Cucumber Salsa - Garden Harvest Enhanced With Thrive

Cucumber Salsa

by Kay Curtiss

I'm starting to harvest from my small garden - How about you?  We've got cucumbers, tomatoes, squash and raspberries all coming on.  Here's a recipe for Cucumber Salsa that combines the bounty from my garden with nutritious Thrive food, saving me time and money. This can be eaten with chips, crackers or used as a side salad.

Cucumber Salsa

FD - Freeze Dried
Thrive Product Numbers are for Pantry Cans except for Seasonings

Salsa Ingredients:
2 cups Cucumber, peeled, seeded and finely chopped
1/2 cup Thrive FD Tomato Dices (#22241) (or fresh from your garden if you have them)
1/4 cup Thrive FD Onion (#22227)
1/4 cup Thrive FD Green Chili Peppers (#22242)
1 Tablespoon Thrive FD Parsley (#23621)
1 Tablespoon chopped Jalapeno Pepper or 1 fresh pepper chopped
2 teaspoons Thrive FD Cilantro (#23622)
1 garlic clove, minced or pressed

Dressing Ingredients:
1/4 cup Thrive Sour Cream (#22449), reconstituted
1/4 teaspoon Thrive Lemonade Crystals (22899) (or 1 1/2 teaspoons Lemon Juice)
1 1/2 teaspoons Lime Juice
1 mini scoop Stevia Powder, sweeten to taste
1/4 teaspoon Ground Cumin
1/4 teaspoon Thrive Chef's Choice Seasoning Blend (#23628)
1/2 teaspoon Dill Weed, optional

Directions:

Mix salsa ingredients in a mixing bowl.  (Thrive ingredients are right out of the can - they will reconstitute when mixed with the dressing.).  Combine dressing ingredients in a small bowl and mix well.  Pour over vegetable mixture and gently combine, making sure all veggies are coated.  Let it sit for 10 minutes or more for FD vegetables to reconstitute and flavors to blend.

Can be served with chips, crackers or as a side salad.  Serves 8

Here's what the Thrive products would cost (with Q Pricing***) per recipe or serving:

During the summer when you can use "fresh" tomatoes out of your garden the Thrive cost would be even cheaper:  

Pantry Can Recipe Cost - $3.04  /  Cost per serving - $0.38

#10 Can Recipe Cost - $2.64  /  Cost per serving - #0.33

***Click here to find out about The Q and Q Pricing 

Click here to download Cucumber Salsa Recipe

Kale Chips - Tips and Seasoning Ideas

Kale Chips - Tips and Seasoning Ideas

My New Crunchy Snack 

by Kay Curtiss

I'm a little late getting on the kale bandwagon.  I know it is good to add to smoothies and I like the baby leaves to add to my salads.  But in an effort to eat healthier, I have to admit, I love the crunch of chips with a sandwich - and while carrots and other raw vegetables can fill the bill some of the time, I get tired of that and just want some chips.  Enter my new found snack - Kale Chips.

So I have been experimenting with Kale and different seasonings and different processes.  I found if you don't bake it long enough it's not crispy but if you bake it too long it gets bitter.  doTerra Essential Oils make great additions as part of the seasonings you can add to your base oil.

I found some great Kale Chip Tips (try saying that fast several times :) on Oh She Glows Blog and added a few of my own:

1.  Remove all the big stems from the kale.  I only want the tender leave parts.
2.  I spray my cookies sheet with an olive oil or coconut oil spray or you can use silicon baking sheets or parchment paper.
3.  I found about 8 heaping cups of kale per cookie sheet works good.
4.  I use 1 Tablespoon of Olive Oil per 8 cups (or melted Coconut Oil - I haven't tried that yet).
5.  Massage the kale with the oil until all the leaves are covered on both sides.
      --  If using dry seasoning, I spread the oiled kale on the cookie sheet and then sprinkle with dry seasonings or you could massage the dry onto the oiled leaves.
      --  If using liquid seasoning, I add seasoning to the Tablespoon of oil in a bowl and mix. Then I add my kale and massage until all the leaves are well covered with the seasoned oil and spread on the cookies sheet.

