Oh snap! You're watching Rich TVX News Network! The source of raw, breaking news.

Hellooooo! I’m alive, I’m alive! Did you think after my 10-year blogiversary post that I decided to take a 10-year break? lol. It’s been a busy month with a lot of fun events going down. I just returned from WXN’s Canada’s Most Powerful Women celebrations, and I’m still riding the high of winning an award in the Entrepreneur category and meeting so many incredible people. So many happy tears this week. It felt (and feels) absolutely surreal. I’m super inspired by these amazing Canadian women to keep going forward, doing my part to give back, and creating meaningful change in this world. I’m grateful to you all who support me and what I do…truly, thank you.

Here’s a snippet of the interview I did with WXN (the rest is found on their website):

SUCCESS all comes back to love. Do I feel love deep in my soul for what Iā€™m doing? Are my kids and my husband happy and loved? Am I taking time to enjoy the process rather than allowing perfectionist thinking to take hold? My definition of success has grown so much since starting the blog, writing my two cookbooks, and becoming a mother. Today, success is knowing that I have the power to push through challenges while taking the time I need for myself to balance and stay healthy. After struggling with illness this past year, one of my biggest wake-up calls was realizing that itā€™s okay to take a break even if that means letting go of a professional goal for the time being.”

As an introvert, big social events tend to tucker me out (anyone else?!), and I find myself looking forward to my first day without any commitments (aside from, umm, two hyper toddlers, I suppose…). This creamy 3-ingredient steel-cut oatmeal recipe is the one Iā€™ve been making once or twice weekly since fall hit. It may sound strange, but I find it calming in a way. I just love that I can throw a few ingredients in my Instant Pot, stir it up, and walk away until itā€™s done cooking! No stirring or watching…woot, woot. Iā€™ll often throw it on and then get ready for the day or feed the kids and come back to a hot pot of oats. Itā€™s a good feeling…a darn good feeling!

Donā€™t worry if you donā€™t have an Instant Pot because I also provide a stovetop version belowā€”your oatmeal will turn out the same either way, but the stovetop version just requires monitoring and stirring as it cooks.

This time of year I love to top a hot bowl with toasted walnuts, chopped dates or raisins, cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice, maple syrup, and seasonal fruit like pear or pomegranate. So cozy! Walnuts or pecans with maple syrup, cinnamon, and peanut butter is another dreamy combo.

Before I go, a quick note that we’ll be participating in Giving Tuesday this coming Tuesday November 27, 2018. Here’s a bit about the cause:

“GivingTuesday is a global movement for giving and volunteering, taking place each year after Black Friday. The ā€œOpening day of the giving season,ā€ itā€™s a time when charities, companies and individuals join together and rally for favourite causes. In the same way that retailers take part in Black Friday, the giving community comes together for GivingTuesday.”

This coming Tuesday, we’ll be donating 100% of that day’s OSG recipe app proceeds to Toronto’s Daily Bread Food Bank as our way to take part. I hope you’ll consider participating in #GivingTuesday too! 

   

4.9 from 15 reviews

The Creamiest Steel-Cut Oats

Vegan, gluten-free, nut-free, oil-free, refined sugar-free, soy-free

My goal was to create the creamiest bowl of steel-cut oats using just a few ingredients...and this is it! This luxuriously chewy steel-cut oatmeal is the perfect base for all of your favourite topping combinations. I love adding pure maple syrup, cinnamon, seasonal fruit, toasted walnuts, and chopped dates or raisins. It doesnā€™t get much cozier on a cool fall or winter morning! Iā€™ve also provided cooking instructions using both the stovetop and Instant Pot (I prefer the Instant Pot method as it's so easy). For the Instant Pot method, please see the Tip section.

Yield
2 3/4 cups or 4 servings
Prep time
2 Minutes
Cook time
25 Minutes

Ingredients:

For the oatmeal:
  • 1 (14-ounce/398 mL) can light coconut milk
  • 1 cup (250 mL) water
  • 1 cup (172 g) uncooked steel-cut oats
Serving suggestions:
  • Seasonal fruit
  • Pure maple syrup
  • Toasted walnuts
  • Dash fine sea salt, stirred in
  • Cinnamon
  • Raisins or chopped pitted Medjool dates

Directions:

  1. STOVETOP METHOD: Pour the can of coconut milk and 1 cup (250 mL) water into a medium pot and bring to a low boil over high heat.
  2. Add the steel-cut oats to the pot and stir to combine. Immediately reduce the heat to low (low heat is important or theyā€™ll burn) and gently simmer, covered, for 30 to 40 minutes, stirring four to five times during cooking and reducing heat if necessary to prevent burning. This method produces a thick pot of oats. For a porridge-like consistency, stir more water in to your liking. I like to stir in about 1/2 cup (125 mL) water after cooking.
  3. Portion into bowls and top with your desired garnishesā€”I love the combo of pure maple syrup, toasted walnuts, seasonal fruit, fine sea salt, cinnamon, and raisins or chopped dates, but feel free to get creative and change it up depending on the season. Leftovers will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for 5 to 7 days or you can freeze them for up to 1 month. I store cooled single portions in freezer-safe bags and lie them flat in the freezer for easy stacking. Reheat refrigerated or thawed leftovers on the stovetop in a small pot along with a splash of water or milk over medium heat.

Tips:

INSTANT POT METHOD:

 

  • Add the coconut milk and water to the Instant Pot, followed by the oats. Stir to combine.
  • Secure lid in the lock position and check that the Steam Release Handle is pointing to the ā€œSealingā€ position.
  • Press the ā€œPressure Cookā€ (or ā€œManualā€) button and set the cook time to 7 minutes on high pressure. After 5 seconds youā€™ll hear a couple beeps and the screen will say ā€œonā€. The cooking process has begun!
  • Once finished, youā€™ll hear a few beeps letting you know that cooking is over. Now let the Instant Pot do a ā€œNatural Pressure Releaseā€ā€”I wait 10 minutes for most of the the pressure to release on its own.
  • Carefully release any remaining steam before removing the lid. Stir the oatmeal until combined, adding more milk or water if youā€™d like to thin it. Itā€™ll be oh-so-creamy and continue thickening as it sits!
  • Portion into bowls and top with your desired garnishesā€”I love the combo of pure maple syrup, toasted walnuts, seasonal fruit, fine sea salt, cinnamon, and raisins or chopped dates, but feel free to get creative and change it up depending on the season. Leftovers will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for 5 to 7 days or you can freeze them for up to 1 month. I store cooled single portions in freezer-safe bags and lie them flat in the freezer for easy stacking. Reheat refrigerated or thawed leftovers on the stovetop in a small pot along with a splash of water or milk over medium heat.

You can also make pre-portioned servings so all you have to do is dump it in a pot in the morning and quickly heat it up with a splash of milk! 

I love working with food, but one of my other passions is home decor, so I hope youā€™ll humour me with this post! Iā€™ve caught the decor bug in recent years, and I just love every stage of putting a room together. The only problem is that I donā€™t have much time for home decor projects (I’ve completed 2 nurseries and an office in 5 years…lol), so Iā€™ve been chipping away at this office at a snailā€™s pace. But Iā€™m quite happy with how itā€™s come together. My goal was to create a serene and elegant home office with a lilā€™ bit of drama!

When we first moved into this house, we painted the office grey. We were going through a huge grey phase, but over time it started to wear on me, and I found the office was less than inspiring. I started to feel blah whenever I was in there (I also regret painting the basement grey…ugh!). One of my blog readers actually warned me about picking grey for an office, but I didnā€™t listen…you guys are always right! After going back and forth over what colour(s) I wanted to paint my office (I tested everything from spa green to super soft blush pink and, yes, even yellow!), I finally settled on a navyā€“charcoal blend and blush pink.

When I pictured my white office furniture popping off a dark, dramatic wall, I was sold. I didnā€™t want the whole room to be dark, so I kept the rest of the walls white for an airy feel. Iā€™ve gone back and forth over whether I should do a bit of wallpaper on one wall (maybe the front wall where the windows are?), but Iā€™ll most likely just leave it alone!  

The only thing missing is the light fixture above my desk. The electrical needs to be put in and I need to pick out the light…any ideas?? Should I go with a chandelier…or a semi-flush or…?

First, I’ll kick things off with my TWO bosses…they are fairly new to their “directing” roles, but it’s like they’ve been doing it their whole lives…. ;)

 

And here’s how it looks during the month of December! Lately Iā€™ve loved getting up extra early for some “me timeā€ in the morningā€”I turn the Christmas lights on, sit at my desk with my coffee, and do some writing, reading, planning, etc.

By the way, just in case you missed my big holiday newsletter, you can find a round-up of my favourite festive vegan recipes here! If I donā€™t chat with you again before signing off for Christmas, I hope you have a fantastic holiday! Thank you for all of your amazing support, thoughtful comments, and for making and sharing so many of my recipes this year!

Office details:

Paint colour (dark wall) – Blue Note (Benjamin Moore)

Paint colour (white) – Distant Gray (Benjamin Moore)

French doors – Wrought Iron (Benjamin Moore)

Desk and two filing cabinets – Crate and Barrel

Blush rug – Pier 1 Imports

White shelf – Wayfair (discontinued)

Elsie desk chair – World Market

Floral storage boxes on shelf – HomeSense (Guess whatā€™s inside? Toys!)

