Gluten free/vegan apple crisp

One of my favorite things about fall is apple picking. I always have so many extra apples so I decided to make an apple crisp. I love apple crisp but the tastiest ones always have flour and butter. This recipe is even more delicious and it's gluten / dairy free. Most recipes are loaded with sugar but this recipe is low in sugar because the apples already have so much natural sugar.

Recipe>>>

Filling:

~6-8 apples depending on the size 

~juice of half a lemon

~sprinkle of cinnamon

~splash of maple syrup ( add as much as you'd like for sweetness)

Cut the apples up and put them in the baking pan. Coat them with lemon, cinnamon, and maple syrup.

Topping:

~1/3 cup of almond flour

~2/3 cup of oats

~2 tablespoons of brown sugar

~1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon

~2 tablespoons of earth balance or coconut oil

Mix up the ingredients in a bowl and then sprinkle over the apples. I make my own almond flower using raw almonds and I put them in a nutribullet, you can also use a food processer or blender. You can buy almond flower but it's expensive and it's more fun to make your own! 

Bake at 350-375 for around 45 minutes or until the apples are soft and the top is browned. 

Enjoy this delicious fall recipe!

Garden to Table

I have been going to lots of farmers markets around the city and my internship focuses on growing healthy food, which have both really inspired me to cook. Today at my internship, I was encouraged to take home lots of basil because there was so much in the garden. I have never made homemade pesto, but all the basil inspired me. I made a pesto sauce with gluten free pasta, tomatoes, chives and feta. I locally bought and harvested all the veggies in my recipe. I tried not to add too much parmesan cheese to keep the dairy light, so you can add more if you desire. 

Pesto~~

-1/4 cup of organic Parmesan cheese

-2 cups of basil 

-1/4 cup of pine nuts

-1/2 cup of olive oil

-3 cloves of garlic

-salt and pepper to taste 

-a little lemon juice from a fresh lemon

I put all the ingredients in my nutribullet and blended everything. You can also mix your ingredients in a food processor or whatever is equivalent.

I then made a gluten free spaghetti by Brailla pasta. It's not the healthiest but it tastes really good. 

I cut up fresh tomatoes in a separate bowl and added chives, salt and pepper. When the pasta was done cooking, I added in the tomatoes and mixed that around with about two taplespoons of the pesto. The recipe makes a lot more pesto than that so I just froze the rest. I then topped the pasta off with feta cheese.

Here is a picture of the gluten free pasta dish:

It was so delicious and I can't wait to make it again. 

ALL HAIL KALE!

As hilarious as Jim Gaffigan is, don't listen to him!  I'm sure you all have heard enough about kale, but in my opinion it deserves the attention it's getting! Kale is such a superfood, full of antioxidants to prevent cancer, it's an anti-inflammatory, and very high in vitamins A, C, K. It's also higher in calcium than milk and  high in fiber and iron. The other day I was at a local farmers market and got a huge bunch of kale for only 3 dollars. Veggies are usually cheaper at farmers markets and much tastier so take advantage of them when they are around! When I started cleaning all the kale, I realized I had way too much for just one meal. All these meals below were made from this huge head of kale, plus there is still more in my fridge!

This  head of kale was only $3. CRAZY!

Quinoa with Kale and Feta: I steamed some of the kale and added to a quinoa blend I like by near east. I also added feta cheese and some mushrooms. I forgot to add chickpeas, but that was my original intention with the recipe. Next time! If anyone is familiar with Life Alive, this recipe tastes much like their warm meals.

Kale Smoothie: I usually don't enjoy green drinks but I made this for my boyfriend and it was surprisingly delicious! I recently got a nutribullet, which I LOVE and would highly recommend purchasing if you love smoothies as much as I do! I added pineapple, strawberries, kale, and peach mango orange juice from whole foods. When you add lots of fruit the kale taste is very minimal but you still get the nutrients and lots of vitamin C from the fruit! 

Kale Chips: This was my first time making kale chips and they are so addicting! You just wash the kale, break it up, spread the pieces out on an oven safe tray and drizzle with olive oil, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. (you can add whatever seasonings you like!) Bake them until the edges start to brown and are getting crispy and enjoy! So simple and so nutritious!

Everyone should eat more kale in whatever way it appeals to you! :)

vegan vanilla chia seed pudding

I am a huge fan of tapioca pudding which has a similar consistency to chia seed pudding, however, chia seeds have so many more health benefits compared to tapioca! Chia seeds are a super food packed with antioxidants, fiber, protein, and omega-3s. I put them in my smoothies, salads, baked goods, and have now just used them in a pudding. 

Recipe~~~

-2 cups unsweetened vanilla almond milk 

- 1/4 cup chia seeds

- 1 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract 

-2 tablespoons maple syrup 

-pinch of salt 

(if you want a thicker pudding, use one cup of greek yogurt and one cup of almond milk instead of two cups of almond milk) 

In a bowl, mix together the ingredients until they aren't separated. Cover and refrigerate over night. the next day, spoon out a serving and top with your favorite fruits, nuts, or chocolate. Enjoy!