By Tara Richardson
 

Ingredients:

• 3.5 cups old fashion oats

• 2/3 cup chopped nuts (or pepitas, raisins, etc.)

• ½ cup unsweetened coconut flakes

• 1-2 finely chopped apples

• ½ teaspoon salt

• 1 tablespoon cinnamon

• 1 teaspoon cardamom

• 1/3 cup honey (or maple syrup, agave)

•  1/4 cup olive oil

• 1/4 cup unsweetened apple sauce or apple juice

 

1. Heat oven to 300 degrees and line baking sheet with parchment paper

2. Combine all dry ingredients – oats, nuts, coconut, salt, cinnamon, cardamom, apples

3. Add honey, oil and apple sauce to mixture

4. Stir until combined

5. Spread evenly on baking sheet

6. Bake for 50 minutes (or until lightly browned), stirring after 25 minutes

7. Let cool and enjoy!

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Have you ever had a chai tea or coffee? Cardamom is the spice in chai that gives it an intense, slightly sweet taste. Studies on cardamom have revealed a slew of medicinal properties to improve health. These benefits include reducing inflammation, lowering blood pressure and the most widely researched property of cardamom; relieving digestive issues. Try a bit of this cardamom granola before your next run!

By Shelby Johnson

Ingredients:

• 1 cup gluten-free oats

• 2/3 cup canned pumpkin

• 2 scoops vegan vanilla protein

• 1.5 Tablespoon honey

• 2.5 Tablespoon pumpkin pie spice

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• pinch of pink sea salt

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Mix ingredients together.  Roll into balls then refrigerate or freeze.

By Tara Richardson
 

As Fall rolls around we are often faced with those holiday comfort foods that are so hard to resist!  But if you think about the many healthy foods that are in season there’s plenty of options to clean up your plate.  Squash, pumpkin, cranberry, kale are just a few nutritionally powerful options that can provide you the sustenance you need to get through those long cool runs!  Here is one of my favorite Fall recipes.

This isn’t your basic salad. It is loaded will tons of fall goodies like protein rich pumpkin seeds and quinoa, seasonal butternut squash, kale, and dried cranberries.  I love how colorful, healthy, and filling this salad is.  Additionally, it contains no animal ingredients and is gluten free.  It’s very simple and easy to make with mostly raw, seasonal ingredients.

Here are a few highlights of the seasonal ingredients that pack a big nutritional punch!

• Butternut squash:  Excellent source of vitamins and minerals including vitamins A, C and E, potassium and manganese.  Lots of fiber to fill you up and keep the digestive system moving smoothly.

• Pumpkin seeds:  Rich in iron, zinc and magnesium.  High in antioxidants that can reduce inflammation.

• Quinoa:  Excellent plant based source of protein; in fact one of the few plants that is considered a complete protein with 8g per cup.  It too is a great source of fiber, vitamins and minerals.

 

Ingredients:

Salad
     • 1 small bunch of kale, chopped
     • 1 medium butternut squash
     • 2 tablespoons olive oil
     • 1.5 cups quinoa
     • ⅓ cup dried cranberries
     • ⅓ cup red onion diced
     • ⅓ cup pumpkin seeds
     • Salt
     • Pepper
     • Optional: pecans, chickpeas

Dressing
     • ½ cup balsamic vinegar
     • ¼ cup olive oil 
     • 1 tablespoon honey
     • 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
     • 1-2 cloves minced garlic
 

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. Chop squash into small squares, toss with olive oil, salt and pepper. 

   1. Bake for 20-25 minutes until soft.

3. Boil quinoa (I use tricolor) as directed on package.

4. Assemble salad:

   1. Combine kale, onion, cranberries, pumpkin seeds, quinoa and squash in large bowl.

5. Make the dressing:

   1. In a small bowl combine balsamic vinegar, olive oil, honey, dijon mustard and garlic.  Stir until ingredients are well combined.

