the conscious decision blog

Summer Smoothie Recipe

  Summer's here and we're trying to maintain our summer bodies that we have worked hard to attain. Staying healthy stems from the inside out and one of our favorite yoga mamas Sophie Jaffe from Philosophie has it down. We are sharing her anti-bloat summer smoothie recipe that combines bloat-fighting ingredients to create a glass of tummy-flattening goodness. Sophie has a line of superfood supplements that she adds to her smoothie recipe to give it an extra boost. Try it out and let us know how you like it!   Anti-Bloat Summer Smoothie Recipe INGREDIENTS: 1 cup coconut water 1 frozen banana 1/2 chopped papaya 1/2 cup frozen pineapple  1/2 cup frozen organic kale a handful of fresh mint 1 tablespoon Berry Bliss Superfood + Protein Blend 1 tablespoon Green Dream Superfood + Protein Blend DIRECTIONS: Blend all ingredients and enjoy frothy and cold!   Below are the benefits of some of the ingredients used in this anti-bloat summer smoothie: Papaya: Aids with digestion, weight loss, and inflammation Pineapple: Helps with digestion, inflammation, and boosts immune system Kale: Filled with antioxidants, has anti-inflammatory benefits, good for detox

Lemon Buttercream Cupcakes | Vegan and Gluten-Free

Love is in the air and if you want to make a treat for your Valentine or friends, try this recipe out. It'll be a surprise when you mention that these lemon buttercream cupcakes are gluten-free and vegan! If you're baking them for a Valentine, it'll be a sweet way to say, I care.  INGREDIENTS: CUPCAKES 1 ¼ cups almond or soy milk 1 tablespoon lemon juice 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 2 tablespoons lemon zest 1 ½ cups gluten-free all purpose flour 2 teaspoons baking powder ¼ teaspoon salt ½ cup vegan margarine or shortening ¾ cup organic cane sugar FROSTING ½ cup vegan margarine or shortening 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 1 tablespoon lemon zest 1 tablespoon lemon juice 2 ¾ cups confectioners' sugar DIRECTIONS: CUPCAKES Preheat over to 350 ° F and line cupcake pan with paper liners. Whisk together soy or almond milk and lemon juice in a small mixing bowl. Beat until frothy. Whisk in vanilla and lemon zest. Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in another bowl. Combine margarine or shortening with sugar and beat on medium-low speed for about a minute. Add 1/3 of the flour mixture and beat until incorporated, then half of the milk mixture and beat until smooth. Repeat with remaining flour and milk mixture. Spoon batter into the liners about ¾ full. Bake for 20 – 24 minutes or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean. Let cupcakes cool on cooling rack before frosting. FROSTING Add lemon juice and mix until incorporated. Add confectioners’ sugar a cup at a time and beat on medium speed until frosting is thick and smooth, about 3 – 4 minutes. Frost the cupcakes! Servings: 12  

Refreshing Barley Salad Recipe

Wallace and James is a holistic lifestyle blog founded by the amazing Jamie Arrigo - mother, wife, and photographer living in Los Angeles. With the New Year around the corner we felt this recipe, courtesy of Jamie, would inspire resolutions to eat cleaner and healthier. Post Holidays we can all use more greens! This arugula, feta, cucumbers and barley salad is bright, refreshing and the grains keep it hearty and comforting. Enjoy this yummy vegetarian barley salad recipe. INGREDIENTS: SALAD 1 cup of barley 3 cups of water 1 cup hazelnuts chopped 1/2 cup greek feta 1 cucumber skinned and chopped 1 cup fresh arugula DRESSING 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar 1/2 cup parsley chopped 1 clove of garlic minced 1/4 cup olive oil 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice salt to taste For more amazing recipes like this one and tips on healthy living, head to Wallace and James. DIRECTIONS: Soak 1 cup of barley for one hour. Heat over to 350 degrees. Chop hazelnuts in half and roast for 12 minutes. Add pre-soaked barley to a pot with 3 cups of water. Bring to a boil and then lower to simmer and cover and cook for 25 minutes or until tender and water is absorbed. Remove from heat. Add vinegar, parsley, garlic, olive oil and lime juice to a bowl. Whisk together and add salt to taste. To serve: Toss barley with lime dressing. Add arugula, cucumber and hazelnuts. Mix together. Top with feta. Serves: 4

