Neapolitan NiceCream

11/23/2014 0 Comments

Neapolitan NiceCream with Sliced Bananas and Chocolate! Oh Mama Mia!

This dessert inspired breakfast is actually healthy for you and absolutely lick-your bowl delicious! I added super-foods in the chocolate and berry mixture to provide us with the fuel needed for our day.

VANILLA

3 frozen ripe bananas, frozen the night before in 1-1.5" chunks
Add a dash of Vanilla

Blend or Place in a Food Processor and pulse, using a spoon and patience as you stop to scrape down the sides, giving it an extra good whip at the end for a creamy ice-cream. Use an ice-cream scoop and place in a bowl. Place bowl in freezer while prepping the next flavor.

STRAWBERRY

2 frozen ripe bananas, frozen the night before in 1-1.5" chunks
1 cup frozen strawberries
OPT: 1 tsp beet powder

Follow directions above, place next to the vanilla ice cream and place back in freezer.

CHOCOLATE

3 frozen ripe bananas, frozen the night before in 1-1.5" chunks
1 tbsp (or 2 for darker)
OPT: 1 tsp Reishi Mushroom Powder, 1 tsp Chaga Mushroom Powder, 1/8 tsp Resveratrol (or any other boosters!)

Follow directions above and serve with a banana sliced lengthwise and cut in half, decorate and opt to place a chocolate in the middle. YUM! You could take it the next level and add coconut whipped cream and chocolate sauce....maybe next time. :)

*Tip if you place your dish in the freezer first it helps prevent melting.

In-JOY!

Christa
xoxo

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Blossoming Lotus Platter

11/19/2014 0 Comments

Today we went to our favorite Thai restaurant only it was in our kitchen! I felt like preparing a delicious and big meal for a late lunch that would be sure to give my husband the fuel needed for the rest of his day. I started by preparing a marinade for the tofu and covered the tofu in a shallow dish. Then I placed some jasmine rice in a rice cooker.

I prepared a delicious almond sauce and chopped chopped chopped to prepare for the raw and vegan rice wraps!

I placed the rice wraps one at a time in warm/hot water, carefully pulled them out and then filled them with fresh vegetables and almond sauce. I placed it on a plate with the leftover chopped veggies to create a beautiful platter. My husband said "did you make that?" success!

Then I fried the tofu in a wok and placed it on a bed of chopped veggies and served it with the hot rice. Bon Appétit!!! WoW your loved ones with this meal! You could totally enjoy one or the other vs. having it all at once, lately I have really been enjoying offering a wide variety. It's very appealing to the senses!

My Thai Rice Wraps

4 rice wraps
1 carrot - peeled and sliced in half and thin into matchsticks
1/4 red onion - sliced thin lengthwise in the widest part of the onion
3 green onion stems - sliced thin into matchsticks
2 radishes - sliced thin into matchsticks
1 nopales pad - sliced in half and thin into matchsticks or green bell
Handful of fresh cilantro
(OR your favorite mix of fresh veggies!)

Directions:

Prepare the vegetables and cut thinly into matchsticks.
Place rice wraps, one at a time, in a pot filled with warm/hot water. Press down gently with utensil and then gently pulled it out and place on a plate.
Spread the almond sauce on the bottom and arrange the fresh veggies in the wrap. May also be enjoyed with sauce on the side, both options are delicious.
Fold the wrap by folding the front and back in. Then take the left side and wrap and tuck. Proceed to roll it up or take the right side and gently pull it over.
Place on a plate and serve with the remaining sauce! Opt to serve with hot jasmine rice and tofu. I used this recipe and it was great!

Chiang Mai Almond Sauce

½ cup almond butter
2 tbsp soy sauce (gluten-free variety)
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp coconut milk
1 tbsp sesame oil (or water for oil-free)
¼ tsp cayenne
Pinch red pepper flakes
1 tbsp cashews (opt)
1 garlic clove – peeled
½ tsp ginger
1 tbsp fresh lime juice

Directions:

Blend the ingredients in a blender or food processor until thick, creamy and smooth.
Set aside and use as spread and dip for the rice wraps! May also be enjoyed with salads and more. Add more liquid for a creamier blend.

