Flourless Banana Collagen Muffins

I have been on a major baking kick lately, which is extremely unusual for me! Motivated by not being able to find the exact baked goods my body needs (yes, needs!) has brought me to get a little creative and branch out more into the baking world. The baked goods my body needs? Let me explain….

As much as I believe that food is medicine and healing through what we nourish ourselves with is essential, I also believe that at any given point regardless of what our diet is- enjoying delicious treats is a basic human right! I haven’t talked about it much because I am quasi-navigating it through pregnancy, but have been trying to get rid of a case of SIBO (small intestine bacterial overgrowth). While this is hard to battle while also growing a human inside of you, sticking to the diet as best I can is the safest way to address it at this point.

In short, the SIBO elimination protocol that I am (attempting to) follow requires cutting out sugar (except honey), grains and most grain free starchy foods. This makes most paleo baked goods off limits due to their use of root flours like cassava and potato. Thankfully there are ways to bake without those ingredients! I was inspired by the Detoxinista Pumpkin Bar recipe I also love to create a baked good that uses almond butter instead of any flours! I wanted something I could eat for breakfast that wasn’t too sweet (this recipe only uses 2 tbsp honey) and had enough protein to keep me full (each serving has 10 g collagen protein and 7+ g plant protein).

Spotty, browned bananas are a great alkalizing food that encourages good digestion!

Ingredients:

• 6 ripe spotty bananas

• 1 egg

• 2 c almond butter (salt, sugar and oil free is best)

• 1/2 tsp each spice: nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger

• 1 tsp vanilla extract (without added sugar is best)

• 1/2 tsp sea salt

• 1/2 tsp baking soda

• 2 tbsp honey (local is best)

• 6 scoops (60 g) Vital Proteins Collagen Peptides

• 1/2 c shredded raw coconut

• 12 pecan halves

Method:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and put liners in a 12 muffin tin

• Peel and mash the bananas in a large bowl until an even consistency is reached

• Add remaining ingredients in order, stirring each in to form a batter

• Pour the batter into the muffin liners and top each muffin with a pecan half

• Bake for 25 minutes (checking at 20 minutes)- they usually begin to burn after 25

• Allow muffins to cool before removing from tin and enjoying (1 serving = 2 muffins, containing 17+ grams of protein!)

Enjoy them with a latte (see below!) for even more protein and a breakfast that keeps you satisfied all morning

Want to win a large (20 oz) container of Vital Proteins Collagen Peptides? Head on over to my instagram page for the rules to enter! Offer expires 4/11/19 at 10 pm EST!

Make with…

Delicata Squash + Kale Salad with Yogurt Dressing

What's your favorite squash? I have always loved butternut in salads or frittatas, spaghetti squash for a base of a hearty meal and acorn squash to roast whole and stuff with protein. This Fall, I started loving delicata squash as it seems to have been popping up in dishes everywhere. The flavor is less sweet than butternut squash and I kind of like that for doing a fruit/squash salad so that it compliments the fruit, which in this case is pear. Adding a creamy element like a cheese or nut cheese is where I would usually go with a salad like this, but in this recipe, I decided to make a yogurt dressing from my favorite coconut yogurt. This is a great dish to bring along for holiday meals because besides the dressing, it can stay in the car, sitting on a counter at room temp until the meal is served. 

Yogurt dressing adds just the right amount of creaminess to the salad

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Ingredients:

• 1 large delicata squash (or container of pre-chopped)

• 1 large bunch tuscan kale

• 1 cup raw pecan pieces

• 2 tbsp yogurt (I use coconut- you can use real yogurt if you prefer)

• 1 pear

• 1 lemon

• cooking oil of choice (I use avocado oil)

• salt/pepper

Method:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees wile you slice open, deseed and chop up the squash. Leave the skin on- it will soften when it cooks.

• Spread the squash pieces in a single layer onto a baking sheet and toss in oil, salt and pepper

• Roast in the oven until fork tender and browned on either side- flip with a spatula around 20 minutes in

• Thinly slice the pear- depending how thin you slice it, you may only use part of it

• Wash, destem and tear up the kale

• Combine the yogurt with the juice of the lemon. Whisk. Add salt and pepper to taste. Whisk. You may need to add more yogurt if it is too thin. You may want to add a little honey if you use regular yogurt that is unsweetened since the coconut has some natural sweetness.

