Easy No Bake Snack Bars

Gluten Free—Vegan—Nut Free—Plant Based

I am constantly on the hunt for a healthy and delicious snack bar that is nutrient dense and isn’t overly sweet. I have always loved the Glo Bars from Angela Liddon’s “Oh She Glows” Cookbook. Her book was one of my first experiences with vegan cooking and I have learned a lot from her cooking style, but I find that now her bars are just too sweet for me with the brown rice syrup in her recipe.

In the last few weeks, I have played around with ingredients and I have finally come up with my own Easy No Bake Snack Bar. It is chock full of nutrient goodness—you’ve got whole grains, fiber and protein from the hemp hearts and chia seeds as well as a powerhouse of vitamins coming from the raw sunflower and pumpkin seeds. I sweeten these with medjool dates and just a little coconut nectar, some natural nut butter (can use peanut for a nut free version) and just a little chocolate (unsweetened).Because, let’s face it…ya gotta have some chocolate in a snack bar!

I found that the coconut nectar, because it is very very sticky, is the perfect “glue” that holds these bars together. Just a touch of water also helps. I added about a tablespoon, but you can start with a half tablespoon and see if that’s enough.

Easy No Bake Snack Bars

• Servings: makes about 16 squares
• Time: 10 minutes plus time for chilling
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Ingredients

• 1/2 c rolled oats
• 2. 4 Thin Stackers rice cakes (Lundberg)-I used red rice/quinoa. You can also use 2 round brown rice cakes
• 8 pitted medjool dates
• 2 T. natural nut butter of choice–I used almond butter, but you can use peanut butter too!
• 1 T. Coconut nectar
• 1 t. cinnamon
• 1 T. water
• 1/2 T.  pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 c hemp hearts

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

• 1/4 c. raw sunflower seeds

• 1/4 c. raw pumpkin seeds

• 2 T. chia seeds

• 1/4 c unsweetened cacao chips

 

Steps

1. Place the rice cakes in a bowl of a food processor pulse to crush

2. Add in the oats and cinnamon and pulse to combine

3. Add the dates, coconut nectar and nut butter  and process so the  mixture is well combined

4. Add the water to the feed tube and pulse to incorporate

5. Add in the hemp hearts and blend

6. Add in the remaining “add ins” seed and cacao chips and pulse to combine

7. Pour the mixture into an 8 inch square pan that has been lined with parchment

8. Cover with another sheet of parchment and pack down the mixture as hard as you can

9. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. Cut into bars and enjoy!

10. Keep refrigerated as they will be very fragile!

 

 

 

I can’t stop eating these!!!

These are so delish! My No Bake Snack bars are plant based, vegan, dairy free, gluten free and nut free (optional) and the perfect addition to a lunch box or your afternoon snack. I keep them stored in a sealed glass dish in my fridge and I hope they will last me through the week. Please tag me @heidicooksplants when you make these and leave me a comment below.

Thanks so much and see you in the kitchen soon,

Heidi

As an Amazon Affiliate, if you make a purchase with an enclosed link, I receive a small commission, which is at no additional cost to you. Thank you for your support in allowing me to continue providing you with delicious recipes!

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Easy Veggie Lasagna

Looking for a healthy alternative to heavy, cheese-laden lasagna? Well, I’ve got the perfect recipe for you. It’s got all the whole food, plant based boxes checked off:

• Dairy Free

• Oil Free

• Nutrient-dense

When you are in the mood for the ultimate comfort food and you want a whole food, plant based option for lasagna, this is THE recipe for you. Don’t let the ingredient list and instructions scare you away. It is a bit labor-intensive, but it is soooo worth the effort. This lasagna makes a HUGE portion, so if you aren’t feeding a large crowd, you will definitely have leftovers. When I make this for my husband and I, we’ve always got dinner for the next night, and sometimes (if we have a big salad) even lunch for the day after!

