Cauliflower Alfredo Pasta with Veggies

Gluten-Free, Nut-Free, Vegetarian, can be vegan

This recipe is adapted from the recipes over at "It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken" for Quick Easy Cauliflower Cream Sauce here, and over at "Leelalicious" for Healthier Cauliflower Alfredo sauce here. 

Ingredients: 

Cauliflower Sauce: 
1 medium head of cauliflower, chopped
1 large yellow onion, chopped
1 tbs. [grass-fed, pure] butter or coconut oil for vegan version
3 cloves minced garlic
3 cups vegetable or chicken broth

1 cup unsweetened non-dairy milk (or more broth)
1/2 cup nutritional yeast
2 tsp. salt (or to taste)
1 tsp. black pepper

Gluten-Free Pasta (I used Quinoa pasta)
2 cups frozen broccoli, thawed
1 package chopped mushrooms
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
(any veggies you'd like)

Instructions: 

1. Saute the chopped onion in butter (or coconut oil) and 2 cloves of garlic in a large pot until caramelized, about 10 minutes.
2. Add the chopped cauliflower, broth, non-dairy milk, and additional garlic. Boil for about 10 minutes, until the cauliflower is fork tender. 
3. While the cauliflower is cooking, prepare the pasta according to package directions. 
4. Blend the cauliflower and broth mixture with an immersion blender (or in a blender) until smooth, and blend in the nutritional yeast and salt/pepper to taste. 
5. Add the pasta and prepared/chopped veggies to the sauce once it's blended and ready. Enjoy!

Vegan Beet Brownies

Sugar-Free, Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Oil-Free, Nut-Free, Soy-Free

When traveling I like to bring my own healthy foods so I don't have to pay for or depend on what's available at the airport. I experimented with making bars that have vegetables, protein, fiber, and that taste good, and these were the result! Beets are packed with nutrients, the chickpeas and quinoa flour provide a great protein source, cinnamon helps regulate blood sugar, and I even added a zucchini for good measure. These will be a good breakfast, snack, dessert, or mini travel meal. 

Health Benefits of Beets:

• Beets are packed with vitamins and minerals including potassium, magnesium, fiber, phosphorus, iron; vitamins A, B & C; beta-carotene, beta-cyanine; and folic acid.
• Beets help detoxify the body by boosting liver function, purifying the blood, and can prevent various forms of cancer.
• Beets help mental health and can also lower blood pressure.
• Beets are full of fiber, contain only 60 calories per cup, and have potent anti-inflammatory effects.

Health Benefits of Chickpeas:

• Plant protein source containing 15 grams of protein per cup
• Rich in soluble and insoluble fiber
• Rich in vitamins and minerals: A one-cup serving of chickpeas provides 50% of daily potassium needs, 2% vitamin A, 21% calcium, 13% vitamin C, 69% iron, 2% sodium, 55% vitamin B-6 and 57% magnesium. They also contain vitamin K, folate, phosphorus, zinc, copper, manganese, choline and selenium.
• Low glycemic index of 28, providing slow burning energy and not spiking blood sugar.
• Much more! Reference the sources below for the full articles

Raspberries & Blueberries sprinkled on top

Dry Ingredients:

• 1 ¼ cup quinoa flour (or gf flour of choice)
• 1 ¼ cup cocoa powder
• ¾ cup erythritol or sweetener of choice
• 1 tablespoon (or less) stevia powder
• 1 ½ tablespoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon mineral salt
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon

Wet Ingredients:

• 3 steamed beets
• 1 raw zucchini
• 1 can organic chickpeas
• 3 tbs. chia seeds mixed with 6 tbs. water
• ¾ cup non-dairy milk (I used flax milk)
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  Berries (optional)

1. Preheat the oven to 355 degrees.
2. While the beats are steaming, measure out and stir together the dry ingredients in a large bowl.
3. Blend together the wet ingredients in a food processor until totally smooth.
4. Gently stir the wet ingredients into the bowl of dry ingredients.
5. Smooth out into 2 9x13 inch pans. Top with berries, chocolate chips or any other toppings.
6. Bake at 355 for 30-40 minutes depending on your oven. Let cool on a wire rack before cutting.

