Category: Recipes Page 21 of 24

Creamy Cauli-fredo Sauce! {Paleo, Vegan}

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On June 20, 2014

In Clean Eating, Dairy-Free, Dairy-Free, GBOMBS, Gluten-Free, Gluten-Free, Paleo, Paleo, Recipes, Vegan, Vegetarian

Fettuccine Alfredo.

If I had to guess, I would bet this dish is one of the most popular and beloved comfort foods of all time.

But with a cup of butter, almost as much heavy cream, and over a cup of cheese in a typical Alfredo sauce recipe, it’s not something many people can enjoy very often, especially if you’re trying to stay away from dairy or just notice that you feel better without it.

If you absolutely love fettuccine Alfredo, my goal isn’t to get you to give it up for good. Instead, I want to introduce you to a new way of preparing a similar dish…one that is a lot healthier but still creamy and comforting!

The main ingredient?

Cauliflower.

IMG_3944

Cauliflower in Alfredo sauce?? Wait a minute…how can this possibly taste good?

I have to admit, when I first saw this recipe, I was a bit skeptical…and so was Bill.

I know it sounds kind of absurd…but, trust me, it works!

One of my passions is showing how some of our favorite recipes that might not be so healthy can be flipped to a more nourishing version that is still delicious and kid/family-friendly

My ultimate test for knowing whether I’ve made a successful recipe is to have my husband, Bill, try it.

If something we make doesn’t taste good, he has no qualms saying so.

But if it’s delicious, I usually get an emphatic “oh yeah” or “this is great” (which is a lot coming from him!).

Bill and I were pleasantly surprised by the outcome of this recipe and licked our bowls clean!

Not only does this recipe taste delicious, but it doesn’t use any fancy ingredients and can be whipped up in about 20 minutes.

caulifredo

Ingredients

  • 4 zucchini, spiralized using this awesome gadget! (You could also sub in your favorite gluten-free pasta of choice – we like the Tinkyada brown rice pasta)
  • 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil

Caulifredo Sauce

Directions

  1. Sauté the minced garlic in coconut oil or butter in a medium saucepan over low heat. Allow to cook for a few minutes, until the garlic is tender and fragrant but not browned.
  2. Add the 1 cup of water to the saucepan, along with the cauliflower florets, and bring the water to a boil. (The water will not cover the cauliflower, but that’s okay.) Once the water is boiling, reduce the heat to a simmer and cover the pot for 12-15 minutes or until the cauliflower is fork-tender and very soft.
  3. Transfer the entire contents of the saucepan into a blender or food processor, and season with salt and pepper. Add in lemon juice and onion powder. Process until very smooth and creamy, with a texture similar to traditional cream sauce. (Always be careful when blending hot liquids– the steam pressure can blow the lid off your blender!).
  4. Season with additional salt and pepper, if desired, and serve hot. If it seems thick, add more water. If it seems dry, add a liberal drizzle of olive oil.
  5. Place spiralized zucchini in a medium-sized frying pan greased with coconut oil, and stir for 3-4 minutes or until zucchini takes on a cooked pasta texture, sort of wilted and soft. Be careful not to overcook.
  6. Transfer zucchini noodles (AKA “zoodles”) to a plate or bowl and pour sauce on top. Sprinkle this 3-ingredient paleo parmesan cheeze on top and start eating!

Roasted Garlic Cauliflower Mash {Plus How to Break Apart Cauliflower…Easily!}

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On June 16, 2014

In Clean Eating, Paleo, Recipes, Tips & Tricks, Vegan

I love putting healthier spins on recipes that we think we “can’t have” when we’re eating healthy.

One of my goals is to help you make healthier, more empowered choices around food so you can look and feel your best and have all the energy to do the things you want to do in your life…without feeling deprived!

Today we’re going to focus on one of most people’s all-time favorite foods…mashed potatoes.

Except we won’t be using potatoes. We’ll be using another seasonal vegetable instead…cauliflower!

Trust me on this one. I was skeptical at first, too, but we served this at my mom’s birthday dinner, and everyone gobbled it up!

After trying this dish, you may find that you prefer it over traditional mashed potatoes, which tend to spike our blood sugar and don’t contain all of the nutrients and cancer-fighting power we can find in cauliflower.

cauliflower-1465732_1920

First, a few words about the amazing health benefits we can find in cauliflower. I like knowing “why” something is good for me…not just whether or not it is!

