Two Quick, Easy, Vegan, + Gluten Free Bean Pasta Recipes: Prescription Pesto + Sesame Ginger Sauce

Who doesn’t Love pasta? Yes, love with a capital “L”.  For these recipes I used banza pasta made from chickpeas.  Bean pasta is awesome! It is super high in nutrients like iron and beneficial fiber. Plus it is loaded with protein. It’s gluten free and only takes 7-8 minutes to cook. Obsessed. I particularly like the Banza brand because it looks just like regular pasta and has a really nice consistency.  Some bean pastas that I have tried are a little mealy and chalky, this brand is nice and noodle-y.  I don’t know how else to describe it 😛 Hope you enjoy these recipes! xo

Purchase Your Box Of BANZA Here:

Banza Chickpea Pasta, Variety Case, Shells/Elbows/Penne/Rotini (Pack of 6)

Sesame Ginger Pasta + Veggies

Mmmm when I had this recipe the first time I could have sworn it had peanut butter and sugar in it with its gingery garlic creamy deliciousness.  Its just sesame seeds and dates!? What!? So simple and I can assure you this recipe will not disappoint!

Adapted from Dr. Joel Fuhrman’s Quick and Easy Chilled Sesame Noodles

Serves 6

Ingredients:

• 8 ounces bean pasta, cooked according to package directions, rinsed under cold water, and drained
• 1 pound fresh or frozen broccoli florets, steamed
• 1 pound mushrooms, chopped + steamed (or use another pound of broccoli or any other vegetable you love!)
• 1 large red bell pepper
• 6 scallions thinly sliced

For the Sauce

• 1/4 cup unhulled sesame seeds, lightly pan toasted
• 1 cup water
• 2-3 tablespoons raw almonds or cashews (preferably soaked / sprouted)
• 7 medjool dates or 13-14 regular dates (like deglet noor), pitted
• 1/2 tablespoon minced ginger
• 3-4 cloves garlic, peeled
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes, or to taste
• 3 tablespoons lime juice (or rice vinegar / apple cider vinegar)

Steps

1. In a high speed blender, puree all the sauce ingredients until smooth
2. In a large bowl, toss the cooked pasta, bell pepper, scallion, steamed broccoli, and veggies with the sauce until thoroughly coated.
3. Divide among 6 plates and serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to use.

Prescription Pesto

Yaaas pesto :-P. This recipe has got all the medicine in it, and TBH: there is nothing I crave more. This pesto is BOMB. Don’t be fooled by the word, “medicine.” Back in the day when you used to plug your nose to get the stuff down.  This powerful pesto has got the most potent DNA protecting and disease reversing foods like greens, turmeric, beans, walnuts, and garlic.  And this medicine, baby.  Just can’t get enoughhh yuuuuuuuuuuuuummmmmmmmmmm!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Adapted from Dr. Michael Greger‘s Eight Check-Mark Pesto

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 1 bunch (or about 2 cups) fresh basil
• 1/4 cup raw or sprouted walnuts
• 2-3 cloves fresh garlic
• 1/4 of a peeled lemon
• zest of 1/2 of a lemon
• 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1/4 cup canned pinto beans (I recommend no salt added like Eden’s Organic)
• 1/4 cup liquid from canned beans or water
• 1 tablespoon sweet white miso (equal to or less than 270mg sodium / serving)
• Pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients in a food processor.  Blend until smooth. Scoop onto a cup and a half of cooked bean pasta.

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The Hero Pot | Lentil Vegetable Healing Soup

Split red lentils cook in just 10 minutes and are an awesome source of iron, protein, fiber, and disease fighting properties. And to me, they almost take like cheese! Ugh so GOOD!  I make a different version of this soup at least every week lately.  Broccoli and onions one day.  Zucchini and mushrooms another.  The ginger, turmeric though.  So divine.  Give this a try!