All packed and ready for traveling!

Recipe revised from: http://www.theroastedroot.net/fudgy-paleo-beetroot-brownies/

Sources:

http://www.care2.com/greenliving/8-beet-benefits-aphrodisiac-brain-booster-more.html/2

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2014/01/25/beets-health-benefits.aspx

http://www.fullcircle.com/goodfoodlife/2012/05/10/6-health-benefits-of-eating-beets/

http://www.naturalfoodbenefits.com/display.asp?CAT=2&ID=86

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/280244.php

Fudgy Zucchini Black Bean Brownies

Vegan, Gluten Free, High Protein, High Fiber, Oil Free, Refined Sugar Free

This recipe is adapted from the Fudgy Black Bean Brownies at Desserts with Benefits. Her site is AMAZING with the tons of healthy dessert recipes, so I highly recommend checking it out!

With any recipe I make, and especially with dessert recipes, I'd like for it to have a good protein source, veggies, plenty of antioxidants and be highly nourishing as well as tasty. This recipe fits the bill, as it is high protein from the quinoa flour and adzuki beans, high fiber from the beans and zucchini, has omega 3 fatty acids from the chia and flax seeds, and is even low in fat. It's as if you were having a healthy dinner of quinoa, beans and zucchini, except in fudge brownie form!! .. Ok maybe not, but either way these are nutritious and delicious.

These brownies have the allusive crusty top with fudgy bottom/center (very hard to do with a healthier brownie) and it tastes as good as the box versions.

Ingredients

Dry:

• 1 ½ cups Granulated Erythritol* (or dry sweetener of choice)
  Pinch Stevia
• 1 ½ cups Regular Cocoa Powder (unsweetened)
• 1/2 cup Quinoa Flour (can also sub garbanzo bean or brown rice flour)
• 3 tsp Baking Powder
• 1 tsp Baking Soda
• 1/2 tsp Salt

Wet:

• 2 tbs Ground Flaxseed
• 2 tbs Chia Seeds
• 6 tbs water
• one 15.5oz can Adzuki (or Black Beans), drained and rinsed well
• 1 ½ large zucchinis, rinsed and chopped
• 2/3 cup Unsweetened Nut Milk (I used Silk Cashew Milk, to make Nut Free use flax milk or rice milk)
• 1 tbs frozen blueberries
• 2 tsp Vanilla Extract
• frozen raspberries to sprinkle on top (optional)

1. In a large measuring container or dish, mix together the dry ingredients making sure there are no lumps.
2. Mix together the flax seeds and chia seeds in the water and let sit in the fridge about 5 minutes until it thickens and forms a gel-like consistency.
3. In a food processor (or blender if need be), puree the beans, zucchini, blueberries, and vanilla extract in the nut milk.
4. In a large bowl, mix together the dry and wet ingredients by stirring in ⅓ of the dry at a time. The batter should be quite thick.
5. Sprinkle the crushed frozen raspberries on top of the brownie. (optional, but they make it look really pretty!)
6. Spray a 9x13 in. pan with coconut oil, then spread the batter into the pan.
7. Bake at 350 degrees for about 40 minutes, or until a knife can be inserted and the brownie is not still gooey at the bottom.

Let the brownies sit in the fridge over night so the texture sets and they get the right fudge texture. Enjoy!!

Can you believe these have zucchini, beans with healthy protein/fiber, and chia and flax with omega 3's?!! Amazingly healthy, and delicious!!

