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Decadent Dairy-Free Hot Chocolate

Cozy up with a cup of Decadent Dairy-Free Hot Chocolate topped with creamy coconut cream and toasted coconut.

There is nothing like cozying up on the couch with a cup of silky smooth, creamy, decadent hot chocolate when it's cold out. But lately it's felt more like summer here in Texas with temperatures near 80. So I bump the AC temp down just a notch, grab a blanket, a spot on the couch and watch Christmas movies while sipping hot chocolate.

That's hot chocolate, not hot cocoa, there is a difference you know. Hot chocolate is solid bits of chocolate melted with warm milk while hot cocoa is dry cocoa powder mixed with warm milk. Both are delicious, but to me there is something extra special about the silky texture of warm melted chocolate mixed with smooth creamy milk, dairy-free for me.

I'm a dairy-free milk girl so for this recipe I am using one of the Almond Breeze blends, Almond/Coconut and it's topped off with coconut cream and toasted coconut. Warning this is a very decadent recipe, adding extra milk will make it less rich.

It's so simple, just warm your milk, add chocolate and stir. When the chocolate is all melted pour in a mug and top with whipped coconut cream and toasted coconut.

Not into coconut? Choose another blend, in fact Almond Breeze has a brand new blend of Almondmilk and Cashewmilk. You can top it off with shaved chocolate, caramel sauce, crushed peppermint candy, pumpkin spice or the good old traditional marshmallows the list is endless. Have fun with it!

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Make this and you'll be crowned Hot Chocolate Queen or King.

I blended my AlmondBreeze with chocolate, what will you blend with yours? To celebrate their newest blend AlmondBreeze is giving away a kitchen prize pack. Visit AlmondBreezeBlendabilities.com and submit what you will make with their newest blend for a chance to win.

This post is sponsored by Almond Breeze Almondmilk. Enter for a chance to win the Ultimate Kitchen Prize Pack, get great savings and ideas for delicious Blendabilities at AlmondBreezeBlendabilities.com.

Linked to the following: Costal Charm Show and Share Link Party, Lou Lou Girls Fabulous Link Party, Home Stories A to Z, Oh My Hearts Girl Wordless Wednesday, The Melrose Family Whimsy Wednesday Link Party

Chopped Kale Salad

Celeste 20 Comments

Recharge and power up with this nutrient packed Chopped Kale Salad. It's a perfect stand alone meal or side salad.

Hi everyone, I hope you all had a Happy Thanksgiving Weekend!

Did you eat lots of food? Watch any football? Do any shopping?

I ate lots of food, watched football, but when it was obvious to me my team wasn't going to win, I did some shopping on-line. Unfortunately for me some of the items I wanted weren't available on-line, but were available in the store. So my daughter and I went out in the pouring rain to Target and Old Navy to do some in store shopping. It was a bit crowded but I was able to get in and get out with everything I wanted.

After shopping and a bit of overindulging in some desserts I decided to go for something lighter like this Chopped Kale Salad. There's nothing like a good clean salad after a little overindulgence, don't you think?

I made a big bowl of this good stuff and grazed on it throughout the day. I simply mixed in some ingredients I had in the fridge. Chickpeas and pecans were added to make it a hearty salad that can be eaten alone as a meal. Dried cranberries I added because I love cranberries on any salad. Stored in an airtight container in the fridge this salad stays crisp and fresh, simply drizzle on the dressing before serving.

Enjoy this salad as a meal, a side to sandwiches, or as a topping for other veggies, like I did with my sweet potato.

Now lets talk about the dressing, it's an adapted version of No Honey Mustard Sauce from Minimalist Baker. Honey mustard is a staple in my house, but I couldn't find a good vegan version, until I tried Dana's version from Minimalist Baker. She nailed it, my daughter who is the honey mustard Queen and eats honey mustard on her fries, burgers, nuggets on everything, loves it.