• Servings: Serves 6-8
• Time: Baking time 45-60 minutes, Prep Time 15-20 minutes
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Ingredients:

• 9 Whole Wheat Lasagna Noodles (uncooked)
• One jar of oil free marinara sauce (I use this one from Trader Joe’s)
• 2 carrots, chopped
• 1 onion, diced
• 4 cloves of garlic, minced
• 12-16 oz. mushrooms, sliced
• 1 tomato, sliced
• Fresh spinach, about 4 cups, roughly chopped
• Fresh basil (1/2 cup)
• Dried seasonings: aleppo pepper, french thyme, red pepper flakes, pizza/pasta seasoning blend, dried oregano
• One recipe of Almond Ricotta
• One recipe of Dr. Greger’s Nutty Parm (desciption below)

Directions:

1. Saute onion in a little bit of water or low sodium vegetable broth until softened.
2. Add in the garlic and cook for another minute. Next, add the carrots and allow to cook for 2-3 minutes.
3. Add in the mushrooms next and season with a teaspoon of thyme and 1/2 teaspoon of aleppo pepper. If you can’t find the aleppo pepper, black pepper is fine.
4. Next add the remaining seasonings. I was very generous with the pizza/pasta seasoning (this is the only seasoning this recipe gets) –I probably used a tablespoon. I also added a sprinkle of red pepper flakes, a tablespoon of oregano and the fresh basil.
5. Once the mushrooms are cooked, add all of the spinach and allow it to wilt. Remove the pan from the heat and set aside to start assembling your lasagna.
6. I used a large rectangular glass pan. Spread a layer of sauce to coat the bottom of the pan. Because we are using UNCOOKED noodles, the sauce is necessary to cook them.
7. Lay 3 noodles over the sauce. Next, coat the noodles with a layer of the almond ricotta. Add 1/2 of the veggie mixture and then cover the veggies with sauce.
8. Repeat with another layer of noodles/ricotta/veggies/sauce. Add a third layer of noodles, top with more ricotta and sauce and then a layer of the sliced tomatoes.
9. Then sprinkle a generous coating of the Nutty Parm over the tomatoes.
10. Cover with foil and bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for 45 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking for 10 more minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool/set slightly before slicing and serving. Enjoy!!

How to make the Nutty Parm. This recipe is adapted from Dr. Greger’s How Not to Die Cookbook. In a high speed blender or food processor, combine 1/2 cup almonds, 1/2 cup brazil nuts, and 1/2 cup of nutritional yeast until the mixture is finely ground. You can add dry seasoning to the mixture–like onion and garlic powder. Can be stored in the fridge. 

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  Saute onions in water or broth

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  Add garlic and carrots

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  Mushrooms are next with the seasonings

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  Fresh herbs make a real difference

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  Cook spinach until just wilted

Once you taste how delicious this lasagna is, it is sure to be a family favorite. Prepping the almond ricotta ahead of time is a useful time saving tip. You can make it one or two days ahead and store in the fridge. You could also cook your veggies in the morning and assemble the whole dish and keep covered in the fridge until you are ready to cook it. If you have any leftovers, they will still taste amazing the next day! 

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  Sauce on the bottom

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  Add your uncooked noodles

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  Layer with ricotta and veggies

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  Add a layer of sauce-and repeat

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  Top with tomatoes and nutty parm

I can’t wait to hear how much you love this recipe! Leave me a comment or  tag me #heidicookplants with your pic on IG! See you in the kitchen again soon!

Heidi

As an Amazon Affiliate, if you make a purchase with an enclosed link, I receive a small commission, which is at no additional cost to you. Thank you for your support in allowing me to continue providing you with delicious recipes!

Tu-No Salad

Looking for a new lunch or brunch idea? Since most of us are pretty much housebound these days, you may be getting tired of your same old same old menus. Here’s a delicious and really simple faux tuna salad. You should have most of the ingredients already in your fridge or pantry.

