Recipes

Banana Walnut Bread (Dairy-Free)

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As much as I love cookies and cakes, the one thing that I find much harder to resist are sweet breads – namely zucchini, pumpkin, carrot, and most of all banana bread! My mom came upon this super simple banana bread recipe from Dr. Weil and I had to try it out with modifications, of course.

The original recipe called for whole wheat flour and canola oil. I prefer gluten free desserts and avoid canola oil altogether. Found it very challenging to find the right ingredients when baking to get the same consistency, texture and taste. After a few attempts, I found spelt flour and avocado oil as substitutes that gave a similar texture and taste. I used semi ripe bananas and raw honey for a sweetness that wasn’t too overpowering. Overall making a delicious banana walnut bread that satisfied my sweet tooth.

Check it out and let me know what you think. Enjoy…in moderation! 😉

 

SERVINGS: 8 – 10 slices           PREP TIME: 10 minutes         READY TO ENJOY: 40 minutes

 

INGREDIENTS:

  • 3 semi ripe bananas
  • 1/2 cup raw honey
  • 1 1/2 cups spelt flour (I love Bob’s Red Mill Organic Spelt Flour)
  • 3/4 raw organic walnuts, roughly chopped
  • 3 tablespoons avocado oil
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

 

DIRECTIONS:

  1. Pre-heat oven to 350°F.
  2. Lightly oil loaf pan.
  3. Mash bananas and mix with honey, oil, and vanilla extract.
  4. Stir in spelt flour, baking soda, salt, and walnuts.
  5. Spoon into loaf pan, spreading evenly and flat.
  6. Top with handful of walnuts.
  7. Bake for 35 minutes or until center is set.
  8. Remove from oven. Cool for 10 minutes. Lightly carve around loaf with butter knife to separate from pan. Flip loaf over to gently remove. Voila and enjoy!!

Posted in JSC, Recipes, Sweet Eats

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Cacao Hazelnut Cashew Butter (Gluten + Dairy Free)

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Not a day goes by that I don’t have nut butter. My go-to is almond butter (Once Again is a fave). Every now and then I will splurge on Artisana’s raw nut butters and special blended farmer’s market butters. But once I made my own, there wasn’t anything quite like it at the markets anymore.

Feel free to switch up the nuts and seeds to make up your own unique combo. Some great add ins: sunflower seeds, chia seeds, hemp seeds, vanilla extract, and coconut butter. Fair warning, this is a pretty messy process. I chose to roast raw nuts for a robust and fresh flavor but also made the process messier and tad bit more labor intensive. Should you buy roasted nuts, make sure they are dry roasted and without any oil or other ingredients. Some like to refrigerate nut butters (to preserve for up to 3 weeks) but I prefer mine in room temperature.

SERVINGS: 16 oz jar         PREP TIME: 15 minutes     READY TO ENJOY: 10 minutes

INGREDIENTS:

  • 2 cups raw hazelnuts
  • 1 cup raw cashews
  • 3 Tbs cacao powder (Navitas is my fave)

INSTRUCTIONS:

  1. Pre-heat oven to 350F.
  2. On a sheet pan, spread nuts evenly and roast for 8-12 minutes. Be sure to check every minute or so after 8 minutes as they can burn pretty quickly.
  3. Make sure to remove hazelnut skin by rubbing in clean dry dish towel (this part is pretty messy). Removing most of the skin is best (not all will come off).
  4. Place nuts in food processor (or blender). Add cacao powder and blend/mix. Texture will change from mealy to gritty to creamy and smooth but it will take some time. Be patient and stir mixture every now.
  5. Scoop out and transfer from blender/processor into jar. Enjoy!

