Balancing Bills & Bellies | Broke and Cooking

Roasted Asparagus

Learning the basics boosts confidence in the kitchen :) Roasted veg dishes are not only simple, but incredibly delicious ways to cook and eat vegetables. Tossing almost any vegetable into the oven that’s coated in good olive oil and herbs brings out the natural flavor of the veg. There really aren’t any rules to this - just use high heat, season well, and wait till there’s some good golden color on the edges. The charred bits are always the best.

What You Need:

one bundle asparagus (thin or thick, your choice)

extra virgin olive oil

salt and pepper

1-2 lemons - slices for roasting, juice and zest for serving

optional: Parmesan cheese, red pepper flakes, toasted almonds

What To Do:

Preheat the oven to 425F

Clean and dry the asparagus, cutting off the bottom ~ 1 1/2” woody ends

Spread the asparagus out in an even layer on a baking sheet

Coat well in extra virgin olive oil, season well with salt, pepper, and any of your favorite herbs

Roast the asparagus. For thin stalks, it should take about 10 minutes; for thicker asparagus, about 15 minutes or more until fork tender

One Pan Sausage Orecchiette with Broccoli Rabe

One pan meals are a regular at my home - their convenience is unmatched. This week’s recipe comes together in under 20 minutes. A hearty pasta toss that somehow remains light enough for a warm summer night. Little ears of Orecchiette pasta are the perfect shape to cradle juicy morsels of sausage and Parmesan cheese. Tender stalks of broccoli rabe bring some crunch to the party, but can be subbed with anything you have on hand - kale, broccoli, spinach, or even peas. Technically, we do use 2 pans/pots for this dish (a pot to boil the pasta!), but we’ll just keep that to ourselves :)

What You Need (Serves 2):

1/2 box Barilla Orecchiette pasta

Italian sausage (I love New York Style Sausage Company brand. It comes in several forms - cased sausage, sausage rolls, uncased sausages. I tend to buy the sausage roll so that I can use as little or as much as I want and not have to deal with the casings.)

small bunch of broccoli rabe (baby broccoli), sub with kale, spinach, peas, broccoli

salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, extra virgin olive oil

Parmesan cheese

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 lemon - juice and zest

What To Do:

Boil 1/2 box Orecchiette pasta according to package directions. Before draining, keep about 1 cup of pasta water.

In a large pan over medium-high heat, add sausage. Use a spatula to break up the sausage and cook until golden brown. Remove the sausage and place aside.

Clean and chop the broccoli rabe in half.

In the same pan, dump the broccoli rabe in, adding a splash of water. The water will deglaze the pan and also start to steam the veg. Cover for 1 minute. Uncover and add a drizzle of olive oil to the pan, sautéing the broccoli for another minute.

Add cooked sausage and pasta back to the pan, along with some pasta water. The pasta water will help to coat the pasta with a thin sauce. Add minced garlic, red pepper flakes, and season to taste.

Strawberry Avocado Salsa

Easiest recipe ever. In the hot weather of the summer time, I love having a bunch of recipes on deck to simply throw together. Plump, sweet strawberries and rich, creamy avocado are chopped up and dressed in a tangy dressing of lime juice, ginger, and honey for the simplest appetizer.

What You Need:

For the salad:

1 pint washed, chopped strawberries

1-2 avocados, cut into chunks

fresh mint

For the dressing:

1 tsp (or more to taste) honey

2 tbsp lime juice

zest of 1 lime

salt and pepper

1 tsp fresh grated ginger

drizzle of olive oil to bind

What To Do:

Make the dressing by combining all the ingredients, olive oil last. Drizzle in just enough olive oil to combine.

Mango Salsa

Whewww this mango salsa is refreshing. It is robust, vibrant flavor that enhances savory dishes. Eat it with everything - tacos, quesadillas, grilled meat, chips, or by the spoonful. Sweet, juicy mango chunks become best friends with jalapeno, red bell pepper, red onion, cilantro, and lime juice for a quick, fail-proof salsa that you can make to brighten up any meal.