If you tuned into my Facebook LIVE today, I made this delicious Tu-No salad. It’s a really simple dish to put together and it makes a delicious brunch salad or lunch. I like to fill up some butter lettuce leaves with the salad. It would be just as delicious on a toasted bagel for brunch.  If you happen to find these matzo crackers, I would definitely smother my tu-no salad on these!

 

• Servings: Serves 4-6
• Time: 10 minutes
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Ingredients:

• One can of garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
• 2 stalks of celery, cut into thirds
• 3 T. Tahini
• 1-2 T. pure maple syrup
• 2 T.  dill relish (NOT sweet relish) or about 1/4 cup of chopped dill pickle
• 2 t. whole grain mustard (Trader Joe’s has a good one that I like)
• 1-2 t. capers, drained
• Salt and pepper to taste

 

Directions:

In a food processor, add the celery and pulse a few times so that the celery is chopped a little. Next add the chickpeas and pulse so that they are also chopped a bit. Try not to puree them! Next, add in all the other ingredients and pulse to combine. Do not turn it on full speed or you’ll have cat food (LOL).  Stop to scrape down the sides and check to see that everything is combined well. Remove the salad to a bowl and add salt and pepper to taste. I add a little pepper and just a pinch of salt because you’ll get the salt from the pickles and capers.  Chill in the fridge. Enjoy!

 

It’s Waffle Wednesday

Hey fellow foodies.  I’ve been thinking a lot about waffles. And I just looked it up. National Waffle Day isn’t until August 24th. I can’t wait that long to celebrate. I like waffles and today’s Wednesday. I am declaring this Waffle Wednesday.

A few weeks ago, I was experimenting in the kitchen and I came up with this fantastic idea of combining my love of potatoes with my waffle maker. If you’ve been following me, you may have seen my earlier post about waffle potato fries.  While those are totally delish and super easy to make, I wanted to combine a few types of potatoes and make something even more delicious.

To backtrack a little, I often spend some time each Sunday batch cooking for the week ahead. It’s really easy to carve out a couple of hours and prepare things like rice, potatoes and some broccoli and even some beans all at once. When you do this, you are never at a loss of “what’s to eat”. No one likes to come home “hangry” and reach for a bag of chips. If you’ve got rice and veggies prepped in your fridge, then you can easily throw together a meal.

Potatoes are a nutrtional powerhouse, in case you were wondering. Sweet potatoes are high in Vitamin A and rate lower on the glycemic index. They are also slighty higher in fiber and lower in calories than the white potato.  But, white varieties, including the yukon gold, provide 1/3 of the daily allowance of Vitamin C and they’re also high in potassium, magnesium and iron. All are fat free and should be included in your diet as a whole food.

So, back to the potatoes. I had a few already cooked yukon gold and sweet potatoes in my fridge. I decided to take two yukon gold potatoes and one sweet potato to make this dish. I mashed all of them in a bowl–with the skins on.   I added some seasonings and crudely formed it into sort of a “potato snowball” for lack of a better word.   I seasoned mine with garlic, salt and pepper and dried rosemary. The rosemary makes it smell and taste lke Thanksgiving. I’m sure you could add whatever spices you like. I then placed the “ball” on the heated waffle plate and smashed it down.  I let it do its thing and peeked after about 10 minutes.

Potato Waffle Mash Up

• Servings: 1-2 waffles
• Time: 15 minutes--if potatoes are already cooked
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Ingredients:

• 2 Yukon Gold potatoes, cooked and cooled
• 1 sweet potato, cooked and cooled
• 1/2 t. kosher salt
• 1/4 t. ground black pepper
• 1-2 t. dried rosemary
• 1/2 t. garlic powder

Directions:

In a medium bowl, mash the potatoes, leaving the skins on.  Ideeally, you want a one a two thirds potato and one third of sweet potato as a ratio.  If you have too much sweet potato, the waffle will burn. Add the seasonings and use a fork or your hands to mix in the seasoning well. Form a ball with the potato and place the ball on the preheated waffle iron plate.  (See tips) Close the plate and allow the waffle to cook. Everyone’s waffle iron cooks differently. Mine took about 8-10 minutes. Avoid “peeking” or the potato will stick to the plates. I did not spray or oil my plates and they did not stick at all.  I have a CuisinartWaffle maker.Enjoy!

