If it’s raining or below 50 degrees where you live, I have the cure for your seasonal blues. I am eating a warm bowl of these right now as I type this, while looking out the window at rain here in San Francisco. There is nothing better than a warm bowl of oats when it’s cold outside. It’s like slipping into a cozy pair of socks, but for your tummy. Oh yeaaaahhhhh.

If you follow me on Instagram you know I have been making these Zucchini Oats with Banana for the last month again and again. They are just that good. I make mine with a secret ingredient that makes these zoats even more delicious and creamy.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup rolled oats

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup forager cashew milk

1 small zucchini, shredded

1 small and ripe banana, sliced

1 tbsp. of butter, this is the secret ingredient. If you are dairy-free, omit and they will still be amazing!

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract (worth it to buy real vanilla without alcohol)

pinch of good sea salt

Method:

Place all the ingredients in a pot and stir to combine. Heat to a boil and then simmer until the banana literally melts into the oats (drool factor is way high) and the oats are creamy without sticking to the bottom of the pan. From start to finish this takes about 10-15 minutes. I like to stir every few minutes or so with a spatula so that nothing sticks to the bottom. Top with walnuts, nut butter*, hemp seeds, yogurt... the world is your bowl of zoats!

*Use my code BALANCEBYMOLLY20 for 20% off of all Georgia Grinders nut butter. I personally like to top my banana zoats with their creamy cashew butter.

Want to get in on the turmeric trend? I’ve got you covered with this creamy and delicious turmeric latte that is dairy-free and oh so delicious. I have had this warm drink on repeat since the temperatures have dropped and I ain’t mad at it. Seriously, it’s like sunshine in a cup!

I technically can call this a “double” turmeric latte, as there is twice the dose in this frothy drink. So if you usually like an extra shot in your espresso, maybe you can think of this as the same. Except without the espresso… oh wait and without the caffeine. But I was close!

This latte is best enjoyed on a mellow afternoon or in the evening to wind down and soothe your tummy. Turmeric boasts some major anti-inflammatory properties due to the active compound curcumin. Read below for the recipe and how to get your latte extra creamy and frothy!

INGREDIENTS:
1 bag Numi Turmeric Tea
1 scoop Further Food Turmeric Tonic*
1 scoop collagen peptides
1 tbsp. coconut butter
8 oz. hot water
4 oz. coconut milk

METHOD:
Brew an 8 oz. cup of the turmeric tea for 8-10 minutes. Cover to keep hot. Remove the tea bag and pour the tea into your blender. Add the turmeric tonic, collagen, coconut butter and coconut milk. Blend on high for 5 seconds until frothy. Pour that liquid sunshine into a glass and get cozy!

*a 10% discount is automatically applied for the Turmeric Tonic and collagen peptides. Woo Hoo!

This scones were created by mistake when I was trying to make muffins one day. Best mistake I have ever made! These are perfectly fluffy, moist and laced with sweet strawberries. I bet these would be amazing with any berry you can find. They are also super easy to make, so if you have ever been intimidated to make scones then these babies are for you! Now grab a bowl and get baking, your mouth will thank you.

Gluten-free, sweetened with just a bit of honey, flakey and perfect. You have to make these ASAP. They are my favorite baking mistake I’ve ever made. 

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup fresh strawberries, chopped
2 cups GF flour blend (I used King Arthur Flour)
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
pinch of salt
3 eggs
1 tablespoon melted coconut oil
1 tablespoon melted ghee
Juice of 1/2 lemon (approx. 1 tbsp.)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup honey

METHOD:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Mix the dry ingredients together in a large bowl. Whisk the wet ingredients together in a medium bowl. Combine the wet with the dry using a rubber spatula. Lastly, stir in the strawberries gently. Lightly dust a surface with left over flour. Place the dough on floured surface flipping a few times to coat and then use your hands to shape into a circle. Mine was 9” across and scones are about 1 inch thick. Use a sharp knife to cut into 6 scone wedges (you could also divide the batter twice and make 12 smaller scones). Slightly separate the scones and cook for 20 minutes on a greased baking pan or a silpat on a baking pan. Remove, let cool and dive in! Best enjoyed with more ghee and honey. 

