Turn your lovin’ on and show this lentil quinoa chili some love because dinner is still a thing. Fall is slowly starting to make her presence felt in the neighborhood. The mornings are cool and crisp, and my lawn is sprinkled with murky colored leaves that remind me, summer is over. Today we’ll celebrate Fall with a big ole pot of chili that consists of lentils/ quinoa/ fire-roasted tomatoes/and chickpeas in a clean and rich tasting vegetable broth that’s so delicious; it’s worth every opportunity to detail its description to family/friends. Before I walk you through how to create this hearty and rich oh my Gosh, so good lentil quinoa…
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quinoa salad with black chickpeas
You may have this quinoa salad image ingrained in your subconscious for the next 72 hours, I’m just saying. What you see on display is a well-executed salad loaded with lively flavors, textures, colors, and lots of love. Before I dive into this hearty heart filling quinoa salad, today is the first day of Fall. 🍂 I don’t know about the weather in your neck of the woods, but here in Maryland, it’s 85 degrees grab your beach towel and bathing suit kind of weather. My food brain is ready to embrace Fall it really is, a part of me want’s the caloric starches, and fats- but my body still craves leafy…
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fig banana breakfast bowl
Welcome to September on this Figgy Friday! Today we’re gonna do breakfast right. Conjured from my imagination, I deliver to you fig banana breakfast bowl topped with fresh figs, hue blushing sweet blueberries piled on a creamy banana base sprinkled with a walnut-date crumble topping, because shouldn’t every breakfast bowl you serve be delicious and nutritious? You’re nodding your head, yes. We’ve been down this breakfast bowl road before. We’ve been down many good breakfast roads here. So with that said, here’s what I came up with: fresh seasonal figs + frozen bananas collaboration. What had happened was, figs are in season like right now in season and my local grocer stocks…
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GREEN BANANA FRENCH FRIES
😱😱😱😱 [composes self] Enter GREEN BANANA FRENCH FRIES. (And exit starchy white potatoes.) For those of you unacquainted, green bananas are simply unripened yellow bananas that can be found in your local International Market. What makes this banana so special you ask? It’s resistant starch. What is a resistant starch? It’s a starch that can’t be broken down enzymes in your digestive system, and as a result, it acts more like a fiber than a starch. We all know what that means, foods high in fiber slow down the digestive system which helps you feel fuller longer, assisting with weight management. I love these green bananas already. 💚 Also, research shows that consuming…
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SPRING CHICKPEA SOUP
Chickpea soup with chunks of chayote squash, this is that blog post. This is what I came up with last week when our temperatures dropped in the low 50’s. It satisfied the basic criteria to get folks fed; it was the perfect weeknight option, I made it with very little effort while using healthy ingredients. Let’s do it. The Ingredients: Chayote squash Portobello mushrooms Green bell pepper Onions Garlic cloves Roma tomatoes Chickpeas Here’s where the magic begins. Lightly coat the slow cooker with grape seed oil, oh yes, I sure did break out the slow cooker. Stir-fry: chayote squash, mushrooms, bell pepper, onions, garlic in a skillet over medium…
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REBOOT CHERRY SMOOTHIE BOWL
You don’t know love until you’ve tasted this cherry smoothie bowl. Look at the deep red cherries surrounded by the beaming blushed in lush blueberries. I’m telling you friends; we’re witnessing a marriage consummation right before our eyes. Now that Spring has sprung, NOW is the time to detox your diet, give it a reboot, and add more fruits and veggies into your life. In other words, hook up the intravenous catheter because this cherry smoothie is what your system needs like-STAT. I say that to say, I had the honor and privilege of viewing your Instagram page over the holidays, let’s just say intervention would probably be the next step, but…
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VEGAN MACARONI AND CHEESE
VEGAN MACARONI AND CHEESE sprinkled with toasted Spelt bread crumbs! Cue the audible: Mmm, Mmm GOOD. Let’s talk vegan macaroni and cheese. This cheese sauce is sooooooooooo good, full of butternut squash, green bananas, with a creamy cashew cheese consistency, happiness, and now is the perfect time of the year for you to make it. It’s a refreshing respite from heavier, gooey- gluey, mac N’ cheese recipes you may be accustomed to eating. For this recipe, I used green bananas as a replacement for white potatoes. As an FYI, green bananas are nutritionally dense with a high source of fiber. My children love this recipe I make it at least once a…
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CREAMY BUTTERNUT SQUASH SPAGHETTI
Peace, Peace Fam! I missed you guys! It feels good to be back on the blog; I hope all is well in your world. Let’s talk butternut squash spaghetti, shall we? If there were ever a reason to eat copious amounts of squash, this creamy butternut squash spaghetti would be it. Made with butternut squash noodles, drenched with a simple-easy butternut sauce with kisses of sage throughout is obsession waiting to happen. This sauce is made with only five ingredients, which makes life so much easier. It’s so easy; my nine-year-old can make it in half- an hour. Here’s a noodle tip: slightly cook the butternut squash noodles, overcooked is totally…
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FALL HIGHLIGHTS
Peace Family! It’s Tonya! Remember me? I know it’s been awhile, but first things first: I hope all is well in your world. Are you enjoying Fall and all of her glory? As you can see, my days have been filled with vibrant foliage, trips to the pumpkin patch, and beautiful weather. My much-needed hiatus officially ends this Friday. On Monday, I have a curry butternut squash soup that will knock your socks off, so bring a hearty appetite. In the interim, stay well, drink lots of water, and get out into nature. XOXO p.s. the sound of leaves crunching beneath my feet is music to my ears.
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WEEKEND TEFF PORRIDGE
Hello, Teff Porridge! Cold and crisp mornings are ahead, leaves are starting to change colors, and pumpkins have invaded the supermarkets. So, let’s welcome fall! Every fall I feverishly await the return of a hot breakfast bowl topped with fresh fruits and nuts. And every fall, I indulge in this beloved treat infused with agave topped with blueberries, bananas, and walnuts. It’s good! It would be status quo to have a bowl of instant oatmeal, nuked in the microwave, and eaten on- the- go. That’s okay for a low energy style breakfast, but not the move for this teff grain that originated in Africa thousands of years ago; put some respect on the…
