Matcha energy bars
Matcha energy bars

Photo credit: Andrew Olsen

Summer has officially begun and there’s no better time than now to get outside and enjoy the beautiful sunny weather. Here in Boulder, Colorado there are an endless number of trails to explore and the only real problem is deciding which one to take! Not everyone loves to hike, but I think it’s true that most all of us are more active in the summertime and generally look to spend more time outdoors.

Eating well away from home is getting easier and easier as plant-based diets get more mainstream attention, but sometimes it still pays off to bring a little snack from home that can hold you over while away. A few pieces of fruit packed away in your bag are great, but sometimes you need something a little more substantial to help you make those extra miles or keep up with the kids.

When digging around on the internet for something healthy and super-energizing, I came across a recipe from One Ingredient Chef that I thought filled the part perfectly. Andrew’s super-easy energy bar recipe takes just minutes to prepare, stores well in the refrigerator, and can be eaten on-the-go. I think these bars would make a great snack before hopping in the car for an outing, or packed away for when you need a second wind.

And there is no doubt that just one of these bars will keep you energized for hours! The matcha powder is stimulating enough to keep you blazing down the trail, but when combined with the dates (a bit of sugar) and the cacao powder (a bit of theobromine), you’ve got a powerful, synergistic combo that will leave you feeling like you could conquer mountains! Matcha has well-known antioxidant properties and the cacao is chock-full of magnesium, which is perfect for strenuous, high-activity days.

Matcha energy bars

Photo credit: Andrew Olsen

Matcha Energy Bars

I really hope you enjoy our Matcha Energy Bars recipe, excerpted from the One Ingredient Chef and perfect for anyone who wants a high-energy, easy-to-digest snack that’s going to keep you buzzing all day long.

As far as preparation goes, this recipe is as easy as it gets. You can have a bag full of bars and be out the door in around 30 minutes and still have leftovers. Just throw everything together in a food processor or high-speed blender, process for a few minutes, and it’s practically done!

Feel free to adjust the amount of cacao and matcha powder if you want to play around with effects. Note that matcha powder contains caffeine and cacao powder contains theobromine. Both are stimulating and eating one of these will feel like drinking a cup of coffee.

I hope you all will take full advantage of the early summer season. I’ll see you out on the trail! Thanks to Creative Commons and Andrew Olsen of One Ingredient Chef for sharing this recipe.

 

Matcha Energy Bars (Vegan, Gluten-Free)

Ingredients

  • 1 cup pitted dates
  • 1/4 cup dried cherries
  • 3/4 cup raw nuts (ideally cashews)
  • 2 tablespoons cacao powder
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 tablespoon matcha powder
  • Pinch of salt

Instructions

  1. Combine all the ingredients in your food processor and let it run for at least two minutes. When it's done, the mixture should form one solid, sticky clump.
  2. Take two pieces of parchment paper or plastic wrap and sandwich the mixture between them. Use something big and flat like a cutting board to press down evenly until the mixture is about 1/4-inch thick.
  3. Keep the layers of parchment intact and transfer everything to the refrigerator for 15-30 minutes to firm up before slicing and using a sifter to dust the tops with extra matcha powder.
https://www.truewellth.org/matcha-energy-bars-vegan-gluten-free

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Everyday Green Smoothie

Photo credit: Carolyn Vinnicombe

 

It’s no surprise that smoothies are such a health food staple. They’re the perfect combination of easy-to-digest fruits with dark leafy greens, which everyone knows are jam-packed with vitamins and minerals. They leave you feeling full, clear-headed and energized, which means that they’re really great for breakfast. Eating a heavy breakfast (like oatmeal) in the spring or summer will make some people feel heavy and sleepy, which is exactly what you don’t need before a big day of work or a Saturday on the trail.

Carolyn’s everyday green smoothie recipe is super-tasty, easy to prepare, and is filling enough to get you all the way through the morning. It’s sweet, creamy, and has a little bit of bite thanks to the addition of ginger, which warms up the digestive system and makes it even easier to absorb and assimilate.

Everyday Green Smoothie

Photo credit: Carolyn Vinnicombe

Easy Everyday Green Smoothie

I really hope you enjoy our Easy Everyday Green smoothie recipe, excerpted from Carolyn’s Pantry and perfect for anyone who wants a high-energy, easy-to-digest breakfast that’s sure to put a little extra spring in your step.

