Chocolate Coconut Oats with Maple Ginger Walnuts

Even though it's not cold in Florida yet, it's not in the 90's so that means it's oatmeal time! These oats are so chocolatey good. They're extra creamy if you use homemade almond milk, which I've recently started making. The walnuts are definitely addicting. I've been putting them on everything, especially salads. This recipe will make enough to have plenty extra for doing that!

Chocolate Coconut Oats with Maple Ginger Walnuts 

Ingredients

Oats:
1/3 cup old fashioned oats
2/3 cup almond milk
Pinch of salt
1 Tbsp raw cacao powder
1 Tbsp maple syrup
1 Tbsp unsweetened coconut flakes

Walnuts:
1 1/2 cups raw walnuts pieces or halves
1/4 cup maple syrup
Pinch of salt
1 tsp ground ginger
1/8 tsp cardamom

Instructions

Heat oven to 375 F. Mix all walnut ingredients in a bowl. Spread the mixture out on a pan lined with parchment paper. Cook for about 12 minutes or until it's browned and bubbling. Let it cool on the pan for a few minutes.

Work on the oats while the walnuts are cooking. Combine oats, almond milk, and salt and cook either in the microwave or stove top. I cook mine in the microwave in 1 minute increments, and it usually takes from 3-4 minutes. Then add the cacao powder, maple syrup, and coconut flakes.

Pumpkin Parfaits

I've re-purposed my Coconut Pumpkin Pie Milkshake (recipe below) to make parfaits! The milkshake is thick enough to create perfect layers. I used unsweetened vanilla coconut yogurt and toasted coconut flakes and walnuts. So simple and feels like a decadent dessert!

I toasted the coconut flakes and walnuts at 350 F for 5 minutes. Next time, I'm going to add a crumbled graham cracker layer :)

Coconut Pumpkin Pie Milkshake

I can't believe it's already fall, although it's still quite hot here in Florida! This milkshake is helping me get into fall spirit though. It truly does taste like pumpkin pie in a glass!

Coconut Pumpkin Pie Milkshake

Ingredients

• 1 frozen banana
• 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
• 1 Tbsp natural peanut butter
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp/dash of pumpkin pie spice
• 3/4 cup unsweetened coconut milk
• Sweetener of choice-- I used 1 tsp maple syrup

Instructions

Simply blend all ingredients in a blender until smooth. I topped mine with coconut flakes and pumpkin pie spice. Hope you enjoy!

Matcha Chocolate Pistachio Cheesecake

Everyone knows I'm a matcha lover! I can't start my morning without a matcha smoothie. So I was naturally pretty excited to get an early look at PANATEA's new culinary grade matcha! Culinary grade matcha has a stronger flavor profile, perfect for mixing with anything besides water, and perfect in this cheesecake!

I love the flavor combination in this Matcha Chocolate Pistachio Cheesecake- a little sweet, a little salty, and a chocolate layer to bring it all together! My friends and I may or may not have eaten the whole thing in one night. Hope you all enjoy it as much as we did!

Matcha Chocolate Pistachio Cheesecake

Ingredients

Crust:

• 1 cup unsalted pistachios
• 1 cup almond meal
• 1 cup medjool dates
• 1/2 tsp salt

Cheesecake:

• 2 cups soaked raw cashews
• 1/4 cup + 1 Tbsp maple syrup
• 3 scoops (3 grams) PANATEA culinary grade matcha
• 2 Tbsp coconut oil
• Zest of 1 orange- about 1 Tbsp
• 1 Tbsp orange juice
• 1/4 tsp salt

Chocolate:

• 3 oz unsweetened 100% cacao bar
• 3 Tbsp maple syrup

Instructions

Soak the raw cashews in a large bowl of water overnight or for at least about four hours.  To start, line a 9x9 baking pan with plastic wrap. Grease lightly with coconut oil. In a food processor, add all crust ingredients and process until well-combined. Press into the baking pan.

Place the cheesecake ingredients in a food processor and combine until smooth. 

For the chocolate layer, chop or break the cacao bar into pieces and heat with the maple syrup in the microwave until melted. Make sure to stop and stir frequently, so it does not burn. I heated mine in 15 second intervals. Spread the chocolate over the crust and let it cool. 

Spread the matcha cheesecake layer on top of the chocolate and chill in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes before cutting and serving. I topped mine with shaved cacao bar. Keep it stored in the refrigerator.  Enjoy! 

Turmeric Coconut Quinoa

I love this quinoa! It's one of my favorite dishes I've made lately! Flavor-packed!

