#replace the bowl of lemon with a bowl of porridge and its perfect

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Goldilocks after adopting perrito

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7+ Delicious Ways to Eat More Veggies with Every Meal

New blog post!

This post is generously sponsored by Spinato's. 

When I was diagnosed with celiac disease, more changes happened to my diet than just going gluten free. Slowly but surely, my new dietary restrictions inspired me to experiment with more naturally gluten-free foods...which includes plenty of delicious vegetables. Before I knew it, I'd gone from a meat-and-potatoes kinda girl to a veggie addict! As a result, I can now honestly say that I enjoy eating vegetables and crave several servings of them every day. But I don't just eat raw broccoli and carrots! Instead, in the six years since my celiac diagnosis, I've found creative and yummy ways to incorporate more vegetables into my meals...and with help from Spinato's (home to some seriously ammmmazing certified gluten free broccoli crust pizza!), I'm sharing my top veggie hacks today! Because while I truly believe that everyone thrives on different foods and that "healthy eating" looks different for each person, I don't think most people can go wrong with adding a few more vegetables to their daily eats.

So whether you're looking for sneaky ways to up your kid's veggie intake this coming school season or you just want more creative ideas for delicious gluten free meals, keep reading to learn about 7+ easy and delicious ways you can eat more vegetables with every meal of the day!

Breakfast: 

When I was in high school, some of my typical breakfasts were cinnamon raisin bagels slathered in peanut butter or a protein bar eaten in the car on the ride to school. And while those certainly aren't bad options, my breakfasts nowadays are a lot more veggie-heavy. But you might not even realize that upon first glance! Because here's the thing: I'm not a savory breakfast kinda gal. When I wake up, I want something sweet...but that doesn't have to keep me from getting in some veggies and greens. And if you follow me on Instagram, you can probably guess one of my favorite ways to eat more vegetables with breakfast: smoothie bowls!

Veggie Hack #1: Get Sneaky with Smoothie Bowls

In fact, one of the best things about smoothies is that, depending on the ingredients and ratios you use, you can pack them full with vegetables and just taste the sweetness of banana or whatever fruits you included as well. Some of my favorite vegetables to include in smoothie bowls are:

Zucchini and squash, steamed and frozen ahead of time to help with digestion. These are my go-to veggies to use if you want a tummy-friendly smoothie that is super thick and creamy but lower in sugar thanks to these additions. And I promise - you don't taste the zucchini or yellow squash at all, especially when paired with flavorful ingredients like berries or cacao powder. 

Cauliflower, steamed and frozen. If your stomach can handle cauliflower in larger quantities, this is one Instagram trend you'll fall in love with.

Leafy greens, like spinach (which has a very mild flavor) or iceberg, kale, etc. if you don't mind tasting those greens more obviously.

Veggie Hack #2: Add Zucchini to Oats or Porridge

If you wake up craving a warm breakfast but still want something sweet and secretly full of veggies, zoats (also known as "zucchini oats") are another delicious option! I have made my zoats with zucchini and yellow squash, just grated and squeezed to remove the extra moisture. As I've shared in recipes like this one, you can also use alternative porridge grains like quinoa flakes, buckwheat flakes, or chia seeds if you can't tolerate gluten free oats. You can enjoy your zoats cold (and soaked overnight instead of being cooked) or warm, but if you're trying to hide the texture of zucchini, cooked is the better option. I often prep and soak my zoats the night before and then just warm them up in the microwave until everything is soft and gooey that morning!

Snacks

My snacks have also changed since I've started to enjoy eating more vegetables. While I still love my protein bars, I often end up having something homemade or fresh instead...and many of my favorite snacks - as you can guess from the topic of this post! - involve some raw or cooked vegetables. 

Veggie Hack #5: Top Rice Cakes with Guac and Veggies

This tip is as simple as the name suggests. I know a lot of people enjoy rice cakes with peanut butter and jelly or other sweet toppings, but I'm also a big fan of putting on a layer of guac, avocado, hummus or pesto and adding some spinach, carrots, cucumbers or whatever other veggies I have on hand. If you love a crunchy snack, there's nothing better than this!

