Recipe: Easy Tuna Croquettes

Here’s a quick weeknight throw-together recipe that screams comfort food!

Ingredients:

• 7-ounce pouch tuna, drained and shredded

• ½ yellow onion, minced

• 2 tsp organic mustard

• 1 large egg, beaten

• 1 tsp lemon juice

• ½ tsp sea salt

• Freshly ground black pepper

• ¾ cup almond flour (or meal), divided

• 1 tsp dill

• 2-3 tbsp avocado oil

Directions:

1. In a medium mixing bowl, add tuna, onion, mustard, eggs, lemon juice, salt, and lace the tuna, onions, mustard, eggs, lemon juice, salt, pepper and ¼ cup of almond flour. Stir to combine.

2. Divide into 8 patties and place on a lined plate. Refrigerate for 10 minutes.

3. Combine the rest of the almond meal with dill, and place the mixture on another plate. Take each patty and coat it with the mixture, returning to its original plate.

4. Heat enough oil to cook the patties in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the patties for 2-3 minutes on each side, until golden brown. Remove from the skillet and let drain on a paper-towel-lined baking sheet.

5. Serve warm with your favorite sauce.

Recipe by: Saara Haapanen

Photo Credit: Canva by NoirChocolate from Getty Images Pro 

Recipe: Creamy Cauliflower Grits

Looking for a fun and different side dish? Here you go!

This pairs well with spicy shrimp or chicken. You also can kick this up a notch by adding ¼ teaspoon of red pepper flakes.

Ingredients:

• 1 2-pound head of cauliflower, washed, trimmed, and chopped into florets

• 1½ cups of unsweetened non-dairy milk (almond, cashew or coconut)

• 1 tbsp coconut, avocado or olive oil

• ⅓ cup nutritional yeast OR ½ cup crumbled goat cheese

• Sea salt

• Ground pepper

Directions:

1. Depending on the size of your food processor, place about half of the cauliflower into the bowl and pulse until it breaks down into rice-sized grains. Remove and repeat until all the cauliflower has been minced.

2. Place in a medium saucepan along with the milk, oil, ½ tsp salt and several generous “grinds” of pepper. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Stirring frequently, simmer for about 10-12 minutes until the mixture is smooth and looks like grits. Stir in the nutritional yeast or the cheese. Taste and add more salt/pepper if needed.

Recipe by: Saara Haapanen

Photo Credit: Canva by HandmadePictures from Getty Images

Recipe: Luscious Homemade (Dairy-Free) Caesar Dressing

This easy Caesar dressing is great on salads you might find yourself using it as a sauce with other foods! It’s even good on sweet potatoes.

Don’t be scared of the anchovy paste – but if you decide not to use it, be sure to adjust the salt and pepper level.

Ingredients:

• 1 egg

• 1 tsp anchovy paste

• 1-2 garlic cloves, minced

• ¼ tsp each salt and pepper

• 1/2 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar

• 1 tbsp lemon juice

• 1 cup avocado oil or light-tasting olive oil

Directions:

1. If using an immersion blender, place all the ingredients except the oil in a jar and insert the blender. Blend until smooth, about 30 seconds. With the blender still on, slowly drizzle in the oil, moving the blender around so that all the oil is incorporated and the dressing emulsifies.

2. If using a blender, do the same as above, except slowly drizzle in the oil until it emulsifies into dressing.

3. The mixture should be thick and creamy when you’re done.

4. Place in an airtight jar and store in the refrigerator for 2 weeks.

Recipe by: Saara Haapanen

Photo Credit: Canva by wmaster890 from Getty Images

Recipe: Baked Banana Chips

These chips are a project – they take a long time to crisp in the oven, so make them when you know you’ll be home for several hours.

The trick to making good baked chips is to check them frequently. Because the chips aren’t uniform – not only in size, but in natural moisture/sugar content – they cook at different speeds. Also, not all ovens are perfectly calibrated to a baking temperature, so the time might vary.

Keeping an eye on them makes all the difference!

