Sweet & Spicy Cashews

Now that we're heading into the cooler months, the sweet heat of these cashews makes for the perfect snack to warm you up!

Sweet & Spicy Cashews
Yield: 4 cups

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup honey
• 2 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper
• 4 cups raw cashew nuts
• 1/4 cup coconut sugar
• 1 tsp salt

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. Stir together coconut sugar and salt; set aside.
3. Stir together honey, chili powder, paprika, and cayenne pepper. Add cashews and toss to coat.
4. Spread cashews in single layer on prepared baking sheet. Roast for 5 minutes, remove pan from oven and stir cashews, then roast an additional 5 minutes.
5. Transfer cashews to second prepared baking sheet to cool for 3-5 minutes, then toss in sugar-salt mixture. Spread into single layer to continue cooling.
6. Allow cashews to cool completely before storing in airtight container. (Tip: Line bottom of container with parchment to prevent sticking and use parchment between layers of cashews.)

Recipe adapted from Leelalicious.

Homemade Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing

This light and healthy dressing is perfect on salads, in a wrap, or as a marinade and it comes together in under 5 minutes!

Homemade Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing
Yield: 1 cup

Ingredients

• 2/3 cup olive oil
• 1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1 Tbsp honey
• 2 tsp minced garlic
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1/4 tsp dried basil
• 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
• 1/8 tsp salt

Directions

1. Measure and combine all ingredients into mason jar, dressing bottle, or bowl.
2. If using mason jar or dressing bottle, shake ingredients until well combined. If using bowl, whisk ingredients until combined.
3. Serve immediately, or store leftovers for up to 2 weeks.

Recipe adapted from Erhardts Eat.

Honey Bread

I've been craving a peanut butter and jelly sandwich lately, so I figured I would pick up a loaf of gluten free bread at the store to get my fix. Unfortunately, I couldn't stomach the $6 price tag, so I decided to bake my own bread instead!

This aromatic loaf is the perfect canvas to build any type of sandwich, whether you're in the mood for something sweet (pb&j) or something savory (chicken salad), and could even be used to make french toast!

Honey Bread
Yield: 1 loaf

Ingredients

• 3 cups Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 3/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1 Tbsp instant coffee
• 1/2 cup boiling water
• 1/3 cup oil (or 2 oz tub of Gerber 1st Foods Prunes)
• 1 1/2 cups honey
• 3 eggs, room temperature

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325°F. Grease loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray, line with parchment paper, and grease with nonstick cooking spray again; set aside.
2. In stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon; set aside.
3. Mix instant coffee with boiling water; add to flour mixture.
4. Blend in oil, honey, and eggs.
5. Pour batter into prepared pan.
6. Cover loosely with tin foil (to prevent over browning) and bake 30 minutes.
7. Remove tin foil and cook additional 30-40 minutes, or until toothpick inserted near center comes out clean.
8. Allow to cool in pan for 10 minutes, then lift from pan, discard parchment, and transfer to wire rack to cool completely.
9. Store wrapped in plastic wrap and then aluminum foil to keep fresh.

Recipe adapted from Nature Nate's.

Moroccan Quinoa Salad

This vegan salad is full of color, texture, and crunch! Serve it as a main meal for a quick weeknight dinner, and then pack up the leftovers to bring to work the next day for lunch. Two meals in one = WIN!

Moroccan Quinoa Salad
Yield: 3-4 servings

Ingredients
Salad:

• 1 1/2 cups cooked quinoa (or 1/2 cup uncooked)
• 1 cup matchstick carrots
• 4 green onions, thinly sliced
• 3/4 cup chickpeas, rinsed & drained (half of 15 oz can)
• 1/3 cup chopped dates (or regular raisins)
• 1/3 cup golden raisins
• 1/3 cup chopped flat leaf parsley (or cilantro)
• 1/2 cup chopped pistachios, for serving

Dressing:

• 2-3 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 Tbsp lemon juice
• 1 Tbsp honey (maple syrup or agave, if vegan)
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp cumin powder
• 1/8 tsp chili powder

Directions

1. Cook quinoa according to package directions. Allow quinoa to cool completely. (Put in refrigerator to speed this up!)
2. Once quinoa is cooled, toss all salad ingredients together.
3. Combine dressing ingredients in small mason jar and shake until mixed through. Drizzle dressing onto salad and toss to combine.
4. If consuming immediately, top individual servings with chopped pistachios. Or, store in refrigerator for later! Salad ages well. :)

Recipe adapted from Little Spice Jar.