Veggie Hack #3: Dress Up Veggies with Homemade Dip

Now, I know I said that I didn't just eat raw broccoli and carrots (and these days, I rarely do at all!). However, when I do have a hankering for raw vegetables - especially during hot days when I don't want to turn on the oven to cook something - whipping up a quick homemade pesto or dip can make veggies a lot more of an interesting snack! Feel free to use whatever pesto recipe you enjoy, but my go-to lately has involved a mix of several handfuls of spinach, a few tablespoons of hemp seeds, a squeeze of lemon, heavy sprinkles of oregano and thyme, and enough chicken or vegetable stock (for extra flavor!) to get the pesto to mix in my mini blender.

If raw veggies aren't your thang, you can also roast some and keep them in the fridge for snacking and lunch and dinners (which we'll get to shortly!). One of my favorite pairings with pesto is roasted sweet potato rounds. Just cut a sweet potato up into small coins, place them on a lined baking tray (no oil required) and cook at 425 for 25-30 minutes or until caramelized and soft.

Veggie Hack #4: Replace Oil and Sugar with Veggies in Homemade Granola

If you've checked out my gluten free granola recipes before, you already know that I rarely ever bake mine with oil or refined sugars. Instead, I get all the clumps and sweetness from pureed fruits and grated zucchini and squash. I know it might sound a bit crazy at first, but you don't taste the vegetables at all and they help make the granola extra clustery and chewy. Plus, if you make granola with turmeric, yellow squash and banana, it'll be hard for anyone to notice the squash in the mix!

Lunch and Dinner

Now, the grand finale - how to add more vegetables into your lunches and dinners! 

Veggie Hack #6: Cook and Freeze Certain Vegetables and Homemade Fries Ahead of Time

As I already mentioned in the snacks section, roasting vegetables ahead of time so that they're ready when you want to eat is a serious game-changer. I'd also encourage you to experiment with different spices (I'm partial to thyme and oregano) and methods of cooking (for example, baking at a super high temperature for a bit of burnt edges on your broccoli or covering your tray of veggies with tin foil so that they actually steam in the oven) to see what ways taste best to you.

Another trick I've learned over my six years of veggie-loving: certain vegetables can handle being frozen and reheated later on for an extra easy serving of vegetables. For example, I often cook an entire spaghetti squash and freeze one half so that I can take out the frozen spaghetti squash the night before, stick in the oven to reheat for a few minutes, and dive in extra quickly later on. And if you love fries but haven't ever made your own, now is the time! There are tons of easy recipes out there, and I've had success cooking big batches of fries, letting them cool, and then freezing them in sealed bags. When I want fries later, I just throw a handful of frozen fries in the oven on high for a few minutes, and wala! Quicker than fast food!

Veggie Hack #7: Take Advantage of Delicious, Secretly Veggie-Packed Alternatives to Your Favorite Foods

And now for one of my favorite vegetables hack lately. I already mentioned that this post is in partnership with Spinato's...and if you're trying to eat more vegetables this year, Spinato's certified gluten-free broccoli crust pizza is about to become your new BFF!

I knew I was in for a treat as soon as I got my first boxes of Spinato's; even without opening the box or cooking the pizzas, the scent of tomato sauce and spices got my mouth watering. Spinato's 10-inch broccoli crust pizza comes in four different flavors: Margherita; Aged Asiago, Romano & Mozzarella; Mediterranean Supreme; and Primavera. Besides being certified gluten free (something I LOVE seeing in foods I eat regularly!), Spinato's pizzas are free of MSG and trans fat, and packed with high-quality ingredients like hormone-free chicken sausage and vine-ripened tomatoes from local farms. One of the coolest parts? The Spinato family has been experimenting with pizza recipes and unique topping combos since 1974, so these pizzas are part of a delicious family legacy. As for my personal experience with these pizzas...first off, I loved how quickly you can cook them! Depending on what appliance you use, you can have your frozen pizza hot and ready in just 8 minutes. My pizza only took around 14 minutes in my oven, which makes Spinato's the perfect secret weapon to keep in my freezer for crazy busy school days this coming semester. And I definitely want to try grilling these pizzas one day, as the box suggests!

