Chickpea Burgers, Say What?!

Enjoying meatless burgers with a smile

Chickpea burgers say whaaaaat? I might have gone mad with this recipe. Who the hell would ever think to put chickpeas in a burger besides for a vegetarian? While I’m not vegetarian, I’ve been learning more towards adopting a plant-based diet. The closer I get to 30, the more that my body can’t digest heavy protein and fats from red meat. My body is craving more vegetables and I’m honoring that. As I age, I am honoring my body to provide it with only the most nutrient-dense food. I’m not perfect, but my gut feels better every time I choose vegetables over pizza.

I spent years educating myself about the benefits of a plant-based diet. Documentaries such as “What the Health?” and “The Game Changers” have been sources of inspiration to make this shift. My goal is to show people that there are alternative recipes to your favorite unhealthy dishes if you think outside the box.

Inspired by: https://www.101cookbooks.com/ultimate-veggie-burger/

Ingredients:

• 2 15 oz cans Garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed

• 5 oz bag of fresh spinach, wilted

• 2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into fries

• ½ white onion, cut in quarters

• 1 lemon, zested and juiced ** If you don’t like too much citrus, feel free to use half the lemon

• 4 large eggs

• 2 Tbsp. seasonings of choice (I enjoy Trader Joe’s Everything but the Bagel Seasoning)

• ¼ cup cilantro, chopped

• 1 ½ cups gluten-free panko bread crumbs

• 4 Tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil, divided

• Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

1)      Combine all of the ingredients except the olive oil, sweet potatoes, and spinach in a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth. It’s alright if there are some chunks in there.

2)      Peel and cut your sweet potatoes into fries. To cut your sweet potatoes into fries, cut the potato the long way in half and cut those in half again. Cut each fragment a quarter-inch thick. Last, cut them in quarter inch slices again to achieve the fry-like shape.

3)      Season the sweet potatoes with 1 Tbsp. olive oil, salt, and pepper. Preheat the air-fryer to 375 Degrees F. Cook for 20 minutes or until crispy. Stir halfway through.

4)      To cook the bean burgers, heat a flat pan with 1 Tbsp. of olive oil. In ¼ cup servings, scoop 4 onto the pan to cook at a time. Flip after 5-7 minutes or until golden brown. Cook again for 5-7 minutes on the other side. Add more oil if the pan starts to get dry.

5)      With the remaining 1 Tbsp. olive oil, sauté the spinach until it wilts.

6)      Serve with desired toppings. I used Ketchup, Dijon mustard, and BBQ sauce. Enjoy with wilted spinach and sweet potato fries.

I understand how difficult it can be to learn how to cook without any knowledge of where to start. With virtual cooking classes, you can stay safe in your home while being able to learn a new skill. Make the best use out of quarantine by learning how to cook a healthy meal at home. Contact Rachel for more information.

The Best Pasta Salad

I don’t know about you, but the holidays always inspire me to think of my best culinary creations to share with friends and family.

It brings me joy to be able to share recipes not only that taste good but also has plenty of nutritional benefits.

When you think of the 4th of July, what do you associate that with? BBQs, fireworks, and summertime are the first 3 topics that come to mind.

A typical BBQ meal consists of burgers, hot dogs, chips, baked beans, some sort of dip, and of course, potato and pasta salad. I’m not even going to get into the beverages.

In my opinion, you gotta have something refreshing to cool down the heaviness from the meat. I can’t just eat a burger with chips and call it a meal. Protein and carbs are not a complete meal without vegetables. Sure, you’re getting all 3 sources of macronutrients, but you are missing out on vital nutrients your body needs to perform its activities for daily life.

My experiences with going to a BBQ is feeling sick to my stomach afterward. Bloating, lethargic, and foggy are a few symptoms to describe what happens after I consume that type of food.

This year, I made the decision to take my power back into my own hands and prepare food for guests at a party I attended.

Not only did I cook black bean and salmon burgers, but I made a pasta salad with roasted veggies to have a more balanced meal.

The pasta salad stole the show at the party. And of course, my homemade guacamole didn’t even make it to dinnertime. Meat can take a back seat.

I dropped the mayo-based calorie monstrosity and use an oil-based dressing instead for a healthy dose of omega 3’s. An example would be extra virgin olive oil. Make sure to check the label to see if it’s pure and not mixing other oils like canola.

Also, if you look at the ingredients for a lot of oil-based pasta salads you would normally buy at the store, the list goes at least 30 deep. A lot of them use soybean or cottonseed oil, which are high in omega-6 fatty acids.

Knowing what’s going in my food allows me to make better choices and feel better about what I’m putting into my body.

Once you try my pasta salad, you will never want to go back to buying the store-bought version ever again.

Find my recipe below:

Ingredients:

For the Roasted Vegetables:

• 1 cup shredded green cabbage

• ½ white onion, sliced into strips

• 1 red pepper, sliced into strips

• 1 zucchini, sliced into strips

• 2 serrano peppers, sliced into strips

• 3 cloves garlic, chopped

• 3 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil, divided

• Salt and pepper, to taste

  ** Note: You can add whatever vegetables you want. I added whatever I had on hand.

For the Pasta Salad:

• 1 box of gluten-free pasta of choice (I prefer Banza chickpea pasta)

• 1 15 oz can quartered artichoke hearts, cut in half

• 1 cup mixed greens (I used spinach and arugula)

• 1 serving Italian Dressing (Find my recipe here)

• Garnish with fresh herbs (I used parsley and cilantro) and parmesan cheese

Directions:

1)      Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. Cut all your vegetables and lay them on a foiled (or two) baking sheets.

2)      Add olive oil, salt, and pepper to the vegetables. Peel the garlic and put it on the baking sheet. Cook the vegetables for 25-30 minutes stirring after 15 minutes.

3)      While the vegetables are cooking, combine the ingredients to make for the Italian dressing.

4)      Cook the pasta according to the directions on the box.

5)      When the veggies and pasta are done, chop the garlic and let everything cool.

6)      To serve, combine the pasta, veggies, greens, artichokes, and Italian dressing. Stir well to make sure the dressing gets coated evenly throughout the dish. Serve with chopped herbs and parmesan cheese. Enjoy! :) You can also make this a full meal by adding a piece of cooked chicken or fish to the dish.

If you’re someone who has the desire to start cooking, but has no idea how to navigate their way through the kitchen, I offer support to do the heavy lifting for you. With meal prep calls, live virtual cooking classes, and accountability messaging, you will be on your way to living a healthy lifestyle for the long term. Find out more information below.

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.