Two white faux leather chairs – Wayfair

Rose quartz slab (on desk) – Anthropologie

Basket – Zara Home

Grey mug – Crate and Barrel

Blush pillows – HomeSense

Dark floral pillow – The Bay

Large floral framed print – Minted

Prop shelf with dishes – Wayfair

Mirror – Zara Home

Mountain print – SisiandSeb on Etsy

Profile art – SaltandPrinter on Etsy

Desert scene art – SisiAndSeb on Etsy

Pink Blue Abstract Print – LittleValleyStudio on Etsy

Taurus print – SaltandPrinter on Etsy

Inhale Exhale print – ParadigmArt on Etsy

White vase on desk – HomeSense

Blush pouf/ottoman – Restoration Hardware

Pink vase – Anthropologie

Grey letter A – HomeSense

Pink ā€œcrystalā€ tealight holder – HomeSense  

I used to write about digestion all the time on this blog, but it’s been a while since the topic came up. It’s not that my interest in GI health has wanedā€”it hasn’tā€”but it’s become more of a professional focus and less of a personal one, mostly because my own struggles with IBS have receded over the years. Why? Hard to say, but I suspect that consistent eating patterns (as opposed to the extremes of my eating disorder years), plenty of soluble fiber, and better coping skills with stress and anxiety have a lot to do with it.

In recent years, mental health and emotional well-being have been a bigger focus for me than digestion; the physical ailments I cope with often have a strong psychosomatic overlay, which means that mental health gets a lot of my attention even if I’m presented with immediate physical complaints. This is all my way of saying that digestive health has taken a backseat to the stuff that feels more urgent to me, even if my intellectual curiosity about it remains strong.

This week, I started my 5-week GI rotation. I was immediately reminded that the gut is really what sparked my interest in health and healthcare to begin with. I was also reminded of the fact that, to date, supporting people through digestive illness is some of the counseling work I’m most proud of. I suspect it’ll stay that way.

I’ve learned a lot already; my preceptor is a great dietitian and a true digestive health expert, but she’s also an excellent preceptor. She likes teaching, has a knack for it, and is generous with her time and expertise. Writing notes under her tutelage is humbling, but I’ve learned a lot from it already.

In addition to rekindling my interest in all things gastroenterological, this rotation is also bringing me back to my own experiences as a GI patient: first the long, drawn out struggle with IBS and digestive woes post-anorexia, then the long and mysterious bout of gastroenteritis (or so it was labeledā€”two GI doctors and I never figured it out) that I had in the years following my post-bacc. It is reminding me of how profound digestive illness is, how vulnerable it has made me and makes anyone who’s affected by it.

Digestion is the process that converts food into nourishment; when it’s compromised, the whole business of eating becomes vexed. Digestive ailments can cause particular kinds of anguish around food, and the fear and anxiety they cause can linger long after symptoms are actually resolved.

In my own work, I’ve often seen how digestive struggle and disordered eating are, or become, intertwined; yes, eating disorders usually leave a person with GI trouble, but it can work the other way, too. Years of GI illness can make people prone to all kinds of disordered eating.

Next year and in the years beyond, when I’m working one-on-one with people again, I hope that I can make a small difference in the lives of the many folks who are coping with digestive distress. I hope I can do this not only because I want to make a difference in my clients’ day-to-day quality of life, but also because there’s symbolic importance in helping people to heal the channels that allow them to take in food.

Here’s to four more weeks of learning more about how to do this. And here’s to a new week. Here, too, are some recipes and reads.

Recipes

One of my nutrition goals for this year was to get more servings of fruit into my diet. I’m doing a lousy job so far, but at my last rotation a colleague of mine made a fruit salad with mint and ginger that reminded me of what a good vehicle a snazzy fruit salad can be! I love Liz’s colorful fruit salad with maple dressing, and she’s got some great tips on assembling fruit salads in general.

The ever-talented Eva is inspiring me to try my first-ever, vegan Massaman curry.

A delicious vegan pizza with naan as a base. Can’t wait to try this, especially once summery produce is in season.

This vegan pasta and bean salad with tahini orange dressing has my name written all over it.

Finally, I make a point of never saying no to a vegan blondie. All the better if “cookies n’ cream” is part of the description šŸ™‚

Reads

1. The hospital where I did my oncology rotation was starting to offer CAR T-cell therapy, which is a relatively new treatment for leukemia and multiple myeloma. I found the processā€”in which the body’s own T cells are converted into killer T cells that can attack cancerā€”fascinating. This article details how it might be an option for the treatment of solid tumors, too.

2. An interesting new report has listed some of the best foods that we can eat regularly in order to promote biodiversity. NPR reports.

3. Speaking of biodiversity, The Atlantic has an interesting article on Bd (Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis), the fungus that has decimated frog populations and condemned more species to extinction than any other pathogen.

4. Very important reporting on how clinical trial data can be misrepresented to patients.

5. I try to remind myself each day that a little bit of kindness never hurt anybody, least of all me. US News & World Report explains how acts of kindness benefit both the giver and the recipient.

In kindness, I’m signing off. I’ve got a creamy, nutritious, and very simple soup recipe to share with you this coming week!

xo

The post Weekend Reading, 4.7.19 appeared first on The Full Helping.

Creamy kale pesto white bean dip is a delicious, super savoury, slightly cheesy, naturally vegan, and nut-free appetizer that everyone will enjoy.

The post CREAMY KALE PESTO WHITE BEAN DIP appeared first on The First Mess // Plant-Based Recipes + Photography by Laura Wright.

How is 2019 treating you so far? Scrolling through Instagram would have me believe that weā€™re all killinā€™ this New Year thing, but something tells me Iā€™m probably not seeing the less than stellar starts to the year. I know ours was nothing like we expected. Emotionally draining to say the least, and I had to give myself a break from the shiny social media highlight reels for a bit. Half-way into January, Iā€™m now feeling ready to turn this year around and Iā€™m hopeful it will be a really great year. 

Maybe you, like me, were more than ready to leave 2018 in your dust, but the start to the year hasnā€™t gone as you hopedā€”please know that you arenā€™t alone! Life challenges donā€™t adhere to a calendar format and they certainly donā€™t pause for holidays. All that we can do is put those lessons in our back pocket and carry them with us going forward. Progress, not perfection…am I right?! 

My passion for chickpea pancakes has reignited lately. I forgot just how quick and easy these savory cakes are to whip up for a light lunch or dinner. While I donā€™t see myself burning out on soup and toast anytime soon, these are a pleasant change from the usual winter fare. Iā€™ve also been really into the bright and tangy combo of lemon-dill lately (must be that drab winter weather!) so I decided to make those the standout flavours in this recipe. Served with a rich Lemon-Garlic Aioli, crunchy chopped dill pickles, green onion, and fresh dill…this dish brightens up any day. Even though my brain canā€™t quite comprehend it, I know not everyone is a big dill pickle fan. If thatā€™s the case, Iā€™d recommend trying my reader-fave Jumbo Chickpea Pancake recipe instead! 

4.8 from 12 reviews

Crunchy Dill Chickpea Pancakes with Lemon-Garlic Aioli

Vegan, gluten-free, grain-free, nut-free, refined sugar-free, soy-free

Calling all dill pickle fans! Chickpea flour, which forms the base of these easy-to-throw-together savory pancakes, is an earthy-tasting flour, so I like to brighten it up with fresh lemon and dill. Chopped dill pickle gives these pancakes a delightful tangy crunch, and grated carrot lends a touch of sweetness as well as an extra boost of nutrition. Topping them with my 3-ingredient Lemon-Garlic Aioli is a must for mega flavour and richness, so donā€™t skip it. (Uh oh, I'm getting bossy again!) Ready in 30 minutes or less, these pancakes make a light breakfast, lunch, or dinner. This recipe is adapted from my Jumbo Chickpea Pancake.

Yield
7 (3-inch) pancakes
Prep time
16 Minutes
Cook time
14 Minutes

Ingredients:

For the Lemon-Garlic Aioli:
  • 1/2 cup (125 mL) soy-free vegan mayo
  • 1 large or 2 medium garlic cloves, grated on microplane
  • 1 to 2 teaspoons (5 to 10 mL) fresh lemon juice, to taste (I use 2)
For the pancakes:
  • 1 tablespoon (15 mL) coconut oil or extra-virgin olive oil
  • 3 large garlic cloves, minced (1 heaping tablespoon)
  • 1/2 cup (42 g) grated peeled carrot (1/2 medium)*
  • 1/3 cup (47 g) finely chopped dill pickle (2 small)**
  • 1/2 cup (63 g) chickpea flour
  • 2 tablespoons (10 g) nutritional yeast
  • 1/2 cup (125 mL) water
  • Fine sea salt and pepper, to taste (I use 1/4 teaspoon)
For serving:
  • Sliced green onion, chopped dill pickle and fresh dill, aioli

Directions:

  1. For the Lemon-Garlic Aioli: In a small bowl, stir together the vegan mayo, minced garlic, and lemon juice (to taste). Set aside.
  2. For the pancakes: To a large skillet, add the oil and sautƩ the garlic for a couple minutes over low-medium heat, stirring frequently, and being careful not to burn. Add the grated carrot and finely chopped dill pickle and sautƩ another minute or two until the carrot has softened a bit.
  3. Preheat another large non-stick skillet (I use a flat pancake skillet) over medium heat. Or, simply use the same skillet as before if that works for you!Ā 
  4. In a large mixing bowl, add the chickpea flour, nutritional yeast, water, salt, pepper, and sautƩed veggies. Whisk until combined and let the batter sit for 1 minute.
  5. When a drop of water sizzles after hitting the pancake skillet, itā€™s preheated and ready to use. Spray the skillet with oil.
  6. To the skillet, add 2 tablespoons of batter for each pancake. Use the tablespoon to spread the batter out until itā€™s about 3 inches in diameter. Space the pancakes an inch or two apart on the skillet. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes over medium heat, until a golden brown crust forms on the bottom. Flip and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes until golden brown. I prepare the toppings while the pancakes cook.
  7. Place the pancakes on a cooling rack, grease the skillet again, and cook the remaining pancake batter using the steps above.
  8. Serve the pancakes warm with a big dollop of Lemon-Garlic Aioli and generous sprinkling of minced fresh dill, chopped dill pickle, and sliced green onion if youā€™re feeling fancy! We haven't found these to freeze or reheat very well, so I recommend making and serving the pancakes fresh.

