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Celebrate Cinco de Mayo Vegan Style

Celebrate Cinco de Mayo Vegan Style with some or all of these Mexican inspired delicious vegan recipes.

Whether you’re planning a big Cinco de Mayo party or just spending a quiet evening at home with family and a few friends, I’ve put together some of my favorite Mexican inspired vegan recipes that will please everyone.

Roasted Tomatillo and Tomato Salsa– Bold with flavor and so easy to make and that’s a good thing, because your guest will fall in love with this salas.

Vegan Queso with Spiced Tortilla Chips – Smooth, creamy and oh-so-delicious, you just might forget it’s not real cheese.

Strawberry Citrus Salsa - Sweet strawberries, juicy citrus, and a bit of mango make this salsa unforgettable

The Best Vegan Sour Cream - Smooth creamy and oh-so-good. Spread on the goodness.

Skip the shell and just use the Avocado to hold all of the taco goodness in these Vegan Stuffed Avocados, and let me tell you, they are so stinking delicious!

Easy and delicious, Raw Gluten-Free Tacos, made with walnuts and almonds, a great way to lighten things up for Spring.

If you are celebrating Cinco de Mayo, make it a delicious celebration!!!

If you make any of these recipes, take a picture and share with me on Instagram, tag it #thewholeserving or leave a comment below. I’d love to see or hear about your version of these Mexican inspired vegan recipes.

Chocolate Covered Nut Butter Stuffed Dates

Celeste 9 Comments

Chocolate Covered Nut Butter Stuffed Dates - Dates stuffed with nut butter, dipped in chocolate and drizzled with smooth, creamy vegan white chocolate. Pure Deliciousiness.

If you love the taste of caramel dipped in chocolate, you are going to love these little goodies.

I have to admit I have a sweet tooth, but filling it with loads of processed sugar isn't the answer. But these Chocolate Covered Nut Butter Stuffed Dates is one way I like to fulfill my sweet craving.

Dates are amazing! For the longest time I wouldn't eat them, not sure why, but I'm so glad I finally gave them a try. I first started using dates to sweeten smoothies and now I reach for them sometimes when I need a carb boost or to simply satisfy my sweet cravings.

Dates can do more than just fill your sweet tooth, they are a good source of fiber, potassium, manganese and the antioxidant polyphenol.

Dates have a long shelf life and the best way to store them is at room temperature in an airtight container for several months, if they last that long, or in the fridge for up to a year. Learn more about dates at The California Date Commission.

I'm not a big candy eater, so when I do it has to be worth the indulgence, truffles or caramels. But now I just reach for these Chocolate Covered Nut Butter Stuffed Dates because they are so decadent. One or two of these is all I need to satisfy my sweet craving.

Decadent deliciousness!

If you make this recipe or a version of it, take a picture and share with me on Instagram, tag it #thewholeserving or leave a comment below. I’d love to see or hear about your version of Chocolate Coved Nut Butter Stuffed Dates.

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5 Delicious Bowl Meals You Must Try

Celeste 5 Comments

Grab your bowl and spoon for 5 Delicious Bowl Meals You Must Try, full of flavor and texture. One bowl meals are brilliant and the perfect way to simple and healthy meals.

SUPER EASY HOISIN TOFU

Sweet and spicy, this Super Easy Hoisin Tofu served over a bed of soft tender farro is absolutely delicious and super satisfying.

ASIAN WHEAT BERRY SALAD

Energizing and satisfying Asian Wheat Berry Salad – Make it for dinner, save some for lunch.

VEGAN TERIYAKI TOFU STIR FRY

Vegan Teriyaki Tofu Stir Fry, better than any delivery or take-out. The spicy, sweet and bold with flavor teriyaki sauce will have you tossing out all your store bought sauce.

SPICY RAMEN VEGETABLE STIR-FRY

Loaded with hearty Portobello, peppers, onions and broccoli, this Spicy Ramen Vegetable Stir-Fry is quick and easy and comes together in under 30-Minutes.

SOFRITAS BOWL-VEGAN OR VEGETARIAN

Chipotle peppers, roasted poblanos, aromatic spices, this delicious Sofritas Bowl will please vegans, vegetarians and even the carnivores. It’s that good.

If you make any of these recipes or a version of them, take a picture and share with me on Instagram, tag it #thewholeserving or leave a comment below. I’d love to see or hear about your version of one or all of these 5 Delicious Bowl Meals You Must Try.

How To Make Amazing Whipped Aquafaba

Celeste 18 Comments

How to make Amazing Whipped Aquafaba - Smooth creamy and a magical wonder, who knew liquid from chickpeas could be so fabulous.

Making aquafaba has been on my must-make list for sometime now. The first time I became aware of Aquqfaba was over a year ago, well, I finally got around to whipping up a batch for myself, and it's amazing.

What is aquafaba?

It’s the juice from cooked chickpeas. You can cook your own or use canned chickpeas. I prefer to use canned, its consistency is more reliable, making it a time saver. Goya chickpeas are my favorite, they’re so tender and great in recipes like this one, Pear-Brussels Sprout Salad or this one, Chickpea Jalapeno Salad, so that’s the brand I use to make my whipped aquafaba.