When I opened up the waffle iron, I was treated to a perfectly browned, crispy yet still fluffly potato waffle. Naturally, I served mine with a big side of steamed broccoli. Always need to get those nutrient-rich greens in with every meal.

Tips: If you pre-cooked your potatoes, you may want to microwave them for a minute or two to make them easier to mash. Also, depending on the size of your potatoes, you may be able to get 2 waffles from the recipe. Also, don’t attempt to make this from sweet potatoes alone. You need the yukon gold potato to get the correct consistency.

I encourage you to try these. These could easily be breakfast, lunch or dinner. Tag me @heidicookplants with your photo. I’d love to see your litchen creations!

See you in the kitchen soon,

Heidi

Favorite Kitchen Essentials

Ignore the big 80s power suit….how about a salt and pepper grinder!

 

Welcome to the 20s my fellow foodies. As we enter the new decade, I can’t help but think about how far I’ve come in the kitchen in the past 30 years. Bridal showers have cetainly changed and so have the gifts! Who else remembers dressing up on a Saturday afternoon and opening beautifully wrapped gifts with elaborate ribbons? A lot more than my big 80s hair and power suits have changed. Amazingly, though, I still have a few of those handy items and I’ve certainly added my share of new and improved gadgets along the way. Here’s a few of what I think are must-haves in the kitchen.

I don’t think I have this EXACT pizza stone, but I do still have A pizza stone

The immersion blender. I use this handy tool at least once a week. It can puree a soup right in the pot so there’s no need to use a blender. Definitely a must have for my kitchen.

The Air Fryer. I have the Gourmia air fryer. It’s my second air fryer. I probably use this 4 times a week (maybe more). Air fryers have become so popular these days. They are a must have when you want to cook without oil and still get that crispy “fried” food. It’s a healthy way to enjoy so many foods.

My high speed mini blender, aka, The Nutri Ninja is probably my most used gadget in my kitchen. It’s small profile means it takes up little space and it is just as powerful as a blender. I use it to make dressings, like my peanut sauce. It’s also great at grinding up whole oats to make oat flour for baking. I can easily grind up nuts and nutritional yeast to make my own dairy free parmesan. I could go on, but I think you get it!

The Cuisinart Food Processor is another fantastic appliance for your kitchen. I have the 11- cup model, which is just the right size for me. I can’t say that I use it everyday, but my guess is that it’s used at least twice a week in my kitchen. My go-to recipes of Basil Pesto and No-Tuna Salad are made in no time with my handy Cuisinart.

Yep…I’ve still got that immersion blender circa 1990!

If you’ve got limited space and maybe you just want to start gradually, I recommend a waffle iron. I never had one until about a year ago, and I thought, “what took me so long?” The Cuisinart waffle iron that I have is not expensive, so you’re not making a huge investment. I use mine for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Just take a look at my post for potato waffles or this one for falafel waffles. A few weeks ago, I experimented with a sweet potato/yukon gold mashup waffle. Stay tuned for that recipe soon!

Waffles aren’t just for breakfast!

You can’t go wrong with any of these on your shelf

I can’t finish this post without adding my favorite cookbooks. The Engine 2 Diet Cookbook is still at the top of my list. If you’ve already got that one, then I suggest adding the following: Oh She Glows, The Vegan Air Fryer Cookbook and The Prevent and Heart Disease Cookbook. I know that last one doesn’t sound very sexy, but it is full of east to follow and very delicious recipes.

Thanks for taking some time today to read about a few more of my favorite things. Maybe you can add to your collection or leave me a comment and tell me what you think I should add to my kitchen. I’d love to hear from you!

See you in the kitchen soon,

Heidi

 

Hmmmm, I wonder what’s inside this beautiful gift???

