Dairy Free Vegan Cream Cheese

You guys.

I almost feel dumb for waiting this long to try this at home. 

It was stupid easy and it tastes JUST LIKE cream cheese. 

Do yourself a favor and just try it. So simple,

I am eating bagels and cream cheese again with ZERO guilt because it is packed full of nutrition and won't hurt my gut. I am so stoked you have no idea.

If you missed it, the vegan protein bagel recipe is here.

Dairy Free Vegan Cream Cheese

1 ½ cups raw unsalted cashews soaked
2 tablespoons lemon juice
¼ cup vegan yogurt unsweetened (can use regular yogurt if not vegan or dairy free)
½ teaspoon salt


Drain and rinse the soaked cashews.
Add all ingredients to a food processor or high-speed blender and pulse until smooth.
Taste and add more salt to your preference.
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.

Vegan Protein Bagels

Stop cutting your carbs. Please just stop. It is not carbs that makes you gain weight. EAT REAL FOOD in a calorie deficit. That is what you need. If you have food sensitivities, just adjust your recipes, there is a substitute for just about everything. Recently dairy started making me bloat, and caused digestive problems. All that means is that I am not able to eat milk and cheese at the moment. Doesn't mean it's forever, what it really means is I can't have it here in the U.S. where they destroy our food with chemicals which have caused and rapid onset of autoimmune diseases in this country. 

SO if you are like me and are self advocating... you probably are making your own food the majority of the time. Bagels from the store are full of crap and if I eat them, I need a nap almost instantly. I don't want that feeling. I want FUEL. So these are my solution. Toast one of these bad boys up and eat them with my Vegan cream cheese. You CAN have what you want, you just have to be willing to cook a little. 

Vegan Protein Bagels


1 cup gluten free flour 

2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon sea salt
1 cup vegan greek yogurt (recipe here)
1 egg white or 1/3 cup aquafaba
optional toppings: everything bagel seasoning, sesame seeds, poppy seeds, dried garlic flakes, dried onion flakes



Preheat oven to 375F. Place parchment paper or a silpat on a baking sheet.

 
In a medium bowl combine the flour, baking powder and salt and whisk well. Add the yogurt and mix with a fork or spatula until well combined and a dough ball forms.

Lightly dust flour on a work surface and remove dough from the bowl, knead the dough a few times until dough is tacky, but not sticky.

Divide into 4 equal balls. Roll each ball into 3/4-inch thick ropes and join the ends to form bagels. (or you can make a ball and poke a hole in the center then stretch it slightly)

Top with egg wash OR aquafaba and sprinkle with seasoning of your choice. Bake on the top rack of the oven for 25 minutes. Let cool at least 15 minutes before cutting.

 Top with cream cheese!  If you missed it the vegan cream cheese recipe is up on my blog here.

Vegan Queso

I love cheese. I just wish it loved me. It doesn't. It hates me. I had to finally come to grips with this toxic relationship and love myself enough to say goodbye. Like all toxic relationships, I am sure I will try again down the line, only to be burned once again. 

In all seriousness. I have to have cheese and if I can't have the real thing, I will make one better. This is indeed better than regular queso, in my opinion, AND even in the opinion of my daughter. So give it a try. If you are like me your insides will thank you! 

Vegan Queso

1 cup raw cashews , soaked for at least 4 hours up to overnight, and drained
1/4 cup water (plus more, if needed)
1 teaspoon sea salt
1.5 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
14 oz . can diced tomatoes with green chiles (rotel)

Put it all in the blender and blend until smooth. Store in the fridge. Use like you do regular queso.

Dairy Free Greek Yogurt ( Vegan )

Hormones...who's got em? 

My body has recently gone through hell and back with hormone changes thanks to turning 48 and aging is underway! I'm not worried. This is why I self advocate. Our bodies change and we need to make changes too. So I recently had to go off dairy. I love cheese and every so often I'll eat it again but just have to be aware of the consequences. It's not fun and it makes me bloat painfully. So I've been playing with recipes to replace my daily things that contained dairy and this one took the cake. 