And now we get to the most important part: the taste. For the particular dinner in these photographs, I went with Spinato's Primavera pizza, which features zucchini, red onion, mushroom and red pepper. I added a lil' bit of greens and avocado (since those are my go-to pizza toppings!), and enjoyed evvery bite. I loved that the sauce, cheese and toppings were evenly dispersed throughout the whole pizza, and that the soft crust was balanced out by crunchy and chewy vegetables. I also enjoyed that the crust looked "normal" despite its broccoli base. If you served this to me without the box, I wouldn't have guessed the crust is packed with vegetables! My cooked pizza crust did come out of the oven feeling pretty soft and some of the pizza slices were messy to hold - especially since Spinato's pizza crust is pretty thin (just how I, personally, like it). However, once the pizza cooled some, the crust got a lot sturdier and had deliciously crunchy edges with a soft, chewy middle. And at the end of the day, I don't mind a bit of a messy dinner as long as it tastes finger-lickin' good...and Spinato's pizza definitely does.

If you want to try out Spinato's for yourself, Spinato's frozen broccoli crust pizzas are now available in over 1,500 stores all over the US. For help finding Spinato's broccoli crust pizza in your area, check out Spinato's handy dandy product locator here! Before I was diagnosed with celiac disease, I would've never imagined waking up and looking forward to eating zucchini and green beans and all sorts of other delicious veggies. But the more I've experimented with new, delicious ways to enjoy vegetables, the more I've craved them...and I hope the same can be said of anyone who tries any of the vegetable hacks I've shared in this blog post! And if you need a tasty and easy place to start eating more vegetables ASAP...as I mentioned earlier, Spinato's certified gluten free broccoli crust pizza can be ready in 15 minutes or less. ;) *I received free samples and monetary compensation in exchange for spreading the word about Spinato's broccoli crust pizza. However, I only partner with brands and products that I personally belive in, and all photographs, opinions and thoughts are my own. Thank you for supporting what supports Casey the College Celiac!* Which flavor of Spinato's pizza would you want to try first? Margherita; Aged Asiago, Romano & Mozzarella; Mediterranean Supreme; or Primavera? Tell me in the comments!

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Considerations To Know About strawberry face mask

Rub Carefully over puffy spots until the shells are no longer chilly. Do that in the morning, before you decide to’ve done the rest to the skin, to get down underneath-eye bloat that could have accumulated overnight. You’ll get probably the most Added benefits employing Uncooked honey. And if you’re ready to splurge, it is possible to’t beat Manuka honey. This honey in the Manuka tree in New Zealand and Australia is surely an antibacterial superfood with a great deal of immunity and to start with-support Rewards. I love a good lip balm yr-spherical, but especially in the cold months when my lips can chap. So consider face mask for dry skin when I figured out you might make your personal applying beeswax, almond oil, honey and a piece of aged lipstick. Honey is a all-natural moisturiser as well as a purely natural antiseptic. This not simply keeps your skin comfortable and healthful, and also would make guaranteed considerably less of a scar is remaining guiding. So So how exactly does something as primary as honey make this happen? It minimizes any inflammation and can help heal the skin speedier. In addition, the anti-oxidants present in honey help mend weakened skin. According to the BBC, a person via the identify of Sam Edwards from Wrexham, Wales credited honey with conserving his leg! Immediately after becoming Lower by a koi carp, he became contaminated with Mycobacterium marinum and made a uncommon pores and skin situation. You can utilize honey as a house cure to brighten the skin complexion in the following ways: Mixing juice of 1 tomato by using a teaspoon of honey allows lower tan marks, brighten pores and skin complexion and dispose of spots & blemishes. 2 times every week, therapeutic massage the mix to the face for 5 minutes and depart it to relaxation for another 15 minutes prior to rinsing it off with faucet drinking water for wished-for results. Insert one tsp honey to among the list of lemon halves. then wash it off with h2o. https://www.wikihow.com/Make-Face-Masks-out-of-Fruit received’t right away fade but you'll recognize a transform soon after handful of times, the blackheads and whiteheads was not wholly eradicated but They can be minimized also my face appears to be like clean and clean once the mask. Thank https://www.wikihow.com/Make-Organic-Face-Masks for this. Environmentally friendly tea and honey do the job anti-inflammatory magic on skin redness and inflammation. This calming combo is gentle plenty of for delicate pores and skin (do a patch examination in case you’re apprehensive). Both of those components are potent antioxidants to fight totally free radicals and repair service pores and skin harm. beauty face mask can utilize this to streamline signing up for, or signing in towards your Hubpages account. No information is shared with Facebook unless you have interaction using this element. (Privateness Coverage) Since cinnamon is so potent, I would recommend only using this honey mask after per week at most. You need to use one of the other, gentler honey masks on other days if you’d like. Yet another excellent read! This is One more great tip for honey: it works terrific on pink eye and staph bacterial infections! I had pink eye a handful of instances, about four several years ago when my oldest son was in daycare. Not one of the prescribed eye drops gave the impression to be serving to, but black tea and honey did the trick! Also, I had a staph an infection and once again, the antibiotics weren't executing A great deal to obvious it up. Include lemon juice, honey and baking soda to a small bowl. Mix perfectly and use more than the face and neck. Avoid the spot in the vicinity of your eyes (lemon juice and honey will both of those sting). Blackheads are fashioned when surplus creation of sebum brings about a blockage within the hair follicles on the face together with other areas. Then spread the peels on a tray and spot them in locations which receive lots of sunshine. Permit orange peels dry inside the Solar for every day or two then crush the peels into a powder utilizing a blender. You could shop the powder within an air-limited container.