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This dish is both vegan and gluten free, AND packed full of protein. I am using Millet which I refer to as a super grain because it has both 10g of protein and 8 g of fiber per half cup serving. I also feel like Millet is the forgotten grain next to its contenders brown rice and quinoa.  So if you are looking to mix it up, this recipe is for you with tasty curried millet with tender zucchini.

This recipe turned out legit and was worth the extra time in the kitchen. This is a 30-minute meal and I’m more of a 5-minute meal girl  But sometimes it’s fun to cook and experiment and see what comes of it. I almost forgot how happy cooking a good meal feels, the therapy of chopping and prepping and plating. The magic that your hands can create. I’ve told you all before that July is my month to CREATE. So here is this recipe I created to share with all of you.

INGREDIENTS
Stuffing: 4 large zuchhinis (round or regular) // 1 tablespoon coconut oil or ghee // 1/2 can of white beans // 2 cloves garlic // 1/4 cup cilantro // 1/4 cup dried cranberries (I used @honestlycranberry since they are unsweetened!) // juice of one lemon

Sauce: 1/2 cashew milk or non-dairy milk // 1/2 tablespoon curry powder // salt and pepper // 1.5 cups cooked millet

METHOD
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Trim edges of the zucchini and scoop out seeds. Save the removed pulp and chop and set aside. Place zucchinis onto a baking sheet or a shallow baking pan and place in the oven while you prepare the stuffing.  

To prepare the sauce, heat oil or ghee in a skillet and add the chopped garlic and zucchini pulp. Cook for 2-3 minutes until juices start to release. Add in the cashew milk, curry powder, cranberries and white beans. Stir in for another 2 minutes. Turn off the heat and add lemon juice. Add cooked millet to the pan and stir to combine with the sauce. 

Take the zucchini out of the oven, spoon in the millet stuffing and place back into the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes covered until the zucchini is tender. Divide onto two plates and enjoy! 

These salmon tacos have become one of my favorite dishes to make for my 10-day detox, The 10-day balanced gut reset. I even had two friends who bought my reset kick it off by making these tacos for a reset party! These tacos (and a few variations) are a part of my gut reset recipe packet but I thought I would share with you so you can join in on the fun too. 

The best thing about these tacos is that they cook up in 10-15 minutes depending on how thick your fish is.  Great option for a quick lunch, or a dinner when you come home from work hangry and want something delicious and healthy.

Detox Salmon Tacos
(Serves 2-3)

Ingredients:
-       One packet Siete Foods Tortillas (any flavor, or corn tortillas if not on my gut reset)
-       1 lime
-       2 tbsp. coconut or avocado oil
-       1 avocado
-       1 pound wild or sustainably farmed salmon*
-       Salt + Pepper

* You can also use cod, red snapper or halibut. 
If you are a vegetarian or want to mix it up, use these ingredients instead of fish:
-       1 can garbanzo beans
-       1 head cauliflower
-       1/2 tsp. turmeric
-       1 tsp. cumin
-       1/4 tsp. chili powder
-       1 lime
-       2 tbsp. olive oil or avocado oil

Cole Slaw:
-       1/2 cup dairy free plain, unsweetened yogurt
-       juice of one lemon or lime
-       handful chopped parsley or cilantro (ok to omit if you don't have)
-       1/2 head of green or purple cabbage
-       salt and pepper

Thinly slice cabbage into ribbons and combine in large bowl with remaining ingredients.  Leftovers will keep in an airtight container for 2 days.

Method:
For fish: Add a generous amount of salt and pepper to fish of choice.  Cook in a cast iron skillet with 1 tablespoon of avocado or coconut oil with skin on flipping once after 4-6 minutes. If your fish is a thicker piece, finish in the over at 350 degrees for 3-5 minutes until cooked through. Or if you are like me, I like my salmon a little pink in the middle. Squeeze with half of lime when done cooking and use the other half for garnish. 
For veggie: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine chickpeas, chopped cauliflower, spices and a glug of oil in a bowl and stir to combine. Pour onto baking sheet into one layer. Roast 20 minutes and flip/stir halfway through with squeeze of half of lime.  Squeeze other half of lime when done roasting.

