Free Mini-Cookbook! Kale For Everyday!

Kale is trendy. Kale is delicious. And kale just happens to be my favorite veggie right now. 

This mini-cookbook includes some recipes that I have shared here, but it also has never before shared recipes! 

I hope you enjoy these kale filled recipes as much as I do!

Use the following link to download your free mini-cookbook today:

Kale for Everyday!

Kale Black Bean Quesadillas

Vegan cheese is a bit of a struggle for me. Homemade cashew cheeses and cauliflower dip cheeses can be low fat and relatively healthy. But the store bought vegan cheeses like Daiya are high in fat and really not that better than actual cheese, except no animals were harmed in its making. The benefit to vegan cheese like Daiya is that it has the texture of regular cheese. So I allow myself to have it in small quantities every once in awhile. At least until I find a better alternative.

These quesadillas are a satisfying and delicious alternative to your average plain old quesadillas. Even my non-vegan boyfriend tried adding kale and black beans to his quesadilla and enjoyed it. But kale really does taste great no matter what. 

Kale and Black Bean Quesadillas

Print Recipe!

Ingredients

2 Vegan Tortillas

1/4 Cup of Daiya Cheddar Style Cheese

1/4 Cup of Chopped Kale 

1/4 Cup of Black Beans 

1 TSP of Ground Cumin

1/2 TSP of Garlic Powder

 

Directions 

1) Sprinkle half of your cheese on the bottom tortilla.

2) Add the kale and beans on top of that cheese. 

3) Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top and place the second tortilla on top.

4) Heat your quesadilla in a medium pan on medium heat. When the cheese starts to melt, flip it over. Cook until cheese is gooey and the quesadilla is holding together. 

 

Tip: Using blue corn tortillas gives these quesadillas so much more flavor than flour quesadillas.  

Blackberry Avocado Smoothie

Don't knock it until you've tried it! Avocado may sound like something only fit for guacamole and anything on a menu with the word "California" in it, but the avocado really makes this smoothie great. If you can look past the fact that the main component of the best chip dip ever is in this smoothie, and the blackberry seeds, it makes an amazing, delicious, and healthy breakfast! Like all other berries, blackberries are full of cancer fighting antioxidants. The pineapple and lemon juice are chock full of Vitamin C and citrus actually helps burn fat better than most other foods. Even though avocado has received a bad reputation for being a high fat food, these fats are actually good for you. The fats in avocado have been shown to help fight inflammation, particularly with arthritis. Not to mention, avocado is high in Vitamin A. 

Recently I've been reading a lot of different books, articles, and blogs about vegan nutrition. There's the meat lovers, who think it's extreme and impossible to be healthy. And on the other extreme, there are the vegans who believe you should not have any oil, sugar, salt, any processed foods of any kind and that includes vegan ones. It's been really disheartening to think that when I have a quarter of an avocado on my sandwich that that may be the reason the weight isn't falling off easily any more. And that's when I realized that this journey is my journey. I have all the tools to know what is good for my body and what isn't. The reality is that while it may work for another vegan to exclude avocados from their diet completely, that is never going to work for me. Early this week my boyfriend said something I think I need to include in the way I think about my health. 

"What's the point, if you can't enjoy it?"

He's absolutely right. If I want to eat avocado, I'm going to. (Besides, it's good for you.) But I do know, that everything in moderation. I'm still learning what works for my body. And if being SOS (sugar oil salt) free works for you, that's fantastic. But it doesn't work for me. I'm getting healthier every day and learning more and more about myself along the way. 

Now that I'm done ranting, on to that smoothie you all came to see ;)

Blackberry Avocado Smoothie

Print Recipe!

Ingredients 

1 Cup of Blackberries 

1/2 Small Avocado

1/2 Cup of unsweetened Pineapple Juice

Juice of 1/2 Lemon

1/2 Teaspoon of Vanilla

Directions

1. Add all ingredients into a blender. Blend until ridiculously creamy and delicious. Enjoy!

 

P.S. The avocado adds little flavor to this smoothie. It just makes it ultimately creamy ;)

Pineapple Banana Mint Smoothie

Sometimes simple really is best, especially when I am half asleep in the morning. Most mornings, if I manage to wake myself up enough to use the blender, I have a green smoothie. I love green smoothies. They are full of protein, fiber, calcium, and lots of other vitamins. But occasionally it's nice just to have something sweet. This smoothie may not be packed full of protein, but it is full of potassium, vitamin C (from the pineapple and the mint), and is good for digestive health. Not to mention, it hapens to be sweet and delicious.

Pineapple Banana Mint Smoothie

Print Recipe!

Ingredients

1 Banana

1/2 Cup of Pineapple Juice

5 Fresh Mint Leaves

Directions

1. Wash mint thoroughly, especially if organic. 

2. Combine all ingredients in a blender. Make sure to add the juice first, this way the blades are free to spin.

3. Blend until smooth and enjoy!   

Strawberry Rhubarb Pie with Walnut Crust

I love pie, especially fruit pies. But even more than I love to eat pie, I love to bake pie. During my first two years of college I spent so much time baking for my family and most of what I made was pie. I loved making crust from scratch and creating decorative and beautiful designs in the crust. But while trying to get healthy, pie seems a little counter intuitive. Most pie is a lot of empty calories from white flour and processed sugars. However, this week while grocery shopping, I saw the freshly stocked bin of rhubarb and I could not resist. Its vibrant red color was so enticing, I knew I had to try my hand at making a healthy-ish pie.