Tips:

* I use the standard-sized grate hole on the box grater.

** Itā€™s important to finely chop the dill pickle as larger chunks feel a bit too chewy in these pancakes.

Want to increase the garlic flavour even more? Use garlic-flavoured dill pickles for a fun twist!

If you're using fresh dill as a garnish, feel free to also add a bit of minced dill to the batter.

They are four and a half and almost three. My babies are potty trained, can buckle their own car seats, and clear their plates from the table. The crib will be passed to a friend next month and Iā€™ve...

Please visit Sprouted Kitchen to view this Recipe.

Today is a big day for my friends Jack and Jeanineā€”it’s book launch day! I hope you’re familiar with their blog, Love and Lemons. It’s one of my very favorites, and I’ve been looking forward to their second cookbook for a long time.

Their new book is called Love and Lemons Everyday (affiliate link), and it’s absolutely stunning. The new book offers “more than 100 bright, plant-forward recipes for every meal.” Jeanine’s cooking style is super fresh and often inspired by the farmers’ market, and it shows.

I love how she weaves tips between the recipes, like how to freeze quinoa, and colorfully displays seasonal variations for recipes like fruit crumbles (four ways)! She even offers a giant visual grid of salad dressings, which I’ll be referencing often.

To celebrate their new book, I’m sharing Jeanine’s recipe for whole-roasted cauliflower slathered in seriously delicious turmeric-spiced yogurt sauce. Somehow, I’ve never prepared cauliflower in this fashion, and it was both fun to make and fun to eat. Want to see how it’s done?

Continue to the recipe...

The post Turmeric-Spiced Whole Roasted Cauliflower appeared first on Cookie and Kate.

As we wait patiently (or not so patiently) for spring, Iā€™m sharing what feels like a bit of a last-hurrah for winter recipes. This pasta with walnut cream sauce came out of one of my instagram recipes. People liked it so much, I felt like it deserved a place on the site. Itā€™s rich sauce is vegan, but I think that makes the creaminess even more amazing.

Walnut Cream, the real star

In all the nut-based alternative creams/cheeses, walnut cream reigns supreme in my life. I love the warm flavor and how nicely it purees into a smooth sauce. The softness of the walnuts is also your friend here. I find the walnuts only need a good hot soak for about an hour.

Of course, if youā€™re not on the walnut-wagon, you can use a more milder cashew cream or even an almond cream.

Sweet potatoes (and other veg)

I realize that as Iā€™m posting this recipe, youā€™re probably over sweet potatoes and ready for spring. Iā€™m with you, but I have a few more to use before I dive head first into spring. Swap the sweet potatoes for winter squash or try it with some steamed greens like kale or chard.

Grain Bowls

Finally, if pasta isnā€™t your jam, you could turn this into a delicious grain bowl. Iā€™d plan to cut the sauce in half and use more as a drizzle and less as a sauce. Use a hearty grain here, like sorghum or wheat berries.

[tasty-recipe id="37917"] continue reading

The post Sweet Potato Pasta with Vegan Walnut Cream Sauce appeared first on Naturally..

All things considered, I’d say I have a pretty moderate relationship with sugar. I love homemade dessert, and I bake with sugar, be it refined or natural. As a longtime nutrition student and RD-to-be, I’m mindful of how much I use and I keep in mind that treats are special. But I’ve never avoided sweetening.

This works well for me, but the most common question I get asked about my baked goods here on the blog is whether the sugar can be reduced, and how. I do my best to give good answers, keeping in mind that reducing sugar (or using a liquid sweetener in place of granulated sugar) can change the texture and taste of a finished product (less moisture, less rise, etc.).

Now that I’ve spent a few months working with diabetic patients, I’ve gotten savvier and more knowledgeable about lower sugar baked goods. In my last two rotations, my counseling was almost entirely dedicated to diabetes management. I saw firsthand how much vigilance goes into monitoring and carbohydrate intake and covering it with medication, if appropriate. We never advised our patients to avoid dessert, but we did encourage them to be mindful about how much and how often. And we spent plenty of time chatting about how to create pleasurable desserts at home with less sugar, or with alternative sweeteners.

I’ve never used alternative sweeteners because they haven’t been necessary for my own health needs. When I do reduce sweetness of baked goods, I generally just use less cane sugar or maple syrup. But my winter rotations made me remember being a student in medical nutrition therapy, when our professor taught us to take our own blood sugar in class. As we were pricking our fingers, she told us that the purpose of the exercise was to better understand what our future clientsā€”some of whom would surely have Type I or II Diabetesā€”experienced each day. Months later, she asked us to try liquid supplements, so that we’d know what patients who relied on them for nutrition support were tasting (there weren’t any vegan options, but it did get me thinking about how great a need there is for them).

I appreciated my professor’s perspective. There’s a big difference between abstract guidance and firsthand knowledge. Before telling any client to do something, I’d rather have a some lived experience of what I’m suggesting. And now that I’ve spent so much time with diabetes management, it’s important for me to understand the dietary changes that need to accompany a diagnosisā€”enjoyment of lower sugar sweets included.

Just as I was wrapping up my rotation at the Institute for Family Health, the folks at who produce the In The RawĀ® family of sweetener reached out to me about sampling their Monk Fruit In The RawĀ®. Monk fruit (also known as luo han guo) is a type of gourd that traditionally grows in China, and it’s been used medicinally for centuries. Monk Fruit In The Raw is a zero calorie sweetener thatā€™s perfect for sweetening beverages and baking.Ā  Plus, the bakers bag conveniently measures cup for cup, just like sugar.

Having never tried the productā€”and especially since I was in the middle of diabetes counselingā€”I was excited to sample it. I had a much better experience with it than I’ve had with other alternative sweeteners, especially for baking! It has a pleasantly fruity taste, and the signature baking bag makes it easy to add to cookies, cakes, and more. In my experiments so far I’ve used a combination of the Monk Fruit In The Raw Bakers Bag and sugar to reduce sugar while retaining texture and rise. Folks with diabetes who prefer a truly sugar-free dessert could use all monk fruit instead; the brand recommends using about half the amount of monk fruit for the amount of sugar called for.

The baking recipe I’m sharing today takes even more inspiration from my internship, as it was inspired by something I made in my last rotation. I was working with kids, using hands-on cooking experiences to teach them about food and nutrition. My supervisor and I shared a chocolate beet cake, which was an easy and delicious treat for them to make and also a great opportunity to teach them about beets (watching their little faces light up as we cut the beets open and showed them the electrically colored interiors was so sweet).

An upside of using pureed beets in baking is that they add a lot of natural sweetness along with moisture, which means that it’s easy to cook with reduced sugar and fat. The beets add plenty of vitamins and minerals, and they sweeten while also contributing fiber, which helps to control the release of sugar into the bloodstream.

Today’s chocolate beet cake uses a combination of beets, monk fruit, and a small amount of granulated sugar to create something that tastes completely like dessert, but has a balanced ratio of sugar and fiber. It’s also relatively low in fat (only 1/4 cup of oil for the whole recipe), andā€”thanks to the beetsā€”packed with fiber, folate, potassium, and vitamin C. I based it off of a Martha Stewart recipe, and I’ve made it repeatedly already, so that I could recommend it to patients and clients.

For diabetics and those who are being mindful of sugar intake for any reason, I like to use a 50/50 combination of monk fruit and coconut sugar here (6 tablespoons of each). This gives a nice rise with less sweetener. If you like, you could use all monk fruit, which would yield a denser and fudgier textureā€”think cakey brownies šŸ™‚ And of course, you could also choose to use all granulated sugar of choice, which will give you a very similar cake, but a little more fluffiness and rise.

No matter how you make it, this one is really a keeper. It’s plenty chocolatey, and the beets give it a wonderful moistness and rich flavor. It’s super fun to make with kids (they love the beet purĆ©e!) and nutritious enough to serve as a special snack/treat as well as a proper dessert. Here’s the recipe.

Lightly Sweetened Vegan Chocolate Beet Cake

This lightly sweetened vegan chocolate beet cake has a moist texture and just the right amount of sweetness. Perfect for snacking!

  • 4 beets, trimmed and washed*
  • 2 cups whole wheat pastry flour (substitute all-purpose, unbleached flour or a 1:1 combination of all-purpose and whole wheat or spelt flour)
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
  • 1/2 cup cocoa powder
  • 6 tablespoons tablespoons coconut or cane sugar**
  • 6 tablespoons Monk Fruit In The RawĀ®
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1 cup warm water
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon teaspoon apple cider or white vinegar
  1. First, make your beet purƩe! Preheat your oven to 400F. Wrap each beet in foil and roast for 45 minutes, or until the beets can be easily pierced with a fork. When the beets are cool enough to touch, run them under cold water while you slip off the skins. Roughly chop the beets, then add them to a food processor or blender. Blend or process the beets until they make a smooth purƩe (a couple minutes). Set the purƩe aside; you should have 1 1/2 cups or so.

