Tag: vegan

Eggplant + Hemp Meatballs

by Kristen Neilan, RD, LDNLeave a Comment on Eggplant + Hemp Meatballs
Photo: Kitchen of Youth

We had two beautiful eggplants in our fridge this week and we’ve been making varieties of eggplant parm around the clock lately [or so it feels]. We wanted to try something new this time= so, we came up with- Eggplant + Hemp Meatless Meatballs!! They are super, SUPER yummy. They also happen to be gluten free, paleo, + vegetarian aka all the plant based goodness! This is one of those recipes that even if you’re not an eggplant fan, you’ll love. It’s a great option for Meatless Mondays or really any day of the week! Pair it with pasta, spaghetti squash, salad, crumble it up and make a tortilla- the sky is the limit [as always].

We doubled the recipe + it lasted about a week.

ingredients

• 1 medium/large eggplant, diced

• 1 medium onion, diced

• 5 large garlic cloves, minced

• 1 Tbsp Hemp Seeds

• 1 Tbs extra-virgin olive oil

• sea salt and black pepper to taste

• 1 cup almond flour

• 1 tsp fresh or dried basil

• ½ cup Parmesan cheese, shredded [can sub for vegan Parmesan]

• 1 egg white, beaten with a fork [can sub for flax egg. Find out how to make this vegan option here, The Incredible, Edible Flax Egg + Green Muffin Recipe]

recipe

1 Preheat the oven to 400°F.

2 Line a baking tray with parchment paper.

3 Place the eggplant, onion, and garlic on the baking tray and toss with the oil and a bit of salt and pepper.

4 Roast in the oven for about 45 minutes, or until you start to see some charred edges.

5 Remove from oven and now reduce the oven temp to 375°F.

6 Scrape the roasted veggies into a food processor. Pulse 10 times — you want there to still be some chunks in the mixture.

7 Transfer the veggie mixture to a large bowl and stir in the almond flour, basil, hemp, Parmesan and egg white. Combine well.

8 Roll into golf ball – size balls. (I found it easier to do this with wet hands).

9 Arrange the balls on the baking tray (use the same piece of parchment paper).

10 Bake for about 50 minutes, without turning the balls over. You will know they are done when they release from the parchment paper without sticking. Make sure you let the balls cool before you try to release them completely; this will help them release more easily without sticking.

11 Enjoy your balls with your favorite pasta, sauce, salad, sandwich..

Modified recipe from Kitchen of Youth. 

Photo: Kitchen of Youth

Enjoy guys + Happy Friday Eve!

– The Neilan Family-

Blueberry Muffies

by Kristen Neilan, RD, LDN4 Comments on Blueberry Muffies

Lets be honest- we all love the top of the muffin the best. Whenever I make a batch in the house, I end up with a bunch of muffin stubs laying around. This is exactly why the blueberry muffie recipe was born.

You can either bake these in a regular baking dish or a muffin tin! The bottom layer is from another recipe we’ve posted: [Vegan] Dreamy Banana Date Bar – because why mess with perfection. The middle layer is chia seed jam and the top portion is a oat, hemp + almond crumble. It. is. delicious.

about sugar: Usually when it comes to sweet in a recipe, we say “to taste” often. This is because depending on what kind of sugar you use on daily basis- what’s sweet to me, might not be sweet to you! I have actually weaned myself off of Splenda and artificial sweeteners because I didn’t like that it took more and more for me to taste the sweetness. That is why you see pure maple syrup and pure honey in a majority of our recipes!

ingredients: base

  • 2.5 cups quick oats
  • 2 tbsp ground flax
  • 1/3 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1 cup almond milk
  • 2 overripe bananas sliced in half lengthwise then chopped up
  • 8 medjool dates (68 g without pits), chopped
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 2 packets Stevia or 1/4 C Honey – to taste
  • We added hemp powder [Manitoba Harvest: Hemp Yeah, Max Protein]

recipe for base

  1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Add the oats, flax, coconut, protein powder [if you’re using] and cinnamon to a bowl and stir to combine.
  3. Mix in the vanilla and almond milk. Fold in the chopped banana and dates. (Taste the dough and add a bit of stevia if you want them a little sweeter.)
  4. Place in either muffin tin OR baking dish
  5. Bake for 15 minutes.
  6. Set aside, it will go back in the oven after the jam + crumble topping.

