RECIPE > Mango Coconut Dessert Balls (completely raw)

Looking to impress your friends and family with a healthy raw dessert? Are you vegan and want to learn more about nutritious dessert possibilities? Here is our first raw dessert ball recipe that is completely organic, raw, unprocessed and delicious! Welcome to clean eating at its best!

When it comes to dessert, it’s tough to find recipes that don’t contain a high level of refined sugars, processed ingredients, gluten and other foods detrimental to our health and well-being. However, our Just Add Good Stuff raw mango coconut dessert ball recipe is a dish that is completely vegan, gluten-free and refined sugar free. This nutritious and addictive treat is great for dinner parties and also serves as a healthy snack for kids. The raw mango coconut dessert ball recipe is easy to follow and quick to prepare. Plus, there’s no cooking involved, so all of the nutrients, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and other good stuff stay 100% intact! Below is the recipe and preparation details for our Mango Coconut Dessert Balls.

Raw Mango Coconut Dessert Ball Recipe

 
Please share with your friends and family!

Servings: 10-12 dessert balls
Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Freezing Time: 30 minutes to 1 hour

Here are the ingredients for the Raw Mango Coconut Dessert Ball Recipe:

• 1½ cup of shredded coconut (organic, dried and unsulfured)
• 1 cup mango (organic, dried and unsulfured… approximately 100 grams)
• 1/8 cup agave syrup or maple syrup (works as binding agent, can be substituted using flax/water)
• 2-3 tbsp coconut oil (raw and virgin)
• 1-2 tsp lemon zest (organic)
• 3 tbsp mango nectar (pure, organic and no added sugar)
• ¼ cup of shredded coconut (for rolling, optional)

Here are the preparation directions for our Gluten Free, Vegan Dessert Ball Recipe:

Step 1: Plug in your food processor
Step 2: Place all ingredients (except for shredded coconut used for rolling) into food processor
Step 3: Process until it becomes a sticky wet dough
Step 4: Form into balls and roll in remaining shredded coconut (or lay the entire mixture into a baking pan and sprinkle the remaining shredded coconut on top)
Step 5: Place into fridge for at least 2 hours (or the freezer for 30 minutes)
Step 6: Enjoy and Share with friends

* Leave the mango coconut dessert balls in the fridge if not eaten straight away. You can leave the dessert balls refrigerated for at least 5 days. Or you can put them in the freezer to keep them longer. Thaw at room temperature before serving if this is the case.
 

 

 

RECIPE > Strawberry Mango Salad Dressing

Want a great spring/summer salad dressing recipe?  Look no further as Just Add Good Stuff is publishing their favorite Strawberry Mango Salad Dressing recipe right here!

Strawberries and mango are a perfect pairing when it comes to flavours, textures, colours and nutrition.  Both of these fabulous and nutritious fruits are combined in this simple and very quick salad dressing recipe that can go on any spring or summer mixed green salad.  Personally, we love the combination of fresh organic spinach, arugula, kale, cucumber and lettuce coupled with this Strawberry Mango Salad Dressing, but it’s really up to you.  Below is our recipe … let us know what you think and how we can improve it!

Strawberry Mango Salad Dressing Recipe

Please share with your friends and family!

Servings: enough for a starter salad for 6-8 people

Preparation Time: 5 to 10 minutes

Here are the ingredients for the Strawberry Mango Salad Dressing:

1 mango (organic, ripe, champagne mangos are preferable)

8 strawberries (organic, ripe and large size, de-stemmed)

1/8 cup almond oil

1/3 cup lemon juice

1/3 cup lime juice

1/3 cup mango nectar (organic, no sugar added!)

2 tbsp orange juice (freshly squeezed, organic)

2 tsp lemon zest

1 pinch salt

Here are the preparation directions for the Strawberry Mango Salad Dressing:

Step 1: Wash all fresh ingredients thoroughly

Step 2: Cut the fruit from the mango.  Try to get the least amount of ‘mango hair’ when cutting close to the pit.

Step 3: Add all of the ingredients into a blender or food processor.

Step 4: Blend the mixture until it is completely smooth

Step 5: Empty salad dressing into a serving container or a sealed jar for up to 5 days

Step 6: Serve with a mixed green salad of your choice

Step 7: Enjoy and Share with your friends and family

Remember that cooking is all about experimenting and changing things up all the time.

For instance, this Strawberry Mango Salad Dressing recipe can easily be converted into a spread or dip.  By combining these ingredients along with some banana or avocado, you can easily make this salad dressing recipe into a thicker dip that goes well with gluten free crackers and breads.

