It's Friday, and I feel like this Friday calls for a chocolatey recipe! Shall we dive into it? I've often mentioned my love for on-the-go snacks on the blog. Even though I work from home most of the time, I seem to always be eating in my car bouncing around from place to place. I have the protein bar and smoothie stains on the seat of my car to prove it. Whoops. I often whip up some type of bars or balls to have as snack options throughout the week, and today I have a new one to share that I'm loving: Chunky Monkey Protein Bites. We've got some rolled oats, chocolate protein powder, cocoa powder, and hemp hearts as our base. These ingredients get thrown into the food processor with some smooth peanut butter, maple syrup, and banana to hold them together well. ... [Read More]
healthy recipes
Mediterranean Freekeh Salad + Giveaway
You know how people sometimes say that the little things are the big things? Well I'm a big believer that little things can make a huge difference when it comes to recipes. Take garlic for instance: Use too much of it and it totally kills the dish for me (and the entire 24 hours afterwards when I'm burping up garlic!), don't use any and it might taste like it's missing something. Another good example is herbs: Using fresh ones can make all the difference in the world, and you don't even need to use a lot to make it pop in a dish, because herbs are fragrant and awesome in tiny quantities. Two of my favorite herbs are basil and mint. I use basil all the time because it's fabulous in so many dishes, and mint is great for an extra flavor oomph when paired with the right ingredients. The ... [Read More]
Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Protein Pops
Happy Wednesday friends! I'm really excited because I'm leaving for the east coast tomorrow! I can't wait to see my family and friends and enjoy some vacation time in my home state of New Jersey. I'm a little crazy this week trying to wrap up so many full-time work and freelance things, take care of house stuff before I leave, as well as get some blog posts set up for next week. I usually don't schedule blog posts ahead of time, but next week I'm going to really try to take a break from my computer for a change. I'm going to be so busy hopping all over the state visiting everyone that I wouldn't have much time for it anyways...but I'll let you know how it goes! Any who, onto today's topic: ice pops! One of the most common questions I hear when people find out I'm a vegetarian is, "Where ... [Read More]
Zoodles with Basil Cherry Tomato Sauce, Pine Nuts & Lemon Zest
Hi there! Happy 4th of July weekend to all of my fellow Americans! I am certainly looking forward to a 3-day holiday weekend. Whose got fun plans for the 4th? I've got a beach yoga class and hanging out at a friend's house on the agenda, and I'm hoping to catch some fireworks on Saturday night. Today I'm sharing a new recipe that will probably become a go-to dinner in my kitchen. Packed with veggies and flavor, it's a healthy meal that revolves around my recent favorite kitchen gadget: my spiralizer! I've seriously been a spiralizing maniac. My hubby and I have eaten zoodles so often in the last few months, he's started joking around and putting the letter 'z' in words where it shouldn't be. For instance, we started saying 'zauce' instead of tomato sauce. He told me I ... [Read More]
Red, White & Blue Pancakes [Vegan & Gluten Free]
Does anyone else feel like the month of June just flew by?! I can't believe that the 4th of July is already coming up at the end of this week! To celebrate Independence Day and get into a festive spirit, I came up with a red, white & blue recipe of one of my favorite meals... pancakes! I haven't posted a pancake recipe in awhile, and trust me when I tell you that this one is deeeelicious. I've seen red, white & blue pancake commercials around for chain restaurants lately, and had the itch to come up with my own homemade version that's gluten free, vegan, healthy and light. ... [Read More]
Apple Blueberry Oatmeal Ramekin Crisps
Like any good foodie, at any given time, I have a couple of foods, meals, grocery spots, and kitchen tools that I'm particularly loving. Lately, I've been obsessed with a grocery store near me called Frazier Farms Market. They look like your typical big food store, but they carry a lot of specialty items that I can't find elsewhere, and are actually reasonably priced. My favorite part about Frazier Farms? They're not a chain store! I love supporting small business. They have 2 locations, both of which are nearby, and they carry a ton of locally made products, like cheese from farms in my county and honey from bee keepers located in the town next to me. Naturally, I've been obsessed with the above pictured honey. I love honey in general, but locally made unfiltered honey is even ... [Read More]