Kelly, Author at The Nourishing Home

Almost Oatmeal Cookies (Grain-Free, Egg-Free, Dairy-Free Option)

EXCITING UPDATE: Hooray! My new cookbook – Everyday Grain-Free Baking – is now available online and at your favorite bookstores nationwide. Get a sneak peek here!

If you’ve been hanging out with me for awhile, then you know that for the last six months I’ve been developing more than 100 new grain-free, dairy-free recipes for my upcoming book “Everyday Grain-Free Baking.” I’m excited to share some good news … the manuscript went to the publisher last month and I just heard back that they love it! Yay! So it looks like we’re right on track for pre-orders to begin in November!

In the meantime, to celebrate, I thought we could bake-up some delicious grain free oatmeal cookies together! So of course, I’m excited to share a brand new recipe from the book that’s truly one of my personal favorites.

I call this recipe “Almost” Oatmeal Cookies, because although there isn’t a single oat in these beauties, the taste and texture is so reminiscent of their namesake, they’re certain to bring a smile to your face! (Especially if you’re like me and have been missing oatmeal cookies since going grain-free.)

Unsweetened shredded coconut is the secret behind this cookie’s chewy texture reminiscent of the oatmeal cookies we grew up enjoying. So grab a glass of milk and get ready for these delightful honey-sweetened treats!

P.S. The lovely napkins featured in these photos are courtesy of my friends at Hen House Linens. I just adore their beautiful table linens, and even more so, their mission to make mealtimes special by adding a touch of warmth and beauty to the table.

This delightful recipe is just one of more than 100 irresistible grain-free, dairy-free recipes in my new cookbook – Everyday Grain-Free Baking!

From breads, biscuits and muffins to savory snacks and decadent treats, you’ll find step-by-step instructions, beautiful color photographs and helpful tips & tidbits to make all of your GF baking adventures a delicious success!

Click here to get a SNEAK PEEK of the book!

Grain-Free "Oatmeal" Cookies (Egg-Free, Dairy-Free Option)

Yield: 1 1/2 dozen cookies

Ingredients

1 1/4 cup blanched almond flour
1 teaspoon coconut flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened (or palm shortening)
2 tablespoons coconut oil
1/4 cup honey
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 3/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
1/3 cup organic raisins

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
In a small bowl, combine the almond flour, coconut flour, baking soda and salt.
Using a stand mixer or electric hand mixer, mix together the butter (or palm shortening), coconut oil, honey, vanilla and cinnamon until smooth and creamy.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix well to combine. Then add the shredded coconut; continuing to mix until well blended.
Using a rubber spatula, fold in the raisins. Then drop the dough by rounded spoonfuls at least two inches apart onto the parchment-lined baking sheet. Use your fingers to slightly flatten the cookies into rounds.
Bake for 8-10 minutes, until golden brown along edges. Allow the cookies to completely cool on the cookie sheet, as they will be very soft and crumbly when hot.
Once cooled, they transform into the ultimate deliciously chewy treat!

https://thenourishinghome.com/2014/09/grain-free-oatmeal-cookies/

Disclosure: Some of the links in this post include affiliate links, providing The Nourishing Home a small percentage of the sale at no additional cost to you. Of course, you are not obligated to use these links to make a purchase, but if you do, it helps to support this site and ministry. Thank you!

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Ready to Jumpstart Your Health? Join me for Whole30!

By Kelly · 56 Comments

Are You Ready To Jumpstart Your Health? Awesome! Because I’d like to invite you to join me as I lead another round of The Whole30 – the awesome life-changing whole food program developed by New York Times Best Selling Authors Melissa and Dallas Hartwig. So if you’ve been wanting to take charge of your health, but haven’t been sure how to start, or you’ve fallen back into some unhealthy habits you’d like to kick, or simply want to further detox and re-energize, please be sure to check out my personal favorite FREE Whole30 Meal Plans, recipes and encouragement to make your 30-day journey a whole lot easier and more fun!

I have a confession to make … I haven’t been sticking to my healthy living goals like I should. As a result, I’ve been feeling pretty guilty about my poor food choices – and even worse – I’ve been paying for my mistakes physically with pain, discomfort, fatigue and a less than cheery disposition!

I’m sure you can relate … sometimes we get sidetracked and lose sight of what’s important. We can also get so busy taking care of everyone else, that we forget to take care of our own health and wellbeing! Truth is … It’s not an easy or enjoyable task to care for your family (and all those daily urgencies pressing upon you), if your energy levels have plummeted and your dealing with uncomfortable health issues!

So, if you’re feeling a little or a lot like me, and you’re ready to take charge of your health, I’d love for you to join me on a 30-day whole food journey … One that will set us all on the path to better health and more energy!

What is The Whole30?

For those of you just coming into the loop, Whole30 is a FREE nutritional program developed by New York Times Best Selling Authors Melissa and Dallas Hartwig that will help you jumpstart your health and get started (or make better progress) on your healthy living journey.

