Knead to Cook

Food & fitness obsessed girl.

Archives for July 2019

Avocado and Bean Salad. Vegan.

by Filed Under: Beans, Brunch, Gluten Free, Salads, Vegan, Vegan proteins, Wheat Free

Oh kneadtocook.com has been under attack as of lately. Sadly, hacker attempts have been quite plentiful. Hopefully now it’s safe & secure. So on the Monday-est Monday ever – I’m sharing a delicious, and oh-so-easy, recipe that is great all week long for lunch or dinner. I made two batches of this and it lasted us a solid 4 days. Lunch, dinner, snacks… it was perfect! Bill enjoyed it on tortillas. I added it to salads. My dad ate it straight away. It was a great, fiber and protein packed dish!

Let’s get started…

Ingredients:
1 avocado, sliced in cubes
1 bunch of cilantro, leaves removed – washed and coarsely chopped
1 small or 1/2 of a large red onion, diced finely
1 can of beans (pinto, kidney, black… whatever you have on hand)- drained and rinsed well
1 medium to large tomato, chopped
The juice of one lime
2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar
1 tsp of smoked paprika
Pinch or two of coarse salt
Pepper

Method:

Combine all of your ingredients in a bowl and toss well. Adjust seasoning as needed. Store in an airtight container for 4-5 days in the refrigerator.

Can you believe we are at the end of July? Insane. Here’s to embracing the last days of summer.

~ox

— Knead to Cook

The super easy raw Asian salad. Vegan. Gluten free.

by Filed Under: 4th of July/Patriotic, Asian inspired, Brunch, Fruit, Gluten Free, Party Foods, Salads, Side dish, Vegan, Vegan proteins

This is one of my all-time favorite salads ever. But the trade off is that your kitchen will be quite messy due to the prep work but in the long run… it’s totally worth it! If you prefer, check your local market for sliced/chopped veggies that would make this recipe prep faster/easier.

I’ve been on a mission to eat as many different veggies and fruits in each meal I make. This one is packed with tons of veggies and the flavor – perfection! So less chatting and more sharing… can’t wait to hear what you think! Please leave me a comment if you make this salad. And please know that this dish makes a ton! Perfect for a big family gathering or as a meal prep on the weekend for the week. Please note if you wish to meal prep this salad for the week – prepare and store the dressing in a separate container and dress when needed.

Ingredients:

4 tbl of rice vinegar
4 tbl of liquid aminos or soy sauce
2 tbl of tahini paste
1 tablespoon of maple syrup
1-2 larger mandarin orange segments, peel and set aside
1 larger nub of fresh ginger, peeled and grated finely
1 tsp of chili paste
3 cups of Napa cabbage, finely chopped
3 cups of red cabbage
1 cup of shelled edamame, I used frozen and defrosted
1 bag (about 2 cups) of shredded carrots
1 lb of Brussels Sprouts finely grated or sliced on a mandolin
2 large red bell peppers, sliced into small pieces
1/2 to 1 cup of dry roasted organic peanuts or Marcona almonds
4 green onions, finely chopped
Garnish: 2 tbl black sesame seeds

Method:

Into a very large bowl, add your rice vinegar, aminos, tahini paste & syrup. Whisk to combine. Then add your remaining ingredients. I used a mandolin to slice the cabbages and Brussels sprouts for really thin slices. Toss to coat prior to serving. Enjoy!


This salad is the perfect summer lunch or dinner idea. Again: If you wish, you can always add the dressing ingredients to a Mason jar and keep separate if you aren’t eating that day. Just dress prior to serving. Enjoy!






— Knead to Cook

Banana Blueberry Muffins. Vegan. Gluten free.

by Filed Under: Breads, Breakfast, Brunch, Fruit, Gluten Free, Holiday Baking Ideas, Snacks, Vegan, Wheat Free

Being inundated with blueberries this time of year, they inevitably end up in breads, muffins or pancakes. I absolutely love berries and all the fresh fruit. Blueberries are a great source of fiber, vitamins A, C, K1 and manganese. Along with being antioxidant rich, they encompass the following plant compounds:

Not only are they packed with healthy goodness, they are the perfect summer treat! This recipe yielded 13 average-sized muffins.

See recipe below…

Ingredients:

2 large bananas, mashed till creamy
1 flax egg (1 tbl ground flax mixed with 3 tbl water – allow to sit 5 minutes until thickened)
1/3 cup of a neutral oil (avocado, refined coconut etc.)
1/3 cup of a nut based milk
2 heaping cups of oat flour (make sure they are certified organic)
1/4 cup of coconut sugar
1 1/3 tbl of baking powder
Pinch of salt
1 cup of blueberries (see notes)
1/3 cup of walnut pieces

Method:

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Line your muffin tins with a liner or spray with oil.

Into a bowl add your bananas and mash until a creamy consistency. Add your flax egg, oil and nut based milk (I used almond and oat and both worked nicely). Mix until incorporated. Then proceed to add your oat flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Blend. Wash your blueberries and toss with a tablespoon of oat flour – this will help suspend the blueberries in the muffins v. having them sink to the bottom. By hand mix and proceed to add the walnut pieces (I normally top each muffin with additional walnut pieces). Spoon into your muffin tins (3/4 of the way full). Bake for 24-28 minutes or until golden brown. Remove and allow to cool before eating.

Life remains really busy between work, family, home and working out. I’ve been enjoying weightlifting, limiting my cardio and hot power yoga. Although limited in some moves with my knee, I’m embracing all that I can do along with looking inward and challenging myself.

I hope you’re enjoying summer and embracing all the lovely fruits and veggies that come along with the warm weather. Sending you all my love,

— Knead to Cook