Dairy-free Potato Leek Soup (Gluten-free and dairy-free)

This soup has been on my list for awhile to create. I’ve actually never cooked or experimented with leeks before so that was kind of fun to cook with something new! I knew that I wanted to make this recipe dairy-free since I don’t eat a lot of dairy. This soup is filling, creamy (eekk that word!!), and super flavorful. It’s great with the Simple Mills sea salt almond flour crackers or other crackers of your choice.

Ingredients:

3 stalks celery, chopped

3 large leeks (about 5 cups chopped), chopped (white and light green parts only)

2 tbsp avocado oil

6 small yukon gold potatoes, chopped into 1 inch pieces

6 cups chicken broth

5 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 cup raw cashews, soaked for 2-4 hours (or soaked in boiling water for 15 minutes)

1 tbsp thyme chopped

2 tsp black pepper, plus more to taste

2 tsp sea salt, plus more to taste

1 tsp apple cider vinegar

1 bay leaf

Directions:

1. Cook leeks, celery, and potatoes in avocado oil in a deep pot on medium until they start to become fragrant. Add in the garlic, stirring consistently so it doesn’t burn.

2. Place the 1/2 cup cashews in a blender with 1/2 cup of water and blend until smooth. Set aside- this will act as the “cream” for the soup.

3. Add the chicken broth, thyme, bay leaf, apple cider vinegar, salt, and pepper and let simmer for 20-30 minutes, until the potatoes become tender. Take the bay leaf out and take an immersion blender and blend the soup in the pot or transfer the soup to the blender in batches and blend until smooth. Add in the cashew “cream”.

4. Add more salt or pepper to taste if necessary and enjoy!

With love,

Ashley

Red Lentil Vegetable Soup (gluten-free and dairy-free)

I LOVE lentils. I truly didn’t realize how much I liked them until I tried a lentil soup for the first time. They are so filling because of their fiber content (which makes them great for gut health too) and protein. This is one of those soups that actually feels like a meal because it’s so filling and contains lots of vegetables. It’s really good heated up the next day and for a few days afterwards, just be careful not to overcook the potatoes too much, otherwise it can get a little mushy. I hope you enjoy!

Ingredients:

3 carrots, chopped into rounds and then cut into half

3 celery stalks, chopped

6 small yukon gold potatoes, cut into 1 inch pieces

1 large onion, chopped

1 1/2 cup dry red lentils

6 cups chicken broth (can use vegetable for vegan version)

5 garlic cloves, minced

2 tbsp avocado oil

1 tbsp sea salt

1 tbsp black pepper

1 tsp fresh thyme, chopped

1 tsp dried basil

1 tsp dried parsley

2 bay leaves

Directions:

1. Heat avocado oil in deep pot over medium-low heat. Add in the onion and garlic and cook until fragrant.

2. Add the carrots, potatoes, and celery and sauté for a couple minutes. Add in the chicken broth, parsley, basil, thyme, red lentils, sea salt, black pepper, and bay leaves and let simmer for 15-20 minutes, until the lentils are cooked and softened.

3. Pull the bay leaves out, add extra seasonings if needed and enjoy!

With love,

Ashley

Asian Chicken Salad w/ Ginger Dressing (gf +df)

I’m not normally someone who likes sweet salad dressings. I always prefer savory over sweet, but this one is just the right amount of sweetness with a kick from the ginger and it is SO GOOD. I’ve been eating this salad on repeat (you test out the recipe and then have to eat it for the next few days if it turns out haha) and I can’t get enough. It really is so good. It’s satisfying and filling because of the chicken, has good crunch from the cabbage and pumpkin seeds, and the dressing makes it so tasty.

Did you know that eating nuts/seeds on your salads help your body to absorb vitamins such as A, D, E and K? These are fat soluble vitamins and the healthy fats help your body to absorb them better.

This salad makes 2 large servings - double or triple it if you want more!

Ingredients

6 cups curly kale

1 1/2 cups shredded carrots

1 1/2 cups purple cabbage, thinly sliced

1 cup green onion, chopped

2 cups shredded chicken (I love buying a rotisserie chicken and shredding it myself- makes it so easy)

1/2 cup pumpkin seeds

salad dressing:

4 1/2 tbsp olive oil, divided

1 1/2 tbsp lemon juice, divided

1 tbsp sesame oil

1 1/2 tbsp tamari sauce

1 1/2 tbsp maple syrup

1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

2 tbsp grated ginger

1/2 tbsp dijon mustard

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 tsp sea salt

1 tsp black pepper

Directions

1. Put the kale into a mixing bowl and drizzle 1/2 tbsp of olive oil and 1/2 tbsp lemon juice and massage it into the kale to break it down, make it a little less crispy, and make it easier to digest.

