Apple #Fig Muffins #recipe - complements of #AHO

Complements of Abundant Harvest Organics (AHO), I'm sharing their recipe for Apple Fig Muffins that my son and I made (modifications are annotated by an asterisk).

Ingredients:
2 cups whole wheat flour 
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup * coconut sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1 cup * organic vanilla yogurt 
1 egg beaten
1/3 cup melted butter 
1 1/2 cups of chopped figs 
2 cups of shredded (or thinly sliced) apples 

Topping:
1 T melted butter
1/4 cup almonds
1/4 cup rolled oats
1/4 cup * coconut sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl. Combine egg, yogurt, and butter in a small bowl. Beat together until all is moist. Stir in apples and figs. 

Spoon batter into baking cups using an ice cream scoop to fill. Combine the topping ingredients and spoon over muffins, pressing down in batter a bit.

It makes 18 regular sized muffins. 

Bake in 375 degree oven for 22-25 minutes depending on the size or until toothpick inserted comes out clean. 

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Choose, eat, and live well! =)

#Recipes compliments of #BuenaLomaGardens

Here is a quick way to make salsa and guacamole. And you'll see from the images, you don't need a fancy blender! I spent an afternoon with Elvie from Buena Loma Gardens where she showed me some quick recipes using whole foods!


For the salsa base: fresh squeezed lemon juice about 1/4 cup, 1/2 of a large white onion, 5 medium tomatoes, 3 cloves of garlic and one pepper (choose your desired heat level). Blend but not 'til smooth. 

Pour into a bowl and add 1/2 cup fresh cilantro. Stir. Salsa is ready!




Guacamole: Prepare 6 avocados, pour 1/2 cup of salsa and mix. 

For another healthy, easy dish - roasted organic vegetables (eggplant, bell peppers, onions, tomatoes, and zucchini). We grilled them with sea salt. Yep - that's it. No oils! 



We served the salsa and guacamole with organic blue corn chips and the roasted veggies with a side of basmati rice. Simple, nutritious, and delicious! 

I do receive a small commission from Amazon.com if you purchase anything through their site using one of the links above (read my full advertising disclosure here). 

Thank you very much for your generosity in helping to offset the costs of website upkeep, so that I can keep sharing wellness resources with my community and beyond.

Subscribe to my blog here to never miss a post. 
Follow me on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.

Download my free eGuide when you subscribe to my monthly newsletters for free.

Choose, eat, and live well! =)

Cucumber Appetizer

As I previously mentioned, I would be creating a separate post on an 'appetizer' I sampled at Buena Loma Gardens. 

I call it an appetizer because it surely would be a great dish to serve at a dinner party or other event where finger foods are ideal.

Ingredients needed:
Asian cucumbers
Cream cheese
Tomato pesto
Baked kale

Slice cucumbers at an angle. Add a dollop of cream cheese and spread evenly on top of cucumbers. Add tomato pesto on top of cream cheese and then sprinkle baked kale. 

Buon Appetito!

How to make tomato pesto: Sun dry your tomatoes or dehydrate. Place the dehydrated tomatoes in a food processor (or vitamix), olive oil (the amount should be equal to the amount of tomatoes you used - not too soupy but not too thick), oregano and other Italian herbs, and garlic salt (or fresh minced garlic). Optional: add roasted peppers. Make a big batch and freeze extras.

Baked kale: Remove stems, add olive oil, salt, and garlic to the kale and bake at 275 degrees for 30-40 minutes. You can add the tomato pesto before baking or once it's already out. 

It is a superb dish. I hope you'll try it! 

Choose, eat, and live well! =)

Buena Loma Gardens - Baked Kale and Salsa con Nopales

My friend asked me to publish the article she wrote on her trip to Buena Loma Gardens and share it on my blog, which published on July 4th, 2012. In her article, she plugged a local farmer, Charlie, and his wife, Elvie. It was a win-win situation: I got to share a gem and it peaked my interest to visit myself! . 