  2. Reduce the oven temperature to 350F. Lightly oil an 8 x 8 square baking dish (or an 8 or 9 inch round baking dish).

  3. Whisk together the flour, baking powder and soda, salt, cocoa, sugar, and monk fruit in a large mixing bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together the beet puree, oil, water, vanilla, and vinegar. Add the wet mixture to the dry ingredients. Mix the ingredients till you have an evenly mixed batter; a few little clumps is fine.

  4. Transfer the batter to your baking dish. Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until the top is firm and set and a toothpick emerges clean (or nearly clean). Allow the cake to cool for 15-20 minutes before removing it from a pan and transferring to a wire cooling rack to cool to room temperature. Cut into pieces and enjoy.

*In place of roasting beets from scratch you can use one of the pre-cooked beet options on the market these days! You’ll need 4 beets, which is usually about 1 lb (12-16 ounces).

**Substitute 12 tablespoons sugar for the combination of sugar and alternative sweetener if you wish.

A word about the beets in this recipe: it’s nice to make the purĆ©e from scratch, but nowadays it’s not too hard to find pre-cooked beets that are ready to eat. My local grocer usually carries one or two options, and it makes adding beets to salads really easy. It also cuts the preparation time of this tasty cake considerably, so don’t hesitate to us the option (or canned, cooked beets) if that’s more convenient for you. You need about 1 1/2 cups beet purĆ©e, which for me has been about 1 lb cooked beets.

This cake is lovely with a cup of tea, a cup of coffee, or a glass of non-dairy milk. If you’d like to dress it up for a special occasion, you could easily add glaze or vegan frosting to it. As it is, it’s a perfect snack cake. A little sweet, a little nutrient-dense, and very satisfying. My work encourages me to learn and experiment all the time, and I’m so glad to have found an alternative sweetener that has a taste I like, a texture that works well for baking, and is low sugar enough to be appropriate for a lot of the folks I work with.

Here’s to nutrition work that gives me firsthand experience and makes me more able to meet people where they are, day by day. Wishing you a good rest of the week; hopefully it’ll include something sweet šŸ˜‰

xo

This post is sponsored by Monk Fruit In The RawĀ®. All opinions are my own, and I love this natural alternative to sugar. Thanks for your support!

The post Lightly Sweetened Vegan Chocolate Beet Cake appeared first on The Full Helping.

Do you ever feel like youā€™re on the verge of a breakthrough, but youā€™re not quite sure how youā€™ll do it? This has been my mindset lately. Iā€™ve been so inspired in different areas of my life to create meaningful change with things like personal growth, career dreams, family life, etc. You could say that a little self-help inspo has struck me! Iā€™ve felt stuck with indecision and fear for a while now, and the motivation finally hit me to actively do something about getting unstuck. It’s easy to just go through the motions each day.

For most of my life, Iā€™ve always been trying to ā€œfix myselfā€…this can be a positive thing (such as when Iā€™m trying to be the best version of myself I can be), but it can also turn into a very toxic mindset. Itā€™s easy for me to veer to the dark side of self-improvement and lose sight of my qualities and self-worth. Anyone who suffers from this tendency knows that itā€™s not a particularly fun way to live. You never feel ā€œreadyā€ because thereā€™s always something to fix or a goal to achieve before being worthy of your and others acceptance. I’m working to make progress in this area. It’s kind of hard to explain, but maybe you can relate?  

I have Dr. BrenĆ© Brown to thank for my recent bout of inspiration. I first became enamoured with BrenĆ© after watching her TED talk on vulnerability years ago and listening to her on Oprahā€™s SuperSoul Conversations podcast. Iā€™ve read The Gifts of Imperfection twice, and plan on reading it a third time soon (itā€™s a quick read and easy to devour in a couple evenings). Thereā€™s so much wisdom to soak up, and I learn things each time I read it. Currently, Iā€™m reading Daring Greatly (which I’m finding slower, but still learning from it), and hope to read this one and this one next. I’ve been carving out some reading time in the evenings lately, and it feels so good to get back into it! I’m also (late to the party) using my Kindle reader on my phone and love how I can read a few pages here and there while I’m waiting for an appointment or when I have time to kill. I’d love to hear if you’re reading anything inspiring lately too!

ā€œAs children we found ways to protect ourselves from vulnerability, from being hurt, diminished, and disappointed. We put on armor; we used our thoughts, emotions, and behaviors as weapons, and we learned how to make ourselves scarce, even to disappear. Now as adults we realize that to live with courage, purpose, and connectionā€”to be the person whom we long to beā€”we must again be vulnerable. We must take off the armor, put down the weapons, show up, and let ourselves be seen.ā€

~ Daring Greatly, p. 112.

  

5 from 7 reviews

Game Night Crispy Potato Bruschetta

Vegan, gluten-free, grain-free, nut-free, refined sugar-free, soy-free

The first time I made this healthy comfort food recipe, Eric and I had the song Ave Maria playing (Michael BublĆ© version...so hypnotizing!), and we fell into a trance as we ate crispy round after crispy round of potato bruschetta. Needless to say, we heard the angels singing and I think you will, too! This recipe serves two hungry people as a main or five as an appetizer. The best tip I can give you when making these is to serve it directly on the baking sheet (if you can!) as it keeps the rounds a bit warmer compared to transferring to a platter, and also to top the rounds and serve them right away. If they sit for longer than 10 minutes, theyā€™ll start to lose their fantastic crispiness and soften considerably. This recipe is inspired by the Taco Fiesta Potato Crisps in The Oh She Glows Cookbook (also a delicious appetizer option!) and Potatoes USA.

Yield
30 potato rounds
Prep time
15 Minutes
Cook time
30 Minutes

Ingredients:

For the potatoes:
  • 2 large (500 g total) Russet potatoes (unpeeled)
  • 1 tablespoon (15 mL) grapeseed oil or virgin olive oil
  • Fine sea salt
For the Avocado-Tomato topping:
  • 2 medium (7 g) garlic cloves
  • 1/2 cup (15 g) lightly packed fresh basil leaves
  • 2 cups (344 g/12-ounces) grape tomatoes
  • 1 tablespoon (15 mL) fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon (15 mL) balsamic vinegar
  • 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt, to taste
  • 1 large (240 g) ripe avocado

Directions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 425Ā°F (220ĀŗC) and line an extra-large (or 2 medium) baking sheet(s) with parchment paper.
  2. With a sharp knife, slice the potatoes into 1/4-inch thick rounds. Make sure theyā€™re not any thinner than that, or they might not be sturdy enough to pick up with your hands and the edges will burn more easily while cooking.
  3. Place the rounds into the centre of one baking sheet in a mound. Toss with the oil until all sides of the rounds are fully coated. Spread into a single layer, spacing them a 1/2-inch apart. Sprinkle liberally with salt.
  4. Roast the potatoes for 25 to 35 minutes (I do 30), flipping once halfway through baking, until tender and golden brown in some spots. I prefer these slightly overcooked so theyā€™ll crisp up a bit around the edges.
  5. Meanwhile, prepare the topping. In a large food processor, mince the garlic and basil until finely chopped. Add the tomatoes and pulseā€”only 10 to 14 timesā€”until the tomatoes are chopped into almond- and pea-sized pieces. Remove the bowl, take out the blade and set aside, and stir in the lemon juice, balsamic vinegar, and salt. Set aside to marinate.
  6. Five minutes before the potatoes are ready, dice the avocado very small into almond-sized pieces. Fold the diced avocado into the tomato mixture. Taste and stir in more salt if desired. The mixture will look quite juicy/watery, but this is normal!
  7. After removing the potatoes from the oven, add another generous sprinkle of salt on top. Add 1/2 to 1 tablespoon avocado-tomato mixture onto a fork and strain out the juices by tapping the inside of the bowl. Place the strained mixture onto the centre of a potato round and repeat this process for the rest of the rounds.
  8. Serve immediately, directly from the baking sheet(s)ā€”I find serving from the baking sheet keeps them warmer, but if you prefer you can transfer the rounds to a platter before adding the topping. If the potatoes sit they will soften and lose their crispness, so I donā€™t recommend letting them sit around for longer than 10 minutes (usually not a problem in this house!). If you have any avocado-tomato mixture leftover feel free to polish it off with some tortilla chips!

Tips:

Up the glow factor: Sprinkle my Vegan Parmesan Cheese on top.

 

Should your potatoes become soft from sitting for too long, these reheat well on a sautƩ pan, preheated over medium heat, for 1 to 2 minutes. This results in slightly browned bottoms and revives the firm texture without affecting the toppings.

Oh Eric, what a sport for being my food photography model, hah. There were some heavy sighs when his arms got tired…no one said being a model was easy! Okay, maybe they did say that…but just ask Eric about the struggles!

In case you’re wondering – these ā€œphotoshootā€ potato bruschettas were SO COLD by the time we finally got to eat them. Sniff, sniff. But they were still worth eating! And weā€™ve enjoyed them many times piping hot out of the oven which is simply the best. If you try them out, I’d love to hear what you think and see your photos, so don’t forget to tag them with #ohsheglows on social media! 