Posted in Recipes, Sweet Eats

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Crispy Crab Cake (Gluten + Dairy Free)

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If crab cakes are on the restaurant menu, 90% of the time I will order them. They are just my fave. So I thought…why not make them at home? I always assumed they would be difficult to make and would never come out as half as good as the restaurant version. I was wrong!  I tried this recipe my sister-in-law found, made some tweaks of my own…and they are DELICIOUS! I get to control the ingredients so they’re absolutely healthier than what you would get at a restaurant. Win win! Give it a try!

SERVINGS: 6 – 8       PREP TIME: 10 minutes     COOK TIME: 10 – 12 minutes

INGREDIENTS:

DIRECTIONS:

  1. Pre-heat oven to 200°F.
  2. Crush crackers and place in a small bowl. I prefer to grind in food processor for finer crumbs.
  3. In large mixing bowl, whip egg, mayo, ghee, and seasoning.
  4. Stir in lump crab to mixture. Then add half of the crackers and chopped onions and cilantro.
  5. Using your hands, scoop a small handful of mixture and mold into semi flat rounded shape. Dip cake into the crackers (cover them generously) and place on parchment paper on baking sheet pan.
  6. With remainder of crackers, lightly sprinkle on top of each crab cake.
  7. Turn oven to broil once mixture is ready. Broil for 6 minutes. Turn tray 180 degrees and check every 2 minutes til desired browning.
  8. Remove, let sit to cool, and ENJOY!

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Frozen Berry – Coconut Yogurt Bark (Gluten + Dairy Free)

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This is a great summer treat that satisfies any sweet tooth. Prep time is nothing but the wait does take longer than you would like…but oh so worth the wait. Feel free to switch out with your favorite berries and nuts. For larger nuts (almonds, cashews, hazelnuts), chop those up a bit more before mixing.

SERVINGS: 4         PREP TIME: 10 MINUTES         COOK TIME: 12 HOURS (no cooking required!)

INGREDIENTS:

  • 2 cups plain coconut yogurt (my fave is CocoYo)
  • 1/4 cup + 1 Tbs raw honey or real maple syrup
  • 2 tspn vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup diced strawberries
  • 1/2 cup blueberries
  • 1/2 cup toasted pistachios

INSTRUCTIONS:

  1. Place aluminum foil on a baking sheet. Make sure you have enough space in the freezer to place the sheet. If not then separate into 2 smaller plates or pans.
  2. Whisk yogurt, 1/4 cup honey/syrup, and vanilla extract in a bowl.
  3. Pour mixture onto the baking sheet and spread evenly into a 1/2 inch thick layer. Make sure to not touch the edges of sheet or pan.
  4. In a small bowl, mix the berries, pistachios, and 1 Tbs of honey/syrup. Scatter this mixture of the yogurt.
  5. Place in freezer, uncovered, for minimum 12 hours.
  6. Gently pick up bark to remove from foil and cut up into medium size pieces. Bark should easily break when folded too if you want more uneven chunks.
  7. Serve immediately or freeze the rest to enjoy later.

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Mini Cocoa Matcha Cake (Gluten + Dairy Free)

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If you are craving a sweet treat but don’t feel like spending time baking or getting a store bought cake, then this is the recipe for you. This is instant dessert gratification in less than 5 minutes. I was so surprised how spongey and light this was that I felt zero guilt indulging it. I hope you will too!

SERVINGS: 1      PREP TIME: 3 MINUTES    COOK TIME: 90 SECONDS

INGREDIENTS:

  • 3 Tbs almond flour
  • 1 tspn matcha
  • 1 Tbs cacao powder (my fave is from Navitas)
  • 1 Tbs coconut or avocado oil
  • 1 1/2 Tbs real maple syrup
  • 1/4 tspn vanilla extract
  • 1/8 tspn baking soda
  • 1/8 salt
  • 1 large egg
  • sliced strawberries (or your fave berries)
  • coconut flakes, to garnish

INSTRUCTIONS:

