Cuckoo Kitch'n

08/22/2017

Sweet, salty, earthy, cheesy and crunchy... ohhhh and insanely delicious! Just a few reasons why I was craving this take on a BBQ "chickn" pizza.

My BBQ tempeh cauliflower base is SO EASY to make and it's super versatile. I make it by pulsing chunks of tempeh in my Ninja until ground into small pieces, removing and placing in bowl, and then repeat the process with cauliflower-- or you can buy cauliflower rice already broken down. (For detailed cooking instructions see below) It's a versatile base that can be used in a bunch of recipes. Great for !

Here's how you make the mixture and pizza:

▶️Dice small red onion, sauté on medium heat in coconut oil with 2 cloves of diced garlic.
▶️When mixture starts to golden add tempeh and cook until tempeh starts to lightly brown.
▶️Add in cauliflower and cook until tender (about 3-5 minutes). ▶️ Remove and add in about half a bottle of BBQ sauce, stir until combined. Depending on your preference you can add in more sauce. Be sure to save enough to add to base of pizza. Set aside.
▶️Take pizza crust and add a thin base layer of BBQ sauce, add desired amount of temp/cauli mixture (not too thick or the pizza might not bake evenly), toss on some pineapple bits (I use TJ's frozen ones) and shaved red onion then sprinkle vegan mozz cheese shreds and bake!
▶️Remove when golden brown and option to finish with some fresh organic arugula, cashew cream and extra shaved red onion.

04/07/2017

Not all sprinkles are created equal! The "funfetti" might be prettier for the photo, but the ingredients are nasty! We are celebrating our daughter's 5th birthday and I made these for her school celebration. I avoid artificial coloring at all costs. It's such an easy swap and only costs $2 more. You're worth the $2 and your kids are especially worth the $2!
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The amount of food coloring being consumed in the US has sky rocketed in the last few decades. The food industry adds it to foods you would never even consider had coloring in them like granola bars, to make them more appealing to the eye. Consuming artificial coloring has been linked to allergies, hyper activity, ADHD, aggressive behavior, and many types of cancers. Many of the synthetic dyes we consume in the US have been banned in other countries (Including ☝🏼Yellow 5 & 6 - Norway + Sweden and Blue 1 + 2 France + Finland). An animal study on Blue 2 found a statistically significant increase in brain tumors in the high-dose group compared to the control groups, but the researchers concluded there was not enough evidence to determine whether Blue 2 caused the tumors. Red 40, Yellow 5 and Yellow 6 may contain contaminants that are known cancer-causing substances. Benzidine, 4-aminobiphenyl and 4-aminoazobenzene are potential carcinogens that have been found in food dyes. Yeah. Not good.
-------- --------- -------- -------This brand has great colors and options available online & at local health food stores like Whole Foods. 🙌🏼

Sources: https://authoritynutrition.com/food-dyes/
http://www.special-education-degree.net/food-dyes/
https://http://www.organic4greenlivings.com

04/02/2017

National Peanut Butter & Jelly Day inspired smoothie up on the blog! 🙌

PB&J Smoothie--> http://cuckookitchn.com/drink/pb-j-smoothie

03/29/2017

If I had a dollar for every time I answered the question, "But, where do you get your protein?" I would have enough money to open up the vegan restaurant Jacob Repko dreams about! We eat a TON of protein, I promise.

Tempeh is one of my go-to sources for plant-based protein. So often when looking for meat substitutes, people lean on processed forms of faux meats or overly processed soy products. This is fine for the occasional meal, but for those of us looking for long term staples, tempeh is the way to go! Tempeh is (basically) fermented soy beans, this sounds slightly gross, but I swear that it's delicious when you know how to prepare it. We eat a lot of tempeh in our house. It helps increase bone density, lower cholesterol, provides muscle building protein in addition to many other amazing things.

Check out these four simple meals that can be quickly thrown together using my Tempeh Meatballs. It doesn’t have to be complicated to be delicious!

