NEW Recipes!

Just below you will see 3 new recipes posted. These recipes are from our Arbonne Healthy Cooking Class that takes place at Williams-Sonoma. My friend and Arbonne VP tests these recipes at home and then the chef at WS recreates them "live" and we all get to taste them.

What makes these recipes more healthy is that they are all gluten free, dairy free and refined sugar free.

We also enjoyed pumpkin bars (recipe posted on this site), a roasted turkey and pumpkin pie!

For more information regarding Arbonne's approach to health, wellness & nutrition please contact me at jennidragon@gmail.com. The holidays are a perfect time to learn how to eat healthier but also to enjoy what you eat while being more healthy!

Williams-Sonoma #1: Beet Hummus

I know this sounds a little strange but trust me, it is delicious esp. served with cool cucumber slices for dipping!

Beet Hummus:

1 pound beets (buy them with greens still attached)

4 T tahini

1/2 cup plus 2 T lemon juice

2 T ground cumin

4 T lemon zest (4 lemons)

Cut off greens from beets and wrap the beets in foil to roast at 500 degrees for one hour. Once cool, use plastic gloves and rub off the skin of the beats (discard skin).

Blend the beets and all other ingredients in a food processor or vitamix blender. Serve with gluten free crackers, cucumbers or other veggies.

Williams-Sonoma #2: Salad

Arugula, Apple and Radish Salad with Cider Vinaigrette

Dressing:

1/4 cup cider vinegar

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 shallot, minced

Salt and freshly ground Pepper to taste

2 bunches arugula, thick stems removed, rinsed and dried

1/2 pound radishes, thinly sliced (using a mandolin is best)

1 granny smith apple --- peeled, cored and finely diced

1/4 cup toasted pumpkin seeds or pine nuts

Directions: Whisk together vinegar, olive oil, shallot, salt and pepper. Toss arugula, radishes and apple together. Toss salad with dressing right before serving.

Williams-Sonoma #3: Double Chocolate Orange Torte

Dairy Free, Gluten Free and Refined Sugar Free

Double Chocolate Orange Torte

1/2 cup dark chocolate chips

1/2 cup blanched almond flour

1/4 cup cacao powder

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

3 eggs

1/2 cup agave nectar

1/2 cup grape seed oil

1 tablespoon orange zest

Place 1/2 cup chocolate chips in a food processor and pulse until coarsely ground to the texture of gravel

Pulse in almond flour, cacao powder and salt and process until well combine, about 10 seconds

Add eggs to food processor and pulse again, then add in agave, grape seed oil and orange zest

Pulse all ingredients together until smooth

Remove 'bowl' from food processor and stir in second 1/2 cup of chocolate chips using a spoon

Transfer batter into a well-oiled 10 inch spring form pan

Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean

Persian Rice Salad

Persian Rice Salad
2 14-ounce cans vegetable broth
2 cups long-grain brown rice

1 1/2 cups roasted salted cashews, coarsely chopped
1 1/2 cups sliced pitted dates (about 7 ounces)
4 green onions, thinly sliced
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Bring broth to boil in large saucepan over medium-high heat. Mix in rice. Return to boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook without stirring until rice is tender, about 40 minutes. Spread out rice in large baking pan and cool.

Transfer rice to large bowl. Add cashews, dates, and green onions; toss to blend. Whisk olive oil, lemon juice, chopped cilantro, and ground cinnamon in small bowl. Add to rice and toss to coat. Season salad to taste with salt and pepper. (Can be made 2 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature.)

5 Fall Foods to Help You Lose Weight

Click HERE for great article -- my "Fall Soup" Recipe below (scroll down) incorporates 2 of these foods!

Bigger Fork = Smaller Waist?

Hard to believe, right? Well, it may be true you're eating out, says a study recently published online in the Journal of Consumer Research. Because you use visual cues, such as cleaning your plate, to tell you when you're full, researchers suspect that when you eat with a smaller fork you think you're not making as much progress on your plate and are prompted to put in more mouthfuls. ~ Eating Well Magazine

Great Protein Sources

Click HERE for some great information regarding alternative protein sources.

Recipe for Arbonne Baby Wipes

Homemade Baby Wipes-great idea.
Homemade ABC (Arbonne Baby Care) Baby Wipes
Thank you new consultant Sarah Hendricks for sharing this!

1 roll of Bounty paper towels (not select a size) cut in half
2 cups of boiling water
1 tbsp Arbonne Baby Oil
1 tbsp Arbonne Baby Cleansing Gel

I use a large tupperware container to store the wipes. I can show you what I have but basically it has to big enough to store half a roll of paper towel. Mix the boiling water, oil and cleanser. Pour over the top of the roll of paper towels. Let sit for at least an hour then pull the cardboard center out of the paper towel roll. Then each time you want a wipe you just pull it out of the center. If they get dry you can just add some more water, oil and cleanser.

Skinny Crock Pot

My most favorite new resource for comfort foods that are healthy, too!

Please CLICK HERE for Skinny Crock Pot site