DIY Pomegrante Chia Pudding

Go get some chia seeds and make rich, delicious chia pudding right now – you’ll love every bite of it, I promise!

Makes 2 servings

Ingredients

6 tablespoons of chia seeds
2 cups of milk (dairy milk, almond milk, or whichever type of milk you prefer)
4 teaspoons of honey
2 teaspoons of pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
1 cup of fresh pomegranate seeds
Instructions

In a large bowl, mix chia seeds, milk, honey, vanilla extract and ground cinnamon together. (Make sure to mix the chia seeds thoroughly so you don’t end up with chunky chia pudding.)
Let the mixture chill in the fridge overnight in the refrigerator
Divide chia pudding into two portions and serve topped with fresh pomegranate seeds

Vegan Dark Choclate Easter salted almond Eggs

If you’re looking to make an easy last minute Easter treat, these Salted Dark Chocolate Almond Butter Eggs are the perfect choice!they have simple ingredients… no corn syrup solids, GMOs, TBHQ, or PGPR, or any other weird acronym-ed ingredients you didn’t know were lurking in your favorite commercial peanut butter egg. Also, they are free of eggs, dairy, or refined sugar.

Salted Dark Chocolate Almond Butter Eggs

Makes about a dozen small eggs

Ingredients

Chocolate Coating:

3 tablespoons of coconut oil
2 tablespoons of cacao or cocoa powder
1 tablespoon of maple syrup or honey
Filling:

-1/3 cup almond butter (or peanut butter)
-1/4 cup almond meal (I ground my own from raw almonds in my food processor) or you can use half almond meal and half freshly ground oats
-1 tablespoon of coconut oil
– 1 to 2 tablespoons of maple syrup or honey (or date syrup or other liquid sweetener of choice)
-1/4 tsp of finely ground himalayan pink -salt
-extra himalayan pink salt, course ground for sprinkling on top

1. Add the nut butter and coconut oil to a small pot and warm over low heat until coconut oil is melted. Remove from heat and stir in the maple syrup or honey. Add the almond flour (or almond flour/oat flour combination) and salt and mix well. It should form a very soft dough. Taste for sweetness, and add more sweetener if desired. If it seems too runny, add more almond flour or oat flour, a little at a time. It will firm up more when you cool it. Transfer the mixture to a glass container with a lid and put it in the freezer for about 20-30 minutes.

2. Remove filling from freezer and, using a teaspoon, scoop out a small amount and use your hands to roll it into an egg shape. Place the eggs on a parchment lined tray or plate and transfer back to the freezer for about 5 minutes.

3. While the eggs firm up, make the chocolate coating. Melt the coconut oil over low heat just until melted. Stir in the cacao or cocoa powder and sweetener. Taste and add more cocoa or sweetener to taste.

4. Take your almond butter eggs out of the freezer and using a spoon, dip them one at a time into the chocolate sauce. The chocolate will start to harden on contact. Transfer the coated eggs back to the parchment paper and place back in the freezer. After a few minutes, you can repeat the process, if you’d like a thicker chocolate coating. Sprinkle a few grains of course himalayan salt on each egg immediately after adding the last layer.

DIY Acai Smoothie Bowl

img_0175 Acai berries are a great source of fiber and healthy fats. They increase energy production in the mitochondria, keep you hydrated, and help your body fight against oxidative stress, as it is said that their antioxidant benefits are higher than most of the other berry fruits, including blueberries.

Ingredients

Smoothie:
Frozen Blueberries
Frozen Strawberries
½ Banana
¾-1 cup Almond Milk (or any nut milk of your choice)
1 teaspoon Acai Powder or 1 pack of frozen Acai

Toppings:
-½ Banana, sliced
-Fresh blueberries
-Fresh strawberries, sliced
-Granola of your choice
-Coconut Flakes
img_0165>strong>Instructions

1- Put all the smoothie ingredients into a blender.
2- If the mixture is having trouble blending, add more Almond Milk or water
3- Blend until the smoothie is smooth
4- Pour the smoothie mixture into a bowl
5- Top with desired ingredients. You can add what you want. Trust me you can’t go wrong.

