Cooking, exotic-style

EASY Blender BBQ Sauce

Loves!! It’s time for some easy, homemade, vegan, healthy blender BBQ sauce!

This week’s recipe is brought to you by one of my dear friends who is also a FANTASTIC nutritionist. Suzanne Pirkle is a gifted female- and you know how I feel about supporting the amazing creative women we have in this world- and she has BLESSED us with a month full of healthy, fun recipes to feed you and your family! So make sure you check out her site for more info!

Starting with this fantastic barbecue sauce. Oh, and you don’t EVEN have to turn on a stove to make it. YOU MAKE IT IN A BLENDER. It’s as simple as pouring your ingredients and blending. Brilliant! Plus, you may already have all of these things on hand! (Especially if you are like me and find that you can put applesauce in pretty much anything to make it taste great).

Why, might you ask, would I make this homemade? One- it tastes amazing. But two- a lot of the barbecue sauces you find in the store have sugar or high fructose corn syrup listed as one of the first ingredients (some even, according to Suzanne, have modified food starch). So this way you can make your own, it’s super simple, and it has all the good stuff in it!

Also- you guys- have you subscribed to the Luv Cooks YouTube channel yet? If you haven’t, you TOTALLY should, so you can stay up to date on all of these fantastic barbecue recipes as they are released! This month we will have a TWO ingredient slow cooker BBQ chicken, plus FIVE different ways you can eat that chicken in a week! So get ready, ’cause it’s going to be a barbecue party around these parts!

EASY Blender Barbecue Sauce (brought to you by Suzanne Pirkle!)

What You Will Need:

1 cup filtered water
6 ounces tomato paste
1/2 cup organic applesauce
3 tablespoons molasses
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon garlic powder
3 tablespoons dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
3 tablespoons olive oil

What You Will Do:

Pour all ingredients into a blender and blend until completely combined. Store in a glass jar in the fridge until ready to heat up and eat!

FAST Sprouted Whole Wheat Tortilla Veggie Pizzas

Y’all- can you BELIEVE it’s almost AUGUST? As in- school is starting in Tennessee, in one week.

So, this month on the blog is all about back-to-school friendly recipes that will be simple, tasty and time-efficient for YOU and for your fam. We are starting things off with sprouted tortilla veggie pizzas, only FIVE INGREDIENTS (or more, depending on what toppings you like!!) needed. Plus, these come together in about 20 minutes total!

So preheat your oven and let’s get ready to make a healthy, whole grain, veggie-tastic, kid-friendly pizza!

FAST Sprouted Whole Wheat Tortilla Veggie Pizza

Store-bought whole wheat sprouted tortillas make a perfect vehicle for your favorite cheese, sauce and veggies. Just top and bake for 10-15 minutes, voila!

What You Will Need:

2 sprouted whole wheat tortillas (I like this brand)
1 teaspoon olive oil
4 tablespoons organic pizza sauce (2 TBL per pizza)
2/3 cup shredded cheese (I like raw, grass-fed cheddar)
Sliced sweet peppers
Fresh basil, for topping

What You Will Do:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Place tortillas on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
Smooth 2 tablespoons pizza sauce on each tortilla, leaving about 1/4 inch of “crust” on your tortilla.
Top each pizza with 1/3 cup cheese; add sliced peppers.
Bake for 10 minutes, or until the edges of your tortillas are nice and golden brown!
Once the pizzas are out of the oven, let cool for a few minutes and serve whole or slice into quarters. Top with fresh basil and enjoy!

Gluten Free Tropical Coconut Whip Ice Cream Sandwiches

Aloha my Luv Cooks lovelies!

I don’t know where you are in your summer vacation status, but for Jake and I it looks a lot like sticking our heads in the freezer to cool off and/or daydreaming about visiting a tropical destination.

This week’s recipe is for YOU if you are short on time but want to create an easy, gluten and dairy free version of one of my favorite summertime treats, gluten tree tropical coconut whip ICE CREAM SANDWICHES! So grab your kids and your fam and eat your way to the tropics!

Gluten Free Coconut Cream Ice Cream Sandwiches

What You Will Need

8 almond flour snickerdoodle cookies (Simple Mills brand is my favorite!)

1/2 cup So Delicious Coco Whip

1/4 cup diced dried pineapple

1/4 cup diced dried mango

1/4 cup dried cranberries (or whatever pink or red-hued dried fruit you like!)