Easy Vegan Zucchini Lasagna

Vegan, Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Low Fat

Ingredients: 

3 large zucchinis
Quinoa Layer: 
3/4 cup dry Quinoa
1/2 cup water or vegetable broth
1 24 oz. jar organic Marinara Sauce*
2 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. dried basil
1 tsp. crushed garlic
1/3 cup fresh basil


Sauteed Veggie Layer:
1 red onion (diced)
1 large tomato (diced)
16 oz. package organic frozen spinach (or fresh spinach)
2 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. dried basil
2 tsp. crushed garlic
*feel free to add any other veggies you'd like! (peppers, mushrooms? I just used what I had)

Classic Cashew Cheese:
1 cup raw cashews (soaked overnight)
¼ cup filtered water
¼ cup nutritional yeast
2 Tbs. lemon juice
2 cloves garlic
1 Tbs. raw apple cider vinegar
sea salt and pepper to taste

• [adapted from recipe here]

Steps:
Preheat the oven to 410 degrees.
- Slice the zucchini lengthwise into thin strips. Sprinkle with sea salt and wrap in paper towels to let most of the moisture come out while the quinoa is cooking. 

Quinoa
- Cook the quinoa in the water or vegetable broth and 3/4 cup of the marinara sauce in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, then let simmer for 25 minutes until all the liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat and stir in the spices, garlic and fresh basil. 

Veggies
- While the quinoa is cooking, saute the diced red onions, diced tomato, oregano, basil and garlic until the onions become translucent, about 8 minutes. Add in the defrosted spinach and adjust seasonings to taste.  

Assembly

- Spread 1/3 cup of Marinara on the bottom of an 8x8 inch dish. Lay the first layer of zucchini slices down. Spoon the sauteed veggies over top. Then spread about 1/3 of the marinara quinoa over top. Then place your second layer of zucchini slices on top. Spoon Marinara Sauce over top, then dollop and swirl the cashew cheese over. Top with sauteed veggies then quinoa and repeat until all the filling are gone. For the final layer, end with zucchini slices topped with marinara and swirled cashew cheese. 


- Bake at 410 degrees for 30-35 minutes, or until the zucchini is cooked through and the top is bubbly. Let cool for a few minutes, and enjoy! :)


I adapted this from the recipe here.


*bonus points if you make your own Marinara Sauce! When purchasing a sauce, make sure it is organic, and also watch the sugar content!!! Many pre-made sauces can have more sugar than desserts even, and as always look for the different hidden names for sugar (malto-dextrin, aspartame, agave nectar..). Even healthier ingredients like olive oil and agave nectar can be harmful if the quantity is too high. 

*bonus points if you make your own Marinara Sauce! When purchasing a sauce, make sure it is organic, and also watch the sugar content!!! Many pre-made sauces can have more sugar than desserts even, and as always look for the different hidden names for sugar (malto-dextrin, aspartame, agave nectar..). Even healthier ingredients like olive oil and agave nectar can be harmful if the quantity is too high. 

Dark Chocolate Mousse Cakes

Vegan, Gluten-Free, No Sugar Added, Nut-Free, Oil-Free

This recipe was adapted from the Molten Lava Cakes over at veggiegrettie.com. After searching for a vegan, sugar-free, gluten-free chocolate melting cake recipe to make for Kenny, I finally settled on that recipe. I didn't have all the ingredients and wanted to tweak a few things, so this recipe is the product of my experiment, and what happened to be in the pantry tonight. Although it didn't turn out as anticipated (with a gooey center), we both thought they tasted really good!! :) They weren't exactly Melting Cakes with the gooey center and cakey outside, but they had more of a mousse consistency throughout with a rich dark chocolaty flavor. I baked them for 13 minutes, so they might have came out a bit more cakey if I had baked them longer. Either way, this was my first time trying this recipe, and since we liked it so much I'm documenting exactly what I used and the result. 

Wet Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup Enjoy Life Chocolate chips
• 6 tbs. unsweetened Almond Milk
• 4 tbs. unsweetened Applesauce
• 3 tsp. Apple Cider Vinegar
• 1 tsp. Vanilla Extract
• 1 tsp. Chia Seeds

Dry Ingredients: 

• 9 tbs. Quinoa Flour
• 2 tbs. Cacao Powder (or cocoa powder)
• 6 Stevia packets
• 1 tsp. Baking Powder
• 1/4 tsp. Xanthan Gum
• Pinch Sea Salt

- Melt the chocolate chips in a double boiler, or in the microwave. If using the microwave stir every 30 seconds, and it should be done after about 90 seconds. 

