• LUNCH,  QUICK AND EASY

    cashew cheese with dates, shallots and walnuts

    As of late, I’ve had a craving for schmearing a sesame seed cracker down with my delicious cashew cheese spread and retreating to a quiet place.  To quench my yearning, I conjured up this cashew cheese with dates, shallots, and walnuts. This cheese IS absolutely incredibly delicious! It will satisfy most nonvegans who have an appreciation for creamy, smooth, velvety, chock-full with flavor cheese. This recipe is relatively easy, I experimented with the basic ingredients for making cashew cheese: Cashews Spring Water Lemons Salt & Pepper Because the original recipe was such a palate-pleasing success, I decided to use that as my starting point.  Rather than use a herbal infusion…

  • what to cook durning a pandemic quarantine
    QUICK AND EASY,  RANDOM

    pandemic eating with meal options

    Interrupting today’s scheduled post to address the pandemic at hand, the CORONAVIRUS CONVID-19. As the coronavirus continues to spread the country prepares itself for a potential mass quarantine. Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ve already gathered the necessary essentials to prepare your family. I’m not one to live in fear however, I do believe in PREPARATION there’s a PEACE of mind that comes along with that. Now, that your pantry is fully stocked and pandemic proof, guess what… you still need to cook. 🙂 Although we’re living in a “New Normal” cooking easy, nourishing recipes is still a thing. In the coming weeks, I’ll share with you a…

  • BREAKFAST,  QUICK AND EASY

    yummy banana bread

    Are your eyes dazzled? Is your heart racing? Do you have goosebumps?  If so my friends, you’ve just fallen in LOVE with this YUMMY banana bread that was cooked in a slow cooker. Yes… a slow cooker. I must admit, I was a little skeptical at first. My girlfriend who is a slow cooker cooking Queen makes everything from dinner rolls & quick bread to stews & soups and her creations are delicious.  So, I figured if she could do it, so can I, and now you can too. LET’S BREAK BREAD, This is the closest you’ll ever come to throwing ingredients into a bowl and having a TA-DA moment,…

  • DESSERT,  QUICK AND EASY

    MEDJOOL DATES SOLIDIFIED IN DARK CHOCOLATE BARK

    This is my 100th post!!!!! Finally, considering my on again off again consistency in posting. LOL  I started this food blog as a conduit to share my recipes with family and friends. I had no clue it would turn into a source for documenting my life, my growth and my passion for consuming healthy, healing, delicious food. Since having my food blog, I’ve learned a lot about blogging, photography, the nuances associated with curating quality content and managing a website. THANK YOU!!! Thank you for subscribing, and sharing my posts on Instagram! I value YOU! I value your comments, emails, questions, and support.  It is my goal in 2020 that…

  • QUICK AND EASY

    HOMEMADE PUMPKIN NAAN

    Homemade pumpkin naan is the best! Soft and golden crisp on the outside with a moist sweet earthy flavor on the inside the only thing missing is a tomato curry. let me count the ways… It’s wondrously SCRUMPTIOUS. Pillow-like comes to mind to describe the texture. Easy to make. All you need is the basic staples: spelt flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, yogurt, and almond milk. Naan bread is the accompaniment to many dishes to the likes of curry sauce, hummus, and wraps.  Naan bread by definition is not a huge flavor powerhouse in its standard form, but it’s the perfect add on to balance out any meal. In…

  • QUICK AND EASY

    ROASTED RED PEPPER SPREAD

    Here’s my argument for you to make this insanely delicious roasted red pepper spread: 1. You’ll have a recipe for the excess red peppers from your Summer garden. 2. It’s perfect served alongside spelt crackers or pita chips. 3. Your taste buds will experience deliciously roasted peppers imbued with sweet accents of pomegranate molasses.  🙂  4. Face it, your book club dip can use an upgrade. Without further ado, enter Roasted Red Pepper Spread. This is what I conjured up. It fulfilled the criteria of a hearty “meaty” spread- it contains red peppers, toasted walnuts and a healthy dose of garlic. Let’s do it. What you’ll need: RED PEPPERS WALNUTS…

  • Brunch,  LUNCH,  QUICK AND EASY

    COCONUT BABY BELLA MUSHROOMS

    It’s June! Summer is here, pretty definitively. My neighborhood is covered in green lush, the atmosphere is filled with humidity- haze, and my gecko neighbor insists on crossing my path as I perform my daily sunbathing ritual on the deck, we’re so connected. <3 Aah, summer is here again! So what’s on the menu this Friday? Right. You guessed it, COCONUT BABY BELLA MUSHROOMS  coated in a crispy layer of chickpea crumbs rolled in coconut flakes kissed with a burst of cherry jam. Yes, chickpea crumbs are a thing more on that later. The star of this recipe is the baby Bella mushrooms obviously -they come packaged in a little container and they taste amazing. Yes,…

  • QUICK AND EASY

    HERB ROASTED CHICKPEAS

    <<Protein, please>> Enter: herb roasted chickpeas covered in herbs and spice and everything nice. A healthy snack should be comprised of ambition, creativity and more importantly, simplicity. Here’s one way to do just that. This savory snack is completely un-elaborate, containing only one main ingredient: CHICKPEAS. To begin, drain and rinse your chickpeas.  Place chickpeas in a medium bowl. Add oil, Italian herb seasoning, garlic powder and sea salt. Give the mixture a good toss to evenly distribute and coat each chickpea, leave no chickpea unturned.  Place in the oven. Here’s the fun part, as you impatiently watch the baking process with your face pressed against the glass, the chickpeas will burst and…

  • DINNER,  QUICK AND EASY

    SOULFUL VEGAN CORNBREAD

    Happy New Year! Happy Spring! Happy Saturday! Remember me, Tonya?! The blogger who on occasion abandons her blog and desperately misses it only to return with sentiments of, “I missed my blog.” 😩 Well, I’m back!! I have recipes to share and stories to tell, but first, can we talk about this winter meets spring situation? Contrary to the calendar, I have 4-6 inches of snow on my front lawn. So in other words, we’re still in cornbread season. With that said, let me tell you what this cornbread IS NOT: 🚫 cornmeal 🚫 eggs 🚫 gluten Yes, you can still have cornbread just like grandma used to make without adding GMO grain, animal products, and…

  • LUNCH,  QUICK AND EASY

    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…