Cinnamon-Raspberry Smoothie

Dave bought me a Vitamix for my birthday, so we've been smoothie makin' fools!

When it comes to smoothie prep, I'm a firm believer in eyeballing things and just adding the amount that tastes good (to you) so I was hesitant to post smoothie recipes. Then I realized that even just the ingredients may be useful to some people, so I decided that, every once in a while, I'll be posting some smoothie "recipes" here as well.

Cinnamon-Raspberry Smoothie


4 Ice Cubes
1 Scoop of PlantFusion Vanilla Bean Protein Powder
1 Large Banana
Almond Milk
Raspberry Extract*
Cinnamon
Nutmeg
Flax Seeds, ground (about 1 tsp)
Chia Seeds (about 1 tsp)
Red Food Coloring (optional)

Add all the ingredients and then turn the blender on. Make sure everything is blended thoroughly.

Hint: When adding the almond milk, I know that I've added enough when all the ingredients, in the bottom of the Vitamix, are covered.

(*If we had had actual raspberries in the house, we would have used those but the extract made a good replacement)

What are some of your favorite smoothie recipes? Share in the comments below!

Date Squares

One of the awesome things about my relationship with my boyfriend, Dave, is that we both love to cook! Shortly after we started dating, he made these awesome date and nut bars - and from that moment on, I knew that he was a keeper :)

He hasn't made them in a while, so we decided that it was about time to make some again to share with all of you! They're super simple to make and absolutely delicious!

Date Squares 

1 Cup Almonds

1 & 1/2 Cups Pitted Medjool Dates (you can add a few extra)

1/2 Cup Sweet, Dried Cranberries

1/2 Cup Shredded Coconut

1/4 Enjoy Life's Semi- Sweet Mini Chocolate Chips

1Tbsp Vanilla Extract

In a food processor, pulse almonds until they become coarse then throw in dates, cranberries, coconut, vanilla extract and pulse until mixed together. Toss in chocolate chips and pulse another 2 or 3 times.

Spoon mixture out onto a flat surface and then, using you hand, flatten gently.



Place in the freezer for about an hour and then cuts into squares

Be sure to keep refrigerated, otherwise, they may lose their form. If you wanted to try something a little different, I'm sure you could shape them into balls as well.

Raw "Donut" Holes

As much as I love to cook, I'm also fascinated by some of the raw food concoctions that people create. I'll occasionally peruse raw food blogs for inspiration and find recipes that I have to try - like this video for for a two ingredient "donut" hole recipe that I came across on youtube from Lisa Paris of rawbeets.com.

It's something that anyone can make: it's quick, easy, inexpensive and it definitely hits the spot if you're in the mood for something sweet! And another major plus: they're better for you than real donut holes :) Give it a try, you won't be sorry!

Raw "Donut" Holes
(Makes around 12 - 1 1/2 inch balls)

8 oz Pitted Dates
8 oz Sweetened Coconut Flakes (6 oz for mixture, 2 oz for rolling)
Sea Salt (to taste - optional*)

Add dates, coconut flakes and salt (optional) to (at least) a 3 cup food processor. Mix together until it forms sort of a dough - it will probably take a minute or two. You'll know it's done when it starts to actually ball up like a cookie dough inside the food processor. The mixture should feel a bit tacky/sticky.

Roll dough into small balls and then roll them in the leftover coconut flakes to cover.

You can eat them immediately or refrigerate to let them harden up a bit.

If you're interested in how much these cost to make, here's the breakdown:
[2] 4.25 oz boxes of Champion Premium California Pitted Dates (Walmart - $.99 each)
[1] 14 oz bag og Great Value Sweetened Coconut Flakes (Walmart - $1.72)

Total = $3.70 (that's only about $.30 per ball!)

*Although the original recipe called for salt, I made half the balls with salt and the other half without and while they were both good, I preferred them without the salt.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Muffins

There is no added sugar in this recipe; the muffins get their sweetness solely from the bananas.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Muffins
(makes 6 large muffins)

2 cups of Bisquick
4 medium sized over ripe bananas
4 tbsp Chocolate PB2
1 tbsp vanilla extract
1 scoop vanilla soy protein powder
1/2 cup water

Preheat oven to 400 degrees and spray a large muffin pan with cooking spray.

Mash bananas and stir in Bisquick in batches.

Add 1/4 cup of water and mix.