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Winner, Winner, It’s (not) Chicken Dinner

Now that Chili season is finally here, it’s time to transform a family favorite into a Plant Based version. This Buffalo “Chik’n” Chili recipe was inspired by a recipe from Rachael Ray that I have made countless times. It is hearty and spicy and so delicious, and I knew there had to be a way to make it just as good with my vegan modifications.

Butler Soy Curls are the perfect chicken substitute for this dish. I started cooking with soy curls this year and they’ve become a great addition to many of my dishes. The only ingredient is Whole Non-GMO Soy Beans. They are 100% natural, gluten free and vegan.  Soy gets a bad rap, but the whole soybean product that is used here is unprocessed. It does not contain soy protein isolate, which is the “bad” type of soy that you hear about. The curls are easy to use and so versatile. I’ve coated them in panko and cooked them in my air fryer as well as sauteed them in barbeque sauce for a “pulled” chik’n type sandwich.

For the Buffalo Chili, it’s important to season the strips very well. I use a combination of  seasonings that gives them a poultry flavor and lots of added spice and “kick” for the buffalo-style.

• Servings: 4
• Time: one hour
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Ingredients:

• 1/2 Package of Butler Soy Curls
• 1 T. dried rosemary
• 2 t. 21 Salute Seasoning
• 1 t. ground coriander
• 2 1/4 C. low sodium vegetable broth, divided
• 3 carrots, medium dice
• 3 ribs celery, medium dice
• 1 large onion, diced
• 5 large cloves garlic, minced
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 T. smoked paprika
• 1 15- oz. can tomato sauce
• 1 15-oz. can diced tomatoes (I used Fire-roasted) but any variety is ok
• Hot sauce to taste (I used several dashes)
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Place dried soy curls in a heatproof bowl, cover with boiling water and let sit for about 10-15 minutes until the curls have rehydrated.
2. Drain the soy curls in a strainer.
3. Heat about 1/4 cup of vegetable broth in a dutch oven or soup pot over medium high heat.
4. Add the soy curls to the pot and add the seasonings (rosemary through coriander only)
5. Stir to blend the all the seasonings and curls and cook for about 5 minutes.
6. Add the carrot, celery, onion, garlic, bay leaf and smoked paprika and continue to cook for another 5 minutes or so.
7. Add the remaining vegetable broth (2 cups), both cans of tomato and the hot sauce and bring to a bubble.
8. Simmer for a half hour or more (uncovered) until flavors come together.
9. Serve with tortilla chips and enjoy!

I love to serve these with my own homemade air fryer tortilla chips because I know those are cooked without oil. If you are short on time, store bought is fine! You can also add some shredded vegan cheese as a topping.

Spicy, comforting and so delicious. I know you’ll want to make this again and again! Have you cooked with soy curls before? Let me know in the comments and enjoy!

See you in the kitchen soon,

Heidi

 

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My go-to Cookbooks

I say you can never have too many cookbooks. My fascination with cookbooks began many years ago when I discovered Ina Garten, The Barefoot Contessa. I have to credit Ina  for helping me pretty much learn how to cook. It all started with her very first cookbook,   The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook. From that point on, I was hooked. I continued to collect her cookbooks: Barefoot Contessa at home, Barefoot Contessa Family Style and Barefoot Contessa Parties. She has many more books, but these are my favorites. Even as a whole food, plant based cook, I am still able to reference many of her recipes and “veganize” them with my own modifications. And Ina, if you’re reading this, I’d love to collaborate so we can say “The Barefoot Contessa goes Plant Based.”  How easy is that?

As my plant based journey evolved, I knew that I had to expand my cookbook collection to include books that reflected what I eat on a daily basis. There are hundreds of cookbooks that I could fill my shelves with, but I have narrowed down my all time faves to just 5 books. I think that’s a pretty fair number. I’m listing these in order of acqusition.

