Tuna Salad

I’m not going to lie….canned tuna use to gross me out! The smell, the liquid and the fact that it looks kinda like cat food always turned me off. However, I have learned to love it and cherish it for it’s deliciousness, versatility and ease. Having canned tuna stocked in the pantry is such a great way to make simple and healthy meals when fresh protein is not available. You can make simple and healthy lunches or dinners without feeling stressed you don’t have fresh food in the house. Canned tuna is also a great way to get creative and be a vehicle for emptying out the fridge. There is no wrong way to make tuna salad as long as you follow your taste buds and intuition. Below is one of my go-to version to make. You can make a tuna melt with it, create tuna wraps, lettuce wraps, place in a pasta dish or on a salad. Your options are endless!

Ingredients:

• Canned tuna (I usually use Trader Joe's Albacore Solid White Tuna in Water)

• 1 pickle slice

• 1 celery stock

• 1/2 avocado

• 2 tablespoons wholegrain mustard

• 2-3 tablespoons red wine or apple cider vinegar

• 1 teaspoon worcester

• Splash of olive oil

• Salt & pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Open the can of tuna and drain out the water. Place the tuna in a bowl

2. Dice celery and pickles into small pieces and add it to the tuna bowl

3. Add the avocado and the remaining ingredients

4. Mix everything together evenly

5. Serve however you desire

6. Save leftovers in an airtight container for the next 2 days

Share our favorite tuna salad combinations in the comments below!

Fresh Strawberry Coconut Ice Pops

A great tropical fresh flavor for hot summer days. Bonus, there is no added sugar! All you need are reusable popsicle holders like this..

Ingredients:

• 1 lbs fresh strawberries (washed with their stems removed)

• 6 oz of bottle Bai Coconut Water (~9 oz)

• Handful of ice

Directions:

• In a strong blender mix all ingredients evenly.

• Pour into popsicle holders and let sit on a flat surface in the freezer for 12 hours before enjoying

Fresh Rolls with Peanut Dipping Sauce

These fresh rolls are so yummy and delicious. There are also a great light, yet hardy meal to have during the hot summer nights. You. can do no wrong with your fresh roll combinations. Listen to what vegetables and protein your body is craving. This is also a great dish to have for a mini dinner party since it gives people an activity to do and helps people bond and feel connected to the meal.

Fresh roll ingredient inspiration (here is my typical go-to, but you can literally use or lose anything!) :

• Bibb lettuce (this helps hold all of the veggies and acts a cradle before being wrapped in rice paper

• Rice Paper wraps

• Thinly sliced peppers

• Thinly sliced cucumbers

• Thinly sliced carrots

• Avocado

• Protein: roasted tofu, grilled shrimp, sautéed chicken

Directions:

• Cut your desired veggies thinly length wise, about 3ish inches long

• Slice the avocado into lengths

• Prep your desired veggies and have them all on a plate for easy access

• Cook your desire protein and have it cooled and ready. Keep in mind the protein is cut into small pieces so it can easily be rolled

• Grab a medium sized bowl and fill it up with warm water. Take one rice paper and submerge it into the bowl of water for 30 seconds, until it softens and turns translucent.

• Place the rice paper in one hand, then stack the bib lettuce followed by a variety of vegetables, avocado and protein

• Gently wrap and roll the rice paper so it holds all of the goodies inside. Place on a plate and try to keep some space btw each roll soo that they don’t stick together. Repeat as man times as you want, creating whatever combinations you like.

Peanut Dipping Sauce (enough sauce for 8-10 rolls):

• 2 large tablespoons of smooth organic peanut butter

• 3 tablespoons Bragg Liquid Aminos (you can also use soy sauce)

• 1/4 cup rice vinegar

• 1 garlic glove (chopped finely)

• 1 tablespoon sesame oil

Directions for sauce:

• In a bowl or small blender, mix all ingredients until it’s blended evenly. Add a splash of water to the mixture if you want it to be less thick

• Serve in a bowl for easy dipping access

Enjoy these delicious rolls mindfully. Feel all of the fresh vegetables nourish your body and system.

Miso Carrot Ginger Dressing

One of my favorite fresh dressings for salads, cold rice noodles, roasted veggies or as a great veggie dip! This recipe used to intimidate me, but once I got the hang of it, I love making it!