An Unbiased View of diy face mask

Strawberry is rich in antioxidants, together with other nutrients which can brighten the skin, exfoliate useless pores and skin cells, fade blemishes and nourish your skin for that wholesome glowing appear. Let us take a deeper consider the nutrients in strawberry which can be perfect for pores and skin: For the reason that cinnamon is so highly effective, I'd endorse only using this honey mask after a week at most. You may use one of several other, gentler honey masks on other days for those who’d like. Disclaimer: The content material on This web site is generic, informational and adjunctive at very best, but cannot serve as a replacement for professional medical information. Papaya is full of antioxidants, and its enzymes aid to slough absent aged, dry pores and skin cells for the glowing, healthy complexion. Jasmin Fiore of The Deva Existence swears by papaya masks as Component of her therapeutic regimen, and sings the praises of the rejuvenating marvel-fruit. Not merely that, we even have dressing combs, hair brushes, headbands, roller sets, wigs, hair clips along with other add-ons. No matter whether your hair is lengthy or quick, curly or straight, coloured or normal, it is possible to browse our range of Specialist hair treatment and styling appliances In accordance with your distinct wants. To finish off your glance, you could store online for hair styling products from a few of the prime haircare brand names. Go ahead and take guess work out of flaunting beautiful hair, shop on the web and find hair care will have to-haves. Skin Treatment is significant to each of us and performs an essential function in our grooming approach. Amazon India features you a sizable array of products that are meant to satisfy your skin care wants. beauty face mask may look through by means of our collection to discover the products within your selection by utilizing helpful research parameters for example makes, seller, rate, availability and ordinary buyer reviews. You might want to choose Specific care of your skin through the summer months to guard it with the harming heat and Sunlight publicity. Just a few minutes outside can advertisement... via stepto remedies to read the full post employed On this Do-it-yourself coffee face mask cleanses the pores and skin from within, rendering it seem apparent and blemish-no cost. Additionally, it hydrates the skin, making it search supple and radiant. Depart the mixture on the face for approximately 20 minutes and then wash off with water. With frequent use, it cuts down blemishes and improves the skin tone. Blend the initial four ingredients in a very bowl, and incorporate three tablespoons hot, solid environmentally friendly tea on the mixture. https://www.facebook.com/steptoremedies/posts/2099744330118836 for a few minutes, including tea as essential until finally you’ve made a thick paste. Consider this mask for a smoothie in your face: strawberries contain salicylic acid (that is perfect for acne-susceptible pores and skin), when lemon juice helps to tighten pores and remove old, lifeless skin cells. If you need to immediately eliminate acne, it really is ideal for this mask: clear grapefruit and grind it into a blender or grinder for the regularity of porridge; Chilly temperature can aggravate rosacea, leaving faces reddened and blotchy, and in some cases bumpy likewise. The apple cider vinegar helps you to stabilize the pH of your skin, even though the oatmeal lessens discomfort and the opposite substances soothe and moisturize. Mash or puree the avocado right until it’s sleek and creamy, and afterwards blend in the remainder of the substances. Apply to your face, averting your eyes, and depart it on for 10-quarter-hour. Wipe the skin cleanse that has a damp, heat cloth, or rinse your face with warm drinking water from the shower.

