Knead to Cook – Page 2 – Food & fitness obsessed girl.

The best zucchini brownies ever. Vegan. GF.

July 16, 2018 by Knead to Cook Filed Under: Brownies, Brunch, Desserts, Gluten Free, Holiday Baking Ideas, Nuts, Snacks, Vegan, Vegan proteins, Wheat Free 4 Comments

These brownies came out so unbelievably awesome… and I’m not even a brownie fan. The best & only recipe you’ll ever need. Seriously.

My dad harvested a behemoth zucchini from our garden yesterday and I wanted to do something different with it instead of bread or grilling it. The key with baking anything with zucchini is removing every last bit of water from it. Be patient and these delectable brownies will reward you, pinky promise! I’m not wasting anymore time chatting… we need to get to this, now! Happy Monday friends ~ ox.

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— Knead to Cook

Simple rainbow Swiss Chard recipe. Vegan. Gluten free.

July 6, 2018 by Knead to Cook Filed Under: Brunch, Gluten Free, Side dish, Vegan, Vegan proteins, Wheat Free, Your Life Edit Foundations 1 Comment

Have you ever tried Swiss Chard? Our garden is brimming with it. I love it. Its truly just lovely in color, which admittedly, why I’m drawn to plant it each spring. Nutritionally it has a strong nutritional profile.

18 milligrams (mg) of calcium.
0.65 mg of iron.
29 mg of magnesium.
17 mg of phosphorus.
136 mg of potassium.
10.8 mg of vitamin C.
110 micrograms (mcg) of vitamin A.
0.68 mg of vitamin E

We’ve been prepping chard this way for about 20 years and we just love it. Fast and quite tasty. I’ll admit that I eat a big of serving of this for dinner many nights. Swiss Chard is quite similar in a lot of ways to other greens like spinach. And yes, it’s one of those veggies that cooks down to pretty much nothing. The recipe is a mere guideline for portions. Feel free to use more if you have more on hand. Okay, let’s get cooking! And happy weekend.

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— Knead to Cook

The easiest vegan pesto sauce. Gluten free.

June 29, 2018 by Knead to Cook Filed Under: Brunch, Dips, Evolution Power Yoga 40 Days, Gluten Free, Holiday, Italian-inspired, Party Foods, Raw, Sauces, Vegan, Vegan proteins, Vitamix, Wheat Free Leave a Comment

This recipe is so easy. Pesto is one of our favorite sauces to make because we grow so much basil in our garden. Pesto is perfect in lieu of marinara sauce on pasta or on pizza crust. It’s also great on new potatoes in a salad, drizzled on roasted veggies or as a condiment on a sandwich or panini. So versatile and unbelievably easy to make.

If you’re new to cooking… try this recipe out. Seriously. We also use this as a dip for raw veggies. Plus with no dairy, it’s a great summer bbq recipe idea. I can go on and on… but I won’t. Take the recipe amounts as mere guide. I typically do handfuls versus cups. I do want to share this tip before I get into the specific recipe… when using this as a sauce on pasta, reserve some cooking liquid from the noodles. Once you’ve drained the noodles, add the pesto to toss along with 2-3 tbl of the cooking water to thin the sauce out. That’s it folk. Love you, enjoy!

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— Knead to Cook

Zucchini banana muffins. Vegan and gluten free.

June 21, 2018 by Knead to Cook Filed Under: Breads, Breakfast, Brunch, Desserts, Gift ideas, Gluten Free, Muffins, Snacks, Vegan, Vegan proteins, Wheat Free 3 Comments

Vegan & gluten free zucchini banana muffins.

After harvesting a behemoth zucchini from our garden this week… I quickly pondered a new recipe idea to use it up fast. I love to add zucchini to my smoothies, yes – it’s perfect for adding bulk and fiber without a ton of flavor to smoothies. But I always have muffins, bars or cookies on my counter for grab and go snacking so I opted for muffins. These muffins are so moist, not overly sweet and very filling.

Zucchini is a great veggie to sneak into food without kid-detectives seeing or tasting it. It’s virtually flavorless. Okay, so let’s get on with it. See below for pics and the recipe. Enjoy!

