Mac and Veggie Cream

This recipe was a happy accident. Like most busy moms I had 20 minutes before dinner, a few leftovers in the fridge, and hungry kids asking for a snack. So I put on some water to boil for pasta thinking I could whip up some super fast pesto...then I thought what about mac and "cheese"? I had the basics to make a creamy sauce, I just needed the color so I added everything orange, yellow and white I had in the fridge and in the pantry into the blender and voila. Next time I'll make sure to have some shiitake mushrooms so I can make non-bacon bits to top this off.

Ingredientes
1 bag of organic brown rice noodles
2 tablespoons of avocado oil
1/2organic sweet onion
3 cloves of organic garlic
1/2 cup of organic squash (fresh or frozen, cubed)
1 carrot (peeled and cut)
1/2 cup of steamed cauliflower
1 cup of organic cashews (soaked for creamier sauce)
1 cup of unsweetened almond milk
1 tablespoon of nutritional yeast
1 tablespoon of turmeric
1 teaspoon of paprika
1 teaspoon of salt
2 tablespoons of olive oil
1 tablespoon of gluten free flour

Paso a paso

1. Cook noodles according to directions on bag.

2. In a pan heat up the avocado oil and cook all veggies (except cauliflower) and garlic. Cover and cook until soft, 7-10 mins.

3. Add soaked cashews, almond milk, nutritional yeast, turmeric, paprika and salt to high speed blender. Add cooked veggies with oil and steamed cauliflower and blend until smooth. The smoother, the better.

4. Use the same frying pan to heat up the olive oil and add the flour. Cook for 2 minutes on medium heat and add the veggie/cashew mix. Stir until you can see the bottom of the pan.

5. Add the veggie cheese to your cooked noodles, making sure cream covers them all. If the cream is too thick just add a little more almond milk and mix in.

 6. And there you have it. A great dish for happy and healthy kids, and adults!

Protein Banana Nut Bread

Bananas are a staple in most homes, probably because they are delicious and packed with vitamin B6, fiber, potassium, magnesium, and vitamin C. They are also good for your heart and gut health. I don't eat them often because they are a little too high in sugar. But I love that with our 80-20 lifestyle, if I wanna eat a banana, I can. And even better, if I have a few very ripe ones, I can make a banana bread load that's sweet, dense and packed with protein. I give it to my kids for breakfast, snack and even dessert. That's of course if there's any leftover after my husband. This is a true family favorite that you can make it into muffins as well.

Ingredientes
3 ripe organic bananas
1 cup of almond or coconut milk.
1/2 cup of avocado oil
1/4 cup of organic agave
1 tablespoon of vanilla extract
4 tablespoons of organic apple cider vinegar
1 cup of gluten free flour
1 cup of almond flour
1/4 cup of flaxseed meal
4 scoops of Arbonne's Chai or Vanilla protein
1 teaspoon of baking soda
1 teaspoon of baking powder
1/2 cup of chopped pecans or your favorite nut
1/4 cup of cocoa nibs or vegan chocolate chips

Paso a paso:

1) Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

2) Puree bananas then add the liquids except the apple cider vinegar. Blend well.

3) Add the dry ingredients and mix in with a spatula.

4) When everything is mixed in well, add the vinegar. It will interact with the baking soda in the dough and it will give it a very fluffy, almost yeast-like look.

5) Lastly add the nuts and nibs and mix until they are distributed evenly throughout the dough.

6) Place dough in a loaf pan lined with parchment paper or into paper muffin cups.

7) Bake loaf for 30-35 mins and muffins for 20-22 mins, until center passes the toothpick test.

8) Let loaf cool before cutting. Muffins can be served warm. Enjoy anytime with Arbonne's detox tea. You'll have a full belly, packed nutrition, and the tea will help cleanse your liver and kidneys.