Ingredients:

• 4 large ripe bananas

• 4 tablespoons of orange or lemon juice

• 1 tbsp pumpkin pie spice (optional)

• Small amount of sea salt (optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 225 degrees and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

2. Cut the peeled bananas into ¼-inch slices and dip into the orange/lemon juice before placing on the baking sheets. Sprinkle with optional spices/salt and put the chips in the oven.

3. After about 90 minutes, remove from the oven and gently peel the chips up from the parchment paper to flip them over. (Note: if they don’t easily flip and still feel really sticky, bake a little longer before you flip them all.)

4. Cook for another hour or so (they make take up to four hours total!) and start checking on them for doneness – you’ll know they are done when they turn light brown and are starting to become dry and crisp. Remove from the oven and let cool.

5. Store in an airtight container.

Recipe by: Saara Haapanen

Photo Credit: Canva by HandmadePictures from Getty Images

Recipe: Palm Springs-ish Date Shake Smoothie

Have you ever heard of a Palm Springs date shake? The shake apparently were invented in that California resort city – and they’re delicious. The only downside is they are made with ice cream.

This recipe takes the best of the date shake and turns it into a treat you can enjoy any time without feeling weighed down.

Makes 1 serving

Ingredients:

• 3 Medjool dates, pitted, chopped and soaked in 1/4 cup of hot water for 10-15 minutes

• ¼ cup toasted walnuts

• ½ banana, sliced and frozen

• ¼ tsp vanilla bean powder or ½ tsp vanilla extract

• Pinch of sea salt

• Pinch of cinnamon

• ⅓ to ½ cup cashew milk (or other nut milk)

• (optional: ½ cup of ice)

Directions:

1. Place all the ingredients (including the date soaking liquid) in a high-speed blender and blend until combined. Adjust the amount of cashew milk to achieve a shake-like consistency.

2. Pour into a glass and enjoy!

Recipe by: Saara Haapanen

Photo Credit: Canva by etorres69 from Getty Images

Recipe: Cinnamon Coconut Latte

You also can make this with tea.

Serves 2

Ingredients:

• 12 ounces freshly brewed organic coffee

• 2 tbsp coconut cream or canned coconut milk

• ½ tsp ground cinnamon

• Dash of vanilla bean powder or vanilla extract

• (optional: ½ scoop collagen protein)

Directions:

1. Pour all the ingredients in a blender and blend until combined and smooth (be careful to make sure the cover is on the blender because the splatter will be HOT!).

2. Give it a taste and add more coconut milk if necessary. Pour into a mug and enjoy!

Recipe by: Saara Haapanen

Photo Credit: Canva by Mehmet Onur Bozkurt from Getty Images

Recipe: White Bean Dip

Looking for a healthy dip?

This recipe is a delicious place to start – not only is it tasty, but it’s packed with protein and fiber, which can help fill you up and keep you feeling satisfied. 

Serve this with sliced veggies (peppers, carrots, celery, broccoli, etc.) and/or pita chips. 

This recipe is super adaptable. Experiment with herbs you have on-hand – basil, Italian, or even fresh parsley would be great choices! 

You can even spice it up with a dash of sriracha if you want.

TIP: Make this at least an hour before serving. The longer it sits, the more the flavors have a chance to develop.

Makes 6 - 8 appetizer servings.

Ingredients:

• ½ cup (115 g) organic cottage cheese

• 1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar or lemon juice 

• ½ tsp dried thyme or rosemary

• 1 garlic clove, peeled

• ¼ tsp each salt and pepper

• 15.5 oz (425 g) can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained

• 1-2 tsp extra virgin olive oil 

• Pinch smoked paprika

Directions:

1. In a food processor, combine the cottage cheese, vinegar, herbs, garlic, salt, pepper, and beans. Puree until the mixture is smooth. You might have to scrape down the sides of the processor bowl.

2. Remove from the food processor and place in a covered container in the refrigerator to chill for at least an hour.

3.  Just before serving, place in a serving dish. Drizzle with olive oil and a pinch of paprika. Taste for seasoning. Serve with pita chips and sliced veggies.