Getting My coffee face mask To Work

Strawberry fruit is superb for the skin, it rejuvenates your skin and likewise reduces the indications of getting old. Nowadays we will be telling you about strawberry face mask, which can be pretty useful to give you a normal glow and youthful pores and skin. Yeast (one tablespoon) diluted in heat water to sort a liquid and to be thickened with rye or wheat flour until creamy state. Pot which has a mass really should be wrapped with a warm towel and remaining in the heat spot for 3 several hours. It will require a few minutes for the yeast to stop working and also you do need to have plenty of milk although not *way too* Significantly. Just some drops just so It truly is soaked enough although not drippy liquidy wet. You can work out the stability following a couple works by using. Evidently the yeast and also the milk have Qualities that happen to be effective. These seem to be fantastic face masks, honey does miracles to your skin and leaves your face unbelievably easy! One more face mask that is Tremendous quick and very effective is an easy honey and cinnamon mask. This apple & oatmeal face mask is perfect for all pores and skin types since it Carefully exfoliates while soothing irritation and smoothing wrinkled patches. Here’s Whatever you’ll need to have. We all use plenty of facial creams and remedies, to help keep our pores and skin beautiful. Regrettably, as a result of presence of chemicals People usually are not worthy and handy. • Simply just rubbing clean orange peel with your face can help lighten skin colour. Furthermore, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bT-236gJ0lk tightens the pores and skin and enhances the texture. If your skin feels dry following using this mask, you could constantly add a dab of coconut oil or Olay Everyday Moisturising Lotion to hydrate. Rich in healthier Unwanted fat and vitamin E, the nutritious avocado might help feed and lubricate withered pores and skin, giving it a supple appear and feel. This is utilised to collect data on visitors to article content along with other webpages on our website. Until you happen to be signed in to the HubPages account, all personally identifiable facts is anonymized. Considering that from ages, an attractive face is in contrast and viewed as with ‘complete moon’. Together with the passage of your time and usage of major natural beauty items, our pores and skin is loosing its glaze and youthful glow. This really is utilised to gather info on visitors to articles and various internet pages on our web page. Except face mask for acne happen to be signed in to the HubPages account, all Individually identifiable details is anonymized. The caffeine from coffee grounds Within this cocoa-licious mask can help to reduce swelling and puffiness, when the antioxidants from the cocoa aid to cut back growing older, and also the yogurt replenishes lost dampness. It is actually perfect for cleaning balckheads mechanically afterwards. Additionally it is nourishing as yeast has quite of B6 vitamin and hastens circulation on the utilized area.

