Cucumber Mint Chia Fresca

If you remember reading about our Whole Food of the Month—Chia— then you will recall that citrus, honey, chia and water is a natural energy drink for the Tarahumara People of Mexico. It fuels 50 to 100 mile runs for these super athletes, and many American runners are now incorporating chia into their routine, so maybe you could give it a try too. I’ve created a jazzier version with some fresh mint and hydrating cucumber. It’s delicious, easy to make and a simple way to get some essential omega-3s in. Drink this every day for a month and you will see an amazing difference in your skin and hair. Promise. Read more…

Mexican Chocolate Chia Pudding

Contributor Kathy Beymer (also from Merriment Design) and I came up with this recipe together the other night. We wanted a treat without too much time investment and chia puddings are such a delicious, nutrient-rich treat that can be whipped up in 10-15 minutes. I didn’t have raspberries to make my Cardamom Cream Pudding and Kathy was craving chocolate so I thought we could make a remix of my Raw Cacao Avocado Pudding, adding some Mexican spices for a fancy Whole Food of the Month version. We were successful! Feel free to leave out the cinnamon and cayenne if you want a simple chocolate version, or leave out the cinnamon and cayenne and add 1 tsp peppermint extract for a chocolate mint version. Top with bananas or shaved chocolate. And yes, you can have this for breakfast. Yum. Read more…

Valentine’s Day Treats Roundup: Last Minute, Easy Recipes You Can Make Tonight

You may need to hit the grocery store at some point today, but I’ve pulled together some last minute gluten-free and dairy-free recipes to help make your Valentine’s evening a special one—even if it’s last minute. Make this day one to celebrate love for you and for your family (the ones you make and the one you’re born with). I’ve included substitutions for you in case you can’t locate certain ingredients. Happy Valentine’s Day loves! Read more…

Raspberry & Cardamom Cream Chia Pudding

I think that if you love someone, whether it’s a family member, a friend, or your sweetheart, you should serve them healthy treats for Valentine’s Day. Nothing says “I care” like recipes that promote a long, vibrant life. This delicious Whole Food of the Month recipe takes no time at all to make (love that), but thanks to the exotic flavor of cardamom and the almost heart-shaped and juicy red raspberries, your recipients will be feeling well taken care of this Valentine’s Day. Read more…

Chickpea Granola Bars

In the afternoons, I always crave something healthy but a tad sweet. Something with ample amounts of protein and natural ingredients, but something reminiscent of my days when I used to grab a chewy granola bar (or four). With a little experimentation, here is my take on a protein packed granola bar that takes no time to make. Play with ingredients to see what you like best (and don’t be afraid of the chickpeas—they work perfectly in this recipe). Read more…

Toasted Sesame & Wasabi Seaweed Snacks

This is the last Whole Food of the Month recipe for January, but rest assured, now that YU all love sea veggies and are feeling the benefits—we will keep the recipes comin’. Toasted Sesame Seaweed Snacks are one of my favorite nutrient-powerhouse go-tos. They are easy to make and are great for travel, whether you are going to the office or on vacation far away. They are totally cravable and pretty addicting. My girlfriends and I went through the whole bag I made for us on the plane ride out to California two weeks ago…they didn’t last 10 minutes before they were gone and we were checking eachother for seaweed teeth. Read more…

Healthy & Homemade Gifting: Assorted Oatmeals

It’s fun to “gift” goodies, especially post-holidaze when no one is really expecting it. For the new year, show your pals, your family, even your co-workers how easy it can be to make nutrient-rich and delicious breakfast options with this trio of tasty oatmeal recipes (that can be easily made gluten-free if you buy oats from a trusted source for gluten-free oats). I’ve got some free labels that you can print out for the flavor combos below—you just need some sticker stock and some paper or glass containers. Have fun with this one, if you have a dehydrator, you could sprout buckwheat and or quinoa to replace (or add to) the oats. Just share what you come up with (#YUMadeIt)… Read more…

Creamy Dairy-Free, Soy-Free Ranch Dressing

This soy-free and dairy-free ranch dressing is part of another recipe I’ll be sharing soon, but I had to get this to you as soon as possible because it is easy to prepare and so deeelicious! I’ve been making ginormous salads with toasted walnuts, hemp seeds, lentil sprouts (if you haven’t made these yet get to it…they couldn’t be easier), chickpeas, buckwheat and steamed sweet potato or butternut squash—a little dressing goes a long way. It stores well in a glass container in the fridge so make a fresh batch and use it all week long. Fresh, homemade dressing is always better than store-bought. Read more…