La Belle Vie Holistic Living

Taking a little break from my Preventative Nutrition studying to drool over the stunning photography and recipes of amazing raw chef Golubka . Some of my faves... Sun Dried Tomato, Basil and Olive Tart   Falafel and Tabouleh Chocolate Persimmon Tart

I've moved! Visit my new blog La Belle Vie for more recipes and healthy living tips. Don't forget to update your bookmarks! My "go to" dinner when I'm feeling particularly not like cooking is tortilla chips and salsa. Personally, I've always felt that this was a great meal choice because it's got veggies! However, my friend Shannon has informed me that salsa and chips does not actually qualify as a meal, lacking as it is in protein and full as it is in fats and empty calories from the chips. My argument is: well, it's healthier than when I eat popcorn for dinner! Her response to that is often along the lines of "oh my god! that's NOT okay!" or "popcorn's not a meal either!" Well, I think, Ms. Shannon, I have found a loophole! I have created a healthy tortilla chip, that with salsa and cashew sour cream or walnut meat, DOES qualify as not only a delicious, but also a nutritious meal! And assuming that the chips are made...

If you're ever in Kensington, make sure you go to Essence of Life Natural Foods. They're an amazing store with a wide range of healthy, vegan and gluten-free items and excellent prices. While there, if you get nothing else, get the hemp granola that's in the bulk tubs. Not the one made with oats, but the one that has delicious chunks of sweet granola-y goodness. This granola alone started my granola obsession. And this granola is one of the things I miss most about eating gluten-free. Unfortunately few other foods can feel the void of granola and soygurt or granola with nut milk. And a good gluten-free granola is very hard to find. I've only found one gluten-free granola at all, and, though I do sometimes eat it when having a granola craving, it's not the tastiest granola around. This recipe is super easy to make and is unbelievably delicious. The granola is wonderfully spiced and sweet, the buckwheat is crispy, the almonds add a pleasant crunch, and the bluebe...

I've moved! Visit my new home  Make Life Beautiful for more recipes and healthy living tips. Don't forget to update your bookmarks! I made my banana bread bites recipe, though accidentally put in almost 3x as many cacao nibs as I meant to...a very tasty mistake indeed...chocolate-y... Spread into thin layers with a spatula. Yum!!! Perfect for nutbutter and banana sandwiches!

I've moved! Visit my new blog La Belle Vie for more recipes and healthy living tips. Don't forget to update your bookmarks! A family friend, Craig, used to make the most delicious pies. We'd go over for dinner and there'd be three pies! Blueberry, apple and strawberry rhubarb. Now, as a kid I thought rhubarb was horrible, and haven't gotten around to trying it again...but the other two pies were amazing!! Since becoming vegan and gluten-free, I think that I've attempted a pie about 2-3 times. Which really isn't a whole lot, particularly considering that in theory I really like pie (although come to think of it, I don't think I made a whole lot of pies before either...). The first time I made it was when I had just begun gluten-free baking, and it was essentially just brown rice flour...i.e. not so nice. The second was made with Earth Balance and was buttery and flaky. I wanted to try a raw pie, and thought almond pulp would do the trick. I tried...

I've moved! Visit my new blog La Belle Vie for more recipes and healthy living tips. Don't forget to update your bookmarks! These banana bread bites are crunchy on the outside and chewy on the inside. How chewy depends on how long you dehydrate them for; flip them after an hour and then try them out every couple of hours until it's as "cooked" as you'd like it to be. They're super easy to make and are a great way to use up over ripe bananas. I have an idea of what I think will be a really really good way to enjoy these; I'll share it if it's successful. ingredients 1 banana, ripe 1 cup almond pulp 3/4cup ground flax 1/4cup date paste* 1 1/2 tbsp cacao nibs 1/4 cup chopped walnuts 1/2tsp cinnamon 1/2tsp nutmeg to make mix almond pulp with flax and spices. Mash in banana and date paste until a sticky dough forms. Add a bit of water if it's too dry. Stir in cacao nibs and walnuts. Some blueberries would be good too. Using a...