Green Sauce

When it comes to experimenting with recipes, sauces are up there as a favorite. It can be easy to completely shift a dish (or many dishes) with one simple sauce. I donā€™t use a lot of kale outside of a few recipes but using it in sauces ensures I use it all before it goes bad.

Saucy Kale Omelette

You can swap the kale for other greens such as spinach, chard, or collards. If youā€™re using spinach, drop the time for blanching. Spinach takes much less time: usually around 30 to 60 seconds.

Tarragon

I know tarragon isnā€™t everyoneā€™s favorite herb. You could swap it out for chives or if itā€™s summer, use fresh basil.

Omelette vs Frittata

I love a solid omelette for my morning breakfast but if Iā€™m making a dish to feed the family, I usually stick with frittata. You can easily use this same concept in frittata form. I like to use this base recipe and right before I transfer the pan to the oven, I swirl in the kale sauce.

Add some Grains

Leftover grains? Add a few to the omelette. I really like using cooked grains in the omelette or as an omelette filling. This also works if youā€™re making the frittata (as mentioned in the previous paragraph!)

Veg Bulk

Depending on the time of year, add fresh or cooked vegetables to the filling. During the cooler months, roasted squash or sweet potatoes. For spring, try some pan-fried asparagus then during summer, blistered tomatoes!

Vegan-it

Finally, since the sauce is vegan, Iā€™d be remiss if I didnā€™t add a vegan option for the omelette. Use the kale sauce in a tofu scramble, make a grain bowl, or thereā€™s the new ā€˜justā€™ product that uses mung beans as a base.

[tasty-recipe id="37936"]

continue reading

The post Herby Kale Omelette with Manchego Cheese appeared first on Naturally..

Post sponsored by Barilla. See below for more details.

Before spring starts to show, I wanted to share one last cozy pasta meal. This lentil rotini pasta features easy garlicky kale, a no-cook goat cheese sauce, and Barilla Red Lentil Rotini. The spirals in the rotini are perfect for soaking up that saucy-goodness!

All the Greens

When it comes to greens, Iā€™m constantly swapping different ones in and out of recipes. One of the reasons I love recipes like this is because itā€™s forgiving. Happen to have chard or collards on hand? Those would work just as well.

Iā€™ve also been known to make a similar pasta and add roasted cauliflower, broccoli, and/or sweet potatoes as a replacement or in addition to the greens.

Goat Cheese: love it or leave it

I love goat cheese and Iā€™m not shy about my love. However, I know that itā€™s not everyoneā€™s favorite cheese. This pasta can work well with any softer-type cheese. Cream cheese or farmers cheese would work as well.

Vegan? Yes!

Never fear, vegan friends. You can easily make this vegan. I like to use my favorite cashew cream or sunflower cream with a little bit of onion powder, garlic powder, and nutritional yeast in place of the goat cheese sauce.

Barillaā€™s Red Lentil Rotini Pasta

When I was writing my cookbook on grinding flour, one of the biggest surprises came when working with red lentil flour. Itā€™s such a good, protein-solid flour. Because of this, Iā€™m not surprised to see this great, one-ingredient Red Lentil Rotini from Barilla. You can find this and all the other varieties of the new Barilla legume pastas on Amazon.

[tasty-recipe id="37907"]

Disclosure: This recipe was created in partnership with Barilla. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Itā€™s content like this that helps me keep this site running to provide the vegetarian recipes you see every week. continue reading

The post Lentil Rotini with Garlicky Kale and Goat Cheese Sauce appeared first on Naturally..

and WE SAW MICHAEL BUBLƉ.

My LOVE

(Iā€™m not even going to hide my creeper status. And donā€™t worry, my mouth didnā€™t actually touch the poster.)

Hi friends! Howā€™s the morning going? Iā€™m just getting back from a whirlwind trip to Phoenix for the Beautycounter LEAD conferenceā€¦ and to see Michael BublĆ©, my favorite ever.

I got into Phoenix on Thursday morning, and met up with Arsy and Tina at the adorable Airbnb where weā€™d be staying. It was my first Airbnb experience and I was beyond impressed with the whole thing.

Check out the cuteness! 

Phoenix house2

Phoenix house3

Phoenix house4

It was in a neighborhood filled with unique older houses, and they completely gutted and redid the interior. The wood floors and tiling in the bathroom were gorgeous, along with exposed brick, modern art, and unique touches (like the book selection in each bedroom). 

Phoenix house5

Arsy surprised us with little goodie bags on each of our beds, with Hu chocolates, travel Cote nail polishes, Beeā€™s wrap, the best hair ties, a Beautycounter pen, and a sweet card. She also stocked the fridge with some healthy essentials, cold brews, and waters.

Goodies

Iā€™ve been working with Arsy for almost 3 years and it was my first time meeting her in person. Of course, she was just as kind and lovely as I expected, and I had such a great time hanging out with her and Tina all weekend. 

W tina and arsy

Thursday night, we had our team dinner at True Food, and then Friday morning, it was straight into the official festivities. We had quite a few sessions on Friday, and each one left me feeling more inspired, motivated, and grateful that Iā€™ve had the opportunity to work for such a respected and innovative company. (Beautycounter is the #1 Googled beauty brand of 2018 and the top clean skincare brand in the world.) They generally care for the health of all living beings on this planet, and are constantly working to impart change in the beauty industry, which is severely unregulated. The last federal safety law for cosmetics was passed in 1938!! Weā€™re actively working to get this changed and make clean products accessible to everyone. This means no matter what store you go to and what brand you purchase, you should be able to have have the confidence that they were manufactured without endocrine disrupters, known carcinogens, and harmful preservatives. 

Conference

My very favorite quote from the weekend:

– The greatest gift you can give anyone who loves you is your own wellbeing 

While there was a lot of motivational talk, they also addressed burnout and importance of paying attention to what truly matters: your family, your health, and your relationships. I love how much they emphasized balance and taking the time to share your life with those you love and make yourself a priority. 

We also had the opportunity to hear Gregg Renfrew speak. Sheā€™s our CEO and the Founder of Beautycounter and she’s so.darn.real. The entire room of 1700 was captivated the entire time she was talking. She was so encouraging, humble, and generously shared her knowledge and inspiration with us all. 

They also had some pretty solid snack breaks and lunch in between the presentations.

Friday afternoon, the Pilot picked us up from the conference and we headed to the house to get ready for the evening. The girls went to another team dinner at a downtown hotel, while the Pilot and I enjoyed a sushi date at Moira Sushi before Michael Buble.

Date night2

(Shoes are here // dress is here ā€” got it from Rent the Runway and was so pumped it actually fit. I feel like itā€™s so hard to tell what will work from the sizing but the S was just right)

We arrived at the arena, ordered wine in a can for me + beer for him, walked to our awesome seats (!) and I buckled up for the best concert experience of my life. Iā€™m a HUGE Michael BublĆ© fan – I sporadically listen to his music all year and just switch to his Christmas album for November and December – so I was expecting a lot, but it was beyond anything I could have imagined. His perfect voice, the set design, the orchestra, his backup singers, everything. Just.SO.freaking.good.

Michael buble phoenix

(He started off with ā€œFeelinā€™ Goodā€ and I screamed like a teenager at a BTO concert.)

#1) He is HILARIOUS. He was cracking a ton of jokes in between songs, many of which were gloriously inappropriate, and the Pilot and I were laughing our faces off. I had to keep myself from breaking into the full-on dinosaur cry during Home and one of his newer songs, Forever Now. If you want to get a glimpse of what I was feeling, listen to the song, and then picture in your mind a childā€™s bedroom and how it changes from when theyā€™re born (a nursery with sweet printed wallpaper, a crib, and a rocker) until they MOVE out (a large bed and a room strewn with moving boxes, to completely empty room). Thatā€™s what they flashed on the arched screen above the stage and I think they pretty much wanted to pull my heart out of my body. Of course, all of his lighthearted jokes and the fact that he doesnā€™t take himself too seriously kept me from crying too hard.

2) He is so grateful to all of his supporters. Multiple times he thanked us for spending our money and our time to be at his concert. He said that his supporters lifted their family while they went through something absolutely heartbreaking, and was so heartfelt and genuine in thanking the audience. You can just tell heā€™s a really good guy.

3) I tried to meet him but I failed. So hereā€™s the thing, in college and my early 20s, I got backstage after concerts if I wanted to meet the band or singer. Itā€™s not because Iā€™m cool or had a VIP pass, but Iā€™d just casually go to the side of the stage and ask security if I could just go back and get a photo with whomever. Youā€™d think it would be a fail but it worked every time! I would just be chill about it and I think they saw a young non-threteaning kid and were like, ā€œGo. Live your dream.” I didnā€™t know if I would work for Michael BublĆ© because, I donā€™t know, Iā€™m like 15 years older now, BUT I figured this was my only chance and went for it. Unfortunately, they did all of the meet and greets before the show, not after. So when I went to ask if I could pleeeeeease go back and take a pic, security told me they did all of that stuff earlier. Itā€™s NBD, but I did try. #shameless #dontcurr

The Pilot and I stayed at Westin, which was lovely, and then Saturday morning, we grabbed a quick breakfast at Coronado (a cute vegetarian cafe!) before he hit the road back to Tucson and I headed back to the conference.