- Stir together all of the dry ingredients, making sure there are no lumps. 

- Stir the rest of the wet ingredients into the melted chocolate. 

- Stir the dry ingredients into the wet. The batter will be quite thick like brownie batter. 

- Spray 4 ramekins with coconut oil and cocoa powder. 

- Fill the ramekins so they are half or 2/3s of the way full. Place the ramekins in a 9x13 inch pan, then fill with water until it reaches halfway up the ramekins. (If you're short on time and don't want to bother with the water you don't have to - it just helps it cook better from all angles.)

- Bake at 350 degrees for 10 - 14 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes and Enjoy! :) 
   

Measurements to Double the Recipe: 

Wet Ingredients:

• 1 cup Enjoy Life Chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup unsweetened Almond Milk
• 1/2 cup unsweetened Applesauce
• 2 tbsp. Apple Cider Vinegar
• 2 tsp. Vanilla Extract
• 2 tsp. Chia Seeds

Dry Ingredients: 

• 1 cup + 1 tbs. Quinoa Flour
• 1/4 cup Cacao Powder (or cocoa powder)
• 9 Stevia packets
• 2 tsp. Baking Powder
• 1/2 tsp. Xanthan Gum
• Pinch Sea Salt

Healthy Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies ... or Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies!

Vegan, Gluten Free, Sugar Free, Fat Free, Nut Free, High Protein

Wouldn't it be great if you could have cookies that were packed with super-nutritious ingredients, so you could eat dessert totally guilt-free and still be happily nourishing your body? That's what I've wondered for a long time, and this recipe hits the spot in both regards! I stirred a few secret healthy ingredients in here that make these cookies high protein, low fat, low calories, but still really big and satisfying on taste! The special ingredients?  

• Quinoa Flour or Brown Rice Flour - works as the flour and provides a great source of protein
• Pumpkin - sweet vegetable that has a lower glycemic index, plenty of fiber, and is rich in important antioxidants, vitamins and minerals. It "is less in calories but contains vitamin A, and flavonoid poly-phenolic antioxidants such as leutin, xanthin, and carotenes in abundance" (see references below). 
• Chia Seeds - loaded with antioxidants, a great source of important omega 3 fatty acids, good source of fiber, and a high-quality protein source. These are very important to add in one's diet, and they can even replace the eggs in baking!
• Cinnamon - proven to help stabilize blood sugar, boosts cognitive function, improves insulin production, and can even reduce cancer cells. 

Wet Ingredients: 

• 1 1/2 cups pumpkin
• 1 cup applesauce (unsweetened) 
• 3/4 cup erithrytol (or sweetener of choice)
• 2-3 pinches stevia
• 2 chia seed eggs (2 tbsp. chia seeds + 4-5 tbsp. water)
• 2 tbsp. vanilla extract
• 2 tsp. imitation butter flavor (optional, if you want to keep it really pure leave out)

Dry Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup Quinoa Flour or Brown Rice flour
• 1/2 cup coconut flour
• 3 tsp. cinnamon 
• 1 tsp. nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp. cloves
• 1/2 tsp. ginger
• 1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
• pinch sea salt
• 3/4 cup Enjoy Life chocolate chips, or any other add-ins you'd like! (raisins, nuts, etc.)

*As many ingredients as possible should be Organic and trustworthy.

Stir the wet ingredients together, then mix into the dry ingredients. If the mixture looks a little too wet, then add in extra quinoa flour, and if it's too dry add in pumpkin or applesauce or even almond milk. It might look kind of wet, but that is okay and they should still turn out into solid cookies. You might get good results by putting the dough in the fridge for a while to firm up, but it's not really necessary and I didn't do it. 

Form the cookies into your desired cookie shape on a foil-lined pan. The cookies don't rise much at all, so form them into the shape you want now - bite-sized, or big cookies, whatever!
By using the dough as is, you will make Pumpkin Spice Chia Cookies (great for breakfast!), OR you can add in chocolate chips to make a gooey chocolatey dessert! Sprinkle the plain Pumpkin Spice cookies with cinnamon before baking, and they'll even look like snickerdoodles.

      Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Version: 
Stir 6+ tbsp. of natural peanut butter into the finished dough. The peanut butter taste of the final product will depend on the kind of peanut butter you're using, so use more or less than that amount depending on how strong you'd like the flavor to be. I used about 6 tbsp. of PB2 mixed with water, and the peanut taste was not too strong. Then stir in your chocolate chips and form the cookies.

Bake at 350 degrees for 16-19 minutes, or until golden brown/darker and the inside is mostly cooked through. You can still take them out if they are still pretty soft on the inside, since they will continue to cook on the pan, and they will just be softer and chewier. 













I obviously chose to make a lot more Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip cookies today, as that is Kenny's ultimate favorite flavor combination. He really liked the cookies, and I really liked their taste, soft chewy texture, AND that they are so healthy, will not spike our blood sugar, and have only ingredients that are GOOD for our bodies! :)

Reference: 
http://www.nutrition-and-you.com/pumpkin.html
http://www.organicauthority.com/health/11-health-benefits-of-cinnamon.html
http://www.organicauthority.com/health/11-health-benefits-of-cinnamon.html

Healthy Pumpkin Spice Chia Breakfast Bars

Vegan, Gluten-Free, Sugar-Free, Fat-Free, Nut-Free, High Protein

These pumpkin bars are a super tasty and nutritious treat that also happen to be packed with protein and minimal calories! The soft, chewy texture with sweet, warm pumpkin taste will hug you in a blanket of fall, and the healthy ingredients will nourish and restore your body. :)

I adapted this from the recipe for Paleo Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies at the "Making the World Cuter" blog. Those pumpkin cookies are amazing and it's a simple straight-forward recipe. I have tried to follow a more vegan lifestyle lately, so I wanted to adapt the recipe and substitute the honey, butter and eggs for something a little more plant-based. I also adjusted the coconut flour and added quinoa flour, as it has fewer calories and is a complete source of protein. The chia seeds replace eggs, are high in protein, and even offer a boost of omega-3 fatty acids. The unsweetened applesauce replaces the butter and can replace the fat component in many baking recipes. The honey is replaced by erythritol or stevia, whichever plant-based, natural organic sweetener you have access to. The nice part about this recipe is you can stir everything by hand in a mixing bowl, no blender or equipment required - super easy!

One word of caution is to check the ingredients list before buying anything, especially in regards to sweeteners. A lot of the "Stevia" or "All-Natural" products in the grocery store actually have dextrose or some weird chemical like malto-dextrin, etc. as the FIRST ingredient, with only a little bit of stevia at the end. (Stevia-in-the-Raw is mainly just dextrose - marketing scam!!) I have ordered erythritol online as it's zero-calorie, and from the research I've done on it does not spike blood sugar, cause any ill effects in the body, and is derived from plants in an ethical way. Erythritol can be found at some health food stores, and you can also find a few actual stevia products in certain grocery stores. As with anything though, it's best to do your own research and use the ingredients that are best for your body's needs and health goals. 

I hope you try and enjoy the recipe! :)

Wet Ingredients: 

• 1 1/2 cups pumpkin
• 1 cup applesauce (unsweetened) 
• 3/4 cup erythritol (or sweetener of choice)
• 2-3 pinches stevia
• 2 chia seed eggs (2 tbsp. chia seeds + 5 tbsp. water)
• 2 tbsp. vanilla extract

Dry Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup brown rice or quinoa flour
• 1/2 cup coconut flour
• 3 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 tsp. nutmeg
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. cloves
• 1/2 tsp. ginger
• 1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
• 1/4 tsp. xanthan gum
• pinch sea salt

Stir the wet ingredients together, then mix into the dry ingredients. 
If the mixture looks a little too wet, then add in extra quinoa flour, and if it's too dry add in pumpkin or applesauce or even almond milk. 

Spread the batter into a 9x13 inch pan and sprinkle with cinnamon. 
[This dough can also be formed into cookies to make delicious pumpkin spice cookies!! :D ]

Bake at 350 degrees for 18-20 minutes, until golden brown and a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Enjoy! :)