Whipping aquafaba is easy. Simply drain and use a hand or stand mixer and whip until the desired consistency has been reached. You can whip by hand, but it will take much longer.

I like to use soft whipped aquafaba as an egg substitute, semi-soft peak as egg white substitute in recipes or as a topping, and stiff-peaks to make meringues for pie toppers or baked for delicious meringue cookies.

Today’s recipe is slightly sweetened semi-soft peaks that I like to serve over fruit.

There are so many ways to use this amazing liquid and I'm looking forward to exploring them and yes I will share.

If you make this recipe or a version of it, take a picture and share with me on Instagram, tag it #thewholeserving or leave a comment below. I’d love to see or hear about how you make Amazing Whipped Aquafaba and how you use it.

Herb Green Bean & Pea Pasta

Celeste 8 Comments

Fresh mix of herbs over crisp veggies and tender pasta finished off with a squeeze of lemon juice, this Herb Green Bean and Pea Pasta sings Spring.

The weather has been all over the place here in Texas lately. One day it's sunny and near 80, the next we need coats and scarves. We're lucky we are not to knee-deep in snow, I guess. One thing for sure, I'm looking forward to the start of Spring. Life has been super busy for me, but I just had to share this quick, easy, fresh and delicious recipe you. Just may put you in a Springtime frame of mind.

This Herb Green Bean and Pea Pasta is one of my springtime favorites.

What a combination of fresh green beans, peas and pasta.

Add a mix of fresh tarragon, thyme and flat leaf parsley for explosive flavor.

The fresh flavors and textures make this dish a win for any spring brunch.

It comes together in under 30 minutes, leaving you more time to spend with your guest. Don't want pasta, serve the veggies as a side dish.

Start with fresh green beans and peas, sauté, add fresh herbs and seasonings, toss with pasta, sprinkle with a bit of lemon juice and that's it.

Nut Butter Oatmeal Cookies Drizzled with Chocolate

Celeste 6 Comments

Hearty, wholesome, not overly sweet Nut Butter Oatmeal Cookies drizzled with Chocolate, oh-so-delicious!

As a child peanut butter cookies and oatmeal cookies were two of my favorites, and I can remember learning how to make them both at 4-H camp. There were a few left to take home along with a recipe booklet with hand drawn pictures of step by step instructions of the cookie recipes and a few other kid friendly recipes. I put that little booklet to good use, I made those recipes over and over again.

Fast forward to today and I'm still making those cookies with a few exceptions. I use any nut butter except peanut butter due to my daughter’s peanut allergy, and sometimes I add oatmeal, to make these oh-so-delicious cookies.

These cookies are a big hit in my home, even my child who will not eat cooked oatmeal, loves these cookies. However, eliminating peanut butter wasn't the only change. Flax egg replaced the egg and coconut sugar and maple syrup was used instead of white and brown sugar.

I made these cookies because sometimes I want cookies and I don't want them overly sweet.

Ok I know there are some of you reading this thinking no way you will make these, but before you make that decision I’ll tell you everyone of my friends who tried these cookies, loved them.

These cookies are hearty, delicious, wholesome, delicious, not overly sweet, delicious. Did I say they are delicious? I'll say it again, these cookies are delicious and they're great before or after a workout.

One-Pot Pasta with Burrata

Celeste 3 Comments

No mess, no fuss One-Pot Pasta with Burrata, uncomplicated and simply delicious.

It's official, the holidays are really over. January is over, February is here, and life is getting back to its busy pace. With everything on my to-do list, preparing delicious meals shouldn't be complicated. This recipe One-Pot Pasta with Buratta is the definition of uncomplicated. Everything goes into on pot, no large mess to clean, and for me that's a time saver.

Start with pasta sauce purchased or you can make this Fire Roasted 20-Minute Pasta Sauce.

Throw in the pasta, I used linguine pasta, but you are free to use whatever pasta you have on hand.

Add the other ingredients, reserving the Burrata cheese until the final few minutes.

Everything comes together deliciously.

You can customize by adding in your favorite veggies and herbs, The possibilities are limitless. I had some northern beans on hand so I added them for extra fiber, which makes it more filling.

Spicy Lentil Sweet Potato Stew

Celeste 7 Comments

Hearty, comforting and delicious, this Spicy Lentil Sweet Potato Stew with a touch of jalapeño heat is perfect for those cold winter days.

Two bowls of Spicy Lentil Sweet Potato Stew with sliced avocado, jalapenos and cilantro on top.

Picture it, it's cold outside, you have on your coziest loungewear all curled up in front of a warm fire, watching your favorite Netflix or Lifetime movie, while enjoying a big hearty bowl of Spicy Lentil Sweet Potato Stew.

Raw onion, red lentils, rainbow carrots and sweet potato on marble counter.

This is a perfect dish for those cold winter days and it's so easy, everything goes into one pot and no complicated ingredients required. It's loaded with hearty root vegetables and red lentils. The combination of multi-colored carrots and sweet potatoes is simply delicious with the subtle heat of the added jalapeño.

Spicy Lentil Sweet Potato Stew with wooden spoon.

Serve it up with cilantro leaves, sliced jalapeño and avocado and get ready for over-the-top mouth-watering deliciousness!

