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Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Smoothie

It's pumpkin season! So raid your mom's pantry for pumpkin pie spice and try out my pumpkin chocolate chip smoothie!

Ingredients:

3-4 teaspoons of pumpkin puree
1/4 teaspoon of dark 100% cacao powder
3-4 teaspoons of vegan yogurt (you can use greek yogurt instead)
1 teaspoon of cinnamon
1-2 teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice
1/2 cup of almond milk
1/2- 1 cup of chocolate chips
1 teaspoon of vanilla
3-5 Spinach leaves (optional, but you don't taste them at all!)
1 banana

Directions:

Blend all together!

The Good Stuff

Cranberry juice (NOT the Cranberry Juice cocktail, the unsweetened) has a ton of health benefits, as do Oranges. The bartender at my work created this drink and of course I tried to make it healthier and it was a success! I had people asking how did I make it and to make it for them! So here is the recipe:

Ingredients:

Unsweetened Cranberry Juice
1 orange
1 lemon
Water

Directions:

Fill your cup halfway with cranberry juice and the the other half with water. Then squeeze half a lemon and half a orange in your drink (about 8-16 oz, if you have a larger drink use the whole orange and lemon)

Tips:
*If the drink is too acidic then just add about 2 packets of Splenda.

Meat Less Chipotle Bowl

I love Chipotle bowls! However, you never really know what all is added to your meal behind closed doors. So why don't you make it yourself? I put the all the things I loved from the chipotle bowl minus the meat all and made something so addictive.


Ingredients:

1 1/2 cup of brown rice (or one boil-in-bag brown rice)
2 cups of frozen corn
1 can of low sodium black beans
2 cups of shredded cheese
3/4 cup of chopped onions
2 tablespoons of garlic powder
2 tablespoons of parsley flakes

Directions:

Heat black beans, corn, and brown rice as instructed. Place onions, cheese, garlic powder, and parsley in a large bowl. Once beans, corn and brown rice are heated place in the bowl with the cold items and toss till the cheese is melted. Then serve and enjoy.

Tips:
*This recipe is good reheated and is two meals for me, so it's definitely good the next day for lunch.
*You can add meat to this recipe if you would like or even more vegetables!

Blueberry Oat Smoothie

This smoothie has literally EVERYTHING in it possible. Every morning I make my own blueberries and cream oatmeal so this is my version in a smoothie!

Ingredients:

1/2 cup of Blueberries (fresh or frozen)
1/3 cup of Oats
5-10 Spinach leaves chopped (you don't even taste it, so don't be scared)
3-5 teaspoons of Vegan yogurt (you can also use greek yogurt)
1/2 cup of Almond Milk
1 Banana
1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon

Directions:

Place the ingredients in the following order:

Blueberries, Spinach, Banana, Yogurt, Oats, cinnamon, and milk.

Then blend together and enjoy!

Sweet Potato Medallions

To satisfy my sweet potato cravings I really wanted sweet potato fries but without being fried! So I decide to slice up sweet potatoes and bake them! They're QUICK and CHEAP.

Ingredients:

1 Sweet Potato
Garlic Powder
Salt
Black Pepper
Olive Oil

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Wash a sweet potato and then slice to thickness desired. Toss in olive oil and then layout on a foil lined pan.

Sprinkle LIGHTLY with salt, then sprinkle with pepper and garlic powder to your liking. Flip all slices over and do the same thing you did to the other side.

Bake in oven for 20 minutes and then flip the slices over and bake for another 2-3 minutes.

Tips:
*Like regular french fries these are really good with ketchup, it enhances the flavors.

Salt and Vinegar Kale Chips

These are VERY addictive. My roommate and I made these and we can't make them fast enough! Kale is so CHEAP so on a college budget this is a great snack.


Ingredients:

1 lb. of Kale
White Distilled Vinegar
2-4 tablespoons of Olive Oil
Salt

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Rip the kale right off them stems and place in a large bowl.
After all the kale is placed in the bowl, pour vinegar over the kale and toss. Let the kale soak overnight (increase the amount of time for how strong of taste you want.)
Drain out the vinegar and then pour 2-4 tablespoons of Olive Oil and toss the kale.
Place the kale leaves on a foil lined pan where the kale is barely touching.
Sprinkle LIGHTLY with salt.
Cook in oven for 6 minutes and then flip for another 2 minutes. (Watch them closely)
If the kale are not crispy continue to cook for shorter amounts of time.

Tips:
*Kale chips are meant to be eaten immediately, and do not store very well.
*If the vinegar taste is not as strong as you would like them dip the chips in vinegar for a stronger flavor.

Dark Chocolate Covered Strawberry Smoothie

This is a recipe that took me multiple tries to perfect! But it ended up tasting exactly like a chocolate covered strawberry.

Ingredients:

1 banana
2-5 teaspoons of Vanilla Greek Yogurt (You can replace with vegan yogurt just use in a less amount.)
Chocolate Chips (this is to your liking, I however use about a handful)
1/4 teaspoon of Special Dark 100% Cacao Powder
5-6 Frozen strawberries
1/3-1/2 cup of almond milk

Make sure that all the solids/frozen ingredients are and the bottom and the liquids are added last. Then just blend it all together and enjoy!