Knead to Cook

Food & fitness obsessed girl.

Raw Vegan Brownie Bites. Gluten free.

by Filed Under: Breakfast, Brownies, Brunch, Desserts, Fruit, Gluten Free, Holiday, Holiday Baking Ideas, Raw, Vegan, Vegan proteins, Wheat Free Leave a Comment

Happy Friday my friends!  Still traveling, sorry for the delay in posting but internet (wifi) in some areas has been pathetic.  We’re still in Indiana as my oldest has her final freshman exam this morning and then we head out and make our pilgrimage back to Pennsylvania.  It’s been so much fun exploring Detroit and their vegan scene.  And of course moving Sydney out of her dorm, taking her friends out to dinner and being with her again makes my heart happy.  So I apologize for my absence but these little bites will make up for it!  Promise.  Easy.  Fast.  A chocolate punch without refined sugar and junky ingredients.

I made these last week at a girl’s event at Athleta.  The girls made these with my supervision… and had so much fun!  In fact, several sent me pics of the girls recreating in their own kitchens.  They’re chocolatey and decadent without being overtly sweet.  Packed with protein and nutrients… these aren’t just a treat but one with a nutritional punch.  I hope you enjoy!

[Read more…]

— Knead to Cook

Easy Cinnamon (no banana) muffins. Vegan. GF.

by Filed Under: Breakfast, Brunch, Gluten Free, Holiday, Quick Bread, Snacks, Vegan, Wheat Free Leave a Comment

 

Happy Boston Marathon Monday!  Did you watch it?  OMG so excited to see a US woman win!  Plus all of my friends absolutely crushed it & I’m so excited for them!  Okay, so if you could care less about the marathon… let’s talk about the weekend and the fleeting warmth we had on the east coast!  Did you enjoy it? Do anything fun?  My friend Joy texted me Thursday about a early morning walk Friday.  I bagged the gym and we hit the road.  5.5 miles before the mulch was delivered.  We worked all day gardening, cleaning, weeding and enjoying the sunshine and warmth.  It was heavenly.  Saturday was still nice so we went for our first of the season trail biking.  It was fun and an experiment on how my new knee would hold up.  2 hours of bumpy, rocky and super fun.  My a$$ hurts but it was so much fun riding along the river.  Then Sunday the cold/windy/rainy weather resumed.

Today was yet another dreary day and I’m in need of making muffin stash for the family.  Every week I make muffins or bars for easy snacking, running out the door food.  These cinnamon mini muffins came out perfectly!  Vegan and gluten free too!
[Read more…]

— Knead to Cook

Lemon Basil Creamy Pasta Sauce. Vegan. GF.

by Filed Under: Brunch, Easter, Evolution Power Yoga 40 Days, Gluten Free, Holiday, Italian-inspired, Nuts, Pasta, Sauces, Vegan, Vegan proteins, Vitamix, Wheat Free 2 Comments

Lemon Basil Creamy Pasta. Vegan and gluten free.  I originally created this recipe during the spring last year for Lucy Activewear but since they’ve transitioned over to North Face, and the posted recipes have been removed, I’m adding them back to my website so they’re still available for you.

This pasta dish would be perfect for your spring brunches, girls lunches, family dinner or for your Easter celebration.  This sauce is so easy to make plus the creamy texture comes from cashews, soaked, versus heavy cream.  The sauce has a lovely cheese-based flavor thanks to the nutritional yeast, tartness from the fresh lemon juice with a tangy flavor from the Dijon.  Then for an extra punch of flavor I added some fresh basil leaves, which also adds to the brightness to the dish.  This sauce can be prepared ahead of time to save time and just topped on your freshly cooked pasta.  I prefer wide noodle pastas for this substantial sauce. Bon appétit friends.

[Read more…]

— Knead to Cook

Mushroom, leek and tomato risotto. V. GF.

by Filed Under: Brunch, Easter, Gluten Free, Holiday, Side dish, Valentine's Day, Vegan, Vegan proteins, Wheat Free Leave a Comment

Happy hump day… or shall I say fizzled out Nor’Easter snow day?  All the hype… none of the punch.  Not complaining however all the schools closed here in anticipation for the storm impact & now it’s just a day the kids need to make up… again!

I recently got my hands on a copy of Lauren Toyota’s Hot for Food cookbook which you can find here.  I have always been a fan of ordering risotto out at restaurants but honestly, as I had kids, I moved away from cooking it.  It needs constant attention, which I’m apparently not a fan of… at all.  I prefer something to cook while I run around doing laundry, cleaning up and blogging.  Who’s with me?  Well, I have to say this recipe renewed my passion for risotto. This recipe is five stars!  I’m not even a fan of mushrooms but cutting them up into smaller pieces helped.  I have been eating leftovers for dinner all week long & not regretting it for one second.  On a side note, I’ve made 3 recipes from Lauren’s cookbook & this one is a winner!

