Vegan Chipotle Aioli Dipping Sauce for Yucca Fries!

If you have swapped french fries for the lower carb and lower glycemic paleo version the yucca fry (recipe here on my website) then you MUST make this dipping sauce!

Ingredients

1/2 cup of veganaise

1-4 dried chipotle peppers ground in coffee grinder OR a tablespoon of previously ground chipotle powder.

Directions

In a mixing bowl blend the above ingredients with a spoon. Add the chipotle slowly as you taste so you achieve the level of smoky/spicyness that works for you.

Done.

Really.

That's it.

Now go dip your yucca fries in your awesome, easy, vegan, gluten free chipotle aioli.

Cauliflower Pizza!!!!!! Gluten Free Pizza!!!! Pizza that will blow your mind!

The Coveted Cauliflower Pizza     

                     Recipe

I am big believer in the 80/20 rule. This means 80% of the time you are eating well and infusing health into all areas: internal monologue, fitness, creativity, relationships, finances, career, food etc. But 20% of the time you might want to get a lil rock n roll. I call it a treat, some call it a cheat.
I like to make the healthiest choice in any given circumstance. Soooo, if I am craving pizza like a mofo; I make the healthier version: cauliflower pizza! Cauliflower pizza,  since it's not made from flour will have no effect on your blood sugar or insulin. As I teach all my clients: every time you eat sugar or anything made from flour your blood sugar and insulin skyrockets. The more insulin you make, the more fat you store. So you can see why cauliflower pizza is a "better than" choice cuz its "better than" eating a flour crust. Instead you are eating a pizza made largely from a plant!
Usually I post easy, healthy recipes for busy peeps. This one is a tad more labor intensive but worth every mind blowing bite. Make it for someone whom you hope will fall more in love with you. It works every time.  xxx-ooo Galadriel
 

INGREDIENTS

For Crust:
• 1 head of cauliflower roughly chopped and "riced" OR 2 bags of organic, frozen riced cauliflower by the Whole Foods in store brand.
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup organic Mozzarella
• Garlic Powder, Onion Powder, Basil, Oregano.

For Toppings:
• Tomato Sauce
(make sure there is no added sugar or any oil other than olive)
• Organic grated cheese
• Fresh basil, jalapenos, black olives etc. Get creative!


PREPARATION INSTRUCTIONS

Roughly chop the cauliflower then toss small batches into a food processor/vitamix/blender to "rice" the cauliflower. A food processor works best. Your cauliflower will literally take on the shape of rice. Don't over process or you will end up with cauliflower that looks like mashed potato...which is another delish recipe you can find here on my website!

Just barely cover your riced cauliflower with water in saucepan and bring to a boil for about 7 minutes or you can steam it.
Drain well and let it cool to room temp.

If you are using the frozen riced cauliflower dump two bags into a non stick skillet and sautee until small portions have turned golden.

Once cool, toss the cauliflower in small amounts into a nut milk bag or cheese cloth to S Q U E E Z E out every bit of moisture from the cauliflower, then set aside in a bowl. This is quite literally the most important step in the recipe and the far most laborious. If you do not get out every bit of moisture you will end up with pizza casserole not pizza crust.

*helpful hint...when I make cauliflower pizza crust I cook, drain and squeeze the cauliflower early in the morning so it has all day to dry out a bit more.

Add to your now dry cauliflower: one egg, 1/4 cup of shredded mozzarella, garlic powder, dried basil and oregano. Mix well. Sometimes I now let these balls of cauliflower pizza dough sit overnight in the fridge and cook them the next day...if time does not allow that's a-ok.

Pre-heat your oven to 500.
Lay a piece of parchment paper onto a baking sheet. Not only does parchment paper help the crust dry out more but it makes cleaning that pan a snap.

Using your hands shape out your crust onto the parchment paper. I like a traditional round pizza.

Bake until your edges become quite golden...I find this takes about 20 ish minutes.

Remove the crust from the oven and it's time to dress your pizza. Start with your sauce, add your cheese then top with whatever your little heart desires.

Put your pizza back in the oven and bake for about 10-15 minutes until your cheese is melted.

PS, I always double this recipe and make one pizza per person. One pizza makes 4 small slices.

Enjoy!!!!!!

Galadriel's Signature Smoothie

I drink this smoothie daily as it gives me major energy. My mouth thinks its a milk shake but my body thinks it's a salad. It fills me up for hours and hours and is a great post work out refuel. My signature smoothie is the perfect combo of protein and good fat. The protein and good fat combo is your best friend because it keeps your blood sugar stable. When your blood sugar is kept stable you don't crash, cravings don't overcome you and you don't gain weight. I love this smoothie so much I even pack a magic bullet blender in my suitcase so I can make it when I travel.

In a vitamix or magic bullet or blender:

serves two

2.5 frozen bananas

3 tablespoons of raw cacao

1 tablespoon of milk thistle powder

1 tablespoon of spirulina or cholrella powder

1-2 tablespoon of nutbutter (almond or sunflower seed is best)

1 huge handful of raw organic spinach

Fill half way to 3/4 full with nut milk or water or what I love is a half nutmilk, half water combo.