diy face mask - An Overview

Mix every one of these ingredients collectively excluding the citrus pectin. At the time they’re blended effectively, little by little insert the citrus pectin to this blender until it results in a gel like consistency. When the adjective you use to explain your skin is “experienced” or “dry”, this face mask is for you personally. Its numerous elements put moisture back into your weary pores and skin and bring about a radiancy that you'll have thought you misplaced endlessly. In little herbs ’s the simple recipe. The first step would be to peel and chop banana. Subsequent incorporate the banana, yogurt and strawberries to your blender and then Mix well. Egg Yolk Face Masks—Egg yolks, However, are recognized for their power to moisturize and hydrate skin, leaving it by using a healthful glow. These masks are ideal for people with dry pores and skin. The citric acid within the orange peel also exfoliates and brightens up your skin. Here are a few orange peel face masks that you could make in the home for the radiant look. You’ll get one of the most Positive aspects employing raw honey. And when you’re ready to splurge, it is possible to’t defeat Manuka honey. This honey with the Manuka tree in New Zealand and Australia can be an antibacterial superfood with a lot of immunity and initial-support Rewards. Mash each of the components together, but usually do not puree in a blender: you wish this to get spreadable, not a liquid. Use evenly all over your face and Permit sit eight-ten minutes. Wipe off using a warm, damp facecloth after which you can rinse with great water. Pat dry. What a interesting plan! I love obtaining the most out of the merchandise I purchase, And that i constantly feel negative composting great, fragrant orange peels. Now I realize how to proceed with them! 6. Now pour all of your dried peel into your food stuff processor. Ensure https://www.facebook.com/steptoremedies/posts/2099741476785788 is completely dry mainly because any quantity of moisture can spoil the powder, making it rot. Good report! I've an issue. Does using a face mask make a massive big difference as part of your facial skin (right after the primary use or very first handful of works by using)? I have not utilized just one right before but realized somebody that did... Or face mask for acne 'll want to utilize it continuously? 2tsp wheatgerm oil Instructions: Combine every one of the elements into a clean paste. Implement and massage the combination into skin. Retain the mask on for twenty minutes. @sandy: Use just about every other day and leave it on for a minimum of quarter-hour. Even if you do not have time, utilize it at the very least as soon as weekly - you'll nonetheless see the primary difference. Orange peel powder is perfect for it refreshes and brightens your skin! Insert lemon juice, honey and baking soda to a little bowl. Mix effectively and use over the face and neck. Stay away from the area in the vicinity of your eyes (lemon juice and honey will each sting). Permit it sit for quarter-hour. Rinse your face with cold water and pat dry having a clear towel. Your skin will really feel amazingly soft and glance clear and moisturised. In the event your face is somewhat dry after the mask, especially in acne places, merely utilize a drop of olive oil as being a organic moisturizer.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0A2HYE3YSAc Explained

3. Wash off this natural face mask using cold h2o by gently massaging in clockwise furthermore anti-clockwise directions. Include one tablespoon of contemporary yoghurt. If yoghurt just isn't obtainable then you can use a tablespoon of curd also. Firstly, set all of these ingredients in a single meals processor and subsequent combine them perfectly till there is a uniform and smooth paste that may stick with the face with out operating off. After that, clean it off utilizing alternately cold in addition heat water and finish with 1 splash of chilly; pat the skin dry with the help of a cleanse towel. If just one is suffering from any sort of a fungal condition, then the use of a yeast face mask is without a doubt not advised. Details: The citric acid in lemon juice is a superb cleanser, and so is milk. Yogurt is usually a great cleanser, in addition to a great softener. This is essential because making use of lemon juice by itself could make your skin experience stretched and dried. Anyone needs a very good pores and skin complexion and in this article is a straightforward home remedy for yourself. This not merely enhances your skin tone but Additionally it is nutritive. Mainly, the quantity of honey ought to be adequate to mix effectively With all the pulp. Combine well right into a uniform paste plus your apple honey mask is able to implement. Facts: Honey has antimicrobial Homes and antioxidants that happen to be beneficially sticky. This stickiness pulls away the dust, dead skin, and microbes within the pores although the antimicrobial Qualities retain the pores and skin from getting to be contaminated all over again. This is a wonderful mask for fellas, as it could soothe both equally razor melt away, and about-weathered winter skin. The yogurt acts to be a moisturizer, although the cucumber lessens redness and presents moisture to dry, delicate skin. This is certainly an advancement above the conventional Aloe Vera Honey Mask for the treatment method of acne and it could enormously improve the results. Details: Whilst the grains of your apple operates to be a type of Mild scrub for cleansing your face, the glycolic acid in it facilitates exfoliation. Avocado masks are utilized by celebs like Victoria Beckham and Jessica Biel, plus the best part is which you could eat the second half that you simply don’t use on your face. Honey will work as natural humectant and assists the pores and skin retain dampness. Currently being a all-natural cleanser, it encourages distinct and glowing skin. Honey is usually full of antioxidants and antibacterial properties that decelerate pores and skin getting old and struggle acne.

