Vegan Tofu Breakfast Eggrolls

A perfectly balanced breakfast you don’t need to be a vegan to enjoy! Delegate a weekend morning to have enough time to make all the components or prep the night before to bake in the AM. You can buy the condiments from the store, but it makes the dish taste way better with fresh ingredients. ;)

Ingredients:

• 1 packet of eggroll wrappers

• Tofu Scramble

• "Refried" Pinto Beans

• Mango Salsa

• Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette

Tofu Scramble:

• 1 block of firm tofu

• 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil

• 1/4 cup nutritional yeast + more to taste

• 1 tsp garlic powder

• 1 tsp onion powder

• Salt and Pepper, to taste

"Refried" Beans

• 1 15 oz can of beans (your choice, but I prefer pinto beans)

• 3-4 Tbsp. water, divided

Taco Spices:

• 1 tsp chili powder

• 1 tsp paprika

• 1/2 tsp cumin

• 1/2 tsp dried oregano

• 1/2 tsp dried basil

• salt and pepper, to taste

Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette

• ½ bunch of cilantro, washed and patted dry

• 2 Tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil

• 2 Tbsp. water or vegetable broth

• 1 lime, juiced

• 1-2 Tbsp. honey

• 1 clove garlic

• 1 cap full of apple cider vinegar

• Salt and pepper, to taste

Mango Salsa

• 1 fresh mango, diced small

• 1/2 red onion, diced small

• 1 red bell pepper, diced small

• 1 jalapeno, seeded and chopped

• 1/4 bunch cilantro, chopped

• 1-2 fresh limes, juiced (I add 1.5 limes)

• Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. Prep the mango salsa and cilantro lime vinaigrette in advance. You can skip this step and buy them from the store.

2. Prep the “Refried” beans by washing and drying them with a colander. Saute on medium-high heat, pouring the water 1 tbsp at a time. Season the beans with taco spices. Saute until the beans can mash them with a fork

3. Pat and dry your tofu. Cut it into small squares. In a separate pan with olive oil on medium-high heat, saute the tofu and add the seasonings until it looks like a scramble (5-10 minutes)

4. Now that all your ingredients are prepared, it’s time to assemble. First, wet the edges of the egg roll wrappers with water. Turn the wrapper diagonally, and add 2 tbsp. tofu and 1 tbsp, beans to the bottom third of the wrapper

5. Wrap each egg roll by folding it in the bottom corner, then the sides into the center. Next, roll the wrapper by holding down the sides to close the wrap.

6. Air fry at 375 for 15 minutes or until brown.

7. Serve with the cilantro lime dressing and mango salsa.

Quinoa Stuffed Sweet Potato

My mind is always thinking about new recipes. I get bored of the same old meat and veggies, so I love trying as many different flavor combinations as possible. This way, I expand my palette and creativity. One food I don’t eat too often is sweet potato, which is why I challenged myself to eat it. I randomly had a craving for it one day and decided to stuff a sweet potato for dinner. This was what my mind thought of after a long day of work. It came out to be a mix of chili without the beans and a sauce on top to add some brightness to the dish of mostly dark colors. I know it might sound like a lot of ingredients, but making your own sauces makes the meal taste that much better. Think about how much sugar you are saving when you make your own sauce. I understand it takes more time to do this, but it’s worth it in my opinion. Give my stuffed sweet potato recipe a try. I made a homemade chimichurri to elevate the dish to the next level.

Ingredients:

• 3 sweet potatoes

• 1 lb flank steak marinated overnight if you wish. I used bread and butter pickle juice

  ** (if vegetarian use 1 15 oz can of black beans, rinsed, drained, and patted dry)

• 1 cup of cooked quinoa

• 1 Tbsp. Avocado Oil

• 2 Tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil

• 1/2 red onion, diced

• 2 carrots, diced

• 2 celery stalks, diced

• 1 bell pepper, diced

• 1 Tbsp. chili powder

• 1/2 Tbsp. paprika

• 2 Tsp. ground cumin

• Salt and pepper, to taste

• Roasted tomato sauce (see recipe below or used canned tomato sauce)

• Top with cilantro and chimichurri sauce (see recipe below)

For the roasted tomato sauce:

• 3 vine-ripened tomatoes, halved

• 1 Tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil

• 1/4 red onion

• 5 cloves of garlic

• 1 tsp ground oregano

• 1/2 tsp ground basil

• 1/2 tsp Italian Seasoning

• Salt and pepper, to taste

** Optional: Adding everything bagel seasoning to the sauce

For the Chimichurri:

• 2 cups packed parsley leaves (or one bunch), stems removed

• 3 to 4 garlic cloves (1 tablespoon minced)

• 1 medium shallot

• 1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt

• 1/2 to 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes or 1 jalapeño or Fresno chili pepper, finely chopped

• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

• 1/4 cup vegetable broth

• 1/3 cup + 1 tsp red wine vinegar

Kitchen Tools:

• High Powered Blender (Vitamix)

• Large Skillet

• Cast Iron pan

• 2 baking sheets

Directions:

1) Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

2) Wash your sweet potatoes thoroughly. Poke holes in each sweet potato and put on a foiled baking sheet. Bake for 50 minutes.

3) On a separate baking sheet, add your tomatoes, red onion, and garlic. Drizzle Extra Virgin Olive Oil and season with salt and pepper. Put it in the oven for 35 minutes.

4) While everything is cooking, make your quinoa with 1/2 cup dry quinoa with 1 cup water. Rinse your quinoa first before adding it to a pot. Set the heat to medium-high on your stove and let it come to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to medium-low for 15 minutes or until all the water has evaporated. Fluff with a fork and set aside.

5) Chop your veggies. In a large skillet, heat up your pan to medium heat and add your oil. Add your veggies and saute until everything is soft. Season your veggies and keep stirring. Once they are done, turn the pan to low heat. If you're doing the vegetarian version, you can add the black beans at this point.

6) While the veggies are cooking, in a cast iron pan, cook your flank steak. First, heat up the pan to medium-high heat. Once the pan is hot, add 1 Tbsp. of Avocado oil. Add your meat and cook for 5 minutes or until it has a nice sear. I added some leftover juice to help add some moisture before flipping. Stand back because it will splatter and yes I did splatter myself during this step. Cook for another 5 minutes or until it has a nice sear. Cook until it gets to the desired temperature. I cooked mine at 165 for medium, but you can cook it a bit less (3-4 minutes on each side if you want it more of a medium-rare). Remove from cast iron and let it rest before cutting into it.

7) When the sauce is done, blend everything in a high-powered blender. Add quinoa and sauce to the veggies. Only add as much sauce as you need to fully coat everything. There will be leftovers, which I used for chili the next day. At this point, you can cut your meat into strips or cubes, as I did.

8) When the sweet potatoes are done, let cool for 5 minutes. Cut in half and mash them a bit. Add your veggie and quinoa mixture on top of the sweet potato. Top it with meat and throw it in the oven for 5-10 minutes.

