Carrot Raisin Muffins

Ok so I'm on a bit of a muffin kick.  And as I make them, I'm storing half of them in my freezer like the world is ending...nesting maybe? These are everything you want a muffin to be.  Sweet, moist and scrumptious.  They also happen to have lots of fiber and even a vegetable!  I love when I get my veggies from anything other than salad.  Stayed tuned for more muffin recipes!

Blueberry Bliss Muffins

Since I've been preggers (2 weeks to go BTW!), I've been loving the basics.  There's nothing quite like a good ol' fashioned blueberry muffin - especially when it's guilt-free and health-full.  These moist and fluffy little guys are packed with antioxidants, fiber and omega-3's.  And since I used a combination of oil and apple sauce to lower the fat, you have no excuse not to try them!

Eggless Tofu Salad

This was inspired by Kris Carr's recipe in Crazy Sexy Diet.  If you don't already have this book, RUN - don't walk - to get it. It's basically my bible.  This is such a perfect dish for a party, for lunch, to snack on with some corn chips, or a summer picnic!  If you want to double the recipe, it will keep in your fridge for 4-5 days....but it probably won't last that long :)

Chocolate Blueberry Smoothie Shake

 This was born from me wanting a chocolate milkshake, but still wanting to feed my "vetus" (what Chloé Jo calls a vegan fetus) a healthy snack.  I have one of these before bed about 4 nights a week and when I have one, I only wake up 3 times instead of 12!  Extremely high in antioxidants, protein, and yuminess, this is a winner.

Cheezy Kale Chips from Heaven

 

I thought the love I have for my husband was a deep as it gets.  And then - totally and completely out of the blue mind you - he decides to whip these up.  Now I can honestly say that I know what true love is. Michael, I am honored and humbled to dub you Iron Chef of Kale Chips.  Congratulations, hunny bun.

Not only are these crispy, cheezy and salty in the most wonderful way, they are healthy too!  I don't want to say that too loud because I really don't want you to get the wrong idea here.  But they are!  Like super hero healthy! Good luck keeping these around longer than a day.  Sheesh.

How to Make Almond Milk!

 When I make my own almond milk each week, I feel like I've one-upped Betty Crocker.  It's fun, delicious and oh-so satisfying.  And compared to boxed milk, it's much more rich and creamy.  Yum! You're going to need a liter-sized mason jar, a big bowl, and a nut milk bag.

It might seem like a big to-do at first, but after you've done it once or twice and get the hang of it, it's super duper looper easy.

Blood Orange Fig Chutney

 I have a confession.  I almost got selfish with this one.  On Saturday we threw a surprise bridal shower for Kristen and I brought this along.  It was inspired by a recipe we learned at a cooking class taught by Rachel Carr and Kristan Andrews of SunCafe.  I also made the Southwest Quinoa Salad, hummus (I'll share that soon), and Michael made an almond cheeze log (stay tuned for that one!)  There were mostly non-vegans, and I was worried it would get looked over, but boy oh boy was that chutney a hit!   "Award-winning!" "Incredible!" "Oh my god are you kidding?!" 'What IS this!?"  "Are you a professional chef?" "This is crack!" was some of the praise this unassuming little bowl of chutney received.  So, for a good 5 minutes before I started typing this post I contemplated whether I should share it with the world, or keep it as my secret weapon.  But - alas - I want to be popular and loved so here you go ;)

Good Mood Maca Smoothie

My friend Kristen created this recipe and I'm pretty much addicted.  It's a great little afternoon pick-me-up.  Ladies, maca is great for helping with pms.  This smoothie becomes my best friend at a certain time of month...and I double the cacao!

Fig Bars

With a dash of magical maca, these bars will make you and your taste buds oh-so-happy!  Great for an early-afternoon pick me up snackeroo!  Or a guilt free, healthy, easy and low-cost dessert!

Sweet Apple Slaw

 Michael and I whipped this up for lunch today.  I'm not the biggest coleslaw fan, but this was awesome!!!  Because the sauce is cashew based, and it's packed with veggies, fruit, nuts, and dates, we ate it as a main course.  Add some brown rice or quinoa to get your grains in there too.  Why kohlrabi? We've been getting it in our CSA box and had no clue what to do with it.  Can't find kohlrabi? Use cabbage or broccoli stems instead.  What's so great about kohlrabi?  It has a lovely mild flavor that beautifully complements the apples and is a remarkable source of vitamin C among other vitamins and nutrients!