I got there just in time to learn about the new products from our Product Development team, and get excited! Thereā€™s so much good stuff on the way, including a face cream that supposed to feel luxurious and gorgeous like La Mer, but with clean ingredients. So pumped about this! Iā€™ll definitely share more info when itā€™s on the way, but our new line was modeled after Asian skincare rituals (yas yas yassss) and is going through clinical and client trials now. Iā€™ll also have the chance to try it out before itā€™s released and will absolutely share my experience.

Beautycounter is also transitioning to more glass, less plastic, and are going to include refill options. 

We attended sessions on social media and coaching, and then had a delicious lunch. 

Tacossss

When I left the conference, I felt energized and excited to implement various action plans in my team and with my business. As you guys know, Iā€™m very particular about brand alignments. For everyone I say, ā€œYesā€ to, there are at least 20-30 ā€œNo, thank youā€. When I first joined Beautycounter, I knew I liked the products and I loved their mission to get safer products into the hands of everyone. I didnā€™t know that it was so much more than that, and that it would have such a huge positive impact on my life and business.

Lead conference

(Jumpsuit is here // shoes are here. Jumpsuit is also from Rent the Runway and I wish I could have kept it!)

Behind this mission, there are thousands of women working hard to change the beauty industry, sharing the products with those they love, and taking their success into their own hands.

Team lunch

I was so thankful to FINALLY meet Teri, who feels like my BFF after all of these years and I still hadnā€™t met in person! I also got to chat with Lexi, Juli, Cassy, and so many lovely women on our team.

Having this blog has been one of the biggest blessings in my life because itā€™s enabled me to connect with a motivating, incredible community of women (and dudes!). One of the best parts: I can do it anywhere! As a military wife, this was critical since we were moving every 2 years or so, which this makes it very hard to get and keep a traditional job. Beautycounter gives that same flexibility to those who want to work on their own schedule, wherever they want, and carve their own path. It has been one of the best things Iā€™ve added to my business, and itā€™s fun, easy, and I get to meet with connect with new people. The money potential is bananas – if you want to talk about it, please email me – and itā€™s cool to be able to make an income while supporting a company thatā€™s championing for change. If youā€™d like to make a transition to safer skincare products, or a tiny voice is telling you that consulting may be for you, please email me: gina@fitnessista.com

Well, Iā€™m off to unpack my suitcase, only to RE-pack it for a short trip to Portland for a brand meeting. I hope you have a happy Monday!

xo

Gina

Tell me, friends: first concert experience? If you could see anyone live, who would it be?! My first concert was Boyz II Men in 5th grade. “Motown Philly back againā€¦.ā€ Also, has anyone met Michael Buble?! Please tell me everything. 

The post Beautycounter LEAD Conference Recap appeared first on The Fitnessista.

I canā€™t do strict diets. They inspire an otherwise absent rebellious streak in me and I go headlong into a sugar spiral. I remember trying the master cleanse many years ago, fully stocked on all the...

Please visit Sprouted Kitchen to view this Recipe.

Post sponsored by Bob's Red Mill. See below for more details.

The Brassicas

For these types of salads, I would typically use cauliflower. However, I wanted to keep the color vibrant. The broccoli provides that and I love the texture of the roasted broccoli. Of course, you could always mix in cauliflower, romesco, or even roasted Brussels sprouts.

Dressing, a bit extra

When it comes to dressing, I usually keep them really simple: an oil and an acid. However, sometimes I like to boost it a bit with the help from creamy items, like tahini. Iā€™ve also really been enjoying finding more ways to use Nutritional Yeast. The nutritional yeast adds that classic pungent cheese-like punch, helping really make this dressing flavorful.

Bobā€™s Red Mill Nutritional Yeast

I havenā€™t always been on the nutritional yeast wagon but as I start to use it more, Iā€™ve gradually fallen in love. The nutty tang has definitely started to play more rolls in my kitchen from the easy, like popcorn, to the slightly more complicated, a stand-in cheese sauce. A bag of Bobā€™s Red Mill Nutritional Yeast is always in the cabinet so we can always have our savory, salty popcorn!

Couscous and other grains

I love using pearl couscous for a quick add into salads and grain bowls. Itā€™s ready in about 10 minutes and itā€™s the best of both pasta and grains. You could, however, use whole grains in place of the couscous. Try using hearty farro, sorghum, or even quinoa.

Cheese (optional)

Beyond the nutritional, try adding a bit of crumbled feta. The saltiness is a nice companion for the tahini and nutritional yeast.

[tasty-recipe id="37943"]

Disclosure: This recipe was created in partnership with Bob's Red Mill. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Itā€™s content like this that helps me keep this site running to provide the vegetarian recipes you see every week. continue reading

The post Broccoli Salad with Couscous and Tahini Dressing appeared first on Naturally..

You’ve probably seen the meal prep trend online where dozens and dozens of meals are prepped in containers for the entire week? Holy moly. I can say that will probably never be me. I once tried an over-ambitious meal prep and not only did I end up with way too much food, but it took up most of my day.

On the flip side, I’ve realized that my veggie intake falls pretty flat when I donā€™t do any prep at all.

Sooooā€¦.there has to be a happy medium!?

This little dilemma is exactly why I came up with a simple plan that totally fits into my life these days. The recipe below (which is totally customizable!) takes less than 30 mins of active prep time, but makes enough food for several portions, increasing the odds that youā€™ll be a veggie powerhouse for the workweek. *arm flex* I love how I can quickly reheat a couple things and build a hearty, nutritious bowl in a matter of minutes!

My meal prep method has been going like this:

  1. Roast two huge sheets of veggies
  2. Cook a grain
  3. Chop a couple fresh veggies (sometimes I skip this if I’m tight on time)
  4. Have toppings on hand, ready-to-rollā€”things like avocado, nuts/seeds, beans, dressing, etc.

This method has dramatically changed my meals in recent weeks (specifically, lunches) and increased my veggie consumption a ton. All of the ingredients can be changed up so it never has to be repetitive and you can be flexible with using what you have in your fridge/pantry. It helps cut down waste because you can easily use up those ā€œon the verge of dyingā€ veggies in your crisper. Just throw ā€˜em in the oven and roast the heck out of ā€˜em! And if you get tired of bowls, throw the prepped food into delicious wraps or even soups/stews.

If youā€™re feeling extra-ambitious and want to prep even more food, Iā€™d recommend adding one or more of the following tasty items:

Iā€™ve provided a detailed recipe below because it helps to have something to work from the first time, but like I said, feel free to run with it. If you simply commit to roasting 2 big sheets of veggies, cook a grain, and chop some fresh veggiesā€¦.youā€™ll be well on your way to making easy throw-together power bowls all week long. My future hangry self has been thanking me a lot.  

Before I go, I want to mention that The Oh She Glows Recipe App is still on sale for 99 cents in the Apple iTunes Store until mid-March! Youā€™ll find these delicious power bowls in there, as well as more than 160 of my favourite plant-based recipes (this number includes 30 app exclusive recipes too). Happy cooking :) 

5 from 2 reviews

Meal Prep Week-Long Power Bowls

Vegan, gluten-free, nut-free, refined sugar-free, soy-free

I love having prepped food in the fridge, but donā€™t love doing hours of meal prep each week. So I came up with this simple method that takes just 25 minutes of active prep time. The healthy food components can be enjoyed for several days in power bowls, wraps, and even stirred into soups! Power bowls are so fun for family meals because you can switch up the veggies and toppings to suit each palate, giving kids control to build their own bowls. This recipe is also a handy make-ahead option if youā€™re having friends over for a meal. Simply chop all the veggies the night before and refrigerate them in containers. Just before your guests arrive, pop the veggies into the oven, cook the quinoa, and prep the toppings. After cooking, you can all have fun assembling your own power bowls and everyone will be super impressed by the stunning rainbow-coloured meal!

Yield
8 servings
Prep time
25 Minutes
Cook time
35 Minutes

Ingredients:

For the roasted veggies:
  • 3 small (680 g) sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped (4 cups)
  • 4 cups (500 g) brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved*
  • 1 medium (800 g) cauliflower, chopped into small florets (4 heaping cups)
  • 1 medium (230 g) red onion, peeled and chopped
  • 2 large (500 g) red bell peppers, seeded and chopped
  • 3 tablespoons (45 mL) extra-virgin olive oil, divided
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
For the quinoa:
  • 2 cups (400 g) uncooked quinoa**
For the fresh veggies:
  • 1 medium (370 g) English cucumber, chopped
  • 1 medium (135 g) bunch green onions, chopped
  • 2 cups (255 g) grape tomatoes (1 dry pint)
For the power bowl toppings:
  • Chopped lettuce/greens (Romaine, Iceberg, kale, etc)
  • Salad dressing***
  • Ripe avocados
  • Cooked beans or lentils
  • Nuts and seeds (I use hemp hearts and roasted pepitas)
  • Hummus or pesto

Directions:

  1. Position two oven racks near the middle of the oven. Preheat the oven to 400Ā°F (200Ā°C) and line two extra-large (15- x 21-inches) rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper. Itā€™s important to use extra-large baking sheets so thereā€™s enough room for all those healthy veggies.
  2. Divide the chopped, ā€œto-be-roastedā€ veggies onto the baking sheets. Drizzle 1 1/2 tablespoons of oil over top each sheet and toss the veggies until theyā€™re fully coated in the oil. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper.
  3. Roast the veggies for 30 to 40 minutes (I find 35 minutes is perfect in my oven for lightly charred veggies) until fork tender and golden. Thereā€™s no need to rotate/move the pans or flip the veggies halfway through baking unless youā€™re particular about even cooking.
  4. While the veggies are roasting, add the quinoa to a large pot along with 3 1/2 cups (875 mL) water. Stir. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, then immediately reduce the heat to low-medium, cover with a tight-fitting lid, and cook for 12 to 14 minutes, until the water is absorbed and the quinoa is fluffy. Remove the lid and fluff the cooked quinoa with a fork.
  5. While the quinoa cooks, chop the cucumber and green onions. Rinse the tomatoes (I hold off slicing them until just before serving).
  6. Remove the roasted veggies from the oven. Once mostly cool, transfer all of the veggies and quinoa into containers, seal with airtight lids, and place into the fridge for up to 4 days.
  7. To make the power bowls: Add a couple generous handfuls of chopped lettuce/greens to the bottom of a large shallow bowl. Drizzle with a bit of dressing and toss the lettuce/greens until coated. Top with spoonfuls of your prepped food (quinoa, roasted and fresh veggies)ā€”I always warm up the quinoa and roasted veggies first! Now, add diced avocado, more salad dressing, cooked beans or lentils, nuts and seeds, and hummus or pesto. Keep the power bowl flavours interesting by changing up the toppings each day!