Bean and Quinoa Burgers

This stay-at-home order has got me doing a pantry makeover. Over the last year or so, I’ve collected tons of dry ingredients, canned goods, and spices that have been sitting there unused. All that was unnecessary spending that could have been used more productively.

I had a huge craving for burgers, but not for meat. Lately, my body has been wanting more vegetables. I’ve been using this time to get more connected to my health and be more consistent about it. I would have spurts where I would eat super healthy for a week and then eat like shit the next. It was messing with my psyche by not staying on track. I started feeling bloated and was getting sick more often. Eating less meat has helped me maintain a healthier balance in my diet. Plus, I’m saving tons of money by not going out to eat. A lot of the ingredients are inexpensive while getting a ton of leftovers out of it.

Enjoy this family-pleasing burger with a side of sweet potato fries, sauteed spinach, and a homemade honey mustard sauce. The perfect well-rounded dish.

Ingredients:

• 1 29 oz cans beans of choice (or equivalently 3 15 oz cans), drained and well-rinsed ** Can use any other type of bean here as well like black beans or cannellini beans. I used pinto beans in this recipe.

• 2 cups cooked quinoa

• 1 red pepper, diced

• 1/2 white onion, diced

• 1 1/2 cup gluten-free panko breadcrumbs

• 2 large eggs

• 4 cloves garlic, minced

• 2 Tbsp all-purpose gluten-free flour (I used almond flour)

• 2 Tbsp Trader Joe's Everything but the Bagel Seasoning

• 1 tsp dried mustard powder

• Heaping ½ tsp dried basil

• Heaping 1 tsp oregano

• ½ tsp paprika

• ½ tsp black pepper

• ½ tsp kosher salt

• 2-4 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil for sauteing

For the Vegetables:

• 2-3 medium-sized sweet potatoes, peeled, and cut into fries

• 1 10 oz bag fresh spinach

• 3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil, divided

• Salt, and pepper to taste

For the Mustard Sauce (optional):

• 1/4 cup veganaise (or regular mayo)

• 1-2 Tbsp dijon mustard 

• 1 Tbsp honey

• 1 Tsp garlic powder

• 1/2 tsp dried parsley

• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1) Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

2) Dice onions and peppers. Add half the olive oil, salt, and pepper to a foiled sheet pan. Roast them for 15-20 minutes until cooked through.

3) Cook quinoa by adding 1 cup of dry quinoa to 2 cups boiling water. Clean the quinoa to remove the bitter, gritty taste by rinsing them with water before adding them to the pot. Lower the heat and cook for 10-15 minutes. Fluff with a fork and set aside.

4) Place beans in a food processor and pulse several times until roughly chopped -- Add a bit of water to help the beans blend thoroughly. Try not to puree them all, leave a few pieces if you can.

5) In a large bowl place chopped beans, quinoa, diced peppers, diced onions, panko and stir to combine. Add eggs, flour, and remaining ingredients --> garlic, basil, oregano, paprika, pepper, and salt. Stir to combine.

6) Using your hands, divide the mixture into 12-15 equal parts and place on a prepared baking sheet with parchment paper. Form each part into a ball, then press gently to form a patty.

7) Gently cover and place the entire baking sheet in the refrigerator and let chill for 1 hour.

8) Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Cut the sweet potatoes into fries. It is recommended to cut them 1/4 inch thick for crispier fries.

9) Put the sweet potatoes on a foiled sheet pan. Use half of the olive oil, salt, and pepper to season them. Place in the oven for 25-30 minutes, stirring halfway through.

10) Use the rest of the olive oil, salt, and pepper to saute the spinach in a separate pan for 5 minutes or until spinach is fully wilted.

11) After one hour, heat oil in a nonstick skillet (enough oil to coat the bottom of the pan) and in batches, saute burgers for about 6-8 minutes per side or until golden and crispy. Serve with the mustard and enjoy! Note: Burgers store well in the refrigerator in a sealed container for several days, or in the freezer for several months (if they make it that long). Reheat in the microwave or in a saute pan.

Does this recipe want to make you jump inside the computer screen and gobble up this dish? I can teach you how to cook this meal from the comfort of your own home. It will be sure to please even the pickiest of eaters because of its burger-like texture. You’ll barely realize you’re eating a ton of vegetables while enjoying the taste of the food. Find out more information below.

Crockpot Unstuffed Cabbage Soup

Quarantine is in full swing here in Chicago. The governor recently ordered a full shut down, which means I’m going to be stuck inside until further notice.

I’m doing my best to find the light in the situation. For the last few months, I lost my desire to cook for myself. I fell victim to my circumstances. After working in the kitchen, I went home exhausted, bitter, and lifeless.

I wasn’t sure what my next move was going to be. I knew I needed to make one fast if I wanted to get out of the above state of mind.

During the slow season at the kitchen, I obtained a NASM-CPT to become a certified personal trainer. I managed to find a new place of employment shortly after I passed my exam. It doesn’t matter now anyway since I can no longer work there until the whole COVID-19 situation blows over.

What the hell am I going to do with myself? Living with people who are overly anxious to begin with before the outbreak has allowed me to look deep within myself on how I can stay calm during the storm. Since I can’t change them, I can change how I react to their anxiety.

The most optimal solution I have used during this time is cooking. Since I have unlimited amounts of time to spend, I’m choosing to spend it focusing on my health. It’s the best way to protect myself during such unknown, unprecedented times. Since it’s difficult to feel safe around my loved ones, I can find safety from within.

Cooking allows me to connect with Mother Nature by using wholesome ingredients in my food. All my recipes are made from scratch. My diet consists of gluten and dairy-free recipes that help tremendously with inflammation.

While I worked in the kitchen, I was eating a lot of fried food that was around, which was reversing years of time I spent focusing on my health. It was taking its toll on me because I got sick 3x in a matter of fewer than 5 months.

I’m going to come out of this outbreak healthier than I was going into it. I was experiencing episodes of burn out, which subsided once I started eating less fried food. Today is officially my two month anniversary of not eating any fast food. When I eat healthy, it is easier to control my mood/reactions to stimulus around me.

My health is what keeps me alive and I want to do everything in my power to be the strongest version of myself that I can possibly be in this lifetime. By cooking my own food at home, I’m releasing generations of digestion problems that have been passed down to me on both sides.

I’m blessed to have a crockpot because that is going to be my best friend for the next few weeks. It’s still cold here, which means soups and stews up the wazoo.

My parents had some cabbage laying around that they wanted me to use before it went to waste, which became the inspiration for this recipe.

