Ever started making a pizza and realize you were out of pizza sauce?! Well, it happened to me. ;) Good thing I have this next recipe. And now, you have it too! This sauce is my go-to-throw-together pizza sauce that can be whipped up and ready in about 15 minutes. If you have longer than 15 minutes for the sauce to marinate together the better but either way it's a yummy savory & slightly sweet sauce that compliments any pizza. 

(Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Can be Sugar Free)
Adapted by jalene

Makes 1 & 1/2 cups or 12oz of sauce
Ingredients: 

• 1 (14.5 ounce) can of diced tomatoes
• 3 oz of tomato puree (or 3 Tbsp of Premier Tomato)
• 2 tsp dried parsley flakes
• 1 & 1/2 tsp dried oregano 
• 1 & 1/2 tsp dried basil
• 1 tsp sugar (I use evaporated cane juice sugar), optional
• 1/2 tsp dried rosemary, crushed
• 1/2 tsp garlic salt
• 1/8 crushed red pepper

Directions:

1. Pulse (for chunky) or Puree (for non-chunky) all of the ingredients in a blender (I use my Blendtec). 
2. Pour the sauce into a small saucepan and simmer for 15 minutes or until the sauce is thick to your desired consistency.  Use right away or refrigerate overnight for more enhanced flavor. 

This recipe can be adapted to use on Dr. Nielsen's Candida Cleanse. Simply use FRESH tomatoes and fresh spices instead of dried and omit the sugar. 

I love this time of year! School is almost out, summer days are getting longer, and the temperature is heating up! During the summer I tend to cook a little lighter-quick dishes that don't heat you up as you make them. 

I have a great light dish for you that is perfect for either lunch or dinner. It's completely healthy and packed with veggies so you just feel good eating it! The flavor is light (not Asian) so if you're looking for that kind of wrap you'll have to continue your search. :) This is just a simple, yummy turkey wrap. 

(Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Grain Free, Soy Free, Egg Free, Nut Free)
Created by jalene

Ingredients: 

• olive oil
• 1/2 of small onion, diced
• 1 large garlic clove, minced
• 1 lb ground turkey
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1/4 tsp ground pepper
• 2 celery sticks, chopped (see note)
• 1 large carrot, peeled and grated

Directions: 

1. In a large skillet over medium heat add your oil, onion, and garlic. Cook until almost tender. 
2. Add your ground turkey, salt,  pepper, and stir until almost completely browned. 
3. Add the celery and shredded carrot and continue cooking until meat is browned and celery and carrots are heated through. 

Serve over cabbage, iceberg, or romaine lettuce. Tastes great with avocado or my Dairy Free Ranch Dressing as well! 

This dish is approved as is for Dr. Nielsen's Candida Cleanse. 

My husband prefers the gentle taste of celery so I usually add it with my onions and garlic so they have more time to "blend into" the dish. But if you love celery crispy, simple follow the recipe above. 

A couple of you have been asking for more Candida Cleanse approved recipes. This great healthy breakfast idea is perfect towards the end of the cleanse as you re-introduce fruits back into your diet. It only takes 2 main ingredients and cooks up delicious! 

Of course, even if you're not on a cleanse, this omelette is a perfect breakfast treat! It's an unlikely combination for sure but I think you'll be pleasantly surprised with how good it really is! Let me know what you think!

(Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Sugar Free, Nut Free, Soy Free, Grain-Free, Paleo)
Created by jalene

Serves 1-2 people
Ingredients: 

• 2 eggs
• 1 apple, peeled, cored & grated
• coconut oil
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon (optional, omit if on cleanse)

Directions: 

1. Preheat a round 8" pan over medium heat. Grease the pan with coconut oil. 
2. In a small bowl beat the 2 eggs together. Add the grated apple and stir until well combined. Pour the mixture into the preheated pan and spread it out to the sides of the pan. Brown on each side. Serve warm. 