Cauliflower’s green friend, broccoli, tends to get way more hype, but cauliflower is a potent cancer-fighter, too, and a fellow cruciferous vegetable.

Here are a few reasons why you may want to add more cauliflower into your life!

  1. It’s a GBOMBS food. Read more about anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory GBOMBS here.
  2. It contains sulforaphane, a compound that kills cancer stem cells, thereby slowing tumor growth. It also greatly improves blood pressure and kidney function AND promotes digestive health.
  3. It fights inflammation. Inflammation is at the root of why we are sick and can’t seem to get rid of stubborn weight. Reduce inflammation, and you’ll be much more likely to resist disease and release weight.
  4. It’s loaded with disease-fighting and health-boosting vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, phytochemicals (think FIGHT-o-chemicals J)
  5. It helps us detoxify. In addition to inflammation, toxicity causes us to get sick and keep packing on the pounds. The more we help our bodies detox, the better off we’ll be.

If you’ve never bought a whole head of cauliflower before, it can be kind of tricky to break apart, so I’ve added a video that shows you how to make that process super easy!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lp4azkycy8g&feature=youtu.be

Here’s a link to order the towels I mentioned in the video. I learned about them by reading Tim Ferriss’ book, The 4-Hour Chef, and we love them because they make fantastic dish towels!

Convinced yet? If you like mashed potatoes, you will love the recipe below! It’s a healthier alternative to traditional mashed potatoes because of all of cauliflower’s awesome health benefits above and because it won’t drive up blood sugar the same way a white potato will.

Looks just like mashed potatoes...right?

Roasted Garlic Cauliflower Mashed “Potatoes”

Ingredients

  • 1 head cauliflower, cut into florets, stems and leaves removed
  • 1 head garlic, roasted (click here for how to roast garlic) 
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, ghee or grass-fed butter (if you can tolerate a little dairy)
  • 1/2 teaspoon coarse sea salt
  • black pepper, to taste
  • 1 tablespoon fresh thyme (prefered) or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 teaspoon yellow corn meal (prevents it from being watery)
  • 1-2 tablespoons almond milk, unsweetened

Directions

  1. Put the cauliflower in a steamer basket over 1-2 inches of water in a pot. Bring water to a boil and steam the cauliflower until it softens (about 12-15 minutes). You should be able to stick a fork through it easily.
  2. Put the cauliflower in a food processor and add the garlic, ghee/butter or oil, black pepper, sea salt, thyme, and cornmeal.
  3. Pulse to achieve desired consistency (chunky vs. smooth). If you’re using almond milk, add it 1 tablespoon at a time.
  4. Adjust seasonings based on your taste preferences. Enjoy!

Chocolate-Covered Strawberry Smoothie

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On June 13, 2014

In Clean Eating, Dairy-Free, Paleo, Recipes, Vegan

Chocolate-covered strawberries…for breakfast? Why not!

When I was a little girl, there was a strawberry man who would ride a horse drawn cart around our neighborhood and shout, “Strawwwwberries! Strawwwwwwberries!” as he sold pints of fresh strawberries to us and our neighbors.

I couldn’t quite say such a complicated word at the time, so my dad tells me that I called them “strawbetties.” 🙂

Berries have always been my favorite fruit, so I try to take advantage of them for the limited time they’re in season each year, which happens to be right now for strawberries!

Mmmm strawberries :)

Mmmm, locally grown strawberries

Not only do they taste delicious raw or cooked, but they’re also loaded with fiber and antioxidants, low in sugar, and are one of the 6 GBOMBS foods (anti-cancer/anti-fat storage!). Eat berries…lots of them!

For today’s recipe, I used frozen strawberries, but you could very easily just use fresh ones and throw in a few extra ice cubes OR cut the tops off of fresh berries and then put them on a parchment paper lined container and freeze them yourself 🙂

I don’t know about you, but chocolate-covered strawberries are one of my favorite treats, and this recipe gives us a nourishing way to have our strawberries AND chocolate. Try this smoothie/shake for breakfast, a midday snack, or as a dessert. It’s really yummy!