Super easy, super delicious this salad will give you all the energy you need to keep moving. Go ahead, enjoy your family, friends, shopping, football games, Hallmark and Lifetime Christmas movies and this awesome salad and have yourself a wonderful holiday shopping season.

Linked with: Ducks'n a Row Wonderful Wednesday Link Party, Urban Naturale Healthy, Green and Natural Link Party, View From In here #WAYWOW Link Party

Slow-Cooked Cran-Blueberry Sauce

Celeste 1 Comment

Super simple and delicious, this Slow-Cooked Cran-Blueberry Sauce may just be upgraded from a side dish to a star dish.

Bowl of cran-blueberry sauce with a bowl of stuffing and flatware in the background, and a small plate of stuffing with some cran-blueberry sauce spooned over the stuffing.

Happy Tuesday All!

I hope everyone is having a wonderful Thanksgiving week, I'm looking forward to spending some much-needed time with extended family and friends.

Today I'm here with a quick post to share a super-simple slow-cooked cranberry and blueberry sauce. If you have never made cranberry sauce using fresh cranberries, you have to give this a try.

Growing up we always had jelled cranberry sauce from a can. But after making fresh sauce many years ago, I haven't reached for the can, only bags of fresh cranberries and this year I added blueberries.

Super simple and delicious, this Slow-Cooked Cran-Blueberry Sauce may just be upgraded from side dish to star dish.

What's nice about using the slow-cooker is it gives you time to do other things on your getting ready for Thanksgiving to-do list. This will hands down be the easiest dish on the menu. Place everything in the cooker and it will do its thing.

Simple and easy right? I told you so, now go make some and have yourself a Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Pumpkin Apple Tart

Celeste 4 Comments

Pumpkin and Apple, together they are better and simply delicious. This Pumpkin Apple Tart just may be a favorite for your family.

Pumpkin and Apple, together thay are better and simply delicious. It just may be a favorite for your family.

I love apples and I love pumpkins, and together I love them more!

Make this one for all of your vegan family and friends you have coming for Thanksgiving or make and take if you're vegan so you'll be sure there will be dessert for you.

Not only is this vegan, it's gluten-free and easy, let me repeat, easy to make.

My sister-in-law mentioned that she may be gluten intolerant because she has been having problems when consuming some grains. So I thought I would make a gluten-free dessert. This is my first gluten-free crust ever and I'm quite surprised at how well it turned out.

I used Bob's Red Mills Gluten-Free 1:1 Baking Flour, no this is not a sponsored post, I'm just sharing an awesome product that makes baking gluten-free so much easier. No need to mix this and that, it's done for you.

My first go with this yielded a down right crumbly crust mess. I played with the ingredients and I had the flakey crust I wanted. This crust recipe will give you enough to make two 9-inch tarts or one 9-inch tart and 4 to 6 small 4-inch tarts or 10 to 12 small 4-inch tarts, your choice.

My first go round I mixed everything by hand, but the second time I used my handy-dandy food processor. When it's time to press the dough out in the tart pan if you have small children this would be a great time to include them. It'll be like playing with playdough.

After tossing the sliced apples with sugar and pumpkin pie spice, simply arrange the apple slices in the tart shell, spread the pumpkin mixture and bake. My first time making this I used tapioca starch as the thickener and it was too slimy, so I switched to arrowroot, much, much better.

This is a simple and easy recipe, the hardest part is waiting for the tart to cool before devouring these scrumptious desserts.

Happy Baking and Happy Thanksgiving!

Pumpkin Cake With Pumpkin Spice Glaze

Celeste 9 Comments

Serve them cake, Pumpkin Cake with Pumpkin Spice Glaze. It's sweet, moist, decadent and oh so easy to make.

Can you believe there are only 15 days until Thanksgiving, and the mad rush for holiday shopping? I think this year I'll skip the madness and do most of my shopping on-line. I just want to chill and enjoy friends and family.

