Original Recipe: Cherry Berry Overnight Oats

I usually steal recipes, but I’m proud to say this one is all mine! 

I’ve tried many different recipes for overnight oats; some I’ve loved, some not so much. I played around a little bit and came up with my ideal version — hope you like it as much as I did!

Ingredients: 

1 cup rolled oats (Bob’s Red Mill makes a great gluten-free version)

 1 cup almond milk (alternative — you can use milk and/or Greek yogurt if you’re not vegan)

1/4 cup chia seeds

 1 cup organic unsweetened applesauce

(This makes about 3 servings)

Place all ingredients into a mason jar (this is what I used, because I’m country like that) or other airtight container. Stir well to combine. Put the lid on and refrigerate overnight. 

Before mixing

In the morning, take it out and you shall see that it is “magicially” thickened and softened. Spoon out about 1/3 of the mixture into a bowl. This is where you can really take some creative liberties. Experiment with different types of fruits, nuts, seasonings, or nut butters. To make it according to what I did, add:

1/4 cup dried tart cherries

2 Tbsp walnuts

Dollop of homemade strawberry chia jam (from Oh She Glows, naturally!)

Before devouring

Eat up, buttercup.

I didn’t think it needed any sweetener added to it because of the fruit, but this is up to you. 

Side note: This fills me up! This is important — I usually get hungry about 2-3 hours after breakfast. I can go at least 4 with this in my fuel tank.

Have a healthy, happy day! It’s guaranteed with a breakfast like this!

Almond Butter Chocolate-Chip cookies – from Oh She Glows

 

Photo credit: Angela Liddon (Oh She Glows cookbook)

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp ground flaxseed
1/4 cup coconut oil or vegan butter
1/4 cup almond butter (I like Justin’s Maple flavor)
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup gluten-free rolled oats*
1 cup almonds (unsalted)*
1/4 to 1/2 cup vegan chocolate chips

*Put oats and almonds into a food processor and grind into a flour.

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350. In a small bowl, combine flaxseed with 3 Tbsp water and set aside to thicken.
In a large bowl, beat together coconut oil and almond butter. Add sugar and syrup and beat an additional minute. Then beat in the flaxseed mixture and vanilla. One by one, beat in the baking powder, soda, salt, and oat/almond flour. Fold in the chocolate chips.

Form into 1-inch balls (I use a small melon baller) and place on a cookie sheet about 2 inches apart. Bake for 12-14 minutes. They will be very soft. Let cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack. Makes about 2 dozen.

Now, the challenge — try not to eat them all at once! Take them to work or put some in the freezer so you’re not tempted. Enjoy!

Vegan Kale Pesto

This pesto is so versatile. It’s great on pasta, but also in wraps or as a pizza sauce. I’ve even dipped raw veggies in it. It’s super simple to make, too!

 

Ingredients: 

2 cups kale, stems removed

1/2 cup fresh basil leaves

2 cloves garlic, peeled

Juice of 1/2 lemon

1/4 cup olive oil

2 Tbsp nutritional yeast

1/4 cup walnuts, toasted (optional)

Place all but olive oil in a food processor and process until chopped. With the motor running, stream in the olive oil. Pulse until you have a smooth paste consistency. Enjoy with, well, whatever! 

 

 

So, what DO you eat?

“So what DO you eat?” This question is usually preceded by my explaining that I don’t eat meat, dairy (90% of the time), or GMO anything. I’ve been a vegetarian for fifteen years, and I can’t even count how many times I’ve been asked that. I live in a Southern town that is very traditional in terms of dietary practices. A meal isn’t complete without meat, and a vegetarian is a rare creature. I think bacon may even be an unofficial food group.

I have two purposes for doing this. The first is that I feel compelled to clear up the following misconceptions: Eating healthy is boring, vegetarians are pale weaklings, and eating all day will make you fat. The second is, without being pretentious, to give some insight into a day in the gastronomic life of a dietitian and to show that I am, in fact, not a rabbit (as many a carnivore has accused me of at some point)!

So, to answer that burning question, here is what I ate today! It should be noted that I end up eating about every 3-4 hours in general. It gives me steady energy all day, and helps prevent low blood sugar, to which I am prone.
(Bonus: You’ll even get two recipes out of it. Score! Read on.)

Breakfast – Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free Muesli mixed in soy yogurt

Morning snack – Organic apple, salt & pepper pistachios

Lunch – vegetarian sushi roll, half an avocado (this is a daily thing — I’m obsessed), and a spinach salad with lime vinaigrette. I then had two almond butter chocolate chip cookies (one of your recipes — you’re welcome!).

Post Zumba – 1 cup almond milk blended with a banana and 1/2 scoop Raw Protein powder

Dinner – Quinoa spaghetti with mushrooms, peas, and kale pesto (recipe #2). Slice of Italian bread on the side with marinara.

Dessert – Dark chocolate-covered Powerberries (from Trader Joe’s).

Drink – Water, water, WATER! I sip all day — you should never be thirsty.

Be assured I get all the protein I need along with loads of healthy fats, and I even get my sweet tooth satisfied (often more than once a day!). I don’t have to count calories because I know almost all the foods I eat are naturally nutrient dense — meaning more nutrients, fewer calories. There’s no question that following a plant-based diet while being conscious of our food’s origins is the way to go. This is not anecdotal evidence, people — it’s proven!

I promised you the recipes, and recipes you shall have! Click on the “Recipes” category and they are the first two on the post. Enjoy!

New product review: Raw Revolution

Today, I am reviewing a bar I just tried for the first time. It’s an exciting day! (At least for me!)
Generally, I’m not the type of person to choose a bar over, say, nuts or fresh fruit as a snack. I also don’t insist upon gluten-free, since I don’t have celiac disease and there’s little evidence to support a gluten-free diet otherwise. However, I also cannot resist a good bargain, so when I saw these on one of my discount shopping websites, I had to try it.

Initially, my inner skeptic thought, “it’s vegan, raw, gluten free, and on sale, so it probably tastes terrible.” I am pleased to report that I was proven wrong. It was both chewy and crunchy with nice chunks of almonds. The raspberry flavor was perfectly balanced with the chocolate. It was pretty amazing, really.

Here’s the breakdown:

What I liked:
1) The flavor, obviously. You can’t really go wrong with anything called chocolate truffle. This particular brand comes in other flavors, too.
2) There are exactly eight ingredients: cashews, sunflower seeds, agave, dates, cocoa, almonds, raspberry powder, and flax (all organic!). I’m big on simplicity and pronounceability, so they got major points for this.
3) It actually filled me up. I’m known for being kind of a “bottomless pit”, so this is impressive. It’s been an hour since I’ve eaten it and I still feel satisfied.

What I didn’t like:
Honestly, there wasn’t really anything I didn’t like. I’m not sure how much these cost in retail, but I’m willing to bet they’re quite a bit more than what I paid. (I got them at http://www.zulily.com for about $10 for a box of 12.)

Basic Nutrition Facts: 220 calories, 5 g fiber, 7 g protein, 11 g unsaturated fats (including omega-3s from the flax, bonus!)

The bottom line: Worth it! If you can find these at a reasonable price, go for it. (Or go for it anyway if you don’t care about price!)
I look forward to trying some of the other flavors if I can find them on sale.