Thai Carrot Sweet Potato Soup

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

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

Ingredients: 

For the Soup:

• 2 Tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil

• 1 Yellow sweet onion, chopped

• 2 Medium sized sweet potatoes, chopped

• 2 Large carrots, chopped

• 2 Tbsp. red curry paste

• 1/4 Cup low-sodium vegetable broth

• 1/4 Cup almond butter or peanut butter

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

• 1 Tsp Maple Syrup

• 1/2 Tsp Sea Salt

• 1/2 Tsp ground black pepper

• Cilantro, lime juice, and roasted chickpeas for topping

For the Roasted Chickpeas:

• 1 15 Oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

• 1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

• 1/2 Tsp sea salt

• 1/4 Tsp ground black pepper

• 1 Tbsp. maple syrup

• 1 Tsp garlic powder

• 1 Tsp onion powder

Directions:

1) Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Easy Cheezy Vegan Zoodles

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

Ingredients:

• 4 Medium zucchini, spiralized

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

• 1 8 Oz package Portobello mushrooms, chopped

• 1 Medium carrot, julienned

• 1 Small beet, peeled and cubed

• 1 White onion, chopped

• 1 Red bell pepper, chopped

• 1 Cup spinach, chopped

• 2 Tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil

For the Sauce:

• 4 Beefsteak tomatoes, halved

• 3 Cloves garlic

• 3 Tbsp. tomato paste

• 2 Tbsp. fresh chopped basil

• 1 tsp dried oregano

• Salt and pepper to taste

• 3-4 Tbsp. Nutritional yeast

• ** ½ cup cashews

Directions:

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

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

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

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

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

Roasted Root Veggies and Chickpea Buddha Bowl

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

Ingredients: 

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

• 1 zucchini, chopped

• 2 small carrots, chopped

• 1 medium sized beet, peeled and cubed

• 1 small sweet onion, chopped

• 1 8 oz. container of Portobello mushrooms, chopped

• 3 cloves garlic, minced

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

For The Sauce: 

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

• 4 Tbsp. miso paste

• ½ cup liquid aminos

• 2 Tbsp. rice vinegar

• 1 Tbsp. Korean Gochujang sauce

• Sesame Seeds for topping 

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

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

Classic Homestyle Veggie Pizza

Are you sick and tired of the same old frozen pizzas? Do you go out on the town and want a fresh slice of pizza, but they have been sitting in the warmer for hours? No worries. I've got you covered! Now, you can have your pizza fresh out of the oven or heat it up right when you get back home! Feel free to mix and match the toppings for whatever type of pizza suits your fancy.  

Credits to:

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/easy-pizza-sauce-iii/

http://culinaryxcouture.blogspot.com/2008/04/homemade-pizza.html

Ingredients:

For the Pizza Dough:

• 4 cups of whole wheat flour

• 3 cups of all-purpose flour

• 4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil

• 2 Tbsp. dry yeast

• 1 teaspoon of salt

For the Sauce:

• 1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce (or use 3-4 fresh beefsteak tomatoes)

• 1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste

• 1 Tbsp. ground oregano

• 1 Tbsp. dried basil

• 2 cloves garlic

• ½ yellow onion

• 1 teaspoon ground paprika

• Salt and pepper to taste

For the Toppings:

• ½ yellow onion (the other half from your sauce), chopped

• ½ red or yellow bell pepper, chopped

• 4 oz. Portobello mushrooms, chopped

• 1 cup of fresh spinach, chopped

• ½ cup cheddar cheese, shredded

• ½ cup mozzarella cheese, shredded

• ¼ cup Parmesan cheese, shredded

Directions:

1)      Pour the flour, oil, and salt into a mixing bowl. Then put 2 tablespoons of yeast in a cup of warm water and add 1 teaspoon of sugar to the water so the yeast will rise quickly. When the yeast rises, add it to the mixture in the bowl. Begin kneading the dough with your hands or a mixer if you have one. Keep adding warm water until a soft dough forms. Cover the dough with a cloth and let it rise for an hour or until it doubles in bulk.

2)      Meanwhile, prepare the pizza sauce. Peel the onion and grate it in a saucepan. Add oil and spices, and sauté for about 10 minutes or until onion becomes tender. Then, add the tomato paste and tomatoes (or sauce). Add 4½ tomato paste cans of water to the saucepan. Bring the sauce to a boil, and then cook for 10 minutes on low heat. 

3)      Preheat the oven to 350 Degrees F. Chop your veggies and set aside.

4)      Blend all ingredients for your sauce until mixed through

5)      When the dough is done, lightly flour a rolling pin, and the surface on which you are opening the dough. Use the rolling pin to stretch the dough out to desired shape.

6)      Add desired sauce, toppings and cheese.

7)      Bake pizza(s) for 20-25 minutes until the ends of the crust are nice and brown.

Enjoy! This will make approximately 2 16 inch pizzas!