Ingredients:

• 2 medium orange carrots (washed, peeled and the ends cut off)

• 1 inch fresh ginger, peeled (if you want less ginger flavor, use 1/2 inch)

• 1 garlic clove, chopped

• 1/4 cup rice vinegar

• 2 tablespoons white miso

• 1 teaspoon sesame oil

• (add a splash of water if you need or want to make the dressing thinner)

Directions:

1. In a blender, vitamix, bullet or food processor combine all ingredients and blend until it’s reached your desired consistency. If it is too thick, add a few splashes of water if you want the consistency to be lighter.

2. Place dressing on a simple green salad, use a veggie dip, pour over roasted veggies and rice or on any protein of your choosing.

3. Store dressing in an air tight container in the fridge up to a week

Double Chocolate Chip Paleo Cookies

Bomb double chocolate chip cookies made with lots of protein so they taste yummy and don’t give me a stomachache or sugar headache. Cookie dough is one of my favorite sweet treats so I enjoy mindfully eating the batter* and chocolate chips as I bake. For me, it is part of the experience and helps stimulate my senses and my heart.

(*know that the batter has raw egg, which isn’t recommended to eat by FDA)

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup coconut flour

• 3/4 almond meal

• 1/3 cup baking cocoa powder

• 1 tsp baking soda

• 1/4 tsp salt

• 7 TBS of room temperature coconut oil (should be thicker consistency)

• 3/4 cup coconut sugar

• 1 large egg

• 3 TBS creamy almond butter (or cashew butter)

• 1 tsp vanilla

• 1 cup chocolate chips (my fav is ghirardelli)

Directions:

1. Set your oven to 350F

2. Mix wet and dry ingredients in separate bowls

3. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix together until there is a smooth consistency

4. Add 1 cup of your favorite chocolate chips to this batter

5. Spray your cookie sheet with nonstick spray and create your desired cookie ball sizes. I usually go for ~ 1TBS for each cookie

6. Bake for 7-9 min. I like them a bit under-done so I take them out at 7 min and let them cool before enjoying! 

7. Store in thee freezer or fridge to keep the fresh and delicious

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Q's Homemade Tomato Sauce

Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.

Ingredients:

• Olive oil

• 8 Roma tomatoes

• Half an onion

• 6 oz tomato paste

• 28 oz can of crushed tomatoes

• Whole head of garlic

• Spices: salt, pepper, dash of thyme, ½ tsp concentrated oregano, 1 tsp dried basil, ½ tsp ground ginger, ¼ tsp chili powder (measurements aren’t exact. Let your senses guide you with seasoning choices).

• Half carrot stick

Directions:

1. Prep your ingredients by chopping onions, garlic and tomatoes

2. Shave half of a carrot and put it to the side

3. Heat a big sauce pan with olive oil and cook onions and garlic on medium until slightly brown

4. Add the chopped tomatoes and cook until the tomatoes soften. Then add the shaved carrot and stir until they soften.

5. Add both the can of tomato paste and the can of tomatoes into the pan and stir the mixture so everything is evenly combined.

6. Let the sauce cook for 5 minutes. Then start to season the tomato sauce with salt & pepper and the rest of the spices. You get to play around with the amount of spices in your sauce so keep test testing and have fun as you get creative!

7. Turn the heat to medium/low and let the sauce simmer for 20 minutes or more, until the sauce has a nice thick consistency. 
   

   Making sauce is a great practice in cultivating patience and trusting the process. Notice if antsy energy arises and try to breathe and be with it. Enjoy this time while your sauce is cooking by reading a book, talking to a friend, meditating, journaling etc. Know that the extra love you are putting into this will pay off.

Serve right away or let cool before placing in glass jars for the freezer or fridge for another time. 

Creativity in Your Bowl

A bowl is defined as a round, deep dish or basin used for food or liquid. We will take the definition a step further and define a bowl as a deep dish filled with creativity, fuel and love. 

Bowl formula: The key to constructing a balanced meal is having a combination of complex carbohydrates, protein, healthy fat and an abundance of greens!  This combination will keep you full longer and will help to stabilize blood sugars.

You can do no wrong when creating a bowl. It is all about letting your body tell you what it is hungry for. Notice the balance of colors, textures, smells and flavors you combined. Even pay attention to what memories certain foods or smells bring to your mind and heart. Have fun with your combinations!