Tip: you also can use this as a spread for wraps and sandwiches. Yum!

Recipe by: Saara Haapanen

Photo Credit: Canva by AmalliaEka from Getty Images

Recipe: Cauliflower Falafel

While this recipe says it can serve two, chances are you’ll eat the whole thing yourself. It would make a fun lunch with a side salad.

Serving Size: 1 - 2

Ingredients:

• 2 cups minced cauliflower

• 1 shallot, chopped

• ½ cup fresh parsley

• ¼ cup ground gluten-free oats or almond flour

• 1 medium egg

• 3 garlic cloves

• 4 tsp cumin

• 1 tsp turmeric

• ½ tsp chili powder

• 1 tsp sea salt

• 4 tbsp avocado or coconut oil

Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. Add cauliflower to the high-speed blender or food processor and pulse until minced. Remove and set aside.

3. If using oat flour, place oats in a high-speed blender or food processor and pulse until ground into flour.

4. If not using oat flour, place almond flour in the food processor/blender along with all other ingredients EXCEPT cauliflower and oil. Blend until well-mixed. Add the cauliflower and pulse until combined.

5. Form the falafel dough into balls measuring around 2 inches. Brush each with olive oil and place in the oven for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and carefully turn the balls over and bake for another 20 minutes.

6. While they’re baking, make this simple dipping sauce: Combine ½ cup hummus, 2 tbsp lemon juice and 1 tsp of dried dill. Add salt to taste. Stir well and then refrigerate.

7. When the falafel are ready, serve with the dipping sauce.

Recipe by: Saara Haapanen

Photo Credit: Canva by Olga Mazyarkina from Getty Images

Recipe: Maple - Mango - Banana Chai Smoothie Bowl

You will want to grab a spoon and enjoy every bite of this smoothie bowl! You can use leftover chai spice in your tea or coffee with a little coconut milk or cream.

Serving Size: 1

Smoothie Bowl Ingredients:

• ½ large frozen banana, sliced

• ½ cup frozen mango

• 1 tbsp maple syrup

• 1 tbsp chia seeds

• 1 tbsp nut butter (almond or your fav)

• 1 cup non-dairy milk (almond, cashew, coconut, pea, etc.)

• ½ tsp of the chai spice blend (recipe below)

• (Optional: toppings of your choice – coconut flakes, pumpkin seeds, berries, etc.)

Smoothie Bowl Directions:

1. Mix all the ingredients in a high-speed blender and blend until combined. You might have to scrape the sides or use the plunger, as this will be thick.

2. Remove from blender into a bowl, add toppings and enjoy immediately!

Chai Spice Blend Ingredients:

• Chai spice blend (this makes more than is needed in the recipe above!)

• 2 tsp ground cardamom

• 2 tsp ground allspice

• 4 tsp ground cinnamon

• 2 tsp ground cloves

• 6 tsp ground ginger

Chai Spice Blend Directions:

1. Place all ingredients in a small jar, cover, and shake vigorously to combine. Store remaining blend in an airtight container.

Recipe by: Saara Haapanen

Photo Credit: Canva by ninafirsova

Recipe: Homemade Buffalo Sauce

Warning: you’ll want to enjoy this buffalo sauce on pretty much everything from now on. The good news is with this homemade version you know exactly what you’re getting – and it’s all good stuff! Plus, you can adjust it to suit your taste buds.

Ingredients:

• ½ cup of your favorite hot sauce (Frank’s Original works great)

• 2 tbsp grass-fed butter

• 1 tbsp coconut aminos

• 1 tsp apple cider vinegar

• ½ tsp chili powder

• ½ tsp garlic powder

• ½ tsp onion powder

• ½ tsp black pepper

• ½ tsp cayenne pepper

• 1-2 tbsp honey

Directions:

1. Place all the ingredients in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir together and heat until warm, to mingle flavors.

2. Taste and adjust seasoning. This keeps in the refrigerator for 2-3 weeks.

Recipe by: Saara Haapanen

Photo Credit: Canva by bhofack2 from Getty Images