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— Knead to Cook

S’mores Popcorn. Vegan. Gluten Free.

June 14, 2018 by Knead to Cook Filed Under: 4th of July/Patriotic, Desserts, Gluten Free, Holiday, No bake/cooking required!, Popcorn, Snacks, Sponsored, Wheat Free 2 Comments

S’mores popcorn.

Hi friends! I’m excited to say I’m starting the next chapter of my life, an exciting job I’ve been dreaming of for along time. With that being said.. I’m promising to posting one new recipe per week as I’m not ready to step away from blogging and enjoy the interactions with you all. Recipe creation. The creative outlet. All of it. I hope to still educate, share and inspire you in the kitchen to eat whole, real vegan foods.

This week’s recipe is a fun take on s’mores. We’ve been in a serious Seattle-ish band of weather with quite a bit of rain. S’more in our fire pit have been far and few between. I thought this would be a super fun take on what we all love – popcorn, chocolate, roasted marshmallows and graham crackers. You can make as much as you need, perfect for a party or movie night, and I promise… leftovers will not exist. Even my 80 year old father devoured it!

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— Knead to Cook

Pumpkin Protein Pancakes. Vegan. Gluten Free.

June 5, 2018 by Knead to Cook Filed Under: Breakfast, Brunch, Evolution Power Yoga 40 Days, Fitness., Gluten Free, Holiday, Holiday Baking Ideas, Lucy Let's Go Post, Vegan, Vegan proteins 7 Comments

I know, it’s summer Robin (or almost) but the one ingredient I never stop using is pumpkin! Pumpkin is chock full of vitamins and is very low calorie. Vitamin A, potassium and antioxidant rich. Plus vitamin C & fiber which help promote a healthy blood pressure & heart. So many benefits in this vibrant-colored ingredient. Plus along with everything else that grows, it has protein. Protein! Never has one ingredient been so controversial for people. If you’re vegan like me – the typical question is… “Where do you get your protein?” to “How much is necessary in a diet?” At the vegfest this weekend…. this was a very popular question on the panel I was speaking on.

So how much protein do I need?

The US Department of Agriculture recommends that all men and women over the age of 19 should get at least 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day (or 0.37 grams per pound). That means a woman who is 130 pounds should get at least 48 grams of protein but some recommend 70-80 grams if you’re athletic. Depending on your daily activities, you still may not be getting enough to help your muscles recover from your workouts.

If you get too little protein, you can suffer from fatigue, weakness or muscle loss. Your metabolism slows down and you put yourself at risk of gaining weight. It also weakens your immune system. This breakfast can be made ahead on the weekend so that you can refrigerate or freeze them and defrost as needed. Plus this makes a perfect quick & healthy breakfast for your kids too. And let’s face it… homemade trumps store-bought daily. These are vegan & gluten free.

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— Knead to Cook

Instant Pot Coconut Steel Cut Oats. V. GF.

May 30, 2018 by Knead to Cook Filed Under: Breakfast, Brunch, Gluten Free, Pressure Cooker, Vegan, Vegan proteins, Wheat Free 5 Comments

Instant Pot Coconut Steel Cut Oats. Vegan. GF.

Steel cut oats are the super food that you can prep on the weekend and enjoy all week long. Serve hot or cold! You may have heard of them but steered clear because they differ from the traditional rolled oats you’re so accustomed to seeing. Well steel cut oats are from the same plants but they aren’t rolled in their processing. They are also not steamed like regular oats before they are sliced and rolled to flatten. Rolled oats cook much faster and can be used in the raw form of overnight oats. Steel cut oats take about 10 minutes to cook but are so worth it because the benefits outweigh it’s flattened counterpart.

Steel cut oats are considered a power food. They are an exceptional source of protein, soluble and insoluble fiber, vitamins and minerals. Steel cut oats help improve blood sugar levels thanks to the beta-glucan and also help assist in lowering cholesterol. I partnered these powerhouse oats with coconut which is excellent for one’s immunity as we quickly approach flu & cold season. Coconut’s saturated fat also doesn’t impact cholesterol. Its antioxidant properties are known to slow down the aging process by protecting the body from harmful free- radicals. It supports healthy hair, bones and teeth. The benefits are vast!

