When it comes to healthy snacks I love hummus not only is it the perfect dip but it's delicious in sandwiches and wraps and a variety of other recipes so today I've partnered with Vitamix to show you how easy it is to make your own homemade hummus so that you never have to buy it from the store again.

Ingredients:

Let's dive in I make this hummus from canned organic chickpeas as it's faster but if you'd like to soak fresh chickpeas overnight that's fine as well the important thing is to strain the chickpeas and keep the leftover liquid which is also known as aqua fava because we'll use that again in a little bit so add both cans of chickpeas to your blender along with 1/2 a cup of tahini if you've never used tahini before it's simply ground sesame seeds but it adds that wonderful creamy and nutty flavor to hummus.

Cooking Directions:

After that you'll add the juice of 2 fresh lemons and I just squeezed these through my hands to catch the seeds when it comes to adding garlic I find that two cloves gives you your basic hummus flavor but if you'd like a more garlicky hummus of course feel free to add more and the great thing is you don't have to mince the cloves just peel them and toss them in the blender next you'll add a quarter cup of olive oil a teaspoon of cumin and a pinch or two of kosher salt lastly add some of that reserved aqua fava I start with a third of a cup but if you'd like a thinner consistency feel free to add more than blend it all together and use the tamper to push the hummus into the blades just as you would in making a nut butter about 30 seconds.

later you'll have super smooth and creamy hummus place a few spoonful’s of the hummus onto a plate and use the back of your spoon to create a little swoosh or well in the hummus then drizzle a little olive oil and sprinkle paprika and fresh parsley after you taste this I think you'll agree that it's the most delicious hummus and one that I'm sure you'll make again and again.

We're getting back to basics today with a new nut milk recipe, and that's almond milk. Many of you have been requesting this recipe for months, so I'm excited to show you just how easy it is to make almond milk at home. When it comes to nut milk, I'm personally a fan of my homemade cashew milk recipe and I've shown you how to make that before.

Ingredients:

I also understand that some may have a sensitivity to cashews or depend on where you live in the world, cashews may be more expensive or harder to find. Almonds, on the other hand, are readily available, cost-effective, and this nut milk is just as easy to make. There's only one slight difference, and that's that you have to strain it. The benefits of making almond milk at home are that you won't have any unnecessary fillers, gums, chemicals, or other nasties and you can control the amount of sweetness that you'd like in your almond milk.

Cooking Directions:

So, let me show you how to make it. We'll start with one cup of raw almonds. And make sure that you are using raw almonds and not roasted or salted almonds as those would leave your almond milk with an oily or salty flavor. Add the almonds to a glass bowl or storage container and cover them with water. Then give them a quick stir to make sure that they're all submerged, add a lid, and let these soak overnight. The next day, you'll see that the water looks quite murky and the almonds have plumped a little. Drain the almonds and give them a rinse and then add them to your Vitamix. You'll see in just a second how quickly the Vitamix can turn almonds into creamy almond milk with its powerful motor and hardened steel blades. And I'm happy to partner with Vitamix on today's video.

To the almonds, we'll add four cups of filtered water, a pinch of sea salt, and if you'd like, a sweetener of your choice. I'm adding two pitted dates today, but honey, maple syrup, stevia, or monk fruit all work as well. And if you'd like a vanilla flavor, just add one teaspoon of vanilla extract. Add the lid to your Vitamix, turn it on high, and let it blend for one minute. To strain the almond milk, use a nut milk bag or a few layers of cheesecloth. And as I've mentioned before, I like to use my nut milk bags inside out so that food particles don't get stuck in the seams and they're easier to wash. Gently squeeze out all of the almond milk and you'll be left with almond pulp in the bag. You can discard this or dry it and use it in future recipes.

And I give a few ideas on the full recipe post on my website. Pour the almond milk into a storage container. And I recommend this Weick juice jar as it's a perfect fit for one batch of almond milk. I also recommend straining into a large measuring bowl with a pour spout like this one as it makes transferring to the juice jar a lot less messy. And I'll link both of these items below. Then, all that's left to do is refrigerate your almond milk until it's nice and cold, and enjoy. 

