This delicious pasta is so quick and easy that it literally takes longer to boil the pasta than it does for everything else (minus the time you soak the sundried tomatoes, of course).  Feel free to use what pasta and vegetables you want, but I used spaghetti made of quinoa and rice flour, and let thaw in a bowl some frozen swiss chard, carrots, and bell peppers, as well as half of a red onion, chopped.  Once the pasta finishes boiling, drain and add to veggie bowl, and stir in the sauce.

The sauce will be pretty runny if eaten right away, which is fine, but if you do what I do (which is use it for a meal prep), keep it in the refrigerator overnight and then let it sit out to room temperature until you’re ready to eat it.  The sauce will thicken and/or the pasta will have soaked up much of the liquid.  I did not rinse the pasta with cold water after draining it, which may have been the reason for that effect.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup sundried tomatoes, soaked until softened
• 1 can whole fat coconut milk
• 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
• 1 tbsp white vinegar
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/4 tsp each of dried seasonings: rosemary, oregano, basil, garlic powder, onion powder
• red pepper flakes if you want to add a kick (I added about 2 tbsp)

1. Blend the tomatoes first so they’re adequately broken up.
2. Add the rest of the ingredients and blend.
3. Stir in with vegetables and pasta.

So I had a lot of basil left over from a previous meal I made, and decided to try making basil aioli, and pair it with sweet potato fries!  The aioli is also going to serve as a sandwich spread for me.  Well, they both came out successful!  It is so easy to make.  I’ve never felt so guilt-free about eating fries, before!

Sweet Potato Fries

Ingredients:

• 3 tbsp nutritional yeast
• 1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 4 tbsp olive oil
• salt and pepper
• 2 sweet potatoes

1. Preheat oven to 475º.
2. Whisk together all ingredients except sweet potatoes in a large bowl.
3. Peel and cut sweet potatoes into 1/4″ thick strips (faster if you use a mandoline slicer).
4. Toss strips in the large bowl.
5. Layer the fries on a parchment paper-lined cookie sheet, making sure there is no overlap.
6. Bake for 10-15 minutes on the middle rack.
7. Flip fries, loosely cover with aluminum foil, and bake for another 5-10 minutes.

Basil Aioli

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup pine nuts (see note for cheaper alternative)
• 1 large garlic clove
• 1/2 basil leaves
• 1 tbsp dijon mustard
• 2 tbsp fresh-squeezed lemon juice
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1/4 cup filtered water
• salt and pepper

1. Blend all ingredients except the water until smooth.
2. Add water, a little at a time, until you reach desired consistency.
3. Serve immediately or refrigerate.

Note: You can substitute the pine nuts with almonds, using the longer method, by soaking them overnight, draining and layering them evenly onto paper towels until they dry out, and then peeling off the skins.  The whole process may take a day or two, since it will involve long wait periods.

Have you ever heard of these?  It is basically a smoothie bowl.  Imagine eating some frozen yogurt with fresh, juicy fruit on top.  That is basically what this is, except all of the sugar is completely natural and there is no dairy.  Therefore, no guilt plus tons of nutrition!  A wonderful thing to have, especially when it’s hot and you want something cool and refreshing.  These are so easy to make and so delicious!  Of course, it also helps that it’s raw vegan and gluten free!

Ingredients:

• 2 unsweetened frozen açaí packs
• 2 bananas, 1 sliced into 1/4″ thick coins
• 1/4 cup coconut water (I use the refrigerated ones)
• 2-3 strawberries, sliced thinly
• 1/4 cup sliced pineapples
• 1/4 cup sliced mangoes (I thawed out frozen mangoes for this)
• finely shredded coconut to garnish

1. Run the açaí packs under hot water for 10 seconds, then squeeze them out into a blender.
2. Add the unsliced banana and coconut water, and blend into an even consistency.
3. Pour smoothie into a bowl and arrange the rest of the fruit on top to your liking.
4. Grab a spoon and dig in!