Serve with Cole Slaw and sliced avocado on tortillas of choice. Happy eating!!

HOW TO EAT FISH RESPONSIBLY
The salmon I used for this recipe is sustainably farmed. As our population grows and salmon becomes a more popular source of Omega 3's, we can't all possibly eat only wild fish or else we would eventually deplete our resources. Contrary to popular belief, you CAN eat farmed fish that is sustainable, safe and good for you!

Be careful when shopping for salmon that has had "color added."  A lot of health food stores, including Whole Foods, don't always carry naturally farmed fish and often add dyes and colors. 

Here are some resources that have helped me when choosing salmon and other fish:
https://www.seafoodwatch.org/seafood-recommendations/groups/salmon
http://www.seafoodwatch.org/
https://sustainablefoodtrust.org/articles/eating-values-five-questions-ask-fishmonger/

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I have to admit, it has been a while since I have taken out my food processor and put it to good use. I was in need of a nutrient dense snack while on the 10-day balanced gut reset that is also low in sugar and high in healthy fats. These Orange Cranberry Bliss balls came to the rescue and came together in 5 minutes. Really, you have no excuse not to make them. 

I have been really into the orange cranberry combo lately, especially because blood oranges have been in season. You have the option to use a regular orange or a blood orange for this reason. I also recently found unsweetened cranberries on Amazon and have been using them in and on everything. Finally, dried cranberries without all the unnecessary added sugars. 

The great thing about these delicious snack balls is that they are free of nuts (except for coconut), so in case you have any allergies you are in luck.  And if not, no matter, these are amazing and you should make them immediately. Here is how you can DO IT.

↠1 cup unsweetened coconut shreds

↠1 tbsp. each of hemp + ground flax seeds

↠3/4 cup each of raw sunflower and pumpkin seeds

↠3/4 cup coconut butter (soft, not hard)

↠1/4 cup coconut oil, melted

↠3 tbsp. unsweetened dried cranberries

↠juice from 1 blood orange (or regular orange)

↠zest from one blood orange (or regular orange)

↠2 tbsp. raw honey

Place all ingredients in your food processor. Process on high until clumps form. Stop and scrape down the sides if needed. Roll into balls. I was able to make one dozen. Note that if the balls crumble when you try and roll them, place in refrigerator for an hour to chill and then roll. ENJOY!!

I have never been to sure about the name "Buddha Bowl," but what I am sure about is that these vegan bowls always give me tons of energy. But really, who gave them this name? Ha ha, I kid I kid. I have been making renditions of my own lately, while on my 10-day Balanced gut reset, and wanted to share the key steps to building the perfect one! You don't have to be a vegan or even a plant lover to dive into one of these rainbow bowls, guaranteed to please the pickiest meat eater (a.k.a. ME!). So grab your biggest bowl and let's get going.

The only way to make a Buddha Bowl is to start with the biggest bowl you have. You are going to be packing in nutrient dense foods and the more the better. I get asked a lot about serving sizes, so I am going to break it down for you.

Let's start with the Buddha Bowl pictured above. Here are the five components that are key to making your bowl a stunner. 
BASE: Kale and shredded cabbage: 2 cups total
CARB: 2 tbsp. Quinoa + 1/2 medium Sweet Potato
FAT: 1/4 Avocado + 2 tbsp. pumpkin seeds
PROTEIN: 1/4 Cup Black Beans (added after photo) + Quinoa
SAUCE: Spicy cashew sauce

CREATE YOUR BASE:
A sort of greens will do - spinach, kale, arugula, mixed greens, dandelion greens. For kale, massage with juice from 1/4 of a lemon and splash of olive oil. Rub this "marinade" on the chopped kale with your hands until it start to soften. You can also use grains as your base - brown rice and quinoa are favorites. Recently at Whole Foods I found a blend of brown rice, quinoa, buckwheat and millet that cooks up in 15 minutes. The perfect addition to any Buddha Bowl. 