• Once the squash is fork tender and done roasted, toss all of the ingredients together in a large bowl. Wait to add the dressing until you serve.

Matcha Energy Bites

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Quinoa Pumpkin Chili

Chili is literally my FAVORITE thing to meal prep during Fall and Winter. I make one huge pot on a Sunday to enjoy for lunch or dinner daily through the rest of the week. I usually stick to a vegetarian chili because it lasts longer and is easier for me to make, but you can totally add ground beef, chicken or turkey to this recipe if you prefer and it tastes great! This also freezes well if you have extra or want to prep in advance for a busy following week. 

What makes this recipe unique?

1. It has a LOT of great plant protein! The chickpeas and quinoa are two great protein sources.

2. It packs tons of greens- in fact just as much as eating a salad. I use a whole large bunch of kale which is about as much per serving as I would use if making a salad.

3. It is flavorful but not too spicy. Spicy stuff can hurt my stomach so if you are like me, you would find this spice blend perfect. If you are like my husband, you may add some chili powder or hot peppers to yours!

4. It is thick and creamy tasting because of the pumpkin. I have made this same recipe with and without the pumpkin. When you use the pumpkin the texture and flavor is incredible!

5. It does not use onion. Onion is a trigger for many people's digestive issues including myself. I use garlic, but not onion. If you can't tolerate either, eliminate the garlic. If you can tolerate them well, you may add some onion in the step where you heat the garlic and spices in oil until they are translucent.

6. Using the toppings I have recommended, you not only get a great source of protein, but also great healthy fats: pepitas, coconut/cashew cheese and avocado.

The ingredients- yes I use the WHOLE bunch of kale!

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Ingredients (about 6 servings):

• 4 garlic cloves

• 2 cups water

• 4 cups whole tomatoes

• 1 small can tomato paste (170g)

• 1 cup pumpkin

• 1 red bell pepper

• 2 cans chickpeas (15 oz each)

• 1 cup dry quinoa

• 1 bunch curly kale

• 1 tbsp cumin

• 1 tsp paprika

• 1 tsp oregeno

• 1 tsp coriander

• salt/pepper to taste (it will differ if you used unsalted or salted tomatoes and tomato paste)

• Cooking oil of choice

• Optional garnish/side ideas: avocado, pepitas, coconut/cashew cheese or "cream" (try coconut yogurt), chips or bread of choice

Method:

• Prep: dice the garlic, deseed and chop up the pepper, destem/rip up the kale into small pieces

• Heat your cooking oil on medium in a large pot, then add the garlic and toss around for about 1 minute. Add the spices and stir around, adding more oil if it starts to stick to the pot.

• After another minute, add the remaining ingredients except for the chickpeas and kale. Stir to combine then increase heat to bring to a boil.

• Once boiling, reduce to a simmer and cover for about 30 minutes or until the chili has thickened and the quinoa is completely cooked.

• Add the chickpeas and kale. You will need to add the kale handful by handful, folding it into the chili. It will cook down quickly.

• Stir and let sit for another 5-10 minutes. Add water if it is too thick.

• Enjoy with your favorite toppings/side like the ones mentioned above. Will keep in fridge for up to 5 days and freezes well.

Nothing like a big ol pot of chili to enjoy all week long...

Ginger Turmeric Pumpkin Smoothie

This smoothie is a trick and a treat all at the same time. Ginger and turmeric improve digestion and reduce inflammation- a great trick with so many benefits. The treat is in the creamy and delicious flavor of the smoothie and most notably the toppings- a coconut butter shell, cacao nibs and walnuts. Such a fun and tasty way to incorporate ginger and turmeric into your diet.

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Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup frozen cauliflower

• 1 frozen banana

• 3/4 cup frozen pumpkin puree (I freeze on parchment paper)

• 1.5 cups cashew milk (or any milk of choice)

• 1 /2 tsp vanilla extract

• 1/2 tsp cinnamon

• 1/2 tsp turmeric

• 1 peeled knob of ginger (about an inch long)

• 1/2 tsp Maca (optional for energy)

• 1 tbsp coconut butter

• 1 heaping tbsp cacao nibs

• 1 heaping tbsp raw walnut pieces

Method:

• Prior to making freeze the fruit/veggies. I purchase blanched and frozen cauliflower, however you can blanch and freeze cauliflower florets at home. I break bananas into 3 or 4 parts to freeze so that they blend easier. I freeze pumpkin by scooping into a heap on parchment paper in an air tight container.

