Apple Pie Protein Oatmeal

Breakfast on the go that tastes like apple pie without all the calories and heaviness. Eat this in between your work meetings during a busy day to keep your brain juices flowing. Make sure the dog doesn’t get to it first.

Caramelized apples:

• 3 lbs honey crisp apples peeled and chopped thin

• 2 tbsp butter 

• 1/2 tsp salt

• 2 tbsp cinnamon

• 1/4 tsp cloves 

• 1/4 tsp allspice

• 1/2 tsp nutmeg

• 1 tbsp honey 

• 2 tbsp Maple syrup

• A fuck ton of brown sugar (1/2 cup)

Oatmeal bake

• 1.5 cup Oatmeal

• 1 tsp baking powder

• 2 cups almond milk

• 1 egg

• 1/2 tsp salt 

• 1 tbsp brown sugar

• 1 tbsp Maple syrup

• 1 tsp vanilla extract 

• 2 heaping scoops of protein powder. I used Inno Supps buttery pancake flavor (it's vegan)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350

2. On medium-high heat, melt 2 tbsp of butter. Cook down your apples until they are soft (15-20 minutes)

3. Mix all the ingredients in a big bowl

4. Top with cinnamon sugar

5. Spray with olive oil!!!! 9x9 baking sheet and bake for 42 minutes

Better Than Your Mom’s Barbacoa Beef Tacos

Throw this bitch in the crock pot first thing in the AM and you’ll have your house smelling like the taste of yum in the evening. I made up this recipe on the fly because I was craving tacos and didn’t want to spend $14 for a Chipotle burrito bowl full of rice. I fed this to my man and he said this was better than his mom’s soul food cooking. I’ll take that as a compliment. :)

But first… Seriously, don’t skip this step!

• Marinade 1.5-2 lbs of Chuck beef in pickle juice at least overnight

Ingredients:

• Fill up to the top with braising liquid, aka beef broth, and some of the pickle juice

• 1/4 cup tamari/liquid aminos gf soy sauce

• 2 tbsp Worsheshire sauce

• 1/2 tsp liquid smoke

• 1/2 cup brown sugar (add more to top the entire thing)

• 2-3 tbsp Ranch Seasoning

• 2-3 tbsp anchovy caper lemon butter

• 1-2 tbsp everything bagel seasoning

• 1 tbsp umami seasoning from Trader Joe's

• 2 tsp garlic powder

• 2 tsp onion powder

• 2 tsp herbs de province 

• 1 tsp seasoned salt

• 1 tsp 21 salute seasoning from Trader Joe's 

• 1/2 tsp mustard powder

• Cracked black pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Crock pot slow for 5-6 hours. 

2. Shred that shit with a fork

3. Get a frying pan and turn to medium-high heat

4. Saute the meat with its sauces scooping a ladle full at a time

5. Let it reduce for 15-20 minutes

6. Serve with taco fixings like my homemade guacamole and onions + peppers with the anchovy caper lemon butter with taco seasonings 

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.

Dairy-Free Pumpkin Pie Coffee Creamer

For all you pumpkin spice lovers, ‘tis the season early this year! With a healthy twist! ;)

Picture this: you wake up in the morning and the first thing you do is brew yourself a cup of coffee. The smell and the aroma fill your senses with joy. You fill your cup with coffee and splash it with creamer and read your favorite book before jetting off to start the daily grind. One day, you decide to look at the nutrition label and see what's in your coffee creamer. Carageenen, Guar Gum, Sugar just to name a few. You look further down in the label and see that one TABLESPOON is at least 4 grams of sugar. Imagine if you put 2 tablespoons in each cup of coffee and you have three cups. That's the amount of sugar a grown adult woman should be having in a single day. Let alone, you just had that before you even put a bite of food in your mouth.

Instead, try this healthier alternative to the traditional heavy creamer and have more calories to enjoy later in the day.

Homemade Pumpkin Pie Coffee Creamer

** Inspired by Sally's Baking Addiction Pumpkin Creamer

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup pumpkin puree

• 1 1/2 cups almond milk (or any other DF milk)

• 2 cinnamon sticks

• 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice OR use the following:

• 1/8 tsp of ground cloves

• 1/8 tsp of ground allspice

• 1/8 tsp nutmeg

• 1/8 tsp of ground cardamom

• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

• 2-3 Tbsp. maple syrup or any other sweetener

Directions:

1) In a medium saucepan, add all of your ingredients. Turn the heat to medium-high. Whisk every few minutes until the mixture comes to a boil. Make sure to pay attention, so you don't end up separating your milk.

2) Once it comes to a boil, reduce the heat to low and let it boil for one minute. Remove from heat.

3) Wait 10-15 minutes to let it cool before you use it in your coffee or other beverage.

4) Serve and enjoy! Store in a regular 16 oz mason jar and put it in the fridge for up to 1 week.

If your mouth isn’t watering yet from my recipes, download my latest ebook “Quarantine Clean Eating” by clicking the button below!

Pickled Veggie Salad with Dill Pickle Ranch Dressing

If you are as obsessed with pickles as I am, then this recipe is 100% for you. Keep scrolling, sister because your taste buds are about to be blown away. Pickling has become one of my new favorite hobbies during the pandemic. I finally found a community where I can openly share my love of pickles without any judgment. I’ve seen many recipes in this group including one for pickles in a sushi roll I saw moments ago. A lot of the recipes though are fried and it’s rare to see any healthy takes on pickling besides the pickles themselves.

During the warmer months, I crave smoothies and salads. That never used to be me until I started making vegetables a regular part of my diet. A lot of dressings nowadays have more preservatives than real ingredients. If you want to buy a healthier dressing, it costs upwards of $5. Instead, I decided to go searching for my own. I found a recipe for a vegan ranch dressing (one of my favorite sauces) and took my own spin on it. It’s rather simple. I added some of my own pickle juice instead of water to thin it out. To make this recipe next level, I put in some of my pickled veggies such as onions, jalapenos, and even a pickled hard-boiled egg. This is optional, but it gives the salad a new depth of flavor you can’t find from plain o’l veggies. With a protein kick from the roasted chickpeas and eggs, this salad is any vegetarian’s delight. Find the recipe below:

Ingredients:

• mixed greens (or spinach)

• dill pickled onions

• dill pickled jalapenos/sweet peppers

• carrots

• celery

• a pickled egg (or use regular hard-boiled egg)

• avocado

• roasted chickpeas ** see below

For the Dill Pickle Ranch Dressing:

• 1½ cup vegan mayo (I used veganaise)

• ¼ to ½ cup dill pickle juice (find my recipe here)

• 3-4 cloves garlic (I used pickled garlic straight from the brine using the recipe above)

• 1½ teaspoon apple cider vinegar

• ½ tablespoon dried parsley

• 1 teaspoon dried dill

• 1 teaspoon onion powder

• 1 teaspoon mustard powder

• ¼ teaspoon paprika

• ¼ teaspoon pepper

• salt - to taste

Directions for roasted chickpeas:

1) Preheat oven to 400 Degrees F. Drain and rinse 1 15 oz can of chickpeas.

2) Pat dry with a paper towel and season with olive oil, salt, and pepper. I like to get a bit adventurous with the flavors and use Everything bagel seasoning. This one was Flavor God Honey BBQ.