9) Make your chimichurri sauce real quick by adding everything to a blender. I used a Nutri-bullet for this because there wasn't a ton and I didn't want to dirty up the Vitamix.

10) Top with cilantro and chimichurri. Enjoy! :) I ate about half a sweet potato, which I would say is an appropriate adult serving size. :)

If you want to jump in the screen and eat this sweet potato, I can help you manage your time effectively and create a meal plan with you that aligns with your goals. Contact Rachel for more information.

Plant-Based Taco Wontons

A family-friendly out-of-the-box version of tacos

Craving tacos and looking for a more family-friendly way of eating them? I’ve done the out of the box thinking for you. My family grew up eating tacos because it’s a cheap and easy way to feed the family. After a while, that gets boring. I wanted something else that wasn’t another trip to the golden arches.

A few weeks ago, I had the idea to cook my own potstickers at home. They were absolutely delicious. Afterward, I had leftover wonton wrappers and a lot of vegetables. I was craving tacos but didn’t want the greasy or floury shell. Lately, I’ve found that eating an excessive amount of corn has been upsetting my stomach beyond measure. Corn is also one of the most highly sprayed plants with glyphosate, which can cause inflammation in the gut. Instead, the idea of making taco wontons was born.

Making wontons is a great way to help with portion control, especially because each piece is bite-sized. It can be eaten in one or two bites, versus a whole taco. If you’re by yourself, this could be a tedious process because it takes a while. This will test your patience, but it’s worth the time if you want to turn your meal into a creative masterpiece. Be prepared to get messy in the process. Brownie points if you can get your family to help you. It’s a great activity to do with young kids to turn into an arts and crafts project. Turning food into fun is the best way to start children eating healthy at a young age. I used plant-based meat to make this a completely vegetarian dish. If you want to go the extra mile and make this a complete meal, I prepared nopales and guacamole. I added mangos to the guacamole to give the dish a sweet and salty bite. That way you get your healthy fats, vegetables, lean protein, and carbohydrates. Find my popcorn-worthy recipe below.

For the Wontons:

• 1 lb Plant-Based protein

• ½ green or red bell pepper, diced small

• ¼ red or white onion, diced small

• ½ small roma tomato, diced small

• 1 clove of fresh garlic, minced

• 1 tsp chili powder

• ½ tsp paprika

• ½ tsp cumin

• ½ tsp Italian seasoning

• Salt and pepper, to taste

• A handful of fresh cilantro, chopped

• 1 pack of store-bought wontons

• Top with fresh cilantro and green onion

For the Nopales:

• 3 nopales, chopped

• 1 serrano pepper, sliced into strips

• ½ green or red bell pepper, sliced into strips

• ¼ white or red onion, chopped

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 3 Tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil, divided

• Salt and pepper, to taste

• Top with squeezed lime juice, fresh cilantro, and green onion

For the Mango Guacamole:

• Use my restaurant quality guacamole recipe

• 1 Mango, diced

• Top with fresh cilantro and green onion

Directions:

1)      Prepare the nopales by following the directions here —> this website explains it very well and would like to give credit

2)      In a sauté pan, add 1 Tbsp. of olive oil to the pan. Add the prepared nopales and salt to the pan. Cook on medium heat and let it simmer (covered) for 15-20 minutes until the liquid in the center has evaporated. Set aside.

3)      Chop the rest of your remaining vegetables for the nopales, wontons, and guacamole.

4)      In a mixing bowl, add all the ingredients for the wontons. Mix everything around with your hands until everything is incorporated.

5)      Carefully wrap your wontons by using 1 heaping teaspoon of the mixture into the middle of the wonton wrap. Dip two fingers in water and tap the outsides of the wonton until damp. Do not over soak or they will rip apart while you’re closing them. To close, gently fold into a triangle and press the edges down with a fork to secure the sides together. Remove any excess mixture as you close the wontons if it starts leaking out the sides.

6)      Preheat your air fryer to 400 degrees. Place as many wontons in the air fryer that fit and cook for 8 minutes.

7)      While the wontons are cooking, add the remaining tablespoons of olive oil into the pan with the nopales and sauté the remaining peppers for 5 minutes.

8)      Prepare the guacamole by mixing all of the ingredients into a large bowl.

9)      Enjoy the wontons with guacamole on top and a side of the nopales to make this a well-rounded meal.

Homemade Vegetable Stock

How to make homemade vegetable stock using the scraps from leftovers.

I can’t believe I only started using this technique recently. I don’t know about you, but I grew up eating bullion cubes as a base for my soup with some water. Little did I know how much sodium is in those things. Once I read the ingredient label, I swore I would never cook with one again. The beauty of this technique is that you’re saving vegetable scraps from parts you would normally throw away. All of the peels and butts of the vegetables you don’t normally eat are the perfect medley for creating a homemade stock. On top of no longer wasting parts of the vegetables, you’re saving money by no longer buying broth from the store. Thanks to this recipe, I have been able to elevate my dishes with a level of freshness that I have not been able to achieve in the last 8 years of cooking. Find my life-changing recipe below.

Ingredients:

• 4-6 cups leftover vegetable scraps such as onions, carrots, celery, green onion, and asparagus

• Chicken fat from 2 lbs chicken breasts ** optional

• 3-4 cloves fresh garlic, peeled

• 1/4 cup Seitenbacher Vegetable Broth Seasoning

• 1 tsp dried oregano

• ½ tsp Italian Seasoning

• 1 tsp fresh rosemary

• 1 tsp dried thyme

• 1/2 tsp ground mustard

• 2 scoops Herbs de Province

• 2 bay leaves

• 8-10 cups water, divided

Directions:

1) Save enough vegetable scraps within a 2-week period to make the process worth your time. Leave the scraps sealed in Tupperware or in the fridge.

2) Add water, fresh herbs, vegetables, and chicken fat to a large stockpot. Only add enough water to fill to the top of the veggies.

3) Bring to a boil for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low and add more water. Bring to a boil for 15 more minutes. Repeat process 2x for a total of 1 hour.

4) Remove from the heat and let it cool for a few hours. Once cooled, with a thin-lined strainer and transfer it to Mason jars (or Tupperware if you don’t have any).

5) Enjoy with soups, stews, or as part of a sauce for your favorite dish! Will keep up to 2 weeks in the fridge.

Not sure what to prepare with the stock? With the RAD Meal Plan and Cooking Package, I’ll teach you how to use every ingredient and elevate it into a family worthy meal. Click the button below to find out more information.

Vegan 7-Layer Taco Dip

If I were to name my favorite appetizer of all time, it would have to be a 7-layer taco dip. Whatever you want to call it, it’s game over as soon as I see this dip in front of me. My family had this at almost every gathering and it would be the one thing I would be looking forward to. Food always gets me inspired to elevate the dishes I eat. I live to eat different foods as much as I can. Unfortunately, for this dip, it was made from a can of refried beans, sour cream with taco dip, cheese, and fixings on top. I could eat the entire dip myself without getting an ounce of nutritional value out of it. When I found a remake of this recipe on Minimalist Baker, I was elated because I could eat my favorite dip without feeling like shit afterward from all the dairy. I went the extra mile by making a homemade pico de gallo to add to the guacamole and homemade refried beans. My smoky flair on the queso puts this dish over the top to make this the best vegan taco dip you will ever eat in your life.

