Grain-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies

December 7, 2016 | 9 Comments

It’s the holidays! Which means lots of love, celebrations, family gatherings and… cookies. Lots. and lots. Of cookies. I was recently invited to an all-girls ‘Christmas Cookie’ exchange in the S.F. I jumped at the opportunity to take part and immediately started browsing the web for a recipe that was both delicious and nutritious. Just then… I stumbled upon these Grain-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies from PaleoHacks.

Now, let’s be honest – a grain-free cookie with natural sugar has now business competing against a ‘real’ chocolate chip cookie. So I knew that bringing these cookies to the party were going to be a bit of risk.

Luckily, they turned out to be a hit! The recipe is super simple consisting of just coconut flour, coconut oil, honey, eggs, chocolate chips (dark, of course), vanilla and sea salt. That’s. It. Sure, they didn’t win top prize at the party… but they were certainly gobbled up and enjoyed!

I’ve repasted the recipe from PaleoHacks below.

You can also alter it to make it slightly more festive. On a second batch, I added in crushed peppermint (hammered some candy canes) for an extra Christmas flare!

Grain-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies

What You’ll Need:

1/3 cup coconut flour
1/3 cup dark chocolate chips
2 whole eggs
1/4 cup organic, cold-pressed virgin coconut oil
1/4 cup raw honey
1 tsp vanilla extract

What You’ll Do:

Preheat your oven to 350°F and line baking sheet with parchment paper
In a large bowl, whisk together all dry ingredients; then with a food mixer stir in eggs, coconut oil, honey, and vanilla extract (it gets pretty sticky and coconut flour soaks up the wet ingredients VERY fast!)
Gently fold in the chocolate chips (I usually add double the amount – 1/2 cup)
Portion out the cookie dough into little balls using a tablespoon onto your baking tray (this makes about a dozen)
NOW, here is the KEY: gently pat down your the cookies until they’re slightly flat (they will not spread out on their own in the oven)
Place your cookies into the center of the oven and bake for around 12 minutes; keep your eye on the cookies as the edges will burn quicker than the middle will set*

*By the time I made my second batch… I flipped my cookies half way through baking them (about 6 minutes) to ensure they we’re cooked through

Christmas Frittata

October 27, 2016 | 6 Comments

Okay, it’s not quite Christmas… but let’s all agree, it might as well be. The second the first leaf hits the ground there’s a MAD rush to stock the shelves with everything Holiday. I’ve spotted toy santas at Target and turkeys at Trader Joe’s… and it’s not even Halloween! Sigh. Wait. Whoooo am I kidding? I LOVE IT ALL. AND that’s why I came up with this Christmas Frittata recipe.

Why the recipe’s holiday homage? Well, the first time I made it was on Christmas. AND… secondly, the recipe sort-of/kind-of has red/green theme going on with the ingredients. Catch my drift?

Besides all that – the frittata is just super delicious and nutritious. A perfect way to bang out a brunch while impressing your guests. PLUS starting your day off with eggs and veggies is one of the kindest things you can do for your body. In terms of processing protein efficiently, eggs are one of the best things for you. Adding them into your diet (every morning if you can!) is highly recommended.

What You’ll Need:

½ bag of spinach
½ sweet onion, finely chopped
One cup of chopped salami (it goes without saying, get the good stuff!)
Eight eggs

What You’ll Do:

Set the oven to broil (high)
Over medium-high heat, sauté the onions until translucent in a cast-iron/oven-safe skillet
Add salami and spinach until well-cooked together
In a separate bowl, whisk together eggs
Turn pan down to low-medium heat and add eggs; cook until eggs are almost set (about eight minutes)
Remove pan from heat and place in oven under a high broil (this will help the top of the frittata crisp-up and brown

Do the Hokey “Poke”-y!

October 5, 2016 | 1,490 Comments

Back from Tokyo and reeling from all the AMAZING Japanese food I consumed. Sashimi and sushi are the obvious staples in the country of cherry blossoms, so I decided to take some of that inspiration home. Instead of tackling a sushi roll head on, I decided to start with something slightly simpler: poke (pronounced po-key). With fresh fish and a plethora of fun veggies, a poke bowl is all I need.