Alternatively, the Strawberry Mango Salad Dressing recipe can also be cooked with chia seeds in order to create a jelly or jam spread.  This will be even thicker than the dip and will likely be sweeter as most of the moisture of the fruits will be boiled away.

Of course, Just Add Good Stuff promotes healthy, organic and raw foods as much as possible … so the closer it is to its natural state, the better and more nutritious the ingredients will be for your mind and body.

RECIPE > Quick ‘n Healthy Power Lunch

Often find yourself scrambling to find something for lunch? Or you just need a quick lunch option that will take less than 5 minutes to prepare? Or are you looking for a lunch that will satisfy not only your nutritional needs for the afternoon, but something that is full of antioxidants, vital minerals, vitamins and trace elements?

Look NO further as we have the perfect Quick ‘n Healthy Power Lunch recipe just for you! These easy to find organic ingredients include: quick oats, dried goji berries, fresh organic wild blueberries, ground flax seeds, hemp seeds, chia seeds and bananas.

The Quick ‘n Healthy Power Lunch Recipe

 
Please share with your friends and family!

Servings: 1 bowl fit for 1 person

Preparation Time: 5 minutes (or less)

Here are the ingredients for the Quick ‘n Healthy Power Lunch Recipe:

½ cup to 1 full cup of quick oats (or equivalent)

1 tbsp of ground flax seeds (organic and raw)

1 tbsp of hemp seeds (organic and raw)

1 tsp of ground chia seeds (organic and raw)

1 tbsp of goji berries (dried organic or fresh if possible)

15-20 blueberries (wild organic if possible)

½ banana (organic)

Here are the preparation directions for our Quick ‘n Healthy Power Lunch:

Step 1: Wash all fresh berries and banana

Step 2: Combine all ingredients into a bowl

Step 3: Add hot water

Step 4: Stir and Enjoy!

This quick and nutritious lunch should get you through the afternoon as it packs a powerful list of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and omega-3 fatty acids.  The combination of these superfoods will aid in maintaining your digestive, circulatory, mental/nervous and immune system throughout the day.

Best of all, the entire bowl of the Quick ‘n Healthy Power Lunch will be less than 180 calories with very little fat (about 4-5 grams).  Not only that, it’s very low in sodium (less than 10mg) and high in carbohydrates (around 30 grams).  More than 20% of your daily requirement for fibre is satisfied (the single bowl has over 5 grams of fibre) and it packs very little sugar (less than 2 grams, all of which is completely natural and unrefined).  The Quick ‘n Healthy Power Lunch recipe is also moderately high in protein (around 6-8 grams) and contains a decent amount of potassium, iron, calcium and Vitamins A and C.  As mentioned above, the recipe also features high amounts of omega-3 fatty acids and antioxidants.

RECIPE > Avocado Dill Dip Recipe

Spring is in the air! When spring comes along, we at Just Add Good Stuff just love the smell of dill and other herbs! In addition, it’s the perfect time for avocados … we mean really ripe and organic avocados from the local grocers.

Combining the two ingredients, organic dill and organic avocados, makes for a great Spring dip or spread. Whether you are hosting a lunch/dinner party or just relaxing outside with a book, try the avocado dill dip and spread for a healthy alternative to packaged dips. As you can see, ALL INGREDIENTS are completely RAW and ORGANIC. This easy-to-make and easy-to-follow AVOCADO DILL DIP RECIPE will only take you 10 minutes or less to prepare. And once you’ve tasted this avocado dill combination, you won’t want anything else!

Check out the avocado dill dip recipe below in addition to some top avocado health benefits and dill health benefits below for your perfect Spring snack that is both nutritional as well as filling!

Avocado Dill Dip Recipe

If you are looking for a quick and dirty recipe for an Avocado Dill Dip or Spread, here it is! This Avocado Dill recipe is enough for 2 to 4 people with organic crackers or gluten free bread. Can be used as a dip or a spread, whichever you like!

Please share with your friends and family!

