Knead to Cook

Food & fitness obsessed girl.

The Easiest Broccoli Cheddar Soup. Vegan. Gluten Free.

by Filed Under: Brunch, Easter, Gluten Free, Nuts, Soups, Vegan, Vegan proteins, Vitamix, Wheat Free 2 Comments

I’m not sure if today, Tuesday, is another round of Monday or what but I somehow erased the card with all of my images from making this soup.  So prior to dinner, as the sun was setting and natural light was fleeting – I plated & grabbed my camera.  Sadly, no prep pictures but I promise to be super descriptive in the recipe below.  Let me give you a bit of history… I’ve been struggling with a broccoli cheddar (vegan) soup that’s creamy and decadent sans dairy.  Then I found this recipe online and was enamored with it.  I’m so glad I had all the ingredients on hand because this is, hands down, one of my favorites ever!  Seriously… it’s incredibly good!

So I am excited to share this recipe with you… let the fall weather & comforting food commence.

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— Knead to Cook

Lemon kale hummus. Vegan and GF.

by Filed Under: Beans, Brunch, Condiments, Evolution Power Yoga 40 Days, Fitness., Gluten Free, Health & wellness, Party Foods, Snacks, Vegan, Vegan proteins, Vitamix, Wheat Free, Your Life Edit Foundations 1 Comment


Learning that photoshoots on rainy, dark, dismal days need to be avoided.  After hundreds of images, this was my only acceptable lead photo.  Sorry about that BUT this recipe, it’s seriously OH SO GOOD!

Now I know many, I mean MANY, people despise the rough, hearty texture of kale.  I get it.  I don’t like it raw either.  But massaging it with oil, salt or lemon juice for a salad like this one can change your mind.  With that being said, sautéing kale can also transform it into a lovely version of itself.  See where I’m going?  Don’t judge a book but it’s hard exterior.

I have a lot of kale (many different versions) in my garden.  I was cooking for a client and knowing I wanted to use up some of my kale… hummus came to mind.  This hummus takes a different spin, because your cooking it, but the end result is simply amazing.  I love hummus for salads, Buddha bowls, mixed with ACV for dressing or classically styled with raw veggies.  You choose, but you have to try this recipe.

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— Knead to Cook

Super Easy Kale Falafel. Vegan & GF.

by Filed Under: Beans, Breakfast, Evolution Power Yoga 40 Days, Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegan Burgers, Vegan proteins, Vitamix, Wheat Free Leave a Comment

Kale falafel patties.  Vegan. Gluten free.

Happy second Monday of the week (ha!).  Hope you had a lovely holiday weekend with family & friends.  Ours was productive & relaxing, which is exactly what we needed.  We got to eat out a lot & enjoy some really awesome vegan food in Philly so that’s a win to me.

Today when I got home from the gym, I knew I had to mentally  start prepping menus for the week.  While going through some social media I saw that my favorite Minimalist Baker was promoting her e-book and that all sales today (you name the price) were being donated to a food bank in Houston… needless to say, I jumped all over that and lovingly devoured her recipes.  This recipe stood out to me as my garden is bursting with enormous kale leaves.  See pic below for evidence.

So I got started and adapted as I went along.  The recipe turned out great, the falafel is tender and crunchy.  The recipe made a nice batch with some to freeze for a quick dinner idea in the future.  All made in the food processor so clean up is a cinch too!  I hope you give this recipe a whirl.  Perfectly served up on a bun, pita or straight away.  I love adding one to my salad.  Top with vegan mayo, hummus or whatever you like.

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— Knead to Cook

Tofu Açaí & Red Currant Protein Breakfast Bowl. Vegan. GF.

by Filed Under: Breakfast, Fitness., Tofu, Vegan, Vegan proteins, Vitamix, Wheat Free Leave a Comment

Happy hump day friends!  Well we aren’t in Philadelphia for jury duty… at least not yet.  Stay tuned for more updates if anything changes.  So I figured I would jump on documenting & photographing this beauty.  If you’ve followed my blog for any time… you’ve seen that my tofu pudding recipe has had quite an enthusiastic following.  I’ve had friends clean out the silken tofu stash at their local grocery or Target stores (ahhhem Keenan).  But in all seriousness, this recipe started it all and still remains one of my all time favorites.  If you have a big appetite or like to snack (yes, okay this is ME!), this breakfast will halt your hunger in its tracks.  It’s magic!

So this time I switched the recipe up and used Açaí & beautiful red currants.  Red currants are so high in Vitamin C and Açaí is a nutritional powerhouse with fiber, protein, the antioxidant anthocyanin, abundant in acai berries, may lower oxidative stress and inflammation, promoting brain health.  Just to name a few.  And let’s not forget that this bowl is chock full of plant based protein!  So easy & delicious.