This particular recipe came as inspiration from the one and only GP (that’s Gwyneth Paltrow for all of those who have been living under a rock this digital age). In her latest book, she puts together several suggestions for making this essentially effortless dish with a variety of sauces.

What I love about this dish is that there are so many different ways to spice it up, keeping your palette ever excited. For this recipe, I paired salmon poke with some brown rice and zoodles. The brown rice was the perfect counter balance for my aching belly after a particularly gruesome spin/barre/duo day. There are some days when you’re craving carbs more than others… and this was one in particular. PLUS – the whole grain aspects of brown rice really rev up your energy.

As previously mentioned, I only recently jumped on the zoodles train. But, much like a relationship, once I decide to commit to a new food, I go in hard. So since they were in the fridge… they would now be added to my poke bowl.

The rest of the ingredients are pretty poke-standard: bean sprouts, jalapeños, green onion and sesame seeds. Fresh salmon or tuna can be used interchangeably depending on the mood. Whole Foods actually offers great, sushi-grade fish in their freezer aisle near the butcher.

Poke Recipe

What You’ll Need:

1 cup of pre-cooked rice
½ cup of pre-cooked, and dried zoodles
Salmon or tuna poke, cut into ¼ inch chunks
Chopped green onions
Slice jalapeno
Minced or sliced ginger
Slice of lime
Sprinkle of sesame seeds
GP’s classic ‘soy’ sauce

For The ‘Soy; Sauce, You’ll Need (from It’s All Delicious):

2 tablespoons tamari
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar

*Stir ingredients together until mixed

What You’ll Do:

Pre-cook rice and zoodles following instructions on package; arrange in bowl
Thaw sushi-grade fish, cut into ¼ inch chunks (easy to cut when they’re still slightly frozen); place next atop rice and zoodles
Cut remaining ingredients and arrange in bowl
Mix wet ingredients in small ramekin, splash over top of dish
Sprinkle with sesame seeds

Detox Mocktail

August 22, 2016 | Leave a Comment

After several weeks of non-stop celebration, my liver needed a bit of a detox. Not my typical ‘detox/retox’… but, rather just an actual detox. So what better way to satisfy your cocktail craving than with this detox mocktail recipe?

I know, what you’re thinking: it seems nearly impossible to wave away a bottle of champagne just for the sake of your liver. I mean what has he ever done for you? (Besides continually working to prevent blood clots, helping to stabilize your metabolism, and breaking down fats to produce energy). There comes a time when your body just needs (and deserves) a break.

That’s why we have the mocktail, my friends. A clever way to trick you brain to think you’re enjoying an adult beverage, but secretly you’re encouraging your body to flush and function. This concoction has a few of my favorite things, including: Apple Cider Vinegar, Grapefruit Juice and Peach-Pear flavored La Croix (very important ingredient to help fit the tartness). Your liver and stomach will be thanking you the minute you decide to slide this drink down your throat.

Apple Cider Vinegar has become a recent acquaintance in my diet, and I’ve sure learned to love him. It’s a natural digestive aid and has been used for medicinal purposes for years and years. For a list of the many benefits of ACV, click here.

Fresh-squeezed grapefruit juice helps round out the drink with a touch of tartness while the sparkling water adds a much-needed splash of sweetness (without any actual sugar added).

And guess what? There’s more good news! If you have been behaving yourself lately and need a little more indulgence in your life… you can easily (and deservedly) make this mocktail into a cocktail. Just add and extra splash of your favorite tequila or vodka… and you’re ready to party!

Apple Cider Vinegar and Grapefruit Detox Mocktail

What You’ll Need:

1 oz apple cider vinegar (I like Bragg’s)
2 oz grapefruit juice
4 oz Peach-Pear flavored La Croix (or your sparkling water of choice)
Ice cubes
Optional splash of vodka or tequila (1 or 2 oz.) if you’re looking to turn up the party

What You’ll Do:

Fill glass with ice and pour in ingredients one by one; stir and enjoy

Salami & Hummus Cucumber Crackers

August 15, 2016 | 3 Comments

Here’s one of my easiest recipes I’ve ever ‘created’… It’s so effortless, in fact, I don’t feel right calling it a recipe. With a five minute prep time and a pretty display… I’m sold.

