snack

 by Danielle Levy

Spring Vegetable Soup with Walnut ‘Parm’ Crumble.

My ode to spring! This light, seasonal dish offers a mix of nutrient-dense vegetables, and different textures – providing energizing nourishment, without overloading your digestive system. The fermented miso also provides probiotic benefits, supporting the gut/body during the seasonal transition. As we move into warmer weather, and away from heavy winter meals, we can start incorporating more fresh, and lightly cooked whole plants into our diets – like this! These vitamin, mineral, and fiber-rich foods are immune supporting, that are especially supportive during ‘allergy season’. Eating (somewhat) seasonally, allows us to rotate our diets – obtaining a wider spectrum of nutrients, and making our meals more varied and interesting!

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in Recipe / Soups
 by Danielle Levy

Double Peanut Oatmeal Cookies. A Healthy Plant-Based Dessert.

These delicious and nutritious cookies are made from whole unrefined ingredients, with no added processed sugars, oils, flours or animal products. The rolled oats and peanuts provide plant-based protein, fiber-rich complex carbs, and good fats – for steady energy. Instead of using processed sweeteners, I used whole dates and a little maple syrup – both optimally healthy options. Creating your own ‘flour’ using whole rolled oats and peanuts, offers more nutrition, and results in a lower-glyemic dessert. No need for added oils in this recipe! just natural peanut butter, which is packed with nutrients and rich flavor. While these cookies are meant to be enjoyed as a special dessert, these cookies ARE healthy enough to have for breakfast or as a snack. They may taste indulgent, but they are much healthier than any store-bought cookies!

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in Desserts / Recipe / Snacks
 by Danielle Levy

Cashew Butter, Maple & Lemon Glazed Raw ‘Donuts’

While not actually made with traditional ‘dough’, these whole food, plant-based ‘donuts’ are a delicious AND nutritious treat! Using nuts and dates as a base, one can create many different raw sweets – of all shapes and flavors. As a lover of lemon, I was inspired to make a lemon-infused dessert, that would bring brightness and tang to the almonds and dried fruit. Including fresh ginger, cinnamon, and cocoa, also makes these ‘donuts’ more flavorful. With no refined sugars or oils, you can feel good about enjoying this no-bake healthy dessert!

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in Desserts / Recipe
 by Danielle Levy

Spiced Leek & Turnip Soup with Roasted Cauliflower & Pumpkin Seeds.

This seasonal soup is packed with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, fiber, and deliciousness. A warming and tasty addition to any Fall lunch or dinner! While potatoes are typically paired with leek in soup, I prefer turnips – being a lower glycemic (less starch/sugars) root vegetable. Instead of processed Bouillon cubes/packaged veggie stock, I used umami-rich white miso paste to season the soup – which also provides probiotic benefits. To make the most of your time in the kitchen, I suggest prepping a big batch of soup, which is easy to freeze for future meals. Bake plenty of roasted cauliflower as well, which can be added to ‘pseudo-grain bowls’, warm salads, or enjoyed as a snack – dipped into homemade hummus for example. Having healthy dishes like this in the fridge or freezer, makes it easier to eat well throughout the week!

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in Recipe / Soups
 by Danielle Levy

Four-Seed & Date Protein/Energy Bars.

These sweet/salty, chewy/crunchy seed bars are a delicious and nutritious whole food, plant-based snack! Offering a full spectrum of amino acids/protein, unprocessed energy/carbs from the dates, plenty of fiber, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. A great back-to-school item for kids attending nut-free schools and otherwise. A healthier option compared to the packaged store-bought bars, made with processed sugars, refined oils, and preservatives. These DIY bars are made from just a handful of real, nutrient-dense ingredients. Quick and simple to make, this recipe requires no baking, just the use of a handy food processor – my go-to kitchen tool!

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in Desserts / Recipe / Snacks
 by Danielle Levy

DL’s Peanut Protein & Energy Bars. Whole Food. Plant-Based.

These delicious and nutritious bars are packed with plant-based protein, good fats, and whole-food carbs – an ideal pre or post-workout snack. Designed for the plant-based athletes I work with, this recipe offers concentrated energy from the fiber-rich dried fruits, and protein from the nuts and seeds. This combination of macronutrients provides a boost of energy without spiking your blood sugar level, and allows for steady energy release. Unlike store-bought packaged bars, these have zero added sugars, oils, or preservatives – making it a much healthier option. These bars can also be enjoyed as a dessert, a healthy and tasty treat for the whole family!

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in Cooking tips / Plant-based Nutrition / Recipe
 by Danielle Levy

Green Pea & Fresh Mint Hummus Crostini with Cashew Parm.

This spring pea spread or dip is a delicious and nutritious alternative to hummus. Protein and fiber-packed green peas are more easily digested than chickpeas, which makes this recipe appropriate for those with digestive issues. Given their inherent sweetness, kids love green peas too! You can make bean dip/hummus out of any legume, and often I encourage my clients to experiment with different beans, lentils, and peas – to get a wider spectrum of nutrients, and prevent sensitivity developing from over-consuming one type of food (chickpeas!). Customize your legume dips with any fresh herbs, spices, citrus zest, and aromatics you enjoy. Eat this dip with raw or roasted veggies as a snack, or spread it onto a whole grain wrap or sandwich for lunch. These crostinis were made for a catering event I did, but can easily be made at home for dinner parties and gatherings for friends and family!

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in Recipe / Snacks
 by Danielle Levy

The Ultimate Plant-Based Protein Energy Bars.

I designed this recipe for my plant-based athlete clients, to provide them with a whole-food based, nutrient-dense, protein-rich energy bar. These bars are not only healthy but are delicious! offering a nice balance of sweet & salty, chewy and crunchy. Unlike most packaged commercial bars that have added sugars, oils, preservatives or processed/refined ingredients, these bars use strictly natural, organic ingredients.

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in Desserts / Recipe / Snacks