#LEAN14: more from juice press.

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Last week I posted about some of my favorite new raw foods from Juice Press, and this week they were kind enough to send me some samples of there newest treats to give a try!

Juice Press

I opened the bag to find Liquid Gold cold-pressed juice, Vital Force Very Berry smoothie, and their raw Mango Chia.

Juice Press

I had really been wanting to try their new Liquid Gold juice (since I love its “cousin” The Remedy). It includes anti-inflammatory properties from turmeric and ginger, which helps relieve muscle tension. It’s also full of vitamin C.

formula: orange juice, turmeric juice (filtered water, turmeric root), pineapple juice, grapefruit juice, carrot juice, ginger juice, lime juice, celtic sea salt.

taste: loved it! It’s really refreshing, with the perfect amount of kick from the ginger.

Juice Press Liquid Gold and Vital Force Very Berry

Next up is the Vital Force Very Berry Smoothie. It’s a vegan probiotic yogurt packed with antioxidants from the blend of strawberry, blueberry, raspberry, and goji. Vegan probiotic supports the healthy bacteria in your digestive system and maca gives you an energy boost.

formula: almond milk (water, almonds, coconut oil, vanilla, sea salt), bananas, filtered water, strawberries, soaked cashews, blueberries, raspberries, dates, lime juice, goji berries, probiotics, maca powder, sea salt.

taste: I loved this one as well! I wasn’t sure what I’d think about it being a smoothie in a bottle, but it was really delicious. It was just like a thick, strawberry yogurt – it could almost pass as a milkshake-like dessert!

Juice Press Liquid Gold and Vital Force Very Berry

Last up was the Mango Chia pudding. According to their website, Juice Press took their classic chia seed pudding and added vegan probiotics and the sweet and tangy flavors of mango to make this snack even more nutritious. By using sprouted almonds and chia seeds as the base, it’s a pudding that supports healthy bacteria in the digestive system and is rich in protein, fiber, omega 3’s and calcium.

ingredients: mango, almond milk (water, almonds, coconut oil, vanilla, sea salt), soaked chia seeds (water, chia seeds), deglet noor dates, coconut oil, vegan probiotic, cinnamon, vanilla, sea salt, almond extract.

taste: I must admit that I was skeptical about this because I made chia pudding in the past and didn’t love it. But, clearly I was doing it all wrong. This chia pudding was smooth and creamy (not watery/gooey like mine was) and it had a perfect sweet flavor from the mango. Definitely great for a morning or afternoon snack.

Juice Press Mango Chia Pudding

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Which Juice Press juice and/or food would you want to try most?
Have you ever had chia pudding? Are you a fan?

#LEAN14: single serving oatmeal cookie {dough}.

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I don’t know about you, but when about 4pm rolls around, I’m in serious need of an afternoon snack. Sometimes a smoothie or handful of nuts will cut it, but other times I need something that’s more of a treat, while still being at least slightly healthy.

…I found that something.

Single Serving Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookie Dough

inspired by Fitnessista’s “famous” breakfast cookie

 

ingredients:

  • 1/4 cup quick oats
  • 1 tbsp ground flax
  • 1 tbsp melted nut butter (I used almond butter)
  • 2 tbsp milk (I used coconut milk)
  • generous sprinkle of cinnamon
  • 1 tbsp dark chocolate chips
  • 1 tsp sugar OR sprinkle of Stevia (optional)

 

directions: In a bowl combine oats, flax,cinnamon, sweetener and nut butter as well as you can. Then add the milk to bring it all together. Add the chocolate chips last.

Form into a cookie shape (you can make it big and flat or small and thicker – I prefer the latter), and wrap tightly in saran wrap. Put in the refrigerator for at least 15 minutes for it to set a bit.

Single Serving Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookie Dough

This really turned out to be the perfect little snack. It’s hearty and filling while satisfying a sweet tooth too. Next time I’m going to switch it up with add-ins like nuts and/or dried fruit.

It could also be great for dessert, or even breakfast!

Single Serving Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookie Dough

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What’s your go-to afternoon snack?

snapshots.

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Gym things.

More Juice Press goodness. This time their Anytime Taco.

Juice Press Anytime Taco

Sometimes ya just have to ditch the makeup for a day.

And sometimes it’s time to trade in all black attire for the lighter side.

neutrals

On Saturday we had brunch at one of my favorite spots, The Fat Radish.

The Fat Radish NYC

Bloody Mary, The Fat Radish NYC

I can’t not get their avocado toast…

Avocado Toast with Spicy Eggs, The Fat Radish NYC

Epstein’s is always fun for some Saturday silliness.

lol Mon.

Fuel to keep the fun going into nighttime…

A random pup in a cup. Clearly blog-worthy.

photo 4 (3)

Last but not least, this…

Proverbs 30:5

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What’s been the highlight of your weekend so far?

#LEAN14: juice press {raw food} review.

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One of the things I love most about my new neighborhood is that I’m pretty much surrounded by healthy places to eat. One of those places is Juice Press, which I had previously only tried their (yummy) cold-pressed juices. Over the past two days, though, I finally had a couple of their raw food options. And let me just say…oh my raw.

First up was their Raw Falafel.

ingredients: kale, cucumber, tomato, sunflower seeds, almond, buckwheat, filtered water, lime juice, jalepeno, red onion, sea salt, garlic powder, coriander, parsley, cilantro, spices, tahini sauce on the side (filtered water, tahini, lemon juice, coconut sugar, sea salt, spices).

taste: delicious! It definitely had a different texture than baked/fried falafel, but I personally loved it. The flavor was great, and the meal (falafel + salad) was a lot more filling than I anticipated.

