Knead to Cook

Food & fitness obsessed girl.

Air fried banana peel bacon.

by Filed Under: Brunch, Fruit, Gluten Free, Holiday, Snacks, Vegan proteins

Yes that’s what I said, banana peel bacon! We’ve been on a kick to reduce waste in our home for years but now that we live in the city we don’t compost as much as we like so I’ve been seeking ways to use every part of fruits and veggies that we can. I found this information quite beneficial and wanted to share.

Depression Relief

The high levels of tryptophan in bananas, combined with the B6 in banana peels, can help relieve some symptoms of depression and other mood disorders. Tryptophan turns into serotonin as it breaks down, which can improve your mood. Vitamin B6 can help improve sleep, which has a positive impact on mood over time.

Digestive Health

Fiber-rich banana peels can help regulate the digestive system, easing both constipation and diarrhea. This can be a particularly important benefit of banana peels for people with Crohn’s disease or irritable bowel syndrome.

Better Eyesight

Vitamin A can help keep your eyes strong and healthy. This vitamin is abundant in both bananas and banana peels.

Ingredients:
2 banana peels (larger)
3 tbl of liquid aminos (if you prefer less sodium use a low sodium soy or liquid aminos)
1 tbl of maple syrup
2 tsp liquid smoke
2 tsp smoked paprika
2 tsp garlic powder
Pinch smoked salt if you have it

Method:

I rinsed the banana peels thoroughly and remove and stickers. Scrape the inside of each banana peel as photographed. Discard what you’ve scraped.

Repeat until every banana has been scraped clean. In a large mixing bowl add your ingredients and toss the banana peels in that. Allow to marinade at least 30 minutes.

I placed in my air fryer, single layer, at 375 degrees for 8 minutes, start watching closely at 5-6 minute mark. Remove and use on avocado toast, along side your tofu scramble or whatever you love!

Please, let me know what you think! Have a fantastic day. ~ox

— Knead to Cook

1857 city home aesthetic. Home decor. Empty nesting. Primary bedroom & bathroom.

by Filed Under: City living

Let me give you a bit of a recap. I do hate adding too much text in my normal postings however this needs a bit of a backstory. In September, Bill and I were discussing selling our 4k sq ft family home in suburbia. Our girls are grown and out and it was just the three of us (my dad included). It was too much maintenance and we ultimately had aspirations of living in the city. We contacted our friends/realtor to discuss. She honestly wanted us to stay but something was pulling us. Fast forward to October and we listed it! The house listing went live on a Thursday night and we planned showings Friday- Sunday ending by 4p. We would reconvene at 5p at her office to review offers and make our decision. 18 showings, 9 offers later we had made our decision. Closing was slated for Dec 31st.

With that the process of downsizing & selling/donating everything we owned began. It was quite an undertaking. That while searching for our new, smaller city home. Well the market was exceptional for selling it was a nightmare for purchasing. Houses came and went under contract in hours.

By the end of October, we were heading to see an AirBnB we were considering renting for a few months. You see, Bill wanted to rent until spring when he felt the market would be saturated. I didn’t have the same feeling and was quite anxious to find something asap.

On our way to the viewing of the home, we passed by a row home that was clearly being flipped. I made mental note and after the showing, we headed over. Bill knocked on the door and the rest is history! We made a full ask offer from the trio (real estate agent/2 carpenter flippers). The house was built in 1857 and was completely renovated down to the windows/heating/ac unit. Thankfully they kept many charming details. We were in love. But the long story short is that the inspection revealed an outside water pipe issue that needed repair at 35k. After bumping up our closing to the 15th of Dec., we pushed it back and ultimately closed a week before Christmas.

Although the house was renovated, we added many other touches from the plate glass shower partition, shutters, all window treatments, carpeting the staircases, painting the front door, installing window boxes and ultimately the backyard which begins construction in one month.

Each week I’ll be sharing some pics from the home per request & we hope you enjoy our 1500 sq ft city row home.

Long gone is our spacious Peloton room we had in our old house. I oddly feel better in this closer, less wasted space home. Everything has a home, purpose and honesty is a dream to clean now. Our Peloton is in our master and my weights live under our bed.

From our bedroom you walk down a small hallway (each of us have a lovely walk-in closet with pocket doors to our bathroom.

Our bathroom is not short on space but countertop space is limited with a large sink. We have two larger, low-profile baskets underneath the custom made cabinet for extra storage. Plus we added two reclaimed wood shelves for skincare/toothpaste/spf that we use daily along with a small makeup caddy. This move has taught me that more is just more and not necessarily better. We do also have a linen closet in the hallway that was supposed to be used for laundry (we opted to put that in the basement) that houses all of our extra supplies not kept on our shelving in the bathroom.

That’s it from our bedroom sanctuary. Stay tuned next week for another reveal.
~ox

— Knead to Cook

How to build the perfect grain bowl.

by Filed Under: Beans, Gluten Free, Lentils, Nuts, Raw, Salads, Tofu, Vegan, Vegan proteins, Wheat Free

If you follow me on any form of social media, you know I eat a grain bowl daily. It’s my go-to easy and fast meal idea for lunch or dinner. Today, I’m going to give you the basics so you can build the perfect bowl in under 5 minutes flat!

