Holistic Wellness Recipe Prep
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Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Halve acorn squash, remove the seeds, and bake face-down for 30 minutes.
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Chop carrots, celery and garlic if you’re using fresh cloves.
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Heat a medium saucepan or skillet over medium heat and add olive oil and chopped veggies. Heat for about 5-10 minutes or until tender.
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Add chickpeas and raisins and cook for another 5 minutes.
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Add couscous and vegetable broth. Turn heat off and cover, allowing the couscous to absorb the broth (this takes 5-10 minutes).
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Melt vegan butter in a small dish and combine with brown sugar. Use a brush to paint this mixture on the open-faced squash.
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Once the couscous is fluffy, fill squash with stuffing mixture. Drizzle with honey and enjoy!
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Peel, cube, and add eggplant to a large microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for about 3 minutes, Stir, and microwave for another 2-3 minutes or until tender.
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Dice onions (and garlic if necessary).
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Mash eggplant and press any liquid from the mash.
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Scramble egg and egg whites, then add all other ingredients (except oil) to a medium-large mixing bowl, including seasonings. These should be adjusted based on what your bread crumbs are seasoned with. Add mashed eggplant and mix well.
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Preheat a skillet over medium heat and add oil to the pan for frying. Portion your mixture into 4 patties. If your mixture is very moist, use a measuring cup to portion the batter onto the hot pan. Be sure to level the patties into patties if you use this method.
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Fry about 5-7 minutes per side.
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Serve as part of a sandwich, over pasta, or with your favorite red sauce.
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Peel, cube, and remove seeds from the butternut squash.
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Dice all vegetables. You can cube potatoes into ½ inch chunks.
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In a large saucepan (this will make about 2 liters of soup), heat olive oil and brown celery, onion, carrots and potatoes on medium heat for about 6-8 minutes. Then, add squash cubes, and continue to stir and brown vegetables until soft (another 5-10 minutes).
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You can season the vegetables while you cook, but seasoning at the end works equally as well if you prefer to check out the flavor profile first.
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Once softened, add coconut milk if you’re choosing to use it. Add broth. Cover and simmer for about 15 minutes until vegetables are soft enough to blend.
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Add all vegetables to a blender. If there is remaining liquid in the pan, pour it out and set it aside. You might choose to add it back in if you want a thinner soup consistency.
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Blend vegetables until liquified. Do a taste test and add more spices if needed and re-blend. For a thinner consistency, reconstitute with remaining liquid from the pan.
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Top with walnuts, crackers, or French fried onions. Serve with a toasted baguette or side salad and enjoy!
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Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
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Carefully slice half a cauliflower (2) 2 inch sections.
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Scramble egg and egg whites in a shallow dish.
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Saturate one side of each cauliflower steak with the egg mixture. On a plate, sprinkle panko crumbs on the egg side and season if necessary. Repeat on the second side.
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Bake breaded cauliflower steaks for about 20 minutes, or until tender.
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Simmer diced tomatoes (or a jar of pre-made red sauce) and add seasonings to taste. Once the cauliflower is ready, portion red sauce onto the baked cauliflower and sprinkle with mozzarella. Return to the oven for about 5 minutes, or until mozzarella melts and browns slightly.
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Remove from the oven, let the cauliflower rest for a few minutes, then plate and serve with a dinner salad or garlic bread.
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Start by soaking 1 ½ cups of red lentils in 2 cups of water overnight (after rinsing).
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The following day, preheat the oven to 425 and add the contents of your dish to a food processor or mini blender with 1 tsp salt and any other seasonings you’d like for your tortillas. Add water if your batter comes out too thick. This works better in a mini blender than a food processor.
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When lentils are light/frothy/whipped like pancake batter, spoon them onto a preheated pan with 1 ½ Tbsp oil (medium low heat) and cook similarly to pancakes or crepes. When ready, flip and cook the second side. Let tortillas rest on a paper towel-lined plate. You can make about 4 large tortillas or 8 mini tortillas.
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Boil your corn on the cob for about ten minutes.
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Rinse and let corn cool a little before using a knife to carefully slice corn kernels in strips away from the cob (you can place the larger end of the ear on the cutting board and slice downward at an angle, away from your hands. Please be careful, I can’t help you if you cut your finger! Take your time).
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Prep a sheet pan with aluminum foil for easy clean up, and toss corn in ½ Tbsp oil and any seasonings you’d like for roasting. You can use adobo, barbeque seasoning, or taco seasoning.
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Place corn slices on the pan, and roast until browned.
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Slice/dice/prep all the veggies you plan to add to your taco and set aside.
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Add Fage fat free yogurt to a bowl with 2 Tbsp no sugar added Sweet Baby Ray’s and any additional seasoning you’d like to add. Refrigerate.
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Remove corn from the oven and allow it to rest once it reaches your preferred level of “roastiness”. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt and fresh ground pepper.