I grew up eating stuffed peppers, which brought to life this hearty soup. I feel even more full eating this than the stuffed pepper version.

Making this recipe allowed me to have tons of leftovers to stockpile in order to have enough fresh meals to get through this tough time.

The recipe is as follows below:

Ingredients:

• 1 lb ground beef 85% lean 15% fat

• 1/2 green cabbage, thinly sliced

• 1 15 oz can diced tomatoes

• 3-4 cloves of garlic, minced

• 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

• 1 tsp dried oregano

• 1/2 tsp dried basil

• salt and pepper to taste

For the Rice:

• 1 cup white or brown rice

• 2 cups water or chicken broth

For the Soup:

• 1 28 oz can fresh vine-ripened tomatoes

• 1 15 oz can chicken broth

• 1/2 cup ketchup

• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

• 1 /4 tsp liquid smoke

• 2-3 cloves of fresh garlic

• 1 tsp apple cider vinegar

• 1/4 cup turbinado sugar

• 1 8 oz can tomato sauce

• 1 tsp dried oregano

• 1/2 tsp dried basil

• salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Cut cabbage into thin slices (see the video on how to cut cabbage here)

2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F

3. On a foiled sheet pan, place cut cabbage, minced garlic, olive oil, and spices. Stir evenly to coat vegetables with seasoning.

4. Cook for 25 minutes stirring halfway through to avoid burning.

5. While the cabbage is roasting, combine water with rice and begin heating on medium/high heat until it comes to a boil.

6. Reduce heat to medium and cook until water is evaporated (15-20 min)

7. Cook ground beef in a skillet, stirring constantly until cooked through. Drain in a colander with a paper towel over it to help eliminate grease.

8. Blend all ingredients for the sauce in a high powered blender.

9. Combine all ingredients (minus the rice) in the crockpot and set it on low heat for 5 hours.

10. Combine cooked rice into the crockpot 30 minutes before serving. Enjoy!

While you are at home, take this opportunity to learn to cook for the health of your family. I have developed a recipe book of over 50 recipes to provide you with inspiration to begin your journey of adopting a healthy lifestyle. Take the time to support small businesses in order to allow us to be able to share our craft with the world.

The Best Homemade Granola Ever!

Are you someone who is always in a hurry to get out the door in the morning?

raises hand 🖐

Growing up, I was rushing for the school bus in the morning on a regular basis. My bag would be packed the night before, as I get up at the ass crack of dawn. I quickly brush my hair, brush my teeth, throw my clothes on, grab my shit downstairs, and rush out the front door.

The issue here is that I was either not eating breakfast or I would eat a bag of dry cereal. Even worse, a pop tart. By afternoon, I was crashing and was unable to pay attention in class during the last two periods of the day.

Knowing what I do now, I have the tools to combat afternoon fatigue and create snacks to give me energy while I’m on the go. When I had the idea to cook this granola, the above was in mind. I found a recipe online and tweaked it for my health modifications. It’s gluten-free, egg-free, and packed full of nutrients.

Use this to eat by itself, with almond milk in cereal, or spice it up to eat with fruit. I also enjoy topping it on muffins that I create to amp up my breakfast game.

I shared these with my friends and it is a raving hit among the crowd. This will please even the pickiest of eaters because the universal flavor of cinnamon brings it all together. I decided to share my recipe with the public in order for everyone to be able to recreate this for themselves in their own home.

Find my recipe below:

Inspired by: https://www.thehealthymaven.com/2015/04/honey-nut-steel-cut-granola.html

Ingredients:

• 3 cups steel-cut oats (gluten-free if necessary)

• 2 cups of mixed nuts and seeds (I did walnuts, pecans, almonds, flax seeds, and sunflower seeds, but you can use whatever combination you want!)

• 1 tsp cinnamon 1/4 tsp sea salt

• 1/4 cup coconut oil, melted

• 1/2 cup apple butter or sweet potato butter

• 1/2 cup honey or maple syrup (local raw honey is ideal)

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:

1) Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.

2) In a large bowl combine steel-cut oats, nuts, cinnamon and sea salt.

3) In a separate bowl combine coconut oil, applesauce, honey and vanilla.

4) Stir wet ingredients into dry and mix until combined.

5) Spread granola over a parchment or silicone-lined baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes.

6) Remove from oven and flip and the bake for another 20 mins.

7) Remove from oven once again, flip and then bake for another 15 mins.

8) Remove from oven and flatten granola with the back of a spatula.

9) LET SIT FOR ONE HOUR. Do not try to move granola off tray.

10) After an hour, you can take the granola and break it up into clusters. Enjoy!

Note: Keep in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks (if it lasts that long!)

New England Clam Chowder

Soup is a food I can eat any type of year.

Especially now that it’s cold out, I crave soup for every single meal.

I could eat soup for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Soup is a food that can be readily available.

However, the canned and restaurant versions are all full of CRAP

Carbs

Refined Ingredients/Sugar

Artificial flavorings

Processed Foods

Not to mention a lot of soups in restaurants are full of heavy cream.

For those of us who are weight or dairy conscious, that could wreak havoc on our bodies if we eat that kind of soup on a regular basis.

Oh, and a small can of soup could ring you over $3 if you find a healthy kind.

Why not be able to make your own soup instead for much less than that per meal while being able to have plenty of leftovers?

The secret is to roast and blend up your vegetables to make a creamy-like broth to make it a filling, delicious dish.

You totally forget about the fact that you’re eating vegetables!

It’s so heavenly, that I have to share my recipe for a dairy-free sweet potato New England clam chowder:

Ingredients:

• 5 boxes (3.66 oz) canned clams (in olive oil or water) ** use less if you don’t like clams as much

• ½ white onion, chopped

• 2 medium sized carrots, peeled and chopped

• 3-4 stalks celery, chopped

• 4 oz (1/2 container) of Portobello mushrooms, chopped

• 1 small – medium sized sweet potato, cubed

• 3-4 cloves garlic (more if you enjoy garlic)

• 1-2 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil

• ¼ cup white cooking wine

• ½ cup almond milk (plus more if you need it for blending)

• ¼ cup Tamari GF soy sauce or Bragg’s liquid aminos (use 2 Tbsp. if you use Tamari)

• ½ cup water or vegetable broth ** optional to thin

• 3-4 sprigs of fresh rosemary

• 3-4 sprigs of fresh thyme

• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1)      Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Chop veggies and garlic. Set them on a foiled baking sheet with olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic rosemary, and thyme.

2)      Cook for 30 minutes or until veggies are soft.

