Vegan Paleo Banana Noatmeal

This stuff is like heaven. Not even kidding. Normally, I’m not that big of a fan of bananas. It’s not that I don’t like them, I just don’t really love them. Ya know? Anyway, this is my new favorite way to eat bananas and its sooooooooooooooo good.

This recipe is pretty good cold, but I was really looking for something to warm me up, so tried heating it. The easiest way to do this is in the microwave, but as I’m not a fan of the nutrient-zapper, I tried a saucepan. It worked easily and only took 2 minutes to heat up. Score!

As for toppings, the banana adds enough sweetness that I don’t think it needs honey or sugar, but that’s just personal preference. I like to enjoy this topped with berries or nuts, but experiment! Let me know what works!

• Servings: 1-2 (Normally, I eat all of this, but sometimes I have leftovers)
• Time: 5 mins
• Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients:

• 1 ripe banana
• 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk or other milk alternative (if you’re using canned coconut milk I recommend doing 1/2 milk, 1/2 water)
• 1/4 cup almond flour
• 1/4 cup raw cashews (they should not be soaked)
• 1/4 cup shredded or chipped coconut
• 1 tablespoon flax-meal
• Tad of cinnamon (1/2 tsp?)

Directions:

1. In a blender combine all your ingredients and blend. Stop before the mixture is completely smooth so that you preserve the oatmeal-like texture.
2. Serve with blueberries, nuts, or other topping of your choice.

ENJOY!!

Inspiration (I made a few tweaks 😉 ) for this recipe was from ‘the whole smiths good food cookbook’.

-Sarah

Vegan Paleo Date Pecan Brownies

I cannot even describe to you how much I love these. I discovered them before I had any dietary restrictions and even then they were fantastic. You need to try them now.

• Servings: 16-ish
• Time: 30-60 mins depending on how much of a slow poke you are in the kitchen 😉
• Difficulty: medium
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Ingredients:

• 2 cups (plus a little) medjool dates, pitted
• 2 cups pecans
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 4 oz unsweetened bakers chocolate
• 1/4-1/3 cup honey (can be replaced with maple syrup for vegan)

Directions:

1. Put the pecans in a food processer and mix until the pecans are chopped into a coarse meal.
2. Add the dates and blend until smooth-ish (don’t you just love my overly technical terms?). If it feels too dry, add a few more dates and blend again.
3. Press the mix into a greased 8″ x 8″ pan.
4. In a double boiler over medium heat, add the bakers chocolate and honey. Stir until melted.
5. Pour the melted chocolate over the date-pecan mix and spread to cover all the brownies. Place in the fridge to set (about 1 hour).

These can be enjoyed plain or with ice-cream (yum). Either way, they’re absolutely the best paleo brownies I have ever had.

Let me know how yours turn out!

-Sara + H

Creamy Vegan, Gluten-Free Alfredo

OMNONMNONOMMM

I think I’m in love. For a very, very long time, alfredo was my favorite meal. Then came the leaky gut and suddenly I was avoiding pretty much every ingredient in alfredo. It was very sad. But now I have my alfredo and I couldn’t be happier. Also, it’s gluten-free AND vegan!

So this recipe was inspired by the Whole Smiths Good Food Cookbook. I changed so much that this really is my own creation, but still…

• Servings: 2-4
• Time: 40-50 mins
• Difficulty: somewhere in the middle...
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Ingredients:

• 1 small to medium spaghetti squash (this will determine how many people the recipe serves)
• 1/2 cup raw cashews soaked overnight
• 5 cloves of garlic crushed and sauteed
• 1/2 tablespoon dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1-2 tablespoons coconut milk or other nut milk
• 1 tablespoon olive oil (plus a little for the squash)
• Water to consistancy

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 425 F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Cut your spaghetti squash in half lengthwise and scrape the squishy guts into the compost. Put about 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil into the palm of your hand and rub it onto the open faces of the squash. Put them face-down on your prepared baking sheet and place in the preheated oven. Check in 30 mins. You want your squash to be browning around the edges and squishy to the touch. If it isn’t, cook for 10 more munutes.
3. When your squash is done remove it from the oven and let it cool.
4. While that is cooling, place all of your remaining ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. If it is not blending well add water untill the sauce is a thick creamy consistancy.
5. Once your squash is cooled flip it over and scrape across the insides with a fork. This will make lots of spaghetti-like strands. Place the squash in a large serving bowl and mix with the sauce. (If the sauce is to thick to mix in do not add more water. Warm it up instead).