ingredients + recipe: chia seed jam 

  • 2 heaping cups of frozen mixed berries (or fruit of your choice)
  • 3/4 C water
  • 1-2 Tbsp of Pure Maple Syrup
  • 1 Tbsp Chia Seeds
  1. Place berries and water in a small sauce pot- turn on medium heat- and bring to boil. Stirring occasionally.
  2. Use a fork or spoon to help the fruit breakdown
  3. Once liquid has been absorbed and the jam is your desired consistency [we prefer some clumps of fruit], remove pan from heat and add maple syrup + chia seeds.
  4. Whisk for about 5 minutes to make sure chia seeds don’t clump up on you
  5. After the base has baked for 15 minutes, add a generous amount of chia seed jam on top. We put a generous amount but you might have extra jam regardless [yay!]

ingredients + recipe: crumble topping

  • 1 C Rolled Oats
  • 1/4 C Sliced Almonds
  • 1/4 Hemp Seeds
  • 1/4 C Honey or to taste

recipe 

  1. Mix above ingredients in a bowl
  2. Crumble over chia seed jam
  3. Place muffies back in the oven for 15 minutes at 350

PS: To switch it up and get a little crazy, you can always layer some jam in the middle + top too!

-The Neilan Family-

Eggplant [or Zucchini] Lasagna

by Kristen Neilan, RD, LDN2 Comments on Eggplant [or Zucchini] Lasagna

Ok guys. This is a Romano Family delicacy and it. is. so. good. Every birthday I am always asking for 1 of 2 things [+ my mom typically makes both]. It’s always either this recipe or the stuffed artichoke recipe. For my vegan friends, we just made this on Sunday without cheese and it tastes EQUALLY delicious. So you know to do with the recipe- kick out the cheese + you’re good to go. Plant based, delicious meal comin right up. 

Two options for this recipe. The traditional family recipe calls for  pan frying the eggplant; however, you can also bake! When I make this recipe at home we bake + it tastes the exact same!

From the Dietitian: Eggplants are an excellent source of fiber, folate, potassium and manganese, as well as vitamins C, K, and B6, phosphorus, copper, thiamin, niacin, and magnesium! For these reasons eggplants are beneficial for healthy skin + bones.

From the Doctor: Why I love eggplant- besides the great taste? It’s great for heart health. One study found eggplants reduced inflammation and improved ventricular function. This is because they are loaded with cardioprotective compounds known as phytonutrients. Also, eggplants lower LDL “bad” cholesterol levels, which in turn, aids in avoiding any plaque build-up [which eventually could lead to blocked arteries].

Eggplants are also an awesome veggie for diabetics due to the low carbohydrate, high fiber content.

photo: savory simple

ingredients

  • 1 or 2 eggplant [you can sub 4 or 5 zucchini- we have made it both ways and you can’t go wrong either way]
  • 3 eggs beaten [for vegan friends, 1 C almond milk]
  • All purpose flour [feel free to use whole wheat, oat, sprouted flour, coconut- this is just to coat the zucchini/eggplant]
  • Seasoned Breadcrumbs
  • Sea Salt
  • Olive Oil
  • 1lb Fresh Mozzarella [grated or sliced thin]
  • Grated Locatelli [Parmesan] cheese
  • Marinara Sauce [click link for recipe]

