Gluten Free

Orange Honey Butter Spread with Melt Organic

5 · Jan 14, 2015 ·

+ Orange Honey Butter Spread Recipe brought to you by Melt® Organic +

This is one of my favorite culinary times of year… Citrus Season! I don’t know about you, but I love the oranges this time of year. They are like candy and I just can’t get enough of them. Which is probably good since we all seem to be fighting the cold and flu war this time of year, a little extra vitamin C is perfect! I thought a lovely Orange Honey Butter would be a great addition to a brunch table.

Recently, I was invited to try a new product out on the market called Melt® Organic. It’s this really cool “butter like” spread that has all the stuff we love about butter, but it’s packed full of healthier fats and it’s dairy and soy free. I would have to say I was a little skeptical at first. Can this product made out of a blend of organic coconut, flaxseed, canola, palm fruit & sunflower oils really have the taste and creamy texture of butter? I decided to put it to the test.

First test, compound butter… Last Christmas, for my neighbor gifts, I made some lovely compound butters. I whipped together some honey, garlic & berry butters, packaged them up and gave them to my friends and neighbors for holiday gifts. They were a hit.

I wanted to give this idea a go with this new Melt® Organic product. I whipped it up the very same way, I place roughly 6 oz. basically half a container of Melt® Organic into my mixer with roughly 1 heaping tablespoon of orange marmalade.

Then whip the two together really well. Place in a small jar and serve immediately or store in the refrigerator and use as needed. It turned out beautifully!

I whipped up some black cherry butter spread with the other half of my container and I was all set for a lovely brunch.

What I LOVE about the Melt® Organic is that it is GMO-free and it’s helping get my healthy fats in the right way. Here’s the skinny about Melt® Organic…

Ideal balance of Omega 6 and Omega 3 fatty acids – 2:1
Good daily source of Omega 3 ALA’s at 425 mg – 26% RDA per serving
Good daily source of Vitamin E – 15% RDA per serving
Certified USDA Organic and OU Kosher Pareve
Verified non-GMO by the Non-GMO Project
Absolutely no hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils
Trans Fat Free
Gluten Free
Soy Free
Dairy Free
Vegan
No artificial colors, flavors or preservatives

Not bad if you ask me!

The next test… Baking Cookies.

I mixed up a batch of our favorite Chocolate Peanut Butter Granola Cookies with Melt® Organic rather than butter. They mixed up beautifully and baked even better. My family didn’t even notice the difference.

I noticed a difference knowing that even though cookies aren’t exactly health food, and fat is still fat, I felt better knowing that the cookies they were eating were made from healthier fats. You can grab this recipe HERE, just substitute the Melt® Organic for the butter.

The next test… I sautéd some corn with Melt® Organic and I really liked that much better than butter. You still have the butter flavor without all the yucky fats. My family loved this test too.

All in all, my experience with Melt® Organic has been super positive and we have been converted for sure!

Click HERE to find a store near you that carries Melt® Organic. You can generally find it in the organic dairy section of your local super market. If not, you can always order it online. Grab some and give it a spin, tell me what you think!

MELT® Organic is a line of luscious, organic spreads made from healthy oils for butter lovers seeking a much healthier alternative, available in Rich & Creamy (original), Honey, and NEW Chocolate.

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of MELT Organic. The opinions and text are all mine.

Peaches and Cream Dairy-Free Popsicles

1 · Aug 25, 2014 ·

Our family has a healthy obsession with peaches. We will take them in any form fresh right off the tree, canned, baked even frozen! This summer has been the year of the peach. My husband has been buying them by the case load and we have been madly canning them in hopes of prolonging the season. The other day I thought it would be fun to take some of our canned peaches and make them into tasty peaches and cream dairy-free popsicles…

I love finding ways to take those flavors I love, and make them a little healthier for my family. I have several friends who are all dairy-free and I thought that I would make these tasty treats so that they can enjoy this flavor combination as well.