Enchiladas

I had always been intimidated by a plate of enchiladas, because I thought they took a lot of time and effort to make. Now, it's one of my 30 min go to dinners. It's also the most requested dish so far, when I schedule in home cooking demos. They are delicious, saucy, creamy, but also a little crunchy on the edges. It's the perfect comfort food straight out of the oven. Now, you might be thinking that Mexican food (as you know it) is not the healthiest. But I encourage you to enjoy this gluten free, soy free, dairy free, vegan, non-gmo, organic dish whenever you'd like. My mantra is to eat better, not less.

It's time to re-define healthy.

Ingredientes:

For filling:
You can use any veggies you like. You can also add cooked quinoa and beans for extra protein. For these I used zucchinis, onions and mushrooms. Chop all veggies as small as you'd like and cook with some oil, garlic, salt and pepper. Set aside.

For sauce:
2 tbsp of olive oil
2 tbsp of cassava flour
1 tsp of garlic powder
1/8 oregano
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp of smoked paprika
2 oz of tomato paste
2 cups of water or veggie broth
1 tbs of apple cider vinegar

For crema:
1 charred red bell pepper
1 cup of soaked cashews
1/2 cup of nut milk
S&P
Blend all ingredients until smooth.

Other ingredients:
Cassava or almond flour tortillas
Vegan cheese


Paso a paso:
1) In a sauce pan, heat up oil, add the cassava flour and mix in well. Then add all the spices and tomato paste and continue to mix until it looks like a paste.

2)Add water/broth and whisk in well. Cook on low for about 10 mins, until it thickens. Add vinegar, mix in well and set aside.

3) Stuff tortillas with veggie filling, then roll them closed and place them upside down on baking dish.

4) Stuff and line up as many as can fit into the dish then cover with enchilada sauce. Top with vegan cheese and bake for 15 minutes at 350, then broil on high for 2 minutes until cheese bubbles or melts.

5) These are best when eaten immediately. So, top with red crema, get a fork and enjoy!

Creamy Badass Pasta

One of the reasons I became a chef is because I can make a cleaner version of an otherwise toxic-for-me dish, simply by substituting a couple of ingredients. My husband calls it my superpower. So, when a friend tagged me on a recipe that looked so delicious (but it was cream based on top of "gluten-full" pasta) I knew exactly what to do. I get so sick now whenever I eat something that my body is not used to, and the beautiful thing about the 30 days to healthy living and beyond lifestyle is that it's not a diet. So if you want pasta tonight, here you go. And it is creamy, so creamy it's badass.  

Ingredientes: 

1 1/2 cups of cashews
1 cup of almond milk
1 bag of brown rice pasta
2 tbsps of avocado or olive oil
1 small organic sweet onion
1 organic red bell pepper (fire roasted)
4 cloves of garlic (crushed)
1 cup of organic frozen Spinach (fresh works too)
1/4 cup of sun dried tomatoes
Salt & pepper al gusto
Garnish with fresh basil and toasted pine nuts

Paso a paso:
1) Soak cashews in almond milk for at least 30 mins.
2) Boil pasta according to instruction on bag, set aside.
3) In a small frying pan sauté the onions and the red bell peppers on medium heat until onions are a little see through. Then add two crushed cloves of garlic and cook for 2 more minutes.

4) Place soaked cashews, milk, onions, red bell peppers, and garlic mix, salt and pepper into the blender and blend until smooth. Depending on your blender, it might take a few minutes. Set sauce aside. 

5) Add oil to frying pan and add the spinach, sun dried tomatoes, the other 2 cloves of garlic and a little more salt and pepper. Cook until spinach is wilted and set aside.

6) Mix the pasta with the creamy sauce, then fold in the spinach-tomato mix. 

7) Garnish with basil and toasted pine nuts. This dish is best enjoyed right after you mix all the components so grab a fork and enjoy the perfect bite.