recipe

  1. Preheat oven to 425
  2. Make marinara sauce recipe above first [or your own red sauce recipe or jar of sauce per preference]
  3. Cut off ends and peel eggplant or zucchini
  4. Cut lengthwise [hot dog style] into slices of about 1/4 in thick
  5. For eggplant, to remove any bitter taste, sprinkle with sea salt and place in a colander. Set aside for a 1-2 hours for best results; then, remove slices, rinse and pat dry [skip this step if you have a time constraint OR if you are using zucchini]
  6. Lightly flour each slice of eggplant or zucchini
  7. Then dip in beaten egg [or almond milk] making sure each slice is thoroughly covered with egg [or milk].
  8. You can either pan fry OR bake.
  9. For Pan Frying: Place about 1/4 C Olive Oil  in a large pan, fry each slice, turning over so that both sides are lightly browned; then, remove from pan and place on paper towel to soak up excess oil. For Baking: After dipping eggplant in both flour + egg. Place as many eggplant as you can fit on a baking pan and bake for 5-8 min [you should be able to easily place your fork through eggplant]
  10. In a large roasting pan- cover bottom of pan with a layer of red sauce. Place slices of eggplant or zucchini in a single layer, side by side to cover sauce; then, top the slices with mozarella and sprinkle with grated cheese. Begin again with sauce and repeat layers until all slices have been used.
  11. Top with sauce and grated cheese.
  12. Cover pan with aluminum foil and bake at 425 for 20-25 minutes.
  13. Top with red pepper to taste.

Hope you enjoy one of our favorite meals of all time. It is so worth the bit of work that goes into it. We promise! Once you do it once, you will find it easy the second time around. Also, making red sauce in large batches and freezing – saves lots of time and helps avoid the “oh no, I’m out of time- have to grab a jar of sauce” situation!

photo: savory simple

Feel free to message us with any questions!

-The Neilan Family-

Baked Hazelnut Falafel

by Kristen Neilan, RD, LDN1 Comment on Baked Hazelnut Falafel
Hazelnut-falafels-8 (1)
photo: sails + spices

Hi everyone!! Apologies for going MIA for a few weeks- we were in Kiwi Nation aka New Zealand for two weeks! It was absolutely wonderful- from the people, to the landscape, to the food. Patrick gets about 4 weeks off a year from work [in two week increments] and we always try to take full advantage because the rest of the year is quite chaotic [in the best of ways]! But now it’s back to home cooking [I have to say, we totally missed it- even though the food was probably the best I’ve had in all our travels]. So here is one of my favorite recipes. Super simple if you have a food processor- basically does all the work for you. Falafels are a great source of protein and fiber and a great addition to spaghetti squash, pasta, pita, salad- you name it. The only problem is, typically store or restaurant purchased is fried [not all the time BUT a lot of the time], which kind of defeats the purpose! You can get it just as crispy + delish in either the oven or if you have an air fryer that is a great option too!

Tip: For some extra protein/fiber swap out the hazelnuts for 1 Cup full cooked green lentils! Another super delish falafel recipe!!

The recipe below, although modified, is from sails + spices!

ingredients 

  • 1.5 cups dried chickpeas [if using canned, add 1/4 C flour as mixture will come out too liquidy without]
  • ½ small onion, diced
  • 2 cloves crushed garlic
  • 1 red chili, finely diced
  • 1 tbsp coriander powder
  • 1 tbsp cumin powder
  • 1 cup cilantro (coriandar) with stems, chopped
  • ½ cup parsley leaves, chopped
  • ½ cup hazelnuts
  • 1 tsp of baking soda

recipe 

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
  2. Line a baking sheet or spray with olive oil
  3. If using dried chickpeas: Put the chickpeas in a large bowl and cover with water by 3 or 4 inches—the beans will triple in volume as they soak. Soak for 12 to 24 hours, checking once or twice to see if you need to add more water to keep the beans submerged. (If the soaking time is inconvenient for you, just leave them in the water until they’re ready). Once ready, you should be able to break them apart between your fingers.
  4. Place all ingredients in a food processor + mix. We don’t puree ours because we prefer it a little clumpier; however, mix to your preference. It should look minced.
  5. Roll the mixture into balls, about 1½ inches each, then flatten them into thick patties. Put the falafel on the prepared pan and brush the tops with the remaining 2 tablespoons oil. Bake until golden all over, 10 to 15 minutes on each side.
Hazelnut-falafels-6
photo: sails + spices

We hope you enjoy!

