blender bread (grain free)

today i have a little something for you that may just blow your mind with the ease and simplicity of it. i call it blender bread.
if you know me you know how much i love my blender, and how often i use it. so naturally i have a tendency to make anything and everything in it!
this bread is grain free, gluten free, and paleo- if you're into that sort of a thing, you will love it. no, i am not against grains at all. but sometimes it is good to switch things up with a grain free option, especially when you don't have the time to properly prepare your grains and make a fancy bread. i am the worst bread maker ever-i fail every time. so this recipe is literally fail-proof because it works for me every time! 
other huge pluses are the extremely high protein to carbs ratio, the literally perfect texture, cuts like buttah and the taste is creamy and lovely. i think you will enjoy it!

ingredients:

ghee or coconut oil for greasing pan
8 large organic eggs
½ cup nut milk
4 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
3 cups whole raw cashews
7 tablespoons coconut flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon sea salt

-place a dish filled with 2 inches of water on the bottom rack of the oven and preheat the oven to 325 ° F. lightly grease the inside of a large loaf pan with ghee or oil and press a piece of parchment paper into the bottom with flaps that hang over the sides of the pan. place all of the ingredients in a high-speed blender and process until very smooth. if batter is too thick to blend, add up to 2 tablespoons of water until it is moving easily through the blender. transfer the batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake for 60-70 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center returns clean. allow the bread to cool in the pan for 30 minutes, then gently remove the loaf using the parchment overhangs and allow to cool on a wire rack before serving or storing. store the loaf tightly wrapped in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. 
-i enjoyed mine toasted with a little ghee & cinnamon/lakanto sugar sprinkle. i have also made numerous delicious sandwiches and am thinking i'll try either stuffing, bread pudding or french toast next!

grainless healthy pumpkin chocolate chip cookies

'cause everyone needs to enjoy these at this time of year...
they are grain free, sugar free, paleo and high in protein. oh, and they are freaking delicious. plan a healthy thanksgiving party and share these as a treat!

makes 1 dozen:

2/3 c pumpkin puree
1/2 c activated raw almond butter or cashew butter
1 scoop of your favorite vanilla protein powder
1/4 c coconut or lakanto sugar
1 organic egg
1 T pumpkin pie spice
1 t vanilla
1/2 t baking soda
pinch of sea salt
-preheat oven to 350F. blend all ingredients in a high speed blender until very smooth. stir in 1/2 c chopped cacao paste or high quality chocolate chips. scoop out cookie batter in 2 T heaps onto a parchment lined baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes. cool and share!

90 cal per cookie
carb: 3g
fat: 6g
sugar: 2g
protein: 5g
fiber: 2g

OH! i enjoyed these cookies with the yummiest COOKIES N CREAM nut milk which was simply: 
1/4 c raw cashew milk
1/4 c black sesame tahini
pinch of sea salt
2 droppers full of my favorite stevia (pictured below)
and 4-5 c spring water
-blend. chill. yummmmm.

massaged kale, beet, & blueberry salad with sheeps feta & date chunks

one of my favorite salads to make and eat. it is so simple and i especially love the combination of flavors with hearty kale leaves at this time of year!

you'll need:

your favorite kale variety, de-stemmed, torn into pieces and massaged with a little sea salt + evoo (if you've never done this before, you literally just get in there with your hands and massage the crap out of the kale leaves to break them down and soften them a bit-makes the kale a lot easier to eat and tastier in my opinion!)

sliced cooked beets (i love the "love beets" brand. nothing but perfectly cooked organic beets! saves a lot of time if you don't want to roast them yourself. almost all grocery stores carry them now-even costco!)

fresh organic blueberries

medjool dates cut into chunks

red onion, sliced

sheets feta (organic and raw is best-but almost impossible to find. I've used an organic goats brand that i like too!)

drizzle of balsamic whisked with a pinch of dijon

-toss that baby up and eat!

fall cacao decadence

a creamy, 2 minute decadent chocolate pudding for you all to enjoy on this chilly fall day:

ingredients: 
1 ripe avo
1 ripe persimmon (stem removed)
4 T raw cacao powder
2 roasted chestnuts
4 drops vanilla stevia
pinch of Icelandic sea salt
1/2-1 t mushroom blend (I added cortysepts, reishi, pearl, ashwaganda, & shatavahari powders)

