With football season in full swing, I’m always looking for some healthy (and tasty) snack options to enjoy.  My mom made this amazing gluten-free, dairy-free Red Pepper Dip, and I knew I needed to share it with you all!

 Red Pepper Dip

• 1 can plain artichoke hearts
• 1/4 cup capers, drained
• 1-7 oz jar roasted red peppers, drained & rinsed
• 2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 cup parsley
• 4 cloves fresh garlic
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• salt and pepper

1. Puree all ingredients in a food processor until smooth.
2. Serve with sliced red pepper, jicama and/or cucumber.

Doesn’t get any easier than that!

Eat your heart out Rachel Ray!  JK I love her… but honestly, we all have those days where we get home and ordering take out seems like too much of a feat – ordering, waiting, finding cash to tip the delivery guy… ugh.  I have been working on creating a few easy meals to keep up my sleeves for days like those and the other day before we started eating J asked why I wasn’t taking a picture… “It’s not very exciting… it took me like 5 minutes to make” “WHITNEY that’s the best type of post!!” Not sure if that’s accurate or not, but I’m taking my PR agents advice and sharing this with you all… here are a few of my favorite 10 minute meals right now (by 10 minutes, I mean you actually “cooking” for 10 minutes… there may be longer baking/waiting time):

Easy Tomato Raviolis

• Packaged Raviolis (I used Corn Ricotta Raviolis)
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes
• 1/4 cup EVOO
• 2 cloves minced garlic
• 2 tablespoons fresh basil,
• sliced into ribbons

1. Cool raviolis according to package’s directions.
2. While raviolis are cooking, warm olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat.
3. Add garlic and cook for a minute or so, or until fragrant.
4. Add tomatoes and sauté until they are right about about to burst (5 minutes or so).
5. Season with salt and pepper and reduce heat to low.
6. Transfer drained ravioli to sauce and top with basil and grated parmesan cheese.

Eggplant Pizzas

• 1 Eggplant
• Pizza sauce
• Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
• Optional: Basil, cherry tomatoes, any other toppings

1. Slice eggplant into 1/2 inch circles.  Lightly sprinkle with salt (TRUST ME – LIGHTLY… I could barely eat my first batch because they were so salty) and stack between paper towels to dry out for 20-30 minutes (depends in how much of a rush you are – the longer the better).
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
3. Scrape off the salt and drizzle a little olive oil on each round. Bake for 10 minutes per side (about 20 minutes total).
4. Remove and top with pizza sauce, cheese, strips of basil, halved cherry tomatoes and any other toppings and broil for 5 minutes (or until cheese is melted and golden).
5. Enjoy!

Kale Noodle Bowl with Avocado Miso Dressing

• 1 bunch dino kale, destemmed & cut into ribbons
• 1 package buckwheat soba noodles
• 1 avocado, ripe
• 1 clove of garlic
• 1 tablespoon EVOO
• 3 tablespoons white miso
• 1/2 of a lime

1. Cook soba noodles according to package’s instructions.
2. While noodles are cooking, blend avocado, garlic, miso, EVOO, lime juice and 3/4 cup water in a blender or food processor (feel free to add more or less water to get sauce to a preferred consistency).
3. Drain noodles once cooked and rinse (to stop cooking).
4. Combine noodles, kale and dressing in a bowl and mix.
5. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and a lime wedge for garnish.
6. This salad is also great cold as leftovers – a 10 minute dinner AND lunch! Woot!