What You Need:

2 cups diced mango (about 3 mangoes)

½ red bell pepper, diced

2 tablespoons minced red onion

2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro

½ jalapeño, diced. Keep the seeds for heat, or seed it for a more mild version

Juice of 1-2 limes

Pinch of kosher salt

What To Do:

Curried Corn and Shrimp Summer Pasta

I love the earthy, warm spice of curry. This week’s recipe satisfies any curry craving while remaining light and summery. Fresh, crisp corn, silky golden Yukon potatoes, plump seared shrimp, and sweet chunks of mango are quickly tossed with curry powder, a splash of coconut milk. This versatile dish can be mixed with your favorite pasta or eaten on its own! There aren’t any exact measurements for this recipe, I love to simply toss things in and adjust to taste.

What You Need (Serves 2):

12 raw, shelled, de-veined shrimp (more or less shrimp is fine). I used 16-20 count per pound jumbo shrimp

1/2 yukon gold potato, chopped into 1/2” cubes

1/2 yellow onion, diced into 1/4” pieces

3 ears fresh corn (canned or frozen work beautifully as well)

1 mango, chopped into 1/2” cubes

curry powder (Cost Plus has a great 6 oz. bag of Hot Curry powder for $3.99)

a few splashes of coconut milk (TJ’s has a can of Lite Coconut Milk for $1.29)

salt and pepper, extra virgin olive oil, tbsp butter

optional: pasta

What To Do:

Chop 1/2 yukon gold potato into 1/2” cubes. Dice 1/2 yellow onion into 1/4” pieces.

Prep the corn: if you’re using fresh corn, cut the kernels off the cob.

Clean, shell, and de-vein the shrimp, patting dry with a paper towel. In a bowl, season the shrimp liberally with curry powder. Add a bit of salt and pepper.

Prepare the pasta.

Place the cubed potatoes in a pot of salted cold water, bringing them to a boil together so that the potatoes cook evenly inside and out. This should take about 12 minutes until fork tender. Remove the potatoes once they’re cooked thru and place aside.

In a large skillet over medium heat, saute the onions in olive oil. Once they start to turn translucent, add a bit of butter and the corn. Season the onions and corn with curry powder. The corn should get some nice color on it from the butter and curry.

Remove the corn and onions from the skillet.

In the same skillet over medium-high heat, add some olive oil and wait till it’s just popping. Add the shrimp in an even layer. Sear one side of the shrimpfor about a minute and a half (for jumbo shrimp). You should see that the center of the shrimp is just a bit over transparent. Shrimp shouldn’t ever curl up into itself more than the shape of the letter C.

Flip the shrimp and sear for another minute and a half, tossing back in the onions, corn, and potatoes. Add pasta if you’re using it!

Lazy Oyakodon

Oyakodon, or ‘parent and child’ donburi is a homey Japanese rice bowl dish of chicken, egg, and onions are simmered together in a fragrant stock of dashi and is clung together with softly cooked egg. It’s a comforting meal packed with umami. The traditional recipe calls for dashi, soy, mirin, and sugar to flavor the dish, but today I’m going to show you the cheater’s way to satisfy your Oyakodon craving with ingredients you can find at TJ’s or already in your kitchen. This is by no means supposed to try to be a classic Oyakodon; rather an alternative for weeknight dinners just in case you don’t have the classic ingredients on hand. Enjoy :)

What You Need (Serves 2):

6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs

Trader Joe’s Island Soyaki marinade

1/2 sweet yellow onion

your favorite rice (I dream about TJ’s brown rice!)

3-4 eggs

salt and pepper

scallions for garnish

sesame seeds for garnish

What To Do:

Chop up the chicken thighs into 1/2” chunks, placing them into a ziploc bag and cover with marinade. Marinade for at least 30 minutes.