It’s so easy, you can serve it for many occasions, including:

You forgot that the in-laws were coming over and need to whip up something presentable
It’s your turn to host bookclub and you need a snack ASAP (your guests’ mouths will be so content they’ll forget you didn’t actually read the required book)
You’re hungover AF but told you’re friend you’d bring an appetizer to the bridal shower (brownie points for being SUCH a good friend!)
You just want something guilt-free to munch on

Salami & Hummus Cucumber “Crackers”

What You’ll Need:

High-quality, nitrate-free salami (thinly sliced or pre-cut)
Organic Cucumber
Your favorite hummus (pre-made or store-bought)
Pepper, cayenne and sea salt (optional)

What You’ll Do:

Slice up the cucumber into thick chunks (for easy pick-up)
Dab a teaspoon of hummus (this will act as your glue) on cucumber followed by slice of salami; top with another dab of hummus
Sprinkle with pepper, cayenne and/or sea salt (all of which are optional)

Paleo Banana Bread

July 21, 2016 | 3 Comments

I was inspired by The Roasted Root to make something sweet for a leisurely morning in and came across her recipe for Paleo Banana Bread. I’ve always been a huge fan of banana bread, and actually like gluten-free/paleo versions BETTER than the original. The flavor of the almond flour adds an extra umph to this dense little bread machine.

My attempt came out pretty moist, which she did warn about, but I enjoyed every bite of it.

In making the recipe I only had two (personal) edits: one was adding a small scoop of my favorite vanilla protein powder to the mix. By doing so I was now able to view the bread as protein bar! SCORE. It also helped make the texture more “cake-y”. Also, because I didn’t add in nuts or chocolate chips, I slathered on a big spoonful of almond butter and topped with a sprinkle of celtic sea salt (as I’m salt obsessed, unfortunately/fortunately).

Head over to The Roasted Root for the original recipe here. Otherwise, scroll down to see it below!

Paleo Banana Bread

What You’ll Need (recipe courtesy of The Roasted Root):

3 RIPE bananas
2 eggs
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 scoop of vanilla protein (preferably vegan)
3 tbsp maple syrup
2 cups of your fav almond flour, I like Bob’s Red Mill
1 tbsp baking powder
¼ tsp kosher salt
2 tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp ground nutmeg
Sprinkle of celtic sea salt and almond butter

What You’ll Do:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
Using coconut oil, lightly oil a load ban
In a mixing bowl, mash the ripe bananas; stir in eggs, vanilla extract, and pure maple syrup
In a separate bow, stir almond meal, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and protein powder
Pour the dry ingredients into the bowl with the wet ingredients and stir to combine
Pour batter into loaf and spread out evening
Bake for 40 to 50 minutes
Allow bread to cool for 30 minutes (this will help it from crumbling!) before cutting it into thick slices
To each piece, slab on some almond butter and sprinkle with celtic sea salt

Sweet Potatoes with Crispy Pancetta

July 18, 2016 | 3 Comments

Some days you just need carbs. Today, is one of those days.

BUT – because we’re still in the midst of bikini season, let’s try to ‘healthify’ our carbo-options. Sweet potatoes are tasty, starchy and a colorful addition to your summer plate. They’re super easy to cook – and are a great source of Vitamin A and Potassium. Topped with crispy pancetta chips – you’ve got the perfect, salty CRUNCH to your side dish.

Sweet Potatoes with Crispy Pancetta

What You’ll Need:

2 small/medium sized sweet potatoes
Coconut Oil or Ghee
Pancetta Chips

What You’ll Do:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees
Use fork to poke holes into potatoes (make sure you’ve properly washed/scrubbed them)
Place potatoes directly on rack and bake until tender, 45 minutes (time will vary depending on size of potato)
Carefully pull potatoes from oven and let cool slightly before handling
Using a knife, cut a cross into the potato; add a dollop of ghee or coconut oil (which will make it slightly sweeter)
Sprinkle crumbled Pancetta Chips over orange flesh

Simple Green Summer Salad

July 12, 2016 | 3 Comments

Everyone needs a simple green summer salad recipe on hand. Especially with the heat upon us.