2. Add the carrots, cabbage, and green onion to the kale mixture and toss. Add the chicken and pumpkin seeds on top.

3. In a small bowl, whisk together all the rest of the ingredients for the salad dressing and pour over the top of your salad. Enjoy!

With love,

Ashley Rose

Vegan Chocolate Orange Avocado Mousse

The flavor of this mousse reminds me of those chocolate oranges that come out around Christmas time. My mom would always put one in mine and my brother’s stockings and they were one of our favorite things. I wanted to created the same flavor of those chocolate oranges but in a pudding/mousse style and I think this recipe nails it pretty well! It’s chocolatey with a little hint of orange and the texture is so creamy and smooth. It’s also incredibly easy to make, requires minimal ingredients, and is free of any dairy or refined sugar. You can opt for making the cashew creme to go on top or pick up coconut cool whip at the store if you want to simplify things even more. Maybe this recipe will make you nostalgic for chocolate oranges at Christmas time too :) enjoy! xo

Ingredients:

Avocado Mousse

2 medium ripe avocados

1/4 cup + 2 tbsp cacao powder

1/4 cup + 1 tbsp maple syrup

1/2 cup orange juice (I squeeze fresh, but you can also do store bought)

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 tsp sea salt

optional: orange zest and cacao nibs to go on top

Cashew Creme

3/4 cup soaked cashews (I soak for 2-4 hours to make them easier to blend and easier on digestion)

1/4 cup water

2 tbsp maple syrup

1 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Add all of the ingredients for the avocado mousse into a blender and blend until smooth.

2. Scoop into cups or serving dishes and set in the fridge.

3. If making the cashew creme to go on top, add all of the ingredients and blend until smooth. Place the cashew creme in the freezer for 15 minutes to firm up and scoop on top of the avocado mousse. You can also buy store bought coconut cool whip to go on top or skip it all together.

4. Add optional orange peel zest and cacao nibs. Enjoy!

With love,

Ashley

Dairy-free Broccoli "Cheese" Soup

This is my spin on Broccoli Cheddar Soup, only I made it dairy free. It can easily be made vegan too if you choose to use vegetable stock instead of chicken stock. Soup is truly one of my favorite meals to make because it can usually be made in one pot and I love having leftovers for lunch or dinner the next day or two. It’s also an easy thing to make a double batch of so you can freeze some for later if you would like to. This recipe would easily feed 3-4 people and is super easy to make, packed full of vegetables, and tastes like comfort food.

Ingredients:

2 heads of broccoli, chopped into florets

3 large carrots, chopped into rounds

1 medium yellow onion, diced

4-5 small yukon gold potatoes, chopped into small cubes

4 garlic cloves, minced

6 cups chicken stock (vegetable stock if you want vegan soup)

1 lemon, juiced

3/4 cup nutritional yeast

1 1/2 tsp garlic powder

1 1/2 tsp sea salt, plus more to taste

1 1/2 tsp black pepper, plus more to taste

2 tbsp olive oil, plus more for sautéing the vegetables

1 tsp apple cider vinegar

1 tbsp dijon mustard

Directions:

1. Heat 2 tbsp of olive oil on medium heat in large, deep pan. Add in the onion, carrots, broccoli, and a little salt and pepper and sauté for 7-10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

2. Add in the potatoes and garlic and sauté for a couple more minutes, stirring the whole time.

3. Add the chicken stock (vegetable stock if you want a vegan recipe) and let the mixture simmer for about 20 minutes, or until the potatoes are cooked and softened.

4. Using a slotted spoon, take the broccoli florets and set aside in a bowl. Blend the rest of the mixture in a blender or in the pan using an immersion blender until smooth and no chunks of vegetables remain.

5. Add the lemon, nutritional yeast, garlic powder, sea salt, black pepper, olive oil, apple cider vinegar, and dijon mustard to a blender with 1 cup of water and blend until smooth- this is what will give the soup a cheesy flavor. Add the mixture back into the soup and stir in.

6. Now add the broccoli back in and use an immersion blender to slightly blend the broccoli so there are only small chunks left. If you do not have an immersion blender, you can add some of the soup back into the blender with the broccoli and pulse a few times.

