Healthy Vegetarian Jam Thumbprint Cookies

Ah, jam thumbprint cookies. They're truly a holiday staple, but if you've recently come into this healthy lifestyle and are wondering how you can possibly still eat your favorite recipe, then you're in luck. Made with ingredients that are staples in almost every household, there's no doubt that even if you're snowed in, you can make these! There's hardly any prep or bake time. Trust us when we say that if you make these for your guests or family, they're sure to be a huge hit.

BLUEBERRY JAM THUMBPRINT COOKIES
Yields: 24 cookies
Prep time: 30 minutes
Bake time: 10-12 minutes

INGREDIENTS
For the cookie base:
-3 cups gluten free oats
-2 tbs flax meal
-1/4 tsp sea salt
-1/4 tsp baking powder
-3 heaped tsp coconut sugar (can be omitted-simply makes the cookie sweeter)
-3 mashed bananas
-2 splashes vanilla extract
-2 splashes butter extract
-1/3 cup agave
-1 egg
-3 splashes of almond milk

For the jam filling:
-2 cups washed blueberries
-2 tbs agave
-4 tbs chia seeds

STEPS
1.) Turn your oven on 350 F. Then process the rolled oats in a food processor until they resemble the photo below

2.) add processed oats into a large mixing bowl along with the other dry ingredients (flax meal, sea salt, baking powder, coconut sugar) and mix thoroughly
3.) In a medium mixing bowl, combine the wet ingredients (mashed bananas, vanilla and butter extracts, agave, egg, almond milk) and mix thoroughly
4.) After mixing both bowl, pour the wet ingredients into the larger bowl containing the dry ingredients. Mix well until the dough begins to stick together. Set to the side and allow to set while you make the filling

5.) For the filling, pour the blueberries into a saucepan on medium heat with the agave. Give it five or so minutes of stirring until the blueberries begin to soften. At this point, begin mashing them into a jam and add the chia seeds
6.) Continue stirring for five or so more minutes, until the contents of the pot resemble a thick jelly. If it is too much of a liquid (which is unlikely), then add more chia seeds and continue to stir on a lower heat. If you're unsure what it should look like at this point, this photo should help:

7.) Take the jam off of heat and allow to sit. Return to the dough
8.) Now it's time to make your cookies! Preferably using an ice cream scooper for even cookies, dish out small, mounded cookies onto parchment paper
9.) Then, using your thumb or any finger, make small indents in the center of each cookie. These indents shouldn't poke a hole through the cookie, but should rather make a small hole to be filled with the jam
10.) Using the slightly cooled jam and a teaspoon, carefully dish enough jam into each indent. Remember: the jam should fill the indent until full, but it shouldn't be spilling over the side. If this is happening, either make the indent larger or put in less jam. Right before putting in the oven, they should look like this:

11.) Finally, time to bake! Bake at 350 F for 10-12 minutes. 11 minutes work best for me, but every oven varies! Keep an eye on these beauties and be wary of burning! After baking, the sweetness of the banana cookie base should contrast nicely with the bitter-sweet taste of the blueberry jam. These can be eaten both warm out of the oven and cooled hours later! Enjoy!

Vegan No Bake Cacao Almond Butter "Cookies"

Today was a do-nothing, relaxing day which consisted of sleeping in, cooking warm banana cinnamon oatmeal for my friend, mom, and I, and basically just enjoying the beautiful snow day in my pajamas. Practice was cancelled tonight, so I had a lot of time on my hands this evening.
All of this snow really got me in the spirit of making something festive! The result, No Bake Cacao Almond “Cookies!" The best part? They are vegan, gluten-free, and refined sugar-free!

NO BAKE CACAO ALMOND “COOKIES”

Yields: 10 “cookies”

Prep Time: 20-30 minutes

Freeze Time: 20 minutes

INGREDIENTS

-4 medjool dates (pitted)
-1/4 cup raisins
-1/4 cup raw buckwheat groats
-2 tablespoons almond butter
-1 tablespoon raw cacao powder
-1 teaspoon cinnamon
-1 teaspoon vanilla
-1 ½ tablespoons almond milk
-You also need oat flour (process oats in a food processor until fine)

STEPS

1.)    Add dates, raisins, and almond butter into a food processor until fully combined.

2.)    Pour the ¼ cup of buckwheat groats into the mixture and continue processing.

 3.)    Leaving the food processor running, add in the cacao powder, vanilla, cinnamon, and almond milk until the ingredients form a sticky cookie dough ball.

 4.)    On a cutting board, or the counter, lay out a large piece of parchment paper and sprinkle your oat flour on the paper before placing your dough down.

