Real Food with Christine

I've been in love with Emmy's Organics Chai Spice Macaroons for a while now. A friend of mine made a version of these that were so good, I had to make them. These are so easy to make and have only 2 grams of sugar from maple syrup per macaroon. Pair them with a cup of ginger tea and you have an amazing dessert! This recipe was adapted from this recipe . Ingredients 1/4 cup almond meal 1 teaspoon vanilla 2 tablespoons maple syrup 1 cup chredded coconut 2 tablespoons coconut oil 1/2 teaspoon chai spice**recipe below **Chai Spice Recipe 2 teaspoons cinnamon 2 teaspoons ginger 1 teaspoon nutmeg 1 teaspoon clove 2 teaspoons cardamom Directions Add all ingredients in a food processor and process until combined. Roll into balls and flatten tops slightly or leave as balls and roll in shredded coconut.

I have always been a little intimidated of curry sauce. I thought it would be very complicated to make. I've tried a few of the bottled ones, even the natural ones and I wasn't a fan. So, I thought I'd attempt my own. This version is very simple and it's free of soy, corn, gluten and dairy and is so creamy and delicious, it will be hard to believe it is so good for you! Ingredients 2 cups butternut squash steamed and cut into chunks (see below for steaming directions*) 1 teaspoon olive oil 1 small yellow onion, diced 3 cloves garlic, sliced 1 cup light coconut milk 1/2 cup water 1 tablespoon curry powder 1/2 teaspoon garam masala 1 teaspoon red chili powder (leave this out if you don't like spicy) 1 teaspoon salt 4 cups mixed veggies (I used, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots and zucchini) quinoa (rice, millet or cauliflower rice will also work) Directions In a saute pan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the diced onion and garlic, and saute...

I love ice cream! I don't eat the traditional dairy ice cream anymore, but I do still crave that frozen creamy dessert. These are great for satisfying that ice cream craving without actually eating any ice cream. These are also kid approved and perfect bite size snacks, although it is hard to just eat one! There are many versions of this recipe out there. Two of my favorites that inspired this recipe are these Frozen Banana Truffles from The Detoxinista and these Chocolate covered frozen banana and peanut butter bites  from Marie at Not Enough Cinnamon . Here is my version: Ingredients 2 Bananas unsalted peanut butter pinch of sea salt 1 3.5 ounce bar of organic dark chocolate (I used Trader Joes) 1 teaspoon coconut oil Directions Slice bananas into rounds and lay half of them on a wax covered baking sheet. Spoon a small amount of peanut butter on top of each banana slice and top with the remaining slices. Place in freezer for about 20 minutes to f...

This dish reminds me of a fried rice dish that I use to get when I ate Chinese takeout. This version is made with quinoa which is a much healthier option. This dish is very versatile, you can have it as a side dish or you can turn this dish into breakfast by adding a scrambled egg to the pan and letting it cook before adding the quinoa. You can also add some cooked chicken breast for another lunch or dinner option.  Benefits of Quinoa -Quinoa is a complete protein containing all nine essential amino acids.  -Quinoa contains almost twice as much fiber as most other grains.  -Quinoa contains Iron, lysine, magnesium, riboflavin (B2) and manganese. Ingredients 1/2 cup quinoa (about 1 cup cooked) 1 head of bok choy 2 carrots shredded 1 onion chopped 2 cloves garlic minced 3 scallions 3 tablespoons coconut aminos (or Wheat Free Tamari if you can eat soy) 2 tablespoons olive oil Directions In a large pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add onions, ...

Ingredients for one shake 8 ounces almond milk (you can also use water it just won't be as thick) 8 frozen cherries 1/2 frozen banana good size handful of baby kale 2 ice cubes 1 scoop of chocolate protein powder Directions Put all ingredients in a powerful blender (I use the Vitamix) and blend until smooth. Drink and Enjoy!

Since I bought my bag of organic dried mission figs the other day and made these cinnamon fig muffins . I had to try something else. I wasn't sure what else to make until I walked into my local health food store the other day and they had fresh zucchini fig muffins just out of the oven. Of course I bought one, I had to try these. I wasn't sure how I would like the combination but it turned out it was amazing! Now I knew what to do with my extra figs. I had to recreate this muffin. Here is my version, which is gluten free, dairy free, nut free, soy and corn free and not too sweet. If the combination doesn't sound good to you, make them anyway and trust me you will love these! Makes 12 muffins 2 cups of  gluten free flour mix 1/2 cup evaporated cane sugar 1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum 1/2 teaspoon sea salt 1 tablespoon baking powder 1 teaspoon baking soda 2 eggs 1/2 cup safflower oil 1 cup rice milk (if you can eat nuts almond milk works also) 1/2 cup d...

I love figs, fig newtons were one of my favorite cookies. I know I can make gluten free fig newtons, but I wanted more of a fig cake. This muffin was exactly what I was hoping for. It is the perfect snack to have with a cup of tea. It is gluten free, dairy free, nut free, soy and corn free and not too sweet. I hope you enjoy these as much as we did. Makes 12 muffins Ingredients for the Muffin 2 cups of  gluten free flour mix 1/2 cup evaporated cane sugar 1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum 1/2 teaspoon sea salt 1 tablespoon baking powder 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon cinnamon 2 eggs 1/2 cup safflower oil 1 teaspoon vanilla 1 cup rice milk (if you can eat nuts almond milk works also) 1/2 cup finely chopped organic dried black mission figs (pulse in a food processor) Directions Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a muffin tin with paper liners. Process your figs in a food processor until finely chopped. In a large bowl combine the flour mix, su...

As soon as the spring comes, I get excited for new salads and the refreshing summer fruits that are going to be coming into season. The other day my Whole Foods Market had a ton of these mangoes on sale and I bought a bunch. I made this pineapple mango salsa. I was going to put it over fish for dinner that night but it was so good, we ate it with lunch and it never made it to dinner! I guess that means I'll be making this again to try with my fish. This goes well over chicken or fish, or just as a side dish. I made half this batch with red onion and the other half without since my daughter doesn't like raw onions. I love red onions, but I was surprised that I liked the version without the onion a little better. Try it whichever way you like and leave a comment below and let us know which you prefer! Ingredients 1 mango diced 2 cups pineapple diced handful of fresh cilantro finely chopped juice of half a lime about 2 tablespoons 2 jalapenos diced 1 garlic clove fin...

Makes 9 cups of flour Ingredients 6 cups brown rice flour (I use Arrowhead Mills ) 2 cups potato starch 1 cup tapioca starch Directions  Mix all ingredients in a container and shake to mix.