It's sooooooo good!!!

I'll never go back to store bought greek yogurt and I'm definitely sticking to vegan on this one. Try it. Tell me what you think! For me it is like eating ice cream. I add some maple syrup and some granola and it is HEAVEN!!

VEGAN GREEK YOGURT

1 cup raw cashews, (soaked in water overnight and drained)
2 cans coconut milk
1/4 cup tapioca starch
3 capsules high quality probiotic

Instructions

Combine the drained cashews, coconut milk, and tapioca starch in a blender. Blend until silky smooth.
Transfer the mixture to a saucepan and bring to a simmer. Remove from the heat and let cool.
Add to a glass bowl (no metal!) and stir in the probiotic with a wood, plastic, or glass utensil.
Cover the bowl with cheesecloth and secure it with a rubber band. Let ferment at room temperature overnight or until desired tanginess is achieved.

Don't be alarmed if a crust forms, that simply means it's ready! Mix well and store in the fridge.

Healthier Snickerdoodles

These cookies are packed full of nutrients and healthy fats and free from refined sugar and gluten. The main ingredient is almonds. Almonds contain lots of healthy fats, fiber, protein, magnesium and vitamin E. The health benefits of almonds include lower blood sugar levels, reduced blood pressure and lower cholesterol levels. They can also reduce hunger and promote weight loss. So leave these out for Santa but feel free to indulge too! 

Healthy Snickerdoodles

1/2 cup coconut oil 
1/2 cup maple syrup
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3 cups blanched almond flour 

For the Topping:
1/4 cup coconut sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon





Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, mix together the coconut oil and maple syrup 

Add the vanilla and eggs, mixing until well incorporated. Mix in the baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Add the almond flour, 1 cup at a time, beating well after each addition.

Mix together the remaining sugar and cinnamon together in a bowl or shallow dish. Roll the cookie dough into 1 1/2 tablespoon rounds, then roll to coat in the sugar mixture. Drop the coated dough onto the parchment paper-lined baking sheet, about 3 inches apart.
Bake 11-13 minutes, or until golden brown around edges. Allow to cool for a couple of minutes on the baking sheet, then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling. Enjoy!

Healthy Gingerbread banana muffins

I love working with Buckwheat. It is SO nutritious. Most get confused when they hear the name and think it has Gluten, so they steer clear. Let me enlighten you!! Buckwheat belongs to a group of foods commonly called pseudocereals. Pseudocereals are seeds that are consumed as cereal grains but don't grow on grasses. Other common pseudocereals include quinoa and amaranth. 

Despite its name, buckwheat is not related to wheat and is thus gluten-free. Buckwheat is one of the healthiest, nuttiest, most versatile Pseudocereals . It has more protein than rice, wheat, millet or corn and is high in the essential amino acids lysine and arginine, in which major cereal crops are deficient. Its unique amino acid profile gives buckwheat the power to boost the protein value of beans and cereal grains eaten the same day.

Raw buckwheat flour (ground groats) is more absorbent than wheat flour and is used in recipes for pancakes, blini, and pasta such as Japanese soba noodles.  Buckwheat flour contains four times as much fiber as whole wheat flour, and is also a very good source of manganese and magnesium. I like to make sweet breads with it. Tis' the season so here is some healthy gingerbread. You can make loaves out of it too if you prefer. I like muffins for easy serving. I topped with Vegan Sugar-Free Whipped Cream and a dash of cinnamon.

Healthy gingerbread banana muffins 

3/4 cup coconut oil
1 cup Maple syrup or honey or  coconut sugar or date paste
2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla
3 cups of mashed bananas around 4 large banana's
1/2 cup of molasses 
1 cup buckwheat flour

1/2 cup coconut flour

1 cup almond flour
2 1/2 teaspoons ginger
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon cloves

1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda


Pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees F.
Prepare your muffin pan.
Beat the coconut oil, vanilla and sweetener of choice until fully incorporated.
Beat in the eggs until combined.
Mix in the banana and molasses until completely combined.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients.
Mix the dry ingredients into the wet mixture until completely mixed in.

