Knead to Cook

Food & fitness obsessed girl.

The easiest triple nut butter. Vegan. GF.

by Filed Under: Condiments, Gluten Free, Nuts, Pantry, Vegan, Vinaigrette, Wheat Free, Your Life Edit Foundations Leave a Comment

While testing some breakfast cookie recipes yesterday I ran out of almond butter. Needless to say, I whipped out my food processor and got to work. Any nut butter is truly so simple to make and I’m a huge fan of controlling what ingredients go into my food so this one is super clean and oh so tasty, with the help of a simple tip listed in the recipe below. I hope you enjoy!

Ingredients:

3 cups of nuts (your choice) I used raw walnuts, almonds and cashews. Pecans, pepitas or sunflower seeds also work beautifully too!


Optional mix-ins:

1 tsp Celtic or himalayan salt
Medjool date
maple syrup
chia seeds
flax seeds

Method:
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Place a single layer of your nuts onto a baking sheet. Bake for 12 minutes or until fragrant and lightly golden. Remove and allow to cool completely.

Place the cooled nuts into your food processor and blend for about one and a half minutes. The mixture should be creamy (if you want chunkier, check after 45 seconds). If you’re adding salt or any other mix-ins, add and blend again quickly.

Store in an airtight glass container in your pantry. Enjoy!

No need to pre-soak your nuts of choice.

Allow the nuts to cool before processing.
Still a bit chunkier for me, I blended to 1:30 minutes for the perfect creamy texture.

— Knead to Cook

Easy Dill Yogurt Dip Sauce. Vegan. Gluten free.

by Filed Under: Breakfast, Brunch, Dips, Gluten Free, Party Foods, Raw, Sauces, Snacks, Vegan, Vegan proteins, Vinaigrette, Vitamix, Wheat Free, Your Life Edit Foundations Leave a Comment

Easy dill yogurt sauce/dip. Vegan. Gluten free.

This has been one hell of a week.  No joke.  I got hit with some weird virus that is like someone is manipulating a crazy voodoo doll of me minute to minute.  Every morning I’ve felt good, not great.  I’ve been able to cook and prep food for clients and my family.  But then by 3 every afternoon… nausea, aches, pains, fatigue hits like a ton of bricks.  Then put that record on repeat… So today I’ve managed to eat 2 whole meals and feel decent.  May the healthy body gods be shining their light upon me.  I’m not a good sick person.  However I did manage 14.5 hours of sleep last night (insert shocking face emoji here).  Onward & upward.

I am the queen of roasting all the veggies – seriously, all the time.  I’ve been using a mixture of ACV and hummus to dress them but have been craving dill lately.  So I grabbed some fresh dill at the market Saturday and the gears went into high gear. This is not a Tzatziki but similar type of sauce.  I love this on salads in lieu of dressing, adding a drizzle on roasted or raw veggies… my husband was even dipping veggie chips into it.  Whatever floats your boat. Super easy recipe and the flavors develop nicely the next day.

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— Knead to Cook

Curry Chickpea Salad. Vegan. Gluten Free.

by Filed Under: Beans, Brunch, Dressings, Gluten Free, Indian-inspired., Nuts, Salads, Vegan, Vegan proteins, Vinaigrette, Vitamix, Wheat Free, Your Life Edit Foundations Leave a Comment


Curry chickpea salad.  Vegan.  Gluten free.

First, who am I blogging two recipes already this week?  Ha ha.  Okay… so on Saturday we stopped at Alchemy in Columbus, Ohio and I got a small container of their curry chickpea salad.  I was fortunate enough to find Hummusapien’s recipe online (she works with them) and was all over whipping up a batch because it was that good!  I was out of cashews (subbed out almonds) but this recipe is spot on & oh so delish.  I loved the simplicity of this recipe.  I’ve been adding a ton of turmeric to my diet for it’s anti-inflammatory properties.  Plus, hey I’m a sucker for all things curry.

