roasted acorn squash

Is there anything better than something that looks like a heart to warm your heart? Sorry, couldn't help myself.

In all seriousness (yes this is a very serious matter), roasted acorn squash is one of my favorite go-to veggies. It's a great snack or side dish, it's easy to make and super healthy!

All you need is:

LOVE. Sorry, couldn't help myself again.

All you really need is:

- acorn squash

- olive oil (or coconut oil)
- salt, pepper

- garlic powder

All you do is:

slice the acorn squash in half using a large butcher knife.

scoops out the seeds & stringy stuff with a large spoon.

score with knife like a checkerboard.

spray with olive oil (or spread thin layer of coconut oil.)

sprinkle with salt, pepper, and garlic powder.

 place on baking pan with edges. pour 1/4 inch water into pan.
(yes, the acorn squash sits right on the water!)

 bake at 400 degrees for one hour until golden brown.

and enjoy!

If you wanna get real fancy, you can top with a little Artisana Raw Coconut Butter. But be careful, you can't just have a little of that stuff!

Also, if you prefer a sweeter alternative, you can skip the pepper and instead top with any combination of the following:

- cinnamon

- honey

- agave nectar

- coconut sugar

- and, of course, coconut butter!

Wintery goodness. A hassle-free dish for your (hopefully not) harried holiday season!

cauliflower mashed "potatoes"

It's fall. Comfort food is a must. Compromising your health is not.

I love taking traditional comfort food favorites and putting my own healthy spin on them! These mashed "potatoes" are all the deliciousness of regular mashed potatoes and none of the digestive disaster - especially for all you fellow gluten-free, dairy-free, soy-free peeps out there. 

I know I joke about my diet being "fun free" as well, but really - with simple substitutions - it doesn't have to be. You can have your cake and eat it, too! Or should I say your potatoes :)

Without further ado, I present to you:

cauliflower mashed "potatoes"

what you need:

- 1 head cauliflower

- 1 onion

- few cloves garlic

- chicken broth (or veggie broth)

- coconut oil (or olive oil)

- salt, pepper, dried (or fresh) herbs

what to do:

- rinse cauliflower

- chop (can be messy/doesn't have to look pretty)

- place cauliflower into pan

- add some broth

- cover with lid

- simmer on medium-low heat until cauliflower is soft

- meanwhile, chop onion and garlic

 - add to pan with coconut oil, salt and pepper

- sautee until golden brown

(You will probably use about half of these with your cauliflower. I usually serve the other half with another part of the meal - on top of a burger, etc.)

- place cauliflower & sauteed onion/garlic (about half) into your Vitamix (or blender/food processor)

- add a splash more broth (you can eyeball this. adding more as needed - depending on how thick you like them)

- season to your liking with salt, pepper, and herbs of your choice (I like a little oregano, thyme, and even some rosemary)

- blend

- serve

- let this warm, wintery goodness warm your heart and soul

Happy fall y'all! - M

roasted kabocha squash

I don't know how I lived my life thus far without knowing what a Kabocha squash was. But on a recent search for acorn squash at Whole Foods, I stumbled upon this little gem that is now one of my favorite foods. 

The Kabocha squash, also known as the Japanese pumpkin, is not only delicious; it's healthy. It has just 40 calories and 7 carbs per cup and is a great source of beta-carotene, vitamin C, iron, some B vitamins, and fiber.

It's an easy dish to prepare. And I love that you can eat the skin!

instructions:

1. cut squash in half using large kitchen knife

2. scoop out seeds using large metal spoon

3. slice squash (1/4-1/2 inch slices, depending on preference; thinner slices will be crispier when roasted)

4. spread onto olive oil-misted, foil-lined pan 

5. mist with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper

6. place into oven at 400 degrees for 10-20 minutes (depending on how thick your slices are and how crispy you want them)

7. remove from oven and sprinkle with garlic powder (sometimes I will add some rosemary or thyme at this point as well)

8. place back into oven and bake for another 5 minutes (any longer and the garlic powder and dried spices will burn)

9. serve and enjoy!

Kabocha squash is great as a side dish with any meal or by itself as a snack. You can serve it fresh out of the oven or even enjoy it cold from the fridge as leftovers! (Of course, you can always reheat it in the microwave as well).

Sometimes I mix it up and add various toppings such as:
- Artisana coconut butter
- Coconut sugar
- Cinnamon
- Nut butter

Just yesterday I made some homemade macadamia nut butter (by throwing some raw macadamia nuts and a dash of honey into my Vitamix). I sprinkled that onto of my squash along with some coconut butter and cinnamon, and it was a delicious, dessert-like snack!

mashed sweet potatoes

So I pretty much just made up this recipe. I love sweet potatoes in every form, so I decided to experiment with making mashed sweet potatoes! Not only did they turn out so delicious, they are super hell so healthy, and so easy to make!

mashed sweet potatoes

ingredients:

• sweet potatoes
• salt, pepper
• garlic powder
• coconut milk

basil chicken, roasted carrots, and raw zucchini "noodle" salad

I am all about quick, healthy dinners. Everything I make is gluten-free, dairy-free, and soy-free, and I always buy organic when I can. Sometimes if I go to Trader Joe's, I will literally walk through and just get whatever they have that is organic and make it work for dinner! That's what I did this week.

basil chicken, roasted carrots, and raw zucchini "noodle" salad

This is what I came up with. Not gonna lie - I pretty much just make up recipes as I go! Sometimes they work. Sometimes they don't. This one did!

lentil soup & zucchini salad

I've decided to start making some actual recipes... cooking some actual dinners.

While I'm not all that into cooking, it is growing on me. There's something to be said for cooking someone a homemade meal and watching them enjoy it.

I love comfort food, and I love eating healthy. This lentil soup is the best of both of those worlds. I also love salads, and I love grilled vegetables. So this raw and charred zucchini salad is the perfect combination.

kale chips with truffle salt

Let's be honest. Pretty much any food is better with truffle. I'm sure there are exceptions, but I am pretty confident in this overall statement. 

Kale is no exception. Add truffle to kale and you'll never go back. I'm not even really sure what truffle is exactly, but I like it. And that's all that really matters :)

Kale chips are one of the easiest healthy snacks you can make. 

roasted brussels sprouts

I love brussels sprouts. I didn't grow up eating them. I actually grew up hearing bad things about them. They were the quintessential vegetable in every movie, tv show, or story that kids never wanted to eat. But when I finally tried them, probably when I moved to LA, I loved them.

Santa Monica and Venice are full of restaurants with great brussels sprouts - Blue Plate, Father's Office, and Gjelina to name a few. But they so quick and easy to make at home!