I've been giving some thought to what desserts I'll make this year, in addition to the traditional pumpkin pie I've decided to try making pumpkin cake. I have never made a plain pumpkin cake before. I've made desserts with pumpkin in them, but never a plain and simple pumpkin cake.

After several tries I nailed it!!!

Sweet, moist, delicious Pumpkin Cake with the most decadent glaze. I took some to my staff at my center and they all confirmed its deliciousness.

The glaze gives this cake an extra layer of moistness as soaks into the cake. However, if you like you can make it thicker and less of it will be absorbed into the cake.

This cake will be one of the vegan dessert options, but based on my staffs reaction non-vegans may not leave any for the vegans in the group. Just look at the deliciousness. You know you want some, it's lick your lips delicious.

Sweet Potato Lentil Stew

Celeste 20 Comments

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

Sweet Potato, lentils, and MorningStar Farms meal starters crumbles make this stew perfect for those cold weather days.

The weather here in Texas is getting cooler and closer to the time when I can put on a pair of boots and wrap a scarf around my neck and not feel the need to peel it all off by the late afternoon. I'm looking forward to sipping hot tea in the afternoons and snuggling up on the couch in front of a cozy fire with a big bowl of hearty stew for dinner.

This Sweet Potato Lentil stew is true comfort food that screams Fall!!!

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Savory Carrot Muffins

Celeste 6 Comments

Savory Carrot Muffins, tender, slightly sweet, and simply delicious. A perfect companion to a bowl of soup.

I absolutely love Carrot Cake muffins, but this time around I'm sharing Savory Carrot Corn Muffins, yes I went in the opposite direction from sweet to savory. I used the basic recipe my Mom always used when I was a child to make cornbread, but I've replaced the eggs with carbonated water and added shredded carrots.

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Buckwheat Pumpkin Clusters

Celeste 12 Comments

Sweet and crispy Buckwheat Pumpkin Clusters a perfect anytime snack.

You know when you're munching on food and you tell yourself "just one more bite", but before you know it you've eaten the entire thing. Well let me warn you, these Buckwheat Pumpkin Clusters will be that kind of food.

Buckwheat, yes it's more than just a stuffing for pillows. We started eating buckwheat about 5 years ago, we use it in cereals, salads and my daughter loves eating it by the handfuls even though it has very little flavor. She says it's like

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How To Make Pumpkin Pie Spice and Pumpkin Puree

Celeste 2 Comments

Let the Fall baking begin, save money and make your own Pumpkin Pie Spice and Pumpkin Puree.

Pumpkin pancakes, cookies, pies and lattes, all good reasons to have pumpkin pie spice available. This year why not make my own, if you're like me you probably have all of the ingredients in your pantry. I'll admit my spice and herb shelf overflows with a ridiculous amount of items I had completely forgotten. I finally buckled down and reorganized my stash of herbs and spices, no more falling in my face spice jars when I open the pantry.

As I organized I realized I didn't need to purchase a lot of these spices and herbs. That's when I decided to make my own pumpkin pie spice, I had all the ingredients.

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Blueberry Breakfast Bread

Celeste 12 Comments

Quick, simple, moist and delicious Blueberry Breakfast Bread, but it's not just for breakfast it's perfect anytime of the day.

It's September and that means it's the end of blueberry season.

Blueberries are tasty and super good for our bodies. They're loaded with antioxidants, help reduce DNA damage, which may just help against ageing and cancer, may lower blood pressure and fight against heart disease, improve brain function and memory, and they may help reduce muscle soreness after strenuous exercise. For more information on the benefits of blueberries check out Authority Nutrition.

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Napa Summer Salad

Celeste 14 Comments

Crisp, sweet and savory all together in one delicious salad. Fresh fruits from the summer, use your seasonal fruits before they're gone.

It's hard to believe summer is almost over, it happened so fast!