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Split the Fage BBQ sauce among the 8 (or 4) tortillas, then add preferred toppings, followed by roasted corn. Fresh cilantro, a squeeze of lime, or sliced avocado are a great touch. Roll up and enjoy!
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Add all ingredients to a glass jar with dry ingredients on the bottom.
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Refrigerate overnight
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Stir thoroughly and enjoy topped with a sprinkle of cinnamon, sliced almonds, or other garnish
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Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line a bread pan with foil for easy cleanup and portioning. Or, use your preferred cooking spray, oil or crisco and account for the added nutrients.
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Dice rhubarb (skin on) and strawberries, and add them to a large mixing bowl with the blueberries.
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In another small bowl, combine protein powder (can be omitted), lemon juice, and honey with ½ to 1 Tbsp of warm water (just to help mix).
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Once mixed, add the slurry to the bowl with the fruit and coat the fruit thoroughly.
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In a small bowl, combine oatmeal, flour, egg whites, yogurt, salt and cinnamon. Mix thoroughly.
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Pour the fruit mixture into the pan, making sure it’s evenly coated with the slurry mix. Even it out by gently shaking the pan left to right to settle it all in.
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Add oat mix to the top of the fruit mix. Even it out, but do not pack too tightly. This oat loaf will be dense because of the yogurt and egg whites.
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Sprinkle with a little more salt and cinnamon, and bake covered for about 25 minutes. Then, remove the cover and continue baking until the oat layer looks and smells like a fresh-baked oatmeal cookie and purple ooze is bubbling out of the top.
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Remove from the oven and allow the loaf to rest before portioning and serving. For added protein, serve with more plain yogurt (the flavors are nice together) or get crazy and serve with vanilla ice cream. Cheers.
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This really is my go-to snack that fills me up and satisfies my sweet tooth during competition prep or any day, really.
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Stir, measure and scoop yogurt into a bowl.
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Keep the granola package closed and use the butt of a utensil, the corner of a countertop, or just some pent-up rage and your fist to smash the bars into crumbles inside the package. When you're satisfied with the consistency, pour it on.
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Some tips if you don't like the flavor of this protein-packed plain yogurt: 1. Don't pour the whole package of granola in at once; use your crumbles to cover more surface area as you eat 2. Crumble granola a little more finely and make sure you get a good scoop of yogurt with the biggest crumbles, and 3. Drizzle this dish with a tsp of honey if you need a little more sweetness without a ton of calories.
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First, if you couldn’t find any pickled onions, I would recommend pickling some overnight by just soaking in any pickling juice you have in your refrigerator. I pickled my onions overnight in a pickled cauliflower juice and I think they tasted great, and about the same another day later (not much stronger).
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Prep your mushroom cap by rinsing, patting dry, painting thinly with vegetable (or preferred) oil, and seasoning both sides generously with seasonings of choice. Season like you would season a beef hamburger patty.
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Shred cabbage and slice into segments no more than 1 inch long.
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Preheat a small pan over medium-high heat and add ~1 tsp oil. Add cabbage to the pan and season with barbecue seasoning and other preferred seasonings, like garlic and salt. This will be the flavor base for your dressing.
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While the cabbage cooks, preheat another small pan at a medium-low heat for the portobello cap. You can also wait until your cabbage is sufficiently crisped and use the same pan, but portobellos take some time to shed some of their moisture and absorb seasonings. Either way, you’ll need to cook the mushroom, flipping every few minutes, for about 15 minutes. Reseason as needed throughout the process.
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When cabbage is charred and passes a taste test, add it to your measured yogurt in a small bowl. Combine thoroughly with 1 Tbsp barbecue sauce. Once thoroughly mixed, do another taste test and split the sauce between the surfaces of your bun or bread slices when you’re satisfied. You can also toast your bread beforehand to make it a bit more moisture resistant if you’d like (this will be a messy sandwich!)
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Set up the rest of the burger by laying lettuce and thinly-sliced tomato on the bottom bun/bread.
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Slice your avocado diagonally the long way into several thin slices. When your mushroom cap is almost ready, fan the avocado slices across the underside of the mushroom while the top of the cap continues to cook. Cover the avocado with cheese and let the cheese melt and the mushroom continue to cook to your liking. Don’t rush this step; make sure your mushroom has had sufficient cooking time before this so that it’s not overly saturated.
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Once well-cooked, remove the mushroom from the pan with tongs or a spatula and allow it to rest and further expel juices for about 5 to 10 minutes on a wooden cutting board or paper towel. It will be too hot to bite into anyway, and letting it rest on the sandwich will make the sandwich soggy.
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Once rested, set the mushroom cap onto your bread setup, top with pickled onions and the other slice of bread or bun, and enjoy.
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Dice all vegetables and begin heating a medium to large pot at a medium heat. Add oil. After a minute or two, add aromatics (red onion, green onion, and garlic). Cook for a few minutes or until softened.
