Coconut Energy Bites

I've been seeing a lot lately about energy bites, basically little balls packed with tons of nutrients. They look like the perfect snack, so I decided to take a shot at it. I completely winged this, so I made a small batch that yielded six individual balls, so feel free to double the recipe if you're looking to make a bigger batch. 

1/4 cup raw almonds
4 dates
3 tsp peanut butter 
1 tbsp shredded coconut
1 tsp ground flax seed
1/4 cup oats

Mix everything together in the food processor until the everything is finely ground. Roll the mixture into little balls. I coated some of mine in more shredded coconut, which is entirely optional. Store extras in the fridge. Enjoy!

Vegan Sweet Potato Pancakes

I have a confession to make. I hate sweet potatoes. I always have, and I've always felt left out from all the cute sweet potato recipes. So this morning, I decided to suck it up and give them another try, and I'm pleased to announce that this vegan sweet potato recipe was an all-around success!

1/2 cup oat flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 cooked sweet potato
1/2 cup almond milk

Combine all the dry ingredients (I use a food processor because I grind my oat flour) then add mashed sweet potato and almond milk. Cook on medium heat in preferred oil (I use coconut) until they begin to bubble, then flip. I layered mine with banana and topped them with warmed berries and mango. Enjoy!

Sesame Buckwheat Noodle Salad

This noodle salad is super summery and a great use of buckwheat noodles. It also keeps well and makes for delicious leftovers. And yes, you guessed it - it's easy! 

Buckwheat (soba) noodles

Asparagus 

Green onions

Kale 

Cilantro

Soy sauce 

Sesame oil

Rice vinegar

Sesame seeds

Cook the noodles as directed on the packaging, but be careful not to overcook them because they become sticky and almost mushy. Blanch asparagus. Any veggies will do - but I love to keep the green theme going, so I used these particular ones. If you like to add a little kick to your food, a little bit of chopped jalapeño will do wonders for this dish!

 Mix ingredients together in a large bowl, seasoning to taste. Serve cold and enjoy!

Toasted Coconut + Almond Granola

I love granola. Seriously. Probably a little too much. I especially love homemade granola, though, which makes it a little better, right? Let's hope so.

Anyway, this recipe is delicious and quick and - ideally - more user friendly in terms of sugar and fat content. 

2 cups old fashioned oats

1/2 cup chopped nuts (I used almonds)

1/2 cup seeds (I used sunflower + pumpkin seeds)

1/2 cup shredded unsweetened coconut

2 tbsp raw honey or maple syrup

2 tbsp coconut oil

1 tbsp flax seeds

Mix everything together in a big bowl with your hands - yes, it will be messy, but it's super fun! Spread the mixture evenly on a baking sheet and stick in the oven at 300 degrees F. Bake for about 20 minutes, stirring intermittently. I like my granola on the toasty side, so I left mine in for a little longer. Let cool and enjoy!