This raw vegan, gluten free wrap is so easy to whip up!  In actuality, you can choose what items you want in the wrap but I chose these because my taste buds prefer them.  What I love is that you can make the barbecue sauce ahead of time and then just assemble the rest of the items at your own leisure.  The barbecue sauce takes only a few minutes to whip up, and you’re done!

BBQ Sauce Ingredients:

• 1 cup sundried tomatoes (about 20 tomatoes, soaked for at least an hour)
• 1 large garlic clove
• 2 tbsp onion
• 1/4 cup + 1 tbsp unpasteurized apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1 tbsp nama shoyu (or tamari for gluten-free version)
• 2 tbsp fresh squeezed lemon juice
• 1/4 cup raw honey (or maple syrup for vegans)
• pinch of cayenne pepper

1. Drain tomatoes, reserving the water.
2. Add garlic and onion to food processor or blender and blend.
3. Add remaining ingredients and blend.
4. Add reserved water, a little at a time, until desired consistency is reached.
5. Store in refrigerator.

Wrap Ingredients:

• 1 Paleo Wrap (click ingredient for link)
• 1 romaine lettuce leaf, sliced into fourths
• a few slices red onion
• 2-3 slices tomato
• 2-3 slices avocado (about 1/4 of an avocado)
• 2-3 thin slices tempeh
• 1-2 tbsp BBQ sauce

1. Arrange vegetables and tempeh on wrap.
2. Drizzle sauce on top.
3. Roll and enjoy!

I’m so excited to share this one!  It’s a nutrition-packed dish that is delicious and full of flavor from all the herbs and spices.  If you want something really quick, you can skip the crisps, but I added them for a protein element and to add a crispy texture to the dish.  I love eating this and I love the variety that’s in the dish.  You get a nice crunch from the bell peppers and onions, but also some starchy softness from the steamed sweet potatoes, as well as the dry crispness from the protein.  Not only that, but the Cajun seasoning is my current obsession!  I love that it involves a mixture of so many tastes that are already in my spice cabinet.

If the recipe seems daunting, I would do it in parts.  You can always make the seasoning ahead of time (it only takes a few minutes) and store it to be used later.  Then I’d steam the sweet potatoes and let the frozen vegetables thaw out, get working on the crisps, and then make the sauce and boil the pasta while the crisps are in the oven.

As always, click the ingredient to be directed to the appropriate Amazon page if you don’t have it.

Cajun Seasoning

Add all the ingredients from this website (click) into a food processor to grind them so that the seasoning is all of similar size.

Chickpea-Lentil Crisps

Ingredients:

• 1.5 cups cooked chickpeas (or see Note below for sprouted way, which is better on the digestive system)
• 1/2 cup red lentils
• 1 cup filtered water
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1/4 cup chopped red bell pepper (use the rest in the pasta)
• 1-2 tbsp Cajun seasoning (your preference)
• 1/4 tsp ground cumin
• 1/4 – 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 2 tsp nutritional yeast
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1/4 cup packed cilantro
• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• 2 tbsp oats, ground into flour
• 2 slices sprouted bread, toasted and ground into breadcrumbs (omit for gluten free)

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees and oil a casserole dish (I used coconut oil).
2. Wash the lentils, then add lentils and water into a small pot.  Bring to a boil, cover and cook for 3 minutes on medium or medium-low.  Drain and allow to cool.
3. Add lemon juice and garlic to a blender or food processor and blend.  Add cooled lentils and chickpeas, as well as the rest of the ingredients except the sprouted bread, and pulse to your satisfaction.
4. Pour into a bowl and mix in the breadcrumbs.
5. Spread the mixture evenly into the casserole dish and bake for about 25 minutes.
6. It will break apart when you remove it, so just remove it in as big chunks as possible.

NOTE: To make sprouted chickpeas, soak the chickpeas for 24 hours, then leave them laid out at room temperature for 2-3 days, rinsing them once or twice a day, until they form half-inch tails.  To “cook,” boil water.  Remove the pot from heat for 1 minute.  Soak the chickpeas in the hot water for 1 minute.  Drain.  Please be advised that the chickpeas soak up some of the water, of course, so they get bigger.  About a cup of dried chickpeas will turn into 1.5 cups of cooked chickpeas.