• You can make the cashew milk yourself by soaking a cup of cashews then draining, rinsing and blending with fresh water, cinnamon and vanilla or use a store bought nut milk variety.

• If your coconut butter is solid, let the jar sit in warm water until it becomes liquid

• Blend all ingredients except the coconut butter, cacao nibs and walnuts until smooth, then pour into a bowl

• Drizzle coconut butter on top- it will soon become a shell due to the temperature of the smoothie. Top with the cacao nibs and walnuts.

Creamy Vanilla Fig Oats

It's finally starting to feel like Fall, which means it's time for some warming, feel-good foods. Starting my day with a bowl of oats often feels like dessert and makes me feel warm and satiated. As with smoothies, it is good to incorporate fiber, good fat and protein, so keep that in mind in playing with your own variations. I have included cashew milk, oats, coconut yogurt, chia seeds, bee pollen and oats to make sure to have all of those balanced components. Keep it low sugar by adding vanilla and cinnamon for flavor, rather than brown sugar or other added sweeteners like many store bought packets include. The cashew milk instead of water and coconut yogurt stirred in at the end make it extra creamy and delicious. 

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Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup oats

• 1 cup cashew milk (or any milk of choice)

• 2-3 sliced figs (fruit is great for flavor and fiber, but too much can pack excessive sugar)

• 1 tbsp coconut yogurt (or any favorite yogurt)

• 1 tsp chia seeds

• 1 tsp bee pollen

• 1 tsp vanilla

• Cinnamon to taste (I like a lot!)

Method:

• Cook oats in milk on the stove about 10 minutes by bringing the milk to a boil, then a simmer and letting the oats get creamy and thick (If you have less time- you can microwave on high for 3 minutes in a large bowl)

• Slice up the figs

• Stir cinnamon and vanilla into the oats until your desired flavor is achieved. Let the oats sit for a minute to thicken and stir again.

• Stir in the coconut yogurt and add the toppings.

Coconut Yogurt Tzatziki

Tzatziki was one of my favorite dips ever... until I stopped eating dairy yogurt. I have yet to find vegan tzatziki and have missed it for years. Until now, I was not motivated to make one myself due to a lack of proper vegan yogurts. In the past, the options available have had tons of added thickeners and sweeteners and also were not a thick enough texture for many recipes. Now there are some fantastic coconut yogurts that are thick and simple (just coconut and probiotics!). This recipe uses Anitas Coconut Yogurt, which is the best tasting and cleanest ingredient one that I have found. 

Try this dip in salad and grain bowls, with roasted or raw veggies, on sandwiches and more! Pictured here, I put it with charred broccoli simply tossed in oil, salt and pepper, roasted at 425 until it was nice and crisp (about 45 minutes). I ate it as a dip with the broccoli and then later in a bowl with kale and sesame seeds, which was also delicious! Consider this as you are thinking about dips for tailgates, holiday parties and other gatherings where you want a healthy unprocessed appetizer. 

Thick and creamy coconut yogurt is essential to get the right consistency

Grating and draining english cucumbers is essential to eliminating excess water

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Ingredients (4 servings)

• 2 cloves garlic

• 1 cup plain coconut yogurt (I would suggest Anitas if you can find it)

• 1/4 English cucumber

• 1/2 lemon juiced

• Salt/pepper to taste

Method:

• Cut and deseed the cucumber

• Use a cheese grater to grate the cucumber (got this tip from the kitchn!)

• Let the grated cucumber sit on paper towels and squeeze out the excess water

• Mince or press the garlic cloves

• Combine all ingredients well

• Refrigerate until ready to serve so it can re-thicken if it thinned out during the mixing (I did this for 15 minutes)

• Enjoy as a dip with veggies, topping in a salad or grain bowl or on a sandwich

Cherry Almond Recovery Bowl

This bowl combines some of my very favorite flavors and textures. The base is similar to some of my other smoothies with a combination of avocado and banana providing creaminess. The fruit in this smoothie is tart, red cherries which provide a relief in muscle soreness and inflammation so its a great workout recovery bowl. I absolutely love cherry and almond. Usually this comes into play in pastries, but I decided to channel that into something indulgent, yet clean and super easy!