ADD YOUR CARBS:
When I say carbs, I mean gluten free grains or one of my favorite carbohydrate sources - sweet potato (hey hey paleo people!) Carbs are necessary for energy and can layer them in however you want in your bowl. I sautéed the sweet potatoes pictured here by peeling, chopping into cubes and cooking in olive oil on a cast iron skillet with chili powder, salt and pepper for 8-10 minutes flipping a few times.

ADD YOUR FATS:
I am a HUGE fan of fats. Especially fat sources that are rich in fiber like nuts, seeds and avocado. You can have tons of fun with your fat additions. Here I chose avocado and roasted pumpkin seeds. You could also do sunflower seeds or a sprinkle of hemp seeds.  For nuts, I love roasting up some chopped, almonds, walnuts or hazelnuts.  Cashews would make an amazing addition as well, I just so happened to use them in this bowl for the sauce. Hey yo!

ADD YOUR PROTEIN:
For a Buddha Bowl the trick is to pick a good plant based protein. If you are using beans or lentils, make sure you are adding a grain to get a complete protein (containing all nine essential amino acids). You can also cook up some tofu (non GMO brands I like are Hodo Soy and Wildwood) or fermented tofu, aka tempeh.

GET YOUR SAUCE ON:
This is where the flavor comes in and you have the choice to jazz it up any way that you would like!  For this bowl I wanted something spicy.  I used 1/2 cup of cashews and added 1/3 cup of water, 1/3 cup of olive oil, a squeeze of lemon and 1 tablespoon of sriracha (I like Wild Brine for a sugar and preservative free version). If you like creamy sauces, you can go with a Tahini Sauce - I love this recipe. I also really love adding pesto, Trader Joe's has a great vegan version, or make your own pesto sauce with avocado in it, here is my version that I am obsessed with. 

OTHER TOPPINGS?!
Go for it! Throw some sauerkraut or Kimchi on there for some probiotics. Maybe even some berries, really the sky is the limit to design you own so go for it!!

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If you can’t tell already, smoothies are my jam.  I am borderline obsessed. I pretty much make one every morning for breakfast, except when I go big with an egg, bacon and waffle breakfast. In my humble smoothie loving opinion, smoothies have it all.  They combine all you need for a balanced breakfast into one glass. You get your veggies, fruits, proteins, healthy fats and superfoods/adaptogens all together in a creamy morning treat.  In this post, I am breaking down each category for you, including how to prepare, store and use certain fruits and veggies to get the most out of this breakfast powerhouse.

LIQUID BASE
1 to 1 ½ cups

Alright, this is where the magic begins. I typically choose a non-dairy base for the morning, but I have including some options for full-fat dairy as well. For one serving I typically do 1 cup to 1 and ¼ cup of liquids. 1 ½ cup when working with all frozen fruits and vegetables and 1 cup when working with a mix of fresh and frozen. The amount of liquid will help determine the creaminess and thickness of your smoothie.

I find cashew milk to be the least disruptive in terms of taste but I also love any nut milks including almond, macadamia nut and coconut milk.  Oat milk and hemp seed milk are coming more out on the market now but it’s hard to find a good brand free of sweeteners. Personally I find it easy to make nut and seed milks from scratch. 

Cashew, hemp, sunflower and pumpkin seed milk only require soaking and blending with no straining.  Walnut, hazelnut, almond and brazil nut milks are my favorite to make, strained through a nut bag or cheese cloth. The nut pulp can be used to make energy balls! Fresh, homemade nut milks last in your fridge for 3-4 days.

If you are partial to dairy in your smoothies I suggest a good full fat milk made from grass-fed cows or using full fat regular or greek yogurt.

VEGETABLES
1-2 handfuls

The key to adding vegetables is to not use more than one or two. Due to the fiber content in vegetables and the addition of using fruits, combining too many vegetables in a smoothie may be hard to digest and causing you to run to the toilet. Oof.  We don’t want that. Below I have listed my favorite veggie combinations along with how to prepare and store.