Sesame Peanut Butter Noodles

Asian flavors are always a favorite at our house! Enjoy these delicious noodles as a vegetarian entree or serve them as a side dish. To transform this recipe into a complete meal, simply add cooked, shredded chicken breast and steamed, stir-fry vegetables!

Sesame Peanut Butter Noodles
Yield: 4 cups

Ingredients
8 oz package rice noodles
1 1/2 Tbsp creamy peanut butter
2 Tbsp pure sesame oil
2 Tbsp honey
2 Tbsp soy sauce (or gluten free tamari)
1 1/2 Tbsp rice vinegar
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 tsp ground ginger
pinch of red pepper flakes (optional, adds some heat!)

For garnish:
 4 green onions, sliced
 2 tsp sesame seeds

Directions
1. Cook and drain rice noodles according to package directions.
2. In small bowl, heat peanut butter in microwave for 15 seconds until melted. Add sesame oil, honey, soy sauce, rice vinegar, garlic, and ginger. Whisk until well combined. (Peanut butter should completely break down to create a smooth sauce.)
3. Pour sauce over hot noodles. Toss to coat.
4. Top individual servings with 1 sliced green onion and 1/2 tsp sesame seeds. (For added crunch, try chopped peanuts!)

Recipe adapted from The Wholesome Dish.

Roasted Sweet Potato Quinoa Salad

This salad has a bright, bold flavor thanks to the zesty lime vinaigrette enrobing the fluffy quinoa, sweet potatoes, tart cranberries, fresh herbs, and flavorful spices.

Roasted Sweet Potato Quinoa Salad with Zesty Lime Dressing
Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients
Salad:
 2 medium-large sweet potatoes (washed, peeled & cubed into 1-inch chunks)
 salt & pepper
 1/2 cup dried quinoa
 1 cup water
 1/2 cup dried cranberries
 1/2 cup fresh cilantro and/or parsley, roughly chopped
 1/4 cup sliced green onion
 2-3 Tbsp raw pumpkin seeds (or sunflower kernels)

Dressing:
 4 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
 2 Tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice
 1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
 1 Tbsp honey (maple syrup or agave, if vegan)
 1/8 tsp cinnamon
 1/8 tsp cumin
 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
 1/8 tsp salt

Directions
For the Roasted Sweet Potatoes:
 1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Spray baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray. Transfer chopped sweet potato to prepared baking sheet and spray with additional nonstick spray. Lightly season with salt and pepper.
 2. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until potatoes are tender. Allow potatoes to cool slightly before handling.
For the Quinoa:
 3. While sweet potatoes are roasting, combine quinoa and water in medium-sized pot. Bring mixture to gentle boil over medium heat, then reduce heat to medium-low and gently simmer until quinoa has absorbed all of the water.
 4. Remove from heat, cover the pot, and let it rest for 5-10 minutes. Uncover pot and fluff quinoa with a fork. Set aside to cool.
For the Dressing:
 5. While quinoa is cooking, add oil, lime juice, vinegar, honey, spices, and salt to small bowl. Whisk until salad dressing comes together. Set aside.
For the Salad:
 6. In large bowl, add slightly cooled sweet potatoes, slightly cooled quinoa, cranberries, fresh herbs, and green onion. Pour salad dressing over top of veggies and quinoa. Gently stir to combine, ensuring everything is evenly coated.
 7. Just before serving, garnish with raw pumpkin seeds on top.
 8. Enjoy immediately or store in refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Recipe adapted from nourished. the blog.

Crunchy Thai Peanut & Quinoa Salad

This Thai-inspired salad is packed with crisp, colorful vegetables and tossed in a delicious homemade peanut sauce. Not only is this healthy salad gluten free, but it can be prepared vegan as well. Throw it together for an easy meatless summer dinner and enjoy the leftovers for lunch throughout the rest of the week!

