Chocolate Avocado-Banana Pudding

At one day away from being 38 weeks pregnant, I was desperately craving something chocolate-y but also healthy (since I had a not-so-healthy dinner with hubby the night before). I opened up my pantry, and what did I spot? Some organic cocoa powder. My mind began to race as I went through all the different things I could make with it. One thing led to another, and I remembered that I had 2.5 avocados left in the fridge and extra ripe bananas I was saving for another banana bread loaf.

Can you guess what my sweet treat of choice was? Well, the answer is a creamy, nutrient-dense chocolate pudding. It felt really good to make such a healthy choice after choosing to eat a dinner high in sodium, trans fats and probably chemicals as well the night before. I just felt cleaner and more energized at the thought of it! This healthy snack motivated me to clean and organize my over-cluttered pantry (which, just by the way, now looks ah-mazing), make a nice dinner and get started on some apple-cinnamon energy balls for the hospital when baby Lukas decides to come. Mm!

And for all the pregnant ladies out there who have not been able to tolerate the taste or consistency of avocado, this is a great way to make sure you are consuming a good amount of nutrients for your little one's brain development, in particular. Throughout my entire pregnancy, I was unable to even think about avo, but this dessert seemed to do the trick. :) 

The recipe I used is very simple, and the ingredients are easily replaceable in the event you do not have all that is required (although, you absolutely do need avocados and cocoa powder).

Avocado-Banana Pudding
Ingredients

• 2½ ripe avocados;
• ½ cup cocoa powder (I used organic);
• ½ cup brown sugar;
• 1 very ripe banana;
• ½ cup cow's milk (one of my biggest craving over the past two months)*;
• ¼ cup coconut milk (or more if you like taste)*;
• pinch of cinnamon

Blend all the ingredients together and enjoy! You will be able to get 4-5 servings out of this recipe.

*If you prefer using other types of milk or just using one type only, go for it! But make sure you have about ¾ to 1 cup of it, in case you want it to be a little smoother.

I hope you enjoy this as much as I did!!

Thanks,

-Alesia D.

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Eggplant-Zucchini Lasagna

Eggplant season is currently in full swing, and unfortunately, this purple veggie often has people looking the other way, as they pass it in the grocery isle. And let me just say, I was never a big fan of it either, until last year, that is.

Last August, my mother urged me to check out a local eggplant festival. My first reaction was, "Really? There's an actually festival that celebrates eggplants? This thing really has its own celebration?" So basically, this festival was created to showcase the wide variety of meals and treats one can make using eggplant. Like, I'm talking pizzas, stews, stuffed peppers, sauces, dips, pickled items, ratatouilles, desserts, cakes, and, lasagnas!

Seriously, the lasagna I tried that day I visited the festival left such an impact on me that I wanted to learn to make it at home. One thing I really liked about it was that it contained no pasta noodles, but instead employed the use of sliced eggplant and zucchini. And honestly, less noodles and processed carbs only means more CHEESE. =D (And this preggo mama needs her calcium for baby, right?!)

To make the sauce for this dish, I decided to make a marinara sauce from scratch to keep things as whole and healthy as possible (the recipe I used only served as inspiration). It tasted so good in the end!

One thing though, if you are pregnant and making this, make sure to have a niceee foot massage lined up afterwards. When I was finished making this amazing meal, my feet were finished. Usually it's my back that gives me a hard time, but I am guessing that at 7 months pregnant and at 20 lbs later, the feet are feeling the pressure to say the least!

P.S. Contrary to popular belief, eggplant does not induce labour. I made a nice, big batch of ratatouille a few weeks ago, and there were no reactions, aka, Baby L is still baking in that oven of mine. So relax and enjoy this fiber-rich, oxidant-packed veggie in its many forms. :)

Now enough with all the talking, I'm sure you just want to make this lasagna already. So without further ado, here is my nutrient-dense, vegetarian and gluten-free twist on same-old lasagna. 

Ingredients:

• 1.5 large eggplants, peeled and thinly sliced;
• 2 large zucchinis, thinly sliced;
• 2 tbsp olive oil (or enough olive oil to brush on these vegetables);
• ¹⁄4 cup olive oil;
• salt + pepper;
• 1 can (28 oz) diced or whole tomato;
• 2 tbsp tomato paste;
• 9 garlic cloves, sliced and diced;
• 3 carrots, chopped;
• ~7 leaves of fresh basil;
• 3 tbsp dried parsley;
• 1 pack mushrooms (~10), sliced and diced;
• 3 big handfuls fresh spinach, cut up;
• 1 tub (15 oz) Ricotta cheese;
• 1 egg;
• 1 tsp dried oregano;
• 1 tsp dried basil;
• 1½ cups Parmesan cheese;
• 3 cups mozzarella cheese, divided;
• crushed red chili pepper flakes; and
• 1 cup water.

