This is my all time favorite salad dressing recipe! I always make a big batch of it and store it in the fridge, which usually lasts me a week. I use about a Tablespoon or 2 at a time for a large salad. 

Serves: 6

INGREDIENTS:

Dressing:

2 Tbsp Organic Balsamic Vinegar

1 Tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar

2 cloves Organic Garlic, minced

1 tsp Dijon Mustard

1 tsp Raw Unrefined Honey

1/4 tsp Finely ground black pepper

1/4 Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Salad:

3 Cups Organic Baby Lettuce and Baby Spinach

6 Campari tomatoes, quartered

2 Persian Cucumbers, sliced on a bias

1/4 Cup Organic Sliced Almonds (toast on a dry skillet for 2 minutes on high heat or until fragrant)

2 Tbsp Creamy Balsamic Dressing

DIRECTIONS:

Whisk all ingredients and store in the fridge in a tight container. 

For the salad, layer the greens, then cucumbers and tomatoes. Finish off with sprinkling the almonds and drizzle with dressing. Fast, easy, delicious and absolutely nutritious!

VN:F [1.9.13_1145]
Rating: 5.0/5 (2 votes cast)

 

Vegan Chewy Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Bars

 
Hi everyone! Hope your week is going well despite the depressing weather here in NY. I guess the fall season is always rather gloomy especially with Halloween coming up exactly a month from today. Pumpkin season has officially begun and I better get started with my pumpkin treats. Speaking of treats I originally stumbled upon this amazingly easy recipe from Sally’s Bake Blog. I tweaked it a bit and made it my own and they’re a huge hit! This recipe is vegan but it’s very versatile and you’re free to add anything that you like to it in terms of toppings such as dried fruit, different chocolate pieces or candy, nuts/seeds of all kinds and more. I really love this recipe since it is oh-so-effortless but looks like you spent hours making them. Hopefully you will appreciate them as much as I do. They’re packed with protein, antioxidants, and fiber! Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS:

1 Cup Organic All Natural Peanut Butter (make sure the ingredients are just peanuts and salt)

1/2 Cup Dark Brown Sugar (you can use any brown sugar. I just prefer the rich molasses flavor)

2 tsp Organic Vanilla Extract

1 Cup Organic Old Fashioned Rolled Oats

1 Cup White Whole Wheat Flour or any flour that you like

1 tsp Baking Soda

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 Cup Organic Almond Milk (unsweetened) but you can use any milk that you like

1/2 Cup Sliced Organic Almonds

1/2 Cup Vegan Chocolate Chips or any kind will work too

1/2 cup of any additional toppings that you like

DIRECTIONS:

Heat oven to 350F degrees. Line a 8×8 baking dish with parchment paper or spray with nonstick spray. Set aside.

With an electric or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, mix the brown sugar and peanut butter on medium speed until light in color and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Mix in the vanilla, scraping down the sides as needed.
On medium speed, add in the flour, oats, salt, and baking soda. The dough will be very thick and clumpy, but it will come together. Slowly add the milk in a steady stream, mixing until a dough forms. Fold in chocolate chips , alomonds and any other fixings you want.  Use your hands to make sure everything is combined, if needed.
Once dough is completely combined, press it lightly into the prepared baking dish. Bake for about 17-20 minutes until the bars are lightly golden and set. Allow to cool completely and cut into squares. I keep mine in the refrigerator in a covered container. Bars will be good stored up to 2 weeks. And in the freezer for about 2 months. 

VN:F [1.9.13_1145]
Rating: 5.0/5 (2 votes cast)

  
Makes 6 burger patties:

INGREDIENTS:
½ cup dry Organic quinoa

1 tsp olive oil

1/2 Organic red onion, chopped

3 cloves Organic garlic, minced

1/2 tsp Kosher salt, divided

1 (15 oz) can Organic black beans, drained and rinsed

2 Tbsp Organic tomato paste

1 large Organic egg

2/3 cup Organic frozen corn

1/2 cup Organic cilantro, chopped

1 tsp Smoked Paprika

2 tsp ground cumin

1/2 cup Organic rolled oats

1/4 cup oat flour

DIRECTIONS:
Place the quinoa in a small saucepan with 1 cup of water. Set the saucepan over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover the pan, and cook 10-15 minutes until the water is absorbed and quinoa is cooked. Remove from heat. Note: this step can be done ahead of time.

Heat the oil in a small pan over medium heat and add the onion and garlic. Add 1/4 teaspoon salt and sauté until onions are softened, 5-6 minutes. Place the mixture into a large bowl. Add black beans to the bowl and using a potato masher or fork, mash together until a pasty mixture forms. Heat your oven to 400F. 
Stir in the tomato paste, egg, corn, cilantro, chipotles, cumin and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Stir in the cooked quinoa, oats, and oat flour until well mixed. Form the mixture into 6 equal patties, compacting them well with your hands as you form them. Place the patties on a greased baking sheet (I used coconut oil cooking spray) baking sheet. Bake for 10-15 min. Carefully flip the over and cook another 10 minutes. If using a griddle, heat 4-6 minutes per side or until slightly golden. Serve patties with any condiment that you like. I served it with a Sriracha aioli. Mixed 2 Tbsp of Light Mayonnaise, 1-1/2 tsp of Sriracha, and squeezed half of a lime. Mix together. Use as desired. Enjoy! 
Nutrition Information (per burger): 200 calories; 4.3 g. fat; 31 mg. cholesterol; 160mg. sodium; 32.7 g. carbohydrate; 7.2 g. fiber; 11.3 g. protein

VN:F [1.9.13_1145]
Rating: 5.0/5 (3 votes cast)