Tik Tok Taco Calzone

A Mexican take on a calzone!  Yes it sounds delicious and super easy to make.  Great for #tacotuesday

Ingredients:

1/2 pound of ground meat (I use turkey or grass-fed lean beef)

2 TBsp of homemade taco seasoning (I used Siete Taco Seasoning)

1 (14 ounce) can premade pizza dough

1 1/2 cups mild salsa

1 cup chopped tomatoes

1 cup black beans (optional)

1 cup Mexican blend shredded cheese

2 TBsp unsalted butter, melted

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. 

2. In a medium skillet over medium-high heat, add ground meat.  Cook about 6 minutes until browned, drain pan if desired.  Mix in taco seasoning.  Reduce heat and simmer for 2-3 minutes, stirring often until thickened.

3. Unroll dough over pizza stone or parchment lined baking sheet.

4. Scatter beef, 1/2 cup salsa, tomatoes, beans and cheese over half of dough.

5. Carefully lift other half of dough and fold over meat mixture.  Crimp edges by pressing down along them with a fork.

6. Brush calzone with butter.

7. Bake about 15 minutes until deep golden brown.

8. Remove from oven and let sit 5 minutes before cutting into.  Serve with remaining salsa for dipping.

Fudgy Peppermint Chocolate Cookies

Chewy, soft and perfectly sweetened. Topped with crushed peppermint candies for a fun holiday treat. You wouldn't even know they are made with avocado!   Sounds crazy, but I first started to love the chocolate avocado combo when I made my chocolate avocado pudding. It makes it really rich, smooth, and creamy without tasting ANYTHING like avocado. 

Avocados help restore stomach and intestinal linings.  When you are suffering from digestive disorders of any kind, avocados can come to the rescue.  Easy to digest, possess anti-inflammatory compounds that have an aspirin like quality without thinning the blood; this reduces narrowing and swelling of the digest tract. So you can reap all the benefits while eating these cookies! The avocado replaces the butter or an oil in the recipe and gives the cookie that richness taste, but the cacao powder, chocolate chips, and the other ingredients masks the avocado flavor.

They do not spread in the oven and after they are finished baking I sprinkle the top with a little crushed peppermint candy.  Use sea salt when it's not the holiday season!  Honestly these right now are a favorite cookie. Don’t be turned away by the avocado in the recipe it really is so good!

Ingredients:

1 ripe avocado (not brown)
1 egg (can sub flax egg = 1 tbsp. ground flaxseed + 3 tbsp water, set aside for 10 minutes)
1/2 cup coconut sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tbsp. water
1/2 cup cacao powder
1 tsp. baking soda
dash of cinnamon
dash of sea salt
1/2 cup chocolate chips of choice

Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.

2. In your food processor or with a hand mixer; blend together the avocado, water, egg (or flax egg), vanilla, and coconut sugar until completely smooth.

3. In a separate bowl combine cacao powder, chocolate chips, cinnamon, and baking soda.

4. Add the wet mixture to the dry ingredients and stir with a spoon until incorporated.

5. With a spoon, scoop out a spoonful and use another spoon to help make a dollop on the cookie sheet. Then flatten each cookie slightly. They will not spread when baking.

6. Bake at 350 degrees for about 12 minutes.

Sprinkle with crushed peppermint candies when finished. Allow them to completely cool when finished then store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week. I stored mine in the freezer once they were cooled & they didn’t become rock solid, they lasted longer and were still soft with each bite!

Gluten Free Lofthouse Style Sugar Cookies

A healthier version to the store bought classic.  Just 8 ingredients, no gluten, no crazy preservatives.  Love this remake because you can top them how you'd like.  Add sprinkles or nuts or just homemade frosting!

