chocolate + vanilla chia pudding

Here is another post I wrote many months ago.  I don't make this recipe as often as I should, but I whipped up a batch of it yesterday so I could take photos for this post, and it reminded me how much I still like it!

I have finally jumped on the chia pudding bandwagon.  And welcome to the year 2009!  Seriously, I feel like chia pudding is what everyone around me (or at least the foodie blogger people) have been making for several years now as an alternative to the traditionally unhealthy, high-sugar dessert.  I tried it a while back and it didn't wow me, and actually seemed to upset my digestion a bit.  I recently gave it another shot, and low and behold - loved it!  And thankfully so did my digestive system, which is why I have been recently playing around with some recipes until I finally hit a home run.  Look no further, your chia pudding recipe has arrived.  And what's that you say?  You can't ever decide between chocolate and vanilla pudding?  Well, now you don't have to!  You can have it both ways, and get some pretty damn good nutrition at the same time!  (Read about chia seed benefits here.)

chocolate + vanilla chia pudding

serves 2

 ingredients:

• 1 cup non-dairy milk (I used unsweetened soymilk)
• 4 tbsp chia seeds
• 1 1/2 - 2 tbsp maple syrup (less if your milk is sweetened)
• 1/4 tsp vanilla
• 3 tsp cocoa powder

what you do:

The best way to mix up all the ingredients is to put everything besides the chia seeds into a food processor or blender and run it until everything is well combined.  Then, slowly sprinkle in the chia so it doesn't stick together in clumps.  However - since I am kinda lazy with food making, like to take shortcuts, and dislike doing dishes, I have gotten away with just putting everything in a mason jar with a blender bottle mixing ball and just shaking the bejesus out of it.  Yea, you might end up with some clumps of chia seeds, but I actually like those chewy parts of the pudding!
Once your ingredients are combined, let it hang out in your fridge for at least four hours.  Eight is probably better, but I have found that it will firm up quite a bit after just a few, and have been known to sneak bites before it is fully set on more than one occasion.

optional add-ins:  peanut butter, blueberries, chocolate chips, or top with whipped coconut cream!

Enjoy this guilt-free dessert knowing that it contains (per serving) a whopping 13g fiber and 10g protein (using soymilk).  Not to mention the Omega-3's, Calcium, Manganese, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Zinc, Vitamin B3 (Niacin), Potassium, Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) and Vitamin B2 that you get just from the chia seeds alone!!  This recipe is a delicious guilt-free dessert, but would also make a great breakfast and even travels well in a small dish or glass jar.

And if for some strange reason you can't get on board with the whole chia pudding thing, I present to you your plan B.

cha-cha-cha-chia!

Sweet Potato & Kale Soup

If I seem a little sweet potato obsessed lately, it's not just your imagination.  I enjoy eating sweet potatoes year round, but something about the cooler weather, leaves changing color, and smell of autumn in the air makes me crave them in a big way this time of the year.  In fact, I have a bit batch of sweet potatoes roasting in the oven as I type up this post.
This soup gets it's creaminess from not one but three ingredients - blended sweet potatoes, coconut milk, and avocado.  Fresh kale adds a lovely green color, chewy texture, and balances out the sweetness of the potatoes - not to mention the health benefits that it brings to the table.  The night I made this soup, I had already fed Arlo his dinner by the time ours was ready, but I decided to let him taste a bite or two.  He absolutely loved it, and gobbled up everything I offered him, including the cubed avocado.  So without further ado, here is my Arlo-approved, rich and creamy, sweet potato and kale soup!

Sweet Potato & Kale Soup

Ingredients:

• 3 medium sweet potatoes, cut into bite sized cubes
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 cans coconut milk (not the drinking kind)
• 1 cup vegetable broth
• 2-3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 bunch kale, washed and torn into bite-sized pieces
• 2 avocados, diced
• salt & pepper to taste

Directions:

1.  in a large pot over medium heat, saute onion for 6-8 minutes in olive oil.  add in garlic and cook an additional 5 minutes.
2. add in cubed sweet potatoes, coconut milk (full fat for best flavor), vegetable broth, and salt and pepper.  turn down heat to a simmer and cook until sweet potatoes pierce easily with fork.
3. using an immersion blender, blend soup until most of it is thick and creamy.  I do this by holding the immersion blender to one side of the pot, and not moving it around.  this leaves some pieces of sweet potato whole and adds a nice texture to the soup.  if you don't have an immersion blender, dump about 3/4 of the soup into a regular blender and blend until smooth.  return blended soup to pot.
4. add kale to pot, and cook until kale is wilted, about 5 minutes.
5. ladle the soup into bowls and top with diced avocado.  enjoy!