1. Base is a lettuce based veggie (lettuce, spinach, shredded cabbage, kale) (more than ½)

2. Hardy Veggies (broccoli, cauliflower, onions, beets, carrots, sweet potatoes, squash, pepper, mushrooms etc )

3. Protein (beans 1- ⅓ cup depending on type, eggs, chicken 3-6 oz, tofu, turkey, red meat, shrimp, fish etc) 

4. Grain/carb (quinoa, brown rice, brown rice pasta, buckwheat, bulgur, orzo, farro, millet, etc. ~⅓ --½ cup)

5. Fat (avocado, seeds, nuts, coconut flakes, hemp seeds etc)

6. Fruit (pomegranate seeds, apple slices, raisins, dried cranberries, mandarins, pears, strawberries, pickled grapes etc) 

7. Sauce/spice: sautéed garlic/ garlic powder is a great baseline for all of these

   1. Mexican: salsa, cumin, chili powder, coriander, cilantro, lime 

   2. Asian: soy sauce, sesame oil, rice vinegar, fish sauce, curry, peanut dressing, ginger, teriyaki, sriracha, ginger/carrot, miso 

   3. Italian: pesto, tomato sauce, olive oil and salt, oregano, basil, sun-dried tomatoes

   4. Mediterranean: tahini, lemon/olive oil & salt, parsley, creamy avocado, feta 

   5. French: rosemary, thyme, shallots 

   6. American: BBQ, ketchup, mustard, apple cider/olive oil/honey mustard dressing 

Construct your bowl with ease and enjoy eating it mindfully. Feel free to share your creative bowl variations in the comments below.

Chocolate Green Smoothie

I personally go through phases with smoothies where my body craves them and other times my body wants to eat solid food. However, when I do crave smoothies, this recipe is satisfying because I feel I am drinking a healthy indulgent dessert. Remember, this recipe is a guideline and starting point for you to tap into your own body’s wisdom to think about what tastes/textures and ingredients sound good to you in this moment. Share what you added to your smoothie in the comments below.

Ingredients:

• 3 dates (with out the pits)

• 4 kale stalks (with the stalks removed) or 2 handfuls of spinach or other leafy greens (kale will have a stronger “green” flavor so if you don’t like that use spinach

• 1 banana

• 6 oz dairy free milk (you can also use water, but it won’t taste as creamy)

• 3 tablespoons cacao powder (adjust to make this more or less chocolatey)

• 2 tablespoons chia seeds

• 1 tablespoon of chlorophyll greens or green superfoods

• 1 tablespoon collagen protein (this is my favorite brand)

• Handful of ice cubes

• Optional: 1/4 cup coffee

• Optional: 1 tablespoon peanut butter (for flavoring. Sometimes I add more if I want nut butter to be. the main source of protein).

Directions:

1. Place all of the ingredients (except for the collagen protein and super-greens) in a blender. Blend on high until everything is evenly combined.

2. Then add the collagen and super-greens and gentle blend/mix at the end.

3. Pour into a glass and mindfully enjoy. Notice how the ingredients feel in your body. Can you feel your cells absorbing the nutrients? How does you body digest the liquid love? How does the smoothie dance on your tongue?

The Best Bean Pastas

I love bean pastas so much for quick, easy, healthy and delicious dinners. Why? These bean pastas have a lot of protein, fiber, are a great vehicle for vegetables and create a balanced meal.

My favorite brands of bean pasta are:

Tolerant (Lentil Pasta is my fav)

Banza Pasta (chick pea Cavatappi or spaghetti are my fav )

Trader Joes Red Lentil

Ingredients:

• One box of these bean pastas or your own favorite

• 3 different varieties of vegetables. Tune in to think of what your body is craving or what you have in the fridge. For instance, fennel, mushroom, spinach OR kale, onions and arugula. You can do no wrong here.

• What sauce sounds yummy to you? My go-tos: vegan pesto, Q’s homemade tomato sauce or butter and garlic. I try to stay away from packaged sauces because they can have so much extra sugar. If you buy your sauce, check the ingredients and make sure the align to how you want to fuel our body.