You can add 10g of protein to the smoothie with 3 tablespoons of hemp seeds blended in

Bananas are great post work out food cuz they are full of potassium which replenishes your electrolytes...this is also why they are great hangover cure, not that any of you ever consume adult beverages. They are also high in fiber. Make sure they are brown spotted before you peel and freeze in a gallon size zip lock bag.

Raw Cacao powder is chocolate before it got processed and is a major superfood.  It kill your sugar cravings, has more iron than any other plant, more calcium than milk, is an anti depressant and is full of magnesium which will relax overworked muscles and help you poop on the regular. I like the brand Navitas Naturals, I get mine on Amazon.

Milk Thistle Powder helps replenish and rejuvenate your liver. Your liver has to process every toxin in your world from pesticides to medications to the chemicals in your shampoo to your negative emotions and it burns your fat. That liver never gets a break so keeping it uber healthy is to your benefit in the energy, great skin and weight departments. I like the brand StarWest Organics. I get mine on Amazon.

Spirulina or Chlorella Powder are also super foods cuz they contain more protein than steak are full of iron and lots of vitamins and amino acids and are totally detoxifying to your body! Ps the raw cacao and nutbutter will mask the distinctive not so gorgeous flavor of the spriulina or chlorellaI like the brand StarWest Organics, I get mine on Amazon.

NutButter. When you buy nutbutter be sure to read the ingredients and make sure that whore sugar isn't in there and that they didn't add some weird oil. I love an almond butter or sunflower seed butter. I don't advocate for peanut butter as it naturally contains a toxin called aflatoxin that is uber hard on your liver and is cancer causing. I myself only eat it a few times a year. Nutbutter is both protein and good fat! Trader Joes always has a reasonable priced raw almond butter!

Spinach and all green leafy veggies are like money in a high interest savings account. You really cannot do anything better for your health other than loading up every meal with green leafy veggies. Spinach is nutrient dense, fights cancer and is detoxifying to your body...no fat, no cholesterol just vitamins. Use organic cuz your body can't deal with pesticides!

Nut Milk is yet another awesome source of protein and good fat. I like to make my own cuz the boxed ones contain all kinds of hydrogenated oils and carrageenan which can be hell on your stomach. I use the boxed once in a blue but not on a regular basis.

Mini Egg Frittatas

These mini egg frittatas (paleo, gluten free) can be made on Sunday when you do food prep then breakfast is ready to grab and go all week. Cook once, eat 5x! My whole deal is to spend less time in the kitchen and spend more time living! Food prep is the awesome way to have healthy things ready to go, easy breezy! The cool thing about these egg frittatas is you can literally make them from whatever you have in the fridge that's about to expire...did you recently roast veggies or have some meat you would like to add...toss em in! This recipe is simple, easy and fast which is the name of the game. Spend 30 minutes chopping and cooking and breakfast is done for the week! These are also a great post work out snack to refuel! Here is my fave version....

Ingredients:

1 dozen eggs for 12 frittatas (enough for 2 peeps for 5 days)

1/2 bag of frozen organic spinach

1 organic zucchini

1 small yellow or sweet onion

 handful of fresh basil

1 jar of Trader Joes Tomatillo Sauce. (delish w/out too)

muffin pan or individual disposable muffin tins.

Directions:

Cook your spinach according to directions on bag followed by straining well to remove excess moisture.

In a non stick pan add olive oil or ghee and saute your finely diced sweet onion until translucent.

In a large bowl prefarably with lip for easy pouring break all eggs.

Add to the eggs finely diced zucchini, finely chopped basil, and half a jar of tomatillo sauce, now add your spinach and onions.

Mix well. Salt and pepper if you so desire.

Pour into greased muffin tin or disposable tins (I prefer these as they are so easy to transport through out the week.)

Bake at 375 for about 20-25 minutes. They are done when you slide a knife into the frittata center and it comes out clean.

Let em cool before you transfer to an airtight container or zip lock baggie.

Enjoy!

Easy healthy breakfast.

Paleo Bannana Muffins (gluten free!)

My favorite jewelry designer, Flavia Cardoso is known for her "delicate edgy" 14k gold pieces seen in everyone's ears in the fashion biz. She is one of those people who can turn a carrot and sarong into a gorgeous glamping tent on the beach. She has now applied that talent to paleo baking. These muffins are so fluffy and naturally sweet and insanely easy to make.

I love to suggest a paleo baked good to anyone who is breaking up with sugar. Why? Cuz all flours made from grains spike your blood sugar, increasing your insulin and causing you to store belly fat. Your body thinks flour is sugar. By saying #nobetch to flour and #yesbetch to almond or coconut "flour" (literally blanched and dehydrated and ground almonds or coconut) your blood sugar stays stable, you get lots of protein and good fat and you don't gain an ounce.