Tips:

* If your brussels sprouts are quite large, quarter them instead of halving.

 

** If you don't think you'll eat this much quinoa in 4 to 5 days, feel free to halve this amount (use 1 cup uncooked quinoa + 1.75 cups water).

 

*** Looking for a delicious homemade dressing? Try my Lemon-Tahini Dressing, Shake-and-Go Balsamic Vinaigrette (Oh She Glows Every Day, p. 273), or Roasted Garlic and Red Wine Vinaigrette. I always keep Maison Orphee Italian on hand when I don't have homemade dressing prepped.

 

Feel free to roast a head of garlic along with the veggies. The roasted cloves are especially delicious thrown into my Roasted Garlic and Red Wine Vinaigrette found in my Warm + Roasted Winter Salad Bowl recipe.

 

Make it nut-free: Top your bowl with seeds (such as roasted pepita seeds and hemp hearts) instead of nuts and make sure your dressing is nut-free.

This dish rings in spring in the best way possible. A creamy carrot-sunflower puree helps keep the risotto vegan while the fresh pea shoots bring the greens. 

Making a creamy carrot risotto

While I love making a delicious, cheese-based risotto, thereā€™s something magical about taking this classic dish and making it vegan. My first attempts were alright but as time goes on, I find a few more tricks to make a delicious dish without one ounce of cheese.

The Grains

This might be a bit like cheating but it gets the job done. Traditional arborio rice releases starch, which is where some of the creaminess comes from. Whole grains donā€™t quite act the same. However, if you pulse the grain in a food processor or blender a few times, you get a bit of grain dust. This dust turns into the thickening agent in the vegan risotto.

The best part about this: itā€™s a formula you can use with many different grains. Iā€™ve found this works well with spelt, einkorn, farro, and barley. Iā€™ve also had success with using whole oat groats (although I find the texture to be a bit gummier than the others mentioned).

The Sunflower Cream

In the realm of alternative dairy choices, sunflower seeds are still relatively not used. Sure, you could use almond, cashew, coconut, soy, or oat but I really love the cheapness, ease of use, and flavor of the sunflower seeds. Sunflower seeds puree smooth with relatively little soaking time.

Of course, you donā€™t have to feel obligated to use sunflower seeds. Cashew cream, almond cream, or even something like this millet cream could work (although itā€™s rare that I double down on two grains in one dish unless Iā€™m making a pilaf).

Carrots

Also, Iā€™m a bit of a carrot lover and they cook tender in the broth. You could, however, use squash puree, sweet potato puree, or Iā€™ve been know in the summer to use a homemade version of creamed corn.

The Topping

I realize this recipe is more involved but itā€™s worth it. Once you get the risotto going, the topping comes together quickly. For the ultimate spring risotto, I love using the pea shoots. I feel like the shoots are everything wonderful about spring: fresh, tender, and vibrant.

Add to that the dill and hazelnuts, itā€™s a winning salad-like topping. You could also use sunflower seeds in the topping but I like the flavor and crunch of the hazelnuts. My second choices would be almonds slices.

[tasty-recipe id="37975"] continue reading

The post Sunflower Carrot Risotto with Hazelnut-Pea Shoots appeared first on Naturally..

All you need is 20 minutes to get in an awesome strength burn and cardio sweat! I love adding cardio blasts to my strength workouts because I burn more calories in less time, and check both boxes for strength and cardio. Youā€™ll get the lean muscle-building benefits of strength and the fat loss powers + heart benefits of cardio. 

Squat jump

My friend Katie is in this video and provides low-impact and prenatal modifications for the exercises. As always, talk to a doctor before making any fitness changes. Honor your body and modify as needed. Hereā€™s what the workout looks like:

HIIT and strength workout you can do at home:

Sweat and burn workout

Hereā€™s the full follow-along video:

and a quick video with demos for the moves:

Please let me know if you give it a try!!

xo

Gina

Video: Grant Hunker

Workout partner-in-crime: Katie Surridge

Studio: Animas

Wearing: lululemon align crops, this tank, APL sneakers

More quick and intense workouts you can do at home:

Cardio weights blast

Total body strength + HIIT

Upper body blast

Prenatal workout video

Total body barre

The post Sweat and Burn HIIT/Strength Workout [Video] appeared first on The Fitnessista.

I wish I had a sexier name for this dish but when you start combining things into a dish that really doesnā€™t have a name like ā€˜tacoā€™ or ā€˜grain bowlā€™, a name with all the ingredients is the best I can do. However, it's delicious. We've eaten it as a side but I've also been known to call a dish like this lunch.

The Beets: Chioggia forever.

When spring produce enters into my life, I take it as a reminder that not everything requires roasting. Sure, roasted vegetables are amazing but sometimes other techniques are worthwhile. I feel like steaming gets a bad rap, most likely due to diet trends, but itā€™s a valuable tool in your cooking arsenal.

Take for example these beets. Chioggia beets are beautiful. Their color, though, doesnā€™t hold once cooking. If you roast these beautiful beets, the color fades pretty drastically (unless you roast them whole but Iā€™m not always willing to wait the hour it takes.) Enter: steaming.

Steaming these beets takes 10 minutes and while the color still fades slightly, itā€™s there in all itā€™s beautiful pink glory. Best of all, steaming the beets leaves room to make crispy garlic in ghee: a real treat for all.

Garlic + Ghee: best friends.

Iā€™m a big proponent that every dish should have a little crispiness to it. In this dish, the sunflower seeds are nice but my favorite crisp comes in the form of pan-fried garlic. The ghee crisps the garlic nicely all while adding that delicious ghee flavor.

If you want to keep this vegan, olive oil can get the job done as well. The flavor changes slightly but the garlic is still delicious (because itā€™s still garlic!)

Bean Puree.

Finally, the bean puree. I love piling vegetable high atop a creamy puree. Thereā€™s something so satisfying when you scoop everything together off the plate- it mixes into the perfect bite. I kept this bean puree simple and very spring forward with the help of dill. Of course, you could really use any herb. Try parsley, marjoram, and/or a bit of thyme. Also, if you don't have white beans go for chickpeas.

[tasty-recipe id="37991"]

continue reading

The post Garlicky Beets with Dill Bean Puree appeared first on Naturally..

Immortal coffee goes one step beyond bulletproof coffee and is totally 100% vegan. Rich and creamy cashew butter and MCT oil make this a satusfying cup.

The post IMMORTAL COFFEE appeared first on The First Mess // Plant-Based Recipes + Photography by Laura Wright.

I am forever and always a proponent of having sauces, dressings and condiments in the fridge to make something out of pantry staples or the end of the vegetable bin. I got into garlic confit after I...

Please visit Sprouted Kitchen to view this Recipe.

Hi friends! Howā€™s the week treating ya? Iā€™m back in Tucson and back into the swing of things over here. I have two podcast interviews this morning – the show will be back the week of June 3 – an Orangetheory class, and canā€™t wait to catch up with the crew tonight. I only technically missed one night from home, but after being gone last weekend, too, it feels like a lot! Iā€™ve missed my lil nuggets so much.

Portland was such a blast!! After flying into town, I grabbed a rental car and drove to my hotel at the Mark Spencer. It was a quaint and charming spot with a beautiful interior. Some pics of my room:

(They only had rooms with two beds available when I booked so I just rolled with it)

I mostly chose this hotel because of its proximity to a lot of local restaurants and shops! I dropped off my luggage and headed straight to explore. First stop was Powellā€™s Books, which so many of you had recommended. It was an enormous bookstore with rows and rows of new and used books. They also had a coffee shop, huge kidsā€™ area, and a little gifts section. I could have spent hours browsing and enjoying the smell of books.Ā 

Next, I walked down to take a class at barre3 in the Pearl District. After an entire day of sitting, I was ready to shake my legs out a bit. When I arrived at the studio, I found out that it was their flagship location, dubbed ā€œThe Pearl.ā€ This is where the magic began and the crazy thing is that the founder, Sadie Lincoln, had taught a class at that location that very morning.Ā 

Ā 

One of my favorite things about barre3 is that itā€™s so consistent. You know exactly what to expect each time you go to a class; a mixture of mind-body connection, breath work, and quad-burning leg work. Barre has been missing from my routine quite a bit lately – I get bored *teaching* myself barre and it can be tough to work studio classes into my schedule- but itā€™s still one of my favorite formats. Hopefully P will be into the Play Lounge again one of these days! (Sheā€™ll only go if her best friend is there.) Stacey led this class and she was an incredible instructor. She was very motivating and crushed my legs in the best way possible.Ā 

After barre, I went back to the hotel for a quick change and then met Rachel at Tasty nā€™ Alder for dinner.Ā 

Rachel and I connected quite a few years ago when I was in Portland for a blog event. Weā€™ve stayed in contact through Instagram since then, so when I found out Iā€™d be in Portland for a night, I reached out and see if she wanted to meet for dinner and wine.