If you're not currently on the Candida Cleanse try one of my other favorite breakfast apple recipes...

As some of you know, my husband has been on a (boring) cleanse diet. It seriously has halted some of my creative dishes! I mean, how many meals can you come up with with just meat and veggies. So, as my search for creative meals continues, I have a great new recipe to share with you! These burgers are super easy to throw together and with my husband's special cooking method- you're bound to see success on the grill! Rainy day or no grill? You can also cook these indoors as well. 

(Gluten Free, Dairy Free)
Created by jalene & her husband brandon

Makes 5 (3.85oz) burgers
Ingredients: 

• 1 egg
• 1 large clove of garlic, minced
• 2 Tbsp minced fresh onion
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1 lb ground turkey

Directions: 

1. Preheat a pan over the stovetop on medium heat. 
2. In a large bowl combine the egg, minced garlic & onion, pepper and salt. Add the turkey and mix until well combined. 
3. Shape the burgers into your desired size. BBQ tip: the thicker you leave the meat, the less likely it will fall apart. We made 5 (3.85oz) patties. 
4. If you're planning to BBQ, lightly pre-cook the burgers on each side in your preheated pan. Then transfer to your BBQ grill to finish the job. BBQ tip: Waiting until each side is seared before you flip it will help keep your turkey burger together. If you're not using a BBQ-er than simple cook on the stove until the burgers are no longer pink. 

We served our burgers with fresh carrot sticks and cucumbers for an amazingly tasty & healthy meal! 
My husband ate his in a cabbage "bun" while Audrey and I used my yummy gluten free hamburger buns. 

This recipe is approved for my husband's (Dr. Nielsen's) Candida Cleanse. 

Don't be fooled by the healthiness of this next recipe! It's super yummy and you'll be plenty satisfied with all the wonderful variety and flavors.  I wish I could claim this glorious recipe but it was originally created by the tastykitchen. I simply adapted it to fit our needs. I've been searching for recipes that my entire family can all eat right now because my husband is currently on a special Intense Cleanse similar to the Candida Cleanse. Not only can he not have wheat or dairy but a whole bunch of other foods as well! It basically boils dinner down to mostly veggies and meat. ;) (Which, don't get me wrong, are always great to have but I LOVE variety!)

Be sure to see the recipe alterations for special diets.

(Gluten Free, Can be Dairy Free, Grain Free, Paleo)
Adapted by jalene by inspired by the Tastykitchen.com

Ingredients: 

• 1 whole spaghetti squash
• 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup gluten free chicken broth, divided
• 1/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
• 2 cups broccoli florets
• 1 cup frozen peas 
• 2 chicken breasts, cooked & sliced
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese (for dairy free use 2 Tbsp of Nutritional Flakes instead)
• sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

3.   In a large, deep skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add garlic and saute for 1 minute. 
4.    Add 1/4 of the chicken broth, sun-dried tomatoes, and broccoli. Saute for 5 minutes. Add the peas, chicken, and remaining 3/4 cup of chicken broth. Shake about 1/4 cup parmesan cheese into the mixture (just enough to thicken the chicken broth). If using Nutritional Flakes, the sauce may not thicken fully.
5.    Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 3 minutes. Serve mixture on top of spaghetti squash or combine all together. Garnish with more parmesan cheese.

 

This recipe can be used on Dr. Nielsen's Candida Cleanse. Simply omit the cheese, and sub fresh tomatoes for the sun-dried. 

By the time I was 25 years old, I could count on 1 hand how many times I've tried Brussels Sprouts. Okay, actually 1 finger. As you can guess, that 1 time was dramatic enough that the details are edged in my memory forever! Ha ha. 

When I was little, my mom had told us (me, my brother, and sister) that we were trying something new for dinner, and... if we ate it,  we could have some special CANDY she got for us. Oh, how my little ears perked up with the sound of candy and bribery! As she started cooking this mystery food though, all I can remember is this horrific smell oozing from the kitchen! We had to eat whatever was making that smell??! Forget it! 

