This gluten-free and vegan wrap is so delicious and can easily be modified to create your own personal favorite version. Chickpea "pancakes" are popular in France and Italy and are also known as socca or farinata. 

Chickpea flour is one of my must-have power foods in my pantry. It is high in protein and fiber and can be used in so many different ways. It acts as a binder and can be used as an egg replacement (for a vegan Frittata for example), you can thicken up soups and stews with it and make delicious breads and wraps like the one that you see in the picture above. Be advised though, do NOT try chickpea flour in its raw form! It tastes awful and might make you not want to proceed with the recipe. However, once cooked, it is absolutely delicious!

As for the batter, some sources suggest to scoop off the foam that develops after mixing (see picture below) to aid with better digestion and less bloating. I personally haven't noticed a difference with or without scooping the foam off but thought it's worth mentioning. 

When cooking the batter, I prefer adding very little batter and swirling it around to spread it all over your preheated pan. This way you get more of a tortilla/wrap-like texture. If you prefer more of a fluffy pancake texture, you may want to experiment and try adding more batter to your pan. 

Ingredients (for chickpea wrap):

• 1 cup chickpea flour 
• 1 cup plus 2 tbsp warm water
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp cumin
• 1.5 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp nutritional yeast
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder

Instructions: 

1. Mix together all of the ingredients until well combined and no clumps are left. You can also use an immersion blender or regular blender to mix it all up. 
2. Let batter rest for at least 2 hour, covered, at room temperature. 
3. Preheat your oven to 450 degree F with the broiler setting on. 
4. Oil your oven-proof pan and place in oven for a few minutes to preheat. 
5. With mittens, take preheated pan out of oven and pour small amount of batter (this batter should yield about 4 wraps depending on the size of your pan) so that it covers your pan thinly after swirling it around. 
6. Place back in oven and let cook for about 5 minutes but keep checking (every oven cooks slightly different). You want to take it out once it is firm and starts to brown. 

Ingredients (for cashew cream):

• 2 cup cashews (soaked for at least 2 hours or longer, rinsed & drained)
• 1 cup filtered water
• 1 Tbsp nutritional yeast
• 1 tsp miso (make sure to get gluten-free if needed)
• 1 tsp salt 
• 1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar

Instructions: 

1. Place about half of the water and all of the other ingredients in a high-speed blender. Alternatively, use an immersion blender but you may need to add more water to get it smooth. 
2. Blend everything until you achieve a very smooth consistency. You may need to stop your blender and scrape down the sides. Also, start with half of the water and gradually add more until you achieve the consistency that you like. 

*Notes:
- I like to spread the cashew cream on my wrap and then fill it with salad or grilled vegetables. There are so many possibilities though! Add Harissa, sundried tomatoes and smoked paprika to the cream or fill the wrap with cooked lentils. Keep experimenting and let me know what fun ideas you guys come up with!
- Chickpea wrap inspired by this socca recipe by David Lebovitz. 

It is so easy and so much cheaper to prepare hummus from scratch. My kids love hummus now that we've started making it at home. They especially love the idea of making their own hummus faces. To create hummus faces, we simply cut up a variety of vegetables into different shapes and use any bread that we have to spread the hummus on. Bagels and Pita bread works especially well!

A few tips and tricks that I have found make homemade hummus tastier.

• Use good tahini. When tahini has separated and the oil is swimming on top and it is hard to mix the oil back into the solid part, it is likely that the tahini is too old. Also make sure to taste your tahini! It should have a pleasant bitter taste. I buy my tahini at a local Mediterranean grocery store and really love the brand al wadi.
• Always use freshly squeezed lemon juice. Bottled lemon juice is typically dull tasting!
• Use ice cold water when adding it to your tahini mixture. I like adding a few ice cubes to my water before adding it to the food processor. Ice cold water contributes to a fluffier hummus!

Ingredients: 

• 1 (15oz) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• juice of 1 lemon (3 tablespoons or more)
• 1 clove of garlic, roughly chopped or minced
• 3/4 teaspoons salt
• 1/3 cup tahini
• 2 - 4 tablespoons ice water, more as needed
• 1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin 
• 2 tablespoon olive oil
• paprika or Sumac and more olive oil for optional decoration

Instructions: 

1. In a food processor, combine garlic, lemon juice and salt and process
2. Add the tahini to the food processor and puree until the mixture is combined and thickens. 
3. While food processor is running, add the iced water in a slow stream. 
4. Now add the chickpeas, cumin, and olive oil and blend for about two minutes or until mixture is creamy.
   