Directions:

1. Boil water for the pasta and follow the directions in the back of the packaging

2. Take your desired 3 different veggies and saute them on the stove top with olive oil and fresh garlic or roast on one big baking sheet in the oven on 400F for ~30 minutes

3. When the pasta and the veggies are finished, mix together in a pan with your desired sauce

4. When serving your pasta, optional to add lettuce (arugula/mixed greens etc) to the bottom of the bowl for extra veggies and a fresh crunch

5. Enjoy cooking and eating your meal mindfully. You can always practice the 6S of Mindful Eating here

Quinoa Veggie "Fried" Rice

I love this recipe because it is easy, healthy, delicious and satisfying. It is also a really nice addition to eating more protein forward meals that are plant based. I like to make a big batch of this and have it around for multiple lunches throughout the week.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups dried quinoa

• 1/2 of large onion or 1 small/medium cut into small slices or diced

• A big head of broccoli (washed and chopped into 1 inch pieces, including most of the stalk)

• Half of a large head of red cabbage, sliced thinly with the core removed (washed)

• 2 carrots, washed and diced into small rounds

• 4 garlic cloves, cut into small pieces

• Raw ginger (optional)

• Olive oil

• 3-6 Organic pastured raised eggs, hormone free (or however eggs many you want to add)

  Sauce: (measurements aren’t exact. You get to smell and taste your way to delight. Trust your intuition)

• 1/4 cup Briggs Amino Acids

• 2 Tbsp Sesame oil

• 3 Tbsp Rice Vinegar

• 1 Tbsp Honey or Oyster sauce (for some sweetness to balance the salt/acid/oil)

Directions:

1. Cook quinoa following package instructions on a stove top or rice cooker. Let it get nice and fluffy

2. Steam broccoli, cabbage, and carrots until they have a nice soft crunch to them. This typically takes around 5 minutes. Placing broccoli on the bottom (closer to the water) is the best because it takes longer to cook

3. In a medium bowl, combined all of the sauces and stir well. Adjust the sauce based on flavor and smell. Sometimes I notice I am craving more sesame flavor and sometimes I want stronger soy sauce flavor etc

4. In a big pan on medium/low, place olive oil, raw garlic and ginger. Saute for a few minutes, watching them closely so theey don’t burn

5. Place the chopped onions and saute until translucent. Splash some Brigg’s Amino Acids on the onions to help caramelize them with flavor

6. Next, add the rest of the steamed vegetables so that everything gets evenly cooked and flavored

7. Add the cooked quinoa and stir together evenly. Little by little, add the sauce over the veggies and quinoa—making sure everything doesn’t get too wet. You can always add more sauce at the end

8. Crack the eggs in a separate bowl or directly into the quinoa and continue to stir evenly so that the egg spreads out. Place a lid on the pan to help cook the eggs

9. Add more sauce if it needs more flavoring

10. Enjoy this meal mindfully as you explore all of the colors, textures and smells. Feel free to review the 6S of Mindful Eating Here.

Paleo Chicken Parmigiana

I love this recipe because it feels rich, cozy and comforting without having a stomachache or feeling too heavy for the body to digest. It’s flavorful and freezes well for easy meals.

Ingredients:

• Organic boneless chicken breast (~ 2 large chicken breasts or 4 smaller ones). Wash, dry and slice the chicken breasts in half so they are thinner.

• 1 cup almond meal (I like Trader Joes bc it is chunkier)

• 3 TBSP garlic powder

• 1 TBSP onion poder

• 2 TBSP oregano

• 2 TBSP dried basil

• Homemade tomato sauce or bought in a jar. (You will use around ~ 12 oz of it but can use more or less depending on how saucing you like it. Remember, cooking is a mindfulness exercise about listening to your body and what it likes and dislikes.)

• Fresh Mozzarella ~ 8 oz (you can use less or more)

• 2 eggs

• Salt & pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Prep the chicken by washing and cutting it. Trim any pieces of fat off.

2. Preheat the oven to 400F

3. In a medium sized bowl, mix the almond meal and all of the seasoning, including desired amount of salt & pepper. Adjust the seasoning to your liking. I like to smell the bowl to make sure it smells like a pleasant balance.

4. In a smaller bowl, mix the 2 eggs

5. Take the chicken pieces, one by one, and evenly dip in the egg mixture and then evenly dip in the almond meal mixture until the chicken is evenly “breaded.”