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Wash, peel and slice eggplants and zucchinis, then lay them flat on on parchment paper, in baking sheets.
3. Brush them with the olive oil and sprinkle some salt and pepper, then place in oven for 12 minutes.
4. To make your marinara sauce from scratch (my sauce of choice for this meal), combine crushed or whole tomatoes, ¹⁄4 cup of olive oil, carrots, 2 cups of chopped spinach, fresh basil, mushrooms, salt, pepper, tomato paste, 7 cloves of garlic, crushed red chili pepper flakes and water. Keep on medium heat until carrots have softened then move to low heat and let simmer until ready to use.
5. In a bowl, combine the Ricotta cheese, ½ cup mozzarella, egg, remaining garlic cloves, dried basil, oregano and parsley, remaining spinach, salt and pepper. Stir very well.
6. Spread enough sauce to cover the bottom of the lasagna pan, and begin layering in this order: eggplant, zucchini, Ricotta-spinach mix, 1 cup of mozzarella cheese and sauce. Repeat with remaining ingredients, but this time, your last layer of cheese will include the remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses.
7. Place in oven uncovered and bake for 30 minutes. Let it sit for 10-15 minutes before serving, and voila.

Buen apetito amigos!

Tabouleh Recipe

Middle Eastern Tabouleh

So, this salad is a dish I grew up eating very often as a child. It is extremely refreshing, tasty and good for you—plus the health benefits are endless! And did I forget to mention that vegetarians would love this?

My parents love their fresh veggie garden. And I am so glad to say that we have a common interest. I think it's so great to be able to walk out into your own backyard, pick what you need to pick, come back into the house and cook. There's something so organic about picking your own vegetables and knowing exactly where they came from.

The main ingredient here is parsley. This herb puts your immune system at such an advantage, that you just can't go wrong! It is rich in Vitamin A (beta-carotene), B-12, C and K, meaning that it cleans your immune system and flushes the excess fluid from your body. And let me tell you from experience, if you're pregnant, flushed out excess fluid can have you feeling pretty darn nice, and light, and not huge, and not bloated. Did you know that this leafy green stuff also contributes to anemia prevention, bad breath treatment, blood tonic and purifying and indigestion soothing? So yeah, you can say it's pretty high up there along with kale.

Before you start making this salad though, keep in mind that that it is quite time-consuming, as all the big ingredients must be finely chopped... No big pieces allowed if you plan on doing it the traditional way!

Alright folks, time to roll those sleeves up and get crackin'!

Ingredients:

• 3 parsley bunches;
• 3-4 small to medium tomatoes;
• 2 green onions;
• 2 lemons with pulp, squeezed;
• 1 handful bulgur, soaked first;
• ~⅓ cup olive oil;
• 2 tbsp dried or fresh mint, finely chopped if fresh;
• ~1 tbsp salt (or more to taste... you want it to complement the lemon juice);
• ~1½ tbsp sumac spice.

Directions:

1. Wash your parsley very extremely well. Especially when they are coming straight from the garden, you want to make sure ALL the dirt is washed out, because failing to do so can eventually lead to developing kidney stones. What I do is thoroughly wash my two sinks with soap and hot water, drain, then fill with cold water only to the point where the parsley leaves are completely submerged. I swish each bunch around in sink #1 until I feel it is time to place them in sink #2 and start the swishing/cleaning process all over again. I usually do this process 6 to 9 times, depending on how dirty my bunches are.

 2. Next, dry your bunches very well using a kitchen towel. And wash your tomatoes and green onions. This is easy enough! Tip: If you bought your parsley today but aren't ready to make your tabouleh just yet, wrap it in that same towel and place it in an air-tight ziploc bag that will go in your fridge. It will stay fresh and crunchy for 1 to 2 days.

3. Chop each bunch, one at a time. You want to make sure each is being chopped as finely as possible. Same thing with the tomatoes and onions.

 4. Next, squeeze your lemons, remove the seeds from the squeezer and pour all contents into your bowl.

 5.Add the bulgur, sumac, mint, olive oil and salt, et voilà! Mix everything very well, add anything you think should be added and enjoy! I personally like tabouleh with potato wedges and a nice BBQ.

Thanks for reading,

-Alesia D.