Chia Seed Fruit Salad

Ingredients

1/3 cup chia seeds

2 cups nut milk of your choice

4 cups of diced fruit of your choice

1/4 cup raisins

zest of one orange

juice of one orange

1 tbsp vanilla

1/4 tsp cinnamon

1/2 cup shredded coconut

mint leaves for decoration

Instructions

1. Add 1 cup diced fruit and sprinkle if raisins to 4 different bowls

2. Combine nut milk, chia seeds, orange juice zest vanilla and cinnamon in a small pitcher and stir.

3. Pour 1/2 cup mixture on top of fruit in bowls.

4. Top fruit bowls with shredded coconut.

5. Refrigerate fruit bowls for at least 30 mins (or overnight).

6. Top each bowl with mint leaf before serving.

Via foodbabe.com

Summer Corn on the Cob Salad

*adapted from authenticsuburbangourmet.com, pictures from andwhatiate.com

- 4 ears corn, cooked
- 2 avocados, diced
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved (I use orange & red for a little color) 
- 1/2 an english cucumber, finely diced, skin on
- 1/3  C. crumbled feta
- 1/2 red onion, finely diced

Cilantro Vinaigrette
- 1 tbsp. rice wine vinegar
- 1 tbsp. white wine vinegar
- 1/2 tsp. salt or Herbamare
- 1 tsp. garlic powder
- 1/2 freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tbsp. cilantro, chopped
- 6 tbsp. EVOO

(serves 6-8) 

1. Cook your corn - there are a ton of ways to do this, but the easiest is just to put the oven on 350, and throw the corn in, husks and all. Bake them for 25 minutes, let it cool, and then cut off the very bottom of the corn. You should be able to easily pull off the husks and the silk

2. Cut off the kernels with a large knife, add to a big bowl.

3. Chop the avocados, cherry tomatoes, english cucumber, and red onion, then add to the bowl. Add the feta.

4. For the vinaigrette, combine the first 5 ingredients (so the seasonings react with the vinegar), then add the cilantro and the EVOO. Shake it up.

5. Gently mix all the salad ingredients together. When ready to serve, add the dressing and stir to combine.

Broccoli Bites with dipping sauce

This recipe is by no means dairy free, but is very delicious.  This is from the Unconventional Kitchen. You ladies have probably already seen it but I thought I’d post it just in case and to have it here to reference. We have this and a green salad for dinner and it’s plenty filling. 

Ingredients:

1 lb broccoli, chopped in small bit- sized pieces

1 c. cheddar cheese, shredded (I used mozzarella)

1/2 c. parmesan cheese, shredded 

3 eggs

1 c. almond flour

1 t. oregano

salt & pepper to taste   

Method:

Preheat oven to 375F. Mix all ingredients except for the broccoli in a medium sized bowl.

Next toss in the broccoli. It helps to use your hands to roll the pieces of broccoli in the mixture into little bite sized balls. Place balls on lightly greased parchment paper.

Put them in the oven to bake for 25-30 minutes, or until brown. Serve with the tasty Maple-Dijon Dipping Sauce.

Sauce:

6 T sour cream

2 T pure maple syrup

1 T Dijon mustard

1 T fresh lemon juice

salt to taste

 

Method:

Simply whisk all the ingredients together and you have yourself an awesome sauce. Kids love dipping so that is what makes this sauce extra fun. 

World's Healthiest Pasta Sauce

*from chefambershea.com

Dairy-Free, Egg-Free, Gluten-Free, Grain-Free, Nut-Free, Oil-Free, Sugar-FreeSoy-Free Variation

Low-Calorie, Low-Fat, Low-Sodium

Per 1-cup: 88 calories, 2.9g fat (trace sat), 12.9g carbs, 3g fiber, 5g protein

Ingredients

• ½ cup vegetable broth or water
• 2 medium onions, peeled and roughly chopped
• 1 leek, white and light green part only, cleaned and chopped
• 2 broccoli stems (or ½ cup cauliflower), roughly chopped
• 10 to 12 cloves garlic, peeled and halved
• 6 stalks celery, roughly chopped
• 4 large or 6 small carrots, roughly chopped
• 1 package button mushrooms, cleaned and stemmed
• 1 (15-oz.) can black or green olives, rinsed and drained
• 2 jarred roasted red peppers (or 1 large red bell pepper, seeded and chopped)
• 1 medium beet, peeled and chopped (or ½ cup canned beets)
• 1 large, soft Medjool date (or 3 Deglet Noors), pitted and minced
• 1 (6-oz.) can tomato paste
• 2 (28-oz.) cans whole peeled tomatoes or crushed tomatoes
• 1 (8-oz.) package organic tempeh (I didn't have any and left it out- still tasted great)
• 1/3 cup nutritional yeast
• 2 tablespoons Italian seasoning
• 1 tablespoon Spike seasoning (*sub Mrs. Dash or use or sea salt to taste)
• 1 tablespoon Bragg liquid aminos (*or tamari or soy sauce)
• ½ to 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• ½ to 1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

Instructions

1. In a large stockpot or Dutch oven, heat the veggie broth or water over medium heat.
2. Place the onion and leek in a food processor and pulse until finely diced. Transfer to the pot with the broth and put the lid on.
3. Place the broccoli stems (or cauliflower) and garlic in the food processor (there's no need to clean the bowl between all these steps) and pulse until finely diced. Transfer to the pot, stir, and put the lid back on.
4. Place the celery and carrots in the food processor and pulse until finely diced. Transfer to the pot, stir, and put the lid back on.
5. Place the mushrooms in the food processor and pulse until finely diced. Transfer to the pot, stir, and put the lid back on.
6. Place the olives in the food processor and pulse until finely diced. Transfer to the pot, stir, and put the lid back on.
7. Place the red pepper(s), beet(s), date(s), and tomato paste in the food processor and blend until smooth. Transfer to the pot and stir.
8. If you bought whole peeled tomatoes, pulse them in the food processor (with their juices) until roughly puréed, then transfer to the pot and stir. If you bought crushed tomatoes, pour them directly into the pot and stir.
9. Crumble the tempeh into small pieces with your hands and stir it into the pot.
10. Add the nutritional yeast to the pot and stir.
11. Add all the seasonings (Italian seasoning, Spike or Mrs. Dash, Bragg aminos, crushed red pepper, and black pepper) to the pot and stir.
12. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for anywhere from 20 to 40 minutes, until all the veggies are completely softened and cooked through and the mixture is reduced/thickened to your liking.
13. At this point, if you didn't use Spike or Mrs. Dash seasoning, you can add sea salt to taste.
14. Remove from the heat, stir in the apple cider vinegar, and serve hot.

Notes

Soy-Free Variation: Replace the tempeh with 1 (15-oz.) can white beans (navy or cannellini beans), rinsed and drained, OR 1½ cups cooked brown/green lentils and omit the Bragg aminos or replace them with coconut aminos or sea salt to taste.

Chef's Tips:
- If you don't have a certain one of the veggies on hand, just leave it out! This recipe is VERY flexible.
- Similarly, if you want to ADD any veggies to this, be my guest! Chopped artichoke hearts or zucchini or yellow squash come to mind as great possible additions.
- One thing I do NOT recommend omitting from this recipe is the can of olives. Yes, even if you despise olives. My husband Matt can't stand them, and he had no idea they were in there—they're chopped to oblivion, so they simply add a salty, briny undertone that's fabulous and irreplaceable. Even if you don't like olives, please leave them in there!