6. Pour dressing over entire salad and gently mix until coated.

By Michele Yates

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A HEALTHIER ALTERNATIVE TO DEVILED EGGS!

Ingredients:

• Hard Boiled Eggs

• Your Favorite Hummus (I use Red Pepper or Artichoke and Spinach)

• Seasonings (Salt, Pepper, Paprika, Garlic, Etc.)

Cut hard boiled eggs in half. Scoop out egg yolk. Fill with tasty hummus. Sprinkle with favorite seasonings :) Serve chilled! 

By Michele Yates

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Ingredients:

• ¾ can pure pumpkin

• 1 tsp vanilla (use the real stuff alcohol free is best)

• 2 eggs

• 1c. earth balance soy free butter melted

• ½ c honey

• 1 tsp. molasses (Grandmas' brand is gluten-free)

• 2 cups Bob's Redmill 1 to 1 baking flour (gluten-free)

• Enjoy life (dairy & gluten-free) chocolate chips (I get the mini ones)

• Spices - pumpkin pie spice and cinnamon (3-4 good shakes of each)

• 1 tsp baking soda (gluten-free)

• 1 tsp baking powder (gluten-free) side note below

• Optional add in: chopped walnuts (I typically do about 1 cup) put these in first then flour to alter the flour as needed. Dough should be a bit more moist than typical cookie dough. 

 

Preheat oven to 350ºF.

1. Scoop out about a cup of earth balance butter and place in large bowl. Microwave 30 seconds or so to melt.  

2. Add in pumpkin. Mix. 

3. Add in vanilla, egg, honey, molasses. Mix well. 

4. Add together flour, spices, baking powder, baking soda in separate bowl. 

5. Mix well, then add together with other wet ingredients bowl.

6.  Add in chocolate chips and walnuts. 

7. Bake at 350ºF for about 10 minutes, or until edges are golden brown (I use a lighter cookie sheet, darker may cook faster)

 

*Baking powder and baking soda are both leavening agents that help baked goods rise. So whether the baking powder is gluten-free depends on the starch the manufacturer uses. This starch can either be gluten-free (made from corn starch) or gluten-full (made from wheat starch).

By Michele Yates

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Ingredients:

• 1 Can of Black Beans (No Salt Added - Not Drained)

• 1 Can of Diced Jalapenos (Small Size - Drained)

• 1 Can of Corn (No Salt Added - Drained)

• 1 Can of Diced Tomatoes (Drained)

• Cilantro

• Pepper

• 2 Diced Avocados

*all ingredients can be fresh ones too! 

For soup: Blend black beans, jalapenos, avocado, cilantro, and pepper in blender. Then add in the rest of the ingredients. Cook over medium heat. For a thicker soup or more of a dip: Keep everything drained, blend together.

By Michele Yates

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Ingredients:

• 1 green apple

• 3 celery stalks

• 1/2 cucumber

• 2 cups of spinach/kale mix

• chunk of cabbage (half card deck size)

• 2 kiwi

• water and icecubes ( add until you like consistency) 

Put all of the ingredients into a blender then mix, chop, puree until you get a consistency you like.

​By Michele Yates

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Ingredients:

• 3/4 Cup of chunky peanut butter

• 1 tsp vanilla

• 1/4c egg beaters or 1 egg

• ½ c. smart balance light or 1 tablespoon 

• Coconut oil (or half/half)

• ½ c honey

• 1 tsp. molasses          

• 1-1 ½ c of Bob’s Red Mill Shortbread Flour  

• 1/2-1  cup organic shredded coconut (unsweetened) 

• Enjoy life (dairy/gluten free) chocolate chips  

• 1 tsp baking soda (if you like your cookies "poofy"...or don't add in if you like more texture)

• Optional - banana, extra coconut, cherries, or any other yumminess you may like!