        5.)    With your hands, roll the dough in the flour until it stops sticking to your hands, then begin to flatten the dough. Make sure you don’t make it too thin.

 6.)    Using cookie cutters, you should be able to get about 10 “cookies” out of this dough!

 If you happen to run out of oat flour like I did, cacao powder will work perfectly fine!

 7.) When all of your “cookies” have been cut out, transfer them with a spatula to a small cutting board or plate lined with parchment paper and cover with another sheet of parchment paper and freeze for 20 minutes.

8.) After the 20 minutes are up, feel free to place the “cookies” into a Tupperware or leave them on the plate.

Store in the freezer for up to one week and enjoy!

Raw Pomegranate Cookie Crumble Tarts For the Holidays

As the hectic winter holidays approach, I'm sure we're all scrambling around looking for recipes that will not only satisfy our guests' bellies, but also our dietary needs. From two clean eaters to you all, we understand how hard this can be.

Today we bring you a slightly more complex, yet still manageable, recipe that will blow your company away while still being easy on the wallet and your valuable holiday time! These vegetarian tarts (can easily be made vegan with one substitution) will be your savior this winter season. 

RAW POMEGRANATE COOKIE CRUMBLE TARTS

Yields: 24 bite size tarts

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Freeze Time: 1 hour

MATERIALS

-Food processor 

-Mini cupcake pans

-Mini cupcake cups

-Mixing bowls

INGREDIENTS

For the bottom layer:

-2/3 cup gluten free rolled oats

-1/2 cup cacao nibs

-1/2 cup cacao chips (if you add non-dairy chips, this will make the recipe vegan)

-7 medjool dates

-3 tbs soaked goji berries

-2 tbs coconut oil

-3 tbs agave 

For the tart (filling):

-1 cup of fresh pomegranate seeds 

-4 heaped tbs coyo or any other yogurt substitute 

-splash vanilla extract

-1/4 avocado

-2 sprinkles cinnamon

-2 tbs chia seeds

For the chocolate mousse (to garnish):

-1/4 avocado 

-1 heaped tbs raw cacao powder 

-2 tsp agave

-2 splashes vanilla extract

STEPS

1.) Process oats, then move to a separate mixing bowl. Process cacao nibs, then move to the same bowl. Process cacao chips, then move to the same bowl. Once done, individually they should each resemble this:

2.) Put the contents of the mixing bowl back into the food processor and add coconut oil, agave, dates and goji berries. Process until it forms in a sticky mixture.

3.) In your mini cupcake pan, place 24 of the mini cupcake cups in. Then press the bottom layer dough into the mini cups, making the sides thick and the bottom deep for the filling to sit in. 

4.) Now, place these mini cups in the freezer (uncovered) and allow to sit while you make the filling. 

5.) Clean out the food processor, and for the filling add in the pomegranate seeds (whole seeds), coyo, vanilla extract, avocado, cinnamon and chia seeds. Process until the mixture is well-blended. (Will be watery...do not fret! Once frozen, these little babies will harden up nicely.)

6.) Pour contents of the food processor into a small bowl, cover with plastic wrap and place in the freezer. The bottom layer (cups) should still be freezing. 

7.) Now, for the mousse! As with before, clean out the processor and dry. Now add in the avocado, agave, raw cacao powder and vanilla extract. Process until light and fluffy. 

8.) Move to a small bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate. 

9.) After an additional 30 minutes, take out the cups and be sure they are hard enough to hold filling. Unwrap them from their paper and place on a new plate. 

10.) Take out the filling and whip it (by quickly stirring). Place a generous scoop in each cup. (Be sure not to overfill the cups, even to the top...it may cause the cup to break and be an unnecessary mess! Honestly, we couldn't even transfer the mixture to the freezer without it spilling everywhere...)

(Don't be like us!)

11.) Place the filled cups back in the freezer, uncovered, for an hour. 

12.) Finally, take out the frozen cups and garnish with the chocolate mousse! You only need a little on top of each cup for it to fit. Feel free to garnish with the remaining pomegranate seeds and some shredded coconut, which is what we did. It looks like fallen snow, which will surely astound your holiday guests!Serve immediately or keep frozen for the next day. 

Top 5 Ways to Avoid Cheating and Excessive Snacking

We’ve all fought our inner-selves at one point or another, particularly when you’re at a family party and everyone’s eyes, including those of the Dorito bowl, are on you.