First, I meal prep on the weekends to make weekly lunches or dinners super fast. My basics that I cover each weekend:
Make a batch or two of my chosen grain. This week I did a black, forbidden rice.
I roast or bake 3 large potatoes or various roasted veggies.
Prep my chosen protein – this week I made tofu (recipe can be found here).

So I won’t give you exact measurements as I create bowls custom per person. But here’s how I get started…

Use a larger, wider mouth bowl or plate per person.
Create a base of mixed greens, Romaine, spinach, kale or whatever greens you love. The more the better!
Then visually divide your bowl or plate into 1/4ths.
Fill 1/4th your plate with your protein of choice.
1/4th of your grain of choice.
If I use potatoes, I fill the third 1/4th with them. If I do a mix of roasted veggies, I fill the remaining 1/2th with them.
Top the plate with 2-3 tbl of nuts or seeds.
Dressing: drizzle with balsamic, hot sauce, hummus, lemon juice or the dressing of choice.

The more I make bowls, the more I customize it per person’s preferences. If I have a day of lower protein, I’ll add more into my bowl. I always overload my greens and veggies regardless. More color the better!

Additional raw veggies to add:
Red cabbage thinly sliced
Pickled jalapeños or onions
Carrots
Cucumbers
Broccoli
Cauliflower
Red onion
Peas
Watermelon radishes
Snap peas
Olives
Peppers
Sprouts
Beans or lentils

The variety you add increases your gut health meaning the more varied plants you eat, the more diversified your gut bacteria. This yields a happier and healthier microbiome. Have fun with it. I hope this helps you build your perfect bowl!



~ ox

— Knead to Cook

Single serving chia pudding. Vegan & GF.

by Filed Under: Breakfast, Brunch, Gluten Free, Raw, Snacks, Vegan, Vegan proteins, Wheat Free

For years I’ve been a diehard overnight oats fan. Still am. But I work extremely crazy hours and sometimes the oats aren’t leaving me satiated a long time and I need that. Still one of my favorite breakfast go-to items but lately, I’ve been dabbling with an overnight chia pudding recipe. Simple. Easy. Packed with fiber, healthy fats, omega 3’s, protein, antioxidants and the net carbs are pretty low. With all that said, this breakfast has staying power. Tested it out last week when I had 4a shift and this kept me filled until noon! NOON! What?! Yep. So let’s go!

Ingredients:
3 tbl of black or white chia
3/4 cup of a unsweetened plant based milk
1/2 tbl of maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract

Method:
Into a glass jar add your ingredients. Close with a lid securely and shake vigorously. I leave it on my counter for about 10 minutes shaking often. Once everything is blended well, place in your fridge. The next day, or whenever, dump into a bowl and top with your favorite fresh or frozen fruit, nut butter & whatever else you love. You can easily double or triple this recipe for the week. I’ve also added some vegan yogurt to my bowl with the chia pudding. It’s so good! Enjoy.

~0x

— Knead to Cook

Antioxidant-Packed Protein Smoothie without banana

by Filed Under: Breakfast, Brunch, Fruit, Gluten Free, Smoothies, Vegan proteins, Vitamix

I’ve decided that I need to share of my really simple, go-to recipes I eat daily but just assume everyone is familiar with how to make. Not true. I hope this recipe serves as a basis for your own creativity when it comes to your pre-workout, breakfast, snack or recovery smoothie bowl. Quickly the why I make this dish: Antioxidants are compounds that inhibit oxidation, a chemical reaction that can produce free radicals and chain reactions that may damage the cells of organisms in the body.

This recipe is creamy, thick and ice cream-like. I love it super thick as it satisfies my sweet tooth! Okay, let’s get started!

Ingredients:
3/4 cup of unsweetened vegan milk of choice (I barely cover the blades of my Vitamix)
1 cup frozen wild blueberries
1 giant handful of greens (baby greens like spinach or kale or a mix)
Pinch of salt
1 tbl raw cacao powder
1 scoop of your favorite vegan protein (I prefer Vega Sport vanilla)
3-4 ice cubes
If it doesn’t blend, add a touch of water incrementally until it just starts to blend.

Method:
Add the ingredients in order into your blender. Start to blend on low, if it has trouble blending I add a touch of water as needed to just get it to blend. The key to thickness is the lack of excessive liquid. A must to a frosty, smooth smoothie bowl is to blend for 2 minutes. Then spoon into the bowl and top with your favorites.

That’s a wrap for now!

— Knead to Cook

Easy creamy one pot vegan tomato soup.

by Filed Under: Brunch, Soups, Vegan, Vegan proteins, Vitamix

Someone close to us tested positive for Covid add in a very dark & gloomy rainy day… I knew what had to be done. Soup! Creamy, delicious and filling. I made a huge pot along with some freshly baked bread to deliver to the porch of someone very sweet. This soup doesn’t use any cream to yield a thick texture yet an unconventional twist. I hope you enjoy!