I used Silk Vanilla Soy Milk for the cream part of my peaches and cream concoction. With the Silk Soy Protein I know that my family is getting some nutritional value even when they are feasting on popsicles rather than just empty calories like most. Check out these amazing benefits of Silk Vanilla Soy Milk…

• 6 grams of heart-healthy soy protein2

• 50% more calcium than dairy milk1

• 100% cholesterol-free

• Low in saturated fat

• Free of dairy, lactose, gluten, casein, egg and MSG

• Verified by the Non-GMO Project’s product verification program

• No artificial colors, flavors or funny business

Pair all that plant protien goodness with these super easy to make pops and you are a WINNER! Here’s how you make them.

Peaches and Cream Dairy-Free Popsicles

1 3/4 cups Silk Vanilla Soy Milk

1 diced canned peach

1/4 cup canned peach juice

1/2 packet of dried vanilla pudding mix

In a medium bowl, combine Silk Vanilla Soy Milk, peach juice and pudding mix. Whisk and set aside. Dice peach into bite sized pieces and add to the popsicle base. Pour base into popsicles molds and place in freezer for at least 4 hours. Carefully remove from mold and enjoy!!

Looking for more inspiration? Come visit Silk and sign-up to become a member of the Silk Community…

You can also follow along with all the Silk news on their Facebook page!!

1 Silk Vanilla Soymilk: 45% DV of calcium vs. 30% DV in 2% dairy milk. USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 26. Data consistent with typical 2% dairy milk.

2 In a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol, 25 grams of soy protein per day may reduce the risk of heart disease. A serving of Silk Vanilla Soymilk has 6.25 grams.

This conversation is sponsored by Silk. The opinions and text are all mine.

Chocolate Cherry Pudding Pops + Gluten and Dairy Free

2 · Jun 25, 2014 · 5 Comments

+ This gluten-free dairy-free Chocolate Cherry Pudding Pops recipe post brought to you by Silk +

Nothing makes my summer heart happier than when the cherries finally come into season. Yep, I’m one of those girls that will always run for the cherry flavored ANYTHING the first chance that I get. The lack of tiny little seeds that get caught in my teeth first drew me in when I was a kiddo. Don’t get me wrong I’m an equal opportunity berry lover as well. I adore strawberries and raspberries, but my hear belongs to my favorite cherry. (Yes, I know… Cherries aren’t technically berries. I just tend to lump them in the same group. They are actually from the prune family and are called drupes. Go look it up. Drupe just doesn’t roll off the tongue like berry does.)

When my father introduced the idea of chocolate covered cherries when I was little, I nearly died and floated off to cherry heaven. I’ve spent many of Christmases as a kiddos curled up in a chocolate cherry sugar coma. It was my Dad’s favorite Christmas treat, so I guess the apple doesn’t fall to far from the tree. I was always the first in line when that special box came out. I was a puppy dog really following him around awaiting the spoils from my master.

Needless to say, I have grown up with a love for the flavor combination of chocolate and cherry. Remind me… One of these days, I need to post my Chocolate Cherry Cake for you guys. It’s mind blowing!!

Now, with the new summer crop, I was hoping to have my favorite flavor combination but in a bit of a healthier way. I thought, why not make a gluten-free, dairy-free chocolate cherry pudding pop? Pudding’s not dairy-free you say… Well, if you mix your pudding with Silk Soy Milk it certainly is!

Not only that but you are adding plant protein power to your popsicles! Here’s how I made them…

First, I washed and prepped my cherries by pitting them and cutting them into quarters. I took 2 cups of Chocolate Silk Soy Milk and whisked in 3-4 tablespoons of pudding powder mix. I placed the cherries, roughly about three cherries per pop, into the popsicle mold. Then I poured the Silk Pudding mixture into the mold. I used my Zoku so it went super quick, only 7 minutes. If you are doing it the traditional way, place your pops into the freezer for at least 4 hours.

The kiddos and I enjoyed this scrumptious summer treat and man, were they good. The cherry chunks were tasty mixed in with the chocolate pudding base, I couldn’t be happier.

Are you a Silk fan? Are you looking for more ways to use Silk Soy, Almond or Coconut Milk in your diet? You need to visit Silk’s Facebook Page for all kinds of recipes and ideas for ways to add more plant protein power to your diet. You can even sign up for the Silk fan club and receive coupons and fun ideas right in your inbox. Total score!