Sometimes the idea of cooking seems WAY too daunting. You want something satisfying and fresh but does not necessarily require overheating by the oven. Salads are always a great option for summer, but I tend to steer away from recipes that require multiple ingredients and complicated dressings. Why add the fuss when it doesn’t enhance the taste?

There are only two basic ingredients in this salad: baby kale (which I find easier to digest than other kale options) and sugar snap peas (which add the perfect crunch!). Kale is known to be the Regina George of the vegetable world – offering topnotch nutrients such as potassium, fiber, Vitamin C and more. Sugar snap peas are tasty AF. And are a hell of fun to bite into.

This recipe is perfect by itself 0r perfect to pair with steak, salmon or whatever your favorite main dish may be.

Simple Green Summer Salad

What You’ll Need:

Organic, washed baby kale
Organic sugar snap peas

For the dressing

1 lemon, juiced/squeezed
2 tblsps cup of Olive Oil
S&P

What You’ll Do:

Fill bowl with baby kale
Cut or snap sugar snap peas (as many as you’d like!) in half and add to salad
For the dressing, squeeze lemon juice into a small dish and whisk with olive oil; sprinkle in some S&P
Pour small portion of dressing over salad (you’ll have some leftover depending on how big of a salad you’ve made!) and enjoy!

Grapefruit on the Grill

July 8, 2016 | 1 Comment

Grapefruit on the grill: a perfect hybrid of one of my favorite winter foods cooked in my favorite summer manner. My family has always been big on grapefruits. They offer the perfect amount of tartness and POP to any breakfast routine. My Grandma would “fix” my Grandpa a grapefruit every morning and place it readily at his breakfast table much to his delight.

This year – I’ve decided to jazz it up a bit. By adding a dash of honey and sea salt, you’ve got a lot of flavors melding together in your mouth. Plus, something about seeing grilled charcoal marks on a fresh grapefruit is very satisfying.

Grapefruit on the Grill

What You’ll Need:

1 ripe grapefruit
Drizzle of your natural honey
Coarse sea salt

What You’ll Do:

Fire up your grill to high
Split grapefruit in half and cut around sections/membranes with a small knife; this will allow you to easily scoop out the sections later
Place each side of grapefruit face down on HOT grill; let sit for a few minutes or until you receive nice charcoal marks; remove
Drizzle each half of grapefruit with dash of honey; finish with a sprinkle of salt

Fourth of July Spritzer

July 1, 2016 | 3 Comments

You’ve made it to Friday; you’ve made it to the holiday weekend; you’ve made it to your Fourth of July spritzer. This jazzed up drank has all the things I love – rosé, vodka, sparkling water, blueberries and ‘yonce’s watermelon.

It’s a great detox-retox drink because it incorporates a ton of hydration. The addition of the sparkling water is a no-brainer, but watermelon is also packed with h20 as well. So, once again, you’ll by hydrating while you’re dehydrating. What a perfect way to say “I LOVE YOU, AMERICA. HAPPY BIRTHDAY!”.

Fourth of July Spritzer

What You’ll Need:

watermelon slice, cubed into 1 inch square
small handful of bluberries
3-4 oz of vodka
your favorite dry rosé
sparkling water (I used La Croix’s Pamplemousse flavor)

What You’ll Do:

After you’ve cubed your watermelon, place inside an air-tight container and cover with a few ounces of vodka. Seal/cover and set in fridge overnight.
Remove the vodka-soaked watermelon and fill about 1/3 of your glass with the fruit. Add blueberries. Muddle together to get the juices/vodka at the bottom of the glass.
Add ice and 2-3oz of rosé.
Top off with sparkling water. Stir. Sip. Finish. Make another.