I've been testing a lot of recipes for Thanksgiving this past week. Since it's my first all-vegan Thanksgiving dinner I wanted to make sure everything tasted great and get the recipes out to all of you in enough time. I've already posted other holiday recipes I will be making and have more coming out this week.  (more…)

This is the second recipe I've come up with in hope of helping friends and family start to enjoy Brussels Sprouts. You can make these  along with my Honey Roasted Brussels Sprouts with the same batch or do one or the other. I love these chips just as much (if not more than) kale chips! Preparing veggies this way is a great tactic to get adults and kids to consume them.   (more…)

When I say Brussels Sprouts to people the reaction I get most of the time is “Ew” with a disgusted look on their face. My mother never made them when I was growing up because she is one of those people that despise them. The first time I had them was at a restaurant in New York. They were fried and covered in oil so of course they tasted good compared to the plain boiled version. I've finally figured out a healthy delicious way to fix them without soaking them in oil or frying. (more…)

A few weeks ago I was jogging down the mountain on Fryman Hiking Trail here in LA. I was thinking about all the things that I needed to get done and not being in the present moment. All of a sudden, I tripped on a rock and went flying “superman style” falling flat on my face. I was literally covered with dirt from my neck down and had cut my hands up pretty bad especially my middle and ring finger on my left hand.

As I got up, blood running down my hands, all I could think is “Why my hands! When my job now is cooking and I need my hands! WHY?!” When I got home and bandaged myself up, I literally had 3 big band-aids on the right hand and two on the left. How was I supposed to do recipe testing and cooking like this?! After the second day I realized I just needed to get gloves especially since I wash my hands so much this would solve that problem. Then I wouldn't have to worry about re-bandaging every time. I went to Walgreens and bought the “no powered” rubber gloves. It wasn't as easy to cook, but it worked.

I wanted my fingers to heal as fast as possible. I won't put up the pics, but the cuts on my left two fingers were pretty deep. I added turmeric to as much food as possible. I made a big batch of my healing creamy broccoli soup and ate on it for the next few days. Also added as much antioxidants as possible. Literally in one week, I wasn't wearing band-aids anymore and the cuts were pretty much healed. I know it's due to my clean, plant-based eating that I recovered so quickly.

Before I was unprocessed I cut my finger on a mandolin and it took over a month to heal plus I was on a lot of antibiotics. This is just one amazing example of what unprocessed plant-based eating can do for your body. When you're eating these foods your body will function at an optimal level and heal from sickness, wounds and more so much faster without loading up on medications.

Tomato Basil Cashew Cheese Sauce is now my new go-to pasta sauce when I'm in a time crunch! It's easy to make because you just throw all the ingredients into a food processor or blender and you're done! Great for nights when you don't have a lot of time to cook. It's dairy free, but still has the creaminess of regular cream sauces from the cashews. Antioxidants are potent in this sauce from the fresh basil, garlic and oregano. It's also packed with B vitamins from the Nutritional Yeast.
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If you're not a fan of eating kale then maybe try drinking it. This Cinnamon Banana Kale Smoothie tastes like a sweet treat! It's naturally sweetened, dairy-free and full of plant-based protein. Consuming kale can drastically reduce your chance of developing Glaucoma, which (more…)

 These Chocolate Protein Cake Balls are a yummy treat. No reminded sweeteners and gluten-free. It's super easy to whip up a batch when you're wanting something sweet.  (more…)

Okay, you might be thinking broccoli soup, gross! I promise this is anything but gross.  This is one recipe that will get even the pickiest of eaters to consume those pretty little green trees. It gives you a “creamy soup” fix without adding unhealthy heavy creams or any dairy for that matter. We all know that we should (more…)

Kids and adults find this dairy-free chocolate milk delicious. Most people like to drink it in the morning, but when you're craving something sweet at night this is the perfect snack.

It's great anytime of the day, but for nighttime purposes (more…)

Need a boost of energy before all the Halloween festivities coming up? Pumpkin Energy Balls will do the trick! One of the easiest snacks I've made and people rave over them. Kids do too! They're the perfect dessert to take to any holiday parties this season.

Besides giving you energy, they're loaded with nutritional benefits (like all my recipes). Pumpkin Puree has been shown to reduce inflammation, which can lead to many chronic health conditions, including cancer and heart disease, as well as Type 2 diabetes and arthritis.

Print

PUMPKIN ENERGY BALLS

Please by all ingredients organic when possible!

Course Dessert, Snack

Cuisine American

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 45 minutes minutes

Servings 9 -12 Balls

Author Megan Lawson

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup Pumpkin Puree
• 1/4 cup Honey or Maple Syrup
• 1/2 tsp Cinnamon
• 1 tsp Pumpkin Spice
• 2 tbsp Chia Seeds
• 3/4 cup Dates
• 1 cup Oats
• 1/4 cup Coconut Shreds optional

Instructions

• Put all ingredients except for oats and coconut shreds in a food processor
• Blend until dates are completely chopped and you have sticky mixture
• In a large bowl mix the oats and coconut shreds into the mixture
• Place mix in the fridge for at least 30 min
• Remove from fridge. Use a spoon to form the mixture into small balls
• Store in the fridge for two weeks.

Since ancient times, many cultures have considered grapes as the “queen of fruits.” There are over 8,000 varieties of grapes, from purple to red, black, dark blue, yellow or green, but the concord grapes here in California are the best I’ve ever tasted. California actually produces the most grapes sold across the US. (more…)

 This smoothie is one decadent way to get your greens and protein in first thing in the morning. This seriously tastes like dessert for breakfast, and it's so filling! Cacao always boosts my mood so I love starting my days with it. Cherries do some amazing things for your health so this smoothie is loaded with goodness.

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