Okay, totally exaggerating, but it’s still stressful! Cheating and its temptation to excessively snack are as much a part of this clean eating lifestyle as eating healthy all the time! We all have to learn that cheating is just a part of the process, and there are ways to work around it; snacking is the same. Remember this: moderation, not deprivation.Cheating shouldn’t be a frequent occurrence, but that doesn’t mean that you can never have an [insert bad food here] once in a while. Snacking, as well, is much needed but has a definitive line that should not be crossed. We decided to collaborate and write a list of our top five reasons/ways to avoid having that extra cheat!

5.) Water. When was the last time you drank it? How much have you drank today? 60% of the human body is water, yet we continually forget to nourish ourselves with it. One of the biggest reasons for cheating and binge eating is the body tricking your mind into thinking you’re hungry when, in fact, you’re simply thirsty! Drink half a bottle 30 minutes before you plan on eating a meal or a big snack. If you’re only eating because you’re bored or need something to do, which can often be hard to figure out, then doing this will tell you the definite answer. If it was out of boredom, then by the time 30 minutes rolls around, your stomach will be fuller. (Tip: If you’re unsure how much water you should be drinking a day, divide your body weight in half and drink that much in ounces a day. For example, if your weight is 150, then 150/2=75. You should drink 75 ounces of water per day, or 75/16.9=4.4 bottles.)

4.) Creativity is key. Still feeling hungry after a snack or meal? This is when most cheating or binging is most likely to occur. If it’s not that you are thirsty, try a piece of fruit or some cut up veggies? Sound boring? Spice it up! Instead of having a few berries, make a smoothie! Smoothies will fill you up more and keep you satisfied longer. If you feel veggies aren’t enough, try making a yummy and filling avocado dip! This can be done by either just blending (or food processing) a plain avocado or try adding some lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, and olive oil to the mix for some fun flavor. (Tip: Make sure you get at least 3 snacks a day or 5-6 small meals a day. You won’t feel the urge to binge or cheat because you will feel fuller and more satisfied.)

3.) What have you eaten today? If that insatiable food craving just won’t go away and you’re on the verge of cheating, consider this: what have you eaten today? If you think back and it has mostly consisted of fruits and vegetables, or was water based, then maybe it’s time to feed your body some more complex carbs! Have that sweet potato or avocado! Have you eaten mostly carbs? Have some fruit! Not enough protein? Throw a scoop of whey protein into your favorite smoothie! It’s all about striking a balance that your body will reward you for. It’s a matter of trial and error, but you can do it! (Tip: Having trouble keeping up with all of those confusing nutritional labels? Try downloading the app MyFitnessPal to get you started. It will keep track of how much of each food category you’re eating, what you need more of, and even lets you share it with friends! Use this for a couple weeks and see what your eating has been like, then adjust it.)

2.) Don’t skip meals. Have you ever thought, “I’ve eaten so much today, I just won’t have dinner?” If you have, this is definitely not the way to go! Skipping meals is not healthy, despite seeming so, and can actually cause you to gain weight at first. This is because when your body isn’t fed the proper amount of nutrients a day, it will digest the next thing it receives as fat. By skipping a meal you are more susceptible to cheating or binging later on in the day. A binge is your body’s way of calling out for what it needs that you have failed to provide it with. So don’t skip; steadily nourish! (Tip: Like mentioned before, you should be eating 5-6 small meals a day or a breakfast, lunch, and dinner, consisting of at least 250-300 calories each, as well as 3 snacks throughout the day.)

1.) Don’t fear the silly “preoccupations.” Ever heard that you should avoid snacking by counting to a hundred? No? How about by painting your nails? Doing your makeup? Going for a run? If you have a hunch that you’re about to cheat out of boredom, and that’s truly what it is, then doing any number of these things should help to pass the time and make you forget about this faux-hunger! Clearly, you can’t go for a run if you’re that hungry. Your body will protest it, and then you’ll know that you truly do need that snack. Try any number of these things to pass the time, and if, say, half an hour later you’re still hungry, then eat! Refer to #4 on how to eat these snacks. (Tip: Community is key! Comment below with any ideas you have about how to pass the time that adds to the ones listed above. If we like one you write, then there’s a chance we will post it on our Instagram and attribute it to you!)