3) Cook for 20 minutes. Stir and cook for another 5 minutes. Repeat until the chickpeas are super crunchy, but not burnt. Serve on top of the salad or as a snack.

Directions:

1) Roast your chickpeas.

2) While they are roasting, chop all your vegetables and set them aside. Hard boil an egg if you haven't already.

3) Make your dressing by mixing all the ingredients in a small bowl. I'll put it in a 16 oz mason jar to store for later. I enjoy using it in my buffalo chicken air-fried zucchini bites.

4) Assemble your salad and top with dressing. Enjoy!

If you want to jump in the screen and eat this salad, 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.

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.

Homemade Beef Jerky

Beef jerky has been around for hundreds of years when hunters and gatherers would use this method to preserve the meat to last longer. By pounding the meat thin, adding salt, and drying it out or smoking it over a fire, it helped preserve the flavor and longevity.

Beef jerky is a great snack for school, camping, or on the go because it leaves minimal mess. It used to be seen as a healthy snack until large corporate food companies starting adding sodium nitrate to have the meat last even longer. Although it has healthy factors such as a high protein count, low caloories, low fat, and low carbohydrates, most brands now are loaded with sodium and sugar. Yikes! You'd be better off eating a cookie at that rate. It gets better. The beef you are eating isn't even locally sourced. It's processed and shipped from another country such as South America. Talk about total freshness. I mean, that's what companies are advertising when they want you to eat their product over another.

One serving of jerky seems healthy right? I noticed that when I started eating packaged jerky that I would not only want to eat the whole thing in one sitting, which is 3 or 4 servings. That ends up being more calories than eating a well-balanced meal. Those nitrates are addicting and trick your brain into wanting more while turning off the part of your brain that says it's full. Newsflash, it's because you're not getting enough nutrients and losing water. Oh and I can't forget how bloated I felt afterwards. No amount of water could save me after that mishap.

While it may be a bit of extra work and clean up, it is worth making your own. Whether you use your oven or dehydrator is up to you, but I found that the dehydrator function on my Instant Pot Duo Crisp has been amazing. I never even used that setting until I started making my own jerky. You could use flank steak, eye of round, or top round steak because they are all lean cuts of meat. I like to marinate mine in different sauces overnight before dehydrating it, which lets the meat soak in those delicious flavors. I can literally throw it in the dehydrator in the morning and it's done by the end of the day. It's super convenient and I take this on all my camping trips. It helps me curb my cravings when I'm super hungry and no food is around in the middle of the woods. Storing it is easy peasy. Put it in a ziploc bag in the fridge if you're going to eat it right away. or vacuum seal it for extra freshness.

Mix and match different flavors and let me know which one you like the best. I listed my favorite recipes I've used to make my own beef jerky, which I'm excited to share below.

Sweet and Smoky Beef Jerky

• 2 pounds flank steak (or eye of round or top round steak)

• 1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce (or enough to fully cover the meat)

• 1/4 cup vegetable stock

• 1/4 cup maple syrup

• 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

• 2 tsp coarsely ground black pepper

• 1 tsp liquid smoke

• 1 tsp onion powder

• 1 tsp seasoned salt

• 1 tsp garlic powder

• 1 tsp dried mustard powder

• 1 tsp Flavor God Honey BBQ seasoning

• 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

Dill Pickle Beef Jerky

2 pounds flank steak (or eye or round or top round steak)

Leftover dill pickle marinade (or use already made dill pickle juice)

Sweet Pickle Beef Jerky

2 pounds flank steak (or eye or round or top round steak)

Leftover bread and butter pickle marinade (or use already made bread and butter pickle juice)

Honey Mustard Jerky

• 2 pounds flank steak (or eye of round or top round steak)

• 1/2 cup Honey

• 1/2 cup Dijon Mustard (Not Pub Style)

• 1/4 cup Worcestershire Sauce Containing Tamarind

• 1 tsp Liquid Smoke

• 1/2 tsp Cumin

• 1/2 tsp Chili Powder

• 1/2 tsp Paprika

• 1/2 tsp Lawry's Seasoned Salt

• 1/2 tsp Sea Salt

• 1/2 tsp Black Pepper

• 1/2 tsp Garlic Powder

• 1/2 tsp Onion Powder

• 1 tsp dried mustard powder

• 1 tsp Flavor God Honey BBQ seasoning

Spicy Kimchi Jerky

2 pounds flank steak (or eye of round or top round steak)

Leftover kimchi brine (or use premade Kimchi brine)

Directions:

1) Cut your steak into thin slices against the grain for a more tender jerky or with the grain for a more chewy jerky. I cut mine on an angle against the grain for a longer piece. I suggest popping your meat in the freezer for 15-30 minutes to make it easier to slice. Or you can ask the butcher behind the meat counter at the meat market to do it for you.

2) Put your steak in a Ziploc bag and add the seasonings to the bag. Close the bag and shake it around until everything is fully incorporated.

3) Close the bag and let it marinate overnight for the best results. You can do it for less time if you're short on time, but I wouldn't recommend it.

4) In a dehydrator, spread out your meat without making them too crowded (or else it won't cook all the way). For the best results, heat your dehydrator to 165 degrees and cook for 8 hours. I have been using the dehydrator function on my instant pot duo crisp. Make sure to use the extra rack to give you more room. The jerky is done once it's dry and firm, but still a bit pliable. You don't want it to be too chewy. I prefer mine to be almost crispy, like bacon.

5) Once it's done, let it cool and place in a sealed container. Serve immediately. Refrigerate for up to a month or vacuum seal it to last longer. If it lasts that long. ;)

Kimchi Pancakes

Just like you would get from the Asian store straight from your kitchen.

Growing up, I had a bunch of Korean friends who would share dishes with me that reminded them of home. From bulgogi to kalbe and a variety of fried rice, it was food my parents had never and would probably never prepare for me. I enjoyed it all and certainly more than the processed and less extraordinary foods back home. That said, there was a dish I didn't enjoy as much that was prepared around me quite often, Kimchi. As most of you may know, it’s a dish full of flavor and in this instance, it was incredibly spicy. So much so that I could hardly get it down! The level of spice was unlike anything I was familiar with and thus I wrote it off for the past two decades as food I just couldn't get down to.

Fast forward a bit, and one day I found myself at an Asian store shopping for a few essentials. There, they had prepared Kimchi pancakes, and being the spontaneous devil that I am, figured I'd give it another go. Lo and behold, I actually enjoyed them and boy did it open up my palette to new flavors again! I enjoyed them so much I decided I had to try and make a batch of my own some time, and it turns out that time is now :) Moving and leaving for Florida recently has offered me many an opportunity to expand in the kitchen, and expand I did. I started pickling a variety of delicious eats, including Kimchi, and realized just how amazing fermented foods were for my ever-changing gut health, especially with digestion as it’s always been a problem for me! Nowadays, I'll use Kimchi on fried rice, soups, and even salads without hesitation :)

About a month after I moved to Florida, I went to a Fourth of July party and I made the Kimchi pancakes for the first time for my friends to sample. They hadn't really tried my food yet, and I wanted an unbiased review of a dish unfamiliar to most people. By the time the night was over, the entire plate was almost gone, I was happy that the reviews came out positive. Not everyone enjoys Kimchi, but everyone who does enjoy this dish. It pairs well with a hoisin-based sauce that I made. The sauce elevates it to the next level by adding that level of sweetness from an already quite salty pancake.