Pot of Spicy Lentil Sweet Potato Stew with a bunch of cilantro, sliced jalapenos and half of a sliced avocado beside pot of stew.

Make a big pot and enjoy the leftovers. This Spicy Lentil Sweet Potato Stew is even better the next day and the next day after the next day.

Close-up shot of Spicy Lentil Sweet Potato Stew with sliced avocado, jalapenos and cilantro.

Top 12 Recipes of 2016

Celeste 2 Comments

Delicious and Healthy Top 12 recipes of 2016, give them a try and they might become one of your favorites.

Happy New Year and welcome to 2017, but before we forget about 2016 entirely, I want to share 12 of the top recipes of 2016. These were some of the most shared and made recipes in 2016 and they can be favorites in 2017.

Pear-Brussels Sprout Salad

Shaved brussels sprouts thinly sliced pears with a mix of parsley. This simple Pear-Brussels Sprout Salad is fresh, crisp and full of flavor.

Un-Cheesy Potato Broccoli Soup

Rich and hearty, this Un-Cheesy Potato Broccoli Soup is full of flavor and comes together in minutes!

Strawberry Basil Farro Salad

The tender bite of Farro, sweetness of Strawberries and the earthiness of fresh basil makes this Strawberry Basil Farro Salad the perfect combination of sweet and savory.

My Dukkah Recipe with Homemade Herb Bread

A delicious, aromatic blend of nuts, seeds and spices. Perfect for snacking or cooking. I served my Dukkah recipe with my Homemade Herb Bread as a bread dip.

Roasted Grapes With Burrata Cheese Toast

Simple and simply delicious, this Roasted Grapes with Burrata Cheese Toast recipe is perfect for those impromptu gatherings. Toast, softly melted Burrata, roasted grapes and a drizzle of agave or honey, so easy.

Apple Cinnamon Baked Oatmeal

Apples, cinnamon and brown sugar! Flavors that filled my favorite childhood breakfast, stove-top oatmeal. Today these same flavors are part of my new favorite make ahead breakfast, Apple Cinnamon Baked Oatmeal.

Roasted Tomato Avocado Toast

Simple, easy and delicious - Roasted Tomato Avocado Toast. Creamy Avocado mash, sweet roasted tomatoes, drizzled with balsamic glaze, it takes toast to a whole new level.

Sparkling Strawberry Shrub

Sparkling Strawberry Shrub - Sweet, tart and delicious combination of strawberries, turbinado sugar and apple cider vinegar. If you like fermented drinks like Kombucha you're going to love Shrubs.

Blackberry Balsamic Glaze

This Blackberry Balsamic Glaze is rich, smooth and creamy, lightly sweetened with maple syrup and loaded with plump juicy blackberries. Delicious on just about anything

Healing Turmeric Golden Juice

Healing Turmeric Golden Juice - A healthy anti-inflammatory drink you and your body deserves. Turmerics anti-inflammatory properties are amazing and can help in healing a long list of nagging health problems.

Almond Butter Apple Cinnamon Toast

Think Cinnamon toast, but with almond butter, apple slices a touch of sweetness from an almond date crumble and a final drizzle of agave. Almond Butter Apple Cinnamon Toast is my twist on an old after-school favorite.

Spicy Ramen Vegetable Stir-Fry

Loaded with hearty portobello, peppers, onions and broccoli, this Spicy Ramen Vegetable Stir-Fry is quick and easy and comes together in under 30-Minutes.

Enjoy these Top 12 recipes of 2016 and have a wonderful, tasty 2017!

Stress-Free Crostini Appetizer Party

Celeste 12 Comments

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #EasyHolidayEats #CollectiveBias.

Entertain stress-free and spend more time enjoying your guest this holiday season, host a make-it-yourself Crostini Appetizer Party.

Holiday gatherings will be in full swing soon, so if you are planning a party and want to keep it stress-free, how about throwing a Crostini Appetizer Party.

Instead of planning a big dinner and worrying about everything coming together at the same time, you can simply provide various toppings and spreads and let your guest make their own tasty crostini appetizers. Trust me, it is so much fun.

The key is to choose toppings of various textures and flavors from savory to sweet and I try my best to keep the sweet naturally sweet, not a lot of added sugar.

The categories for my toppings are fruits and veggies, spreads, herbs, and extra finishes like basil pesto and olive tapenade. I like to keep it real with my toppings, however, I don't always have time to make everything, like my own fruit spread, that’s when I use Smucker’s Fruit & Honey Fruit Spread, it’s my go-to spread because it doesn't have a lot of extra sugar or ingredients I can't pronounce. It’s sweetened with honey. Warning, never feed honey to children under a year old, their little bodies can't process it so it can harm them.

I grew up using Smucker’s jams on my PB&J sandwiches but the latest addition to their line of jams, Fruit & Honey Fruit Spread is by far my favorite and it makes putting together my Crostini Appetizer Party so much easier. For this gathering I used Smucker’s Fruit & Honey Triple Berry Fruit Spread and Strawberry Jalapeno Fruit Spread.

Set up is so easy, just set out platters of your toppings and let your guest have fun mixing and matching toppings. To make it easier, have your guest bring the toppings!