Hey guys I've previously talked about my love for salmon and today I'm sharing a recipe that's so incredibly easy it only takes about 20 minutes to make and it's bursting with flavor and that's my Dijon baked salmon now because this recipe is so easy that also means that this is going to be a quick recipe but do stay until the end because after the recipe I'm sharing my three favorite types of salmon and what I eat on a regular basis and one type of salmon.

Ingredients:

I do recommend that you stay away from but for now let's just dive straight into this recipe so I'm using king salmon today and I'll talk about that more at the end but no matter what species of salmon you use you'll need about a pound and a half and just place that on a parchment-lined baking tray to make our sauce we'll start by chopping up about a quarter cup of fresh parsley into a fairly fine chop then add this to a small mixing bowl with a quarter cup of Dijon mustard and one tablespoon of lemon juice which is about a half of a lemon to this you'll add 1tbsp of avocado oil and two to three garlic cloves you could mince the garlic or finely dice it if you'd like slightly bigger pieces.

Cooking Directions:

I'm doing today then just add a little salt and pepper and give it a stir coat the top of your salmon with the Dijon mix and this also helps to prevent the salmon from drying out so make sure that it's coated well then bake it for about 18 to 20 minutes in a 375 degree Fahrenheit oven and that's it for a super easy and tasty salmon the recipe you can then slice the salmon into individual portions or flake it into a salad or macro Bowl but however you eat it I guarantee that you'll be making it again and again and again as I mentioned earlier in the recipe I used king salmon in this recipe and king salmon is one of my favorite types of salmon because it's extremely moist and buttery smooth and it's also the highest in omega-3 fatty acids but king salmon also tends to be the most expensive type of salmon so two other species that I really love are Coho and sockeye salmon you saw me use sockeye.

I made my salmon patties recipe and it tends to be a deeper orange color Coho is a bit milder and lighter in color but both sockeye and Coho are packed with tons of omega-3s and have a delicious light and flaky texture they make for a delicious home-cooked meal and are probably what I buy most often when I'm not splurging on king salmon but there's one type of salmon that you should steer clear of and that's Atlantic salmon unfortunately almost all Atlantic salmon is now farmed and it's full of a significant amount of pollutants antibiotics and other toxins and you definitely don't want that on your plate but with so many other healthy choices of salmon to choose from you should have no problem finding salmon for this recipe alright that's it for me this week I hope you guys enjoyed this recipe

Hey guys if you ever get a craving for chocolate cake but don't want to make the entire chocolate cake then you are going to love today's recipe it's for an individual single-serving chocolate mud cake that's gluten-free dairy-free and paleo-friendly and it can be made in less than two minutes.

Ingredients and Cooking Directions:

So let me show you how to make it when you're making this mud cake you can definitely mix all the ingredients together in the actual mug but I just find it easier to mix everything together in a measuring cup first so we'll add 1/4 cup of almond flour to the measuring cup and 2 tablespoons of raw cacao powder barchan cow powder is loaded with antioxidants and much healthier than most store-bought chocolate next comes our wet ingredients and we'll add maple syrup for a little sweetness along with coconut oil vanilla extract in one egg and then just stir it all together once it's all mixed together pour this into your mug and then microwave it for one to two minutes as every microwave is different you'll have to play around with the time that works best for you but I know my cake perfectly in about one minute and 20 seconds and that's it your chocolate mug cake is done you can eat it plain especially if you're just satisfying your own chocolate craving or you can decorate it with a little powdered sugar and berries if you're serving this up for dessert

It's a fall favorite recipe that's addictively crunchy with those golden and crispy edges, but it's also tendered on the inside with a subtle sweetness that comes from roasting.

Ingredients:

Roasted Brussels sprouts are super easy to make with a little bit of oil, salt, and pepper and a quick stop in a hot oven. But if you want to recreate the flavor of what you might find at your favorite restaurant, keep watching because I'm also going to share six quick and easy flavor variations with you. But before we dive in, I do want to point out the proper spelling of Brussels sprouts, and that's what a capital B and an S at the end. So, it's Brussels sprouts, not brussels sprouts. So now you know and we can get started. You'll need one and a half pounds of Brussels sprouts and if they're in season, you may be able to find them on the stock. But otherwise, you'll likely just purchase them loose and individually. I prefer small to medium-sized sprouts as they're slightly sweeter. But what you're really looking for is a bright green color with no yellowing or wilted leaves.