Inspired by: https://minimalistbaker.com/vegan-7-layer-mexican-dip/ and any other 7 layer dip I’ve ever had

Ingredients (in order of layers)

For the Bean Dip:

• 1 15 oz can pinto beans, drained and rinsed

• ¼ cup water, divided

• 1 tsp paprika

• Salt and pepper, to taste

** OR If you choose to opt-out, use 1 15 oz can of vegetarian refried beans from Trader Joe’s

For the Pico de Gallo:

• ¼ red onion, diced small

• 6 Roma or vine-ripened tomato, diced small

• 1 jalapeno, seeded and chopped (** You can leave the seeds in if you like your guacamole spicy)

• ¼ bunch cilantro, chopped

• 1-2 fresh limes, juiced (I add 1.5 limes)

• Salt and pepper, to taste

For the Guacamole

Use my restaurant quality guacamole recipe

For the Queso Dip

• 1 ½ cups raw cashews soaked overnight in cool water

• 1 lemon, juiced

• ⅓ - ½ cup nutritional yeast

• ½ cup vegetable broth

• 1 tsp Chili powder

• 1 tsp Paprika

• 1 tsp Cumin

• 1 tsp garlic powder

• 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

• ⅛ tsp liquid smoke (optional)

• Dash of hot sauce (optional)

For the Toppings:

• Diced red onion

• Diced red pepper

• Diced cilantro

Directions:

1)      In a large casserole dish, assemble the bottom layer by spreading the refried beans. To prepare the refried beans from scratch, add all of the ingredients with half the amount of water to a high-powered blender or food processor. Add more water and pulse until you achieve the desired consistency.

2)      For the 2nd layer, spread pico de gallo on top of the refried beans. To prepare the pico de gallo, chop up all of the ingredients, and mix them together in a medium-sized bowl.

3)      For the 3rd layer, spread guacamole on top of the pico de gallo. To prepare the guacamole, use any extra pico de gallo to combine with 2-3 ripe avocados. Mix in a separate bowl before adding this to the dish.

4)      For the 4th layer, spread queso dip on top of the guacamole. In a high powered blender, combine all the ingredients for the queso and blend until smooth. If you have a Vitamix or other high powered blender, you don’t need to soak the cashews overnight.

5)      Top with diced red onions, red peppers, and cilantro. Enjoy with tortilla chips as a dip or as a delicious filling for tacos to go with your protein.

Check out my recipe book, “Quarantine Clean Eating” for other dishes I’ve created while at home during COVID-19 lockdown.

Lentil Stew 2.0

One of my favorite ways to use my cooking talents is to cook for my friends. I love sharing healthy dishes to inspire them to eat more balanced meals. Eating less meat has helped drastically with inflammation and digestion. For my friends, I prepared a fresh veggie and lentil stew. It has all fresh, veggies straight like swiss chard, arugula, fennel, and cabbage, and peppers. Mix in some spices and some veggie broth, and you have yourself a delicious, easy, healthy lentil stew. Sometimes, I'll mix and match the vegetables to bring different elements to the dish. I enjoy learning the skill involved in chopping everything. There’s an art to it. Since working at a kitchen, I’ve been humbled by how many ways there are to prepare vegetables. Recently, I started adding roasted white beans and lemon for an extra boost. I had no idea how much two simple elements would elevate the dish. This dish normally gets thrown out because nobody eats it except me. I was pleased to say that it was finished in a weekend. I will be making it again this way from now on. You can find my original recipe here, which contains ingredients from a local farm.

Find my new and improved recipe below:

Ingredients:

• 2 cups of lentils

• 4-5 cups of vegetable broth (or water)

• 2 cups of fresh veggies of your choice (feel free to use more if you like)

• 1 lemon, squeezed and juiced

• 2 15 oz cans of cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

• 3-4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Spices:

• 1 tsp salt

• 1 tsp pepper

• 2-3 cloves of fresh garlic, minced

• 1 tsp celery seed

• 1 tsp celery salt

Directions:

1) Preheat oven to 400 degrees. 

2) While the oven is preheating, grab a pot and combine the lentils, broth, and spices.

3) Chop all your veggies into cubes.

4) Drain and rinse your beans and pat to dry.

5) Put the vegetables and beans on a baking sheet with foil and pour olive oil on them.

6) Season with more salt, pepper, and garlic.

7) Cook veggies for 25-30 minutes or until veggies are soft and beans are crunchy.

8) Turn the stove on to medium and let it come to a boil (~10 minutes).

9) Once it’s boiling, cover it up and let it simmer while your veggies and beans are roasting.

10) Once everything are done, take them out of the oven and combine them with the stew. Feel free to add some more broth if it starts to look dry.

11) Squeeze lemon and stir to mix in. Enjoy with fresh parsley and more lemon!

Easy Peasy Crockpot Veggie Soup

Welcome to Chicago! Where the seasons don’t matter and mother nature is permanently on holiday. While we are in the midst of our second winter, I have been stirring up some delicious soups. All I want to do is stay warm and not go outside. I feel antsy if I don’t move around for too long, so I need something grounding to keep me relaxed throughout the cold months. Being all stirred up in my head can make it difficult to think at times. This soup recipe can be whipped up without a recipe. I know my favorite vegetables on hand and buy them at the grocery store on a weekly basis. I enjoy challenging myself to add one new vegetable a week to one of my dishes in order to expand my palette. What an easier way to throw it in a crock pot? With minimal prep, this recipe is a winner. As an added bonus, eating more vegetables and warming foods will help keep the flu symptoms at bay. This grounding dish helps keep me more focused and connected to my purpose. I’m excited to share my healing recipe below.

Ingredients:

• 4-5 medium-sized carrots, chopped

• ½ stalk celery (4-5 pieces), chopped

• 1 white onion, chopped

• 1 can dried tomatoes, chopped

• 1 4 oz (112 carton) portabella mushrooms, chopped

• 1 10 oz bag spinach, chopped

• 5 cloves garlic, diced

• 1 6 oz can tomato paste

• 6-8 cups vegetable broth

• salt & pepper to taste

• 1 tsp marojam

• 1 tsp thyme

• 1 tsp oregano

• 2 15 oz cans beans of choice (cannellini or kidney beans)

Directions:

1)      Chop all of your vegetables (minus spinach) and garlic. Add to the crockpot.

2)      Strain/rinse beans/canned tomatoes. Add to the crockpot.

3)      Add tomato paste, spices, & broth to the crockpot.

4)      Close lid and cook high 4-6 hours or low 6-8 hours. During last 10 minutes, add spinach & stir.