It's perfect alone or it could be used as a side dish. I like to pair it with roasted cinnamon chickpeas and any veg of choice. I love when a dish can be made all in one pot/pan and this fits the bill!

Perks of this dish: whole grain serving, complete protein, anti-inflammatory properties from turmeric, warm earthy taste, filling.

Turmeric Coconut Quinoa

Ingredients

• 2 cups quinoa
• 1 cup canned coconut milk
• 2 cups water
• 1 Tbsp turmeric 
• 1 Tbsp ground ginger
• 1 tsp coriander
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp minced garlic
• cracked black pepper to taste

Instructions

Rinse quinoa. Bring the coconut milk and water to a boil. Add the quinoa and all other ingredients to a pot. Cook over medium heat, covered, for about 15 minutes or until most of the liquid is absorbed. I like mine a little saucy, so I make sure to remove it from the heat before all the liquid is cooked off. Enjoy!

If you try this out, remember to tag me or use #gardengoddesskitchen so I can see it!

Tropical Zen Matcha Smoothie

Ready for a tropical getaway in a cup? :) This is a perfect summer smoothie! Coconut, mango, and lime help me imagine I'm sitting at the beach.

What's a SMATCHA? A matcha (green tea powder) smoothie! Which is pretty much all of my smoothies! This month is PANATEA's SMATCHA month, and this smoothie was created in celebration! I'm a major matcha lover for many reasons-- it's high antioxidant content, unique energy boost, and great flavor.

Tropical Zen SMATCHA

Serves 1

Ingredients

• 1/2 frozen banana
• 1/2 cup frozen mango
• 1 Tbsp unsalted almond butter
• Juice from 1/4 of a lime
• 1 Medjool date
• 1 scoop (1 g) PANATEA matcha
• 1 cup unsweetened coconut milk

Instructions

Add the ingredients to a blender. Blend until smooth. Optional: Top with toasted coconut. I toasted mine at 350 F for about 5-6 minutes. Enjoy!

Basil-Lime Watermelon Juice

Love this juice! Like summer in a glass- so refreshing! I can't wait to use the left over pulp for smoothies too.

Feel free to mix up the proportions in the recipe if you like a little extra lime or basil. I'm thinking of adding strawberries or blueberries into the mix next time.

Basil-Lime Watermelon Juice

Serves about 4

Ingredients

• 1/2 medium watermelon, cut into chunks
• 3-4 fresh basil leaves
• Juice from 1/2-1 lime

Instructions

Place all ingredients in a food processor or blender. Process until smooth. (You could also use a juicer if you have one.) I strained the mixture with a fine mesh strainer and saved the pulp in the refrigerator to use in smoothies.

Sun Dried Tomato Chickpea Burgers

These burgers are flavor-packed, so easy to make, and require minimal ingredients! The sun-dried tomato flavor goes really well with Cashew Hemp Seed Pesto and balsamic sweet onions. This combo makes a perfect summery dinner!

Sun Dried Tomato Chickpea Burgers

Makes 4 burgers

Ingredients

Burgers:

• 2 cans chickpeas (I use reduced sodium so I can add salt to taste.)
• 1/2 cup sun dried tomatoes (I use sun dried tomatoes packed in oil with herbs.)
• About 1/2 tsp salt or to taste
• Cracked pepper to taste
• 1 Tbsp ground flax seed
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 Tbsp olive oil

Balsamic sweet onions:

• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1 large sweet onion- sliced
• Salt and cracked pepper to taste

Instructions

The onions take the longest to cook, so I would get them started first. In a saute pan, add the olive oil and balsamic vinegar and heat over medium heat. Add onions and top with salt and pepper. Cook over medium-low heat for about 30 minutes, stirring often.

In a food processor, add the chickpeas, sun dried tomatoes, salt, and pepper then process until chickpeas are chopped, but not pureed. In a bowl, add ground flax seed and water. Stir well and let the combination sit for 1-2 minutes to form a gel consistency (This will be the binding agent). Mix flax seed gel into the chickpea mixture and stir until well-combined. Form into patties. I was able to make 4 large patties.

In a large saute pan, heat olive oil over medium heat. I used the same pan that I used to cook the onions. Add the chickpea patties. Cook for about 5-7 minutes on each side.

I highly recommend topping your burger with Cashew Hemp Seed Pesto too! Very easy to whip up in the food processor.

Hope you enjoy!

Sauteed Eggplant and Tofu with Spicy Peanut Sauce

Back at it with one of my favorites! I love this sauce because along with some cilantro and lime, it can make almost anything pad thai-esque. Here, I used sauteed diced eggplant and tofu slices. I had some chopped peanuts planned for a topping too, but completely forgot! 