This is a small list of ideas compared to all of those out there. There are so many reasons against cheating, but there are also reasons for it! Cheating can renew your willingness to continue on this lifestyle, particularly when you feel like it’s depriving you of what you love. As said earlier, remember: moderation, not deprivation. As for snacking, pay attention to the tips we provided about how to avoid having too many, but also how to know when it’s boredom snacking versus real snacking. If you can implement these things into your amazing clean eating lifestyle, we are confident that your journey will get that much simpler! Have an amazing week nourishers!

xoxo Valentina and Jaimee

Restaurant Review: Blue Sage Vegetarian Grille in South Hampton, PA

For my sixteenth birthday the other week, Valentina and I decided that it was the perfect time for us to drive a little further to try out an extremely recommended restaurant. Blue Sage Vegetarian Grille in South Hampton PA, located in a quaint shopping center with its pleasant service and delicious food, turned out to be all that we'd hoped for, and then some. They serve a variety of vegetarian and vegan dishes that are marked according to what they are, and the simplicity of the restaurant offers an entirely new take on how we eat.

To start, we went with Organic Stash tea. Basically, they bring out boiled water to you in a cool layered tea kettle, along with packets of different Stash teas, and you can choose them and pour your water at your leisure. We really enjoyed this for a few reasons. One, we could try out flavors we didn't normally drink. Two, we didn't have to ask the waitress for more drinks when we ran out. Last, it was delicious! Nothing is more calming than enjoying warm tea and a chat with friends in a bustling restaurant.

There were tons of appetizers to choose from, but we decided on the only vegan one available-the Mediterranean Sampler. Four small bowls (hummus, falafel balls, guacamole, ??) plus pita bread made this appetizer extremely tasty and extremely filling, pretty much to the point where it should have ideally been our meal. The pita bread, salted and most definitely white bread, was delicious but not desirable for vegetarians and vegans. I came here expecting everything to be prepared to the utmost health standards, and I was disappointed with the bread with this "vegan" app.

 Now, silly old me accidentally deleted the pictures of our main meal without sending it to myself...looks like you're going to have to imagine what it looked like!
For our main meal, we got the Blue LT to split. It consisted of metropolitan whole grain, yellow tomato and avocado crispy Asiago "bacon," pea leaves, crumbled Maytag, green Tabasco aioli, served with the house root chip mix. This was available to order dairy-free (omits the "bacon"), but we also screwed that up and ended up ordering the full meal and taking off the "bacon," which we both found too strong and unsettling. The "chips," which consisted of potato and beet mixtures, were tasty but too greasy to be our idea of "vegetarian." Once again, we had a hard time calling this a fully vegetarian restaurant when half the things we ordered were fatty and full of grease. However, we both finished our meals and called it a day. 

So, what exactly did we think of this restaurant as a whole? Well, the food was delicious, I will tell you that. We disliked the overuse of grease, but we enjoyed the simplified vegan/vegetarian/dairy-free menu that fit so many diets. The service was slow, but they were busy and the meals were beautifully prepared. The staff was extremely kind, and the small, homely setting made the restaurant a one of casualty. Out of ten,we'd reward it a seven. If you ever find yourself in South Hampton, PA, we'd highly recommend checking it out! 
-Jaimee

Gooey Sweet Potato Brownies (Vegan)

                Gooey, fudgey, chocolatey sweet potato brownies! I could not wait to share this delicious recipe with all of you! Each brownie is so gooey and delicious, it is almost impossible to just eat one (I speak from experience)!

INGREDIENTS (yields 16 small brownies):

-1 large sweet potato
-1/2 cup oats
-10 medjool dates
-2 tablespoons cacao
-1 tablespoon agave (could use honey or maple syrup)
-2 teaspoons cinnamon
-3 tablespoons almond milk (I used unsweetened vanilla)
-1/8 teaspoon baking powder

STEPS

1.) Preheat the oven to 350 F

2.) Fill a large sauce pan with water and bring to a boil

3.) Wash and peel the sweet potato, then cut up into large pieces and place into saucepan covered with a lid; allow to cook for 20 minutes or until soft

4.) In a food processor, process ½ cup of oats into a powder and then place into a separate bowl and set aside

5.) Next, combine medjool dates (pitted), cacao, agave (or honey/ maple syrup), cinnamon, and almond milk in the food processor; process until a thick paste consistency

6.) When the sweet potatoes are fully cooked and soft, transfer into a large bowl and mash well

7.) Add the sweet potato into the food processor with the chocolate mixture and process until smooth
 

8.) Scoop all of the batter into  a large bowl and stir in the baking powder and ground oats (oat flour)

9.) If the batter seems too thick, add in more almond milk (I added about ½ cup more)

10.) Grease a pan with coconut oil and pour the batter in evenly

11.) Bake the brownies for about 20-30 minutes (keep an eye on them because they could be done sooner or later; they should be a gooey texture when done, the baking just sets them and they will still seem raw but not fall apart)

This recipe is so quick a easy and the brownies are absolutely delicious! Each brownie is under 40 calories so it is perfectly okay to eat more than one in a sitting like I did! I topped mine with peanut butter, roasted buckwheat, and raw walnuts, but feel free to try any combos you would like. Enjoy! -Valentina

Remember: Don't Fear the Stress

                No matter how long you’ve been a part of this lifestyle of clean eating, whether it be a day, a week, a month or several years, I think you understand how trying it can be. Some days you’re so busy putting thought into how many calories, how much sugar (from fruits) and how much protein you’re having that you can forget to take care of your basic needs, such as sleep, mental rest or the proper amount of time to work on other obligations (homework, work, social life, etc.). I’ve had several of these kinds of days in the past month, and I think something needs to be said about it.