Cooking Directions:

Then once you've got yours picked, just rinse them in cold water to remove any dirt or debris. After you've washed the Brussels sprouts. It's important to make sure they're completely dry. You don't want any water left on them when you pop them in the oven, otherwise, they'll start to steam rather than roast. And I use a clean kitchen towel to dry them off, but you could also use a salad spinner or paper towel. Preheat your oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit, or 220 degrees Celsius, and then you can start trimming the Brussels sprouts. To do that, use a sharp knife and cut just a very small amount off the bottom, and then cut them in half. 

You don't want to cut too much off the bottom, otherwise, all of the outer leaves will come loose when you do cut them in half. And while some leaves coming loose is fine and expected, you just don't want the whole Brussels sprout to unravel. If any of those outer leaves are dirty or damaged, you can toss those. But otherwise, make sure to keep those loose leaves. They get extra crispy while roasting and are my favorite part about roasted Brussels sprouts.

 Once the sprouts are all sliced in half, transfer them to a baking tray, including all those loose leaves, so we can add a little seasoning. I do this straight on the baking tray instead of in a bowl because I figured the less dirty dishes the better. So, drizzle two tablespoons of olive oil or avocado oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. I probably add about half a teaspoon of salt and a quarter teaspoon of black pepper, but always season to your personal preference. Then just dig in with your hands to toss and mix them all together, making sure each Brussels sprout is coated in a little oil and seasoning. But here's the most important step of this very simple process. Make sure all of the Brussels sprouts are turned cut side down on the baking tray. That will ensure you get that golden almost caramelized edge on the sprout. And you can leave all of those loose leaves just scattered in-between. Place Brussels sprouts in the oven and roast for 25 to 30 minutes. About halfway through, I'll rotate my pan as the backside always cooks faster in my oven. But I don't toss them, I just leave them flat on the baking sheet. 

Once they're done, you'll see some pieces dark brown, some golden, and some still green. That's what you want, which is a mix of shades, which gives you a mix of textures. And then you can transfer them to a serving bowl. These simple, unfussy Brussels sprouts taste amazing straight out of the oven and are the perfect side dish to accompany a wide variety of mains, from chicken to salmon. And I do have some recommendations on the recipe blog post on my website. But as promised, I also want to show you six quick flavor variations and I'll just do small individual portions. The first is garlic Parmesan. For this, just remove the Brussels sprouts from the oven a few minutes before they're done, and sprinkle with minced garlic and grated Parmesan. 

Give them a toss, roast them for a few minutes more and you've got cheesy, garlicky sprouts. Balsamic vinegar and Brussels sprouts are the perfect matches. And for this, you'll reduce some balsamic vinegar in a pot on the stove by half until it thickens up, then drizzle that over the sprouts before serving. The next variation is perfect for the holidays and it couldn't be easier.

 Just add some dried cranberries, crispy bacon pieces, and diced pecans to your roasted sprouts. I love a sweet mustard dressing. And for this version, just combine equal amounts of maple syrup and Dijon mustard in a bowl, and stir together. Then drizzle that on top for a sweet and savory flavor kick. And lastly, if you'd like a little more heat and spice, make a Sriracha vinegarette with lime juice, olive oil, honey, and Sriracha. Then stir that together and toss with your roasted Brussels sprouts.

I've got a new healthy basics recipe for you today that is perfect for these cold winter months and that's baked sweet potato. Now, before you think ah, I already know how to do that, you might want to stick around for some of my tips and because I'm sneaking in a barbecue chicken-stuffed sweet potato recipe at the end.

Ingredients:

For those of you doing the January Whole30, this is a 100% compliant recipe. And if you're not doing a Whole30, it's still a tasty, filling, and nourishing recipe that's perfect for any day of the week and especially on game nights. So, let's dive in. Sweet potatoes come in a variety of shapes and sizes, thanks to Mother Nature. But when you're making baked sweet potatoes, it's best to grab some that are about the same size, whether that's long and skinny, small and round, or large and round. Starting with sweet potatoes more similar in size ensures that they'll bake at the same rate and you won't have some that are undercooked or overcooked.