Slice the veggies and fruits and place them on platters. Add herbs and the other toppings to your platters. Transfer spreads to serving bowls.

Slice and toast your bread and add the jams to the table and everything is set for fun. A stress-free Crostini Appetizer Party to share the holiday with friends.

You can find Smucker's Fruit & Honey Fruit Spread line of jams at Walmart in the bread and jelly aisle.

If you haven't you should really check out the other Fruit & Honey varieties, Strawberry, Blueberry Lemon, and Concord Grape Fruit Spread, you can do that here. I've tried them all and my favorites are Triple Berry and Strawberry Jalapeno.

Which one is your favorite?

Guess what, you can earn $1.00 off your favorite Smucker's Fruit & Honey Fruit Spread if you use the Ibotta app. Love this app, I've been using the app for a while now and I love earning money for things I'm going to buy anyway.

If you make this, I really want to see, take a picture and tag it in Instagram. Make your holiday entertaining naturally sweet, check these great recipes and entertaining ideas.

Brussels Sprout Linguine with White Wine

Celeste 8 Comments

Shaved Brussels Sprout, tossed with shaved parmesan, red pepper flakes and toasted pine nuts. Serve with a bold white wine, perfect for a no-fuss, chaos-free dinner party. This quick and easy Brussels Sprout Linguine with White Wine will help you spend more time with friends during the busy holiday season.

The holidays can be filled with hectic chaos. Fighting through crowds at the malls, baking a zillion holiday cookies, breads, and deciding what gift to buy for your Secret Santa. Having dinner with friends doesn't have to be a part of that crazy chaos.

This simple and easy Brussels Sprout Linguine with White Wine makes putting together an elegant Friday night dinner with friends a breeze.

This not-so-ordinary pasta dish pairs perfectly with a bottle of Wente Chardonnay. One of my favorites, I love big and bold Chardonnays, by the way Wente Vineyards Morning Fog Chardonnay received Wine Enthusiast score of 90 Points for 2014.

Planning and prep are key for chaos-free dinner parties that you the host will also enjoy. The morning of your dinner remember to place a few bottles of your wine in the fridge before leaving for work.

This dish comes together so quickly, especially if you slice the brussels sprouts a day ahead and place them in a bowl of cold water and store them in the fridge. A spin in the salad spinner helps to remove as much of the water as possible before cooking.

The day of your dinner party, start by preparing your linguine. Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente.

While the water is boiling for the pasta, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the shallots and cook until soft, add the garlic, wine and brussels sprout.

When sprouts have softened a bit remove from heat and toss in the cheese, transfer sprouts to the bowl of pasta and add the pepper flakes.

Sprinkle on some toasted pine nuts and grated parmesan cheese before serving.

Serve with some crusty bread, a fresh shaving of parmesan, a sprinkling of toasted pint nuts and a nice glass of full-bodied Wente Riva Ranch Chardonnay. A perfect way to end a busy week with a simple and elegant dinner party with friends during this busy holiday season.

Purchase a few bottles of Wente Wines on line to have on hand for easy entertaining or to give as hostess gifts during the holiday season.

10 Delicious Vegetarian and Vegan Soups

Celeste 2 Comments

Whether you like it hearty or smooth and creamy these 10 Delicious Vegetarian and Vegan Soups are the prefect fix for warming you when you are chilled to the bone.

The temps are falling and the best thing for cold temperature is a big bowl of hearty or smooth and creamy delicious soup. Here is a list of some of my favorite vegetarian and vegan soups. Go ahead make a pot full and cozy up with a big bowl of goodness.

Un-Cheesy Potato Broccoli Soup | The Whole Serving

Carrot Ginger Soup | Bowl of Delicious

Black-Eyed Pea and Collard Soup | The Whole Serving

Creamy Tomato Basil Soup | The Whole Serving for This Grandma Is Fun!

Healing Carrot Soup with Turmeric and Ginger | Hello Glow

Sweet Potato Lentil Stew | The Whole Serving

Cilantro and Sweet Corn Soup | Eat Healthy, Eat Happy

Vegetarian Taco Soup | The Whole Serving

Italian Lentil Soup | Gimme Some Oven

Northern Bean Cauliflower Soup | The Whole Serving

What kind of soup eater are you?

Black Friday Brunch-Easy Mushroom Green Bean Tart

Celeste 12 Comments

Rustic and savory Easy Mushroom Green Bean Tart. Great dish for a Black Friday brunch, perfect way to use Thanksgiving leftovers.

Thanksgiving is an amazing holiday, sharing wonderful food with friends and family who gather from near and far. Then there is Black Friday shopping, which can be fun as well as a workout, leaving everyone ready for Thanksgiving leftovers.

But instead of serving plain old leftovers I like to jazz them up a bit and Pepperidge Farm® Puff Pastry makes that easy.

I started using Pepperidge Farm® Puff Pastry many years ago to make quick and easy appetizers and mini sweet tarts, but now I use it for so much more. I like to keep a box in my freezer for making things like herbed breadsticks, popovers, pizza, and hand pies. For our Black Friday brunch last year I used leftover green beans and Puff Pastry Sheets to make a delicious Easy Mushroom Green Bean Tart that was so quick and easy to put together, which is a requirement during the holidays.

