Japanese Sweet Potato Mash
If you haven’t tried Japanese (or murasaki) sweet potatoes yet, I don’t know what you are waiting for! These are becoming more widely available in grocery stores and in my opinion, they are the most delicious sweet potato variety (although I must say I love all varieties). These are the ones with a reddish purple skin and white “meat” inside. Anyways, I love them so much, I make them into everything including this delicious mash! You can totally do this recipe with another variety of sweet potato as well. Also note, I leave the skin on for extra fiber and texture but you could remove the skin.
Avocado "Fries"
Avocado fries… mic drop*! I feel like the title of this recipe really needs no explanation. Who doesn’t love avocado? And who doesn’t love fries? Put those two together AND made with healthy, whole foods ingredients and I’d say it’s a WIN WIN! This recipe is really easy (the steps may appear long but it is because I give explanations and modifications). And it truly will be a crowd pleaser (as you can see, Beau was a fan)! They keep in the fridge pretty well too. However, I think they are best when crispy and hot straight out of the air fryer/oven.
Sweet & Spicy Roasted Carrots
I love the flavors in these roasted carrots. Everyone we have served them to loves them and asks for the recipe… so I thought I’d give it a permanent home on my website. To be honest, there isn’t an exact recipe for these. It’s more of an art than a science. So you can use my spice recommendations and cooking time below to make your very own version of them.
10 Minute Sweet Potato Noodle Pad Thai
I love anything that takes 10 minutes or less… especially this dish. It’s truly so satisfying and just uses a few simple ingredients! You can pair it with a protein of your choice or just eat it by itself. It’s pretty hearty and flavorful. It happens to be paleo/whole 30 diet friendly as well :)
Zucchini Basil Veggie Cakes
These are a great plant-based protein to add to any meal that happens to sneak in veggies AND has the most delicious, refreshing flavor with the basil. I used kaniwa, which, is actually a seed (not technically a grain) to make mine but I think you could easily sub quinoa since I know that is more commonly found. I get my organic kaniwa from Suncore Foods, you can use code PRESSSTART15 if you want to save $$ on anything from them too! (I love all their products). Another thing I love about this recipe is that it’s a great one for meal prep. These cakes are easy to make and can be served all week as a main dish or an easy pop-in-your mouth snack!
Butternut Squash Tahini Zig Zags
So… I think you all know my love for tahini by now. Not only are sesame seeds (what tahini is made of) full of nutrients and amino acids (building blocks of protein), but I truly think tahini takes on a kind of unique flavor profile depending on what it’s paired with. I created this recipe when i was feeling “lazy” in the kitchen, and I knew I loved tahini and ghee together on cauliflower (see tahini cauli recipe) so I figured why not do a similar mixture on butternut squash. Well, the result was AMAZING, so I just had to share it on here. I used the Mann’s butternut squash “rotini” but if you can’t find that, there are similar products out there. You could also use butternut squash cubes, although you will need to increase cooking time. Hope you enjoy as much as I did!
Broccoli Tots
As if I needed another way to eat broccoli… for any of you that follow me on social media, you know that it’s my FAVORITE vegetable. However, this recipe is great, because it sneaks broccoli in for even the pickiest of eaters who think they don’t like broccoli. Broccoli is in the cruciferous vegetable family and contains beneficial compounds that help the body detox harmful substances and also fight free radicals in the body (AKA it has powerful antioxidants). You don’t need to memorize all that nutrition jargon but I think the jury is out, that broccoli is great for us! This recipe is super easy to make, grain and gluten-free, and can easily be made dairy-free with a substitution.
Tahini Roasted Cauliflower
The healthy fats in the tahini and ghee combine to make this cauliflower taste nothing short of decadent. It’s a quick recipe to whip up and I always crave it, so it has become one of my meal prep staples! It’s friendly for almost all diets, to make it vegan, you can switch the ghee to coconut oil. I hope you love it as much as I do!
