Avocado Jo

The three loves of my life are avocados, quinoa, and kale. This site is dedicated to healthy living, eating, and being. Enjoy!

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Vegan Almond Butter Cookies

One of my favorite past times is going to afternoon tea or high-tea with my mom and my sister. It's mostly a European thing, but it's the perfect "meal" to hold you over between lunch and dinner. These little goobers are the perfect compliment to a nice hot cup of English breakfast tea on a breezy summer evening. 

Ingredients

1 1/2 c gluten-free all-purpose flour

1 c grade A maple syrup

1/3 c light brown sugar

1 c all natural almond butter

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tbsp baking powder

Kosher salt

Place all dry ingredients in one bowl and mix.

Place all wet ingredients in a smaller bowl, mix, and add to the dry ingredients.

Form small balls of cookie dough and place on a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Wet your finger and press lightly in the center of each ball.

Sprinkle a little kosher salt in the indent.

Bake for 10-12 minutes, and take out and let cool. 

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Kale Durum Pasta 

There are not a lot of things I love more than pasta. However, everyone knows eating too much pasta is not a good thing, especially when you're trying to maintain a certain weight and size. This recipe is a lighter pasta dish that is herby and fresh and contains one of my all-time favorite loves: kale!

Ingredients:

Organic durum pasta

85% grass-fed, local ground beef (omit if vegetarian)

Fresh kale

Fresh oregano

Garlic cloves (2)

1/2 medium onion

1 bay leaf

Salt and pepper

Cook pasta by package direction

Add a small amount of olive oil to a medium pan and once heated, add the garlic and onion. 

Let the onion cook until translucent and add the beef, separating bigger chunks by hand. Cook until the beef turns grayish in color.

Add the bay leaf.

Add the kale and drizzle a little more olive oil.

Add the pasta and toss lightly with salt and oregano. 

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Barley, Scallions, and Blue Cheese Pancakes with Turkey Bacon

Breakfast is my favorite meal of the day, and I never ever skip it. I am the most indecisive person when it comes to choosing between a savory or a sweet breakfast, so this recipe (modified from What Should I Eat for Breakfast?) offers the perfect blend between both. It's great for an early start to the day or even for lunch.

Ingredients

1 c barley flour

1 c 2% milk

1/3 c chopped scallions

2 tbsp grade A maple syrup

1 tbsp baking powder

Pinch of sea salt 

2 tbsp melted butter

Diced blue cheese

All natural turkey bacon

Combine the milk, flour, baking powder, maple syrup, and butter in a bowl and mix.

Add the diced blue cheese and the scallions and mix.

Pour the pancake mix in a pan over medium heat, flip once bubbles start to form.

Fry the turkey bacon, and place between pancakes.

Top it off with grade A maple syrup.

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Vegan Coffee Brownies

Today's weather is what I like to call baking-while-simultaneously-watching-Grey's-Anatomy-weather. Gloomy, cloudy, windy and in the 40s, I felt it more than appropriate to try out this recipe that I had been dying to test from Gwenyth. I'm not much of a sweet tooth, but these brownies are moist, soft, and perfectly sweetened. In addition, it's the perfect pick-me-up!

Ingredients:

2 c gluten-free all-purpose flour

1 c high quality cocoa powder (I use Trader Joe's)

1 1/2 tbsp baking powder

Pinch of sea salt

1/2 vegetable oil

1 c grade A maple syrup

1/2 c organic honey

1/2 c strong coffee

1/2 c rice milk

1 tbsp pure vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350F. Damp a paper towel with neutral oil and rub the inside of a brownie pan until visibly oiled, or you can use parchment paper.

Sift the flour, baking powder, cocoa powder, and salt in a large bowl.

Mix all the wet ingredients with a whisk, and add to the dry ingredients.

Mix all the ingredients together, but make sure not to overbeat.

Pour into baking pan, and place into oven for 30 minutes, more if the pan is deeper, and less if it is shallow.

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Vegan Quinoa and Tofu Dumplings

I found this great recipe in Gwenyth Paltrow's It's All Good, and modified it to include some things that I love. Sometimes when I'm missing home or my mother's cooking, I like to make these dumplings. They're a healthy alternative to the greasy yet so delicious dumplings you get at Chinese restaurants. Eat them as a small snack in during the day or have them as lunch!

Ingredients: 

1 garlic clove, smashed

1/2 of a small yellow onion

1/2 c of crumbled extra firm tofu

1 scallion stalk, chopped

1 1/2 c of chopped green cabbage

1/2 c cooked quinoa 

1/4 c shaved carrot

1/2 c frozen peas

Pinch of salt

1 tbsp soy sauce

1 tsp sesame oil

Nasoya dumpling wraps (circular)

Add the onions, garlic, carrots, scallions, and cabbage in a food processor or blender. Once finely chopped, cook them in a skillet over medium heat with neutral oil for 5-6 minutes. Add the quinoa, peas, and tofu and cook until the peas soften. Scoop the mixture into a large bowl and using a potato masher, mash the contents until they become compact.

On a dry, flat surface place the dumpling wraps and add around 1 tbsp of mixed ingredients in the middle. Dip your finger in water and paint the outline of the circular wrap. Fold over the wrap, forming a semi-circle. Press down and pinch the area around the pocket holding the mixture. 

Dribble a tbsp of oil on a hot skillet. Let the dumplings cook until they become brown on each side (around 3-4 minutes). Next, add 1/4 of water to the hot skillet and cover. Let the dumplings absorb the water until the wrap becomes soft and quite opaque.