3)      In a stock pot, add the clams by opening the can slightly and letting the water/oil drip out. Press on the clams to strain out as much as you can.

4)      When the vegetables are finished cooking, in a high powered blender, scoop the vegetables (except a scoop or 2) and most of the clams into the blender. Peel your herbs from the stems and add to the blender. Combine with almond milk. Blend until smooth.

5)      Pour vegetable concoction into the pot.

6)      Add liquid aminos and cooking wine. Stir until combined.

7)      Add water or vegetable broth to thin if needed. Top with fresh herbs and serve with oyster crackers. Enjoy!

** This dish serves 4-6 hungry people. I suggest doubling this recipe if you want to have leftovers. Use 8 cans of clams to not make the dish too rich.

PS: Hungry to learn how to make more recipes like this? Try one of my meal planning sessions and I’ll help you craft the perfect staple to serve the whole family.

Spaghetti Squash Pad Thai

I freaking love Thai food. I’ll go out with my friends to a Thai restaurant and I will order the pad thai almost every time. Lately, I’ve noticed that when I eat it, I feel an immense amount of bloating and inflammation. It’s to the point where I’ve had to keel over trying to walk out of the restaurant. This is followed by immense amounts of constipation and gas with more stomach aches.

Ugh…

But why?!?!

Later, I’ll go look up the ingredients typically used in a restaurant-style pad thai.

Rice noodles

Carrots

Bean sprouts,

Eggs

Broccoli on occasion

A protein of choice

Topped with peanuts and a lime

Sounds totally kosher, right?

At the surface, yes it sounds like a great well-rounded dish. Did you notice I left off the sauce? The sauce is usually the calorie killer to dishes. Take a moment and look that a typical dish of pad thai served is not only more than one serving, but each serving can range from 800-1000 calories. That’s eating half your calories in a small meal followed by more carbs than your body can digest and a hell of a lot of sugar. You guessed it. Sugar is the culprit. While a lot of restaurants won’t disclose ingredient lists unless you ask, sugar is a ton of empty calories as well as a slew of ingredients you don’t even know that are in there.

Mind = blown!

Never to fear, I always have a recipe for that. With a few small tweaks, I have modified this recipe to make it a much healthier option for those that are health conscious. Check out my Duxified recipe for Spaghetti Squash Pad Thai.

For the Pad Thai

• 2 spaghetti squash (medium sized)

• 1-2 medium carrots, julienned

• 1 cup fresh or 1 15 oz can bean sprouts

• 3 green onions, chopped

• 1 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined

• 3 eggs, lightly beaten

• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, divided

• Optional: peanuts and sesame seeds for topping

For the sauce

• ½ cup liquid aminos

• ¼ cup fish sauce

• 2 tbsp brown sugar or turbinado sugar

• 2 tbsp rice wine vinegar

• 1 lime chopped into wedges (for squeezing on top)

Directions:

1)      Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Cut spaghetti squash in half on the direction without the stem. Scoop out all the seeds from the center.

2)      Season with salt, pepper, and olive oil. Put face down in the oven and cook for 30-35 minutes or until it can be flaked with a fork.

3)      Combine all ingredients for sauce. Set aside

4)      Clean off the shrimp and cook on medium heat until cooked through. The shrimp will turn a more vibrant pink when cooked.

5)      Chop your vegetables. Add remaining olive oil to a large, deep pan and begin sautéing.

6)      Get your spaghetti squash out of the oven and let cool for 5-10 minutes.

7)      Carefully fork your spaghetti squash and add it to your vegetables.

8)      Add your cooked shrimp and eggs to the pan. Stir until the eggs are cooked through.

Add your sauce, mix well, top with desired toppings, and enjoy!

PS: Looking for other creative ways to use spaghetti squash? Check out some of my other recipes on how I’ve transformed spaghetti squash into healthier versions of my favorite dishes.

Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies

I freaking love making these cookies! I made them for the first time for a Serendipity Expo in December of 2017. They were a huge hit! They are so easy to prepare and are much healthier than traditional cookies. Every ingredient is picked out and mixed in with love in order to make the perfect cookies. I started sharing them along with my gingersnap cookies at various music festivals because I desire to spread the message of being able to have healthy food wherever you go. With that being said, I have decided to release the recipe to the masses, so you can have these delicious treats for yourself when I'm not around.

Credits to: https://www.mommypotamus.com/gaps-chocolate-cookie-bites/

Ingredients: 

• 1 ¾ Cup almond flour

• ¼ Cup maple syrup or honey

• ¾ Cup homemade chocolate chips (I used my homemade paleo chocolate as the morsels)

• ¼ Cup butter or coconut oil (softened)

• ¼ Teaspoon unrefined sea salt (where to buy sea salt)

• ¼ Teaspoon baking soda

• 1 Teaspoon vanilla

Directions:

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2) Line cookie sheet with unbleached parchment paper.
3) Mix all ingredients together in one bowl (except chocolate chips).
4) Add in chocolate chips.
5) Scoop out 1 tablespoon cookie dough with a spoon (I use a measuring spoon) and place on the prepared cookie sheet. Keep 3 inches of space between each cookie. Press down slightly to flatten the cookie.
6) Bake for 6-10 minutes. The cookie should just be a little golden brown on the bottom. Do not overcook!
7) Cool for 10 minutes on the cookie sheet (or else they will be too soft to pick up). These cookies should stay soft when cool.
8) Enjoy!

PS: If you are someone eating the same take-out meals every single week, feeling like shit after eating them, this is for you!

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.

Tuna Lettuce Wraps

What a beautiful day to try some delicious veggies from my local CSA. I'm so excited that every share is packed with fresh grown veggies from a local farm that taste way better than conventional. I think I'm hooked on these veggies! You can go to localharvest.org to find a local farm near you to get started on these! Today's delicious recipe is tuna lettuce wraps using veggies from the farm. This quick, easy meal is great for those days when you feel like you have a million things to do, but want to have a quick and healthy meal. The recipe is as follows:

Ingredients:

• 2 cans of albacore tuna (in water)

• 1/4 cup veganaise (you can use regular may of if you choose)

• 2 scallions

• 2 stalks of celery

• 1/2 cucumber

• 1 head of lettuce

• 1/2 avocado (for topping)

• Fresh parsley (for topping, optional)

Spices:

• 1/4 tsp salt

• 1/4 tsp pepper

• 1/2 tsp celery salt

• 1/2 tsp celery seed

• 1/2 tsp garlic salt

• 3 tbsp relish

• 3 tbsp dijon mustard

Directions:
1) Wash and chop your veggies
2) Mix all of the wet ingredients and spices in a bowl
3) Add your veggies and dry ingredients to the bowl
4) Stir up everything. Add more spices to taste
5) On a separate plate, put some leaves of lettuce
6) Scoop 2 spoonfuls of tuna mixture onto the lettuce
7) Top with 2-3 slices of avocado and fresh parsley
8) Put another piece of lettuce on top for a sandwich (not pictured)
9) Enjoy!

