hemp seed balls loaded w/ dried blueberries & raw pistachios

these little guys are great for a quick, grab-and-go type breakfast or snack during the week.  they're loaded w/ wholesome, nutrient-rich ingredients that are good for both your mind and your hungry tummy.

nom nom!

recipe: makes a dozen

ingredients

natural sunflower seed butter

maple syrup

molasses (just a teeny bit)

oats

dried blueberries

dates

raw pistachios

cardamom (just a pinch)

unsweetened coconut (for rolling)

hemp seeds (for rolling)

mix all ingredients together adding a little more of this or a little more of that until you have the right consistency and ratio to your liking.  form little balls and roll in a mixture of hemp seeds and coconut.  i prefer to store them in the fridge and enjoy 'em when they're cold.

the perfect balance of beans, acorn squash, kale & chicken apple sausage makes for a warming stew on a rainy day

this morning was epic when i awoke.  i bet you'll never guess since you're under the impression that the weather in southern cali is always perfect, which by the way is not a false statement, "if" your idea of perfect weather is nearly 300 days of sunshine per year.  personally, i find it repulsive...and so when i woke up to rain today, needless to say, i was rejuvenated!  i felt as if i was back in the northwest, and it felt so incredibly right (and perfect).

the first thing i did when i got back home this afternoon was throw on a cozy sweater (w/ my cut-offs and flip flops, of course) and nook me a bowl of stew i whipped up a couple days ago.  i topped my lunch off w/ some plain greek yogurt, fresh avo and tons of hot sauce and cracked black pepper...because that's what i always do.  then i dug in, cozy sweater and all, and had a warming and calming bowl of goodness filling up my tummy.

recipe: makes 10-12 servings

ingredients
beans (i used a medley and i also used about 2 cups, dried)
carrots
celery
onion
fresh garlic
fresh rosemary sprigs (remove after cooking)
chicken stock & water
chicken carcass/bones (placed in cheese cloth during cooking process & removed at completion)
kale
s & p
cumin
smoked paprika
chicken apple sausages
acorn squash**
plain greek yogurt**
avocado**  
hot sauce**

**optional: i roasted an acorn squash after i halved it and used it as my stew bowl for one meal.  for this lunch, i scooped out the squash from the skin and just combined it w/ my stew.  it's delish either way.

cheers to the rain in southern cali today!  i hope tomorrow's a repeat.

rotisserie chicken salad w/ holiday grapes, fresh herbs & toasted raw almonds

rotisserie chicken is good for many food dishes, but one of my favorite things to make w/ leftover chicken is a delicious, lightened-up version of your basic mayonaise-laiden chicken salad.  i'm by no means a "mayo phobe," but i do believe a little can go a long way in most cases.  i like to serve my creation on romaine leaves and wrap them all up before they're devoured in 3, maybe 4, bites.  perfect for a quick snack or a light lunch on any day of the week.

recipe: makes 8-10 servings

ingredients
rotisserie chicken, pulled
mayo (a little bit)
holiday grapes (or any big, juicy & firm grapes)
craisins
toasted raw almonds
shallot
fresh thyme
fresh cilantro
hot & spicy mustard
white vinegar
cock sauce
s & p

mix everything together except the pulled chicken.  toss the chicken in last and mix gently to coat.

serve on romaine leaves, a bed of spinach, crackers or your favorite piece of bread.  or you can eat it by the spoonful...i may have done this a time or two.

sunny side up egg over bbq tempeh alongside avocado toast

breakfast is by far "one" of my favorite meals of the day.  i mean, i know lots of people who could eat breakfast for every meal, and counting myself, I'm no exception.  this particular morning i needed to use up some bbq tempeh leftovers from a previous night, and so i thought, just add a sunny-side up egg and avocado toast of course!!  lots of protein, veggies and yummy all-around goodness...cheers to breakfast...any time of day.

recipe: serves 1

ingredients
leftover bbq tempeh (see recipe near bottom of post)
     egg(s)
        "seedy" bread
                 avocado
                      hot sauce
                             s & p
                                evoo

cook your egg to your preference and lay over top of bbq tempeh, and then toast your favorite hearty bread and slather on avocado and hot sauce.

season it all up w/ additional s & p, and that's what you call a "damn fine morning."

bbq tempeh

tempeh (cooked)

onion

bell peppers

garlic

creminis

worcestershire sauce

bbq sauce

s & p

saute onion, bell peppers, garlic and creminis in a bit of evoo until softened.  add worcestershire sauce first, followed by tempeh (break it up really fine w/ your fingers) and finally bbq sauce.  let it cook for a few and set aside.

maple roasted butternut squash w/ fresh thyme & nutmeg garlic aioli

one of my very dear friends, mags, and myself made this side dish "after" we had already created some of the most bomb-ass flatbread known to our fellow foodie friends.  not that we were still hungry, but...we were still indulging in an extremely velvety barbera from old creek ranch winery, therefore, we thought, what the heck.  by the way...when doesn't roasted butternut squash sound divine?

recipe: serves 2 (it did that night)

ingredients
1 butternut squash
fresh thyme
maple syrup
evoo
s & p
mayo
roasted garlic
nutmeg
cock sauce

squash
1 butternut squash, cubed w/ skin on
evoo
s & p

toss cubed squash in evoo and s & p, and roast in a pre-heated 425 degree oven for 30-40 minutes (we like our squash a bit "charred").  add fresh thyme and maple syrup to the squash (toss to coat) after it's been taken out of the oven is desired...we did.

aioli
combine mayo, 1 whole bulb of roasted garlic (squeezed from the skin), fresh thyme, cock sauce, s & p and nutmeg to taste.  serve alongside squash, and dip accordingly.