Truth be told, I'm happy to be entering the last 4 months of the year, it's my favorite time of the year.

Cooler temperatures, holiday cooking and spending more time with family and friends.

I hope you've been eating lots of good summer foods. I personally have been eating lots of salad, "Summer Salads", salads loaded with fresh fruits of the summer. There's nothing better than a chop, mix and eat salad, no need to turn on the oven, just simple, quick and delicious!

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Black and White Strawberry Lemon Cake

Celeste 19 Comments

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

Life's a celebration and for the rest of the year there are celebrations every month. August 29-nephew's Birthday, September 7- Labor Day, September 16-brother's Birthday, September 28-brother's Wedding Aniversary, September 29-my Birthday, October 29-daughter's Birthday, November 26-big sister's Birthday and Thanksgiving Day, December 23-Parents 61st Wedding Aniversary and December 25-Christmas Day. Wow, what a list, that's a lot of celebrating and this Black & White Strawberry Lemon Cake can add some "Happy" to just about any celebration.

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Grilled Tofu Wraps

Celeste 12 Comments

Crispy grilled on the outside and tender on the inside, these Grilled Tofu Wraps will blow you away served with a bold sesame mustard dipping sauce.

It's been a few days since my last post, it's Back to School, and that's a super busy time for me at work. But I'm back today with a recipe inspired from a recent shopping trip to Whole Foods Market. I was there picking up ingredients for blog recipes, as I about to leave I decided to get a custom made to order wrap from their sandwich bar.

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Fruity Spinach & Arugula Salad

Celeste 9 Comments

Sweet, tart and crisp are words I would use to describe this salad. Sweet juicy nectarines and tart cherries, what a combination for this Fruity Spinach & Arugula salad. This salad was created out of a need to use some ripe cherries and nectarines before they were past their prime.

This might possibly be one of the quickest salads I've made, ever!

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Kale Corn Relish Salad

Celeste 15 Comments

Crisp, creamy, delicious powerhouse salad, this Kale Corn Relish Salad is perfect for lunch or dinner.

Powerhouse veggie, Star of the party!

This salad served as a dip and was the star of the party. I am lover of all things kale, I start everyday with a green smoothie that always includes kale, but not everyone loves kale as much as I do, so I wasn't sure if this dish would be a hit. My thought was if it wasn't there would be more for me. Turns out everyone loved it, even the children, oh how I love it when the little ones eat their veggies and love them.

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Spinach Garlic & Herb Spread

Celeste 6 Comments

Sometimes making a complete meal is just to exhausting and all I want to do is just eat.

So lately I buy and prep - simply wash, chop and package my fresh fruits and veggies, so when I'm ready, it's ready. Having the healthier options prepped makes it so much easier to stay on track.

I've also added a new cracker to my snack list, Blue Diamond Artisan Nut Thins, they are so addicting. These wheat and gluten-free crackers come in sesame seeds, multi-seeds, asiago cheese, chia seeds and flax seeds, they go well with almost everything, especially Spinach Garlic & Herb spread. They also have 400mg of ALA omega-3 and 21 grams of whole grain.

The vegetarian version of this spread is made with Parmesan.

The vegan version has a bold nutty flavor, compliments of nutritional yeast. I added in spinach to bump up the nutritional value, but you can easily switch it for kale, chard or a mix of all three.

These spreads will satisfy the vegetarians, vegans and those in between. It's a must add to your snack list, also makes a great spread for sandwiches and wraps.

If you make these dips or try these crackers please let me know what you think, I'd like to know.

This post was sponsored by Blue Diamond Nut Thins.

Shared with: Lou Lou Girls-Fabulous Party

Strawberry & Chocolate Chia Smoothie

Celeste 10 Comments

Chocolate for breakfast, yum.

What, you don't eat chocolate for breakfast? Well, after trying this Strawberry & Chocolate Chia smoothie, you may want to have it for breakfast everyday, it's quick, simple and "Easy as Breeze" to make.

