Citrus Coleslaw

Have you ever wanted fresh fruits and vegetables in a non-heavy kind of slaw?  One that isn't mayonnaise based with lots of other chemicals lurking behind the scene?  Want it to be refreshing too?  Well, this is the recipe for you - it was for me!  I had this slaw at a dinner party and fell in love with it.  The host was clear on the ingredients list, but vague as to actual amounts because she felt you could add however much you wanted of any one ingredient to suit your own tastes.  Normally, I like a straight forward recipe, but this one is particularly forgiving and really great to make how you like it.  It is totally fresh and completely processed free.  I'll give some rough estimates for the ingredient list, but personalize this to your own tastes. 

1/4 to 1/2 head of shredded purple cabbage
1 cup shredded carrots
1 zucchini, shredded
6 to 7 radishes, shredded
1/2 to whole apple, shredded (I like pink lady)
1/2 to 1 cup pineapple, finely chopped
1/4 to 1/2 cup fresh pineapple juice
zest of 1-2 limes and their juice
(optional: add a bit of freshly grated ginger)

Combine all in a bowl and stir - it's that simple!  I really have made this with lots of varying amounts and it has always tasted great.  I take a bite and see what else it needs and call it good. 

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Protein Pancakes

My kids spent the night at their grandparent's house and when I picked them up in the morning, my mom had made them pumpkin chocolate chip pancakes.  They were delicious, but certainly not processed free since they came from a box mix.  I'm trying to add more protein to my diet that doesn't always involve eating meat, so I've been playing around with some recipes that can incorporate a high quality protein powder.  I knew I could incorporate that into a pancake recipe, but the thought of combining it with pumpkin and chocolate chips was too tempting.  Here is my version of an individual serving of pumpkin chocolate chip protein pancakes.

1/3 cup water
1 egg
1/4 cup oats
1/2 scoop vanilla protein powder
1 tsp. butter or coconut oil
1/4 cup pumpkin puree
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. Truvia (or sweetener of your choice)
1/4 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
pinch of salt
chocolate chips (I like Lily's brand)

Put all the ingredients into a small blender, except the chocolate chips, and blend until smooth.  This will create your pancake batter.  Pour a small amount into a greased pan and sprinkle on some chocolate chips.  Flip and repeat the process until the batter is gone.   

This makes anywhere from 4-6 pancakes depending on the amount of batter you use. This is an individual serving, but this recipe is easily doubled or tripled to serve more.  I also like to use the Lily brand chocolate chips because they are sweetened with stevia and erythritol, but you can use whatever you like.