dina nicola.

easy like sunday morning.

arugula, sweet potato + fried egg
cooking time: 35 mins
servings: 2 

grocery list:
1 sweet potato, diced into 1/2” cubes
3 cups arugula
2 eggs
olive oil
1 lemon
1 avocado
salsa
sea salt + pepper
1. preheat oven to 350 degrees

2. place sweet potatoes in a bowl, drizzle with olive oil, salt + pepper. mix well. place on parchment paper lined cookie sheet + cook for 25 minutes. remove from oven + allow to cool while cooking eggs
3. heat skillet on high + crack eggs, cook over medium-low heat to desired wellness. season with salt + pepper
4. divide arugula up onto 2 plates. drizzle with olive oil, lemon juice, salt + pepper
5. add sweet potatoes, egg + avocado to the top of arugula. serve with salsa

keep calm and eat a cookie.

gluten-free chocolate chip cookies

cooking time: 11 minutes
servings: 2 dozen cookies

8 tbsp unsalted vegan butter or coconut oil
¾ cup dates, pits removed
½ cup coconut or almond milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp apple saue
2 cups gluten free flour (i used premium gold)
½ tsp pink himalayan sea salt + more for sprinkling on top (regular sea salt works as well)
¼ tsp baking soda
1 cup chocolate chips or chocolate chunks
2 pinches brown sugar for sprinkling on top (optional)

1. using a stand or hand mixer, combine butter, dates, coconut milk + vanilla extract. mix on medium speed for 2 minutes until smooth + creamy. scrape sides of bowl + add in apple sauce until well combined
2. in another bowl, combine flour, sea salt + baking soda. add dry ingredients to the butter mixture on medium speed until the dough comes together
3. add in the chocolate chips + mix until thoroughly incorporated. place dough in fridge for 1 hour
4. pre-heat oven to 350 degrees + line baking sheets with parchment paper
5. using a small ice cream scoop, scoop out dough + place on baking sheets. dough will hold shape while baking so if you would prefer flatter cookies versus round, push down on dough with spoon or flat surface to desired shape
6. sprinkle the tops with a bit of sea salt + brown sugar
7. bake for 11 minutes (edges set + turn golden). let cookies cool on baking sheet for minutes before lifting

**** store in airtight container for up to 3 days or freeze

**** adapted from cannellle et vanille

roll it up.

vegetable spring rolls
cooking time: 10 minutes
servings: 8 - 10 spring rolls

spring rolls:
8 - 10 rice paper wrappers
1 cucumber, julienned
2 carrots, julienned
1 jicama, julienned
½ red bell pepper, julienned sunflower sprouts green onions, greens only, julienned mint cilantro thai basil (optional)

cashew dipping sauce:
1 date
1 - 2 tbsp coconut milk<
½ tbsp chili paste or ¼ tsp red pepper flakes, more or less depending on tolerance to spice
¼” fresh ginger 3 tbsp roasted cashew butter (or nut butter of your choice)
½ small clove garlic

1. fill a large bowl with warm water + dip rice wrapper in water till softened (10 - 15 seconds)
2. place softened wrapper on clean surface + stack vegetables in center. fold into a “burrito” shape. watch video tutorial
3. set spring roll aside + continue to roll rest of wrappers + veggies
4. to make cashew dipping sauce, place all ingredients in food processor or blender + process till smooth. if too thick, add additional coconut milk

let’s be honest, even mom likes a little banana now + then. happy mother’s day.

gluten-free banana walnut bread
cooking time: 35 - 38 minutes
servings: 3 mini loaves or 1 large loaf

grocery list:
1 cup dates, pits removed
½ cup almond milk (or other non-dairy milk)
⅓ cup coconut oil, melted
1 tbsp vegan butter, melted (can use coconut oil as substitute)
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp veganaise (optional)
2 cups gluten free flour (i used premium gold brand)
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp sea salt
1 - 2 tsp cinnamon
3 ripe bananas, mashed
1 cup walnuts, chopped

1. in a food processor, add dates, almond milk, coconut oil, butter, extract + veganaise. blend well until smooth texture
2. in a mixing bowl, whisk together dry ingredients (flour, baking soda + powder, salt + cinnamon)
3. combine wet + dry ingredients + mix well
4. add in bananas + walnuts + mix well
5. pre-heat oven to 350 degrees
6. pour batter into well greased bread loaf pans
7. bake for 35 - 40 minutes for mini loaves or 50 - 60 minutes for large loaf. test middle of loaf with toothpick to ensure it’s fully baked

adapted from this recipe

for my ladies who lunch

cucumber tea sandwiches with herbed cashew cream cheese

1  1/2 cups raw cashews, soaked for at least 1 hour + rinsed
2 lemons, juiced
2 tbsp raw apple cider vinegar
1 - 2 tbsp water
1 handful fresh basil
1 handful fresh chives
1 handful fresh mint
sea salt
2 cucumbers, sliced (using a mandolin works best)

1. in a food processor, blend cashews, lemon juice, apple cider + 1 tbsp water. add additional water if necessary to get desired creaminess
2. add in herbs + pulse till well incorporated
3. add sea salt to taste
4. serve as dip with cucumbers or make into cucumber sandwiches

*** dip keeps for at least 3 days

festivus for the rest of us.

