Holiday post! (Well, sort of...): PB Corn Oatmeal...aka cinco de mayo oats!

Ok, first of all...I am In fact aware that convo de mayo is not a real "holiday" (in the U.S. at least!), but for me, it's one more day I can create a themed oat bowl! 💃😂 

This oatmeal bowl is soooo good! It's such an eclectic combination of flavors, but I'm convinced that is what makes a good recipe--creative flavor combining!! I think you all will agree after tasting this one...hope you enjoy! 😊

                  PB Corn Oatmeal. 

       Or you can just call this party in a bowl. 👌

PB Corn Oatmeal. Vegan, gluten-free. Serves one. 

Ingredients

1. 1/2 cup oats of choice

2. 1 packet stevia

3. 1/2 cup frozen sweet white corn

4. 2 T PB 

5. Large handful cilantro, chopped

6. Sprinkle of cinnamon (optional, but recommended)

Method

1. Place your dry oats in a medium size loco safe bowl and stir in stevia. Set aside. 

2. Place corn in a separate small bowl and nuke 50 seconds. Add to oats and mix in water. Stir and nuke 2 minutes. 

3. Sprinkle with chopped cilantro, add PB, and top with cinnamon if desired. Enjoy! 

Holiday post!: Saint Patty's Day Salsa!

A day late, but...HAPPY IRISH PRIDE DAY PEOPLE! 🍀 also known as Saint Patrick's Day :) 

This YUMMO salsa was on my saint PATTYS day dinner menu--and boy, was it GOOOOD! This can also be enjoyed on a regular day, haha...I mean really. When is green food not the best food?! 💚 Enjoy!

            Saint Patty's Day Salsa!

  

                  Green goodness! 

Saint Patty's Day Salsa! Vegan, Gluten-free. Serves one. 

Ingredients

1. One small zucchini, finely (VERY FINELY!) diced

2. 2 oz. scallions, chopped

3. 1/4 cup finely diced green bell pepper

4. 1/4 cup cilantro, minced

5. Juice of 1/2 a lime

6. 2 tsp vinegar 

7. Onion powder and garlic powder, about 1/8 tsp each

8. Cayenne pepper to taste, depending on heat preferences! 

Method

1. Combine all veggies in a large bowl. 

2. Add lime juice, vinegar, and spices and mix well. Serve with homemade corn chips, veggies, or as a salad/pasta topping. 

Curried Cous Cous Salad

Cous Cous is one of those foods that I literally grew up eating. My mom fixed so many international meals for our family, so Cous Cous was a very common grain when I was little. However, when I went vegan (and gluten free), I gave up my bird semolina-based hot cereal. But this story had a happy ending: I FOUND BROWN RICE COUS COUS PEOPLE! Thus, this recipe was born. A new fave! Enjoy!

           Curried Cous Cous Salad. 

                          So good. 

    This is one dish j DO NOT want to share...

         Time to devour. GET IN MA BELLY!

Curried Cous Cous Salad. Vegan, Gluten-free. Serves one. 

Ingredients

1. 1/4 cup brown rice couscous

2. 1/2 cup water

3. 3/4 cup canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed

4. 1/4 cup chopped sweet onion

5. 1/4 cup chopped red bell pepper

6. 2 T raisins

7. 1 T white whine vinegar

8. 1/2 packet stevia

9. 1/2 tsp curry powder

10. 1 1/2 tsp braggs aminos

11. 1/8 tsp garam masala 

12. Handful finely chopped cilantro

Method 

1. Cook couscous according to package directions and fluff with a fork. Remove from heat and set aside to firm up for a few minutes. 

2. Return to heat, along with all ingredients except cilantro, along with 1/2 cup water, and stir together over medium heat. 

3. When heated through and water is absorbed, stir in cilantro. 

4. Serve warm and enjoy! 

Strawberry Cilantro Nogurt Mess.

So, if you're anything like me, you tend to overbuy strawberries around Valentine's Day...if this is you, too, then this recipe is your dream come true! It's a PERFECT post-Valentine's day Brek...you can enjoy the fact that you are cleaning out your fridge while devouring this goodness! Sounds like a match made in heaven to me! 

    Strawberry Cilantro Nogurt Mess. 

                       Soooooo good!

           Ok. Now I want this again...

Strawberry Cilantro Nogurt Mess; Vegan, Gluten-free. Serves one. 

Ingredients 

1. One box Morinu silken soft tofu 

2. 1/4 cup cilantro leaves

3. 1 T coconut vinegar

4. 15 drops coconut stevia

5. Large handful fresh strawberries, chopped

6. 1/4 cup dry TVP granules 

7. Handful chopped cilantro

8. Ground ginger to taste

Method

1. Combine ingredients 1-4 in your mini food processor and blend until smooth. 2. Place in bowl and top with strawbs, gRAWnola, cilantro, and ground ginger. Serve! 

World's Creamiest Hummus: Spicy Chipotle Plantain Hummus.

Before you go running away (yes, this is quite a strange combo...), hear me out. Hummus is good. Plantains are good. Spicy is good. Combine them all?! Yummmmmmoooooo. And yes-my secret ingredient for lusciously creamy hummus is none other than the glorious plantain.  I LOVE plantains. So incredibly versatile, nutritious, and yummy. When blended, plantains get ridiculously creamy and smooth. Give this hummus a go--you'll be glad you did!

      Spicy Chipotle Plantain Hummus. 

       Creamy. Delicious. NOMS. 

Spicy Chipotle Plantain Hummus; Vegan, Gluten-free. Serves one. 