After rolling out a Puff Pastry Sheet, place it on a parchment lined baking pan and fold over the edges as seen below. Using a fork, poke hole in the bottom of the crust before baking.

While the crust is baking, saute the onions and mushrooms over medium high heat.

Toss in the green beans or you can use broccoli.

Arrange the mushrooms and green beans over the crust, top with cheese and bake in the oven once more until cheese starts to melt. I was lucky enough to find a peppered Romano cheese.

When the cheese has melted, get ready to dig in and enjoy.

This Easy Mushroom Green Bean Tart is perfect with a side of salad. Using Pepperidge Farm® Puff Pastry Sheets helps to make holiday entertaining easy.

Black Friday brunch is now a tradition for my family and a great way to use those Thanksgiving leftovers. This Easy Mushroom Green Bean Tart is one of my favorites, I hope after giving it a try it will become one of your favorites.

What are some ways you like to use Puff Pastry Sheets? For more great ideas visit the Pepperidge Farm® website, you may be surprised at the many creative ways to use Pepperidge Farm® Puff Pastry Sheets to help make holiday entertaining easier.

How To Optimize Your Images For Pinterest

Celeste 16 Comments

Are your images working for you? If not let me show you how to optimize your images for Pinterest.

Optimizing your images for Pinterest is one of the best things you can do to improve your Pinterest reach. This is an area a lot of bloggers and business owners do not put enough focus. Your content is great, your images are pretty and they get pinned but if they aren't optimized, you may not be found on Pinterest. It only takes a few extra minutes to optimize and have your images work wonders for your site.

Let me show you how to get more out of your pretty images.

Step One: Open your post in the edit post mode.

Step Two: Click on the image, when the edit box appears, click on the pencil icon.

Step Three: The image details box will open. This is where you want to have a description to increase your click thru rate. You will insert the description in the alternative box near the top of the page and the image title attribute box near the middle of the page. I like to use the post title followed by a catchy description with keywords, and I end it with the link to my blog. Before exiting the image details box, copy the text you just entered, hit update and exit the box. Take the copied text and paste it in the rest of the images in your post and update or make each description different if you like.

Step Four: When everything has been updated, click the preview button. Once the preview of your site had loaded, click your Pin It button as if you are going to Pin an image. When the collection of your post images are loaded there should be a description on every image.

Step Five: Now check to be sure the images have the description you entered. This description with your keywords will help your Pinterest and Google SEO.

If you choose you can add your description to the images when uploading to your image library. Another great tip: if you have Yoast SEO plugin installed, you should have a green circle next to the image analysis statement.

Embedding Imaged For Pinterest Sharing: Long Pins get noticed on Pinterest, but I don't like them in my post. So I hide them but they will show as an option for pinning. Let me show you how.

Embedding or hiding pins: Insert your long pin in your post while in the visual mode of your text editor, click on the text tab to switch to text mode. Locate the code for your image and insert the style code directly in front of it. The style code for hiding your image is: <div style="display: none;"> Insert </div> at the end of the image code if your pin image is not the final item in you post so you don't hide the next image of sentence. I generally insert my long pin at the very end of my post. Save everything and click back to the visual mode. Your pin image will be hidden and will only be visible when someone clicks the Pinterest icon. Click to preview changes as you did in step four to be sure your image is there.

I hope you find all of this information valuable and it helps you improve your Pinterest SEO as well as your Google SEO. Click the image below to grab your guide.

Kale & Farro Stuffed Peppers

Celeste 9 Comments

Kale & Farro Stuffed Peppers-Packed full of nutritious farro filled with protein and fiber. Perfect weeknight dinner with a large green salad.

What do you do when you have peppers to use and you don't want to have another stir fry dish?

Stuff them!

I had some peppers in the fridge that needed to be used but I didn't want to make another stir fry dish, so I decided it was time to have stuffed peppers. It had been years since I had eaten stuffed peppers, and back then I was still eating meat, so I always filled them with ground beef.

Now as a meatless eater I had to decide what stuffing to use. Quinoa or couscous would be nice but I decided to use farro because it's a bit heartier with a meaty bite and it's oh-so-delicious and filling.

Sautéed mushrooms onions and garlic seasoned with oregano and thyme, add chopped kale mixed with the farro and you have the perfect stuffing.To be perfectly honest with you the farro stuffing almost didn't make in to the peppers, it's just that good all by itself. Melt some mozzarella cheese on top and you’ll have the most delectable, delicious dish, perfect with a big salad.

Who says you have to have meat filling to make delicious and tasty stuffed peppers? Whole grains are great to use for replacing meat fillings, they’re loaded with protein and fiber.

Pumpkin Apple Cinnamon Granola

Celeste 6 Comments

Pumpkin Apple Cinnamon Granola-Crunchy and delicious flavors of fall, sweetened with maple syrup and packed with nutritious goodness.

I'm so bummed, it still doesn't feel like fall with temps in the 90’s, but I'm not gonna let that stop me from enjoying the flavors of fall. Apples and pumpkins are two of my favorites right now and I put both of them in this super delicious Pumpkin Apple Cinnamon Granola recipe.