Cajun Creamy Pasta

Ingredients:

• 1 box brown rice pasta
• 1/2 cup nuts of choice
• 1 cup filtered water
• 3/4 cup raw macadamia nuts
• 1-2 tbsp Cajun seasoning
• vegetables of choice (I used the rest of the red bell pepper, 1/4 of a chopped onion, a chopped steamed sweet potato, and some frozen kale and peas)

1. Boil pasta according to directions.
2. Meanwhile, blend nuts of choice with water and strain through a cheesecloth or nut milk bag to make nut milk.
3. Blend macadamia nuts, nut milk, and Cajun seasoning to make the sauce.
4. Toss pasta with sauce and vegetables of choice and add chickpea-lentil crisps around the dish to your taste.

Want an easy way to sneak in some extra protein while giving yourself a sweet treat at the same time?  How about some gluten free, vegan cookie dough protein balls?  These require no baking and is quick and easy to make! As always, if you click the ingredient, you’ll be directed to the Amazon page for that ingredient if you have trouble finding it in a store.

Ingredients:

• 3-5 raw almonds + 2 tbsp filtered water
• 3/4 cup raw creamy almond butter
• 1 tablespoon raw coconut flour, plus more if necessary
• 1/2 cup unflavored vegan protein powder
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 tbsp raw cacao nibs

1. Blend almonds and water and strain through a cheesecloth or nut milk bag to make almond milk.
2. Stir together all ingredients.
3. Roll into balls and place in refrigerator to set.

So I was trying to come up with finger-food to make for a meeting I had coming up that was healthy, not to mention vegan and gluten-free, and I ended up brainstorming this thing up.  I originally wanted to roll them up and slice them, but the tortillas were too thick to be rolled, so I ended up stacking them like a quesadilla and cutting them into small triangles.  They were delicious!  I am so proud that the entire thing was made from scratch and had lots of flavor.  I made the tortillas and pesto ahead of time, and then assembled them the day before the meeting, since I didn’t have much free time.  So not only are they healthy, but they’re high in fiber and protein!

As always, if you don’t have some of these ingredients, just click the ingredient and you’ll be taken to the appropriate amazon.com page.  It’s easy to make these in parts.  Here’s how:

Chickpea Tortillas

Ingredients:

• 1 cup dried chickpeas
• 2 tbsp flaxseeds, freshly ground
• 2 tbsp warm water
• 2/3 cup water, or more
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp dried rosemary
• pinch of salt
• pinch of ground cumin

1. Rinse chickpeas and allow to dry completely.
2. Whisk together ground flaxseeds and warm water and allow to sit for 5 minutes.
3. Whisk all remaining ingredients together.
4. Add some coconut oil to a frying pan on medium heat and add 1/4 of the batter.  Let cook for 2-3 minutes and flip.  Allow the other side to cook for a minute or two before removing.
5. Repeat the process for the rest of the batter.  There shouldn’t be a need to add more oil each time.

Sundried Tomato Pesto

Ingredients:

• 1 cup sundried tomatoes, previously soaked in water for at least an hour
• 1 cup packed fresh basil or 1/2 cup dried basil
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• salt and pepper, to taste

Blend all ingredients together in a food processor or strong blender.

Wedges

Makes 12 wedges.

Ingredients:

• Chickpea tortillas
• Sundried Tomato Pesto
• 1-2 medium tomatoes, sliced
• a bunch of spinach leaves

1. Place a tortilla flat and spread an even layer of pesto on top.
2. Layer tomato slices on top, followed by some spinach leaves.
3. Spread an even layer of pesto on top of another tortilla, and place that tortilla on top of the other ingredients, pesto-side down.
4. Slice into 6 wedges.
5. Repeat with the remaining ingredients.

