Cauliflower Risotto? Yes, please!

I love love carbs. I just do. I could pass on dessert any day and house an entire loaf of french bread in about 4 seconds. I really could. However, I don't want to be an unhealthy slob SO I'm constantly looking for ways to get my "fix" without forgoing taste and creativity. 

I eat the crap out of veggies but sometimes I need something more. I recently came across this amaaaazing recipe for cauliflower risotto and it literally almost killed me. I got it from http://www.forkandbeans.com/ 

It's a super easy recipe and doesnt take much time at all. I discovered it about two weeks ago and I've made it three times. I'm tellin ya, it's damn good. Added bonus? It's vegan, grain and gluten-free. Uh-huh. 

What you need:

1/2 medium head of cauliflower, chopped in a food processor (or a blender)
2 cups spinach, chopped

1 can white beans, rinsed and drained, divided (I used Great Northern Beans)

1/2 c. vegetable broth

1 large shallot, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 Tb sundried tomatoes

1 Tb capers

1/2 tsp fresh thyme, or 1 tsp dried

toasted pinenuts, optional

                                                

• In a medium-sized pot, heat 1 Tb olive oil on medium heat until warmed.

• Place the shallots, garlic, and Thyme inside and saute for 2-3 minutes or until fragrant and translucent.

• Place 1/2 the can of beans and vegetable broth into the pot and simmer for 5 minutes.

• Blend all of the contents together until creamy and smooth.

• Add cauliflower, sun-dried tomatoes, remainder beans and spinach.

• Cover with a lid and allow to heat through for a good 5 minutes.

• Add the capers before you serve and garnish with toasted pinenuts.

**I also added a tiny bit of Himalayan pink salt!

I ate the risotto as a meal but you can also have it as a side with some grilled chicken or shrimp. Pretty ridic. 

 

Ice cubes con BERRIES!

I'm a HUGE water drinker. Like it can be classified as an addiction. The amount I consume daily to some may even be considered dangerous. HA. No but really, I pound water all day long. It's not so much because it tastes amazing because well, it's tasteless. It's mostly because it's extremely beneficial keeping your body hydrated all day and I try and do whatever I can to treat the ole thing with some love whenever possible. The biggest challenge for me, however, is drinking glass after glass of plain H2O can be quite boring and uneventful.

I decided to start making my ice cubes with berries. It leaves a tiny hint of flavor in the water and if you don't drink it in enough time (shame on you) and the ice cubes melt, you have luscious berries to consume after the last gulp. I highly recommend this and think it will definitely help you get that water down! Just make sure to always use purified water and grind up the berries just a little so there aren't huge chunks and so it will fit in the ice cube tray somewhat evenly. And that is all my friends. Easy and glorious!

Purty and hydration all in one :)

Kris Carr's homemade marinara sauce!

Anyone who knows me knows my obsession with Kris Carr and her recipes. She is such a huge inspiration for me and her ability to create the most delicious but healthy recipes blows my mind. One of my favorite meals to make, especially recently, is turkey meatballs with spaghetti squash and roasted veggies. Super easy and YUM-MY. The only problem I ever run into is the sauce. It's very hard to find a good sauce that isn't loaded with crap. There is usually one brand, maybe two, to choose from. So I have made it my mission to make my own. Well...with the help of a rockstar (a.k.a. KC). I made this marinara sauce a few days ago and almost died it was so good. I had to share!!

What you will need:

1 cup cherry tomatoes ( I used heirloom the first time)

1 yellow bell pepper

1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes

1 cup basil

1 tablespoon olive oil

sea salt to taste

dried thyme to taste

dried oregano to taste

red pepper flakes to taste if you like it spicy

Blend all the ingredients and then heat it up on the stove- All set!

 

Spaghetti squash, roasted broccoli and cauliflower, sauteed mushrooms, pesto turkey meatballs and the lusciously decadent sauce to top it off- Killer!