Chop the onions into 1/2” pieces. Heat a large pan over medium heat. Saute the onions in olive oil, seasoning with salt and pepper until almost translucent. Remove from the pan and place aside.

Crack and scramble the eggs in a bowl, place aside.

Heat the same large pan that you cooked the onions in over medium-high heat. Add a bit of olive oil to the pan, and just as the oil begins to sizzle and pop, dump in all the marinaded chicken.

Spread the chicken out into a single layer and sear the chicken. Don’t touch it for about 5 minutes! The chicken will brown and gain some nice crisp edges.

After the chicken starts to cook halfway thru, flip the chicken and add the onions back in. Pour in a few tbsp more of Island Soyaki. Season with black pepper. Lower the heat to medium, and the chicken will be gently simmering.

The chicken should be cooked thru in about 12-14 minutes depending on the thickness of your chicken pieces. You can always cut a piece open to check on its progress. (If you’re making TJ’s Brown Rice, microwave it now)

Make a hole in the center of the pan, and pour in the scrambled egg. Once the egg hits the pan, let it bubble and cook a bit, then gently move the chicken around to allow the egg to hit the hot pan. Turn off the heat once the eggs are the desired doneness. I like the eggs super soft, so it doesn’t take more than a minute for the egg to cook.

Ricotta Fig Phyllo Cups

Figs. Sweet, unctuous flesh with a light berry taste that practically transform in the oven. My favorite recipes are ones you can throw together, not worrying about technique or messing things up. Ricotta Fig Phyllo Cups are a fail-proof appetizer or snack that will impress the hell out of your friends with any effort on your part. Flakey (pre-made) phyllo cups filled with honeyed ricotta and figs, topped with a few flakes of Maldon to balance things out. Seriously quick and satisfying.

What You Need:

1 pack pre-baked Phyllo dough cups (I used Safeway brand)

ricotta cheese

honey

flakey sea salt

fresh figs (I got a pack of figs at TJ’s, they are

optional: mint

What To Do:

Preheat your oven to 350F.

Wash the figs and slice them in half, then quarter each half.

Fill each phyllo cup with your desired amount of ricotta cheese. Drizzle some honey and sprinkle some salt on top of the ricotta.

Nestle a piece of fig into the ricotta, adding a touch more honey on top.

The Easiest Nectarine Crumble

…And we’re back :)

Two years later, I’m happy to be creating and posting new recipes on Broke and Cooking. Instead of playing catch up, let’s get right to the recipe that came to my mind simply because of the gorgeous nectarines and peaches at Trader Joe’s this season.

What You Need:

Filling:

4-5 nectarines or peaches, cored and sliced

juice of 1/2 a lemon

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 heaping tbsp of all purpose flour

dash of salt

Crumble Topping:

1/4 cup oats

1/2 cup all purpose flour

1/3 cup brown sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 tsp cinnamon

4 tbsp butter, chilled and cut into cubes

optional: you can toss some flax seeds in!

Optional:

whipped cream

vanilla ice cream

fresh mint

fresh berries are wonderful when combined with this filling

sugar in the raw for a crispy, sparkly touch on top

What To Do:

Pre heat the oven to 350 F

Combine all the ingredients for the filling

Pour the filling into a baking dish

In a separate bowl, mix the topping ingredients together, adding the chilled butter in last. It’s easiest to use your fingers to cut in the butter. The finished topping will be large and chunky

Cover the nectarine filling with the crumble topping

Bake at 350F for about 45 minutes until the crumble topping is slightly golden brown

Serve with whipped cream or ice cream and a sprig of mint!

Hazelnut Chocolate Banana Smoothies

Smoothies and summertime go together like...chocolate and bananas :) Today's crazy easy recipe is for a refreshing smoothie that will satisfy your sweet tooth while remaining on the healthier side. 