Cacao powder is one of the superfood ingredients in this recipe. Cocoa powder (such a slight difference in spelling!) is treated with heat, which destroys a lot of the health-boosting antioxidants of the cacao plant (where chocolate comes from!), so we use cacao powder instead. It’s a little more bitter, but it does the trick to create a chocolately taste! You can find it online or at a natural food store, Wegmans, Whole Foods, MOMs or Home Goods.

To learn more about the difference between cacao powder and cocoa powder, click here. Otherwise, check out the recipe below!

Chocolate-Covered Strawberry Smoothie

Chocolate-covered strawberry shake! I topped mine with some cacao nibs for a little crunch :)

Chocolate-covered strawberry shake! I topped mine with some cacao nibs for a little crunch 🙂

Ingredients

  • 1 cup water or almond milk
  • 1 frozen banana
  • 1 cup frozen organic strawberries
  • 1/4 ripe avocado
  • 2 handfuls fresh spinach
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 heaping tablespoon raw cacao powder
  • ice, if needed for texture

Click here for the full recipe from The Detoxinista!

No Bake Chocolate-Covered Cookie Dough Bites

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On June 11, 2014

In Dairy-Free, Products I Use, Recipes, Vegan

Nom nom (vegan) cookie dough!

Nom nom (vegan) cookie dough!

When I was a kid, there was nothing better than licking the spoon from the batter bowl of a fresh batch of Nestle Toll House chocolate chip cookies. In my lifetime, I’ve probably eaten the equivalent of about 5 dozen cookies worth of cookie dough that way. SO yummy!

Think that eating healthy means “giving up” things like cookie dough? Think again!

I found a recipe for vegan (= dairy-free!) chocolate-covered cookie dough balls that I had to try. It sounded interesting, and I was really drawn in by the picture on the website, so I went for it!

Cookie dough balls scooped out and ready to set in the freezer

Cookie dough balls scooped out and ready to set in the freezer

I shared these with my friend Michele the other day over lunch, and she loved them! She took one home to her 3-year-old son and said she will definitely be making them with him.

The main ingredient might be surprising, but somehow it works! Chocolate-Covered Katie (another super awesome blogger) is famous for her cookie dough dip, which was used as the inspiration for the filling in this recipe. Check her blog out, too, especially if you have a sweet tooth!

The chickpeas and almond butter in this recipe contain fiber, which helps control blood sugar, so they’re a better option than traditional cookie dough, which doesn’t have any fiber and can cause your blood sugar (and energy level) to spike and then crash. Focus on adding fiber to your sweet treats 🙂

No Bake Chocolate-Covered Cookie Dough Bites 

Yup. These are pretty awesome. I'll add a little more vanilla and salt next time.

Yup. These are pretty awesome. I’ll add a little more vanilla and salt next time.

Ingredients (see notes below*)

  • 2 cups (16 ounces) cooked chickpeas (AKA garbanzo beans), rinsed and drained*
  • 3 tablespoons raw organic honey* (use maple syrup for vegan-friendly option)
  • 1 tablespoon coconut palm sugar*
  • 1/8 teaspoon baking soda
  • 4 tablespoons raw organic almond butter*
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1/8 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1.5 cups vegan chocolate chips*
  • I also melted about 1 tablespoon of coconut oil with the chocolate chips to create more of a chocolate shell 🙂

Click here for the full recipe from MindBodyGreen! The recipe calls for a double boiler, which I don’t have, so even though it’s not ideal, I microwaved the chocolate chips for 30 seconds at a time with the coconut oil, until they were melted. Definitely putting a double boiler on my wish list!

Ingredient Notes*

  • For chickpeas, I use the Eden brand canned ones for convenience.
  • Raw honey still has lots of enzymes and other health-promoting components intact, while regular honey does not. You can still use regular honey if that’s what you have on hand. Raw honey is worth trying though! Great flavor and healthy 🙂
  • You can find coconut palm sugar online (Vitacost, Amazon) or at MOMs, Whole Foods, Wegmans or Home Goods.
  • Don’t have almond butter? Sub in peanut butter for half or all of the almond butter for a different taste. Allergic to nuts? Use sunbutter made from sunflower seeds.
  • I use the Enjoy Life brand of mini chocolate chips because they’re dairy/nut/soy/gluten-free.

My Favorite Free Recipe App (& Southwest Black Bean Burgers!)

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On June 7, 2014

In Clean Eating, Dairy-Free, My Story, Recipes, Vegan

When I was a picky eater, I ate the same things all the time.