Enjoy! Would be delicious with a homemade vegan pesto (see my recipe here)

I understand that meal planning can be challenging. People are busier than ever and want to get a quick meal on the table. Health has taken a back seat a lot of the time in the name of convenience. With Redefining All Diets, you get to have both. You no longer have to sacrifice your health. I assist you in finding recipes to fit yours and your family’s needs, taking the burden of research off of your plate. I will customize a week’s worth of meals for you for you and provide it in a PDF document along with a shopping list ready to take to the store.

Lentil Taco Soup

I have been watching a lot of Master Chef lately. What can be more addicting than watching Gordon Ramsey yell at chefs? Honestly, I’ve had a dream of being on a cooking show and it’s brought back a lot of inspiration to continue cooking.

I spent the second half of 2018 traveling and enjoying visiting areas all over the US. However, I was not cooking as much and gained some weight. I felt disconnected from my purpose and traveling helped me come back home. Luckily, I always have my tools to come back to in order to get back on track.

Being away from cooking made me realize how much I enjoy and appreciate it. It gives me confidence that I’m building something from scratch on my own. I am creating my own food. Cooking keeps me focused and present. I feel I am at my best when I am cooking because I am living at my highest potential. Cooking is like my pencil and paper where magic comes out onto the plate.

With another round of Clean, Burn, Shape underway, I wanted to find some recipes that were new and inviting to my palette. It’s currently winter, so I’m definitely in soup mode. I could eat soup any time of the day! It’s easy for my body to digest cooked foods, which makes soup an easy decision. Soup always yields me tons of leftovers and it’s easy to share with people. As an added bonus, it’s super easy to prepare. Get the whole family involved because you will want multiple spoons for this healthy lentil taco soup.

Inspired by: https://www.ambitiouskitchen.com/slow-cooker-taco-lentil-soup/

For the Soup:

• 1 teaspoon olive oil

• 4 cloves garlic, minced

•  1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced

• 1 white onion, diced

• 1 jalapeño, seeded and diced

• 1 cup green or brown lentils, rinsed

• 2 cups of homemade tomato sauce (see below)

• 4 cups vegetable broth

• 1 (15 oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained

• 2 tablespoons chili powder

• 1 tablespoon cumin

• 1 teaspoon dried oregano

• 1/2 teaspoon paprika

• 1/4 teaspoon onion powder

• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (if you like a little heat!)

• 1 teaspoon salt

• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

For toppings:

• Fresh avocado

• Hot sauce 

• Mangoes, sliced (optional)

• Cilantro

• Salsa Con “Queso” (see below)

For homemade tomato sauce:

• 5-6 tomatoes on the vine

• 1 (6 oz) can tomato paste

• 1 tsp dried oregano

• 1 tsp dried basil

• Salt and pepper to taste

For the Salsa Con “Queso”:

• 1 ½ cups raw cashews soaked overnight in cool water

• 1 lemon, juiced

• 4 Tbsp nutritional yeast

• ½ Cup vegetable broth

• 1 Tsp Chili powder

• 1 Tsp Paprika

• 1 Tsp Cumin

• 1 Tsp garlic powder

• ¼ Cup salsa of choice

Directions:

** Before preparing the queso, make sure to soak the cashews overnight or prepare it in advance. If you have a high-powered blender like a vitamix, you

1)   Cook lentils according to the directions on the bag. Typically, cook the one cup of lentils with 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil. Cover and simmer until all the water evaporates.

2)   Prepare and chop all of your vegetables. Place a medium skillet over medium high heat. Add in olive oil, garlic, bell pepper, onion and jalapeño. Sauté for 5 minutes or until onions begin to brown and soften. 

3)   Add spices and black beans. Stir until black beans are cooked and spices are stirred evenly.

4)   Blend all of the ingredients for the tomato sauce. Pour into the skillet with your vegetables. Cook until the sauce comes to a boil.

5)   Transfer the vegetables into a 5-6 quart stock pot with 4 cups of fresh water or vegetable broth.

6)   In a high powered blender, combine all the ingredients for the queso and blend until smooth. Set aside

7)   Cover the soup and let it simmer on low for 15-20 minutes to combine flavors.

8)   Add the cooked lentils, stir, and serve with desired toppings. Enjoy!

PS: By cooking my favorite take-out recipes from scratch, I found a fun way to still eat my favorite foods without feeling like I need to go out to the restaurant to eat them.

Cooking has been a way for me to find peace in my life because I know what I’m putting in my body.

That’s why I created 55 all-new recipes to give you fun and creative ideas for what you can manifest in the kitchen.

As a bonus, I've modified all of them to be gluten-free and dairy-free.

Each recipe can be modified to fit your dietary needs.

This book contains recipes for appetizers, breakfast, lunch, dinner, dessert, and crockpot.

As another bonus, I have included tips for some food swap ideas.

Ditch the takeout and bring the food back to your kitchen with my easy, healthy, affordable meals.

Broccoli Cheeze Soup

The weather is dropping again, which means it’s time for soups again.

Who am I kidding? I can eat soup any time of the year.

I’m not the biggest fan of broccoli and it has taken me years to get used to its taste.

I’ve tried various ways to mask the taste as much as I can to get the nutritional benefits of this cruciferous vegetable.

I found that if I put heap loads of cheese in anything, I can eat basically everything.

However, there are people who can’t eat dairy too much because of gut issues, so I have created this recipe to benefit all parties.

This can be made with cashew cheeze or regular cheese to your liking.

You can have your favorite dishes dairy free now if you do a little extra research! :)

Enjoy this recipe below:

Ingredients:

• 2 heads of broccoli, cut in florets

• 1/4 cup white onion, chopped

• 1/2 cup carrots, julienned or buy them matchstick

• 5 cloves of garlic, minced

• 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil or butter

• 1-2 cups of vegetable or chicken broth

• 1-2 teaspoons arrowroot starch

For Cheeze Sauce

• 2.5 cups of shredded cheddar cheese (or cheeses of choice)

  OR

• 1 cup cashews, soaked overnight (unless you have a high powered blender)

• 5 tablespoons nutritional yeast

• salt and pepper to taste

• 1/2 fresh juiced lemon, squeezed

• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil

• almond milk to taste

Directions:

** NOTE: Soak cashews overnight in a pot covered with water up to the top of the cashews

1) Chop vegetables and garlic. Add butter or EVOO to pan. Saute on medium heat until veggies are soft.

2) Prepare the cheeze sauce by adding all the ingredients to a high powered blender. Blend until everything is smooth.

3) Add vegetables and broth to blender with cheeze. Blend in batches if your blender doesn’t fit it in one batch. Blend until smooth or pulse if you want it chunky (I prefer no chunks).

4) Add mixture to a 5-6 quart stock pot. Turn heat on low. Cover and simmer until heated through. It will start bubbling.

5) Add arrowroot starch if your soup is thin at the end or it will curdle up. Turn the stove off before you add it. Let it sit for 1-2 minutes.

6) Top with more cheeze or cheese and enjoy!