6.  Bake in oven of 300 degrees for about 20 minutes (turn pan around after 10 minutes) - works great in my oven.
7.  Let Kale Chips cool on the cookie sheet at least 3-5 minutes to finish crisping up. Make sure they are completely cool before you put them away, if there are any left over.

Here's a couple of seasonings I've tried so far:

Lemony Salt & Pepper Kale Chips  

I saw the original recipe on the doTerra Blog

Ingredients:
8 heaping cups of Kale
1 Tablespoon Olive or Coconut Oil
2 drops doTerra Lemon Oil
Salt & Pepper to taste.

Instructions:
Mix oils in a large mixing bowl.  Add kale and massage until leaves are coated on both sides with oil. Spread kale in a single layer on cookie sheet and sprinkle with Salt and Pepper.  Bake at 300 degrees for 20 minutes, turning pan after 10 minutes.  Let kale cool on cookie sheet for 3-5 minutes to finish crisping up.

Lemony Salt & Pepper Kale Chips

Kale Chips with a Kick and a hint of Lime

I saw the original recipe on the I Breathe . . . I'm Hungry Blog

Ingredients:
8 heaping cups of Kale

1 Tablespoon Olive Oil

1-3 teaspoons Sriracha Hot Sauce (you could try other hot sauces)

1 teaspoon Oyster Sauce (used in Chinese cooking)

1 teaspoon Bragg's Liquid Aminos

2 drops doTerra Lime Oil

Instructions:
Mix seasonings with Olive Oil in a large mixing bowl.  Add kale and massage until leaves are coated on both sides with oil. Spread kale in a single layer on cookie sheet.  Bake at 300 degrees for 20 minutes, turning pan after 10 minutes.  Let kale cool on cookie sheet for 3-5 minutes to finish crisping up.

Kale Chips w/Kick & Lime

I also have tried the All Dressed Kale Chips recipe that is on the Oh She Glows Blog - It was a good dry seasoning mix but I found that the 1/2 Tablespoon of Olive Oil the recipe calls for is not quite enough and the seasoning didn't stick very well to the Kale.  So I'd suggest going with 1 Tablespoon of Olive Oil.

I'm also going to try my Homemade Buttermilk Ranch Dressing Mix as the seasoning on my next batch of Kale Chips.

Buttermilk Ranch Mix

by Kay Curtiss

FD - Freeze Dried
Thrive product numbers are for Pantry size cans except for seasonings.

INGREDIENTS:

1/4 cup dry buttermilk powder
2 Tablespoons Thrive FD Onion (#22227)
2 Tablespoons Thrive FD Parsley (#23621)
1 Tablespoon Thrive FD Chives (#23623)
1/4 teaspoon Thrive Chef's Choice (#23628)
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 Tablespoon Thrive FD Celery (#22223)
1/2 teaspoon Thrive Peppercorn Blend (#23629)
1/4 teaspoon paprika (smoked)
1/4 teaspoon dried dill weed

DIRECTIONS:

Mix all the ingredients together in a food processor or blender and pulse several times.  Store in a cool, dry place.

Do you have a good recipe to season Kale Chips?  

Share with us in the comments.

Sugar Free Sweet Fire Ketchup

Sugar Free Sweet Fire Ketchup

A nice balance of sweet and heat!

by Kay Curtiss

A few years ago, I tried making my own homemade sugar free ketchup.  It didn't turn out the way I hoped, and my husband never really liked it.  My friend, Cindy Suelzle, made her own Best Ever Ketchup, using ***Thrive Tomato Powder (#22237) as the base and really raved about how good it turned out on her Thrive Blog.  I wanted to try it, but was a little nervous after my previous not so good experiments.  Click here to download Cindy's Ketchup Recipe, if you want to try it.

I'm on a new quest to greatly reduce the sugar in my life, as I continue to cook more nutritious meals with Thrive and lose some weight too.  SO, I made another attempt at making a SUGAR FREE KETCHUP using Thrive.  I used Cindy's recipe as a base and then did my own tweaks to make it sugar free and kick it up.  The result?  My husband said it was the best I've made and he really liked it! WhooHoo -- Success!  I really liked it too.

