Chai pumpkin caramel bread (paleo)

This recipe screams Thanksgiving, which makes me homesick because this year, I'm away from the States for the first time in my life for Thanksgiving. Buuuut I'm loving all of the vegan restaurants in London (and I'm not even vegan). Food is probably the number one thing I'm going to miss about this city. Is that sad? Anyway, the recipe, inspired by @paleomg. It's pretty damn good, and usually isn't oval-shaped like the picture below, but there's not a bread pan in the dorm kitchen so ya gotta do what ya gotta do. The dates melt a little to make a caramel flavor. Make this and cry of joy. 

Mmmmm oval-shaped bread

Ingredients: 

• 1 cup almond butter (or other nut butter ----> pb is amazing as well)
• 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
• 1 overripe banana, mashed
• 1/4 cup honey or maple syrup (not necessary, but recommended)
• 2 eggs, whisked
• 1/2 cup chopped dates
• 2 chai tea packets (take the spices out of the packets)
• 3 tablespoons coconut flour
• 1/2 tablespoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• pinch of sea salt 

•  Method:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. 

2. Combine the almond butter, banana, pumpkin, honey, and eggs. Then add in the tea packet ingredients and mix well.

3. Add the rest of the ingredients, except for the dates and mix well again.

4. Add in the dates.

5. Grease a pan and evenly pour in the batter (parchment paper works well)

6. Bake for about 40 minutes, and let cool before devouring. 

Happy almost Thanksgiving!

Meg 

Baked sweet potato fries

If you follow me on Instagram, you know that I make sweet potato fries a lot. Too much? Nahhhhhhh. Sweet potatoes are packed with vitamin A and are one of the best anti-aging foods. They're also amazing. I make them almost everyday, whether as a snack or to put them over a salad. If you want them to be crispy, cut them thin!

Baked sweet potato fries over a falafel salad

Ingredients:

1 large sweet potato (or ten)

1/2 tablespoon of coconut oil (melted)

spice of choice (I like to use cinnamon or paprika)

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. 

2. Peel your sweet potato, and cut it up into fry-like shapes. The easiest way to do this is by cutting in half the long way, and then cutting each half into smaller pieces.

3. Toss the fries in the melted coconut oil, and coat with your spice.

4. Array on a baking sheet, but don't overcrowd them! This will prevent them from crisping.

5. Cook for 10 minutes, flip, then cook for another 10. 

6. Broil them for two minutes at the end to make them a little bit more crunchy ;)

7. Let them cool for just a minute to allow them to crisp a little more.

8. GET TO IT

Meg

Vanilla chia seed pudding

This is a really simple recipe that you can do a lot with. Chia seeds are extremely feeling and have a  great amount of omega-3's, so throw these ingredients in a jar and have this as a light breakfast or snack! 

Ingredients:

3/4 cup almond milk (or any other milk)
3 tablespoons chia seeds
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 tsp sweetener (such as honey or maple syrup) (optional)

Method:

1. Combine all ingredients in a jar.
2. Let sit in fridge for about half an hour, allowing the chia seeds to soften.
3. Mix the ingredients again, and place back in fridge overnight.
4. Top with fruit or fruit puree, nuts, or have it plain!

Meg 

basic buckwheat pancakes

This recipe is long overdue, seeing as I make it at least once a week. Once you have this super easy recipe down, you can do so many variations! 

Basic buckwheat pancakes with raspberries and Rebel chocolate mylk on the side ;)

Yields 5-6 pancakes 

Ingredients:

1/2 cup buckwheat flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp maca or lucuma powder (not necessary, but recommended)
1 ripe banana (mashed)
1/2 cup milk 
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 flax eggs* (can sub real eggs) 
Oil (for cooking - I use coconut)

Method:

1. Combine all dry ingredients.
2. Combine all wet ingredients, add to the dry. The batter should be thick!
3. Heat a non-stick pan over medium heat, and add a little bit of oil. Add about 1/4 cup of batter to the pan, flipping it after a minute or two. Repeat until you get a stack of heaven.
4. Top with fruit, syrup, almond butter or whatever ya want!


