Chai Spice Latte & Zucchini Griddle Cakes (Almond & Coconut Flour)

If you’re anything like me, chai lattes are hands down a favorite… Even though I love my coffee and espresso, chances are I’d choose a chai spice latte over a cup of joe any day… Anyway, it was after I had been given some of the most INCREDIBLY gorgeous and potpourri-like loose leaf chai spice tea that I came up with this recipe.

I really should have posted this MONTHS ago (as I created this insanely delicious recipe back in January, I believe) but alas, here it is!

Chai Spice Latte Zucchini Griddle Cakes w/ No Sugar Apricot Preserves & Almond Butter

I know you must be wondering, “zucchini???” Yes, zucchini… the idea came from my overly abundant package of zucchini just sitting in the fridge. Additionally, I know that zucchini adds a nice amount of moisture to breads/cakes so I thought, “Why not?”

Here’s the recipe for my Chai Spice Latte & Zucchini Griddle Cakes made with Almond & Coconut Flour:

1/4 c. almond flour
2 T coconut flour (sifted)
1/2 t baking soda
1/4 t sea salt
1 t cinnamon (omit or add to taste)
1 egg
1/2 t vanilla extract
2 T loose leaf chai tea (depending on how strong or not you prefer; or a tea bag)
2 T to 1/4 c. almond milk
2 T finely shredded zucchini (I squeezed mine with a paper towel to drain excess moisture)

1. Gather materials; measure out the dry ingredients first
2. Sift and combine the almond & coconut flour with the sea salt, cinnamon and baking soda
3. Prep chai tea by placing the almond milk in a small saucepan & warming to a simmer/just before boiling (you don’t want to boil the milk)
4. When the almond milk reaches a nice simmer, add the loose leaf chai and let steep for a good 10 minutes or so (more or less, it’s really up to you but I like to get that strong flavor, personally) and let the temperature come down a bit
5. Beat the egg in a separate bowl (try to get it a bit foamy), add the vanilla to the egg then mix this in with the dry ingredients
6. Strain the chai from the saucepan/milk (unless you used a tea bag, in which case, remove it) and add it to the griddle cake mix
7. Add the zucchini to the mixture
8. Spoon your batter onto your griddle or pan, cook and voila!

I added some apricot preserves to mine with a dollop of almond butter and it was hands down, the best griddle cakes I’ve prepared to date… I really should take the time to make another batch at some point in the very near future

Oh also, if you like your pancakes a bit sweet, I’d recommend using a couple of drops of stevia extract to the batter… I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I did (and will continue to!)…

Much Love and Deliciously Healthy Eats!
~K

Cinnamon Apple Spice Waffles (Almond Flour)

I came up with this recipe out of my pure love of apples, cinnamon and waffles… I… love… waffles.

K’s Cinnamon Apple Spice Waffles
1/4 c blanched almond flour
1 T flax meal (optional)
1 t cinnamon (more or less to your own preference)
1/4 t pumpkin (pie) spice
1 egg
1 T applesauce (or you can use finely diced apple–I’ve tried both and enjoyed both)
1 grind sea salt (or a pinch of salt)
1 t (or more) sweetener of your choice–maple syrup, honey, etc (or stevia drops to taste)
1/4 t baking soda
2 quick dashes cream of tartar (not necessary but I like to add it sometimes)

Combine the dry ingredients–I recommend sifting the almond flour to fluff it up a bit. Mix in the egg, then the applesauce and sweetener. I also recommend you allow the batter to rest for 5 to 10 minutes to allow the baking soda and cream of tartar to do their magic… Plop the mixture into a heated waffle iron or griddle and have at it!

*if you’d like to turn this into a griddle cake recipe, simply add liquid until it’s a bit more of a fluid consistency. I’d recommend unsweetened almond or coconut milk–try it out a tablespoon at a time.

This batch makes about 2 waffles and possibly 3 silver dollar sized griddle cakes. I topped mine with freshly ground almond butter and agave (which I’m omitting from my diet due to the affects it has on the liver).

Kapua’s Cocoa Protein [Recovery] Bars (Recipe)

I wanted to see how much feedback I would receive regarding my protein bars and I was overwhelmed with the wonderful support and feedback from all of You!

Kapua's Cocoa Protein (Recovery) Bars

Spirit has a lovely way of encouraging… Last night, as I was meditating before going to sleep, Spirit (in the form of my Crew–Beings of Light, Ascended Masters and Angels) came to me and told me not to withhold my Gift(s) as a Healer. I immediately knew that they meant: Publish your recipes, ALL of them. They then told me this:

“Your food is also your Gift as a Healer. You will Heal others through your recipes and your food. It is necessary for those seeking You out [who are not physically able to meet you] to receive Your Healing Work and Energies remotely through your recipes.”

