Nice Cream!

Have you ever heard of nice cream?! It is like ice cream, but is dairy-free, healthy and doesn’t contain the additives (or suffering!) that dairy does.

Over the hot summer in San Diego, I can easily eat nice cream daily and have been known to consume it for breakfast (what, dessert for breakfast???).

One of the beauties of nice cream is that you can flavor it with anything but the base of any nice cream is frozen bananas. It is also beneficial to have a high speed blender.

Peel 3-5 ripe bananas and freeze them overnight (use more bananas for a larger serving).

Place the frozen bananas in the blender. You can add a drop of plant based milk/water to make it easier on the blender or leave as is.

Add any flavors that you would like. My favorites are cacao powder, peanut butter powder, or chocolate protein powder. You could also add strawberries, dates, vanilla extract, peppermint essential oil, or spirulina (of course, not all together).

Blend everything together until smooth and add toppings of your choice (granola, berries, cacao nibs, dairy-free chocolate chips, shredded coconut, etc).

It is truly that easy….and delicious!

Give it a try and be sure to let me know what flavors are your favorite.

Enjoy your summer, stay cool and eat nice cream!

Quinoa Power Bowl with Tangy Lemon-Herb Dressing

Hello everyone,

A few months ago I took a wonderful class in San Diego with a business called Veg-Appeal.  It was incredibly informative and we ate ahhhh-mazing food!  This was one of my favorite recipes from Veg-Appeal and I wanted to share it with you (with their permission, of course!).  It may look like a lot of work, but it really isn't, and it is SOOOO worth it!

Quinoa Power Bowl with Tangy Lemon-Herb Dressing

(serves 2)

Ingredients:

• 4 cups Mixed baby greens, chopped

• 1/2 cup Red cabbage, chopped

• 1/2 cup Cucumbers, chopped

• 1/2 cup Cherry tomatoes, halved

• 1 cup Cooked great northern beans, rinsed and drained

• 2 tbsp Smoky Maple "Baco Bits" or your favorite nut or seeds, toasted or raw

• 2 cups Anti-inflammatory Quinoa, cooled

• 1/2 Avocado, cubed or sliced

• 2 tbsp Pomegranate seeds (if in season) or chopped apple or soaked/drained dried cranberries

• 1/2 cup Tangy Lemon-Herb Dressing (see below)

Smoky-Maple "Baco Bits"

• 1 cup Raw Pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds or chopped nuts

• 1/2 tbsp Liquid Smoke

• 1/2 tbsp Tamari, Braggs Liquid Aminos, or soy sauce

• 1-1-1/2 tsp Maple Syrup

• 1/2 tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar

Anti-Inflammatory Quinoa

• 1 cup Quinoa, rinsed, drained well

• 2 cups Low-sodium vegetable broth, or water

• 1/4 tsp Salt

• 1/2 tsp Turmeric

• Black pepper, to taste

Tangy Lemon -Herb Dressing

• 1/4 cup Dates, pitted and soaked (about 3 large or 6 small)

• 1/2 cup Water

• 1 small Zucchini, chopped (this thickens and extends the dressing without adding additional fats and calories)

• 2-4 medium cloves Garlic

• 1/3 cup Lemon juice

• 2 teaspoons Chia seeds

• 1/4 cup Tahini

• 1/2 teaspoon Turmeric

• Black pepper to taste

• 1/2 cup Nutritional yeast

• 1/2 tsp Salt or 1 tbsp light miso

• 1/4-1/2 cup loosely packed Fresh herb, or a mix of herbs (parsley, cilantro, basil, scallions, oregano, for example, going lighter on stronger flavors like oregano and basil)

Directions:

Prepare the Smoky-Maple "Baco Bits"

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. Add all of the ingredients in a small bowl.  Marinate the nuts/seeds for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

3. Place them on a single layer on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 8 minutes.  Remove from oven, stir and place back in the oven to bake for 3 more minutes, or until getting a little browned and crispy-they will crisp up further as they cool.

Prepare the Anti-Inflammatory Quinoa

1. Bring all of the ingredients to boil in a medium saucepan.  Stir well. Reduce the heat to a low-simmer. Cover and continue to cook for 15 minutes.

2. Fluff the quinoa with a fork, replace the cover and let cool.

Prepare the Tangy Lemon-Herb Dressing

1. Soak the dates in the water for about 1/2 hour, using warm water if you are in a hurry.  Do not drain.

2. Add the water and dates to a blender along the rest of the ingredients, and blend.

3. Add more liquid (water or lemon juice) to achieve the desired consistency.

Serve, or refrigerate for up to one week, adding more lemon/water as it thickens over time.

Assemble the Power Bowl

1. Toss the salad ingredients well in a large salad bowl.  Drizzle on the dressing and toss to mix.

2. Divide into two large salad bowl.  Serve immediately, or chill for about an hour.

3. Enjoy!!!!

Click here for more information on Veg-Appeal.

Our Favorite, Dairy-Free "Cheese" Sauce

Hello everyone,

I hope that you are having an incredible weekend!  It is cold and rainy here in San Diego, which means it's the perfect time for a warm meal....maybe Mac and cheese?!