Nutiva is one of my favorite organic plant-food companies. Their products are well-priced, delicious, and their brand is transparent. Recently, Nutiva sent me some samples of their new Organic Hazelnut Spread, which comes in Classic and Dark flavors. Despite the rich, decadent flavor, it contains 40% less sugar than the leading brand, and comes in jars or packets for on-the-go snacking! I love the individual packaging because they're so easy to use and help with portion control. On top of all that, they're gluten free and vegan :) 

Today I decided to whip up some smoothies - all you need to do is blend your favorite milk, some ice, a banana, and some Nutiva Organic Hazelnut Spread together and you're in smoothie heaven. Add in some chia, honey, other fresh fruit, or chopped chocolate to make it extra decadent. Let's get blending :) 

Ingredients You Need: 

1 cup milk (almond, rice, soy, cow)

3/4 cup ice, or more if you desire

1 banana

2 tbsp Hazelnut Chocolate Spread

optional: drizzle of honey, coconut, peanut butter, other fruit, chocolate shavings, etc. 

Method:

Blend together 1 banana, 2 tbsp hazelnut spread, 3/4 cup ice, 1 cup milk, drizzle of honey until smooth and frothy. Serve cold and sip! 

Steam / Sautéed Vegetables - The Easiest Way to Prepare Flavorful, Al Dente Veggies

The best things often happen out of sheer necessity, or like I've said before, laziness :) I grew up being told that boiling vegetables took all of the nutrition out of them, and so as I got older and started to cook for myself, I started cooking vegetables this way. I would heat a large skillet with a bit of extra virgin olive oil, add my vegetables, and a few splashes of chicken broth (always keep a few cartons stocked!) and seasoning. I would cover the vegetables so that the broth would steam the veggies and give them a bit of a "head start". This worked - steaming them for a few minutes would cook them just through, and then I would remove the lid and sauté the veg to get some color on them. 

To step it up, you could use this basic method and switch up the seasoning or sauces you use. My favorite combo is to skip the salt and add oyster sauce while the vegetables are steaming. Once the broth evaporates, the oyster sauce cooks down and helps to add nice toasty, flavorful bits to the ends of your greens. I've also used this method to cook Maple Glazed Carrots in minutes on the stove for the holidays. In that recipe, you steam the carrots in broth and salt, and then sauté with some maple syrup, black pepper, flaky sea salt, a bit of butter, and finish with parsley. You get the idea - this is a simple master recipe that you can use and adapt to your liking. 

Broiled Honey Soy Salmon

My absolute favorite way of preparing salmon is broiling. I only recently discovered this method over this past year or so. As my kitchen in my Hong Kong apartment is simply equipped with a hot plate, microwave, and toaster oven, I have really learned some new cooking techniques. For the first 4-6 months I had been living here, I didn't touch the toaster oven. I grew up with a toaster oven but we only really used it for well, toasting things. English Muffins, melting cheese, etc. I don't know why it took me so long to realize that a toaster oven can do everything a real oven can. Bake, roast, broil. It's incredible and the reason why there have been so many toaster oven recipes on the blog this year, lol! 

Broiling salmon sounds so...aggressive. However, once you've got the timing down pat, you are in for the flakiest, butteriest (is that a word?), moist, and tender salmon ever. The amount of time needed to broil a piece of salmon simply depends on its size (and thickness). I find that a normal fillet takes between 5-8 minutes. The finished fish will be firm but still bounce back to the touch. Any time I have broiled it beyond 8 minutes, the flesh will lean towards rubbery and over-cooked. Again, play with timing for yourself.

My favorite preparation for salmon is simply salt and pepper, and then served with tons of lemon juice after it's cooked. I feel like simple seasoning allows the real flavor of the fish to come out, especially when it's perfectly cooked. And of course, you need a ton of acid with fish. Today I'm sharing a simple classic marinade for salmon that you can enjoy with brown rice and veggies. Simply whisk it together and marinade the fish for at least half an hour. Of course, the longer the better. When it comes time to cook, prepare everything else in the meal first, since the fish will only take 5-8 minutes. You can prepare more marinade on the side, to warm and thicken for serving if you'd like. 

