Cottage Cheese and Green Onion Biscuits - Vegetarian + GF

For some reason I've been craving all things comfort food recently, and this morning was no exception. Maybe it's the rainy, dreary weather we've bee having, but I woke up wanting a warm, buttery biscuit. I immediately thought of this cheesy biscuit-like bread with green onions that they serve at a local restaurant. So I figured why not try to make an easy, healthier version that I could enjoy at home.

I decided to swap out cheddar for cottage cheese and thought it would not only bring a great flavor but also a nice consistency. I decided to go gluten free since I have quinoa flour on hand, making them packed with protein between those two ingredients. 

Here's What You'll Need:

-2 cup quinoa flour (plus extra)
-2 tsp coconut sugar
-4 tsp baking powder
-1/2 tsp sea salt
-Two 5.3 oz containers of Good Culture Classic Cottage Cheese
-4 green onions, chopped
-1/2 cup unsweetened cashew milk (or regular or almond milk)

Makes about 10 biscuits

Instructions:

1) Preheat your oven to 450 degrees.
2) Mix together the dry ingredients in a bowl.
3) Add in the cottage cheese, milk, and green onion, and stir with a wooden spoon until a dough forms.
4) Spread some extra flour on a surface, and move the dough on it.
5) Sprinkle some extra flour on top, and knead the dough with your hands until thoroughly mixed.
6) Form the dough in a ball, and roll it out with a rolling pin to about 1 in thickness.
7) Using a biscuit cutter or floured glass about 2 inches in diameter, cut the dough into biscuit-shaped pieces.
8) Place the biscuits onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. 
9) Bake the biscuits in the oven for 15 minutes until golden brown on top.
10) Remove, serve, and enjoy!

I spread some ghee on mine, and it was absolutely perfect! Not into onions? Feel free to swap them out for another ingredient. Let me know how you play around and what you think in the comments below!

Cauliflower Nachos

Cauliflower has easily become one of my favorite veggies. It's delicious on its own or roasted, and it can literally be made into or the vehicle for basically anything - pizza crust, rice, buffalo "wings", you name it! It just has a naturally great flavor without being overwhelming. 

So earlier this week when I was craving nachos, I figured why not?! Sweet potato nachos are delicious, so why not swap out the chips (or sweet potatoes) for cauliflower this time. I just sliced the cauliflower into thin, chip-like pieces, seasoned them a bit, and they were the perfect base for some delicious nachos.

Here's What You'll Need:

-1 head of cauliflower, sliced into 1/4-1/2" strips (they will naturally break into "chips", and you can cut them into smaller pieces if desired)
-2 tbsp avocado oil
-1/4 tsp sea salt
-1/4 tsp black pepper
-1 tsp Just Spices Flavors of Mexico Seasoning (the code juststacy15 will get you 15% off)
-1/2 cup black beans
-1/2 large tomato, cubed
-1/4 cup red onion, chopped
-1/2 avocado, cubed
-1 jalapeno, chopped (optional)
-1/4 cup salsa
-1/2 cup shredded Mexican cheese blend

Instructions:

1) Toss the cauliflower pieces with the avocado oil, sea salt, black pepper, and Flavors of Mexico spice blend, and spread the cauliflower evenly over a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
2) Cook in a preheated oven at 450 degree for 15-20 minutes until tender.
3) Remove from the oven, and evenly spread all of the other ingredients over the cauliflower.
4) Return the cauliflower to the oven at the same heat for an additional 5 minutes until the cheese melts.
5) Remove, serve, and enjoy!

Easy peasy, right?! And it's oh so delicious! You won't be missing those chips, trust me! I'd love to hear what you think in the comments below.

Vegan Apple Cranberry Stuffing

I can't believe that I'm about to say this, but Thanksgiving is just about a week away. Seriously where did the time go?! I'm pretty sure it was just August. Either way, I'm definitely not disappointed. I love getting to spend time with family and eating some delicious food!

I've recently been partnering with Whole Foods Market on Instagram to share some of my holiday traditions and recipes, and I decided that I wanted to create something new this year. The majority of my immediate family is either vegan or vegetarian, so coming up with Thanksgiving options isn't always so straightforward. I figured it would be best to start with a Thanksgiving staple, stuffing.

It was pretty easy to keep this recipe vegan given the goodies I picked up at my local Whole Foods, and I decided to give it a bit a twist with the added sweetness. It has officially been vegan family member approved (this dish was gone pretty much immediately), and as someone who isn't vegan, I can say that I think everyone at the dinner table will love it! The sweet and savory combo will make it the perfect side dish for your Thanksgiving dinner.

Here's What You'll Need:

-10 oz package of organic 365 Everyday Value multigrain stuffing mix
-1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
-1/2 cup dried cranberries
-3/4 cup walnuts, chopped
-1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
-1/2 large sweet onion, chopped
-1 celery stalk, chopped
-2 pink lady apples, chopped (can sub with other varieties of apples)
-1 tbsp fresh sage, chopped
-1 tbsp fresh thyme, chopped
-Olive oil cooking spray (optional)
-Sea salt to taste
-Black pepper to taste

Directions:

1) Preheat your oven to 400 degrees
2) Heat the olive oil in a large pan over medium high heat.
3) Add in onion and celery, and cook for about 5 minutes.
4) Add in the apple, and cook for an additional 5 minutes.
5) Mix in the fresh sage, thyme, sea salt, and black pepper. Remove from heat.
6) Mix the apple, onion, and celery mixture into a large bowl with the stuffing package contents, dried cranberries, walnuts, and vegetable broth.
7) Spread the mixture evenly into a 2 quart baking dish, cover with foil, and bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes,
8) Coat the top of the stuffing with a quick spray of olive oil cooking spray (optional), and return it to the oven for an additional 15 minutes until browned.
9) Serve, and enjoy!