-The Neilan Family-

Mexican Spaghetti Squash Casserole

by Kristen Neilan, RD, LDN4 Comments on Mexican Spaghetti Squash Casserole

Mexican food is my absolute favorite. Definitely up there with sushi + Italian. My husband and I crave it almost on an every-other-week basis. So I knew I had to find a healthy alternative. I love burritos; however, I wasn’t about to indulge that often. At the same time- I wanted to satisfy our craving. Cue the spaghetti squash mexican casserole! Honestly this recipe was totally random. Didn’t see it on Pinterest, didn’t see a recipe- we just happened to have the ingredients around the house. Since then, we’ve probably made it about 20 times already. I just love it so much. But even more than I love it- my husband loves it. Every time I ask what he wants for dinner- this. is. always. the. response. When I’m tired of it- he never is! It’s a great family meal because it lasts awhile too. I make it for my husband often if I’m going away for the weekend because you throw it all together and boom it’s done and lasts! Also- I’m not a big rice fan- I actually prefer the taste of spaghetti squash. If you don’t like spaghetti squash- well before I even go there- try this recipe ONCE with the spaghetti squash and if you’re not a fan, you can always swap it out for some brown rice, quinoa or whatever sounds yum to you. We have a pretty good feeling you’ll like it though!

Of note, the beauty of this recipe is that you can really modify to your own preference! Meatless Monday? Leave out the ground turkey. Vegan? Leave out the cheese + swap the meat for beans. Don’t like corn? Leave it out!

One more thing- you will notice I don’t add salt and that is because the taco seasoning has enough for the whole recipe. No need to add. 

ingredients

  • 2 Large Spaghetti Squash
  • 1 Small Yellow Onion – diced [use half if a large onion]
  • 1/2 Avocado
  • 2 Tbsp sour cream
  • 1 Can Vegetarian Re-fried Beans
  • 1 C Corn [canned, fresh or frozen- we use frozen]
  • 2 Bell Peppers – diced
  • 1 Can Black Beans OR 1lb Ground Turkey Meat
  • 1/2 C Shredded Cheese [we use whatever we have- typically cheddar but have also used mozzarella]
  • 1 Packet of Taco Seasoning Mix [we use McCormick Organics]
  • 2 Jalapeño Peppers [optional] – sliced
  • Fresh Cilantro [optional]
  • Hot sauce [optional]

recipe

  1. Preheat oven to 450.
  2. Prep Spaghetti Squash: If my husband is home, he is able to cut the spaghetti squash in half. If he is not home, I will poke holes in the spaghetti squash with a fork (about 5 times) and throw in the microwave for 5-10 minutes (depends on size of squash). At this point, I am able to cut the squash in half. Then remove seeds (sometimes we save these and bake as a snack), drizzle with olive oil and pepper and throw in the oven for 35 minutes on 450. If you have trouble, check out: https://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-cook-spaghetti-squash-in-the-oven-178036.
  3. While your spaghetti squash is baking- whip up the ground turkey meat (if using- if not, skip to step 5).
  4. Brown ground turkey in medium sized pan and follow instructions on taco seasoning packet.
  5. In a large skillet (separate from turkey meat) saute bell peppers, onion and corn with about a 1 Tbsp of olive oil and pepper for about 10-15 min on medium just to soften them up
  6.  Once spaghetti squash is done baking, reduce heat to 375.
  7.  Scrape spaghetti squash out with fork, creating stringy/spaghetti like squash!
  8. Place spaghetti squash in a 9 x 9 baking dish. Spread evenly.
  9. Layer re-friend beans on top (doesn’t have to be spread perfectly even. as it warms in the oven, it will spread)
  10. Then add either ground turkey meat or black beans on top (whichever you are using)
  11. Lastly, add corn/bell pepper/onion mixture
  12. Sprinkle cheese on top + add sliced jalapeño peppers on top
  13. Place casserole in oven for 20-25 minutes at 375

topping

  1. Mash/Mix 2 Tbsp of Reduced Fat Sour Cream with 1/2 Avocado for topping.
  2. Your done! We recommend a dab of hot sauce + fresh cilantro to top!
  3. If you like salsa, throw some on top! When in Rome (or Mexico bahaha)
mexican-spaghetti-squash-casserole-OPTM
photo: pickled plum