I was first introduced to chia seeds about 5 years ago while training for my first half-marathon. Athletes, especially runners use Chia seeds to help prolong hydration and help retain electrolytes as well as endurance. While training I included them in my morning and after workout smoothies. My half-marathon was a fall event so most of my training was during the hot Texas summer, so I really needed to stay hydrated.

I wanted to learn more about the small but mighty chia seed and here's a bit of what I found.

15 to 20 grams (2 to 3 tablespoons) of Chia a day will provide you with all the omega-3 your body needs. Reference:Dr. Wayne Coates-AZChia.com

Increased and sustained energy levels, mental clarity, stable blood sugar levels, bone health, increased fiber intake, weight management and healthy hair, skin and nails, these are just a few of the benefits you may have if you include Chia seeds to your daily diet.

Chia seeds are tiny black & white seeds that used to be a staple food in Aztec and Mayan times. Chia's are nutrient dense, 20% omega-3, high in vitamins and minerals (calcium, potassium & magnesium), 20% protein, high in antioxidants, 37% dietary fiber and it's a gluten-free whole grain, which has little flavor.

You can eat them dry, which is the way my daughter likes them or they can be soaked before consuming. Chia seeds can absorb up to 10 -12 times it's weight in liquid. One teaspoon of Chia seeds will make approximately ten teaspoons of Chia gel. There is no other grain that compares to the Chia seed.

Because chia is easy to digest and digest slowly they are great in stabilizing blood sugar levels, which is helpful for people with type-2 diabetes.

Chia may be a benefit in improving cardiovascular health because of is omega-3 to omega-6 ratio. It benefits brain, neurological function and arthritic conditions.

They also have high levels of calcium, making it great for bone health. One tablespoon of Chia seeds contain as much calcium as two glasses of milk.

There you have it, a boat load of information about chia seeds, now on to the recipe.

I usually start with plain unsweetened almond milk, but with this recipe I started with chocolate Blue Diamond Almond Breeze, smooth and creamy perfection!

I've been loving strawberries lately, and since I think chocolate and strawberries are great together, I put them together in this smoothie. During the hot summer months I freeze fresh fruits for quick cool me down, "Easy as Breeze" smoothies.

Guilt-free delectable goodness!!!!

"This "Easy as Breeze" post is sponsored by Almond Breeze Almondmilk. For more "Easy As Breeze” recipes made with five ingredients or less, visit Almond Breeze on Facebook (http://facebook.com/almondbreeze), Twitter (http://twitter.com/almondbreeze), Instagram (http://instagrram.com/almondbreezeus) and Pinterest (http://pinterest.com/almondbreeze)."

Chili Chocolate Bark

Celeste 12 Comments

Superfood, Super Delicious, Chili Chocolate Bark!

It's so amazingly yummy, you may lose your self-control.

Smooth dark chocolate with a crunch of cashew, dried coconut and a hint of heat from hot chili oil, every bite will leave you wanting more.

I'm not a big candy bar eater, but I love making batches of bark because I control the ingredients. I usually make a double batch and freeze half, if I lose control, there's always more.

That's what great about bark, other than the fact that it's delicious, it's fast and easy to make.

As far as candy goes, I like to think of this as a much healthier version of candy.

Dark chocolate...good for your heart.

Coconut...speeds metabolism, high in fiber and improves digestion.

Cashews...lower in fat than most other nuts and high in proanthocyanidins, a flavanol which help keep cancer cells from dividing.

This bark is a melt in your mouth slab of deliciousness with just a touch of heat from the addition of hot chili oil.

Hot chili oil... anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties.

The heat in this bark is subtle and warms a bit after swallowed. You may just need to make more than one batch, one to share and one just for yourself.