5. Stop and scrape down the sides as need and taste. You may need to add a tiny bit more water, lemon juice.
6. Transfer to a bowl and create a swirling pattern with a big spoon or spatula. Then drizzle a bit of olive oil on top and sprinkle with paprika or Sumac. 

This is a family favorite and always a hit for feeding a big crowd. As I teach cooking lessons to a lot of students with various dietary restrictions, I wanted to create a vegan version of my favorite Bolognese sauce. In my humble opinion, the vegan version is just as delicious and has been a big hit in one of my recent vegan cooking classes. 

Ingredients: 

• 1 lb ground meat (beef or pork)
• 3-4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 2 teaspoons cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder (or more for a little spice)
• 2 tablespoons basil
• 2 tablespoons oregano
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 onion, diced
• 3-4 oz tomato paste
• about 46 oz of diced tomatoes (or pureed)
• finely chopped vegetables, optional but recommended: 1 cup mushrooms, 1-2 zucchini, 1 bell pepper
• optional: broth or red wine for deglazing

Ingredients for Vegan Bolognese: 
All of the ingredients above, except ground meat. Substitute with: 

• 1/2 cup walnuts chopped finely in food processor
• add an additional cup of mushrooms --> total of 2 cups mushrooms
• 1-2 cups cooked lentils (I prefer brown lentils but any type works)

Instructions:

1. Heat large pot and then add oil.
2. Once oil is hot, saute onions until translucent. Then add spices, salt and garlic and saute for another 2-3 minutes but make sure not to burn the garlic!
3. Add any other vegetables that you want to add and saute together until softened.
4. Now add honey and tomato paste and "brown" it with the vegetables for about 3-4 minutes. This will also improve the flavor of the dish instead of adding it later on with the liquids. Don't worry if some of it sticks to the bottom!
5. Deglaze any brown bits on the bottom of the pot with a few splashes of red wine or broth. Just add liquid to pot and scrape up any brown bits. This will add richness and more flavor to your dish. 
6. Depending on how big your pot is, you could try to add the meat and brown it or transfer your vegetables to another dish and then brown your ground meat. (if you are making a vegan version, add your lentils and walnuts instead of the ground meat)
7. Once meat is browned well, add vegetables back to pot and add diced tomatoes. 
8. Cook for at least 1-2 hours on low heat. The longer it cooks, the better it will taste. Enjoy!

Ingredients for Cashew "Parmesan" Cheese:

• 1 cup raw cashews
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3-4 tablespoons nutritional yeast

Instructions: 

1. Place everything in a food processor or blender and process until powdery. If using a blender, make sure not to process too long, otherwise it will become clumpy. 
2. Store in a sealed container in the refrigerator. 

I like this dish because it comes together quickly and it allows you to make use of any leftover veggies in your fridge. Eggs are not only for breakfast but can make a great dish for dinner with a side salad or roasted potatoes. 
Ingredients: 

• 8 large eggs
• 1/3 cup sour cream (or yogurt, coconut milk)
• 2/3 cup shredded or crumbled cheese (goat or feta cheese)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• freshly ground pepper
• up to 3 cups chopped raw or previously cooked vegetables of your choice: zucchini, mushrooms, onions, garlic, bell pepper, peas, sun-dried tomatoes 
• optional: chopped ham, sliced sausages

Instructions: 
1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
2) Grease pie pan or oven-safe skillet with butter or oil
3) Place the eggs, sour cream, and the cheese in a medium size bowl. Whisk together and add the salt and pepper
4) Saute onions, garlic and any raw vegetables you want to use and leave in oven proof skillet or place in baking dish
5) Pour egg mixture over vegetables
6) Bake just until the eggs are set, 15-20 minutes

Ingredients:

• coconut oil  or other oil for cooking
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger 
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 2 teaspoon curry powder
• 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 2 cups canned coconut milk
• 2 cups broth
• 1.5 cups dried red lentil
• 1/2 cup chopped cashews
• 1/4 cup unsweetened shredded dried coconut
• 1 tablespoon cilantro
• 2 cups frozen green peas (or mixed vegetables)
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions: 
1) Heat oil in a large skillet or pot over medium heat and saute onions until translucent
2) Add garlic and minced ginger and saute for another 30 seconds until fragrant. Avoid burning garlic!
3) Stir in curry powder, turmeric, and salt and saute for another 30 seconds.
4) Add coconut milk, broth, and cashews 
5) Rinse your lentils and then add them to the pot. Reduce heat and cook for another 15-20 minutes or until lentils soften. 
6) Stir in frozen vegetables, shredded coconut and cook for 3-5 minutes. 
7) Add lemon juice, and more salt and pepper to taste. 
8) Serve by itself or over rice, quinoa or millet. Top with chopped cilantro. 