[Read more…]

— Knead to Cook

Popcorn White Chocolate Chip Bars. Vegan. GF.

by Filed Under: Desserts, Gluten Free, Halloween, Holiday, Holiday Baking Ideas, Party Foods, Popcorn, Snacks, Sponsored, Vegan, Vegan proteins, Wheat Free Leave a Comment

 

The best combination of flavors in a sweet treat maybe EVAH!  These popcorn white chocolate chip bars are super moist, crunchy and flavor-packed.  I used my favorite popcorn ever, Live Love Pop, and it was the perfect combination with vegan white chocolate chips.  I wanted to make something Bill could eat, which is why I used white chocolate chips and it’s perfection. Seriously.  Kids, adults & everyone in between loves these.  I can’t wait for you to give these a try!

[Read more…]

— Knead to Cook

Pecan Blueberry Muffins. Vegan. Gluten free.

by Filed Under: Breakfast, Brunch, Gluten Free, Holiday, Holiday Baking Ideas, Muffins, Nuts, Snacks, Vegan, Vegan proteins, Wheat Free Leave a Comment

Ahhh my rainy day photos continue.  At some point, I’ll look at my pics again and love them.  I digress, happy Monday and almost the end of February.  Crazy!  It was a very rainy, yet productive weekend.  My husband finally committed to ordering another (thanks Tesla for the 1.5 yr delay in production) fully electric car.  It should be here by Wednesday.  Dog vet appointment done.  We also checked another box off the to-do list of ordering a piece of furniture we so desperately needed.  Good, yet expensive weekend.  By Sunday, my stomach was feeling a bit off and I knew I needed a snack for the week for the fam.  I normally make muffins or oat bars so they have a snack, breakfast or dessert when needed.  I found a great recipe from The Glowing Fridge and adapted it accordingly. The came out great, not overly sweet but just enough.  Filling.  Gluten free and vegan so I’m happy.  With that, we begin our Monday.

[Read more…]

— Knead to Cook

Almond butter cookies. Vegan. Gluten free.

by Filed Under: Breakfast, Brunch, Cookies, Gluten Free, Holiday, Holiday Baking Ideas, Nuts, Vegan, Vegan proteins, Wheat Free 4 Comments

I had this recipe bookmarked forever from the Healthy French Wife and I finally got around to making it today (well for the blog/photographing).  My family loves these cookies.  A bit of sweet and salty for the perfect flavor combination. Snacking, lunches, dessert – we survived the day kinda cookie!  I won’t lie, life is better with a cookie in it. All great ingredients and nothing processed from a package.  So let’s get started!

[Read more…]

— Knead to Cook

Healthy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies. Vegan. GF.

by Filed Under: Breakfast, Cookies, Evolution Power Yoga 40 Days, Gluten Free, Holiday, Holiday Baking Ideas, Snacks, Vegan, Vegan proteins, Vitamix, Wheat Free Leave a Comment

Happy Valentine’s Day my friends!  I hope today is filled with happiness, laughter & love.  Even if its from your four-legged love.  This week I’ve been committed to not eating any ingredients in my food that aren’t natural or I can’t identify.  Its been pretty easy minus my Vega energizer that I use during my workouts.  I’ve tried watermelon water, caffeinated water and a mixture of coconut water/grapefruit juice … they have stink.  And that’s putting it nicely.  Today was the worst. Drinking plain water upset my stomach and it was just gross.  Funny how I can drink water all day long but not during my workouts. I only need to get to Friday… I can do this!

In that vein, I wanted to make a cookie from the Plant Based Nutrition book for dummies (I love this book).  This book is jam packed with nutritional information, debunking the carb fears, protein craze… and setting the record straight with a registered dietician. I’ve adapted the recipe a bit but these babies flew out of my kitchen.   A must-make recipe.

[Read more…]

— Knead to Cook

Black bean hummus stuffed cucumber rolls. Vegan.

by Filed Under: Brunch, Gluten Free, Holiday, Party Foods, Snacks, Thanksgiving, Vegan, Vegan proteins, Wheat Free 33 Comments

   
December is finally upon us so key up the get-togethers, parties, food, food and more food that will be consumed.  With the most indulgent foods being consumed in between Thanksgiving through New Year’s – I always love to throw in some really healthy, yet flavorful dishes to offset the gluttony and honestly, I prefer healthy options over rich, heavier foods.

Cucumbers are rich in potassium, vitamin C, B1, biotin and magnesium. Plus, during the holidays when we tend to neglect hydration, they are filled with water.  In this recipe I share my latest obsession – black bean hummus but you can easily use store-bought if you prefer.  This appetizer takes minutes to make so they are perfect for impromptu gatherings.

[Read more…]

— Knead to Cook

Rosemary Roasted Almonds. Vegan.

by Filed Under: Appetizers, Breakfast, Brunch, Gift ideas, Holiday, Holiday Baking Ideas, Nuts, Party Foods, Snacks, Vegan, Vegan proteins, Wheat Free, Your Life Edit Foundations Leave a Comment

The holidays can’t be filled with sweets only, right?  Right!  I love giving a healthy alternative for food gifts or treats during the holiday.  Each year I seem to make some variety like these, these or these.  These are so simple yet packed with a beautiful Rosemary flavor.  Plus putting an extra sprig of Rosemary when you pack them adds a bit of holiday flare.  And maybe you prefer to stick with sweet treats to giveaway… I get that.  But you need some salty snacks when family and friends gather so add these to your appetizer platter or charcuterie board, vegan of course.

Once cooled, these nuts pack up nicely and do ship perfectly as well in a care package.
[Read more…]

— Knead to Cook