7. Pour soup into a bowl, top with optional gluten-free croutons, olive oil, microgreens, and/or truffle oil.

With love,

Ashley

Dairy-free Tomato Basil Soup (dairy-free and gluten-free)

I love soup year round, but especially in the colder months. It’s so comforting and it’s so easy to make a large batch and reheat it throughout the week. Tomato basil soup is one of the ultimate comfort foods and is something I never get sick of. This version is dairy-free and can easily be made vegan if you substitute chicken stock for vegetable stock. This soup is super easy to make and so full of flavor. This recipe serves 3-4, but I would suggest doubling it so you can have leftovers or freeze it for when you want something easy later on.

Ingredients:

2 tbsp olive oil

1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced

1 tsp sea salt, plus more to taste

1 tsp black pepper, plus more to taste

5 garlic cloves, minced

1 can tomato paste (6 ounces)

1 cup fresh basil leaves

1 can whole tomatoes with juice (28 ounces)

3 cups chicken stock (sub vegetable stock for vegan version)

Directions:

1. Heat olive oil in large, deep pan. Add in onion and sea salt and sauté until onion becomes fragrant and translucent.

2. Add in black pepper and minced garlic cloves. Sauté for 2-3 minutes.

3. Add tomato paste and fresh basil and sauté for another few minutes, stirring the whole time.

4. Add the whole tomatoes and chicken stock and stir until mixture is combined. Bring to a boil and turn down and let simmer for 20-25 minutes.

5. Blend the soup in the pan using a immersion blender or transfer the soup to a blender and blend until smooth. Enjoy!

With love,

Ashley

Gluten-free Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

I’ve been in the mood to bake something festive and seasonal. I’m not a huge pumpkin pie fan - it’s okay and I’ll eat it, but I would always choose apple pie over pumpkin. BUT it’s fall and I felt like I needed to bake something with pumpkin soooo I decided on pumpkin chocolate chip cookies and honestly, they’re so good. This might even be something I bake year round because they’re that good. They have the perfect consistency - super moist (we’re all cringing at the word, I know) and chewy with the perfect amount of sweetness and flavor. I hope you love them as much as I do!

Ingredients:

1/2 cup pumpkin puree

1/4 cup cashew or almond butter

1 room temperature egg

6 tbsp maple syrup

2 tsp vanilla extract

2 cups and 2 tbsp almond flour

2 tbsp coconut flour

1/2 cup and 1 tbsp coconut sugar

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp sea salt

3 tsp pumpkin pie spice

1/2 tsp cinnamon

3/4 cup dark chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Mix all of the wet ingredients together using a whisk.

3. Mix the dry ingredients in a separate bowl and then add the dry ingredients to the bowl with the wet ingredients. Stir until well combined. Fold in the chocolate chips.

4. Cover the dough and place in the fridge for at least 30 minutes to set.

5. Take the dough out of the fridge and roll into 1 inch balls and place on greased cookie sheet. Note: I use coconut oil to grease the cookie sheet and you may have to grease your hands with the oil too so that the cookie dough doesn’t stick to them.

6. Flatten each cookie dough ball so that the cookies bake more evenly.

7. Place in oven and bake for 12-14 minutes or until the edges are set, but center is still soft.

8. Place on cooling rack and let cool for 5-10 minutes. Enjoy!

Taco Salad w/ Spicy Cilantro Lime Dressing

I crave a really flavorful, filling, and colorful salad in the summer. Anyone else?! I could live off of salads, fresh fruit, green smoothies, homemade coconut yogurt, and soup (weird, I know) in the summertime. My body definitely creates less heavy comfort foods and lots more foods that are hydrating and lighter in the summer months.

I wanted to make a simple salad, but kick it up a notch with lots of flavor and a good quality protein. I decided to make a taco salad because who doesn’t love a good taco salad and there are so many great ingredients you can add to it! This is a dairy-free, corn-free, and naturally gluten-free version that is full of greens, high quality protein, healthy fats, and tons of flavor! I hope you enjoy as much as I do. xo

INGREDIENTS

Salad:

6 cups romaine, chopped or thinly sliced

1 cup grape tomatoes, cut in half

1/4 cup red onion, diced

1/2 cup black olives, sliced

1/2 cup cilantro leaves

1/2 avocado thinly sliced

1/2 jalapeño, sliced

Seasoned Taco Meat:

1/2 pound ground beef

1 1/2 tsp chili powder

1 tsp oregano

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp sea salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

1/2 tsp paprika

1/2 tsp onion powder

Dressing:

2 cups cilantro

1 lime, juice

1/2 jalapeño

4 garlic cloves

2 tbsp avocado or olive oil

1/2 tsp sea salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

METHOD

1. Heat a medium sized pan over medium heat. Cook 1/2 pound of ground beef until its well cooked through. Drain the fat out and place back in pan. Add in all the seasonings for the taco meat along with 1/4 cup water. Mix well until thoroughly covered and combined. Turn off heat and set aside.