Let me know what you think of this recipe in the comments below! I'm looking forward to your responses!

Are you sick 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.

Cauliflower Fried Rice

Rice is always a staple when you go to a Chinese or Japanese restaurant. Most times, white rice is included with your dish. You can even upgrade to fried rice for an extra $1. Typically, this is fried in canola oil, which comes from the rapeseed plant, one of the most genetically modified plants on the market. Not only are you consuming trans fats due to the amount of oil typically put in this dish at restaurants, but you are getting high amounts of sodium from the soy sauce they put in. Typically, soy sauce contains ~900 mg sodium PER TABLESPOON.  White rice has had the bran, fiber, B-vitamins, and all the external fiber removed so all that's left is a pure carbohydrate. The outer shell is removed on white rice, which removes the natural oils found in brown rice, which makes white rice have a longer shelf life. While this is nice that you can keep white rice longer, it has a high glycemic index, which turns it rapidly into sugar. This will lead to a big boost of energy followed by a big crash pretty quickly afterward. Talk about a salty, nutritionless monstrosity. The great this is that you can make fried rice at home using any other type of grain, fry it in sesame oil, and use Tamari in place of the soy sauce to make it completely gluten-free and soy free! Plus, you get the nutrition from the peas and carrots with a healthy dose of saturated fat from the oil. Feel free to add whatever meat you like to make it a complete meal that will leave you full of energy and begging for seconds.

I’ve decided to give this recipe an all-new spin using the Redefining All Diets method. By upping the veggies game on this dish, it’s an easy way to get fuller quicker while getting more nutrients. Talk about getting more bang for your buck. What I do is I modify any recipe to incorporate more wholesome ingredients while removing the processed crap from what you would find at a restaurant. It still tastes fucking amazing because I don’t skimp on the flavor. For those of us who struggle to enjoy the taste of vegetables, I find it easier to make a homemade sauce so that you still get the nutrients without having a plain taste. Sometimes, I don’t even realize how many veggies I’m eating its mind-blowing. How I amped this dish up is by swapping out the rice for cauliflower. As a bonus, it makes the dish take less time to prepare. Feel free to add eggs or cooked protein to make this meal well-rounded.

Check out my spin on Cauliflower Fried Rice!

• 1 cauliflower, chopped into florets ** You can also buy riced cauliflower from most supermarkets fresh or frozen to save even more time

• 3 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded AND/OR 1 bag of frozen seafood, thawed

• 1 small red onion, diced

• 2-3 green onions, chopped

• 2-3 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 cup frozen peas and carrots

• 2 eggs

• 3 tablespoons sesame oil (or you can substitute butter!)

• 1/4 cup Tamari Low Sodium soy sauce (or liquid aminos)

• 1 tsp. brown sugar (optional)

• Salt and pepper to taste

• Top with sesame seeds and sriracha

Directions:

1)      Cook your protein in advance. To cook your chicken, put it in the oven at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.

2)      Thaw your cauliflower or chop a fresh one up into florets and blend in batches on low power.

3)      Chop your onions, green onions, and garlic.

4)      If you’re using frozen seafood, cook in a separate pan on low heat, draining the water periodically. Cook until all the water has evaporated. The seafood will shrink a ton.

5)      Add 1-2 tablespoons of sesame oil to another pan. Turn the pan to medium-high heat. Let it sit for 30 seconds to heat up.

6)      Add the onions and garlic to the pan. Cook for 2-3 minutes or until caramelized.

7)      Add the frozen peas, carrots, and cauliflower (if frozen). Cook until warmed through (3-5 minutes).

8)      ** Only do this step if you have fresh cauliflower. Add the cauliflower if you haven’t already.

9)      Add the cooked seafood and chicken and cook for 2-3 minutes.

10)   Crack your eggs in a bowl and lightly beat them with salt and pepper. Add them to the pan and cook until the eggs are cooked through (3-5 minutes)

11)   Add the tamari, brown sugar, and remaining sesame oil to the pan. Stir until everything is coated with sauce. Add more sauce if desired.

12)   Top with sriracha, sesame seeds, and green onions. Enjoy!

Are you sick 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!

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

Oh Shit! Pasta

Sometimes, we have those days where we are like "Oh shit! I don't know what to make for dinner!" 🙈

Who does this resonate with? ✋✋

For a lot of people that means going out to eat, but as a cook, I tend to keep more than enough food in the house.

If you are like that too and have had enough takeout food, take the time to see what ingredients lay around the kitchen.

You might find some yummy food laying around your freezer or a bunch of random ingredients in the fridge.

This is a great opportunity to experiment and use your creative side to make a spontaneous, impromptu meal. 😋

And that's exactly what I did.

I found some chicken, spinach, onion, butternut squash, lentil pasta, and pesto from Trader Joe's! And now, I have a healthy, tasty meal that I didn't have to order in order to get. 🍝

Cooking for me is fun and I love seeing what dishes I can come up with.

This is what your life gets to be too. We all have those creative juices in us. 🌺💐

We all have that burning passion for something we love, but how many of us follow through?

Starting this business doing what I love had been the best thing I've ever done for myself!

And now as a health coach, I get to help other like-minded people heal their relationship with food while having cooking be fun for them.

As an added bonus, you get to shift your mindset to see food as a healing tool and lose all the weight you desire, just as I have. 💪

I cook for any type of diet because I know so many people have food sensitivities out there, especially to gluten and dairy, so that's what the majority of my dishes are.

I also love making vegetarian and vegan dishes because they are so easy, healthy, and grounding. It feels good not to eat meat for every single meal.

I call this the “Oh Shit! Pasta!”

Ingredients:

• 1 lb cooked chicken

• 1 cup spinach or any greens on hand

• 1 bag of frozen butternut squash (cubed)

• 1 small onion, chopped

• 1 box pasta of choice (I chose lentil pasta)

• ½ cup store-bought pesto (or check out this recipe to make your own)

• 1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

• Top with fresh basil and crushed red pepper

Directions:

1)      If the chicken is not cooked, preheat the oven to 350 Degrees F.