After my son and I went blueberry picking, we took a nice ride out to the other side of Temecula - about a 25 minute drive from the Temecula Blueberry Co. It was a scenic ride. I have lived here for 4 years and haven't even scratched the surface of what Temecula has to offer! In my friend's article (already linked above), she said she got lost but found some signs to Buena Loma Gardens (below) and thought, why not?! So I ventured the same route and this is what I found, too: 

Before my visit, I had contacted Elvie and Charlie to inform them that I would publish Elisa's article on my blog and would keep them in the loop about the amount of hits her article generated. I informed them that I would be bringing my son to see them and learn more about their farm. 

Believe it or not, we spent 2 hours there! When we first arrived, a family was there purchasing produce and another customer showed up after us. I met Charlie first. I introduced myself and then he went to get Elvie. She came out a few minutes later with a tray full of yummy snacks. She gave all of us a few food demonstrations on how to make flavorful combinations. One of the demonstrations and samples she offered us was kale baked with EVOO, garlic, salt, and her tomato pesto. She added the kale to slices of fresh avocado. It was delicious. I love both kale and avocados but I would not have thought to put them together at least not in the manner that she showed us!

She also showed us another nutritious snack using Asian cucumbers but this one is worthy of a separate post or read it here. Below is a picture of Salsa con Nopales. I inquired about the uses of nopales and she brought out the salsa along with some tortilla chips to dip and it offered a fresh taste with a slight crunch. I grew up in south Texas and many of my friends' families prepared and ate nopales. I am open to trying every fruit and vegetable so when I had the salsa it seemed like a familiar taste. I am sure I've had this before as a kid many moons ago. 


I was given a personal tour of their garden and I lost count on the varieties of fruits and vegetables that they grew. If I had to take a guess ... probably 30-40 different plants! Charlie spoke to me about his vast knowledge on composting and organic gardening. The information I learned, I hope I can remember when I start next season (and for the very first time!) gardening in soil. Charlie said I could email him for support and gain the know-hows to keep a beautiful and fruitful garden. (Until that times comes, I will be gardening through the use of the Tower Garden by Juice Plus+ (aeroponic gardening). 

Both Charlie and Elvie spoke about their passion in educating the public about healthy eating and helping people to see how easy and affordable it really is to eat well never compromising on taste. They said it goes beyond just eating healthy - it is a way of life! I couldn't agree more! 

We spent $12 and I came home with 8 Kara Kara tangerines, 8 Ana apples, 3 nopales, some cayenne peppers, her organic dried seasonings, 1/2 pound of dried persimmons, 8 white nectarines, 10 bunches of kale (freshly picked from the garden), 3 Asian cucumbers, and a sample of her tomato pesto. 

The hospitality and friendliness of Charlie and Elvie is inviting and makes you feel comfortable as soon as you get out of your car. That's probably why we stayed so long! My son enjoyed playing in the dirt while I got to take in some new recipes. When it was time to go, he wanted to stay and hang out. That's a good sign if anyone knows how a 3 year old can be.

Fresh kale before baking. 

Since our visit, my son has thoroughly enjoyed the dried persimmons. We've eaten all the nectarines, and most of the tangerines along with most of the apples. I baked the kale using half (5 bunches). The best way to make the kale is to bake at 275 degrees for 30 minutes. Longer at lower temperatures is better than quicker at higher temps - well, unless you're using the hot California sun. For example, drying persimmons in the sun takes about 8 hours but in a dehydrator, it is about 24 hours. 

I may remove the stems next time for better crisping. 

Enough about my visit. Have you gone yet? If you haven't read the other post yet, they're open 7 days a week from 9a - 7p or by special arrangement (always call first). Ask Elvie to show you some food combinations when you stop through and please do not forget to tell her that you learned about her through the Conveying Awareness' blog. 

Choose, eat, and live well! =)