When I was little, my mom baked us a cake almost every single Saturday. It was a highlight of our weekend. I loved that sweet smell of vanilla or chocolate that always filled the house. I’m not much of a baker myself, as I tell you time and time again, and it’s probably because most of my favorite childhood dessert recipes contain a lot of ingredients that I don’t reach for anymore- like eggs or cream. This is why lately I started experimenting a little with raw desserts- maybe I can even start my own tradition of making a cake, every  weekend? Raw desserts are a perfect addition to my plant-based diet, as they are easy to make, contain only unprocessed ingredients and… they don’t require an oven (and as you know, the only snack/dessert foods I like to bake are my banana breakfast bars and banana bread). You saw me make this cake on Snapchat (@Paula13t) and I promised to share the recipe, if it happens to work out and as you can see- it did (yay!). It actually came out much better than I thought it would; it’s smooth, creamy with a sweet and nutty crust and topped off with a rich layer of chocolate. […]

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Homemade granola I LOVE granola. I eat it on daily basis and even top my morning oatmeal with.. granola. …..is that weird? Serving oats on top of oats? I love that crunchiness from the nuts and sweetness from the dry fruit. I also love my granola with some coconut yogurt and fresh berries- one of the best breakfast combos, ever. For many, many years I’ve been buying packaged granola but for the last couple of years I started avoiding foods that are over-processed and pre-made (you’d be surprised if you looked at an ingredient list for some of these “healthy” granola mixes or cereal). There are so many awesome things about making your own homemade granola; it’s quick and easy to make, one batch will last you for weeks and you probably have most of the ingredients in your pantry. It’s also a lot more affordable if you make it yourself, rather than buying it pre-packaged. I love dates and cranberries in my granola. I love that sweet, caramel-like flavor that isn’t overpowering. You can also add dry apricots or any other dry fruit that you like. I also like adding some flaxseed to my granola, for some of those Omega-3 […]

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I bet you that a lot of kids dream of finally becoming adults, just so they can have ice cream for breakfast, whenever they wish. I don’t really remember if that was something I was looking forward to, but it sure feels good having healthy breakfast that tastes like a giant cheat meal. If you follow any health-conscious accounts on Instagram, chances are you’ve seen them feature smoothie bowls. The idea is to create a smoothie that’s so thick and creamy that it needs to be eaten with a spoon. Today’s recipe is very similar to my Out of this World Coconut-Mango Smoothie, and it’s just as tasty. I usually like to prepare single-serving smoothies in the morning- it’s a perfect way to get in all those great nutrients, even when you’re on the go. Smoothie bowls are great to enjoy when you have a bit more time in the morning and want to indulge in every single spoonful. Another awesome thing about these smoothie bowls is that the possibilities are endless. You can mix fruit and veggies, you can use coconut water or almond/cashew milk and use as many, or as little toppings as you want. I love using homemade […]

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Of all the fruit, bananas are definitely amongst my favorite. Ninety percent of the time I buy way too many though, and always end up with those extra ripe ones that no one wants to touch, because “ew”. That’s actually when they’re the sweetest and I personally love enjoying them when they’re so ripe. Always having so many though, means that I make banana bread at least once every two weeks (seriously, it’s become like a tradition) I also like freezing them and using them in my smoothies or to make dairy-free ice cream. Yesterday I decided to try making some breakfast bars and they turned out so good that I wanted to share the recipe with you. Instead of using flour, I went with almond meal and used some old fashion rolled oats and added some walnuts and cranberries for a sweet crunch. If you want, you can also throw in some unsweetened cacao dark chocolate baking chips in there. You can enjoy these bars with your morning coffee/tea, pack them up for lunch; they’re also a great option for when you’re on the go. I don’t think I have to tell you how much healthier these are than that […]

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It’s dairy free, gluten free, rich in fiber, protein, Omega 3 fatty acids, and, of course, it’s mighty tasty. What’s not to love? I already talked about chia seeds here on the blog. You probably know how much I like adding them to my smoothies, water, breakfast oatmeal and salads. You also probably know just how great chia seeds are for you: One tablespoon of chia seeds has more calcium than a glass of milk; it’s a great source of healthy Omega3 fats (they contain more Omega3s than Salmon, believe it or not), fiber, manganese, phosphorus and even protein. Pretty cool isn’t it? Who would’ve guessed that these tiny little seeds can be so powerful? Chia seed pudding is incredibly easy to make and so, so healthy. Because of their ability to absorb liquid and expand 9 times its original size, chia seeds turn into gel when in contact with liquid. To make my pudding I mixed chia seeds with coconut milk. You can also use almond milk if you’d like, but coconut milk is much more creamier (I’m talking abut coconut milk from the can here, not a carton). This will make two big, or four small portions. I […]

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