2. In a blender add in all the ingredients for the dressing and blend until smooth. It’s okay if you have pieces of cilantro that aren’t completely blended. It’s meant to be a “chunkier” dressing.

3. Assemble all your salad ingredients, add the seasoned taco meat on top and finish with the dressing.

Enjoy! xo

With love,

Ashley

Healthy Taquitos (gluten-free and dairy-free)

If you like taquitos then you MUST make these. They aren’t as crunchy as the ones you used to buy from costco in the frozen section, but the flavors are amazing and the sauce you put on top makes them so delicious. These are the easiest thing to make and are great as a main dish served with a side salad. I made these with grass-fed ground beef, but if you’re vegan or vegetarian I know there are so many meat alternatives on the market these days or you could simply use quinoa and black beans as the filling.

INGREDIENTS

8 grain-free tortillas (I love Mikeys or Siete brands)

1 1/2 cups shredded vegan cheese (I use parmela’s creamery)

Seasoned Ground Beef:

1/2 lb grass-fed ground beef

1/2 yellow onion, finely chopped

1 1/2 tsp chil2 cupi powder

1 tsp oregano

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp garlic

1/2 tsp sea salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

1/2 tsp paprika

1/2 tsp onion powder

Spicy Cilantro Lime Sauce:

2 cups cilantro

1 lime, juiced

1/2 jalapeño

2 tbsp avocado or olive oil

4 garlic cloves

1/2 tsp sea salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

METHOD

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Heat up the ground beef and onion on medium heat and cook until ground beef is cooked through. Drain the fat from the beef and onion mixture and return to pan. Add in all the seasonings along with 1/4 cup of water. Stir well to combine. Pull from heat and set to the side.

2. Lightly spray a 9” by 13” baking pan and set aside. Take one tortilla and heat it up in a small pan over the stove just to warm it so its easy to roll. Add about 3-4 tablespoons of the ground beef/onion mixture to the middle of the tortilla. Add in 1 tbsp spoon of shredded cheese on top of the ground beef. Roll the tortilla fairly tightly so that the contents remain in tact and flip it so that the seam is down and place in the pan. Do this for the remaining 7 tortillas.

3. Sprinkle cheese over the top of the taquitos along with any remaining ground beef if you have it. Put the pan in the oven for 18-20 minutes.

4. While the taquitos are baking, put all the ingredients for the Cilantro lime sauce in a blender and blend on medium until well combined.

5. Once you pull the taquitos out of the oven, let cool for a couple minutes and drizzle with the cilantro lime sauce.

6. Serve alone or topped with avocado and/or a side salad. Enjoy!

With love,

Ashley xo

Miracle Noodles with Green Onion and Garlic (gluten-free)

Okay so this is one of my new favorite recipes and it’s SO easy and can be made in about 10 minutes. I came up with this last week when I was figuring out what to make for dinner but just wasn’t feel super hungry. I ate a late lunch and for some reason didn’t have much of an appetite, which is actually pretty rare for me, but I always believe in listening to my body. I remembered I had bought Miracle Noodles from Whole Foods and decided to make something with those. If you haven’t heard of Miracle Noodles you can find out more HERE.

They’re basically a 0 calorie noodle made out of Konjac flour and water that can be used as a substitute for any recipe where you would use normal noodles. And before I go any further I want to say that I do NOT believe in calorie counting or restricting calories AT ALL. I believe in eating whole foods closest to their natural state; lots of fruits, vegetables, plant based foods, and high quality meat and fish. These foods are nutrient dense and your body will easily be able to assimilate the nutrients and calories because it recognizes them. Processed foods are so altered and filled with chemicals, preservatives, sugar, etc. Our bodies get confused by processed foods because they don’t recognized these lab made ingredients and eventually they wreak havoc on our bodies and cause disruption, illness, imbalances, etc. When I do buy something out of a package, I always look at the ingredients to make sure that:

1. I can pronounce the ingredients

2. There is minimal ingredients included

3. There isn’t a lot of added sugar, preservatives, etc

Basically I can talk about food quality all day long and is clearly something I’m passionate about. With that being said, let’s get to the recipe. Like I said above, this is so easy to make, gluten-free, can be made vegan, has so much flavor, and takes only about 10 minutes to make!

