Spiced Chocolate Pumpkin Seed Balls

These make a great  post-nap (or after-lunch) snack or desert. I love making fruit and nut/seed balls with Cece. We have fun getting our hands sticky while rolling the mixture into balls, licking the bowl and eating the finished product together. These are packed full of energizing minerals, antioxidants, protein, and essential fats. The ginger and pumpkin pie spice give them a kick of flavor with the finished product reminiscent of a chai tea meets mocha. Enjoy!

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup raw pumpkin seeds
• 2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1-2 tbsp ground flax
• 2 tsp fresh grated ginger
• 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice (or a blend of nutmeg, ginger and cinnamon)
• 1/2 cup pitted Medjool dates
• 1 tbsp maple syrup
• 2 tbsp ground maca powder (optional- see post on maca for all its health benefits. It is super energizing as it tonifies your hard-working adrenal glands!)

Blend ingredients together in a food processor. Process until the mixture holds together when pinched between 2 fingers. If they are not sticky enough add a tiny amount of water so that they hold together. Roll into bite-size balls and freeze.

Recipe adapted from Daily Bites blog. Check out this blog- lots of yummy dairy-free, gluten-free recipes.

Pesto Lentil Patties

These make a nice alternative to your everyday beef or veggie burger. They are packed full of protein and best of all FLAVOR!

I used the kale walnut pesto to flavor these lean mean lentil machines. If you or your family are not fans of kale, then this is the recipe for you! It tastes just like pesto with the added benefits of the super-food, kale.


Pesto Lentil Patties

Ingredients:

• 1 1/3 cup dry green lentils
• 2 cups vegetable broth
• 1-2 medium zucchinis, shredded (I used 1.5 zucchinis)
• 1-2 cloves garlic
• 2 cups breadcrumbs or almond meal (I used 4 pieces brown rice bread, toasted and cut into small chunks)
• 1/3 cup kale walnut pesto or any homemade or store-bought pesto
• 1 egg
• salt and pepper

Bring broth to a boil. Add lentils and reduce heat to simmer. Cook lentils until they are soft and liquid is absorbed (about 20 minutes).

In a large glass bowl, combine shredded zucchini, garlic, breadcrumbs, pesto, cooked lentils and salt and pepper.  Place lentil mixture in fridge for 10 minutes to allow to cool. Preheat oven to 375 F.

Once lentil mixture is cool, add egg and mix thoroughly. Form mixture into patties (about 1/3 cup per patty).  Place on parchment paper lined baking sheet or greased baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes and then flip patties and bake for another 15 minutes. 

Serve with green salad or roasted veggies. Top with salsa or feta cheese.

Sweet Potato Chocolate Chip Cookies (Gluten-free, Dairy-free)

These cookies are grain-free, dairy-free and refined-sugar free. They contain all the goodness of sweet potatoes, including potent antioxidant, Vitamin A. Vitamin A is fat soluble so in order to utilize this beneficial nutrient, you need some fat in your meal or dish. This recipe contains good quality fats in the form of coconut oil, coconut milk, almond butter and almond meal. The almond butter and almond meal also add protein to the cookies, which is always something I am looking for in a baked good. This helps stabilize your blood sugar when you indulge in something sweet. This is one healthy and tasty treat!

I tweaked the recipe from the one found on the Primitive Foodie blog. The recipe on this site included 5 eggs- I didn't see a need for this many! I used 2 and they turned out perfect! Also, she uses coconut flour in this recipe (I used almond flour instead). Coconut flour would be fine...I just didn't have it!


Ingredients

• 3 cups chopped sweet potatoes (about 3 medium potatoes. I leave the skins on for added fiber and nutrients)
• 1/3 cup almond meal (aka almond flour)
• 2 tbsp coconut milk
• 1/2 cup almond butter
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tbsp honey
• 1 tbsp maple syrup
• 1 tbsp cinnamon
• 1 tbsp pumpkin pie spice
• 1 tbsp fresh grated ginger
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 tbsp coconut oil, melted (or butter)
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp sea salt
•  1/2 cup chocolate chips
• 1 cup raisins

Boil sweet potatoes in water until soft (about 15-20 minutes). Once the sweet potato is cooked thoroughly, drain water and transfer to a bowl. Add almond meal, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, ginger, honey, maple syrup, coconut oil, baking powder, baking soda and almond butter. Set aside and let cool for 15 minutes (can put in fridge for faster cooling). Preheat oven to 350 F.