All together, this dish has only 15 ingredients, which is less than what you would find in one that you would get from the store. Each part of this dish is a labor of love starting from the Kimchi all the way up to the sauce. I selectively choose my favorite dishes to share with the RAD fam. Find my recipe for Kimchi Pancakes below.

Kimchi Pancakes

Ingredients:

• 6 Tbsp. rice flour (or other GF flour)

• 1 cup drained, chopped Kimchi, plus 1/4 cup brine liquid (or 1/4 cup vegetable broth)

• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour

• 3-4 Green onions or 2 scallions, thinly chopped

• 1 large egg

• 1 Tsp sugar

• Extra Virgin Olive Oil for frying (or use Vegetable Oil)

  For the Sauce:

• 1/4 Cup Hoisin Sauce

• 3 Tbsp. Oyster Sauce

• 2 Tbsp. Mirin or Rice Wine Vinegar

• 1 Tbsp. GF Tamari or Soy Sauce

• 1/4 cup vegetable broth, divided

• 1 Tsp fresh ginger

• 1 tsp fresh garlic

• Top with sesame seeds

Directions:

In a medium-sized bowl, stir together all ingredients, except oil until a thick batter forms.

In a large, nonstick skillet, heat 2 Tbsp. oil over medium heat. Scoop 1/4 cup servings into the pan and cook ~3-4 minutes or until golden brown. Flip and firmly press down on them with the back of your spatula. Cook for another 3-4 minutes on the other side until golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack or paper towel-lined plate to drain any excess grease.

Serve on a nice platter or separate plate and enjoy with the sauce.

Traditional Kimchi Recipe

Kimchi used to be one of my least favorite foods next to olives. It was so spicy that I would start hiccuping. My gut couldn’t handle the number of pepper flakes typically used in Kimchi. The first time I tried it was from a traditional Korean family from my friend’s mom who made it from scratch. I ate everything from Kalbi to fried rice to bulgogi, but I would veer away from the Kimchi. They would put it on everything and I never understood it.

Later in life, I started developing gut issues and looked into different fermented foods to help heal the lining of my stomach. A lot of different websites lead me to Kimchi. I knew that I needed to change my diet and accept more foods into my palette if I wanted to repair the lining of my intestines. However, my parents disliked it and would yell at me every time I would bring the smell of strong, fishy foods into the house when I used to live with them.

It wasn’t until I moved out on my own that I experimented with different fermenting techniques because I have a significant other to support my new lifestyle. Fermenting is a method that involves bacteria and yeast breaking down sugars to help preserve foods longer and produce healthy bacteria to improve digestion. It has also been associated with weight loss. The first time I tried making my own Kimchi was because I had a craving for Kimchi pancakes. It’s a savory pancake that pairs well with a sweet hoisin sauce to give me a healthy balance of sweet and salty. I added 4 tablespoons of Korean red pepper flakes thinking they were like traditional red pepper flakes. I could handle spice pretty well, but was I wrong! It was almost inedible even after I let some of my friends try it. Adding half a tablespoon or less seems to be the sweet spot so my mouth isn’t on fire.

Once I made my own Kimchi, I started to enjoy it because of the fishy taste with the cabbage. I add it to fried rice, ramen, or I’ll eat it straight from the jar as a snack to help curb my potato chip cravings. This recipe changed the way I view Kimchi because it went from being one of my least favorite foods to putting it on anything I can think of including my homemade Kimchi pancakes. I’m excited to share the recipe with the masses below. You’ll never want to buy Kimchi from the store again once you try this recipe.

Ingredients:

• 2 medium-sized heads of Napa cabbage, cut in 2-inch squares

• ** 3-4 large carrots, julienned OR 1 8 oz daikon radish, julienned

• 4 green onions, sliced small

• ½ cup kosher salt, divided

• Water (distilled or filtered)

• 1-inch knob fresh ginger, minced

• 2 tsp sugar

• 1-2 Tbsp. fresh garlic, minced (5-6 cloves)

• ** 3 Tbsp. salted shrimp paste

• 1 Tbsp. fish sauce

• ** 1-5 Tbsp. Korean red pepper flakes

** Notes:

You can do both the radish and carrots in your Kimchi, but I preferred the carrots over the radish. The radish was kind of bitter if you’re into that sort of taste.

Add 3 Tbsp. of fish sauce if you omit shrimp paste, which I don’t recommend

1 Tbsp. of Korean red pepper flakes is medium-hot, 3 is fiery hot, and 4 is almost inedible. If you can handle 5, then more power to you.

You can find shrimp paste and Korean red pepper flakes at your local Asian Market

Equipment:

• 1-2 large bowls

• 1-2 small plates

• Colander/strainer

• Gloves

• Cutting board

• Knife

• 2 large Mason jars

• Something to weigh the Kimchi down, like a can of beans

• Tray to place under jar during fermentation

Directions:

Cut the cabbage lengthwise through the stem in half. Keeping the cabbage lengthwise, cut in 2-inch strips up until the core. Don’t cut all the way through. Turn the cabbage 90 degrees and cut 2-inch squares until you get to the core. Discard the core and any pieces without the cabbage leaf on it. The core tastes very bitter and doesn’t have as many nutrients as the leaves. Repeat for cabbage #2.

In a large mixing bowl, fill up as much as you can with cabbage. Use a second bowl if you need to. To make the process easier, I split the cabbage in half. Add ¼ cup of salt into each bowl. Massage the cabbage with your hands until it feels soft.

Add the water up to the top of the cabbage to fill the bowl(s). Place a heavy object on top of a plate to keep the cabbage submerged. Let it sit for 1-2 hours.

Make your sauce. In a small bowl, add all of the remaining ingredients except your carrots and green onions. Mix until it starts to form a paste.

Cut your carrots and green onions. Set aside.

Using your colander, wash and strain your cabbage 3x. Let it dry for 5 minutes before you repeat.

In your large mixing bowls, combine cabbage, carrots, and green onions with your sauce into one bowl. Using gloves mix everything together until the paste is fully incorporated.

Add your Kimchi into 2 large mason jars, leaving an inch of room. Using your fist (with gloves on), squeeze the Kimchi down to extract the brine until it is completely submerged in liquid.

Place your jars in a cool, dark room using a tray to catch potential drippings.

Let it sit for 1-5 days checking/tasting each day to see if it gets to your desired fermentation. It will start to taste a bit sweeter. That’s when you know it’s done.

Refrigerate for 24 hours before consumption. Enjoy for many months (up to 6). Just note that the more you leave it in the fridge, it will continue to ferment.

Sources:

1) Healthline

2) Redefining All Diets

The Best Vegetarian Chopped Liver Recipe

Chopped liver is usually made with chicken fat and is mostly served on the Jewish holiday, Passover. This is how your grandma would make it. It's a thrifty way to use the less desirable part of the chicken and not waste anything. It's been around for centuries. People would flock to the deli to get their meat fix since you can't mix milk and meat if you keep kosher on the same plate or in the same meal.