As far as preparation goes, this recipe is as easy as it gets. Just throw everything together in a blender and viola, it’s done! If you’d like to get a few extra calories, feel free to throw some granola or nuts/seeds on top. Just be careful, as not everyone digests nuts/seeds and fruit very well when combined.

Preparation time is around 5 minutes and this recipe will make one big smoothie. If you don’t want to finish it all in one sitting, feel free to refrigerate what’s left for later. To avoid the fiber separating from the water/nut milk, it’s best to drink your green smoothie on the same day you make it.

This is the perfect time of year to start incorporating lighter, more energizing foods back into your diet. Thanks to Carolyn for sharing this recipe!

Easy Everyday Green Smoothie (Vegan, Gluten-Free)

Ingredients

  • 1 banana
  • 1 large handful fresh green kale
  • 1 large handful fresh baby spinach
  • 1 stalk of celery
  • 3 ice cubes
  • 1 tablespoon almond butter
  • 1 teaspoon fresh organic ginger (peeled)
  •  
  • Toppings
  • Granola
  • Fresh blueberries
  • A sprinkle of hemp seeds

Instructions

  1. Blend everything up and serve!
https://www.truewellth.org/easy-everyday-green-smoothie-vegan-gluten-free

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Spring-Cleansing Turmeric Vegetable Soup

Spring-Cleansing Turmeric Vegetable Soup

Many of us choose to eat a plant-based diet out of compassion and respect for animals, but choosing to fill our plates with fresh fruits and vegetables does more than just protect the natural environment and the animals who call it home. Even if it’s not our primary motivation, eating a whole-foods, plant-based diet has been proven to be a powerful aid in preventing and reversing chronic disease. Each time we sit down to eat in a way that supports the health of the planet, we support our own health in the process.

Eating a diet that’s centered around plants has a natural healing and cleansing effect on the body, especially as we introduce more raw foods, but many of us feel called to take a more active approach in our cleansing and detoxifying process. And now just happens to be the perfect time to do that!

As we move into spring, the days are getting longer and the temperatures are getting warmer. Life is reawakening all over the planet and we start to feel a shift in our own bodies and minds. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, it is thought that the cycles and rhythms of the human body are closely intertwined with nature. During the cold, winter months, our bodies gravitate towards semi-hibernation. We slow down, crave heavier, more comforting foods, and spend more time in leisurely activities like reading and watching movies.

In the spring, as new life emerges and regenerates itself, we feel naturally drawn towards being more active, spending more time outdoors, and eating lighter, more energizing foods. This presents a great opportunity to shed a little excess weight and clean out the toxins that have been accumulated and stored over the course of our winter dormancy.

Spring-Cleansing Turmeric Vegetable Soup

Photo credit: Ingrid DeHart

We recently found a recipe on the Eat Well, Enjoy Life blog that we thought would be perfect for early spring when we’re slowly waking from our winter slumber. It’s a recipe that’s hearty and fulfilling, but light and full of detoxifying ingredients at the same time.

Ingrid DeHart’s vegetable turmeric soup is full of flavorful ingredients and healing spices that will please your palate and give your digestive system the boost it needs to cleanse from the inside out. The turmeric fights inflammation and reduces gas and bloating, while the ginger and garlic stimulate the digestive tract to shed excess mucous and re-balance the intestinal wall. The other ingredients in this recipe, like coconut oil, carrots and kale all have well-known health benefits and healing properties of their own.

No special tools or kitchen skills are required to make this warming, healing soup. Just a knife, a cutting board and a pot to throw everything together in will suffice. If you’re looking to shed a few excess pounds or just want a little more spring in your step as we move into spring, we hope you’ll give our spring-cleansing vegetable turmeric soup a try!

Preparation time is around 20 minutes and the soup will take an additional 30 minutes to cook. One big pot will easily serve a family of 4. Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days.

Note: You could alter this recipe in a number of ways. We love the combination of flavors that Ingrid has created in this recipe, but the vegetables used are merely suggestions. Feel free to use whatever you have lying around the house or really love. The ginger and garlic do most of the cleansing work in this recipe, but if you’re choosing to avoid hot, stimulating spices and herbs, feel free to omit them. Turmeric is incredibly purifying on it’s own. For those eating a paleo diet, feel free to omit the beans.