Tired of eating the same take-out meals every single week, feeling like shit after eating them?

Your body simply can’t handle food the way it used to, and your body is starting to respond with symptoms.

You don’t know what to do because you feel like you’ve tried every diet plan in the book.

Nothing seems to be working, but you don’t want to give up hope.

I know how it feels to go for decades trying to find the perfect diet to work for me.

Once I dropped the idea that I had to go on a diet or restrict calories to lose weight and feel good, the weight flew off naturally.

I have been able to lose over 30 lbs and keep it off for over 6 years!

By cooking my favorite take-out recipes from scratch, I found a fun way to still eat my favorite foods without feeling like I need to go out to the restaurant to eat them.

Cooking has been a way for me to find peace in my life because I know what I’m putting in my body.

That’s why I created 55 all-new recipes to give you fun and creative ideas for what you can manifest in the kitchen.

As a bonus, I've modified all of them to be gluten-free and dairy-free.

Each recipe can be modified to fit your dietary needs.

This book contains recipes for appetizers, breakfast, lunch, dinner, dessert, and crockpot.

As another bonus, I have included tips for some food swap ideas.

Ditch the takeout and bring the food back to your kitchen with my easy, healthy, affordable meals.

I’m running a sale on this so grab your copy at an all-time low cost!

Take-out Fake-out Chipotle Burrito Bowl

A next level version of Chipotle’s Burrito Bowl that is vegan-friendly.

I love to eat Chipotle Mexican Grill, but I would much rather cook this at home. Let’s face it. Chipotle is constantly raising their prices. With delivery apps like Door Dash and Uber Eats, it can ramp the price to almost $15 with fees. That’s not including the tip. That’s where my RAD Kitchen Take-Out Fake-Out Burrito Bowl comes in. We live in a world where we want to have convenience in the palm of our hand. You can have this meal completed before you would receive your delivery. I made this recipe from scratch to create a healthy burrito bowl without all the carbs, cheese, and tortillas/chips we typically eat when we go to Chipotle. The best part is that this dish is vegan-friendly.

I was doing some research on Chipotle’s main page and noticed that they changed the way they market their ingredients. A few years ago, there was a list of all the ingredients used in every product. Now, there is an allergens page where you have to scroll down to find the ingredients used. If you click the individual ingredients, it shares a fun fact, but not a complete list of ingredients anymore. With Redefining All Diets, all the ingredients are listed out for full transparency. Find my take-out fake-out recipe below:

For the Veggies/Beans:

• 1 yellow onion, chopped fajita style

• 1 red pepper, chopped in long strips

• 1 sweet potato, cubed

• 1 can of pinto beans

• greens on greens on greens (I used spinach and collard greens, but feel free to use as

• much of these as you'd like and which ever greens you like

• 1 bag of Trader Joe's frozen cauli rice (or rice one head of cauliflower yourself by cutting it into florets and blending them on low)

• Top with my restaurant quality guacamole

For the sauce:

• 6 Tbsp. EVOO

• 2 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar

• 1 tsp chili powder

• 1/2 tsp paprika

• 1/2 tsp cumin

• Salt and pepper, to taste

• 1 lime, juiced

• 4 Tbsp. of nutritional yeast (feel free to add more or less depending on how much you want)

• 1/4 cup of salsa

Directions:
1. Chop your veggies and put them in a pan with some EVOO on medium heat. Start with your sweet potatoes for 10-15 minutes. Then, add the onions and peppers for another 5-10 minutes. Sauté until all of the veggies are soft.
2. Sauté the cauli rice until it's soft in a separate pan and set aside when it's done
3. Add your pinto beans and continue to sauté for another 5 minutes
4. Add your greens and sauté until they wilt
5. Add the cooked cauli rice to your main pan
6. Stir all ingredients of the sauce together
7. Top with my restaurant quality guacamole or you can get store bought (I used wholly guacamole for time's sake)
8. Enjoy your delicious homemade veggie bowl

Want to learn how to make this from the comfort of your kitchen at your own pace? I designed cooking demos to help you learn how to create this and more without ever having to leave the house.

Source: Chipotle Mexican Grill

Pumpkin Spice Mini Donuts

I'm feeling more focused.

I'm feeling more creative.

I'm setting boundaries for those who are no longer serving me.

Best of all, I'm EARNING for my services for the first time.

It brings me joy that people are asking to pay for my recipes and yummy treats!

I get to serve you all from a higher place as I continue to raise my vibration to come from a place of joy and high service.

Lately, I've been feeling more spontaneous as well. Removing rigidity from my life has been the best thing I've done for myself.

How many of you feel like you need to go from task to task while blocking yourself from having interactions with people because of it?

Last year around this time, I felt like I was so in my head, not present, and I would be thinking about my to-do list while I was talking with people.

This is no way to be if you are looking to feel more connected to a higher purpose.

It's amazing when you take the time to take care of yourself, how many awesome shifts get to be made.

I've been feeling more spontaneous and full of gratitude.

Ideas are flowing with ease.

I'm feeling more connected with myself and others.

I'm so thankful for everything that has been happening in my life.

I am feeling so supported and aligned with what I'm here to do.

As a result, I've been doing more of what brings me joy.

Yesterday, after having a business call with a friend, I saw a recipe for pumpkin spice mini donuts that another friend posted on Facebook.

I thought to myself, "Wow, these look fantastic, clean, and a great little nugget to give to the trick or treaters!"

I honestly wasn't even planning on giving any candy out for the trick or treaters and I was going to keep my door closed with the lights off.

I know that those kiddos will be getting tons of processed treats, so I wanted to give the kids something homemade.

I felt so inspired by my message, that after my Facebook Live, I went ahead to make the recipe.

I've never actually made donuts before, but I felt confident enough with myself to give it a shot while trusting that the kiddos will absolutely love my little gift!

The best part is they are gluten-free, dairy-free, and egg free! (Next time, I can swap the sugar for maple syrup and make them sugar-free as well)

All the kids loved them! Some of them even asked for extras for their other family members to try! 😋

One of the kids yelled: "Pumpkin Spice!!!!!" Seeing that little boy's face light up with excitement was definitely the highlight of my night!

It brings me so much joy to be able to share my homemade goodies with the world because I know that people will be so much happier overall with their lives by getting to eat less processed versions of their favorite foods.

Did I mention that side effects of this are increased focus, mood, creativity, motivation, and weight loss?!

Low and behold, I bring to the world my mini pumpkin spice donuts!

Credits to: https://issuu.com/purelyelizabeth/docs/purely_fall_magazine_b23785e68d76a3/29

Looking for more delicious recipes like this one that are gluten AND dairy-free? Check out 20 intuitively modified recipes that I changed the ingredients, removed the crap, and retained its restaurant-like quality! 