These cookies have been a great success with my family and in my cooking classes with kids and adults. The recipe is very forgiving, meaning you can play with the ingredients and make modifications and it still always turns out just fine. For example, I have used leftover pumpkin seed pulp from making a pumpkin seed milk in place of ground pumpkin seeds and it turned out so delicious both times. I hope you enjoy these nutrient packed cookies as much as we do. 

Ingredients:

• 2 bananas, ripe, mashed
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ¼ cup coconut oil, slightly heated
• 2 cups rolled oats*
• 1-2 tablespoons maple syrup or other sweetener
• 1/3 cup ground pumpkin seeds/almond flour/or pulp from pumpkin milk
• 1/3 cup cacao powder
• 1/3 cup coconut, finely shredded
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric 
• 5 oz chocolate chips
• 1-2 teaspoon Chaga mushroom powder (optional)

Instructions: 

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees, racks in the middle or top of oven
2. In a large bowl combine the bananas, vanilla extract, maple syrup, and heated coconut oil.
3. In another bowl, combine rest of the ingredients except chocolate chips. Mix dry ingredients until well combined and then add into wet ingredients. Mix everything together. If using seed pulp, use your hands to mix everything well together 
4. At the end, fold in chocolate chips.
5. Drop dollops of dough, each about 1-2 tablespoons in size, an inch apart, onto a parchment lined baking sheet.
6. Bake for about 13-15 minutes or until golden on the bottoms. The cookies will fall apart if you try to pick them up right after taking them out of the oven so make sure to let them rest on the baking sheet for a few minutes and let them cool down before eating them. 

*Notes:
 - If you can’t have oats, try flattened rice, also called beaten rice or Rice Poha (found in Indian stores or Amazon). T
 - To sweeten the cookies, you can also use chopped dates instead of maple syrup
 - Store cookies in airtight container on counter for up to 3 days or store in fridge for up to 5 days. I think these cookies taste best straight out of the refrigerator. 
 - Inspired by the healthful double chocolate cookies recipe from 101 cookbooks

This is a simple dessert that doesn't require baking and is packed with nutritious ingredients. I promise that you will wow anyone with these pretty tartlets! What I also love about this dessert is that you can make the tartlet shells in advance and just store them in the fridge. Whenever you are ready to fill them, just take them out of the freezer and they are ready to eat within in a few minutes! Watch my video here on how to make these tartlets. 

(This recipe makes about 6 tartlets)
Ingredients: 

• 2 cups nuts or seeds (I like to use a mix of walnuts and almonds)
• 2 cups pitted dates 
• ~2 lbs fresh fruit chopped into bite size pieces (e.g. strawberries, mango, blueberries)
  
• Optional for dressing: 
  
• 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
  
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
  
• 1 teaspoon grated orange zest
  
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  
• Optional for decoration: mint leaves, shredded coconut, chopped pistachios

Instructions: 

1. Optional: Place individual pieces of saran wrap over each mold in a muffin tin and set aside for later. You may also freestyle and mold the tartlets with your hands without using a muffin tin. 
2. To make the tartlet shells, place nuts in food processor and pulse a few times until nuts are finely chopped but not powdery. 
3. Then, add about 1 ¾ of the dates to the food processor and keep pulsing until combined. Check if the mixture is sticky enough for your tartlet shells and add the rest of the dates and pulse if needed. You can also add 1 tablespoon of water and pulse to help everything come together and become slightly sticky.
4. Then place about 3-4 tablespoons of the mixture into each mold of the muffin tin and press the mixture into the mold to form a tartlet shell. You may want to moisten your hands to avoid getting them too sticky while forming the shells. 
   
5. Place in fridge for about 45 minutes or freezer for 15 minutes to let shell become harder. 
6. If you want to make the dressing for the fruit, mix together the orange juice, lemon juice, zest, sugar and vanilla in a bowl and add the fruit. Mix everything together. While not necessary, this adds a very nice depth of flavor to your tartlets. 
7. To assemble your tartlets, take the shells out of the muffin tins. Place 1 tablespoon of the whipped coconut cream (optional, see recipe below) in the shell and then place fruit on top. Make sure to use a slotted spoon to take fruits out to avoid making the tartlets soggy with the fruit juice. Decorate with mint leaves, shredded coconut or chopped pistachios (optional). 
8. Enjoy!

Coconut Whipped Cream Filling
This is a very simple, vegan filling for your tartlets. Add a dollop into the tartlets and then decorate with your fruit. Alternatively, you could also use a dollop of yogurt for your tartlets. 