Servings: 1 medium sized bowl
Preparation Time: 10 minutes (or less)

Here are the ingredients for the Avocado Dill Dip Recipe:

2 Avocados (overly ripe and organic if possible)
½ cup Lemon Juice (preferable freshly squeezed organic lemons)
¼ cup Dill (preferably fresh organic dill)
1 tsp Garlic (organic and minced)
1 tsp Agave (raw and organic … plus, this is optional!)
½ tsp Salt (unprocessed)

Here are the preparation directions for our favourite Avocado Dill Dip Recipe:

Step 1: Get your food processor out and plugged in
Step 2: Wash all of your ingredients
Step 3: Get the avocado meat out (see below section: The BEST WAY to Peel an Avocado > Avocado Preparation guide)
Step 4: Add the lemon juice into your food processor
Step 5: Add the dill (no need to chop it … but take the stems off)
Step 6: Add the finely minced garlic
Step 7: Add the agave syrup (if you want … no need to add agave)
Step 8: Add a pinch of salt
Step 9: Blend using your food processor for about 30 to 50 seconds
Step 10: Serve with crackers and/or bread
Step 11: Enjoy and share with your friends and family

The BEST WAY to Peel an Avocado > Avocado Preparation

It is vital that you learn how to prepare an Avocado via the best way to peel an avocado for your avocado dill dip recipe. A recent UCLA research team showed that in California organic avocados, the greatest concentration of beneficial carotenoids is in the dark green fruit of the avocado closest to the peel. Therefore, it is essential to learn how to prepare an Avocado the right way. To preserve the area with the greatest concentration of antioxidants, you basically want to peel the avocado with your hands, as you would a banana. The BEST WAY to Peel an Avocado in avocado preparation is as follows!

Step 1: First, cut the avocado length-wise, around the seed
Step 2: Holding each half, twist them in the opposite directions to separate them from the seed
Step 3: Remove the seed
Step 4: Cut each half, lengthwise
Step 5: Next, using your thumb and index finger, simply peel the skin off each piece

By following the above best way to peel an avocado, you can ensure the greatest concentration of antioxidant and nutrient levels in your avocado dill recipe.

Avocado Dill Health Benefits

Eating raw and organic avocados, dill and lemons have great health benefits and lots of nutritional value. The key here is that all ingredients are completely RAW and ORGANIC so that they retain all of their nutritional benefits and ultimately their health benefits. Here are some of the most notable benefits for each of the main ingredients in this avocado dill dip recipe.

Organic Dill Health Benefits

The health benefits of dill are well documented and tested. Here are our top 8 dill health benefits that you should be aware of: sleep aid, calming effect, bone health, anti-bacterial herb, fights free radicals and digestive benefits. In addition, other health benefits of dill include the treatment of headaches/migraines in addition to hiccups! Bet you didn’t know that!

Organic Avocado Health Benefits

The health benefits of avocados are also well documented and far reaching when it comes to personal health, nutrition and well being. Here are some of our favourite avocado health benefits in no particular order (there are many more, which we will write about in a separate article): lower cholesterol levels, assist in a healthy heart and circulatory system, control blood pressure (lowers stress) and features anti-inflammatory properties. In addition, the avocado health benefits also include promoting eye health, regulating blood sugar levels (important for diabetics), preventing birth defects and reducing the risk of strokes. Other great organic avocado health benefits include its use in skin care (treatment for psoriasis) in addition to increase in nutritional absorption during meals and a cure for bad breath! Bet you didn’t know this one either!

Organic Lemon Health Benefits

Just Add Good Stuff touched upon some health benefits of lemons in our blog post: WAKE UP AND DRINK THIS! Here are a few more health benefits of lemons that most people don’t know about: lemons can assist in abolishing acne, cure bad breath, help anxiety (lowers stress levels and decrease fatigue), treat canker sores and mouth sores. In addition, other organic lemon health benefits include treating fevers/migraines, treating the common cold or flu, treatment of eczema and healing hypertension. These are in addition to the lemon health benefit that we all know and hear about: balancing our body’s pH levels.

RECIPE > Quinoa Coconut Vegetable Main Dish

Quinoa-this and quinoa-that … all we hear about today is people cooking, eating, baking and preparing quinoa.  I must admit that I was one of those skeptics.  I didn’t know what quinoa was or how it tasted or even why there was so much fuss about it.  Never grew up eating it and I can’t imagine that my parents would know what it is to this day.  But there it is … quinoa is prevalent in grocery stores, restaurants and your friends’ place.

Before we get to the recipe for Quinoa Coconut Vegetable main dish, we wanted to talk about quinoa itself, because it is fascinating.

Quick Facts about Quinoa

Firstly, quinoa is gluten-free, grain-free, nut-free, vegan, vegetarian and paleo sensitive.  That’s a mouthful!  In other words, there isn’t a better superfood than quinoa when it comes to specialized diets.

