A Chocolate Christmas
‘Tis the season… TO EAT CHOCOLATE! So I compiled a list of my #glutenfree chocolate faves! Enjoy! xx
Sweet Potato Chocolate Chip Cookies
** A recipe from my exclusive E-Book!
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Coconut Cacao Pancakes made with Califia Farms Almondmilk
PANCAKES! Do you remember when I was the queen of #glutenfree pancakes?! Two-ingredient, three-ingredient, FOUR and more… I made them all! Until I discovered my smoothie obsession and put my pancake game on pause. WELLLL, it’s time to spruce up my pancake collection… and what’s a better way to do so than by adding a little cacao into the mix?! Introducing my Coconut Cacao Pancakes! With a special thank you to Califia Farms for saving me on a day-to-day with their incredible dairy-free Almondmilk.
What You Will Need:
1 Cup Almond Flour
1/4 C Coconut Flour
1 T Honey
2 T cacao powder (TRY 2T to start!)
1/4 Cup + 1 T Unsweetened Vanilla Califia Farms Almondmilk
4 Eggs
1/2 tsp Baking Soda
pinch of salt
1 tsp Vanilla
What You Will Do:
In a bowl, combine almond flour, coconut flour, baking soda and salt.
In a separate bowl, combine Califia Farms Almondmilk, eggs, honey, and vanilla.
Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and stir until totally combined.
Add cacao, and stir!
Spray a heated skillet with coconut oil spray.
Pour batter into 3″ diameter circles on your skillet (should be able to make 4 at a time). Let the pancakes cook for ~1 minute, or until they start to bubble/firm on top and are firm on the bottom. Flip and cook for ~30 seconds!
Stack your pancakes and top with melted chocolate chips or chocolate sauce (NECESSARY), and more toppings of your choosing! (I added more honey!)
Enjoy!
Raspberry Almond Butter Smoothie with Vital Proteins Collagen
Order your Vital Proteins, here!
If you have followed me for a while… or even for just a few weeks… you’ll know that I. LOVE. SMOOTHIES. All of my smoothies are different, too! I use a creative mix of fats, proteins, and veggies to make my delicious masterpieces. Well there is ONE thing my smoothies have in common… I use Vital Proteins Collagen as my protein source! The vanilla coconut is my go-to when I want a little vanilla, but when I want classic I love using the marine collagen! Check out the making of this bad boy on my Instagram! Full recipe below…
What You Will Need:
1-1.5 Cup Unsweetened Nut Milk
1 Serving Vital Proteins Marine Collagen
2T Almond Butter
1 T Chia Seeds
Handful of Spinach
1/4 Cup Raspberries
What You Will Do:
Add all ingredients to a nutribullet or Vitamix, starting with your liquid base. Blend on high until thoroughly mixed. (Add ice if you want a colder, thicker smoother). Serve and enjoy!
Order your Vital Proteins, here!
More on “Why I Take Vital Proteins Religiously”
Pumpkin Pie
Pecan, apple, blueberry, PUMPKIN pie… I want them all! But after making this gluten-free, dairy-free pumpkin rendition, it’s clear that Pumpkin will the chosen one for this year’s Thanksgiving dessert. Enjoy!
What You Will Need:
1 Gluten-free Pie Crust (store bought, or recipe to make your own, here!)
1 15oz can of Pumpkin Puree
2 Eggs
3/4 Cup Dairy-Free Milk (I used Almond)
1 tsp Vanilla
3/4 cup Brown Sugar
Dash of Cinnamon and Salt
Handful of Pecans
What You Will Do:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
In a large bowl, whisk eggs. Add pumpkin puree, almond milk, and vanilla. MIX.
Add brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt.
Mix until mixture is totally smooth.
Pour mixture into a pie crust, and add decorative pecans!
Bake in an oven for 50 minutes to one hour (Mine cooked for roughly 55 minutes). **Cook until the pumpkin filling is firm, but still with some softness/looseness in the center of the pie.
Let it cool before serving!
Roasted Thanksgiving Vegetables
Yes Thanksgiving is all about the heavy (#glutenfree) stuffing, pies, and bread… but it is also the one holiday that features all of my favorite VEGETABLES!! Brussels sprouts, carrots, and butternut squash, OH MY! Today I am making my go-to Thanksgiving veggies and roasting them to utter Thanksgiving perfection.
What You Will Need:
5 Organic Long Carrots
½ lb brussels sprouts
1 lb cubed butternut squash
1/4 Cup coconut oil
2 Tbsp maple syrup
¼ Cup pecans
¼ cup dried cranberries
Salt, pepper, CINNAMON
What You Will Do:
Preheat oven to 400 F.
Prepare vegetables as follows: Carrots – peel, then cut in half lengthwise. Cut into shorter lengths if you would like! Brussels sprouts – trim the stem end and remove the outermost leaves and cut in half. Butternut Squash- buy cubes, and cut into smaller cubes (better for cooking).
