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Veggie Packed Pasta-less Salad!

One of the best things about summer is the fresh, local produce and the quintessential summer food staples. It’s so amazing to see how much better everything tastes and how much longer it stays fresh when it was grown nearby. I love creating meals and dishes that are full of color, flavor and with food that is in season in my area.

One of my favorites is my take on a classic pasta salad. This salad has all of the flavors of a traditional pasta salad, while using up your zucchini and summer veggies! The veggies make this recipe packed with antioxidants and fiber as well as low in fat!

Veggie Packed Pasta-less Salad
Prep Time: 10 Minutes

Ingredients:
2 medium zucchinis, spiralized into zoodles or cut into “noodle” like strips
1/2 tsp Salt
2 bell peppers, chopped ( I like to use a mix of green, red, orange + yellow!)
1 small cucumber, sliced lengthwise and cut into half moon slices
1 pint of grape tomatoes, halved
1/2 red onion, chopped
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1.5 tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup white wine vinegar
pinch of salt
pinch of pepper

Instructions:
1. Spiralize or cut the zucchini into noodle like strips or small, thin pieces. Place in a colander over a bowl. Sprinkle with salt and mix to make sure the noodles are coated. Let sit for ~15 minutes while you wash and chop the rest of the ingredients. This helps drain off some of the water and keeps the zucchini crisp.

2. Add the bell peppers (I like to use 1/2 a green, red, orange and yellow pepper but any combo to get you to 2 bell peppers will work), cucumbers, tomatoes, red onion to a bowl.

3. Whisk together the garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, olive oil and white wine vinegar.

4. Pat the zucchini with a clean tea towel or paper towels to remove excess moisture. Add to the bowl containing the other vegetables.

5. Pour the dressing over the veggies and toss to coat. Add a sprinkle of salt and pepper to taste.

6. Let sit for a half hour if you have the time! This is also great to make ahead for meal prep!

Serve with your favorite protein for a meal, eat as a snack or make for your next gathering! This recipe can easily be tweaked to suit personal tastes. Some add in ideas: olives, shredded Parmesan cheese, cubes of mozzarella, provolone or cheddar cheese, turkey pepperoni, fresh herbs and artichoke hearts.

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Easy, Healthy 4 Ingredient Nutella

Some things just pair so well together…chocolate and hazelnut are two of those things! When we think of this combination, our minds may go to the beloved spread – Nutella. While Nutella tastes great, the first ingredient in Nutella is sugar. The American Heart Association recommends consuming no more than about 6 teaspoons of added sugar per day for women and 9 for men. A single 2 tablespoon serving of Nutella contains the equivalent of about 5 teaspoons of sugar, the majority of them added sugar! For reference, there are 6 teaspoons in 2 tablespoons, so the fact that sugar is making up 5 of those 6 teaspoons in a serving is kind of crazy! In my version of this healthy Nutella, I use dates as a natural sweetener. My version of healthy Nutella does not contain any milk, making this recipe dairy free and vegan!

Easy, Healthy 4 Ingredient Nutella

Time: ~10 Minutes
Servings: 8

2 Cups of Peeled, Dry Roasted Hazelnuts (I used Nature’s Garden Roasted Hazelnuts from Costco)
2 Tablespoons of Navitas Organics Cacao Powder (This is different from cocoa!)
3 Medjool Dates, Pits Removed
1 Pinch of Salt

Instructions:
1. Add the hazelnuts to a food processor or high powered blender. Blend them until they form a butter. Turn off machine and scrape sides down as needed. This will take a few minutes for the butter to form, but the exact time will depend on the machine you are using!

2. Once the hazelnuts have been blended into a smooth butter, add the cacao powder, the medjool dates and the salt. Blend until everything is well combined and there are no chunks of dates left.

3. Transfer to a jar and store in your pantry. Some natural separation may occur, so be sure to stir before using! This will keep for a couple weeks.

This makes 12 servings of 1.5 Tbsp each. There are 150 Calories per serving, 12 grams of fat, 3 grams of protein and 1/5 of the amount of sugar as regular Nutella!

We love this spread on fruit, rice cakes and pretzels! I would love to hear how you are using it!

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Easy Chocolate No Bake Cookies

No bake cookies are a favorite of mine because they require so little effort and are ready so quickly! Unlike traditional cookies, these can be made using your stovetop (or heck, even your microwave!) and you don’t have to wait for them to bake. These no bakes contain antioxidant rich cacao powder, fiber packed oats and chia seed as well as antioxidant packed cacao and goji berries. YUM.

Easy Chocolate No Bake Cookies

Prep Time: 5 Minutes
Cook Time: 2 Minutes
Makes ~20 Cookies

Ingredients:
1/4 Cup Coconut Oil
1/3 Cup Almond Milk (or milk of your choice)
2 Tbsp Real Maple Syrup (You could use up to 3 depending on how sweet you like things!)
1 Tsp Pure Vanilla Extract
2 Tbsp Cacao Powder (Navitas is my favorite!)
Pinch of Salt
1 3/4 Cup Instant Oats
2 Tbsp Chia Seeds
1/4 Cup Unsweetened Coconut Flakes
1/4 Cup Dried Goji Berries (If you cant find these, consider subbing something like raisins!)