Watch the video below to see how simple the recipe is:

Ingredients You Need:

2 (sustainable) salmon fillets

Marinade:

3 tbsp lower-sodium soy sauce

2 tbsp honey

2 tsp freshly grated ginger

2 tsp sesame oil 

1/2 tsp garlic powder

flaky sea salt

optional: lemon juice

baby bok choy

for serving: sesame seeds, green onions, brown rice, soba, or salad

Method:

Wash and halve the baby bok choy. Place aside

Whisk together 3 tbsp soy suace, 2 tbsp honey, 2 tsp grated ginger, 2 tsp sesame oil, and 1/2 tsp garlic powder. 

Place the salmon fillets in a Ziploc and cover them with 3/4 of the marinade. Pack tightly and let it sit for at least 30 minutes (Place it in the fridge!)

While the salmon marinates, prepare the rest of the meal - salad, soba, brown rice, what have you. 

Heat a drizzle of EVOO in a skillet over medium-high heat. Place all the bok choy in the pan, and steam-sauté the greens. This basically means to add some liquid (water, broth, splash of oil, or butter) in the pan, cover it and let the veggies cook until the liquid evaporates. The liquid will help to steam the veggies most of the way thru. Once the liquid is gone, uncover the veggies and stir to sauté. You can add other flavors like lemon juice, balsamic, or oyster sauce at this point and wait till the veggies get nicely golden. 

Place the bok choy in the pan and add the rest of the marinade. Cover to steam, until the liquid evaporates, and stir to sauté until the bok choy is the desired texture. 

Preheat your broiler. Line a pan with parchment (or foil) and place the salmon on the pan. Season with flaky sea salt and broil salmon for 5-8 minutes. 

Microwave Sweet Potato Mash

I've been making Sweet Potato Mash this way since high school. Some of my favorite recipes come about from a bit of laziness. :) This method really celebrates the sweet potato for all of its natural beauty and can be made while you're making the rest of your meal. Here in my apartment in Hong Kong, I have one induction plate, vs 6 burners at home in the States. This has really changed the way I cook, especially when it comes to timing and the order in which I cook things. It's nice to have the option to prepare a satisfying side dish like this one, in the microwave while I cook something else on the induction plate.

The incredible sweetness of the flesh on its own blows my mind every time. Normally, I just prepare the mashed sweet potato with flaky sea salt and cracked black pepper, but today I'll show you how adding a bit of freshly grated ginger and a dash of cinnamon can elevate this simple side dish to something really special. There's no need to add tons of cream or fancy ingredients when the flavor of the sweet potato is so vibrant on its own.

Watch the video recipe below to see just how easy it is to make!

Ingredients You Need:

1 sweet potato 

flaky sea salt 

cracked black pepper

1 bowl of water

optional: bit of freshly grated ginger, dash of cinnamon, butter

Method:

Wash and scrub the sweet potato.

Use a fork to pierce holes all over the sweet potato. This helps the steam escape (and ensures that the sweet potato doesn't blow up in your microwave!)

Place the sweet potato on a microwave-safe plate, adding a bowl full of water alongside the sweet potato. This will essentially steam the sweet potato quickly. 

Microwave on high for 5-7 minutes. 

Remove the sweet potato from the microwave and split it open, slicing it down the center from one end to the other. The sweet potato should be tender, but the center will still be a bit hard. 

Continue to microwave the sweet potato for another 5-7 minutes or until it's completely soft. (Be sure that there is still water in the bowl)

Remove the sweet potato from the microwave and use a fork to scoop and mash all the flesh from the skin. 

Season with flaky sea salt and pepper. 