Let sit for 15 minutes and then stir again to let the coconut flour absorb. 

Fill your muffin pan filling each hole to the top.

Bake for 20--30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
Remove and cool for 10-15 minutes, then remove from the pans onto a wire rack and cool completely.

I topped with Vegan Sugar-Free Whipped Cream.

Vegan Sugar-Free Whipped Cream

I use this in coffee drinks, desserts, or just as a dip for my fruit. SO stupid easy!

Raw Vegan Whipped Cream

 15 ounce can of full fat coconut milk
1/2 tsp stevia ( I use vanilla sweet drops)
*1 tsp vanilla extract ( don't need if you use vanilla sweet drops)

Place your can of coconut milk in the fridge overnight upside down. Next day, turn the can right side up and carefully open the can. Strain out all the watery liquid, leaving the solids.  Mix your solids with stevia and vanilla. Whip up and serve.

Not all Broccoli is created equal

This is the tale of two broccoli. Today the broccoli we eat is nothing like the broccoli of our ancestors. None of the fruits and vegetables are. It has left our bodies in a state of starvation. We are overfed but malnourished. People are consuming massive amounts of non-food items that are manufactured vs real food that is pulled out of the ground, but even the real food is SO SUB PAR! It is from the soil Erosion, compaction, nutrient imbalance, pollution, acidification, water logging, loss of soil biodiversity and increasing salinity have been affecting soil across the globe, reducing its ability to support plant life and so grow crops. Our soils are deficient which is why everybody and their brother are now popping up with ailments you never heard from before. Quite simply... an auto-immune disease is really just the body eating itself. The body doesn't get what it needs so it starts attacking itself. This can all be prevented with proper nutrition.  

In a 2004 study of common garden vegetables there was found to be a significantly reliable decline in nutrients from 1950 to 1999 according to USDA data. Today I am just going to show broccoli. I have attached a chart to show the massive loss in nutrients, for example Broccoli has 2/3 less calcium than it did only 50 years earlier. Meaning you can eat and eat and eat that broccoli and still not reach the nutrition level you need. This is the same for all of our fruits and vegetables. This was one of the things I learned early on in my nutrition education. I had to self advocate and learn how to PREVENT the cancer from coming back. This is what led me to plant enzymes that are harvested BOTANICALLY (where they naturally grow).


Raw fruits and vegetables grown in nutrient-rich soils already contain the enzymes needed for us to digest the plants’ proteins and carbohydrates. Fruits and vegetables with the most enzymes when eaten raw include papayas, mangoes, pineapples, apples, avocados, carrots, grapefruit, spinach, and tomatoes. However, most people eat cooked, canned, and prepared foods that destroy the naturally-occurring enzymes that help us with digestion. My daily supplement has over 30 superfood plant enzymes in it. Meaning the fruit or vegetable or herb is picked when it is fully ready and then immediately the plant enzymes are taken out and freeze dried to maintain purity. It makes its way to my doorstep in a packet and I take it once a day for 5 salads worth of pure plant enzymes.


This is how I stay alkaline which keeps me cancer free. This is how I help my clients hit NED (No evidence of disease). I am here to help you, send me a message and let me hear what your struggles are. I betcha I can fix it with nutrition!
Will you get out of your way in order to feel better?

Combating the root of all disease with veggies

Can we talk about veggies for a minute?

While getting an education in nutrition, there was one thing I heard over and over. "the root of disease is inflammation". So when people are getting on you about sugar, or processed foods, it is because it has been proven over and over and over again... they cause inflammation ... and what is the root of all disease? Inflammation!!! So let's focus on what can help that! VEGGIES! Here are my top 6 reasons you need more veggies (I have a much longer list if you want it), and below are some tips and tricks I use to get in more veggies! When you know better you do better!