People may think I'm crazy for making a vegetarian version. In the current day and age, there are different types of diets which don't contain meat. There are many variations to this dish like using eggplant or walnuts, as well as crushed crackers. The mushrooms are the most tasty and photogenic option because you get the Unami flavor and the rich colors from the spices. You can have it all year round, not just on Passover. Don't tell your friends there are vegetables in this dish and see how they react.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of cashews, soaked overnight or for 2 hours with a high powered blender

• 4 hard-boiled eggs (pickled eggs are completely optional, but check out the RAD pickles video to see my pickling recipe)

• 1 lb. (16 Oz) cremini mushrooms, chopped

• 1 white onion, chopped

• 4 cloves garlic, chopped

• 1/4 cup vegetable oil or butter

• 1/4 cup vegetable broth

Spices:

• 1 tsp Trader Joe's Unami Seasoning (or any Unami seasoning)

• 1 tsp black pepper

• 1 tsp paprika

• 1 tsp onion powder

• 1 tsp Everything Bagel Seasoning

• 1/2 tsp ground mustard

• 2 tsp brown sugar

Directions:

1. Start by soaking your cashews overnight or for 2 hours if you have a high powered blender.

2. Hard boil 4 eggs. Peel, quarter, and set aside when ready for use.

   ** I pickled my eggs in advance, which is completely optional. See my pickling recipe if you would like to add this to your dish.

3. Chop your onions, mushrooms, and garlic. Set aside.

4. Heat up a large frying pan on medium heat with vegetable oil or butter (I used homemade fresh herb butter).

5. Add your onions and sauté until browned (about 10 minutes).

6. Add your garlic to the pan.

7. Add your mushrooms and sauté for another 5-10 minutes.

8. Add your spices to the pan. Stir until everything is incorporated. Remove from the heat and let it cool for a few minutes.

9. In a high-powered blender or food processor, add the drained cashews, vegetable broth, eggs, and mushroom mixture. Use a rubber spatula to make sure you don't miss any of the extra flavors from the juices.

10. Blend or pulse until creamy. You can leave a bit of texture if you'd like.

11. Serve with vegetables and matzah. Enjoy!

I recently started a YouTube cooking channel, RAD Kitchen where I made a live demo of how I created this delicious breakfast sandwich. Click the link below to view my video.

Homemade Kombucha Apple Butter

You’ll never want to buy store-bought apple butter again once you try this recipe.

When I started brewing kombucha, the first flavor I tried was apple cinnamon chai. The apples are my favorite fruit to infuse in kombucha because it takes the flavor well. It tastes like you’re eating apple cider apples once it’s all done. It’s a new hobby I took up while mostly staying at home during the Covid-19 pandemic. It doesn’t take much time at all and it does the work on its own. Find my recipe for Apple Cinnamon Chai Kombucha.

Honeycrisp apples are my favorite apples to infuse because their already sweet flavor makes the apple butter much sweeter. I personally leave the peels on for more fiber because I enjoy all parts of the apple.

It tastes great on pretty much anything, including:

• Bread

• Pancakes

• Cookies

• Muffins

I used the apple butter in a filling to create apple cinnamon chai muffins and holy wow! I don’t eat muffins often, but these are worth the calories. The best part is making a glaze out of powdered sugar and the kombucha. It’s really simple and takes these muffins to the next level. The first time I tried making these muffins with almond flour and no eggs came out flat and I ended up cooking the muffins on a high temperature to make a cookie instead.

I spread them on my almond flour pancakes as an alternative to having syrup. I promise you won’t miss the syrup when you spread apple butter on your pancakes.

If you want to can this recipe to store for the fall, put it in a closed mason jar and store in boiling water for 10 minutes until you hear a popping sound. Store in a cool, dry place like your basement when you’re ready to eat. Personally, I didn’t do this step because I wanted to eat it right away.

Or, if you’re hungry any time of the day, the apple butter creates a quick snack on a piece of bread. Simply, throw it in the toaster or air fryer and enjoy this spreadable treat. Try this apple butter on anything. It’s pretty versatile. I’d love to learn about what you spread your apple butter on for some more recipe ideas I can create for the RAD community. Find my recipe below and start your creating your master pieces.

Inspired by: https://bakingamoment.com/homemade-apple-butter/

Ingredients:

• about 4 pounds apples (roughly 9 medium-sized apples), peeled and cored

• 1 cup homemade Apple Cinnamon Chai Kombucha, divided (or just use apple cider NOT vinegar)

• A handful loosely packed light brown sugar

• 1 Tbsp. honey

• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

• 4 pods fresh cardamom

• ¼ teaspoon ground allspice

• 1-inch knob of fresh ginger from your Kombucha (or use a fresh one)

• Juice and zest of half a lemon (about 1 tablespoon)

Directions:

1. Place the all of your ingredients (except the lemon and a the kombucha) salt in a large pot, and cook over medium-low heat, uncovered, (stirring occasionally) until the apples have become very soft. The apples will be a bit watery at first because they have been infusing in the kombucha. I only added a little bit of kombucha at a time or else it will be too liquidy.

2. Use a hand blender to puree the mixture (or ladle it into a regular blender in batches) until smooth.

3. Place the puree back into the pot and continue to cook, uncovered, (stirring occasionally) until thick, velvety, and deep mahogany brown (about 1 hour).

4. Stir in the lemon juice and zest, transfer the mixture to jars, and keep refrigerated. It will last about a month (if it makes it that long)

Bacon, Egg, and Veggie Frittata with Spiralized Potatoes

I never made a frittata before until I took a crack at this one. It was my friend’s birthday and she hosted a breakfast-themed party. I wanted to challenge myself to cook something new, so I went ahead with a frittata. It might be a tongue twister to say, but it’s much easier to prepare. I did some research for ideas and nothing sounded like something I would enjoy. They eat a lot of meat and potatoes, which gave me the idea to add potatoes to my frittata. Bacon was an obvious choice for me. Spiralizing the potatoes made it easier to layer everything at the end. Using my fresh herb butter added more flavor than I expected. I was wowed by the results. Recipes I looked at suggested I use the bacon fat instead of butter, but my intention wasn’t to have my friends feel bloated. I cooked the bacon separately first so the dish wasn’t as heavy. I chopped a bunch of veggies on hand before I started the cooking process. If you want to, you could also add pickled vegetables for an extra zing. Now, came the cooking process.

First, I had no idea how to season a pan. I suggest seasoning it in advance before preparing any dish. Truthfully, I don’t have a lot of experience with a cast iron skillet. At least Google was able to help me and it was easy to do so. Be warned that the house might smell, so make sure to turn on your humidifier if you have one and any fans to help air the house. Once it was all done, I allowed it to cool down before I started cooking.