This is the perfect time of year to start incorporating lighter, more cleansing foods back into your diet. Thanks to Ingrid DeHart and Eat Well, Enjoy Life for sharing this recipe!

Spring-cleansing Vegetable Turmeric Soup (Vegan, Gluten-free)

Ingredients

  • 1 large onion, diced
  • 1 medium carrot, diced
  • 2 stalks celery, diced
  • 2 cups cauliflower, cut into small florets
  • 2 cups kale, stems removed, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon fresh grated turmeric root or 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
  • 2 teaspoons garlic, minced (3-4 cloves)
  • 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced or ½ teaspoon ground ginger
  • 6 cups vegetable broth or water
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon coconut oil
  • ½ of 15-ounce can white beans, drained and rinsed or 1/2 cup of dried white beans, cooked (optional)
  • Cilantro, chopped for garnish (optional)

Instructions

  1. Heat the coconut oil in a large soup pot over medium-low.
  2. Add onion and stir. Cook for 5-7 minutes, until the onions begin to brown.
  3. Add carrots and celery, cook for 3-5 more minutes, until the vegetables soften.
  4. Add turmeric, garlic and ginger; stir until the vegetables are coated.
  5. Cook for 1 minute, until fragrant.
  6. Add broth or water, salt, and pepper; stir. Bring to a boil.
  7. Add cauliflower. Cover and reduce heat.
  8. Simmer for 10-15 minutes, until cauliflower is tender.
  9. When the cauliflower is fork tender, add beans and kale.
  10. Cook until the kale is slightly wilted, 2-3 minutes.
  11. Serve hot garnished with cilantro.
https://www.truewellth.org/spring-cleansing-vegetable-turmeric-soup-vegan-gluten-free

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Ratatouille

Ratatouille

The holiday season is upon us again and with that comes a rush of family and activity. These are all great things, and many of us look forward to the flurry of preparations and celebration all year long,  but the holidays can also leave us with little to no time to get in the kitchen and prepare healthy meals for ourselves. Even the most disciplined and dedicated health-warriors among us are often left wanting come late-December.  Not only do we not have the time to prepare healthy meals, we barely have enough time to go to the grocery store!

And so the question is: how can we create nourishing, flavorful meals for ourselves and our loved ones with little to no free time and with only a few odd-and-end ingredients lying around the kitchen?

We recently found a recipe on the One Ingredient Chef blog that we thought would be perfect for busy times when simple meals are in dire need. With this recipe, your slow-cooker does most all of the work for you, giving you the freedom to focus your attention where it’s most needed.

And just because this dish takes so little time to put together doesn’t mean that you’ll have to sacrifice on taste. Slow-cookers are great for melding flavors together over the course of several hours, tricking your palate into thinking that much more time and effort went into the meal than what it did.

Ratatouille

Photo credit: Andrew Olsen

If you’ve never used a slow cooker before or you don’t have one, you can get the same results just by putting all of your ingredients together and cooking them slowly over low heat. There’s actually a lot of different ways ratatouille can be made, but all of them involve thinly slicing squash, peppers, onions, and usually eggplant into thin rounds and lining them around a pan with with whatever herbs you have in the kitchen.

In the end, no matter which cooking method you choose, I think you’ll find that our one-pot ratatouille recipe is perfect for times when life gets hectic and packaged, instant meals tend to sneak their way in. If you’re craving something warm and hearty during the holiday season, have just a few leftover veggies lying around and aren’t sure what to do with them, we hope you’ll give our ratatouille recipe a try!

Ratatouille

Photo credit: Andrew Olsen

Preparation time is around 15 to 20 minutes and this recipe will easily serve a family of 4. Leftovers will keep well in the fridge for 2 to 3 days.

Note: You could alter this recipe in a number of ways. We omitted eggplant, but you could easily layer in some of that as well. You can use your favorite prepared marinara pasta sauce or make some from scratch if you are feeling adventurous. Italian herbs like thyme and tarragon would work really well with this recipe too.

This is the perfect time of year to break out your slow cooker and create flavorful dishes even if you’re short on time. Thanks to Andrew Olsen and Creative Commons at One Ingredient Chef for sharing this recipe!