So here's my recipe for Thrivin' Sugar Free Sweet Fire Ketchup!

Ingredients:

1 cup THRIVE Tomato Powder (#22237)
3 1/2 cups water
1/3 cup Stevia Sweet Blend** or other sugar free equivalent
1/2 cup Bragg's Apple Cider Vinegar
2 T THRIVE FD Chopped Onion (#22227)
2 Tablespoons THRIVE FD Celery (#22223)
1/2 teaspoon THRIVE Salt (#22668)
1/2 teaspoon THRIVE Chef's Choice Seasoning (#23628)
1/4 teaspoon THRIVE Peppercorn Blend (#23629)
1/4 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper, optional (but it makes the Fire)
1/2 teaspoon Minced Garlic or Garlic Powder
1/2 teaspoon THRIVE Baking Soda (#22661)
1/2 teaspoon Dry Mustard
1/8 teaspoon Allspice, ground or powdered
1/4 teaspoon Cinnamon

Directions:
In a medium sized pot combine all the ingredients. Stir with a wooden spoon to mix and bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Reduce heat and gently simmer, stirring frequently till ketchup reaches the perfect consistency for you. Blend until smooth if FD onions & celery too chunky for you.

Pour into glass jars, cool and refrigerate.
Yields 2 pint jars.
Serving Size:  1 Tablespoon

**Stevia Sweet Blend:
1 cup GMO-free Erythritol
1 teaspoon Organic Pure Stevia

***Thrive Tomato Powder is one of my favorite products.  You can Substitute THRIVE Tomato Powder in any dish that calls for tomato paste or sauce. It's perfect for stews, soups, Italian sauces, casseroles or pasta.

Preparation Instructions Mix THRIVE Tomato Powder into water until smooth to create tomato paste, sauce, or juice using the ratios below.

Ratio Powder + Water      Yield
1:2      ½ c.   +   1 c. = 1 ½ c. paste
1:4      ½ c.   +   2 c. = 2 ½ c. sauce
1:6      ¼ c.   +   1 ½ c. = 1 ¾ c. juice

Click to download Sugar Free Sweet Fire Ketchup Recipe!

Thrive Lemonade - Not Just for Lemonade! - Strawberry Lemonade Bars

THRIVE CLASSIC LEMONADE****

SURPRISE - IT'S NOT JUST FOR LEMONADE!!!!

I as issued a challenge to make something with our Thrive Classic Lemonade.  It is a seasonal item and will only be available while supplies last!  And I know a lot of consultants that will be buying a case this year, because we discovered how versatile this product is, in so many things, in any season, and many of us ran out!

"What else besides the good, refreshing lemonade?"  Well, let me tell you, we are only just beginning to discover it's many uses --  now that we can restock our Home Stores!

Here's the start of a list that Thrive Consultants and Chef Todd have used the Classic Lemonade Crystals for:

Lemon Berry Icee

Lemon Berry Icee - Chef Todd Leonard

• Sprinkle it on Fish as part of your seasoning and bake. -- Francesca Hutchinson
• Flavor frostings - Becca Hansen Denos.
• Replace Lemon juice, Lemon Extract or Lemon Zest in Recipes - Rachel Mano & Cindy Suelzle

Cornmeal Cookies

Cornmeal Cookies in a Jar - Nancy Stewart Barter

• Lemon Chicken -- Rachel Mano
• Add to Salsa for a little more ZING! - Nancy Stewart Barter

Lemon Vanilla Sugar Cookies

Lemon Vanilla Sugar Cookies - Chad Mano - Add 3/4 Tablespoon Thrive Lemonade to a batch of Thrive Vanilla Sugar Cookie Mix

• Sprinkle on or mix it in Fruit Salad - Sandy Anderson Pierson
• Lemon Sauce - Cindy Suelzle

Gourmet Fruit Lemonade

Gourmet Fruit Lemonade - Chef Todd Leonard

• Blueberry Lemon Muffins - Cindy Suelzle
• Lemon Scones - Cindy Suelzle

Lemonade Browines

Lemonade Brownies with Lemon Buttercream Frosting - Julie Buckner

And my first creation:

Strawberry Lemonade Bars

Thrivealized by Kay Curtiss

Strawberry Lemonade Bars

FD – Freeze Dried
Product Numbers after items are for Pantry Cans

Ingredients:

Crust:
1/4 cup Thrive White Sugar (#22671)
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
1 1/2 cups Thrive White Flour (#22116)
1/4 teaspoon Thrive Salt (#22668)

Filling:
1 cup water
1 1/2 Tablespoons Thrive Classic Lemonade (#22899)****
1 cup Thrive FD Strawberry Slices (#22344), rehydrated and pureed
1 1/4 cups Thrive White Sugar (#22671)
5 Tablespoons Thrive Whole Egg Powder (#22570), reconstituted
1/4 cup Thrive White Flour (#22116)
1/2 teaspoon Thrive Baking Powder (#22660)
1/4 teaspoon Thrive Salt (22668)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and lightly grease a 9 x 13 baking pan.

Begin by making the crust.  In a large bowl, cream together sugar and butter, until smooth and fluffy. On a low speed, gradually beat in flour and salt until mixture is crumbly. Dump into a prepared pan and press into an even layer. Bake for about 17 minutes, until set at the edges.

While the crust bakes, prepare the filling.  In the bowl of a food processor or blender, combine water, Thrive classic lemonade, strawberry puree, sugar and eggs and process until smooth. Add in flour, baking powder and salt, and then pulse until smooth.

Gently pour the filling over the hot baked crust. Return pan to oven and bake for 23-26 minutes, until the filling is set (There will be a light colored “crust” on top from the sugar in the custard – that's ok).

Cool and sprinkle the bars with some Thrive Powdered Sugar (#22672), if desired.  Cool completely before slicing and use a damp knife to ensure clean slices.  Store bars in the refrigerator, especially on a hot day -- if they last that long!

Makes 24 bars.

Click here to download Strawberry Lemonade Bar Recipe

****NOTE:  Contact me (thrivewithkay@gmail.com) to order the Thrive Classic Lemonade.  Because of the limited quantities, it is only available to Home Party Customers OR if you are already on The Q, you can just add it to your next shipment.

Original Recipe -- Strawberry Lemonade Bars

Thrive Onion Soup Mix / Onion Dip

Thrive Onion Soup Mix / Onion Dip

by Kay Curtiss

Tonight we were having hamburgers on the grill and I felt like having Chip & Dip with that.  I wanted to make my own dip seasoning, to avoid any MSG and preservatives that would be in store bought dip or soup mix.  So I decided to experiment and this is what I came up with.  At dinner, my hubby was a little concerned and asked, "No Thrive tonight?"  I reassured him that the dip was made with my New Thrive Onion Soup Mix AND the hamburgers were seasoned with Thrive's Chef's Choice All Purpose Seasoning and Peppercorn Blend -- ALWAYS have something Thrive from my Home Store at every meal in our house!

Ingredients:

1 Tablespoon Thrive FD Celery, powdered (#22223)
1 Tablespoon Thrive FD Chopped Onions, powdered (#22227)
3/4 cup Thrive Dehydrated Chopped Onions (#22228)
1/3 cup Thrive Beef Bouillon (#22662)
2 Tablespoons Thrive FD Parsley (#23621)
1 Tablespoon Thrive FD Chives (#23623)
1/2 teaspoon Thrive Chef's Choice All Purpose Seasoning Blend (#23628)
1/4 teaspoon  Thrive Peppercorn Blend (#23629)
1 teaspoon Thrive Sugar (#22671), Optional

Directions:

Combine all ingredients and store in an airtight container.

About 5 tablespoons of mix are equal to one 1 1/4 ounce package of soup mix.

Thrive Onion Dip

2 cups Thrive Sour Cream Powder (#22449), OR 1 pint sour cream
2/3 cups water
5 Tablespoons Thrive Onion Soup Mix

Add water slowly to Sour Cream Powder, mixing thoroughly until it reaches desired consistency.  Add Thrive Onion Soup Mix and mix well.  Cover and refrigerate to blend flavors. (It tasted good when just mixed, too. :O)  

Dip will thicken up in the refrigerator - so don't worry if it seems a little thin.  If it is too thick when you take it out, you can thin it down with some reconstituted Thrive Instant Milk (#22446).


