Coconut Lime Chia Pudding

\ Leave a Comment \ by

Chia seeds are small and nearly flavorless but add them to liquid and they plump up, forming a gel, and take on the flavors of whatever other ingredients are added in. They are very filling and are one of the best plant based sources of essential omega-3 fatty acids, along with all the essential amino acids (making them a “complete” protein), fiber, antioxidants, calcium and iron. They were originally cultivated as a staple crop of the Mayans, the word “chia” means “strength” in their language. Continue Reading →

Posted in: Breakfast, Gluten Free, Paleo, Snack, Vegan

Pecan Date Bites

\ 2 Comments \ by

These are so easy they do not require a recipe at all but I wanted to share them because they are a really great pre- or post-workout snack or sweet craving buster. Simply cut open a date, take out the pit and insert a pecan. They taste kind of like pecan pie and since both ingredients store well, an airtight container of these can be kept in your gym bag, desk, pantry or car for quick snacks and emergency hunger pangs. Continue Reading →

Posted in: Dessert, Gluten Free, Paleo, Snack, Vegan, Vegetarian

Chocolate Banana Oat Muffins

\ Leave a Comment \ by

I’ve been experimenting a lot in the past few months with different gluten-free baking techniques. Coconut flour and gluten-free blends are some widely used options but I have found that the end product when using large quantities is usually really crumbly or slightly rubbery. Combining rolled oats and nut flour however, produces muffins and loaves that are dense, cohesive and moist. Continue Reading →

Posted in: Breakfast, Dessert, Gluten Free, Grains, Snack, Vegetarian

Rosemary Salt Roasted Chickpeas

\ Leave a Comment \ by

Flavored salts and herb blends are a great option if you do not have much of a spice arsenal. They enhance anything from meat and fish to soups to roasted vegetables, and in this case roasted chickpeas. Here I used my current favorite, a garlic rosemary sea salt that my brother’s girlfriend gifted me for Christmas, and an option that combines three flavors in one. Truffle flavored salt is a top choice if you want to go for the fancy factor and spice blends like Italian seasoning or Old Bay have subtle herby flavors or there are some more exotic options like Indian garam masala and Middle Eastern za’atar. Continue Reading →

Posted in: Gluten Free, Snack, Vegan, Vegetarian

Portobello Egg Cups

\ Leave a Comment \ by

Portobello mushrooms are a versatile vegetable (technically they are actually a fungi) with a meaty texture and their large round shape makes them an ideal container for stuffing with other ingredients. They are a good source of many different antioxidants, vitamins and minerals, but what’s even more interesting is the potential of their phytonutrients to enhance immunity. Continue Reading →

Posted in: Breakfast, Eggs, Gluten Free, Paleo, Snack, Vegetarian

Banana Sushi

\ Leave a Comment \ by

These are nothing like regular sushi, no seaweed or raw fish for this recipe. All that is needed is a banana, some nut butter and a whole grain tortilla, additionally you can add in some small seeds and spices for extra healthy fats, protein and flavoring. The nut butter makes the tortilla stick together as you wrap it around the banana and then cut it into the separate pieces. Continue Reading →

Posted in: Breakfast, Gluten Free, Grains, Snack, Vegan, Vegetarian

PB&J Bites

\ Leave a Comment \ by

One of the easiest ways to make food more nourishing is to bypass as much processing as possible. Nutritional advice will often dictate to eat the whole fruit rather than their juice or the whole seeds rather than their oil. Several nutrients in fruits and vegetables start to decrease in amount and potency the moment that the food they are in is removed from the plant, this loss is further sped up through different processing techniques like cooking and drying. Moreover, all the nutrients work together- for example the fiber in fruits lessens the impact that the sugars they contain have on the body, slowing down the digestion process and keeping blood sugar levels more stable. Continue Reading →

Posted in: Appetizer, Dessert, Gluten Free, Paleo, Snack, Vegan, Vegetarian

Ginger Spiced Almond Cookies

\ Leave a Comment \ by

Almond flour is a good substitute for refined white flour in creating dense and chewy cookies with a lightly crispy crust. Almonds provide a significant source of vitamin E, along with several B vitamins and the minerals manganese, magnesium and phosphorus. They are high in fats, but they are primarily monounsaturated, one of the types of unsaturated fats we should choose more regularly than saturated fats (as found more concentrated in palm oils, red meat and dairy). Research has shown that eating almonds alongside simple carbohydrates, such as fruit, sugars and syrups reduces the overall glycemic index (GI) of the meal, meaning that it causes less of a rise in blood sugar than the simple carbohydrates would have on their own… making them an ideal ingredient for healthy desserts. Continue Reading →

Posted in: Dessert, Gluten Free, Paleo, Snack, Vegetarian

Almond Avocado Spring Rolls

\ Leave a Comment \ by

This is serious health food. It is loaded with fresh, raw vegetables potent with nutrients and made palatable through the magic of two sauces laden with healthy fats. If you are looking to get your body back into top shape after holiday feasting, make more room on your plate for raw vegetables. They are an integral part of the diet because of their vitamins, minerals and antioxidants which all support functions throughout the body. Beyond this, they can also enhance digestion because contain something called enzymes. Continue Reading →

Posted in: Appetizer, Gluten Free, Grains, Side, Snack, Vegan, Vegetarian

Cranberry Walnut Granola

\ Leave a Comment \ by

Granola is one of the easiest things to make and just a little bit goes a long way to dress up a bowl of oatmeal or plain yogurt. Artisan granola is quite expensive but if you buy the ingredients in bulk it can be a very cost effective homemade endeavor. The stars of this particular granola are walnuts and cranberries. Continue Reading →

Posted in: Breakfast, Dessert, Gluten Free, Grains, Snack, Vegan, Vegetarian