Cereal for breakfast.

Fruit, yogurt, crackers and carrots for school lunch (since I didn’t like sandwiches or salads).

Meat, rice or pasta, and a steamed veggie for dinner.

…all without sauces (teriyaki was the lone exception) and with very little seasoning (salt, pepper, garlic powder and parmesan cheese were my “go-tos”).

It’s no wonder so many of us get bored with food and “eating healthy.” We eat the same things over and over again and don’t flavor our food!

Food was meant to be enjoyed and filled with endless flavor possibilities, many of which I just started experiencing over the past three to four years.

Be bold and try new flavors :) We love this southwest black bean burger!

Be bold and try new flavors 🙂 We love this southwest black bean burger!

It has taken me a while to build up to liking flavors I used to hate (like coconut) or assumed I wouldn’t like without actually trying (curry) and food preparations that sounded “weird” (i.e., anything containing ingredients I hadn’t eaten before).

We’re afraid of anything unfamiliar…so we don’t even give it a chance. Longer ingredient list? Not trying it. Ingredient I don’t have on hand? Not buying it. Ingredient I don’t recognize? Forget it.

That’s how I was for most of my life when it came to food…and a lot of other things actually. If I thought I was going to fail at or dislike something, I didn’t even try it.

I had no idea what I was missing!

Now I can’t imagine food without herbs, spices, sauces, dressings, and other flavorful add-ons. Hooray for no more bland food 🙂

The dish I’m sharing today is one of our favorites for the summer time and it is FULL of flavor…along with ingredients I never would have tried as a picky eater.

We found this recipe about 3 years ago on my absolute favorite mobile app for delicious and nourishing recipes – Whole Foods Market Recipes. You don’t have to shop at Whole Foods to use it, but if you’ve written off Whole Foods as “Whole Paycheck,” take a look at this article about 25 things that are actually cheaper at Whole Foods. Whole Foods is unarguably a wonderful place for the best food. If you’re a brand similar to whole foods, you can get recognized by the top retailer and expose your brand to buyers over RangeMe through a whole foods vendor portal.

Screenshots of the Whole Foods Market Recipes app

Screenshots of the Whole Foods Market Recipes app

Anyway, we love this app! Here’s why:

  • Contains a searchable database of over 3,000 recipes. We can save our favorites, create weekly meal plans (and grocery lists!) and get inspirations for new recipes to try.
  • We can search by course, cuisine, and special dietary needs (gluten free, low sugar, dairy-free, vegan, vegetarian, low sodium, high fiber, health starts here etc.)
  • Use On-Hand Search to find recipes that use ingredients you already have (great way to use up food and save money)

This recipe for a Southwest Veggie Burger was one of the first ones we tried from the WF Market Recipes app, and it quickly became one of our favorites. We usually make about 6 burgers from one batch. Check out the 3-minute video below for how to make them yourself!

Southwest Black Bean Veggie Burger

Ingredients

  • 1 cup cooked brown rice (to save time, use one of the steamable brown rice bags)
  • 1 cup cooked no-salt-added black beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1/4 cup diced tomato
  • 1/4 cup diced roasted red bell peppers
  • 1/4 cup shredded carrot
  • 1 cup cooked and mashed sweet potato
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
  • 1 tablespoon no-salt-added chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 3 green onions, finely chopped
  • 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 teaspoon Tabasco or other hot sauce

Click here for the full recipe from Whole Foods Market Recipes!

I eat mine without a bun since I feel best eating gluten-free and top it with some guacamole or avocado slices. Feel free to serve yours with a bun, in a wrap, or on top of a salad 🙂

Rhubarb Ch-ch-ch-chia Jam!

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On June 4, 2014

In Clean Eating, Dairy-Free, Recipes

Rhubarb is one of those foods that most of us have heard about…but not many of us have eaten and even fewer of us have bought and cooked ourselves.

Until a few days ago, I had never bought rhubarb in my life, much less used it in any recipes.

I had no idea what it tasted like…or even whether it was a fruit or vegetable! (I learned that it’s technically a vegetable but often regarded as a fruit because of its use in sweet recipes.)

All I knew was that it looked like a magenta-colored celery stalk…and that the most common way people eat it is in strawberry rhubarb pie.

Chopped rhubarb. So pretty and colorful!

Chopped rhubarb. So pretty and colorful!