Instructions:
1. Place coconut oil, milk and maple syrup in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally until until coconut oil is melted, about five minutes.
2. Turn off stovetop and stir in vanilla extract, cacao powder and salt to the coconut oil/maple syrup/milk mixture.
3. Add the oats and stir until well combined. Add in chia seeds, coconut flakes and goji berries.
4. Using a cookie scoop or a spoon, place tablespoon sized scoops of the mixture onto a parchment lined baking sheet. Leave raised or using a piece of parchment and your palm or the back of a spoon, press down on the cookies to flatten.
5. Place in the refrigerator for ten minutes or until the mixture is cool. Transfer the cookies to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator.

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Sweet + Spicy Brussels Sprouts

I’m an olive oil/salt/pepper savory roasted veggie type of gal, but I wanted to come up with something a little different with some special “treat yo’ self” vibes as the holiday season is approaching. This recipe couldn’t be easier and the combination of salty, sweet and heat with the pecans bringing the texture is amazing. These Brussels sprouts are going to be especially welcome on the Thanksgiving table to bring a pop of green amongst the delicious but bland in color sea of traditional Thanksgiving foods!

Sweet + Spice Brussels Sprouts

Prep Time: 5 Minutes
Cook Time: ~30 Minutes
Serves 4

Ingredients:
~1 Lb Brussels Sprouts
1/4 – 1/2 Cup Pecan Halves
2 Tsp Hot Sauce (I used Syrachacuse Syracuse Style Hot Sauce from our new brick + mortar neighbors, Syrachacuse!)
2.5 Tbsp Real Maple Syrup
3 Tbsp Liquid Aminos (or soy sauce)
1 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 Tsp Garlic Powder

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 425. Wash and trim the ends of Brussels Sprouts, making sure to remove any damaged leaves. Slice in half length wise.

2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place pecans on baking sheet. When the oven is up to temperature, place the baking sheet with the pecans in the oven in a middle rack for 3 minutes.

3. While the pecans cook, make the sauce for the Brussels Sprouts by combining the hot sauce, maple syrup, liquid aminos, olive oil and garlic powder.

4. Pour the sauce over the Brussels Sprouts and stir well.

5. Remove the pecans and set aside.

6. Using the same baking sheet/parchment paper, pour out Brussels Sprouts and all of the sauce onto the baking sheet (it may look like a bit of a runny mess, but that is okay)!

Look at how the sauce is soaked up by the Brussels and caramelizes! YUM.


7. Bake for 30 minutes at 425, stirring once half way through. Remove from the oven and combine with the pecans. I broke my pecans up into smaller pieces. Serve warm or room temperature!

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Easiest Butternut Squash Soup

It’s officially squash season! Squash is versatile, hearty and is able to be kept for quite a while if stored properly. Additionally, squash is packed with nutrients! A one cup serving of butternut squash contains about 25% RDI of fiber, is absolutely loaded with vitamin a, and also contains plenty of vitamin c, manganese and potassium!

While I eat soup all year long, something about fall makes soup seem like a requirement. I oftentimes make a batch of soup to enjoy during the week as a quick lunch or even as a snack. This butternut squash soup is creamy, dreamy and also happens to be gluten free + vegan and the addition of turmeric enhances the color and flavor of this soup.

Easiest Butternut Squash Soup

Serves 6
Prep Time: 5 Minutes
Cook Time: 45 Minutes

Ingredients:

1 Butternut Squash
2 Tbsp Olive Oil, Divided
1 Sweet Onion, Diced
4 Cloves of Garlic, Minced
1 Tsp Turmeric
1 Can Trader Joe’s Reduced Fat Coconut Milk*
2 Cups Vegetable Broth
Salt
Fresh Cracked Black Pepper

*The Trader Joe’s Reduced Fat Coconut Milk is Amazing because it has less fat than regular coconut milk but more fat than “Lite” or light coconut milk which often contains added thickeners!

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Clean the outside of your butternut squash. Dry and slice lengthwise with a sharp knife. Using a spoon, scoop out the stringy parts and seeds from the bottom of the squash. Using 1 tbsp of olive oil, coat each half of the squash with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place in the oven with the cut side of the squash facing up and bake for ~40 minutes, or until the flesh is easily pierced with a fork.

2. When the squash has finished cooking, remove it from the oven and leave it to the side to cool. While it cools, sauté the diced onion and minced garlic in a sauce pan in the remaining tbsp of olive oil and a pinch of salt, stirring frequently so the garlic doesn’t burn. Continue to cook until translucent, about 8 minutes.

3. If the squash is able to be handled, use a metal spoon to scoop out the flesh away from the skin of the squash. Place the cooked squash in a bowl.

4. In a blender, add the squash, onion + garlic mixture, turmeric, coconut milk and vegetable broth. Depending on the size of your blender, you may need to do this in two batches!

5. Return the blended mixture to the sauce pan and heat through. Add salt and fresh black pepper to taste. Serve topped with fresh herbs, chunks of roasted butternut squash, pepitas or red pepper flakes.