For toppings I used Natural Grocers chocolate sea salt probiotic granola which I brought home from Colorado this weekend! I also brought back some of their almond butter which somehow has the consistency of cookie dough. A little sprinkle of coconut flakes and now the gangs all here: coconut, almond, chocolate + cherry, swooooon. When I don't have granola in the house (its kind of a treat- I try to make my own crunchy blends of toppings with less sugar- I use cacao nibs and walnuts which would also be delish here!). 

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Ingredients:

• 1 cup nut milk (I use my cashew milk- soak cashews 1-2 hrs+, blend with water, cinnamon + vanilla)

• 3/4 cup pitted cherries

• 1/4 frozen avocado (fresh is fine- I just freeze mind to make the smoothie thicker)

• 1/2 frozen banana (same as above- fresh is fine, frozen creamier)

• 1/4 tsp almond extract

• Optional: protein powder (I like rice or hemp protein)

• Optional: Toppings- I used chocolate sea salt probiotic granola, raw coconut flakes and almond butter (a raw alternative for the granola would be raw walnuts and cacao nibs)

Method:

• Blend all ingredients except the toppings in a high speed blender. Scoop into a bowl and add desired toppings.

Unicorn Coconut Butter Macaroons

These coconut gluten and dairy free macaroons are a perfect light and fun flavorful treat to bring to any sort of Summer soiree. The fun pops of color are 100% natural and come from the fresh blueberries and strawberries that dye the coconutty goodness that make up the base of the cookies. These are a bit creamier than your traditional macaroons thanks to the coconut butter that helps hold them together. 

To save steps, rather than making the cookies two tone, you can either food process both berries together or just choose one kind. You can also eliminate the chocolate- they taste great plain as well! A few tricks I learned are: don't food process them too much, the ones with some little chunks of berry are really good, don't overcook- they are really good a little gooey, but set and make sure to dry the berries completely- you don't want any extra liquid making the batter watery. 

Try to buy berries organic since conventional strawberries contain some of the highest levels of pesticides in conventional produce

The color comes completely from the berries- which is shocking how hot pink they come out!

Swirling the two separate batters makes the swirl look, but save a step and use just one

Try making the cookies plain or with the extra step for chocolate lovers

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Ingredients:

Macaroons

• 5 cups coconut flakes

• 2 tbsp Artisana coconut butter

• 1 1/3 cup granulated sugar

• 4 egg whites

• 1/2 tsp almond flavor or extract

• 1/4 tsp sea salt

• 1/3 cup cut up strawberries

• 1/3 cup blueberries

Chocolate Dip

• 1 bag chocolate chips of choice- I like Enjoy Life soy/dairy free semisweet chocolate chunks

• 1 cup coconut flakes

Method:

Macaroons

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees and line at least 2 sheet pans with parchment paper

• Add the coconut flakes and butter to the food processor and pulse until they have begun to blend together well

• Add the sugar and continue to pulse until well combined

• Add the almond flavor, salt and eggs. Pulse until well combined (see photo with white coconut batter and berry pieces on top)

• Now remove half of the coconut batter from the food processor and reserve. Add strawberries to the half that remains in the food processor. Pulse until the dough has strawberries evenly distributed. It is okay if there are some little bits- it is best a little chunky and not too smooth.

• Remove the finished strawberry batter and put aside in a bowl. Rinse and dry the food processor before adding the reserved second half of the batter.

• Add the blueberries and once again pulse until they are evenly distributed, however leaving chunks and not making it too smooth.

• Fill a tablespoon with half strawberry and half blueberry batter and use your finger to give it a little swirl as you plop each cookie onto the tray (see photo above)

• Bake the cookies for 15-20 minutes. Check after 15 to see if they are ready. You want them set but do not want the edges getting too crisp.

Chocolate Dip

• Once the macaroons have cooled all the way, you can prepare to do the chocolate dip.