Ingredients:

6 tbs softened butter

2/3 cups coconut sugar or cane sugar

1 egg

1/4 cup greek yogurt or non dairy yogurt of your choice

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

1 1/2 cup gluten free flour

1 tsp baking powder

pinch of salt (only if butter is unsalted)

*vanilla frosting of choice (@missjonesbakes or @simplemills)

*sprinkles of choice (I used ChocoMaker Natural Sprinkles)

Directions:

1. Heat oven at 350 degrees

2. In mixing bowl, cream together softened butter and sugar

3. Add egg and mix until combined.

4. Add in vanilla extract and greek yogurt and mix until combined.

5. Add in dry ingredients, stir to combine.

6. Scoop dough onto parchment paper lined cookie sheet.

7. Using the bottom of a wet glass flatten the cookies a bit.

8. Bake 10 minutes or until middle is set but edges are not turning brown.

9. Let cool, then frost with frosting of choice and add topping of choice.

Pineapple Salsa

Ingredients:

1/2 cup finely diced pineapple

1/4 cup finely diced red onion

1/4 cup finely diced bell pepper

1/4 jalapeño pepper, seeded and finely diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 Tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped

1/2 juice from a lime + more to taste

1/2 tsp sea salt

Directions:

• Add pineapple, onion, bell pepper, jalapeño pepper, garlic, salt and cilantro in a small bowl.
• Squeeze lime juice over and mix. Taste and add more lime juice if needed. 
• Cover and place in the fridge for 1-2 hours to let the flavors marinate before serving.

  
• Serve with tortilla chips as an appetizer or as a topping for chicken/fish.

Reese's Chocolate Peanut Butter Easter Eggs

The classic easter treat ... Reese's Chocolate Peanut Butter Easter Eggs ... just 5 ingredients, gluten free, dairy free & delicious!

Ingredients:
1 cup creamy, salted peanut butter or any nut butter of your choice
5 tablespoons coconut flour
4 tablespoons pure maple syrup
1 cup @enjoylifefoods chocolate chips
1 Tbsp coconut oil

Directions:
1. In a bowl, fold together nut butter, coconut flour and maple syrup.
2. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Use your hands to form the nut butter mixture into an 2 inch egg shape. Once all dough is shaped, place in freezer for 15 minutes to harden.
3. In a separate bowl, melt chocolate chips with coconut oil.
4. Remove eggs from freezer using two forks dip in the melted chocolate, shaking off any extra and placing it back on the cookie sheet. Chocolate should harden immediately.
5. Then using a spoon, gently drizzle remaining chocolate on as laces.
6. Place them in the freezer to set for at least 15 minutes.
*Store in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer for longer.

Roasted Veggie Tacos

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 tsp chili powder

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp cumin

1/4 tsp sea salt or himalayan salt

1 cup cubed butternut squash

1 cup quartered brussels sprouts

1/2 cup chopped tomato

bibb lettuce leaves

torn cilantro leaves

lime 

Directions:

1. Preheat oven for 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, set aside.

2. Add oil, chili powder, garlic powder, cumin and salt to a large mixing bowl.  Add squash & brussels sprouts, toss to coat.

3. Spread veggies on prepared baking sheet.  Bake, stirring halfway through, for 30 minutes or until tender-crisp.

4. Place lettuce leaves on plate and top with squash mixture, avocado, tomato and cilantro. 

5. Squeeze lime juice over the top. Enjoy!

Mediterranean Veggie 30 Minute Pasta

Ingredients:

8 ounces of gluten free pasta 

1 TBsp olive oil

1/2 tsp crushed red pepper

3 garlic cloves, minced

2 cups grape tomatoes, halved

1/4 tsp sea salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

1/2 cup marinated artichokes

1/4 cup tomato sauce or 3 Tbsp tomato paste

4 cups baby spinach

1/4 cup torn basil leaves

Directions:

1. Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil.  Add pasta, cook 8 minutes or until al dente.  Reserve 1 cup pasta water, drain and set aside.

2. While pasta cooks, add oil to a large skillet over medium heat.  Swirl to coat, add red pepper flakes and garlic.  Saute 30 seconds.

3. Add tomato sauce or paste, stir over heat for about 1 minute.

4. Add tomatoes, salt, pepper, and artichokes.  Cook for about 5 minutes or until tomatoes begin to break down, stirring occasionally.

5. Add pasta, simmer for about 2 minutes.  If need more liquid add reserved water.  

6. Stir in spinach and basil, cook for about 2 minutes or until wilted.

7. Remove from heat and serve.