Best Vegan Dark Chocolate Mousse

Organic Chickpea Salad

Organic chickpeas are an excellent source of protein and taste amazing, especially when paired with roasted veggies and fresh herbs. This healthy organic chickpea salad recipe is a great lunch or dinner option. Hope you enjoy!  INGREDIENTS: SALAD 2 cups of chickpeas, rinsed and drained1 small red bell pepper, finely chopped3 stocks of celery, sliced1 clove garlic, minced 1/4 cup of fresh basil, finely chopped1 cup of organic dried cranberriesSea salt and freshly ground black pepper1 tablespoons organic extra-virgin olive oilDRESSING 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar3 tablespoons organic extra-virgin olive oil1 tablespoon Dijon mustard1 tablespoon honey1/2 teaspoon kosher salt   DIRECTIONS: In a small cast-iron pan add 1 tablespoon of organic extra-virgin olive and warm on medium heat. Sauté peppers, celery, garlic until soft. Combine sautéd veggie mixture with chickpeas, dried cranberries, salt and pepper. In a separate bowl combine dressing ingredients, whisk.Dress salad and enjoy.  

Millet Tacos: Two Ways

Amie Valpone, Writer, Culinary Nutritionist and Celebrity Chef, has written a new book ‘Eating Clean: The 21 Day Plan to Detox, Fight Inflammation, and Reset Your Body’. When asked for quick and healthy dinner option for those just getting started on a healthier track Amie responded, 'I love the Millet Tacos recipe from my cookbook. It’s my favorite…it’s actually a breakfast recipe in my book but it’s just as good for dinner!” This is just one of the amazing, quick and healthy meal recipes in Eating Clean. All of the recipes are vegetarian and free of gluten, dairy, soy, corn, eggs, and refined sugar.  INGREDIENTS: 1½ cups cooked millet ¼ cup finely chopped fresh cilantro 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice ¼ teaspoon sea salt 8 gluten-free whole-grain tortillas (corn-free) 1 recipe Butternut Squash and Swiss Chard or Portobello Mushroom and Red Pepper mixture 1 cup shredded red cabbage Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper 1 large ripe avocado, pitted, peeled, and thinly sliced 4 scallions, thinly sliced Cumin Cashew Cream Sauce, optional Seriously Sensational Sriracha Sauce, optional   DIRECTIONS: In a small bowl, combine the millet, cilantro, lime juice, and salt. Stir to combine and set aside. Make one (or both) of the Flavor Options (See Below). To assemble, warm the tortillas on a baking sheet in a 350°F oven or in a dry skillet on the stovetop over medium heat. Place the warm tortillas on a platter or on individual plates. Divide the millet among the tortillas. Top each with either a Butternut Squash and Swiss Chard or Portobello Mushroom and Red Pepper mixture. Top with the cabbage, avo­cado slices, scallions, and salt and pepper to taste. Finish with a dollop of the Cumin Cashew Cream Sauce. And/or a drizzle of the Seriously Sensational Sriracha Sauce, if desired. BUTTERNUT SQUASH AND SWISS CHARD 2 tablespoons coconut oil, 4 cups peeled, seeded, and diced butternut squash (1⁄4-inch cubes), ½ bunch Swiss chard, finely chopped, ½ teaspoon chili powder, ¼ teaspoon sea salt, ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the squash and sauté for 7 to 8 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients and cook until the chard has wilted, about 2 minutes. Keep warm. PORTOBELLO MUSHROOM AND RED PEPPER 2 to 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 1 large portobello mushroom, cut into 8 slices, 1 large red bell pepper, cut into long strips, ¼ teaspoon ground cumin, ¼ teaspoon sea salt, ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, Pinch chipotle powder, ¼ cup thinly sliced radish, for garnish In a medium skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil over medium heat. Add the mushrooms in a single layer. Cover and cook for 4 minutes, then flip and cook for 2 minutes more. Add the remaining ingredients, cook for 5 minutes or until vegetables are cooked through, stirring often. Garnish with the radish. Keep warm. Text excerpted from Eating Clean, © 2016 by Amie Valpone. Reproduced by permission of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. All rights reserved.