• Melt chocolate over a double broiler or if you don't have one like me- bring a little bit of water to a boil in a saucepan and place some sort of heat safe bowl on top to melt the chocolate in!

• Be sure the bowl doesn't actually touch the boiling water. Help the chocolate melt by stirring.

• Once melted, dip the cookies into the chocolate then lay them on parchment paper. Sprinkle them with some coconut flakes.

• Allow the chocolate to harden and flakes to set, then enjoy or store in an airtight container at room temperature and enjoy later!

Coconut butter is the trick to making these creamier than usual macaroons

Tomato Beet Everything Sauce

After years of trial and error figuring out what and why I had stomach issues, I finally took a LEAP (sorry- had to) and did the LEAP mRT (mediator release test) which tests your blood's reaction to  dozens of common foods to identify how you react with them.  Foods I had noticed such as whey (in all dairy) came up as having a negative reaction, however foods I had never known, such as onions, yeast and soy also came back with a negative reaction, suggesting I should avoid them. 

Hence, what led me to playing around with lots of new foods! Pasta (which allowed me to incorporate rice and quinoa flour- two of my best reacting grains) became my go to carb since finding bread, crackers and other carbs was tricky with my limited ingredients. Making tomato sauce came next, since it is close to impossible to find one sans onions! That is why you will find that my recipe does not include onions. I think it is flavorful without them, but you can simplify this recipe by including a pre-made (clean) marinara sauce and simmering it with the beets or more difficult by using an alternate sauce recipe you like and combining it with the beet concept.

Eating pasta is so different from my usual veggie packed salad dinners, so I was trying to find ways to sneak in some of my good reacting veggies in my meal. After searching through recipes I found that a number of people were putting beets in their marinara (this is not my original idea, just recipe!). I tried a few peoples recipes and did not have success with any of them. The taste or method just didn't work for me, so I came up with my own more simple one you will find below. This recipe is adapted to foods that make me feel goods but feel free to swap in or out spices or root vegetables based on your needs! See ideas for using the sauce underneath the recipe based on paleo, vegetarian or plant based diets. 

I prefer the taste of golden beets to red beets- they taste more mild to me, so I use them in most of my beet recipes including this sauce, but you can use either!

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Ingredients:

• Diced tomatos (jar or can(s)- about 24 ounces)

• Cooking oil of choice

• Garlic cloves- I am a huge garlic lover so I used a LOT but I would say use at least 5

• salt/pepper

• 1 tbsp dried oregano (you can also add dried thyme)

• 2-3 small beets

Method:

• Mince garlic and sautée in a small sauce pan with some oil of choice

• Add other ingredients and stir occasionally while bringing sauce to a simmer

• Once simmering, cover and leave on the stove for about 45 minutes (the main thing is that the beets need to be fork tender). Check on sauce every 5 minutes or so to stir (I usually make it while prepping other food in the kitchen)

• Once the beets are fork tender, transfer the sauce from the pan to the blender. Be careful! I do it with a spoon until the very bottom.

• Blend for just a few seconds if you want it chunky and for longer if you want it smooth. Refrigerate or freeze for later use.

• Use for anything you would use a tomato based sauce such as on a flatbread, taco or pita, or as a marinara sauce on meatballs or a plant based pasta meal (see examples below!)

Beets, garlic, spices and tomatoes are quickly blended depending on desired consistency (I like 6-7 seconds!)

For a vegan and gluten free meal, top quinoa/brown rice pasta with sauce and Kite Hill almond milk ricotta

For a paleo/dairy free/grain free meal try it with meat and greens

Corn tortillas with fried eggs, sautéed spinach, avocado, tomato everything sauce, salt and pepper

Thyme and Garlic Roasted Carrots with Honey Balsamic Drizzle

These are great on their own, or paired as a salad or toast. For salad toss with greens, a cruncy seed or nut and cheese such as goat or feta. For toast, mash some avocado/lime or lemon/salt and pepper atop your favorite toasted bread, then add the carrots on top to make a classic favorite a little more hearty!

