Here are the 5 things I’m obsessing over this week!
Mulberry Love: http://www.mulberrylove.com/
Baobab: http://baobestfoods.com/
Vega Sport: https://myvega.com/products/vega-spor…
Ayurvedic Sinus Support: https://store.chopra.com/ayurnas-ayur…
Follow Your Heart Vegan Egg: http://followyourheart.com/veganegg/
I’m cooking for a luncheon charity event in a couple weeks and wanted to create a new tasty salad for it. Strawberries are always a colorful favorite for this time of year, so I started there and got cookin. I think it came out great! I can’t wait to serve it at my event. This would also be perfect served at a baby or bridal shower, Easter, or any springtime party! I hope you enjoy!
1 cup dry quinoa
1 pint strawberries
1 cup chopped fresh spinach
1/2 cup shelled pistachios
1 cup edamame
1/4 cup chopped green onions
1 jalapeno, finely chopped (optional)
Dressing:
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tsp. whole grain mustard
2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1/4 tsp. sea salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
6-8 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
Cook the quinoa in water according to the package instructions. Allow to cool to room temperature.
Place the cooked and cooled quinoa in a large bowl and stir in all the ingredients. Dress the salad when ready to serve.
For the dressing:
Whisk all the ingredients together in a small bowl or shake in a jar.
Enjoy!
This is the ultimate Superfood Green Smoothie! It’s packed with mega nutrition and is the best way to start your day or give you an added boost!
Leslie’s Superfood Smoothie
2 1/2 cups coconut water
2 tbsp. chia seeds
2 inch piece of peeled ginger
2 inch piece of peeled turmeric
2 tbsp. maca
1/8 tsp. sea salt
dash of cayenne
juice of 1/2 lemon
Blend.
1/2 avocado (check if your avocado is ripe here!)
1 apple
2 bananas
Blend.
3 cups spinach
Blend.
2 cups frozen pineapple
1 cup frozen mango
Final blend.
The reason for so much blending is so that all of the bits fit in the blender and that they all get pureed properly. You don’t want giant hunks of raw ginger in this trust me
Enjoy!
Here is a fun twist on traditional guacamole!
ASIAN GUACAMOLE
3 ripe Hass avocados, diced
2 tbsp. purple onion, minced
juice of 1 lime
1/2 tsp. soy sauce
1/2 tsp. sesame seed oil
2 tbsp. chopped cilantro
1 tbsp. toasted sesame seeds
1/8 tsp. cumin
Mash in a bowl and serve with chips or jicama.
Happy Friday! Here are my eco-friendly obsessions for this week- I just cannot get enough of them!
Check them out:
Gaia Herbs Adrenal Health: http://www.gaiaherbs.com/products/det…
Dr. Bronner’s Magic Lotion: https://www.drbronner.com/DBMS/ORGANI…
Peter Lamas Facial Cleanser: http://peterlamas.com/products/detoxi…
Grab Green Detergent Pods: http://www.grabgreenhome.com/tangerin…
One Love Unified: http://www.oneloveunified.com/peace-w…
Original music by 6ix Seven: https://www.facebook.com/6IXSEVEN/
Serves 2
What You Need:
8 ounces dry penne pasta
3 Roma tomatoes, diced Learn to Dice a Tomato Here!
5 cloves garlic, chopped
2 cups vegetable broth
1/2 cup vodka
3 tbsp tomato paste
1/2 cup vegan cream cheese
1 tbsp olive oil
1/4 tsp salt
What You Do:
Place all the ingredients in a pasta pot and cook on high heat for 9 minutes, stirring frequently. Serve warm topped with fresh basil.
With the Oscars right around the corner, this week’s Fab Five Friday is all about essentials for your red carpet look! I enlisted the help of one of my most dear friends Ginger Boyle, owner of Planet Salon because she styles lots of celebrities and always has the best tips and tricks! Check out the video:
A steakhouse dinner is probably the most popular dinner for Valentines Day and I’m saying leave the meat and the restaurant behind! Make this fantastic dinner in the comfort of your own home!
Serves 2
2 russet potatoes
1 sweet potato
4 tbsp. Earth Balance (vegan butter)
1/4 tsp. chipotle powder (more if you like spicy!)
maple syrup
big pinch of salt
1/4 cup chopped, toasted walnuts
Coat the clean and pricked potatoes and yam with olive oil and bake in the oven for 50-60 minutes at 400 degrees until fork tender.