Add veggies to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Top with coconut oil and ONE T maple syrup. Cook at 400 for 20 minutes and flip. Add your second tablespoon of maple syrup, pecans, cranberries, cinnamon, salt and pepper. Cook for 10 more mins. TASTE. Add more maple, cinnamon, etc IF YOU WOULD LIKE. Cook for 5 more mins.
Serve!
Cornbread
Thanksgiving staples: turkey, gravy, stuffing, sweet potato something, and CORNBREAD. Ironically, I was never the biggest cornbread fan growing up! However, since perfecting my gluten-free cornbread recipe, I’ve become a cornbread fiend. Simple, tasty, and delicious; my fellow gluten-free need to whip up this dish this Thanksgiving!
Shoutout to Califia Farms… this recipe is dairy-free, too!
What You Will Do:
1 cup plus 2T gluten-free all-purpose flour
1 cup plus 2T gluten-free cornmeal
1/3 cup organic cane sugar
2 tbsp honey
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 eggs
1 cup Califia Farms almond milk
¼ cup dairy-free butter
What You Will Do:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
In a alrge bowl, GF All Purpose flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking soda, and salt.
In a small bowl, whisk eggs. Add melted dairy-free butter, almond milk, and honey.
Pour liquid bowl into the large bowl containing the dry ingredients. Mix until fully incorporated.
Pour into a 9” x 9” bread/brownie pan, and cook for 23 minutes.
Let your bread cool, and top with honey for serving! I added a little peanut butter and walnuts, too!
Hot Chocolate Made with Vital Proteins Mocha Creamer
I talk all the time about my obsession with Vital Proteins (blog, here!), and if you follow me on Instagram, then you will see Vital Proteins on my stories pretty much daily! I’ll save you my speech on why VP and collagen are a necessary part of one’s diet (hair and nail growth, heal leaky gut syndrome, clears skin) and instead, I will talk about their NEWEST addition, Mocha Creamer! For the coffee drinkers out there, this is TOTALLY for you! And if you don’t drink coffee like myself, then this creamer is MEANT for your hot chocolate!
Order your Vital Proteins, here!
What You Will Need:
1.5 C Unsweetened Coconut Milk
1 T Maple Syrup
2 T Cacao Powder
1 Serving Vital Proteins Mocha Collagen Creamer
Pinch of salt
Gluten-free, dairy-free mini marshmallows
What You Will Do:
Boil unsweetened coconut milk and add to Vitamix.
Boil unsweetened coconut milk and add to Vitamix.
Add maple syrup, cacao powder, salt, and collagen peptides.
Blend on high until fully mixed!
Serve and top with mini chocolate chips and marshmallows!
Enjoy!!!
BUSH’S® Black Bean Fiesta™
Summer recipes are my absolute favorite. Grilled seafood and vegetables, avocado on everything, and that good ‘ol margarita that makes the meal complete. Well, there is one summer dish that is often overlooked, and today I’m bringing this delicious side recipe to center stage. BEANS! BUSH’S® Black Bean Fiesta™ to be exact.
BUSH’S® Black Beans are naturally gluten-free, only 120 calories per half cup serving, and have 7 grams of protein per serving! Oh, and the beans have just the right amount of spice!
Today I am making my classic summer lunch dish, and packing on a little bit of heat thanks to BUSH’s® Beans.
What You Will Need:
3-4 oz Wild Shrimp
1 Can BUSH’S® Black Bean Fiesta™
½ Avocado
Handful of Tortilla Chips
1/2T Avocado oil
What You Will Do:
Remove the BUSH’S® Black Bean Fiesta™ from the can and heat for 1-2 minutes in a microwave safe dish.
While your beans are baking, sauté 3-4oz defrosted or fresh Wild Shrimp in 1/2T avocado oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Cook your shrimp for about 1-2 minutes on each side.
Plate your shrimp, along with the tortilla chips and mashed avocado.
Scoop about 1/3 can of BUSH’S® Black Bean Fiesta™ onto the plate, too!
Serve and enjoy!
Blondie Bars with Enjoy Life Chocolate Chips
I’ve tried making blondies for years, but have yet to develop the perfect recipe. Well my friends, that all changed TODAY. Not only did these blondies come out just as I wanted them to, but they were delicious and totally allergy-free!! Feast your eyes on my new favorite recipe, courtesy of Enjoy Life Chocolate Chip Minis!
You’ve seen me post Enjoy Life Baking Chocolate for YEARS now, and there is a reason for it. I am absolutely OBSESSED with it! The mini chips, dark chocolate morsels, and mega chunks are staples in my cabinets, and not only are they incredibly delicious, but the chocolate, as well as the entire Enjoy Life Foods brand, is entirely allergy-free.
I’m known to grab a handful of chocolate chips after each meal, but I also use the chocolate in just about every recipe I make. (i.e. the topping on my Classic Banana Bread and as the necessary coating for my Chocolate Avocado Marshmallow Cups)
What You Will Need:
- 1 1/4 cup Gluten Free All-Purpose Flour
- 3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 1 cup butter, softened
- 1 Chia egg, (1T chia powder to 3T water)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- Enjoy Life Baking Chocolate
What You Will Do:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
In a bowl, mix your GF flour, baking soda, salt and brown sugar.