Tempeh Meatballs on the blog! --> http://cuckookitchn.com/all/tempeh-meatballs

03/26/2017

Sometimes lunch works for the kids and the parents, and other times you have to make yourself this Spring salad and give the kids something simple. They had dates with cashew cream cheese for a snack and Veganic Sprouted O's (basically healthier Cheerios) with almond milk. Then Jake made us this salad with Spinach, Red Chard, Shredded Carrots, Slivered Almonds, H**p Seeds, Cucumber, Red Onion, dates and Beyond Meat Chicken Strips.
Topped with homemade Goddess dressing. After cleaning all day it was 💯. (We're also having a Wolf Pup IPA - not pictured 😜).

03/20/2017

You probably didn't need a good excuse to eat a s'more, but just in case, here's one more. cuckookitchn.com/desserts/gimme-smore-bites

With the time change and promise of warm weather on the horizon, I found myself daydreaming of summer. We have an awesome RV/camping trip in September that we are so excited for and are in the midst of planning… and my favorite part about camping? S’MORES! I mean- adventure, nature, family time AND…

03/15/2017

LOVE this article and infographic guide to buying Clean vs Dirty produce done by Dr. Josh Axe. Pesticides might be invisible to the eye, but they are deadly to the body!!

Please check it out and keep in mind when purchasing produce.

Check out the 2017 Dirty Dozen list from Environmental Working Group.

03/08/2017

I promised our oldest daughter pancakes this morning if she went to bed (in her own bed) without a fight last night! right? I also knew it would be a great chance to measure out my favorite recipe to share!

Here’s how you make it:
1 cup coconut milk (non-dairy milk of choice)
1 cup coconut water (you can use regular filtered water)
1 1/4 cup rolled oats
1 cup chickpea flour (gluten-free flour of choice)
3 dates- pitted
1 banana
2 teaspoons chia seed
2 Tablespoons ACV (unfiltered apple cider vinegar)
1 teaspoon vanilla * Optional
Dash cinnamon * Optional
*Option to add blueberries, chocolate chips to batter.

➡️Place all ingredients into high powered blender, and blend until smooth. (About 60 seconds)
➡️Heat griddle or skillet and lightly coat with coconut oil, pour batter onto hot skillet (size and shape of your choice)
➡️Add any desired fillings (blues or chocolate chips etc) Let cook until you see small bubbles form in pancakes, about 1 minute, flip and let cook until golden brown on the other side.
➡️Serve with fresh fruits, nuts, maple syrup/ or nut butter- up to you!

03/07/2017

I used a little bit of mom trickery in this lunch! I added in finely diced pieces of broccoli to the marinara sauce. A great way of sneaking in those greens for the veggie wary kiddos! I made the sauce by pan cooking ground tempeh with some diced garlic, diced broccoli and coconut oil. Cook until the tempeh is slightly golden and broccoli is soft. Then add in desired amount of pasta sauce and pour over brown rice pasta. Pair it with some fruits, raw veggies and healthy fats! Oh, and a little bit of something sweet because it’s all about balance! PS- his is also great for grownups!

01/27/2017

Cooking with your kids is a great way to get them involved in the process and teach them about healthy eating habits! Sharing my tips on the process and three great recipes to make with your little loves on smartlifebites http://smartlifebites.com/3-healthy-meals-to-make-with-your-kids/

Healthy meals to make with your kids that they will love. Easy recipes for kids to follow including healthy snacks, breakfast foods, and healthy dinners.

01/24/2017

Loving my second breakfast this morning! I made this simple single serving fruit dip that adds some protein and healthy fats. Take all of these ingredients and add them to a small blender and blend until combined (about 1-2 mins):

▶️1/3 cup raw cashews
▶️1 Tablespoon peanut butter
▶️1 pitted date
▶️Few drops of vanilla
▶️Dash of ground cinnamon
▶️3 Tablespoons water
▶️Option to top with cacao nibs & h**p seeds