While cooling, whisk the eggs, vanilla, coconut milk and sea salt together in a separate bowl.

Once sweet potatoes are cooled, combine egg and milk mixture to the sweet potato mixture. Mix well. Add chocolate chips and raisins.

Spoon dough onto a greased pan. Bake 15-20 minutes.

Variation: Use fresh or canned pumpkin.

Blueberry Oatmeal Muffins (Gluten-Free)

With oats, blueberries and almond meal as the main ingredients in this recipe, these muffins make for a great protein-packed, delicious breakfast or snack. Easy to pack in lunches as a desert too- beats a cookie or sugary protein bar and still satisfies your sweet tooth at the end of a meal.

If you are not familiar with almond meal (or almond flour), it makes for a great gluten-free flour that won't spike your blood sugar like many other grain-based flours that leave your stomach growling 2 hours later. Click here for more on cooking or baking with protein-packed nut flours.

Since the almond meal already contains good quality fats, there is no need for a lot of additional oil or butter in this recipe. The apple sauce and the almond meal makes them really moist. I get my almond meal at Trader Joe's- very affordable there!

Blueberry Oatmeal Muffins

Wet Ingredients:

¼ cup organic butter, melted

½ cup honey

½ cup organic unsweetened apple sauce

2 organic eggs

Dry Ingredients:

1 tsp baking soda

¼ tsp sea salt

1 cup oat flour (just grind 1 cup oats in a food processor and voila- you've got flour)

1 cup almond flour/meal

1 cup frozen or fresh organic blueberries

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 F. Grease muffin pan. Mix all wet ingredients together in one bowl and all the dry ingredients together in another bowl. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Then add the blueberries and mix. Pour into a greased muffin pan. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Makes 12 muffins. Enjoy with a tall glass of chilled almond of coconut milk!

Miso Healthy!

If you are not familiar with miso, you are missing out! Aside from your traditional miso soup available at sushi restaurants, there are many other uses in your kitchen. It adds a delicious savory, cheesy taste to dishes. I add it to broccoli soup to transform it into a "cheesy" broccoli soup. I also add it to sauces and dips for an intensely savory and delicious kick of flavor.

Miso is a paste made from fermented soy or rice. Since it is a fermented food, it is full of the "good bugs," or probiotics, which are essential for a healthy immune and gastrointestinal system. While it is considered a high sodium food, it does not have the same cardiovascular effects as table salt. According to recent research, identical concentrations of sodium obtained from miso vs. table salt were found to have very different impacts on blood pressure. While table salt raised blood pressure, miso did not. So if you have salt-sensitive blood pressure, go ahead and indulge in savory miso!

Miso also aids in the digestion and absorption of nutrients. It does this by stimulating stomach acid secretion, allowing you to get the most bang for your buck from your meal!

I like to cook with brown rice miso. It comes in a paste and is available at any health food store (I get it at Whole Foods). 1-2 tbsp added to soups, dips, salad dressings and stir-fries is an appropriate amount.

Miso-Almond Sauce
Serve this sauce over tofu, chicken, veggies, quinoa or rice. It also makes a good dipping sauce with snap peas and carrots. High in protein too!

• 3 tbsp almond butter
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp miso ((I use brown rice miso but any miso will work)
• 1 tbsp fresh grated ginger
• 2 cloves garlic, minced

Whisk together almond butter, lemon juice, miso, ginger and garlic. Whisk in 1/3 cup water.

Carrot Cashew Miso Dip
This is one of my favorite dips! It makes a delicious appetizer when you have guests over. Or keep it in the fridge for an easy snack or light lunch. Serve with rice crackers and celery sticks.

• 3 large carrots, chopped
• 1/2 cup raw cashews
• 1 cup vegetable broth
• 2 tbsp miso (I use brown rice miso but any miso will work)
• 1/4 cup water

In a small sauce pan, combine carrots, cashews, and broth. Bring to a boil. Lower heat to a simmer and cover. Cook for 10-15 minutes or until carrots are tender. In another small bowl, whisk together miso and water until miso is dissolved. Combine carrot mixture and miso/water in a food processor. Process until well combined. Add more broth or water if more liquid is needed.