What You Will Do

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Mix together all of the dried fruit in a separate bowl.
Schmear an almond flour cookie with about 2 tablespoons Coco Whip; top with a second cookie and push filling out a bit on the sides.
Roll side of cookies in the dried fruit; place on parchment-lined sheet.
Repeat with all cookies! Freeze for at least 30 minutes to set the “ice cream.” Enjoy!

https://amzn.to/2udJukY

EASY Keto Dark Chocolate Milk with Ashwagandha

Loves!!

I come to you with the perfect chocolate milk recipe for summer. It’s keto, Paleo, vegan, dairy-free AND gluten-free! Plus, it’s KID FRIENDLY if you sub whole milk for the nut milk and extra cinnamon for the Ashwagandha.

All the popular titles could probably really fit in here, but the bottom line is it is super simple, and you can put the milk back in the freezer to enjoy a chocolate slushy dessert later!!

ENJOYYYYYY that frothy goodness!!

Spicy Kimchi Soup with Sweet Potatoes

I have NO shame in confessing my love for kimchi.

This spicy-sweet, Chile-infused Korean nectar of the gods is sooo ahhmazingly delicious (especially when purchased from your local international foods store). In fact, Jake and I have a Korean market down the street from where we live who makes DIVINE kimchi.

Everyone who reads this blog also knows about my deep love and affection for sweet potatoes. Giiirrrlll can I throw down on some sweet potatoes! In fact, when I was a kid I actually turned orange from eating so many sweet potatoes (just call my mom, Nurse Julie, she can tell you alll about it:)

And of course, as a somewhat obsessed food philanthropist, I want all of y’all to enjoy sweet potatoes and kimchi as much as me. So, here we have our spicy sweet potato kimchi stew. Honestly, it’s delicious hot and cold (perfect for this crazy Nashville weather we are having) and 100% amazing on all fronts.

So hang at your house in your PJS and make some soup people! Love y’all!

Spicy Sweet Potato and Cabbage Stew (you can also see the full recipe on Bham mag’s site!)
This veggie-centric stew is perfect for cool April nights, and warm April days. The softened sweet potato adds texture to the rich base of sauteed bell pepper, carrot, onion, and garlic. A bit of kimchi cooked through the stew gives a hit of spice; serve with more alongside for a spicier red chili flavor.

Yield: 8 servings

What You Will Need:

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 cups diced sweet onion
1 1/3 cups diced red bell pepper
2 cups chopped carrot
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons paprika
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
6 cups diced sweet potato
7 cups sliced green cabbage
1/2 cup spicy kimchi (or mild, if you like less heat)
6 cups chicken stock (or veggie stock if you are vegan or vegetarian)
1 (14.5-ounce) can fire roasted tomatoes
3 ounces tomato sauce
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon salt
Green onions, sliced, for topping
Crushed red pepper, for topping

What You Will Do:

Heat olive oil over medium heat in large Dutch oven.
Once hot, add onion, bell pepper, and carrot. Saute until softened, about 5 minutes.
Add garlic; stir frequently for 1 minute.
Add next five ingredients; saute 30 seconds, or until fragrant.
Add sweet potato, cabbage, kimchi, chicken stock, tomatoes, and tomato sauce. Bring to a boil.
Once boiling, reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for 20 minutes, or until potatoes are softened.
Add Worcestershire sauce and salt. Stir until combined.
Serve warm, topped with sliced green onions and red pepper, if desired. Try adding additional kimchi to each bowl for a spicy kick!

Lemon Quinoa Chicken Soup with Greens VIDEO!

It’s time for this week’s-VIDEO! Lemon quinoa chicken soup with greens!!

This is the first video I’ve put out into the Youtube sphere with all of the cooking steps on video- let me know what you think in the comments below! HAPPY WEEKEND!

Holiday arugula salad with candied almonds and orange vinaigrette

It’s that time of the year for……12 Recipes of DECEMBER!

That’s right, I am about to hit your inbox UP with some fantastic recipes to help you feed all of the fabulous people in your life this December holiday season!