I became obsessed with granola when I was in high school and all through college, it was my go-to snack during long hours of studying. It can be eaten so many ways, straight from the container, as a cereal with milk, over yogurt, ice cream or over fruit. Before a workout, after a workout, it's the perfect energy food.

I love that granola can be personalized to your own individual taste and I was craving for that fall feeling, I chose dried apples, walnuts, white raisins and my favorite pumpkin, with those warm pumpkin pie spices.

Unfortunately it still feels like summer where I live. The local weather man predicts cooler temperatures for the weekend, but only in the 70’s. I'm ready for it to be in the 50’s and 60’s, that's when it really feels like fall and I can pull out my boots.

So it may not feel like fall, but it's tasting like fall with this tasty and addicting Pumpkin Apple Cinnamon Granola. The smell of pumpkin throughout the house is so wonderful, puts everyone in the fall mood.

Gluten-Free Pumpkin Apple Crisp

Celeste 17 Comments

Gluten-Free Pumpkin Apple Crisp - Sliced and diced Granny Smith apples tossed in a pumpkin molasses mixture, topped with a lightly sweetened crumb topping. A new take on an old fall classic.

Apple crisp was on my favorite list as a child and we always had it with vanilla ice cream on top. This is a new take on that old classic. In the spirit of the season I added pumpkin in the mix, perfect for Thanksgiving. Another change to the recipe is the use of molasses instead of white or brown sugar.

Let's talk about molasses for a moment. What is molasses exactly?

Molasses is the by product of the sugar cane refining process in which sugar cane is boiled and mashed. There are three types, light molasses is produced after the first boiling, dark after the second, and blackstrap after the third. It's important to note that although molasses is a by product of the refining process for sugar cane it is not a refined product and there are no chemicals added.

Light: Some brands of light molasses have sulphur dioxide added because young sugar cane is used and it requires a preservative. I highly recommend you use one that is unsulphured to avoid any allergic reactions, because some people are allergic to sulphur.
Dark: Produced after the second boiling is dark molasses and because more of the sugar is removed it is less sweet than light molasses. Dark is popular and most commonly used in baking and cooking.
Blackstrap: It's produced after the third boiling and is the least sweet but has the most nutrients and minerals. However, doesn't work well in most recipes, but is a great plant source of iron and sometimes used to treat anemia. It can be used as a remedy for constipation as well. Simply mix 1 to 2 tablespoons in warm water and drink daily. Blackstrap is also high in magnesium and makes a nice deep conditioner for your hair and skin. For a skin treatment simply smooth over face, after 15 minutes or so wash off. To use on your hair mix with warm water to make less thick, massage through your hair, leave on 10 to 15 minutes or longer, then rinse. May darken the color of your hair, even those gray strands.

It's amazing what we can do with what God has given us on this earth. When using molasses as a sweetener if you are one who likes a sweeter taste you may want to use it in combination with maple syrup (50/50 or mixed to your liking) to make your recipe sweeter. That way it will still be free of refined sweeteners.

I still serve mine with a scoop of ice cream, except the ice cream is now dairy free. I like to use So Delicious Dairy Free Cashewmilk Frozen Dessert. And don't you love these cute little apple ramekins, I got them from Crate & Barrel.

f you make this recipe or a version of it, take a picture and share with me on Instagram, tag it #thewholeserving or leave a comment below. I’d love to see or hear about your version of this delicious Gluten-Free Pumpkin Apple Crisp.

Items used to make this delicious recipe.

Gluten-Free Pumpkin Apple Crisp - Sliced and diced Granny Smith apples tossed in a pumpkin molasses mixture, topped with a lightly sweetened crumb topping. A new take on an old fall classic.

Blueberry Glazed Watermelon

Celeste 16 Comments

Summer may be over but there's still summer fruit to enjoy. This Blueberry Glazed Watermelon is a perfect way to enjoy the last fruits of summer.

I walked into the grocery last week and up front and center was a big box of watermelons. Yes, it's officially fall but still warm here in Texas, and I am enjoying the final fruits of summer.

Growing up we would eat cool crisp watermelon with a little sprinkling of salt. I've decided to forgo the salt and drizzle my watermelon slices with a sweet, smooth blueberry glaze instead. I had made the glaze earlier in the week to use over ice cream and decided to give it a try over the watermelon. So delicious!

How could you pass on a snack like this? Not only is it delicious, it's healthy. The blueberries are loaded with fiber, potassium, vitamin C, B6 and it helps lower cholesterol. Watermelon is mostly water but it's filled with vitamin A, B6, C lycopene, antioxidants and amino acids. It's nice when healthy and delicious come together.

Fall and winter is my favorite time of the year, and I'm looking forward to the cooler weather but I'm going to enjoy the sweet fruits of summer until they’re all gone.

Easy Maple Fig Mint Jam

Celeste 16 Comments

Pure deliciousness, this Easy Maple Fig Jam is super easy to make, no need to add pectin. Serve it on toast, over your oatmeal and yogurt or add to your cheese tray.

Growing up I had an aunt who had several fig trees in her yard, once after a visit we came home with big boxes and figs. I wanted nothing to do with them, the only way I ate figs was in fig Newtons.