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Pour in red lentils and still them with the onion mixture to coat in oil. Add seasonings and mix evenly. Pour in vegetable stock.
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Bring the pot to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cover with a lid for ~15 minutes. I cooked mine for about 20 minutes to really thicken the curry.
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Taste test and add spices as needed.
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Add fresh spinach and parsley, stirring in until sufficiently wilted and mixed. Serve immediately with rice or naan, garnished with parsley or fresh sliced green onion.
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Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Break up broccoli if not already broken up, and toss into a large mixing bowl with room to spare.
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Line a baking sheet with foil for easy clean up, or coat a baking sheet with some kind of non-stick cooking spray (note the nutrient values in that and add them to your nutrition breakdown, if any)
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In a small bowl, use a fork to whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, and seasonings. Note that you can make this broccoli your own with any spice mix you like. The ranch seasoning was from the original recipe I modified, but can be replaced.
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Toss that mixed oil and seasonings in the bowl with the broccoli. Use a plate to cover the top of the bowl and shake it until all the broccoli is coated or you’re too tired to shake anymore, whichever comes first.
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Lay out that coated broccoli mix on the baking sheet and pop it in the oven for about 10-12 minutes. While you’re waiting, zest your lemon (garnish) and measure out your sliced almonds.
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After about 10-12 minutes, flip or shake up the broccoli, sprinkle almonds over the top (you can also coat them in any remaining oil/spice drizzle you have left first) and bake for another ten minutes.
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Remove the broccoli from the oven, let it rest for a few minutes, and plate it. Sprinkle lemon zest over the top and enjoy.
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Gather, rinse, and towel dry your produce. Set aside to rest while you make the dressing.
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In a small mixing bowl, combine Fage yogurt, honey, and brown sugar. Mix thoroughly and refrigerate.
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Chop your produce into small bites (chop or dice), removing and composting the apple core, butt of the cabbage, and red pepper pulp if you don’t plan to regrow it (you can regrow all three of these in a pot of dirt from their waste products).
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Add all produce elements to a large mixing bowl, and use tongs to thoroughly mix.
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Add dressing and mix again thoroughly.
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Portion in a dish and top with cinnamon or cinnamon sugar. Allspice is also a great topper and makes this taste a little more like a fall salad. Enjoy!
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Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and (optionally) line a bread pan with foil for easy crumble removal.
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Prep and combine strawberries, blueberries, and rhubarb in a large bowl. In another bowl, combine honey, lemon juice, 2 tbsp flour, about â…› cup warm water and vanilla. Mix into a slurry and coat the produce with it in the bowl.
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Once coated, add mix to the bottom of the bread pan and spread evenly. Use a spatula to scrape any remaining liquid into the pan.
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In the same bowl, combine ½ cup flour, 4 oatmeal packets, shredded coconut and brown sugar, breaking up chunks.
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Melt butter in the microwave for about 15 seconds, then add it to the bowl and mx.
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Do the same with the egg whites and yogurt.
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Mix in the salt and cinnamon, then top strawberries and rhubarb with the oat mixture in the bread pan.
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Sprinkle with a little more cinnamon, cover with foil, and bake for about 30 minutes. Then, remove the foil and bake for another 10 minutes.
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Remove the pan from the oven when the oat topping begins to brown and crisp up. Let the loaf rest for about 10 minutes before cutting and serving.
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This crumble is great with a side of yogurt or ice cream. I garnished the plate with more honey. If your crumble comes out dry or spongy, serve upside down and let the juices from the berries soften your topping. You can also try adding a vanilla flavored protein to the dry ingredients for more flavor and nutrients.
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Heat a large wok and add oil. Stir fry your vegetables, seasoning as you go. Cook them down to a consistency that isn’t too wet. Taste test along the way and be careful not to add too much salt or salty flavors as you go; they will compound and cook down with the veggies.
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When veggies are about ¾ done cooking, crack eggs on top and continue frying, stirring/tossing occasionally.
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Remove stir-fried vegetables when they’ve reached desired doneness and set them aside to rest.
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Constitute rice paper by adding warm water to a shallow dish or plate, and dipping each side in the water. Leave the rice paper in the water and massage with the fingertips for a couple of minutes before removing.
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We will use 2-3 wraps for each roll (nutrition facts account for 3 each). Lay the rice paper layers on a flat surface like a cutting board or plate when they’re ready.
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Pat off any excess water and lay the stir fried ingredients in a small horizontal line in the center of the wraps. Leave ~1 to 2 inches between the stir fry and the left and right edges of the rice paper. Layer a couple of thin slices of avocado on top of the filling without spilling over the left and right boundaries.