Easy Potato Ratatouille (Vegan, Gluten-Free)

Ingredients

  • 3 cups marinara sauce (any kind)
  • 2 large russet potatoes
  • 1 large or 2 small zucchini
  • 2 yellow crookneck squash
  • 2 red bell peppers
  • 1/2 red onion
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • Basil, for garnish
  • Ground cashews, for garnish

Instructions

  1. Wash and slice the potatoes, zucchini, squash, red bell peppers, and red onion into thin rounds (1/8-inch or thinner). If you have a mandolin, that makes things much easier but you can also do it by hand. Also mince a few cloves of garlic and set aside.
  2. Pour one cup of the pasta sauce into the bottom of your slow cooker, then (the hardest part) overlap the veggies and potatoes in a circular pattern around the edges (and fill in the middle) until you’ve used them all. Stop after each row and add a dash of salt, pepper, and minced garlic. Note: you may not want to use full slices of onion on each level, feel free to use just 1-2 rings each time you layer the onions.
  3. Pour about 2 cups more sauce on top (it will slowly trickle down as it cooks) and slow-cook on high for about 3-4 hours until the potatoes are tender. To serve, garnish with some fresh basil and/or vegan “parmesan” which can be made by blending cashews (plus nutritional yeast and salt, if you’d like) in a high-powered blender until they’re pulverized.
https://www.truewellth.org/easy-potato-ratatouille-vegan-gluten-free

 

 


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Smoothie bowl

Many of our readers write-in to say that they have trouble getting their kids interested in eating plant-based foods on a regular basis. I don’t have kids of my own, but I can totally sympathize with the challenge. How can we get kids excited about healthy, organic, plant-based foods when they’re surrounded by endless quantities of junk food and advertisements that encourage them to eat them?

We recently found a recipe on the Fork and Beans blog that we thought would be perfect for introducing more plant-based foods into your child’s everyday diet. With her inventive smoothie bowls, Cara Ansis hits the nail on the head when it comes to creating food for kids that’s both tasty and fun, while also ensuring that they’re meeting their daily nutritional needs.

Photo credit: Cara Ansis

Smoothie bowls are jam-packed with an abundance of fresh fruits and are often accompanied by plant-based yogurt and plant-based milk, which you can either pick up from your local natural foods store or make on your own if you have the right kitchen tools.

If you’ve never made a smoothie bowl, this recipe may look a little intimidating. However, being that prep time is only a few minutes from beginning to end, just about everyone will have the time to quickly put one together, even as a last minute snack when the kids are hungry and reaching for something unhealthy. It’s really as simple as blending together a few ingredients, spooning the blended mixture into a couple of bowls, and putting some fresh fruit on top.

The next time you’re left wondering what to make for your kids who don’t seem to eat anything you make, we hope you’ll give our smoothie bowls a try! They’re delicious enough that you may just want to make one for yourself!

Photo credit: Cara Ansis

Preparation time is 15 minutes and this recipe serves 2.

Per Cara’s recipe, you can get super-creative with this recipe and turn your smoothie bowls into creative designs like animals, rainbows, or even flowers! Using fresh fruit, the possibilities are truly endless.

Smoothie bowls are safe for kids who have allergies to nuts, soy or grains so long as you choose plant-based dairy products that don’t contain them (there are some great plant-based milks out there that are made from pea protein).

We hope you and your kids will enjoy these awesome smoothie bowls, courtesy of Cara Ansis of Fork and Beans! Click here to see the full recipe on the Fork and Beans blog.

 


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Rainbow spring rolls
Rainbow spring rolls

Photo credit: Ingrid DeHart

As we move into cooler fall temperatures here in Colorado, I start to crave heavier, warmer foods. Even so, I feel at my best if I maintain a certain amount of raw food in my diet. These Raw Rainbow Spring Rolls are a fresh and satisfying summer dish filled with colorful, crunchy vegetables, avocado and herbs that can be enjoyed year-round.

Rainbow spring rolls

Photo credit: Ingrid DeHart

Raw spring rolls are popular in southern Asian cuisine and are typically accompanied by a number of different dipping sauces – one light and one spicy. In this particular recipe, which was shared with us by Ingrid DeHart over at Eat Well, Enjoy Life, there is a rich almond butter sauce and a lighter Asian dipping sauce. Feel free to choose just one or try both when making this recipe.

Try using a variety of different vegetables for this dish to let the colorful vegetables shine through. When sliced super thin, the raw yellow beets and red radishes become pliable enough to fold into the roll along with purple cabbage, orange carrots, green sunflowers sprouts and lettuce. You can even add avocado for creaminess and basil for a fresh, herbal flavor.