It made and makes absolute and perfect “sense” to me and I was so humbled upon receiving this message! I remember, last year, I kept wondering, “How am I a healer? How can I heal others without actually working on them? (Meaning via physical touch and/or remote, individually focused energy work)” Well, here is yet another path that Spirit has Guided me toward!

It never occurred to me that part of the “Affirmations, Musings and Messages” part of my articles/writings was actually VIA my recipes–my food! This is a huge confirmation for me and I hope you can bear with me in my excitement of this revelation! My recipes ARE: Affirmations, Musings and Messages! How fantastically Blessed and Awesome is that?!

Ok, ok my patient Little Surfers (reference my very first blog post)… Here it is, without further ado:

The Health Nut’s Protein [Recovery] Bar (Cocoa)

I’ve always been a bit of a health nut… my friends and family will attest to this.

In December I began a regimented diet (broken into phases) which has allowed me to pretty much detox from things like sugar, starches and fats.

I’m a HUGE whole-foods advocate. I’m not a die-hard, whole-foods-only type of person, but I make every effort to educate myself on knowing exactly what ingredients are in the “stuff” that I am putting into my body! However, even lovers of whole foods based diets want to be able to enjoy “snacky” types of foods and can appreciate things like protein bars, etc.

I make an effort to work out at least 5 days per week. Anyone who is well versed in fitness knows (or at least SHOULD know) that after working out (especially long workouts), your body needs fuel for recovery–[clean] protein being the best fuel. I personally want something quick, easy and tasty for a recovery snack, and since I’m not interested in spending ridiculous amounts of money on protein bars (that are all too often packed with sugars, unnecessary fats, ingredients and chemicals) I had to come up with my own “solution”. Also, sorry but a scoop of protein powder in my water bottle gets boring! I know, there are hardcore athletes and gym rats who think food is ONLY fuel but that simply isn’t how I view food–that’s a bit too extreme for me!

With that, I decided to draw up my own recipe for a nutritious, homemade protein/energy/snack/recovery bar for those on-the-go, and even the ‘anytime’ moments.

The Health Nut's Protein (Recovery) Bars (Cocoa)

I shopped around and found an EXCELLENT whey protein isolate powder that I love–no chemicals, totally “clean”… In fact, it’s THE cleanest protein powder I’ve found so far. I didn’t want to use seeds and nuts alone because frankly, it wouldn’t provide enough protein and/or be considered anything more than a simple “nut”/”snack” bar… true? Yes, I think so.

Body Basix Chocolate Flavor Whey Protein Isolate Powder

I wanted to post this right away because of how excited I am to finally discover a protein powder that I like and that, again, is CLEAN! I’m working out the details of the recipe but still wanted to share, so if you’re interested in the recipe, please subscribe to my blog, “Like” my FB Page, comment here and/or email me at guidedbyspirit@gmail.com.

I’ll do my best to update with the recipe shortly (it make take a bit of time as I’m currently in the process of moving)! I’ve already received great feedback from friends who’ve tried it!

Acai Bowl & Gluten Free Griddle Cakes (2)

A Bowl of Acai w/ Gluten/Grain Free Griddle Cakes (2)

Breakfast is a running theme for me, isn’t it? I swear, I’m going to add other recipes–I promise! I have a tendency to stick with something until I’ve perfected it, luckily, I think the following recipe for gluten/grain free pancakes (I like ‘griddle cakes’ better, I’m a Southern girl in my heart, lol) is getting there.

This recipe, in particular differs from the first one in that I actually enjoyed eating it… remember the last batch that totally sucked? Yeeeah, this one was SO much better! Go ahead and click on the link if you’d like the recipe for the Acai Bowl. Otherwise, without further ado…

Coconut Flour & Flax Meal Griddle Cakes with Almond Butter & Raspberry Preserves

This recipe makes 2 medium/small pancakes so double it or triple it accordingly

Coconut Flour & Flax Meal Griddle Cakes

2 T coconut flour
1 T ground flax meal (soaked in 1 to 2 T drinking water, you may omit the water if you want)
1/4 t baking soda
1/8 t Himalayan Pink Salt (or any good sea salt)
1 egg (beaten for a good 2-3 minutes before adding to mix)
stevia extract to taste (I used 2-3 drops but you may omit or add a bit more if you want)
1/2 t vanilla extract
2 T to 1/4 c almond milk depending on the type of consistency you prefer (I use Almond Breeze or Whole Foods 365 Brand)
*coconut oil or butter for the griddle

As a note, these pancakes will be a little “mealy” due to the flax meal but I love the texture of flax so it was fine for me. It also could have been a BIT more moist but who’s complaining, really? I just love that I can eat healthy, gluten/grain free pancakes! These also came out MUCH more fluffy and light in comparison to the first batch, which obviously made me very happy.