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No Bake Blueberry Coconut Bars - Golubka Kitchen

No Bake Blueberry Coconut Bars - Golubka Kitchen

It’s been difficult for me to contain my excitement about these Blueberry Coconut Bars ever since I nailed the recipe a few weeks ago. They check all the boxes: easy/no-bake, gluten-free, vegan, refined sugar-free/not too sweet, fun to put together, and so so delicious. It’s the perfect recipe for those wanting to hold on to summer with all their might.

These bars are made up of three complementary layers: there’s a crumbly, no-bake ‘shortbread’ crust, followed by a rich coconut creme layer, which is then topped with a juicy, no-cook blueberry chia jam. The combination is truly heavenly, especially since this is a lighter dessert that won’t weigh you down. You can see all the steps of the cooking process in the video we made above (P.S. We have a Youtube channel with lots of cooking videos, you can subscribe here).

These bars are a definite, universal crowd pleaser – absolutely all the friends and family that have tasted them genuinely loved them. They would be the perfect, easy yet impressive dessert to bring to a gathering. Or just make the bars for yourself/your family for the week ahead, they’ll keep well in the refrigerator.

Hope you’ll give these a try :)

No Bake Blueberry Coconut Bars Print Serves: 16 square bars Ingredients for the blueberry chia jam

3 cups frozen blueberries - thawed (do not use fresh, non-frozen blueberries for this recipe)

juice of 1 small lemon

3 tablespoons maple syrup

3 tablespoons chia seeds

3 tablespoons chia meal (ground chia seeds)

for the shortbread

¾ cup gluten-free rolled oats

12 Medjool dates - pitted and soaked in hot water for 10 minutes

¾ cup coconut flour

¼ cup melted coconut oil

1 tablespoon lemon juice

pinch of sea salt

for the coconut creme

1 can full fat Thai coconut milk - refrigerated overnight to separate fat from water

½ cup unsweetened dried shredded coconut

2 tablespoons maple syrup

splash of vanilla extract

Instructions to make the blueberry chia jam

Thoroughly mix all the ingredients in a medium bowl. Cover and refrigerate for a few hours or overnight, until the chia seeds have bloomed and the mixture resembles a jam-like consistency. Mash the berries partially with a potato masher, leaving plenty of them whole.

to make the shortbread

Put the oats in a food processor and grind them into a flour. Drain the dates and add them to the food processor, along with the rest of the ingredients. Process until you have a well-combined dough that sticks together when pressed between your fingers.

Prepare an 8" x 8" baking dish by lining it with parchment paper, extending the paper up the sides of the dish. Press the shortbread into the bottom of the dish in an even layer. Set aside.

to make the coconut creme

Scoop the separated coconut fat from the top of the can of coconut milk into a food processor (use the leftover coconut water in smoothies, soups, porridges or lattes). Add the shredded coconut, maple syrup and vanilla extract to the food processor and process until well combined. Be careful not to over-process, as the coconut fat can separate and 'curdle'.

to assemble the bars

Spread the coconut creme over the shortbread in a thin, even layer.

Take the blueberry jam our of the refrigerator and spread it on top of the coconut creme in another even layer. Place the dish into the refrigerator for a few hours or overnight, for the shortbread and coconut layer to set.

Once the shortbread and the coconut layer have set, lift out the bar from the dish onto a cutting board, using the extended edges of the parchment paper. Cut into 16 squares or any size/shape of choice. Keep refrigerated.

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Related Questions:

What is all in shortbread?

SHORT BREAD 5 c. sifted flour 1 lb. butter 1 c. sugar Cream butter and sugar together in a large bowl. Add flour and knead like bread until smooth. Pat out on a 15x10 cookie sheet with a spatula until smooth. Fork all over. Bake in 350 degree oven about 45 minutes or until brown (30 minutes). Remove from oven; cut into squares while still hot. Optional: Sprinkle top of short bread with 1 1/2 teaspoons of sugar.