Ingrid’s spring rolls are gluten-free, peanut-free, and free from refined, white sugar. This recipe is a very clear example of an easy-to-prepare raw food dish that can carry you all the way through the winter season due to the heavy, warming nature of the dipping sauces. Give it a try and let us know what you think!

Rainbow spring rolls

Photo credit: Ingrid DeHart

Makes: 12 rolls, 4 servings

Preparation time is estimated at 20 to 30 minutes from beginning to end.

This is a great raw food recipe for when you’re short on time and attracts a lot of attention at communal meals due to the bright, varied colors of the rolls.

The first one you roll may not be perfect, but once you get the hang of it they come out beautifully. Be sure to spread the vegetables out wide enough so that your spring rolls are about 3 1/2 inches wide after they are rolled up. The rice paper is sticky enough to hold together once rolled.

Expert tip: Prepare your sauce first to let the flavors develop while you cut the vegetables. When laying out the vegetables, layer different ones on the bottom to give variety in the final appearance. Serve the rolls with one or both dipping sauces.

Raw Rainbow Spring Rolls (Vegan, Gluten-Free)

Ingredients

  • Almond Dipping Sauce
  •  
  • ½ cup almond butter
  • 3 tablespoons wheat free soy sauce or coconut aminos
  • 4 tablespoons rice vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons water
  • 1-2 tablespoons coconut sugar
  • 1 serrano chili or thai chili, stemmed and thinly sliced (optional)
  •  
  • Asian Dipping Sauce
  •  
  • 3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
  • 3 tablespoons wheat free soy sauce or coconut aminos
  • 1/2 teaspoon coconut sugar
  • 1 scallion, thinly sliced
  • 1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
  • 1 serrano chile, stemmed and very thinly sliced (optional)
  •  
  • Vegetable Rolls
  •  
  • 1 yellow beet, scrubbed and very thinly sliced
  • 2 radishes, very thinly sliced
  • 2 large carrots, julienned or shredded
  • 2 cups purple cabbage, very thinly sliced
  • 1 ½ cups sunflower sprouts or other sprouts
  • 4 lettuce leaves, torn
  • 1 avocado, sliced
  • 24 small basil leaves
  • 12 Vietnamese spring roll rice wrappers

Instructions

  1. For the almond and asian dipping sauces, combine all ingredients in two separate medium bowls and whisk until smooth, then transfer to a serving dish.
  2. For the vegetable rolls, first prepare the vegetables. Slice the beets and radishes very thin (a mandoline is very helpful here). Julienne the carrots, thinly slice the cabbage, tear the lettuce and thinly slice the avocado. Put all the vegetables into separate bowls.
  3. Fill a large shallow bowl with hot water.
  4. Soak 1 rice paper wrapper at a time in the water for 20 seconds until just pliable.
  5. Spread the wrapper on a work surface. Put some of the beets, cabbage, sprouts, lettuce, avocado and basil in the middle.
  6. Fold the sides inward and tightly roll the wrapper up round the filling.
  7. Serve with rolls with the dipping sauce.
https://www.truewellth.org/raw-rainbow-spring-rolls-vegan-gluten-free

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Raw Ombre Cake

Raw Ombre Cake

In the midst of a heavy work-week, it may be that all we care about is getting in and out of the kitchen as quickly as possible, living on leftovers and quick fixes. But every now and then, the occasion calls us to create something truly special. Maybe we get tired of preparing the same old dishes everyday, or we read a new blog post that re-kindles our passion for food.

Raw Ombre CakeThe Raw Ombre Cake featured in this post is a fantastic pick for those times. Looking over the instruction set and list of ingredients may feel intimidating at first, but with the right tools, a little know-how, and a desire to eat a bunch of delicious cake…anything is possible.

We recently had a chat with Shanna Jade of Kiss My Bowl, and she graciously granted us permission to share her seriously-epic, raw-vegan cheesecake recipe. Although Shanna has recently moved on to other business opportunities, her special talent for creating decadent desserts is evident here.

Here are her thoughts on the matter:

“Of all the things that can be made vegan, or even vegetarian for that matter – my favorite to play with is cake. Something about the prettiness of a cake, the elegance. Sure you can make a pretty mean looking burger, get mouths watering and imaginations wandering about exactly how flavorful it’ll be, what the crunch factor might be on the pickle or the spice in the oozing drippy sauce. A cake however, is so much more artsy than a burger. Maybe because cakes are delicate, the time and precision that goes into crafting a cake is somehow more impressive to me. The bottom line is, for me, cakes are an absolute pleasure to make.”

