nourish. slow down. relax. balance. love. wholeness is not perfection.

Wednesday, August 31, 2016

coconut zucchini grainless bread




easy to make, yummy to eat. what's better? i love zucchini season! i picked up a bunch of local organic zucchini and have been eating them like crazy. especially enjoyed them in this yummy grain, gluten, dairy and nut free bread loaf! loving it toasted with some fresh fruit + raw honey. summer is all things sweet!

*preheat oven to 350F*

ingredients:
1 ripe banana
6 eggs
1 t vanilla extract
1/2 c melted coconut oil
2 T rice malt syrup or local honey
1 t apple cider vinegar

-blend all above ingredients in a blender until smooth. then pour in a large bowl and mix in:

1 large grated zucchini (extra moisture squeezed out)
3/4 c coconut flour
1 T cinnamon
1 t baking powder
1/2 t baking soda
1/2 t sea salt

-whisk well to form a thick, dense batter. scoop into a greased & lined bread loaf pan and smooth over top. sprinkle with coconut flakes and gently press down into batter. set in oven and bake for 50 minutes. cool, remove from tin and slice!

-stores well in fridge up to a week.




Sunday, August 28, 2016

poached radish "potato salad"



this potato-less potato salad has all the components of a traditional potato salad, all the textures, dressing is creamy, mustard-y, and the celery and shallots and dill bring the right crunch. my first time ever poaching radishes and won't be my last...they are the perfect low starch alternative to regular potatoes and pack a huge nutritional punch! 
this recipe comes together in a quick 10 minutes and is absolutely a new fav.

3 bunches red radishes, washed and ends cut off, then sliced in half
11/2 c water 
2 T coconut oil
1/2 c primal avocado mayo (or your fav clean mayo)
1/2 c celery, diced
1/4 c shallots, minced 
2 T fresh dill, chopped
1 T dijon
1/2 t black pepper
1/4 t sea salt
1 T lemon juice

  1. -in a large pan combine the radishes, oil, water and a heavy pinch of salt and pepper. bring to a boil uncovered, reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for 5 minutes. radishes should be soft and tender, and most of the water should have been absorbed. remove from heat and drain excess water. 
  2. -in a large bowl mix together all other ingredients well. add the radishes and combine. serve at room temperature or refrigerate and serve cold.

Friday, August 26, 2016

raw vegan cinnamon-sugar donut cake




this was a crowd pleaser at the family party! i love making healthy treats because there is nothing better than sharing something that tastes so good and is so good for you and having people love it! it's a conversation starter and gets people more interested in properly nourishing their bodies. 
this is sure to be a favorite...cause who doesn't like donuts?!

donut base:
2 c raw sprouted almonds
1/2 c coconut flour
1 t cinnamon
1/2 t nutmeg
1/4 t sea salt
1 c soft pitted dates
water as needed for it to come together into dough

-add all but dates and water to a food processor and process until fine. add dates and water as needed and process until a dough forms. use 1/3 of the dough to make mini "donut" pieces & press the rest into the bottom of a 9" springform pan. set in freezer while making filling.

cinnamon sugar cream:
2 c raw cashews soaked overnight
1 can organic full fat coconut milk
1/2 c brown rice syrup or raw honey
3 t vanilla extract
1/2 c coconut butter
1 t cinnamon

-add all ingredients to a high speed blender and blend until very smooth. pour over base and set back in freezer until firm. top with donut pieces (I mixed a few pieces into the cream before hardening), sprinkle generously with cinnamon & coconut sugar & set back in the freezer until ready to cut & serve.





Thursday, August 25, 2016

super kale pesto pasta salad with fresh figs, cherry tomatoes & lemon


ahhh lets talk about how fresh and delicious this dish is! the figs bring the most amazing sweetness to the bitter kale and kelp... then you have creamy pesto and tart lemon. yum! so filling and nutritious. and i love all things easy...so you know its simple and quick to whip up!

pesto:
1 c pine nuts
1 c baby kale
1 c fresh basil
2 cloves garlic
1/4 c evoo
1/4 c lemon juice
1 T raw honey
s + p to taste

-add everything to a high speed blender and blend until smooth.

pasta salad:
1 package kelp noodles, rinsed and chopped
1 head dino kale, de-stemmed, shredded & massaged with sea salt
4-6 fresh figs, sliced
handful cherry tomatoes, halved
fresh lemon, black sesame seeds & flaked sea salt to top

-add everything to a large bowl, add pesto to taste and mix well. serve!