paleo pizzelles
cooking time: 30 mins
makes: 24 pizzelles

grocery list:
3 eggs, room temp
¾ cup coconut sugar
½ cup grass-fed butter or coconut oil, melted + cooled
1 tsp vanilla extract
½ tsp anise extract
1 ¾ cup almond meal
2 tsp baking powder

1. beat eggs + sugar together in large mixing bowl
2. add butter/oil, vanilla + anise to egg mixture. mix well
3. mix almond meal + baking sold together + then add to egg mixture. batter should be stiff enough to drop with a spoon.
4. heat pizzelle maker for 5 - 8 mins
5. when heated properly, place 1 tsp of batter on grid pattern. you may want to use a second spoon to push batter off of the first spoon
6. close the pizzelle maker + clamp the handles together. baking will take approx 30 seconds
7. remove pizzelles with a rubber spatula and place on cooling rack. continue with rest of batter

coconut milk hot toddy
cooking time: 5 mins
makes: 4 servings

grocery list:

grocery list:
1 32 ounce box coconut milk
4 cinnamon sticks
1 tsp grated fresh ginger
2 - 3 pinches cardamon
½ tsp nutmeg
½ tsp cloves
4 shots spiced rum or whiskey of choice (or more if you’re feeling naughty) 

1. warm all ingredients except rum in saucepan over medium-low heat
2. simmer for 5 minutes then add rum
3. remove from heat + pour into cups to serve

grab your banana hammocks, we’re headed to the tropics.

coconut vegetable soup
cooking time: 20 minutes
makes: 6 servings

grocery list:

2 tbsp coconut oil

2 tsp red curry paste

½ yellow onion, diced

1 - 2 tbsp chili paste

32 ounce box coconut milk (or equivalent cans)

32 ounce box vegetable broth (or homemade)

vegetables of choice, i used:

shredded carrots

cherry tomatoes

broccoli

cauliflower

bok choy

spinach

other items you could add in:

lime juice + zest

ginger, grated

mushrooms

bean sprouts

greens

have you jumped on the juicing bandwagon, but don’t know what to do with all that leftover juice pulp? how about pancakes?

beet + carrot pancakes with coconut whipped cream
cooking time: 15 minutes
makes: makes 12, 4” pancakes
this recipe is adapted from my gluten free pancake post located here.

grocery list:

½ cups gluten free pancake mix (i prefer pamela’s)

2 tbsp cinnamon applesauce

¾ cup coconut cream or coconut milk

1½ tbsp coconut oil (warmed)

5 drops stevia (or other sweetner)

½ tsp vanilla extract

1 cup leftover beet + carrot juice pulp (if you don’t have a juicer, you can grate 1 small beet + carrot instead)

½ tsp pumpkin pie spice

topping:

½ cup coconut cream (refrigerated)

pancake directions:

1. whisk all the ingredients together until there are no lumps
2. warm skillet or griddle to medium-low heat + lightly oil with coconut oil
3. pour ¼ cup of batter onto skillet, cooking until browned (about 2-3 minutes) + flip once
4. serve garnished with coconut whipped cream, blueberries + slivered almonds

coconut whipped cream directions:

1. place coconut cream in a mixing bowl. with a hand beater, whip coconut until it becomes a whipped creamed consistency, about 3 minutes

all up in yo’ grill

mahi-mahi skewers w/ artichoke vinaigrette marinade
cooking time: 30 minutes
makes: 4 skewers
grocery list:

skewers:
1 lb mahi-mahi, cut into 1” chunks
3 bell peppers, colors of choice, cut into 1” pieces
1/2 red onion, cut into 1” pieces

artichoke vinaigrette + dipping sauce:
4 tbsp olive oil
1 1/2 tbsp white balsamic vinegar
1 meyer lemon, juiced
3 marinated artichoke hearts
1 tsp capers
sea salt + ground black pepper

1. make skewers, alternating fish, peppers, + onion. sprinkle with salt + pepper (if using wood or bamboo skewers, soak in water for 30 minutes)
2. in a blender, add vinegar, lemon juice, artichoke hearts, capers + blend
3. start drizzling in olive oil
4. add salt + pepper to taste
5. pre-heat grill to medium - high heat
6. brush marinade on skewers + then place skewers on hot grill. continue brushing + cook 3 - 5 minutes (or until desired wellness), turning once
7. remove skewers + serve
8. drizzle with any remaining sauce or place in dipping dish

grilled artichokes with olive oil + lemon

cooking time: 35 minutes
grocery list:
4 artichokes, cleaned (video tutorial on cleaning artichokes)
3 meyer lemons
6 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp white balsamic
sea salt
ground black pepper

1. fill a large pot ¾ way full with water, add 2 sliced lemons to water and bring to a boil
2. add artichokes to boiling water and simmer covered for 15 minutes
3. drain the artichokes in a colander and allow to cool for 10 minutes
4. cut the artichokes into quarters and discard the prickly purple leaves and hairy choke
5. in a bowl, combine the olive oil, vinegar, juice of remaining lemon, salt + pepper
6. dredge artichokes through the olive oil mixture covering well, a brush is helpful
7. preheat grill to medium-high heat
8. place artichokes on grill and cook until lightly charred on each side, about 4 minutes per side
9. remove and serve