I’ve never been much of a pie person (more a fan of crisps and crumbles) and had no clue what to do with rhubarb, so to Pinterest I went in search of a recipe!

I stumbled upon a simple, whole food recipe without refined sugar that featured rhubarb and (bonus!) contained only 4 ingredients.

The jam tastes like a combination of sweet strawberries, tart cherries and tangy lemon, even though there are no strawberries or cherries in it. Rhubarb has that unique of a taste!

You can put this deliciously tart and tangy jam on toast, in oatmeal or breakfast porridge, or in plain yogurt, or use it as a dessert topping.

Chia seeds are another ingredient in this recipe and are a staple in our pantry. They can be used in so many ways, including jams, puddings and smoothies. Not only that, but they’re a super-powered beauty detox food with some pretty amazing health benefits listed below!

Ch-ch-ch-chia seeds! You can find these at any health food store or online at Amazon, Vitacost or other stores.

Ch-ch-ch-chia seeds! You can find these at any health food store or online at Amazon, Vitacost or other stores.

  • Swell to 10-15 times their original size when combined with liquid and form a gel, which helps to keep us feeling full for hours
  • Perfect before, during and after workouts since they’re super hydrating
  • Help balance your blood sugar and keep energy levels up since they contain lots of fiber
  • Their gel-like consistency promotes optimal digestion and keeps things moving in our digestive system (trust me, we want to keep things moving!)
  • Contain high levels of antioxidants, which fight the damage of things like stress, poor diet, smoking and other health stressors, and omega-3 fatty acids, which are important for balancing hormones and nerve functions

Tart & Tangy Rhubarb Chia Jam

The final product! Super simple chia jam :)

The final product! Super simple chia jam 🙂

Ingredients

  • 1 pound fresh rhubarb, leafy ends removed, stalks chopped across into ÂĽ-inch slices
  • 3 tablespoons honey or maple syrup (I used honey)
  • 2 tablespoons chia seeds
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice or orange juice (I used lemon juice)

Click here for the full recipe!

Breakfast To Go: Mini Make-Ahead Frittatas! {Paleo, Gluten-Free}

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On June 1, 2014

In Clean Eating, Paleo, Recipes

Many of us are looking for simple solutions to make meals that are quick, affordable, delicious…and, if possible, healthy.

This recipe for mini frittatas will become a staple at your house if you’re looking for any of those things! It’s great for breakfast or brunch and is super kid-friendly, too.

Loving all of our fresh ingredients!

Loving all of our fresh ingredients!

This recipe includes a variety of super healthy foods, including kale, mushrooms and shallots. As I’ve written before, kale is a superstar vegetable and one of the healthiest foods we can eat. Mushrooms and shallots also have tons of health benefits, including being potent cancer fighters, like other anti-cancer, anti-fat storage GBOMBS foods.

We get our eggs from Hometown Harvest, and they’re from pasture-raised chickens that aren’t crammed in pens and injected with a bunch of antibiotics like most chickens. The eggs are delicious!

I ended up with 12 mini egg frittatas (make a double batch to save time if you want!). You could easily make this on a Sunday and have them for the week for meals.

These should keep in the fridge for 3-4 days, or you can wrap each one individually in plastic wrap and foil and store them in the freezer for a few weeks. I find that reheating them in the oven or toaster oven works best so they don’t get rubbery, but you can try reheating in the microwave, too. From frozen, try 30-60 seconds and from the fridge, try 15-20.

Mini Make-Ahead Frittatas

YUM! These mini egg muffins are bursting with flavor and SO yummy

YUM! These mini egg muffins are bursting with flavor and SO yummy!

Ready for breakfast!

Ready for breakfast!

Ingredients

  • 8 eggs (we get ours pasture-raised from Hometown Harvest)
  • 3 shallots, diced
  • 4 cloves of garlic, minced
  • 1 1/2 cups cremini mushrooms, chopped
  • 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, finely chopped
  • 1 teaspoon fresh thyme, finely chopped
  • 2 cups kale, chopped and tightly packed
  • 1/2 cup coconut milk (we use the unsweetened full fat version)
  • 1-2 teaspoons coconut oil
  • 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
  • freshly ground black pepper

