I used to live off of sweet potatoes (funny considering I loathed them when I was young), I would even find some way to include them in my breakfast routine! Although I have gotten over this addiction (somewhat hehe) I still love to include various forms of sweet potato into my diet when I can. Surprisingly enough, apart from potatoes, bunches of different veggies can be transformed into crunchy and delicious fries! If you find yourself ordering a large bucket of fries with your daily fast food, than you will love this simple recipe! Although sweet potato fries are somewhat different than the conventional kind, you might just find yourself enjoying these sweet treats even more!

In this recipe, I included both sweet potatoes and carrots in order to cut down on the carbs. The corn meal crust creates both a flavorsome yet crunchy texture. I enjoyed this on its own, but feel free to serve it alongside a protein of your choice, such as tofu or roasted chickpeas! 

Carrots, when roasted, become even sweeter, even tastier! Carrots are among the lower carb root veggies and can be used in anything from dips to smoothies. These long and skinny roots are packed with nutrients such as beta carotene, vitamin A and phytonutrients, which can reduce the risk of colon cancer and cardiovascular decease. Carrots actually come in many different varieties and colors including purple, red, and white, all providing different nutritional benefits. 

Sweet potatoes, although disliked by many (probably because they have never tried one), are very versatile and easy to cook. Sweet potatoes are actually cleaner than white potatoes in that their is no need to buy them organic. These sweet roots also cook faster than their white neighbors, while also being greatly higher in nutrition. Sweet potatoes are packed with nutrients such as beta carotene, vitamin A, vitamin C, antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties. It is also important to include some fat in your meals involving sweet potatoes (yes!) in order to receive the full amount of benefits. 

Corn meal, a southern staple food, is enjoyed in anything from cornbread to soups. In this recipe cornmeal serves as a coating which creates a crunchy texture. Cornmeal, alike every ingredient, brings some of its own unique benefits to the table. Nutrients such as niacin, vitamins B6, E and K, along with potassium and iron are all found in this delicious whole grain. Additionally cornmeal has been found to increase immunity and circulation within the body. I often enjoy the hearty texture of cornmeal in some of my muffins and biscuits. 

Gluten Free, Vegan

Ingredients:

1 medium sweet potato

4-5 large carrots

1/3 cup organic or locally ground corn meal

2 tbs raw sesame seeds

1 tsp dried cilantro

1 tsp chili powder

1 pinch cayenne pepper

1 pinch nutmeg

1/2 tsp cinnamon

sea salt + pepper

Instructions:

Pre-heat oven to 400F degrees. Combine the corn meal, herbs and spices in a small bowl. 

Wash all the veggies and peel the sweet potato. Next cut the veggies into strips (or wedges) and toss them onto a roasting tray with 1/2 tbs coconut oil. Finally sprinkle about 1/2 of the corn meal mixture over the veggies and toss to combine. Roast your fries for about an hour, stirring about half way through. Top with a sprinkle of sesame seeds and serve with fresh avocado creme. Enjoy! 

Gluten Free, Low Carb

Ingredients:

2 large avocados

1/3 cup greek yogurt (or coconut milk yogurt for a vegan version) 

juice of 1 lemon (I used a meyer lemon)

juice of 2 limes

sea salt + pepper

1/2 tsp chili powder

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp cilantro

Instructions:

Remove the flesh from both avocados and mash them in a small mixing bowl. Next, add in the greek yogurt along with the citrus juices, herbs and spices, continue to stir and combine. Store in an air tight container for up to 5 days. Enjoy!

Post by: Rebecca

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Once the chilly days settle in, all I can think to make are warm and cozy meals. (with the occasional smoothie or two!) Warm chili, fresh pumpkin bread right out of the oven (even though the recipe strictly says wait 45 minutes to cool). I know you are just salivating over it right now. Well, I do have some more pumpkin bread coming up and some delicious Thanksgiving recipes for next week too! Thanksgiving has to be one of my favorite times of the year. The comforting smells, the colorful sights, who could not love it right? Well my usually problem during the holidays is narrowing down what I want to make. I have so many great ideas of what I want to try, that I usually run out of time to make all my treats in mind. This year I will try to pack in all the wonderful things I have in store especially during Christmas! 

In this warm and comforting recipe several common ingredients come together to create a delicious mismatch in flavors! I just love how contrasting flavors can complement each other so well sort of like complementary colors! I roasted carrots to create a sweet caramelized flavor, and added spicy chickpeas for texture and a slight kick. Poaching eggs gives them a soft pillow like texture and allows you to easily cook the yolk how you like it. This recipe is also packed with protein due to the combo of chickpeas and eggs. Chickpeas are often overlooked since they seem a little uncommon, although I find them to be very addicting! Besides being the main ingredient in the recently popular dip, hummus, chickpeas can be adapted to almost any flavor. I have even combined them with peanut butter on a sandwich or tossed them into smoothies. Vitamin A and beta carotene, which impact eye health, are also stuffed into this recipe thanks to the carrots. This entire recipe only took me about 30 minutes for the prep time, so this would make a perfect weeknight meal prior to Thanksgiving, during all the rush! To make this a full dinner, serve it along side a fresh fall spinach salad topped with apples and pecans. 

