Creamy Coconut Chia Pudding

This recipe is stupid easy. You’ll do it once and be like “that was it?” … which, is one of the many reasons I love it so much. It’s also great for meal prep since it’s easy to make ahead, very portable, and lasts most of the week. This creamy coconut chia pudding can be eaten as a breakfast, snack, or even a topping for another food (ahem waffles and pancakes!) Bonus, it is completely free of processed ingredients and is full of healthy fats, fiber and protein to keep you full for a long while! Can’t wait to hear what your favorite toppings are.

Creamy Coconut Chia Pudding

Avocado Hemp Seed Pesto

This pesto is LOADED with healthy fats and is creamy and delicious to boot. The avocados and olive oil both provide those Mediterranean monounsaturated fats while the hemp seeds provide essential, anti-inflammatory omega 3 fatty acids. The hemp seeds are also a great plant-based source of protein (one of the few providing all 9 essential amino acids). So this recipe is doing all sorts of good for you! It’s also super decadent tasting and delicious on so many different foods (suggestions below). Bonus, it takes under 10 minutes start to finish!

avocado hemp seed pesto

Sweet Potato Toast

This recipe is SO easy it’s barely a recipe. But I find people do need instructions to make it, so here it is. I like to meal prep these and make 2-3 potatoes at once then take out a few slices when I’m hungry. They last pretty well in the fridge so it just makes it a lot easier later on.

Meal Prep-able Sweet Potato Toast

Paleo Fudge Brownie Protein Bars

I’m pretty obsessed with these bars. They come out thinner than a brownie, and more like a protein bar thickness but they are fudgy and chewy! They are really filling from all the natural protein, fiber and healthy fats in the almond flour, flaxseed meal and collagen. Plus the cacao and CBD both give them a relaxing property. This makes them the perfect afternoon treat, when you hit that mid-day slump or after dinner treat to wind down before bed time. I used the thera treats caramel coconut drizzle flavor of CBD chocolate bars. Code CPRESS saves you 10% on their website! Recipe below.

Paleo Fudge Brownie Protein Bars

Honey Beet Muffins

Get it it… honey beet like honey bee… ok never mind, I thought it was clever. Anyways, the honey and the beets go together perfectly in these muffins! They really compliment each other’s flavors. There isn’t too much honey, so they aren’t super sweet, but that makes them the perfect blood-sugar-balancing snack for any time of day! And they sneak in a serving of veggies, which is always welcomed! The amazing thing about beets is that they help our blood carry nitrates around our body, which means better oxygen flow, which means better heart health and cardiovascular function overall! That’s a win if you ask me. I used Cece’s Veggie Co beet noodles to take an extra step out of the process, plus they’re organic. You can find them near you here. Now for the muffins…

Honey Beet Muffins

Gluten-free Oatmeal Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Who doesn’t love a good oatmeal cookie? These are perfectly chewy and not overly sweet, and they use almond flour instead of wheat flour so they are allergy and gut friendly! I used dark chocolate instead of raisins because who doesn’t need more chocolate in their life? Also this dark chocolate is special because not only is it high quality organic (gluten-free and vegan), it contains CBD, which, is a hemp extract that has a lot of healing benefits. CBD can help reduce physical pain, reduce anxiety and is overall calming and soothing. Since Theratreats only uses full spectrum organic CBD oil, there is no THC in it, so you don’t need to worry about any crazy side effects. I used the raspberries and cinnamon organic dark chocolate bar from Theratreats, you can use code CPRESS to save 10% off anything on their site!

Gluten-free Oatmeal Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Greek Zoodles & Meatballs

I am a huge Greek salad fan and I think so many people can agree with me. It’s such a classic salad flavor combination… but it’s always fun to put new twists on it. This recipe is really easy to whip up for rushed weeknights but delicious enough for a weekend treat. I love it because it contains my magic combination of PFFP (protein, fat, fiber, phytonutrients). There is protein in the meatballs and some in the feta, there are healthy fats in the feta cheese, olives, almond flour in the meatballs and some in the meat itself, all of the veggie toppings and veggie noodles have both fiber and phytonutrients for a winning combo! If the olives and feta on here are making you wary of fats, read my “why not to fear fats” blog post! Oh and you can get your own pre-made organic veggie noodles from Cece’s near you, find them here.

Greek Zoodles & Meatballs

Cardio Collagen "Zoats"

You may be thinking - what are “zoats”? Zucchini oats of course! The beautiful thing about these is that they are a great way to sneak in veggies without having to taste them. The zucchini just makes the oats fluffier, more voluminous and filling without adding a veggie flavor. It also adds fiber, vitamins and minerals! The oats take on the flavor of whatever you add to them or, if left plain, just taste like plain oats (which, is never a bad thing).

I love adding the Resync collagen blend to my “zoats” not only for the berry flavor but for all the health benefits. Collagen adds protein, supports joints and connective tissue, strengthens gut lining, reduces wrinkles in skin and so much more. And the unique Resync blend (which has been third party tested) contains red spinach, aronia berry and beet extract to improve blood flow and cardiovascular function, prevent oxidative damage, promote restful sleep and more! Hence why these are called “cardio” collagen zoats.

