Blog Posts - Chronically Beautiful!

Claire's Chocolate Kisses!

1/22/2019

Okay, I know that it's still January and not quite Valentines season yet, BUT.... I LOVE Valentines day, and I needed something to cheer me up through these gray January days. So... Claire's Kisses were born!! These are a little different than my other chocolate recipes in that they are made with organic cacao wafers, and cacao is a super food that boosts mood, energy, and immune function!

It's a common myth that eating healthy means that you don't eat anything that tastes good, and I'm here to say that you DO NOT have to deprive yourself just because you choose to eat and live a healthful life! Confession.... I used to be OBSESSED with Hershey's chocolate kisses! I was that girl in high school that always had a bag of them in my locker, and I probably consumed a handful a day. I wouldn't recommend that for anyone whether you have a chronic illness or not! So... I'm SUPER EXCITED about these because they're organic, refined sugar-free, and full of nutrients that your body will love!

Stay tuned for different flavored chocolate recipes all through the month of February because this is for sure my new favorite recipe!!

Also, thanks to A Bite of Healthy for helping me out with this recipe! My sister is the creator of this food blog, and she is a food GENIUS! So go check out her blog here.

Claire's Chocolate Kisses!

Ingredients:
1/2 cup cacao wafers
4 1/2 Tbs. maple syrup
2 tsp. vanilla extract
3 Tbs. coconut butter
1 tsp. coconut oil

Directions:

Melt ingredients in a double boiler on medium heat until completely melted. (The melting process will be a slow process so be patient, and stir constantly.)
Remove from heat and spoon chocolate into large chocolate chip molds. (You can get them from Amazon)
After filling the mold, gently tap against a counter top to ensure to remove any air bubbles in your chocolate.
Poke a toothpick into each chocolate to ensure that chocolate reaches all the way to the tip of the mold.
Refrigerate for an hour or two, or until chocolate is solid!
Remove from the mold and enjoy!

*Use organic ingredients when feasible.

I would HIGHLY ENCOURAGE you to make your own coconut butter! It's a super simple process and it makes enough coconut butter to fill a small jar!

All you have to do is take two cups of shredded coconut and blend it in a small blender on high until coconut reaches a creamy texture! Store it in the fridge when you're done and enjoy it in lots of your healthy recipes!

Banana Cream Pie!

1/17/2019

This is me trying my hand at gluten free and dairy free delights! The banana cream pie is super easy to make and it's no bake, gluten free, dairy free, sugar free, and organic! I was actually super surprised at how delicious it turned out! This is a healthy pie that you won't want to miss!

I originally found this recipe here, but I tweaked it a bit to my liking. But go check out Paleo Bailey and her delicious healthy recipes!

Healthy Banana Cream Pie!

Ingredients:

Crust:
1 1/2 cup almonds
1/2 cup almond flour
7 Medjool dates, pitted
2 Tbs. coconut oil, melted
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
pinch of salt

Filling:
2 14 oz. cans full-fat coconut cream (refrigerate for a couple of hours prior to use)
2-3 bananas, sliced
1/4 cup + 2 Tbs. pure maple syrup
1 Tbs. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. cinnamon

chopped pecan and extra sliced banana for topping

Directions:

Add all crust ingredients into food processor and blend until everything is finely chopped and well combined. Mixture should be thick and sticky. Add a Tbs. or two of water to help combine the mixture if the nuts aren't blending well.
Lightly coat a 9 inch glass pie pan with melted coconut oil and evenly press the crust mixture into the pan.
Layer the sliced bananas for the filling over the crust. (It's okay if they overlap, and honestly I'd highly recommend a double layer if you really like bananas!)

Add both cans of coconut cream into a mixing bowl, leaving as much liquid in the can as possible (you only want the white creamy stuff).
Add the maple syrup, vanilla, and cinnamon to the bowl and use a hand mixer or stand mixer to whip the filling together until the coconut cream is thick.
Pour filling over crust and spread evenly with a rubber spatula.
Place in the fridge for 2-3 hours or until the pie sets.
Add toppings only once ready to eat so the bananas on top don't brown.
Store in refrigerator.

*Use organic ingredients when feasible!

Banana Bread!

1/7/2019

I've always found it quite the struggle to keep sweet breads and cake moist when you're cooking refined sugar-free. With that said, I finally found a banana bread recipe that is super moist, healthy, refined sugar-free, and absolutely delicious! I love banana bread, and this recipe will be a favorite for your kids and your family!