And today, on our favorite posting day of the week (ahem, Friday), let’s talk holiday potluck sides. I think a great side dish has several elements- no need for an oven once you arrive at the party (this is precious real estate for your hostess, try not to encroach on that real estate if at all possible!), simple ingredients, and a beautiful presentation (we eat with our eyes first, people!). Oh, and the dish requires absolute deliciousness and for the holidays, that special, sparkly quality. ***cue fake snow here**

Enter the orange and arugula salad! Honestly, the hardest step of this recipe is making the candied almond brittle! But realistically you could do that a day ahead of time and then throw everything together before you walk out of the door. The bright green of the arugula with the beautiful crimson hue of the cranberries and the light, milky ricotta make a beautiful color contrast too.

I dig this recipe for so many reasons that I made it for a holiday potluck we went to a few days ago, and it got a thumbs up at the party, praise!

So without further ado my loves, let’s get to making that salad and on to the party! (I hope you are wearing your jingle bells…)

Arugula and cranberry salad with candied almonds, ricotta, fresh orange and citrus vinaigrette

This zesty citrus salad is sure to brighten up even the most traditional holiday table. The combination of peppery salad greens, orange vinaigrette, creamy ricotta and buttery rich candied almonds is divine! The recipe for candied almonds makes more than enough for the salad, and can also double as almond brittle, a handmade gift in itself.

You can also find this recipe in the December issue of Birmingham magazine!

Yield: 6 servings

For the candied almond brittle:

What You Will Need:

1 1/2 cup raw almonds
1 egg white
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup dark brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup honey
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt

What You Will Do:

Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and spray with cooking spray. Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk egg white and vanilla until frothy.
Stir together brown sugar, honey, cinnamon, and salt in a bowl until combined.
Add sweet mixture back to mixer; mix for about 30 seconds more, or until combined.
Remove bowl from mixer and pour in almonds, stir with a rubber spatula to coat.
Pour covered almonds on parchment-lined sheet.
Bake for 45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes with a rubber spatula to redistribute sugar mixture over almonds.
Once baked and out of the oven, stir almonds once more to distribute sugar coating. Put baking sheet on cooling rack. Let cool completely.
Once cooled, chop almond brittle into bite-size pieces for salad.

For the citrus vinaigrette:

What You Will Need:

3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon fresh orange juice
1/2 tsp dijon mustard
1/2 tsp light brown sugar
¼ to 1/2 tsp salt, to taste
Fresh ground pepper, to taste

What You Will Do:

Whisk together orange juice, mustard, brown sugar, salt and pepper.
In a slow stream, whisk in vegetable oil until combined.
Add additional salt and pepper to taste.

For the salad:

What You Will Need:

5 oz baby arugula
2 to 4 tablespoons ricotta, crumbled
1 naval orange, peeled and sliced (Cara Cara and Blood Oranges would be delicious also)
1/3 cup candied almond brittle, chopped
1/4 cup dried cranberries
Citrus vinaigrette, for dressing

What You Will Do:

Toss all ingredients together except dressing.
Right before serving, toss with citrus vinaigrette.

Butter Coffee Pumpkin Spice Latte

Happy FALL Y’ALL!!

It finally, finally feels that way around Nashville and I couldn’t be happier.

I am also officially 32 years old. Shout out October birthdays!!

And to celebrate all things fall, and my birthday month, I wanted to get the “pumpkin” rolling so to speak and start this month by celebrating one of my favorite ingredients of all time, pumpkin. From chili and ice cream to chocolate and waffles, there is not much that isn’t made better by adding pumpkin.

And one of my all-time favorite combinations (especially this time of year) is COFFEE made with PUMPKIN.

There are probably lots of you reading this thinking, “Umm, isn’t that readily available in a plastic creamer bottle? Or by driving down to my local shop with a green mermaid on the signage? Why on earth would I add it to my actual coffee?”

Because I care about your tastebuds AND your health, that’s why. And it gives me a chance to share another of my favorite treats with you in this fabulous month of October- coffee bombs.

Coffee bombs are a brilliant way to get healthy fats and collagen into your morning routine. Technically, they are “a pre-made Butter Coffee supplement made with organic coconut oil, grass-fed butter, collagen (or hemp) protein + medicinal spices that help stimulate the mind and jumpstart the metabolism.” In my world, they are delicious. Sarah and her business partner Nicole have figured out a way to take your morning coffee (or tea or hot water) to a fabulous nutritional level. And I promise you, try these once and see how amazing they make you feel!