Cardio Collagen Zoats

Mini Chocolate Coconut Happy Muffins

You might be thinking, why are these happy muffins? First of all - how can anything mini, chocolate and coconut not make you happy? Second of all - I added “Pretty Mushrooms” bliss blend (no it doesn’t taste like mushrooms). This blend contains medicinal mushrooms which are different than the creminis or shiitakes you buy at the store. These mushrooms are adaptogens, which, means they help our bodies adapt to and combat certain stressors and imbalances. This particular bliss blend contains reishi (which is known for relaxation), cacao (which contains magnesium that also helps with relaxation and tons of antioxidants), eleuthero root (which is known for mood boosting and relaxation) and ashwagandha (which is known to help combat stress). Winning combo if you ask me. Now to this recipe - it’s paleo, grain-free, gluten-free, dairy-free and refined sugar free but not at all flavor free. And I love the mini size for when you just want something small and sweet or you can have a bunch at once for a filling snack.

Mini Chocolate Coconut Happy Muffins

Veggie Noodle & Feta Frittata

Frittatas are one of my favorite items to meal prep (or just cook in general). They are a great all in one meal (they have protein from the eggs, healthy fats also from the eggs and in this one the feta, and fiber and phytonutrients too AKA veggies). Plus, they’re super versatile - they can be breakfast, snack, lunch, “brinner” and they generally stay pretty fresh most of the week. Oh and they’re delicious! This recipe uses Cece’s Veggie Co pre-made organic veggie noodles to make it EVEN easier to make. You can find some Cece’s near you here.

Veggie Noodle & Feta Frittata

Paleo-Friendly Banana Bread (No-Sugar Added)

This banana bread has been a huge hit with everyone who has taste tested it! No one can even guess that it is sweetened ONLY by the bananas, and it has the most divine texture! It’s completely gluten, grain, dairy and added sugar free but not flavor-free at all! I love making different versions of it by adding different “mix ins” each time (nuts, dried blueberries, chocolate, seeds, you name it!)

Paleo-Friendly Banana Bread (No-Sugar Added)

Cherry Chia Jam

The peanut butter (or almond butter) and jelly classic combo truly never goes out of style in my opinion. However, some store-bought jellies can be full of extra, unnecessary ingredients that aren’t so great for you (refined or fake sugars, inflammatory oils etc.) This EASY 2 minute recipe makes a good sized batch of healthy jam that can be used in so many ways. By pairing the fruit with chia seeds, you achieve my “magic 4” of blood sugar stabilizing foods (protein, fat, fiber and phytonutrients). The cherries have fiber and phytonutrients and the chia seeds have protein, fat and fiber so this will leave you or your little ones feeling full and satiated not cranky and hungry. Bonus is that you get some gut-healthy apple cider vinegar snuck in with your PB&J!

I used “Seal the Seasons” frozen cherries for this recipe but you could also try it with another frozen fruit. I love Seal the Seasons since they source locally grown produce and freeze it at the peak of freshness and are available all over the country! They strive to make quality frozen produce affordable and available to the masses, and that is something I can get behind!

Cherry Chia Jam

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!

Butternut Squash Tahini Zig Zags

Citrus Ginger Winter Stir-Fry

This recipe contains all the essentials for staying healthy through the winter cold and flu season, and all year for that matter. The ginger is anti-inflammatory, the dark leafy greens contain lots of anti-oxidants and nutrients like vitamin A & K, the meat contains energizing vitamin B-12, and the citrus and the beets have good ol’ vitamin C. It’s also easy and great for meal prep. Here is a link to the Mann’s veggie slaw blend I reference in the recipe.

Citrus Ginger Winter Stir-Fry

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.

Broccoli Tots

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!

Tahini Roasted Cauliflower

Orange Cranberry Bread

The orange juice in this bread adds a touch of sweetness, and makes it so moist, plus the citrus and cranberry together give off all the winter vibes! There is no other sugar sweetening the bread so it’s great for long, sustained energy. Plus the almond and coconut flour add healthy fats and fiber! I love this bread for a breakfast or a snack, either plain or with yogurt and or nut butter on top.

Orange Cranberry Bread

Banana Flax Waffles

I am obsessed with waffles. There, I said it, I LOVE WAFFLES! This is one of my favorite recipes to make a big batch of on Saturday and Sunday and enjoy for brunch, then have extras to pop in the toaster oven for a super easy breakfast during the week. These also freeze well (wrap them tightly in ceran wrap) and can be popped in the toaster oven right from the freezer too. I like to let the banana do the sweetening, but if you want a sweeter waffle you could add a bit of maple syrup or honey to the batter or just drizzle it on top.

Banana Flax Waffles

Granola Stuffed Banana Bread Cookies

Honestly, the overly long name of this recipe really says it all. These cookies combine all the best things - banana bread, granola, and cookies. I mean what more could you ask for? Bonus is that they are only sweetened by the banana, and have healthy fats, fiber and protein to keep you full. So these are a great sweet treat or energizing snack! Whenever I have ripe bananas I like to make a batch for snacking on the go.

Granola Stuffed Banana Bread Cookies

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