Blog Posts - Chronically Beautiful!

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.

Pumpkin Pie Squares!

11/19/2018

My favorite food on Thanksgiving has ALWAYS been the pumpkin pie! And when I discovered how much sugar and processed ingredients go into it, I was determined to find a recipe that is healthier and happier! These pumpkin pie squares are easy because they don't require the extra steps that come with regular pie crust. This healthy alternative replaces evaporated milk with canned coconut milk, and sugar with honey! A healthy and happy solution for the whole family! The pie filling can also be used with any of your favorite pie crust recipes as well, and you can top your pumpkin pie with anything you like!

Pumpkin Pie Squares!

Ingredients:

Crust:
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 cup quick oats
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/2 cup butter (melted)

Filling:
2 cans *pumpkin puree (4 cups)
1 15 oz. can coconut milk
4 eggs
1 cup raw honey
1/2 cup maple syrup
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. clove

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°
Mix flour, oats, syrup, and butter in small bowl until well combined.
Press dough into bottom of 9x13 inch pan and bake for 15 mins.
Whisk all of the filling ingredients together in a large bowl until well combined.
Remove crust from oven and pour filling over crust.
Bake for 1 hour or until filling is firm all the way through. Cool completely before serving!
Top with anything you'd like! (My favorite toppings include whipped cream, walnuts, or any other kind of nut).

*It's best to use pumpkin puree that came from your own organic pumpkin, but organic canned pumpkin is okay too.
*When using the coconut milk, use the entire can. Not just the cream on top.
*Use organic ingredients when feasible.

Blackberry Pie Bites!

11/14/2018

Our first thanksgiving recipe is now up on the blog! Tis' the season for sweet pastries and pie (even in bite size form)! My mom has always made THE BEST pie crust in history, and I think we have officially converted it to match our healthy Lyme lifestyle. This recipe is made with whole wheat pastry flour and palm shortening instead of white flour and Crisco to eliminate any harmful additives. It's also made with DELICIOUS organic berries that can be converted into any berry you like, and it's perfect for all of your holiday parties because they're so simple and bite-sized!

Blackberry Pie Bites

Ingredients:

Crust:
2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1/3 heaping cup palm shortening
1/3 cup butter (cold)
1 tsp. salt
4 Tbs. cold water

Filling:
4 cups frozen blackberries
1/3 cup raw honey
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
a pinch of clove (optional)
2 Tbs. Cornstarch (Non-GMO)
4 Tbs. cold water

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°
Combine flour and salt in a medium bowl and mix with a spoon. Add shortening and cut butter into flour mixture. Combine using a fork. (Or just use your hands if preferred). Mixture should look like cornmeal when well combined.)
Add cold water and combine together with your hands until you've formed a large ball of dough. (Note: The less you work with pie crust the better it will turn out and the more light and flaky it will be. DO NOT KNEAD YOUR DOUGH!)
Roll out dough on a flour lined surface. Using a medium circle shaped cookie cutter, cut medium circles and then press each circle of dough into mini muffin tin. (I used a 24 cup mini muffin pan, but you can also use two twelve cup pans.)
Bake crust for about 30 minutes, or until crust is slightly browned on top.
While crust is baking, make your filling.
Add frozen berries to a medium sauce pan. Add honey, vanilla, and spices, and mix until thawed and well combined.
Bring mixture to a boil. (If you prefer less chunky filling at this point you can run a fork through your berry mixture.)
In a small glass add corn starch and water and mix until well combined.
Once berry mixture has been brought to a boil, add the cornstarch mixture and stir constantly until thickened.
Remove from heat and let cool.
Once the crust cups have cooked, wait for them to cool completely and then remove them from the pan to mini muffin cup liners.
Fill each crust cup with filling all the way to the top.

*You can top your pie cups with whipped cream or anything you like. I topped mine with lemon zest, and it added just the right flavor!
*Use organic ingredients when feasible.
*Store in refrigerator.