Vegetarian Ramen

All this talk about making me feel like a kid again has reminded me on how much we truly are those kids we thought we lost. I remember being a kid and playing outside in the cool, breezy weather almost daily. I went out for a bike ride with my friends feeling the wind blow through my face and hair. I felt like I was so free and like I was flying. I would come back home to the smell of Ramen noodles awaiting me for dinner! So warm and cozy after a day outside! I would cuddle by the fireplace, eat my Ramen, and watch cartoons on a regular basis. I went on to eating Ramen in college, like most of us do, but this time there was a catch. Now that we get older and become not as active due to school and studying, we start packing on pounds. And due to the high carb, high sodium, and low fiber content, we get hungry again very shortly after to go on eating more unhealthy food. Not only that, but a lot of college students and adults feel like they don’t have a lot of time to cook, so they would eat that out of the instant bowl. This may be tasty, but not for our gut that has no idea what to do with the nutrient less pile of noodles. Luckily for you poor college students and time lacking adults, this does not have to be the case anymore!  Why not have your ramen and feel full afterwards while not feeling guilty for that piece of chocolate cake you might have for dessert? ;) In under an hour, you can have a beautiful bowl of ramen noodles with delicious maple roasted root veggies and tofu. Who ever said eating this good could be this easy?! Thanks to Minimalist Baker, I have been able to provide this amazing recipe for the best Easy Vegan Ramen ever! Warning: Might need to go for seconds or thirds because it’s so damn good!

Credits to: https://minimalistbaker.com/easy-vegan-ramen/

Ingredients:

For the Ramen:

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

• 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

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

• 10 oz of “flash fried” tofu (optional) **

• 3 eggs, lightly beaten (optional) **

• Green onions (for topping)

For the Miso Glazed Root Vegetables:

• 1 8 oz package fresh shiitake mushrooms, chopped

• 6-8 radishes, sliced thin

• 1-2 baby bok choy, chopped

• ½ medium sized yellow onion, chopped

• 2-3 large carrots, chopped

• 2 Tbsp miso paste

• 2 Tbsp maple syrup

• 2 Tbsp rice wine vinegar

• 1 Tbsp soy sauce or tamari

Notes:

**For the Tofu: If you decide to make this, cut into rectangles and add 1 heaping Tbsp of arrowroot starch to a Ziploc bag. Add ½ the amount of sauce portions for the glaze into the Ziploc bag to coat the tofu.

**To make this dish vegan, omit the eggs

Directions:

1)      Chop veggies and put in a Ziploc bag with all of the ingredients for the glaze. If you want to make the tofu as well, see the notes above. Let it sit for 30 minutes to an hour to let the veggies get a nice marinade.

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

3)      While the veggies and tofu are roasting, begin to prepare your Ramen noodles. Cook according to package instructions. Drain and set aside.

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

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

6)      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

7)      Serve with the noodles and green onions. Enjoy! :)

3 Bean and Veggie Crock Pot Chili

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

Ingredients: 

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

• 1 medium sized sweet onion, chopped

• 4 medium sized carrots, chopped

• 4 stalks celery, chopped

• 1/2 carton of portobello mushrooms, chopped

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

• 1 6 oz can of tomato paste

• 5 cups of vegetable broth (or water)

• 3 cloves of garlic, minced

• 2 T. chili powder

• 1 T. paprika

• 1 T. cumin

• 1 tsp oregano

• 1 tsp basil

• Salt and Pepper (to taste)

Toppings (optional):

• Lime

• Avocado

• Cilantro

• Tabasco Sauce

• Cheese

• Crackers

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

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

Lentil Stew

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

Ingredients:

• 2 cups of lentils

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

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

Spices:

• 1 tsp salt

• 1 tsp pepper

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

• 1 tsp celery seed

• 1 tsp celery salt

Direction:

1) Preheat oven to 400 degrees. 

2) Chop all your veggies into cubes.

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

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

5) Cook veggies for 40 minutes.

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

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

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

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

10) Enjoy!

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

Vegan Mac & Cheese

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

For the cheese sauce:

• 1 1/2 cups raw cashews

• 3 T. fresh lemon juice

• 3/4 cup water or veggie broth

• 1/4 cup + 1 tbsp nutritional yeast

• 1 tsp. chili powder

• 1 tsp. paprika

• ½ tsp. cumin

• 4 cloves garlic

• pinch of turmeric

• pinch of cayenne pepper

• 1 tsp. Dijon mustard

• Salt and pepper to taste

For the Mac & Cheese Casserole

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

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

Credits: 

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

Directions:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

8)      Enjoy!

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

Smoky Butternut Squash Pasta and Greens

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

For the sauce:

• 1/4 cups raw cashews

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

• 1 T. fresh lemon juice

• 3/4 cup water or veggie broth

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

• 1 tsp. chili powder

• 1 tsp. paprika

• 3 cloves garlic

• 1/8 tsp liquid smoke

• pinch of cayenne pepper

• hot sauce to taste

• Salt and pepper to taste

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

For the Mac & Cheese:

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

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

Directions: 

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

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

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

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

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

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

7)      Enjoy!

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