Green + Glowing Copycat Smoothie
I'm gonna go ahead and be honest - this recipe is a total RIP OFF! Even the name. But at least I'm being honest about it, right?! Ever since I've started ordering this smoothie at my local Whole Foods juice bar, I knew I could recreate it at home for much cheaper. So I totally creeped on the juice bar girl and chatted her up a bit to confirm a few ingredients and I've finally nailed it at home. If you've been watching my instagram stories, you probably already knew this. I've been working out a lot lately and loving rehydrating after a super sweat sesh with a big, nutrient-packed green smoothie. And this smoothie is the ultimate in green smoothies. It's not at all bitter, full of good-for-you ingredients and nutrients, great for digestion and WAY freaking cheaper to make at home than it is to order it at WF. Seriously - you can get all of the basic ingredients in this smoothie for the price of a large one at the juice bar. Go figure! Plus, no waiting in line AND you get to drink everything in the blender, not just what fits in the cup. It couldn't be easier to whip up, and it's a smoothie that everyone will love. It's fruity without tasting too 'green' - the spinach flavor totally fades - and all you're left with is the reminder from the bright green hue just how many greens you're squeezing in. This smoothie's so good, I bet it'll make into your regular rotation too. Cheers, babes!
INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 cups coconut water or unsweetened almond milk 1 frozen banana 1-2 cups fresh spinach 1 tablespoon ground flax 1 tablespoon psyllium husk 1 cup frozen mango 1/2 cup frozen pineapple 1-3 teaspoons MCT coconut oil (optional - just what I add into mine for some healthy fats) 1-2 tablespoons shredded coconut (optional - for more coconut flavor) DIRECTIONS Toss it all in a high-speed blender (we use a Vitamix) and blend until it is smoooooooth. Then pour it in a large glass and enjoy! NOTES Serves 2. Sub in what you need or what you’ve got to suit your preferences. If you use coconut water, the smoothie will be a bit lighter, whereas using almond milk will result in a thicker, creamier smoothie. I like them both, but I actually prefer it with coconut water! 
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Nearly Sugar-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies With my new Homestyle Vegan cookbook hitting shelves November 1st, my first book signing event and the Holidays coming up, I've really been doing my best stay low stress and to avoid sugar. Not only do I have wedding I'm trying to look pretty great for, but sugar is just not my friend. It's the number one food that makes me gain weight and really screws with my face, causing breakouts. I really try not to eat much of it as part of my everyday diet. Besides foods with natural sugar like fresh fruit, of which I indulge plenty, I really don't eat it. Except when I'm menstruating - then all bets are off, friends. Then I will fight you for your french fries. Then I will eat an entire pint of ice cream with no regrets. Then I am unstoppable, and Alex knows it's best to just get out of my way and let me eat through the cramps and lower back pain. But since I can be kind of rage-binge-y at that time of the month, I've started combatting later, meaner, hungrier me with some seriously indulgent-tasting, nearly-sugar-free chocolate chip cookies!
They are soft, chewy, sweet, and taste like they should be packed with sugar - but NOPE! Just a couple of optional tablespoons in this recipe, and it doesn't even have to be refined. I've made these cookies maybe 30 times at this point and have gotten the recipe down to an exact science. They are the perfect dessert or sweet treat when you need one, and make a decent meal when you need more like 7. They're stuffed with chocolate chips, which I think helps to totally mask the flavor stevia in the recipe. This is actually the FIRST recipe on this site using stevia because I've always been so hesitant to bake with it. But I am experimenting with it and so far, so good. Even Alex says these cookies pass his 'no after-taste' test, which is good, because a lot of sugar-less sweeteners don't! These cookies taste heavenly and indulgent, but are lighter and way more guilt-free than you'd ever imagine. Plus, CHOCOLATE. So go ahead, have four. You know I'm going to!
INGREDIENTS 1 tablespoon ground flax 3 tablespoons warm water 1 1/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour (or AP flour) 1 teaspoon baking soda 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup softened coconut oil 2 tablespoons brown sugar, maple syrup, or your favorite sweetener (optional) 3/4 teaspoon liquid vanilla stevia 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract (double if using unflavored liquid stevia) 3/4 cup non-dairy chocolate chips DIRECTIONS Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a medium mixing bowl combine the flax and water, set aside to gelatinize. In a separate, larger mixing bowl whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt. Form a well in the center and set aside. In the medium mixing bowl with the flax mixture add the coconut oil, sugar or maple syrup, stevia and vanilla. Whisk to combine completely, then pour the mixture into the well formed by the dry ingredients. Use electric mixers to beat the mixture together until well combined. If not using an electric mixer, mix with a wooden spoon until you can't anymore, then finish it off with your hands. Once combined, pour in the chocolate chips and mix 'em in. Use a cookie scoop or spoon to scoop 1-inch balls onto a lined or lightly greased baking sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the cookies are golden. Remove from the oven and move the cookies to a cooling rack. Enjoy! NOTES Makes about 18 cookies. Leftover cookies save well in a sealed container on the counter for up to a week.  PB + J Energy Bites These PB + J Energy Balls are the bee's knees my friends! I made them by accident the other day while trying to make a healthy, satisfying, sweetish treat while cleaning out my cabinets. I didn't want to get the blender or food processor involved because they're a pain to clean, so these little cuties are stuck together using my favorite sticky ingredient: peanut butter! And because they're packed with PB, chia and flax they're packed with protein and healthy omega-3 fatty acids, too. Which makes these perfect for bringing along on a hike, picnic at the beach, or on your next road trip. Because we used freeze-dried strawberries here instead of fresh strawberries they last longer out of the fridge and are a little less messy that they would be normally. I passed some along to my sports trainer friend who LOVED them and said he'd love them as an after workout boost. Best of all? They're a 1-bowl recipe and take just minutes to make, so you'll be snacking in no time. So let's eat!
 INGREDIENTS 1 cup oats 2/3 cup freeze dried strawberries, roughly chopped 1/3 cup ground flax seed 1/3 cup chia seeds 1/2 cup peanut butter 1/3 cup maple syrup or agave nectar 1 teaspoon vanilla extract DIRECTIONS In a medium bowl combine the oats, strawberries, flax and chia. Add in the peanut butter, maple syrup and vanilla extract and stir until thoroughly mixed. Use a spoon or cookie scoop to roll the mixture into 1" balls. Store in an airtight container and keep refrigerated for up to 1 week. Enjoy! NOTES Makes 16-20 1" balls.  |
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