-blend until smooth and top with more persimmon, pomegranate seeds, chestnuts and cacao nibs. savor!

raw vegan lemon squares

ahhh these are TASTY. and I'm extra happy 'cause the organic blueberries on top were bigger than quarters!!

another quick, easy, and down right healthy dessert to make for your family. it's even nut free for those that need it!! I love keeping these in the fridge for a quick snackin. yum! (moderation is hard with these babies so don't expect to eat only one piece a week.... (: ) I especially love the addition of dried cranberries in the crust that I used in place of dates (which is usually the "glue" that holds the crust together). the perfect combination of tart & sweet with a little extra tart cause I love it!! for the sweetener, you don't need much. I used lakanto sugar this time for a lower calorie/sugar treat. for those of you who don't know about lakanto-check it out! it's awesome. pure maple or honey also work great, I've tried both. you could even use stevia! make it your own!

crust:
1 c dried unsweetened shredded coconut
1 c buckwheat crisps
1/2-3/4 c organic dried cranberries (apple juice sweetened instead of the sugary/sulphate added crap)
2 T ground flax seed
pinch of sea salt
-process everything in your food processor until it comes together like dough (may need to add a teeny bit of water or coconut oil if it doesn't stick together). press evenly into the bottom and up sides of a tart pan and set in freezer while making filling.

lemon filling:
1 c freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 T lemon zest
1/2 c fresh white grapefruit juice
11/2 c raw coconut butter
1/4 c sweetener of choice
1/4 t turmeric powder
pinch of vanilla bean powder
-add everything to a high speed blender and blend until smooth. pour into crust and set in freezer for 2 hrs until firm. top with fresh blueberries or blackberries, powdered lakanto or coconut sugar, coconut flakes, etc... share!

rosemary roasted delicata squash. tahini drizzle. fresh pom seeds.

ugh I cannot get enough of this favorite squash. here is just another delicious and nutritious way to enjoy it! tahini is the sauce of the gods and pairs so perfectly with the slight sweetness of the delicata + tart poms.

preheat oven to 400F. slice 3 medium washed delicata in half and scoop out seeds. cut off the ends, then cut into 1/2" rounds and place evenly on a baking sheet. drizzle with coconut oil and add s + p + rosemary to your liking. place in oven & roast for 15 minutes, then flip and roast another 15 minutes (option to broil for the last 3-5 minutes to crisp the edges-yum!). cool, then drizzle with sauce:

1/4 c raw tahini
2 T lemon juice
2-4 T water (depending on the consistency you like)
pinch of sea salt

-whisk to combine and drizzle. sprinkle with fresh pom seeds & serve warm.

bean and chestnut salad in a jar

a quick, easy and delicious salad you can pre-make to snack on all week! i always forget how much i love chestnuts at this time of year, they are so YUM. this salad has the prefect balance of protein from the beans and chestnuts, healthy fat, and carbs to keep you full and running for hours.

ingredients:

1 c roasted & shelled organic chestnuts, sliced

2 cans mixed beans (organic & bpa free)

5 c baby spinach

2 diced avocados

1 diced apple

1/2 c grated carrot

fresh chopped cilantro

-toss all ingredients into a big jar and add dressing:

4 T raw organic tahini

4 T evoo

2 T coconut nectar

4 T lemon juice

s + p to taste

-blend well. store in a mason jar until ready to mix!

tip: perfect to take for a quick & easy work/school lunch! enjoy!

light & fluffy strawberry pomegranate & coconut truffles (sugar free)

this raw vegan treat is simple, with just a few ingredients and the tastiest treat to have on hand.

1 c raw coconut butter (buy or make your own)
1 c fresh organic strawberries
2 T organic pomegranate powder
1 dropper full of vanilla stevia or 2 T pure maple syrup + 1/4 t vanilla bean powder

-blend until very smooth & creamy. pour evenly into mini cupcake tins and set in freezer until firm, then gently lift out with a knife.

chocolate:
-in a double broiler, melt 1/2 c chopped cacao paste, 1 t coconut oil & a pinch of salt. once melted, stir in optional sweetener to taste (stevia, raw honey, etc...).
-using two forks, toss each truffle in chocolate until coated and set on a parchment lined tray. freeze for 10-15 minutes longer & share! (keeps well in fridge or freezer)

vegan & grain-free fettuccini alfredo with wilted greens

sometimes you just need a hearty pasta, but don't want to feel the nasty side effects. so I created this delicious dish that is super high in protein from the mung bean noodles and cashew based sauce-but none of the extra crap that will leave you feeling heavy and sick! with added greens as a must (:

the dish takes only 15 minutes to make up and you can double or triple the batch depending on how many you're serving.