Next, I added my herb butter with vegetables to sauté everything. While that was going, I cooked my bacon and got my eggs ready. I chopped fresh herbs to garnish. That way, I could layer it all up when it was done cooking. I added the eggs and bacon, but didn’t let it cook all the way. Most of the cooking will be done in the oven. I wanted the dish to be fresh, so I stopped there and brought the partially cooked dish to my friend’s house. I served it immediately and everyone loved it. It brings me joy to be able to share food with my friends. Find the recipe below to bring to any party or win your family over with my everything in the egg frittata:

Ingredients:

• 12 oz sliced bacon, chopped

• 10 large eggs

• 2 small Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and spiralized

• 3-4 cloves fresh garlic, minced

• 2 shallots (or ½ white onion), diced

• 4 oz mushrooms (I used baby bellas), chopped

• 1 medium red pepper or 7 sweet peppers, chopped

• ½ cup cooked spinach

• ½ heaping cup cheddar cheese or cheese of choice (I used Mexican blend from Kraft)

• 2 Tbsp. Everything Bagel Seasoning

• 2-4 Tbsp. butter or oil (see recipe for homemade herb butter)

• Chopped chives for topping

• Salt and Pepper, to taste

Kitchen Equipment:

• Peeler

• Veggie spiralizer (like a Veggetti)

• 10” seasoned cast iron skillet

• Parchment paper

• Baking sheet

• Knife

• Cutting board

• Whisk

• Large mixing bowl

** Notes before cooking **

* Make sure the skillet is seasoned prior to cooking

* Wilt spinach in advance or cook in a separate pan prior to adding it to the skillet

* You can also cook the bacon in your seasoned cast iron skillet and use some of the bacon fat to cook the vegetables instead of butter/oil. This would be instead of step 1 in the directions.

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 Degrees F. On a cooking tray lined with parchment paper, line up all your bacon on the tray. Cook for 15-20 minutes until the bacon is fully cooked.

2. Prepare all of your vegetables while the bacon is cooking. Set the oven temperature to 425 Degrees F.

3. In your skillet, on medium heat, add 2 Tbsp. of butter while the pan heats up. Add your shallots and potatoes to your skillet. Season with salt, pepper, and garlic. Cook for ~7-10 minutes until fully cooked. Next, add peppers and mushrooms. Cook for another 5 minutes. Add your spinach, chopped bacon, everything bagel seasoning, and stir to combine everything. If your vegetables start to stick to the pan, feel free to add more butter or oil 1 Tbsp. at a time.

4. Meanwhile, whisk your eggs, cheese, chives, salt, and pepper in a large bowl.

5. Once the potatoes and veggies are done cooking, spread them out evenly over the bottom of the pan. Pour the egg mixture and swirl the pan until the eggs are set at the bottom (~5 minutes). Top with more cheese and chives. Transfer the skillet into the oven. Bake for 20-30 minutes or until the eggs are completely set. You will see the sides start to brown and a toothpick will come out clean. Remove from the oven and cut into 4-8 slices. Serve immediately.

I recently started a YouTube cooking channel, RAD Kitchen where I create live demos of my favorite dishes to share. Click the link below to like and subscribe to my channel.

Egg Breakfast Sandwich

I’m taking comfort food to the next level with my Egg Breakfast Sandwich. When I actually decide to take time to eat breakfast, that isn’t dry cereal, McDonald’s Egg McMuffin would always be my first choice. I ate that for decades until I got bored of it. I craved something with more of a pop of flavor. I got sick from fast food and slowly started skipping breakfast as a result of the 2 pm crashes. Low and behold, I learned how to cook my own.

I’ve been perfecting this recipe for years. It started with a simple recreation of the Egg McMuffin on an everything bagel. However, it was still missing something. I wanted my sandwich to stand out from a traditional breakfast sandwich. A few months ago, I started pickling vegetables such as cucumbers, onions, peppers, and jalapenos. I’ve even gone as far as pickling eggs, but I’ll save that for another time. My Totally RAD Pickles will blow your taste buds away. This sandwich is more than comfort food. It’s a balanced meal for those health nuts out there like myself. The pickled vegetables make this breakfast go from great to “OMG this is amazing!” I even went the extra mile to butter the sandwich with fresh herb butter. It’s super easy to prepare and it takes the flavor over the top. You’ll never find anything like this in a restaurant. Find my one of a kind recipe below:

Ingredients:

• 2 Slices bread of choice

• 4 slices of deli ham (or 1 serving of breakfast meat of choice)

• 1 Slice of cheese

• A few handfuls of fresh spinach

• 2 Tbsp. Pickled vegetables such as onions and peppers (or use fresh ones)

• 1 Egg

• 1 Tsp Everything Bagel Seasoning

• 2 Tbsp. Butter, divided

Directions:

1. In a flat pan, on medium-low heat, toast your bread for 2 minutes on each side. Set it aside.

2. In a separate skillet, also on medium-low heat, add your breakfast meat. Flip after 1 minute and set aside.

3. Add a small amount of butter to your skillet. On medium heat, add your spinach. Stir until it starts to wilt (1-2 minutes).

4. Add the rest of your vegetables to your skillet. Cook for approx. 1 minute and set aside.

5. Add enough butter to your skillet to coat the pan. Crack your egg. Cook until the egg white is cooked and the yolk is runny. Flip and cook for another 30 seconds for an over-easy egg. Remove from the heat and set aside.

6. Add more butter to your flat pan. Time to assemble your sandwich! Add your bread and toast on both sides for approx. 1 minute each. Next, add your veggies, egg, and cheese in that order. Last, top your sandwich with your other piece of bread. Flip and let the cheese melt for about a minute.

7. Remove from the heat, cut in half the triangle way, and serve immediately.

I recently started a YouTube cooking channel, RAD Kitchen where I made a live demo of how I created this delicious breakfast sandwich. Click the link below to view my video.

Homemade Fresh Herb Butter

Fresh Herb Butter to be used for elevating any savory dish.

I can’t believe I recently discovered herb butter. My friend gave me a bunch of fresh herbs from her garden and I had no clue what to do with them. I had parsley, thyme, oregano, basil, rosemary, and sage on hand. The first idea that popped up was making herb butter. It goes with almost anything to add more flavor to a meal. When I used it with my egg recipes, such as my Egg Breakfast Sandwich or steak, it blew my mind how tasty it was. It barely calls for any ingredients and can be prepared within minutes. Simply roll, wrap, and freeze to use it at your convenience. It looks beautiful once it’s all rolled up. You will never want to use regular butter in your savory dishes again once you try my fresh herb butter recipe:

Ingredients:

• 1 stick of butter (8 Tbsp. or ½ cup), at room temperature

• ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped

• ¼ cup fresh oregano, chopped

• ¼ cup fresh basil, chopped

• ½ lemon, zest and juice

• 1 shallot, minced

• 2 tsp fresh garlic, minced

• Salt and Pepper, to taste

Kitchen Equipment:

• Knife

• Cutting Board

• Large Mixing Bowl

• Parchment paper

• Strong tape

• Wooden spoon

• Rubber Spatula

Directions:

1. In a large mixing bowl, add all of your prepared ingredients. Stir until everything is fully incorporated into the butter.

2. Pour everything out of the bowl using a rubber spatula onto the parchment paper. Shape your butter like a cylindrical tube. Fold the parchment paper to keep the shape of the butter. Tape up the ends of the parchment paper with strong tape.

3. Put the butter into a plastic bag and store in the freezer for future use. This will last a long time and can be used for almost anything. One of my favorites was using this herb butter in my Egg Breakfast Sandwich. I especially recommend this being used for sautéing vegetables.

I recently created a YouTube Channel, RAD Kitchen where I shared a recipe using my fresh herb butter. Click the link below to view my cooking demo.

Everything in the Egg Casserole

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day after all. According to a poll on ABC, the most popular breakfast is cold cereal. I get it. It’s easy to prepare. All you have to do is pour it into a bowl with some milk and presto! I ate cold cereal or pop tarts for breakfast for the first 18 years of my life. However, after a while, I got bored with cold cereal. I started skipping breakfast or having coffee during some free time I had during school. Breakfast started to become too much of a chore. Once the workload became too much, it became difficult to make time to eat. The lack of nutrition started catching up to me. I would have sugar crashes and fall asleep during class. It was hard to pay attention and my grades suffered.