6. Place the “breaded” pieces of chicken on a cookie sheet so they have some room from each other.

7. Cook the chicken for 15 min on each side. Total around 30 minutes.

8. Once the chicken is cooked, keep the oven on while we prep the chicken toppings. Take the cookie sheet of chicken and place your desired amount of tomato sauce on top—covering the chicken evenly. Next evenly place the mozzarella slices on top.

9. Place back in the oven and cook for about 5 more minutes until the cheese evenly melts. You can even put on broil for 1-2 minutes to get the cheese lightly browned and crisped.

10. Serve with veggies, pasta, on a salad, sandwich…the options are endless!

11. Enjoy Mindfully!

Roasted Lamb Tahini Salad + French Fries

There are so many yummy things about this salad that you can re-purpose to create other delicious meals. For instance, you can use the lamb recipe for sandwiches, serve with rice or roasted veggies. You can also use the dressing for other salads or place on sandwiches. High quality lamb is one of my favorite meats because it is so flavorful, an easier meat to digest and reminds me of my mother. Using cooking as a mindfulness practice I can pay attention to how food makes me feel emotionally, energetically and physically.

Ingredients (serves 2-4 people):

Quick pickled veggies:

• 4 radishes, washed and thinly sliced

• 1/4 of a medium red onion thinly sliced

• 1/2 washed cucumber thinly sliced

• 1 cup of white wine vinegar or rice wine vinegar

• 2 cup of water

• 2 tablespoons sugar

• 1 teaspoon salt

The salad:

• Big box of mixed greens (chopped or cut)

• The other half of the cucumber, washed and thinly sliced and chopped in half

• 3 or 4 more radishes, washed and thinly sliced

• Organic Fetta cheese

Tahini Harissa Salad Dressing:

• 1/4 cup tahini paste

• 2-4 tablespoons of water (for desired consistency of dressing)

• 1 tablespoon maple syrup

• 1/2-1 tablespoon harissa paste (desired spiciness)

• ~1/4 fresh lemon juice (about half a big lemon)

• Salt and pepper to taste

For the lamb:

• Grass-fed lamb legs with bone in (~2 lbs including bone)

• 2 sprigs of fresh rosemary, chopped finely

• 1.5 tablespoons of dijion mustard

• Salt & pepper

• 2 tablespoon garlic powder

• 2 tablespoons onion powder

For the french fries:

• Wash and thinly slice potatoes into desired fry shape. I used small potatoes red potatoes, but use whatever you’d like! I cut into long strips.

• Evenly coat with olive oil, garlic powder, salt and pepper

• Optional: use extra feta to melt on top

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350F

2. Wash and dry the lamb leg(s)

3. Place lamb on a cooking sheet and evenly salt and pepper the lamb on both sides. Rub the mustard, rosemary, garlic and onion powder evenly on the leg. Let it sit for 10 minutes.

4. Place in oven and cook for ~60 minutes. The lamb will be cooked at medium when it hits 135 degrees. If yo don’t have a meat thermometer, cut it slightly open and make sure the meat is fully cooked and isn’t red or “bloody” looking. The meat should be pulling off the of the bone easily.

5. Let the lamb cool completely before carving the meat off of the bone into small slices for the salad. I like to serve the lamb slightly warm on the salad.

6. As the lamb cooks, pickle the veggies by heating up water, vinegar, sugar and salt in a small pot. Stir mixture until everything dissolves. Place veggies in a jar and then pour liquid over them until they are fully covered. Let the jar sit in the fridge for minimum of 30 minimum. The longer they sit, the more pickled they will taste.

7. Prepare the french fries and evenly spread out on a baking sheet. Place in the over for ~30 minutes until they get evenly crispy. Stir once or twice. Once the lamb is cooling, you can put the fries back in the oven, sprinkle feta and broil for 2 minutes to get the fries crispier and melt the cheese.

8. In a small bowl or blender, add the salad dressing ingredients and mix evenly. If you like your dressing to be thinner, add more water, if you like it thicker add less water or add more tahini paste.