I cooked the tofu in a saute pan with some olive oil, liquid aminos, and cracked pepper until browned. Same thing with the eggplant- just sauteed it with some olive oil, cracked pepper, and a little bit of water.

Spicy Peanut Sauce 

Serves about 2

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup natural peanut butter

• 1 Tbsp sriracha

• 1 Tbsp tamari or soy sauce

• 1 tsp toasted sesame oil

• 1 tsp miso paste

• 1 tsp agave nectar or maple syrup

• 1/2 tsp minced garlic

• Cracked pepper to taste

• 2 Tbsp water

Instructions

Simply, combine all ingredients in a bowl. I added about 2 Tbsp more water this time to make it a bit thinner, since I usually use this sauce with wetter vegetable noodles.

Hope you enjoy!

Chocolate Banana Split Protein Shake

This has been my go-to shake lately! I love this flavor combination. With 24g protein, it's filling enough for breakfast or a post-workout snack/meal.

Chocolate Banana Split Protein Shake

Serves 1

Ingredients

• 1/2 frozen banana
• 4-5 frozen strawberries
• 1 scoop chocolate protein powder (I use Vega Protein Smoothie-- 15g protein per scoop)
• 1/4 cup raw cashews
• 1 Tbsp raw cacao powder
• 1 medjool date
• 1-1 1/2 cup unsweetened cashew or almond milk

Instructions

Combine all ingredients in a blender. I like to top mine with freeze-dried strawberries and unsweetened coconut shreds. Enjoy!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Mousse Balls

These Chocolate Peanut Butter Mousse Balls are so easy to make-- just a bowl and a spoon are needed to mix them up. If you're looking for a protein-packed snack, these are perfect. If you divide them into 14 balls as I did, they provide 5g protein per ball!

I like to roll them in different toppings to keep things interesting. Here, I used coconut bacon. I use One Green Planet's recipe. Other ideas are shredded coconut, hemp seeds, chia seeds, or crushed nuts.

Hope you enjoy and make these as often as I do!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Mousse Balls

Makes about 14

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup natural peanut butter
• 2 scoops chocolate protein powder-- I use Vega Protein Smoothie powder
• 1/3 cup unsweetened almond milk
• 2 Tbsp raw cacao powder
• 1 Tbsp mini chocolate chips-- I use Enjoy Life brand

Instructions

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Roll into balls. Store in the refrigerator. They're best once cold. Enjoy!

Massaged Kale Salad with Tempeh, Roasted Eggplant, Cinnamon Chickpeas, and Lemon Maple Tahini Dressing

This salad is perfect for spring! As you can see, I enjoyed it out on my balcony :) The roasted eggplant and tempeh provide the savory flavor, while the chickpeas and dressing are a little sweet. Perfect combo!

Massaged Kale Salad with Tempeh, Roasted Eggplant, Cinnamon Chickpeas, and Lemon Maple Tahini Dressing

Serves about 3-4

Ingredients

Roasted Eggplant:

• 1 large eggplant, cubed
• 3 Tbsp olive oil
• 3 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
• Salt and cracked pepper to taste
• 2 Tbsp liquid aminos (tastes similar to soy sauce)

Cinnamon Chickpeas:

• 1 can chickpeas
• 1-2 tsp olive oil
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp maple syrup
• Salt to taste

Tempeh:

• 8 oz package tempeh
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 3 Tbsp liquid aminos
• 1 Tbsp maple syrup
• Cracked pepper 

Lemon Maple Tahini Dressing:

• 1/4 cup tahini
• Juice from 1 lemon
• 1 Tbsp maple syrup
• 1 Tbsp water
• Salt and cracked pepper to taste

Massaged Kale:

• Chopped kale- amount per preference (I used enough to fill a large mixing bowl)
• 2 tsp olive oil or coconut oil
• Juice from 1/4 lemon

Instructions

Heat oven to 400 F. On a baking pan, place eggplant and top with all other eggplant ingredients except the liquid aminos. On a separate baking pan, place the plain chickpeas. Bake for 30 minutes at 400 F. The chickpeas are done at the 30 minute mark. Take the eggplant out and top with the liquid aminos. Bake for an additional 15 minutes.

For the tempeh, heat the oil in a frying pan. Cut the tempeh into thin strips. Place the tempeh in the pan and top with the other ingredients. Cook at medium heat for about 20 minutes, flipping the strips half-way through.

Combine the dressing ingredients and mix until well-combined. Massage the chopped kale with oil and lemon juice until softened. Enjoy!

