• 1 cup gluten free oats
• 1/2 cup dates
• ¼ cup shredded coconut
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1/2 cup natural peanut butter
• 2 tablespoons mini dark chocolate chips

Instructions

• Place all three ingredients except dark chocolate chips into the food processor and process to combine for about 10 seconds.
• Scrape down the sides with a rubber spatula and continue to process again for a few seconds.
• Mix in the chocolate chips by hand.
• Roll a tablespoon of mixture in between your hands to form a ball.
• Refrigerate.

The post Nut Butter Bliss Balls 0 (0) first appeared on Tone & Strengthen.

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• ¼ cup pure pumpkin puree
• 2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour or oat flour
• ½ tsp. baking soda
• 24 dark chocolate kisses, unwrapped

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350°. In a large bowl, mix butter, confectioners’ sugar and salt until combined with an electric mixer.
• Mix in pumpkin puree with the mixer.
• Add flour and baking soda and mix till it forms dough.
• Refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes or overnight.
• Shape dough into 1.5 in. balls. 
• Place 1 in. apart on greased baking sheets. 
• Bake for 10 minutes or until the bottoms are light brown.
• Immediately press a chocolate kiss into the center of each cookie.
• Cool on a wire rack after 5 minutes on the baking sheet.

The post Pumpkin Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies 0 (0) first appeared on Tone & Strengthen.

• 2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
• ½ tsp. Ground Cinnamon 
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 2 large eggs
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 cup canned pumpkin
• 1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries, chopped

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 400°. 
• In a bowl, combine the dry ingredients. 
• In a bowl, beat the eggs and sugar; add the pumpkin and oil and use an electric beater to mix it. 
• Mix in the dry ingredients and cranberries
• Bake for 18-22 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

The post Cran Pumpkin Muffins 0 (0) first appeared on Tone & Strengthen.

•     1 cup unbleached baking flour
•     1 cup sugar
•     1/4 tsp. salt
•     2 cups fresh cranberries
•     1 orange
•     1/2 cup chopped walnuts
•     1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted
•     2 eggs, beaten
•     1 tsp. almond extract

Instructions

•     Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. 
•     Grease a pie pan.
•     Combine the flour, sugar, and salt. 
•     Add the juice of one orange and one teaspoon of the orange zest.
•     Stir in the cranberries and the walnuts.
•     Stir in the butter, beaten eggs, and almond extract. 
•     Spread the batter into the prepared pan.
•     Bake at 350 degrees F for 35-40 minutes.

The post No Crust Cranberry Orange Pie 0 (0) first appeared on Tone & Strengthen.

Makes 24 cookies

•     1 cup unsalted sweet cream butter softened
•     1 large eggs
•     1 tsp peppermint extract
•     2 cups flour
•     1/2 cup sugar
•     1/2 cup brown sugar
•     2/3 cup cocoa powder
•     1/4 tsp salt
•     1/4 tsp baking powder
•     1/4 tsp baking soda
•     24 unwrapped peppermint kisses
•     1 cup chocolate chips, melted

Instructions

•     Preheat oven to 350 degrees
•     Mix the butter and both kinds of sugars until light and fluffy with electric mixer. 
•     Add egg and mix just until smooth.
•     Mix in peppermint extract.
•     In a large bowl, combine flour, cocoa, salt, baking powder and baking soda and mix.
•     Gradually sift the dry ingredients to butter mixture and mix until combined.
•     Refrigerate the dough for an hour or longer.
•     Roll the dough into an inch ball.
•     Bake for 8-10 minutes.
•     Press one peppermint kiss into the top of each cookie as soon as they come out of the oven.

The post Chocolate Peppermint Thumbprint Cookies 0 (0) first appeared on Tone & Strengthen.

• 2 tbsp. vegetable oil
• 1 large yellow onion sliced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 jalalpeños, seeded, sliced
• 2 cups  Enchilada sauce, divided
• 12 soft corn tortillas
• 3 c. cooked shredded turkey meat
• 1 (14-oz.) can black beans
• 2 1/2 c. shredded Monterey jack or cheese sub
• 1/2 c. cilantro leaves chopped
• 2 tsp. Mexican seasoning
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 375°. In a skillet add the cooking oil and sautee onion, garlic, jalapeño peppers and 1 cup enchilada sauce. 
• Combine turkey, mexican seasoning mix, black beans, and 2 cups shredded cheese or vegan cheese substitute. Add 1 cup of enchilada sauce mixture that you cooked and mix well. 
• Place the remaining 1 cup enchilada sauce in a baking dish and spread evenly across the bottom. 
• Add the turkey mixture in the center of soft tortillas, roll the tortillas and put them seam side down. Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top.
• Bake till the cheese melts approximately 15 minutes. Top with cilantro.