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— Knead to Cook

Coconut Ginger Asparagus Soup. Vegan. Gluten free.

by Filed Under: Brunch, Gluten Free, Soups, Vegan, Vegan proteins, Vitamix, Your Life Edit Foundations 2 Comments

Coconut ginger asparagus soup. 

As I sit here typing this recipe up, in my very quiet house… I realize it’s still very much summer and a steamy 90 plus degrees outside.  However, after my very early gym session, I rushed off to take my youngest to Starbucks & then to school.  She started back today.  My oldest had her first classes of her college career yesterday & therefore by default… I’m wishing for fall to start now.  If only Mother Nature would follow suit.

After the carpooling this morning it hit me that a farmer’s market that I haven’t been to in almost a year, or it has been over a year, was open & I needed some goodies.  I found so many bargains.  I filled 6 grocery bags for $50!  Asparagus was nice & thin & bargain priced at a $1 a bunch.  Needless to say, I knew soup would be on our menu.  This is a brand new recipe that I created this morning.  The end result, luscious and creamy perfection. It took no time and freezes nicely.  Perfect time to whip up and freeze for a quick dinner in the fall or winter.  I hope you enjoy this as much as we do.

And I do want to digress a moment & share the nutrient benefits of the mighty green asparagus:

Asparagus is an excellent source of vitamin K, folate, copper, selenium, vitamin B1, vitamin B2, vitamin C, and vitamin E. It is a very good source of dietary fiber, manganese, phosphorus, vitamin B3, potassium, choline, vitamin A, zinc, iron, protein, vitamin B6, and pantothenic acid.

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— Knead to Cook

Easy Dill Yogurt Dip Sauce. Vegan. Gluten free.

by Filed Under: Breakfast, Brunch, Dips, Gluten Free, Party Foods, Raw, Sauces, Snacks, Vegan, Vegan proteins, Vinaigrette, Vitamix, Wheat Free, Your Life Edit Foundations Leave a Comment

Easy dill yogurt sauce/dip. Vegan. Gluten free.

This has been one hell of a week.  No joke.  I got hit with some weird virus that is like someone is manipulating a crazy voodoo doll of me minute to minute.  Every morning I’ve felt good, not great.  I’ve been able to cook and prep food for clients and my family.  But then by 3 every afternoon… nausea, aches, pains, fatigue hits like a ton of bricks.  Then put that record on repeat… So today I’ve managed to eat 2 whole meals and feel decent.  May the healthy body gods be shining their light upon me.  I’m not a good sick person.  However I did manage 14.5 hours of sleep last night (insert shocking face emoji here).  Onward & upward.

I am the queen of roasting all the veggies – seriously, all the time.  I’ve been using a mixture of ACV and hummus to dress them but have been craving dill lately.  So I grabbed some fresh dill at the market Saturday and the gears went into high gear. This is not a Tzatziki but similar type of sauce.  I love this on salads in lieu of dressing, adding a drizzle on roasted or raw veggies… my husband was even dipping veggie chips into it.  Whatever floats your boat. Super easy recipe and the flavors develop nicely the next day.

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— Knead to Cook

Cookie Monster Blue Energy Bites. Vegan. Gluten free.

by Filed Under: Breakfast, Brunch, Gift ideas, Gluten Free, Holiday, Nuts, Raw, Snacks, Vegan, Vegan proteins, Vitamix, Wheat Free Leave a Comment

Hi there my friends!  I wanted to get this post up yesterday but I got hit with a crazy 24 hour flu/craziness & so here I am posting it today.  This is one of those recipes that just doesn’t photograph the color as beautifully as it is in real life but this is a must make recipe 🙂 with tons of health benefits.

So if you follow any forms of social media – you’ve seen the onslaught of blue hued foods/drinks/bowls etc.  Where do they get that lovely color?  Well Blue Majik is the answer.  Here is the low-down on this magical powder:

Pop Sugar shares: Derived from spirulina, Blue Majik is a proprietary extract of the blue-green algae Arthrospira platensis. Much like green spirulina, Blue Majik is prized for being nutrient dense; full of vitamins (especially B12), enzymes, and minerals, it gets its bright blue hue from C-phycocyanin, a type of storage protein rich in amino acids. C-phycocyanin is also what puts the blue in Blue Majik and so much of the value in the trendy ingredient. Studies show C-phycocyanin to be rich in antioxidantswith anti-inflammatory properties, and it may promote brain health.

I’ve been experimenting with this blue powder for the past two months.  I’ve been diagnosed with an auto-immune disease and anything anti-infammatory is my focus.  Plus, it is a powerful pain reliever (natural) which I prefer versus OTC pain relievers.  Lastly, this powerful powder does have a strong odor in the bottle however is undetectable in recipes.  Seriously.  I find this absolutely crazy how it has no flavor but I enjoy it in smoothies, bowls and these bites.  Plus that color… is everything.