The Hero Pot

• A large pot
• 1 red onion
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 small chunk of ginger
• 1 tbsp ground or fresh turmeric
• 1 sweet potato
• 1 cup red lentils
• ~6 cups filtered water
• ~1/2 cup broccoli
• ~1/2 cup celery
• ~1/2 cup mushrooms
• ~1/2 cup peas
• Lime and avocado to garnish

1. Prep ingredients: chop vegetables, mince garlic + ginger
2. Sautee onions and garlic in pot in 1/3 cup of water (keep a jug of water nearby to add as needed)
3. Add turmeric, lentils, sweet potato, and 5 cups of water and bring to boil for about 10 minutes
4. Turn down heat to simmer and add in rest of ingredients to simmer for about 15 minutes
5. Take your superhero medicine 😛 enjoy

 

Healthy Pasta TASTE TEST + 4 Reasons Why I STILL Avoid Gluten

 

Pasta. What a delectable vehicle for vegetables!  Add your favorite beans, steamed veggies, and tomato sauce and BOOM! An impressive gourmet dinner.  While intact grains are the gold standard (grains in their whole form), whole grains, yes including their bran, germ, and endosperm, are milled into a fine flour to make whole grain pastas, breakfast cereals, and other “whole grain” products.  A few examples of legit whole intact grains would be steel cut oats, brown rice, quinoa, and millet.

How to tell if the product is WHOLE GRAIN?

1. Whole grain stamp is on the package
2. “100%” or “Whole” are used to describe it
3. The first ingredient listed is a whole grain

Refined grains are not only grains milled into a flour, but their grain was stripped of the nutrient and fiber containing bran and germ! Murder! Refined grains are white / light in color and examples include white bread, cookies, cakes, pretzels, white rice, regular pasta, and anything made with white flour. Darn!

Don’t fret too much! The recommendation is:

Make at least 1/2 of your grains whole grains.

Grains are an important part of a healthy balanced diet for fiber, iron, magnesium, selenium, b vitamins, and lasting energy! Be sure to include them on your plate.

The Taste Test

Well before #1, my personal favorite is ZUCCHINILINI OF COURSE! Which is simply zucchini or summer squash, spirilized to look and feel like spaghetti. I like to mix it with pasta dishes to add bulk, flavor, color, and more veg of course!

#1 Nature’s Promise Whole Wheat Spaghetti: #1 in taste, texture, and nutritional profile. Contains gluten.

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#2. Bionaturae Gluten Free Corn and Soy Spaghetti: Fabulous texture and taste and with 5g protein and 6% iron, this product is ok. Low in fiber

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#3. Jovial Gluten Free Brown Rice Spaghetti: Quite sticky texture, but great flavor and elasticity.  Would go great with a sauce. However, low in fiber although whole grain. Brown rice is naturally low in fiber.

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#4. Ancient Harvest Gluten Free Corn and Quinoa Spaghetti: Texture dry and kinda crunchy, but a good source of fiber at 16% daily value and 10% iron!

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#5. Andean Dream Quinoa Gluten Free Spaghetti: Texture was definitely a little sandy.  But I must say with 6% calcium, 12% iron, and just barely a good source of fiber at 10% daily value, not bad.

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The Consensus:

The quinoa based gluten free products have a better nutritional profile, but are not as delicious as the lower fiber rice based ones.

Why I personally still avoid Gluten?

Do I go out of my way to avoid gluten?

No.  I still enjoy it in moderation. My mom makes homemade bread and pizza with gluten which I eat occasionally.  My diet is whole foods based, so I rarely purchase packaged products that might contain gluten.

Do I eat gluten every day?

No.  Maybe I eat a gluten containing meal or snack 3-4 times a week.  I am generally healthy and do not currently feel any reason to put more effort into seriously avoiding wheat, barley, rye, and foods containing gluten 100% of the time.

Why I make this personal choice:

1. My sister has ulcerative colitis, which is similar to celiacs in that they are both autoimmune inflammatory intestinal disorders. With a genetic risk factor in my family, I try to not over load the gluten as a personal preventative measure.
2. Studies linking gluten and autism spectrum disorders autism-and-nutrition-1. The GFCF (gluten free casein free) diet has been shown to help people with ADHD and autism, what else could it be linked to? I am ever curious and after reading such articles have trouble stomaching gluten (and of course would never recommend drinking milk).
3. Naturopaths recommend avoiding gluten initially when trying to avoid inflammation with an “elimination diet,” along with dairy and other common inflammatory trigger foods. With this in mind, many people have success reversing adverse symptoms like rashes, IBS, fatigue, etc (SO MANY), once they remove gluten from their diet.  I grew up with canker sores, weird rashes, and eczema so, avoiding inflammation (and gluten) is in my best interest.
4. Close friends with celiac disease so it is easier for everybody to find a gluten free delicious option!