I remember having to stay at the table FOREVER (along with my siblings) until we finished every last bite of our brussels sprouts... Yikes. What a nightmare. I had never worked so hard for candy in all my life!

Luckily, I've found other ways to eat these little healthy veggies (rather than boiling them.) Ironically, this next recipe was created by my mom. Turns out she's found a better way to enjoy them as well. 

So my challenge to you...give brussels a chance! If I can overcome my traumatic experience and learn to LOVE them, you can give them a try! They're super healthy, high in vitamin c, have some protein, low on the glycemic index chart, and can actually help you FEEL full. 

(Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Sugar Free, Egg Free, Nut Free)
Created by alene (jalene's mom)

Yields: 2 cups
Ingredients: 

• 1/2 lb brussels sprouts
• 3 slices of nitrate-free bacon (we use Hormel)
• 1 Tbsp coconut oil 
• sea salt, to taste
• fresh ground pepper, to taste

Directions: 

1. Wash the brussels sprouts thoroughly and cut off the tough end. Using a large grader, shred all of the sprouts. (I use my food processor to speed things up.) Set aside. 
2. Cook the bacon according to package directions. When cooked, remove from pan and allow to cool on a paper towel. Discard all of the bacon grease EXCEPT for 1 Tbsp. Place the pan back on the stove over medium heat and add the 1 Tbsp of bacon grease and 1 Tbsp coconut oil. 
3. Add the shredded brussels sprouts to the pan and stir-fry for 5-7 minutes or until tender. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste while cooking. Remove from heat, crumble your bacon, and add to the pan. Stir well and serve warm. 

Store leftovers covered in the fridge. 

This recipe can be adapted to use during Dr. Nielsen's Candida Cleanse. Simply omit the bacon and add an extra tablespoon of coconut oil to cook the brussels in. 

Hope everyone enjoyed their weekend! We took Audrey on her 2nd ever camp out! She LOVED it! I think the girl could live outdoors if I would let her.  She especially loved sleeping in the tent with mom and dad. She cuddled up to "da-da" and put her check on his check to fall asleep! It was so tender. 
 
I love summer time too! And when I think of summers I always think of tin foil dinners. Weird I know but it's a summer tradition with my family! If you have never tried a tin foil dinner before, you are missing out! They're so fun to make and yummy to eat! The great thing is you can either make a large tin foil dinner for the entire family or let your kids make their own individual ones. (PS- Parent trick alert: If you allow your child to be apart of the cooking process they are more likely to try new things. Simply have all the veggies cut and ready to throw together and it's a party.) 

I love this next meal because it's SO healthy yet so EASY to throw together. You can make it and leave. It's versatile too so if you have certain veggies in your fridge that you need to use up, you can sub those in for others! I also love the fact that there are NO dirty cooking dishes to wash afterwards! Hurray! And if that wasn't enough there's one more...You can also cook this in a campfire too! Simply double foil it to prevent burning. 

Don't worry, if this is your first time making one I'll walk you through it. 
Here are the ingredients that you'll need for a family of 3-4. We don't eat large amounts of meat so increase that if you need to. 

(Gluten Free, Dairy Free) 
Created by jalene

• Heavy Duty Foil
• 1 onion
• 1 chicken breast or 2-3 chicken tenders
• 10 florets of cauliflower
• 1 zucchini, cut into 1 inch thick circles
• 2 carrots, sliced 1/2 inch thick
• 1 tsp of fresh ginger, grated
• 1 tsp of fresh garlic, minced
• 1 Tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
• 2 tsp fresh basil leaves, chopped
• 2 tsp fresh oregano, chopped
• sea salt and pepper to taste

Step 1:

Preheat your oven to 400 F. 
Start with 2 large pieces of Heavy Foil about 16-20 inches long. (Or if you have the extra-large foil you can skip steps 1-3 and just tear off about 16-20 inches of that.)

