This recipe is seriously one of my favorites. Super simple to make and ridiculously delicious. The avocados make for a satisfying fudgy texture, while also adding healthy monounsaturated fats.  Plus they require only a few basic ingredients. 

What you'll need:

Dry ingredients:
1 cup coconut flour {or almond flour, any gf flour}
1/2 cup cacao powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder 
​pinch of sea salt

Wet ingredients:
2 ripe avocados 
2 eggs
3/4 cup maple syrup 
1/4 cup almond milk
1 tsp vanilla extract 

Optional:
dark chocolate chips
almond butter drizzle
coconut shavings

What you'll need to do:

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Peel and slice avocados.
3. Mix avocado and all wet ingredients together in a bowl. Or use a food processor if available {the "s" blade}. You can also use a blender, or just combine with a fork.
4. Mix all dry ingredients in a separate bowl. 
5. Gradually add dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, until well combined. Add a nother splash of almond milk if you need to thin out the batter a bit. 
6. Stir in chocolate chips if desired.
7. Lay parchment paper in a 9x9 brownie pan, or grease with coconut oil. Add an even layer of the brownie batter.
8. Bake for about 25, or until you can do the "clean fork" test. 
9. Top with nut butter, chocolate chips, or shaved coconut. Allow brownies to cool before cutting. 

Enjoy within 4 days of baking, or store in the freezer for up to 2 months. Let me know what you think!

x,

Molly 

Let's be real. Eating healthy in college is no easy pursuit. Especially when don't have your own kitchen and funds are limited. It can be difficult to choose healthier options over the grab-and-go processed foods that are sold literally everywhere on campus. Nonetheless, there are ways to utilize the resources you do have to make quick, inexpensive, and healthy snacks. Challenging? Maybe. Impossible? Definitely not.

Here are my top tips for surviving and staying healthy in a college dorm:

1. Invest in a mini blender.
Okay, I know it's probably against the dorm rules. But if you don't mind being a bit of rule breaker in the name of health, you won't regret it. Making green smoothies is the best way to toss tons of added nutrients into your day. They don't have to be elaborate or fancy. Just grab some greens, frozen fruit or cauliflower, oats, maybe some protein powder or nut butter. Recently, I've been adding a splash of peppermint extract for an energizing and refreshing green drink. Toss in whatever's in your mini-fridge, and sip while you walk to class. 
Additionally, using a blender is essential to make frothy matcha and turmeric lattés. All it takes is a few minutes, warm almond milk, and your favorite health powders.
 
My usual green smoothie goes like this:
2 generous handfuls of spinach or kale 
1 scoop Garden of Life Protein Powder {raw vegan protein made from real plant sources}
1/2 scoop marine collagen {promotes healthy digestion + adds protein}
1/2 tsp SunPotion Reishi Powder {adaptogenic/helps the body deal with stress}
1/2 tbsp turmeric powder {anti inflammatory}
1 tsp cinnamon {balances blood sugar levels}
1-1/2 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk 
1/2 ice 

​Or get fancy and try a cinnamon butternut & pumpkin squash smoothie.

2. Have lots of different spices, seeds, & flavors on hand.
Cayenne, garlic powder, curry powder, crushed red pepper, Everything Bagel Sea Salt {trader joes}, turmeric powder, sesame seeds, hemp/sunflower/chia seeds, you name it! Having a variety of spices and seeds to top your food with can really help if you tend to get bored of the same flavors. Spices also often contain super healing antioxidants. Curry powder, for example, contains curcumin which is the same anti-inflammatory powerhouse found in turmeric. Nuts and seeds can add fiber, good fat, and protein to your snacks and meals. Kick up your sweet potato, salad, or hummus with somethin' spicy and nutrient dense. Or top your smoothie with cacao nibs, chia seeds, or even hemp seeds for extra protein and fiber.

3. Keep a mini cutting board, sharp knife, reusable silverware, and plenty of tupperware to take your snacks/raw meals to go.