Serve and enjoy!

Vegan Avocado Chocolate Muffins

img_0135The healthy fats in the avocado make these cupcakes as healthy as a bowl of kale and bean soup! OK, maybe not that healthy, but healthy enough to feel good about reaching for more. Each cupcake offers almost five grams of fiber and is just 230 calories. A regulat chocolate cupcake is 600++ calories! So you can indulge and have a second one.

Ingredients:
6 tbsp cacao powder
1 &1/2 cups gluten free whole wheat flour or you can use coconut flour
1 cup coconut sugar
1 cup mashed avocado
1 & 1/2 coconut or almond milk
2 tbsp vanilla extract
4 tbsp cacao nibs
2 tsp baking powder

Instruction:

1- Preheat the oven to 180c 350f
2- scoop out the inside of the avocados and mash or puree in a blender. Add the water, vanilla extract sugar and mix.
3- sift in the flour, baking powder, cocoa powder and
4- Salt then stir then add the cacao nibs and fold in.
5- fold into muffin wrappers and bake for 20 minutes. Check with a skewer and if it comes out clean they are done
img_0136

Avocado Dill Dip Recipe

img_9920This avocado dill dip can bring a delicious wrap to that next level perfection. It’s perfect for wraps, burritos, tortillas or tacos. It has a very fresh, yet fragrant flavor thanks to our buddy Garlic.

Avocado is great for your skin, your hair and your health. It prevents cancer, inflammation and is bursting with antioxidants. The green fat fruit with a huge seed inside, as my mother likes to call avocado, contains Biotin, which is an important vitamin for hair and nail strength.

Dill has antioxidant, anti-bacterial and anti-cancer properties. It contains a lot of Iron and Calcium – both important for skin health maintenance.
img_9923 Lemon is highly alkalizing and full of Vitamin C, which is important for the synthesis of collagen – the protein, that holds the skin together and makes it nice and firm.

Garlic is not the one you want to mess around with – Garlic fights Cancer, Viruses, Fungi, Bacteria, Psoriasis, Acne, even Vampires and lowers blood pressure on top. It can also make your hair grow.

As you see the ingredients of this dip are pretty great on their own, but combined they’re even more beneficial for your skin and health.

For example Vitamin C from the lemon increases the absorption of Selen from the garlic. Selen is an antioxidant mineral, shown to also prevent cancer.
img_9921 Further the combination of Vitamin C from Lemon with Vitamin E from Avocado increases the antioxidant properties of both vitamins, so evil free radicals have no chance at damaging your skin.

Ingredients

1 avocado
1/2 lemon – juice it
1 garlic clove
a bunch of dill

Instructions

Chop dill, peel avocado, remove the big seed (as my mom likes to call it – a green fat thing with a big seed inside), juice the lemon, squeeze the garlic clove and put everything in the blender. Blend until smooth and you’re ready to dip!

The Seeds That is “Perfect Protein”

If you’re looking to improve digestion, balance hormones and improve metabolism, then hemp seeds may just be the superfood you’re looking for.

For a long time, hemp seeds we’re ignored for their nutritional benefits because it’s botanical relationship to drug/medicinal varieties of Cannabis.

However, hempseeds do NOT cause any psychotropic reaction and instead may provide significant health benefits with it’s unique nutritional profile.

hemoHemp Seed Nutrition Profile
Here is what we know about the therapeutic benefits of hemp.