*Note: To make your flax eggs, combine 2 tablespoons of flaxseed with 6 tablespoons of water, and keep in fridge for at least half an hour, but preferably overnight.


Pancake Sunday, ladies and gents.

Meg 

Pumpkin mug cake (paleo and vegan version)

Ya know when you're craving something (cake) and you need it fast (three minutes)? Same. I can fix dat. 

Topped with banana "ice cream" and peanut butter

Made in three minutes, eaten in one.

Ingredients:
  
1.5 TB coconut flour 
1 TB pumpkin puree
2 TB almond milk (or coconut milk)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg 
1/2 TB honey (or maple syrup if vegan)
1 egg (or 1 flax egg if vegan ---> 2 TB flax + 6 TB of water)
Optional: add in a small handful of dark chocolate chips to the batter :) they melt and it's amazing.

Method:

1.Combine all ingredients in a microwave-safe mug. 
2. Microwave for 1.5-2 minutes. 
3. Top it with banana ice cream, your favorite nut butter, repeat. 

Boom.

Meg 

Chocolate maca buckwheat pancakes

Happy Halloween errybody! I had to get up super early this morning because I'm going to Spain this week WOAH and on Halloween?! It's gonna be awesome. So I whipped up these pancakes that I first saw on the lovely Naturally Meghan blog, and made a couple variations to adjust to my own taste. This recipe is SO healthy because it has flaxseed, cacao, maca AND a sneaky extra serving of fruit. Here we go:

Ingredients:

2 flax eggs (2 tbsp flaxseed + 6 tbsp of water) (you can use 2 real eggs if your diet allows you to!)

1/2 cup buckwheat flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tbsp raw cacao powder

1 tsp of maca powder (more or less to taste)

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 cup non dairy milk

1 ripe banana (mashed)

Method:

First, make your flax eggs by combining the flaxseed and water. Let sit in the fridge for at least 30 minutes, but I recommend doing it overnight.

Pancake time: combine all the dry ingredients (buckwheat, cacao, maca, baking powder), mix well.

Then, add your flax eggs, vanilla, milk and banana. Mix well again. It should be a cake-like thickness. If you want thinner pancakes, add more milk!

Heat up a nonstick pan on medium heat (or use a little bit of oil, not too much). Put a heaping spoonful (about 1/4 cup) of batter onto the pan, and let cook until it starts to bubble, about a minute or two. Flip and let it cook for another minute. 

Add with your favorite nut butter, crushed nuts, fruit, I DON'T CARE THEY'RE YOUR PANCAKES.

Happy Halloween everyone, treat yourself today!!

Meg 

Pumpkin granola

 I keep this granola in my freezer so that I can always have it when I want it (a lot). Feel free to use any of the sweeteners listed, all of them work great! This recipe is paleo and vegan friendly! (if you don't use honey as a sweetener).

Recipe: 

• ½ cup pumpkin seeds
• ½ cup almonds
• 1/2 cup oats (use gf if necessary)
• ½ cup chopped pecans
• 1/2 cup chopped dates
• ½ cup pumpkin puree
• ⅓ cup coconut oil
• ⅓ cup maple syrup/honey/brown rice syrup/WHATEVER YOU WANT
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons cinnamon
• 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice 

NOTE: I highly recommend tasting this as you go, some people like it sweeter than others! Add more maple syrup if you want it sweeter, and more spices if you want it to to be more flavorful.

Method:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

First mix together the wet ingredients: pumpkin puree, coconut oil, maple syrup, vanilla extract and spices. Mix very well.

Then add everything else: almonds, pecans, dates, and seeds. Mix well. 

Put parchment paper on a baking sheet and evenly spread out your granola onto the pan. 

Cook for about 35 minutes, flipping it around every so often so that it doesn't burn. When you take it out after 35 minutes, it won't be crispy yet, but don't overcook it!

Let it completely cool, this is when it'll get crispy. Once it's cool, store it in the fridge or freezer in an airtight container. 

Or just eat it all at once like I did. 

Meg