  1. In measuring cup, combine almond flour, matcha, cacao powder, baking soda and salt. Mix well.
  2. Add maple syrup, coconut oil, vanilla extract and egg and whisk all ingredients together until smooth.
  3. Lightly brush 6oz mug with coconut oil the pour mixture in.
  4. Place mug in the center of your microwave and cook for 90 seconds. Insert toothpick in the center. If clean when removed, then it’s ready.
  5. With a butter knife or mini spatula, gently separate cake from the mug. Slowly flip mug onto plate to remove cake.
  6. Place right side up, garnish with coconut flakes and strawberries.
  7. Voila and enjoy! 🙂

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Almond Butter Overnight Oats (Gluten + Dairy Free)

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One of the easiest recipes ever…and so decadent and delicious. I usually break my fast with a more savory meal (eggs, sweet potato latkes, quinoa fritters, etc) so I prefer to enjoy this as a late afternoon pick me up or as a post workout snack. Also makes for an amazing dessert. Rolled oats are more commonly used but I actually prefer the texture and crunch of steel cut oats. Try both and enjoy!!

SERVINGS: 1     PREP TIME: 5 MINUTES      READY TO EAT: 6-12 HOURS

INGREDIENTS:

  • 1/2 cup gluten free oats (rolled or steel cut)
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened oat milk
  • 1 Tbsp chia seeds
  • 1 Tbsp real maple syrup
  • 2 Tbsp raw chunky almond butter
  • coconut flakes to garnish

 

INSTRUCTIONS:

  1. Mix oat milk, chia seeds, maple syrup and almond butter in mason jar.
  2. Stir in oats. Press down oats completely so they are all soaked in milk.
  3. Cover with lid and seal completely. Place in refrigerator for minimum 6 hours (rolled oats), longer for steel cut oats.
  4. Garnish with your favorite fruits when ready to eat.

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Mac Daddy Mac n’ Cheese (Gluten + Dairy Free)

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I rarely eat carbohydrates but when I crave it, this is what I will make and go all out! The original recipe is from Dr. Junger’s Clean Program. I made one tiny change and added more nutritional yeast cuz I am obsessed. 😉 Enjoy this…it’s so indulgent and satisfying.

SERVINGS: 6 – 8      PREP TIME: 10 minutes     COOK TIME: 20 minutes

INGREDIENTS:

  • 1/2 cup raw cashews
  • 1/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1 can coconut cream
  • 1 small yellow onion
  • 8 – 10 oz of pre-cut butternut squash
  • 1 box of gluten free macaroni (my fave is from Tinkyada)
  • 3/4 cup nutritional yeast
  • 1/2 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
  • parsley for serving (optional)

 

DIRECTIONS:

  1. Cook the pasta according to directions on package. Rinse with cold water, strain and set aside.
  2. Chop onions and butternut squash and mince garlic.
  3. In a medium saucepan, heat olive oil. Add onions and salt and pepper until lightly browned and cooked thoroughly.
  4. Add butternut squash, garlic, garlic powder, onion powder, and cayenne pepper. Stir and combine all for 3 minutes.
  5. Pour in canned coconut cream and cashews. Cook at a low simmer until squash is tender (approx 6 – 8 minutes).
  6. Add all pot contents to a high speed blender, along with nutritional yeast and vinegar. Blend on high until creamy and smooth. Add salt and pepper as needed.
  7. Toss sauce with pasta and serve immediately.

 

Posted in JSC, Nutrition, Recipes, Savory Eats

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Turmeric Honey Roasted Salmon

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One of the easiest and healthiest meal options. I’m not a honey roasted lover but this wasn’t too sweet or bbq-ish. You can always skip out of that flavor and remove the mustard and honey and coat salmon with 1 teaspoon of avocado oil and add the spices and lemon juice. All still very very yummy. Enjoy!!

