Creamy, No-Cream, Green Spread

Ingredients:

• 1 can garbanzo

• 1 avocado

• 3 tablespoons flax seed oil

• 2 tablespoons garlic powder or to taste

• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

• 1 tablespoon Himalayan or sea salt (or to taste)

• Optional: hemp seeds

Method:

Step 1: In a food processor or blender, blend all the ingredients. 

(Optional) step 2: Top with hemp seeds if using. 

Step 3: eat

Forget mayo. This spread is tastier and 10x healthier than mayo.  But you can use it for all the same things you'd use mayo for and probably 100 other things that you wouldn't use mayo for. 

My favorite uses:

1. Sandwich spread
2. Tasty dip for veggies. 
3. Spread on top of grilled veggies, grilled fish, or grilled chicken.
4. Or turn into a delicious salad dressing by adding more flax seed oil and red wine vinegar. 

The Nutritional Low Down

Garbanzo beans are an excellent source of fiber, protein and the essential vitamin, Folate.  Folate helps prevent cancer by protecting cell development. The fiber in garbanzo beans help keep you full longer, lower cholesterol and help support regularity. 

Flax seed oil is one of the cleanest sources of Omega 3 fatty acid.  Omega 3 fats are essential at lowering inflammation in our bodies and supporting healthy brains. 

Avocado has more potassium than bananas and is loaded with fiber and nutrients.  Studies have shown that eating avocados can increase HDL ("good") cholesterol and lower LDL ("bad") cholesterol.  It also works to improve blood triglycerides by up to 20%. 

Chocolate-Dipped-Strawberries Breakfast Cake

Please excuse the big photo of my head....

I was conducting a workshop this week on how to make quick meals.  So the night before I quickly made a batch of my famous Mimi's bars.  In a snap, I decided to make another flavor as well that was equally as healthy.  Enter these Chocolate Dipped Strawberries Breakfast Bar.  The ingredients were all things I had lying around and the prep work was ridiculously simple.  

The real shocker was when they were nearly all eaten half way through the workshop.  They were definitely a hit!

“Word to the Wise: Oats are generally heavily sprayed with pesticides, do yourself a favor and purchase organic oats and oatbran. ”

What I love about them (in addition to how easy and delicious they are), is is that they are full of fiber.  Oat bran, which by now, you know I eat daily, is so full of really good for you fiber and protein.  It makes a wonderful on-the-go breakfast that keeps your body healthy. 

 These bars are wonderful for either breakfast or a healthy dessert.  They are also intensely moist, which I personally love!

It was a seamless process to make.  Toss in blender, then bake.  Full recipe deets below. 

INGREDIENTS

• 1.5 cups raw almonds (can sub almond butter or almond flour)
• 2.5 cups oatbran 
• 2 heaping tablespoons coconut butter 
• 3 ripe bananas 
• 1 handful of pitted dates
• 1 pack frozen strawberries 
• 1-2 cups of plant based milk
• 1 pack frozen raspberries (or another pack of frozen strawberries, bur raspberries work best)
• 1 cup sugar free chocolate chips ( I used stevia sweetened Lily's brand chocolate chips)
• OPTIONAL: coconut flakes for topping

Method

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Blend almonds in a high speed blender until a powder is formed. 
3. Throw everything else except the raspberries and the chocolate chips in the blender. 
4. Blend until smooth.  Adjust the amount of milk until you get desired consistency.  More milk will yield more baking time and more moisture in the bars. 
5. Toss in chocolate chips and frozen raspberries.  Mix into batter. 
6. (Optional) Top the batter with coconut flakes. 
7. Throw batter onto a parchment paper lined baking pan and into oven.  Remove from heat when the outside is perfectly cooked and the inside is cooked but still slightly moist.  (About 40 minutes). 
8. When cooled, cut into bars and eat!

As with all FastBeets Recipes, please use your very own tastebuds in measuring the amounts of each ingredient.  You can't go wrong with how much of anything you add or subtract.  

I'm so happy you're making one of my quick + healthy recipes! Please make sure you share it on Instagram and tag @FastBeets so I can see your masterpiece or leave a comment below with any questions! 

xx, SS

Best Ever Detox Soup

Actual Labor Time: 5 Minutes
Heat Time: 10 minutes

This quick, easy soup, is the perfect detox.  It's chock full of cilantro, which happens to be the world's Best Natural Detoxifier.  Cilantro is a known anti-microbial, lowers blood sugar, and lowers bad cholesterol (LDL) levels.  

Cilantro is also a potent anti-bacterial.  Did you know it can actually kill salmonella (according to the Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry)? So it's pretty powerful stuff. 

When you're looking to detox, cilantro is your numero uno BFF.  It is a powerful natural cleansing agent thats got properties for effectively clearing toxic metals out of your body.  Ya see, the properties in cilantro go up to the toxic metals and literally remove them from the tissues in your body they like to hide in.  How cool is that?  

Mercury is probably the most problematic of all the toxic metals, so if you've had your fair share of spicy tuna rolls this spring, grab your blender and make this detox soup.  

Literally, it takes five minutes and its so hassle free, you can make this in the tiniest of kitchens.  So ready, set, blend, detox!

xx, SS

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup cilantro
• 4 zuchinni
• 4 cloves of garlic or 4 teaspoons chopped garlic
• 1 yellow pepper
• 1 yellow onion
• 2 cups water or plant milk
• Himalayan salt or sea salt to taste
• Pepper of choice to taste
• Toppings: Sesame seeds. 

Method

Put all ingredients into a high speed blender.  (Depending on strength of blender you may need to blend a few ingredients at a time.)  Blend until you reach a desired smooth consistency.  Place contents of blender into a bot on your stove and heat until warm. Garnish with sesame seeds. 

Sin City Grapefruit

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Winter and early spring is grapefruit season.  We don't get many in-season fruits in the winter, so let's embrace the grapefruit and all the goodness that comes with it.

I adapted this recipe from the Cosmopolitan hotel in Las Vegas. Its super easy and takes so little time.  If your palate isn't well versed in this bittersweet delight this quick recipe will make you a pro in no time! 

Ingredients:

• 1-2 Grapefruits
• 1 tablespoon honey
• Juice of 1/2 a Lemon
• Handful of Chopped Roasted Almonds

Method:

1. Use a knife to cut off the skin of the grapefruit, including the white bits. Chop the grapefruit into bite size pieces. 
2. Mix desired amounts of honey and lemon juice.  
3. Toss grapefruit pieces in the dressing and top with chopped almonds.
4. Serve. 

Thanks for making this! I would love it see how it turns out. Snap a pic and tag me on Instagram @fastbeets so I can see your #fastbeetsapproved healthy creation! Any questions on it? Message me on Snapchat.  

Xx, SS