A Healthy Nut-Free Snack [Review]

Healthy and filling snack foods always catch my eye. When I came across Tiger Nuts, I was curious what these "nuts" were all about. Nuts are a big part of my family's snacks because they are nutritious, healthy, and delicious! Tiger Nuts are actually tubers (a root or something that grounds underground). When they dry, they resemble chickpeas in size and look. Tiger Nuts are a low-calorie, healthy, nut-free snack food that can help with weight loss.

Tiger Nuts                  
Tiger Nuts Flour       

Rating: total green check marks out of 5.

The Good	The Not So Good
Healthy snack food
Portable
High in fiber, keeps you full

Let's talk about what Tiger Nuts actually are. They are tubers, not nuts. If you are looking for a nut-free snack or a nut-free gluten-free flour, then this is the perfect product for you. Tiger Nuts are raw and dried. They are high in fiber, which keeps you feeling full longer and helps aid in moving food through the digestive tract. Tiger Nuts also act a prebiotic to stimulate the growth of good bacteria.

One ounce of tiger nuts (~50 pieces) contain 120 calories, 10g of fiber, and 7g of fat. Compared to other nuts, Tiger Nuts are a great low calorie, low fat, and high fiber snack.

I received a package of peeled Tiger Nuts and a package of Tiger Nuts gluten-free flour. Tiger Nuts are a great on-the-go snack and the package is portable. They are raw nuts (tubers) that have been dried and look like chickpeas. They are slightly chewy, in a satisfying kind of way. Tiger Nuts have a sweet and nutty flavor. My toddler and I have enjoyed snacking on these. The size is just right for him to be able to grab and chew on, though the package does caution not to give to young children. We eat a lot of nuts and I have really liked the change up.

Tiger Nuts Organic Gluten-Free flour was intriguing. We have done some gluten elimination diets and I have some gluten-sensitive friends, so I like to keep a variety of gluten-free flours on hand. Additionally, I like to cook and bake with gluten-free flours to change things up a bit.

Tiger Nuts flour was a new flour for me. The flour is made from ground up tiger nuts, so it has the same great nutritional benefits. The flour is milled finely. I read some reviews that mentioned the flour being gritty. I did not find this to be case when I baked Buckwheat Bites (recipe coming soon!) with tiger nut flour. I would not equate the tiger nut flour to a powdery flour like coconut flour or millet flour, but it is more fine that stone ground whole wheat flour. I really like the sweetness and heartiness that it added to my Buckwheat Bites.

If you are looking for a new nut-free snack or are diving into the gluten-free world, give Tiger Nuts a try. They are delicious and can be used in a variety of ways.

Disclosure: I received a sample of the product to facilitate this review. I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. All opinions are my own.

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Immunity Boosting Bomb [Recipe]

I have been dabbling in essential oils for several years. This year, I have gotten more serious about building my essential oil collection. Along with essential oils, I am also researching and buying natural immunity boosters like elderberry, raw local honey, herbal teas, etc. Having an arsenal of a variety of immunity boosting products helps to keep our immune systems strong and healthy, so that when we are exposed to germs, bacteria, and viruses, we minimize the impact on our family. My favorite recipe for naturally boosting immunity is the Immunity Boosting Bomb. Containing plant extracts, essential oils, and raw local honey, this drink is easy to take and tastes great.

Immunity Boosting Bomb

Yield: 1-2 ounces

Vegan (leave out honey or sub)
Vegetarian
Dairy Free
Nut Free

Ingredients
1 tbsp elderberry syrup or elderberry extract
1 tsp honey (can sub maple syrup or agave syrup)
30-40 drops echinacea extract
3 drops Immunity Strength essential oil
3 drops lemon essential oil
1 ounce of water (warm or cold, depending on your preference)

Optional Additions
5-10 drops ginger extract
5-10 drops licorice extract

Directions

1. Mix ingredients in a cup.
2. Drink 2-3 times a day when exposed to illnesses or when sick.

Norm's Farms offers high quality elderberry products . Their Elderberry Syrup and Elderberry Extract are great additions to my natural medicine cabinet. The Elderberry Syrup is sweetened with a bit of honey and flavored with cinnamon. It is not overpowering, but just enough sweetness that my 1.5 year old son loved to take this syrup when he was sick. The Elderberry Extract is just elderberries and water. The flavor is not bitter, but is not sweet. I have been taking the Elderberry Syrup straight and my son has also take some of it, though he prefers the Elderberry Syrup.