Shanna’s cake is gluten-free, cashew-based, and free from refined sugar. This recipe is a very clear example of plant-based awesomeness that can help to keep us all excited about healthy and compassionate eating. Give it a try and let us know what you think!

I really hope you enjoy our Raw Ombre Cake, excerpted from Kiss My Bowl and perfect for anyone who wants to demonstrate to themselves that they can create artistic, decadent dishes on the fly.

Raw Ombre CakeMakes: 1 large cheesecake

This is a great recipe to show-off to your non-vegan friends and family members. It’s also an awesome choice for communal gatherings and events. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been to a potluck where the raw-vegan cheesecake totally stole the show.

Note that preparation time is likely to be somewhere around 2 hours from beginning to end.

For a touch of visual flare, add reserves from the preparation to a piping bag and place in the fridge to harden. Once firm, pipe the designs of your choice onto the cake before setting overnight.

For the best results, it’s best to use a high speed blender to pulverize the nuts. This is important to create a smooth, creamy final product. 

Raw Ombre Cake (Vegan, Gluten-Free)

Ingredients

    Shortbread Base
  • 10 dates
  • 1 cup macadamia nuts
  • 2 tablespoons coconut flour
  • Pinch of salt
  • ⅓ cup melted cacao butter or coconut oil
    Blueberry Ombre Filling
  • 3 cups cashews (soaked for at least 6 hours)
  • 1 can thick full fat coconut cream
  • Juice of 2 small lemons
  • ½ cup + 1 tablespoon brown rice syrup
  • ½ cup melted cacao butter
  • ½ cup melted coconut oil
  • 8+ tablespoons blueberry powder
  • 2 tablespoons acai powder (optional, used only for color)

Instructions

  1. First off prep a 6" spring form cake pan by rubbing solid coconut oil onto the base, then lining the sides with wax paper.
  2. Melt the cacao butter or coconut oil for the crust in a heat-proof bowl over warm water.
  3. Pour some more warmed water over the dates and allow to soak - this will make them easier to feel for pit fragments (pit if they're unpitted) and to blend.
  4. While the dates are soaking, blitz the macadamias in a food processor. You're shooting for a bit of crunch so blitz to a semi fine crumb.
  5. Add the dates to the food processor and pulse until the macadamias and the dates begin forming a paste.
  6. Add the coconut flour, continue mixing, and then the oil.
  7. The crust mixture should be uniform with no bits of dry coconut flour.
  8. Press the crust mixture into the bottom of your prepared pan and place in the freezer to set.
    To make the filling:
  1. Add the soaked cashews, can of coconut cream, lemon juice and brown rice syrup to a high speed blender.
  2. Blitz, you may need to use the toggle, until smooth and creamy.
  3. Add the melted cacao butter and coconut oil.
  4. Pour the cashew mixture in equal parts into four bowls.
  5. Leave one bowl creamy white, mix 2 tablespoons of blueberry powder into one bowl, 4 tablespoons of blueberry powder into the next, and the last bowl mix in the remaining blueberry powder as well as the acai powder.
  6. Remove the crust from the freezer, pouring in all but 2 tablespoons of the the darkest mixture onto the crust. Return to the freezer until just set (about 15-20 minutes). Leave the few extra tablespoons in the bowl for later.
  7. Continue the process of layering each color once the one before it has set until you're left with only the creamy white layer. Use the whole bowl, do not reserve any of the creamy white unless you want creamy white stars as decoration.
  8. Return the cake to the freezer to set for 10 minutes or so.
  9. Remove from the freezer and place the cake in the refrigerator to set over night.
https://www.truewellth.org/raw-ombre-cake-vegan-gluten-free

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Easy Matcha Chia Pudding

Easy Matcha Chia Pudding
Spring is on the way, and while many of us are still craving hearty, filling breakfasts to get us through cold mornings, soon enough, we’ll probably feel more pulled towards sweeter, lighter foods that better compliment the season. When recently scouring the internet for hearty spring breakfasts, we came across this awesome recipe from Carolyn’s Pantry, which seemed like the perfect fit for the upcoming transition into warmer weather.