Zucchini – wash and slice into 1-inch coins.  Zucchinis are easier to digest than more cruciferous vegetables and can be used in your smoothie raw or cooked.  For raw, simple toss into a reusable container in your freezer.  For cooked, you can blanch in boiling water or steam for 2-3 minutes. You cannot taste in smoothies and adds a nice thick texture.

Leafy Greens (Spinach, Romaine Dandelion or Kale) – can be added raw. I wouldn’t add more than a handful of each for easier digestion. For any leafy greens, store in your refrigerator wrapped in a paper towel to absorb excess moisture and keep fresher longer.

Cauliflower – wash and slice a head of cauliflower or buy pre-sliced in the frozen section. I suggest that you cook your cauliflower, you can blanch in boiling water or steam for 2-3 minutes.  Let cool before freezing or lay flat to freeze so the florets don’t stick together. You cannot taste in smoothies and adds a nice fluffy texture. I wouldn’t use more than a handful.

Beets – if you are buying your beets raw, you can roast in your oven or cook in boiling water.  When you are able to pierce with a fork, remove from oven or water and peel off the skin.  This is easily done by rubbing a paper towel over the skin. Slice into chunks and let cool before freezing or lay flat to freeze so that the chunks don’t stick together. Store in a reusable container in your freezer. You can also find precooked beets in most grocery stores as well.

Squash or Sweet potatoes – I love using squash and sweet potatoes in smoothies. They thicken the smoothie and add a creamy texture and sweet taste.  I have used both delicate and butternut squash. Both by roasted before hands and removing the skins.  Yellow squash is easy to use too, and prepared just like zucchinis. For sweet potatoes, I roast in the oven at 375 degrees until tender enough to be pierced with a fork.  Remove, let cool, remove the skin and slice into chunks to be frozen.

Carrots – Prepare the same way you would zucchinis as described above, but make sure you peel beforehand.  

You guyzzz, I didn't go to design school

FRUITS
1-2 handfuls

A few weeks back I posted about the fruits and veggies that are more important to buy organic than others. When buying fruits and veggies for your smoothies, I would follow the lists that I posted.

I have listed fruits from least to most sweet and like veggies, I believe that a combo of one or two is just enough.  Check to make sure when buying frozen fruit that the only ingredient is the fruit! Believe it or not, a lot of brands add sugar and color.

All berries – blueberries, strawberries, cherries, blackberries, raspberries

Green apple – I love slicing up a green apple and adding to smoothies with the skin on for the most fiber content. For my favorite green apple smoothie, subscribe to my newsletter to get 5 of my favorite smoothie recipes.

Papaya and Pineapple – Digestion powerhouses, both of these fruits are wonderful to aide in digestion.

Peaches and Nectarines – best when eaten in season but can be found frozen

Mangoes and Bananas – these two tropical fruits will help to make your smoothies more sweet and creamy. My tip for freezing bananas is simply to cut them in half and store in a reusable container.

Pitaya or Acai – will lend a bright color and creaminess and can be found in packets in the frozen section.

HEALTHY FATS
¼ to ½ ripe avocado
1-2 tablespoons of nuts or seeds

Alright, now we are getting to the best part of smoothies, healthy fats! These are so important in the morning to wake your brain up (the brain is made up of 80% fat, so feed it fat!) and to help keep you full until lunch.

When it comes to fats, I would stick to just one or maybe two in your smoothies.  Start with one and work your way up from there!  Fats are the most calorie dense foods at 9 calories per gram so they help to fill you up faster and longer.

Avocado – This powerhouse fruit is rich in fiber and healthy fats.  For one serving I recommend ¼ to ½ and avocado for a smoothie.  This is also the best ingredient to add in place of a banana for creaminess.

Coconut oil or coconut butter - Love adding coconut oil or coconut butter for a healthy hit of fat.

Seeds – hemp, chia and flax seeds pack in not only healthy fats but omega-3’s.  I always keep these in my fridge to last longer and use 1 to 2 tbsp. for one smoothie servings.