While as you could see from the video, a gluten free diet is not recommended for the general public because it tends to have less nutrients. Be a savvy shopper and let me know if you have any questions! Enjoy those intact whole grains and plant yums! xx

The Baked Ziti That Will Change Your Life | Vegan, Cheap, Meat Eater Approved

Last week I had the incredible opportunity to travel to Washington DC for a plant based dietitian job interview at the Physician’s Committee for Responsible Medicine.  They had me stay at their guest house, The Baker House, with interns who are occupants there for the summer.  If you haven’t already heard of the PCRM, it is an organization whose mission is ultimately to provide evidence based expertise to save the world. You can imagine how nervous/excited this wanna-be superhero was for this interview!!!

Back to the ziti- The ladies residing at The Baker House, Sofie and Catherine, are two brilliant, friendly, open minded vegans that became my close friends insanely quickly.  Catherine has made this dish a bunch of times and raved how it is always a win. Girl- you got that right!  Pool money to make dinner and eat it together!? Of course!!! Which lead me to enjoy the dish that I am sure will get anyone to give more vegan meals a try. Thank you ladies!

Baked Ziti That Will Change Your Life

Adapted from One Green Planet’s Recipe

Ingredients (total cost at Whole Foods: $21)

• 1 lb ziti pasta
• 1 24oz jar marinara sauce (we used an organic fat-free option plus some that was already open in the fridge)
• 1 1/2 cups vegan mozzarella shreds (we used 1 bag of daiya shredded mozzarella)
• 1 lb firm tofu, drained
• 2 Tbsp nutritional yeast or vegan grated parmesan
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 cup vegan cream cheese (we used 1/2 of a container of tofutti)

Steps

1. Boil water and cook ziti to manufacturer’s instructions and preheat oven to 425*F
2. For ‘ricotta’: crumble tofu in a large bowl and add in nutritional yeast (or parmesan), salt, pepper, oregano, garlic powder, and cream cheese. Mix fully with a fork or large spoon.
3. Mix the cooked pasta, most of the marinara sauce, and ricotta in a large bowl
4. In a large baking pan, add some marinara to line the bottom, transfer the mixture in, and spread it out evenly.
5. Top with the rest of the marinara and finally the layer of mozzarella shreds
6. Cover the dish with foil and bake ~20 minutes, uncover, and cook for another 5-10 minutes.
7. Eat with a side of greens and those people who actually get you and still like you! 😉 xo

Catherine, Sofie, and I eating takeout from ‘Hip City Veg’ on the Smithsonian Steps

 

 

The Soup Everyone is Craving- Even in the Summer

Hope you had a lovely fourth!  Unfortunately, after the stress of the RD (registered dietitian) exam (yes! I passed! 😀), I have not given myself a break and managed to get a pretty nasty cold.  My 4th consisted of a couch, good books, and the most hydrating foods I could get my hands on.  I drank lots of boxed coconut water, ate an entire watermelon, and had a few oranges, cherries, and fresh picked raspberries here and there; that is all that sounded good to me.

This is what I made myself for breakfast today:

Thai coconut curry veg amazingness.

Was going to make a green smoothie bowl of some sort, but was craving something hot and savory.  Holy **** it hit the spot. It would be a disservice not to blog about it.

Thai Coconut Curry Soup

Serves ~6 people. 2 ladles per serving.

Ingredients:

Keep in mind I did not measure anything. I am amazed at myself- this is truly a special moment. Perseverance and practice make progress. ! Feel it out, use what you’ve got in the fridge, and at first tread lightly with the spices and continue to add until you’ve got the mastermind punch of spice that you desire. 🙂 Throw some fun in too. Makes it taste better.

