// homegirl recipe: whole-wheat spinach tortillas //

Back in 2010, Geoff and I decided to make a switch from Top Ramen, Doritos, cokes, and junk food, to truly wholesome, nutrient-dense foods. We were a bit extreme and we knew it; but hey, when the world deals you a Cancer diagnosis, such measures are necessary for your physical and mental health. I cannot tell you how difficult it was, though, especially in social settings. As humans, we are defiantly protective of our emotionally-ridden foods. Even if we did not mind not eating what everything else was, others did; even if they did not verbally state it, the implications were loud and clear to us. It was especially difficult to go out to eat and not have healthy foods on the menu (or knowing that what was advertised as 'healthy' wasn't at all). We were vegetarians for two years, vegan for two weeks (we love our cheese too much), and since then, eat primarily healthy with treats sprinkled in throughout for our wholesome souls. My specialty has truly become making our favorite treats into healthier alternatives. When I first starting blogging about recipes, specifically, I asked girlfriends who were also looking for healthier alternatives to guest blog. I thought it would be such a fun way to support, share and encourage each other!

Cue, Stephanie! Stephanie has been a friend of mine since elementary school! Despite all of my moving around, we ended up at the same schools throughout our childhood and teenage years. Today, you can find this gorgeous girl, DIYing, crafting, hosting, cooking, running, working out, all while motivating others, including her husband, to take steps towards a healthier lifestyle! She recently posted these tortillas and I immediately texted her asking her to guest blog for us!
(Follow her on Instagram @stephanievdominguez)

Warm, soft, healthier tortillas? Yes, please! I can't wait to try these! Without further ado, here is this beauty:


Servings:

2 dozen / 6” tortillas

The Goods:

½ tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

½ cup water

½ cup extra virgin olive oil

2 cups all-purpose gluten free or wheat flour

6 cups spinach

The Process:

1.     In a large pot, add water and spinach and cook
     down over medium heat until tender.

2.     Remove excess water from spinach, but keep the nutrient rich spinach water to add back into dough.

3.     In a blender or food processor, add spinach and blend until smooth.

4.     Add baking powder, salt, oil, and flour to spinach. Blend until mix crumbles.

5.     Slowly add spinach water as needed until dough is smooth.
                                               

6.     Remove dough and divide into equal parts.

7.     With a rolling pin, roll each part into thin circles. Or use a tortilla press (much quicker)! 
     Sprinkle flour as needed to avoid dough sticking to rolling pin or tortilla press.

                   

8.     In Teflon coated pan over medium heat (no need to add butter or cooking spray), toast each side until golden spots appear.

                                                   

9.     Enjoy!

Share your favorite healthier alternative recipe! Have a challenge for me to healthify (yes, that's a word!) your favorite indulgences? Let's do it!

Pumpkin [Chocolate Chip] Pancakes

This morning, I woke up bright and early and started on my chores and decided that we needed pancakes. I was going to attempt to come up with a recipe for more protein pancakes and then realized that I have  pure pumpkin puree- hooray! (ha!)! Pumpkin pancakes it is!

Not only is pumpkin delicious but the health benefits make me wonder why I forget about it all year long! The only other times I use it is if I'm ever making store bought cake mixes which is extremely rare...but I just substitute all the additioanl ingredients for a can (for chocolate cake)! It has thousands and thousands units of Vitamin A (which is good for your vision, immune system, babies in the womb -ahem-, & bone health); it has more potassium than a banana & a bunch of other minerals; fiber!!!; & it's an antioxidant!

Guys, these were AMAZING! Like a crispy pumpkin pie or cookie or scone or...pancake! haha! So delicious! Since I made it vegan, I was able to taste the batter and adjust measurements to my liking. In the end, I decided they needed more sweetness and added a little bit of mini chocolate chips which really made these pancakes, in my opinion. You can definitely omit the chocolate chips and add carob chips or none at all to make this fully vegan!

Yummy pancake stacks; fluffy goodness; Honey Munster silently and awkwardly begging.

Ingredients

-1 1/14 whole wheat pastry flour [I'm sure regular whole wheat would be fine]
-2 tsp. baking powder
-1/2 tsp. salt
-2 tbsp. brown sugar
-1 1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
-1 cup Pumpkin Puree
-1 1/2 cups almond milk
-1 tsp. vanilla extract
-1 tsp.-1 tbsp. of chai seeds
-1 tbsp. flax seed*
-3 tbsp. warm water*
*egg substitution

Optional:

1/4 cup mini chocolate chips or carob chips or none at all!

Directions

1. Start by mixing your egg substitution (warm water + flax seed) that way you can keep your recipe vegan and taste/adjust as you go. Set it aside. Heat up a griddle or pan and lightly spray it with EVOO.

2. Mix all your dry ingredients in a large bowl (whole wheat flour, brown sugar, baking powder, salt, & pumpkin spice).

3. Add your wet ingredients to the mix (pumpkin puree, almond milk, flax seed/water, & vanilla). Mix.

4. Taste! Here is where I thought it needed more oomph (as in sweetness). I wanted it to taste more pumpkin-y (yup, that's a word), so I added more puree (originally I had only added 3/4 of a cup). I don't like adding sugar so 2 tbsp. of brown sugar was enough. I considered honey and then remembered I had mini chocolate chips! My favorite! I added 1/4 cup of chocolate chips, gave it a quick stir and voila! Perfection!

5. To make the same size (or similar sized) pancakes, I use the same measuring cup or ice cream scooper to scoop & serve. Use whatever size you want- I think I use 1/4 of a cup. This gave me enough for 8 pancakes! Cook your batter on medium high heat and flip when you know they're ready (usually about 4 minutes or so or depending on how you like your pancakes). Cook the other side and serve immediately! So delish!

Enjoy! Can you believe how amazingly HEALTHY these are?!

:]

With my leftover pumpking puree, I'm thinking of a pumpkin smoothie later for a healthy dessert or if it lasts til morning, I'll add it, along with cinnamon & almond milk, to oatmeal for a sweet, low-calorie breakfast. Yum!