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 375F and coat the muffin tins with a thin layer of coconut oil to prevent sticking.
  2. In a medium skillet (we used a cast iron skillet), saute the shallots until translucent. Then, add in the garlic, mushrooms and herbs, and saute until the mushrooms start to shrink (4-6 minutes). Add in the kale, tossing it until it starts to wilt. Turn off the heat and set veggies aside to cool for about 10 minutes.
  3. Whisk the eggs together in a medium bowl with the coconut milk, salt and pepper.
  4. Stir the cooked veggies in with the eggs and pour the mixture into muffin tins, filling each about 75% of the way to allow room for puffing up.
  5. Cook for 20 minutes, flipping and rotating the tray halfway through, until the muffin edges turn golden.
  6. Let cool before serving. They will puff up during cooking and shrink down once cooled. ENJOY!

Feel free to change it up by adding YOUR favorite veggies! Try any combination of the following vegetables, or make up your own combo. I like using broccoli, onions, peppers, scallions, sundried tomatoes, diced tomatoes, spinach, asparagus, or even Swiss chard. Get creative with it 🙂

MYO Chipotle-Style Bean Burrito Bowl {Vegetarian, Gluten-Free}

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On May 29, 2014

In Clean Eating, Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free, Products I Use, Recipes, Vegetarian

One of the questions I’m often asked is:

How can I eat healthy without going broke or spending hours in the kitchen?

My kitchen is my happy place, and I love spending lots of time there, but I know that time and patience to cook tend to be on the short side for most people.

That’s why I’m sharing a SUPER simple recipe with you today. It’s cheap, easy, quick AND delicious! You can have dinner on the table in less than 20 minutes. 🙂

When I finished making this dish for the first time, my husband Bill said, “You’re done already?”

Yup! It was that quick!

After his first bite, he gave me an “Oh yeah” and said this is one of his new favorite dishes. Success!

If you like Chipotle or Qdoba but don’t want to spend $8/person on a meal, this could be a new “go to” recipe for you. I bet it will become one of your favorites!

Chipotle Bowl 2

Here are a few keys to keep in mind when making your own quick and healthy meals, which served as the motivation to test out this recipe!

  • Cook more, dine out less. You will almost always pay more to dine out than to make a meal yourself. On average, a McDonald’s dinner for a family of four costs almost $7/person compared to a dinner based on rice and beans, like this one, which costs less than $2.50/person.
  • Make some of your meals meatless. Meat and dairy products and processed foods tend to be some of the most costly items on a grocery bill. Swapping out meat with beans – even one day a week – can help you save money…and time!
  • Eat vegan before 6:00 p.m. Mark Bittman was given the choice to either go on medication or adopt a vegan diet. He didn’t want to do either, so he started eating vegan before 6:00 and then having smaller portions of high quality animal products at dinnertime. He lost 35 pounds and didn’t have to go on medication. Click here to learn more about his story and book. In the meantime, check out this awesome recipe!

RNK Chipotle Burrito Bowl

Chipotle-Style Bean Burrito Bowl

This is one of the most popular recipes on my blog and is always a crowd pleaser, even for people who claim to dislike beans and avocado! It’s also one of the cheapest meals you can make for a group!

Base Ingredients

  • 1 29-ounce can (about 3 cups) black beans or pinto beans (drained and rinsed (I use Eden brand))
  • 2 cups cooked brown rice (heat up a precooked frozen bag!)
  • 4 cups romaine lettuce (chopped)
  • 1 jar salsa
  • 2 avocados (diced)

Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette

  • 1/3 cup fresh lime juice
  • 1/3 cup cilantro (chopped)
  • 2 cloves garlic (minced)
  • 1 teaspoon honey
  • 1/2 teaspoon coarse sea salt
  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • Black pepper (to taste)
  • Pinch cayenne pepper ((if you like some heat!))

  1. Whisk vinaigrette ingredients together.

  2. In a large bowl, combine rice, beans, salsa, avocado, and lettuce. Pour the vinaigrette on top, and toss all ingredients together to combine. Serve immediately.

If you want to save this for 2-3 days, add the lettuce and avocado when ready to serve to prevent browning and preserve freshness.

Optional add-ons: grilled or sautĂ©ed meat or seafood and/or sautĂ©ed veggies (onions, peppers…whatever you like!)

Optional topping: dairy-free sour cream

 

Minty Watermelon Mojito Salad

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On May 26, 2014

In Clean Eating, Dairy-Free, My Story, Paleo, Recipes, Vegan

Mojitos are my favorite cocktail.  The combo of tart lime and smooth mint is so cooling and refreshing and perfect for summer!