The bottles are sealed for protection. Once opened, the bottles should be kept in the refrigerator and consumed within 30 days. I was a little bit worried about the 30 day use by recommendation at first. Since we are in flu season right now and I am exposed to germs on a daily basis when we go to play dates and story times with other kids, I have been taking the Elderberry Extract every day. I can see going through one bottle of this in 30 days. My bottle has been in the fridge for more than 30 days and it has not started to go bad.

The Elderberry Extract does have a little bit of Malic Acid in it to prevent fermentation. My label on the bottle I received did not disclose this information. I did read this on the Amazon product page and learned about it from the company representative.

I would purchase Norm's Farms Elderberry Syrup and Elderberry Extract again. If you are looking for a way to easily and quickly boost your immunity, look to elderberries.

Disclosure: I received one or more of the products mentioned above to facilitate this review. No other compensation was received. This post may contain Affiliate links. You will NOT pay more by using these links. I will receive a small kick back to support this blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. All opinions are my own. I am not a medical professional. These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. Please consult with your doctor regarding taking any supplements.

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Healthy Whole Wheat Date Muffins [Recipe]

Ever since I have become a mom, a healthy breakfast or healthy snack that I can grab on-the-go ensures I have enough energy to make it through the day. Being able to give my child the same snack is even better! This muffin recipe originally started out as a bread that I made for years. I came across the Whole Wheat Date Nut Bread recipe in Whole Living magazine. After a while, I started experimenting with different additions and substitutions. I love the versatility and ease of this recipe. Everything I added or substituted made the bread even better. The bread is always delicious and moist.

I am sharing the original bread recipe and my adaptations (in blue). I also list some of the additions/substitutions I use every time and some that I sometimes use. My recent favorite addition (to add more nuts to my 16 month old son's diet) is to grind up nuts to a meal and add them into the batter.

Note: I have reduced the amount of sugar in the recipe by 1/4 cup and it can potentially be reduced to 1/2 cup. Sugar does play a role in baking, so be careful how much you reduce it.

Whole Wheat Date Nut Muffins

Yield: 18-24 muffins (depending on how full you fill the cups)
Bake time: 15 minutes

Vegan (sub flax egg or banana)
Dairy Free (sub flax egg or banana)
Nut Free (leave out nuts)

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups hot water
1 cup pitted dates, chopped (can also sub other dried fruit)
1 large egg (sometimes I use 2 small eggs; can sub flax egg or banana)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil (I use coconut oil; can sub apple sauce (2-4 tbsp))
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour (I sub buckwheat flour or other whole grain flours)
1 cup whole-wheat flour (can sub other whole grain flours)
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon coarse salt
1 cup pecans, chopped (can sub any other nuts or leave out, whole or ground to a meal)
3/4 cup brown sugar (can reduce to 1/2 cup, can sub turbinado)

My Additions (I usually put in)
Nuts of any varieties (whole or ground)
Spices (1 tsp nutmeg, allspice, cinnamon, or ginger, 1/2 tsp cloves, all or some)
Hemp protein powder (2 tbsp)
Nutritional yeast (1 tbsp)

Other Additions (I sometimes put in)
Flax meal (2 tbsp)
Hemp seeds (2 tbsp)
Dried fruit (like raisins)
Molasses (1 tbsp)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan with cooking spray.
2. In a medium bowl, pour hot water over dates (and any other dried fruit) and let stand until slightly softened, about 5 minutes.
3. Whisk in egg (or flax egg or banana), oil (or apple sauce), and vanilla (and any other wet ingredients).
4. In another bowl, stir together flours, baking soda, salt, nuts, and sugar (and any other dry ingredients).
5. Fold wet mixture into dry until just combined.
6. Fill muffin pan about 3/4 full and smooth the top with a spatula.
7. Bake for 15 minutes for both regular and mini muffins, or until a tester inserted in the middle comes out clean. (bread bakes for about 65 minutes)
8. Let rest 10 minutes, then remove and move to a cooling rack.

