St. Patty's Day Pancakes (AKA Spinach-Banana Bread pancakes)

Here's the perfect St. Patty's Day breakfast for you and your lucky babes…quick and delicious, I promise. And they will never know what makes them green. Blame the leprechauns!

St. Patty's Day Pancakes
Serves 2

Ingredients:

1 large ripe banana, peeled

1 tsp melted coconut oil

2 tsp lemon juice (approx from 1/2 lemon), optional*

2 eggs

1/3 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk

1 cup oats 

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp cinnamon

heavy pinch of nutmeg

1/4 tsp vanilla 

2 large handfuls spinach

Method:

Add all the ingredients to your high-speed blender and mix until smooth. 

Let the batter rest for 10 minutes (it will get puffy). If batter is too thick, you can gently incoporate more almond milk at this point.

Drop batter on an oiled griddle and cook each side for about 2 minutes, or until golden and cooked through.

Serve as desired- with maple syrup (although they are plenty sweet as-is), almond butter, jam, or fresh berries.They are also perfect on their own. 

Crazy-good Granola

I'm pretty sure you will love this (gluten-free) recipe for granola. It's addicting, like in a good-but-baaaad way. Not to worry, this one is made without refined sugar and loaded with protein, fiber, and good-for-you fat to keep you satisfied for a long time. Way better choice than those Oreos that keep calling your name.

I already have a granola recipe posted on here that's delicious - but this one is different. It makes those delicious clusters and tastes so light and perfectly crunchy. I just can't get enough - and I'm pretty sure you have most of the ingredients on hand, so get cooking!

This is a perfect breakfast (think 1/3 cup atop a homemade acai bowl) or afternoon snack with Greek yogurt or by the handful, let's be real here. However you do it, you'll love it!

Mission granola with crunchy clusters: Accomplished

Ingredients:

1 cup chopped nuts of choice (I like a mix of almonds and cashews or pecans)

1 cup oats (gluten free, optional)

1/2 cup quinoa flakes

3/4 cup almond meal (or oat flour)

Pinch of salt 

1 cup seeds (I like a mix of pumpkin and sunflower)

2 Tbsp ground flax

1 Tbsp sesame seeds

1 tsp cinnamon 

1/3 cup coconut oil, melted

1/3 cup maple syrup 

1 Tbsp vanilla 

3/4 cup dried fruit (I use a mix of mulberries, cherries and cranberries)

Method:

Preheat oven to 275. 

Melt coconut oil. Set aside.

In a large bowl, combine chopped nuts, oats, quinoa flakes, almond meal, salt, flax, seeds, and cinnamon. Stir.

Add the oil, maple syrup, and vanilla. Stir well. 

Pour granola into a rimmed baking pan . Bake for about 40- 45 minutes, until toasted and crunchy. Do not stir while baking. Remove from oven, and do not stir until fully cooked (to encourage clumps to stick around).

Once cooled, add dried fruit and place granola is Tupperware. I keep half in the freezer and it will hold for months. 

Xoxo

Protein powder recommendation

I wanted to share with you all a fantastic protein powder I discovered on a recent trip to San Diego. It's made by a health company called Beaming - and if you are ever in the San Diego or LA area, you should definitely stop by for some yumminess- organic smoothies, acai bowls, delicious baked goodies, and to-go salads. I ordered their Rockstar smoothie and it blew my mind!! I also ordered a gluten free carrot muffin that was crazy good. And I love that they use homemade sprouted almond milk in their drinks! They also sell some incredible products in their retail corner. 

One of my favorites is their vegan organic superfood protein powder with added greens ($38.50). I'm very picky about my protein powders and I always scrutinize the ingredient list. This one is impressive and tastes awesome!! The protein comes from a blend of brown rice, pea, and hemp. It also contains chia, maca, chlorella, blue green algae, Jerusalem artichoke, and spirulina. It's sweetened with a blend of coconut sugar, lucuma, and stevia and rolls in at only 2 g of sugar per serving. It has a great vanilla-cinnamon flavor that I love in my smoothies and oatmeal. I even sprinkle it on plain yogurt or use it as a base to make protein pancakes. I've tried so many brands out there and this is definitely my favorite (Although I also love Philosophie products - check them out if you haven't heard of them). 

