Double Chocolate Pumpkin Brownies - Vegan & Gluten Free

Ingredients: 

2 1/2 C black beans (rinsed, no salt added)
1 1/4 C pumpkin puree
5 1/2 Tbsp Coconut Nectar (or honey, for non-vegan)
1/2 C dark cocoa powder
1 1/4 Tbsp pure vanilla extract
1 Tbsp water
1 (+) tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt

*1/2 C (vegan) chocolate chips*

Makes 16 brownies at 87 calories per serving! (only 50 calories without the chocolate chips)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 9x16 baking pan.

In a food processor, combine all ingredients (omit the chocolate chips) and puree until smooth.

Pour batter in baking pan and sprinkle in chocolate chips. Smooth over (covering the chocolate chips so they don't burn on the top) and bake in oven for 30 minutes.

Let cool and cut into 16 brownies.

One Bite at a Time...

I think about food. A lot. Just the other night, I kept thinking to myself "Oh, I'll just have 1 bite..."  Well, one bite of this, one bite of that, and 3 pounds later, I really did some damage!

The damage inspired the following poem:

One Bite...

One bite at a time

It helps or it hurts

One bite at a time

It tempts and it flirts

One bite at a time

but the bites add up

One bite at a time

til you can't coverup

One bite at a time

Feed your body or brain?

One bite at a time

And both you can train.

One bite at a time

Choose this or choose that

One bite at a time

building muscle or fat

One bite at a time

which bite will you choose?

One bite at a time

how much will you lose?  

Chipotle Slaw - Vegan

Ingredients: 

1 small head cabbage

1 medium red onion

1 large red bell pepper

15-20 baby carrots

1 cup black beans

Sauce: 

1 avocado

juice of 4 limes

2 tbsp apple cider vinegar

2 tbsp water

2 tbsp fresh cilantro

1 tsp salt

2 cloves garlic

1 tsp chipotle powder

Shred all veggies to slaw consistency. Mix in a large bowl, and add 1 cup black beans. 

In a food processor, combine the last 8 ingredients and puree until smooth. 

Mix the sauce with the veggies and refrigerate before serving. 

4 servings  

Per serving:

212calories

36carbs

6fat

8protein

12fiber

13sugar

Blanched Asparagus with Deviled-egg dressing

The asparagus was so good, I only got a picture of the leftovers! (sorry about that)

Ingredients:

1 1/2 lbs asparagus

Sauce:
3 hard boiled eggs - yolk separated
3 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp honey dijon mustard
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
1 1/2 tbsp sherry cooking wine
1/2 clove garlic - finely minced
1/2 tsp onion - finely minced
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper


In a small bowl, combine all sauce ingredients BUT the cooked egg whites.  Mix until thoroughly combined.

Dice the hard boiled egg whites and add them after the sauce has been mixed.


To blanch the asparagus:

My asparagus were thick (in season!) so I boiled about an inch and a half of water, added the asparagus for 1 minute, then immediately transferred them (with slotted spoon) to a bath of ice water to cool. After about 1 minute in the ice water, remove and dry off using a paper towel.  Plate, drizzle over sauce, then chill until time to serve.

Simple Vegetable Quiche w/ sweet potato squash crust

Ingredients: 

Crust
1 1/2 cups baked spaghetti squash, cooled
1 medium sweet potato, raw, shredded (grated on the large side of the cheese grater)
Salt/pepper if you want!

Combine the squash and potato, then spread throughout a pie dish or round baking tin. Pinch up the crust so you have almost an inch worth of crust up the side (if using a baking tin).

Bake at 400 for 15 minutes, or until the crust begins to turn golden brown.

Vegetables:
4-6 blanched asparagus stalks, cut into 1/4 in pieces
1 small zucchini, sliced thin
2 roma tomatoes, sliced thin
2 large baby bella mushrooms, sliced thin
1/4 onion, finely diced
2-3 garlic cloves, finely diced

Liquid: 
1/2 can lite coconut milk
5 eggs
salt & pepper

Mix together liquid ingredients, plus the onion & garlic in a separate bowl.  Lay vegetables one layer at a time, and pour a little egg mixture between each layer.

Place quiche in the oven at 400 degrees for 40-45 minutes.  The quiche will puff up as it bakes, but will deflate once you take it out of the heat and let it cool.

I didn't have any problem with my crust sticking to the baking tin I used - miraculously enough!? I guess the squash & potato are moist enough they didn't burn to the sides.

Let the quiche cool for 20-30 minutes, and slice & serve.

Makes 8 servings.

Vegan Paleo Banana Muffins

Makes 3 incredibly delicious, moist & sweet muffins! :D  Plus 4 grams of fiber!

1/2 large banana (75g) - mashed
1/2 small zucchini (30g) - shredded finely
3 Tbsp unsweetened applesauce (60g)
1 tbsp melted coconut oil (I may even try just 1/2 tbsp next time - very moist!)
1 tsp vanilla

~Mix~

Add:
3 Tbsp coconut flour
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/8 tsp salt

~Mix~

Add:
2 Tbsp water (an extra 1/2 tbsp if you only use 1/2 the oil)

~Mix~

Add
1 1/2 Tbsp unsweetened carob chips OR cacao nibs OR dark chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 375 and bake for 35 - 40 minutes.  Let cool, and enjoy!

Per Serving:

126 Calories

15 Carbs

7 fats

2 proteins

4 fibers

8 sugars

Calorie Count: ^ totaled with unsweetened carob chips  (calories may differ for other chocolate substitutes)

w/o the chocolate :( calorie count is 100 calories per muffin!

World's Easiest & Most Nutritious Salad - Vegan, Paleo, Low carb, etc.

The post title? Ok, maybe I'm not the best person to make that call, but in all honesty, every ingredient in this salad has had it's praises sung for one reason or another, and very little cons, if any!

I'll even supply some links in case you're interested in learning more!

Ingredients:

Dressing 

1 tbsp tahini paste
       *a complete (vegan) protein*
        http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-6997/10-Reasons-to-Eat-Tahini.html
1 tbsp white/yellow miso paste
       *fermented = probiotics = immune system support*
        http://www.care2.com/greenliving/10-benefits-and-uses-for-miso.html
1 tbsp lemon juice
       *antioxidants, vitamin C*
        http://www.webmd.com/vitamins-supplements/ingredientmono-545-LEMON.aspx?activeIngredientId=545&activeIngredientName=LEMON
1 tbsp vinegar
       *does more than you think*
       http://www.rd.com/slideshows/apple-cider-vinegar-benefits/#slideshow=slide1
1/4 tsp minced garlic 
      *fresh garlic, for crazy health benefits - immune system booster? is there anything garlic DOESN'T do!?*
       http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2013/09/25/benefits-of-garlic_n_3990616.html
1/8 tsp cumin 
      *immune support again, and great for diebetics (mice, that is)*
      http://www.marksdailyapple.com/cumin/#axzz2wRLOHsVb

Salad 

2 Cups Bibb lettuce
       *fiber in lettuce*
1 Cup micro greens
       *4-60 times more nutritious than full grown*
        http://nutritionfacts.org/2013/05/02/are-microgreens-healthier/
2 tbsp raw hemp hearts/seeds 
       *omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids, proteins, vitamin A, E and D, and many B vitamins, calcium, iron - and the list goes on!!*
        http://www.naturalnews.com/043230_hemp_seeds_health_benefits_blood_pressure.html

Not that it's too difficult to figure out, but mix all dressing ingredients together, then drizzle over salad ingredients!  Feel free to add some more nutritional powerhouses to the mix! Tomatoes? Edamame? Go for it!