Best Butternut Latkes
This twist on a Hanukkah holiday favorite adds a fun new flavor and tons of health benefits. Of course, potato latkes are a classic. However, this butternut squash version lowers the glycemic impact (blood sugar impact) and adds tons of vitamins (like B6), minerals (like potassium) and antioxidants! It’s a great way to sneak in an extra serving of veggies in “pancake” form! Another bonus of this recipe is that it is gluten and grain free, making it paleo-friendly. The Cece’s Veggie noodles make this recipe SO quick (prep time is only about 10 minutes) which is perfect for the holiday season that can be so busy for so many. Check out where you can find Cece’s organic veggie noodles near you!
Best Butternut Latkes
Sweet Beet Dip
This dip has a touch of sweetness and a thick consistency that makes a delicious snack by itself or paired with toast, veggies, oats and more! Beets have so many health benefits and it's a great way to sneak in an extra serving of vegetables. Beets help with heart health, can improve our cardiovascular abilities and can even help speed up our metabolisms.
Sweet Beet Dip
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Favorite Broccoli
Nothing too special about this broccoli recipe except that it is my FAVORITE and I make it almost every week. Simple to meal prep, lasts for a while, and SO rich in Vitamin K, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, fiber, Vitamin B6 and more! You can mix up the spices or the fat to change the flavor to match whatever you're pairing it with.
Ginger Cabbage
I love this flavorful, easy way to give cabbage an Asian flare. The ginger also has added anti-inflammatory benefits! I love to cook a big batch on Sundays and pair it with everything during the week (put it on salads, eat it as a snack etc.) It keeps pretty well.
Cinnamon Bun Cauliflower
Sounds weird, I know, but if you have a sweet tooth like me, why not make your vegetables sweet too? I'm telling you this recipe is SO delicious and can be served with savory dishes or sweet. I love to dip it in almond milk "cream cheese", almond butter or eat it plain! Cauliflower is such a versatile vegetable it really takes on the taste of the seasoning, which in this case, is the cinnamon.
The ghee is a great source of healthy fat (medium and short chain fatty acids) that help the digestive system and metabolism! Plus ghee is clarified so it is lactose-free butter and safe for people with dairy sensitivities.
"Cheesy" Baked Zucchini Coins (Money in your Mouth)
These dairy-free, oil-free, gluten-free faux-fries SOUND terrible but let me tell you they will trick your tummy! These taste sinfully good but are so light and lean. They are also super simple. Make some tonight!
"cheesy" Baked Zucchini Coins (money In Your Mouth)
2 zucchinis
1/4 Cup almond flour
3 Tbsp nutritional yeast
2 Tsp garlic powder
1/2 Tsp salt
1/4 Tsp pepper
cayenne pepper (optional if you like spice)
1/3 about cup almond milk
Instructions:
1) Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F and spray a wire rack with coconut oil or other cooking spray and place on baking sheet.
2) Wash and cut zucchinis into 1/4 inch thick coins. Pour almond milk into one bowl and mix dry ingredients in another bowl.
3) Douse the zucchinis in the almond milk then transfer to the almond flour/nutritional yeast bowl to coat them with the mixture.
4) Place the floured zucchini coins on the wire rack on the baking sheet and bake at 425 for 15-20 minutes until the edges are golden brown. You don't need to flip them half way but you can.
Salty Balsamic Brussels Sprouts
Salty and a little bit sweet, crunchy, vegetable perfection. I love this preparation for brussels sprouts because it's easy and packs in a ton of flavor without frying them. I have these on the side with all different kinds of dishes, definitely one of my "go to" dinner sides and they store well, so you can make a big batch and eat them all week!
Tangy Cauliflower
This sweet and spicy garlic chili cauliflower is addicting if you like a kick of flavor. It is one of my personal favorite ways to boost the flavor without adding tons of sodium/sugar.
Turmeric Cauliflower Rice
Cauliflower rice is such a versatile side dish! Not to mention it can be cooked into oatmeal and other breakfasts to get your morning veggies and you won't even notice (but that's a separate post). It's so easy and can reduce the carb and calorie load of any meal while still giving you the hearty satisfaction you get from eating rice or another grain! I like to season mine with turmeric, it has a great flavor and reduces inflammation in the body.
