Pumpkin soup with sweet pita chips

Ingredients for soup:

• 1 can pumpkin puree
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp pumpkin spice
• 1-3 Tbs coconut sugar (to taste)
• 1/3 cup unsweetened plain almond milk
• 1 cup water
• 1 low sodium vegan bullion cube

Directions:

• Blend all ingredients on high speed in blender until warm.
• (Or blend, then heat on the stove top in a pot.)
• Garnish with basil.

Pita chips:

• 3-4 vegan sprouted whole grain tortillas
• 1 Tbs agave
• 1 Tbs coconut sugar

Directions:

• Bake pita chips at 450 degrees for about 10 minutes. Sprinkle with agave and coconut sugar while warm. 
• Serve pita chips with soup - dip, dunk and enjoy!

{Serves 1-2}

No bake fig newtons

These fig newtons aren't like the regular ones. They have that *special something* factor - plus, they're fun to make! Not to mention, they are very nutritious and most of all... delicious! (That was meant to be a cliche rhyme, but it's still very true!) Okay, are you ready? It might be easier than you think.

 

Ingredients:

• 1 cup rolled oats
• 8 pitted medjool dates (large ones)
• 6-7 dried figs
• Dash of cinnamon
• Agave (as much as you will need for things to stick, so add it slowly.) [about 2-3 Tbs or so]
• 1/4 cup raw buckwheat groats
• Small splash of water

Directions:

• In your blender or food processor, combine the dates, oats, buckwheat, and agave. Blend until it forms a thick paste-like consistency. Set aside.
• Now prepare the fig filling. Put figs in the blender, a splash of water, and some cinnamon. Blend. Set aside.
• Line a cutting board or large plate with nonstick parchment paper.
• Thinly roll out the date/oat/buckwheat/agave mixture into a rectangle.
• Towards the middle of the rectangle and to the top OR bottom of it, spread out the fig filling.
• Go under the parchment paper with your hands and fold in half. Press down to seal the fig newtons so that they don't fall apart. Peel back the top of the parchment paper and refrigerate for about an hour or two before slicing.
• Slice into about 5 pieces, peel off parchment paper on the bottom, and enjoy!

Vegan and low fat brownies

What would you say if I told you that you could make and enjoy brownies without the oil and shady ingredients that you can't even pronounce? Surprise, you can! With this recipe, these brownies are incredibly decadent. They taste like brownies, (duh) but have the texture of a fluffy cake. What more could you want?

 

Ingredients:

• 1.5 cups flour (I used whole wheat)
• 1 cup coconut sugar
• 4 Tbs carob powder
• 4 Tbs cocoa powder
•  1 tsp baking powder
• 3/4 cup water
• 3/4 cup + 1-2 Tbs apple sauce
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:

• Mix dry ingredients together and then add the wet ingredients.
• Mix thoroughly and transfer into a baking pan lined with nonstick parchment paper.
• Bake at 350 for 28-30 minutes or until you can stick a toothpick into it and it comes out clean.
• Cut into 6 bigger or 10 smaller slices and enjoy!

Blueberry pancakes

I've said it before, but I'll say it again: who doesn't love pancakes!? Especially when you combine them with fruit. It's a perfect combination!

 

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup whole wheat, oat, spelt, barley, or all purpose flour (I used whole wheat.)
• 1/2 cup + 1-2 Tbs almond milk
• Big handful of fresh blueberries
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 packet of stevia (or 2 tsp coconut sugar)

Directions:

• Combine all ingredients and mix until the batter is smooth.
• No oil is needed if your pan is non-stick and the spatula is very good quality, so pour about 1/6 of the batter into the pan (if you want smaller pancakes, but more of them.)
• Place some blueberries on top of the pancake before it cooks. (Press them down slightly.)
•  Flip when it bubbles and looks less wet and more cooked though.
• Remove from pan when done. Repeat until batter is all used up.
• Top with agave or maple syrup.

How I prepare my oatmeal

I get the question a lot: "How do you make your oatmeal?" Everyone seems to make it a little differently. I like simple things, so this recipe is about as simple as it gets!

Ingredients:

• 60 grams rolled oats (or 3/4 cup)
• 1 + 1/4 cup (or 10 oz) of water (can use plant milk instead for creamier oats.)
• Any fruit you want (I had strawberries on hand) I used about 1.5 cups chopped.
• Cinnamon
• Any kind of vegan and natural sweetener (agave, pure stevia, coconut sugar, etc.)

Directions:

• Add water to oats and microwave for about 4 minutes or until most of the water is absorbed by the oats.
• Add fruit, cinnamon, and sweetener. 

 Enjoy!

Whole wheat and sweet pancakes

Who doesn't love pancakes? No names come to mind. It's the weekend and I had time to relaxingly make breakfast, so I put in the mild effort to make these delicious pancakes! Yes, it was worth it. No, it doesn't take a top notch chef to whip these up. Anyone can do it! 

Just be sure to use a very good spatula because these pancakes are made with no oil in the pan. They surprisingly don't stick too badly if you use a non-stick pan and a good spatula that can really get underneath the pancakes to flip them. 

Now let's make these gems!

Pancake Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup whole wheat flour 
• 1/2 cup + 1 Tbs almond milk
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
•  1 packet of stevia or 2 tsp coconut sugar

Directions:

• Mix all ingredients together to form pancake batter.
• To make a pancake, pour some of the batter into a non-stick pan in the shape of a pancake. 
• When it bubbles around the edges and looks ready to turn over, give it a flip.
• Cook until done.
• Repeat until batter is used up.

Toppings:

• 1 large sliced banana (layered in between pancakes).
• 1 Tbs agave or maple syrup.