Black Bean, Sweet Potato, and Quinoa Salad

With Halloween just three days away, and four potlucks to attend within the span of eight days, I had been looking for a quick and easy recipe that would be easy enough to feed to a crowd, and at the same time offer up some kind of Halloween theme.  Sweet potatoes and black beans immediately came to mind as my orange and black ingredients, and are the main players in this dish.  Sweet potato pairs well with so many flavors, but there is something about combining it with a hint of lime that really allows the taste to shine through.  Brown rice syrup adds just a touch of sweetness and the hearty black beans give this salad the protein power to stick with you through all the pumpkin carving, hay rides, and corn maze exploring that this time of the year brings.  This recipe can be doubled to feed a crowd, and is easy to transport to a gathering with friends.  Can be served warm or is equally good cold the next day.  See the bottom of the recipe for optional add-in ideas!

Black Bean, Sweet Potato, and Quinoa Salad

Ingredients:

• 1 cup uncooked quinoa
• 2 small (or 1 large) sweet potatoes
• 1 1/2 cups cooked black beans (or one can)
• juice (+ zest) of one lime
• 1/3 cup olive oil (plus a little more for roasting potatoes)
• 1 TBSP brown rice syrup (or other sweetener of choice)
• 1-2 TBSP chopped cilantro (can also use frozen cilantro cubes as a time saver)
• salt & pepper to taste

 Directions:

1.  preheat oven to 400 degrees.  peel and dice sweet potatoes into small 1/2" cubes.  place on baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with a pinch of salt, and roast for 20 minutes or until easily pierced with fork.  I always broil mine at the end for 2-3 minutes for a nice golden color.
2. while potatoes are roasting, cook quinoa according to package instructions.  tip: since quinoa should be rinsed before cooking and will go into the pot "wet," use slightly less water than indicated on instructions.  this will help your quinoa cook up nice and fluffy!
3. mix up dressing.  combine lime juice and zest, olive oil, brown rice syrup, cilantro, and salt & pepper.
4. allow quinoa to sit and cool for a bit before mixing everything up.  when ready, in large bowl, combine fork fluffed quinoa, sweet potato pieces, and black beans.  pour dressing over top and mix gently.  taste and add additional salt and pepper as desired.  

optional add-ins:  avocado, chopped red onion, green onions, bell peppers, or tomatoes.

  Recipe by Kendra B.  October 2014

Arlo Eats

Now that Arlo is well into eating solid foods, I thought I would share a little more detail about what he eats and how I prepare his meals.  I always knew I would be making his baby food at home, but had no idea how fun it would be to come up with new recipes and allow him to try new things.  It's no secret that food and nutrition are very important to me, so it shouldn't surprise you that I am pretty excited to be introducing our little guy to the wonderful world of fruits, veggies, grains, and beans.  I have loosely been following the advice of the "baby food bible" Super Baby Food, and have taken the bits and pieces I feel are appropriate for us and also added in a few of my own ideas.  The most helpful information I took from the book is the schedule of which foods are appropriate for baby at their current age.  Since I am no expert on the development of an infant's gastrointestinal tract, and I didn't want to upset his little tummy or increase his risk of a food reaction, I tried to not to introduce foods until the book said it was okay to do so.  So far he has not had any signs of allergy or sensitivity to anything he has tried, and fortunately eats pretty much everything I offer him.  Let's hope that this adventurous sense of eating continues into toddlerhood.  Toddlers like kale and quinoa, right?  ;)

Making the meals:

Each week I choose a new food or two to buy at the store, and if it requires cooking and freezing I try and do so as soon as I can to preserve the nutrients.  99% of what Arlo has eaten has been organic, and while I will surely relax this rule as time goes on, I feel at his young age it is absolutely essential for him to avoid unnecessary pesticides whenever possible.  In terms of how I make his meals each day, the food prep depends on what it is, and if he can eat it raw or if it needs to be cooked.  Breakfast typically consists of a mashed raw fruit mixed with oatmeal cereal, and lunch and dinners are usually cooked veggies mixed with rice cereal or other grains.

Example breakfasts:

• fork mashed bananas + oatmeal
• peaches + oatmeal
• pears + applesauce + oatmeal
• pureed blueberries + fork mashed bananas + oatmeal
• banana pieces (finger foods)
• kiwi pieces (too slippery for him to pick up, I feed him with a spoon)

 

Example lunch and dinners:

• sweet potato + rice
• peas + quinoa
• squash + tahini+ rice
• carrots + spinach + rice or quinoa
• green beans + carrots + rice
• kale + apples + mixed grain cereal (oats, barley, and spelt) 

Raw foods:  This process is super simple and just requires having the right foods on hand!  This is how I typically make his breakfast, and involves either taking the fruit and fork mashing or blending lightly in the baby bullet, and then mixing in some store-bought or made at home baby cereal (we are doing mostly store-bought at this time because it is super convenient and fortified with DHA, choline, and probiotics.)  I mix in a little bit of hot water from the electric kettle to warm the meal a bit, and then stir it all together, adding more cereal or water until the right consistency is reached.  Arlo is doing well with thick foods that have small chunks now, but back when he started solids preferred a much smoother consistency.  Examples of some raw foods that Arlo is eating include: banana, pears, peaches, blueberries, spinach (although that requires blending), and avocado.