The food at Tasty nā€™ Alder was WONDERFUL. I feel like Portland is dotted with unique and delicious restaurants everywhere you look, and this one certainly didnā€™t disappoint. The vibe reminded me of our beloved Commoner & Co. – rustic and cozy, with modern spins on classic dishes. We shared a cheese board, the Brussels sprouts (which were crispy and lightly sweet), the short rib (which came with housemade kimchi) and the potato donuts. I just wanted to curl up and live in these. I drank wine, we chatted about books and Rachelā€™s recent retreat to Bali, and it was perfect. Ā 

Wednesday morning, I forced myself to wake up early so I could grab a quick breakfast at the hotel before driving to Lake Oswego. Ā 

The entire drive down, I was in awe of the scenery. It was such a gorgeous drive: lush green landscapes, blooming cherry blossoms, and hiking trails. I feel like I want to live there, or at least visit for longer than 24 hours.Ā 

Before some fun brand meetings, I was able to check out a Starcycle class. (I feel like usually I donā€™t get the chance to work out twice on vacation since Iā€™m with the fam, but this time since it was just me, I decided to live it up.) Iā€™m a huge fan of boutique cycling studio classes and this one was unlike any of the ones Iā€™ve tried. It was a party on the bike – the music was AWESOME – and they have childcare. It felt great to get in some cardio, especially since Iā€™d be spending a huge chunk of the day sitting on an airplane.

For lunch, I grabbed a giant salad at Garden Bar and headed to the airport. I was pumped to see that Blue Star donuts were at the airport when I arrived.

You guys said they were better than Voodoo Donuts, and you donā€™t lie. It was seriously the best donut Iā€™ve had in my entire life.

I also brought back some apple fritters for the girls, so they had those with their scrambled eggs this morning and were pumped about life.

The flights back were pretty uneventful, and I stopped in the lounge for a snack:

(vegetables! and wine)

finally finished China Rich Girlfriend, and started The 6 Keys and The Great Alone.Ā I already canā€™t put this one down.Ā 

Ā 

I hope you have a great day and Iā€™ll see ya in the morning with some faves!

xo

Gina

Looking for a workout? try this leg and booty burner!

The post Portland, I love ya appeared first on The Fitnessista.

I gravitate towards the savory breakfast, even to the point of eating leftover dinner in place of waffles, pancakes, or sweet porridges. However, sometimes my sweet tooth gets the best of me. Luckily, I can make a mean bowl of breakfast porridge and amaranth is one of the ways to my sweet-breakfast heart.

Amaranth Porridge

I absolutely adore amaranth for both the grain and in floral arrangements. When growing, itā€™s colorful and definitely and eye-catching addition. Yet, the grain, in terms of cooking, doesnā€™t quite get the same love.

Amaranth takes a little know-how. Itā€™s similar to quinoa in that itā€™s actually a pseudo-grain or better known as a seed. It does not, however, cook up like quinoa. Amaranth, if cooked like any other grain, becomes a bit gummy.

Amaranth has a higher level of amylopectin, a main component of starch. This component creates a slightly more gelatinous texture to the cooked grain; think sushi rice versus long-grain rice. The creamy feel of cooked amaranth lends itself well to porridges and polentas. There are ways to use amaranth in more traditional grain ways, it just takes an extra step.

The topping

I try and stick with only fruits and vegetables I can source locally but I occasionally love a good banana dish. It also helps that we almost always have bananas around thanks to a child who had a mild obsession with them for some time.

Of course, if you wanted to stick to something you could buy at the farmers market, try peaches, apples, or pears. I like all of these options for cooking in the butter/sugar mixture. You could also just load this amaranth porridge with fresh berries and call it good.

Making it vegan

This one is easy. I actually prefer this porridge with non-dairy milk such as almond or oat. Same goes for the cream on top. As for the butter, you could use coconut oil or my friend Emma recently introduced me to Miyokoā€™s vegan butter. Itā€™s actually really good and a solid 1:1 for dairy butter.

[tasty-recipe id="37982"]

continue reading

The post Amaranth Porridge with Caramelized Bananas and Pecans appeared first on Naturally..

Makes 10 rolls
Total time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Active time: 45 minutes

Itā€™s basil season! And spinach season! And, well, letā€™s just say itā€™s lasagna roll season, too.

These make a great appetizer if youā€™re doing a little summer entertaining, or a filling entree if you prefer. Tofu ricotta is elevated with the addition of some Pumpkin Seed Pesto. The mellow flavor of pumpkin seeds really lets the basil shine. The sautĆ©ed spinach is really really garlicky, as is the pesto, so this makes the perfect date night meal.

What I really love, besides how flavorful these are, is the texture. Baking the rolls makes the noodles soft but still toothsome, with little crunchy bits on the edges. Smothered in cashew cream and pesto and finished off with a scattering of additional pumpkin seeds, these lasagna rolls will fulfill even the most wild fantasies: creamy, crunchy, velvety, chewy, and hearty all at once. Yes, there are a few components here, but none are too difficult to pull off and also LASAGNA ROLLS.

Serve with Caesar Salad to round out the meal!

PS This is my first blogpost using only iPhone photos, so take a deep breath with me. Sorry $2000 camera, this is just easier. Since Iā€™m not an aspiring photographer, Iā€™m not ashamed to admit that adjusting lighting and apertures and editing in Photoshop is just too labor intensive for me these days. A few adjustments in VSCO cam, a button to upload to Flickr, and my work is done here. You get the picture. Har har.


Recipe Notes
~You donā€™t need all of the lasagna noodles called for, but go ahead and boil the whole package to account for some breakage. Saute the leftovers and broken ones for dinner the next night.

~The amount of ricotta made is just enough to fill the rolls, so go easy with the taste testing and donā€™t overfill the rolls, or you might not get ten out of the deal.

~I put the pesto in a little plastic bag with a hole cut out of the corner to pipe it nicely over the rolls. Then just spread it a bit with a spoon and itā€™s real pretty like.

~I make the white sauce before the pesto to cut down on cleaning a little bit. You can pour the white sauce out and then just rinse the blender without having to do a major cleaning, since who cares if a little bit of cashew cream ends up in your pesto.

Ingredients
12 oz lasagna noodles

For the white sauce:
1 cup cashews, soaked for at least 2 hours
1/2 cup water
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon salt

For the pesto:
2 cloves garlic
3 cups fresh basil, loosely packed
1/2 cup pepitas (shelled pumpkin seeds), plus extra for garnish
1/3 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast flakes
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
Several dashes fresh black pepper

For the ricotta:
1 14 oz extra firm tofu, crumbled
1/4 cup pesto
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt

For the spinach:
2 tablespoons olive oil
6 cloves garlic, minced
10 oz baby spinach

Make the noodles:
Bring a big pot of salted water to boil and cook the noodles al dente, stirring occasionally to make sure they donā€™t stick together. If they seem to be, use metal tongs to gently peel them apart. Once cooked, drain them in a colander and run them under plenty of cold water to make sure they stop cooking and donā€™t stick together.

Make the white sauce:
Drain cashews. In a blender, combine all ingredients and blend until completely smooth. This could take 1 to 5 minutes depending on your blender. Scrape down the sides of the blender with a rubber spatula every minute or so to make sure you get everything. Set aside.

Make the pesto:
Place garlic cloves in a blender and pulse a bit to chop. Add basil, pumpkin seeds, olive oil, nutritional yeast, lemon juice salt and pepper and blend. It should still have some texure and not be completely smooth. Thin with a few tablespoons of water to get it into a spreadable consistency.

Make the ricotta:
In a medium mixing bowl, mash tofu with your hands or an avocado masher, until it resembles ricotta cheese. Mix in pesto, nutritional yeast, olive oil, lemon juice and salt until well combined. Set aside.

Make the spinach:
Preheat a large heavy bottomed skillet (preferably cast iron) over medium low heat. Add the olive oil and garlic and saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add spinach and cook, stirring often, until wilted, about 3 minutes. Set aside.

Assemble and bake:
Preheat oven to 350 F. Lightly grease a 9x13 inch casserole dish with olive oil.

Spread 3 tablespoons of ricotta mixture evenly over each lasagna noodle, leaving a little room around the side edges and 1/2 inch at each end.

Scatter about 3 tablespoons of spinach mixture over the ricotta. Starting at the bottom end, roll noodle up and place, seam side down, in the casserole dish. Continue with all remaining noodles. Pour the white sauce over the rolls in thick ribbons.


Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until edges are lightly browned and white sauce is thickened. If after 25 minutes the rolls are not browning but the edges are crispy, place under a broiler on low heat for a minute or two, keeping a very close eye so that they donā€™t burn.

Remove from oven and smother on remaining pesto. Garnish with additional pumpkin seeds and serve!