Anyway, my suggestion is to always read your ingredient labels and choose foods you could make at home. If you can't readily find, say, sugar alcohol at your store, you're better off skipping it.

Here's a simple, delicious smoothie recipe for you:

1/2 large ripe banana (frozen) 

1/2 cup frozen mixed berries and cherries (Trader Joe's sells a mix that's Great)

1/2 Apple

2 cups spinach

Handful of baby carrots

1/4 small cucumber 

1 Tbsp flax meal

1 tsp almond butter 

2-3 Tbsp Beaming Superfood Protein +Greens 

1.5 cups liquid (almond/cashew/coconut milk or coconut water or plain water)

Ice

method:

Blend all ingredients in a vitamix or high powered blender. Enjoy!!

You can find out more about their products and order them from www.livebeaming.com 

White Bean, Chicken Sausage and Chard Soup

Our month-long barre3 winter challenge is technically over, but I know so many of us want to keep up the clean eating because we feel so much better!! Hallelujah!

So here is a must-make, easy, and delicious/nutritious soup that can be made in the crock pot, or simmered on the stove. Either way, this soup is so flavorful and filling. It might just become your new favorite meal in a bowl. You can easily modify this soup. Don't do pasta? No problem, skip it. Don't do meat, just skip it. I'd suggest adding another can of white beans to replace of these ingredients, but otherwise, it will be awesome without them. Enjoy!

Mission Delicious Soup: Accomplished

White Bean, chicken sausage, and rainbow chard Soup

Serves 6-8

Ingredients:

2 tsp olive oil 

1 yellow onion, diced

3 garlic cloves

1 1/2 cups peeled carrots, cut into rounds

6 cups chicken broth

1 cup water

1/2 cup white wine (can substitute with broth)
1/2 tsp each dried thyme, basil, and rosemary
1 cup whole wheat Israeli cous cous (or barley, farro, or other small pasta/grain of choice) (I think this is totally optional, btw, but if you skip the grains, I'd add an extra can of whole beans)
1 lb. ground chicken sausage, browned/crumbled (all natural, no nitrates; I prefer the house-made varieties from Whole Foods)
2 cans cannelini beans, divided
~ 4 cups swiss/rainbow chard (add more if desired- you can really never have enough)
zest and juice of 1 lemon
1/2 cup chopped Italian parsley
S&P to taste
parmesan for garnish, optional
Method:

In a large soup pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until soft. Add garlic and carrots. Saute for about 3 minutes more.

Add the broth, water, and wine to the pot. Add the herbs. Bring to a simmer. Add the pasta or grain of choice to the soup. Simmer for about 20-30 minutes. Meanwhile, cook the sausage. In a blender or food processor, puree 1 can of beans. Set aside.

 Add the cooked sausage crumbles, and one can of whole, drained beans. Follow with the bean puree. Add the chard, and lemon juice and zest, and parsley. Taste for salt and pepper, season as desired. If soup is too thick, dilute with additional broth.

Serve with a sprinkle of parmesan, and a hungry belly.
XO

(Chard) Falafel Wraps with Crunchy Kale-Brussels Sprout Salad

EAT YOUR GREENS THIS WEEK!!! Skip the grains and opt for greens! Final week of the barre3 challenge is here!!

It's the final week of the Barre3 challenge - and the final push to stick to the plan and end strong. So, for this Make-It Monday's recipe (there's actually two here but they are meant to go together), I've chosen to skip the grains and replace them with greens. Thanks for the suggestion, Sadie Lincoln! Of course, if you must have a whole wheat pita pocket, go ahead. But for those of us who love a good challenge, make the falafels as wraps with lettuce. You won't miss the bread (that much), and you will feel so good after. Promise.

A little about these recipes…I love falafels but they are always fried and never have any greens in them. So this recipe was born to create a falafel that would be nutritious and obviously had to be super delicious. And the kale-brussels sprout salad? This is adapted from the beloved Bon Appetit, and it's fantastic. I love that you can make it in advance because the greens are so sturdy.

You are getting lots of greens with this meal! But you won't care - because the flavors are through the roof! May I suggest this as the perfect Superbowl meal?