Ingredients:

1 tbsp ghee or olive oil

1 Package of angel hair Miracle Noodes, rinsed and dried off

4 garlic cloves, chopped

1 shallot, chopped

1/2 cup chopped green onions

1 tbsp tamari

1 tbsp toasted sesame oil

1 tsp black pepper

1/2 tsp sea salt

Directions:

1. Heat the ghee or olive oil in a medium pan over medium-low heat. Add in the shallots, garlic, salt and pepper and cook for a few minutes until slightly brown, stirring the whole time.

2. Add in the rinsed noodles (make sure they’ve dried off a bit so you don’t add water to the pan), tamari, and 1/4 cup of green onions to the pan with the garlic and shallots. Stir until the green onions start to wilt just a little bit.

3. Take the noodles off of the heat and add to a bowl. Drizzle the noodles with the toasted sesame oil and add the rest of the uncooked green onions. Top with extra salt and pepper if needed.

With love,

Ashley

Jalapeño Hummus (no tahini)

I hope you know by now I’m all about eating healthy without sacrificing flavor. There is no need for healthy food to be boring and bland. I’m all about upgrading less than healthy recipes and making them not only taste good, but provide more health benefits too.

I’m a huge fan of hummus but when I look for it at the store, I rarely find that one doesn’t contain weird preservatives or vegetables oils like canola or soybean. I’m all about reading ingredient lists and not looking for calories, etc on the food label. Our bodies are so, so intelligent and when we fuel them with whole foods (foods closest to their natural state) or foods that haven’t been altered much, they know exactly what to do with these nutrients and we don’t need to focus on calories. It’s all about eating intuitively for your body and eating foods that contain ingredients you can pronounce and not filling your body with a lot of processed foods and chemicals.

A few reasons I love hummus are:

• It’s great for a snack with gluten-free crackers or vegetables

• Adds extra flavor to your vegetables and salads

• The main ingredient is chickpeas which is a great source of plant based protein and fiber

• There are so many ingredients to add to boost flavor; jalapeño, cilantro, garlic, red peppers, shallots, and spices.

It’s no secret that I love spicy food. Hot sauce is a staple in my pantry/fridge and I love to add jalapeños and peppers to my recipes. I think it adds such good flavor and makes the recipe more interesting. I wanted to experiment with a jalapeño hummus because I wanted a hummus with a kick, but wasn’t satisfied with any I had found at the store. I’m also not a fan of tahini AT ALL and most hummus recipes call for it. There’s no doubt it might make the recipe a little creamier (cringing at that word because we all know it’s a weird one) but I’m just not a fan. Maybe I haven’t tried the right brand? I’m open if anyone has recommendations., but I decided to make a tahini-free hummus for this recipe and I’m happy with how it turned out.

Creating new recipes is such a fun and creative outlet for me, but it’s important to know that whenever I have an idea to make something, it doesn’t mean it will turn out how I planned. I’ve had some major failures but I learn from them and it’s all part of the process.

I was happy with how this turned out because surprisingly enough, I’ve never made homemade hummus before and the flavor of this recipe is so good. The cool thing with a recipe like this is that you just throw everything in a food processor and add a little bit of this and a little bit of that until you’re happy with the flavor and consistency. I take the guesswork out for you by providing exact measurements of the ingredients I used, but feel free to customize and add a little bit more of something if you want! Recipes are just blueprints and can be changed according to your preferences.