Nuts and nut butters – I love adding nut butters to my smoothies, they pack in protein and healthy fats. I love using creamy almond butter or cashew butter. I also love sunflower seed butter. Make sure to buy all of your nut butters with no added sugars or oils.  The only ingredient in your nuts should just be the nuts! 

PROTEIN
1-2 scoops

You can use 2 tablespoons of nut butter for your smoothie protein (about 7 grams) or you can go the protein powder route to get more grams of protein in the morning! Good protein powders will provide you with essential amino acids to help keep you fuller longer so you don’t have to snack before lunch!

I am listing my favorite protein powders below including links to buy. These are in heavy rotation for me as well as recommended to my clients. I like these brands for their minimal ingredients that are free of any added crap.

Nuzest Protein – I like the original, unflavored
Use code BALANCEBYMOLLY for 15% off

Sun Warrior – I like the vanilla flavor that I linked to

Collagen Peptides – I like Further Food brand best (not vegan)
Collagen is great for hair, skin and nails and also contains gelatin which is very healing for your gut!  Use code BALANCEBYMOLLY for 10% off

Philosophie – I like the Cacoa Magic or Green Dream

SUPERFOODS
Serving size on package

Last but not least, superfoods! There are a ton out there on the market, including adaptogens which are great for stress, anxiety and sleep.  Here are the ones that I use in smoothies but feel free to explore more for yourself! Click on each one for link to the product I use. 

MACA
CACAO POWDER
SPIRULINA
MUSHROOM BLEND

BLENDER
I use a Vitamix blender to make all of my smoothies. I get asked a lot which blender I use.  I bought mine refurbished on Amazon which saved me tons of money and I swear it was brand new! Never pay full price ;)

HERE IS THE BLENDER I USE

Happy smoothie making! 

I have to admit that I am not a whiz in the kitchen. I don't follow recipes well and I have been known to set off fire alarms. Making easy bowls are my jam. Sandwiches, eggs, meatballs, any sort of throw together meals... I got it.  But complex baking feats? NOPE. Which is why to my surprise, these gluten-free lemon ricotta pancakes turned out PERFECT. Seriously, the best pancakes I have ever made.

That's not to say that this recipe was without injury (I "zested" my thumb while zesting lemons), burnt pancakes (I burned the first batch of pancakes like a true pro. NOT.) and exhaustion from whipping egg whites into peaks by hand (not recommended, but possible!).

Despite some hilarious mishaps, this recipe was easier than I thought it would be, and I didn't burn the kitchen down! The pancakes are perfect and fluffy thanks to the ricotta cheese and egg whites that I managed to eventually whip into peaks. Emphasis on EVENTUALLY. Time for me to get an electric mixer. Oy. 

If you are looking for pancakes that impress and don't require a lot of effort (ahem, with an electric mixer), then these are for you.  They are light, airy and the lemon makes these so freaking good! Make these immediately. 

This is what the batter should look like while slowly stirring in the egg whites

HERE'S WHAT YOU NEED:
4 eggs, separated (I used pasture raised)
1/4 cup coconut sugar
zest and juice of 1 lemon
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3/4 cup whole milk ricotta cheese (I used Bellwether Farms brand)
6 tablespoons whole milk (I used A2 organic brand)
large pinch salt
1/2 cup sifted gluten-free flour (I used King Arthur brand)
butter, as needed (about 4 tablespoons)

HERE'S WHAT YOU DO:

1. Preheat oven to 200°F (for keeping pancakes warm while you cook in batches)

2. In a large bowl, vigorously whisk together egg yolks, coconut sugar, and lemon zest until thickened, about 2 minutes.

3. Add vanilla, ricotta cheese, lemon juice and whole milk; mix to combine.

4. Add sifted flour and mix again to combine. I used a fine mesh strainer to sift. 

5. Meanwhile, in a separate bowl, beat egg whites with a pinch of salt until they hold stiff peaks. I recommend an electric mixer for this process. Lesson learned. 