My mom went crazy making fig jams and preserves and I passed on all of it. I was too young to know what wonderful stuff I was passing up.

My how times have changed. I not only enjoy them in Fig Newtons, but I enjoy fresh figs in salads, on pizza, over my morning oatmeal, and in this delicious Maple Fig Mint Jam. The shelf life of figs are so short, which is why I decided to make this wonderful, easy no pectin needed jam. As it cooks it thickens and becomes a luxuriously decadent jam.

Something that is totally optional is the addition of mint to the jam. I found this freeze-dried mint from Litehouse and I love it. When added to water it instantly rehydrates, it's like using fresh mint. I love using it when I don't have fresh mint on hand.

This delicious summer fruit are not only loaded with flavor, they're loaded health benefits. The natural pectin in figs is a soluble fiber and when this fiber moves through your digestive system it acts like a broom sweeping the excess clumps of cholesterol to remove them from your system. That fiber also helps to rid the body of free radicals and other cancer causing substances in the colon. For women who are post-menopausal with fluctuating hormones, which can affect the immune system and this can affect the ability of antioxidants to fight those ugly free radicals, the high fiber content in figs can help protect against breast cancer. There are so many other benefits to eating figs, check out Organic Facts for more benefits.

Sun Dried Tomato Tapenade

Celeste 12 Comments

This Sun-Dried Tomato Tapenade is filled with nutrients like potassium, iron, thiamine, riboflavin, niacin and cell protecting oleic acid from the olives. Not only is it healthy, it's delicious.

I am a firm believer that food can aid in the healing of our bodies and I'm living proof of that. Over 5 years ago I became a vegetarian, stopped eating meat and started to exercise more regularly. After several weeks some of the chronic health problems I was experiencing started to get better. After several months I was feeling absolutely fantastic, and using my asthma inhaler less and less.

I was given a copy recently of Mark Reinfeld's Healing the Vegan Way, filled with delicious vegan recipes. This book is more than just a cookbook, it's a guide to healing with whole healthy foods.

Mark, the winner of Vegan.com’s Recipe of the Year Award, has more than 20 years experience preparing creative vegan and raw food cuisine. He was the executive chef for the North American Vegetarian Society’s 2012 – 2015 Summerfest, one of the largest vegetarian conferences in the world. His first cookbook, Vegan Fusion World Cuisine, coauthored with Bo Rinaldi and featuring a foreword by Dr. Jane Goodall, has won several national awards, including a Gourmand Award for “Best Vegetarian Cookbook in the USA”.

In addition, Mark coauthored The 30-Minute Vegan, The 30-Minute Vegan’s Taste of the East, and The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Eating Raw. He is the author of The 30-Minute Vegan’s Taste of Europe, and The 30-Minute Vegan’s Soup’s On!. Source

Part one of the book is about how plant-based foods can help prevent as well as heal health challenges. There are also stories of healing from diabetes, high cholesterol, and even slowing of cancer cell growth. Basically part one of the book is a resource guide to a healthy plant-based diet.

I love that the recipes in the book are simple, uncomplicated and delicious. This Sun-Dried Tomato Tapenade is one of my favorites and it takes less than 15 minutes to make. I like to add chopped tomatoes and olives on top for extra flavor and texture.

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Cilantro Chutney With Heirloom Tomato Salad

Celeste 26 Comments

Cilantro Chutney with Heirloom Tomato Salad will amaze your tastebuds. This Cilantro Chutney is a bold and spicy Indian condiment perfect for sandwiches, snacks and so much more. Have fun exploring the possibilities.

I came across this recipe for Cilantro Chutney, also known as Kothmiri Chatni, in the September/October edition of Eating Well. The recipe includes two of my favorite flavors, cilantro and ginger. I've never had those two together before so I was very intrigued and ready to give it a try.

The article in which I found the recipe is about two Texas sisters who grew up in Houston but were raised on their mother’s native cuisine from the Western Indian state Gujarat.

After getting married both learned even more about Indian cuisine from their mother-in-laws, which includes the cuisine of Andhra Pradesh, a town in South India. Foods from this area are spicy hot with lot of garlic and ginger added to the mix. This Cilantro Chutney is spicy and delicious and I've been a bit obsessed with it lately.

This basic Indian condiment is super easy to make. Everything goes into the blender or processor gets mixed and it’s done. I did make a few changes however, instead of peanuts I used cashews because of my daughter’s peanut allergy. I also switched it up with the peppers, using one jalapeño and one fresno instead of Serrano, wanted a heat I could handle.

The final change was the amount of cilantro, I used two bunches instead of one because using one yielded a very thin sauce, too thin for my taste.

What’s nice is you can freeze this sauce and always have it on hand, that’s if you can stop yourself from eating on everything. It’s good with eggs, soups, sandwiches, tortilla chips, salads and the list goes on and on.

It is absolutely amazing on this heirloom tomato salad. I usually sprinkle on balsamic glaze but using the Cilantro Chutney is a nice change. The final crowning touch was a sprinkle of Dukkah, want that recipe go here.

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My Dukkah Recipe with Homemade Herb Bread

Celeste 14 Comments

A delicious, aromatic blend of nuts, seeds and spices. Perfect for snacking or cooking. I served my Dukkah recipe with my Homemade Herb Bread as a bread dip.

