All posts filed under: Snacks

Calcium-rich Chocolate Energy Smoothie

I created this chocolate energy smoothie when I was pregnant and attending culinary school in New York.  I was also simultaneously interning at a busy restaurant near Union Square in order to fulfill my program requirements before I was too far along to fly back home to Los Angeles to deliver my baby. This meant I was at school everyday by 9 AM until late afternoon when I would head to the restaurant and work through piles of vegetables—peeling, chopping, pickling, and all other manners of readying them for cooking.  If you’ve ever seen the inside of a Michelin starred New York City kitchen you’ll know that despite the efficient calm of the dining room, the activity behind the swinging doors most closely resembles a beehive. Numerous worker bees attend to their designated tasks in the hopes of keeping the queen bee (in this case the managing chef) happy while the customers outside enjoy the honey.  All in all it meant that I was on my feet from about 8 AM until midnight, without the …

Healthy Vegan Shamrock Shake

Minty Feel Good Shamrock Smoothie

With St. Patty’s Day coming up I was hit with a touch of nostalgia today. I was remembering my days as a kid when March was a particularly exciting month because it meant I got to get a Shamrock Shake at my weekly trip to Mc Donald’s. I haven’t had fast food in years, but the memory left me craving a cold minty-vanilla beverage with a preternatural hue. So, of course, I decided to create a version using all natural feel good ingredients. It turned out to be so  delicious, it was hard to stop myself from drinking it all before I took pictures! Below you’ll find the recipe for this sweet, creamy, Shamrock Smoothie. It’s vibrant color looks all the more beautiful when you know it’s not made with a bunch of artificial food colors. Instead we use a touch of blue-green algae called Spirulina that is quite possibly the most nutritious food on the planet. You can find it in the supplement or superfood section of natural food markets and health food stores. …

Spicy Buffalo Tofu Fingers with Creamy Avocado Ranch Dressing

Game Day Spicy Buffalo Tofu Fingers with Avocado Ranch Dressing

 I make these Spicy Buffalo Tofu Fingers for Super Bowl every year. They are always a big hit with vegans and meat eaters alike so I wanted to share the recipe before the big game this Sunday. You don’t have to be watching a sporting event to enjoy these, but they do happen to have a spicy kick that stands up nicely to a cold beer and a loud television. I like to use Wildwood Organic Tofu made with sprouted soybeans because it is vacuum sealed rather than packed in water, but any extra-firm tofu will work. I use an organic Jalapeño Hot Sauce, but you can use any hot sauce you like, Just make sure vinegar is listed as an ingredient, to ensure that you get the right flavor. My favorite Sriracha comes from Organicville.  All of these ingredients are available at Whole Foods or other natural foods markets. Try them with my creamy Avocado-Herb Ranch Dressing.  It’s the perfect cooling compliment to these spicy treats. Nutritional Highlights: Tofu is a complete protein, containing all 9 …

Quick Ginger-Chili Pickled Persimmon

Ginger-Chili Pickled Persimmon are my favorite pickles of all! They are delicious on salads or as a tangy-sweet snack. Persimmon are only available for a short time each year, so this is the perfect way to save the season, and only takes five minutes to make! Quick Ginger-Chili Pickled Persimmon Ingredients: 5 Fuyu Persimmon, sliced into 1/4 inch rounds, seeds discarded 1.5 cups Raw Apple Cider Vinegar 2/3 cup Raw Cane Sugar or Coconut Sugar 1 inch Ginger, sliced 1/2 tsp Chili Flakes 1 Tbsp Kosher Salt 1/2 tsp Black Peppercorns 1/8 tsp Saffron Directions: Stuff a pint-sized mason jar with the persimmons, add the vinegar, sugar and spices. Lightly shake so everything dissolves, and stick them in the fridge. They will keep for several weeks in the unlikely event you don’t eat them sooner. Notes: If you would like to heat process, fill the mason jars with the persimmon then bring the vinegar, sugar, and spices to a boil. Stir until everything dissolves then pour into the jar leaving 1/4 inch headroom, wipe the rim …

Healthy vegan chocolate chip cookie

Feel Good Chocolate Chip Cookies made with Oats Almond Butter and Banana (Vegan)

Now that my baby is almost a year old, a shocking amount solid food is passing through those tiny lips. He seems to always be hungry so I thought I better start working on some healthy snack food recipes. These chocolate chip cookies really fit the bill. They’re made with a few simple, nourishing ingredients, and are vegan and gluten-free. They’re also really quick to make, which is a big bonus since time has never felt so precious to me as it does now. These cookies are perfect… anytime you want a healthy snack that satisfies your sweet tooth. when you don’t have time to sit down for a full meal. They’re even healthy enough to eat for breakfast! as a lunch bag treat to take to school or the office. Nutritional Highlights: Eating oats regularly can help lower your risk for heart disease. Oats contain a specific type of fiber known as beta-glucan. Studies have shown the beneficial effects of this special fiber on cholesterol levels for decades. Almonds are a great source of healthy …