Add chocolate PB2 powder, vanilla extract, soy protein powder and the other 1/4 cup of water and stir together until all ingredients are combined.

Using an ice cream scoop, fill each well in the muffin pans about halfway and then place in the oven.

Cook for 20 minutes. Take the muffin tray out of the oven and wait at least 5 minutes before removing the muffins - allowing them to cool a bit.

Cauliflower "Shrimp" Cocktail

In my pre-vegan days I absolutely loved shrimp cocktail, so when I came across this recipe in the February 2012 issue of Bon Appetit, I knew that I needed to give it a try.

The results? It was okay. On its own, the cauliflower doesn't taste all that much like shrimp but when dipped in the cocktail sauce, it definitely helps add to the flavor. It may not be an exact replica, but at least it's a new spin on cauliflower! I'm excited to give other seasonings a try now.

Cauliflower "Shrimp" Cocktail
(4 servings)

1/2 cup dry crab boil seasoning (Old Bay)
1/8 cup sea salt
1 onion, quartered
3 garlic cloves
1.5 lemons, halved crosswise
1 head of cauliflower, cored, trimmed into 2" florets
Cocktail sauce

Combine crab boil, salt, onions, garlic, and 3 quarts water in a large pot. Squeeze juice from lemons into pot and add lemon halves. Set pot over high heat and bring liquid to a boil. Cook for 15 minutes to let flavors meld. Using a slotted spoon, remove onions, garlic, and lemons from broth; discard. Return liquid to a rolling boil.
   
Add cauliflower; turn off heat, cover pot tightly, and let stand until cauliflower is crisp-tender, 10-15 minutes. Drain; spread out cauliflower on a rimmed baking sheet and let cool completely. DO AHEAD: Cauliflower can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.

Arrange room-temperature or chilled cauliflower on a platter with cocktail sauce for dipping.

The original recipe can be found here at Bon Appetit.com.

Bananaloupe Smoothie

I buy a lot of fruit (and don't always get around to eating it) so the freezer has become my best friend. I have so many bags of frozen bananas, grapes, strawberries, apples and other fruits that I don't know what to do with them. A couple of  years back, I heard about Kris Carr and her love of green smoothies, so after seeing her documentary and reading her book, I was inspired to give them a try.

At first, I was a little put off by the idea of eating blended fruits and vegetables - especially spinach! - but they're actually really delicious and there are so many different kinds that you can come up with. Plus, they're good for you. :) Now that summers coming, they're the perfect thing to make!

I've made quite a few different concoctions, but haven't written any of them down, so I decided to start doing that now.

Bananaloupe Smoothie
(Makes about 32oz / or 1 or 2 servings)

1/4 of a cantaloupe
1 banana (frozen)
4 handfuls of spinach
6oz Original Almond Milk
drizzle of agave nectar
1/2 serving of Vanilla Soy Powder
3 ice cubes

Add two handfuls of spinach, almond milk, 1/2 banana to the blender. Blend until mixed. Add 1/2 the cantaloupe, blend. Add two more handfuls of spinach, blend. Add the other 1/2 of the cantaloupe, soy powder and agave nectar, blend. Add ice cubes, blend until smooth.

Create Your Own Lara Bar!

I recently become addicted to Lara bars and while doing some searching online realized that there is basically one main ingredient (dates) and then you can add whatever you want to create your own flavors. There are a bunch of different recipes online (if you want some inspiration for flavors) but this is one I just threw together last night. The possibilities are endless!

Peanut Butter and Banana Lara Bars
(makes 4 bars)

1 box (8 oz) of Chopped Dates
1/2 Bag (3oz) Banana Chips
2.5 Tbsp Peanut Butter (Creamy)
Pinch of Salt

1. Grind up the banana chips in a food processor (or Magic Bullet, blender, etc)
2. Add dates and pulse until the chunks start to break down
3. Add peanut butter, a pinch of salt and process until everything is mixed together and sort of forms a dough type consistency.
4. Lay a piece of saran wrap on the counter. Form the dough into a ball and place it on one half of the saran wrap. Cover and press until it creates a rectangle.
5. Fully wrap and place in the refrigerator over night. In the morning, cut the rectangle into four pieces.

(Note: In the picture, the banana chips aren't ground up. I came up with the idea to grind them first because originally, I had added them to the mixture, last, and had difficulties getting the pieces small enough.)