You know how you prepare a dish in your head to the point you taste the goodness and your soul is so excited for what’s to come. But then you find that you don't have all the ingredients, such a disappointment.

Well this happened to me the other day. I was so certain I had a container of Dukkah in my fridge, turns out I didn't have any. After dealing with the disappointment I decided to just make the trip to Trader Joe’s, since it's just two minutes around the corner from where I live and all would be fine.

I walked up and down the same aisle several times determined I could find it without having to ask for help. I finally had to ask for help. Guess what, they were out, completely out. I was disappointed but determined. That was the moment I decided to make it myself.

It really is quite simple and actually better because I had all the control over what nuts to use. I decided on hazelnut and almond.

Some of you may be wondering what in the heck is Dukkah? Pronounced Doo-kah.

Dukkah is an Egyptian spice blend made with nuts and spice seeds, used mostly as a bread dip with extra virgin olive oil. There are more versions of Dukkah recipes than I can count, I took the ingredients from the side of the empty Trader Joe's Dukkah container, excluded some added others and played around with the spices to get this blend.

I even split my batch and added dried mint, coconut chips and hemp seeds to the second half to use over cereal and fruit.

There are many ways to use Dukkah and I'm having fun finding those many ways.

Some of those ways are over salads, soups, roasted veggies, eggs, fruit and yogurt to name a few.

By the way the best place to store Dukkah is in the fridge, it helps prevent the nuts and seeds from going rancid. Which is why I store all of my nuts and seeds in my fridge.

It's absolutely amazing and so quick and easy to make. I don't think I’ll be buying again.

I served my Dukkah with slices of herbed bread that I had made earlier and I included the recipe below.

A delicious, aromatic blend of nuts, seeds and spices. Perfect for snacking or cooking.

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Roasted Grapes With Burrata Cheese Toast

Celeste 28 Comments

If you’ve never experienced roasted grapes, OMG, get ready.

Roasting grapes makes the sugar more intense and give them a bold complex flavor that is oh-so-hard to resist. Paired with creamy burrata it's just amazing, a drizzle of agave or honey takes it to a whole new level. Serve this at your next impromptu or planned gathering and prepare for you and your guest to be blown away.

It could not be easier, simply wash the grapes, drizzle with a small amount of olive oil, sprinkle with sea salt if you like, I chose to forgo the salt, and roast. I roasted mine on the vine but you can remove them before roasting if you like. Look at those beauties.

While the grapes are roasting, toast the bread and lightly melt the cheese.

It was so hard not to eat every last one of these before making putting them o the toast. Oh so delicious.

Roasted grapes are so versatile. I've enjoyed them with cheese and wine, in oatmeal, yogurt, on my breakfast toast and spoonfuls all alone, just roasted grapes. So easy, beyond easy.

Organic Papaya Leaf Tea Latte

Celeste 16 Comments

Smooth, creamy and delicious, this Organic Papaya Leaf Tea Latte is a prefect afternoon pick-me-up with amazing health benefits.

This post contains affiliate links. For more information, see my disclosures here.

Food enzymes, yeah we don't think about the much but there are necessary for optimum health.

There are three types, Metabolic, digestive and food.

Metabolic builds blood and tissue and aids cells in the production of energy.

Digestive as you may have guessed by the name helps to break down foods for easier absorption.

Finally there's food enzymes, which comes from you guessed it, our food, fresh foods to be exact. Cooking foods at high temperatures destroys enzymes. That's why it's important to include an abundance of whole fresh foods to our daily diet.

Both metabolic and digestive enzymes are produced within the body. Unfortunately as we age our bodies slow in the production of enzymes which is why it's so important for us to get additional enzymes from whole fresh foods.

Digestive enzymes can also be taken as supplements, which I highly recommend. I generally take a digestive enzyme with my first bite of food to prevent gas and bloating from the healthy complex carbs which are known to be the culprit.

The first time I went shopping for a digestive enzyme supplement I was so overwhelmed by the number of choices. I tried several until I found several that work well for me.

I suggest plant-based enzymes, it's closer to what our bodies produces naturally. Look for supplements that contain the following enzymes:

Protease - helps digest protein
Amylase - helps digest carbohydrates
Lipase - helps digest fats
Cellulase - helps break down insoluble fiber from cellulose

One supplement I've tried recently and really like is Herbal Papaya Green Papaya Supplement. I had heard about the benefits of Papaya products but hadn't given them a try, but I truly like this one. It aids in breaking down protein, fats and carbs.

Some of the other products I've tried is their Organic Papaya Seed Powder, which can be easily added to eggs, smoothies, salads, hot cereal, just about any food.

And finally their Organic Papaya Leaf Teas. In the afternoon I sometimes make myself a latte as a pick-me-up.

A natural energy drink with digestive enzymes. If you want to try some of Herbal Papaya products head on over to their site and use code“BBQPAPAYA” for 10% off your order until August 31st.

If you make this Organic Papaya Leaf Tea Latte or a version of it, take a picture and share with me on Instagram, tag it #thewholeserving or leave a comment below. I’d love to see or hear about your version of an afternoon pick-me-up.

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