Secondly, 1 single serving of quinoa (usually 1/4 cup of quinoa before cooked) will give you almost 50% of your daily magnesium requirements for your body!

Thirdly, as most people are sensitive to the breakdown of the nutrition, quinoa nutritional value is amazing.  Approximately 70% of quinoa nutrition through its calorie ratio is carbs, only 14% fat (good fat, that is) and about 16 per cent is pure protein (much more than rice). Yum.

Fourthly, quinoa is native to South America and there are many varieties.

Lastly, most quinoa recipes are quick and dirty.  These fast quinoa recipes make your life that much easier … especially in today’s fast pace world.  If you are a single mom or a professional couple … or a growing family or retiree, cooking quinoa literally takes 15 minutes or less.  So yes, most quinoa recipes are quick and will take you less time than waiting in line at a drive-through burger joint.

Quinoa Coconut Vegetable Recipe

If you are looking for a quick quinoa recipe to follow easily, here is our new Quinoa Coconut Vegetable recipe that won’t disappoint!

Servings: 1 as a main dish (or 2 if served as an appetizer or side)

Preparation Time: 5 minutes

Cooking Time: 15 minutes

Here are the ingredients for the Quinoa Coconut Vegetable dish:

1/2 cup Quinoa (preferably organic)

1 cup Coconut Water (with pulp)

1/4 cup Coconut Meat (use fresh, young coconut – optional)

1 Carrot (organic, medium sized)

2 bunches of Kale (organic leafy or dinosaur Kale)

1 handful of Spinach (organic)

10 Beans (combination of organic yellow and green beans)

1 Lime (organic)

1 tsp Cumin Seeds

1 tsp Chilli Flakes

Here are the cooking directions for the Quinoa Coconut Vegetable recipe:

Step 1: Rinse the quinoa in a fine sieve until the water runs clear, drain and transfer to a medium pot.

Step 2: Add the coconut water into the pot and bring to a boil.

Step 3: Cover, reduce heat to medium or medium low and simmer until most of the water is absorbed. This should take about 10 minutes.

Step 4: Add the carrot, kale, spinach, beans and young coconut meat (optional).  Cover and keep heat on medium or medium low for another 3 – 5 minutes.

Step 5: Set aside off the heat for 3 minutes; uncover and fluff with a fork.

Step 6: Transfer to a serving bowl.  Add cumin and chilli flakes.

Step 7: Squeeze at least 1/2 lime into the dish.

Step 8: Garnish with a slice of lime and ENJOY!

Nutritional Information for the Quinoa Coconut Vegetable dish:

Kale Chips – The Perfect Snack Before Bedtime or Anytime!

Kale Chips > The BEST Bedtime Snack? We think so…

Are you looking for that perfect snack that will fill you up, help you sleep and nourish your body at the same time?  Look no further than kale chips!

First of all, here’s some background information about kale.  Kale is a green or purple vegetable that is similar to cabbage and spring/collard greens. There are many types of kale that are classified into different kale families depending on their leaf type.

Kale is packed full of nutrition and is often called a ‘superfood‘.

All forms of kale can be easily prepared, whether eaten raw (within a salad) or juiced or boiled or cooked.

One of our favourite ways to prepare curly-leaf or dinosaur kale is by making them into kale chips.  It’s fun, easy, quick and tastes really great!  Kale chips are also an ideal snack for the entire family.  Below is our kale chips recipe that will take you less than 20 minutes!

Kale Chips Recipe > An easy kale chips recipe for you to follow…

Recipe makes 1 serving (great for up to 2 people) and will take roughly 20 to 25 minutes to prepare.  Here are the ingredients for the kale chips recipe:

• 5 large leaves of Curly Leaved or Dinosaur Kale (about 1 bunch)
• 1 tsp coconut oil
• sea salt

The kale chips recipe method is:

• Wash and tear the kale into chip sized pieces
• Drain water off the kale pieces
• Melt the coconut oil
• Toss the kale in the coconut oil
• Put the kale onto a baking sheet
• Sprinkle sea salt onto kale
• Roast at 350F for about 15 minutes

Keys to the kale chip recipe:

1. The kale will shrink, so make sure your pieces are not too small
2. Don’t drench the kale in the coconut oil … just toss it
3. Sea salt is not necessary, but gives the chips a great flavour
4. Roasting time depends on your oven so take the kale chips out when crispy
5. Once crispy, take the kale chips out and put onto paper towel to soak up excess oil

For those who have troubles falling asleep, kale chips are the perfect bedtime snack as they help kick-start the production of your sleep hormones!