Ingredients:

• Whole carrots

• 3 Garlic cloves

• Fresh thyme

• Olive oil

• Balsamic Vinegar

• 1 Lemon

• 1 tbsp raw honey

• Salt/pepper

• Optional: greens like arugula/microgreens to make salad

• Optional: cheese like feta or goat cheese (if not preparing as vegan)

• Optional: Crunch like pepitas or a nut

• Optional: Bread for toast/avocado

Method:

• Cut carrots in half both ways (as if you were breaking them in half, then cut the halves lengthwise)

• Chop garlic cloves

• Toss olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic and thyme with carrots

• Roast until carrots are fork teder at 400 degrees (approx. 40 minutes depending on their size)

• Combine 1/4 cup balsamic with 1 cup olive oil, salt, pepper, juice of lemon and honey. Shake in a sealed container or whisk until emulsified.

• Drizzle over carrots or toss together all ingredients including carrots if preparing as a salad.

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Herb Roasted Veggie and Goat Cheese Frittata

Trying to figure out what to do with leftover roasted veggies from a holiday party? They can taste great added to a salad or reheated, but after a few days sometimes the best way to reuse them is to throw them into a hearty frittata. After making roasted brussel sprouts wih caramelized onion, a spinach/goat cheese salad and sage roasted butternut squash for Thanksgiving, we had a ton of leftovers (in addition to other veggies!) that we needed to make use of. I recommend following this recipe to make these two veggies as sides/part of a salad/veggie bowl and reserving some for the frittata. 

Ingredients:

• Brussel Sprouts

• 1 Onion

• 1 Butternut squash

• Fresh sage

• Olive oil

• 12 eggs

• Spinach

• Goat cheese

• Salt/pepper

• Optional: milk

Method:

• Peel and cube the squash, quarter the sprouts and slice the onion.

• Toss the squash with sage, olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast on a baking sheet at 375 degrees. Use spatula to mix and turn after about 10 minutes. Continue roasting until they begin to slightly brown (if only using for frittata, cook a bit less).

• Toss the brussel sprouts with olive oil, salt and papper. Roast on a baking sheet at 375 degrees. Use spatula to mix and turn after about 10 minutes. Continue roasting until they begin to slightly brown (if only using for frittata, cook a bit less).

• Drizzle olive oil in a pan and heat on a medium flame. Spread the sliced onion evenly in pan and stir contsantly until caramelized.

• Whisk eggs, salt, pepper, then add goat cheese crumbles and spinach (add milk to mixture if desired).

• Once roasted veggies have cooled, add sage roasted squash, brussels and onions to egg.

• Drizzle olive oil into large skillet. Add egg mixture, making sure it is evenly distributed.

• Cook on medium heat for a couple of minutes until edges begin to set.

• Put skillet in oven and cook at 400 degrees for about 10 more minutes until middle has set.

• Let cool and enjoy warm or refrigerated (will stay in fridge for 3-4 days).

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Spicy Sesame Bowl

I just can't get enough of tahini massaged kale bowls. Love the concept of massaged kale because you get the benefits of raw greens, with a texture more similar to a tender, cooked green. This recipe uses my favorite hemp tahini from the Hemp Med Bowl, kale, toasted sesame seeds, spice roasted sweet potato "chips" and chickpeas, cucumber, pickled beets and carrots. 

Having always cringed at pickles, I was pleasantly surprised when in recent years I discovered that I loved more dense pickled veggies. Carrots, beets and cauliflower are more dense than cucumbers, so I think I like that they are less vinegar-y tasting. When we lived in DC I got them weekly at the farmers market, so I was thrilled when my go to farmers market in Louisville had a stand with both of my favorites (beets//carrots). 

Besides being a super easy and tasty way to add veggies to any bowl, pickles have all the perks of any fermented food. Their natural probiotics balance the digestive microbiome. Many health experts including, Ashley Harris, founder of LoveBug probiotics, stress the importance of balancing the microbiome in order to balance the rest of the body. If you cannot find pickled vegetables at your local market, try doing a DIY pickling class or test out a recipe like this one in your own kitchen.

This is a great meal that can be prepped ahead and eaten as 4 lunches throughout the week.