For The Wet Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon ground flax meal

• 3 tablespoons water

• 1 cup unsweetened pumpkin purée

• 1/3 cup melted coconut oil

• 1/2 cup coconut palm sugar, brown sugar or turbinado sugar (could sub maple syrup here to make this sugar free)

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For The Dry Ingredients:

• 1 cup almond flour

• 1/2 cup quinoa flour (or could use coconut flour)

• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

• 1/2 teaspoon allspice

• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

• 2 teaspoons baking powder

• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

For The Coating:

• 2 tablespoons coconut palm sugar

• 1.5 tablespoons cinnamon

• 2 tablespoons melted coconut oil

Directions:

1) Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2) Spray 3 regular sized muffin tins with cooking spray. Set aside.
3) Combine coconut oil and sugar (or maple syrup).
4) Add your flax egg (1 tbsp. flax meal with 3 tbsp. water) and vanilla extract.
5) Mix all of the dry ingredients in a separate bowl.
6) Add all of your dry ingredients to your wet ingredients and mix well until everything is combined.
7) Add the pumpkin puree and stir until dry ingredients are mixed through.
8) Roll into tablespoon size balls and place into the muffin tins.
9) Cook for 15-18 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean (I cooked mine for 18 minutes)
10) Take the mini donuts out of the oven and let cool for a few minutes. In the meantime, combine all coconut sugar and cinnamon for the coating. Keep the coconut oil separate.
11) In one hand, dip the donuts into the coconut oil and then roll in the cinnamon sugar mixture. 12) Serve immediately! Store in an airtight container for a few days or longer in the fridge (if they make it that long).

Thai Carrot Sweet Potato Soup

How was your Christmas? ☃️❄️🎄 I hope everyone's day was filled with smiles and laughter. 
As much as I am all about the holiday spirit, I spent mine giving myself the day off to rest.
It was filled with saying yes to myself. And that's all I really needed. No Christmas party, no gifts, and a nice, quiet homemade meal with my family. This was followed by journaling, meditation, and a good nights rest. Instead of your classic ham, veggies, stuffing, potatoes, and dessert, I decided to combine the feelings of all of them into a delicious soup. It's soft, warm, creamy, and satisfying enough to have as an entire meal. Check out my Christmas creation of my version of Thai Carrot Sweet Potato Soup.

Inspired by: https://cookieandkate.com/2016/thai-carrot-sweet-potato-soup-recipe/

Ingredients: 

For the Soup:

• 2 Tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil

• 1 Yellow sweet onion, chopped

• 2 Medium sized sweet potatoes, chopped

• 2 Large carrots, chopped

• 2 Tbsp. red curry paste

• 1/4 Cup low-sodium vegetable broth

• 1/4 Cup almond butter or peanut butter

• 1 Tsp Tamari (low-sodium) or liquid aminos

• 1 Tsp Maple Syrup

• 1/2 Tsp Sea Salt

• 1/2 Tsp ground black pepper

• Cilantro, lime juice, and roasted chickpeas for topping

For the Roasted Chickpeas:

• 1 15 Oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

• 1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

• 1/2 Tsp sea salt

• 1/4 Tsp ground black pepper

• 1 Tbsp. maple syrup

• 1 Tsp garlic powder

• 1 Tsp onion powder

Directions:

1) Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

2) While the oven is preheating, chop your veggies and lay them on a baking sheet. Add olive oil, salt, pepper, and maple syrup.

3) Prepare the chickpeas and put them on a baking sheet. 

4) Drizzle some olive oil on the chick peas and your seasonings. Shake the pan around to make sure all the chickpeas are evenly coated.

5) Put the vegetables and the chickpeas in the oven for 30-35 minutes. The veggies will be soft and the chickpeas will be slightly browned on top, but not burnt.

6) In a pot, pour the vegetable broth, curry paste, liquid aminos, and nut butter. Turn heat on low to begin heating everything.

7) When the vegetables are done, put them in a high powered blender or food processor. Set aside the chickpeas to cool.

9) Add the vegetables back to the soup, cover, and let it come to a boil for 5-10 minutes. Turn the heat to medium. Once simmered, remove from heat and serve with roasted chick peas. Enjoy!

Looking for more simple recipes? Check out my 10 healthy, delicious affordable recipes to start the new year with a happy gut!

Cashew Veggie Miso Dip

Do you love eating dip but don't know how to cook? Do you find yourself shoving down that bag of chips during your favorite sports game and don't even realize how much you ate? Have no fear! With this quick, easy, and delicious Cashew Veggie Miso Dip, you can eat your your dip without the bloated feeling afterwards. You even get an extra added bonus of eating veggies without even realizing it! 

Ingredients:

• 2 cups cashews

• 3 Tbsp. of nutritional yeast or the veggie seasoning I used (which I will post below)

• 2-3 large carrots

• 1/4 white onion

• 2-3 T. miso paste

• 2-3 cups water or veggie broth

• Salt and Pepper

• White and Black Sesame Seeds for topping (optional)

• Cucumbers or other veggies for dipping

Directions:

1) Chop up your carrots and onions into small pieces. It doesn't have to be anything fancy, since you'll be putting it in the blender.
2) Combine cashews, veggies, and spices (except miso paste) into a pot.
** Note: If you don't have a high powered blender, soak and cover your cashews in water overnight with just enough water top the cashews to make them easier to blend.
3) Turn on the heat to medium and let it come to a boil.
4) Remove from heat and add your miso paste.
5) Transfer all your ingredients to the blender. Blend until everything is combined and smooth.
6) Top with sesame seeds and serve with veggies. Enjoy!
 

Easy Cheezy Vegan Zoodles

Winter is near in Chicago, which means lots of pizza, pasta, soups, and stews are eaten. This is when a lot of people tend to gain weight because it’s cold out, dark earlier, and with the holidays coming up, it’s easy to lose sight of a healthy diet. People start going outside less, so they aren’t getting as much physical activity. Instead, it gets to be an opportunity for exploration and creativity of cooking healthier options. The good thing is that all pizza, pasta, soups, and stews don’t have to be heavy. Why not try lightening up your pasta dish with my Easy Cheezy Vegan Zoodles?!

Ingredients:

• 4 Medium zucchini, spiralized

• 1 15 Oz can Cannellini beans, rinsed and patted dry

• 1 8 Oz package Portobello mushrooms, chopped

• 1 Medium carrot, julienned

• 1 Small beet, peeled and cubed

• 1 White onion, chopped

• 1 Red bell pepper, chopped

• 1 Cup spinach, chopped

• 2 Tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil

For the Sauce:

• 4 Beefsteak tomatoes, halved

• 3 Cloves garlic

• 3 Tbsp. tomato paste

• 2 Tbsp. fresh chopped basil

• 1 tsp dried oregano

• Salt and pepper to taste

• 3-4 Tbsp. Nutritional yeast

• ** ½ cup cashews

Directions:

1)      Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Chop all of your vegetables, tomatoes, and garlic. Lay them on a baking sheet. Drain and rinse the beans and lay them on a separate baking sheet. Season with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Cook for 25-30 minutes.

2)      Add ingredients for the sauce in a high powered blender (like a vitamix). See note on how to prepare the cashews. Set aside.