Healthy Banana Bread!

Ingredients:
2/3 cup grapeseed oil
1 cup raw honey
4 eggs
2 cups mashed banana (about 4-5 large bananas)
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut milk
2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
3 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325°F and grease with butter 2 9x5 inch loaf pans.
In a large bowl, beat the oil and honey together by hand with a whisk.
Add the eggs and beat well.
Whisk in the bananas and milk until well combined.
Add the baking soda, vanilla, salt, and cinnamon and whisk to until well blended.
Lastly, switch to a large rubber spatula and fold in flour just until combined. It's okay if there are some lumps.
Pour batter evenly into each greased loaf pan. Bake for 55 mins. or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Let the bread cool for 10 mins. before removing it from pan.
Remove from loaf pan onto a wire wrack and let cool the rest of the way.
Slice and enjoy!

*Yields two loafs.
*Use organic ingredients when feasible.

Raspberry Smoothie Bowl!

1/7/2019

I have always wanted to try making a smoothie bowl, and I finally got the chance! I was looking for a really simple smoothie bowl recipe, and I realized that there isn't much to choose from when it comes to simple smoothies, so I created one myself and here it is! This is a raspberry banana smoothie, and you can basically top it with whatever you'd like! I also used whey powder in the smoothie which is known for detoxing heavy metals out of the gut! Detox and deliciousness! Yay! I topped these with fresh banana, chia-seeds, shredded coconut, and granola. All the ingredients in this recipe are organic and refined-sugar free!!

(Keep in mind that this recipe serves three people. So three small bowls worth!)

Raspberry Banana Smoothie Bowl!

Ingredients:
2 large bananas
1 cup unsweetened coconut milk
1 Tbs. vanilla extract
1/8 cup maple syrup
3 cups frozen raspberries
1 Tbs. whey protein powder
organic sugar free granola (you can use your own homemade or find the kind I used here)
extra banana
chia-seeds
shredded coconut

Directions:

Add bananas, milk, vanilla, syrup, berries, and powder into a blender and blend thoroughly on high for about 60 seconds. (It blends the best if you add the ingredients to the blender in that order.) Smoothie should be thick and free of any chunks.
Pour smoothie into three small bowls and top with banana slices, chia, coconut, and granola in any design you like! (You can also top with any other topping you'd like. Dried fruit, nuts, berries, etc.)
Serve immediately, and enjoy!

Hashbrown Quiche

1/7/2019

My first quiche! Okay, first of all... making quiche is a learning experience. Second of all, quiche takes a long time to cook, so if you're planning to eat it that day, PLAN AHEAD! Third, I had so much fun making this even if it's totally crazy and just came off the top of my head! Ha! This quiche is made with farm fresh, organic free-range eggs. It's also made with all organic veggies, and the hash-brown crust is made with home-grown, organic potatoes! It's also very versatile so you can pretty much throw whatever you like in it! I think adding olives, tomatoes, and other kinds of peppers would be a great addition to this recipe! This recipe is also topped with fresh, organic, Parmesan cheese, but if that's not an option for you cheddar cheese would work just as well!

Hash-Brown Quiche

Ingredients:

Hash-Brown Crust:
3 cups freshly grated potatoes (about 3-4 large potatoes)
1/4 cup butter (melted)
3 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper

Quiche:
8 eggs
1 cup dairy unsweetened coconut milk
1/4 cup diced onion (about a half of a small onion)
1/2 cup diced mini sweet peppers (about 4 small peppers)
3/4 cup diced sliced turkey (omit if you prefer vegetarian quiche)
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. Italian spice
1/2 tsp. pepper
3/4 cup (split into 1/4 in the mixture, and 1/2 to sprinkle on top)

Directions:

Preheat oven 375° and prep 9 inch spring-form pan by rubbing a thick layer of softened butter on the bottom and sides of pan.
Wash, peel, and grate potatoes with a cheese grater and squeeze out all the extra liquid with a cheese clothe. Mix potatoes, melted butter, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl.
Press potato mixture into the bottom on sides of pan and cook for about 20 minutes.
Whisk eggs and milk in a medium bowl until well combined. Add diced onion, peppers, turkey, salt, spice, and pepper and whisk lightly until well combined. Add 1/4 cup of cheese and whisk lightly until well combined.
Remove hash-brown crust from oven and immediately pour egg mixture into the crust. Bake at 375° for about an hour. (Cooking time may vary depending on the heat of your oven. I would recommend setting your timer for 45 mins and checking on it. When quiche is finished cooking, it should jiggle ever so slightly, and when a toothpick is inserted it should come out clean.)
Once the quiche is cooked all the way through, open oven and sprinkle remaining cheese on top. Let cook for about 10 more minutes, or until cheese is completely melted.
Remove from oven and let cool for about 5 minutes before removing the edge of the pan and serving.
Slice and enjoy!