This post was shared with: Pint Sized Baker-Two Cup Tuesday, Lou Lou Girls-Fabulous Party, Marilyn's Treats-Wake Up Wednesday, My Rays Of Sunshine-Wine'd Down Wednesday

Cinnamon Sugar Donut Muffins

Celeste 4 Comments

Pin-to-Plate

Recipes I've Pinned, finally making it to my plate-Cinnamon Sugar Donut Muffins

You know how we Pin, Pin, Pin to our Pinterest boards, how many of those recipes do you actually go back and make?

I finally succumbed to the daily nagging from my daughter and made a batch of these Cinnamon Sugar Donut Muffins. Wow, they're definitely on the "Must Make" list of Pinterest recipes, plus they're easy to make. I pinned them from Texanerin Baking, a blog I've been following for quite some time, check her out.

Not only are they easy, they're quick, moist, tender and egg free, you'll never miss them.

I followed the recipe for the most part, but I did however, omitted the step of dipping the muffin into melted vegan butter before dipping into the cinnamon sugar, just didn't want to add any extra calories. Dipping them in the butter before the sugar will get more sugar on your muffins, but dipping the muffins in the sugar while they are still warm worked for me.

Enjoy them with a glass of almond, cashew or any milk of your choice, a cup of tea or coffee. But let me warn you, it's hard to eat just one or two or three or four.

It's a big hit with my family, I made a second batch using my donut pan.

If you make this please share your experience with a comment below and share a picture on Instagram with the hashtag #thewholeserving, I'd love to see your version!

Shared with: Peek Into My Paradise-Tickle My Tastebuds Link Party#59

Soba Noodle Soup

Celeste 10 Comments

Several years ago a friend took me to this quaint authentic Vietnamese restaurant, Pho Mac. and I fell in love with their noodle soup. It was my first time experiencing the herb combination of mint, cilantro, basil and flat leaf parsley, such a fresh combo. But that's not all, the soup was topped with crunchy bean sprouts and jalapeno, that did it for me, whenever I go there I always get that soup.

So this dish is inspired by that soup.

The difference between their soup and my version is the addition of carrots, parsnips and toasted sesame oil.

The restaurant version of the soup was served with a spicy sweet sauce, so I created my version as well. A combination of tamari, agave, sesame oil, ginger, garlic and hot chili oil served alongside sriracha sauce.The perfect balance of heat and sweet.

I kept this version pretty simple, but you can easily add sliced mushrooms, bok choy or any other vegetable you choose.

This protein, power-packed soup will fill you and thrill you!

If you make this please share your experience with a comment below and share a picture on Instagram with the hashtag #thewholeserving, I'd love to see your version!

Shared with: Marilyn's Treats-Anything Goes, Lou Lou Girls-Fabulous Party #65

Cinnamon French Toast

Celeste Leave a Comment

Lazy Saturday mornings are perfect for making french toast, and this version is much healthier than the version I ate as a child. This is just one of the many healthy delicious recipes you will find in Dreena Burton's new book.

Dreena proves that a plant-based diet can be both easy and delicious, with over 100 recipes tested by her children, making this book kid-terrific.

Plant-Powered Families is more than a cookbook, it's a resource for hearty, wholesome plant-based healthy living. I love how Dreena not only shares great recipes, but she gives tips on prepping your kitchen for a Plant-Powered life.

She also shares her story of how she transformed her life and health with a plant-based diet.

Today I'm sharing Dreena's Cinnamon French Toast, one of many awesome recipes you'll find in her new cookbook, it was a huge hit in my house.

Another thing she does well in this book is provide ingredient options, which I used when making this recipe. Silly me, I forgot to soak the cashews so I used hemp seed instead, per her suggestion for a nut free option.

You don't have to be vegan, just a lover of good food and good health!

Enter for a chance to win a copy of Dreena's New Cookbook!

a Rafflecopter giveawayA sneak peek of recipes you'll find in Plant-Powered Families.