Excellent 3:1 balance of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, which promote cardiovascular health.
High in gamma linolenic acid (GLA), an essential omega-6 fatty acid found in borage oil and egg yolks that has been proven to naturally balance hormones.
“Perfect protein” not only containing all 20 amino acids, but also each of the 9 essential amino acids that our bodies cannot produce.
Rich in soluble and un-soluble fiber which naturally cleanses the colon and reduces sugar cravings
Hemp seeds are also a rich source of phytonutrients including:

Minerals · Calcium (145mg per 100 grams) · Iron (14mg per 100 grams) · Magnesium (483mg per 100 grams) · Manganese (7mg per 100 grams) · Phosphorus (1160mg per 100 grams) · Potassium (859mg per 100 grams) · Zinc (7mg per 100 grams)

Vitamins · Vitamin A (3800 IU mg per 100 grams) · Vitamin B1 (0.4mg per 100 grams) · Vitamin B2 (0.11 mg per 100 grams) · Vitamin B3(2.8 mg per 100 grams) · Vitamin B6 (0.12 mg per 100 grams) · Vitamin D (22.77.5 IU mg per 100 grams) · Vitamin E (90 mg IU mg per 100 grams)

Vegan Chickpea Meatloaf

meatloaf1

Vegan Chickpea Meatloaf:

You and your family will love this dish we promise. This hearty vegan meatloaf is made from chickpeas and baked up to perfection and topped with a flavorful glaze. It’s not your meatloaf your mom or grandma makes but we promise it will be better. Try this recipe and let us know what you think.

This recipe has the protein, the right carbs and the perfect fats. Add a salad to the side and you have the perfect meal.

Enjoy

Ingredients
For the Chickpea Meatloaf

2-14 oz. cans or 3 cups cooked chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 onion, diced
2 celery stalks, chopped
2 carrots, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups breadcrumbs (we used 1 cup Glutino Bread crumbs and 1 cup of Spelt Bread crumbs)
½ cup almond milk
3 tbsp. vegan Worcestershire sauce
2 tbsp. soy sauce or tamari
2 tbsp. coldpressed olive oil
2 tbsp. ground flax seeds
2 tbsp. tomato paste
1 tbsp. BBQ sauce- we used Amazing Dads BBQ sauce in honey garlic and regular.
¼ tsp. black pepper
sauce bread crumbs
For the Glaze

¼ cup tomato paste
2 tbsp. Organic maple syrup
2 tbsp. raw apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp. soy sauce or tamari
1 tsp. paprika
meatloaf2

Preheat oven to 375°. Lightly oil a 9 inch loaf pan.
Place all meatloaf ingredients into food processor bowl and pulse until chickpeas are broken up and ingredients are well mixed, stopping to scrape down sides of bowl as needed. Do not overblend.
Press mixture into prepared loaf pan and bake 30 minutes.
While meatloaf bakes, stir glaze ingredients together in a small bowl.
Remove loaf from oven after 30 minutes and spoon glaze overtop of loaf. Bake another 20-25 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool at least 10 minutes before cutting.
The longer this sits, the firmer it gets. If it initially feels a bit soft for your liking, let it sit a for a few minutes or prep it a day in advance and reheat the day of serving. meatloaf3

HOW TO MAKE FRESH VEGAN MOZZARELLA CHEESE PIZZA

11219619_843199265787221_4645949295925907202_nHOW TO MAKE FRESH VEGAN MOZZARELLA CHEESE PIZZA

THIS RECIPE IS :
Dairy Free Kid-Friendly Vegan
from One Green Planet

INGREDIENTS
1/4 C. raw cashews (soaked in water for several hours and then drained IF you don’t have a high powered blender)
1 C. hot water
2 T. + 1 t. tapioca starch
1 T. extra virgin olive oil (optional)
1 small garlic clove, minced
3/4 t. sea salt
1 t. fresh lemon juice
For the dough

This crust contains gluten, but you can use gluten-free ingredients.