9. To serve this meal, use a big beautiful bowl. Add the mixed greens, fresh cucumbers and radishes. Dress the salad evenly. Place desired amount of pickled veggies on the salad. Top with lamb. Sprinkled desired feta on top. Stir and evenly mix all the goodness. Enjoy the fries on the side or place them in the salad for an extra crunch.

10. Enjoy mindfully!

Sweet Potato Nachos

Craving nachos, but want them to be more nutritiously dense? Try these yummy sweet potato nachos and get as creative as you want with your toppings. I paired these nachos with my fav green goddess soup for some extra veggies. This meal is playful, satisfying and filling.

Ingredients:

• 2 medium sized sweet potatoes. Sliced as thin as you can. If you have a mandolin, this will help make the potato slices really thin and evenly sized, however you can also just use a knife. The thinner you cut, the crisper they will be so select your desired texture.

  (Slicing or using a mandolin is a great opportunity to practice mindfulness. Notice the sensation of slicing, notice the smells, the textures, your thoughts, the placement of your fingers, feel your body and muscles).

• 1/2 onion thinly sliced

• 1 can of black beans (or freshly boiled if you are making them from scratch)

• 1 avocado

• 1 Tbsp garlic powder

• 1/4 tsp paprika

• Olive oil

• Salt & pepper

• Cheddar cheese thinly sliced

• Blue Cheese crumbled on top

• Other topping ideas: olives, pulled pork/chicken, ground meat, sautéed spinach and mushrooms, shredded cabbage etc!

  Directions:

• Pre heat the oven to 400F

• Wash and slice the sweet potatoes

• Slice the onions

• Place the sweet potatoes and onions in a bowl and lightly drizzle with olive oil, salt/pepper, garlic powder & paprika

• On a baking sheet, evenly space out the sweet potatoes and drizzle the onions on top. Depending on the potatoes thickness and desired crispiness, bake for 20-30 minutes. Flip the potatoes half way.

• Meanwhile, drain and rinse black beans and let them dry.

• Take sweet potatoes out of the oven and place them in a baking dish. Sprinkle with desired amount of cheese and add the black beans.

• Place the baking dish with the “nachos” back in the oven on broil for 3-5 minutes so that the cheese melts evenly and the black beans get warm. Watch this carefully so that the nachos don’t burn.

• Take out of the oven and top with avocado and anything else your heart desires!

• Enjoy this finger food mindfully and notice how they put a smile on your face and belly.

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Curry Kale Lentil Sweet Potato Soup

This soup is delicious, nutritious and satisfying! I could have this soup every week and never get sick of its taste, texture and how good it makes my body feel!

Ingredients:

• 3 small/medium sweet potatoes chopped into 1/4 inch chunks

• 2 large carrots chopped into 1/4 inch chunks

• 1 yellow onion, diced

• 32 oz. vegetable stock or chicken

• 5-10 kale stocks, remove the stems and chop in 1 inch pieces

• 1.5 cups dried lentils (any variety will do); make sure to rinse first

• 3 garlic cloves, diced into small pieces

• 1-2 inches of raw ginger, chopped into small pieces

• 1-2 tbsp. curry powder

• Salt/pepper to taste

• 1 tbsp. Olive oil

Directions:

Prepare all of your ingredients by washing and cutting all vegetables, garlic, and ginger.

1.     In a big pot, place on medium heat and add olive oil, then chopped onions. Cook the onions until soft and translucent (~3min)

2.     Add the garlic, wait a couple of minutes

3.     Next, add carrots for a few minutes

4.     Then add sweet potatoes

5.     Season with salt and pepper

6.     Add the vegetable stock and turn the stovetop to medium/high until the soup boils

7.     Throw in the raw ginger and, if you like garlic, you can add extra, whole garlic cloves

8.     Once the soup boils, add washed lentils and curry powder and place a lid on the pot to let the soup simmer on medium for 20-30min

9.     The soup will be ready when the lentils completely cook. They should feel soft to touch.

Keep leftovers stored in a glass container in the fridge for future lunches and dinners for the week.  You can always freeze extra in mini mason jars for easy single portions.