• 2/3 box of low sodium vegetable broth
• half of a 1lb bag of baby carrots
• 2 cloves of garlic (used the tiny holes on the cheese grater to finely mince)
• 1 large marble sized chunk of fresh ginger, peeled (used the tiny holes on the cheese grater to finely mince)
• 1 can of coconut milk
• ~1/2 tsp cayenne (you can always add more if needed)
• ~2/3 tsp turmeric
• ~2/3 tsp chili powder
• 1/2 large yellow onion, diced
• 1 large stalk of celery, roughly chopped
• 1 boiled potato, peeled and cubed (I always have boiled potatoes in the fridge, yum!)
• 1/4 head cauliflower, rough chop
• 1/4 can of Eden’s black soy beans (mom meant to get black beans, w.e)
• 4 handfuls of baby kale, roughly chopped (I am so lazy I just ripped it up with my hands)
• fresh mint and lime to top / garnish

The products I used

Steps: this is how I made it, I am sure there are better ways…

1. Pour the veg broth in a med/large pot and bring to a boil with the carrots. (If you decide to substitute winter squash or sweet potato for carrot, I still recommend putting these in first to boil, as well as maybe your cubed potato if it is not pre-boiled already). This allows the carrots to cook and get soft and sweet, as well as add some flavor to the broth.
2. While waiting for the boil, with the smallest setting on a cheese grater (or just mince), grate the garlic and ginger into the pot. Add in onions, coconut milk, and spices. Allow to boil for about 5 minutes, and turn down heat to simmer.
3. Add in the celery, boiled potato, cauliflower, and black beans. Let simmer about 2-5 minutes.
4. I actually put the chopped kale in my serving dish and ladled the soup on top of the kale. I don’t want my kale to lose its beautiful green color or nutrients. Definitely add that in last, after you turn off the heat.
5. Enjoy with fresh mint and a generous squeeze of lime! Yum!

Make it your own!

I did not plan on making soup today, I simply used the random veggies I had in the fridge and things I happen to find in the cupboard.  Play with different vegetables that you might have like bell peppers, zucchini, basil, idk, mm brown rice? Go crazy with it! Nom nom! xoxo much love and good health to you and to me!!

5 Vegan Barbecue Family Favorites | Burgers, Mac N’ Cheese, Cornbread, Fries, Grilled Veggies

The thought of grilling gatherings used to give me the heebie jeebies! As a vegetarian / vegan / high raw / w.e., I try to stay away from the classic American foods.  These recipes are absolutely perfect for meat heads and vegan, gluten-free, even nut-free health nuts alike 😉 .  Last year I made my favorite Watermelon Mint Salad. Check out the recipe video honoring my Grampa here.

1. BBQ Black Bean Burger

This is my favorite black bean burger that I have made so far – adapted from Minimalist Baker’s Easy Grillable Veggie Burgers. My adapted version of the recipe is here.  I love it served with cucumber and avocado because the burger has so much flavor! The cooling veggies help to balance it out perfectly. These babies are:

1. Easy
2. Cheap
3. Quick
4. Healthy*

Ingredients:

• 1 cup cooked brown rice (I have learned in my nutrition classes that vitamins are lost when cooked in excess water or when water is drained off.  Thiamin, (aka vitamin B1) is lost as temperature or pH rises but it is more heat stable in acid, so it would be a good idea to cook rice with some lemon or lime juice, adding acidity to help retain nutrient content. Cook in amount of water that will be absorbed during cooking : 1 cup rice, use 2 cups of water.)
• 1 cup walnuts
• 1/2 Tbsp unrefined coconut oil or olive oil
• 1/2 white onion, finely diced
• 1/3 cup mushrooms, roughly chopped
• 1-2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 Tbsp each: chili powder, cumin, and paprika
• 1/2 tsp each: salt and black pepper
• 1 Tbsp maple syrup
• 1 1/2 cups cooked black beans, well rinsed, and drained
• 1/3 cup ground rolled oats (throw some oatmeal in the blender)
• 3-4 Tbsp vegan BBQ sauce*(Look for a BBQ sauce that is free of high fructose corn syrup, caramel color, >300mg sodium / serving. I used Annie’s Organic Original BBQ Sauce. I also really liked Sprout’s brand Pumpkin BBQ sauce that I got in the fall. Check out http://www.fooducate.com to compare BBQ sauce products to find a healthier option.)