Juice Press Raw Falafel

Juice Press Raw Falafel

 

The next day for lunch I got the Ravioli, which is actually made from turnip and filled with a basil cashew cheese. Served with sun dried tomatoes over an arugula salad with a scallion vinaigrette.

ingredients: arugula, turnip, sun dried tomato, basil cashew cheese (cashew, sunflower seed, basil, olive oil, lemon juice, nutritional yeast, spirulina, sea salt, garlic powder, black pepper), scallion vinaigrette (lemon juice, olive oil, apple cide vinegar, agave, scallion, black pepper, garlic powder, sea salt), rawmesan (sunflower seed, nutritional yeast, sea salt, black pepper, tumeric).

taste: AWESOME. I wasn’t sold when I first learned that the ravioli “pasta” was actually turnip, but it totally worked. It had a bit more of a crunch than regular pasta, but the flavors and creamy consistency of the basil cashew cheese still made it taste like real ravioli.

Juice Press Raw Ravioli

Juice Press Raw Ravioli

 

Finally, for dessert I got the Sin-O-Bun. OMG.

ingredients: buckwheat, date, golden flax, cinnamon, vanilla, topping (irish moss, coconut, coconut sugar, vanilla.

taste: Let me just say that I’ve tried a lot of “healthy” desserts in my day, and this is by far one of the best I’ve ever had. Not only is it rich and decadent, but it tastes…real. Not like it’s loaded with fake ingredients. It was a really satisfying dessert that didn’t leave me feeling sluggish afterward.

Juice Press Raw Sin-O-Bun

Juice Press Raw Sin-O-Bun

Juice Press Raw Sin-O-Bun

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Have you ever eaten raw food? Are you a fan?

#LEAN14: creamy avocado spaghetti squash {+ how to cook spaghetti squash in the microwave}.

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This is about as simple as it gets. 2 ingredients, can be made in less than 20 minutes, and no oven or pots/pans necessary.

Creamy Avocado Spaghetti Squash

inspired by Creamy Avocado Pasta from Oh She Glows

 

ingredients:

1 spaghetti squash
1 (very ripe) avocado
seasonings of choice – I seasoned simply with salt and pepper

directions:

Cook spaghetti squash either in the oven (will take much longer) or microwave (see instructions below). Place cooked squash in a medium-sized bowl, set aside.

In a separate bowl, mash avocado with the back of a fork. You can add your favorite oil to thin it out, but I like leaving it a bit on the chunky side.

Add mashed avocado to spaghetti squash, and combine well. The squash should still be hot and melt the avocado almost into a sauce. Season to taste.

 

5 steps to microwaving spaghetti squash:

1) Poke squash about 10 times with a fork. Place it on a microwave safe plate and microwave for 6-8 minutes (the larger the squash, the more time needed).

2) Once the squash is softened, remove from microwave and cut in in half long ways. Be careful, it will be hot!

3) Let squash cool for a few minutes, then scrape out all of the seeds.

4) Place halves skin side down back in the microwave, and heat for 8-12 minutes (once again, depending on size of squash and how soft you want the “spaghetti” to get).

5) Let cool for at least 5 minutes, then scrape out the “spaghetti” with a fork into a bowl.

 

Creamy Avocado Spaghetti Squash

I LOVE this meal. It’s simple and healthy, but so filling and SO tasty! It would be great with some grilled chicken thrown in too.

Don’t get me wrong – I love myself a nice big bowl of real pasta. But I also really love the taste and texture of spaghetti squash, so it’s a great healthy alternative…especially when smothered in avocado. So if you’re an avocado freak lover like me, you’ll definitely enjoy this too.

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What’s your favorite way to eat avocado? Do you ever make spaghetti squash?

{no bake} white chocolate peanut butter oatmeal cookies.

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I’ll be honest – I almost didn’t post this recipe because it’s not quite perfected. There’s probably just one or two small tweaks that need to be made to make these no-bake cookies set better.

BUT…they’re so delicious that it wasn’t worth holding out on sharing!

No Bake White Chocolate Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies

No Bake White Chocolate Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies

yields 20-25 cookies. Gluten free*

ingredients:

  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup butter
  • 1/2 cup milk (I used almond milk)
  • 1/2 cup peanut butter
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 3 cups oats (quick or rolled will work)
  • 3/4 cup white chocolate chips

directions: In a large pot boil sugar, butter, and milk for 1 minute. Add peanut butter, vanilla, and oats to the pot and mix well. Let mixture sit for 20-30 minutes (you’ll notice it’s pretty liquid-y and needs to set!).

Mix in the white chocolate chips, then drop 2-3 tablespoons of the cookie mixture onto cookie sheets lined with wax paper. Let cool for another 20-30 minutes in the refrigerator before eating. Store in the refrigerator.

* if using gluten-free oats

No Bake White Chocolate Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies

Although these aren’t necessarily the most beautiful of cookies, they’re really good. Like, really good.

The flavor combination of peanut butter and white chocolate, paired with the ooey gooey (almost fudge-like) consistency of these cookies makes it difficult to stop at just one. But they’re gluten free so that’s like, totally okay 😉

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Are you a fan of no-bake cookies/recipes?