Lentil Meatless Balls

I love making these for the week and having them on salads, sandwiches, pasta or veggie noodles. Their texture is comforting, satisfying and these feel easy on my body to digest. Lentils are filled with lots of iron and when paired with a whole grain they are a complete protein for the body to digest.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups cooked lentils ( about 1 and 1/4 cup dried lentils)

• 1 cup oat flour/almond flour/ bread crumbs (if you aren’t gf)

• 1 tablespoon dried basil

• 1 teaspoon oregano

• 1 tablespoon Bragg Liquid Aminos (or soy sauce)

• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

• 1 medium onion

• 4 garlic cloves

Directions:

1. Preheat Oven to 400f. 

2. Chop and sauté two garlic cloves and half an onion in a pan with olive oil until translucent.

3. In a food processor combine almond flour, lentils, spices, cooked onion, raw onion, 2 raw garlic cloves, soy sauce and red wine vinegar. Blend until the mixture is fully processed. Add salt and pepper to taste. 

4. Spray a cookie sheet with non-stick oil. Make lentil “meat balls” about 1.5 inches big and place on the cookie sheet.

5. Bake in the oven for 35 minutes. Take lentil-meatballs out half way to flip so that each side becomes golden brown.

Vegan Pesto

I love this pesto recipe so much!! It is delicious on everything and I like that is has some protein from the pumpkin seeds, which are high in magnesium. I put it on top of roasted veggies, in sandwiches, as a salad dressing, as a dip for raw veggies, eggs or on a cooked chicken breast.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of fresh basil (washed without the stems)

• 1/4 cup cold-pressed olive oil

• 1/3 cup raw pumpkin seeds. I love these from Trader Joes.

• 2 garlic cloves

• salt & pepper to taste

• (optional to add nutritional yeast at the end for a "cheesy" flavor)

Directions:

1. Prepare your ingredients

2. In a food processor or Magic Bullet, combine all ingredients and blend evenly. *Adjust consistency to your liking. If you want it thicker, add more pumpkin seeds. If you like it thinner, add more olive oil.

3. Store in an air tight container for 2 weeks or freeze for later use

My Go-To Salad Dressing

This salad dressing is brought to you by my mother. This is her recipe and I love making a batch of it and keeping it in my fridge for salads or as a dipper for veggies snacks throughout the week. This dressing is made with only 5 simple ingredients.

Ingredients: (this serving is enough for about 2-3 salads, depending on how much dressing you like. Feel free to adjust serving amounts).

• 2 garlic cloves

• 1 teaspoon of seedy mustard

• 1/6 cup balsamic vinegar

• 1/6 cup cold pressed olive oil

• Salt & Pepper to taste

Directions:

I made this salad dressing with our Magic Bullet, which helps make the dressing smooth because it breaks down the mustard seeds and garlic. You can also make this dressing by hand if you don’t have a small sauce blender. I love doing it both ways!

1. Peel and finely chop the garlic.

2. If you are using a Magic Bullet, place the garlic, mustard, olive oil, balsamic vinegar and salt & pepper in the small container with the flat blade attachment. Blend until ingredients are evenly mixed. Add a tiny bit of water if you like your dressing less thick.

3. If you are mixing by hand, place all of the ingredients in a small bowl or a jar. Using a jar makes it easier to shake and mix evenly as well as saves the dressing for the days to come. Shake or mix with a fork for 30 seconds until ingredients are evenly mixed.

4. Gentle drizzle your desired amount of dressing. Keep leftovers stored in an airtight container in the fridge up to 10 days. Know that the olive oil and vinegar naturally separate so you just have to gentle stir before serving.
   

Pesto Veggie Frittata

Before

After

This is one of my favorite go-to meals that I usually make for a Sunday brunch and then eat the rest for lunch throughout the week. What’s great about this meal is that you can use all sorts of vegetables combinations and they all taste great! This particular frittata has mushrooms, caramelized onions, chard and sweet potatoes. I also like using roasted asparagus, roasted fennel, spinach or cooked cherry tomatoes.

Ingredients:

• 6 organic eggs (farm fresh is always best, but use what you have)

• 1/4 cup non dairy milk

• A bundle of swiss chard (around 6-10 leaves depending on size). You can also use spinach or kale. Washed and chopped into 1/4 inches (including the stems!)

• 1/2 large yellow onion, thinly sliced

• 8 mushroom caps sliced

• 1 sweet potato chopped in 1/2 inch pieces*

• Olive oil

• 2 garlic cloves, chopped or crushed

• 4 oz Pesto (store bought or homemade. I like Trader Joe’s).