Enjoy a taste of 'My Thai!'
Christa

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Chiang Mai Almond Sauce

11/19/2014 0 Comments

Almond butter, soy sauce, creamy coconut milk, a touch of cayenne, sesame oil with ginger, lime and more create a one of a kind sauce that is sure to be consumed delightfully!

Chiang Mai Almond Sauce

½ cup almond butter
2 tbsp soy sauce (gluten-free variety)
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp coconut milk
1 tbsp sesame oil (or water for oil-free)
¼ tsp cayenne
Pinch red pepper flakes
1 tbsp cashews (opt)
1 garlic clove – peeled
½ tsp ginger
1 tbsp fresh lime juice

Directions:

Blend the ingredients in a blender or food processor until thick, creamy and smooth.
Set aside and use as spread and dip for rice wraps! May also be enjoyed with salads and more. Add more liquid for a creamier blend.

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Berry Lime Infused Water

11/17/2014 0 Comments

Watermelon, mixed berries, lime, a dash of stevia and water create a refreshing and healthy drink! We enjoyed this beauty before our walk and we both loved it! What a fun way to drink water. It reminded me of a berry limeade but super healthy!

Plus it's really easy to make!

Ingredients

2 limes, quartered
1 cup frozen berries
1 cups frozen watermelon
14 drops of stevia
1 tsp stevia (opt) - we make a homemade extract
Ice cold water

Peaceful Preparation

Squeeze the limes into the cups (1 lime each) and place the squeezed lime in the cup.
Add the frozen berries, watermelon, stevia and water.
Stir to mix well, gently pressing a few berries to release their color and flavor! Cheers!

Enjoy this quick shot of vitamin C and a boost of antioxidants to go with it any time of day!

Glow on beautiful!
Christa

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Creamy Curried Sweet Potato Soup

11/16/2014 1 Comment

This soup is sweet yet spicy, rich, creamy and full of vibrant flavors. Sweet potatoes and radishes combined with curry adds a new layer and dimension to the soup that is both delightful and unexpected.

This soup warms you up from the insight out and makes your belly and body smile! Sweet potatoes are loaded with Vitamin A, radishes detoxify your body and curry powder helps protect the immune system from bacterial infections. These foods combined create a magically delicious and healthy soup!

Ingredients:

2 tbsp coconut oil (or veg broth for oil free)
2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
7 radishes, sliced and diced
Pinch of salt
1 tbsp curry powder
6 cups water
1 tbsp soy sauce (gluten-free variety)
Red pepper flakes and black pepper to taste

Directions:

Heat the oil in a large saucepan or pot over medium heat. Add the sweet potato, radishes and a pinch of salt. Saute for a few minutes. Add the curry powder and saute until coated.
Add the water and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer for 15 + minutes until the veggies are soft.
Transfer 1/2 of the mixture to a bowl, allow to cool for 10 minutes and puree the soup until completely smooth and creamy about 90 seconds.
Pour the balance of the mixture to the bowl. Return the pureed soup to the saucepan. Blend the balance of the mixture until creamy, return pureed soup to saucepan. Add soy sauce and simmer until heated throughout, about 4 minutes. Garnish with red pepper flakes and black pepper to taste. Serve hot with love!

This recipe was inspired and modified from "The Skinny Bitch: Ultimate Everyday Cookbook" which I absolutely love! It has a wealth of information, fantastically delicious recipes and funny commentary to go with it.

Cheers to a happy healthier you!
Christa

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Cinnamon Vanilla Latte

11/15/2014 0 Comments

Ever since I discovered how to make a Pumpkin Spice Latte from the beautiful and talented Kathy Patalsky of Healthy.Happy.Life my husband and I have been hooked! With no pumpkin in our house and a serious hankering for a latte a new creation was born. A Cinnamon Vanilla Latte inspired by one of our favorite guilty pleasures we enjoy but this one is guilt-free, sugar-free and absolutely savory!