Crunchy Thai Peanut & Quinoa Salad
Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients
Salad:

• 3/4 cup uncooked quinoa
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 2 cups shredded purple cabbage*
• 1 cup grated carrot*
• 1 cup thinly sliced snow peas or sugar snap peas*
• 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
• 1/4 cup thinly sliced green onion
• 1/2 cup chopped dry roasted peanuts, for garnish

Sauce:

• 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
• 3 Tbsp coconut aminos
• 1 Tbsp honey (or maple syrup)
• 1 Tbsp rice vinegar
• 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1 Tbsp lime juice
• 1/8 tsp red pepper flakes

*To keep it simple, I substituted a bagged coleslaw mix for these ingredients.

Directions

1. First, cook the quinoa: In a medium-sized pot, combine the quinoa and water. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil over medium heat, then reduce the heat to medium-low and gently simmer the quinoa until it has absorbed all of the water. Remove the quinoa from heat, cover the pot and let it rest for 5-10 minutes. Uncover the pot and fluff the quinoa with a fork. Set it aside to cool.
2. Meanwhile, make the sauce: Whisk together the peanut butter and coconut aminos until smooth. (If this is difficult, microwave the mixture for 15-20 seconds to loosen it up.) Add the remaining ingredients and whisk until smooth.
3. In a large serving bowl, combine the cooked quinoa, shredded cabbage, carrot, snow peas, cilantro, and green onion. Toss to combine, then pour in the peanut sauce. Toss again until everything is evenly coated in sauce.
4. Garnish with peanuts just before serving (otherwise they get soggy). Salad keeps well, covered and refrigerated, for up to 4 days.

Recipe adapted from Cookie and Kate.

Honey Mustard Quinoa Salad

This salad is a bright and tangy addition to any backyard barbecue this summer!

Honey Mustard Quinoa Salad
Yield: 6-8 servings

Ingredients
3/4 cup uncooked quinoa
1 1/2 cups water

Honey Mustard Dressing:
 1/4 cup honey (or agave nectar)
 1/4 cup Dijon mustard
 1 Tbsp olive oil
 2 Tbsp rice vinegar
 1-2 cloves garlic, minced
 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
 1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup dried cranberries
2 celery ribs, diced
2 carrots, peeled and diced

Directions
1. In a medium-sized pot, combine the quinoa and water. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil over medium heat, then reduce the heat to medium-low and gently simmer the quinoa until it has absorbed all of the water. Remove the quinoa from heat, cover the pot and let it rest for 5-10 minutes. Uncover the pot and fluff the quinoa with a fork. Set it aside to cool.
2. Combine all dressing ingredients in a small bowl and whisk until well combined.
3. Once the cooked quinoa has cooled completely, toss together with remaining ingredients and dressing. (Feel free to start with just a portion of the dressing and add more to taste. Store remainder in refrigerator for leftovers!)
4. Serve at room temperature or chilled.

Recipe adapted from Wendy Polisi.

Chocolate Avocado Mousse

You're probably wondering how I could possibly blog about chocolate and avocado together again so soon, but I really enjoyed the brownies I made last week, so I wanted to try my hand at combining these two diverse ingredients again.

This mousse is super easy to make. Simply add everything to your food processor (or blender) and mix away! The result? An amazingly smooth, creamy texture with a rich chocolatey taste and a hint of sweetness.

And the best part about this recipe? It accommodates such a vast array of dietary restrictions: gluten free (of course!), dairy free, paleo, vegetarian, vegan. Everyone at your dinner table will be able to partake in this dessert!

Chocolate Avocado Mousse
Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients
2 large avocados peeled, pitted, and halved
1/3 cup honey*
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 cup almond milk
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/8 tsp salt

*Recipe can be made vegan by replacing honey with pure maple syrup, agave, or coconut palm nectar.

Directions
1. Place all ingredients in food processor or blender. Process until completely smooth. (You may need to scrape the edges of the food processor to get everything to combine.)
2. Transfer to sealable container and refrigerate at least 1 hour, or until ready to serve. (Resist the temptation to try it right away! You'll probably be disappointed. It tastes best if you let it sit overnight so that the flavors develop and meld together. Then it will taste like pure heaven!)