Chia Goodness

I'll be posting more meal recipes soon, but for now, here's a fun snack that we just discovered: Ruth's Chia Goodness (click here or on the pic to check out their website).  It's a combo of chia, buckwheat, and hemp seeds.  It's quick, satisfying, delicious, and super-hero healthy.  Michael eats it before ultimate frisbee and says he's never felt better or had more energy on the field.  Because I consider snacking a hobby of mine, I'm continuously on a quest for delicious, healthy, and satisfying treats.  The price seems a little hefty at first ($6.99 at WF), but it's so filling that you only need 2 Tbsp per serving so there's actually 10 servings in that little bag! 

I get the original because I prefer to sweeten it myself.  I add almond milk, cinnamon and agave to create a sweet pudding-like breakfast or treat! Michael likes to add a little nutmeg too.  YUMMERS!

Rice Snax - Yes Please!

These are so delish and super addictive.  I could easily eat 3 boxes in one sitting.  They come in four varieties- my favorite is the garlic and onion! If you can't find them in your grocery store, either ask if they'll start carrying them, or order online! You can buy in bulk! Go to the Edward and Sons Website here!
I should be getting paid for this...

Enjoy with some Edamame Hummus for a reallllly yummy snacky snack.

Edamame Hummus!

This recipe is courtesy of my cousin Elise - an amazing chef!  She made this for a cousin home-video viewing party.  It was great fun and I ate this hummus non-stop the entire time I was there (and I'm eating it right now).  This is a super healthy and super delicious snack!

PUMPKIN BREAD!!!

Of all the recipes I've posted, I'm most excited about this one.  Every year since he was about 7, my wonderful husband has been in charge of making the holiday pumpkin bread.  This year, he as been tirelessly working to create the perfect vegan version of his famous classic.  After about 4 different loaves, he's finally found THE ONE!  It's light, fluffy, moist, sweet, pumpkinny, and the most delicious bread I think I've ever had.  The only other bread that could compete would be my dad's zucchini bread.  I seriously considered not posting this because I've always wanted a stellar secret recipe, but Michael insisted I share it with everyone :)  He's too nice.  Remember that baking is a science, so you want to follow this recipe like the straight A student you always wished you could be ;)

More Muffins!

My friends, Chris and Shaunte, tried the pumpkin muffins the other day and made a great suggestion.  Next time they make them, they're gonna use chunky applesauce and a touch of nutmeg - I will definitely be trying that!  Thanks guys! Glad you enjoyed them! This is how theirs turned out (these definitely look more impressive than mine!)  I'm beaming :)

Kale Chips

(I stole this image off the internet..shhhhhh)

Kale Chips are surprisingly yummy - and extremely addicting.  And of course super duper healthy!  I've made them a few times and they're always a hit.  Even for the non-believers.  And they're easy peasy.

Ingredients:
1 bunch kale
few Tbsps extra virgin olive oil
Salt and Pepper to taste
tsp Garlic powder

Directions:
Preheat oven to 325°F

1. Wash the kale.
2. Dry the kale thoroughly.
3. Pile on cookie sheet
4. Drizzle with olive oil, and mix with hands until olive oil JUST coats it.  You don't want too much oil or they will be soggy.
5. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
6. Bake for 10-15 minutes, mixing kale around on sheet half way through baking.  Make sure they don't burn. You want them a nice light golden brown on the top.  You'll be able to feel when they're crispy.

Serves two hungry people or three kind of hungry people as a side dish.  The kale cooks down to about half of what you start with.

Pumpkin Yogurt Snack

Ingredients:
Vanilla yogurt (I used "So Delicious" coconut based yogurt from Whole Foods)
Walnuts
A banana

and...

Trader Joe's Pumpkin Butter!  I added 2 tsp. Yum!

There is sugar in it, but not too much - so it's pretty healthy!

Add some veggies and hummus on the side to make it a complete lunch!

Yummy treat alert

If you don't already know about Trader Joe's Cherry Chocolate Chip Soy Ice Cream, now you do and go get it!  It's a staple in this house.

I just discovered another treat that I LOVE.  Instant chocolate pudding from Trader Joe's - in the red box.   Hint: it's pretty thin if you use the full 2 cups of milk.  If you like it really thick start at 1 1⁄2 Cups and go from there.  And it does set in 5 minutes - but I'd give it 10 :)

It seems pretty easy to make on your own, but the boxed stuff is so cheap, it might not be worth it.