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Ingredients (4 Servings):

• 2 Medium Sweet Potatoes

• 1 Can of Chickpeas

• 1 Bunch of Radishes

• 1 Large Cucumber

• 1 Jar of Pickled Beets

• 1 Jar of Pickled Carrots

• Sesame Seeds

• 1 Bunch of Kale

• 1/4 Cup Tahini

• Hemp Oil

• Olive Oil

• 2 Large or 4 Small Garlic Cloves

• Salt/pepper

• 1 Lemon

• 2 Tsp Chili Powder

• 1 Tbsp Cumin

Method:

• Tahini Dressing: Add tahini, juice of 1 lemon, 1 large or 2 small garlic cloves, 2 Tbsp hemp oil, salt and pepper to food processor. Pulse until combined. Add 1tbsp of water at a time and pulse until dressing is your desired consistency (should be thin enough to drizzle but thick enough that it's still creamy) You can do this in a bowl with a whisk alternatively.

• Sweet Potatoes: Cut the sweet potatoes into at most 1/4 inch thick rounds, then toss with olive oil, chili powder, cumin, salt and pepper. Spread evenly on 2 foil lined baking pans and roast at 400 degrees until potatoes are fork tender and the edges begin to brown and curl. Flip about halfway through.

• Roasted Chickpeas: Rinse a can of chickpeas and dry thoroughly with paper towels. Toss in olive oil, chili powder, cumin, salt and pepper. Roast at 400 degrees on a foil lines pan until crisp. Toss 1 or 2 times during roasting.

• Massaged Kale: Wash and de-stem the kale, then massage torn leaves with tahini until tender.

• Toasted Sesame Seeds: Toast seeds in a dry skillet for 2-3 minutes on medium heat until slightly browned.

• Chop cucumbers and beets into smaller pieces if desired, then arrange bowl and drizzle remaining tahini. Finish by sprinkling toasted sesame seeds.

This is also a great recipe to prep before guests arrive, then simply arrange, drizzle tahini and sprinkle sesame seeds before serving.

Creamy Black Bean Dip

I love making white bean hummus, so decided to try a similar concept as a black bean dip for a Mexican meal. It was a super easy app/topping for tacos and then I used the leftover in a taco salad type meal. It would also be good as a dip with veggies. Lately after learning more about the benefits of hemp oil, I have been incorporating it into my dips and dressings. I would recommend trying it, as it is a great superfood and good for the economy and environment. I also love avocado oil and have listed it as an alternative, but olive oil will work too if you want to use what you already have on hand.

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Ingredients:

• Hemp seed or avocado oil

• Goat Cheese Crumbles

• 1 Can black beans

• 1/2 Tsp Cumin

• 1/4 Tsp Chile powder

• 1 Jalapeno

• 1 Lime

• 1 large or 2 small garlic cloves

• 1/4 Cup fresh cilantro

Method:

• Seed the jalapeno by slicing off the top, then cutting it in half and scraping out the seeds

• Slice and juice the lime into the food processor

• Add all ingredients except oil and goat cheese to food processor (leave a sprig of cilantro for garnish!)

• Pulse until combined, then drizzle oil while pulsing

• Pour into bowl and garnish with goat cheese crumbles and cilantro

Goat cheese crumbles add a great texture but can be eliminated to make this recipe vegan/dairy free

Coconutty Corn Salad

Summer is the easiest time of year for whipping up quick salads because there is so much seasonal produce that tastes perfect raw. In this recipe, the only part that is cooked is the corn, which is briefly sautéed in coconut oil, but the rest if just raw greens, red onion, heirlooms and pepitas. It's tossed with one of my favorite summer dressings, fresh basil avocado cream- YUM!

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Ingredients:

• Raw pepitas

• Raw corn off the cob

• 1 Red onion

• Greens of choice

• Mini heirloom tomatoes

• 1 Avocado

• Coconut oil

• Avocado oil (olive oil or any dressing friendly oil will do)

• Salt/pepper

• Fresh basil

• 1 Lemon or lime

• 1-2 Garlic cloves

Method:

• Sautée corn with coconut oil, salt and pepper on medium/low heat for 5-10 minutes. You want it to still be crunchy, but just slightly cooked.

• Thinly slice red onion by chopping onion in half, then half again. Carefully slice thin half moons.

• Cut the tomatoes in halves

• Follow my recipe for Avocado Cream as the dressing

• Toss all ingredients together in a large bowl

Corn, coconut oil, salt and pepper- you're only step of "cooking" in this recipe!

