Coconut

July 23, 2010

Grilled Coconut Sweet Potato Kebabs

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Thankfully I want and crave healthy food all the time. I desire simple preparations that let the ingredients speak for themselves. Sweet Potatoes (what we interchangeably call the Yam) is at the top of my list. Traditionally sweet potatoes are served in the Fall & Winter months. I need them and crave them all year round. In this recipe I fire up the grill and add some unrefined coconut oil to make these oh so refined. If I could throw a giant party dedicated to the Sweet Potato I would (with a runner up being Salmon.) Perhaps I would call it “Sweet Potato Palooza?” Oh wait, that name has been claimed by a friend……

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~ Marla Meridith

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Breakfast

July 20, 2010

Chocolate Crepes with Cherry Jam and Ricotta Cheese

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With so much cherry going on these days I simply had to create a recipe using everyone’s favorite Summer fruit. I recently purchased a few pints ofBing & Rainier Cherries at Whole Foods. While many were enjoyed out of hand….most were added to these crepes in the form of a cherry jam. I have been all about fruity sauces and spreads lately. Whenever we have a fresh batch of fruit part of it goes into some kind of saucy creation like in my Coconut Corn Flour Pancakes with Blueberry Sauce. Even my savories, Coconut Oat crusted Chicken Nuggetsget a fruit sauce treatment, in that recipe the fruit is pomegranate.
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~ Marla Meridith

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Coffee

July 16, 2010

{Video} Frappuccino Style Coffee Shake

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We all love icy cold treats and drinks in the Summer time. Heck, I love them all year round. Sometimes we do not have the time or inclination to get to our favorite Starbucks or other coffee shops. Often we want our creamy frozen drink in the comfort of our own home. These days there are many versions of the creamy & sweet Frappuccino or Ice Blended drinks. I posted this drink last winter and it was time to reveal it again, this time with video.

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~ Marla Meridith

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Dessert

July 13, 2010

Dairy Free Peach Pudding

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Things this recipe has: sweet & juicy, ripe summer peaches, silky tofu, vanilla extract and stevia. Maple syrup, honey or agave would taste really good in here too. Things it doesn’t have: milk, cream or refined sugars.

I went dairy free with this pudding because I wanted to try something new. I have read about dairy-free tofu based puddings for some time and I needed to do the taste test. The texture is a cross between a custard and a pudding. When the tofu is pulsed in the food processor it turns creamy like a pudding, but a bit textural like a custard.
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~ Marla Meridith

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July 9, 2010

Food and Light Photography Workshop

You know when you have experiences that are vibrant and life-changing? The ones that push you in directions that you never thought possible. Events that that give you a subtle nod that you are traveling in the right direction? Something very magical happened last week. That would be my trip to Boulder, CO for the Food and Light photography workshop.

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~ Marla Meridith

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Appetizers

July 6, 2010

Coconut Oat Crusted Chicken Nuggets & Two Pomegranate Sauces

I was recently selected to be in a super fun summer cooking competition. Coach’s Oats and POM Wonderful have gotten together to do a second round of their Recipe Battle. POM Wonderful hosts occasional cooking challenges with other healthy food companies to see who can come up with the most delish recipe. Each company chooses their signature ingredients and one blogger each to represent them.

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~ Marla Meridith

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Berries

July 2, 2010

Mixed Berry Yogurt Parfaits

Are you having a picnic, grill fest or potluck for July 4th? If your answer is yes or no this yogurt berry parfait will tempt your sweet buds no matter what. It will also help keep your healthy eating in check. This yogurt parfait is a sweetly satisfying alternative to heavier desserts. With raspberry and blueberry sauces it is sort of like a ice cream sundae, but the yogurt version.

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~ Marla Meridith

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Appetizers

June 29, 2010

Cheddar Cheese “Goldfish” Crackers

I had so much fun putting this cracker recipe together. My goal was to lighten up and add lots of nutrients to the standard mass marketed “Goldfish” crackers.

How are my cheddar crackers different you ask? First of all, unlike the overly processed packaged versions these are best served straight out of the oven. They have a crispy outside and a doughy, biscuit type interior.

My recommendation is to munch them pretty quickly as they are best fresh (this is not hard to do!)

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~ Marla Meridith

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Commentary

June 25, 2010

Happy First Birthday MarlaMeridith.com!

One Year Ago

I cannot believe it is my blog’s first birthday!! Also my hubs 40th b’day today! A whole year has gone by and I have learned and grown so much. 40 years of life experiences for Mr. Fresh, but that is another post. I will never forget the first time I hit the Publish button Sweet Potato Shepherd’s Pie (in the beginning of Summer none the less.) I started this blog as a fun way to inspire and share creative, healthy recipes.

People kept asking me everywhere I went how I stay fit and what sort of food I ate. They wanted to learn about the foods I feed my family. We are not “take-out” types. I make home cooked meals every chance I get. Thankfully, I have many methods that keep me in the kitchen as little as possible. I try to keep bellies fed and smiles on faces (sometimes that is not so easy with a 3 and 6 year old!)

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~ Marla Meridith

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Curry

June 22, 2010

Curry Turkey Breast with Yogurt Dipping Sauce

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Do you want a really quick lunch or dinner? Well here you have it. You can prepare this turkey breast in minutes. I suggest a Big Batch so you have it around for a few meals and mini meals. It feels so great to be able to reach into your fridge at any time and pull out a tasty healthy meal. This turkey would be great shredded or cubed on top of your Mixed Green Salad with Goat Cheese Pecan Balls. It could go on any salad. The first time I cooked it we had it with my Nutty Coconut Rice and Golden Raisins. Both the turkey and the rice have curry powder, so they compliment each other nicely. The coconut, curry combo is a match made in heaven. The yogurt sauce adds a little something special.

{Facebook Giveaway} Please stop by my FACEBOOK page if you would like to enter to win a copy of Tosca Reno’s Eat Clean Diet for Families and Kids. All you need to do is become a fan and leave a comment over there.

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~ Marla Meridith

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Breakfast

June 18, 2010

Green Supreme Shake-Kiwi, Avocado, Green Tea & Coconut

Oh Summer. The tastes, flavors and textures cool down as the temperatures rise. The creamy thick shake you see above is kid approved and great for grown ups too. The sweet flavors of kiwi fruit & banana combine with creamy avocado and coconut combine to create a thick shake that won’t leave you feeling “thick.” It’ll leave you feeling light and very happy. This ice blended drink is filled with antioxidants, healthy fats and sweet good for you stuff. Sipped through a straw and you have the perfect summer shake. It is simple to prepare for hot weather backyard BBQ’s, parties and entertaining.

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~ Marla Meridith

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Berries

June 15, 2010

Coconut Corn Pancakes with Blueberry Sauce – Gluten Free

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I enjoy experimenting with high energy whole grains and flours. Things that make me & the family feel great. I LOVE passing these recipes on to you guys. For breakfast each day I usually enjoy my Stuffed French Toast. Here I have a go at a healthy pancake stack. In these I use coconut flour and corn flour instead of traditional whole wheat. You will not miss the gluten in these fluffy pancakes. The corn and coconut flavor is wonderful. The blueberry sauce adds a nice sweet fruit component. We were all very happy with the results.

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~ Marla Meridith

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