Ingredients:

1 15oz can of chickpeas

1 medium jalapeño

2 garlic cloves

3 tbsp lemon juice

2 tbsp olive oil

2 tbsp water

1/2 tsp black pepper

1/2 tsp sea salt

1/4 tsp onion powder

1/4 tsp cumin

Directions:

1. Rinse the chickpeas and put them into a food processor.

2. Add the rest of the ingredients into the food processor with the chickpeas and pulse until smooth and well combined.

3. Pour hummus into a bowl and top with olive oil, sea salt, and red pepper flakes.

With love,

Ashley

Berry + Beet Smoothie

It has been such a long time since I posted a smoothie recipe on my blog. I was at the grocery store in the produce aisle (of course) and the beets caught my eye which doesn’t typically happen because I don’t use beets too often in my recipes (although I should because they’re so good for your liver). I knew I needed to get them but wondered what in the world I would make with beets? I came up with an idea to make a berry beet smoothie- something bright, fresh, full of antioxidants, and so good for the liver. I grabbed some frozen berries while at the store and came home to create this beautiful, liver detoxing smoothie. I love it so much and I hope you do too! It seriously brightened my day and it’s one that I think even little kiddos will enjoy. Xo

Ingredients:

3 small beets, peeled

1 cup frozen raspberries

1 cup frozen strawberries

1 tsp honey

1/2 lemon, juice

1 cup coconut water

Directions:

1. Peel your beets either with a peeler or simply cut the outer layer, top, and bottom of the beet and set aside.

2. Pour the coconut water into the blender and squeeze half the lemon in there too.

3. Add in the beets, raspberries, strawberries, and honey. Blend on medium high until well until no chunks of beets or fruit remains.

4. Pour it into a glass and drink up!

With love,

Ashley

Collagen Cookie Dough Bites

I’ve always been a fan of cookie dough. Chocolate chip cookie dough. THE BEST. I wanted to make a protein bite that was healthy but still fixed that sweet craving too. I love these because they don’t have a weird chalky protein taste and truly taste like actual cookie dough. They contain collagen protein which is good for your gut health, skin, hair, and nails. I also used a mixture of maple syrup and monkfruit so that these bites were the perfect amount of sweet without containing too much sugar. If you have never used monkfruit for baking or other recipes, I highly recommend it. It’s basically as sweet as sugar and can be used as a substitute, but doesn’t contain any actual sugar. These protein bites are so easy, satisfy that sweet tooth, and are perfect for when you want a snack. I hope you love them as much as I do!

Ingredients:

1 1/2 tbsp almond flour

1/4 cup collagen protein (I used vital proteins unflavored collagen)

1 tbsp monkfruit

1/4 tsp sea salt

2 tbsp maple syrup

2 tbsp coconut oil, melted

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

3 tbsp chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Mix all of the wet ingredients together and set aside.

2. Mix all of the dry ingredients together, except for the chocolate chips.

3. Pour the wet ingredients in with the dry ingredients and stir until combined.

4. Add in the chocolate chips and stir until evenly distributed. Roll into little bite sized balls and place in the fridge for 20-30 minutes to harden. Should make about 10-12 protein bites, depending on how big you make them. Enjoy!

With love,

Ashley

Greek Salad (vegan and gluten-free)

I hope everyone is staying safe and healthy right now during this crazy and unprecedented time. I’m in my 4th week of quarantine, as I’m sure most of you are as well. It’s been odd to not see anyone except the people I live with for 4 weeks and to not go anywhere except the grocery store and my daily walks around the neighborhood. But, I will say that it’s given me a new perspective on life and a new appreciation for the things I definitely took for granted before. I hope you are all taking really good care of yourselves and not putting too much pressure on yourself to get everything done on your to-do list. Remember, we’re going through a global pandemic and although I don’t believe in living in fear, I also think it’s important to have grace with ourselves right now and process what’s coming up with us. With that being said, I do have a very simple and light recipe that is so, so fresh and is the perfect side salad or even a good main course if you’re wanting to get in lots of greens and vegetables. This salad reminds me of summer and puts me in sunny space of mind :)

Salad Ingredients:

2.5 cups arugula

1 cup cherry tomatoes, cut in half

1.5 cups cucumbers, sliced and then cut into half moons

1 cup thinly sliced red onions

1/4 cup kalamata olives

1/4 cup basic, chopped

optional: 2 tbsp vegan feta

Dressing Ingredients:

1/4 cup olive oil

2 tbsp apple cider vinegar

1/2 lemon, juiced

1 tsp oregano flakes

1/2 tsp sea salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

1/2 tsp garlic powder

Directions:

Toss all of the salad ingredients together and set aside.