Chocolate Pecan Coconut Overnight Oats (Vegan)

Chocolate Pecan Coconut Overnight Oats

This Chocolate Pecan Coconut Overnight Oats recipe is my favorite that I have come up with so far during my new overnight oat obsession. The flavors are inspired by those chocolate-coconut candy bars that I used to love as a kid, but made with pure healthy ingredients that make it a deliciously nutritious way to start the day. I love that it really fills you up and satisfies any morning sweet tooth. Since it has a great balance of whole-grain carbohydrates, plant proteins, and healthy fats it keeps you feeling strong and energized all morning! It takes only a couple of minutes to throw together at night and in the morning you have a nutty, chocolatey breakfast to enjoy at home or on the run. These chocolate pecan overnight oats are great fuel for a workout and also make a fabulous healthy snack or dessert. They keep a few days in the fridge so it’s nice to double or triple the recipe so you have them ready to enjoy anytime. Chocolate Pecan Coconut Overnight Oats Ingredients: Serves 1 1/4 …

Golden Green Goddess Overnight Oats

These overnight oats are full of so many feel good ingredients, you can’t help but feeling all powerful after eating them! Both spirulina and hemp seeds are plant-based sources of complete proteins, meaning they contain all of the essential amino acids your body needs to repair tissue and to keep running like a well oiled machine. Spirulina is a blue-green algae that comes in powder form and has been used as a superfood dating back to the ancient Aztecs.  It is about 60% protein and has a earthy, green taste. Hemp seeds are one of the best balanced sources of Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids and have a rich nutty flavor. Both can be found in the superfood or supplement section of your health food market. The  savory flavors are balanced with the sweetness of banana and honey and the tartness of  golden berries. Indigenous to Peru, golden berries have recently gained wide popularity thanks to their high nutrient and antioxidant content, tangy sweet flavor and chewy texture. If golden berries are not available you can …

6 Easy Veggie Swaps to Cut Calories and Boost Nutrition

10 Easy Veggie Swaps to Cut Calories and Boost Nutrition

We know by now that eating a diet rich in vegetables is good for our health, our mood and even our looks. Here’s a list of the veggie swaps you can make to get more of them into your meals while lightening up on calories. If you’re worried about feeling deprived, don’t. Because they’re so nutritionally dense, you may actually fuller with the veggie versions! 1. Instead of Flour Tortillas use Collard Greens- Swap out the refined flour for a crunchy collard greens next time you make a wrap and save over 100 calories while getting the anti-inflammatory benefits of vitamin K and omega-3 fatty acids. How-to: Cut off the thick stem and carefully slice the rib so that it is flush to the leaf. That way it won’t break when you roll it up. Remember to always cut with the knife cutting away from your hand to avoid accidents. Add your filling in the center of the leaf, perpendicular to the stem, then fold in the sides and roll it up like a burrito. Try a …

Spiced Coconut Dulce de Leche Vegan Caramel Sauce

Spiced Coconut Milk Dulce de Leche ( Vegan Caramel Sauce)

When I was a kid growing up in Los Angeles I was often sent during summer break to spend time with family in Mexico. Sometimes I would visit family in big bustling cities like Guadalajara and Mexico City, but more often I spent time with family who lived in a small village Zacatecas. It was a very different world than California. My cousins lived in houses made of adobe in what appeared to be a desert save for the small creek nearby that swelled with each rainfall. It was a land of ranchers and cowboys, and with that of course,  lots of cows. They would walk through the dirt roads at noontime with bells on as they were shepherded from one place to the next. I was exposed to a variety of culinary treats on these trips, homemade tortillas, cactus salad, salsas made with fragrant chilies, but what stands out in my memory of those childhood travels was what was most appealing to my young palate. Rich and creamy dulce de leche, a thick caramel …

Lemon-Thyme Blackberry Crumble

Lemon-Thyme Blackberry Crumble

Blackberries are just so delicious in the summer and they’re even better when baked with a crunchy crumble topping. This recipe adds a touch of maple sweetness to the berries without covering up their natural goodness with piles of white sugar. A little lemon adds brightness and the thyme gives it a subtle herbal flavor that makes it a step above your ordinary crumble. It took several attempts to get it just right, but the result is well worth it! A sweet-tart filling that is just the right consistency, not too watery or too thick and jammy, and a delicious topping made with ingredients you can feel good about like oats, almonds, and coconut oil. The key is cooking it partway on the stovetop to allow some of the berries to release their liquid. This is wonderful for breakfast topped with coconut yogurt, but in my humble opinion even better as dessert served with your favorite vanilla ice cream (mine is  Vanilla NadaMoo!). Make it for your next BBQ or family gathering and trust me, you will put …