Vegan Mexican Quinoa Salad

INGREDIENTS

Cooked Quinoa
Canned Black Beans (Rinsed and Drained)
Chopped Romaine Lettuce
Chopped Tomato
Corn (I used Canned from Trader Joe's)
Salsa
Lemon Juice
Herbs: Pepper, Cilantro, Onion

DIRECTIONS

1. Cooked Quinoa: Anytime you make quinoa it is 1 part quinoa and 2 parts liquid. For example, when making 1 cup of dry quinoa, add 2 cups of liquid. I cook my quinoa in a rice cooker and leave it on for 20 minutes with the top on. Cooks perfectly with no mess.
2. Build Your Salad: Romaine lettuce, cooked quinoa, black beans, tomato, corn, two heaping spoonfuls of salsa, juice of 1 lemon, and herbs.
3. Enjoy this guilt free vegan salad any day of the week for a quick lunch!

Baked Cauliflower Tater Tots

INGREDIENTS

1/2 head of cauliflower
1 egg beaten
1/2 cup cheddar cheese
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup breadcrumbs
1/2 cup minced onion
Herbs: Parsley, Oregano, Pepper, Rosemary

DIRECTIONS

1. Pre-heat oven to 375.
2. Boil half of head of chopped cauliflower florets for 5 - 10 minutes.
3. Place boiled cauliflower inside of a food processor and chop until rice consistency (1 - 2 minutes)
4. Combine cauliflower rice, beaten egg, cheddar cheese, Parmesan Cheese, breadcrumbs, minced onion, and herbs in a big bowl and mix with your hands until well incorporated.
5. Scoop out small 1 tbsp scoops on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
6. Bake for 25 minutes on 375 broiling the last 5 minutes for an extra crunch.
7. Serve with Hot Sauce, Ranch or Ketchup for a fun side dish to your healthy meal!

Crispy Garlic Kale Chips

INGREDIENTS

Kale (Rinsed and dried leaves)
Olive Oil
Garlic Salt

DIRECTIONS

1. Pre-heat your oven to 350.
2. Rinse your kale leaves, then dry them well with a paper towel.
3. Remove the middle stock of the kale leave leaving only the leaves.
4. Coat the kale with a sprinkle of olive oil and garlic salt.
5. Place the kale leaves in the oven on some parchment paper and bake for 15 minutes flipping half way.

Homemade Cinnamon Roasted Almond Butter

INGREDIENTS

1. 3 Cups of Raw Almonds
2. Cinnamon
3. Dash of Sea Salt

DIRECTIONS

1. Roast 3 cups of raw almonds in the oven at 375 for 10 minutes (this step releases the oils and makes for creamy almond butter without any added oil).
2. Once semi-cool, add your roasted almonds with cinnamon and a dash of sea salt into a food processor.
3. Grind this mixture for about 10 minutes. The almonds will go from flakey to crunchy and finally creamy. Don't give up! You will love the finished product.

WHAT TO ENJOY WITH ALMOND BUTTER

• Apples
• Celery
• Oatmeal
• Yogurt
• Banana
• On Toast
• Or even my favorite - by the spoonful!

Cauliflower Rice

INGREDIENTS

1. 1 Head of Cauliflower
2. 1 tsp of coconut oil

DIRECTIONS

1. Chop a head of cauliflower into smaller pieces to fit into a food processor or blender.
2. Place smaller pieces of cauliflower into food processor and chop until rice consistency (about 30 seconds).
3. Place 'Riced' cauliflower in a saute pan with some coconut oil and cook on medium for about 5 minutes.

SUGGESTIONS

You may enjoy this as any rice substitute! It is great as a base for stews, fried rice or even as a side with lots of seasoning!

BBQ Tofu Salad

INGREDIENTS

• Extra Firm Tofu (Pressed and Cubed)
• Romaine Lettuce
• Corn
• Tomatos
• Carrots
• BBQ Sauce (I use Stubb's)
• Favorite Ranch Dressing

DIRECTIONS

1. Start by preparing the tofu:

• Place block of extra-firm tofu on a plate with a few paper towels both underneath and on top of the tofu.
• Place something heavy on top of the tofu to press all of the water out (I use a big cooking pot with some water).
• Let stand for 30 minutes.
• Cut tofu into cube sizes and toss with some BBQ sauce (I do this in a big bowl to make sure every part is coated).
• You may add as much or as little BBQ sauce as you want.
• Place in a 400 degree oven for 40 minutes, flipping half way for equal cooking on all sides.

1. To build your salad, start with Romaine Lettuce as a base.
2. Top with Corn, Tomato, Carrots and BBQ Sauce.
3. Add Ranch dressing and that's it!

Kale and Pesto Quinoa Pasta

INGREDIENTS

• 1 Handful of Kale (Frozen or Fresh)
• 1 Cup of Quinoa Noodles
• 1 Tablespoon of Pesto
• Onion Powder, Pepper
• Optional: Parmesan Cheese, Red Pepper Flakes

DIRECTIONS

1. Cook your pasta according to the directions on the box.
2. Drain pasta and keep some of the starchy cooking water in a mug on the side.
3. Place pasta back into same pot it was cooked in.
4. Add starchy cooking water, handful of kale, pesto and spices into the cooked noodles.
5. Place over low/medium heat and stir until kale is cooked down.
6. Add Italian spices to the pot.
7. Optional: Serve with a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese and red pepper flakes.