And… that’s it! If you are not vegan this is tasty topped with grilled chicken too!

Enjoy!!

-Sarah + H

Cheesy Coconut Crackers

These crackers are SO good! They have this delicious cheesy taste and there is not even any cheese! They are completely gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan, and candida-safe!

I like to enjoy these plain, but they are also pretty yummy topped with a yogurt cheese spread.

I got this recipe from the Candida diet website but I did make a few minor changes. On their recipe, they recommend using the extra dough to make grissini. I tried this and it did not work, but I would love to hear how it goes for you!

• Servings: About 60 crackers
• Time: 50 mins
• Difficulty: In the middle 😉
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Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup coconut flour
• 1/4 cup golden flax meal
• 1/2 cup coconut milk (from a can)
• 1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
• 1/2 tsp salt

Directions:

1. Pre-heat your oven to 350 F.
2. Sift your coconut flour into a medium sized bowl and add the flax meal and salt. Stir with a fork to combine.
3. Add the coconut milk and melted coconut oil and stir until it is combined. I find it easiest to knead with my hands until it is thick and holds together.
4. Place the dough onto a piece of parchment paper the size of your baking sheet. Flatten dough slightly with your hands and fingers. Cover dough with another piece of parchment paper and with a rolling pin, roll to about a 1/8 inch thickness. Using a ruler and a sharp knife or pizza cutter, cut dough into crackers about one and a half inch square. Transfer the parchment paper with the crackers to a baking sheet.
5. Place in the oven and check after 10 minutes. Remove any crackers that are brown around the edges. Place back in the oven and check again after 5 minutes. Repeat this until they are all done!

I hope you enjoy!!

-Sara + H

Creamy Cauliflower Soup

I LOVE this recipe. It came from Melissa Joulwan’s “Well Fed 2; More Paleo Recipies for People Who Love to Eat” and I adapted it to suit the Candida diet. (I also changed some of the cooking times from my experience.)

On top of just being downright delicious, this recipe freezes wonderfully. I like to freeze it in meal-sized portions and thaw for quick lunches.

This is 100% my go to Candida meal. Enjoy!

• Servings: 6-ish
• Time: 60 mins
• Difficulty: fairly easy
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Ingredients:

• 1 large head of cauliflower, about 3 lbs
• 2 tablespoons of coconut oil
• 1 medium onion diced
• 2 cloves of garlic smashed
• 2 cups of broth (I like chicken the best, but I would imagine that veggie works too)
• 1 cup of water
• 1 teaspoon of salt
• 1/2 cup of canned coconut milk

Directions: 

1. Wash and coarsely chop the cauliflower. The pieces should be about as big as you would cut them for a veggie tray. Set aside.
2. Heat a large pot over medium-high heat and add the coconut oil. when the oil is melted add the onions and saute until lightly golden. Add the garlic and stir until fragrant (do not burn!). Then add the Cauliflower and cook until beginning to brown (about 5 minutes).
3. Add the broth and water and bring to a boil. Then reduce heat to a simmer and cook, covered, until the vegetables are very soft (about 40 mins).
4. Now for the puree. I like to do this with my handy immersion blender but it can be done with a food processor. If you are using the immersion blender, just use it like you would with anything else until the soup is smooth. If you chose to go with method #2, just add the cauliflower and broth to the canister (only halfway full!) and process. Depending on the size of your food processor you may need to do this in batches.
5. Add the puree back into the pot (or not if you’re using an immersion blender) and add the salt and coconut milk. Heat at medium until warm all the way through. Serve topped with a drizzle of olive oil and a handful of pepitas.

ENJOY!!

-Sara + H