Step 2:

Put the foil pieces on top of each other and fold about 1/2 inch crease. Then fold 2 more times making sure the fold is tight (I use my fist to pound on it.)

Step 3:

Open up the foil and smooth. The two foil pieces should now be one giant piece. 

Step 4:

Next comes the fun. Add your onions and chicken 

Step 5:

Followed by all your other veggies and seasonings. 

Step 6:

Make a top for your dinner by following steps 1-3 again. 

Step 7: 

Start on one end and fold the side in, then rotate and fold the next side, and so on. 

Step 8:

Continue folding until you reach the food. Stamp down the creases with your fist to make sure it is tightly sealed. 

Step 9:

Pop that baby into the oven and watch it EXPAND! (I put mine on a cookie sheet just in case the foil should spring a leak.) It should bubble up if you sealed it tightly. If it does not, don't worry, it still will cook well. 

Bake for about 40 minutes. Walla! 

And that is how you make a Tin Foil Dinner!

Once you get use to this recipe, play around with it! There are so many different options of veggies or seasonings. 

If you cook this in a fire, know that it will cook a lot FASTER! We usually pull it out to check on it to make sure it doesn't burn. 

This recipe is a great one for Dr. Nielsen's Candida Cleanse! 

Welcome to Day 5 and our final day of condiment week! Don't forget to enter in our free give-a-way to win a 12 oz jar of our favorite condiment: PINK SEA SALT! Simply leave a comment on anyone of my recipes between June 4, 2012 to June 8, 2012 (Monday-Friday) and you're entered to win! See full details HERE.   

I know what you're thinking..."oh brother, that's just what I need, another pizza sauce recipe..." but wait! I seriously can claim this is MY FAVORITE thus far.  For a while there, every time I made a gluten-free pizza I made a different sauce to go with it. I was just never satisfied! UNTIL NOW! The secret- you simmer it for an hour with fresh herbs! It takes time but it's well worth it. I always double or triple this recipe and freeze the extra. We grow our own heirloom roma tomatoes but you can also use a can of whole peeled tomatoes if you prefer. 
 

New York Style Pizza Sauce
(Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free)

Adapted by jalene from a recipe by SeriousEats.com

Ingredients:

• fresh peeled and seeded tomatoes to equal 28 ounces, save juices (see HERE how to) or you can use a 28 can of whole peeled tomatoes
• 2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 cloves, grated or minced (about 2 tsp)
• 1 Tbsp fresh oregano or 1 tsp dried
• pinch of red pepper flakes
• sea salt (to taste)
• 2 six-inch sprigs fresh basil with leaves attached
• 1 medium-size yellow onion, peeled and diced
• 1 tsp organic evaporated cane sugar (optional, leave out if on the candida cleanse)

Directions: 

1. Blend the tomatoes and their juices in a blender until pureed. Puree should be smooth but have no chunks larger than 1/16 of an inch. Set tomatoes aside. 
2. Put the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic, oregano, pepper flakes, and  sea salt (if you use canned tomatoes you'll need less salt than if you use fresh). Cook, stirring frequently until fragrant but not browned, about 3 minutes. 
3. Add tomatoes, basil sprigs, onion, and sugar (if adding). Bring to a simmer, reduce heat to medium-low (so bubbles barely break the surface), and cook stirring occasionally, until reduced by 1/2 (takes about an hour). 
4. Taste and add more sea salt, if necessary. Allow to cool and store in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to a week or in the freezer for up to 6 months. 

Makes enough for 2 to 4 12-inch pizzas depending on how much sauce you like. 

If you are NOT dairy-free, replace one of the Tbsp of oil with butter. It gives it an extra yummy taste. 

If you omit the sugar and use fresh tomatoes, this recipe is APPROVED for Dr. Nielsen's candida cleanse.