Ingredients

1. 3/4 c canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed

2. 3 oz. peeled ripe plantain (about 1/4 of a medium; or approx. a 3" slice)

3. Onion and garlic powders, 1/8 tsp each

4. 1/8-1/4 tsp chipotle powder (to taste...depending on your heat preferences!)

5. Cilantro for garnish

Method

1. Combine all ingredients (EXCEPT cilantro) in your mini food processor and blend until super smooth. I added about 1 T water to get things moving. Serve into bowl and garnish with cilantro. Enjoy with raw veggies, pita chips, or tortillas. 

Tropical Pizza!

I'm dreaming of summer. This recipe says it all. I'm longing for 80 degree runs, beach vacations, everything that summer brings with it. Mostly warm weather, though. This winter has killed me.
I created this pizza on a snow day, ironically. This is about the most summer-y pizza in the world, which is probably the reason I made it on a day that snowflakes were falling. Wishful thinking, Anna? Guilty as charged...Regardless of what's happening outside when you make this dish, I guarantee you will be delighted with the flavors (and the presentation)! One last thing to say..."Calgon, take me away!"

Tropical Pizza!

Tropical Pizza; Vegan, Gluten-Free; Makes one Pizza.

Ingredients

1. 1/4 cup plus 1/8 cup coconut flour
2. 1/4 tsp vanilla powder
3. 2 T ground flaxseeds
4. 1/4 cup plus 1/8 cup plus 1/8 cup water, divided
5. about 1/4 tsp stevia
6. 1/4 cup coconut cream (I use Trader Joe's brand)
7. 1/2 cup mango chunks
8. 1/2 cup pineapple chunks
9. cilantro
10. 1 tsp shredded, unsweetened coconut

Method

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a medium size bowl, combine flour, vanilla powder, flax, and stevia. Stir well to combine. 
3. Add 1/4 cup water and stir. Gradually add in remaining 1/4 cup water-1/8 cup at a time. It will be slightly crumbly, but should still hold together.
4. Roll dough into a ball and place in center of bowl. Pour about 1-2 Tablespoons water over ball and roll around. 
5. Place ball in center of parchment lined baking sheet. Flatten out into crust shape. You will have to work with it a bit, flattening out the cracks that form. Crust should end up being about 1 and 1/2 inches thick--don't flatten too much as it is more delicate than a grain-based crust.
6. Place in oven and cook uncovered for 17 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool. 
7. While crust is cooling, prepare your topping. Add to a bowl mango and pineapple. Heat in the microwave for about 15 seconds to warm so flavors will mesh better. Remove and stir in cilantro. Let sit a few minutes for flavors to mingle. 
8. Top crust with coconut cream, spreading evenly. Place mango salsa on top. Sprinkle coconut flakes on top. Serve, slice, and devour!

Notes: 

*The coconut cream will melt unless you let the crust cool considerably (you could actually place it in the fridge for a bit). IF you don't mind a melty cream, go ahead and top after about 7 or 8 minutes. 

*You can use frozen mango and pineapple if fresh isn't in season. Use same method for salsa preparation.

Fruity Deliciousness! Yummy.

Mexican Pancakes with Un-Fried "Re-fried" Beans

This recipe was created after a VERY long and stressful day. I was tired, hungry, cold, and wanted something filling, quick, and comforting. My go-to "filling" food is beans...always! I mean, how can you not be full from all the fiber and protein?! I love beans. Loooooove them. I aim to eat at least 2 servings of beans per day. They are just SO nutritious (not to mention delicious and versatile...there is so much you can do with them!) Quick and comforting? Pancakes satisfies both of those requirements. Now to combine the two...
I remembered I had a big bag of Masa Harina Flour that I had bought for a cookbook recipe. Don't you love when a recipe calls for an ingredient that you buy, consciously knowing you will probably NEVER use it again, but buy it anyway because you REALLY want to make the recipe? Yeah. That's what happened in this situation...But I'm slowly discovering the wonders of Masa! Not only is it quick and nutritious, but it is so incredibly versatile and cheap. Sounds like a win-win to me (more creative Masa recipes to come soon...)!

Mexican Pancakes with Un-Fried "Re-fried" Beans

Mexican Pancakes with Un-Fried "Re-fried" Beans; Vegan, Gluten-Free. Serves One.

Ingredients

1. 1/2 Cup Masa Harina Flour
2. 3/4 Cup water
3. 1/2 Cup Canned Black Beans, rinsed and drained
4. dashes of cumin, cayenne, garlic and onion powders, and oregano
5. handful of fresh grape tomatoes
6. cilantro, for garnish
7. salsa, for serving (optional)

Method

1. Heat a non-stick pan over medium heat. Combine masa and water in a medium size bowl and stir well. The water measurement varies-I started out with 1/2 Cup and had to add considerably more to get the batter the right consistency. 
2. Spoon batter onto heated pan and spread around to form a pancake shape. Cook about 3-4 minutes per side. You will end up with 4 small-medium size pancakes. 
3. While pancakes cook, make your beans. Add beans to a small bowl and add 1-2 T water. Mash beans well with a fork. Add cumin, cayenne, garlic, onion, and oregano and mix well. 
4. Pop beans in the microwave for about 35 seconds--just long enough to heat them through (you could also do this in a small soup pot on the stove).
5. Once pancakes are finished cooking, arrange them as you desire on a large plate. Serve with beans, sliced tomatoes, and salsa, if you wish. This dish is also great with fajita-style veggies as a side dish. 

Dinner is served!