2 C. organic all purpose flour
1 C. organic whole wheat flour
2 1/4 t. active dry yeast (1 packet)
1 cup warm water
2 t. sea salt
1 t. agave
1 T. extra virgin olive oil (optional)
For the pizza sauce

one 14 ounce can crushed tomatoes
3 cloves minced garlic
1/2 t. dried thyme
1/2 t. dried oregano
1/2 t. dried basil
1 T. extra virgin olive oil (optional)
1 t. agave
sea salt and ground black pepper to taste

PREPARATION
Blend all ingredients together in a high speed blender until completely smooth, about 1 minute.
Pour into a small saucepan and cook, stirring constantly over medium high heat. After a couple of minutes the mixture will start to look weird, like it’s curdling or separating. This is totally normal, reduce heat to medium and KEEP stirring so you don’t burn the cheese to the bottom of the pot.
Keep cooking and stirring til really thick (about 2-3 more minutes) and the mixture becomes like a cohesive mass of melted dairy cheese and stretches like in the photo below.
Remove from heat and let cool a bit while you assemble the pizzas.

For the dough

Combine all ingredients and knead for 10 minutes. Cover and let rise in a warm place for 60 minutes until doubled. While the dough is rising, make the pizza sauce and the fresh mozzarella cheese.
For the pizza sauce and to assemble the pizza

Saute the garlic in a little vegetable broth or the olive oil in a small saucepan for a minute or two on medium heat. Add all the other ingredients. Reduce heat to low and let simmer while you make the Mozzarella Cheese.

Assembly: Your dough should be nearly ready now, so when it hits 60 minutes or is doubled, punch it down and divide it into four pieces. Preheat the oven to 500°. Roll out the dough on a floured surface as thin or thick as you like. We opted for thicker pizzas this round. Spread each pizza with 1/4 of the pizza sauce. Top with fresh tomato slices, dollops of the fresh mozzarella cheese and fresh basil leaves like shown in the photo below

Bake individual pizzas for 10-12 minutes on a baking sheet until cheese and the crusts are nicely browned. Note: there is a very fine line between nicely browned and burnt here, so please, watch your pizzas carefully. Sprinkle pizzas with a bit of additional chopped fresh basil once out of the oven if desired.

12108873_843199259120555_6151796937896214005_n

Raw Pumpkin Pie Recipe

imagesThe BEST Raw Pumpkin Pie Recipe

This pumpkin pie, is FOR SURE, the BEST pumpkin pie I have ever had the chance of experiencing. The crust is incredibly tasty, and the filling is to die for! So much better than a plain dough crust and refined-sugar infused filling (with who knows what other chemicals are hidden in there!). It is 100% raw, gluten-free, nut & seed free, low-fat and AMAZING!

Pumpkin is one of my favorite fall treats because it is loaded with so many vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and phytonutrients (especially when eaten raw, such as in this recipe!). Pumpkins are packed with muscle-building protein, contain lutein for eye health, help support a healthy prostate, bladder and kidneys, help lower cholesterol, rich in B-complex group of vitamins, and they contain vitamin C, E, iron, zinc, magnesium, potassium, & alpha and beta carotenoids, which help prevent cellular damage!

Ingredients:
Crust:
– 1 mature coconut
– 1-1.5 cups raisins
– pinch of cinnamon

1. Take the coconut and cut open – take out meat and shred it into flakes (I used my juicer, and just processed the coconut – the pulp that comes out resembles fresh coconut flakes!)
2. Put coconut flakes & 1 cup of raisins into food processor. Blend for awhile, until it starts to clump and turn into “dough” – you can add more raisins if you like, just make sure the mixture is not too sticky, so somewhat dry.
3. Form this into a pie dish to resemble the crust.

Filling:
– 1 sugar pumpkin
– 7-10 dates, pitted
– 1/2 tsp. cloves
– 1 tsp. cinnamon
– 1 inch piece fresh ginger root (or 1-2 tsp. dried ginger powder)

1. Peel sugar pumpkin, and take out seeds.
2. Cut into little pieces and put into a high-speed blender like the Vitamix.
3. Put in dates, and spices and ginger.
4. Put in a little bit of water to get the mixture started.
5. Blend until smooth (the Vitamix is a great blender for blending pumpkin!)

Put filling into pie crust, and voila! You can put it in the freezer to set it a bit if you please, but I just put mine in the fridge and kept it overnight. Enjoy! Leave a comment below and tell me how it went!