Raw Chocolate Orange Brownie Fudge

If you're a lover of chocolate-orange anything like me, this is your dessert! These fudge bites are decadent, but made with whole, healthy ingredients. I had a few of these with my matcha latte this morning and it made a perfect breakfast!

Raw Chocolate Orange Brownie Fudge 

Makes about 36 squares

Ingredients

• 1 cup pitted medjool dates
• 1/3 cup almond butter
• 1/4 cup pecans
• 2 Tbsp raw cacao powder
• 2 Tbsp unsweetened shredded coconut 
• 1 Tbsp chia seeds
• Zest from one orange

Instructions

Combine all ingredients in a food processor and process until well-combined. Flatten dough and cut into small squares, wiping your knife often to prevent it from sticking. Store any leftovers in the refrigerator. Enjoy!

Pomegranate Guacamole

This guac is really quick and easy to make, and the pomegranate makes it just fancy enough to wow your crowd :)

Pomegranate Guacamole

Serves about 2-3

Ingredients

• 3 Haas avocados 
• 1/2 pomegranate 
• Juice from 1 lime
• 2 Tbsp chopped cilantro
• Pinch of sea salt to taste
• Cracked black pepper to taste

Instructions

Extract the arils/seeds from half a pomegranate and set aside. Mash the avocado and all ingredients except the pomegranate arils until well combined. Mix in the pomegranate arils last. Top with extra cilantro and pomegranate. Enjoy!

Tempeh-Sweet Potato-Zoodle Plate with Spicy Peanut Sauce

I made one of my favorite sauces again--spicy peanut sauce. You might remember it from my Red Spicy Peanut Noodles earlier this year. This time I paired it with a baked diced sweet potato, tempeh, and zoodles (zucchini noodles).

I'm all about toppings- the more the better! I topped this dish with cilantro, coconut flakes, chopped peanuts, key lime juice, and sriracha. Hope you enjoy!

Tempeh-Sweet Potato-Zoodle Plate with Spicy Peanut Sauce

Serves about 2

Ingredients

Sauce:

• 1/4 cup natural peanut butter
• 1 Tbsp sriracha
• 1 Tbsp tamari or soy sauce
• 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
• 1 tsp miso paste
• 1 tsp agave nectar
• 1/2 tsp minced garlic
• Cracked pepper to taste
• 2 Tbsp water

Tempeh:

• 1 package tempeh
• 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
• Nutritional yeast to taste- I used about 1 Tbsp
• Liquid aminos to taste- I used about 1 Tbsp

Zoodles:

• 2 zucchinis 
• 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
• Cracked black pepper

Sweet potato:

• 1 sweet potato
• Cracked black pepper

Toppings:

• Cilantro
• Coconut flakes
• Chopped peanuts
• Key lime juice
• Sriracha

Instructions

In a saute pan, heat oil over medium heat. Add tempeh, nutritional yeast, and liquid aminos. Cook for about 15 minutes over medium heat. Once the tempeh is done, set aside. Spiralize 2 zucchinis with a spiralizer. Add oil to the same pan along with the zucchini noodles and black pepper. Cook for about 5 minutes or until softened. While the noodles are cooking, heat a sweet potato in the microwave for about 6 minutes, then dice after it has cooled. For the sauce, combine all ingredients in a bowl and whisk until combined. Add the sauce to the pan of zucchini noodles and heat for 2-5 minutes.

Sweet Potato Nachos

If you're looking for something tangy, savory, and sweet- here it is! These Sweet Potato Nachos are perfect for a weekend movie night. If you're planning on making these, make sure to soak your cashews in advance. I like to keep some on hand in the fridge-- they're great in smoothies too!

This is a healthier twist on a usually indulgent meal, and not short on flavor. If you try out any of my recipes, I'd love to see them! Just use #gardengoddesskitchen

Sweet Potato Nachos

Serves 4

Ingredients

Sweet Potato Chips:

• 4 large sweet potatoes
• 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• Cracked black pepper to taste
• Dash of salt

Lime-Black Bean-Corn-Sweet Onion Hash:

• 1 ear corn
• 1 can black beans
• 1/2 medium sweet onion- chopped
• Juice and zest of 1 lime 
• Cracked black pepper to taste
• Dash of salt

Cashew Cream:

• 1 cup soaked raw cashews (soak for 4+ hours in water)
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 2 Tbsp nutritional yeast
• 1/4 cup water

To top:

• 1 medium tomato- chopped
• Cilantro
• Extra lime wedges

Instructions

Heat oven to 400 F. Cut the sweet potatoes into thin slices and place on a pan for roasting. Top with the oil, salt, and pepper- to taste. Cook for about 45 minutes or until crispy.