Optional: Mix in a small amount of freshly grated ginger, a dash of cinnamon, and pat of butter.

Matcha Chia Pudding

I live for simple recipes. Being able to throw a few ingredients together to create something special and tasty is my type of cooking, haha. Chia pudding is so incredibly easy to make, and its versatility makes it even more appealing. Check out my Raspberry and Mint Chocolate Chia Pudding recipes! My favorite version of this pudding is plain chocolate (so awesome with bananas), but you can add virtually any flavor to plain chia pudding to use seasonal fruit, or satisfy your cravings. Mangoes are coming into season, and can't wait to enjoy some juicy, sweet mango pudding. 

Matcha powder is a fine, velvety powder made from high grade green tea leaves. Matcha contains 137 times more antioxidants than green tea, and the flavor shifts from grassy to sweet. Matcha pairs beautifully with dark chocolate, almond, white chocolate, and raspberry. Adding matcha powder to your traditional chia pudding livens it up, bringing a wonderful earthiness to this breakfast/dessert. Watch the video below and let's get cookin! 

Ingredients: 

1 cup milk (hemp, almond, rice, cow, cashew)

4 tbsp (1/4 cup) chia seeds

1 - 1 1/2 tsp matcha powder

honey or agave syrup for sweetening 

Optional garnish:

Seasonal fruit

Coconut flakes, coconut cream

Cocoa nibs, shaved chocolate

Hemp hearts

Granola, etc.

Method: 

Broiled Grapefruit with Honeyed Yogurt and Granola

Grapefruit is available year-round, but reaches peak season starting around Christmas, thru April. This zesty citrus has really climbed to the top of my list of favorite fruits. I love them in Palomas, summer salads, or as a simple breakfast or snack. This week's recipe is a really delicious way to enjoy this beautiful citrus - sprinkling a mixture of brown sugar, ground ginger, cinnamon, and salt over top halved grapefruits, and putting them under the broiler for 3-5 minutes to achieve golden, caramelized perfection. The sugary topping adds some warmth and spice to this tart fruit. Snack on the broiled grapefruit alone, or with greek yogurt swirled with a drizzle of honey. I love adding Nature's Path Flax Plus Pumpkin Flax Granola on top for some texture :) Watch the video below to find out how! 

Ingredients You Need:

1 large ruby grapefruit

2-3 tsp brown sugar

1/4 tsp ground ginger 

dash cinnamon

dash salt

optional: fresh mint, yogurt, honey, granola, hemp, chia

Method:

Slice the grapefruit in half. Loosen the grapefruit flesh in each half first by carefully cutting between the fruit and the peel. Then cut along each side of each segment to free it from the membrane. 

In a small bowl, mix the brown sugar, ground ginger, cinnamon, and salt together. Sprinkle the mixture over the top of each grapefruit half. Put them on a baking sheet and under the broiler for 3-5 minutes. 

Crack Broccoli - The Best Broccoli You'll Ever Eat

This is the best broccoli you'll ever eat. Roasting is such a delicious way to prepare veggies, and broccoli absolutely transforms when cooked in a hot oven. They turn golden brown, the stalks turn tender, and their flavor is enhanced. When roasting any vegetables, it's super simple: don't be afraid of oil & salt! Don't skimp, and toss the vegetables so that they're properly coated in oil and seasoning. 

This roasted broccoli really wakes up the taste buds. Flaky sea salt, cracked black pepper, and thinly sliced garlic are the base for great seasoning, but what really brings this broccoli up a notch is the addition of shichimi. Shichimi Togarashi is a Japanese blend of seven spices that varies depending on the region or cook. The typical ingredients include sansho (Sichuan pepper), dried citrus peel, sesame seeds, ginger, garlic, shiso, nori, hemp seeds, and chiles. This mixture is wonderful on meat, noodles, rice, and fried foods. I love adding shichimi to my eggs or on top of my avocado toast!