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Roll the race paper similar to the way you might roll a burrito. Start by tucking in the left and right sides of the filling by folding the left and right edges inward. Then, using your thumbs to create a barrier at the edge of the roll closest to you, layer the bottom edge over the stir fry and avocado filling and roll it away from you. Use your fingertips to keep tucking the wrap and filling inward toward you as you roll the wrap away from you. If this is unclear, here’s a demo-video.
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Let your roll rest seam faced down for a few minutes. Sprinkle with sesame seeds or everything but the bagel seasoning, like I did.
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If your roll is too fat, won’t close, or was punctured by the filling ingredients, try adding less filling to the next one. If it was too loose, too small or mostly rice paper, add more filling to the next one. Enjoy!
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This one’s simple. You’re just going to add all ingredients to a medium sized bowl and stir with a fork, spatula or the back of a spoon (trust me) until completely blended. You can also combine chocolate and pb with a bit of warm water in a separate bowl first, to make a smoother blend and reduce puffs of protein powder during mixing. This creamy sweet dessert is so decadent that I usually split it into 4 or 5 servings. You can eat it as a pudding, as a pie-filling, or as a creamy dessert topping for fruit, pastries, or crackers.
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The majority of the prep for this crisp, crunchy, filling-but-light summer wrap is in finding a flavor profile for the dressing that you love. This time, I tried ranch seasoning, dill weed, a little squirt of lemon juice for acidity, some diced garlic, salt and fresh ground pepper. There’s a ton of room for creativity with this dip/dressing because non-fat yogurt doesn’t have a very strong taste to begin with (I think some might call it a little sour?). Start slowly with one or two base seasonings, stir thoroughly each time you add a new flavor, and taste test along the way. I will say I had to add a lot more seasoning than expected, so don’t be too conservative while seasoning.
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Chop lettuce and dice your veggies. I thin-sliced my onions and did not dice those, but you can dice and combine them with the veggie mix if you prefer.
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Combine diced veggies with your dip once you’re satisfied with the flavor profile. Spoon mixture into the center of your tortilla (in the shape of a small burrito) and add lettuce, onions, and halved-grape tomatoes to the wrap.
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Add any more seasonings you’d like before you roll the wrap.
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Dice all vegetables begin heating a medium to large pot at a medium heat. Add oil. After a minute or two, add aromatics (red onion, green onion, and garlic). Cook for a few minutes or until softened.
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Pour in red lentils and still them with the onion mixture to coat in oil. Add seasonings and mix evenly. Pour in vegetable stock.
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Bring the pot to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cover with a lid for ~15 minutes. I cooked mine for about 20 minutes to really thicken the curry.
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Taste test and add spices as needed.
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Add fresh spinach and parsley, stirring in until sufficiently wilted and mixed. Serve immediately with rice or naan, garnished with parsley or fresh sliced green onion.
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Prepare your pan with frying oil and preheat to medium-high to high temp. Allow plenty of time for the oil to heat up; this is important.
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In one bowl, add pancake mix or preferred batter and constitute to a thin consistency using water or plant milk. Add seasonings, and stir well with a fork.
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Pull apart mushrooms into appropriate sized chunks for the pan and your appetite (think fried chicken size or smaller for nuggets)
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Prepare a plate for battered mushrooms that are ready to fry. Prepare a second paper-towel lined plate to rest the fried mushrooms on when they’re done.
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Dip each mushroom cluster into the pancake batter, let the excess drip off.
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When the oil is ready, fry one or two pieces of mushroom at a time, turning over after 2-3 minutes. These will fry quickly if you don’t crowd the pan. Remove from oil when crispy and add seasonings to taste while they’re still hot.
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Serve with any dipping or hot sauce of your choice. I made a lemon-dill dipping sauce with lemon juice, garlic, dill leaves, and Fage yogurt and it smacked!!
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​Cube and add watermelon and cucumbers to a bowl.
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Add blueberries, chopped mint leaves, and any other flavors you’d like. This salad would probably also be great with dill, a little salt, a few diced red onions, or even cayenne pepper for a little kick.
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Top with crumbled bleu cheese, or an alternative soft cheese or vegan substitute.
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Add everything to a small mason jar or similar and refrigerate. I upcycled some clean glass jars from other foods. I also like to add the milk the next day to keep a thicker oat consistency. Refrigerate overnight, mix the next morning and enjoy with your coffee.
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Swap out protein powders, add fruit, nuts or seeds to make it your own. These are unbelievably delicious!
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Boil, peel and separate 6 egg whites into a prep or large storage bowl
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Drain, rinse, and pat dry 1 can of chickpeas, then add to the bowl
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Add mustard, diced celery, diced onion, and any other veggies you want to add (this would also be great with tomatoes, cucumber, bell peppers, green onions, etc.
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Add yogurt, stir together and smash if desired. I usually use the tip of a knife to slice through the mixture repeatedly as part of the mixing/smashing process
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Sprinkle with your everything but the bagel or other seasoning, and serve as a sandwich, in lettuce or flour tortillas, or with pita or chips.
