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Tasty

GF Blondies with Sea Salt

June 4, 2014

I am a big fan of Ambitious Kitchen and she constantly posts amazing baked goods with a “healthy” twist. Since completing the Barre3 Spring Challenge, I’ve wanted to continue healthy eating habits (low gluten, low sugar, etc.) but I still love an occasional sweet and wanted to find something that could accommodate my new spectrum. I’ve had these Blondies pinned for quite some time and finally made the plunge (no idea what took me so long… they took 5 minutes to whip up with only a 20 minute cook time) and couldn’t be happier I did!

I love the idea of “sneaking in” veggies when I can… and this whole movement of incorporating healthy ingredients is RIGHT up my alley. Avocados in brownies? Chickpeas in Blondies? Sign me up. Plus who doesn’t love a secret ingredient?!?

Secret Ingredient Blondies

via Ambitious Kitchen

1 can (15 oz) chickpeas, rinsed & drained
1/2 cup all natural peanut butter (or nut butter of your choice)
1/3 cup pure maple syrup (or agave or honey)
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/3 cup dark chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Mix all ingredients (except chocolate) in a blender or food processor until well combined.
Fold in chocolate chips.
Transfer batter to a greased 8×8 baking dish.
Sprinkle with a few more chocolate chips
Bake for 20-25 minutes (edges are golden, but it will still seem a little undercooked – you don’t want it to dry out!)
Sprinkle with sea salt and let cool.

Tasty

Vegan/GF BBQ Salad

March 17, 2014

This week is all about getting Spring Break ready! While being a college grad/adult, I may not get an actual “Spring Break” on my calendar anymore.. but I am lucky enough to get to tag along on my family’s annual vacation – thus gifting myself a “Spring Break” each year.

That being said, working 8-10 hour days everyday takes a toll on your body, and getting spring break ready is a lot of work… so this week is going to focus on some key points. First up – health.

The past few weeks I have been focusing on clean eating – a lot of produce and fish, and minimal red meat/gluten, and no processed foods. That being said whole eating is a priority, and here is one of my go-to salads (great for dinner or lunches for the week).

BBQ Veggie Salad

1 head of Romanesco cauliflower (or regular cauliflower)
Lentils or black beans
Radishes
Carrots
Red Onion
Avocado
1/2 cup BBQ sauce
Vegan Ranch Dressing
Tortilla Chips (optional)

Cut cauliflower into florets and roast at 350 degrees for 7 minutes.
Brush BBQ sauce onto cauliflower and bake 3 minutes more.
Assemble salad with ingredients of your choice.
Top with more BBQ sauce and/or ranch dressing.

* Disclaimer: The joy of this salad is it doesn’t really need a recipe – you can add (or not add) whatever you would like – other ideas include cilantro, corn, celery, cheese (if you don’t want to go dairy free), etc.