Also, I created another recipe for griddle cakes using almond flour and coconut flour which I will be posting in a few days… That one came out even better and has a couple of special ingredients which I think you’ll find pretty interesting.

Coconut Flour Flax Griddle Cakes with Almond Butter & SF Raspberry Preserves

Now isn’t this just the sweetest little short-stack of pancakes EVER?! I paired my griddle cakes with a gorgeous dollop of fresh roasted almond butter and Smucker’s Sugar Free Raspberry Preserves (I put a tablespoon of it in a small pot with about 1/2 T of water to thin it out a bit) which, I know… Splenda is ‘no bueno’. I don’t like Splenda and I really didn’t want to “go there” in buying it but it was the best option that I could ‘live’ with for the time being. Until I have my own place and can dedicate time to making my own sauces and compotes, I’ll deal… so please forgive me for that! LOL

Anyway… I sincerely hope that you enjoy this recipe, I know I did!

Many Blessings & Warm and Fuzzies in your Bellies!
Kapua

Simple Breakfast (1): Just Boil Water

When I was in college, my favorite roommate (and often the only roommate I ever refer to, I’ve had five roommates) used to go home on the weekends, but she always brought back food!

She is originally from Jordan and her mother would prepare the most FABULOUS Arabic dishes. My favorite was when she would send fresh tabouleh, hummus, grilled chicken, mujadarah (a rice dish, I think it was mujadarah), labneh and pita.

I’m from Hawai’i and growing up we didn’t really have any authentic foods outside of Asian and Hawaiian cuisines! The closest thing to Mexican food was Taco Bell… I’ll put it to you this way, we didn’t even have an Olive Garden (and, no offense, but I DETEST Olive Garden–sorry folks)!

I’d always been interested in foods of the world, “exotic” compared to my own culinary upbringing… So when I went away to college in Los Angeles, it was a welcome experience, especially to my palate.

Getting back to my point… My “roomie’s” influence on me introduced me to spices, flavors and eating habits that I had never experienced and/or heard of prior. When I had spent a week with her at her family’s home we ate very well, but very simply.

For the most part, breakfast consisted of a couple of hard boiled eggs with hummus and/or labneh on a piece of pita (with fresh brewed espresso, of course). Her mom would prepare fresh hummus for us and let… me… tell… you… there is NOTHING like freshly made hummus–especially from “mom”!

With that said, when I woke up this past saturday morning and tried to figure out how to start my day (as an accompaniment, of course, to my ‘usual’ mini acai bowl with flax, seeds and whatever else I feel like adding in), it came to me… Something SIMPLE. Something LIGHT.

I don’t particularly like to start the day off with a heavy breakfast anyway, but today I had made plans to meet up with a friend for a late lunch/early dinner… So I didn’t want to eat a big, or even medium sized breakfast if I was going to end up devouring a ‘gourmet style’ turkey burger (no bun, thanks) with cheese and condiments later on in the day.

This is what I came up with…

The Perfect 7-Minute Egg with Olives, Walnuts & Tahini

A single, gorgeously boiled, 7-minute egg with a few beautifully bright green olives, a heaping tablespoon or two of walnuts and a decadently luscious dollop of tahini on the side. I LOVE the tart and almost unctuously rich and yet light flavor of tahini. With the diet that I’m on, I am not eating starches yet so full fledged hummus is out of the question. But no matter, I prefer straight up tahini to hummus any day!

I thought of what I had in my fridge and it started with eggs and tahini… Which I knew would work, but how lame would it be to eat JUST an egg and tahini? So I opened the fridge, saw the olives, rifled through my box of goods and saw the walnuts–perfect! Somehow, in my little foodie heart, I knew that these four ingredients would pair perfectly for me… and they did. The perfect balance to my simple breakfast.

I love balance. I love the simplicity of this meal… I mean really, it took less than 10 minutes to put together, what more could you ask for?

If one egg isn’t enough, have two or three! Perhaps have 1/4 cup of walnuts instead of 2 tablespoons and/or add in a slice of Etorki cheese or even better, Comte. But since I was pairing my savory start with a small acai smoothie, one egg was plenty. How could you not marvel at how lovely this dish is with those simple, basic, one-ingredient, “whole food” items?!

I know I did… I marveled alright… and then I ate every last morsel of it.

Acai Bowl & The “Never Again” Griddle Cake Mistake…

Adventures in the Guided By Spirit Test Kitchen are a go!…

You know how I mentioned, in my previous entry how I love food? Well, my little shrinking dumplings (<–I say this with utmost affection and love), I… LOVE… Breakfast.

I already have three or four breakfast recipes to share with you! So let's cut to the chase and get to it, shall we?