Disclaimer: I was given this book to review, the thoughts and opinions are my own,

For more Plant-Based cookbooks, check these out!

Love Fed, by Christina Ross (March 2015)
PlantPure Nation Cookbook, by Kim Campbell (March 2015)
Happy Herbivore Guide to Plant-Based Living, by Lindsay S. Nixon (May 2015)
China Study Quick & Easy Cookbook, by Del Sroufe (May 2015)

Bold Sriracha Protein Bars

Celeste 6 Comments

I got hooked on protein bars about four yeas ago, when I was training for my first half-marathon, they served as post workout fuel and breakfast on the days I did my training runs before work and didn't have time for a prepared breakfast. Not much has changed, I still love them, except now I'm making them more often at home rather than forking out $2 or more dollars per bar.

Don't get me wrong, I still buy them every now and then, but making them is so easy, and these are OMG good.

I like to put a mix of nuts, seeds and dried fruits.

There are many recipes for protein bars, bake and no-bake, this recipe is no-bake, no need to heat your oven.

There's another twist to this recipe, I used Blue Diamond Almonds Bold Sriracha, a flavor from their bold line of products, this one is my favorite.

I used brown rice syrup and agave to bind everything together. My first go round making this, I used the brown rice syrup cold, it was a flop, literally a flop, it didn't hold the ingredients together and it wasn't easy to mix.

But still tasty.

The key is heat, when heated brown rice syrup thins and makes the mixing easier and as it cool it becomes hard, binding everything together.

Spicy, salty and sweet!

Make them for pre-workout, post-workout, or an on-the-go breakfast or snack.

This post is sponsored by Blue Diamond Almonds. Opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands who support The Whole Serving.

Cranberry Chickpea Salad Sandwich

Celeste 6 Comments

Happy What I Ate Wednesday, I hope everyone's week is fun and productive.

For me it's all things Summer.

With summer in full swing at the Early Learning Center, I need all the energy I can get.

I started my day as usual with a warm cup of lemon water (not pictured), and later I filled myself with a Carrot Flax Seed Smoothie, and it fueled my morning.

Summer for me means lots of field trips, so after a morning field trip, I was ready for lunch.

Cranberry Chickpea Salad Sandwich and fruit.

I'm not sure why I haven't tried this before, finally gave it a try and I'm so in love with Mashed Chickpea Salad.

Years ago when I first tried chickpeas, I didn't like them so much, I think it was the way it was prepared that turned me off, just plain chickpeas.

Most may think of hummus when they hear the word chickpea, but chickpeas are more than hummus. Lately I've been experimenting more with the mighty chickpea and the many ways they can be used and there are some tasty ones.

Mashed Chickpea Salad has got to be one of the easiest recipes, loaded with flavor, nutrition and it's super filling.

Mashed Chickpea Salads are so versatile, you can mix in whatever floats your boat. I like cranberries in any salad, so I had to put it in this one, along with celery, pecans and capers, yummy, yummy texture.

The binder was a bit of my homemade Vegan Mayo.

I finished it all off with some of my favorite sandwich toppings, lettuce, tomatoes, red onions and sliced avocado.

A wonderful, lunch.

Late in the afternoon, snack was this delicious parfait I made using So Delicious Greek Style yogurt, sweet fresh strawberries and granola.

For dinner I gave Beyond Meat Chicken-Free strips a try, paired with a mix of brown, red and black sprouted rice and salad., Loved it!

Have yourself a Wonderful What I Ate Wednesday and enjoy your eats.

Vegetarian Taco Soup

Celeste 22 Comments

OK, so we are two weeks away from summer and it's not what most would call soup weather, but I can eat a good bowl of soup any time of the year.

This soup, it's one of my all-time favorite soups.

If it looks familiar, it's because I shared it back in February over at "This Silly Girl's Life", where I'm a monthly contributor.

I've tweaked it a bit, so I'm sharing the tweaked version.

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