It has been super chilly in LA this week, which means it’s dropping below 50 degrees at night and everyone is busting out their UGG boots, mittens and puffy jackets. HA!  And as much as I would like to be, we aren’t quite into spring fruits and veggies yet. I can’t wait for my strawberries, spinach and asparagus from the farmers market, but for the time being I am hunkering down next to my fireplace and enjoying all that winter has to offer. Brussels sprouts are one of my favorite winter vegetables and I have a ton of recipes on my site which celebrate this fabulous crucifer. They can be oven roasted or pan-roasted (see my cookbook for the best pan roasted brussels sprout recipe), made into a hash, made into latkes, or make a whole salad with them like this one or this one (my personal favorite). They are also chock full of nutrients and antioxidants which we need in the winter to keep our immune systems strong. Brussels sprouts are also one of the few vegetables which contain Omega-3 fatty acids, which are really important if you’re on the vegan train like my husband and you aren’t getting your fatty acids from fish.Continue reading
I debated whether or not this “recipe” actually deserved its own post, but I thought it was too fun not to share with you all. Â I had this idea of a huge, layered stack of pink pancakes for Valentine’s Day. Â I visualized everyone digging into it and enjoying a different flavor with each bite, bananas commingling with raspberry chia jam with a hint of shaved chocolate. Â I thought about other fillings like almond butter or date caramel sauce or yogurt, too. Â How much fun would this be even if it’s not Valentine’s Day? Â I am definitely going to make this for a family breakfast/brunch when my daughters come home for spring break.Continue reading
Happy weekend! Â I had a really busy week and I have a busy weekend, too. Â But I will squeeze in a grocery store run this morning and do some prep today for Super Bowl Sunday. Â I wish for a close and exciting game and some good commercials + all the vegan queso!!!! Â Have fun!
This post is sponsored by Vitamix and The Feedfeed. Â All opinions are my own.
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I’ve had my Vitamix for many, many years and it’s the only appliance that stays on my counter 24/7 because we use it so much.  So when Vitamix offered to send me their new Venturist, I almost cried.  The day it arrived was like getting a new car.  I proceeded to make millet flour for my classes, nut milk for the week, and I forced my son to eat an açaà bowl, which was as smooth as silk.  I pretty much want to make everything in my Vitamix. Â
Next up was this grain-free peanut butter and banana snacking cake (a cake that is suitable for snacking and not quite as indulgent as dessert) which I blended up in the Vitamix with ease. Â Instead of one bowl, one blender. Â 14 seconds is how long it took me to make this batter, and because there’s no gluten, I don’t have to worry about the batter getting overmixed. Â I love grain-free cakes because the protein content is high and they stay perfectly moist for days. Â In fact, the texture even out of the refrigerator is great.
There are so many food trends that I get excited about, so many new ingredients to play with. Â But I will never tire of a classic combo like peanut butter and banana. Â This cake is simple, easy and tastes of peanut butter and banana in every bite. Â It is not too sweet, in fact it is only sweetened with 1/4 cup of maple syrup and the natural sugars from bananas. Â I ate a GIGANTIC wedge of this cake in the middle of the afternoon and it did not give me any sort of sugar crash. Â My son, who we all know is rather picky, inhaled this cake. Â Let’s just say it didn’t last long.
1 cup creamy or crunchy, unsweetened, unsalted peanut butter, raw or roasted
¼ cup pure maple syrup
¼ teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
pinch ground nutmeg
1 large egg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup very ripe mashed bananas (2-3 bananas)
Optional: ¾ cup chocolate chips
½-1 extra banana, sliced to place on top of the cake
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9-inch round cake pan with coconut oil and line the bottom with unbleached parchment paper.
Place all ingredients (except optional add-ins) in a Vitamix and blend until completely smooth and well combined. Stir in chocolate chips if using.
Pour batter evenly into prepared cake pan. Arrange banana slices on top of cake and bake for 25 to 35 minutes until just set and a toothpick comes out clean or with dry crumbs. Cool for a few minutes before removing from pan and allowing to cool completely on a cooling rack.
I am very likely doing a taco bar for Super Bowl Sunday because it’s easy and everyone loves tacos. Â Plus, I always put out lots of options for everyone who is gluten-free, dairy-free, Whole30, paleo, vegan, vegetarian, cleansing, or just suffering from PMS. Â A taco bar is a way to not only cover all your bases but also to get everyone to make their own food so you can sit back with a cocktail and watch all the commercials.Continue reading
Do you ever think to yourself, who discovered this food that I am now obsessed with and how did I live without it my whole life?  I do.  All the time.  Let me list a few things I never ate or heard of when I was a youngster:  avocados, hemp seeds, almond butter, almond milk, coconut milk, hemp seeds and pretty much anything that Navitas Organics sells, cauliflower in any form other than as a floret, sweet potatoes except on Thanksgiving, kale, açaÃ, quinoa, millet, spelt, rice that wasn’t white, and chia seeds.  And this is actually just the tip of the iceberg.  I also think, if all this happened in the last couple decades, what’s coming?Continue reading
If you are not vegan, do not panic and think that I have abandoned all animal products. Â I have always limited animal consumption and still do. Â But since hubs became vegan, I have played around with new vegan recipes and taught some in cooking classes. Â And you know what? Â People love them! Â Their families love them! Â Like this vegan mushroom “Bolognese” sauce — huge hit this fall in my classes and with the hubs. Â After posting it on Instagram, too many people asked for the recipe and I definitely wanted to oblige because this is a good one!