-The Neilan Family-

[Vegan] Dreamy Banana Date Bar

by Kristen Neilan, RD, LDN7 Comments on [Vegan] Dreamy Banana Date Bar
vegan-date-banana-oat-bars-healthy-running-on-real-food-5
Photo: Running on Real Food

We have added another delicious nutrient dense snack to the weekly rotations! We forgot about our bananas [again] – cue this delish recipe. Patrick was a huge fan and was eating them faster than I could whip them up. My favorite part about this bar is (well 2 things). 1. THE TEXTURE- it is so amazing. I can’t even begin to describe, which is why you MUST try for yourself. We love that there are so many different textures in one bar- you’ve got the overripe bananas for smoothness, coconut flakes for crunch, dates for a little gooey-ness, and oats to keep it all together! Then to top it all off- a very thin layer of dark chocolate- YUM! 2. We love that the ingredients are simple + healthy.

Tip: We doubled this recipe because we had 4 overripe bananas, and LOVED how they came out on thicker side. Even though they look dense, they’re actually a bit on the lighter side! One bar is about 120 calories! Low in protein (about 3g) without added protein powder. We added a combination of whey + plant based protein powder!

Recipe from: Running On Real Food

ingredients

  • 2.5 cups (275 g) quick oats
  • 2 tbsp ground flax
  • 1/3 cup (30 g) unsweetened coconut flakes
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1 cup almond milk
  • 2 overripe bananas (200 g) sliced in half lengthwise then chopped up
  • 5 medjool dates (68 g without pits), finely chopped
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 2 packets stevia, optional, to taste
  • Consider protein powder per preference (ours is unflavored- I think if you have flavored protein powder that might add a bit of a weird taste)
  • Optional [topping]:
  • 2 tablespoons coconut oil
  • 5 tablespoons cocoa powder (use 4 tbsp of dairy free chocolate chips to keep it vegan)
  • 2 tablespoons maple syrup

recipe for bars

  1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Add the oats, flax, coconut and cinnamon to a bowl and stir to combine.
  3. Mix in the vanilla and almond milk.
  4. Fold in the chopped banana and dates. (Taste the dough and add a bit of stevia if you want them a little sweeter.)
  5. Bake for 30 minutes.
  6. Remove the bars from the oven, melt the chocolate if using and spread over the bars.
  7. Let cool before slicing into 16 bars.
  8. Store in the fridge- or in the freezer [We wrap one bar individually in tin foil and whip them out in the morning before work!]

recipe for chocolate topping

Melt the coconut oil then gently stir in the the cocoa powder and maple syrup. Spread the mixture over the bars once they come out of the over. This will harden into chocolate ganache after chilled in the fridge.

vegan-date-banana-oat-bars-healthy-running-on-real-food-3
Photo: Running on Real Food

We hope you enjoy friends- we sure are!