*Use organic ingredients when feasible.

Stuffed Peppers!

1/3/2019

I think one of the wonderful things that have come from my Lyme life has been a deeper appreciation for healthy food that I've gained. I absolutely love all the flavors and smells that come from healthy food that I never even noticed before! There's a certain art and beauty that comes from the food we consume, and that beauty not only feeds our bodies but feeds our hearts as well!

I made these peppers tonight on a whim and they were absolutely delicious! They're perfect for the meat eaters that try to eat only small amounts of meat, and they are filled with flavor from my homemade Italian seasoning! They're also really easy to make and can be easily whipped up for dinner on nights where you haven't had time to think about it (hence making them on a whim tonight! Ha!).

Stuffed Peppers!

Ingredients:
6 large bell peppers
2 cups of your favorite rice
1 lb. ground turkey
1 Tbs. grapeseed oil (or avocado oils works too)
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 small onion (diced)
1/2 cup crushed tomatoes (you can used canned or you can lightly run some fresh tomatoes through a blender)
4 tsp. Italian seasoning
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup cheddar cheese

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°F and prepare your rice with 2 cups rice and 4 cups water.
Cut off the tops of your peppers and remove the core and seeds.
In a large skillet add oil and diced onions and saute until brown and cooked. Add the turkey and cook on medium heat until thoroughly cooked. Stir occasionally with spatula so the turkey doesn't burn.
Add the crushed tomatoes, garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, and Parmesan cheese and stir until well blended. Let cook for about a minute or until the cheese is fully melted and remove from heat.
Fill peppers half way with rice. Sprinkle a bit of the cheddar cheese over the rice and then stuff with meat mixture until each pepper is full.
Line the glass pan with whatever rice is left and fit fully stuffed peppers in pan with the rice.
Sprinkle with the rest of your cheddar cheese.
Bake for about 30 minutes or until cheese is golden brown on top.

*Store leftovers in fridge.
**Use organic ingredients when feasible.

For Italian Seasoning:
3 Tbs. dried parsley
3 Tbs. dried basil
2 1/2 Tbs. dried oregano
1 Tbs. garlic powder
1 tsp. dried thyme
1 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. dried rosemary
1/4 tsp. black pepper

Mix together in a small bowl with a spoon. I got about a 16 oz. jar's worth of seasoning.

*I used all organic herbs, and make sure you smell this blend after it's all made because it smells AMAZING!!!

Artisan Bread!

12/23/2018

There's nothing like the smell of fresh baked bread enveloping the entire house! These breads are SO YUMMY and super easy to make! They don't require any kneading and your body will love you for the health benefits of these breads! These breads are made with ancient grains, like kamut and spelt, which are full of nutrients that feeds your body just as well as it satisfies your taste buds! They are also made with all organic ingredients, and there is zero refined sugars in them! These breads are perfect for the Christmas season and the whole family will love them!

Cardamom Cranberry Bread

Ingredients:
3 cups whole wheat bread flour**
3/4 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1 3/4 tsp. ground cardamom
1/2 tsp. active dry yeast
1 3/4 cups cool water
coarse cornmeal for dusting

Directions:

Combine flour, cardomom, salt, and yeast in a large glass bowl.
Add the cranberries and walnuts. Mix gently with a rubber spatula until well combined.
Add water and combine together with a rubber spatula. (Dough will be a wet sticky mass when it is thoroughly mixed.)
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature for 12-18 hours. (You want the dough, as it rises, to not touch the plastic wrap. So use a fairly large bowl.) Dough should double in size and should be bubbling.
Dust wooden cutting board with bread flour and then using plastic dough scrappers, scrape the dough onto the board in one piece. Then let rise for another 1-2 hours.
30 minutes before your second rise is done, place a cast iron pot without the lid on the lower third of the oven (not on the bottom rack) and heat oven to 425°F. (Depending on the heat of your oven you may have to do it at 450°F.)
Once the oven has reached 425°F, remove the pot with heavy duty pot holders. Sprinkle a tsp of cornmeal on the bottom of the pot.
With two plastic dough scrappers, shape the dough into a ball by folding it over on itself a few times, and lift it carefully into your pot.
Dust the top of the dough with a little coarse cornmeal. Cover your pot and bake for 30 minutes. After 30 mins. remove lid and bake for another 10-15 minutes or until bread is golden brown on top.
Remove your pot from the oven and then with a sturdy spatula, remove your bread from your pot onto a cooling rack.
Let cool for at least one hour before slicing. (Don't slice before then because this is when the cooking process finishes.)

*Use organic ingredients when feasible.
**You may have to adjust the water and flour measurements depending on your flour. If the dough is too dry add water. If it's too wet add flour. Dough should be a wet sticky mass.

Seeded Kamut Bread

Ingredients:
2 1/4 cups whole wheat bread flour**
3/4 cup kamut flour
1 1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. active dry yeast
1 Tbs. ground flax seed meal
1/2 cup pumpkin seeds
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
1 Tbs. sesame seeds
1 Tbs. poppy seeds
1 1/2 cups cool water
1 tsp. raw honey (mixed into the water)

Directions:

Combine flours, salt, yeast, flax seed.
Then add all of your seeds. Mix gently with a rubber spatula until well combined.
Add water and honey mixture, and combine together with a rubber spatula. (Dough will be a wet sticky mass when it is thoroughly mixed.)
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature for 12-18 hours. (You want the dough, as it rises, to not touch the plastic wrap. So use a fairly large bowl.) Dough should double in size and should be bubbling.
Dust wooden cutting board with bread flour and then using plastic dough scrappers, scrape the dough onto the board in one piece. Then let rise for another 1-2 hours.
30 minutes before your second rise is done, place a cast iron pot without the lid on the lower third of the oven (not on the bottom rack) and heat oven to 425°F. (Depending on the heat of your oven you may have to do it at 450°F.)
Once the oven has reached 425°F, remove the pot with heavy duty pot holders. Sprinkle a tsp of cornmeal on the bottom of the pot.
With two plastic dough scrappers, shape the dough into a ball by folding it over on itself a few times, and lift it carefully into your pot.
Dust the top of the dough with a little coarse cornmeal. Cover your pot and bake for 30 minutes. After 30 mins. remove lid and bake for another 10-15 minutes or until bread is golden brown on top.
Remove your pot from the oven and then with a sturdy spatula, remove your bread from your pot onto a cooling rack.
Let cool for at least one hour before slicing. (Don't slice before then because this is when the cooking process finishes.)

*Use organic ingredients when feasible
**You may have to adjust the water and flour measurements depending on your flour. If the dough is too dry add water. If it's too wet add flour. Dough should be a wet sticky mass.

Apple Berry Crisp!

12/8/2018

Cobblers and crisps are my ALL TIME FAVORITE dessert! Mainly because they're so easy to make and so easy to convert to be refined sugar-free. The apple-berry combo is an old family tradition of mine that my mom has been making for years so it often reminds me of my childhood. This crisp is perfect for these long winter nights when you just need some comfort food! You can also use whatever kind of berry you'd like, and it goes a long way so you can serve it at family parties and social gatherings this holiday season!

Apple Berry Crisp

Directions:

Berry Filling:
3 cups blackberries (frozen)
3 cups raspberries (frozen)
1/3 cup raw honey
1/2 lemon
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. clove
1 Tbs. corn starch**
3 Tbs. cold water
Method:

Thaw berries in medium sauce pan on medium heat.
Add honey, lemon juice from 1/2 lemon, and spices. Stir until well combined. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally.
Mix cornstarch and water together in a small cup and add to berry sauce. Mix well until thickened. Remove from heat and let sit while preparing apples.

Apple Filling:
2 large apples (or four small apples)
1/2 lemon
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 cup maple syrup
2 tsp. cornstarch**
Method:

Peel and thinly slice apples into a 9x9 square pan or a 9 inch circle pan.
Squeeze juice from 1/2 a lemon onto apples.
Add cinnamon, maple syrup, and cornstarch. Mix with rubber spatula until apples are well coated.
Add berry filling to apple filling and fold into apples just until combined.