Let me know know what you think in the comments below! I'd love to hear how you incorporated this dish into your holidays!

Good Clean Summer Love Pasta Salad with Love Beets and Organic Girl

I don't know about you guys, but I LOVE me some beets and organic greens! So when Love Beets and Organic Girl let me in on their #GoodCleanSummerLove campaign, I was SO excited to play around!

Before we get into the recipe deets, let me tell you guys about this amazing contest. One lucky winner is going to win an entire year's supply of Love Beets and Organic Girl (insert heart eyes and hand raising emoji here)! I'll put the full details on how to enter at the bottom of this post, so make sure you check it out!

So back to the eats. Beets and greens scream summer to me (hence the campaign I'm guessing), and of course they both go great in a salad. But I decided I wanted to kick it up a level. What else screams summer? Grilling, corn, and pasta salads. So why not bring them all together? Trust me you want to bring them all together...

Here's What You'll Need:

-1 lb pasta, cooked (I used sprouted penne, but lentil or whole grain pastas are also great)
-2 cups Organic Girl pepper greens
-4 Love Beets organic cooked beets, chopped
-1/4 cup Organic Girl pomegranate balsamic dressing
-3/4 cup feta
-2 ears of corn
-1 tbsp olive oil
-1/4 cup pine nuts
-Sea Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

1) Preheat your grill to medium high heat.
2) Remove the silk from the corn and pull down the husks. Coat the corn in olive oil, salt, and pepper. Replace the husks back up around the corn.
3) Grill the corn for about 20 minutes, rotating 1/4 of the way every 5 minutes.
4) Once cooked, shave the kernels off the cob using a knife.
5) Toast the pine nuts on the stove top until just golden brown (about 3-5 minutes).
6) In a large bowl, mix together the pasta, beets, pepper greens, corn, pine nuts, and feta.
7) Add in the dressing (and salt and pepper to taste) and mix completely until evenly distributed.
8) Serve and enjoy!

This pasta salad is literally like summer in side dish form. It's perfect for a picnic, bbq, or even as a meal through out the week. Let me know what you think in the comments, and make sure to check on the contest rules below.
 

Mixed Potato and Veggie Hash with 4th & Heart California Garlic Ghee

I was about to call this recipe "The Best Damn Breakfast Potatoes You've Ever Had", but I decided to hold off and let you decide that one for yourself. But SPOILER ALERT, they might just be the best damn breakfast potatoes you've ever had. Potatoes in all shapes and sizes are something I love, probably a little too much. From sweets to reds, mashed potatoes to home fries, I just really like potatoes. I don't necessarily eat them all that often, but they definitely hold a special place in my heart especially when it comes to brunch. 

So when I decided to take on breakfast potatoes, I knew I had to do it right. I wanted them packed with flavor, so I knew using 4th & Heart's California garlic ghee was the only way to go. Just heating up the pan with this stuff makes your mouth water! Add in both sweets AND russets plus some other flavor packed ingredients, and I knew I had the side that can't be beat for your next brunch!

Here's What You'll Need:

-1 medium sweet potato, cut into about 1/2" cubes
-1 small russet potato, cut into about 1/2" cubes
-1 cup baby arugula
-2 cloves garlic, sliced
-1 medium tomato, cut into about 1/2" cubes
-2 tbsp 4th & Heart California garlic ghee, separated
-1/4 tsp Himalayan pink sea salt
-1/4 tsp black pepper
-1/4 tsp chili powder (optional)
-1 tbsp shredded organic parmesan (optional)

Serves 4-6 

Instructions:

1) Preheat your oven to 400 degrees on convection.
2) Heat up 1 tbsp of the ghee in a cast iron skillet on the stove top over medium high heat.
3) Once the ghee is melted and the pan is hot, add in the sweet and russet potato cubes, sea salt, pepper, and chili powder (if you're using it). Cover and cook for about 10-12 minutes, stirring every so often until the potatoes soften.
3) Mix in the 2nd tbsp of ghee for about a minute until it is completely melted.
4) Mix in the arugula, sliced garlic, and tomato cubes so that everything is evenly dispersed.
5) Toss the skillet into the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes until the tops of the potatoes begin to brown a bit. Sprinkle the parmesan over the entire skillet about 2 minutes before removing it from the oven (so at about 8-10 minutes depending on cook time). 
6) Let cool for about 5 minutes, serve, and enjoy!

I served mine alongside an egg and some sauteed veggies, but feel free to brunch as you please! The combination of the garlic ghee with both the sweet and russet potatoes is just perfect. Plus that added taste of the roasted tomato and fresh garlic just takes these potatoes to the next level. I'm dying to hear what you think in the comments below, so definitely let me know once you give them a try!