Food & fitness obsessed girl.
Almond Butter Protein Overnight Oats.
Overnight oats are one of my most favorite on-the-go breakfasts! They take minutes to prep at night and you’re set for next morning. Post workout breakfasts for me consist of Vega green smooties or overnight oats. I thought I would combine the two this round and it turned out beautifully. Plus ice cold oats post a super muggy run is heavenly. Plus topping it with nuts and seeds… count me in!
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— Knead to Cook
Tofu cheese. Vegan. Gluten free.
There is just one thing I miss going vegan (now almost 2 years ago)… no not bacon, not pulled pork- It’s my seasoned bocconcini mozzarella that I always had marinating in the fridge. I would serve it over pasta or in a salad with freshly picked tomatoes from the garden. So with two packages of tofu about to expire in my fridge I thought I would try my recipe with it. After all, what do I have to lose, right?
I’ll put it out there – I very much dislike tofu unless it’s blended in something else like pudding. I also love a tofu scramble at vegan restaurants (which I still need to attempt at home) but baked or fried – it’s a no-go for me! That is until now.
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— Knead to Cook
Dijon Dill Chickpea Salad. Vegan. Gluten Free.
My garden is bustling right now. Fresh herbs are bountiful and I’ve been craving some chickpea salad. I normally cook according to what I’m craving at the moment… I think most people do.
Let’s focus on one component of this recipe… the chickpea. Did you know that chickpeas contain choline is a very important and versatile nutrient in that help with sleep, muscle movement, learning and memory. Choline also helps to maintain the structure of cellular membranes, aids in the transmission of nerve impulses, assists in the absorption of fat and reduces chronic inflammation. Contain high fiber which help to lower cholesterol and reducing the risk of heart disease. The potassium, vitamin C and vitamin B-6 content, coupled with the lack of cholesterol found in chickpeas, all support heart health. Food is medicine. I know I preach it a lot but I want you to know what you’re eating and how it impacts the body.
I obviously don’t use mayo and have never been a fan. I simply swapped that out with Dijon which amps up the flavor. This is great on salad greens, with crackers, toasted bread or in a bowl straight up.
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— Knead to Cook
Peanut Butter Cup Overnight Oats. Vegan. GF.
The heat is rising here in Pennsylvania. I’m a die-hard green veggie-packed breakfast smoothie fan but lately, I’m starting to migrate over to overnight oats again. Fiber & protein packed with a punch of maca. Plus taking this right out of the fridge after a humid workout just hits the spot. End of story. This version is a bit decadent but oh so healthy so no guilt needed. Plenty of alternatives that I will note in the recipe.
Breakfast is truly the most important meal of the day that fuels your brain and body. This recipe is so easy and making it ahead of time makes your morning rush that much more simplified. Plus, kids love making this as much as eating it.
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— Knead to Cook
Coconut Chia Rice Crispy Treats. Vegan. GF.
Happy second Monday of the week! Ha! Hope you had a great long weekend. We headed to New Jersey to go to my favorite vegan restaurant Seed to Sprout and then relax at the beach. Seriously, if you are in New Jersey and nearby to Red Bank – hit this place up. We also enjoyed being outside and some summer weather and the pool.
I made these this weekend for a special treat for my girls. They’re a classic. Crunchy. Sweet. Just reminiscent of childhood. But these do have a healthy spin… They loved them and they are so tasty – I’ll admit, I was picking at them quite a bit. Hope you give this recipe a try.
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— Knead to Cook
I’ve been working on several different bar recipes for some menu tastings. I wanted to incorporate some buckwheat groats (gluten free) to add more texture to the crust and that’s just what they did. Groats are fruit seeds that are related to rhubarb and sorrel making it a suitable substitute for grains for people who have a gluten sensitivity. Packed with manganese, fiber, copper, phosphorous. Plus they provide a great crunch factor to a rather soft crust. The cashew cream is a creamy, cheesecake-like texture without any dairy. I took a lot pictures to help aid you through this recipe. The recipe is very easy but waiting for it to set up in the freezer is the most painful part if you’re impatient like me.