Mix all of the dressing ingredients together until thoroughly combined and drizzled over the salad. Stir to make sure the vegetables are evenly coated. Serve with a main dish like fish, chicken, or gluten-free pasta or have as your main meal. Enjoy! Xo

With love,

Ashley

Gut-Healing Guacamole

I wanted to make a guacamole that had more benefits than just tasting good! So I decided to create one that was good for the health of your gut. Can you guess what I added to it? If you guessed sauerkraut then you are correct! Now before you think “oh that’s just gross”, just trust me on this one. With the added onion, garlic, salt + pepper, you don’t even taste the sauerkraut. My mother (who happens to not be a fan of sauerkraut) even said this tasted good, when I know she wanted to say otherwise ;) . Anyways, this recipe is super easy to throw together and is really great as a dip for chips, on toasted (gf) bread, or with a quesadilla. Let me know if you make this one and if you are now a believer in guacamole with sauerkraut added in :).

Ingredients:

3 avocados

1 lime, juiced

1/2 cup chopped onion (either red or yellow works fine)

3/4 cup sauerkraut (chopped up if it’s in longer pieces)

1 cup cilantro, chopped

4 garlic cloves, chopped OR 1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp sea salt

1 tsp black pepper

Directions:

Mash up the avocados, throw them in a medium mixing bowl with all the other ingredients and stir until thoroughly combined. Scoop it up with some Siete chips or whatever you prefer and enjoy!

With love,

Ashley

Gut Healing Vegan Kale Salad

Most of us have heard the importance of incorporating probiotics into our daily lives, but not everyone understands the important role that prebiotics play as well. Prebiotics are the food that contains the necessary fiber that will feed the good bacteria in our digestive system and allow them to thrive. This recipe is my version of the kale salad recipe created by Dr. Andrew Weil from the restaurant True Food Kitchen. I love my version because it is made vegan using dairy-free parmesan cheese and I also include sauerkraut in order to provide the body with probiotics to promote good gut health. The combination of the kale (a prebiotic) and the sauerkraut (a probiotic) is an amazing duo to replenish the gut with good bacteria and make sure that it has a good environment to thrive in.

Ingredients:

8 cups, thinly sliced kale

3/4 cup sauerkraut

1/2 cup cilantro leaves

1 lemon, juiced

4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1/4 cup vegan parmesan ( I use Violife)

2 tbsp garlic, minced

1 tbsp shallots, minced

1/2 tsp sea salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

1 tsp red pepper flakes

**optional: top with vegan parmesan cheese and avocado

Directions:

1. Mix the kale, sauerkraut and cilantro in one large mixing bowl.

2. In a small bowl combine the lemon, olive oil, vegan parmesan, garlic, shallots, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes until thoroughly mixed.

3. Pour dressing mixture over the kale, sauerkraut, and cilantro mixture and combine until evenly coated. Enjoy!

With love,

Ashley

Mayo-Free Chicken Salad (df +gf)

I was craving Chicken Salad which is funny to me because it traditional has mayonnaise and I can’t stand mayonnaise. If I’m being completely honest, it makes me gag. It’s so goopy and slimy- totally creeps me out! I decided I would make my own version of a chicken salad with upgraded ingredients to make it a little healthier and easy on the digestive system. I decided to do my garlic salad dressing instead of mayonnaise and I am telling you it was SO GOOD. When trying out new recipes, you don’t always know how they’re going to turn out, which is part of the fun, but also can be a total bummer when you’re wanting to eat the finished product and it isn’t very good. I was so happy with how well this one turned out and to top it off, it’s so easy to make and great for leftovers too. I’m not a huge fan of fruit mixed in with my protein (hello, food combining) and definitely not in my salads so I opted out of grapes for this. I included some cilantro, green onion, and pumpkin seeds for some added health benefits, flavor, and crunch. I hope you love this one as much as I do, especially if you’re with me on the whole mayo thing ;)

Ingredients:

Salad-

2 cups shredded chicken (I buy a rotisserie chicken and shred that)

1 cup celery, chopped

1 cup cilantro, finely chopped

1 cup green onions, chopped

1/2 cup pumpkin seeds

Dressing-

1/4 cup cashews (preferably soaked for 2-4 hours, then rinsed)

1/2 cup water

2 tbsp nutritional yeast

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1/2 lemon, juiced

6 garlic cloves

1 tsp sea salt

1 tsp black pepper

1 tsp apple cider vinegar

Directions:

1. Combine all of the salad ingredients in a large mixing bowl and set aside.

2. Add all of the dressing ingredients to a blender and blend until thoroughly combined and smooth.

3. Poor dressing over salad and stir until evenly coated.

4. Serve with crackers, inside butter leaf or romaine lettuce, or in a wrap (my favorite are siete tortillas). Enjoy!

With love,

Ashley

Vegetable Stir Fry (vegan + gluten-free)

Stir fry’s are my go to for something easy to make that also taste good as leftovers. They’re a great way to get vegetables in and are still filling and satisfying. I used bell peppers, yellow onion, and broccoli for this particular recipe, but feel free to experiment with others vegetables as well. This sauce has a little bit of a kick to it and a tiny bit of sweetness, making it somewhat reminiscent of teriyaki sauce. It’s great eaten with or without quinoa and I ate it leftover the next day with sunny side up eggs on top.