3)      When the veggies and beans are done roasting, add the tomatoes, garlic, and ½ your onion in the blender. Blend until smooth.

4)      In a pan, combine all the veggies and your sauce. Stir until combined and heated through. Serve with more chopped basil on top. Enjoy!

** Note: If you don’t have a high powered blender or food processor, soak the cashews overnight and drain before making the sauce.

Roasted Root Veggies and Chickpea Buddha Bowl

Are you feeling like your mind is racing like crazy? Do you feel like you need to focus, but feel like you’re getting pulled in every direction? Are you feeling hungry all the time, but you’re craving carbs and the sweet stuff? Do you want to feel more energy and focus with the food you eat while crowding out your unhealthy cravings? As a child, I ate candy and junk food almost every day and it was a constant cycle all the way up until the end of college. When I started learning about different foods and how they can affect your energy, I learned about how root vegetables are very grounding. Think about the connection of how the veggies grow from the ground and we are connected to the Earth. When we eat these veggies, we also feel the connection from the energy they provide us. When we are more connected, we can be more focused and grounded. Other veggies like sweet potatoes, carrots, and beets are other great veggies that improve focus while getting a plethora of vitamins and minerals from different colors of veggies. Include all different colors of veggies to get lots of polyphenols. Ditch the Skittles and taste the rainbow with my Roasted Root Veggie Chickpea Buddha Bowl!

Ingredients: 

• 2 cans of chickpeas, rinsed/drained/patted dry

• 1 zucchini, chopped

• 2 small carrots, chopped

• 1 medium sized beet, peeled and cubed

• 1 small sweet onion, chopped

• 1 8 oz. container of Portobello mushrooms, chopped

• 3 cloves garlic, minced

** Note: Feel free to add as many veggies as you’d like, but these are the ones I added. Other great veggies I’ve used are broccoli, cauliflower, and kale (not pictured).

For The Sauce: 

• ½ cup of vegetable broth (I choose something organic or from Trader Joe’s, which are gluten-free)

• 4 Tbsp. miso paste

• ½ cup liquid aminos

• 2 Tbsp. rice vinegar

• 1 Tbsp. Korean Gochujang sauce

• Sesame Seeds for topping 

Directions:
1) Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F
2) While the oven is preheating, prepare the chickpeas and put them on a baking sheet. 
3) Mix all the ingredients of your sauce
4) Drizzle some olive oil on the chick peas as well as some of the sauce. Feel free to add as much or as little as you’d like. Shake the pan around to make sure all the chick peas are evenly coated. 
5) Chop your veggies and prepare on a separate baking sheet also drizzled in olive oil. Pour some more sauce here. Make sure to save some for topping after they are all done.
6) Put in the oven for 30-35 minutes stirring once after 20 minutes to avoid sticking/burning. Cook until the veggies are soft and chick peas are golden brown if they are not done after 30-35 minutes.
7) When everything is all done, combine the veggies and chick peas into a bowl. Top with more sauce and sesame seeds.
8) Enjoy!

Looking for more recipes to help crowd out your unhealthy cravings? Comment below or PM me to see how I can help do that for you!

Easy Vegan Pesto

Pesto is such an amazing and versatile food. I can seriously put it on almost everything. From eggs to pasta to pizza, pesto is a great sauce to add to make any dish taste even better! Unfortunately, there are more and more people that are becoming sensitive to dairy. Lucky for you, thanks to the help of Minimalist Baker, I found this delicious recipe that tastes almost identical to the dairy version. Check it out below!

Credits to: https://minimalistbaker.com/easy-vegan-pesto-5-minutes/

Ingredients:

• 2 cups packed (144 g) fresh basil (large stems removed)

• 3 Tbsp (25 g) pine nuts or walnuts (if nut-free, try sunflower seeds!)

• 3 large cloves garlic, peeled

• 2 Tbsp (30 ml) lemon juice

• 3-4 Tbsp (9-12 g) nutritional yeast

• 1/4 tsp sea salt, plus more to taste

• 2-3 Tbsp (30-45 ml) extra virgin olive oil*

• 3-6 Tbsp (45 - 70 ml) water or vegetable broth (plus more as needed)

Directions:

1.       In a food processor or vitamix, add the basil, nuts, garlic, lemon juice, nutritional yeast, and sea salt and blend/mix on high until a loose paste forms.

2.       Add olive oil a little at a time (streaming in while the machine is on if possible) and scrape down sides as needed. Then add 1 Tbsp (15 ml) water or vegetable broth at a time until the desired consistency is reached - a thick but pourable sauce. (If avoiding oil altogether, sub the oil with vegetable broth or just use all water.)

3.       Taste and adjust flavor as needed, adding more nutritional yeast for cheesy flavor, salt for overall flavor, nuts for nuttiness, garlic for bite / zing, or lemon juice for acidity.

3 Bean and Veggie Crock Pot Chili

Have a bunch of veggies you don’t know what to do with? An easy option is to throw everything into a crockpot and make a chili out of it. With minimal prep, all you have to is let the crockpot do the magic. By dinner time, your house will smell like a fresh garden. You will be excited to eat dinner with a full-spectrum of colors in your bowl. This chili won’t have you feeling heavy afterwards because there is no heavy meat or cream in here. It freezes well, so you will have leftovers for days where you don’t want to cook. Find the recipe below:

Ingredients: 

• 3 cans of beans of your choice (I used chick peas, black beans, and a 3 bean blend)

• 1 medium sized sweet onion, chopped

• 4 medium sized carrots, chopped

• 4 stalks celery, chopped

• 1/2 carton of portobello mushrooms, chopped

• 1 14 oz can of diced tomatoes or 3 large tomatoes, diced

• 1 6 oz can of tomato paste

• 5 cups of vegetable broth (or water)

• 3 cloves of garlic, minced

• 2 T. chili powder

• 1 T. paprika

• 1 T. cumin

• 1 tsp oregano

• 1 tsp basil

• Salt and Pepper (to taste)

Toppings (optional):

• Lime

• Avocado

• Cilantro

• Tabasco Sauce

• Cheese

• Crackers

Directions:
1) Chop all the veggies with garlic and put them in the crock pot.
2) Open, drain, and rinse the cans of beans and put them in the crock pot.
3) Put the tomato paste and spices in the crock pot.
4) Set your crock pot to low for 8 hours or high for 4-5 hours. Make sure the veggies are soft before it is done.
5) When it is all done, top with desired toppings and enjoy the smell of the food in your kitchen! Also, enjoy the tons of leftovers!

Are you looking for any more recipes that you can easily make in a pinch that are healthy and for the whole family? Post your email in the comments below and I will send you a FREE gift of 5 tips to make easy, healthy, "fast food" as well as two of my favorite recipes that have helped me along my journey!