Most all of us enjoy a big bowl of hot oatmeal, especially in the dead of winter, but not many of you have probably tried the quicker, fully raw and nutritionally superior version of morning porridge using…chia seeds!

Chia pudding is easy to prepare, super nutritious, and most importantly, will get you out the door on time every morning. It’s loaded with Omega 3’s, contains a healthy chunk of your daily recommended value of fiber, and comes bundled with a number of other key vitamins and minerals like calcium, magnesium, phosphorous and manganese. And, as some of you know, chia seeds expand to many times their original size, and so a little bit goes a long way.

Legend has it that Aztec warriors and Native American tribes relied heavily on the use of chia seeds for the strength and endurance they provide, especially when traveling long distances and when going into battle. They’re lightweight, easy to transport, and very easily consumed. Even today, chia seeds are often cited as a key component in the diet of many endurance athletes and plant-based body builders.

To compliment the chia seeds, Carolyn added matcha green tea, which has been used in Japan for more than a thousand years, and is a really great alternative for those who are looking to kick their reliance on morning coffee. It’s moderate level of caffeine is generally well-tolerated by the body, it’s chock-full of antioxidants, it boosts the immune system and has a unique effect in the world of caffeinated teas; regular users have described it as nothing less than euphoric.

Give it a try and let us know what you think!

I really hope you enjoy our Matcha Chia Pudding recipe, excerpted from Carolyn’s Pantry and perfect for anyone who doesn’t have the time to cook in the morning but still needs a healthy, filling, high-energy breakfast to get them out the door. Check out more of Carolyn’s awesome recipes here.

Matcha Chia PuddingMatcha Chia Pudding

Makes: 1 large serving

This is a great recipe for use during the work-week, as it’s both quick to put together, super-energizing and filling, and can easily serve as a substitute for your everyday winter oatmeal.

To add to the base recipe, feel free to serve chia pudding with your favorite toppings, such as fresh berries, sliced bananas, slivered almonds or any of the additional ingredients listed below.

Note: If you’re really pressed for time in the morning, you can soak your chia seeds the night before, which makes putting this recipe together completely possible in just a few minutes.

Easy Matcha Chia Pudding (Vegan, Gluten-Free)

Ingredients

  • 6 tablespoons chia seeds
  • 1 cup almond milk
  • 1 tsp matcha powder
  • 1 tbsp maple syrup
  • 1/8 tsp cinnamon ground
  •  
  • Optional toppings:
  • Tangerine slices
  • Pomegranate seeds
  • Cacao nibs

Instructions

  1. This recipe is super easy. Just mix the almond milk, matcha tea powder, maple syrup and ground cinnamon together in a mug or bowl. Whisk together until blended, then add the chia seeds. Leave the chia seeds to soak for about 10 minutes, then add your favorite toppings and enjoy! You can also prep the chia seeds the night before and let them soak overnight.
https://www.truewellth.org/easy-matcha-chia-pudding

 

 


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Sweet Potato Pancakes

Sweet Potato PancakesI recently had the honor of interviewing Melissa King, author of Easy Whole Vegan, an all around inspiring woman and dedicated mom.

If you aren’t familiar, Melissa is a highly respected food blogger and 2-time cookbook author who serves as the creator, photographer and main content writer over at My Whole Food Life. She was initially inspired to reboot her own health in an effort to be a healthy example for her two young daughters.

I really admire the selfless dedication that she brings to maintaining the best possible health for her family while still keeping things fun in creating healthy versions of classic, unhealthy foods. And the results speak for themselves: After switching over to a plant-based diet, Melissa lost 5-7 pounds without even trying.  Several months later, her husband was down 20 pounds and his cholesterol numbers improved dramatically.

Easy Whole Vegan one of the most complete guidebooks I’ve read for those who are interested in pursuing a vegetarian or vegan diet but are struggling with cravings for some of their old, favorite foods. And not only that, but the books insistence on using whole, unprocessed ingredients as the base for every recipe really sets it apart from other plant-based cookbooks, where packaged and processed foods are the norm.

And today, I get to share one of it’s mouth-watering recipes with you!

Hope you enjoy the Sweet Potato Pancake recipe, excerpted from Easy Whole Vegan and courtesy of Melissa King and The Experiment.

Sweet Potato Pancakes

Photo Credit: Heather Poire

Sweet Potato Pancakes

Makes: 8 to 10 pancakes

This is a great recipe for a Saturday morning, and can easily replace traditional, wheat-based pancake recipes.