          
Melt the butter/oil to liquid form if needed ( I just put in the microwave for a few seconds). Stir in vanilla, egg, honey, molasses.  Mix well. Stir in peanut butter. Mix well again. Stir in the rest, Flour, coconut, (optional) baking soda, then chocolate chips!  Bake at 350 for 10 minutes-ish :)

By Michele Yates

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Ingredients:

• 1 Banana

• Raw Cocoa Powder (1-2 tablespoons (whatever to your liking)

• Honey

• Optional - Enjoy Life Chocolate Chips, Strawberries, Raspberries, Coconut, Cherries...

Mush banana up in a bowl.  Drizzle with honey, add cocoa powder...and add optional items! My favorite is with the chocolate chips. 

LOVE THIS BANANA, COCOA PUDDING FOR DESSERT! THIS IS A HIGH ANTIOXIDANT WONDERFUL TREAT! COCOA POWDER RANKS TOP 2 ANTIOXIDANTS ON MOST LISTS :) 

By Michele Yates

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A HEALTHIER ALTERNATIVE TO ICE CREAM!

Ingredients:

• 2 Frozen Bananas (Peeled)

• 1/2 Cup Vanilla Almond Milk Plus Fiber and Protein (maybe more or less depending on the size of the bananas)

• 1/2 Teaspoon of Vanilla Extract

• Icecubes if needed

BLEND TOGETHER IN BLENDER!  add "enjoy life" chocolate chips, coconut, or any other fun treats!

By Michele Yates

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Ingredients: 

• Spinach/kale/mixed greens

• Tomatoes 

• Cucumber

• Broccoli 

• Carrots

• Brussel sprouts

• Simply Protein Chips (I used half herb flavor and half chili flavor)

• BBQ Sauce ( I used honey chipotle)

• Extras- hard boiled egg, avacado, celery, any other veggies!

• Hummus- favorite flavor..I used Red Pepper and Garlic

By Michele Yates

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Ingredients:

• 1/2 c. smart butter light

• 1 16 oz bag of frozen cherries thawed

• 3/4 c. honey

• 1/2 c. chocolate chips (enjoy life)

• 1 1/2 c. Bob's shortbread mix

• 1 tsp. baking soda

• 1/4 c. egg beaters

• 1 c. oats

• 1 tsp. vanilla

• Dash of Salt

Melt butter in big bowl in microwave for 15 seconds. Stir in egg beaters, vanilla, cherries and honey. Add all dry ingredients. Make sure dough is somewhat thick. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes max.

By Michele Yates

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Ingredients:

• Spinach/kale/mixed greens

• Tomatoes

• Cucumber

• Celery

• Carrots

• Grilled Chicken Breast

• Extras- hard boiled egg, baked beans

• Sweet and Spicy BBQ sauce

By Michele Yates

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Ingredients:

• 2 Cups of Grated Zucchini 

• 3 Cups of Flour (2.5 Cups of Gluten Free Arrowhead, 1/2 Cup Bob's Redmill Shortbread Flour)

• 1 Tsp Salt

• 1 Tsp Baking Soda

• 1 Tsp Baking Powder

• 3 Tsp Cinnamon

• 3 Eggs (I use Egg Beaters)

• 1 Cup Vegetable Oil (I use 1/4 Cup Smart Butter Light and 1/2 Cup or Less of Coconut Oil)

• 2 1/4 Cup Sugar (I use Light Honey)

• 3 Teaspoons Vanilla

• 1/2 Teaspoon Molasses 

• Splash of Water (The batter tends to be thicker anyways, but I add some for a smoother consistency)

• Walnuts (Optional) 

Mix all wet ingredients together in separate bowl. Then mix in all of the dry ingredients in a separate bowl. Then mix together. Bake at 325 degrees for 40-ish minutes. 

By Michele Yates

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Ingredients:

• Spinach/kale/mixed greens 

• Tomatoes

• Cucumber

• Berries

• Grapes

• Mango

• Grilled Salmon (seasoned with lemon pepper)

• Extras- Nuts or Seeds

• Sweet Baby Ray's Raspberry Chipotle BBQ sauce