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Soak dates in warm water for about 20 minutes, then add PB2 to the date/water mixture to constitute the peanut butter.
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Drain tofu and blend all ingredients in a food processor. Line a shallow baking or other dish with wax paper. When smooth, pour mix into lined dish, top with your garnish of choice, and freeze for 2-3 hours.
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When ready to serve, remove nice cream from freezer and let it rest for 5-10 minutes before portioning into 8 bars. Alternatively, keep it in the pan and enjoy with a spoon!
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Slice each date the long way from end to end, and remove the pits. Open up the date centers a little bit without tearing the date.
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Constitute PB2 to thick consistency with about 3 Tbsp of water. Once it looks like jarred peanut butter, use a spoon to fill each date with peanut butter. Refrigerate for ~10 minutes to let the peanut butter harden a little.
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Crush cashews, peanuts, or other nuts while the peanut butter settles. The smaller the nut crumbles, the better.
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Heat chocolate on the stovetop (which may require a double-boiler and the addition of 1 tbsp coconut oil) or in the microwave. To microwave, use a safe dish and heat chocolate for 1-3 minutes, stirring every 15-20 seconds. Do not overheat.
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Coat or drizzle the dates in chocolate and allow to rest on a cooling rack. Sprinkle each date with crushed nuts and let them harder in the refrigerator.
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Measure out and stir your portion of yogurt
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Smash granola thoroughly using the butt of a knife or other utensil to contain the crumbles within the wrapper. Open when finished and further crumble according to your preference. Distribute the granola evenly on top of the yogurt, stirring if you prefer.
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Drizzle with 1 tsp of honey for that sticky sweet aesthetic snack.
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Open all of your canned ingredients and drain chickpeas.
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Dice garlic and onions. Preheat a deep pan on medium heat and add 1 Tbsp olive oil. Add onions and garlic.
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Sauté garlic and onion mix for about 6-7 minutes, or until they reach desired softness. I like a little texture in my cooked vegetables so I stir and char continuously for about 5 minutes. Cook longer if you want these ingredients to be softer.
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Season your onion and garlic mix with your first round of seasonings. Season at every step of the cooking process.
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Add tomato paste and drained chickpea. Mash chickpeas as much or as little as you want in the pan. You can also leave them whole.
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Season again and let the mixture cook for about 3-4 minutes.
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Add coconut milk and reduce heat to somewhere in the low-3 range.
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Continue stirring the curry as it cooks, tasting and adding seasoning as you go.
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Chop and add fresh spinach as the curry thickens, if desired.
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When curry is thick and the flavors are right for your palette, remove it from heat and serve over rice if desired
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​Soak cashews in water overnight at room temperature. (I was impatient and soaked the cashews for as long as it took to blend cupcake ingredients. I think my icing came out great but would probably have been smoother/creamier if soaked overnight.)
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Blend together carrot cake cup ingredients in a food processor, excluding plant milk. Add plant milk 1 tsp at a time, scraping the mixture off of the inside of the processor.
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Grease muffin tin or use 6 to 7 paper cupcake wrappers to line. Note that using grease will add calories and fat to your nutrient breakdown for each.
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Divide mixture into cupcake papers/greased tin, and press each into a bowl shape within the wrapper/tin.
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Combine and blend icing ingredients in the food processor. Use a spoon, icing bag, or ziplock bag with a small corner cut off to funnel the icing into the cups. Add crumbled walnut or coconut on top if you want a garnish. Freeze for 3 hours.
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When you’re ready to try them, let them thaw for 5-7 minutes before you eat them. These are not extremely sweet, so you can sprinkle coconut flakes, honey or maple syrup, or cinnamon sugar on top if you want some extra sweetness. Photo shows vanilla ice cream and a cinnamon stick garnish.
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Preheat the oven to 400 degrees
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Slice a sweet potato in ¼ inch thick sticks and toss them in a bowl with olive oil, rosemary and parsley.
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Arrange the sticks on a baking sheet and bake for about 15 minutes, turning fries once to brown both sides.
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In a separate small bowl, combine honey or maple syrup with greek yogurt.
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Remove sticks from the oven when both sides are browned to your liking and the inside of the sticks are soft. You can air fry these if you prefer them crispier. Sprinkle salt and plate the fries.
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Enjoy your savory rosemary sweet potatoes and high-protein honey dip!
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Dice onions, press and dice garlic cloves, and slice mushrooms to desired thickness.
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Heat a large shallow pan over medium high heat and add olive oil, crushed garlic and onions when the pan is hot. Use a spatula to coat onions and garlic with oil and let them cook for 2-3 minutes.
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Add mushrooms to the pan and coat them with oil. Let everything cook for another 5 minutes, stirring as needed (don’t let anything become stuck on the pan or too charred). Season with garlic, salt, pepper, mustard and lemon juice, beginning with the spices and adding lemon juice last.