SERVINGS: 2-3     PREP TIME: `10 MIN    COOK TIME: 15 MIN

INGREDIENTS:

  • 2lbs fresh wild salmon
  • 1/3 whole grain mustard
  • 1/4 cup raw honey
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • 1 Tbsp fresh parsley leaves
  • 1 tspn turmeric powder
  • 1 tspn smoked paprika
  • sea salt and black pepper
  • avocado or coconut oil

 

INSTRUCTIONS:

  1. Heat oven to 375 degrees.
  2. Whisk mustard, honey, garlic, lemon juice, parsley, turmeric, paprika, salt and pepper to make turmeric honey mixture..
  3. Line large baking sheet with parchment paper. Mist or brush paper with avocado oil or coconut oil. Place salmon pieces in the middle of of the paper.
  4. Spoon mixture on top of the salmon and spread evenly to cover top of salmon.
  5. Cook for 15 minutes until salmon is cooked thoroughly.
  6. Turn oven setting to broil for 2-3 minutes, keeping close eye on the sauce for burning.

 

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Sweet Potato Lentil Stew

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This is such a warm and cozy comfort food that packs loads of nutrients. The recipe does take some time to prep but once made you can enjoy all week long. Feel free to load in any of your fave veggies. This stew has all my faves. Enjoy!

SERVINGS: 8-10      PREP TIME: 15 MIN       COOK TIME: 30 MIN

 

INGREDIENTS:

  • 2 cups lentils (green or brown)
  • 2 cups kale, chopped
  • 2 leeks, white and tender green parts, chopped
  • 1 large sweet potato, peeled and cut into large pieces
  • 1 small box of pre-cut butternut squash
  • 1 large handful of fresh spinach
  • 2 large carrots, peeled and cut into large pieces
  • 1 celery stalk, chopped
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
  • 1 can organic diced or crushed tomatoes
  • 4 cups vegetable or mushroom broth
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 4 Tbs extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 cups water
  • 1 tspn turmeric powder
  • 1 tspn cumin powder
  • 1 tspn onion powder
  • 1/8 tspn cinnamon
  • sea salt and black pepper

 

INSTRUCTIONS:

  1. Heat avocado or coconut oil in large pot. Then add onions, celery, and leeks and cook for 4-5 minutes.
  2. Add garlic and cook for another 2 minutes. Then add all remaining ingredients (broth, water, tomatoes, veggies, and herbs and spices.
  3. Bring to boil, then cover and simmer on medium-low heat for 25-30 minutes or til lentils are tender.

 

 

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Veggie and Cauli Pizza (Gluten + Dairy Free)

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I have to refrain myself from eating the whole pie. But even if I did…would it be so bad? Not at all. Loaded veggies on a cauliflower pizza crust makes a guilt free pizza night. Feel free to add your fave protein or veggies to personalize it to your liking.

SERVINGS: 6-8 slices     PREP TIME: 10 minutes     COOK TIME: 40 minutes

 

INGREDIENTS:

  • Cauliflower pizza crust (my fave is Caulipower) 
  • 6 Tbsp marinara sauce (my fave is Rao’s or Amy’s)
  • 1 small packet of maitake mushrooms
  • 1 small red bell pepper, diced
  • 1 small white onion, chopped
  • handful of fresh spinach
  • handful of fresh kale, chopped
  • 3 cloves fresh garlic, finely chopped
  • 1/4 fresh basil, chopped
  • 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
  • 1 Tbs Extra Virgin olive oil
  • Coconut oil spray
  • 1 tspn sea salt
  • 1 tspn black pepper

 

INSTRUCTIONS:

  1. Pre-heat oven to 375F.
  2. Coat parchment paper with coconut oil spray. Place crust on sheet.
  3. Spread marinara sauce evenly around the pizza crust leaving an inch from border without sauce.
  4. Top pizza with spinach and cilantro.
  5. Stiry fry garlic, onions, bell pepper, mushrooms, and kale with EVOO. Add on top of pizza crust.
  6. Bake for 35-40 minutes until edges are golden brown. Remove from oven and sprinkle chopped basil.
  7. Let cool for 5 minutes before slicing. Then ENJOY!

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