Last week I tried my hand at my own version of coconut flour pancakes. There are a bunch of different recipes on line, I pulled inspiration from them and tried to come up with something of my own… I will tell you that my first batch was a total failure–at least in my eyes. Here is a close-up:

There is one glaringly obvious thing wrong with this photo/dish… The butter. Butter isn’t ‘illegal’ and even on my current diet (HCG, P3) I can technically use butter, but after detoxing my body and changing my eating habits, I realized that I no longer want butter on my pancakes! When I tried it, it did nothing for me and in fact, I wished I hadn’t added it… Now, feel free to add whatever kinds of toppings you like friends, I won’t judge you! Just giving my own feedback on this dish…

As for the actual batter: I combined a mixture of coconut flour, flax meal (I love this stuff), baking soda, cream of tartar, salt, cacao nibs (which did nothing for flavor) almond extract (HUGE mistake), vanilla extract, egg and almond milk.

It’s a good thing I made an acai bowl as an accompaniment:

Acai Bowl w/ Greek Yogurt & Coconut Flax Griddle Cakes (1)

…because I ended up doing this:

The acai “sauce” drizzled on top made it somewhat bearable LOL… I had forgotten how overwhelming almond extract can be sometimes so… I obviously omitted it on the next batch (along with the cacao–seemed to be a waste of cacao nibs)!

To end on a brighter note, here is my go-to recipe for an excellent ‘mini’ Acai Bowl:

1/2 packet of Unsweetened Sambazon Acai (you may use 1 whole packet, but I like to make mine last and since I’m not consuming a huge smoothie, I prefer 1/2)
1/2 c. (slightly heaping) frozen blueberries
1/2 c. frozen strawberries
1/4 to 1/2 c. (more or less) unsweetened almond milk (I prefer the Almond Breeze brand)
1/2 c. 0% Greek yogurt (I prefer either Fage or Chobani)
1-2 T flax meal (you may omit this if you’d like)
1 packet natural sweetener (I prefer Z-Sweet or Truvia, again, you may omit but I have a sweet tooth

Toppings:
1 T blanched almond slivers
1 T raw pumpkin seeds
1/2 T sunflower seeds
(pretty much add any type of seed/nut topping combination that you’d like–I usually like to add bee pollen but I don’t have any on hand at the moment)

Allow your acai to thaw a bit before blending your bowl/smoothie. Since I only use half of a packet, I like to break the frozen packet in half, putting one half in a container or resealable bag to re-freeze & using the other half. You may either remove the half you’re going to use from the plastic it came in and put it in a nonstick pan/pot on low heat to help it thaw just a tiny bit (a little stove heat goes a long way, you don’t want to cook the acai!) OR put it in another resealable plastic sandwich bag and thaw it under warm/hot water… It’s really up to you–I do NOT recommend microwaving it! (I do not use microwaves, aside from that it would undoubtedly cook the acai)

I suggest that you add the frozen fruit to a cup or a bowl first, pouring the almond milk over it and letting the fruit/milk combo sit out for five minutes or so. This will help the ingredients to blend much easier without having to add additional liquid to the blender.

Remaining Steps:
- Add fruit/milk mixture to blender (may need a TOUCH more liquid–use your judgment)
- Add Greek yogurt, flax meal & acai
- Hit blend! (my blender has a “smoothie” feature so that’s what I use)

My second round of Coconut-Flax Griddle Cakes is up next so stay tuned!

Please note I am in no way profiting by mentioning any/all brands listed in my blog! I just refer to them for my friends who may not know what to look for in the market

The Guided By Spirit Kitchen

I love food…

One of my goals with Guided By Spirit is to create healthy meals and snacks from an intuitive and mindful place. I’ve been researching, brainstorming and jotting down ideas for recipes and dishes and am eager to see what I can cook up and share with you all.

As a relatively experienced personal chef cook to individuals of varying eating habits, backgrounds and special diets (i.e.-vegans; vegetarians; no-salt/no-sugar; etc), I am confident that my cooking is at least “pretty good”… I’ll put it to you this way, I’ve never received a single complaint… perhaps a bit extra this or that here and there but never a single complaint! I’d never serve anything I wouldn’t eat (unless, of course, it’s red meat–in which case, I do not eat red meat).

I try to use as many whole, organic foods/ingredients as possible and I always recommend this to my clients and friends. If you are restricted in your budget the three items I wholeheartedly recommend that you “go organic” (or ‘wild caught’) on would be: fish/poultry/meat, apples (bugs love them and so do pesticides) and/or milk. I’m not a big dairy-milk drinker, but just think about it… Milk is something that is directly sourced. If any hormones, etc are added to the animal’s diet, then it’s being added to yours as well!

That being said, I hope that you enjoy what I cook up in the Guided By Spirit Test Kitchen… I look forward to sharing with you and even exchanging ideas!

I will be posting photos, recipes and reviews (of my own cooking, testing out other people’s recipes and possibly of my dining excursions too)… So stayed tuned!

Much Love and Joyful Feasting! <3