In a nutshell, the Whole30 program will help you to retrain your brain and body to thrive on REAL food, while also helping you to identify potentially problematic foods that may be sabotaging your health.

For those of you, like me, who may be suffering from chronic health issues – or suspect that food allergies or sensitivities may be impacting your health – taking the Whole30 challenge can help to unravel the mystery of which foods may be causing health issues and help to set you on a path to better health and more energy!

In fact, hundreds of thousands people with a wide variety of health concerns and chronic medical conditions have successfully completed the Whole30® program with amazing results. That’s so exciting and encouraging!

Personally, I’ve decided to take the Whole30 challenge to get back on track with my health. As mentioned, falling back into some poor eating habits, combined with lots of stress, has resulted in flare-ups and recurrences of pain with my autoimmune disorders – and I’ve been left feeling completely exhausted!

Let’s take charge of our health TOGETHER!

Since there is great encouragement that comes from having support from friends! What’s better than having a bunch of committed friends on board to keep you motivated and on track – and smiling too!

That’s why I would love for you to join me on this life-changing quest, as together we hit the “reset’ button and get back on track with our healthy living goals – one healthy bite at a time!

Free delicious grain-free Whole30 Recipes!

And … even if you’re not interested in taking the Whole30 challenge – no worries! – you will still benefit from a wealth of delicious new grain-free recipes that I’ll be sharing each week. Of course, this comes as no surprise, since I’m always excited to create and share scrumptious new gluten-free, grain-free recipes with you all.

Free weekly grain-free Whole30 Meal Plan Kits!

Even more exciting, I’ve put together a five-week series of FREE Whole30 meal plans that feature Whole30-compliant meals, a shopping list and prep ahead tips – and I’ve specifically designed the meal plans to be family-friendly. That way, you’re not having to cook multiple meals. Every dinner is a winner – promise!

Lots of encouragement and support!

Of course, I’ll also be providing lots of encouragement and support throughout our 30-day journey together. And if you’ve taken the Whole30 challenge before, we need you! Your experience and insight as an accomplished veteran is certain to be helpful and inspiring, so I hope you’ll join us too for another round of Whole30 and share your wisdom with us!

Ready to join us for Whole30? You can START anytime – how about NOW!

As you can see, I’m 100% committed to taking this journey with YOU, and promise to do my best to encourage and support you each step of the way!

Now, it’s up to you … Are you ready to significantly improve your health, energy levels and mood? If so, I’d love for you to join us. Then, you have some homework to do …

Homework?

Yes, I’ve got some very important homework for you! And please don’t wait until the last minute to cram … start now!

STEP 1: CONSIDER – Are you ready for the challenge?

Before you make the decision to join me on this awesome 30-day whole food journey, it’s vitally important that you first thoroughly read the Whole30 Program Overview and be sure you understand the Whole30 Program Rules, as well as download their helpful free resources, particularly the shopping list and meal planning template since these give a great overview of the types of foods you will want to fill your plate with, and the types of food you will need to avoid during the 30-day program.

Even better, if you can spare $12, I highly recommend downloading the Kindle version of the brand new Whole30 book, or purchasing the hardcover for $18. This New York Times Bestselling book provides everything you need to know about the Whole30 program – why it works, what you should be eating, answers just about any question you could think of, and best of all it provides a ton of great easy-to-make recipes!

Again, you don’t have to buy the book. But you do need to know what this program is all about! Thankfully, the basics on the program are covered for free on the Whole30 website, should you choose to forego purchasing the book.

Please Note: I do not provide any of the details about the Whole30 program here on the blog or in my emails, that’s all available via the Whole30 Website. I’m simply here to support you with encouragement and lots of my favorite recipes and meal plans to help make your 30-day journey a delicious success!

STEP 2: COMMIT – 100%, no excuses!

Once you’ve thoroughly reviewed the Whole30 program and have a clear understanding of what it’s all about, please carefully consider if this is a commitment you want to make and if you’re willing to stick to it for 30 days.

This program is only going to benefit you if you go into it with 100% commitment. It’s just 30 days, but its 30 days that can change your life, if you’re serious about making the commitment.

Quote from the Whole9 Team (founders of the Whole30 Program):

And I want to personally encourage you … the Whole30 program is definitely do-able, and it definitely works, but it’s going to take commitment … a willingness to stick with it. There’s no room for “cheating,” because the whole point is to break the cycle and help your body heal, so you can better discover which foods are triggering your health concerns.

Commitment and preparation are the key to having a successful Whole30 experience and that is why I am so excited to help encourage you and equip you for success by providing free weekly Whole30 Meal Plans and a community forum for us to hold each other accountable and keep ourselves committed to the goal of improving our health one healthy bite at a time!

STEP 3: CONNECT – Get connected for better success and more FUN!

I highly encourage you to join us! There are so many of us who have completed the Whole30 program and we’re available to answer your questions and support you throughout your 30-day journey and beyond. As a subscriber-friend, you’ll receive my free weekly Whole30 Meal Plans, which contains lots of delicious recipes, as well as helpful tips, encouragement and support!

Let’s get started!