Let's be honest, no pie is a hundred percent healthy, but this version eliminates many of those overly processed ingredients that do no good for your body. Instead of making a traditional double crust pie, I decided to go with a crust that cut out flour all together. Walnuts are incredibly good for helping prevent diseases like breast cancer and oats are a much better choice than plain white flour. Coconut oil is still fat, yes. However, it is a healthier choice compared to shortening and butter. Strawberries are an inherently uber sweet fruit, so cutting back on the sugar in the filling did not leave me missing anything. This pie was so satisfying. The tartness of the rhubarb balanced out the sweet strawberries. And the walnuts created a much tastier crust than I could ever have expected. I even let myself eat this for breakfast and did not feel guilty at all!

Strawberry Rhubarb Pie with Walnut Crust

Print Recipe!

Ingredients

2 Cups of Walnuts
1 1/2 Cups of Quick Oats
3 1/2 TBSP of Coconut Oil, melted
3/4 Cup of Brown Sugar
2 Cups of Strawberries, chopped
2 Stalks Rhubarb, diced
1 TSP of Vanilla
1/4 Cup of Cornstarch
Juice of 1 Orange

Directions 

1. To make the crust: Place 1 1/2 cups of walnuts in a food processor and pulse until you achieve a fine almost flour like texture. Repeat step with the quick oats. Combine the two "flours" with the coconut oil in a medium sized bowl until they begin to stick together. Refrigerate for 20 minutes before spreading out in the bottom of your pie or tart pan. 

2. To make the filling: Combine the strawberries, rhubarb, 1/2 cup of brown sugar, vanilla, cornstarch, and orange juice in a bowl.

3. To make the crumble: Combine 1/2 cup of walnuts, 1/2 tablespoon of coconut oil, and 1/4 cup of brown sugar in food processor until ingredients begin to stick together. 

4. Assembly and cooking: Assemble the pie and bake at 425 degrees for 20 minutes. 

Tip: Once pie is completely cool, refrigerate for 24 hours. After refrigerating for one day, the pie becomes easy to cut into actual slices and is easy to warm up in the microwave. Enjoy!  

Cauli Mac and Cheese

This recipe is as near perfect as an alternative cheesy sauce recipe can be. It's the right color, it's full of delicious cheesy flavor, and it's only about 30 calories a serving (can't say that about Kraft). I have to be honest though, this is only an adaptation of another recipe from a woman who really works pure genius. Susan V is the creator of the blog, Fat Free Vegan, and just as her website claims, her recipes are sinlessly delicious. She came up with this cauliflower based cheese sauce that looked so scrumptious, I had to try making it. Of course, I have an inability to follow directions and I wanted to try making it my own, so I changed a few things. But the reality is, the real genius behind this recipe is Susan's.

Check out Susan V's original recipe: Cheesy Cauliflower Sauce

(Her other recipes are phenomenal too!)

Cauli Mac and Cheese

Print Recipe!

Ingredients

1 Cup of Water

1 Cup of Cauliflower florets ( 1/2 small head of cauliflower)

1 Cup of Carrot Puree (just steam a handful of carrots and blend)

3 ClovesGarlic

1/2 TSP of Cayenne

1 TSP of Dijon Mustard

1 TSP of Turmeric

1/2 Cup of Nutritional Yeast

1 TBSP of Miso 

1 TBSP of Cornstarch

Juice of 1/2 a Lemon

Pinch of Salt

1 Cup of Steamed Broccoli

2 Cups of Cooked Pasta

Directions 

1. Bring water to a boil and add cauliflower, carrot puree, garlic, cayenne, dijon mustard, and turmeric. Cover and cook on low until the cauliflower starts to fall apart.Takes about 20 minutes.

2. Transfer the ingredients in the pot into a blender and add the remaining ingredients. Blend until smooth. 

3. Be careful when opening because hot liquid can erupt when the suction of the blender lid is released. Pour sauce over cooked pasta in a pot and add the steamed broccoli. Cook on low heat until everything is mixed well and the sauce has started to thicken. Takes about 2-5 minutes.    

Easy Vegan Chili

One of the ultimate comfort foods is good old chili. And with the right spices and flavors, you will never miss the meat in this veggie version. It's spicy, warm, and a hearty way to end the day. And although I have experimented with many kinds of vegan chilies, this is still my favorite because of how easy it is to make.

When I think comfort food, I think PB & J, Mac and Cheese, and mashed potatoes. Foods that are full of flavor and fast and easy to make. This chili is just as delicious and easy, even if you don't have a crock pot. If you don't have a crock pot, I suggest sauteing your onions and garlic for 3-5 minutes before adding the rest of your ingredients so that you get more flavor from them.Then you only need to cook your chili for about an hour on the stove, covered on medium heat. If you own a crock pot, just throw all the ingredients in, go to work, and come home to the lovely smell of chili.

Easy Vegan Chili

Print Recipe!

Ingredients

1 Can of Black Beans
1 Can of Kidney Beans
1/2 Onion, diced
3 Garlic Cloves, diced
2 Celery Stalks, diced
1 Can Tomatoes, diced
2 TBSP of Chili Powder
1 TSP of Cumin Powder
1-2 TSP of Cayene
2 TBSP of Soy Sauce

Salt and Pepper

Garnish with something fresh, like pico de gallo or cilantro!

Directions

1. Add all of your ingredients to a crock pot. Stir to combine.

2. Set the temperature to high and cook for 4 hours. Or set the temperature to low and cook for 6-8 hours. 

3. And it's that easy! Enjoy!