Ingredients:

• 1 can full fat coconut milk (refrigerated overnight)
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon powdered sugar

Instructions: 

1. Open up the can of coconut milk and scoop out the solid part into a bowl. (you can reserve the watery part for a smoothie)
2. Add powdered sugar, lemon zest and vanilla extract to solid coconut milk fat and whip it with an electric mixer until fluffy.

Smoothies are a fun and delicious way to get your kids involved in the kitchen and get them exposed to a variety of nutritious ingredients such as fruits, vegetables, herbs, nuts, and spices.
This is a delicious recipe that I have made in many of my kid's cooking classes and it has always been a hit, even with the less adventurous eaters. 

Give this recipe a try and feel free to make modifications. The great thing about smoothies is that there is typically a lot of freedom for improvisation as long as you have somewhat of an idea how each ingredient contributes to the final outcome of the recipe.

​Feel free to ask questions in the comment section below or watch my fun FB video here of how to make this smoothie. 

Ingredients:

• 1 cup milk (regular, hemp, coconut, etc.)
• 1/4 avocado (peeled)
• 1 banana (frozen or fresh)
• 1 handful of spinach (or chard, kale, parsley, etc.)
• 1 tsp chia seeds
• 1 tsp flax seeds (ground)
• 1/2 -1 tsp vanilla

Instructions: 
1) Pour hemp milk (or whatever liquid you're using) in your blender and then add all of the other ingredients to the blender. Adding liquids first and heavier ingredients at last will make it easier for a vortex to form and allow for a well blended smoothie. 
2) Keep the blender running until everything is pulverized and your smoothie is creamy. 
3) Enjoy!

Are mealtimes a joy for you and your family? Or do you dread them because they are all about power struggles between you and your picky eater who doesn't seem interested in the food you serve? ​​

​There are many reasons why your child might not be hungry enough or interested in trying new foods when it's time for dinner. Grazing and a lack of structure around snacks and meals can be one big contributor. For the month of March, I shared one of my favorite mealtime tips with my newsletter followers (to sign up, see bottom of page):

"Close" the kitchen at least 2 hours before dinner to allow your child to build up a healthy appetite. If possible, allow for lots of activity and fresh air prior to mealtime and they are more likely to eat well and even try new foods. 
​
Studies show that most kids spend more and more time in front of a screen and less time outside. Spending too much time inside not only leads to inactivity but kids are also more likely to ask for snacks around the clock.

What can you do? Try to plan ahead for your next family meal (make use of your slow cooker or Instant pot?) and take your kids outside! Even just half an hour of outside play before dinner can make a big difference in your child's appetite! Best of all, outside play doesn't only improve your child's appetite but can also increase his fitness level, decrease his risk for depression and anxiety and improve his sleep. 

Let me know if you give this a try and if you notice a change in your child's eating or feel free to share in the comment section below what other tricks and tips work for your family to make mealtimes a success? 

Did you know that I also offer nutrition consultations and in-home personalized cooking classes for families who struggle with picky eaters or need help with dietary restrictions/allergies? Leave a comment below or send me an email to find out more. 

Making your own plant-based milks is actually quiet simple. All you need is a blender, ideally a high-speed blender and your ingredients. For some nuts, you also need a nut milk bag to strain the milk and get a smoother consistency. Cashews are soft and after soaking, they pulverize completely in a high-speed blender that no straining is needed. 

Below is my basic cashew milk recipe or for an extra flavor and nutrient boost, try my strawberry, beet, rose milk version. This recipe was a big hit in a recent plant-based milk workshop I taught. 

Ingredients for Basic Recipe: 

• 1 cup cashews (soaked for at least 4 hours or overnight in fridge)
• 3 cups water (filtered for best flavor)
• 1 pinch salt
• 3 tablespoons maple syrup 
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Ingredients for Strawberry, Beet, Rose Cashew Milk: 

• 2 cups of basic cashew milk
• 1 cup strawberries, raw or thawed, previously frozen
• 1/2 teaspoon beet powder
• 1/2 fl. oz of rose scented water

Instructions:

1. Drain and rinse soaked cashews and throw in blender along with water, salt, maple syrup, and vanilla. 
2. Blend everything on high speed for about 2 minutes or until smooth. 
3. No need to strain this milk but if you want to achieve an even smoother consistency, you can try to strain it through a nut milk bag. 
4. For strawberry, beet, rose flavored milk, take 2 cups of the basic cashew milk and add strawberries, beet powder, and rose water and blend until combined and smooth. 
5. Enjoy as is or over ice. Decorate with a mint sprig and/or coconut flakes. You can store this milk in the fridge for 2-3 days but make sure to shake it well before consumption as it will separate over time.