Top 6 benefits of getting in your veggies:

1.  Decreases inflammation - Green leafy vegetables contain powerful antioxidants, flavonoids, carotenoids, and vitamin C—all of which help protect against cellular damage. 
2. Improves gut health - Foods high in fiber, especially certain types of fiber and resistant starches called prebiotics, play a major role in keeping our gut bacteria in balance. Many vegetables are an excellent source of prebiotics. Eating healthy plant foods can alter your gut bacteria for the better in a matter of a few days!
3. .Aids in weight management because they are

• -Low in calories and carbs. 
• -High in fiber and water so they keep you feeling full longer.
• -Take up a lot of room in your stomach to keep you feeling full.
• -The fiber contains prebiotics and feed the “good” bacteria in the gut.

        4. Decreases risk of type 2 diabetes - the more plant foods you eat, the lower your risk of type 2 diabetes. This is due to the antioxidant action which reduces insulin resistance and/or inflammation as well as they contain fiber, vitamins, & minerals. 

5. Decreases risk of heart disease and stroke -Vegetables contain a wide variety of plant compounds that play an important role in heart health, including decreased cholesterol, improved blood vessel functioning, lowered blood pressure and decreased inflammation.


6. Lowers blood pressure - this benefit comes from from fiber, vitamins and minerals such as potassium and magnesium that are in the veggies. The potassium is especially important as it balances out the negative effect of salt, which helps to lower blood pressure.

So ... you don't like veggies... what to do now? 

I got you boo. 

My top 2 go-to's are right here. 

A quick fix I use to get in a full serving of veggies is Power Greens 

Power Greens contains veggies like cucumber, kale, and spinach to deliver a full serving of vegetables in each scoop. Plus, this potent Boost supports the body's natural acid/alkaline balance.  I mix mine with my pre-workout energy, but you can just mix it with water and take the shot like a frat boy, or you can mix it with your favorite smoothie. It is super easy and something I am so thankful for. Being a cancer survivor I work on staying alkaline and this is my number one quick fix to take after having something acidic (like coffee or alcohol). 

The second one is my daily non-negotiable for so many reasons, but since we are talking veggies today here is a chart showing what is in in each serving of Shakeology :

Pretty amazing right? So PLEASE stop saying you can't get them in. If you truly want to live a healthy life YOU NEED YOUR VEGGIES and I have a solution for you! You can get both your Shakeology and your Power greens HERE . Please send me a message if you do so I can send over a bunch of free recipes to help you enjoy every bit of it! 

A yummy solution to Apple Cider Vinegar for gut health

I am a huge Apple Cider Vinegar fan because of its antimicrobial and antioxidant effects as well as the other health benefits, such as aiding weight loss, reducing cholesterol, lowering blood sugar levels, and improving the symptoms of diabetes.

For a long time I would take a shot of apple cider vinegar straight daily mostly for my gut health ...but I wasn't fond of the effects on my tooth enamel,and I dreaded it cuz I hated the taste. So I was stoked to find Goli Gummy 😋 because they taste amazing and do NOT affect your tooth enamel. 😁

They also have a lot of added benefits regular #acv does not have, like being infused with Superfoods and vitamins. There is one bad side effect though... I can never stop at just two gummies (which is the serving that equals one serving of acv). 🤣🤷‍♀️🤦 because they are SO GOOD ! 😋 Oh well, guess my immune system will just get an extra boost.
.
Anyway I partnered with them to bring you a discount if you want to try them. Just use code momwhatsfordinner when you checkout at goli.com for a discount!

Both my husband Randy and my daughter Taylor kept stealing them so I just bought a family pack. Makes me happy that making this change made them add it to their diet too.

HealthIER Chocolate Chip Ice Cream Cookies

Whole foods, free of processed sugar, dairy free, gluten free, vegan.... so that is why I call it....
HealthIER Chocolate Chip Ice Cream Cookies. Cuz of course there are calories, they are just nutrient dense calories. Meaning there is a whole lot of nutrition in these and not a lot of bad things. Plus every one I know needs chocolate and Ice cream AT LEAST once a month.... know what i'm saying?

So you will just need to combine 2 of my recipes for this:

3 Ingredient Healthier Chocolate Ice Cream

 and 

Healthier Chocolate Chip Cookies

Put the two together and enjoy the heaven.  I would love for you to let me know how much you like them!