Nestle Tollhouse Chocolate Chip Cookies Get a Makeover

I can’t remember the last time I baked with vegetable oil or white flour or white sugar. Why? Because the main reason I bake is so that my family has slightly less of a chemical concoction for dessert than the typical store bought items.

You see, we are a dessert family. Without fail we have dessert every night after dinner. That’s what was done in my home growing up,* and I think it is actually part of my DNA . I CANNOT go to sleep without eating dessert.

Sometimes it’s Justin’s Peanut Butter Cups. Sometimes it’s ice-cream. Sometimes it’s 16 Handles. Sometimes it’s Whole Foods Organic Chocolate Chip Cookies or Milanos or Newman-O’s.

Even the ‘healthier’ desserts out there are filled with crap. Milanos? Hydrogenated soybean and/or cottonseed, soy lecithin and vegetable oils. Newman O’s? A little better – only soy lecithin. Justin’s Peanut Butter Cups? Even better – the soy lecithin is organic – but organic or not, still not good. (Click here to find out why soy lecithin isn’t good.)

So what is my point here?

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Zucchini Spaghetti Recipe

It’s hard to believe that a kitchen gadget the the size of my hand could open up a whole new world.

It’s called a Veggetti and it turns vegetables into spaghetti! There are different companies that make this type of tool, but I like the Veggetti because it is small and compact and doesn’t take up any precious counter space. (Please note: I am not a rep for The Veggetti and do not make any money if you buy one. I just freakin’ love it!)

So far I’ve used it with zucchini and squash and let me tell you – they both taste SO MUCH better when transformed into spaghetti!

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Combating Healthy Eating Intimidation-itis

Before my health journey began about 3 years ago, I thought vegans were coo-coo. Tofu? Only for vegetarians. Matcha tea? A drink for hippity dippities.

I realize now that I had a bad case of Healthy Eating Intimidation-itis.

Have you heard of it? You know, when something sounds like it can only be found in a health food store, you automatically assume it’s not for you?

I have been a relatively healthy eater my whole life. But even so…healthy eating intimidation-itis was pervasive. Tofu? Tempeh? Fish oil? Intermittent fasting? What the what??

But as a recovering Healthy Eating Intimidation-aholic, I am here to tell you that it is very simple to overcome this condition.

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Cheesy Riced Cauliflower

I’m very excited to tell you about my latest discovery – riced cauliflower.

Basically, it’s cauliflower shredded down into crumbles that resemble rice. And the best part? You can buy it already riced! So far I’ve seen it in two places: Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s. You can bet that it’s much cheaper at Trader Joe’s so you might want to try there first. Trader Joe’s also has frozen riced cauliflower in addition to fresh, so I highly recommend always having a bag or two in your freezer for days you want to whip up a quick veggie dish.

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Strawberry Oat Muffins (Gluten & Dairy Free)

I don’t know what I was thinking.

Yesterday I bought a 2 pound container of strawberries. Two pounds! We rarely get through a 1 pound container without some of them going bad!

But I couldn’t help it. I got so excited when I saw a 2 pound package of ORGANIC strawberries being sold at Trader Joe’s! How could I NOT buy them? Deal of the century!

So I decided to make a preemptive strike against wasted fruit by figuring out a way to use some of the strawberries right away.

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