-The Neilan Family-

Matcha Smoothie

by Kristen Neilan, RD, LDN1 Comment on Matcha Smoothie
smoothie
Photo: Jessica Gavin

What a lovely day to post about Smoothies- it’s freeezzzzing over here on the east coast. We are in northern Florida and not used this 30 degree weather! But none-the-less smoothies are always yummy and a great way to get a lot of the good stuff in. I probably have on average- 4 to 5 smoothies (of some kind) a week. This one is a total favorite of ours! It has Matcha, so what’s not to love!

recipe – for one serving

  • 1 cup lightly packed baby spinach
  • 1 frozen banana
  • 1 teaspoon Matcha powder
  • 3/4 cup of coconut water or almond milk (increase based on preference)
  • Ice to preference
  • 1/4 Tsp Golden Milk (this is turmeric + date powder) – optional
  • 1/4 Tsp Spirulina – Optional
  • Scoop of protein powder- Optional (when we are hungry enough we will add a scoop of Patrick’s protein concoction aka an even mix of whey + plant based protein powder)

Have your pick of sprinkled organic honey, chia seeds, cinnamon and/or coconut on top! Smoothies are great because this is just a base but if you’re feeling extra hungry just add some Greek Yogurt or add blueberries to mix it up! I actually love the taste of blueberries and Matcha together. If you do add fruit- do about 1/3 of a cup! Feelin like you need more fiber in your diet? Add a Tbsp of ground flax! 

EP20150401-smoothiebowl-hires
Photo: Epicurious

One of my other favorite things is turning smoothies into a “bowl” aka more space to sprinkle goodies on top! Typically if I’m wanting to turn my smoothie into a bowl, I like them with a little more ice added so it thickens it up- but those details are all about preference! 

-The Neilan Family-

Chickpea (Meatless) Meatballs

by Kristen Neilan, RD, LDN2 Comments on Chickpea (Meatless) Meatballs

Hi everyone and happy Thursday! It has been a little crazy over here in the Neilan household, as I’m sure it’s been in your home too! Patrick is on a 7am-7pm/Mon-Fri schedule now. Which may sound terrible, but it’s actually pretty nice because he gets weekends off. Wahoooo Merry Christmas to us! Anyway, the holidays are upon us- and we love/welcome the chaos. We’ve got family coming into town soon and lots of cooking happening and gift wrapping to do BUT before we close out till after Christmas I wanted to share this Chickpea Ball recipe with you guys. I make spinach turkey meatballs often – this is the first meal I made for Patrick when we were dating (with pasta and pesto sauce) so it hits close to home! I will share the spinach turkey baked meatball/cashew pesto recipe with you all soon as well!  But back to the chickpeas- we don’t like to have meat every night of the week- so we swap chickpea balls over a salad bowl every other night. This way we include lots of plant-based meals too!

From the Dietitian: Chickpeas are great for digestion and satiety. They pack about 15g protein per cup- which makes it an awesome option when you’re trying to add some meatless nights into your weekly routine. Chickpeas are high in folate, magnesium, iron and phosphorus- wahoooo!!

From the Doctor: Studies have shown that 1.5 C of legumes a day helped reduce inflammatory markers and improved insulin resistance. Two awesome correlates in the fight against disease. Chickpeas are packed with soluble fiber as we discussed in the lentil soup recipe (https://doctormeetsdietitian.com/2017/12/13/coziest-lentil-soup-recipe/) – making it great for diabetics, in moderation, as it slows the absorption of sugar. This happens because soluble fiber increases the viscosity (aka thickness) of the intestinal contents after each meal consumed. Even if you are not diabetic- we all want out blood sugar managed well and our insulin levels normalized- trust me. Once your insulin and blood sugar are at of whack it creates an abundance of issues in the body- to put it very lightly. Just a glimpse- diabetes is the leading cause of kidney disease, top cause for blindness, the reason for 60% of lower body amputations, 70% of people with diabetes have nervous system damage, diabetes causes- digestive problems, erectile dysfunction and increases risk of high blood pressure, stroke and heart disease. Moderation, healthy diet and a lifestyle of balance is the key way to avoid chronic disease. Now, on to the chickpea recipe!