Peanut Butter Fluffies

The other night I was craving peanut butter cookies, so I threw together a few ingredients and made one for myself in the toaster oven. It turned out so well, that I decided to try to recreate it. I tend to like my cookies on the fluffy side, and not flat and crispy, so that's why I named these 'fluffies'. Let me warn you, though; these are definitely not low calorie but they are quite delicious.

Peanut Butter Fluffies

1 1/2 C Whole Wheat Flour
1/2 C + 2 tbsp Sugar
1/2 tsp Baking Powder
1/2 tsp Baking Soda
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
1 Cup Peanut Butter
1/2 C Water

1. Preheat oven to 375 Degrees.
2. Mix dry ingredients together. Add in vanilla extract and peanut butter and combine.  Then add water and stir until dough is thoroughly mixed.
3. Using an ice cream scoop, scoop out cookie dough onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Press lightly down with fork, making cross marks on top of the cookie.
3. Bake for 15 minutes. Take out of the oven and let cool for at least 10 to 15 minutes. Cookies should be fluffy and moist in the middle.

Makes 12-14 Cookies

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

These are more like oatmeal raisin biscuits, but I don't think anyone will complain about that :)

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
Makes 10-12 cookies

1 1/2 cups Whole Wheat Flour
1 cup Quaker Quick Oats
1/2 cup Sugar
1/2 Cup Mashed Banana (1 whole medium banana)
3/4 cups Raisins
1/2 cup Soy Milk or Water
1/2 tsp Baking Powder
1/2 tsp Baking Soda
1/2 tsp Salt
1 tsp Oil
1 tsp Vanilla Extract

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or spray lightly with cooking spray.
2. Mix all ingredients together until they are all combined.
3. Use an ice cream scoop and place scoops of dough on the cookie sheet. Press down lightly, using a fork, to spread the cookie dough out a bit.
4. Place cookie sheet in oven for 18-20 minutes.
5. Remove from over, let cool slight and then devour!

Note: You can use any type of flour or milk, 1/2 cup of apple sauce if you don't have a banana handy and any type of oil (thought vegetable or canola olive works best)

VegTacos & Nacho Night!

We made these last night and they were absolutely delicious!

What you'll need:
Soft and/or Hard Shell Tacos
1 pkg Boca Crumbles
2 8oz blocks of Vegan Cheddar Cheese (or Vegan Gourmet Cheddar), shredded.
Tortilla Chips
3 Tomatoes, diced
1 Onion, diced
Shredded Lettuce
Taco Seasoning
Guacamole
Salsa
3 Bowls

Nachos:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees
2. Layer tortilla chips, 2 diced tomato & 1-8oz block of grated cheese in a oven-safe dish.
3. Bake in the oven for about 10-15 minutes (or until the cheese starts to melt)

Tacos:
1. Put Boca Crumbles in a frying pan over medium heat for a few minutes.
2. Add 1 diced tomatoes, 1 diced onion and taco seasoning (to taste).
3. Heat for 3-5 minutes, then place Boca taco mixture into a bowl.

Heat soft taco shells in the microwave and fill the other two bowls with guacamole & salsa.

Layer taco shell with Boca mixture, shredded cheese, salsa, guacamole & lettuce. Eat nachos "as is" or add guacamole and salsa to them as well. Enjoy! (Serves 2-4 people)

Alternate suggestions:
Replace Boca Crumbles with Morningingstar Chick'n Strips or Black Beans & Brown Rice.
Replace fresh tomatoes & onions with Hunt's diced tomatoes (fire roasted, onions & garlice, etc.)
Add re-fried beans to the nachos.

Peanut Butter and Banana Smudgies

Peanut Butter and Banana Smudgies

2 ripe bananas
2 heaping tbsps of peanut butter
10 graham crackers rectangles (1 sheet = 2 squares = 1 smudgie)

1. Peel the bananas and place them in a bowl.

2. Add the peanut butter and mash the two together with a fork until creamy.

3. Place 10 graham cracker squares on a piece of foil. Use the fork (or a spoon) to smear the banana and peanut butter mixture onto the crackers.

4. Then place a plain graham cracker on top to make 10 sandwiches.

5. Stack them so you have a row of three (and 1 extra on top in the middle) and then wrap them in the foil.

6. Place them in the freezer for at least six hours and enjoy.

(Original recipe found on FitSugar)