Other options existed, like Chinese food, cold pizza, or cold canned Chef Boyardee. They became my typical college diet, along with booze for breakfast. Eventually, my gut gave out and I couldn’t eat like that anymore. I started developing a leaky gut, where my body wouldn’t digest certain foods anymore. It would be quite a shit storm the next day after eating like crap. CRAP being chemicals, refined sugars, artificial sweeteners/flavors, and preservatives.   

As I got older, I realized how important it was for my gut and my health to eat more vegetables and less refined carbs. I got my ass to the kitchen and started finding ways to eat better. There was no way I was going to be able to get into the “real world” with a 9-5 job and eat the way I was. I didn’t have much time, so I used whatever free time I had looking for new recipes that I could have for multiple meals. A casserole is easy enough because you can cook it in one dish and have little mess afterward. It also makes for great freezer meals, where you can have it for a day you don’t feel like cooking.

I’ve been perfecting this recipe for years with many variations, such as my Quinoa Egg Cups. Adding salsa to the casserole gives it a more fresh taste to mask the flavor of the vegetables. Especially, if you’re someone who doesn’t like vegetables, this is a hack to help be able to eat the vegetables without wanting to spit it right out. As someone who struggled to eat vegetables for the first 21 years of my life, this recipe is something that helped me enjoy vegetables. With a bit of breakfast meat, I find this quite a well-balanced meal that I’m excited to share with you all. As a bonus, topping the casserole with mango guacamole takes this basic casserole to the next level. It is completely optional but highly recommended.  

Ingredients:

• 8 eggs, lightly beaten

• ½ white onion, diced

• 1 bell pepper, diced **

• 1 jalapeno pepper, diced **

• ½ bag of spinach, wilted

• ½ container (4 oz) Portobello mushrooms, chopped

• 2 cloves of garlic, minced

• 16 oz breakfast meat of choice (I used chicken apple sausage)

• ¼ cup fresh salsa

• Salt and Pepper to taste

• 1 Tbsp. Everything Bagel Seasoning

• 2 Tbsp. Butter, divided

• Cooking spray

Toppings:

• 2 green onions, sliced

• 1 handful cilantro

• Mango guacamole

• Flavor God Nacho Cheese Seasoning (optional)

For the Mango Guacamole:

• 3 medium-sized avocadoes, mashed

• 1/2 red onion, diced small

• 1 mango, diced small

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

• 1/4 bunch cilantro, chopped

• Fresh limes, juiced (I add ¾ of a lime)

• Salt and pepper, to taste

** Notes:

You can pickle your own peppers to amplify the taste. See my pickle recipe if you wish to add these to your casserole. I HIGHLY recommend it if you are a pickle lover like myself.

I also seasoned the casserole with Flavor God Chipotle Seasoning instead of plain salt, but this is completely optional.

Directions:

1)      Preheat your oven to 400 Degrees F

2)      Chop all your veggies, set aside

3)      In a separate bowl, mix your eggs and salsa with salt and pepper. Set aside

4)      Cook your breakfast meat according to the directions on the back of the package. I cooked mine in a skillet with some oil and flipped them once they were brown. Let it rest for a few minutes.

5)      In a medium-sized skillet, on medium heat, add some butter. I like to use fresh herb butter because it adds another layer of flavor. ** Recipe coming soon **

6)      Add your onions. Sautee until they start to brown.

7)      Add your peppers and mushrooms as well as some salt and pepper. You can also add Flavor God Chipotle Seasoning or Adobo if you have that on hand. This is completely optional. Stir for another 5 minutes until everything starts to caramelize.

8)      Remove from the skillet and add to your sprayed casserole dish.

9)      Add a pinch more butter and add your spinach and garlic. Stir until the spinach is completely wilted. Put this in the casserole dish and give it a good stir to mix the veggies.

10)   Cut your breakfast meat and put it on top of the veggies as the second layer of the casserole.

11)   Last, add the eggs to your casserole. Top with green onion, cilantro, and some Flavor God Nacho Cheese Seasoning.

12)   Put your casserole in the oven and cook for 30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

13)   While the casserole is cooking, assemble all the ingredients for your mango guacamole into one bowl (except the avocado). Add avocado as you eat to avoid it going brown too fast. That way, it will last longer. Mix until you get the desired taste.

14)   When the casserole is done, top with guacamole and serve immediately. This makes for great leftovers and is easy to freeze for convenient meals later. Just reheat in the air fryer for the best results. Enjoy!

I would love to teach you how to cook this recipe from the comfort of your own home. Contact me for more details.

Resources:

1) ABC News Poll Vault

2) The Habyt

3) Redefining All Diets

Apple Cinnamon Chai Kombucha

Introducing my first ever batch of kombucha. I infused black tea and a SCOBY with sugar for 3 weeks. After removing the SCOBY, I pour enough of the brew in a mason jar to cover the mama and newly formed baby SCOBY. Then, I let apples, fresh ginger, and an array of other warming spices infuse for 24-48 hours before bottling. I’ll have them sit for 1-5 days [“burping” the bottles at least once a day] depending on the batch before putting the kombucha in the fridge for consumption.

COVID-19 has been the birth of new hobbies, such as canning and bottling. With all the free time I have been unemployed with no children, I wanted to delve into something new. Kombucha has been something I have enjoyed for many years. It has gut-healthy probiotics, which help with digestion. With the prices ranging from at least $2.99 per 16 oz bottle, it was pricy to continue buying store-bought Kombucha. Now that I’m no longer living at home with my family, I have more room to store everything. It is a wonderful feeling to have the space and energy I need to expand my creativity. The inspiration began when my friend gave me my first SCOBY from her home-brewed batch. SCOBY stands for symbiotic colony of bacteria and yeast. This is what ferments the tea.

Before brewing, I had never even heard of a SCOBY. While I learned a bit about fermentation in my IIN (Institute for Integrative Nutrition Health Coaching) course, I forgot all about it. Just like any information, it’s easy to lose it unless you use it. I used Google and Kombucha Kamp to figure out how to make my own brew. I needed to make sure I had the proper equipment on hand or else I could easily screw it up. What I ended up needing are:

1-gallon jar with a spigot —> I ordered one off Amazon for a little over $20. Seriously, the spigot makes for a much quicker bottling experience. Feel free to order more if you want to make multiple brews at a time. You need the jar so you can allow your brew to ferment before bottling.