                First, you’re not alone. Whether you’re deeply immersed in the clean eating community on Instagram or not, there are endless people having bad eating days where they’re stressed, tired or may actually want to give up. This lifestyle is hard. Being a part of a family where there is a hot dinner in the kitchen, ready to consume, at six in the evening every night, and a breakfast at nine AM, beginning to cook for myself was a huge change. It was a change that took some serious adjusting and hard work. I think our blender has been used more times, per day, in the past few months than it has been used total since my parents got it at their wedding thirty years ago! Previous to this change, I didn’t have a single clue how to use a blender. Now? Hell yeah I do!

                Second, when you’re freaking out over how to balance all of this cooking and health-consciousness, remember to take a deep breath. Your mental health, as I said earlier, is just as important (if not more important) than your physical health. Yes, they’re both high up, but mental may just take the cake in this battle. I like to calm myself down by drinking tea (right now my favorite flavor is Lavender and Honey by Yogi), lounging in a hot bath, or watching a movie with a big bowl of fresh fruit to snack on. I find that when I do the last choice, I feel so relaxed and ready to tackle my work when it’s over. This applies to exercise as well! If I truly think that exercise is going to set me back more than it does forward on any given day, I simply don’t do it, no questions asked. If going for a thirty minute run with the proper extra thirty cool down minutes following will keep me from working on a particular project that’s due, I skip the run and remember my obligations. Don’t beat yourself up: you’ll only set yourself back even more and get more upset.

                Last, remember to remember what’s important. It sounds stupid, but it will help, I swear. If what you’re eating, how much exercise you’ve done and how much fresh food is in the fridge is what’s weighing on your mind, and you can’t do anything about it, think about the other things you love. I always turn to my family (particularly my grandpa, parents and brothers), you and your family’s health, the fact that you’re alive, and the fact that you have made it through another day alive, well and breathing. It sounds melodramatic, but I find that telling myself these things can make a major difference. Things can easily get overwhelming if you don’t prioritize.

                So, as jumbled as all of these thoughts may seem, I urge you to take them into consideration. There is truly so much more than can be said about this particular issue of stress, but for now, this is all I will leave you with: Remember that you’re not the only one. You can do this. -Jaimee

Vegan Carrot Cake Oatmeal

Love carrot cake, but hate the calories, sugar and carbs that come along with it? Then look no further! This oatmeal tastes just like the real thing, and it's good for you too! 

After scrolling through many recipes of carrot cake oats for inspiration, we decided it would be so much easier to ditch the lengthy descriptions and make this delicious breakfast from scratch! And it only takes a few ingredients! 

INGREDIENTS (yields 1 serving):
-1/2 cup rolled oats (gluten-free if necessary)
-1 1/2 cups water
-1 medium sized carrot
-1/2 banana (mashed)
-1 teaspoon vanilla extract
-1 tablespoon chia seeds
-1/2 teaspoon cinnamon



1) Begin by grating 1 medium carrot over a bowl

2) Place 1/2 cup of oats and 1 1/2 cups of water in a pot on medium heat, constantly stirring to avoid burning
3) As the oats start to cook, add in 1 tablespoon of chia seeds
4) Next, add in the grated carrot and cover the pot with a lid after it is thoroughly stirred in; reduce to low heat

5) After 2-3 minutes, add in 1/2 mashed banana, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, and 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon and remove the lid of the pot, turning the heat back up to a medium flame

6) Constantly stir the oatmeal for a few more minutes, until the oatmeal reaches your preferred consistency (we like ours when the water is completely absorbed and the oatmeal is sticking together)

~

Once finished, dish out into a bowl and enjoy! Toppings include but are not limited to cashews, fruits, nut butters and seeds. You can easily double or triple this recipe to share with family and friends. If you make this recipe, be sure to hashtag #simplynourishing on Instagram for a chance for us to feature your post! Most of all, have an amazing day whenever it is that you're reading this, and stay HEALTHY!