4. Use a microwave to steam sweet potato, and other veggies.
Sweet potatoes are super cheap and versatile. They can serve as the basis for literally every meal. And if you're in college, odds are you have a microwave or know where to find one. You can buy a steamer bowl to microwave tons of different veggies. Or you can purchase spinach, broccoli, green beans, etc already in steamable bags. 
Poke a few holes in a sweet potato and nuke for about 6 minutes or until tender. Top with greek yogurt, granola, almond butter, and cinnamon for brekky. Or toss on some hummus, avocado, or black beans for a quick lunch.  
Here is the link to my sweet potato toast recipe for inspiration. 

5. Start the day with green tea or matcha.
I always start the day with either a cup of green tea or an almond milk matcha latté. For my simple latté recipe and the reasons I LOVE matcha: take a little peak at my "the *buzz* about matcha" blog post. 

6. Yogurt bowls.
For busy mornings when you don't have the time to tackle the blender, just grab some greek yogurt {or dairy free} and get topping. Fresh or frozen fruit, crumble a granola bar, nuts, seeds, protein powder, nut butter, healing powders like SunPotion, granola, oats, or even avocado. I always have some yogurt in my fridge and it always comes in handy.

7. Quick and inexpensive meal prep with oats & chia.
Get creative: add pumpkin purée and cinnamon, cacao powder, matcha, turmeric, protein powder, nut butter, etc! Experiment with a few different overnight oats or overnight tumeric pudding recipes, until you find some favorites. It literally takes less than 5 minutes and is easy to toss in your bag for the next day. Top with fruit, granola, or greek yogurt for added protein. My turmeric chia seed pudding recipe can serve as a guideline for measurements. 

8. Buy precooked grains.
If you don't have a kitchen to boil your grains, you can buy them already precooked! Farro, brown rice, or quinoa all make delicious/healthy bases for some creative one bowl wonders. Opt for quinoa if you're in the market for more protein.
I'm constantly craving this spring farro bowl, which you can totally make in a dorm by tossing in crumbled feta, chopped mint, pepitas, and a squeeze of lemon. 

9. Fiber + protein filled snacks 
Create snack combinations that include a fiber and a protein, to keep you full and energized. There are tons of healthy snacks which don't involve cooking:
Rice cakes & smashed avocado.
Sweet potato & yogurt/almond butter/hummus/ or avo.
Nuts & seeds.
Yogurt & granola/oats.
Fruit & nut butter.
Hummus & veggies. 
Dried chickpeas/dried edamame.

10. Take your vitamins!
There are way too many germs floating around college dorms. My first year of college I was constantly getting sick. The biggest thing that helped me was consistently taking a multivitamin. If you're not into taking supplements, definitely try to get the essential vitamins {A, C, K, B vitamins, folic acid} through your diet to help support immune function.

​11.  When in doubt, throw it in a lettuce wrap.
When you're bored of salad, soup, or the other usual suspects: lettuce wraps are easy to make in your dorm and may not necessarily require a kitchen. Toss in a veggie burger, quac, raw veggies, feta, grape tomatoes, hummus, your favorite spices, and you're good to go. 

I hope these little tips help you survive the rest of your time kitchen-less or in a college dorm. Send me your top tips, I'd love to hear them! 

In health, 

Molly 

Perfect for bringing to an event or dinner party, this salad is fresh and unique. As an alternative to the usual brown rice or quinoa, farro is another great protein packed carbohydrate {1/4 cup has 6 g protein}. Along with good sources of magnesium, zinc, and B vitamins, farro has even more fiber than brown rice {important for balancing blood sugar and feeding healthy gut bacteria}.
These roasted shaved brussel sprouts are the bomb on their own, but even better in this fresh spring salad. The key to perfect shredding is to use the mandoline plane on your food processor. If you don't own a food processor, the brussel sprouts will be just as delicious finely chopped.