Steps:

1. Preheat oven to 350*F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. (These also work well cooked on skillet or grill)
2. Heat a skillet over medium with 1/2 Tbsp oil, onion, garlic, and mushrooms. Saute for 3-4 minutes, until onions are translucent. Remove from heat and set aside.
3. To a high speed blender or food processor, add walnuts, chili powder,  cumin, paprika, salt, pepper, and blend until smooth, but not butter.
4. Either mash black beans with fork/mashed potato masher in a large mixing bowl or pulse them in blender or food processor.  It is nice to leave some whole beans for good texture
5. Add cooked rice, spice-walnut mixture, sauteed onion mushroom garlic mix, maple syrup, ground oats, BBQ sauce, and mix thoroughly with a wooden spoon until moldable dough forms.  If too dry, add a tad more BBQ sauce, if too moist, add more ground oats.  Taste and adjust seasoning as you’d like.
6. For larger burgers, divide into 5 patties (~1/2 cup in size) or form 10 smaller burgers (~1/4 cup in size). To help form the patties, line your 1/2 or 1/4 measuing cup with plastic wrap and pack with burger mix. Press down to pack firmly, then lift out by the plastic wrap’s edge, and use hands to flatten slightly on the parchment paper, forming a 3/4 inch thick patty.
7. Bake for about 15-20 minutes on each side for a total of 30-40 minutes cooking time.
8. Serve over a toasted bun with all the fixin’s like thin cucumber, avocado, tomato, and red onion 😛

2. Creamy Macaroni and Peas

This is adapted from the star item special at my home base Organic Garden Cafe ❤ It is unbelievable. My sister, (the cheese hound who without shame scrolls through #macncheese on IG on the reg), asked me to make this for her the very day I got back from my 10 day road trip from grad school in Texas.  Yup it’s that good. And it happens to be gluten free, nut free, low fat, high fiber, cheap, and effortless!

Serves about 6:

• 1 cauliflower, roughly chop into large florets
• 1 yellow onion, discard outer layer and chop into quarters
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• 2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1/3 cup nutritional yeast
• 1-2 garlic cloves
• Juice of 1/4 lemon
• 12 oz dry elbow macaroni pasta (I like using brown rice pasta!)
• 2/3 cup frozen peas

1. Steam onion and cauliflower until super tender (about 30 minutes) and boil elbow macaroni to manufacturer’s instructions
2. Combine steamed vegetables with salt, pepper, olive oil, and nutritional yeast, garlic, and lemon juice in a food processor S blade or high speed blender and blend until creamy creamy baby
3. Pour sauce over macaroni and peas and mix well. Transfer to casserole dish for serving.
4. Garnish with paprika, parsley, and serve to the cheese lovers in your life!

In the photo above, I used 12oz bag bionaturae brand elbows for the gluten free pasta, I thought it was pretty good! I always try new brands, what is your favorite??

3. Blueberry Corn Bread

My mother adapted this recipe from the Post Punk Kitchen’s Sunny Corn Muffins and she usually serves it with chili as in the recipe here. My mom puts in less sugar and apple sauce instead of yogurt.

Yield: 24 mini muffins

• 1 C gluten free all purpose flour (I used a brown rice GF mix)
• 1 C corn flour
• 1 Tbl baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 C sugar
• 1/2 C oil
• 3/4 C non-dairy milk
• 2 Tbls apple sauce
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 C blueberries
• fine grated lemon zest of 1 lemon

1. Preheat oven to 400*F and grease 2 mini muffin tins with coconut oil
2. Combine dry ingredients (except blueberries) and wet ingredients in separate bowls and whisk separately.  Fold into dry and halfway through mixing, add in blueberries and distribute well.
3. Pour in 8 inch pan and sprinkle a little sugar on top.
4. Bake for ~18-20 minutes. Mmm sweet cornbread perfection

4. Sweet Potato Fries

The image above is one sweet potato and one purple potato.

• Cut into fries.
• Thrown in a bowl
• Tossed with 1-2 Tbsp olive oil and a few dashes of cinnamon
• Baked on parchment paper at 410* F for mm 30-40 mins?  Nope, didn’t even time it. Just make sure they’re soft to perfection.

It is that easy. I LOVE cinnamon on my sweet potatoes but you can certainly get creative and use paprika, or herbs.. spice it up to match your flavah. Ginger powder would have been bomb too.

