Wednesday, July 23, 2014

Cashew Alfredo

Ingredients:
1 cup unsalted cashews
1 1/2 cups boiling water
2 - 3 TBSP nutritional yeast
1/2 tsp garlic salt
2 tsp coconut oil
1/4 tsp white pepper
1/2 tsp dried onion flakes
sea salt to taste

Place cashews in a bowl and cover with boiling water. LEt sit 20-30 minutes (longer is better).

Add cashews (in water) to a blender along with the rest of the ingredients. Blend until smooth. Season to taste with salt and add water if needed to reach desired consistency.

I served mine with gluten free pasta, chicken, sauteed onion and garlic and broccoli. You can also add bacon/ham, chili powder, fresh herbs, peas or shrimp!

Avocado Black Bean Brownies

Ingredients:
1 rounded TBSP ground flax seed
2TBSP + 3 TBSP coconut or almond milk
1 1/2 cups (1 can) black beans - drained and well rinsed
1/2 ripe avocado
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup sweetener of choice (I used maple syrup-use a quarter cup if using honey)
1/2 cocoa powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4-1/2 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350. Combine flax and 2 TBSP milk and set aside.

In a blender or food processor (or NINJA!) combine black beans, avocado, vanilla, sweetener, remaining 3 TBSP milk and flax mix - blend until smooth.

Add cocoa powder, baking soda and baking powder - continue to blend, scraping down the sides. The mixture should be thick but if it's so thick that it won't puree, add an additional TBSP of milk.

Stir in chocolate chips and spread in a square, greased baking dish.

Bake for 30-40 minutes, until slightly firm on top. It will not have the same consistency as normal brownies when it's hot - it will be a little mushy. Let sit about 30 minutes, it will set up more as it cools.