That’s it, that’s your homework! Three steps are all it takes to get started on the path to better health and more energy – one healthy bite at a time!

So get to it, my friend! Follow the three steps above, and if you decide you’re on board for 30 days of whole food crazy-good LIFE-CHANGING FUN, then be sure to check out my Day Zero: Getting Ready for Whole30 post for tips on getting started, before you get started. Does that make sense?

In my DAY ZERO: Getting Ready for Whole30 post, you’ll find out:
• How to get ready for your Whole30 experience
• Tips for stocking your pantry for quick Whole30 meals
• Encouragement and helpful tips for thinking positive and getting connected to ensure your success!
Click here if you’re ready to take the next step – “Day Zero: Getting Ready for Whole30!“

Remember, you can start your Whole30 journey anytime!

What are you waiting for?

If you’re still reading this, chances are you are concerned about your health. Why not make the commitment to take charge of your health and take the 30-day whole food journey with us? I know you’ll be glad you did!

Joyfully Serving HIM (and you!), Kelly

*Disclosure: This is not a paid endorsement of the Whole30 program. After careful consideration and prayer, I decided to personally take the Whole30 challenge since it’s a proven method for improving health and wellbeing. And because I care about you, I’m inviting you to join me in taking the 30-day Whole30 challenge. Please note: The only affiliate link in this post is an Amazon link to the book. Should you choose to purchase the book via the link above, The Nourishing Home will receive a small commission at no additional charge to you. And last but certainly not least, I am not a health professional, so nothing in this post, or on this site, is intended to replace the advice of a physician. Please see my full disclosure for more details. Thank you!

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Easy Crockpot Black Bean Soup (GF, DF)

By Kelly · 20 Comments

Note from Kelly: I’m so pleased to have my sweet friend Beth joining us today to share her simply delicious recipe for Crockpot Black Bean Soup. Beth is the humorous and talented author of the natural living blog, Red and Honey where she writes about real food recipes, natural living DIYs, alternative health topics, and motherhood. So without further ado, take it away, Beth …

Guest post by Beth at Red and Honey

Black bean soup is the sneakiest meal ever; it’s basically like a ninja. It’s super frugal and ridiculously easy. There’s no main meat feature. There’s not a plethora of fancy ingredients to be deemed gourmet. One might think that it shouldn’t even taste very good with that introduction. But BAM! It’s a party of deliciousness with its warm and smooth black bean taste; notes of bacon, fried onion and peppers; plus sea salt, and my personal favorite – ground cumin! (Pretty much anything Tex-Mex-related is the best, including my family’s all-time favorite Southwest Taco Soup.)

You can top this hearty black bean soup with a dollop of sour cream and a sprinkling of chives. Or maybe a little grated sharp cheddar and crumbled organic corn chips? I sometimes serve it over rice, which my kids enjoy. Avocado would be awfully nice, too. Mmmm, now I’m hungry!

I love meals where meat is not the main player because they’re easy on the budget, but to be honest – I’ve tried a lot of frugal recipes that have disappointed me in the taste department. I may be on a tight budget, but I like GOOD FOOD! I don’t believe that you have to sacrifice taste when you’re on a budget. In fact, I believe that plain and simple meals can be amazing. You just have to find the magical combo of ingredients (and maybe add a little bacon) …

Easy Crockpot Black Bean Soup (GF, DF)

6 servings

Ingredients

8 slices nitrate-free bacon
1 cup diced bell pepper (yellow, red, or orange)
1 medium onion, diced
5 cloves fresh garlic, finely chopped
5-6 cans of black beans, drained (or 8-10 cups soaked and cooked black beans)
4 cups homemade chicken broth
3 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons salt

Instructions

Fry bacon in a pan (I love my cast-iron!) Remove cooked bacon and set aside.
Using the bacon grease in the pan, sauté peppers, onions, and garlic until mostly translucent.
Add cumin and salt to the pepper mixture, and stir to combine for about a minute.
Add the pepper mixture and all remaining ingredients to a 6-quart slow cooker set on low heat.
Crumble up the bacon, and add to crockpot as well.
Cook for 6 hours on low (or 4 hours or high).
Use an immersion blender to partially puree the soup, according to your preference. I like mine just shy of all the way blended, but you blend to whatever consistency you prefer.
Serve with your favorite toppings, and enjoy!

Notes

Note from Kelly: We love Beth's delicious black bean soup topped with a huge scoop of my fresh mango-pineapple salsa and a side of grilled shrimp kebobs! It's a real Caribbean delight!

https://thenourishinghome.com/2014/08/easy-crockpot-black-bean-soup-gf-df/

Beth is the creator and editor at Red & Honey, a lifestyle blog for the naturally-minded homemaker. She recently began a passionate love affair with coffee and her life will never be the same. She has had three babies in less than four years, is a professional laundry-avoider, and loves to stay up way too late making weird stuff from scratch that normal people tend to just buy in a store. Hence, the coffee. You can follow Beth at her blog Red and Honey, as well as join the Red and Honey Facebook Community.

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