NOTE:  Thrive Stock numbers after products are for Pantry Cans except for Spice Cans. 

Download recipe for Thrive Onion Soup Mix & Onion Dip  

Thrive Superhero's Magic Power Dust

Thrive Superhero's Magic Power Dust

Thrive Superhero's Magic Power Dust Can

Need a fun way to get more veggie nutrition into your kids?  Try this Thrive Superhero's Magic Power Dust.  It is loaded with nutrition from Thrive FD Vegetables and can be sprinkled on eggs, pizza, tacos, mac cheese, salads or mixed into sauces, soups, or stews.  The sky is the limit on how you can use this.

I found a cute picture of some of my nieces and nephews from a family reunion that I used to make my Superhero label.

Here's the recipe:

Thrive Superhero's Magic Power Dust

Ingredients:
1/4 cup Thrive FD Spinach
1/4 cup Thrive FD Broccoli
1/4 cup Thrive FD Red Peppers
1/4 cup Thrive FD Tomato Dices
1/4 cup Thrive FD Peas
1/2 cup Thrive FD Butternut Squash
1/2 cup Thrive FD Corn
1/2 cup Thrive FD Cauliflower
1/2 cup Thrive FD Mushrooms
1/2 cup Thrive FD Cheddar Cheese (optional)
3 T. Thrive Salad Blend Seasoning
3 Empty Thrive Seasoning Cans or other Shaker Container

Click here to shop for these Thrive FD Vegetables

Instructions:
Blend all the veggies and cheese until powdered in a food processor.  Add the Thrive Salad Blend Seasoning and hand whisk in.  Divide between 3 empty Thrive Seasoning Cans or other shaker container. This filled each of my 3 Thrive Seasoning Cans about 2/3 full.

Note:  You can use any combination of Thrive FD Veggies to make this.  Dehydrated Veggies did not become a powder in my food processor so I didn't use any of those.

Click to download the recipe for my Thrive Superhero's Magic Power Dust

Sweet Potato (aka Pumpkin) Buttermilk Pancakes - Family Favorite Thrivealized

Sweet Potato (aka Pumpkin) Buttermilk Pancakes

From DeAnn Draper

Thrivealized by Kay Curtiss

Today's Thrivealized Family Favorite Recipe comes from my sister, DeAnn Draper.  She sent me her Pumpkin Buttermilk Pancake recipe.  I Thrivealized it with our Thrive Sweet Potatoes & our Thrive 10 Grain Pancake Mix.  Here's how I did with it:

Sweet Potato Buttermilk Pancakes

Ingredients:

Thrive Sweet Potatoes

Thrive 10 Grain Pancake Mix

1/2 Thrive Sweet Potatoes

1 cup boiling water

1 cup Buttermilk

2 T. Thrive Brown Sugar

1/2 t. Cinnamon

1/8 t. Nutmeg

1/8 t. Ginger 

1 1/2 cups Thrive 10 Grain Pancake Mix

1/3 cup water

Thrive Honey Crystals

Topping:

Thrive Applesauce

Thrive Cinnamon Honey Butter**

Thrive Applesauce, reconstituted

Directions:

Add Thrive Sweet Potatoes to boiling water in saucepan with lid.  Turn off heat and let sweet potatoes reconstitute in covered saucepan about 10 minutes.  DO NOT DRAIN.  Pour sweet potatoes with left over water into food processor.  Add buttermilk, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg & ginger.  Blend until smooth.  Put Thrive 10 Grain Pancake Mix into mixing bowl.  Add sweet potato mixture & 1/3 cup water.  Blend but don’t over mix.  If you want thinner pancakes, add additional water, a Tablespoon at a time, mixing lightly to desired consistency.