• Salt & Pepper

• Garlic powder

• Balsamic vingar

• Optional: cheese, prosciutto

Directions:

Cooking the Veggies:

1. Wash & prep all veggies

2. Preheat the oven to 400F*

3. In a frying pan, place 1 tablespoon of olive oil on low/medium heat. Add the onions and let them slowly cook. After a few minutes, once the onions are soft and translucent, add a few splashes of balsamic to caramelize the onions. Turn the heat on low and keep stirring so they don’t burn. You want them to shrink and get that caramelized coloring.

4. Lightly coat the sweet potato with olive oil, salt, pepper and a dash of garlic powder. Place the pieces on a baking sheet and bake until fully soft ~ 30minutes. (*If you are pressed for time, you can wrap the whole sweet potato in a wet paper towel and place in the microwave for 4-minutes until it is tender with a fork. Let the sweet potato cool and then chop into 1/2 inch pieces. )

5. In a separate frying pan, place 1 tablespoon of olive oil on medium and place the sliced mushrooms. Evenly cook these sauting until tender. I usually add a splash of balsamic to the mushrooms as they cook to give thee mushrooms a tad more flavor. You can also use a splash of cooking wine. This take about 5-8 minutes.

6. Once the mushrooms are done, place them in the onion frying pan and continue to cook them together. Salt and pepper to taste.

7. Use the mushroom frying pan and place olive oil and fresh garlic on medium heat. Once the garlic is translucent, add the chopped swiss chard, including the stems. Saute the greens evenly. I like to put a lid on the pan and slightly steam the greens as they cook.

8. Once all of the sweet potato is cooked, add it to the swiss chard and stir in the onions and mushrooms. Turn off the heat and let the veggies sit together.

Prepping the Eggs:

1. Keep the oven on 400F

2. In a bowl, crack all of the eggs, add the non dairy milk and pesto. Stir evenly with a fork. Add desired amount of salt and pepper with 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder.

Cooking the Frittata:

1. Use a dish that is about 2inches deep and about 9 inches in circumference

2. Spray the pan with non stick olive oil or lightly coat with olive oil

3. Evenly place the mixed veggies in the bottom on the pan

4. Pour the egg batter on top of the veggies and evenly stir the veggies around so you will get a yummy veggie filled bite each time.

5. Cook the frittata for 45-60 minute. I personally like my frittata a bit drier so it tends to be about 60 minutes. I like to make sure there isn’t any liquid on top of the frittata by poking it with a fork.

6. Let the frittata cool once you take it out of the oven. Optional to top with prosciutto. Serve on top of a bed of arugula.

Enjoy mindfully!

Clean Pumpkin Monster Cookies

These cookies are so delicious and satisfy that pumpkin flavor craving I get this time of year.

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup pumpkin puree

• 1/3 cup butter or coconut oil (room temperature)

• 3/4 cup crunchy organic peanut butter

• 1 cup coconut sugar

• 1 egg

• 1 tsp vanilla

• 1/2 tsp salt

• 2 1/2 cup GF rolled oats

• 1 tsp baking soda

• 1 tbsp cinnamon

• 1 tsp all spice

• 2 cups of chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Pre heat the oven to 350F.

2. In a mixer, add butter, peanut butter, sugar, pumpkin puree for a few minutes until it is all evenly combined. Then add 1 egg and vanilla.

3. Next add the dry ingredients, including the spices. Feel free to modify the spice amounts depending on your preference.

4. Line 2 cookie trays with parchment paper, Make cookies whatever size you would like. I aimed for about a big tablespoon and this made about 24 cookies.

5. Bake cookies for 12-14 minutes. They will be slightly crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside,

6. Enjoy mindfully!!

Pumpkin Chia Seed Pudding

Pumpkin time is here! This recipe can be a great dessert, snack or breakfast.

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup Chia Seeds

• 1 cup coconut milk (or any other milk or non dairy milk)

• 1 tsp vanilla

• 1/4 cup pumpkin puree

• 2 tablespoons maple syrup

• 1/8 tsp salt

• 1 tsp cinnamon

• 1/2 tsp all spice

Directions:

1. Mix everything in a jar or container you can close. Stir evenly and place in the fridge over night or at least 4 hours until the chia seeds expand.