This delicious, creamy roasted pepper sauce is so easy to make and allows you to sneak in some super-nutritious hemp seeds!  Hemp seeds have an excellent balance of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids.  They are considered the “perfect protein” because not only do they have all 20 amino acids, but they also have each of the 9 essential amino acids that our bodies can’t produce.  They are also high in fiber and contain various other vitamins and minerals.

As always, if click the ingredients to be directed to the appropriate Amazon page if you don’t know where to buy these ingredients.

Sauce Ingredients:

• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 red bell pepper, roasted (click here to learn how to roast bell peppers)
• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 tsp dijon mustard
• 1 tsp coconut sugar
• 3/4 tsp sea salt
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/2 cup hemp seeds
• 1/2 cup filtered water

Pasta Ingredients:

• 1 box brown rice pasta
• 3/4 cup sundried tomatoes, soaked for at least an hour and sliced into 1/2″ slices
• 1/4 – 1/2 cup Vidalia onion, diced
• 1-2 tomatoes, roughly chopped

1. Boil pasta according to instructions.
2. While pasta is boiling, blend all sauce ingredients together.
3. Drain pasta and toss with sauce and remaining ingredients.

Get a pump of greens and protein in this smoothie!  It’s packed with nutrients to help you lean out, build muscle, and detox!  It has spirulina, which is a great post-workout addition, with its protein, iron, potassium, manganese, selenium, zinc, and a bunch of other nutrients and vitamins.  It has chlorella, which also has protein, amino acids, iron, calcium, potassium, magnesium, and a whole host of other nutrients and vitamins.  It has wheatgrass, which is also chock full of protein, amino acids, and all the minerals known to man.  Finally, it has vegan protein powder for some added protein.  I make this ahead of time and keep it in my fridge and then drink it as soon as I finish my workout for a quick and easy smoothie!

Ingredients:

• 1 or 2 clementines, peeled
• 1/2-1 cup sliced pineapples
• 2 tsp chlorella powder
• 1 tsp spirulina powder
• 1 – 1 1/2 tsp wheatgrass powder
• 1 tbsp moringa powder
• 1 scoop protein powder
• 1 frozen ripe banana
• coconut water (about 1/2 cup, enough to make a 16-ounce smoothie)

1. Blend the clementine(s) and pineapples first.
2. Add powders and blend.
3. Add banana and water and blend.
4. You can leave this in the fridge until you are ready to drink it, or drink it right away.

What a way to sneak in some extra protein and nutrition!  I’ve been looking for a vegan, no-bake brownie that still kept that moist, soft texture and didn’t bombard me with that bitter taste of cacao, and I’ve found it!  This is now my favorite way to sneak in lentils, hemp seeds, and cacao into my diet.  You should try it!  It’s easy to make, delicious, and hits that sweet, chocolatey spot!  One batch makes about 8 brownies.  If you can’t find these ingredients, just click them and you’ll be directed to the appropriate Amazon link.  Please note that this recipe uses cacao as opposed to cocoa, which is processed.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup red lentils
• 1 cup water
• 1/3 cup hemp seeds
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp coconut oil
• 3/4 cup coconut sugar
• 4 tbsp oats, ground into flour
• 5 tbsp coconut flour
• 2 tbsp maple syrup
• 2 tbsp raw cacao powder
• 4 tbsp raw cacao nibs

1. Wash lentils, then add lentils and water into a small pot and cook, partially covered, on medium heat until the lentils have absorbed all the water (about 11-14 minutes).  Allow to cool to room temperature.
2. Blend lentils and hemp seeds until smooth.
3. Add vanilla extract, salt, oil, and sugar and blend.  Divide mixture into 2 bowls.
4. Into one bowl, add half of the oat flour, coconut flour, maple syrup, cacao powder, and cacao nibs and stir until combined.  Layer it onto the bottom of a glass pan.
5. Into one bowl, add the rest of the oat flour, coconut flour, maple syrup, and cacao nibs and stir until combined.  Place on top of the bottom layer.
6. Refrigerate for at least an hour or freeze for half an hour before serving.  Keep refrigerated.