Australian Anzac Cookies

11/5/2018

This recipe is actually a special recipe from the mind and heart of my dad! My dad served a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in Australia when he was younger, and he recently wanted to recreate this cookie that he had on his mission a lot. Needless to say, they were a huge success and our family loves these delicious creations now!

These cookies are made with whole wheat flour, coconut, and oatmeal. They're soft and chewy on the inside, and are the perfect treat to satisfy your sweet tooth! Not to mention they are organic, and refined sugar-free! Yum!

Australian Anzac Cookies

Ingredients:
1 cup flour
1 1/2 cup quick oats
1/2 cup golden Lakanto
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup raw honey
3 Tbs. water
1 Tbs. baking soda

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°F Line cookie sheet with parchment paper of silicone baking mat.
Mix dry ingredients in a medium bowl (flour, oats, Lakanto, and salt).
Warm butter honey and water in a small saucepan and bring to a low boil, then add baking soda. Cook and stir until it foams.
Add wet mixture to dry mixture. Mix until well combined.
Roll dough into one inch balls (or smaller if desired) and place on cookie sheets.
Cook for 12 minutes or until golden brown.

*Use organic ingredients when feasible*

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups

11/5/2018

Hello! This is your friendly sugar free chocoholic, and I'm here to tell you that IT IS POSSIBLE to eat chocolate and be healthy! This is one of my FAVORITE recipes, and I have to consciously decide to only eat one a day because they taste so similar to store-bought candy! These are so yummy, creamy, and filled with peanut butter! What a great combination! ;) These are also organic, and refined sugar-free like always, and makes a great treat for the holidays!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups!

Ingredients:
1/2 cup coconut oil
1/2 cup almond butter
1/2 cup raw honey
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 cup cocoa powder (at least 80% cacao, sifted)
1/2 cup organic peanut butter
1/4 cup powdered Lakanto
1 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:

Line a 24 cup mini muffin pan with mini muffin liners.
Melt coconut oil, almond butter, honey, vanilla, and cocoa powder in a small sauce pan on medium heat until well combined and close to boiling.
Remove from heat and place 1 tsp of chocolate into each mini muffin cup.
Place pan in the freezer for 5-10 mins.
Make peanut butter filling by mixing peanut butter, lakanto, and vanilla in a small bowl until well combined.
Remove pan from freezer and spoon filling into each mini muffin cup.
With the rest of the chocolate miture place 1 Tbs. of chocolate in each cup.
Refrigerate for 30 minutes or until chocolate has solidified.

*Makes 24 chocolates
*Store in refrigerator

Plum Fruit Leather

11/5/2018

Remember those bright red fruit roll-ups you used to eat as a child? Remember how they used to turn your tongue red and they mostly tasted like flavored sugar? When I was a kid, I ate these fruit-roll ups on the daily, and the exorbitant amounts of sugar and corn-syrup contained in these kinds of snacks made me incredibly sick and I'd always spend the day with a stomach-ache.

Well, we have now come up with a solution! These fruit roll-ups taste like candy, are refined sugar-free, and contain necessary nutrients from real fruit. The awesome thing about this recipe is that you can tweek this recipe to your liking. I'd highly recommend tasting your fruit puree before drying it, and if you feel like it needs more sweeter or cinnamon, you do you. You also don't have to use plums. Whatever fruit you like will make this recipe delicious and successful!

Plum Fruit Leather

Ingredients:
6 cups plums (cut in half and pitted, they do not have to be peeled)
1/2 cup raw honey
2 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
2 tsp. ground cinnamon (if desired)
1/4 tsp. cloves (if desired)

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 170°F or use a dehydrator.
Puree ingredients together in a blender until smooth.
Line two rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper or line your dehydrator wracks with parchment paper.
Pour mixture evenly onto baking sheets or dehydrator wracks.
Place in oven and cook until firm and no longer sticky to the touch (3-4 hours in most ovens) or dehydrate at 135° for anywhere from 6-12 hours.
After fruit puree is completely dry, remove from oven or dehydrator. Cut into strips and roll them up if desired.

*Store in a cool place.

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.