 

1. The Kind Diet, by Alicia Silverstone. This was my very first book years before I ever went plant based. Silverstone is a strong advocate for a vegan lifestyle and this book has lovely photos and recipes for all levels of cooks.
2. Oh She Glows, by Angela Liddon. A fantastic started vegan cookbook. Liddon began as a food blogger and I have used this book again and again. You will not be disappointed with her recipes!
3. The Engine 2 Diet Cookbook, by Rip Esselstyn and Jane Esselstyn. Rip is the founder of the Engine 2 Diet. He’s a former firefighter and endurance athlete who has made Plant Based his mission. This book is essential for anyone who is embarking on a whole foods, plants based lifestyle.
4. How Not To Die Cookbook, by Dr. Michael Greger. Dr. Greger maintains the popular website, nutritionfacts.org He is the energizer bunny of plant based living. This cookbook is a companion to his popular book, How Not To Die. He is the real deal, with profits from his books supporting his website which receives no funding from any advertising. He runs everything on donations and profit from book sales.
5. The Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease Cookbook, by Jane and Ann Esselstyn. Fantastic resource with easy to follow recipes from this amazing mother-daughter duo. You’ll love their easy to follow recipes that are low fat, oil free and completely plant based.

Of course, there are so many more great books out there, but if you’re just starting out, these are the ones I would choose.

Stay tuned for my next post where I’ll clue you in on how I get my kitchen set up with my favorite gadgets. Having the right equipment sets you up for success and can make all the difference when you are changing the way you eat.

Let me know what your favorite cookbooks are. I’ve always got space on my shelf foor one more!

See you in the kitchen soon,

Heidi

 

I participate in the Amazon Associates program. If you order from the included links, I receive a small commission from Amazon, which is at no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting my blog!

Avocado Air Fryer Spring Rolls Oil Free and Vegan

Have you tried those yummy yet very greasy avocado egg rolls at your favorite happy hour lately? We often order the Avocado Egg Rolls at Kona Grill and I absolutely love them. But, they’re fried and probably not plant based. My version is crispy and crunchy and made without any oil!

I’ve had a lot of success making other versions of air fryer spring rolls, as you will find in one of my previous posts.   I thought it was time to play around in my kitchen and make a copycat version. Here’s my healthy take on this restaurant snack without the added oil. These are also completely plant based and vegan.

Avocado Air Fryer Spring Rolls

• Servings: Makes 12
• Time: 30 minutes
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Ingredients:

• One package of Nasoya Vegan Egg Roll Wrappers
• 1/2 package of broccoli slaw
• 2 Avocados, sliced
• 1 cup red onion, diced
• 1 cup fresh cilantro
• 1 package of sun dried tomatoes (not oil packed) You will use about a cup
• Sweet Chili garlic sauce
• salt and pepper
• Low sodium vegetable broth (for sauteeing the broccoli slaw)

Directions:

In a medium skillet, heat about 1/4 cup of vegetable broth and then add the broccoli slaw and saute until softened. Add salt and pepper to taste and then set the slaw aside. On a flat work surface ( I like to use these), lay out one egg roll wrapper with the point facing towards you. Start with a slice of avocado, and then add a little bit of each ingredient to the center of the wrapper. Try not to overstuff—it takes a little trial and error! Take the bottom corner and fold over to cover the filling. With a small pastry brush, moisten the reamining edges with a little water and then fold in the sides and gently roll away from you. Once all of your spring rolls are finished, you are ready to air fry!

Set your air fryer to 370 degrees. I placed 4 rolls in the basket at a time and cooked for 4 minutes and then turned and continued for 4-6 minutes. Everyone’s air fryer works differently, so I recommend checking every couple minutes. You want a nice browned and crispy shell for that awesome crunch!

Serve with the sweet chili garlic sauce or whatever sauce you like!

I am often asked what brand of air fryer I use. I have a Krups air fryer that I purchased last year. It has served me well this past year, but I think I’m ready for an upgrade. I’ve been researching some of the newer versions and I am interested in the new Ninja  Foodie Air Fryer . So, perhaps i can snag a new one on Black Friday this year!