Cooked foods:  This method takes a bit longer to prepare initially but can be done in large batches, saving you time when making future meals.  As I mentioned before, I usually pick a new food or two each week and prep it that day if possible to preserve nutrients.  I will either bake, boil, or steam the veggie, and then process it in the vitamix.  I then freeze it in a 2 ounce cube that can easily be mixed with 2 ounces of cereal (or beans or cooked grains) or 2 ounces of another veggie for a complete 4 ounce meal.  The baby bullet I bought (new for $15 at a yard sale - score!) also came with three silicone freezer trays so I can make 18 cubes at a time.  Once the cubes are frozen I put them in a labeled freezer ziploc bag and store in my dedicated baby food freezer drawer.  I always save 2-3 meals worth of the veggie I just cooked and store it in glass jars in the fridge so Arlo can have several days in a row of the new food to monitor for a reaction.  

When I am planning his meals for the next day, I will take out 2 or so frozen cubes of baby food and let them defrost overnight in glass jars, and by the time he is ready to eat they will be thawed and ready for cereal to be mixed in.  As it turns out, the cute tapered jars that Beech Nut baby foods come in fit the frozen cubes like they were meant for each other, and those small jars fit into our bottle warmer perfectly, allowing us to avoid the microwave or inconvenience of heating each meal in a pan on the stove.  So while the process might sound complicated, the time I spend to prepare each of his meals is perhaps 1-2 minutes at most.  I have several empty de-labeled jars (that I ate the contents of because Beech Nut doesn't make organics, whomp whomp) so I can store, heat, and serve his meals in glass.

1.)  fork mashed bananas + blended blueberries, ready for some oatmeal to be mixed in  2.) breakfast ready to eat  3.)  happy baby with full tummy  4.)  all gone!

A fun thing I have been doing lately is making two or three foods at one time, and freezing them layered together in the silicone molds.  This allows Arlo to have several foods at once, without having to preplan to defrost several foods at the same time, and try to figure out what things I have on hand that might mix well together.  

green beans + carrots on the left and butternut squash on the right.  once defrosted just mix in some cereal/grains, heat, and serve!

Finger Foods:

 

this kid loves his puffs!

While we are still doing mostly mashed/blended foods for Arlo, he is also starting to get into finger foods as well.  He has been enjoying teething biscuits and puffs for a while now, but recently we also started to give him his first tastes of table food.  When we went out for my birthday two weeks ago, we tried an Ethiopian restaurant for the first time, and have Arlo a few pieces of the bread that comes with the meals, called Injera, and he absolutely loved it.  He also had a few bites of the non-spicy lentil dish and chickpea salad and liked those as well, although I did spoon feed him that as they are not really "finger foods."  This past week at dinner I let him feed himself some roasted sweet potato pieces I made, as well as some plain pasta noodles.  He did really well until he either got full or bored, as he decided to turn the potatoes into finger paints and smear them around his high chair tray.  It is pretty fun to sit down together at the table and eat the same foods, watching Arlo feed (and happily entertain) himself during dinner!

The plan (if there can be one with anything baby related) is to continue to introduce appropriate finger foods, but also keep on feeding him blended (and eventually more whole form) baby foods for as long as he will let me.  Many of the things he takes in "baby food" form wouldn't be easy (or safe) for him to feed himself right now, such as blueberries, kale, quinoa, and other small grains.  So I obviously want him to continue to eat those for nutritional reasons, but also so he develops a taste for these foods while he is young and will hopefully want to eat them as he grows up.

Going out to eat:

As mentioned before, I love making Arlo's meals at home, and this is what he is eating the vast majority of the time.  But when meeting friends at the local co-op, traveling, or just going out to dinner, the convenience of those store bought baby food pouches can't be beat.  Plus, they come in such amazing combinations of fruits, grains, and veggies that I have a hard time not eating them myself!  My biggest complaint about these pouches is the packaging.  Not only does it seem wasteful, but it's made of plastic, one of my least favorite materials.  So we try and limit the pouches to when we are out and about, and stick with the homemade stuff when at home.

"Sprout" brand - made just for Arlo aka Sprout?  ;)

Up until recently we have been feeding him by either squeezing the pouches onto a spoon bite by bite or using one of those screw-on style baby spoons that attach directly to the pouch.  However we recently decided to try and squirt it directly into Arlo's mouth right from the pouch.  Once he got a little taste of the food he closed his lips around the spout and sucked it down like it was a bottle!  We actually had to slow him down at one point because he had taken in around 1/3 of the pouch without even stopping.  He even held it himself for a bit and ate, although since we were out at a restaurant and didn't want baby food to squirt everywhere we helped him with most of it.