Combine all hash ingredients in a saute pan and cook over medium heat for about 25 minutes.

Combine all cashew cream ingredients in a food processor and combine until smooth. Add more or less water depending on desired consistency.

Hope you enjoy!

Cashew Hemp Seed Pesto

This Cashew Hemp Seed Pesto is creamy, easy to make, and so versatile! I used it as a polenta topper here-- by using a little less water I made it more like a spread. It works great as a sauce for noodles and veggies too!

I've really gotten into hemp seeds lately. They're a complete protein with all essential amino acids and a good source of omega-3's. Between the hemp seeds and cashews, this pesto packs some protein!

Cashew Hemp Seed Pesto

Serves about 4

Ingredients

• 1 cup fresh basil
• 1 cup raw cashews
• 2 Tbsp hemp seeds/hemp hearts
• 1/2 cup nutritional yeast
• 1/2-3/4 cup water, depending on desired consistency
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Process all ingredients in a food processor until smooth. Enjoy!

Carrot Cake Smoothie

This is one of my favorite carrot-based smoothies--kind of like having dessert for breakfast, but with all nutritious ingredients! Whenever I can recreate a dessert in smoothie form, I do! I even snuck in some turmeric for some anti-inflammatory action--and great color.

Carrot Cake Smoothie

Serves 1

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup carrot juice
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cashew or almond milk
• 1/2 cup frozen peaches
• 1/3 frozen banana
• 2 medjool dates
• 1 Tbsp unsalted almond butter
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp turmeric

Instructions

Simply combine all ingredients in a blender. Enjoy!

Lemon Tahini Noodles with Roasted Cinnamon Turmeric Chickpeas

I've been on a bit of a roasted chickpea kick lately. They're so versatile-- a perfect salad or pasta topper, or great alone as a snack. In this dish, they provide the crunch factor. The lemon tahini sauce for the noodles couldn't be any easier! You could use any other type of vegetable noodle here- beet or carrot noodles would work well too.

Lemon Tahini Noodles with Roasted Cinnamon Turmeric Chickpeas

Serves 3

Ingredients

Noodles:

• 1 large sweet potato
• 2 zucchini
• 1 Tbsp olive oil

Sauce:

• 1/4 cup raw tahini
• Juice of 1/2 lemon
• Cracked black pepper to taste
• Salt to taste

Chickpeas:

• 1 can low sodium chickpeas
• 1/2 Tbsp oil- I used hazelnut oil
• 1 tsp maple syrup
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp turmeric
• Cracked black pepper to taste
• Salt to taste

Instructions

Heat oven to 450F. Cook the plain chickpeas on a baking pan for about 25 minutes. Spiral the sweet potato and zucchini noodles with a spiralizer and heat in a frying pan with the oil over low/medium heat for about 15 minutes or until softened. Mix the sauce ingredients together in a bowl and add to the noodle pan once the noodles are cooked. Heat for an additional 2-3 minutes. Once the chickpeas are roasted mix with the seasonings. Enjoy!

PB&J Smoothie

As you can probably tell, I love smoothies! They make such a quick and healthy breakfast or snack. This one tastes just like its name. The "jelly" flavor comes from strawberries, the medjool date, and macqui berry powder. Macqui berry powder tastes similar to blackberries, and is a good source of antioxidants and fiber. If you have acai powder on hand, that could be substituted. I added matcha powder for a little morning energy kick. Hope you enjoy!

PB&J Smoothie

Serves 1

Ingredients

• 1/2 frozen banana
• 6 strawberries
• 1 Tbsp natural peanut butter
• 1 Tbsp chia seeds
• 1 Tbsp maqui berry powder
• 1 tsp matcha powder
• 1 medjool date
• 1 c unsweetened cashew or almond milk

Instructions

Combine all ingredients in a blender. I topped mine with a swirl of peanut butter, goji berries, and crumbled freeze-dried raspberries. Enjoy!

Green Cinnamon Smoothie

This Green Cinnamon Smoothie is one of my favorites-- so many good things combined in one glass. It gets its green color from spinach and matcha powder, which is a great energy booster for breakfast. Matcha is a green tea powder that's especially high in antioxidants and doesn't make you jittery like other caffeine sources can. This is a great way to get an extra serving of vegetables/greens in your day too!

Green Cinnamon Smoothie

Serves 1

Ingredients

• 1/2 a small banana
• Handful of spinach- 1/2-1 cup
• 2 medjool dates
• 1 Tbsp unsalted almond butter
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp matcha green tea powder
• 1 cup unsweetened almond milk

Instructions

Just combine all ingredients in a blender.  I use a single serving style blender and that works just fine.  Enjoy!