Here is a recipe for our favorite, dairy-free (and warm) "cheese" sauce.  This recipe was originally found on a blog called Vegan Yumminess and we have modified it slightly.  I hope that you enjoy it.

Dairy-Free Cheese Sauce

Ingredients:

• 1 cup chopped yellow potatoes

• 1/4 cup chopped carrots

• 1/3 cup chopped yellow onion

• 3/4 cup water (use the warm water from the pot of boiled veggies)

• 1/2 cup raw cashews

• 1/4 cup coconut milk

• 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast

• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

• 1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)

• 1 garlic clove

• 1/8 teaspoon paprika

• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

• a few drops of Sriracha (optional, this will kick up the spice!)

Directions:

1. Wash and chop veggies.

2. Bring a medium to large pot of water to a boil.  Add the chopped potatoes, carrots and onions.  Cook for about 10 minutes or until vegetables are soft enough to blend.

3. In the meantime, put the remaining ingredients into a blender or Vitamix.

4. When the veggies are done, drain the water (leaving 3/4 cup water to add to the blender).

5. Add the soft veggies and water to the blender or Vitamix.

6. Blend all of the ingredients until smooth.

7. Pour the warm sauce over pasta for Mac and cheese or use it as a sauce for baked potatoes.  The sauce is also great for dipping veggies or on a sandwich.

8. Enjoy...and make sure to tag me on Instagram (@happyhealinvegan) if you make this recipe :). I would love to see your creations.

Baked Stuffed Sweet Potato

Hello everyone,

It has definitely turned into Fall in Southern California, and the temperature has started dropping in the evenings.  I am craving nothing but warm, comfort foods for dinner and this is one of our favorites.  I am not sure that there are many healthy, dinner recipes out there that are this easy.

Baked Stuffed Sweet Potato (serves 2)

Ingredients:

• 2 medium-sized sweet potatoes

• 3/4 can of black beans

• Your choice of veggies (we prefer cherry tomatoes, carrots, spinach, bell pepper, zucchini, red onion)

• Optional: salsa, guacamole or vegan butter

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

2. Poke holes in your sweet potatoes with a fork.

3. Cook sweet potatoes until they are soft, all the way through (approximately 45 minutes).

4. In the meantime, chop and saute your vegetables and black beans.

5. When the sweet potatoes have finished cooking, pull them out of the oven.  Slice them open (length wise) and mash the insides with a fork.

6. Add your veggies, black beans, salsa and guacamole.

7. Enjoy!

*I will sometimes add guacamole, salsa or vegan butter to the sweet potato before piling on my veggies.  This helps take away from the dryness of the sweet potato.

Garlicky Rosemary Potato Soup

This is an old recipe but is still one of our favorites.  It is delicious, comforting and is perfect for those upcoming Fall evenings.

We found this recipe in The No Meat Athlete Cookbook and it has quickly become one of our favorites.  It's easy to make and is incredibly filling.  Enjoy it with a warm piece of vegan toast :)

Garlicky Rosemary Potato Soup (The No Meat Athlete Cookbook)

Serves 4-6

Ingredients: 

• 1 tablespoon olive oil (Optional. Or use ¼ cup/120 ml of the broth listed below)

• 1 large yellow onion, chopped fine

• 1 celery rib, chopped fine

• 8 garlic cloves, chopped

• 2 sprigs fresh rosemary, leaves stripped and minced

• 2 pounds waxy potatoes, such as Yukon Gold, peeled and diced

• One 15-ounce can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

• 1 bay leaf

• ¼ teaspoon black pepper, plus more to taste

• 4 cups vegetable broth

• ¼ cup Cashew Cream: 1 cup raw cashews, soaked in hot water for 1 hour, then drained, 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice, ½ teaspoon salt, ½ to 1 cup water….blended together Click here for quick demo on how to make Cashew Cream

• ¼ teaspoon salt

Directions: 

• Place a medium stockpot over medium-high heat.  Add the oil, then add the onion, celery, garlic, and rosemary.  Cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes.  Add the potatoes, beans, bay leaf, and ¼ teaspoon pepper and stir to combine.  Add the broth, increase the heat to high, and bring to a boil.

• Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and cook until the potatoes are tender, about 30 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in cashew cream.  (If you prefer a smooth texture, puree half the soup in a blender).

• Add ¼ teaspoon salt and season with more pepper. Discard the bay leaf before serving.

Click here to purchase your own copy of The No Meat Athlete Cookbook.

EASY Vegan Recipes and Importance of B12

I have a confession to make:  I am in a total food rut and could literally eat the same thing every, single day.  However, I know that this is not a good thing because it deprives me of important nutrients without a variety of foods.  So, I am challenging myself to try some new recipes and I am taking you with me :)

In this video, I share some EASY VEGAN RECIPES with simple ingredients and little prep time.  In addition, I will discuss the two supplements that I think you should be including in your diet every day.

I hope that you enjoy this video and that you can incorporate these meals into your routine.

More food videos coming soon :)

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