And an update on the sippy cup:

I started to let Arlo play with the sippy cup many months ago, probably when he was around 4 or 5 months old.  I thought that would help him learn to use one early, but in fact I think I might have taught him that it is not, in fact, a vessel from which to drink fluids, but a fun toy that makes lots of noise when you bang it against the high chair tray.  Oops.  We introduced a straw cup a few weeks ago and while he will sometimes drink from it without issue, he usually spits most of the water out and thinks its a fun game.  He is getting enough fluids between his bottles and solids though, so I am not too worried that he isn't a big fan of water yet.  I have no plans for diluted juice anytime soon, and I plan to hold off on any milks until he is around a year.  I am still researching our best options, but right now I am leaning towards giving him a combination of oat, almond, hemp, and rice milks.  We will choose options fortified with calcium so he will be getting at least as much as he would if we had him on a dairy-based milk.

Right now I think we are off to a great nutritional start and hope that our little man continues to be a good eater.  I am really excited about introducing him to more of the foods that we like to eat, and watching him grow into a more independent eater.  His favorite things right now are sweet potatoes, bananas (and all other sweet fruits), and surprisingly - kale!  

Leaving you with one last picture, quite possibly my favorite one to date of him eating.  This is what it looks like when your baby can't decide between taking a nap and eating a teething biscuit....

Hidden Black Bean Brownie Bites

It is almost July, and we are in the middle of an insane heat wave here in North Carolina...  I am talking about temps in the low 100's and a heat index between 105-115.

Perfect time to turn on the oven and bake brownies.

Crazy?  Yes, pretty much.  But with the forecast not changing much for the next five or six days, and a brownie craving in full gear, something needed to be done...

Enter Hidden Black Bean Brownie Bites!

Step one, make sure the temp outside is at least 100 degrees...

My home weather station said 106 outside.  Don't judge - I am a huge weather nerd...

Step two, get out your ingredients and start baking...  Alternatively, take your ingredients outside and bake your brownies in the sun...  I am only half joking, it's really that hot out.

Hidden Black Bean Brownie Bites

Inspired by this recipe from Happy Herbivore

These brownies are vegan, gluten-free, soy-free, low sugar, low fat, guilt-free and delicious.  I used stevia in mine but they did not turn out very sweet.  I recommend adding the optional sugar for sweeter brownies, and an extra banana for a fudgier texture as these have a consistency more like chocolate cake.  Taste the batter for sweetness prior to baking, it will be slightly less sweet when done so adjust accordingly.  Also, I promise you cannot taste the beans in these.  They make a great base for the recipe and add a nice amount of protein, fiber, folic acid and iron.  Practically health food here...  Enjoy!

Ingredients:

3/4 cup of rolled oats

1/2 cup cocoa powder

2 very ripe bananas

1/4-1/2 cup Brown Rice Syrup or Agave

2 cups cooked black beans (aprox 1 can)

1/2 cup sugar or stevia to taste

1 Ener-G egg replacer "egg"

1/2 cup walnuts

1 tsp. vanilla extract

 pinch of salt

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Start by processing the dry oats in a food processor to nearly a flour texture.  Add the cocoa powder and pulse until combined.  Add to large mixing bowl.
2. In food processor, add black beans, bananas, brown rice syrup or agave, vanilla, salt, "egg" replacer, and sugar/stevia.  Process until smooth and well combined.
3. Add wet ingredients to dry.  Stir with spatula.  Fold in walnuts.  Conduct taste test for sweetness, you can always add more sweetener at this point.
4. Lightly spray 8x8 pan or muffin tins with cooking spray.  This recipe will make 10 "muffin" shaped brownies or 9 brownies if using square pan.
5. Bake for 28-30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
6. Enjoy with a large glass of almond/soy/coconut/hemp/other non-dairy milk.  Yum!

Next up, my favorite ice cream recipe.  But I am going to wait until it is snowing outside... Stay tuned!

Tuesday Tacos

Want a really easy vegan-friendly dinner to make during weeknights?  I give you:

Tuesday Tacos!

Ingredients:

12 corn tortilla shells (hard or soft)

black beans - 2 cans or equivalent

fresh or frozen corn - aprox 2 cups

2-3 cloves chopped garlic 

small can of green chiles

Daiya cheese (optional)

 refried beans - 2 cans 

1 large onion

taco seasoning 

guacamole

1.)  Start by sauteing onion and garlic for 4-5 minutes in a little bit of cooking oil.  When starting to brown,    add in black beans, corn, chiles and taco seasoning (I used just 1/2 packet, use the whole thing if you like it spicy!)  Stir occasionally to prevent burning.

2.)  Put refried beans into small pot over low heat to warm up while main ingredients cook.