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Easy Vegan Cupcakes and Frosting [Recipe]

Whether or not you follow a vegan diet, vegan cooking offers some amazing recipes that I make from time to time. Due to a dairy and nut allergy in some family members, I decided to make vegan cupcakes for a recent celebration event.

The cupcake recipe comes from 1000 Vegan Recipes, an excellent cookbook highly recommended by a vegan friend. The recipe is easy to make because of simple ingredients you can find at any grocery store. Of course, cupcakes require frosting! The easy vegan frosting recipe comes from Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World cookbook. The beauty of the cupcakes is that they can be adapted to make a vegan cake with vegan frosting (perfect for a vegan birthday party!).

Note: Remember to purchase organic, natural, non-GMO verified products. Canola oil and vegan baking substitutes can contain GMO ingredients and synthetic additives that you should avoid. When in doubt, purchase Certified Organic products.

Vegan Cupcakes

Yield: 12 cupcakes

Prep time: 10 minutes

Baking time: 20 minutes
Source: 1000 Vegan Recipes

Ingredients:

3/4 cup plain or vanilla soy milk (I used Eden Organics unflavored)
1 1/2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup canola oil or other neutral oil
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350. 
2. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper or foil cupcake liners and set aside.
3. In a small bowl, combine soy milk and vinegar and set aside. 
4. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix to combine.
5. In a large bowl (or stand mixer), combine the sugar, oil, and vanilla. Stir in the soy milk mixture. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir until smooth.
6. Pour the batter evenly into the prepared pans, about two-thirds full, and bake until a toothpick in the center of a cupcake comes out clean, about 20 minutes.
7. Cool completely before frosting.
   

Note: This recipe can be adapted to a vegan cake with vegan frosting. To make two 8 or 9 inch cakes, increase the recipe by 1.5 times. Oil the cake pans. Split evenly between the two pans. Bake for up to 30-35 minutes; start checking after 20 minutes.

Vegan Frosting

If you have a stand mixer, I would highly recommending using it with the paddle attachment for this recipe as it simplifies and speeds up the time. This recipe makes about 4-5 cups of frosting, which is enough for 36-48 cupcakes depending on how much frosting you put on each cupcake. Leftover frosting can be frozen.

Note: You can adjust the ratio of the shortening to the margarine depending on what you have on hand. For example, I used 3/4 cup of Organic Palm Oil Shortening and 1/4 cup of Melt Organic Buttery Spread (does contain a small amount of ghee).

Yield: 4-5 cups, enough for 36-48 cupcakes

Prep time: 10 minutes
Source: Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World

Ingredients:

1/2 cup non hydrogenated shortening (I used Tropical Traditions Organic Palm Oil Shortening)
1/2 cup non hydrogenated margarine (ex: Earth Balance)
3 1/2 cups powdered sugar (sift if clumpy)
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup plain soy milk (I used Eden Organics unflavored)

Directions:

1. Beat the shortening and margarine together until well combined and fluffy.
2. Add the sugar and beat for about 3 minutes.
3. Add the vanilla and soy milk and beat for 5-7 minutes until fluffy.
4. For chocolate frosting, add 3-4 tbsp of cocoa powder. Can add more or less depending on your preference. 
5. If frosting a cake and you would like stiffer frosting, add a little more powdered sugar until you get the right consistency. Consistency will also depend on the type of vegan shortening and margarine that you use.
   

Disclaimer: This post contains an affiliate link to where I usually shop. Your purchases support this blog at no additional cost to you. Regardless, I feature and recommend only brands and products that I myself would use.

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