Notes
• Mousse will keep up to 4 days in sealed container in refrigerator.
• You can also freeze the mousse and eat it like ice cream! Simply thaw for about 8 minutes before scooping.

Recipe adapted from The Roasted Root.

Sticky Sesame Cauliflower

If you're in the mood for Chinese takeout, look no further! The sweet and sticky sauce surrounding these tender cauliflower florets will almost make you think you're eating sesame chicken from the food court at the mall, because let's be honest...it's the sauce that keeps you coming back, bite after bite.

Sticky Sesame Cauliflower
Yield: 2-4 servings

Ingredients
1 small head cauliflower, chopped (6 1/2 cups florets)
1/3 cup gluten free, low sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup pure maple syrup or honey
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1 Tbsp minced garlic
1 1/2 tsp toasted sesame oil
1/2 tsp powdered ginger
1 1/2 Tbsp cornstarch
1/4 cup water
sesame seeds and sliced green onions, for garnish

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 450°F. Line baking pan with parchment.
2. Cut cauliflower into florets. Arrange in single layer in prepared pan. Bake 10 minutes on center rack.
3. Meanwhile, whisk together soy sauce, maple syrup or honey, vinegar, garlic, sesame oil, and ginger in small saucepan. Bring to a boil. While waiting, stir together cornstarch and water until cornstarch dissolves fully; then slowly whisk this into the saucepan as soon as it boils. Turn heat to medium and cook 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Cook until thick. (This happens quickly!)
4. Flip cauliflower florets and bake 10 additional minutes.
5. Remove pan from oven and place florets in large bowl; toss florets with sauce.
6. If desired, serve florets over cooked rice. Sprinkle sesame seeds and sliced green onions on top of individual servings.

Recipe adapted from Chocolate Covered Katie.

Almond Flour Banana Bread

With the holidays coming up, I thought it would be fun to share a recipe that is meant for just that...sharing! These mini loaves of banana bread are a break from the traditional loaf by using almond flour as the the base and honey as the sweetener with some seasonal spices that make it taste festive.

Disclaimer: When making this recipe, don't judge a book by its cover! I was skeptical on how the bread would taste based on the dark exterior. I went so far as to make my husband try it first (while still not touching it myself!). I broke down a couple days later and gave it a taste. I was pleasantly surprised by how moist and delicious it was!

Almond Flour Banana Bread
Yield: 4 mini loaves

Ingredients
2 1/2 cups Bob's Red Mill Almond Flour
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
3 eggs
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup sour cream
3 ripe bananas, mashed
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup pecans, chopped

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease four mini loaf pans with Crisco.
2. In large bowl, mix together dry ingredients: almond flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and baking soda.
3. In medium size bowl, whisk eggs. Add honey, sour cream, mashed bananas, and vanilla. Whisk together until combined.
4. Stir wet ingredients into dry ingredients until combined. Fold in chopped pecans.
5. Pour batter into prepared loaf pans. Bake for 35 minutes, or until center is firm. Allow to cool. Run knife along edge of each loaf and remove from pans.
6. Slice and enjoy!

Notes
• For muffins, line 18 cups with paper liners. Cook for 20 minutes.

Recipe adapted from Live Simply.

No Bake Energy Bites

The nutritious ingredients packed into these bite-sized snacks are a healthy balance of protein, fat, and fiber to fuel your body. They're perfect to grab for a quick breakfast on-the-go, a pick-me-up during the afternoon slump, or a treat late at night when you need to satisfy your sweet tooth. They're like a potato chip... I bet you can't eat just one!

No Bake Energy Bites
Yield: 20-25 balls

Ingredients
1 cup Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free Quick Cooking Oats
2/3 cup shredded coconut
1/2 cup finely ground flaxseed
1/2 cup mini semisweet chocolate chips
2 Tbsp sunflower kernels
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1/3 cup honey
1 tsp vanilla

Directions
1. Mix all ingredients together. (Be patient! It may take a minute to get everything completely incorporated.)
2. Set mixture in refrigerator for about half an hour.
3. Roll into small balls, about 1 inch in diameter. (I used a small cookie dough scoop.)
4. Store in air tight container in refrigerator.

Recipe adapted from Gimme Some Oven.