— Knead to Cook
Peanut Butter Cup Raw Energy Bites. Vegan. Gluten Free.
Peanut butter and chocolate… a heavenly match indeed. No justification required for this recipe. It was just needed because my oldest is back to swim season, practice and about to start working again. My youngest is back to tennis shortly. Portable, poppable (is that even a real word?) food is key. These little balls are packed with protein with maca that will provide energy to keep her going. I also sneak a few pre and post run for an energy punch. These raw bites are super easy to make and are kid-friendly. This raw dough is also perfect as a raw pie or bar crust as well.
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— Knead to Cook
Vega Sport Vanilla Granola Hemp Smoothie.
I’m so sorry that I didn’t get to share this last week when it was released. Life has thrown me a curveball that derailed me. So my sincerest apologies but here it goes PLUS a new smoothie recipe I’ve been obsessing over lately.
My absolute favorite vegan pre-workout, workout and post workout recovery fuel is Vega. I’m not getting paid for this – it is just my honest review and testimonial. I’m not fond of chemicals and weird ingredients to fuel my body. Plus I have a sensitive stomach, as I’ve mentioned before. My stomach revolts especially during training. Vega works like a charm. In fact, I just trained and ran a marathon using all of their products and I loved them. They just came out with a totally free resource for new to experienced runners. The Vega Sport site will be jam-packed with free resources including 8-weeks of training guides, meal plans, recipes, playlists, and nutritional education for preparing for your first or 30th 10K race, Half or Full-Marathon. From playlists, training programs, to fueling – it has EVERYTHING! Seriously – if you’re looking to training, work on speed, finding your comfortable pace to tackling race day… the information is all here. If I didn’t love Vega – I love them more now! All this information in one place… one resource created by experts. Love it!
So let me get on to my recipe and then share a little bit more about how to sign up for this free running resource.
— Knead to Cook
Maca Vegan Ice Cream. GF || Knead to Cook.
Alright. So this past Saturday a box arrived. A normal occurrence in this house. I get a lot of food, props, foodie swag, kitchen gadgets but THIS box…. swoon. My favorite Vega products and some new ones to try. Be still my fitness vegan heart.
Maca is an exceptionally hardy root plant native to the Andean mountain plateaus of Peru. A member of the brassica family, maca is grown at altitudes of 14,000 feet in an extreme climate of freezing cold, fierce winds and intense sunlight, where no other crops can survive. Herbalists believe that resilient plants are especially valuable; from an herbological perspective, maca’s resiliency knows no equal.
In spite of the poor volcanic soil and harsh environmental conditions in which it grows, maca is rich in amino acids, phytonutrients, and important vitamins and minerals. Ancient, native Peruvians used maca for thousands of years as both a food and a tonic. They believed maca increased energy and stamina, improved fertility and enhanced libido.
So when I saw the Maca box I assumed it was a supplement and much to my surprise it was chocolate! Chocolate bars!!!! HOLY yum! I was thrilled. It tastes insanely awesome – almost addictive and I knew what my first creation would be — this recipe! That was AFTER I jammed a bar in my mouth to “sample” lol! It was so good. Seriously. #yum
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— Knead to Cook
Raw Peanut Butter Banana Cream Pie. Vegan. Gluten Free.
I dream about food… well recipes. Is that weird? Well Monday night I didn’t get much sleep. I was wearing a holter monitor and being hooked up to tons of wires with a mini computer impacts sleeping big time – especially when you’re a stomach sleeper. So what did I do in my sleepless hours… I started thinking about some fun recipes and came up with this pie idea.
I got to work on this recipe yesterday and then set them aside in the freezer to set up overnight. They will serve as dessert tonight if I can keep them away from peering eyes after school. I had fun with topping each of them differently and its a great way to use up some ripe bananas (instead of making bread) you have on your counter.
So happy tax day – now let’s eat!
— Knead to Cook