6. Fold 1/3 of the egg whites into the batter to lighten the mixture, then fold in remaining egg whites being careful not to deflate them. 

7. To cook the pancakes, heat a non-stick pan, pancake griddle or cast iron pan over medium heat. Add 1-2 tablespoons of butter to the pan and when melted, spoon the batter into the pan making  3-inch pancakes. Allow to cook for three minutes (or until the bottom is nicely golden), then carefully flip the pancakes and cook another three minutes on the second side (or until nicely browned on both sides and cooked through in the center).

8. Remove pancakes from the pan to a plate to warm in the oven while you continue to make the pancakes.

9. Serve the pancakes with warm blueberries and maple syrup

This batch makes a lot of pancakes - I got 16 pancakes but depending on size you could have a few more or a few less.  Also depending on how many hungry people you have, you can definitely throw leftovers in the fridge for up 2 days in an airtight container to snack on later. 

Happy pancaking!!

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One of my favorite things to do on a Sunday in the winter is to put on some good jams and make soup to relax with on the couch afterward and watch a good movie.  Slow Sundays at their finest. This soup was so ridiculously easy to make, I am definitely throwing it into my list of go-to recipes. Tis the season for baked goods and spiked beverages and was craving all the nutrient replenishment today. To make it easy on digestion I skipped any grains and went straight for the sweet potatoes for starch nutrient rich lentils for protein and some grass-fed butter (or olive oil) for healthy fats.  Kale, carrots and celery were added for vegetables and turmeric for anti-inflammatory goodness. 

If you haven't felt it yet, the holidays are most certainly in the air. We have been a bit confused in San Francisco as of late, with the California sun bringing warm temperatures above 60 degrees well into December. I am definitely not complaining but there is something nice about bundling up and going for evening strolls to look at all the lights.  Last night was actually our first Christmas party we had been to this year (hello homemade apple cider and chocolate crinkle cookies) and tonight we are rolling to a Scandinavian Christmas dinner at Plaj Restaurant with a group of friends to get festive.  I still cannot believe that Christmas is a week away. This girl is usually deep into soup making by now. Thankfully it has cooled a bit to the 50s and I am stocking up on broth and diving into my favorite cookbooks for recipes.  

This recipe is adapted from Sprouted Kitchen's Everyday Lentil Soup with a few tweaks of my own. I took the garlic and onions out as my stomach no me gusta, switched up some spices and added more liquid so that it was more of a soup than a stew. I also played around with some toppings that I though paired nicely with this bowl of goodness (you guessed it, my favorite sheep's milk yogurt). Here is the recipe so that you can play around with my version and enjoy it this week before diving into your family holiday traditions. 

INGREDIENTS:
4 cups chicken or veggie broth (I used Bonafide Provisions Chicken Broth)
2 cups filtered water
2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
2 medium carrots, peeled
1 medium white sweet potato, peeled
2 stalks of celery
1/4 teaspoon each of garlic powder, dried oregano, dried parsley and dried thyme (1 tsp. Italian herbs)
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes, to taste
1/2 cup green lentils
1/2 cup red lentils
1/2 tsp. turmeric
2 Tbsp. unsalted garss-fed butter (I used Kerrygold) or olive oil for vegan
3 cups roughly chopped curly kale

2 Tbsp. chopped parsley, for garnish
1/2 grated manchego cheese or 2 scoops sheep milk yogurt (can be made vegan using a dairy-free yogurt)
Jilz Crackerz for soup dipping

METHOD:
Heat the olive oil in a dutch oven until warm.  Add in the celery, carrots and sweet potato, sauté for 5 minutes.  Add in all the spices except for the turmeric. Give another stir or two.  Add in the lentils, the broth and water and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cover to cook for 25 to 30 minutes until the lentils cook down.  Remove from heat and pulse half of the soup in a blender.  Pour back into the rest of the soup in the dutch oven. Stir in the kale, the butter or oil and the turmeric until the kale wilts and the butter melts. Add more water if needed to thin out. Divide into bowl and serve with grated cheese or yogurt topping with parsley for garnish.  ENJOY!

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