What kinds of frozen treats would you like to make with Silk? Leave a comment with your fun summer treat idea!

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Silk. The opinions and text are all mine.

Coconut Rice Pudding

5 · Jun 5, 2014 ·

+ Coconut Rice Pudding, a fresh take on an old classic +

This post brought to you by Silk // It’s no secret that I ADORE coconut and look for any excuse to have some type of coconut treat. Sweet or savory, coconut and coconut milk is a wonderful ingredient that I feel is highly underutilized. Recently, I was introduced to Silk Coconut Milk and our whole family has fallen in love. I have used it to make butternut squash coconut and lentil stew, coconut curry shrimp, coconut curry meatballs and coconut lime granita. They are all amazing dishes and they all use Silk Coconut Milk!

Did you know that the whole family of Silk products is gluten-free, dairy-free and GMO free. They are a great way to get plant based protein into your diet and your kiddos diet. My little Gage now asks for Silk Coconut Milk every morning for breakfast, he loves it. If you are looking for more information on the Silk Family, connect directly with the company on the Silk Facebook page. It’s full of all kinds of helpful information and recipe ideas. Plus, if you have any questions, you can go directly to the source and ask the company! I love that about social media. Looking for a way to save a little money on your Silk products? Click HERE for a great coupon!

This week I played around with a fabulous new recipe for an old classic, rice pudding. As a kid I thought rice pudding was a serious mistake on my parent’s part. Who on earth would add rice to pudding. What, do you top it with soy sauce? Gross! And then, I matured a bit and decided to give it a go. It only to one bite to fall in love. It just takes you back to sitting in the kitchen with grandma. It’s sweet but not too sweet, it’s rich and creamy and a perfect way to top off a fun meal. This recipe is typically made with milk and cream, but it translates really well with coconut milk.

For this recipe, I decided to go with Arborio rice, the rice that you use to make risotto. It’s high starch content I thought would lend nicely to the whole pudding concept making it extra creamy and rich. The recipe is quite simple, here are the ingredients…

Coconut Rice Pudding Recipe

1 cup of full fat coconut milk

2 3/4 cup of Silk Coconut milk

1 tablespoon butter (or coconut oil to make it dairy-free)

1/3 cup of Arborio rice

1/4 cup sugar

a pinch of salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/8 teaspoon of nutmeg

In a small sauce pan, add your full-fat coconut milk and Silk Coconut milk and warm over medium heat. You just want to bring the temperature up a bit so you don’t need to simmer or boil the milk. In a large pot, add your butter and melt over medium heat. Add your rice and cook for 1 minute. Then take a ladle of your warm milk and ladle it into the rice and stir. The rice will absorb the milk. Let it cook until it gets think, that will only take a minute or so at the beginning, and then add another ladle full of milk. Stir, and when the mixture gets thick again, add another ladle of milk. Keep this process going until you have used almost all of the milk. Reserve roughly a couple of tablespoons to temper the egg.

Test the rice and make sure that it is cooked to the consistency that you would like. Some like their rice with a little bite to it, others like it really soft. It’s really your choice. Remove the rice from the heat.

In a small bowl, crack an egg and whisk it slowly adding the last of the warm milk to temper the eggs. This will keep the eggs from turning into scrambled eggs. Then stir that mixture into the rice pudding.

Add your sugar, salt, vanilla and nutmeg and stir until combined. Place your pudding into dessert cups or a shallow dish, cover with plastic wrap, with the wrap touching the surface of the pudding and place in the fridge for 30 minutes.

I actually prefer this pudding more at room temperature rather than completely chilled, but that’s totally up to you. It’s actually really good warm too!

I topped ours with some diced mango, but you can top it with raisins, nuts, granola or whipped cream too.

What’s your favorite coconut recipe? Have you tried making it with Silk Coconut Milk? Give it a go and come tell me what you think! Don’t forget to get your coupon and other great recipes HERE and connect with the folks at Silk on Facebook as well.

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Silk. The opinions and text are all mine.

Gluten Free

Peaches and Cream Dairy-Free Popsicles

Coconut Rice Pudding Recipe

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