ingredients 

  • 2 eggs or 2 flax eggs to keep chickpea balls vegan (2.5 tbsp ground flax)
  • 1/2 C breadcrumbs
  • 2 C Chickpeas
  • 2-3 Garlic Cloves (or 1/2 Tbsp of garlic powder)
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp parsley
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • 1/4 tsp basil
  • 1/4 tsp marjoram (optional)
  • small handful of basil leaves (optional)

recipe

  1. Preheat oven to 450
  2. Skip this step if using canned chickpeas. If using dried chickpeas, soak for 4 hours. Boil until they’re splitting, about 45 minutes to an hour.
  3. Drain the chickpeas and pinch the skin off [I didn’t take the skin off all the chickpeas and it turned out great- takes wayyy too long! But if you have the time, go for it!]
  4. Blend chickpeas in a blender until broken down [I added a few drops of water]
  5. Make your flax seed “eggs”  [2 Tbsp Flax with 6 Tbsp of Water- mix and let sit for 10-15min]
  6. Mix chickpeas and flax seed eggs [or regular eggs]
  7. Mix in the remaining ingredients
  8. If the mixture is too sticky, add more breadcrumbs a little at a time. If too dry, add a little water or oil [coconut/olive whatever you prefer]
  9. Form the chickpea mixture into meatballs and place onto a greased or parchment-lined baking dish.
  10. Bake the chickpea meatballs for 20-25 minutes, turning over halfway through, They should be golden and crispy.

Recipe Credit: Karissa’s vegan kitchen (modifications made)

img_1089
Try “Everything But the Bagel” seasoning from Trader Joe’s- it is so so yummy. Sprinkled on avocado above!

Enjoy with pasta and pesto or over a bed of lettuce with all the veggies of your choice!

-The Neilan Family-

The Incredible, Edible Flax Egg + Green Muffin Recipe

by Kristen Neilan, RD, LDN2 Comments on The Incredible, Edible Flax Egg + Green Muffin Recipe

Happy Hump Day Everyone! So update on us: Patrick is now on a super wonderful rotation this month (emergency department-shocking that’s a good rotation for him, I know) and has the greatest hours (8-5pm). So we have been able to enjoy breakfast and dinner together – aka the stars have aligned. And this past week, we have been stuck on these delish green banana muffins!!! I’m all kinds of excited to share the recipe with you but first- I want to chat with you all about one of the very special ingredients used in this recipe.

The flax egg. It has made including plant-based meals in our diet- SO easy. We all know how to swap out dairy for almond or cashew milk and applesauce for butter. But how do we replace an egg?  Patrick and I try to have about 10-15 plant-based meals/snacks per week. Whether that is as simple as swapping out regular yogurt for almond yogurt some mornings or making tofu with dinner. But now we have a way to easily include plant-based baked goods in our diet! (INSERT FLAX OR CHIA EGG). Such a tasty, delicious and simple substitute. Take your favorite cookie, pancake, quick bread, brownie, muffin recipe and swap out an egg for a flax or chia egg and BOOM you have a vegan baked good (assuming you’ve swapped the dairy portion too)! See below recipe, for instructions on how to whip up the flax egg. It’s super easy! Of note, do not try to scramble a flax egg – bahaha – baking substitute only!

Back to the recipe. I LOVE muffins!! But even more than your standard muffin, I love muffins with hidden veggies in them. These have added nutritional benefits without the added weird taste you might sometimes find when you add veggies to baking! NO oil, NO dairy, completely VEGAN and absolutely delicious- if I do say so myself. This beloved recipe is from Kristin Cavallari’s cookbook and boy are they yummy! I was actually very surprised when Patrick scarfed the first muffin down and asked for a second right after. I love earthy, green things but sometimes Patrick is hesitant; however, with these guys he dove right in and loooooved them!

ingredients

  • 2 Cups Spelt Flour (you can also swap it out for 2 cups all purpose flour or ease your way into spelt flour with half and half)
  • 2 Teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 Teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 Teaspoon fine-grain sea salt
  • 1 Bag of baby spinach (about 4 cups)
  • 3/4 Cup real maple syrup
  • 1/2 Cup plain almond milk (or milk of your choice)
  • 1 Flax or Chia Egg*
  • 1/4 Cup applesauce
  • 1 1/2 Teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 Cups mashed banana (we used 3 bananas)

Recipe

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 18 muffin cups with paper liners.
  2. In a large bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
  3. In a food processor or blender, combine spinach, maple syrup, almond milk, flax egg, applesauce, and vanilla and process until completely pureed.
  4. Add the wet ingredients and the banana to the dry ingredients and stir until well combined.
  5. Fill each muffin cup about three quarters full.
  6. (Optional) We sprinkled hemp and chia seeds on top of muffins
  7. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean. Let cool for at least 10 minutes.