Mission Crazy Good Green Falafels: Accomplished

Falafel Lettuce Wraps with lemon and hummus

These have a secret green ingredient that makes them extra nutritious but keeps the flavor authentic and delish. If you haven’t cooked with chard, get ready to fall in love.

Serves 3-4 (entrée portions) or 6 as appetizers

INGREDIENTS

• 4 cups stemmed and torn rainbow chard

• 3 medium to large cloves garlic, chopped

• 1.5 Tbsp tahini

• 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

• 1/2 tsp cumin

• ¼ tsp ground coriander

• ½ tsp salt

• ½ tsp pepper

• 1 15.5 ounce can chickpeas, rinsed and drained

• ½ tsp baking powder

• 3-4 Tbsp almond meal (or flour of choice)

•1 tsp sesame seeds 

• lemon wedges for serving

• iceburg lettuce or butter lettuce

•  cilantro or parsley 

• cucumber

• tomatoes

• hummus or Greek yogurt  with Avocados from Mexico

INSTRUCTIONS

1.            Add chard, garlic, tahini, lemon juice, cumin, coriander, and salt and pepper to a food processor and pulse to combine well. Scrape down bowl if needed. You don’t want any big chunks; it should be fairly smooth.

2.             Add chickpeas. Pulse until slightly chunky. Scrape down bowl as you go if needed. You don’t want to go to the point of making a puree. Texture is good!

3.            Once well incorporated, transfer to a mixing bowl and stir in baking powder, sesame seeds and flour of choice 1 Tbsp at a time until the mixture is thick enough to handle – about 4 Tbsp.

4.            Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.

5.            Let mixture rest in refrigerator for at least 30 mins. Then form into balls or little patties.

6.            Bake at 400 for 15 mins. Flip and cook for additional 5 mins. Turn oven to Broil. Broil for 1-2 minute to brown. Flip falafels again and broil the other side for another minute. Watch closely to avoid burning! (These can also be fried in oil for about 4-6 minutes per side, but it adds significantly to the calories)

7.            Serve immediately as an appetizer with hummus, tzatziki or tahini sauce, or inside a lettuce wrap with cucumber, tomatoes, cilantro, and hummus or yogurt. Serve with lemon wedges.

*Will store in the fridge, layered with parchment paper in an airtight container, for several days. Freeze to keep longer.

*To reheat, wrap in a tinfoil purse, and reheat at 350 for about 15 minutes. Or microwave until heated through.

Crunchy Kale and Brussels Sprout Salad

Serves 3 entrée size portions or 6 as a side

Ingredients:

• 1/8 cup fresh lemon juice

• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

• 1 tablespoons Dijon mustard

• 1 small minced shallot

• 1 small garlic clove, finely grated

• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

• Freshly ground black pepper

• 1/3 cup almonds with skins, coarsely chopped

• 1/3 cup finely grated or shredded Pecorino

• 1 10-oz bag Cruciferous Crunch from Trader Joe’s OR about 5 cups chopped kale with 4 cups shaved Brussels sprouts      

• Pomegranate seeds, optional

Method:

Make dressing: Combine first 7 ingredients and mix well. Set aside for at least 30 minutes.

Toss greens with almonds, cheese, and dressing. Garnish with pomegranate seeds if desired.

*I had several Tbsp of dressing leftover- perfect for tomorrow’s lunch!

*Salad can be made and tossed with dressing in advance- can sit for up to 3 hours.

Sweet Potato Pizza Crust

Who doesn’t love pizza? I crave it all the time, but when I do indulge, I don’t usually feel very good afterwards – maybe it’s all the cheese and salt,  or the bread or the greasy toppings, or the fact that I usually leave my portion control at home (because stopping at 2 slices is SO hard!!). Most likely, it’s a combo of all that.  So for a LONG time, I’ve been searching for a pizza recipe that would skip the grains, and focus on plant foods as the crust – and in the process of discovering this recipe, I’ve played around a lot.  I spent a good amount of time trying to master cauliflower pizza crust but it just didn’t cut it. It was too soggy, and fell apart en route to my mouth and while I love cauliflower, the flavor in pizza crust was too distinct. It just didn’t ever feel like pizza. Then, one day a friend brought me a recipe for sweet potato pizza crust. I was a total skeptic and very ready to abandon this grain-free pizza mission. But she said her friend swears by it, so I felt obligated to give it one last shot.