Mmm, fresh mint, limes, and seedless cucumber

Mmm, fresh mint, limes, and seedless cucumber

I remember my first mojito experience.  

I had just come home from a semester abroad in Granada, Spain and was really into everything about the Hispanic culture from the food to the music and dancing. I loved their energy, vitality and enthusiasm for life!

When my friend Allyson invited me to go with her and some friends to The Latin Palace in Fells Point shortly after returning from my trip, I was all in. I had a blast as I was led through all sorts of Latin dances for hours!

When it was time to take a break from dancing, I was introduced to what would become my favorite mixed drink – mojitos.

WOW!

It’s been almost 10 years, and I still don’t think I’ve had a mojito that was as perfectly prepared as my first.

As I was looking for recipes to prepare today for a Memorial Day cookout, I stumbled across this one for a minty watermelon mojito salad.

How could I resist?? 

Watermelon + mint + lime + cucumber = the ultimate warm weather refresher.

It’s DELICIOUS and was really simple to prepare, too. This will be a hit at any cookout, picnic or party, and I guarantee kids will love it, too!

Minty Watermelon Mojito Salad

Ridiculously refreshing minty mojito watermelon salad

Ridiculously refreshing minty watermelon mojito salad

Ingredients

  • 3 cups seedless watermelon, cubed (here’s how to pick a perfect watermelon)
  • 1.5 cups seedless cucumber, cubed
  • 2 tablespoons fresh mint leaves, sliced thin (“chiffonade” if we’re being fancy about it)
  • 1/4 cup fresh lime juice (about 2 limes)
  • Zest from two limes (here’s the zester I use)
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • Pinch of sea salt
  • Pinch of black pepper

Click here for the full recipe from one of my new favorite blogs – Stupid Easy Paleo!

Thank you to all of the men and women who selflessly serve our country, especially our friend, Joe, who recently left for a multi-year tour in Germany!

2-Minute Peanut Butter Banana Ice Cream!

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On May 22, 2014

In Clean Eating, Dairy-Free, Paleo, Products I Use, Recipes, Vegan

I scream, you scream, we all scream for (peanut butter) ICE CREAM!

I grew up loving ice cream and had an ice cream cake for every birthday, but since I’ve cut out dairy products, I’ve had to come up with other options.

With the weather getting warmer (finally!) and summer on its way, I wanted to share this recipe to give you a healthier option for ice cream! You can make it in the best ice cream maker you have, or use the method I have planned out below!

Today’s recipe for peanut butter banana ice cream is incredibly simple, kid–friendly, and deliciously dairy–free.

It turns out JUST LIKE soft serve ice cream in texture and consistency, so I know it will become one of your new favorites!

Even the ingredients are simple. In fact, you probably already have all of them on hand! Not only that, but this is a GREAT way to use up bananas that have seen better days rather than throwing them away 🙂 Just peel and then freeze them so you’re always prepared to make banana ice cream!

pb-ice-cream-scoop

Ingredients

  • 2 ripe bananas, peeled, frozenm and cut into 1/2″ discs
  • 2-3 tablespoons natural peanut butter
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • pinch of sea salt
  • Optional: 1/4 avocado for extra creaminess

Chocolate Peanut Butter variation: Add 1-2 tablespoons cacao powder (to make peanut butter chocolate ice cream!)

Directions

Banana discs and peanut butter ready to go!

Step 1: Frozen banana discs and peanut butter ready to go!

Step 2: Put the bananas in the food processor (we used a mini one)

Step 2: Put the frozen bananas in the food processor (we used a mini one)

This is the big food processor we use and this is the mini one. You can make the banana ice cream in either one. We bought our mini one at Home Goods for about $28!

Step 3: Grind the bananas until they resemble this gravel-like consistency

Step 3: Grind the bananas until they resemble this gravel-like consistency

Step 4: Keep pulsing until the bananas resemble this consistency and then add in the peanut butter, vanilla extract and salt

Step 4: Keep pulsing until the bananas resemble this consistency and then add in the peanut butter, vanilla extract and salt. If making chocolate peanut butter ice cream, add the cacao powder at this point, too.

Tada! Peanut butter banana ice cream!

Tada! Peanut butter banana ice cream!

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