This dish is packed with great nutrition.  Tons of protein and I love it for lunch or dinner in my monster green salad.  Plus, my husband loves it for lunch on bread or with burrito wraps.  I’m also thinking that this recipe is spot on for summer parties – plus you can prep it a day ahead of time to let the flavors develop.  This recipe is perfect for newbie chefs too as it’s impossible to fail.  🙂

Okay let’s get to the kitchen and get this started…
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— Knead to Cook

Vegetable Ribbon Salad with Citrus Vinaigrette. V. GF.

by Filed Under: Brunch, Easter, Gluten Free, Raw, Salads, Side dish, Vegan, Vinaigrette, Wheat Free 1 Comment

 

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Summer has made an impromptu appearance this week with our 90+ degree temperatures.  Hotter temps drive me to eating lighter foods.  I’ve created many salads like this but it worth an update and share with you all here.

Parties, picnics, brunches and gatherings are all starting and my menu planning is in full swing.  This salad is so beautiful. Local farmer’s markets are brimming with rainbow carrots, beets, zucchinis…. pretty much any color veggie that you can slice on a mandoline or with a hand peeler will work in this recipe.  It can be prepped a few hours ahead of time and serves up beautifully without concerns of spoiling with the hotter temperatures.

I love pairing up salads like this with some rice or quinoa for a nice dinner idea as well.  Leftovers also make a tasty lunch the next day.  Hope you’re having a lovely day enjoying the sunshine and warmth.  Remember to hydrate!

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— Knead to Cook

Maille FlavorHero Dijon Recipes. Vegan. Gluten free.

by Filed Under: Breakfast, Brunch, Condiments, Dips, Dressings, Gluten Free, Raw, Rubs, Salads, Sauces, Side dish, Snacks, Sponsored, Vegan, Vegan proteins, Vegetarian, Vinaigrette, Vitamix 4 Comments


Incorporating flavor into existing recipes or food preparation can seem daunting but going to back to basics can be quite impactful and so simple to do.  I’ve long loved Maille Dijon and have created many recipes using their flavorful Dijons.  And let me digress by saying not all Dijons on the market are created equal.  La Maison Maille has been producing for more than 267 years. The tradition is kept alive by the team of experts who create the products today, preserving the excellence that defines La Maison Maille in a continual quest for innovation and perfection. It is the attention to detail that sets La Maison Maille apart – the carefully selected ingredients, the nuances of the recipes, the expertise in the methods used and the elegant black and gold packaging.

Maille is currently running a Flavor Heroes Contest that you can enter.  All you need to do it tell them how you use a Maille product to enhance your favorite dishes and you can be featured in a recipe video along with winning  a 5 piece signature Le Creuset cookware.  Click here to enter!  And now let me share some ways I incorporate their products into 3 of my favorite dishes.

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— Knead to Cook

Spinach and basil ricotta baked lasagna. Vegan. Gluten free.

by Filed Under: Evolution Power Yoga 40 Days, Gluten Free, Italian-inspired, Pasta, Sauces, Vegan, Vegan proteins, Vinaigrette, Wheat Free Leave a Comment

Spinach & basil ricotta baked lasagna.  This recipe is both gluten and dairy free – along with being completely vegan.

As you all know, I’ve been experimenting quite a bit with vegan lasagna lately.  I made my own tofu ricotta here and as wonderful as it turned out – this one has taken first place.  I recently tried Kite Hill nut-based ricotta that I picked up at Whole Foods.  I was so excited to try it.  My first recipe was this Ricotta Mousse.  My daughter devoured the entire thing!   My faith had immediately been restored in ricotta that wasn’t dairy based.  Next up, I started pondering my next recipe, after all I had bought a case of it because we loved it so much.  What to do?!

Spinach and basil ricotta is very classic combination in Italian cooking.  I knew I wanted to go down that road but stuffed shells or lasagna.  My family voted… & lasagna it was.  And from there this super easy recipe was born.  Don’t stress the quantities, but taste as you go and adjust to your preference.  The joy of cooking is the flexibility that you have unlike in baking, which is more exact.
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— Knead to Cook

Wheat Berry Cran Salad. Vegan.

by Filed Under: Brunch, Evolution Power Yoga 40 Days, Holiday, Side dish, Thanksgiving, Vegan, Vegan proteins, Vegetarian, Vinaigrette 7 Comments

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Wheat berry cran salad.