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Add coconut milk to the pan and reduce to a medium-range heat.
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If preparing with spaghetti squash, preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Halve the squash and remove the seeds. Cover face with aluminum foil and bake face up with a light coating of olive oil and seasonings of choice (I used garlic salt and ground pepper) for about 25 minutes or until the flesh of the squash easily shreds with a fork.
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If preparing with rice using a rice cooker, start your rice now.
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Let the sauce thicken by allowing it to simmer (more like a controlled, gentle boil) for about 20-25 minutes, or until it reaches your desired thickness. Stir every few minutes and taste test/add seasonings to taste while you cook.
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Let it rest for about 5 minutes before serving over shredded spaghetti squash, basmati rice, or pasta/starch of your choice.
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Preheat oven to 400 degrees
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Drain, rinse and allow chickpeas to dry. Toss them in a bowl with about a tsp of olive oil and seasonings like salt, garlic, paprika or barbeque seasoning.
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Bake for ~20 minutes on a baking sheet or fry in an air frier until crunchy.
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Chop kale and massage with your hands to soften it.
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Dice onions and halve tomatoes. Cut cucumber into small (bite-sized) cubes. Add to a large bowl with the kale and prepare dressing.
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Blend silken tofu, lemon juice, garlic powder, fresh herbs like parsley or cilantro, and any other seasonings you want to add (including salt and pepper). Once blended, taste test and adjust to taste. Serving size is 1/4 cup.
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Add one serving of dressing to the bowl with the vegetables. Coat the vegetables with dressing then plate them.
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Remove chickpeas from the oven and allow them to rest. Once they're warm to cool, add them to the salad and top with additional dressing if you'd like.
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This salad would probably also be great with spinach if kale isn't your thing, or added toppings like olives, artichoke hearts, sunflower seeds, or dried cranberries.
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Chop onions, celery and carrots. Shred cabbage into 1/4 inch or smaller strips. Crush and dice garlic if you're using fresh cloves.
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Drain, press, and cut tofu into small cubes. Set aside.
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Preheat a large soup pot to med-high heat and add ~2 tbsp olive oil
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Once preheated, add onions and garlic and allow them to brown for ~5 minutes at medium high heat, stirring occasionally. This is also a great first point to add some seasonings. I like garlic salt, salt, pepper, thyme and a little parsley.
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Once onions begin to brown and the kitchen smells great, add the cabbage. Allow that to cook for another ~5 minutes before adding the remaining vegetables.
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Continue cooking, stirring, and seasoning your vegetables until they begin to soften.
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Reduce heat to medium-low or simmer and add vegetable broth. Allow to cook gently or simmer for about a half hour.
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Add tofu to the pot as the soup is almost finished. Taste test periodically to make sure your seasonings were adequate and adjust according to taste. Alternatively, you could pan fry the tofu before adding to the pot for firmer, crispier tofu bites.
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Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil.
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Prep brussels sprouts by washing, slicing off stem ends/dried portions and halving them. Toss into a small mixing bowl with olive oil and seasoning. Bake until desired crispiness, ~10-15 minutes.
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In another bowl, mix cranberries, pecans and maple syrup
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When brussels are approaching doneness, add cranberry mix to the baking sheet. Bake for the remaining 5 or 6 minutes. Be careful not to char pecans.
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Serve tossed together in a bowl. Add a sprinkle of salt if preferred. The high-fat content of this dish aids in absorption of the micronutrients in both cranberries and sprouts, and the flavor profile is amazing!
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Set crock pot to low heat and open all of the canned ingredients
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Mix chili beans, diced tomatoes and corn in the crock pot. Drain the other beans and add to the mixture
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Add a generous layer of seasonings to the crock pot and mix thoroughly
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Dice onions and peppers and mix into the crock pot. Add another generous layer of your seasonings of choice on top of the mixture and stir thoroughly one more time.
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Keep the chili covered and cook on low for several hours. Check in houry to taste test and add seasonings as needed. Longer, slower cooking means deeper flavor. If you’re looking for convenience, cook on high heat for two hours checking in every half hour. Keep in mind that times are approximate and once the chili reaches temp, it can be eaten anytime. Fresh produce ingredients will soften more as it cooks longer. Crockpot chili is a great way to experiment with herbs, spices and vegetable flavors.
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Boil 6 eggs and allow to chill before prepping the salad. Eggs should be cold when added to the salad.
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Finely slice or chop up about 2 cups of romaine and toss them into a mixing bowl with 1 tbsp of oil and vinegar dressing. Coat the lettuce with dressing and fresh ground pepper to taste (leave the pepper off if you don’t like it). Once coated, add lettuce to your salad bowl.
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Thin slice your red onion and arrange on top of the salad, followed by diced or sliced tomatoes. Half or quarter your strawberries and arrange them on top of your salad. Sprinkle bleu cheese on top. Note that bleu cheese is high in fats and therefore very calorie dense. Measuring this ingredient accurately is important.