Well, wouldn’t you know, this recipe proved to be life-changing. The crust holds up like real pizza crust and is approved (and adored) by some pretty picky pizza fanatics in my life. Bottom line: everyone who tries it, loves it. You can top it any way you like, but my one rule is that you skip tomato sauce because it makes the dough soggy. Instead, brush the crust with your favorite oil (olive or lemon avocado oil are my favs), and maybe a pinch of garlic powder and Italian herbs.  Prepare to fall in love!!

Mission Healthy Pizza: Accomplished

(A little over cooked but no less tasty! Brussels with red onion, pear, thyme and almonds with lemon avocado oil)

Sweet Potato Pizza

serves 2-3

Ingredients:

2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks (it was a little over 2 cups mashed but don't worry about precision too much)


1.5 cups cashew flour (or almond flour)


1/4 cup shredded parmesan


1 Tbsp dried Italian herbs


1 tsp baking soda


1/4 tsp garlic powder


3/4 tsp salt


black pepper


coconut flour to dust your hands

Toppings of choice (I like sautéed eggplant, mushrooms, chicken sausage, fresh basil + arugula, parmesan OR sautéed Brussels sprouts & red onion with pine nuts, thyme, goat cheese and pomegranate seeds)

mozzarella cheese, goat cheese, feta, parmesan all work well here JUST GO LIGHT- you don’t need that much because there’s so much awesome flavor and we are trying to avoid a stomach ache J, remember?

Method:


Preheat oven to 400.

Boil sweet potato pieces until very soft, about 20 minutes. Drain. Place in large mixing bowl. Mash with a fork. Alternatively, you can microwave your sweet potatoes instead of boiling.

To the bowl add the rest of the ingredients. Mix with a wooden spoon. With your hands coated in coconut flour, remove dough from bowl, and place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.

Press dough into circle form, using coconut flour as needed for stickiness. 
Bake for about 20 minutes, until lightly browned.

When you are ready to top the pizza, start by brushing a couple teaspoons of your favorite oil on top of the crust, then sprinkle with garlic powder and dried Italian herbs for a little extra UMPH. Follow with your toppings and cheese and bake again at 400 for about 15 minutes to melt the cheese and re-heat the crust. Slice into squares, and serve immediately.

*A little note: while I love using a variety of toppings, don’t use too much. The dough holds up pretty well, but it’s not as strong as a bread pizza dough. Just proceed with a little caution.

Mango Chia-Tapioca (No added sugar, fruit-sweetened)

I’m a flip-flops-in-winter kind of a gal. I think it’s how I stay connected to my So-Cal roots combined with a touch of laziness (shhhh). But I admit, I should probably grow up and throw on some boots when its 39 degrees out and raining, right? I'm thinking there are other, more age-appropriate ways I could pretend it’s warmer than it really is… like take a 2-minute mental vacation to Hawaii or even better, make this dessert! Now, we’re talking! It’s amazingly simple to make, and is so good for you – way better than that bowl of ice cream you were considering. And this one is definitely barre3-approved  -- it’s sweetened only with fruit and contains a healthy amount of omega-3’s, protein, and fiber from the chia seeds. This chia-tapioca tastes like creamy-fluffy-sweet summer in a glass. You gotta try it, especially if you’re ready for some sunshine (and you really are going to keep wearing flip-flops in winter no matter what).

Mission Escape Winter: Accomplished, Temporarily 

Mango Chia-Tapioca Pudding

Serves 6-8

1 ripe banana

1 ½ cups frozen mango chunks (+ extra for garnish)

1 date

1 can full-fat coconut milk

1 tsp vanilla extract

4 Tbsp chia seeds

Method:

Blend first 5 ingredients in a food processor until smooth. Add the chia seeds and pulse until combined.

Pour into ramekins and refrigerate for at least 3 hours, or overnight.  Garnish with diced mango chunks.  You could also garnish with unsweetened coconut flakes or chopped almonds for some crunch factor. YUM! This dessert can be made ahead (keeps for 3-4 days).