This salad is a staple on my Thanksgiving menu.  The orange flavored cranberries are such a fun twist on a classic seasonal berry.  Wheat berries are not gluten free so please note that for any of your gf guests.  As many grain types – the wheat berry is packed with carbs, fiber and protein.  If you’ve never had a wheat berry, they are a very sturdy grain that holds up nicely in salads.  This dish can be made several days ahead of time, allowing the vinaigrette to develop with the wheat berry.  Serve cold or at room temperature.  This salad is perfect to take to your host’s home or to place on your Thanksgiving buffet.  This salad is also perfect for lunch or during the week or as a side dish.

Is anyone ready for Thanksgiving?  I feel like we went from September to Thanksgiving in a hot second.  Crazy to think I’ll have a Christmas tree in my house next Friday.  Time to babysit the dogs/tree for hours on end… lol.

I also wanted to let you all know that the winner for the tempeh will be posted on Instagram!

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— Knead to Cook

Lentil Salad with Dijon Lemon Vinaigrette. Vegan. Gluten Free.

by Filed Under: Beans, Brunch, Evolution Power Yoga 40 Days, Gluten Free, Holiday, Lentils, Party Foods, Pressure Cooker, Side dish, Vegan, Vegan proteins, Vinaigrette, Wheat Free 4 Comments

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This recipe is inspired by one of my favorites from Gwyneth Paltrow’s It’s All Good cookbook.  This salad is great as a stand alone, paired up with greens in a salad (think protein source) or as a side dish to another protein.  We’ve even paired this with gf pasta and love it.  The flavors are light and summery with the citrus boost of lemon.  Also a great addition to your taco bar or for your Sunday brunch.  Think outside of the box.

Lentils are packed with nutrients critical to help you running on all cylinders.  So not only are they a wonderful source of protein they also boast…
90 percent of folate
37 percent of iron
49 percent of manganese
36 percent of phosphorus
22 percent of thiamin
21 percent of potassium
18 percent of vitamin B6

This recipe, stored in an airtight container is perfect to keep in the fridge all week long.  Hope you give this one a try!

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— Knead to Cook

Quinoa Summer Veggie Salad with Ginger Vinaigrette. V. GF.

by Filed Under: 4th of July/Patriotic, Beans, Brunch, Gluten Free, No bake/cooking required!, Party Foods, Salads, Side dish, Vegan, Vegan proteins, Vinaigrette, Vitamix, Wheat Free Leave a Comment

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Happy August!  The summer is flying by.  School starts this month.  We’re prepping for that & submitting the last of our college applications.  Pure emotional roller coaster.  Last week was our first week without any swim meets during the work week.  It was nice to get back to cooking and having mostly everyone home for dinner in the evening.

As apart of my food prep each weekend I always make a large batch of quinoa and rice.  I opted to add a ton of our garden veggies to it for a filling and vitamin-packed salad.  My carnivores ate this salad as a side dish & the rest of us had this as a main.  Plus this salad is perfect for brown bagged lunches.  And because it has no dairy to spoil – a great option to take to a BBQ or potluck.
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— Knead to Cook

Raw peanut butter cookie bars. Vegan. GF.

by Filed Under: Breakfast, Brunch, Desserts, Gluten Free, Holiday, Holiday Baking Ideas, Nuts, Party Foods, Raw, Snacks, Vegan, Vegan proteins, Vinaigrette, Vitamix, Wheat Free 2 Comments

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I have been making my PT a different healthy snack every time I have an appointment.  I made these yesterday with pantry items I had on hand.  I’ve made these in small cookie form and yesterday I opted to make them in bar form.  They came out great & were incredibly flavorful.  Sweet & salty.  Seriously the best combination. Keep these in the freezer and pop them on your oatmeal, when you need a snack or atop of your favorite vegan ice cream.  You can even stack these for a cookie ice cream sandwich… oh the possibilities 😉

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— Knead to Cook