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Break apart or slice 6 eggs into halves, quarters, or chunks. Remove and compost the egg yolks. Again, egg yolks contain a lot of cholesterol, bringing your calorie and fat total much higher if included. Make that decision according to your health goals and what works for your diet.
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Add egg whites to your salad, grind some fresh pepper to taste, and enjoy!
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Preheat waffle iron
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Combine protein powder, liquid egg whites, and Kodiak Cakes mix in a mixing bowl. Add water if the mixture does not easily drip from the fork or spatula. Let the mixture rest for 5-10 minutes before baking.
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When waffle iron and waffle mix are ready, sprinkle rolled oats into waffle grids. Add waffle mix, sprinkle oats on top half, and bake. I use .1 cup total of rolled oats, and get between 8-9 mini waffles out of this recipe (so about 10-15 oat flakes on each side of the waffles, skip if this doesn’t appeal to you).
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When waffles are done, use a butter knife to finely shave vegan butter from the tub and let it melt while you cook the second half of the batter. Top with 2 tbsp of honey.
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These protein-packed waffles will be very dry if not enough egg whites or water are used, or if too much protein powder is added. Find the balance that works for you and enjoy with fat-free milk for more moisture and even more protein.
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Preheat frying oil to medium high (6-7 on the dial). It’s important that oil has adequate time to heat before frying eggs, so that eggs come out crispy and light with a liquid yolk. Overfry if you prefer a less messy, more solid yolk. Test oil by splashing a TINY amount of water into the pan. The oil WILL react aggressively if it’s very hot so test only with a small drop of water.
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Crack eggs into fry oil, season both sides as they cook with salt and pepper. If oil is hot enough, this should only take 2-3 minutes per side. Longer cooking times are required for cooler frying oil.
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Toast Arnold Multigrain Sandwich Thins in toaster while eggs cook.
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Slice or smash (your preference) ½ avocado and spread evenly across both halves of the sandwich thins. You can add finely chopped onion, tomato, or a bit of cilantro and lime extract to your avocado to create more of a guacamole taste.
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Once removed from oil, allow eggs to rest on a paper towel where they can eliminate excess oil. Top the avocado thins with the fried eggs and enjoy with your morning coffee or tea.
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Heat pan on medium-high heat
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Chop or break apart broccoli to bite-sized pieces. Dice onions
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When pan is hot, add 1.5 tsp to pan to melt. Once melted, add veggies and season to taste (I use a salt/pepper/garlic mixture. You can use Montréal steak seasoning, taco seasoning, or anything that gets you going without adding too much sodium).
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Sauté vegetables until charred and smelling nice without cooking too long and making them soft (retain the crunch to balance your dish, higher heat for a shorter cook time is key if your veggies are cooking too soft).
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While veggies cook, mix egg white and egg with a fork in a separate bowl. Add pepper to taste. If there is salt in your vegetable seasoning, do not add salt.
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When veggies are ready, reduce stovetop heat to low (2-3 on the dial).
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Add egg mixture and cook slowly, flipping, chopping, and otherwise making sure they cook thoroughly as you go.
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Toast your bread. Top with butter substitute when toasted.
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Add egg scramble and toast to your plate. Enjoy with hot sauce or ketchup to taste. Substitute broccoli for vegetables like asparagus, high-quality mushrooms, or diced tomatoes if you prefer. If using tomatoes, add them fresh at the end to avoid saturating the egg dish with liquid.
Prep:
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Combine pancake mix, milk or egg whites, and water in a mixing bowl. Let for 5-10 minutes as you set up and preheat your pan.
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When the pan is hot, sprinkle rolled oats in a small circle in the middle of the pan and pour batter evenly into the pan. Top exposed side with another sprinkle of rolled oats.
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Cook until golden brown. When pancakes are ready, top with vegan butter and honey.
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Straight up enjoy, my friend.
A Healthy Smoothie Recipe for Protein
Prep:
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Measure and combine all ingredients in a blender and blend for 3-5 minutes, ensuring ice cubes are crushed. I typically use a spatula to ensure no peanut butter or protein powder sticks to the blender, then blend again. This makes a huge portion, so if you’re not packing on protein right now and you’re enjoying this smoothie alone, more minor portioned ingredients might be necessary. Avoid going too heavy on the ice for volume purposes.
A Bowl of Burrito Recipe for a Balanced Diet
Prep:
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Begin cooking rice either following stovetop directions or using a rice cooker. This part takes the longest. I sprinkle a little Adobo in my rice cooker for flavor.
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Slowly cook your black beans on the stovetop, seasoning them with garlic, taco seasoning, salt, or pepper, whichever suits your palette.
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While cooking rice and beans, prep lettuce, tomato, and onion by slicing/shredding and dicing tomato and onion.