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— Knead to Cook

Blue Majik Algae Cashew Nut Based Milk. Vegan. Gluten free.

by Filed Under: Brunch, Fitness., Gluten Free, Nuts, Raw, Snacks, Vegan, Vegan proteins, Vitamix Leave a Comment

I’m back friends!  We had a lovely holiday in South Beach Miami for a week (albeit humidity bordering a torturous) but so much fun.  My oldest wanted a quick trip to a beach and this is where we picked.  Tons of wonderful changes down there (I’ve been to South Beach so many times since I was her age) and the vegan scene was top notch.  I’m going to be doing a city guide for  you all within the next few days.  Stay tuned.  For now, I’m sharing a new recipe for an adaptogen I’ve been using & this is simply everything.

I’ve been battling some disturbing blood work results for several years.  You know the kind that everyone scratches their head and cannot figure out?!  I’ve been to several blood specialists and finally have gotten some answers, albeit not what I wanted to hear.  My cbc apparently looks like someone receiving aggressive chemo but I’m not. I’m super healthy, never sick and it perplexes every doc I see.   I won’t get into the results right now, not ready to share, but I’ve been researching natural, healing foods & this E3Live Blue Majik has been consistently coming up on my radar.  With that… I’ve added it to my diet daily and this recipe has become my staple.  Let me start with their product description:

Blue Majik is a proprietary, chemical free extract of Arthrospira platensis (Spirulina), a Nutrient Dense AquaBotanicalTM. Its stunning blue pigment contains both phycocyanin (PC) and non-PC compounds. This unique combination is not seen in standard Spirulina powder. PC is clinically shown to relieve physical discomfort, which means consumers feel better, can do more activity, and enjoy an overall better quality of life* 

Blue Majik Fine Powder is derived from the highest quality, Organic raw material. Perfect for your beverage or raw food creation.

Sounds amazing, right?  I’ll admit I hate the smell of any Spirulina/green algae and the taste I despise even more.  This powder does have a funky smell however it is absolutely flavorless.  I’ve been drinking it in water, mixing it in my tofu bowls but this cashew milk… it’s the perfect, easy way to get this superfood into my body.  This post is NOT sponsored but something I’m quite passionate about.  I hope you check this out.  I purchased it from Amazon here.

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— Knead to Cook

Curry Chickpea Salad. Vegan. Gluten Free.

by Filed Under: Beans, Brunch, Dressings, Gluten Free, Indian-inspired., Nuts, Salads, Vegan, Vegan proteins, Vinaigrette, Vitamix, Wheat Free, Your Life Edit Foundations Leave a Comment


Curry chickpea salad.  Vegan.  Gluten free.

First, who am I blogging two recipes already this week?  Ha ha.  Okay… so on Saturday we stopped at Alchemy in Columbus, Ohio and I got a small container of their curry chickpea salad.  I was fortunate enough to find Hummusapien’s recipe online (she works with them) and was all over whipping up a batch because it was that good!  I was out of cashews (subbed out almonds) but this recipe is spot on & oh so delish.  I loved the simplicity of this recipe.  I’ve been adding a ton of turmeric to my diet for it’s anti-inflammatory properties.  Plus, hey I’m a sucker for all things curry.

This dish is packed with great nutrition.  Tons of protein and I love it for lunch or dinner in my monster green salad.  Plus, my husband loves it for lunch on bread or with burrito wraps.  I’m also thinking that this recipe is spot on for summer parties – plus you can prep it a day ahead of time to let the flavors develop.  This recipe is perfect for newbie chefs too as it’s impossible to fail.  🙂

Okay let’s get to the kitchen and get this started…
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— Knead to Cook

Easy Spicy Peanut Tofu Bites. Vegan. Gluten Free.

by Filed Under: Appetizers, Brunch, Evolution Power Yoga 40 Days, Gluten Free, Nuts, Party Foods, Tofu, Vegan, Vegan proteins, Vitamix, Your Life Edit Foundations Leave a Comment

Easy spicy peanut tofu bites.  

Well hello there my friends.  I’ve missed you all so much & feel like life is moving at warp speed.  Craziness.  What happened to lazy summer days?  Well, as we settle into our summer norm, having two teenagers home with me, eating round the clock, wanting to go driving (learner’s permit) and my oldest wanting to join me at the gym but “… not so early” and cooking for clients – I seem to the be the only one stressing here. Ha.

So if you follow me on any of my social media… you know I have a big puffy heart love affair with tofu.  Yes, I was the person you are reading this not so long ago.  I hated tofu.  It was gross.  Flavorless.  And pretty much the only food that they can fry and it still tasted gross.  Until I created this recipe and my entire world changed.  In fact, it has a cult following on Instagram.  I kid you not!  Fast forward several months and my love affair has grown.  First, it’s a wonderful source of protein.  It’s incredibly versatile, taking on whatever flavors you throw at it.  This has been a recipe I go to pretty often and once you taste it… you’ll see why.

I adapted this from several different friends (two of which own restaurants) and I really hope you give it a try.

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— Knead to Cook