3.)  Prepare guacamole if you choose to.  I made my own by mashing up 2 ripe avocados, 1 tbsp chopped cilantro, 2 green onions, 1 clove minced garlic, lime juice, and salt.

Trader Joes has great Taco shells made with organic corn, and their Refried Pintos are the BEST around.

4.)  Warm taco shells in oven for 3-4 minutes.  By this time your main ingredients should be hot and ready.

5.)  Assemble tacos by putting down a layer of refried beans, bean/corn/onion taco filling, salsa, and top with guacamole.  If you are using the Daiya cheese put it between the bean layers so it starts to warm and melt a bit.

I am not one to really eat a lot of mock meats/cheeses, but Daiya is seriously good stuff.  The mozzarella is our absolute favorite.  I recommend heating it to the point of melting for the best flavor.  It makes an amazing pizza topping too!

6.)  Enjoy your delicious quick and easy Tuesday Tacos!

I love to eat my tacos open faced so I can really load up the fillings!  Plus I can put on as much guac as humanly possible  ;)

 Not only are these tacos vegan, but they are gluten-free and soy-free too.  Lots of protein, healthy fats, and veggies.  The whole dinner can came together in under 30 minutes (even less if you can talk the hubby into helping out like I did!)  Plus there is enough for leftovers for at least one or two more nights.

Enjoy!

Green Monster

For a quick breakfast this morning I decided to make a Green Monster smoothie recipe that I have been meaning to try for a while now.  I make smoothies often but they are usually more of a dessert and include cocoa powder, PB, bananas, stevia, and some type of non-dairy milk.  I added in a little extra nutrition this time to turn it into an awesome breakfast drink!

Original recipe here:  Classic Green Monster

Ingredients:

• 1 cup almond milk, or milk of choice
• 1 ripe banana, preferably peeled + frozen
• 2 handfuls organic spinach
• 1 tbsp chia seeds OR 1 tbsp ground flax
• 1 tbsp nut butter, optional
• 1-3 ice cubes
• protein powder of choice, optional

For my smoothie I used unsweetened soy milk, 1 frozen banana, two large handfuls of organic baby spinach, 1 T chia seeds, 1 T almond butter, 4 ice cubes, and 1 scoop Sunwarrior protein powder (in chocolate flavor because that is all we have on hand.)

I just recently started buying and using chia seeds. They are a tiny powerhouse of nutrition, as well they add a little "thickness" and texture to puddings and smoothies. 

The "recipe" is about as easy as it gets - throw everything into a blender turn it on, and let it do its job!  A high-power blender (such as a vita-mix) is a good thing to have when making a smoothie such as this.   It will give the drink a really smooth and creamy consistency, and "hides" the spinach so well you won't even know it's there.  I swear there is nothing about this smoothie that makes it taste like a salad!

I topped my smoothie with a few fresh blackberries and chopped walnuts.  Delicious!

This Green Monster should give me energy to last through the morning and then some.  And today I will need it as we are headed out to Asheville to spend some much-needed time in the mountains.  It will be our first time there since the wedding back in September.  I have been looking forward to this trip for weeks - three days in the beautiful Carolina mountains...  Speaking of which, it's time to finish my smoothie, finish packing, and hit the road soon!

A weekend of awesomeness and balls of energy

I almost feel bad for saying so because Erik was out of town the whole time, but this past weekend was one of the best I can remember in a while.  Full of fun activities and great time spent with friends.  It makes me realize I need to get out more, instead of spending most of my weekend evenings at home... The problem is, I really enjoy being at home too!  I work most evenings during the week so come the weekend I want nothing more then to couch it and watch netflix with Erik.

Anywho, Erik was in South Carolina all weekend with his cycling team, so I was free to entertain myself however I fancied.  Saturday I spent the rainy morning crafting (more on that in my next post), went for a run with Lucy, and just as I was leaving to head to a yoga class the weather turned nice and the sun came out.  I figured there would be a large turnout in the alignment-based class that I was taking, as it was a benefit class for a local non-profit.  As it turns out, I was the only one in the class.  The instructor was okay with it though, so I had a 90 minute private lesson with a great instructor who had the most lovely French accent.  We put our mats side by side and down dogged like nobody's business.  It was great  :)

 But really, how could you not have a great time in a place like this:

 

Photo from namasteyall

Carrboro Yoga is by far my most favorite of all the local studios I have practiced at.  Just walking into the Paper Lantern Room puts a huge smile on my face.  The studio is on the top floor of an old cotton mill that was built all the way back in 1898.  It is now known as the Carr Mill Mall and is full of cute shops, restaurants, and one of the most popular places in Carrboro, The Weaver St. Market.  The smell of the studio is earthy and rustic, and I believe it comes from the original hardwood floors which still remain.  Large bright windows fill the studio with natural light...  I really can't say enough good things about this space!