After the broccoli is roasted, finish it off with a good squeeze of lemon juice and fresh lemon zest for some good brightness and acid. The cake topper is tossing in shaved Parmesan cheese for some nuttiness. This recipe works well for regular weeknight dinners, or as a side for entertaining. There's no need to measure a ton of ingredients - just toss it all together and roast it off in the oven for 15 minutes :) Watch the video recipe below and let's get roasting! 

Ingredients You Need: 

1 large head of broccoli 

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil 

kosher salt or flaky sea salt

freshly cracked black pepper

2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

shichimi togarashi

juice of 1/2 lemon

zest of 1 lemon

Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, grated or shaved

optional: thinly sliced shallots, hemp hearts, BACON

Method:

Preheat the oven to 400ºF.

Cut the broccoli into 1 1/2" florets.

On a large baking sheet, toss the florets with olive oil, and liberally season with salt, pepper, shichimi, and thinly sliced garlic.

Roast the broccoli for about 15-25 minutes (more if need be), turning halfway through, until browned and tender. 

Squeeze tons of lemon juice overtop, and toss with Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. Serve and enjoy hot :) 

After roasting:

Raspberry Chia Pudding

Chia pudding is one of the easiest ways to work superfoods into your diet - not to mention how incredibly tasty and versatile it is to make! It takes virtually 5 minutes to whip together, and then all you've got to do is have enough patience to let it chill in the fridge for a few hours. I like to make my pudding at night so that there's no waiting ;) Chia pudding works beautifully as an alternative to overnight oats, cereal, or your morning yogurt for breakfast; or really wonderful as dessert. 

The only thing you need to remember when making chia pudding is a simple ratio of 1 cup milk to 4 tbsp chia seeds. You can use any type of milk, such as coconut, almond, rice, soy, or cow :) You can stir in greek yogurt for some more texture and fluff. When it comes to flavoring your pudding, anything goes! Blend up some fresh fruit, use chocolate, mint, peanut butter, nutella... the list goes on and on. 

An easy treat for Valentine's Day is to toss some raspberries into the blender and add them to your pudding. Serve it with fresh mint, or shaved chocolate for a sweet, healthy treat. Watch the video below to find out how :)

Ingredients You Need:

1 cup milk 

4 tbsp chia seeds

handful of raspberries (1/2-1 cup)

drizzle of honey or agave 

for garnish: chocolate shavings, mint, raspberries, coconut shavings, granola, hemp seeds

Method:

In a food processor or blender, mix together 1 cup milk, a handful of raspberries, and a drizzle of honey or agave for sweetness just until the raspberries are blended into the milk.

Whisk together the raspberry milk mixture with 4 tbsp chia seeds. Chill for at least 4 hours or until the chia seeds bloat up.

Homemade Hummus

Ok, so I'm never buying store-bought hummus again! I've always heard about how easy it is to make your own hummus at home, but haven't ever given it a try. I recently got a blender during a pretty epic White Elephant, and have been so excited to blend everything. This recipe for hummus is super simple - bright and lemony, and ready to enjoy with carrots, pita, whatever you like. Watch the recipe video below and get blending :) 

Ingredients You Need:

3 cups drained chickpeas

3 tbsp water (or more if needed)

2 cloves of minced garlic

2 tsp salt (or more to taste)

juice of 2 lemons

4-6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (as needed)

optional: 4 tbsp hemp seeds - ground (packed with nutrition, including amino acids and high-quality protein)

paprika, red pepper, or chopped parsley for garnish

Method:

If you're adding in the optional hemp seeds for a boost of nutrition, pulse 4 tbsp hemp seeds in a spice grinder or food processor. 

To make the hummus, combine all the ingredients in a blender or food processor until thoroughly mixed and smooth. I like to start with about 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, and add more as needed.

If your hummus is a bit thick, add a bit more water or lemon juice. Check for taste and adjust accordingly.