Lentil Stew

It’s been quite a rainy day today in Chicago. All I’ve wanted to do is stay inside, cuddle, and read a good book. Maybe a bit tempted to go dance in the rain! While I love doing all those things, it can be really easy to get into a lazy funk on these days (I’ve been there), it can also be used as a great opportunity to make a delicious home cooked meal with your family to enjoy on a night in like this one. With some help from Radical Root Farms, I prepared a fresh veggie and lentil stew. It has all fresh, organic veggies straight from their garden like swiss chard, potatoes, fennel, and scallions. Mix in some spices and some veggie broth to have yourself a delicious, easy, healthy lentil stew. The recipe is as follows:

Ingredients:

• 2 cups of lentils

• 4-5 cups of vegetable broth (or water)

• 2 cups of fresh veggies of your choice (feel free to use more if you like)

Spices:

• 1 tsp salt

• 1 tsp pepper

• 1 tsp of garlic salt or use 2-3 cloves of fresh garlic

• 1 tsp celery seed

• 1 tsp celery salt

Direction:

1) Preheat oven to 400 degrees. 

2) Chop all your veggies into cubes.

3) Put them on a baking sheet with foil and pour 2 tsp of olive oil on the veggies.

4) Season with more salt, pepper, and garlic.

5) Cook veggies for 40 minutes.

6) While the veggies are in the oven, grab a pot and combine the lentils, broth, and spices.

7) Turn the stove on to medium and let it come to a boil (~10 minutes).

8) Once it’s boiling, cover it up and let it simmer while your veggies are roasting.

9) Once the veggies are done, take them out of the oven and combine them with the stew. Feel free to add some more broth if it starts to look dry.

10) Enjoy!

I hope you enjoy my recipe! Comment below your version of my delicious stew! I can’t wait to see your creations below! 

Vegan Mac & Cheese

Who doesn't love mac & cheese?! I personally grew up on that stuff as a kid and in college with it being a huge part of my diet. I’m sure most of us can say the same. However, with all of the food sensitivities we're seeing in our society in this day and age, we can’t eat the same foods we used to anymore without feeling bloated, heavy, and miserable. Luckily, this doesn’t have to be the case anymore. Give that old story a rest with this delicious recipe that is not only gluten and dairy free, but contains tons of veggies and protein. Who says you can’t eat your old childhood favorites anymore?! Now, you can enjoy this delicious vegan mac & cheese with my recipe below:

For the cheese sauce:

• 1 1/2 cups raw cashews

• 3 T. fresh lemon juice

• 3/4 cup water or veggie broth

• 1/4 cup + 1 tbsp nutritional yeast

• 1 tsp. chili powder

• 1 tsp. paprika

• ½ tsp. cumin

• 4 cloves garlic

• pinch of turmeric

• pinch of cayenne pepper

• 1 tsp. Dijon mustard

• Salt and pepper to taste

For the Mac & Cheese Casserole

• 16 ounces of pasta of choice (I like Banza chickpea pasta for a gluten free option)

• Roasted veggies (feel free to go totally HAM on this… the more the merrier)

Credits: 

http://detoxinista.com/2011/01/move-over-kraft/

Directions:

1)      If you decide to roast veggies, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Start preparing all of your veggies. I personally like to do onions, peppers, mushrooms, broccoli, and spinach.

2)      Put all of the chopped veggies (minus the spinach) on a baking sheet with tin foil under it and drizzle some olive oil, salt, and pepper on your veggies.

3)      Put them in the oven for 30-35 minutes (I like them well done, so feel free to do it for 40 minutes if you decide to use a lot of veggies) and begin cooking the water for your pasta until it comes to a boil.

• Feel free to sauté the veggies instead if you are short on time instead of using the oven.

4)      While your veggies are roasting, make your “cheese” sauce by adding all of the ingredients to a high powered blender (Vitamix for example) and blend on high until smooth and creamy. No worries if you don’t have a high powered blender. You can use a food processor or blender to process the cashews first. Once they are processed, add them in with the rest of the ingredients and process until smooth.

5)      Once the water for your pasta is brought to a boil, add the noodles until they are fully cooked according to the directions on the box (~10 minutes or I’ll taste it to make sure they are al dente). When they are done, drain/rinse the pasta and return your pasta to the pot to be mixed with your cheese sauce. Feel free to add the spinach too at this time.

6)      When your veggies are all done roasting, take them out of the oven and mix everything together. Then, pour the mac & cheese into an 8x8 square dish. Feel free to garnish with black pepper and paprika.

7)      ** Optional: Bake for 30 minutes (still at 350F) and let it cool for 5 minutes before serving.

8)      Enjoy!

Do you want help making some of your childhood favorites that are healthy and taste good? Contact Rachel to see how we can work together!

Smoky Butternut Squash Pasta and Greens

Mac & cheese with veggies? Yes please! Who would have ever thought we could have our same childhood staples transformed into a healthier, lightened up dish?! With butternut squash pasta sauce, now you and your children can enjoy this delicious dish without even realizing you are eating vegetables. Take a look at this recipe for butternut squash pasta with greens below:

For the sauce:

• 1/4 cups raw cashews

• 1 (3.5-4 lb butternut squash, halved, seeds removed

• 1 T. fresh lemon juice

• 3/4 cup water or veggie broth

• 2 tbsp. nutritional yeast (optional, but recommended)

• 1 tsp. chili powder

• 1 tsp. paprika

• 3 cloves garlic

• 1/8 tsp liquid smoke

• pinch of cayenne pepper

• hot sauce to taste

• Salt and pepper to taste

Credits: ohsheglows.com/2013/10/21/smoky-butternut-squash-sauce-with-pasta-and-greens/

For the Mac & Cheese:

• 16 ounces of pasta of choice (I like Banza chickpea pasta for a gluten free option)

• Roasted greens: broccoli, kale, and/or any other veggies you like (feel free to go totally HAM on this… the more the merrier)

Directions: 

1)      Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  Slice your squash in half, remove seeds, and roast the two halves face up with olive oil. Roast for 30-40 minutes until squash is fork tender. Let cool for at least 5 minutes.

2)      While your squashis roasting, make your “cheese” sauce by adding all of the ingredients to a high powered blender (Vitamix for example) and blend on high until smooth and creamy. No worries if you don’t have a high powered blender. You can use a food processor or blender to process the cashews first. Once they are processed, add them in with the rest of the ingredients and process until smooth. Set aside.

3)      Chop and sauté your greens as well as begin the water for your pasta.

4)      Once the water for your pasta is brought to a boil, add the noodles until they are fully cooked according to the directions on the box (~10 minutes or I’ll taste it to make sure they are al dente). When they are done, drain/rinse the pasta and return your pasta to the pot. Combine the pasta with your mixed greens.

5)      When your squash is all done roasting, take it out of the oven. Take 2 cups of the cooked squash and pour it into the blender with the rest of the “cheese” sauce. Blend together until smooth.Feel free to dice the remainder of your squash to use with your pasta.

6)      Combined sautéed veggies and pasta with the desired amount of “cheese” sauce. Cook over medium until heated throughout and serve immediately.

7)      Enjoy!

Do you want help learning how to eat your veggies without feeling like you’re eating them? Comment below to see how we can work together!