Ingredients:

Sauce-

1/4 c. coconut aminos

1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

1 tbsp dijon mustard

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

2 tbsp water

1 tbsp arrowroot powder

5 garlic cloves

1 tsp ginger, shredded

1 tsp sea salt

2 tsp black pepper

Stir fry ingredients-

3 tbsp avocado oil

1 orange bell pepper, thinly sliced

1 yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced

4 cups broccoli florets

1/2 yellow onion, thinly sliced

cooked quinoa for serving

Directions:

1. Blend all sauce ingredients in a high speed blender until thoroughly combined. Set aside.

2. Warm large pan over medium heat and add in the stir fry ingredients. Sauté the vegetables in avocado oil for 7-10 minutes or until lightly cooked and tender.

3. Add the sauce in with the vegetables and stir until evenly coated. Cook for another 2-3 minutes.

4. Serve over quinoa and enjoy!

With love,

Ashley

Chocolate Chip Banana Pancakes (gf +df)

I’ve always been more of a waffle or french toast fan, but every once in a while a pancake just tastes good, doesn’t it?! These are the easiest pancakes that are free of gluten and dairy and are low in sugar. This recipe makes 4 small pancakes, good for one serving, unless you’re eating them with something else, then they could be shared between two people. You could easily double or triple the recipe if you wanted to as well. If chocolate isn’t quite your thing (first off, who are you?!) you could absolutely add in blueberries instead or omit the chocolate chips altogether. I love topping these with some grass-fed ghee or butter and then some real maple syrup. Sooo good!! Perfect for a Sunday morning, or really anytime that you’re craving a pancake :)

Ingredients:

1 very ripe banana

1 egg

1 tbsp maple syrup

2 tbsp coconut flour

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 cup chocolate chips

1 tbsp coconut oil/avocado oil

Directions:

1) Smash the banana in a small mixing bowl until there are no chunks left.

2) Add the egg, maple syrup, coconut flour, vanilla, and cinnamon to the banana and stir until thoroughly combined and then fold in the chocolate chips until even dispersed in the batter.

3) Heat a medium sized pan on medium-low heat and evenly grease the pan with coconut or avocado oil. Add 1/4 of the batter slowly to the pan and repeat this 3 times for a total of 4 pancakes. Wait a few minutes and use a spatula to slowly and carefully life the pancake off the pan to see if it is ready to flip. It should be lightly golden brown and cooked on the side thats facing down before you flip it in order to keep in intact. Once you flip over, keep an eye on the other side that is now facing down until it is lightly golden brown as well. Remove from pan and add your favorite toppings!

With Love,

Ashley

Basil Pasta Salad (gluten-free and dairy-free)

Am I the only one who isn’t into all the fall produce like brussel sprouts, squash, and pumpkin? I try, I really do, but those foods just aren’t my favorite. I like them once in a while, in moderation, but I don’t get super excited about cooking them. I get inspired and excited to create in the kitchen when I cook with foods that bring me joy. So you know what? I’m going with that route :) This is definitely more of spring/summer inspired pasta salad, but that’s just the kind I like and I hope you do too! This one is incredibly easy and really good as a main dish or a side dish served with grilled or baked chicken.

Ingredients:

6 cups cooked gluten free pasta, cooled

3 cups arugula

1 cup cherry tomatoes, cut in half

1 cup kalamata olives, cut in half

1 cup watermelon radish, sliced (you can substitute for another vegetables of choice)

Pesto:

3 cups lightly packed basil

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

6 garlic cloves

1 lemon, juice

1/3 cup pine nuts

1 tsp sea salt

1 tsp black pepper

Directions:

1) Put all pesto ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend until well combined and smooth.

2) Toss the pesto with the pasta, arugula, tomatoes, kalamata olives, and watermelon radish until well combined.

Enjoy! Serves 6-8 as a side dish

With love,

Ashley