After my yoga class, I came home and whipped up a salad to take to the raw vegan potluck I was attending that evening.  One of the very first people I met when I moved to NC had a party at her house to celebrate her Golden Birthday.  I had not seen her in so long and I had such a wonderful time at the party.  She had all kinds of unusual teas for us to drink, there was delicious raw vegan food, and I met so many interesting people.  We even created together a large mandala with crayons, colored pencils, and markers.  It was so beautiful when it was finished.  I said goodnight to the party around 1am since I knew I would be getting up semi-early the next morning for another fun-filled day...

Sunday morning one of our good friends (who is an intern-minister at the Unitarian Universalist Church we recently started attending) was giving a sermon.  Many of our friends showed up to hear him, which that alone was pretty sweet - being able to sit with our friends in the very same Church we spend every Sunday morning in as of recent!  After Church we all went out for brunch in Carrboro.  It really was the perfect Sunday morning, eating good food and drinking mimosas with several of my favorite people on a beautiful spring morning...  Wouldn't have wanted to spend it any other way!

Melissa and I, I love this little lady!

Leslie and Robin, two sweet chickies!

After brunch I bid farewell to my friends, and  had to go do my first responsible thing of the entire weekend: grocery shopping for the week.  My usual routine is to shop on Saturday and then spend several hours on Sunday evening prepping and cooking meals for the week.  However due to my weekend activities (and lack of motivation to be a responsible adult) I found myself standing in the middle of Whole Foods on a very busy Sunday afternoon trying to remember in my mimosa-induced haze exactly what it was I had planned on making for dinner.  Unable to really put it together in my head I bought a cart full of veggies and stocked up on the basics from the bulk isle (quinoa and rice) and figured it would all come together later.  However, when I got home all I could think about was making these energy balls that I recently came across on my favorite blog OhSheGlows.  So in keeping with the theme of the weekend, I decided upon skipping making a "real" dinner, and focus what little energy I had left on something much better: dessert.

I am so glad I did, these little "balls of energy" turned out great.  I paid for it today though, when at 7:00 this morning I had nothing to put in my lunch besides some fruit, PB and celery, and a six month old jar of frozen "mystery ingredients" that slightly resembled Chana Masala and rice.  I will never really know for sure what it was, I skipped the jar of the unknown and snacked my way through lunch.  Anyway, enough with the rambling, let me now show you my balls...

Left row:  Cherry Date Almond bites.  Right row:  Chocolate Walnut Date bites

Like little balls of heaven...  They taste exactly like a Lara Bar, which happens to be one of my favorite snack bars.  Only these are little round balls, which I think are so much cuter  :)

Recipe here:  Dark Chocolate Cherry Energy Bites 

For the first batch I used pitted dates, dried cherries, raw almonds, and shredded unsweetened coconut

For the second batch I used pitted dates, raw almonds, organic dark chocolate bar chunks, walnuts, and coconut.

Essentially you just process all of the ingredients in a food processor, and once it becomes thick and sticky roll them into little balls and refrigerate or pop in the freezer.

I can't decide which one I love more, they both rock.  I ate so much of the "batter" as I was making them I officially declared it my dinner.

One of the reasons I had been looking forward to making these was that they gave me a chance to use my new food processor that had just arrived on Friday.  For as much time as I spend in the kitchen, I am almost embarrassed to say that this is my first real food processor.  I have a vita-mix which has served me well, but a blender and a food processor are just not the same thing.  After I had cleared up some space on our kitchen counter last weekend by relocating the coffee maker to the back corner of a kitchen cabinet (we are coffee-free now, yay!) I decided that nothing would look better in that space than this sweet little green machine:

I did buy the mini-prep processor thinking that it would really be big enough for what I was needing it for, but I soon realized it really wasn't.  I had a hard time fitting everything into it for the energy balls, which is primarily why I made them in two batches.  This thing will work great for other things like sauces, but I think I am eventually going to need a regular sized processor for recipes such as these.

Not to worry, even in small batches these little treats turned out delicious, and will be the perfect between meal snack at work, or quick fuel before my morning run.  

Feeling happy, energized, and thankful for having such a lovely weekend surrounded by some of my most favorite people.  That being said, the highlight of the weekend was Erik walked in the door on Sunday evening, I gave him a big hug and kiss, we shared our weekend experiences with each other, and I served him a plate of energy balls for dinner...  ;)

Shamrock Shake

Yesterday was St.Patrick's Day, and luckily it was a beautiful, warm sunny day.  I went for a run in the morning with Lucy while Erik was on his usual 4+ hour Saturday morning bike ride.  When he got home, we had a nice lunch and then I made a super-yummy Shamrock Shake for dessert.  Knowing that I was not going to be drinking any alcoholic beverages to celebrate St. Pattys day this year (in the event that I am preggo, still too early to test) I decided I needed a fun "green drink" of my own!  I actually enjoyed this much more than I would have if it was an alcoholic beverage, but then again, I am not much of a drinker....  Recipe below!