And the Vanilla Thunder coffee bombs make the Luv Cooks version of the pumpkin spice latte even tastier. Just brew some hot, darker roast coffee (I’ve heard this is amazing), add a Vanilla Thunder coffee bomb, pumpkin puree, a little bit of almond coconut milk and a teaspoon or two of organic maple syrup. Top with cinnamon and/or nutmeg and VOILA. Pumpkin coffee heaven.

And to top it ALL OFF (even better than the whipped cream on top of those other pumpkin coffees), Ladybird Provisions, the maker of one of the coffee bombs, is now shipping nationwide!

As in, you can have coffee bombs delivered to your door every. single. month. And they come in super cute packaging with easy trays that hold each coffee bomb in your fridge!

I seriously love this product so much.

Alright y’all, here’s to a fall full of health, happiness, coffee bombs, and pumpkin everything.

Butter Coffee Pumpkin Spice Latte

Creating a healthy pumpkin spice latte at home is as easy as dark roast coffee + coffee bomb + pumpkin + spices. Trust me, your early morning brain will thank you!

What You Will Need:

8 ounces dark roasted coffee, fresh and hot
1 Vanilla Thunder coffee bomb
2 ounces unsweetened almond coconut milk (or milk of choice)
1-2 tsp organic maple syrup, depending on taste preference
1 tablespoon pumpkin puree (not pie filling)
1/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon plus more for topping
whole nutmeg, for grating and topping (optional)

What You Will Do:

Put all ingredients (except nutmeg) into a blender and blend until frothy.
Top just a bit of freshly grated nutmeg (just a little bit goes a long way) and/or cinnamon if desired.
ENJOY!!

Cauliflower Recipe Shenanigans with Sarah Patton of Creative Souls Tribe

Lovelies!

Have I got a treat for you. This week’s post is SUPER SPECIAL because it features the incredible, hilarious, most joyful human being I know, Sarah Patton!! Sarah is the founder of Creative Souls Tribe, a tribe of women that exists as “a community that inspires, equips and challenges women to live above mediocrity.”

From social events to weekly encouraging blog posts to their first ever conference November 11, Creative Souls is a welcome respite for women who want to be the very best version of themselves AND value community over competition. Seriously, just check out their values on their About page for a healthy dose of inspiration!

I love this SO MUCH!

In honor of our recent LC focus on cauliflower, this week Sarah and I take on my crazy internet list of cauliflower recipes. Warning: be prepared to laugh uncontrollably over **cauliflower buns.**

AND for those recipes Sarah and I gave a 100% thumbs up to, here are those links below!!

Cauliflower Kedgeree by Fresh Planet Flavor **hint, it involves British Indian food**

Chocolate Cauliflower Cake with Salted Cinnamon Caramel Icing by Veggie Desserts

Also check out our Luv Cooks Cauliflower brownies

Cauliflower protein bread by Chocolate Chili Mango

Bacon Burger Cauliflower Rice Casserole by Beauty and the Foodie

Cheesy Cauliflower Breadsticks by Jo Cooks

For more on Creative Souls tribe, and Sarah, you can check them out on their site here and their Instagram account @creativesoulstribe !

Happy weekend everyone!

The Craziest Fall Cauliflower Recipes from the Internet

Lee from America‘s mint chocolate chip cauliflower smoothie bowl!

So, you think you know cauliflower?

I thought I did too. I mean, we posted some pretty great recipes this month-from vegan cauliflower tacos to dark chocolate cauliflower brownies!

But y’all- I scoured the internet for this month’s recipe round up and was BLOWN AWAY by the creativity of all of these fabulous food bloggers below! Check out some of the most fun recipes I found:

Cauliflower Blueberry Smoothie by Lee From America

Pork Scratching Cauliflower Nuggets by Eighty 20 Nutrition

Cauliflower Kedgeree by Fresh Planet Flavor **hint, it involves Indian food**

Mashed Cauliflower Breakfast Bowl by Grass Fed Salsa

Chocolate Cauliflower Cake with Salted Cinnamon Caramel Icing by Veggie Desserts

Cinnamon Caramelized Cauliflower by The Full Helping

Vegan Chocolate Buttercream (made with cauliflower!!) by 84th and 3rd

Here’s to a weekend full of cauliflower craziness. Let me know if you try one of these recipes in the comments below!