Cinnabombs

This is basically a cinnamon roll clone, since I there's no rolling involved, but its exactly whats been missing from my brunches. Best part is that they are 100% vegan, gluten free, made with protein and no processed sugar was added so they are detox friendly.  I've been testing this recipe for a while...the first test was great, and I was able to roll the dough but the final product was a little dry. Honestly, it was like a brick. The second one involved aquafaba, but it was tooooooo moist. This third time was the charm for sure. I tried it twice, making large ones and then little bites and both time they were gobbled up, by my kids and my friends. It's perfect timing for the coming fall, and of course pairs excellently with Arbonne's detox tea.

Ingredientes
3/4 cup of almond milk
1/2 cup of avocado oil
1/4 cup of organic agave
1/4 organic flaxseed meal
1 tbsp of cinnamon (plus a little more for sprinkling on top)
1 tsp of baking soda
1 teaspoon of baking powder
2 teaspoons of organic apple cider vinegar
1 cup of gluten free flour
1 cup of almond flour
2 scoops of vegan Arbonne protein (vanilla or chai)
1 scoop of Arbonne fiber
A pinch on salt

For frosting:
1 cup of cashews
1 scoop of Arbonne vanilla protein
1/4 cup of organic coconut oil
2  tbsp of agave

Optional: 1/4 cup of crushed pecans to sprinkle on top5) When cake has cooled cut into individual servings. I used a knife to shape the big ones, and a shot glass for the bites. 

Paso a paso

1) Pre-heat over to 350. Then mix all liquid ingredients and all dry ingredients.

2) Add dry ingredients to the liquid ingredients 1/2 cup at a time. Mix well, then pour into round baking pan. Sprinkle cinnamon on top...generously.

3) With a toothpick make the desired cinnamon roll shapes, big or small for little bites.

 4) Bake for 25 mins, then let it cool for about an hour.

5) While cake is in the over, you can easily make the cashew frosting by blending all the ingredients together until smooth.

6) Once cake has cooled down, you can cut the clones into individual servings. I used a knife to cut the big ones and a shot glass for the cinna-bites. 

 7) Pour frosting over cinnamon roll clones and enjoy!!!!

Optional: Sprinkle pecans for crunchy texture. 

Vegan protein cookies

Cookies!!! Normally butter, gluten and sugar...a lot of the things that make me tired, sick and leave me feeling so guilty for eating even one. But not anymore!!!! This recipe is so special because it's definitely a kid's favorite, and I can give as many as I want to my babies without feeling bad. The best part is that they will only eat one of two and they be full, since it has protein and fiber. You can add anything to the vegan dough to make it special for your kids and their "gustos". The posibilites are endless! What's your favorite cookie? 

Ingredients:

1/3 cup of avocado oil

1/4 cup of agave

1/4 cup of unsweetened almond or coconut milk

2 scoops of Arbonne's vanilla protein

1 scoop of Arbonne's fiber boost

1/4 cup of unsweetened coconut flakes (can be omitted)

1/2 tbsp of baking powder

1/2 tbsp of baking soda

A pinch of salt

1/2 cup of almond flour

1/2 cup of gluten free flour

1/2 cup of gluten free oats

1/4 cup of flax meal

Optional for different kind of cookies: pecans, coconut, vegan chocolate chips, raisins, macademia nuts, peanuts, etc.

Paso a paso:

1) Set oven to 300 degrees.

2) Whisk together all wet ingredients (avocado oil, agave, almond or coconut milk)

3) Mix all dry ingredients. (Arbonne's vanilla protein, Arbonne's fiber boost, unsweetened coconut flakes, baking powder, baking soda, salt, almond flour, gluten free flour, gluten free oats, flax meal)

4) Add well ingredients to dry ingredients slowly and mix in well until dough is formed.

5) Add your favorites (for this recipe I added chocolate chips and pecans)

6) Use tablespoon to place dough onto cookie sheet. For crispier cookies flatten with spatula.

7) Bake cookies for 15-18 mins. Wait for them to cook down and enjoy!!!