Ingredients:

1/4 cup cashews
2 cups filtered water
2 cups coffee (hot)
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp cinnamon
20 drops stevia extract

Directions:

Blend the cashews and water in a blender for 60 seconds to create cashew milk. Scoop the foam off and set foam aside. (You could skip this step and use 2 cups of non-dairy milk, I like to make it fresh so I can have fresh foam to create designs on top!)
Pour the milk through a strainer and into a pot. Heat the cashew milk on the stove over low to med-low heat and whisk. Heat throughout until hot.
Place 1 tsp vanilla and 1 tsp cinnamon in your blender. Add the hot milk and hot coffee in your blender and blend for 60 seconds.
You will have a frothy beautiful latte! Pour into two cups, use the foam from the cashew milk to draw a heart or anything else your heart desires!! ENJOY!

Note: I have a Blendtec that can handle hot liquids. It could be blended cool and then heated. I do it in this order for foam optimization. A handheld blender could also be used!

I hope you and yours enjoy this as much as we do!

With love, health and good vibrations!
Christa

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Snickers NiceCream with Berry Beet Soft Serve

11/6/2014 0 Comments

Snickers NiceCream with Berry Beet Soft Serve for two! Today we started our day with a dream in a cup, a slice of heaven on earth and a bowl inspired by the gods! A touch of this a dash of that and voilà a beautiful meal fit for a king. My husbands eyes lit up when I brought it to him. I love those meals!

The base is 3 cups of frozen bananas, 1/2 of a frozen raw snickers bar (recipe from @lilsipper on Instagram in her Health-e-Cookbook - Also in my new cookbook available in my store for less! Or you could use my new recipe for peanut butter caramel slice, that would be divine.

An extra tbsp of frozen raw chocolate and 1 tbsp of almond butter pulsed and blended until it forms a beautiful ice-cream. Take an ice-cream scoop and place on the bottom of a cup or bowl, place in freezer while preparing the next layer.

For the top layer take 1 cup frozen berries, 1 small frozen banana, 1 tsp beet powder and opt to include 1/8 cup frozen coconut meat, blend until creamy. Use an ice-cream scoop to place on top and surround with fresh banana slices. Heavenly!

I broke 2 spatulas in the making but it was worth it! My husband asked if everything was alright today (haha!) I told him it was my HER-cules force. Oops! I said may they rest in peace, he said pieces. Bahaha. Thankfully he took the pieces that didn't snap and created a new improved spatula for my she-force! ;)

Snickers Nice-Cream

3 cups frozen bananas
1/2 raw vegan snickers (Recipe from @lilsipper's ebook) - You could use a number of raw vegan treats or skip it and it'll still be yummy!
1 tbsp raw vegan chocolate frozen (coconut oil + cacao + stevia)
1 tbsp raw vegan almond butter (almonds blended until they create a butter!)

Blend, Scoop, Serve or place in freezer and proceed to layer 2!

Berry Beet Soft Serve

1 cup frozen mixed berries
1 small frozen banana
1 tsp beet powder
Opt: 1 tbsp frozen coconut meat (from a fresh coconut)

Blend, scoop, serve on top of the Snickers Nice-Cream and Serve with Banana Coins! I hope you enjoy this as much as we did!

With radiant love & light!
Christa

"Light is life, for without the great Light nothing can ever exist. Know ye, that in all formed matter, the heart of Light always exists. Aye, even though bound in the darkness, inherent Light always exists." The Emerald Tablets of Thoth the Atlantean - pulled from The 7th Planet, Mercury Rising by Gerald Clark

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Blackened Black Bean Burgers with Steak Fries

11/3/2014 0 Comments

Meatless Monday calls for good eatin'! Tonight we had Blackened Black Bean Burgers with Steak Fries. This recipe is so good I can't wait to share it with y'all. Steak Fries are a new favorite in our home, it's a real treat plus they are oil-free so I don't feel so bad whipping up a big batch. Tonight we did it up. We had homemade tomato soup leftover from last night. I reheated it and when I came back from setting it down my soul mate left me a message! It's the small things in life that make my heart SWOON!