With Thrive Applesauce

Cook on a medium heat skillet greased lightly with butter.  Serve with Thrive Cinnamon Honey Butter & Thrive Applesauce or Thrive Applesauce & Maple Syrup or just Maple Syrup or any number of Thrive Freeze Dried (FD) Fruits plain or made into sauces.

**Thrive Cinnamon Honey Butter

1/2 cup Butter, softened

2 T. Thrive Honey Crystals

2 T. Thrive Brown Sugar

1/2 T. Cinnamon (adjust to taste)

Beat together until smooth.  Keep in covered container.

Original Recipe:  Pumpkin Buttermilk Pancakes

From DeAnn Draper

Ingredients: 

3 cups flour 1/4 t. ginger

3/4 tsp. salt 3 T. brown sugar

2 tsp. baking soda 1 (15 oz) can Libby’s pure pumpkin

1/2 tsp. cinnamon 3 cups buttermilk

1/4 tsp. nutmeg 3 eggs

Directions:

In a large bowl, mix together flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and brown sugar, combining well.  Add pumpkin, buttermilk, and eggs to dry ingredients and mix gently. (If batter seems stiff, add water until it can be easily spooned onto a griddle.)  Heat griddle to medium heat and grease lightly.  Scoop about 1/3 cup of batter onto griddle and let cook until lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Let other side cook again until lightly browned. Repeat these steps until all the batter is gone.

Click Here to download 

Sweet Potato (aka Pumpkin) Buttermilk Pancake Recipe

Email your Favorite Family Recipe to thrivewithkay@gmail.com.  

When I Thrivealize it,   I will then share it 

Here on my blog, in emails and on Facebook.

Thrive Refrigerator Chia Jam

Thrive Basic Refrigerator Chia Jam

I decided to experiment with Thrive Freeze Dried (FD) fruits to see if I could make a quick and easy refrigerator jam.  I wanted to create a "Basic" recipe that you could use any of Thrive FD fruits or
combinations of Thrive FD fruits that you could make your own variations.  How creative can you get?

Click here to download Basic Recipe

I also decided to use Chia Seeds as the "thickening" agent.  It has no taste and as it "swells," it absorbs the taste of the liquid it is in.   Most Chia Seeds are black & white.  You can also get just white seeds, which I think looks better in the lighter colored fruits like peaches, pineapple, mango, etc.  But taste wise, it doesn't matter which seeds you use.

". . . Why would you want to eat Chia?

Chia seeds are said to have:

• 2 times the protein of any other seed or grain,
• 5 times the calcium of milk, plus boron which is a trace mineral that helps transfer calcium into your bones,
• 2 times the amount of potassium as bananas,
• 3 times the reported antioxidant strength of blueberries
• 3 times more iron than spinach
• copious amounts of omega-3 and omega-6, which are essential fatty acids

They are a complete source of protein, providing all the essential amino acids in an easily digestible form. They are also a fabulous source of soluble fiber . . .  They can hold 9-12 times their weight in water and they absorb it very rapidly - in under 10 minutes . . . "  Click here for more information about Chia Seeds and other Chia Recipes.

Now back to the Jam -- 

It took me a few tries to get it right - My "mistakes" got thrown into smoothies and they were very good -- and NO waste! :O)  So don't be afraid to experiment.   It doesn't take a lot of time and if you don't like it as jam, just make a smoothie!

Here's my first variation on the above Basic Recipe --

Thrive Triple Berry Refrigerator Chia Jam

Thrive FD Blueberries, Raspberries, & Blackberries.  

Thrive Melon Berry Burst Drink Mix & Chia Seeds

Here's the recipe:

Click here to download the recipe

Now I'm going to get fancy - and it turned out SO, SO GOOD!!!!!!!!!!

Amaretto Peach Mango Pecan Refrigerator Chia Jam  

Thrive FD Peaches & Mangos

Thrive Simply Peach Drink Mix & White Chia Seeds

Almond Extract & chopped Pecans

Here's the recipe:

Click here to download the recipe

I also made:

Pineapple Mango Refrigerator Chia Jam

Click here to download the recipe

Now it's your turn.  

What varieties of Thrive Refrigerator Chia Jam 

can you come up with? 

Make sure you share your discoveries in the comments.