Recipe of the Week - Cranberry Ginger Smoothie

I am not even a "smoothie person".

I am a "I want to try my hardest to stay healthy this winter" person.

This is incredible.  Absolutely incredible.

~~~

Cranberry Ginger Smoothie 

Ingredients

• 8 oz fresh cranberries
• 1/2 of an orange
• 1/2 inch knob of fresh ginger- grated
• 1 frozen banana- if your banana isn't frozen, just add 1 cup of ice
• 3 tbsp raw honey
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 cup kefir. If you don't have kefir, you can use coconut milk or yogurt.

Instructions

• Chuck everything in your high speed blender and blend until smooth and creamy.
• If the pulp from the orange bothers you go ahead and run the smoothie through a strainer. I leave it in.
• Enjoy!

If you want to find out why this smoothie is so good for you, visit: http://ahappyhealthnut.com/2013/11/08/cranberry-ginger-smoothie/

Recipe of the Week - Ginger Melts

It doesn’t matter the time of year.  I am ALWAYS ready to eat Ginger Snaps.  But I do crave them even more when I’m already drinking pumpkin lattes, in a sweater, while watching the leaves fall.  I have an amazing recipe—one we tend to call Ginger Melts at our house, because there’s not much snappy about them…except maybe the speed at which they disappear.  Their tragic flaw?  Refined flour, refined sugar, and shortening.  Don’t get me wrong—I’m not going to sit here and tell you I will never make this recipe again.  My husband worked a 14 hour day a few weeks ago.  I dug for the shortening, dusted it off, and set to work making the bonafides. After that batch, I wondered about a healthy version—one with nothing refined.  My understanding of sugars is growing, so I’ve been trying to mold my kitchen worldview.  I loved my original recipe so much that I thought I would set about modifying it before I searched for a new one.   I was pleasantly surprised when this batch came out just as soft as the originals, and even more “gingery” from the added molasses!  We like this one even better now.  And they continue the name of Ginger Melts!  I am going to continue experimenting (maybe some pureed prunes or dates for a more natural sugar?).  What do you use for sugar? Ginger Melts

2 ½ cups whole wheat or white whole wheat flour 2 tsp. baking soda 2 tsp. ginger 1 tsp. all-spice 1 tsp. nutmeg 2 tsp. cinnamon ½ tsp. salt ¾ cup coconut oil 5 Tbl. molasses 4 Tbl. honey 4 Tbl. Agave 1 egg Flax Seed (optional)

Oven Temp:  350 degrees.  Mix dry ingredients.  In separate bowl, mix wet ingredients.  Stir into dry ingredients until well mixed.  Form into balls (smaller than golf balls, bigger than grapes).  If you want, you can roll them in flax seed (this gives it that “grainy”texture like the ginger snaps that are rolled in sugar).  Place on greased cookie sheet or parchment paper and bake for 10-12 minutes.

Note:  The cookies won’t look/feel done when you take them out, but they are done.  Let them sit for a bit to help them solidify.

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