No summer salad is complete without some sort of heirloom tomato when available

A sharp knife is key to thinly slicing

Stem to Root Carrot Salad

Cooking stem to root has become not only a way to reduce food waste, but also an extremely trendy cuisine these days. It's all about experimenting with eating the whole plant and finding unexpected ways to use edible plants and flowers in preparation and granishes. I have had some really delicious dishes with beet greens, but wanted to experiment at home with carrot greens first, as I usually have and waste those. 

Carrot tops are quite bitter and so I wanted to prepare them in a way that would make sense and still taste good. Since pesto is one of my weekly go to salad components, I decided to experiment with a carrot top pesto. In this recipe I used basil, garlic and lemon juice to add some more flavor to the strong tasting greens. I did not use cheese, but you could also add Parmesan. Walnuts were my nut of choice, but you can really use any number of nuts such as Brazil or pine nuts. I have been playing with other kinds of oil besides olive oil and really like how avocado oil works in dressings like pesto.

CARROT TOP PESTO

I put the whole tops in on this batch but recommend pulling off and chopping the greens first.

Ingredients:

• Greens from tops of 3-4 carrots

• Fresh basil

• 2 garlic cloves

• Juice of 1 lemon

• 1/3 cup of walnuts

• Pepper to taste

• Avocado oil

Method:

• Rip off stem and chop up the greens before putting them in the food processor (I found that mine got too tangled when I put them right in).

• Add all ingredients except oil to the food processor. Pulse until everything is evenly combined.

• Drizzle avocado oil while pulsing. Continue this process until pesto is at your desired thickness. I usually keep a thick pesto in the fridge for a week and will add more lemon juice and oil to some of it when I want it as a thinner dressing.

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SALAD

Ingredients:

• Radishes

• 4 large carrots

• 1 cup quinoa

• 2 cups vegetable broth (or water)

• Arugula

• About 25 fava bean pods

Method:

• Unzip the fava bean pods by pinching the end and ripping down the seam-like edge. If you have trouble doing this, slice them open with a thin, sharp knife. Remove the encased beans.

• Prepare an ice bath while boiling water in a large pot. Add salt to the water and blanch the beans for about 3 minutes. See this lesson on blanching vegetables.

• At the same time, bring a smaller pot of water or vegetable broth+cup of quinoa to a boil. Once boiling, reduce to a simmer until liquid is absorbed and quinoa is cooked.

• After beans have cooled, use your fingers or a thin, sharp knife to open the little cases and squeeze gently so the beans pop out.

• Thinly slice radishes or use a mandoline. Use a vegetable peeler, grater or mandoline to either ribbon or grate the carrot roots.

• Combine all ingredients in a large salad bowl and toss with the pesto.

Pesto Millet Bowl

Summertime is my favorite time of year for easy throw together plant-based meals filled with seasonal, fresh produce. The base of this nutrient packed, hearty yet light bowl is spinach, millet, tomatoes and avocado. It can be majorly upgraded with the grilled vegetables and my new favorite immunity boosting superfood, Brazil nuts to add a crunch. Try the base as a quick lunch or side and the final version as the star of your next grill out. 

Grilled veggies and Brazil nuts add extra protein and heartiness making this the perfect main course for a backyard grill out

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Ingredients:

• Millet

• Avocado

• Spinach or arugula

• Heriloom tomato(s)

• Mint

• Basil

• Olive Oil

• Salt/pepper

• Lemon

• Garlic clove

• Optional : Veggies to grill (squash, zucchini and/or asparagus)

• Optional: Brazil Nuts

Method:

• Prepare the millet

• Make dressing by combining mint, basil, juice and zest of a lemon and garlic clove in food processor. Drizzle olive oil in while pulsing until emulsified.

• Optional: cut up and marinate the tomato in some of the dressing in the fridge for an hour

• Combine greens, millet, dressing, tomato and cut up avocado

• Upgrade (requires double the dressing): cut the squash and zucchini lengthwise and in 3 inch pieces and snap the bottoms off of the asparagus. Grill using the dressing as a marinade. After grilling, slice them up and add to the bowl!

• Chop up whole, raw Brazil Nuts to toss in and sprinkle atop

• Garnish with extra pieces of basil and mint

Raw Brazil nuts add protein, immunity boosting properties and crunch