Feel free to serve these with your topping of choice – anything from fresh berries and bananas to chopped walnuts, almond butter and of course, 100% pure maple syrup.

Note: These pancakes can be made ahead of time and frozen for a quick breakfast option as well.

 

Sweet Potato Pancakes (Vegan)

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes

Yield: 8-10 pancakes

Ingredients

  • 2 cups (210 g) gluten-free oat flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon ground ginger
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1½ cups (360 ml) almond milk
  • 1 cup (240 ml) sweet potato purée (see Note)
  • 2 flax eggs
  • 2 tablespoons maple syrup
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 tablespoons melted coconut oil

Instructions

  1. In a large bowl, mix together all the dry ingredients.
  2. In a medium bowl, mix all of the wet ingredients except the coconut oil.
  3. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined. I use a spatula
  4. and do this by hand, but you can use a stand mixer if you prefer.
  5. Heat a large sauté pan on medium heat. Add the coconut oil. Using a ¼-cup (60 ml)
  6. measuring scoop, drop the batter onto the sauté pan. Once you see the edges start to brown a
  7. little, you know it’s ready to flip (1 to 2 minutes). Repeat until the batter is used up.
  8. Serve immediately or, once cool, refrigerate or freeze for later use. These should last for 2
  9. weeks in the fridge and up to 6 months in the freezer.

Notes

To make the sweet potato purée, peel and cube 1 large sweet potato or 2 small sweet potatoes, then place them in a large pot of boiling water. Boil until soft, 15 to 20 minutes. Drain the water and place the sweet potatoes back in the pot. Use an immersion blender or potato masher to purée the sweet potatoes. This step can be done in advance. It should keep in the fridge for about 2 weeks. You can also freeze it for up to 6 months.

https://www.truewellth.org/sweet-potato-pancakes

Enter To Win A Free Copy of Easy Whole Vegan

Melissa and her publisher, The Experiment, have been gracious enough to provide a copy of Easy Whole Vegan to our community, and you can enter to win!

We’ll choose a winner by random drawing on November 8th, 2016.

Click here to listen to the interview and leave a comment for your chance to win.

*Note: Giveaway is only open to residents of the US and Canada

 


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Vegan Overnight Oats

Vegan Overnight Oats

Photo/Recpie Credit: Tori Kendrew of Kitchen + Kraft

Since moving to Boulder, Regan and I have met quite a few like minded people who share our passion for the plant-based lifestyle, mindfulness and sustainability.

One of our new friends Kate stewards an environmental arts magazine dedicated to promoting the work of pioneering individuals and organizations in the realm of sustainability.

The magazine is simply gorgeous — an artsy exploration of the many positive ways that individuals are making a difference in their communities. Here’s their statement from the website:

From raw food recipes that will help you reduce waste in the kitchen to interviews with radical permaculture gardeners, Loam’s limited edition print magazine is rich in the stories of people & projects making waves in the environmental movement.

Loam is all about cultivating tangible tools for taking care of our wild world and tending to our social, ecological, and creative communities.

MC+PT.+1

The newest issue just came out, and we asked Kate if we could share one of the recipes from the magazine.

There are a few drool-worthy recipes featured in the latest issue, but we decided on the Chocolate Zucchini Overnight Oats because it’s a surprisingly delicious take on an old classic.

You’ll find the recipe below. If you’d like to learn more about Loam, check out their latest issue here.

Overnight-Oats

Photo/Recpie Credit: Tori Kendrew of Kitchen + Kraft

Chocolate Zucchini Overnight Oats (Vegan, Gluten-Free)

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup raw oats (make sure to get gluten-free oats)
  • 1 tsp chia seeds
  • 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/2 tbsp raw cacao powder
  • 1/4 cup finely grated zucchini
  • 1 cup almond milk
    For topping
  • cacao nibs
  • banana
  • shredded coconut

Instructions

  1. Place all ingredients except toppings into a mason jar
  2. Stir and set in refrigerator overnight
  3. In the morning, transfer oat mixture to a bowl
  4. Top with cacao nibs, banana and shredded coconut

Notes

Photo/Recpie Credit: Tori Kendrew of Kitchen + Kraft

https://www.truewellth.org/chocolate-zucchini-overnight-oats-vegan

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