We only had enough soup to dab our fries in and get a couple spoonfuls. I thought I'd "beef" up our meal with Blackened Black Bean Burgers and Steak Fries. It was one hell of a meal that left us both with a nice full belly and a ton of satisfaction.

This meal is SO good I highly recommend making it for you or your loved ones. Plus it is HEALTHY! No guilt here folks.

I've been enjoying oil-free fries for a while now but never had the "perfect" fry. It turns out I was missing a secret step! This was revealed to me on Instagram. I LOVE Instagram if you aren't following please swing by, I post pictures and sometimes recipes when I'm not blogging. I love connecting with a broad community of like minded healthy foodies! It's really fun and I learn awesome tips and tricks. One trick I was introduced to me by one of my favorite talented girlfriends Nika @thefitfruitbat! She revealed the secret - curry powder! You slice and BOIL the potatoes with 2 tbsp of curry powder until they are half-way done and then you proceed to bake. It doesn't impact the flavor yet brings forth crispy oil-free fries that are to die for.

Ingredients:

1/2 red onion, roughly chopped
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
2 cups pre-cooked black beans, rinsed and drained, divided
2 tablespoons cilantro
2 teaspoons parsley
1 tbsp chia seed - ground
4 tbsp warm water
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 cup dessicated coconut (or bread crumbs of preference)
Salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

Directions:

Combine ground chia seed and warm water, mix and set aside.
In a food processor, pulse onion and garlic until finely chopped. Add 1 cup black beans, cilantro, parsley, chia seed mixture, and red pepper flakes and pulse to combine.
Transfer mixture to a large mixing bowl, add the remaining can of black beans and the bread crumbs. Season with salt and pepper, to taste, and mix until well combined.
Divide remaining mixture into 6 portions and form into patties. Place on hot greased skillet or grill over medium to medium-low heat and cook about 8 minutes a side, until heated through and blackened. Serve with a bun, on a salad, with fresh veggies on top or any way you please!

Steak Fries:

2-3 white potatoes
2 tbsp curry powder
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Cut the potatoes into wedges by cutting the potato in half and cutting each half into wedge shapes.
Place potatoes in a pot and cover with water. Add 2 tbsp of curry powder and a dash of salt.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees while the potatoes are boiling. Boil until the potatoes are half way done.
Drain and season to taste. Place half cooked potatoes on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Bake for 15-20+ minutes on each side until golden and crisp on the outside. These are AMAZING and help me make smarter choices. Today I opted not to get our favorite jalapeno chips and made these instead! Worth it!

Elizabeth writes "I love your burger and fries and the idea from Ig on the fries is something I never heard before. The colors and designs in your food are amazing as always!"

And for dessert Vegan Pumpkin Spice Latte's!

This recipe is SO good and helps stave off cravings for a cappuccinos and lattes! The recipe is from the glorious Kathy Patalsky of Healthy.Happy.Life. I love her blog and recipes. I modified the recipe to use a dark batch of coffee vs. espresso due to what we have on hand and stevia vs. maple syrup for a sugar-free latte!!! Oh yeah! Watch how to make it by clicking HERE.

I love finding delicious alternatives to some of my unhealthy habits. May you enjoy endless healthy and delicious meals and continue to thrive!

Best wishes for a vibrant week ~ Shine on!
Christa

For the burgers I modified and veganized a recipe from Sandra Lee on Food Network.

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Neapolitan NiceCream

Blossoming Lotus Platter

Chiang Mai Almond Sauce

Berry Lime Infused Water

Creamy Curried Sweet Potato Soup

Cinnamon Vanilla Latte

Snickers NiceCream with Berry Beet Soft Serve

Blackened Black Bean Burgers with Steak Fries

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