Although I make smoothies in the Vitamix often, I don't think I have ever made a "green" shake.  I set out trying to make this recipe, but I actually had to modify it due to not having all the ingredients on hand that I thought I did.  Here is my version:

Minty Green Chocolate Chip Shamrock Shake

• 1 large ripe banana, frozen
• Mint chocolate bar
• 2 drops mint extract
• 1 cup non-dairy milk of choice, I used unsweetened vanilla almond milk
• 1/3 cup green peas
• Stevia, or sweetener of your choice

Add banana, almond milk, peas, mint extract, and sweetener to blender and blend until creamy.  It will turn a lovely green color due to the peas, and I promise you cannot taste them at all!  The original recipe called for frozen spinach, but I realized as I was making the shake that I didn't have any...  Fortunately peas worked just fine. 

Take the chocolate bar, and grate about 1/4 of it into fine pieces (save the rest for snacking later!)  Mix in about a tbsp of chocolate shavings, and use the rest to top the shake.  

This was the most delicious mint chocolate bar I have ever tasted...  Perfect for this recipe too!

Pour into a cute glass (green if you have one.)  So easy and delicious!

I bought a set of these sweet little vintage glasses from a church yard sale a few weeks ago.  10 cents each!  Score!  :D

 

Lastly, locate husband (who just might be caught sitting on the back deck in the sunshine eating peanut butter straight out of the jar with a spoon) and replace the PB with a Shamrock Shake.  Sit down with him and enjoy!

Nice cycling sunglasses babe  ;)

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Avocado Pasta

I realize that lately this is turning into more of a food blog than I originally planned...  I have been on a big "new recipe" kick lately and have come across so many tasty dishes I want to share with y'all...  I promise when I have more exciting news to share the focus of the blog will change back to more interesting things... For now, I share a delicious recipe for super-quick and easy avocado pasta...

I stumbled across a new blog lately called "Oh She Glows."  It is definitely my new favorite food-related blog!  All of the recipes are vegan and many are gluten-free.  I have a list of at least 15 recipes from the blog that I want to make (check my pinterest "edibles" page to see them.)  I have made a few this week including this pasta dish, the lentil loaf, and the "frosty glo cakes."  All were very good although the lentil loaf didn't turn out quite as nice as hers did...  I was so impressed with the avocado pasta dish though that I made it twice in the last week.  Unlike most recipes that I make, this one needs no modification - it is perfect as written.  The one change I did make to keep it gluten-free, was to use a corn-quinoa pasta instead of wheat pasta.  The whole dish (including a side salad) can be made in the time that it takes to cook the pasta, making this the perfect weeknight dinner!

Recipe found here:  Oh She Glows 15 Minute Creamy Avocado Pasta

Avocado Pasta

Ingredients:

• 1 medium sized ripe Avocado, pitted
• 1/2 lemon, juiced + lemon zest to garnish
• 2-3 garlic cloves, to taste
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt, or to taste
• ~1/4 cup Fresh Basil
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 2 servings/6 oz of your choice of past
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Directions:
1. Bring several cups of water to a boil in a medium sized pot. Add in your pasta, reduce heat to medium, and cook until Al Dente, about 8-10 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, make the sauce by placing the garlic cloves, lemon juice, and olive oil into a food processor. Process until smooth. Now add in the pitted avocado, basil, and salt. Process until smooth and creamy.
3. When pasta is done cooking, drain and rinse in a strainer and place pasta into a large bowl. Pour on sauce and toss until fully combined. Garnish with lemon zest and black pepper. Serve immediately. Makes 2 servings.

Corn-quinoa blend pasta noodles that I used (I cooked about 2/3 of the box):

 To make it ultra quick and easy, I used crushed garlic in a jar, 100% lemon juice from a jar, and three "Dorot" frozen basil cubes instead of fresh basil.  I also used two avocados instead of one since mine were on the smaller side.

 Here is a better picture of the frozen basil cubes (picture from Google.)  You can buy them at Trader Joes and are a perfect substitute for fresh basil in most recipes.  They also make garlic and cilantro cubes.  We always have a few trays of these in our freezer!

While the pasta was cooking, I whipped up the sauce in my mini food-processor attachment for my immersion blender.  It is kind of hard to tell in this picture, but the green sauce is almost the same color as my kitchen walls!  :D

When the pasta is done, drain and mix in the sauce.  It will heat up within a minute and be ready to eat!  The original recipe mentions that it does not reheat well due to the avocados, but I had no problems eating it the next day.  It had lost a little of the fresh "green" color but still tasted good.  I did however add a bit of extra lemon so that could have made the difference...

 (Sorry for the crappy "final picture,"  I was in a hurry to get it on the table and snapped a quick photo without taking the time to make any camera adjustments...  Oops!)