Ingredients:
Olive oil for the bottom of your pan (1-2 tbl)
1 one medium sized yellow onion, roughly diced
6-10 garlic cloves, smashed and chopped
1/4 cup of nutritional yeast
1 tbl smoked paprika
2 tsp salt
2 tsp thyme
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp red chili flakes
2 – 32 oz cans of crushed tomatoes, fire roasted
4 cups of veggie broth
3 slices of thin or 2 thicker slices of bread (I used organic whole wheat) Stale bread works perfectly here!
Finishing it off, ground pepper
A few drizzles of maple syrup

Method:
Into a large Dutch oven, add your olive oil over medium heat. Add your onions and cook 4-6 minutes, stirring often. Add garlic and stir. From there add all of your spices through cinnamon. Stir to coat and cook for 3 minutes. Then add your tomatoes and broth. Bring to a boil and cook for 20 minutes with a lid on. Add your bread slices and push down into the soup with your spoon or ladle. With a hand immersion blender, blend the soup until completely smooth. The bread will thicken up your soup nicely. I allow it to simmer on very low heat, covered, until we are ready to eat. Prior to serving, I add a few drizzles of a spicy maple syrup (regular works too) to the soup. Stir and serve.


Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Makes the perfect meal prep idea or food gift for someone in need.

~ox

— Knead to Cook

Green lentil taco “meat”. Vegan. Plant based. GF

by Filed Under: Gluten Free, Lentils, Mexican, Vegan, Vegan proteins, Wheat Free

Happy Taco Tuesday sweet people! This is a really quick and easy recipe I created a few weeks ago & forgot to share. It’s really easy to use freshly cooked lentils, leftovers or canned! In our pursuit to remove as much processed foods from our diet, these are a perfect protein option for your taco bar! I also use in my salads too. Okay, let’s get started!

Ingredients:
2 cups of cooked green lentils (leftovers, freshly cooked or canned – drained)
1 tbl of avocado or olive oil
4-5 spring onions, washed and diced
5-6 garlic cloves
1 tbl smoked paprika
1 tbl ground cumin
2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp red chili flakes
2 tbl liquid aminos
1 tbl of liquid smoke

Method:

Cook your lentils according to package instructions or if using canned, drain completely.

Into a sauté pan, add your cooking oil over medium heat carefully. Add your onions and garlic. Stirring often, cook for 4-6 minutes. Then proceed to add your spices and liquids. Finally add lentils. Stir well to blend. Taste and adjust spices, adding additional as your preference dictates. Serve immediately or remove from the heat. Allow to cool and store in an airtight container.

I add these to my taco bar as a meat substitute.
Additionally:
Add to salads as a protein
Atop of nachos.
In chili or enchiladas. Limitless ideas!

Enjoy!

~ox

— Knead to Cook

Lemon Protein Bites. Vegan & GF.

by Filed Under: Breakfast, Brunch, Desserts, Nuts, Snacks, Vegan proteins, Vitamix, Wheat Free

So our sweet Meyer lemon tree went from our old house to our neighbor’s house while we lived in a hotel and then moved into our new home. During that time, he traveled a lot and the tree didn’t get watered or loved. She lost most of her lemons and the 2 that did survive – my husband gave him one as a thank you. I’ve resisted picking it as long as I could but she was ready. I knew I had to use it for a good recipe and here it is. A fun little protein, fat bomb kinda lemon bite. Refreshing. Quite filling. Heart healthy. So good! We keep these in the freezer for a quick and easy dessert or pick-me-up!

Ingredients:
12 Medjool dates, pitted
1/2 cup raw almonds
1/2 cup raw cashews
Juice and zest from 1/2 lemon
1 tbl hemp hearts
1/2 cup shredded coconut
Pinch salt
1/2 cup + 2 tbl almond meal

Method:

Begin by adding your pitted dates, almonds & cashews into a jar or bowl and add hot water. Allow to soak for 30 minutes. Then drain. Add that along with your other ingredients to your food processor. Blend. You may need to scrape the sides down occasional to blend well. Then scoop (I used a small cookie scoop) balls out and place on a plate or tray. I freeze for 30 minutes then transfer to a container. I prefer to keep these frozen or refrigerated for freshness. Last 1 week in the fridge or 30 days in the freezer.

Enjoy!

— Knead to Cook

Simple 4 ingredient almond flour vanilla cookies.

by Filed Under: Breakfast, Brunch, Cookies

In a pursuit to keep my chatting to a minimum, because let’s face it you’re here to get the recipe ~This super easy recipe is a tiny diversion from this recipe I created years ago. Super easy, one bowl recipe. Quite tasty with a soft interior that is reminiscent of a macaroon. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
2 cups of almond flour
1/2 tsp of baking powder
1 tsp vanilla extra
1/3 cup of maple syrup
Optional: almond slivers for topping

Method:
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Bake on a lined cookie sheet for 10-12 minutes or until the edges are slightly golden. Remove and allow to cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes to firm up. Enjoy!

— Knead to Cook