Cut the potatoes in half lengthwise and scoop out insides into a mixing bowl. Be careful to preserve the shells of the Idaho potatoes. Discard the yam skins.
To the potatoes, add Earth Balance, chipotle, 2 tbsp. maple syrup, and a big pinch of salt. Smash with a potato smasher until smooth. Gently spoon the potato mixture back into the Idaho potato skins and score the top with a butter knife, two lengthwise and 3 sideways. Place on a cookie sheet and bake an additional 20 minutes at 375. Remove from oven and top with the chopped walnuts.
Serves 2
1 clove of garlic
10 stems of rainbow swiss chard
3 tbsp. of olive oil
a pinch of salt
Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Cut the stem side of the garlic off and place in an oven for 30 minutes. Chop the chard into bite size piece. In a large frying pan, heat up the oil and toss in the chard to coat. Add the pinch of salt and saute until the chard is tender and wilted. Chop 3-4 cloves of the roasted garlic and add to the chard. Serve warm.
Serves 2
2 large portobello mushrooms, stems trimmed
2 1/2 cups cabernet sauvignon
1 large shallot, finely chopped
a pinch of salt
1 tsp. agave nectar
In a medium pan, sauté the shallot in a tbsp. of olive oil for about 1 minute. Add the wine and salt. Place the mushrooms in the wine gill side down and let simmer for 5 minutes. Carefully flip the mushrooms and cook another 5 minutes. Remove from the pan and slice thinly. Add the agave nectar to the wine sauce and let simmer until reduced by half. Spoon over the mushrooms.
Mmmmm! Valentines day is upon us and for lovers and singles that means one thing to me: chocolate. Chocolate everything. I’m single this year and will be celebrating with my Mom who shares a birthday with Cupids big day and she loves chocolate as much as me which means this cake will be our dinner finale. The original version of this recipe came from my friend Brittany (please go see her in the new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles!). I’ve altered it a bit to my flavor and nutrition likes. This recipe works with gluten or gluten free flour. If you are going for gluten I like Glutino or King Arthur. You want one that’s mainly rice and potato flours vs. garbanzo beans (Bob’s Red Mill) which will give it a really grainy taste. Ok, here’s the recipe 
Oh! I made the heart shapes by cooking the cake in a 9X13 pan and using a cookie cutter. Totally optional, but super festive! Happy Valentines Day!
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour or gluten free
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa (I like Valrhona)
1 tsp. baking soda
1 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1 cup water
1 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
5 tbsp. coconut oil, melted
2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
2 cups chocolate chips
3/4 cup non-dairy milk (coconut is best)
Heat oven to 350º F.
Sift together the flour, cocoa, and baking soda into a large bowl and stir in the sugar and salt.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the water, oil, vanilla, and vinegar.
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and whisk until smooth.
Pour into a greased, parchment paper lined 9 X 11” pan and bake for 25-30 minutes.
Let cool completely and turn onto a cutting surface. Use a cookie cutter to cut out desired shapes.
Slice the cakes in half and fill with fruit puree, chocolate, or skip this step.
Sandwich together and set aside.
Heat the non-dairy milk until little bubbles form and pour over chocolate chips. Let sit for 3 minutes, stir and pour over the cake hearts.
Optional toppings include shredded coconut, strawberries, raspberries, toasted almonds, and whatever else you love with chocolate.
I LOVE veggie burgers! I have made a zillion varieties. My good friend Fiona Gubelmann loves them too and wanted me to teach her how to make them. We decided to film it so you all could learn I hope you enjoy as much as us and please subscribe to my youtube page! ps My dress is Della and our aprons are from Sugar Baby Aprons
Serves 6
2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup cooked brown rice
6 oz. mushrooms, chopped (I like using crimini, but any will work)
3/4 cup rolled oats, more if mix is too wet
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 red beet, grated
1 flax egg (1 tbsp. ground flax seed soaked in 3 tbsp. water for 10 minutes)
3 tbsp. smoked paprika
1 tbsp. cumin
3 tbsp. nutritional yeast
1 tsp. sea salt
In a large bowl, using your hands, mash the beans until they are about 3/4 mashed. Add in all the other ingredients and mix well. Form 6 tight patties with your hands. Either freeze, refrigerate or cook immediately. Cook in a frying pan with either coconut or olive oil for 4-5 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Serve with toppings like lettuce, tomato, Follow Your Heart slices, pickles, caramelized onions, and avocado.