2)      Put the chicken on a foiled baking sheet, season with salt and pepper, and put in the oven for 30 minutes.

3)      While the chicken is cooking, prepare pasta according to directions on the box.

4)      Prepare the frozen butternut squash according to the directions on the bag (yay food hack!)

5)      Chop your onion and in a saucepan, begin cooking the onions on medium heat with olive oil.

6)      When everything is done, cube your chicken. Add the spinach and chicken to the pan.

7)      Add the butternut squash (as much as you desire) and combine with pesto.

8)      Top with crushed red pepper and basil. Enjoy!

Looking for more easy peasy recipes to incorporate into your weekly meal routine? Check out 20 of my favorite recipes like this one that I’ve modified to be gluten and dairy free!

Chicken Zucchini Noodle Casserole

I love outdoing myself every time I create a new recipe. I have been preparing a lot of vegan cheeses lately. This time, I found something a bit different. I am so proud of myself for meal planning again. I’ve been writing weekly meal logs and holding myself accountable for my meals. I’m really excited to be doing this as well in my upcoming challenge I’m holding in the next upcoming weeks. I’ve found all these awesome meals over the past few years and I am finally using them. Now, I’m bringing them to life!

As a child, I used to eat chicken or turkey tetrazzini out of the Stouffers box. I’m not going to lie, it’s really good. I love the creamy taste of the cheesy sauce with the breadcrumbs on top. The downside to this is when I was eating it, I was not aware of all of the crap that is put inside that tiny box. I don’t even remember how many ingredients are in there. I remember not feeling well after I ate any of that stuff. I honestly have no idea how my body used to eat and digest that as a child.

Anyway, one of the recipes I found reminded me of this childhood dish. I’m all about transforming my favorite childhood favorites into healthier meals that taste amazing! I had a recipe that I found through half baked harvest that reminded me of the turkey tetrazzini. I also went the extra mile to make a vegan gouda cheese because I really didn’t want to eat real cheese. Although this contains Greek yogurt, I still made this dish completely gluten-free by using zucchini noodles, gluten-free pasta, and terra chips instead of breadcrumbs. I was so proud to recreate my childhood favorite dish with the added version of veggies. This souped-up version of this dish will leave you begging for seconds (and thirds). Check out my version of my chicken and zucchini noodle casserole.

Inspired by: https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/one-pan-healthier-chicken-zucchini-noodle-casserole/

Ingredients:

• 3 cups grated zucchini about 3 medium zucchini's

• salt

• 6-8 slices gluten-free bread

• 3/4 pound boneless skinless, chicken tenders, diced

• 1/2 of a small onion grated

• 2 cloves garlic minced or grated

• 1 carrot grated

• 1 box gluten free noodles

• 1 teaspoon dried thyme

• 2 teaspoons dried parsley

• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

• salt + pepper taste

• 1 cup gouda cheese shredded **

• 2-3 cups chicken broth

• 1/2 cup dry white wine or more chicken broth

• 1 cup plain greek yogurt

• 6 tablespoons butter melted

• 2 eggs

• 1 1/2 cups crushed terra chips (or any other gluten-free crackers)

** For the gouda cheese (which I made vegan) courtesy of  http://juliasvegankitchen.blogspot.com/2011/07/smoked-cashew-gouda.html

• 1 cup raw cashews

• 1/4 cup nutritional yeast

• 1/2 Tbsp. onion powder

• 1/2 tsp garlic powder

• 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper

• pinch turmeric (optional)

• 1/2 to 1 tsp salt, to taste (depends on your miso)

• 1 3/4 cup (unsweetened) nondairy milk

• scant 1/2 cup agar flakes

• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

• 2 TB light (yellow or white) miso

• 1 Tbsp. lemon juice

• 1/2 tsp vegan Worcestershire sauce

• 1/8 tsp liquid smoke

Directions:

1)      A few hours before you prepare the recipe, prepare the vegan gouda cheese. Start by placing cashews in a large-sized bowl of the food processor or vitamix and finely grind–just don’t let the cashews turn to a paste. Add nutritional yeast, onion powder, garlic powder, cayenne, turmeric (if using), and salt. Pulse three more times to blend in spices.

2)      In a heavy saucepan, combine milk, agar flakes, and oil. Bring to a simmer over high heat. Decrease heat to low-medium, cover and simmer, stirring occasionally for 10 minutes, or until the sauce thickens.

3)      With the food processor running, gradually add milk mixture to cashew mixture. Blend for 2 minutes or until smooth and creamy. Next blend in miso, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, and liquid smoke. It won’t take long for the sauce to start thickening up. Transfer to a mold. 

4)      Let it harden in the refrigerator for at least for 2-3 hours

5)      Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

6)      Lay a clean kitchen towel on the counter and spread the grated zucchini out in a single layer. Sprinkle the zucchini with a little salt and then cover the zucchini with another clean towel. Let sit at least 10 minutes.

7)      Chop your vegetables and lay on a foiled baking sheet with the zucchini. Add your chicken to a separate baking sheet. Put in the oven for 30 minutes.

8)      Meanwhile, grease a 9x13 inch baking dish.

9)      In a pot, add the chicken broth, wine, greek yogurt, and butter and boil until the butter is melted (5-10 minutes)

10)   To the bottom of the baking dish, add the cubed bread, making sure the bread mostly covers the bottom of the dish. Next, add the dried noodles. Add in the chicken broth (starting with 2 cups), wine, greek yogurt, and butter.

11)   In a separate bowl, lightly beat 2 eggs and add it to your dish.

12)   Add the chicken, grated onion, garlic, carrot, dried thyme, parsley, cayenne and a pinch of salt + pepper. Sprinkle the Gouda cheese on top and add the zucchini.

13)   Using clean hands (I prefer using my hands) or a spatula, mix all the ingredients up until the bread is well moistened and everything is evenly distributed. If the mixture seems dry, add more broth until well moistened. Sprinkle the terra chips over top the dish,

14)   Cover with foil and bake on the middle rack for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, remove the foil and continue baking for 25-30 minutes or until the top is lightly golden and the casserole is no longer jiggly. Remove and let sit 5 minutes before serving.

15)   Serve with fresh herbs if desired. YUM!

Want to find more of your favorite recipes to prepare from the comfort of your own home? Check out 20 of my favorite recipes that I have modified to be gluten-free AND dairy-free!

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 Drunken Noodles

I was craving Thai food last night. It's cold outside and a nice, warm bowl of noodles sounded fantastic. Unfortunately, at restaurants, a lot of their noodles or sauces have gluten in them, which my body does not do well with. I've decided to honor my body and begin removing it from my diet. I figure if I am not going to go get take-out, might as well make it myself. That way, I know what's going in my food and my belly gets to be happy. As a result, I created these delicious drunken noodles and I get to share them with you!