Flax egg: 1 tablespoon of ground flaxseed or chia seeds plus 3 tablespoons water. Mix and let set for 15 minutes until it becomes gooey consistency.

Why use spelt? Spelt is a grain that is descended from wheat, and it has a mild, nutty flavor that is comparable to wheat. Although spelt contains gluten, it has less than whole wheat or white flour. As a result, substituting spelt flour for white flour can make baked goods more digestible for people with a sensitivity to gluten! Spelt also provides 25g protein per cup! Wahooooo!

 

Hope you all enjoy these yummy muffins as much as we are! Have a happy rest of your week!

 

The Neilan Family

Bliss Balls aka Carrot Cake Energy Bites

by Kristen Neilan, RD, LDN2 Comments on Bliss Balls aka Carrot Cake Energy Bites

This recipe is from the amazing Laura Lea Balanced Cook Book and we absolutely love it. I make this recipe once a week and Patrick brings two to work with him every day. Lots of protein bars (and things of that nature) that I give him to bring to work- get sent right back home (because he forgets about them) but never these guys. If you are a fan of Carrot Cake like we are – you guys will loooooovvveeee this vegan recipe. Patrick likes them frozen/I like them thawed- so that part is up to you but both are soo delicious!

How did these guys coin the name – Bliss Balls-? One of Patrick’s Co-Residents was a fan and named them for us! 

bites

  • 1 C Raw Walnuts
  • 1 (packed) Cup Grated Carrots
  • 4 Teaspoons Maple Syrup
  • 2 Teaspoons of Cinnamon
  • 1 Cup Rolled Oats
  • 1/2 Cup Coconut Flakes (unsweetened)
  • 1 (packed) Cup of Medjool dates (about 10)
  • 1/4 Teaspoon of Ground Ginger
  • Pinch Ground Nutmeg
  • 1/4 Teaspoon of Sea Salt

glaze

  • 2 Tablespoons of Runny Almond Butter
  • 2 Tablespoons of Melted Coconut Oil
  • 1 Tablespoon Coconut Flour
  • 1 Tablespoon Maple Syrup

recipe

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper (or you can use cooking spray)
  2. Add walnuts to half of the baking sheet (make sure they do not over lap)
  3. In a small bowl, combine carrots, 1 teaspoon of maple syrup and 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon. Toss to coat, then spread carrots on other side of the baking sheet.
  4. Roast carrots and walnuts for 12 minutes, then allow to cool for 10 minutes.
  5. While carrots and walnuts are roasting, combine oats, coconut flakes, dates, remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and sea salt in a food processor. Process until mixture forms a chunky crumble.
  6. Once carrots and walnuts are cooled, add to food processor. Place a new sheet of parchment paper on your baking sheet. Process the mixture until it forms a sticky dough. It should stick together – if not, adding 2-3 dates will help with this.
  7. Once everything is mixed in food processor- roll 2 tablespoons of dough per bite and place side by side on baking sheet. Freeze bites while you make the glaze.
  8. Glaze: Make glaze by whisking all ingredients together in a small bowl. If it does not seem “runny”- microwave for 20 seconds. Pull bites out of freezer, roll each in glaze and return to baking sheet. Place bites back in freezer for 20 minutes before enjoying. Place leftover bites in rightly sealed container and refrigerate!

Side Note: Patrick and I actually keep them in the freezer and I pull two out in the morning- this way by the time he has them they are still somewhat cold

Hope you all enjoy your bliss balls! – The Neilan Family