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Add diced cilantro if desired once the rice is cooked, and line the bottom of your burrito bowl with the rice. Add black beans on top, followed by shredded mozzarella. If you prefer a melted cheese vibe, allow these ingredients to rest, covered.
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Add shredded lettuce, tomatoes, and onions on top. For added flavor, calories, and fats, top with guacamole or sour cream (if it fits your macros/fitness goals)
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Enjoy the heck out of this dish.
Recipe of Chickpea Chocolate Chip Cookies
Prep:
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Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a muffin tin or line with cupcake liners.
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In a food processor, blend chickpeas, peanut butter, and maple syrup until creamy.
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Once creamy, add vanilla extract, baking soda, and baking powder.
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Chill in the freezer for about 5 minutes. Fold in chocolate chips.
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Portion batter into 6 cups (6 cookies) and sprinkle with flaky salt.
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Bake for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and let cookies cool before serving.
Sweet Plantains and Fried Eggs Recipes
Prep:
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Preheat frying oil to medium high (6-7 on the dial). It’s important that oil has adequate time to heat before frying eggs, so that eggs come out crispy and light with a liquid yolk. Over-fry if you prefer a less messy, more solid yolk. Test oil by splashing a TINY amount of water into the pan. The oil WILL react aggressively if it’s very hot so test with only a small drop of water.
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Crack eggs into fry oil, season both sides as they cook with salt and pepper. If oil is hot enough, this should only take 2-3 minutes per side. Longer cooking times are required for cooler frying oil.
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Once removed from oil, allow eggs to rest on a paper towel where they can eliminate excess oil.
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In a separate, smaller frying pan, heat oil to medium-low heat and again test the oil with a droplet of water to make sure it’s hot enough before frying plantains.
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Peel ripened plantain and slice into 1-inch sections.
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Drop each piece of plantain into the oil when hot. Fry each side for 2-5 minutes, cooking to a golden brown color. Sprinkle cinnamon and sugar on the surface of both sides while cooking.
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Once golden brown on both sides, remove from oil and line the bottom of your bowl with plantains. Top with hot fried eggs and enjoy the sweet and savory combo of drippy egg yolk and cinnamon sweet plantains.
Black Bean Tacos Recipe
Prep:
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Suppose you have a rice cooker; prep and begin cooking rice. Otherwise, prep rice and prepare it according to package instructions. I add a little adobo while it’s cooking.
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Slowly cook black beans on the stovetop using low heat (2-3)—season with your favorite spices (garlic, salt, and pepper) or a taco seasoning mix.
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While rice and beans cook, thinly slice romaine, dice tomatoes, and dice onions.
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If you prefer, warm tortillas in the microwave for 20-30 seconds or in the oven.
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Line tortillas with rice and then beans when rice and beans are finished cooking (about 15 minutes). Top with mozzarella cheese, then lettuce, tomato and onion.
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Enjoy them with salsa, sour cream, and fresh guacamole, or enjoy them as they are.
Three Ingredient Samosas Recipe
Prep:
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Line a baking sheet or cover a cutting board with parchment paper
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Prepare a double boiler (or one pot snuggly inside of a pot of similar size) and melt chocolate chips or bark over boiling water
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While heating the chocolate, peel and mash two ripe bananas and add coconut. Arrange the mixture in desired shapes (donut shape is traditional) on parchment paper.
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When the chocolate is completely melted, use a spoon to drizzle it over the arranged cookies. Let the cookies rest in the refrigerator for two hours and enjoy.
​Honey Oatmeal Bowl Recipe
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Cook rolled oats to the preferred texture according to label instructions
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Add oats to bowl and top with cranberry mix (or alternative), then drizzle honey across the top
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Measure and add milk to cool and add moisture to the dish.
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Enjoy this very biblical oat-honey-milk combination with coffee or tea.
​Healthy Burritos Recipe for Breakfast
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Chop or break apart fresh broccoli and dice onions and pepper.
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Heat pan on medium-high heat and add Smart balance butter substitute when pan is hot
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Add veggies to pan and season to taste. I use a salt/pepper/garlic mixture. Veggies are ready when they’re slightly charred. Higher heat will retain veggie crispness and add seasoned flavor.
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While veggies cook, mix egg whites and milk in a bowl with a fork. Season with pepper.
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When veggies are cooked to your liking, turn heat down to a low setting (2-3 on the dial)
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Add liquid eggs and milk mixture to the pan. Slow cook, flipping, chopping and otherwise ensuring eggs cook throughout the mixture.
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Warm tortillas in a pan or microwave and have your plate ready to add eggs.
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When egg mixture is done cooking, allow any excess moisture to simmer off and add shredded mozzarella when liquid evaporation is complete. Note that this mixture can be pretty moist, so taking the time to cook thoroughly will give you a better dish.
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Add eggs and melted mozzarella to tortillas, roll and enjoy!