Monday, August 22, 2016

raw strawberries n peaches n cream chia pudding



thick, creamy and SO good. there is nothing better than peach/berry season! this perfect breakfast food or snack is easily thrown together the night before to have ready in your fridge first thing in the morning!

ingredients:
1 c strawberries
1/2 c local peaches
1 can full fat coconut milk
vanilla stevia or raw honey to taste
1/8 t sea salt
optional: collagen protein powder for extra protein, i also added 3 drops grapefruit essential oil & a little pearl & shizandra powders for extra superfood beauty love!

-blend all ingredients until smooth, then mix in 1/2 c chia seeds. store in mason jars in the fridge overnight to set up, and serve with your favorite fresh/dried fruit.




Sunday, August 21, 2016

summer veggie pasta salad with creamy basil "buttermilk ranch"





egg free, dairy free, soy free, vegan & paleo. this is always a go-to when i need to bring something to a party or a potluck. lighter than a salad, can be a side, or a main entree, and everyone loves it! and this ranch?! to die for. keep extra in the fridge for all the veggie dippin' goodness.

pasta:
2 spiraled cucumber
1 spiraled summer squash 
2 red peppers, chopped
handful of baby tomatoes
1 c fresh corn
1 c sliced radish 

dairy + soy free "buttermilk":
1 c coconut milk
1 T + 1 t apple cider vinegar
2 t fresh lemon juice
-place all buttermilk ingredients into small bowl and set aside to “curdle” for 5 minutes.
3/4 c cashews, soaked
1 T parsley, chopped
1/2 t fresh dill
1 t chives
1/4 c onion, minced
2-3 cloves garlic
1/4 t cold-pressed virgin coconut oil
1/2 t fine ground sea salt, or more to taste
pinch fresh ground pepper

handful of fresh basil

-when ready, blend all ingredients, except herbs until ultra creamy. now, add herbs and pulse until they are just broken up but not too much that the dressing turns green. mix in a large bowl with all the pasta ingredients and serve! lasts up to a week in fridge.




Tuesday, August 16, 2016

raw caramel s'mores bars w/ mushroom-spiked chocolate



favorite unhealthy summer treat: s'mores. favorite raw healthy treat that I've made in a while: THESE.

the fluffy "marshmallow" layer is nearly perfect. and adding caramel to anything is probably a good idea.

graham cracker crust:
1 c raw walnuts
2 c shredded dried coconut
1/4 t sea salt
1/2 t cinnamon
15 soft pitted dates

-add all ingredients to a food processor and process until it all sticks together. press evenly into the bottom of a lined square dish and set in freezer.

caramel layer:
12 soft pitted dates
2 T raw honey or pure maple syrup or brown rice syrup
2 T raw pecan butter (any nut butter will work..pecan just tastes amazing)
1 T coconut oil
1/4 t sea salt
1 t vanilla extract
2-3 T water as needed to blend

-add all ingredients to a high speed blender (blendtec twister jar works best) or food processor and process until very creamy. spread evenly over crust and set back in freezer.

marshmallow layer:
1 c raw cashews, soaked overnight
1 c fresh young thai coconut meat (or more cashews...but trust me the coconut makes it!)
1/4 c coconut water
3 T coconut butter
3 T coconut oil
few drops of stevia to taste
1/4 t sea salt
pinch of vanilla bean powder

-add all ingredients to a high speed blender and blend a few times until very smooth. smooth over caramel layer and set back in freezer until firm. then slice into bars and drizzle with raw chocolate sauce:

chocolate:
1/2 c cacao powder
1/4 c coconut oil, melted
1/4 c cacao butter, melted
pinch of sea salt
sweetener to taste

-whisk all ingredients well and drizzle over s'mores. store in fridge. note: for extra energy, longevity and superfood love, i added 2 t of a mixed mushroom powder that i love and use all the time. a mix of the wonderful morinda, cistanche, he shou wu, cordyceps, reishi, ashwagandha.