ingredients:
2 packs of GF bean noodles (i like these!) cook following directions on package

1 c soaked & drained raw cashews
1/4 c pine nuts
1 T white miso (organic)
3 garlic cloves
1 t sea salt
1 T dijon
2 T nutritional yeast flakes
1/2 c water
1/2 c nut mylk
1/4 c lemon juice
1/4 c ACV
1 t lemon zest
black pepper + nutmeg to taste
-add all but the noodles to a high speed blender and blend until very smooth & creamy. drain cooked noodles and add back to a large pot along with sauce + a couple big handfuls of baby spinach and mix well.
-serve warm topped with more pine nuts, fresh parsley and freshly ground black pepper. your kiddos will love this!

easiest homemade cashewghurt + parfait

loaded with essential fats, vegan protein, and perfect probiotics-this yogurt takes only minutes and you'll have a tasty dairy-free, sugar-free treat!

3 c raw cashews soaked overnight & drained (note: i have also made this same yogurt with soaked brazil nuts and macadamia nuts-all versions taste a bit different and all are totally amazing..)
1/4 c lemon juice
11/4-11/2 c purified water
1/4 t Icelandic sea salt
stevia to taste (I added 2 droppers full)
1 t psyllium husk powder
6-8 opened capsules of a probiotic (I like this brand)
2 T unflavored collagen protein (optional)

-add everything to a high speed blender and blend until completely smooth. taste for sweetness and chill before serving. store in fridge up to 5 days.

-use it in smoothies, parfaits, or enjoy with my homemade lavender hibiscus granola... mmmmm!

note: you could totally turn this into a creamy, probiotic rich, dairy free ice cream too!

for this pretty parfait, i layered yogurt, raw granola, yogurt, chopped local apples, fresh raspberries, strawberries, dried mulberries and raw cacao nibs. yum!

mocha pumpkin superfood frappe!

all things pumpkin are on my mind at this time of year! and since it is still 80 degrees here in LB, I'm not quite in the mood for my usual super herb pumpkin hot chocolate- so i made a smoothie version to get in that pumpkin spirit!

i include a few of my new favorite superfood mixes from longevity warehouse that i have been absolutely loving lately! if you wish to try them, i highly recommend it! or, you can add your favorite mixes/superfoods that you have on hand at home! to purchase these products &/or read of their amazing benefits, you can go here.

the first one i added 1 scoop of, and contains the following: *Raw Lucuma Powder, Rice Bran Solubles, *Inulin Powder (FOS), *Raw Cacao Powder, *6-Mushroom Blend Extract Powder, *Raw Maca Powder, Himalayan Salt, *Raw Baobab Powder, *Vanilla Flavor Powder, *Proprietary Vegetable Blend (*Broccoli, *Broccoli Sprouts, *Tomato, *Carrot, *Spinach, *Kale), *Turmeric Extract Powder, *Stevia Extract Powder *Indicates Organic

the second one is similar, but a bit more protein: "Immortal Machine is a powerful combination of pure Superfoods and medicinal herbs designed to support peak performance in fighters, athletes, dancers, weekend warriors, and anyone seeking to intensify their positive output. Not only is Immortal Machine good for you, but the taste is out of this world. No other nutrition drink tastes this good!" Ingredients: Organic Non-GMO Hemp Protein Powder, Organic Arriba Criollo Cacao Powder, Organic Lucuma, Organic Ashwaganda, Wildharvested Shilajit, Organic Maca, Organic Mucuna, Organic White Kidney Bean Extract, Organic Amla, Himalayan Sea Salt, Organic Stevia Extract

i added 1 scoop of this also, along with 1/2 c organic pumpkin puree, 2 t pumpkin pie spice, 1 c coconut milk, 1/2 c coconut water, 1/2 c bone broth (sub with cold pressed longevity coffee if you need an extra boost!), 2 T raw hemp seeds, 2 T chia seeds, optional: 1/2 banana + 1 T cacao nibs on top

-blend until smooth, top with coconut cream + cacao nibs & drink chilled!