Irish Vegan Farmhouse Vegetable Soup

Join in the saint patty's day festivities with this nutritious, earthy irish farmhouse vegetable soup recipe. this vegan veggie soup is filled with irish staples like potatoes, leeks and carrots. Eat healthy by day and enjoy Irish spirits by night. The luck of the Irish to you!  INGREDIENTS: 1 large organic white onion, peeled and diced 2 large organic carrots, peeled and cubed 1 stalk of organic celery, peeled and cubed 2 large organic potato, peeled and cubed 1 organic parsnip, washed and cubed 1 leek, washed and sliced 2 bay leaves 1 bunch parsley, chopped 5 cups of organic unsalted vegetable stock 3 tablespoons olive oil sea salt and cracked pepper to taste     DIRECTIONS: Heat olive oil in a large sauce pan. Add the onion and leeks and sauté. Add the organic vegetable stock parsnips, potatoes and carrots. Bring to a simmer. Add celery, salt, pepper, bay leaves, 1/2 the parsley. Cover and cook for 25-30 minutes. Garnish with the remaining chopped parsley.

Heart-Shaped Vegan Strawberry Sugar Cookies

Show your love by baking with love. These cute heart-shaped, vegan sugar cookies are sure to put a smile on your partner’s face. This vegan sugar cookie recipe is organic so you can indulge with a healthy twist. #Conscious Eating INGREDIENTS: 1 1/2 cups organic powdered sugar1 cup soft organic coconut oil1/8 teaspoon sea salt1/2 cup unsweetened organic almond milk1 teaspoon organic vanilla1 1/2 cups unbleached, organic flour2 tablespoons cornstarch1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon cream of tartar1 cup organic strawberry preserves  DIRECTIONS: In a large bowl, beat powdered sugar, vanilla, sea salt, coconut oil, almond milk Stir in flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and cream of tartar. Cover the dough and refrigerate for 2 hours. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.Roll out the dough to 1/4 inch thickness on a floured surface. Use a large heart-shaped cookie cutter to cut the base cookies. For the top cookie use a small heart-shaped cookie cutter to make interior hearts. Make an equal number of top and bottom cookies.Place cookies on prepared cookie sheets about 1/2-inch apart.Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until cookies are golden. Remove from oven and let cool for 20 minutes.Spread strawberry jam over the bottom cookies and create a sandwich with the top cookie. Sift or sprinkle powdered sugar over cookies and serve!   

Roasted Beet and Citrus Salad

Make the #conscious decision to keep Winter fare light and healthy with this delicious, refreshing salad recipe. The sweet earthy beets work beautifully with zesty citrus and creamy feta. Great as a side dish or main course.  INGREDIENTS: Vinaigrette  3 tablespoons organic red wine vinegar 2 teaspoons organic whole grain mustard 2 teaspoons finely chopped shallots 2 teaspoons finely grated grapefruit peel 1 teaspoon honey 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil 1 dash of salt and pepper Salad 3 red beets, tops trimmed1 tablespoon organic olive oil2 organic pink grapefruit, cut and segmented1 organic oranges, cut and segmented 3/4 cup crumbled feta cheese or cashew feta alternative1/4 cup chopped fresh basil1 tablespoon of copped fresh oregano 1 tablespoon of copped fresh chives   DIRECTIONS: VinaigretteIn a small bowl combine vinegar, mustard, grated grapefruit zest, honey and whisk. Gradually add oil, sea salt, and freshly ground pepper, while whisking. SaladPreheat oven to 425 degrees. Sprinkle olive oil, salt, and pepper on beets. Wrap each beet in foil. Place in oven. Roast until tender 45 - 55 minutes. Remove foil and cool for 20 minutes. Rub off skins (optional) and cut into round slices. Plate the luke warm beets, citrus, feta, and herbs, drizzle on vinaigrette and enjoy!