Topping:
2 cups flour
1 cup shredded coconut
1/3 cup classic Lakanto sweetener
1/2 tsp baking powder
2 pinches of salt
1/2 cup +2 Tbs. butter (cold)
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Method:

Mix flour, coconut, sweetener, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl until well combined.
Slice butter into small chunks into the dry mixture.
Cut butter into the flour with a fork. Or if you find it easier you can massage the butter into the flour with your hands until well combined. Mixture should be slightly crumbly, but not dry.
Add vanilla extract and massage into mixture until well combined.
Sprinkle topping over the filling and bake at 375°F for 35-45 minutes, or until top is slightly browned.
Let cool for at least 20 minutes before serving.
Top with whipped cream or whipped coconut cream!

*Store in refrigerator.
*Use organic ingredients when feasible.
**It's really important to look for NON-GMO cornstarch. If you prefer not to use cornstarch, you can substitute with 2 tsp. of tapioca starch instead.

Raspberry Cream Muffins

12/4/2018

I often find the kitchen as my refuge in times where my mental health feels like it's close to crumbling. I suffer from serious winter depression that I haven't figured out how to avoid yet, and so I found myself in the kitchen tonight in attempts to cope with the elephant weighing on my heart. Baking clears my head and brings me great joy! Especially when I'm focused on healthy conversion of unhealthy recipes. A delicious healthy recipe requires concentration, thus giving me something to think about other than my anxieties and heartaches. Yay for food being the answer to remedy mental health!

This recipe was a sudden inspiration! I found this recipe in an old collection of family recipes, and remembered it as one of my favorites as a child. The only problems is that it called for white flour and lots of sugar. And I'm sure we weren't exactly baking with organic ingredients back then! The good news is that I was able to convert this delicious recipe into a healthy alternative, organic, and refined-sugar free, as always!

Raspberry Cream Muffins!

Ingredients:
2 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 cup classic Lakanto monkfruit sweetener
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
2 cups frozen raspberries
2 eggs (beaten)
1/2 cup raw honey
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup healthy oil (I used grapeseed oil, but you can also use coconut oil or avocado oil)
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Streusel Topping:
3 Tbs. whole wheat flour
3 Tbs. quick oats
2 Tbs. classic Lakanto monkfruit sweetener
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
2 Tbs. butter (cold)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400°F Line muffin pan with muffin liners.
In a large bowl, combine the flour, monkfruit sweetener, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix with spoon until well combined.
Add raspberries and toss gently.
In a medium bowl combine eggs, sour cream, honey, oil, and vanilla. Whisk together by hand until smooth and creamy.
Pour wet mixture into dry mixture and mix by hand until just moistened.
Fill muffin liners 2/3 full.
For the streusel, add all ingredients together and mix with a fork until mixture is crumbly and well combined. Sprinkle mixture on top of muffins before they go in the oven.
Bake for 20 minutes or until lightly browned on top. Cool for 5 minutes before removing muffins from pan.

*Use organic ingredients when feasible.
*Makes about 18 muffins.

Thanksgiving Cranberry Sauce!

11/21/2018

Refined sugar-free cranberries!! Yum!! This recipe is probably one of the easiest things you'll make on Thanksgiving, and even though they are refined sugar-free they still contain the traditional sweet flavor of cranberry sauce! :)

Thanksgiving Cranberry Sauce!

Ingredients:
4 cups frozen cranberries
1 cup water
1 cup maple syrup

Directions:

Add all ingredients to a medium sauce pan.
Bring to a boil and boil for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Remove from heat and let cool.
Refrigerate.

*Use organic ingredients when feasible.

Welcome to My Kitchen!

Food is one of the greatest forms of science, art, medicine, and sustenance all at the same time! It's what feeds our lives and pumps through our blood. It's what connects us and what gives us energy to fulfill our purpose. It is for that reason that I have a deep passion for discovering, cooking, and eating only the most nutrient dense foods. In my kitchen, we only use organic, whole ingredients that feed the body, as well as the mind and soul. My hope is to inspire healing through healthy AND delicious food that feeds not only our stomachs, but also our hunger for connection and quality of life.

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Disclaimer: For Educational and Informational Purposes Only. The information provided by Chronically Beautiful is for educational and informational purposes only, and is made available to you as self-help tools for your own use. All and any information given on my website is for the purpose of sharing information to help you help yourself, and not for me to take on any other role as any health professional.