100% tightly woven dishcloth —> You can get these from Wal Mart on the cheap

3 1 liter soda jars with stopper lids —> I bought a pack of 6, so I can make 2 brews at once

1 4 lb bag of sugar —> You don’t need all of it, but you will use a lot if you are doing multiple batches

Tea bags —> Green Tea, White Tea, or Black Tea are your best bet for optimal health of your SCOBY

I understand it’s a lot of up-front costs at first, but you won’t need to buy the supplies again. In the long run, the money spent will save you later when you have 3 liters of Kombucha at your disposal per batch. If you follow the recipe and directions, you are bound to have a successful batch of Kombucha that will last for at least a month. I’m excited to share with you the first recipe (and my favorite) I ever brewed. If you love the fall taste of Honeycrisp apple cider that is carbonated, this is for you. The ingredients are as follows:

Ingredients:

For the Kombucha:

• 3 ½ quarts water, divided

• 1 cup sugar

• 8 black tea bags (I used Bigelow Vanilla Chai Black Tea)

• 1 SCOBY (make your own or get one from Kombucha Kamp) with prepared liquid

• 1-gallon jar with spigot

• 1 100% cotton tightly-woven dishcloth

• 1 large rubber band

• 6 16 oz soda jars with stopper lids (or 3 1 liter bottles)

• 1 funnel (if you opt-out of using a spigot)

For the Apple Cinnamon Chai Spices:

• 4 large honey crisp apples (or 7 small apples)

• 5 cinnamon sticks

• 2-inch knob ginger, peeled and cut in half

• ½ tsp ground cloves

• 4 whole cardamom pods (or ¼ tsp of dried cardamom)

• 1 Tbsp. brown sugar

• 1 tsp vanilla extract (only if you use regular black tea)

• More honey to sweeten (optional)

Directions:

1)      Brew 1 quart (4 cups) of water with your tea bags and sugar. Bring to a boil to dissolve the sugars. Let it cool before you transfer your liquid to the jar. I left my brew sit for 2-3 hours or you can leave it overnight.

2)      Transfer your liquid to your mason jar. Add the remaining 2 ½ (10 cups) of water to your jar. WITH CLEAN HANDS, grab your SCOBY and transfer it to your jar. This begins the fermentation process. Close your jar with a dishcloth and rubber band. Store in a cool, dark place for 3 weeks. I checked my brew 1x/week to ensure my Kombucha is healthy. A second SCOBY should start forming form along the top of the jar. After a few weeks, the SCOBY should be fully formed. If your momma SCOBY sinks to the bottom, it’s still good.

3)      When your Kombucha is ready, you can use the SCOBY again for a new batch. WITH CLEAN HANDS, transfer your SCOBYs with 2 cups of your liquid to a separate mason jar. This will become your SCOBY hotel to use for future batches of Kombucha. Add your spices to your jar and let it sit for 24 hours – 3 days.

4)      Transfer the Kombucha to your soda bottle using your spigot or funnel. Let sit for 1-5 days for fermentation #2. Be sure to “burp” your bottles at least once per day to avoid a fizzy explosion upon consumption. Burping is where you pop the lid without fully letting all the air out.

5)      Transfer to the fridge and enjoy after 24 hours. These will last 2-4 weeks.

** I took all of the apples that I infused in my Kombucha and made them into apple butter. It’s so freaking delicious. You will never be able to find something at the store like this.

There are many questions that people ask when they are trying to brew their first batch of Kombucha. I am here to answer a few of them to help you along the way of brewing the perfect batch without fail. With my trials and tribulations, I will share what I’ve learned. Please note that this does not guarantee a successful brew, but this serves as a guide when you are stuck.

1.       What fruits can you put in your Kombucha? —> I have tried everything from apples, peaches, pomegranate, mangos, strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, cherries, and kiwi so far. Just be careful because some of the smaller fruits like blueberry and pomegranate get stuck in the spigot and can clog it. However, using the berries has made for some of my favorite brews. It’s a risk you have to be willing to take.

2.       Can you use Chai Tea in Kombucha? —> I highly DO NOT recommend using Chai Tea in Kombucha. The oils from the Chai can damage the SCOBY. The black Chai Tea I used for this recipe has come out successful. Using LOOSE LEAF Chai Tea is the only time I’ve ever had a failed batch. The SCOBY didn’t form properly on the top, which means it did not ferment correctly. It was bubbly and broke easily. I had to discard the entire batch. L

3.       Can you use Loose Leaf Tea in Kombucha? —> You can. It’s a gamble every time. It’s not recommended because of the risk of damaging the SCOBY from the oils. I have used two different types of loose leaf tea that had more fruit and floral notes in them. Those batches came out successful. Again, the only time I ever had a failed batch is by using loose leaf Chai Tea.

4.       How many times can you use a SCOBY? —> I have used mine for many months. Until the SCOBY turns black or gets mold on it, there is no issue using the same SCOBY for multiple brews.

5.       How do you store your SCOBY? —> I use mason jars with Kombucha liquid (before infusing it with fruits) and make a SCOBY hotel. There, I can store multiple SCOBYs in there. I recently bought another gallon jar because I have so many SCOBY’s I don’t even know what to do with all of them. I add fresh brewing liquid to every brew (about 4 weeks) in order to make sure that the SCOBYs don’t get moldy.

Have any more questions? Feel free to contact me and I will be more than happy to start a conversation with you.

Happy Brewing!

PBC Oatmeal Energy Bites

Need a quick snack that won’t leave you craving more? Think of a granola bar where the first ingredient isn’t sugar. That’s more like a dessert than a snack. It’s almost unheard of now to find a granola bar that fills you up and that has clean ingredients.

For example, take a Clif bar. which is marketed as “wholesome ingredients that are better for the planet.” on Walmart’s website. If you take a look at the nutritional information tab, the first ingredient is “Organic Brown Rice Syrup”. A few ingredients down the line is “Organic Cane Syrup”. For your macronutrients, there are 6 grams of fat, 43 grams of carbohydrates, and 10 grams of protein. Even worse, there are 21 grams of sugar, which is equivalent to 5.25 teaspoons of sugar (4 grams = 1 teaspoon). That’s 2x more sugar than protein. According to the FDA, the daily recommended dose of sugar is 50 mg, which equates to 12.5 teaspoons of sugar for a 2000 calorie diet. Here’s an article that describes more on the legislation regarding added sugars.

Take another granola bar that is marketed at children. Quaker Oats states on their Chewy Chocolate Chip Granola Bars “Every chewylicious bite is made with real, mouth-watering chocolate chips the kids will love. Plus each bar contains 9 grams of whole grains and no artificial preservatives, artificial flavors, or added colors, making it a great choice for snacking anytime!”. The macronutrients are 3.5 grams of fat, 17 grams of carbohydrates with 7 grams of added sugars. While the numbers don’t seem too alarming, sugar is listed in the ingredients multiple times with a scant amount of vitamins. Would you want your children to eat this when you can easily make your own at home for cheap?

One or two of these is all you need. There are only 11 ingredients in my homemade Oatmeal PBC energy bites, which makes these nutritionally superior to anything you can find on the market. The nut butter adds the extra protein will slow down the digestion. With hemp seeds, chia seeds, and flax seeds, these granola bars pack a punch with enough fiber to leave you full for hours.

Even the pickiest of eaters will clear their plates. Be prepared for messy hands. If you have kids, let them do the rolling because they will enjoy it. Anywhere I brought my energy bites have been a raging success, which is why I am sharing the recipe for anyone to prepare these on their own.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup old fashioned oats

• 1 cup cocoa powder

• ¾ cup nut butter of choice (I used peanut butter)

• ¼ cup maple syrup

• 3 Tbsp. honey

• 1 Tbsp. brown sugar (or add more honey)

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• ¼ cup unsweetened almond milk or any other lactose-free milk, divided

• 1 Tbsp. hemp seeds

• 1 tsp chia seeds

• 1 tsp flax seeds

Directions:

1)      Combine all ingredients into a large bowl (except the almond milk)

2)      Mix in almond milk 1 tablespoon at a time until everything is incorporated and no dry ingredients remain.