Thursday, August 11, 2016

pineapple ginger lemonade


fresh, good for the gut, cooling on a hot summer day. this is a new fav to sip on by the pool!

11/2 c pineapple chunks
3 c filtered water
1/3 c fresh lemon juice
2" chunk fresh ginger, peeled
stevia or raw honey to taste

-add all ingredients to a high speed blender and blend until very smooth. chill before serving, serve over ice!



Tuesday, August 9, 2016

cauli rice & shredded chicken bowls with radish, parsley, avo, flax crackers and dijon dressing



perfect lunch to make ahead and enjoy all week long!

cauli rice:
pulse 1 large head of cauliflower (chopped into florets) + a large handful of parsley in your food processor until it resembles rice. transfer to a bowl, mix in 1-2 c organic free range shredded chicken (I cooked mine in the crock) or use chickpeas for a vegan option. add 1 c sliced radish & mix well.

dijon dressing:
3 T dijon mustard
1/4 c acv
2 T lemon juice
2 T evoo
s + p to taste

add everything to a jar and shake well. pour over rice & mix well. transfer to bowls and top with avocado + flaked sea salt. serve with my raw flax crackers for a yummy crunch!



Sunday, August 7, 2016

raw energy/trail mix bars covered in white chocolate




ahhh these are a new favorite. i made a big batch planning on freezing them for when i need a quick meal, but i ended up sharing them and eating them way too fast!

bars:
1/2 c sprouted raw almonds
1/2 c raw cashews
1/2 c raw pistachios
1/4 c raw pecans
1/4 c raw hemp seeds
1/4 c chia powder (ground chia seeds)
1/4 c flax meal
1/3 c dried golden berries (or cranberries or goji)
2 T bee pollen
1 t vanilla bean powder
2 T (or more) water

-add all nuts & seeds to a food processor and process until crumb-like. add dried berries, pollen, vanilla and water and process until it all sticks together. adding just enough water for it to come together. press evenly into a square lined glass dish and set in freezer for 1 hour.

white chocolate coating:
in a high speed blender (the twister blendtec jar works best here), add:
1/3 c cacao butter
1/4 c coconut butter
3 T cashew butter
few drops of stevia to taste
-blend until smooth.

-when bar base is hardened, remove from the pan and cut into rectangular bars. set on a parchment lined tray and pour white chocolate over the top, or dunk each individually. sprinkle with chopped pistachios, flaked sea salt and bee pollen. set in freezer until white chocolate is firm. enjoy!



Monday, August 1, 2016

burrito bowls // cauliflower rice. grilled chicken. sweet potatoes. avocado. raw caramelized onions.




this yummy dinner came together in minutes. so easy and so delicious!

cauli rice:
1 head cauliflower, pulsed in food processor until it resembles rice
2 t ghee
1 t sea salt 
1/2 t cumin
-add all ingredients to a pan and sauté 3 minutes until cauliflower is soft. remove and cool.

sweet potatoes:
1 medium sweet potato cut into 1" cubes
s + p to taste
1/2 t garlic powder
1 T ghee
-mix al ingredients well in a parchment lined baking dish and roast in oven preheated to 400F for 15-20 minutes until soft.

(worlds most addicting) dehydrated caramelized onions:
3 red onions, sliced 1/4" thick
2-3 T coconut aminos
2 t melted ghee
-lay out onions evenly on a parchment lined dehydrator tray and drizzle in aminos and ghee. dehydrate at 115F until crispy. (this will take 20-30 hours. i usually make a huge batch of these and keep them in a bag in the fridge to put on everything! but i find myself munching on them plain most of the time cause they're so damn good!)

to assemble bowls:
add cauli rice to the bottom of each bowl, then add a scoop of sweet potatoes, grilled chicken slices (or meat of choice. we just used leftover grilled chicken we already had in the fridge. shrimp would be yummy too!), cherry tomatoes, avocado cubes, dehydrated onions, sauerkraut & fresh cilantro. drizzle everything in fresh lime juice and add an extra sprinkle of sea salt and pepper. enjoy!