Black & White Super Chili

Onion - 1 or 2 of your choice - chopped -cook first until translucent, then add the next 14 ingredients.
Black beans - 1 or two cans (You can drain/rinse if you want, I don't.)
White beans - 1 or two cans (You can drain/rinse if you want.)
Diced tomato - largish can
Tomato Paste - tiny can
Tomato Sauce - regular can (I prefer crushed tomatoes, didn't have any.)
2 Carrots - peeled, chopped or diced
1 Celery stalk - diced
Parsley - handful fresh, finely chopped
Water - as much as there is chili. Or to top of pot. It will cook down. (I've used organic vegetable broth many times. So yummy, but didn't have any on hand.)
1 can V8 vegetable juice - (Optional, but I add it for the extra sodium and delicious flavours.)
Cayenne pepper - to taste
Chili powder - to taste
Cumin - to taste
Salt (optional as beans are salty)
Pepper - to taste
*Quinoa - 1/2c dry, I used red, regular would be good, too.
*Spinach - as much as you can chop. Or frozen is fine, too!

*Add dry quinoa near the end, about an hourish left to cook. Making sure there is enough liquid left to be absorbed. (1c or so).
-May use already cooked/leftover quinoa. Add at very end so it doesn't get mushy.

*Spinach - add at the very end! =)

Bring to boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 3-4 hours. Stirring every 10-15 min so nothing burns/sticks to the bottom. I'm sure you could use a crockpot, too!

Usually takes me about 3-4 hours.

Pesto a la pasta

 I used to eat the shiz outta pesto. I put it on anything. Pasta, NAAN, chips, bread (toast), yogurt...(Just kidding). But, seriously I would put it on a lot of nommies.

Since the switch to gluten free, vegan, etc, lifestyle, I wanted to make my own safe version. I threw a bunch of stuff into the Vitamix (no measuring) and voila! Pesto. It was pretty yummy! I will definitely experiment with other ingredients and get back to you.

Chives

2 Garlic cloves
Spinach
Olive oil
Salt
Cashews
Spring mix

Yummm

So I'm discovering that basically anything is delicious with any sort of nut milk incorporated into it. I REALLY like hemp milk, but I don't often find it at a very affordable price. So....go nuts with your nut milk and throw a bunch of good stuff into your blenders and see what you can create!

Here's what I came up with

Apple
Banana
Grapes
Cucumber
Kale
Spinach
Hazelnut Milk

Autumnkin Shake

Feeling a little autumn-y, so I decided to whip up this bad boy. Give it a try and let me know what you think?

2 heaping spoonfuls of real Pumpkin (not pie mix)
1 Fuji Apple skin on
Handful of Red Grapes
2 Handfuls Spinach
1/2 Frozen Banana
Nutmeg to taste
Cinnamon to taste
Ice
Hazelnut milk

Pumpkin fiberlicous

Care for something a little bit thicker and creamier?

Apple
Flax
Pumpkin
Oats
Cinnamon
Nutmeg
Hazelnut milk
Ice

Ducking Felicious.

Cherries frozen pitted

Pineapple frozen

Banana frozen

Honeydew frozen

Grapes frozen

*Top with gelled chia

*Add a bit of chia seeds to a few ounces of water and stir. Let sit for 10-15 minutes until gelled, or in fridge over night. I don't mind the bit of "crunch" that comes with not completely gelled chia seeds. =)

Enjoy this delicious treat while soaking up the desert rays! 

Coconanadew Pudding

1 Frozen Banana
1/4 cup Honeydew
Water from 1 Coconut
A few chunks of coconut
Ice

Blend

Top with chia gel!

Can you guess what's in this "Honeyloupplum" sorbet?

H-dew - a few frozen balls
Canteloupe - 1/4 cup
Pineapple - 1/4
Plum - no pit
Chia gel

Not fast enough to snap pic. ;) Wayyyy toooo yummmmyyyy,

Ice cream

Nectarine -skin on, no pit
Pineapple -frozen
Fresh Mint leaves
Ice
Hemp milk

Topped with chia

Delicioso!

Seriously way too good to (not?) share.
2 tsp Chia
Hemp milk or other
6 Grapes
1 Carrot peeled
5 Cherries pitted
1/2 Frozen Banana
2 Kale leaves
Spring mix

Blend

Quinoa Beanoa Salad

Black beans. Crushed red proper flakes. Cumin. Salt(optional). Cilantro chopped.
1/4c uncooked quinoa prepare as usual.
Juice from lemon slice
Spring mix, romaine mix, spinach
Tomato


The only thing I would add is an avocado, but sadly mine aren't ripe yet!

Makes a LARGE meal!

Happy Fourth of July!

What a deliciously, thick and creamy, dreamy way to wake up on this beautiful Fourth of July!

Here's to you!

Hemp milk
2 tsp Chia
6 Grapes
1 Carrot
1 Peach - no pit
3 chunks frozen Pineapple
1/2 frozen Banana
2-3 Kale leaves
Spring mix packed to top!
Ice if not using fruit that is frozen

Drafts...

I have so many drafts awaiting the edit/publish step. =\ I tend to go through them all together so I can make sure they're not crap. Usually, they are. I should probably keep up with things more often...though, surely no one will notice. ;)