3)      Let the mixture sit for at least an hour covered in the fridge.

4)      Tightly roll into balls with a 1-inch diameter using your hands. I was able to get about 3 dozen per batch.

Sources:

1) Walmart

2) Quaker Oats

3) FDA

Egg-Free Baked Avocado Fries

Have you tried deep-fried avocados before? It’s been a trend popping up over the last few years that tends to show up at bars and burger joints. To be honest, I never heard of this way of cooking avocados until recently. I’ve put avocados in smoothies, as a pasta sauce, and as a sandwich spread to swap instead of mayo. I’ll eat it in sushi, as guacamole, or in a protein bowl.

In the country where we deep fry everything, it seems like a no-brainer. As I get closer to 30, my stomach can’t digest fried food anymore. I experience symptoms of Leaky Gut. It isn’t talked about much in Western Medicine because the majority of those doctors are trained to prescribe medicine to cure symptoms. Instead, I’ve looked closer at my diet in order to minimize or eliminate trigger foods. The pain of bloating and constant trips to the bathroom isn’t worth it for the few minutes I get to enjoy the fried food.

Many times, it feels like I’m alone while I’m watching my friends enjoy fried foods in front of me. I experience the sensation of what the food would taste like in my mouth as well as the placebo feeling of eating the food. Seeing the fried food in front of me makes it more tempting to want to eat it. I ask myself if the benefits of eating fried foods outweigh the costs before putting anything in my mouth. Most of my friends don’t watch their diets nearly as much as I do. However, my healthy food is always a hit when I bring it around. Every time someone enjoys my food and reflects on their own eating habits, it means that I’ve succeeded in promoting the RAD brand.

The inspiration for this dish came out of thin air. I had a bunch of avocados I needed to use and I was sick of eating guacamole for the millionth time. Plus, that leads to eating a lot of potato chips (another trigger food). I thought, why not bake it? I found that vegenaise is a fantastic swap for having eggs. It also serves as the flour because I dip it straight to the bread crumbs. To my surprise, this formula sticks to the avocado and is a much lighter alternative to the traditional breading method. My one piece of advice before eating these is to make sure not to eat too many. They are still high in fat and too much of a good thing can become a recipe for more inflammation. 1/2 an avocado would be a proper serving size. With a hint of sriracha aioli, this can be served on almost anything. Or you can eat them standalone as an appetizer. Whatever you choose will be delicious. Feel free to share your creations in the comments.

Ingredients:

For the Avocadoes:

• 3 ripe avocadoes, peeled and cut into slices

• 1 cup panko bread crumbs (preferably gluten-free)

• ½ cup grated parmesan cheese (** see notes below)

• ½ cup veganaise

• 1 Tbsp. garlic salt

• 2 tsp Italian seasoning

• Freshly ground black pepper to taste

For Sriracha Aioli

• ¼ cup vegeneise

• 3 tsp sriracha

• 1 tsp garlic salt

Directions:

1)      Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2)      Cut avocadoes in half. Core and cut them into 4-5 slices per half. Peel the skin off and set aside.

3)      In 2 separate bowls, put the veganaise and dry ingredients for breadcrumb mixture. Take one slice of avocado, dip to coat in the veganaise, and then get a generous coat of breadcrumbs. Shake to coat excess breadcrumbs.

4)      On a prepared baking sheet, place the breaded avocadoes. Cook for 20 minutes rotating the tray after 10 minutes. Cook extra for a bit more of a brown crust.

5)      Combine ingredients for sriracha aioli and serve.

** Alternatively, you can air fry these at 350 degrees for 5-10 minutes, flipping after 5 minutes.

** This dish can be made completely vegan if you omit the parmesan cheese. You can use this recipe instead if you want to make a vegan parmesan cheese

Sources:

1) Healthline

2) Minimalist Baker

Everything Bagel Seasoning Dill Pickles

Those of you who know me understand how much I love pickles. For starters, I grew up eating a pickle with my lunch throughout grade school. It’s how I finished every meal. I love the taste of dill pickles. It’s salty and garlicky with a crunchy bite to make this a great snack. I’d go through multiple pickles a day and a whole jar in less than a week. That’s because I mostly ate them straight from the jar.

When I was in college, I started caring more about my nutrition. I read the ingredients on the label of my favorite jar of pickles: Claussen Pickles. I was shocked, but not surprised to find a bunch of preservatives and a large amount of sodium per pickle spear. You can find the nutrition facts here. After years of eating Claussen pickles, I got sick of the after taste it gave me. Do you know that salty taste left in your mouth when you eat potato chips? I had to drink multiple bottles of water afterward to get the taste out of my mouth.

I stopped eating pickles for a while once I started cooking my own food from home. The only jars of pickles that have all clean ingredients I’ve found at Whole Foods. These are at least $7 per jar. The amount of pickles you get isn’t worth the cost in my opinion. I don’t know why it took me this long to make my own at home. I watched my dad make whole pickles and it took over a month for them to finally finish. When they were done, they didn’t taste nearly as good as I was hoping.

It never crossed my mind to make pickles until I moved to Florida and all of my new friends love pickles as much as I do. The cravings I used to have came back. A bunch of my friends had birthdays recently, and I figured it would be the perfect gift for them on their birthday. What started with one test batch turned into the best dill pickles I ever had. The secretly not so secret ingredient is Everything Bagel Seasoning. Adding homemade vegetable stock elevated the taste by giving the pickles more of an aromatic flavor. Each recipe yields 2 jars of pickles. You’ll have to make these for yourself and taste exactly what I mean.

Ingredients:

• 2 English Cucumbers, sliced thin

• ½ white or yellow onion, sliced thin

• A handful of fresh dill (I used ½ a container in each jar)

• 1 large bulb of garlic, peeled and halved

• 2 cups homemade vegetable stock

• 2 cups white vinegar

• ¼ cup cane sugar

• 3 Tbsp. sea salt

• 1 Tbsp. mustard seeds

• ¼ tsp dried mustard powder

• ½ tsp celery seed

• ½ tsp turmeric

• 1 Tbsp. fresh black peppercorns or use freshly cracked ground pepper

• 1 Tbsp. Everything but the Bagel Seasoning

• 2 large mason jars

Directions:

1)      Slice your cucumbers and onions thin with a knife or a mandolin. Cut the onion in half first before slicing on the mandolin.

2)      Add all of your liquids, salt, and sugar to a saucepan. Bring them to a boil and remove from the heat. Keep stirring continuously until everything is dissolved. Let cool for 5-10 minutes.

3)      Divide all of your spices and liquids evenly into two mason jars.

4)      Add your cucumbers and onions. Stir to incorporate everything evenly.

5)      Close the mason jars and store in the fridge for 1-3 days until the flavor is infused. Enjoy for up to a few weeks if they last that long.

** Note: You can use the same brine again with a fresh batch of cucumbers. I’ll use it for up to 3 batches. Make sure that you replace the used dill with fresh dill once it starts to go brown. I used a fork to get the dill out of the jar.

PS: If you live in the Central Florida area near Tampa, I’ll make you jars of pickles for your next party or for your own personal use. Contact me 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.