{yields approx. 8-10 servings}

What you'll need: 

3-4 cups shaved brussel sprouts 
approx. 2 cups dried farro
1 cup crumbled feta {can omit or substitute dairy free cheese if vegan}
1/2 cup pepitas or pumpkin seeds
2 tbsp olive oil
1/3-1/2 cup chopped fresh mint
salt & pepper to taste 
optional:
2-3 tbsp lemon juice

What you'll need to do: 

1. Preheat the oven to 375. {use convection roast if you got it}
2. Place the mandoline blade facing up in your food processor. Add brussel sprouts and shred until you've got about 3-4 cups.
3. Spread shredded brussels on a parchment covered baking sheet.
4. Toss with a light layer of oil. Sprinkle on some salt and pepper. 
5. Roast for about 15 minutes or until golden brown and crispy.
6. Add dried farro to a pot with a 2:1 ratio of water to cups of farro. 
7. Bring water to a boil. Then cover and simmer over low heat for about 25 minutes, or until the farro is tender and water is fully absorbed.
8. When finished cooking, allow both the farro and roasted brussel sprouts to cool to room temp.
9. Toss with feta, chopped mint, olive oil, and pepitas.
10. Add salt, pepper, or lemon juice to taste.
11. Top with more feta, shredded mint, and pepitas.
​12. Pop in the fridge to serve chilled or eat straight away.

Whipping up a big batch of veggie burgers is the perfect meal prep, especially when you've got a busy week ahead. And when they're homemade with 100% real and clean ingredients, they're even better. Top over salads, crumble in tacos, or throw in a lettuce wrap and you've got yourself a quick boost of protein and complex carbs. Or make a big batch and have yourself an easy and inexpensive top-your-own-veggie-burger dinner party. 
Note: If you choose to reheat you can bake or microwave, but I suggest pan searing with olive oil until hot & crisp.

What you’ll need:

{make approx. 12 veggie burgers}

2 cups cooked chickpeas 
2 cups cooked black beans
1/2 cup hummus or pureed chickpeas
​2 beaten eggs
1 cup oats OR quinoa {i used whole GF oats}
1/2 cup almond flour 
1 small-medium grated zucchini 
1 cup riced cauliflower
1/4 cup pepitas or pumpkin seeds
4 garlic cloves 
1/2 tsp cumin 
1/2 tsp cayenne peper
1/4 tsp sea salt 
1/2 tsp black pepper

What you'll need to do:

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Mix all ingredients until you've got a cookie dough-ish consistency. 
3. Form burgers to desired shape. {I'd suggest about 1 inch thickness}
4. Lay the burgers on a parchment covered baking sheet.
5. Bake for about 30 minutes, or until golden brown and crunchy on the outside.
6. Refrigerate in a sealed container until ready to eat. 

This smoothie is perfect for when you need to take your brekkie or lunch to go, or if you're just getting bored of the usual green smoothie. It involves frozen cauliflower which is great for adding texture and volume to smoothies without adding extra sugar. Steam then freeze your own, or pick up a bag of frozen riced cauliflower. For this recipe I used leftover roasted cinnamon butternut squash, but you can definitely use frozen or canned puréed butternut squash {just make sure its pure butternut squash}.

Cinnamon Roasted Butternut Squash
3 cups roughly cubed and tossed with olive oil, 1 tbsp cinnamon, pinch of nutmeg, cardamom, and pink salt. Roasted on 350 for 45 minutes, or until soft and golden.

Cinnamon Butternut Squash & Pumpkin Smoothie 

1/2 cup cinnamon roasted squash {sub 1/2 cup frozen or puréed butternut squash} 
1/3 cup puréed pumpkin {canned or DIY}
1/2 cup frozen cauliflower 
1/2 scoop vanilla protein powder 
1/3 cup ice
1 tsp cinnamon 
1/4 tsp pumpkin pie seasoning
1 cup unsweetened almond milk 

optional add ins: 
 1 tbsp nut butter
 1/2 banana or 1-2 dates for sweetness
1/2 scoop collagen powder
​1/4 tsp Sun Potion Reishi Powder

Top with some homemade granola, chia seeds, shaved coconut, or drizzle on some nut butter. 

x,
Molly 

Had to make these little Fall bites one more time before Spring weather really kicks in. These raw vegan pumpkin tarts only take a few minutes to make and are a healthy alternative to pumpkin pie. {Okay, definitely not pumpkin pie, but still seriously delicious.} Enjoy as a guilt-free dessert, or crumble over yogurt & almond butter to spice up your brekkie bowl. 
Note: I used muffin tins to shape the tarts, but any pan or mold will suffice! I've also made this recipe many times with just a square casarole dish, slicing into square bars after freezing. 