Cooking Directions:

Sweet potatoes also come in many varieties so you'll frequently see an entire rainbow of colors in your supermarket or Farmer's Market. The orange sweet potato is most common and oftentimes you'll see it inaccurately marketed as a yam, but yams are quite different and I chat about this on the blog post. You can always jazz up your baked sweet potato recipe by using Japanese sweet potatoes that have a reddish skin and a white interior, purple sweet potatoes that are purple on both the outside and inside, and white sweet potatoes that are cream-colored throughout.

To get started baking your sweet potato, preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Then grab a baking sheet. I highly recommend a heavy duty or commercial baking sheet, if you don't have one, because it won't warp or bend like cheaper baking sheets. And I linked mine in the description box below. Sweet potatoes also have a tendency to ooze a bit when baking, so my other tip is to line your baking sheet with parchment paper. It just makes the whole cleaning process easier, and while some recipes have you wrapping each sweet potato individually in aluminum foil, that's definitely not necessary. So I've got four sweet potatoes about the same size and before I get to baking, I need to give them a good scrub. While they've been rinsed before arriving at the market, they're not exactly clean and I don't think anyone wants dirt or debris in their meal.

To give them a good wash, grab a vegetable brush like this one. It's labeled as a vegetable brush, which is a good thing, so it won't accidentally get mistaken for a kitchen or bathroom scrubber. And it has both hard and soft bristles. And since I know you guys are going to ask, I've linked it below as well. Wash your sweet potatoes under the faucet and gently scrub all the nooks and crannies of the potato until it's clean. Then place it on a paper towel and blot it dry. If you're cooking several sweet potatoes, just repeat this process until all of them are clean. Add the sweet potatoes to your baking sheet and then give them about five to six pokes with a fork or a sharp knife.

A lot of heat and steam builds up inside the sweet potato while baking, and while they're not quite as likely to explode in the oven as the microwave, it is better to be safe than sorry. At 400 degrees Fahrenheit, the average-sized sweet potato will bake in about 60 minutes, but as mine are larger today, they'll probably need about 15 minutes more. And you might need to flex your bake time as well depending on the size of your sweet potato. When the potatoes are almost done, I'll prep my ingredients for the barbecue chicken-stuffed sweet potato recipe. This is an incredibly easy recipe and only requires a handful of ingredients. I'll start by slicing one red onion, and as I'm sure you guys have gathered by now, I almost always slice the entire onion when I do so that I can store it in a container precut and use it in recipes throughout the week. Then chop up some fresh cilantro.

If you're not a fan of cilantro, you can use a variety of other herbs like parsley or tarragon. Now if you watch last week's video, you learned how to quickly shred chicken and I got a whole batch of it ready to go in my fridge so I'll use that today. In terms of barbecue sauce, I'm using this one from Primal Kitchen as it has wholesome ingredients, no added sugar, and is Whole30 compliant. Because my chicken is cold from the fridge, I'm just going to quickly heat it up on the stove top and add about three cups worth to a sauté pan then pour the entire bottle of barbecue sauce on top. If you like your chicken extra saucy, you might want to buy two bottles.

To tell if your sweet potatoes are done, all you have to do is poke one with a sharp knife. It should go through like soft butter, so if you have any resistance, just cook your potatoes a little bit longer. Let your potatoes sit for a couple of minutes or until they're cool to the touch. Then slice one in half and open it up. It should be soft and steamy on the inside and from here you can simply add a pat of butter, salt and pepper, and serve it up as a side dish. But if you'd like to turn this into a meal, add some of that barbecue chicken on top, a few slices of red onion, and a generous handful of cilantros. And that's how easy it is to make these barbecue chicken-stuffed sweet potatoes. 

Today, I wanted to share an easy baking recipe that's also a slightly healthier version of a classic,  and that's coconut macaroons.

Ingredients:

Coconut macaroons are bite-sized treats with a crispy outside and a chewy inside, and they're traditionally made with sweetened condensed milk, which is just reduced milk with white sugar. So, it's really thick and sticky and dense.

