one sitting! ;) I am sure I will go through this all and ready for some more this spring! I am so ready to plant a garden and go to some Farmer's Market... Ok, getting to the recipe.... ;)

Morning Glory Smoothie

1/2 to 1 orange

1 cup plain yogurt

10 oz cranberry juice

3/4 - 1 cup frozen blueberries, unsweetened

1 frozen banana

1/2 teaspoon bee pollen granules (optional)

1/2 teaspoon shelled hemp seeds (optional)

1/2 teaspoon lecithin granules (optional)

Place all ingredients into the Vitamix or blender.

Select Variable 1, turn machine on and quickly increase to speed 10 and then to high. Blend of 30 seconds or until desired consistency.

*It took a bit longer than 30 seconds.

You can use pomegranate juice instead of cranberry.

I think I added a bit more than one cup frozen blueberries.

Don't feel like you have to add those last 3 ingredients, I just did the bee pollen.

Pretty easy and tasty!! :D

Spinach and Beef Enchiladas

This is the recipe that I needed that Red Enchilada Sauce for too! ;)

The kids GOBBLED this right up! I am thinking instead of beef, adding some chick-peas or even lentils! Yummy! Then it would be completely meat free, and you could even make your own tortillas so it could even be gluten free! Hmm, the wheels are turning now, guess what I am gonna be trying? ;)

This is really a pretty easy recipe! It doesn't take much to throw together! (But if you don't have any red sauce, it may put you in panic mode for just a few minuets! ;))




Brown your meat and onion

Then once it's browned and you've drained the grease off the meat, add the frozen spinach,


can of diced green chilies, spices,


sour cream and cheese


Stir it all up... Ok, it may not look the greatest right now, but it is soo good!


Put one tablespoon of red enchilada sauce on your flour tortilla



Then add some beef and spinach filling


Roll it up and put seam sound down in baking dish. (you can kinda see that I put a little bit of sauce in the bottom of the pan before adding the enchiladas)


All rolled up and in the pan!


Adding the rest of the red enchilada sauce


And then added the salsa to the top


Then top off with the shredded cheese
Cover with foil and bake!


opps, I forgot to take a picture of it right after coming out of the oven! My kiddos were hungry and so I was trying to get it all on the plate! Opps!


I put a bit of Jasmine rice down, then the enchilada on top!


Here it is cut open! Oh my, if only this was a scratch and sniff, it is sooooo good!!!!





Spinach and Beef Enchiladas

1 pound ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped
1 box frozen spinach
1 can diced green chilies
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup sour cream
2 cups shredded cheese (you choose what kind, Mexican, cheddar, co-jack, etc...)
1 can (10 oz) red enchilada sauce
8 flour tortillas
1/2 cup salsa

Heat oven to 350 degrees.
In skillet cook beef and onion until beef is brown. Drain the grease.
Place back in skillet and add frozen spinach, cook, stirring frequently, until thawed. Stir in green chilies, cumin, garlic salt, pepper, sour cream and 1 cup of the cheese.
Mix it all together and cook for a few minutes or until the cheese is melted.
Spread about 1 tablespoon enchilada sauce over tortilla. Place your beef mixture on top of the sauce and roll up. Place seam side down in baking dish.
Do this until all your meat mixture is used up. (I used smaller tortillas and I used 10 and could've filled up a few more!)
Once you've got all the tortillas in the pan, take the remaining enchilada sauce and the salsa over the top of your enchiladas. Sprinkle with the remaining 1 cup of cheese.
Cover and bake 40-45 minutes or until heated through.
Serve with rice (we used jasmine rice, yummy!)

Next time I make this, I think I will thaw out my spinach and hand squeeze all the water out! It made my meat mixture a bit watery, but I used a spoon that had small holes in it, so it drained before putting it on my tortilla. (if that made sense?)
Or I may just use fresh spinach, but I would break it up into smaller pieces before placing it in the pan! ;)

Let me know if you try it and how you like it!

Red Enchilada Sauce

I have this bad habit...

Ok, it can be a REALLY bad habit...

I don't always read a recipe all the way through! I know, it really gets me in trouble sometimes! Most of the time, I just add something else, or just make it up as I go!

What can I say? ;)

But tonites recipe, I really couldn't "fake" it tonite! I needed some red enchilada sauce!

Ok, in all fairness, I hadn't "planned" tonite. I had planned out my menu last week, but left tonite open. I like to make Monday "easy-day". ;)

Ok, so back to my recipe...