This recipe makes 12 spring rolls and they can easily be reheated the next day in your air fryer or in the oven.  They make a fantastic appetizer or even a side dish. It’s a great way to get a serving of veggies (broccoli slaw) as well as a healthy dose of fat with the avocado. When you serve these to your friends and family, be prepared for rave reviews. They are always a hit at my house, and I want you to give them a try.

Tag me in your photo on Instagram or send me a comment after you make these. I know you’re going to be a fan!

See you in the kitchen soon!

Heidi

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Cool Summer Salad

I don’t know about you, but here in Florida it is HOT HOT HOT! Tonight is definitely a no-cook dinner night. And I think there is nothing more refreshing this time of the summer than a watermelon salad. This easy and delicious salad has just a few ingredients, and I’m betting you have most of them already in your house.

I had a similar version to this Watermelon–Jicama–Cucumber salad on my recent cruise on Celebrity Cruises last month. It was certainly a challenge for me to stay true to my plant based way of eating while we cruised around the Baltic countries, but our waiter, Aldo, did a fantastic job making sure I had healthy choices every night. This salad was one of his favorites, and it quickly became mine as well.

Watermelon, Jicama and Cucumber Salad

• Servings: 4
• Time: 10 minutes, active at least 30 minutes to chill
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Ingredients:

2 cups English cucumber, cut into large dice

2 cups peeled Jicama, cut into large dice

3-4 cups of cubed seedless watermelon

Juice of one lime

3 T chopped fresh basil

Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

 

Directions:  Combine all of the ingredients in a large bowl and stir together gently. Cover and place in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to blend.  Enjoy!

The crunch of the cucumber and jicama is so delightful paired with the sweet juiciness of the watermelon. I can’t think of anyone who wouldn’t find this a delicious addition to the table, especially on a hot summer night. You could even make a whole buffet of salads and make it a true “no cook” night. Why not throw together some spinach, beets and balsamic glaze topped with some toasted walnuts? Sounds good to me!

Give this refreshing salad a try and let me know how much you love it!

See you in the kitchen soon!

Heidi

 

Healthy Pitaya Bowl

Am I the only person who didn’t know that dragon fruit was also known as pitaya?? I was strolling through the frozen aisle at Publix last week and saw this bag of frozen Pitaya chunks. I have bought fresh dragon fruit in the past and quite honestly, it tastes like nothing. It’s very pretty when you slice it open, but it doesn’t really have a flavor.

Dragon fruit has so many beneficial nutrients, though, so we should try to add it into our diets when we can. It’s rich in antioxidants and it’s full of fiber, which helps keep you full. This gorgeous pink fruit is also high in vitamins B3, which I learned can help your skin recover from a sunburn faster. Dragon fruit is also considered a powerful anti-inflammatory, which is great for anyone who suffers from arthritis.

For lunch today I decided to make a Pitaya Bowl. I always have a supply of frozen bananas and other frozen fruits in my freezer, so this came together quickly. And lucky for me, I still had some granola that I made over the weekend. I highly recommend adding granola to your bowl. Fresh fruit is also a must––gotta have those antioxidants in your diet!

• Servings: one
• Time: 5 minutes
• Print

Ingredients:

• one banana, frozen in slices
• 1/2 cup frozen pitaya chunks
• 1/2 cup frozen mixed berries, or fresh strawberries
• 1/4 cup unsweetened plain almond milk (you may need to add a little more, if too thick)
• granola and fresh fruit to garnish

Directions: In a high speed blender, combine banana through almond milk.  When you are using all frozen fruit, it will be thicker and you may need to add a litle more almond milk. Pour into a bowl when done and garnish with granola and fruit. Enjoy!!!

 

This is a filling and healthy treat that you could easily serve for breakfast, lunch or even as a dessert.  Let me know how much you like yours by leaving a comment. What fruit did you use? I’d love to know.

See you in the kitchen soon,

Heidi