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•  2 lbs. green beans
•  2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
•  2 garlic cloves
• 1 tsp. pepper flakes
• 1 tbsp. lemon zest

Instructions

• Put green beans into boiling water until bright green in color,     tender and crisp
• Drain and quickly soak in a bowl of ice.
• Heat a large heavy skillet over medium heat add olive oil to it.  
• Mix in the beans with the rest of the ingredients. 
• Saute’ until coated with oil and heated through, about 5 minutes.

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• 1 large butternut squash 
• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• ½ cup chopped shallot 
• 1 tsp. salt
• 4 garlic cloves
•  1 tsp. grated ginger
•   1 tsp. maple syrup
•  ⅛ tsp. ground nutmeg
•  1 twig rosemary
• Black pepper to taste
•  4 cups vegetable broth
• 1 cup coconut milk
•  2 tbsp. vegan butter

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Cut the squash in half and roast it for 40 – 50 minutes till it’s tender.
• In a large soup pot brown the shallot in 1 tbsp. olive oil. Add the garlic and ginger. Cook for 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
• Scoop the butternut squash flesh from the hard skin. Blend in the blender with 1 cup vegetable broth, maple syrup, and nutmeg.
• Add the blended mixture to the soup pot. 
• Add the remaining ingredients into the pot and bring the mixture to a boil. Pour into the bowls and serve with warm bread.

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• 1 stalk celery, cut into medium size pieces
• 1 carrot, cut into medium size pieces
• 1 onion, quartered
• Garlic 4-5 cloves, minced
•  2 Lemons
• 1 (10 pound) whole turkey 
• 2 tablespoons kosher salt 
• 1 tablespoon ground black pepper 
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper 
•  3 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 sprigs fresh rosemary 
• ½ bunch chopped fresh sage 

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
• Rinse and clean the turkey.
• Place half of the onion, celery, and carrot in a large, shallow roasting pan.
• Place turkey, breast side up, on top of the vegetables in the roasting pan. 
• Stuff the turkey with the other half of the vegetables and one lemon cut into fours.
• Combine salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper, and lemon juice of one lemon in a small bowl. Season the turkey all around.
• Place rosemary and sage, and rest of the vegetables inside the cavity of the turkey.
• Brush the turkey with olive oil.
• Tie a twine around the turkey legs.
• Bake turkey covered for 2 hours and then uncovered for about 1 – 1.5 hours. Till the thermometer reads 180 degrees F.
•  Remove from oven and enjoy!

The post Roast Turkey 0 (0) first appeared on Tone & Strengthen.

This is one of my favorites for fall. These pumpkin pancakes were born out of experimentation. I wanted pumpkin pancakes that were GF and dairy free but packed with flavor and texture. I had to try the recipe a couple of times to get the dry and liquid ingredients ratio right. Once I hit that sweet spot these pancakes became a breakfast staple.

A few things I learned while making these pancakes are:

• Pumpkin doesn’t have much flavor of its own and spices bring out the flavor to pumpkin recipes
• Use a measuring cup sprayed with gluten-free cooking spray to portion out the ingredients
• You can use an egg substitute and turn this into vegan pumpkin pancake recipe
• You don’t need tons of sugar to get the delicious flavor, just a hint of maple syrup and/or honey will make it sweet 
• You can make extra pancakes and freeze them. They reheat perfectly in a toaster. I make a big batch on Sundays and freeze them. They are a perfect pre-run snack.
• To freeze the pancakes, let them completely cool down and place them on a parchment paper lined tray. Quick freeze them for 10 minutes to prevent them from ticking together then put them in freezer baggies for the exact portion size and freeze.

I’ve made these pancakes. On thanksgiving and during holiday season for family and friends and they were a hit. Did you know – pumpkin has health benefits too; it is packed with vitamin A, fiber, and antioxidants.

How to make pumpkin pancakes

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
• 1 teaspoon maple syrup (or honey)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ cup water or choice of milk
• 1 egg
• 1 cup paleo flour
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon chai seeds
• 1 tablespoon granulated brown sugar
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon pumpkin spice mix
• Chocolate chips – as topping
• Pumpkin seeds – as topping

Instructions

• To start go ahead and pre-heat a large non-stick griddle and spray it with non-stick spray.
• Whisk together your dry ingredients except for brown sugar.  
• Whisk pumpkin puree with the granulated brown sugar, vanilla, eggs, and water.
• Combine the wet and dry ingredients with a spatula.
• Allow the batter to sit next to warm stove for 5 minutes.
• Pour the batter on griddle and spread the batter evenly. Top with pumpkin seeds and chocolate chips. 
• The pancakes will need to cook for about 4 minutes per side.

The post Pumpkin Pancake 0 (0) first appeared on Tone & Strengthen.