Ingredients:

For the Vegetables:

• 1 Sweet onion, chopped

• 1 Red bell pepper, chopped

• 1 Zucchini, spiralized

• 1-2 Medium carrots, spiralized

• 1 cup of other vegetables of choice (I used sugar snap peas, mushrooms, and kale) 

• 5 Cloves of garlic, minced

• 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

For the Sauce:

• 1 Cup chicken or vegetable stock

• 2 Tbsp. (gluten-free) oyster sauce

• 2 Tsp red chili paste

• 2 Tsp tamari or liquid aminos

• 1 Tsp Molasses

• 1 Tsp sugar

• 2 Tbsp. fish sauce

Other Ingredients:

• 1/2 lb. of rice noodles or glass noodles

• 1 lb. cooked protein of choice ** see notes

• 3 eggs, beaten

• Black and white sesame seeds (for topping

• Lime (for topping)

Directions:

** Notes: If you are using chicken as your protein of choice, season with salt and pepper, line a baking sheet with tin foil, and add them in with your veggies.

1) Preheat oven to 400 degrees. 
2) Chop all your veggies into cubes. Mince your garlic.
3) Put them on a baking sheet with foil and pour 2 tsp of olive oil on the veggies. Add your garlic and spread them on the veggies. 
4) Cook veggies for 30 minutes.
5) While the veggies are in the oven, mix all of the ingredients for the sauce. Set aside.
6) Begin cooking protein if you are using tofu or frozen seafood.
7) Cook rice noodles according to directions on the package. Let soak in cold water to stop them from over-cooking. 
8) Once the veggies are done, take them out of the oven and combine them with the protein, noodles, and sauce into one pan.
10) Mix in the beaten eggs, cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently! 
11) Top with sesame seeds and lime. Enjoy! 

PS: Want more recipes like this? I have released 20 of my favorite dishes that I've modified to be gluten and dairy-free. Check it out!

Gingersnap Cookies

It is almost Thanksgiving! Every year for the past few years, I have been making these delicious cookies for all of my holiday parties and for all of my friends. I am so grateful for all of the wonderful feedback I have received on these! I grew up eating gingersnap cookies out of the box. However, there are tons of processed ingredients and dyes. As I started my journey, these were some of the first baked goodies I’ve made. They are super easy to make and they taste amazing. Did I mention they are gluten-free?! Since these are basically my favorite cookies ever, I feel called to share the recipe with the world. Thanks to Food Faith Fitness, I bring to you my recipe for my famous gingersnap cookies!

Credits to: https://www.foodfaithfitness.com/ginger-snap-recipe/

Ingredients:

• 1/4 Cup Coconut Oil melted

• 1 Cup Turbinado or Coconut sugar lightly packed + more for rolling

• 1 Egg

• 1 1/2 Cups + 1 Tbsp Almond Flour

• 1/4 Cup + 1 tsp Coconut Flour

• 1 3/4 tsp Baking soda

• 1/2 tsp Salt

• 2 tsp Ginger powder

• 2 tsp Cinnamon (plus a little more because I love extra cinnamon, but this is completely optional)

• 2 Tbsp + 2 tsp Molasses

Directions:

1.        Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and spray a cookie sheet with cooking spray.

2.        In a large bowl, beat together the melted coconut oil, coconut or turbinado sugar, and egg until well mixed. Set aside.

3.        In a medium bowl, stir together the almond flour, coconut flour, baking soda, salt, ginger and cinnamon. Stir until everything is very well mixed and there are no little clumps of flour.

4.        Stir the flour mixture, along with the molasses into the oil mixtures and stir until a slightly sticky dough forms. Place the dough into the refrigerator for 10 minutes, just to allow to coconut flour to absorb some of the moisture.

5.        Once the dough has chilled, Roll 1 Tbsp sized balls and roll the balls around in coconut or turbinado sugar. Place onto the prepared baking sheet and slightly flatten down.

6.        Bake until the edges begin to go darker brown and top is nice and crackly, about 19-20 mins. (SEE NOTE **) The cookies will feel VERY soft, but they will crisp up A LOT once cooled.

7.        Let cool completely on the pan and then ENJOY!

**Note: I like to place them on an air pan and I cook them for 24-26 minutes. I’ll typically cook the cookies for 20 minutes first and then see how much extra time they need. They are nice and airy inside and crunchy on the outside. They still taste amazing! You can make 18-20 decently sized cookies with the batter.

Gluten and Dairy Free Pizza with Vegan Pesto

Note: This recipe is NOT vegan, despite it being gluten and dairy free. If you want this vegan, omit the prosciutto (Although I don’t recommend it because it seriously makes the dish taste 10000x better!)

Who ever thought that you could actually make a pizza healthy? I was over at my boyfriend's parents' house one evening and his dad made this beautiful Italian pizza with prosciutto, figs, and pesto. It was one of the best pizzas I ever had. I thought it was so creative because I had never heard of anyone putting such items on a pizza. This was my inspiration for this amazing pizza. I personally have some trouble eating gluten and dairy, so I felt called to recreate this delicious dish. With a gluten free crust, dairy free nut cheeses, and dairy free sauce as well as the addition of some more veggies, I bring to the table my version of this pizza.

Ingredients:

For the Crust:

** You can use Trader Joe’s Gluten Free Pizza Crust or the following:

• 4 cups almond flour

• 1 packet of stevia ** optional

• 1/4 tsp salt

• 1/2 cup butter, melted

• 4-6 Tbsp. water, divided

For the sauce:

• ½ cup of vegan pesto (Find the recipe here)

For the Toppings:

• ½ cup prosciutto, chopped

• ½ cup white onion, chopped

• ½ cup Dairy free mozzarella cheese (you can get this from Whole Foods)

• ½ cup cherry tomatoes, chopped

• 4 oz Portobello mushrooms, chopped

• ½ cup figs, chopped

• ½ cup kale, chopped

• ½ cup vegan parmesan cheese (recipe found here) Note: You can use cashews instead of brazil nuts

• balsamic glaze to drizzle on top

Directions:

1)      To make the crust, combine all of the ingredients except the water. Mix well with your hands. Add the water tablespoon by tablespoon, mixing the flour until mixed through. You can skip this step if you buy the crust. Follow the directions on the package.

2)      Preheat the oven to 425 Degrees F. Chop your veggies and set aside.