Ingredients: 

3-4 medium carrots

2 large local or organic brown eggs

1 tsp safflower oil

1/2 cup roasted chickpeas (recipe below)

Cayenne pepper

Smoked Paprika 

1/2 tsp cinnamon divided

1 tsp maple syrup

Sea salt to taste

Instructions:

Pre heat oven to 350F degrees.

To prepare the carrots, wash and scrub clean. Next take a vegetable spiraler and cut the carrot into very thin noodle like strings. Place carrots in a roasting tray and coat with 1 tsp oil, 1/4 tsp cinnamon, salt, paprika and about two sprinkles of cayenne (or a pinch). Toss to combine flavors and roast the carrots for about 45 minutes or until soft and sweet.

To prepare the chickpeas combine 3/4 cup cooked chickpeas with 1/4 tsp cinnamon, salt another sprinkle of cayenne, paprika and 1 tbs maple syrup, toss to combine. Roast chickpeas alongside the carrots for about 45 minutes stirring occasionally.

To prepare the poached eggs, fill a skillet about half full of filtered water. Bring to a slow boil, and carefully add eggs. While keeping the skillet at a constant temperature, cook the eggs for about 3-5 minutes. (do not worry if little pieces of the egg get spread apart in the water) Flip the eggs over about mid way through using a utensil with holes in it. The time will depend on how well done you like your eggs (I left my yolks a little runny).

To assemble, add carrot strings to a plate and sprinkle on the roasted chickpeas. To top it off, add the poached egg and a sprinkling of cayenne pepper. Serves one. Enjoy! 

*if you do not have a vegetable spiraler then you can just use a potato peeler and shave it into long, thin slices. 
*for a vegan option, try roasting cubed extra firm tofu after marinating it in soy sauce and agave. 

Check out the new blog header! I thought it was about time since peaches are way out of season and apples are in their prime! Well back to the recipe, these muffins are my mom’s favorite muffins. It took me a while to get them just right, but the reward was well worth it. The original recipe (found here from Bob’s Red Mill) was not gluten free and a little too sweet, so I tweaked it a little until I got what I wanted. The result was not too sweet, moist and hearty breakfast muffin, perfect for a quick grab and go breakfast! These muffins can also be frozen and re thawed so you can have a breakfast any time of the month! 

Oat flour combined with flax and oat bran makes for a delicious gluten free muffin. Walnuts add a bit of crunch while maple syrup adds just a touch of sweetness. Apples not only add sweetness to these muffins, but also moisture. We all know that saying "an apple a day will keep the doctor away" and it may seem a bit of cliche but there is truth to it! Apples are packed with phytonutrients which help to regulate spikes in blood sugar. They also contain fiber which helps keep you full and satisfied. As if these other benefits are not enough, apples help fight against heart decease! Carrots also gives these muffins a boost of benefits. These orange, veggies are packed with vitamin A and carotenoids due to their orange color. Studies have shown that carrots may help reduce  the risk of cardiovascular decease. We most definitely should not forget about walnuts. We may think of nuts as just something that adds flavor or texture to our foods, but they are something so much more. A recent study has shown that only 5.5 percent of adults between the ages 19-50 eat tree nuts of any kind. This very much so alarmed me since I could barely live a day without eating almonds or walnuts! If you fall into the other 94 percent, after learning about these great benefits packed inside walnuts, you might change your mind. Walnuts provide an array of heart healthy fats, they also fight against type two diabetes. In addition, walnuts are packed with vitamin E, Calcium, Magnesium and Potassium! In order to get all these benefits, all you need to eat is 1.25 ounces of walnuts, which is really not that much at all. 

Ingredients:

1 cup oat flour

½ cup teff flour

½ cup almond flour

½ cup flax meal

½ cup oat bran

¼ - 1/3 cup maple syrup

2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

2 tbs flax meal + ¼ cup water

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup almond milk

2 tsp cinnamon

1 ½ cups shredded carrot (about 1 ½ large carrots)

2 medium golden delicious apples shredded (or another sweet apple)

½ - ¾ cup chopped walnuts or pecans

Instructions:

Pre heat oven to 350F degrees.

Combine flax meal and ¼ cup water, set aside to gel up while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.

Combine dry ingredients including walnuts. In a separate bowl combine wet ingredients, almond milk, maple syrup and vanilla extract.

Shred apples and carrots and add them to the dry ingredients, toss to combine.

Add wet to dry and stir until combined, be careful not to over stir. Add more almond milk if needed.

Add the mixture to paper lined muffin tins, filling almost to the top. Bake for about 20 minutes and test with a knife to make sure they are done. Recipe makes about 14 muffins. Enjoy!