5. Grilled Vegetables

I have never and will never operate an actual giant grill. These were made in the panini press at 375*F. (Thank you college life #necessity=invention). Just greased the press lightly with coconut oil, and threw on some sliced mushroom, eggplant, and peeled asparagus, and BOOM!  Nope, didn’t  put any spices.  Feel free to show me up and let me know what you did!  If you are capable of operating an actual grill, my favorite veggies on a skewer are onions, red bell pepper, and zucchini. Yumm. !

Well, there you have it! Let me know how your memorial day weekend festivities go. Feel free to comment below, follow me @reinesandshine on instagram / twitter, and contact me anytime at reinesandshine@gmail.com. Cheers to life in good health! Enjoy!

Spring Rolls + Peanut Sauce. Whole Food Ingredients Only.

This peanut sauce though. Yum. !

I made these the weekend my beautiful friend Ally came to visit. She LOVED them! These rolls are STUFFED with nothing but veggies and whole plant foods in all their glory. I love this peanut sauce recipe because it tastes BETTER than the processed ish without all the preservatives, colors, oils, salt, sugar, or anything that might make me, you know, depressed! Only happiness fuel for every cell here ladies and gentlemen!

Vietnamese Soft Rolls + Peanut Sauce

Adapted from the Organic Garden Cafe ❤

Spring Rolls:

• Rice wrappers stuffed with:
• Purple cabbage
• Zucchini
• Red bell pepper
• Sweet potato
• Kale
• Scallion
• Cilantro
• Avocado
• Brown rice

Peanut Sauce:

• 3/4 cup creamy peanut butter (1 ingredient only: PEANUTS)
•  juice of 1.5-2 limes
• large marble to golf ball chunk of fresh peeled ginger
• 1 garlic clove
  
• 8 oz pitted moist dates
  
• 2/3 cup simmering hot water
  
• dash of chili flakes

Blend in high speed blender or food processor until smooth

Spaghetti Squash Stir Fry with Creamy Peanut Sauce | Oil Free, Gluten Free, Vegan

I love not following recipes, don’t you? This is just a crazy good experiment of mine inspired by Healthy is a Verb and Ambitious Kitchen.  Came out pretty bomb.  I have no idea what the exact measurements are, I was just throwing stuff together.  Feel it out, and make it with whatever veggies you like. With V day coming up, this is the perfect one to share with your hubby.  Or, save the rest for later gator! Have fun!

The Stir Fry

• 1/3 cup water, (keep a glass of water close by, this is used to prevent sticking to pan without added oil)
• 1/3 small onion, thinly sliced
• 1 garlic clove, grated finely using cheese grater or minced
• 1 small chunk of fresh ginger, also grated finely
• 1/3 head of broccoli with stem, chopped
• 2-3 red cabbage leaves, chiffonade
• 1/3 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
• 1/3 cup of mushrooms, rough chop
• 2 leaves bok choy, thinly sliced, stem and all!
• 1/2 roasted spaghetti squash, scraped
• 1/2 orange
• 1/2 lime
• 1/4 cup almonds, chopped (I totally forgot about these until after I took pic and ate some of it, makes a great crunch!)

1. If you haven’t roasted your squash yet, prehead oven to 400*F. Cut it in half the long way and place it open side down on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake for ~45 minutes or until soft
2. In a large frying pan over medium to high heat, heat the water, onion, garlic, and ginger, about 3-5 minutes, mixing often
3. Throw in the broccoli, cabbage, bell pepper, and mushrooms, let it get happy for another 2 minutes
4. Next comes the bok choy and mix another minute, feel free to add water if needed
5. Scrape out half of the spaghetti squash (keeping seeds- yum love squash seeds!) and mix that in
6. Mix in ~1/2 cup of peanut pinto sauce and mix until well combined
7. Peel orange and cut it into slices perpendicular to the way the sections go to make nice little orange pieces like in the picture. Makes for a delish orange, peanut, gingery kind of asian vibe
8. Mix in orange chunks, and top with lime to squeeze and crushed / chopped nuts. YUM!