3)      Split the crust in two pieces. On a pizza pan, form a crust shape with your hands as flat as you can, making sure the crust is formed evenly.

4)      Add desired sauce, toppings, and cheese on your pizzas.

5)      Bake for 20-25 minutes until the ends of the crust are golden brown. Enjoy!   

Pork Belly Ramen

Picture this scenario:  You’re out with your friends in the city and you find a Ramen joint. Hell yeah! At last, your childhood dream has come alive! Who wouldn’t want to have Ramen at a restaurant? It’s right in the childhood if you were a 90’s baby like I was. You finish your Ramen, but you feel dissatisfied. Not in the sense of it not tasting good, but your stomach is upset. You feel bloated and full of regret. Your childhood dreams feel like they were crushed. You go home at the end of the evening and have a bowl of Ben and Jerry’s Ice Cream because you feel hungry a few hours later. Oooof! I’m sure we’ve all been there before. It’s like a double whammy because you had so much salt from the ramen and you crave sweet in order to bring your body back into balance. Don’t fret. THIS DOES NOT HAVE TO BE YOU! Why is that you ask? I have this awesome recipe for homemade Ramen that you can make in the comfort of your own kitchen. No need to spend hours driving back and forth to feel sick afterwards. And the best part is that I’m going to provide it to you right here and right now. I bring you my delicious, healthy, homemade Pork Belly Ramen!

Ingredients:

For the Ramen:

• 2 lbs of Pork Belly **

• Oil of choice (for the pork belly)

• 1 3-inch piece ginger, peeled and diced

• 6 cups vegetable stock

• 2 Tbsp tamari or soy sauce, plus more to taste

• 1 Tbsp white or yellow miso paste (ensure vegan friendliness on package)

• 1 tsp sesame oil (for flavor), plus more to taste

• 2 tsp rice wine vinegar or mirin

• 1 tsp Korean gojuchang sauce (can find in the Asian section at your local supermarket)

• 8 ounces Ramen noodles (You can get creative here with the noodle choices)

• 3 eggs, lightly beaten

• Green onions (for topping)

• Sriracha sauce (for topping)

For the Roasted Root Vegetables:

• 1 8 oz package fresh shiitake mushrooms, chopped

• 6-8 radishes, sliced thin

• 1-2 baby bok choy, chopped

• 1 medium sized yellow onion, chopped

• ½ red cabbage, sliced thin

• 2-3 large carrots, chopped

• 5 cloves garlic (2 1/2 Tbsp), roughly chopped

Directions:

** Before you prepare anything, I suggest cooking your pork belly the night before because it takes over 2 hours to prepare. I’ve provided a video to help you cook the pork belly properly: https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/videos/techniques/how-roast-pork-belly

1)      Chop your veggies. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. On a large baking sheet, lay out your veggies on a foiled baking sheet. Cook for 20-25 minutes until the veggies are golden brown.

2)      While the veggies are roasting, begin to carve your pork belly into thin slices. Put the thin slices on the stove over medium heat with some oil of choice. Cook in batches until both sides are brown and crispy.

3)       Prepare your Ramen noodles. Cook according to package instructions. Drain and set aside.

4)      Begin making the broth for the Ramen by putting all of the ingredients (except the eggs) into a pot and simmer on low.

4)      When the veggies are done, remove them from the oven, let cool for 5 minutes, and then put them into the broth.

5)      Turn up the heat to medium and add the eggs. Stir and cover and let sit for 5-10 minutes until the eggs are cooked through.

6)      Serve with the noodles, green onions, sriracha, and pork belly. Enjoy! :)

Almond Flour Pancakes

It was a wonderful weekend of seeing my friend in the city with lots of warm weather.  We went to the farmer’s market and I was craving some of the delicious fruit from the stands after eating a savory crepe. I’ve wanted to make pancakes for a while since my boyfriend and I have been going out to eat at the local pancake house for the past few Sundays in a row. Since I bought apples and peaches, I thought why not make the pancakes and caramelize those on top? My taste buds were longing for some of that delicious, fall feeling of warm, cinnamon, sugary glazed goodness. While I am at it, I figure this would be great to have for my trip to Bass Center. Who wouldn’t want to bring healthy food on a vacation? It was a no brainer. I had to make these. And oh boy, they were exactly everything I was hoping for. Did I tell you that they are gluten and dairy free? Now you can have your breakfast treat without the guilt! With that being said, I’m absolutely delighted to share with you my recipe for almond flour pancakes with caramelized apples and peaches!

Ingredients:

For the Pancakes:

Credits to: http://thenourishinghome.com/2012/05/fluffy-little-almond-flour-pancakes/

• 1 1/2 cups blanched almond flour

• 1/2 tsp baking soda

• 1/4 tsp sea salt

• 3 large pastured eggs, room temperature

• 1/4 cup almond milk

• 1 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted

• 1 Tbsp. honey (or maple syrup)

• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract

• 1/4 tsp apple cider vinegar

• 1-2 tsp cinnamon (I love cinnamon, so I tend to add a lot)

For the Caramelized Apples and Peaches

• 2 apples and 2 peaches, cored and cubed (can use berries as well)

• 1 Tbsp. maple syrup (or honey)

• 1 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted

• 2 Tbsp. brown or turbinado sugar

• 1-2 tsp cinnamon (I love cinnamon, so I tend to add a lot)

Directions:

1. Preheat griddle over medium heat.

2. Place all of the liquid ingredients into your blender, then place all of the dry ingredients on top. Cover and blend on low to start, then increase to high and blend at least 1 full minute.

3. Please note: The batter will be very thick like a thick cake batter. If it is too thick for your liking, a simple option to correct the consistency is to simply add an additional tablespoon of almond milk to the batter one tablespoon at a time, blending thoroughly before adding another tablespoon, until the desired consistency of batter is reached. Adding extra milk may make the pancakes a bit thinner (depending upon how much extra milk is added), but it should not dramatically impact the flavor.

4. Chop all of your fruit

5. Grease a preheated griddle for the pancakes and a preheated pan for the fruit each with 1 Tbsp. butter.

6. Ladle a ¼ cup of batter onto the griddle to form a pancake

7. Cook for a few minutes, until pancakes begin to dry out at edges and the bottoms are a golden brown. It’s important to keep a careful eye on them as almond flour pancakes burn easily. (I like to take a little peek under one of the pancakes to check, before flipping.)

8. Carefully flip and cook another few minutes until done, but not over-browned.

9. Serve hot off the griddle with cultured butter, pure maple syrup and a medley of fresh berries.