This tasty breakfast can be prepped on Sunday and it can be warmed up quickly in the morning for up to 5 days. Perfect quick breakfast idea!
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— Knead to Cook

Breakfast oatmeal chocolate chip muffins. Vegan. GF.

May 21, 2018 by Knead to Cook Filed Under: Breakfast, Brunch, Gluten Free, Holiday Baking Ideas, Muffins, Snacks, Vegan, Vegan proteins, Wheat Free, Your Life Edit Foundations Leave a Comment

Hello dear friends! Happy Monday, fresh new week and hopefully beautiful weather. Pennsylvania has converted over to Seattle last week & I started to think the rains were never going to end. However, the sun finally came out today, beautiful temps and everything is so lush and green! Doors are opened and we are breathing in all the wonderfully clean air till the allergens pop back up. Ha.

Today, as it is every Monday, the day to refresh snacks for the week. These oatmeal muffins are a long-time fave. The recipe morphs a bit each time I make them, depending what I have on hand, but they are delightful nonetheless. Packed with fiber and healthy fats to keep you satisfied for hours. My kids love these when running out the door to school, work or babysitting jobs. They also make a nice, healthy dessert after dinner. Pack up well in lunches. Great on-the-go snack.

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— Knead to Cook

Green Pea Ricotta Spread on Baguette. V. GF.

May 14, 2018 by Knead to Cook Filed Under: Appetizers, Brunch, Cheese, Easter, Evolution Power Yoga 40 Days, Fitness., Gluten Free, Holiday, Italian-inspired, Party Foods, Side dish, Snacks, Vegan, Vegan proteins, Vitamix, Wheat Free 5 Comments

Green pea ricotta spread. Vegan. Gluten free.

Happy Monday friends. I hope your mother’s day weekend was incredibly fun, food-filled and joyous. This weekend we hosted Kira’s friends for her 17th birthday party. Then after a trip to the gym early Sunday, we went to Philly for brunch and shopping. It was the best. My heart was filled along with my stomach.

I’ve been recreating a bunch of old Lucy Activewear recipes that were lost since they merged with North Face. This is a big favorite for summer, outdoor dining with friends. Easy and prep-ahead! It’s light and filling. Great appetizer or side for dinner or soup. Great for parties too! All of the ingredients can be found at Whole Foods or local specialty food markets. Vegan and gluten free!

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— Knead to Cook

Last minute Mother’s Day Gift Guide. Vegan.

May 6, 2018 by Knead to Cook Filed Under: Gift ideas, Holiday, Vegan Leave a Comment

||1. Ella & Mila nail polish collection. Beautiful summer colors perfect for manis and pedis this summer. 2. Drunk Elephant Baby Facial is seriously everything. This is a perfect treat for mom, or yourself. One of the best masks I’ve used in the past 2 years. 3. I don’t know about your momma, but this girl always needs a new set of summer pajamas to replace my ratty old tee and boxer shorts. Cute, summery and super cozy. 4. The Vitamix! I get it, this one is an investment but one she will use daily for years! I absolutely adore my Vitamix and use it daily, multiple times from sauces, soups to smoothies. Even banana ice cream. Cannot live without! 5. These sweet Anthropologie measure cups are perfection! Sweet, pretty and a lovely update for her kitchen or yours (not judging). 6. Another investment however another item I own and LOVE, LOVE, LOVE! It dries my super thick hair in 3-4 minutes. I’ve owned for 1.5 years now and it’s the best dryer ever. This Dyson is not only a powerhouse but it’s actually pretty too! 7. Milk Boss Skincare set is a great way to sample some incredible products and these are perfection for summer. Comes with a sweet little bag to boot! I have and love. 8. A piece of jewelry needed to be on my gift guide list and this delicate bracelet with her initial is a classic, cherished gift item. 9. What mom can’t use a fresh new summer bag? The lighter vegan leather color is so beautiful for summer. Plus the cross body style is great for all those summer day trips or vacations she has planned.||