We are less than 24 hours away from Thanksgiving, and I’ve already baked SIX pies using this recipe I'm about to give to you. Gotta gear up for the big day in the best way possible - with DESSERT!  In the last couple of months, I've transitioned from eating dairy (and lots of it), to quitting it cold turkey (excuse the holiday pun, hehe). It’s dramatically changed my skin, and that is worth it in itself! For me, becoming dairy-free made cooking more fun - hellooooo homemade garlicky cashew ricotta?! Not everyone can handle butter/milk/wheat, and I want to make my meals accessible for all people, so they don't have to go without! I’m hosting Thanksgiving lunch for my family this year, so I have control over what ingredients go into those dishes, but we don’t always have that luxury. We are going to my husband’s family’s home for dinner, and I want to have options. Having food restrictions can mean missing out on meals at family gatherings, and this being my first hol...

An oldie, but goodie! I posted these SWEET POTATO BROWNIES on my old blog, but they are SO good I had to share again. Not to be a content-recycler, but if it ain't broke - don't fix it! Hehe. If you know me, you know that I'm a sweet potato fanatic. I could literally eat them for breakfast, lunch, and dinner...and I have before! They are insanely versatile, and are a powerhouse of nutrients. Let's face it, we can ALL use more veggies in our diet, and when they are this tasty, sneaking them into recipes is EASY - why not get a chocolate fix at the same time? These brownies only taste sinful. By baking the sweet potatoes beforehand, you get natural caramelization, which adds all the sweetness this recipe needs! Not to mention, these beauties are GLUTEN &   DAIRY FREE! I've had this question before, so I thought I'd address it real quick for anyone who may be curious! "Can I just boil the potatoes so it goes quicker??". Short answer: NO...

E arlier this fall I was asked by Earthly Choice to create a recipe for their Fall E-Book! I was so flattered, and immediately knew I wanted to create a tasty salad that comes together quickly with the help of their  red quinoa . I didn't want to release the recipe until they had, but now I can! Who says salads are just for summer, anyway?! This one is packed full of protein-rich quinoa, hearty acorn squash, and just the perfect touch of sweetness. I'm all about getting in more greens - but I definitely don't want a boring salad! Load up on the toppings and ENJOY those veggies. Serve this with roasted chicken or grilled pork chops to stretch the servings! Also I created this salad before I cut out dairy - I would probably add in pecans or toasted almonds in place of the feta to keep it dairy-free but still give it variety! HARVEST QUINOA SALAD Serves: 2 mains or 4 sides Prep Time: 10 minutes Cook Time: 25-30 minutes Printable recipe  here! Ingredien...

Avoiding dairy for one reason or another? I've been off of it for weeks now, and my tummy + skin have never been happier! The HARDEST thing to give up was yogurt (no, not cheese - YOGURT!), and I got fed up with paying $2-$3 per 10 ounce container. Like, ouch. This INSTANT POT COCONUT YOGURT is so easy, literally anyone could do it. That means YOU. All you need is an Instant Pot (which if you don't have this already, PLZ, add it to your Christmas list). Feel free to add a sweetener if you think you won't like it plain. I tend to add so many toppings when I eat it or use it in recipes (like these muffins ) in place of dairy ingredients, that I prefer not to add any. Make it your own! As far as the starter yogurt goes, you can buy a plain container of coconut yogurt from a grocery store for the first batch - save some of the homemade for future batches! INSTANT POT COCONUT YOGURT Yields: 4 - 12 ounce jars Prep Time: 5 minutes Cook/Rest Time: 12-14 hours ...

Fries before guys!! That's what they say, right? All I know is both you AND your guy will LOVE these super simple OIL-FREE FRENCH FRIES !  Kick the fast food habit, and give these a try! Your body + wallet will thank you for it. This method for crispy, baked fries works every time, and will make you forget about those soggy, artery clogging, chain-store spuds.  Pictured are russet potatoes, which take on the flavor of almost any seasoning of your choice! I am personally biased to sweet potatoes, which are amazing with smoked paprika & chili powder; so just know this method works for either kind! CRISPY OIL-FREE FRENCH FRIES Yields: 2 servings Prep Time: 5 minutes Cook Time: 35-40 minutes Ingredients: 2 lbs russet potatoes 2 tsp salt 1 TBLS seasonings of choice Directions: Preheat oven to 425 degrees, and line a sheet pan with parchment paper (you can't skip this step!). Cut potatoes length-wise, anywhere from skinny strips to larger...

Is it just me, or does this dreary weather put you into a bit of an emotional funk, too? I feel like I could cry & laugh at any moment. Cry from the cold/rain/overall gloominess, and laugh because I know I have at least 3-4 more MONTHS of this crap and I better make the most of it. HASHTAG MIDWEST WEATHER. BOOOO. The day is especially one of those days where I just want to wear fuzzy socks, stay inside, and drink warm tea. Sitting here at my desk day-dreaming (and shivering) about these BLUEBERRY-COCONUT MUFFINS that I tested this past weekend! Let’s just say, they passed the test. My latest recipes have been VERYYYY pumpkin purée heavy (because fall, DUH) - it felt good to bake with berries again! These muffins have the most perfectly golden-brown, crunchy topping enveloping a moist, fluffy center. They are reminiscent of a REALLY good bakery muffin - without all the butter and white sugar!! I used coconut yogurt because I’m avoiding dairy, but Greek yogurt would yield t...