In a separate bowl, mix your chia egg, HALF of the vegan butter, and vanilla.
Combine the two bowls and stir/whisk until totally blended.
**We added the second half of the vegan butter AS IT WAS NEEDED. I was hoping to only need 3/4 C, but I finally got the consistency I wanted after I used the full cup.
Add your Enjoy Life Baking Chocolate minis!!
Lay parchment paper on a baking sheet or brownie pan, and dab with remaining vegan butter so the blondies don’t totally stick.
Spread dough on the parchment paper. We opted for a thin blondie versus thick.
Bake at 350 for ~17 minutes. Check in at the 15 minute mark. They COULD have been taken out then, but I wanted the bottom to be a little bit more crisp.
Let your blondie cool for ~15 minutes and then slice into bars!
Melt more Enjoy Life Baking Chocolate in the microwave, and drizzle it on top of the bars for more chocolatey goodness!
SERVE!
Links:
- Store Locater
- You can write a review on the product page for the chocolate!
Matcha Pancakes
Kourtney Kardashian is my favorite Kardashian. Why? Because if you watch the show, then you know that she is my little gluten-free, dairy-free spirit animal! While her family makes fun of her alternative milks and salad combinations, I share in her enthusiasm! Today I am remaking my favorite Kourtney recipe, Matcha Pancakes.
What You Will Need:
1 Cup Gluten-Free All Purpose Flour
2 Eggs
2/3 Cup Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk
1/4 Cup Coconut Oil
1/4 Cup Organic Cane Sugar
1 teaspoon Vanilla
2 Tablespoons Matcha Powder
1T Baking Powder
Pinch of salt
What You Will Do:
Combine eggs, almond milk, coconut oil, and vanilla into a large bowl.
Separately, combine GF Flour, sugar, matcha powder, baking powder, and salt into a small bowl.
Pour dry ingredients, slowly, into the bowl of wet ingredients.
Whisk until totally combined.
Spray coconut oil onto a pancake pan.
Pour batter onto the pan, aiming to make 4 pancakes at a time.
When pancake starts to bubble and the bottom firms, flip!
Cook on the opposite side for another 30 seconds to 1 minute.
Stack up your pancakes and add toppings! I love adding maple syrup and strawberries… their flavors compliment the vanilla and matcha so well!
This recipe will make about 12 pancakes, so make a half portion if only feeding 1-2 people!
Salmon Avocado “Un”Roll
SUSHI. I FRICKEN LOVE IT. But whenever I order sushi I am met with rolled eyes and a TON of questions.
“Wait, rice is gluten-free?”
“Doesn’t soy sauce have gluten??”
“You eat carbs??”
Yes, yes, and yes.
Rice, in its purest form, is gluten-free.
Soy Sauce has gluten, but tamari sauce is gluten-free and tastes exactly the same (and many restaurants carry it).
Yes, I LOVE my carbs. I also ALWAYS opt for white rice over brown, but that’s a story for another time.
Sushi is the one food category I always order when I am out, but never make on my own. Partially because I don’t have a sushi roller, and partially because even if I had one, making sushi isn’t worth the time and mess.
This Salmon Avocado “Un”roll is a take of my favorite sushi roll and will give you all of the sushi feels… without the mess!
What You Will Need:
1 Sushi Sheet (I use seasnax)
1/2 Cup white rice
3″ cucumber- peeled and cut
1/3 Avocado
3-4oz Wild Salmon
optional: gluten-free tamari soy sauce
What You Will Do:
Steam or boil your white rice and place it on top of the sushi sheet.
Layer on your sliced cucumber and avocado.
Sauté wild salmon and add it to the ‘roll.’
If you crave a bit of salt, add tamari!
Take a bite and enjoy!!
Three GREEN Smoothies I love right now!
If there is one thing to know about me, it is that I love smoothies. Breakfast, lunch, snack, dinner; I could have smoothies for them all! If you’ve been following me for a while, then you are quite familiar with my extensive smoothie recipe selection. Well, there are THREE, yes THREE, GREEN smoothies I have been enjoying all summer and they NEED to be added to your smoothie menus. I know summer is pretty much over, but better late than never, right? xx Nicole
- Collagen Packed and Refreshed
1.5 Cup Unsweetened Almond Milk
2 scoops Vital Proteins Marine Collagen
1/2 Avocado
Handful of Spinach and Kale
1/4 Cup Raspberries
3 cucumber slices
Squeeze of Lemon
- Daily Harvest Cup- Banana & Greens
ADD:
Fill Daily Harvest Cup with Unsweetened Coconut Milk
1 Scoop Vital Proteins Vanilla Coconut Collagen
Use Code NOBREAD at Checkout on Daily Harvest for 3 free cups with your first order!
- Hip, Hemp, and Vegan
1.5 Cup Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk (I use Califia)
2T Vanilla Hemp Protein (I use Nutiva)
Handful of Spinach
1T Chia Seeds
½ Avocado
1/4 Cup Blueberries
L to R: Daily Harvest, Hip Hemp, Collagen Packed