So the recipe calls for red enchilada sauce, which I did not have.

BUT, I was looking at my Vitamix and thinking what I could do and how I could make some sauce for my recipe!

So I went and grabbed a can of tomato sauce, half of a jalapeno pepper, some garlic, and a few spices... Threw it all in the Vitamix and turned that puppy on high and left it there for about 4-5 minutes til it was heated through and hot!

It turned out really good if I do say so myself! I will prob make it again and tweak it a bit, or if you make it, let me know what you do!

I think I may add a bit of salt to this too...


Red Enchilada Sauce

1 8oz can tomato sauce
2 cloves of garlic, peeled
half of a jalapeno (seeded)
1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon cumin
1 pinch onion powder or onion flakes
1-2 tablespoons flour
1/4 - 1/2 cup water

Place all ingredients in blender or Vitamix and blend until smooth. If using Vitamix, blend for 4-5 minutes or until hot.
If using regular blender, place in small sauce pan to heat until just warm.

If you want it thicker, add more flour.
(I just realized since I was in such a hurry, I didn't take any pictures!! AHHH!!! Sorry, but it really is easy!!!!!!!! :D)

Tropic Tango Smoothie

This is soooo good! I was a little unsure about it, but it's really good!


The kids LOVE it too! So that is a PLUS!!!


The spinach makes it GREEN, but the kids love that as well! They wondered why it was green, they were trying to figure out what was in it... ;) I told them that I put spinach in it, they were pretty excited!


Peeling the lime wasn't the best, but it is worth it!



All ingredients in the Vita-Mix ready to go!!!


Yummy green smoothie! It really is good! (My hubs tried it and he drank it! So, if he drank it, you KNOW it's gotta be good!!! ;))

Tropic Tango Smoothie

1 cup water
1 lime, peeled and halved
2 medium banana's, peeled
1 -2 cups spinach
3 medium apples
1-2 cup ice cubes

Place all ingredients in Vita-Mix or blender in the order listed.

Select Variable 1, turn machine on and quickly to Variable 10, then to High.

Blend for 1 minute or until desired consistency is reached.

If using a regular blender, start on low speed and then increase to High, blend until desired consistency!

This is a GREAT way to start your morning off! It's super healthy and you get that burst of nutrients and vitamins with the spinach in there! ;)

Enjoy!!! :D

A Bit Delayed...

So this week-end my hubs and I were sorting through the kids GAZILLION Legos... So I couldn't really "catch up" or start a recipe... BUT after some running that I need to get done this morning, I will start to post one, so there will be one up today, but just a bit later!

Sorry!!!

Hummus Wraps

I made some hummus the other day for my kids lunch, but I wanted to do something other than just crackers and veggies with it. I was racking my brain as to what I could do with it. I saw that I had some small flour tortillas, then my I was like, hmm, they like refried beans in the tortilla, why not use the hummus and bit of cheese and fry it up!

So that's exactly what I did and held my breath as I tried it. ;) I thought, wow, this is really good! So I served it to all my kids and they LOVED it! They all ate 2 hummus tortillas! Plus the half of a pear I served with it! It's for sure a make again in this house!

Can't wait to try this with different hummus combo's that I make!!!


Place as much hummus as you want on your tortilla

Then add some shredded cheddar cheese, again, as much or as little as you want! I just like the cheese melting out of mine when I make it for me! ;)



Fold up the right side

Then the bottom


Then the left


Then fold the top down


Spread a little bit of coconut oil on the side that has the seams


Place seam side down in frying pan


Then while that side it cooking, spread a little bit of coconut oil on the top
Then flip and cook until cheese is melted or lightly brown!

Serve with whatever else you like! This time I served it with a pear!


The inside...


This is another way you can roll it, and cook the same way!




Hummus Wraps


Tortilla - as many as you want and any kind you want!
Hummus - any kind you want and as much as you want!
Shredded cheddar cheese

Take your tortilla and place a big spoonful of hummus on it. Then put a little bit of shredded cheddar cheese. Roll it up, either way the picture shows, then place a bit of coconut oil on one side of the tortilla. Place the oil side down in the frying pan, heat until the tortilla is light brown. Before flipping it over, spread some more coconut oil on the side that's facing up. Then flip it over until the other side is nice and golden brown, and the cheese is nicely melted.
Enjoy!!!