It's sort of like Elmer's Glue for baking, but, because it is so dense, you then need to add in some whipped egg whites back into the coconut macaroons to lighten them back up. Well, we're ditching the sweetened condensed milk in today's recipe, which means it's 100% dairy-free. And it's also just naturally lighter and won't weigh you down, which means you can go back and grab that second coconut macaroon. You can enjoy the coconut macaroons plain in all of their coconut glory, or you can dip them in chocolate for a little extra holiday indulgence. No matter how you serve them up or enjoy them, they're delicious.

Cooking Directions:

So, let me show you how to make it.? To get started, preheat your oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit, and then get your ingredients out. The great thing about this recipe is that it is super easy and only requires five ingredients, plus a little chocolate if you'd like to dip the coconut macaroons in chocolate. Crack two eggs and separate the yolk from the egg white. you'll need the egg whites for this recipe, and you can use the egg yolks in another recipe, like a custard aioli or my banana pudding recipe. And do be careful when you're separating the eggs and don't almost drop your yolk in, like I just about did. To sweeten up the macaroons and help bind them together, you’ll need a quarter cup of honey. As I mentioned on the intro, condensed milk is often used for this, but I find it to be unnecessary, and you'll notice this version is just lighter and airier, which I love. Next, add one teaspoon of vanilla extract and a quarter teaspoon of salt to the bowl, and move this over to your stove.

What you'll do next is create a double boiler, so, add about one to two inches of water to a pot and then bring that to a simmer. Once the water is simmering, place your mixing bowl on top, but making sure that the bottom of the mixing bowl doesn't touch the water, and then start whisking it. If the eggs heat too quickly, because the bowl is touching the water, you might end up with scrambled eggs, and you don't want that. Whisk this mixture for about five minutes or until the honey is fully dissolved, and it's a little frothy and warm to the touch. Then remove the bowl from the stove and remember that the glass will likely be a bit hot, so, make sure to use a kitchen towel or oven mitts. Add two cups of unsweetened shredded coconut flakes to the mixture and stir it altogether while it's still warm. The coconut should absorb all of the liquid from the bowl, and, if you see a little bit of liquid, just keep stirring until it's all absorbed.

 Line a baking tray with parchment paper, and I'm using a quarter baking sheet here, and then decide how big you want to make these macaroons. If you use a medium cookie scoop, which is the one on the left, you'll end up with about eight large macaroons, or you could use a small cookie scoop and get about 12 bite-sized macaroons. I'm using the medium-sized cookie scoop today, which is about 1 1/2 tablespoons worth. And, if you don't have a cookie scoop, you could just use a spoon to dollop the mixture, as well. I do compact the mixture just slightly in the cookie scoop with my finger to make sure that these stay together enough to be dipped in the chocolate. But, if you're not planning to dip, then you don't have to worry about that.

Place the baking tray in the oven and bake the macaroons for about 20 to 25 minutes for the larger size, or slightly less time if you opt for smaller. Because all ovens do cook slightly differently, I recommend watching them more closely after that 15-minute mark, and, when they're lightly golden, remove them from the oven. Now this is a really important step. Make sure to let them cool completely on the baking tray. Don't try to lift them off until they're completely cool, otherwise they will break apart. And, if you want to speed this up, you can place them in the fridge, as well. But before we dip these in the chocolate, I do want to clarify the difference between a macaroon and a macaron. These are macarons and, while the spelling is similar, they're entirely different cookies. Macarons are meringue based and shaped almost like a cookie sandwich with filling. I don't have a recipe for these yet, so, if you'd like me to make them in the future, let me know. Macaroons, as you've now seen, are coconut-based and shaped like dollops. They're traditionally denser on the inside and baked to a crispy golden brown. You can enjoy macaroons as simple coconut treats, or you can dip them in chocolate.

 To do that, melt about 1/3-cup of chocolate chips in a small bowl in the microwave in 20-second increments, and stir it until it's nice and smooth. Then pick up a coconut macaroon and dunk it in the chocolate. I like to just lightly coat the bottom of the macaroon and scrape off any excess on the side of the bowl, then place the macaroon back on the parchment. Once they're all back on the tray, I'll pop them in the fridge for a couple of minutes to allow the chocolate to firm up, then they're ready to serve. I should also mention that you can easily double or triple this recipe if you'd like to make a larger batch, and you can always store any leftovers in the fridge, though I highly doubt you'll have any leftovers.