Ingredients

• 2 ripe bananas (the ripper they are, the sweeter they are)

• 1 1/2 cups almond flour

• 1 tsp baking soda

• 1 tsp vanilla

• Pinch of salt

• 2 eggs, whisked

• 1/4 cup coconut oil, melted

• 1/3 cup pecans or walnuts, chopped

• Optional: dates for extra sweetness.

• Galadriel's options : I added raw, unsweetened cacao nibs and unsweetened coconut as well as sliced almonds to mine.

Instructions

1. In a small bowl smash the bananas

2. Next add the eggs, vanilla and coconut oil to the bananas and stir until combined

3. In a larger bowl, combine all the dry ingredients (almond flour, baking soda and salt)

4. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry mixture bowl – stir into a batter

5. Next add the chopped nuts or raw cacao nibs and stir well (save a couple of tablespoons of the nuts or coconut to top the muffins)

6. Pour batter into a muffin tin lined with baking cups – fill each cup about 3/4 full

7. Sprinkle remaining nuts or coconut on top of muffins and place in oven

8. Bake at 350º F for about 22-25 minutes (oven times and temperatures will vary – test done-ness by inserting a toothpick, if it comes out clean, they're done)

9. Store covered in fridge, or you can freeze these to enjoy later

zoodles with tomato sauce (dinner ready in 15 minutes)

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When my clients break up with sugar and flour they ask me mournfully, what about pasta? Sure, gluten free pasta a few times a year is a nice treat. However, this plant based, whole food staple is something you can make once a week. I serve it at most of my dinner parties. The more you crowd out processed food with veggies, the healthier you will be...the happier your waist line will be, your skin will have fewer zits and less wrinkles, your joint issues will reduce and your energy and mood will improve. My credo is: every meal, every day is at least 80% plants. This dish of zoodles and tomato sauce with ground turkey is a great example of that. The meat isn't the star, the veggies are.

Zoodles

First spiralize your organic zucchini to create your raw zoodles. I suggest one zucchini per person. You can find a sprializer for under $40 on Amazon or your local kitchen store.

Sauce

Now prepare your sauce. If you wanna do homemade I will worship you but if you are a busy person like me, an organic jar one will do. I personally like the Whole Foods brand because it has NO SUGAR added, contains no hydrogenated weird oils and hello it's only 2.99.

 Saute onion, garlic, carrots (optional) in olive oil until the onions are translescent. If you want to add a lean protein like organic ground turkey this would be the time. Now add your sauce and dried or fresh oregano and basil as well as salt. You could even add a splash of red wine if you want.

Serve

Place a large handful or two of spiralized zoodles into individual serving bowls. (side note I usually cut them a bit as some zoodles can be up to 9 inches long)

Pour the hot tomato sauce over the raw, vegan, gluten free zoodles. Top with fresh basil. I also top mine with nutritional yeast which contains all the B vitamins and gives it a cheezy flavor. B vitamins fight depression and give you energy. Many of my dinner guests like to top theirs with freshly grated parmesan cheese.

As you know I love fast healthy meals and I love an easy swap, such as swapping pasta for zoodles. This meal is so hearty and filling you will feel so inredibly satisfied without feeling overstuffed.

side note: I hope you have leftovers cuz you will probs crave this the second nite too. In which case, store the sauce and zoodles seperatly. If you store them together they turn to slop.

Enjoy!

baked yuca fries !

I used to be addicted to sugar. I would take 6 sugars in my morning coffee. Now when I walk by a bakery it resonates with me the way an office supply store would: boring. However, I still have a vice as most humans do and that is french fries. A french fry is a #nobetch cuz she has zero nutritional value, spikes your blood sugar and is most likely fried in a hydrogenated oil that creates inflammation, weight gain, cancer etc. I consider french fries to be a recreational drug; which means I eat em a handful of times a year. But how do I take care of that craving the rest of the year? YUCA FRIES! Low in carbs and auto immune and paleo friendly. I serve mine with a big arugula and romaine salad dressed with olive oil, lemon, salt and pepper.

Peel your yuca using a vegetable peeler.

Cut the yuca into 4 quarter pieces. Now cut each quarter into a french fry shape.

Boil for about 10 minutes just until tender and drain.

Pre-heat oven to 475 and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Toss your now boiled yuca fries in a glass bowl with lots of olive oil, sea salt, pepper and something spicy to compliment the smooth flavor of the yuca. I do garlic powder, cayenne and either smoked paprika or ground chipotle. If you don't add spice I won't lie they will be a tad bland.

Lay out your yuca fries on your parchment paper and bake for about 30-40 minutes. Some folks like to flip them half way through.

three minute meal!

In a blender or vitamix toss:

1 ripe avocado, peeled and pitted

1 organic cucumber, peeled

1 huge handful of raw greens, I like spinach

Juice of 1 lemon

Sea salt

Fill 1/4 of the way up with fresh, cold water

BLEND!

Pour in a bowl and top with hot sauce and raw pumpkin seeds! Voila! Your new favorite raw soup is ready!!