What you'll need:

{yields 5-6 tartes}

nut base:

1 cup raw almonds, pecans, or other nuts
1/4 cup shaved coconut 
1 tbsp cinnamon 
1 tsp pumpkin pie seasoning 
4-5 soft pitted dates (or 3-4 tbsp maple syrup/honey)
pinch of vanilla bean paste or splash of vanilla 
pinch of pink salt or sea salt


pumpkin filling:

1 can puréed pumpkin {just be sure it's pure pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling}
2-3 tsp maple syrup or honey (to taste)
1 tsp pumpkin pie seasoning 
cinnamon to taste 

What you'll need to do:

1. Combine almonds, coconut, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie seasoning in the food processor. Process until coursely ground. 
2. Add dates. You want a slightly sticky consistency that will clump together. 
3. Add about a 1 inch layer of the nut base to muffin tins. {optional: you can use cup cake wrappers for easier clean up} Lightly compress the base layer to mold to the tins. 
4. In a separate bowl, mix puréed pumpkin, maple syrup or chosen sweetener, and desired spices. 
5. Top each nut base with about 1/4 cup pumpkin filling, or enough to create a thick layer.
6. Garnish pumpkin tarts with shaved coconuts, crushed nuts, cacao nibs, or even almond butter. 
7. Place in fridge and allow tarts to harden before eating, or they will fall apart.

​Important: Allow tarts to defrost for about 15 minutes before enjoying. Best served slightly frozen. 

happy almost Spring!

x,
Molly 

This recipe is a delicious and beautiful twist on traditional hummus. It's the perfect party dip, sandwich spread, or salad topper. Serve with veggies, toasted bread, or whip up some homemade pita chips. 
Beets are also super nutrient dense: high in vitamin C, fiber, and essential minerals like potassium and magnesium. Their deep color is due to antioxidants called betalains, which have been proven to have powerful cancer-fighting properties. If you're buying the whole beetroot, don't forget about the beet greens! They have more iron than spinach and are loaded with vitamin A, C, K, and B6. Add them to salads, smoothies or sauté with garlic.
Tip: If you have a few extra minutes and want ridiculously smooth hummus, remove the skin of the chickpeas. 

What you'll need:

{makes 4 cups hummus}

1 bag dried chickpeas or 3 cans of precooked chickpeas 
1 medium beet or 2 small beets 
2 tbsp tahini 
2 tbsp olive oil 
3 tbsp lemon juice 
6 cloves garlic 
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 sea salt {to taste}
optional: cumin or cayenne 

What you'll need to do:

1. Cook dried chickpeas either in a pot or instant cooker. If you are using canned, wash thoroughly. {Note: if you are using dried chickpeas, they will be unsalted and may require adding more salt for flavor.}
2. Wash and chop beet. Roast {45 minutes at 375 with olive oil} or steam until soft. 
3. Purée cooked chickpeas with tahini, olive oil, lemon juice in a food processor, high speed blender, or hand held blender. 
4. When the beet is fully cooked and soft, add to purréed chickpeas and blend. 
5. Add salt, pepper, and other spices if desired. Season to taste. 

Top with sesame seeds, pine nuts, pumpkin seeds, feta, a drizzle of EVOO... do you!

I had a dollop for brunch with sautéed kale, pepitas, baby spinach, roasted brussels sprouts, roasted cinnamon butternut squash and a cage free egg. 

x,
Molly