DIY Face Cream

I came across this "recipe" for homemade face cream a few months ago on one of my favorite blogs: Eating Bird Food.

I have been wanting to try it out but decided to wait until my current face cream ran out so I could refill the little jar it came in.  I made this yesterday and used it for the first time last night.  I have to say, I am really impressed at how nicely it worked!  I was a little nervous at first using such an oily product on my face.  My skin is very dry but gets oily throughout the day.  I put it on after my shower last night and it soaked in completely within 5 minutes, and didn't look or feel oily at all.  I handed it to Erik and told him to test it with me, and I couldn't believe how excited he got about the smell!  As he was rubbing it in, he took in a big deep breath and proclaimed "this smells like.... a delicious granola bar!"  haha...  So I think we will both be using this as our nighttime face cream...  :)

Here is how to make it:

Homemade Face Cream:

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon coconut oil
• 2½ tablespoons cocoa butter (I used about 2/3 of the stick since it's hard to measure)
• ½ tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

Preparation (modified to how I made it):

1. First find two bowls or drinking glasses, one small and one large.  I use a small juice glass and glass salad bowl.  Measure ingredients, add all to small drinking glass. 
2. Fill larger bowl with hot (near boiling) water, about 2/3 full.  Place smaller glass inside, being careful not to get water in it.
3. Allow ingredients to melt together.  Mix occasionally with spoon.  I think it took about 5 or 6 minutes for everything to melt completely.  You may need to change out the water once to keep everything hot.
4. When it is all melted together, pour into the container you plan to keep the face cream in.
5. Depending on the temperature, the mixture may solidify similar to how coconut oil/cocoa butter do on their own. In the winter the cream will usually be solid. You just have to use your finger to get a little bit out of the jar, rub it around in your palms or between your fingers to warm it up a bit and then apply.

Here is what it loos like in it's melted state:

Let it sit out at room temp for 30 minutes to an hour, and it will look like this:

I found this cream very easy (and fun) to make.  It cost less than $3 for the entire batch, which I am sure will last many months.  A little bit of cream goes a long way!  It would be even less expensive if you could find the cocoa butter stick on sale.  I paid $2.50 at Whole Foods, but I think Rite Aid has them on sale sometimes for $0.99 each.  I love that all of the ingredients are 100% natural, and environmentally friendly.  Good for the body and the planet!

Veggie Laska (Coconut Milk Soup)

We tried a new recipe tonight, a one-pot "5 ingredient" curried vegetable and coconut milk soup.  I wanted to make something quick, easy, and delicious and this recipe certainly fit that description.  If you asked my husband he would tell you that I can never follow a recipe exactly as it is written.  This is the truth.  So of course I had to add in my own personal touches to this dish, and then it ended up being more than five ingredients...  But anyway..

Basic recipe here (scroll down the page a bit to get to it):  Veggie Laska

Recipe with my modifications as follows:

Veggie Laska

1 box rice noodles
1-2 tbsp Thai curry paste (more if you like spicy)
2 cans coconut milk
1 bag frozen stir-fry vegetables
5 or 6 small yellow potatoes
4 soy "chicken" patties
1-2 tsp curry seasoning
vegetable broth

Start by putting a little cooking oil in the bottom of a large soup pot over medium heat.  You can use any kind that you like (olive, canola, peanut, etc.)  Keeping with the theme of the meal I opted for coconut oil.  Add your curry paste and curry seasoning.  Allow to took for a minute or so, careful not to let it burn.  Add in your cans of coconut milk.  I also added in about 2 cups of vegetable broth.  Water would work fine too, but you may want to add some salt for flavor.

I am a big fan of the full-fat coconut milk, so I went with that (hey I never said this was a "diet" soup!)

Chop your potatoes and soy chicken patties.   The Whole Foods near us sells these "Delight" brand patties that seriously rock.  Buy this kind if you can.  I sliced them into strips and cubed the potatoes.

Add your potatoes and soy strips to the pot.  Allow to cook for 5 min or so.  Add in your bag of frozen vegetables.  I just love the frozen stir-fry vegetables that Trader Joes sells!  They are also great for a quick meal served over rice when you want something simple.  The bag contains: carrots, snow peas, bamboo shoots, water chestnuts, bean sprouts, edamame, and mushrooms.  Let soup come to a boil again, and then turn down the heat to low.

While your soup is simmering, boil a pot of water (or avoid getting out a second pot and use an electric kettle as I did.)  Put your rice noodles in a bowl, but be sure to cook only what you plan to eat that night.  I made half of the box and it was too much for even Erik and I to finish (and that boy can eat.)  Pour boiling water over noodles and allow to sit for around 8 minutes.

When your noodles are done so is your soup!

Drain noodles, divide into soup bowls, and ladle soup into bowls.

I think the whole meal came together in around 25 minutes or so.  And there are lots of leftovers for the next few nights.  Easy peasy  :)  Happy cooking!