Kale Walnut Pesto Quesadillas

This pesto is one-of-a-kind! It is packed with flavor AND nutrients- lots of antioxidants, minerals (iron and calcium), chlorophyll (a detoxifying component of green leafies) and omega-3 fatty acids. The pesto is dairy-free, but trust me, you won't be missing the cheese! I add goat cheese to the quesadillas, but if you are vegan or dairy-free you can omit the cheese from the quesadillas and still be satisfied thanks to the flavorful pesto. Here is why I choose goat dairy over cow.

I use brown rice tortillas (available at Trader Joes or any health food store), making them gluten-free. This is an excellent way to pack greens into your family! We had it last night and Cece couldn't get enough!

Kale Walnut Pesto Quesadillas

Pesto (recipe adapted from glutenfreegirl blog)
1/2 cup walnuts
2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
1 bunch of kale, chopped and stems removed
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves
1/2 cup olive oil (add more if need more liquid)
salt and pepper
1/2 lemon, juiced
1/4 cup nutritional yeast

Quesadillas
6 Brown rice tortillas
1 cup cooked greens (I use sauteed kale. But you could also use spinach, collards, or chard).
1 cup goat cheese (can use any cheese or no cheese at all- I use shredded goat gouda)
1/2 can black beans, drained and rinsed
butter or coconut oil
Salsa (as garnish)

To make pesto:
Put the walnuts and garlic in food processor and process until its a paste. Add the kale and basil. Pulse until finely chopped. Add olive oil, lemon and nutritional yeast and pulse until well combined. Taste and season with salt and pepper.

To make quesadillas:
Spread pesto on one side of 3 tortillas. Add cooked greens, cheese, and beans. Cover with the remaining tortillas. Heat butter or coconut oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook one side of the quesadilla until brown. Flip and cook over side. Cut into triangles. Top with salsa. Leftover quesos make for a delicious (and easy!) lunch the next day!

You will likely have leftover pesto. This makes for a nice spread on sandwiches or a dip for veggies and crackers. It'd be a great spread for pizza too! You can also freeze the pesto and pull it out the next time you want to make these yummy quesos!

Quinoa Cherry Salad with Chickpeas and Pumpkin Seeds

This quinoa salad is protein-packed, keeping you full and satisfied for hours. It makes for a great lunch. Make a big bowl of it at the beginning of the week and package it up for an easy, delicious on-the-go lunch at work.

This salad is a nutritional powerhouse. For one, as stated above, it's full of protein thanks to the quinoa, seeds and beans. In addition to the blood sugar stabilizing protein, this salad contains dried tart cherries, which have one of the highest levels of antioxidants of any fruit. Pumpkin seeds are one of my favorite seeds because of the minerals they provide, most notably Iron. That means pumpkin seeds are especially good for menstruating women, growing children and anyone who needs an extra energy boost. And last but not least, kale is an essential component of this salad, providing an excellent source of Calcium (yes, Calcium!), Iron, and antioxidant vitamins A, C, and K.

Quinoa Cherry Salad with Chickpeas and Pumpkin Seed

• 1 cup quinoa
• 1.5 cups water
• 1 pinch sea salt
• 4 ounces dried tart cherries
• 4 ounces raw pumpkin seeds
• 1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• 1 bunch of kale, de-stemmed and finely chopped
• 1 tbsp coconut oil or butter
• salt and pepper

Dressing

• 4 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp brown rice vinegar
• 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp dijon mustard

1. In a small saucepan, bring water to a boil. Add quinoa and salt and cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 15 minutes or until quinoa is fluffy.

2. In a medium skillet, saute kale with coconut oil in medium heat for approx 10 minutes or until wilty. Add a few tsp of water if needed. Season with salt and pepper.

3. Prepare dressing by mixing all dressing ingredients together. Set aside.

4. In a large salad bowl, combine all ingredients (quinoa, chickpeas, kale, pumpkin seeds, cherries). Toss with dressing and season with salt and pepper.

Enjoy!