Peanut Pinto Sauce

• ~1/2 cup dry pinto beans, soaked for 6 hours and boiled for ~30 minutes, [or feel free to use canned no salt added pinto beans, drained and rinsed (I like Eden’s brand the best, if using Eden’s, drain, but no need to rinse)] 
• ~1/4 cup of peanut butter (the kind with one ingredient only: Peanuts. if there are “hydrogenated oils” on the ingredients label, toss it)
• ~2 Tbsp maple syrup
• ~1 cup boiling water (from cooking beans)
• juice of ~1/2 lime*

Blend all ingredients in a high speed blender until smooth.  Not sure about the measurements but I think it would be hard to make this combo taste bad. Hope you’re hungry!

*I put lime or lemon juice on everything, for flavor, for peak iron absorption, and it makes me feel amazing!

Zucchini Linguini with Sweet Potato and Quinoa | Gluten Free, Vegan, Mostly Raw

Zucchini Linguini

Hello October!  While at home back in MA, the curvy streets covered with overhung trees are probably glowing red, yellow, and orange.  Here in South Texas, the palm trees are still green, blowing a warm breeze.  No matter where I am, October will always welcome the grounding, snuggly, sweater weather that requires something orange in every recipe.  This simple pasta dish provides a creamy sauce with earthy tones and a variety of textures that can be served hot or cold- perfect for Mama back home and my friends here in the heat 🙂 Balance our chemistry, hydrate these cells!  Enjoy ❤

Serves 2, One portion: 350 calories, 15g protein, 51g carbohydrate, 12g healthy fat

Ingredients:

• 2 zucchinis, spiralized
• 2 leaves of kale, chiffonaded
• 1 avocado
• 2 key limes or 1 lime, juiced
• 1 tomato
• 1/2 sweet potato, boiled
• 3/4 cup cooked quinoa
• 1/2 cup sprouted lentils

Steps:

1. Chiffonade kale and spiralize zucchini. If you don’t have a spiralizer, a potato peeler works great for making nice long thick noodles
2. Blend lime juice, tomato, and avocado, (and if you have any herbs like italian seasoning or fresh basil, thyme, or sage, throw some of that in! That’s be SO GOOD!) in blender or small food processor until creamy
3. In a large bowl, combine kale, zucchini, and sauce and mix
4. Dice the boiled sweet potato and add it to the bowl. Also add quinoa and sprouted lentils
5. Serve with sunflower seeds, lime, and grilled okra (I baked mine on a lightly greased with coconut oil pan on 350F for about 15-20 minutes, just to get it tender, I love the stuff raw too!)

Figgy-Mahn Rollz | Vegan – Gluten Free – Not Cooked

I LOVE fig newtons.  Figgy-Mahn Rollz are a much healthier alternative with a new pimped out rasta / reggae swag.  They are the perfect sweet-tooth fix, or a great energy bite for a snack or workout. Figs are high in calcium and dates with all that potassium, whole grain oats, fabulous fiber in here, phytochemicals, antioxidants and anti-inflammatory flaxy polyunsaturated essential fatty acids. What more could you ask for? ❤

Figgy-Mahn Rollz

Serves 12

Crust

• 1 cup rolled oats
• 1 cup moist pitted dates
• 1 Tbsp fresh lime juice
• 1/2 tsp coconut oil (to grease baking sheet)

If using a food processor S blade:

1. Blend the oats alone until a rough flour
2. Add in the dates and the lime and process until it forms a smooth uniform dough

If using a high speed blender like ninja or vitamix:

1. Blend the oats alone until a rough flour and pour into a separate bowl
2. Blend the dates and the lime until smooth
3. Using a fork or mashed potato masher, combine the date paste with the oat flour until smooth and uniform

To assemble:

1. Spread the coconut oil over the baking sheet to grease it
2. Spread the dough onto the baking sheet.  It doesn’t have to cover the whole sheet.  Trim edges so they are straight and try to make it an even thickness

Filling

• 1 cup moist dried figs, with the hard things on top taken off
• 1/4 cup ground flax
• 1 Tbsp maple syrup

Blend until smooth using high speed blender or food processor

To Assemble

Spread the fig paste over the date-oat crust

Roll baby roll!

Press the edge down to seal it shut smoothly

Slice into 12 rollz to share ❤