What is blueberry?

blueberry, plant of the large genus Vaccinium, widely distributed shrubs (occasionally small trees) of the family Ericaceae (heath family), usually found on acid soil. They are often confused with the related huckleberry. Blueberries were a favorite food of the Native Americans, who ate them fresh or dried them for winter use. The berries have been an article of commerce since early days. The high-bush blueberry (V. corymbosum) and the low-bush blueberry (V. augustifolium or pennsylvanicum), native to North America from Minnesota eastward, are the species most often cultivated, and a number of varieties are now grown in the East and West. Various species are sometimes called bilberry or whortleberry. The "huckleberry" of florists, sold for greenery, is a West Coast evergreen species, V. ovatum, called box blueberry and kinnikinick. The related cranberry is considered by some botanists to be of the same genus as the blueberries. Blueberries are classified in the division Magnoliophyta, class Magnoliopsida, order Ericales, family Ericaceae.

How do you make shortbread?

This is the way that my Scottish great-grandmother taught my mother to make shortbread and has since been passed to me. First you must absolutely use butter. No other fat will do. Also it is better to use a superfine sugar as opposed to regular granulated sugar. I personally use icing sugar. Any given recipe for shortbread will often have too much sugar in it. Sugar plus butter plus heat equals hard. I like to make shortbread that is so short it will just melt in your mouth. It should taste the way snow looks. Sweeten your shortbread dough till it is just sweet to taste and that is it. If the recipe calls for a half cup, I usually will put in only a third. Cornstarch is also another ingredient I like to use but it can also be replaced with rice flour. The recipe found on the back of a box of cornstarch should be just fine (just decrease the sugar). Okay, now that all the ingredients are gathered all you need to remember is the classic french pastry rule "ne touche pas". The less contact your hands have with the dough the better. I cut in the butter with either a pastry cutter or a pair of knives. I also prefer the method of pressing the dough into a round pan Scottish style to make wedges. This is much better than rolling out the dough and cutting into shapes because there is much less handling. Score the pieces out for yourself (wedges for a round pan, fingers for a rectangular pan) and lightly prick the surface with the tines of a fork. Finally bake the shortbread for a very long time on a low heat. About an hour at 275. The shortbread should be just golden at the edges. Do not attempt to remove the shortbread from the pan until completely cooled.

Where does shortbread get its name?

There are at least two reasons shortbread is called shortbread. One is shortbread requires a lot of shortening to make and the other is the term short refers to the texture of the final product.

Where is the blueberry bar in runescape?

Tree Gnome Stronghold, you can get there from heading East from Seers Village, provided you have 20 Agility needed to cross a log on the way. Otherwise you can get there heading North from Ardougne.

When was shortbread invented?

it was never invented it was already here but it was discovered by a woman named margaret who was feeding her cat whiskers with plastic bottles when the cat coughed up a hair ball that was a shortbread biscuit.

Where is the Coconut Bar and Grill located?

Coconut Bar & Grill is located in the city of Stuart in the state of Florida. Overall the restaurant enjoys a good reputation from its patrons, earning 4.5 stars out of 5 on Yelp.

How can someone sell homemade coconut bars?

You can sell homemade coconut bars by setting up a business or public community event such as a fundraiser. You can get recipes online for homemade coconut bars from websites such as All Recipes and Yummly.

What is the name of the coconut chocolate bar?

Two popular coconut chocolate bars in the United States are Mounds and Almond Joy. Mounds is just coconut and chocolate. Almond Joy is coconut, chocolate, and almonds.

What to do with blueberries?

Blueberries can be eaten in a variety of ways. They can be eaten by themselves, or made into a compote or baked in pies or pastries.

Article Summary:

It's been difficult for me to contain my excitement about these Blueberry Coconut Bars ever since I nailed the recipe a few weeks ago. These bars are made up of three complementary layers : there's a crumbly, no-bake ' shortbread ' crust, followed by a rich coconut creme layer, which is then topped with a juicy, no-cook blueberry chia jam. Hope you'll give these a try :). No Bake Blueberry Coconut Bars. Scoop the separated coconut fat from the top of the can of coconut milk into a food processor. Take the blueberry jam our of the refrigerator and spread it on top of the coconut creme in another even layer. Place the dish into the refrigerator for a few hours or overnight, for the shortbread and coconut layer to set. Once the shortbread and the coconut layer have set, lift out the bar from the dish onto a cutting board, using the extended edges of the parchment paper.

coconut, chia, bars, blueberry, shortbread

[herbalclean]

The Top 11 Food Trend Predictions of 2017 (Plants, Plants, and More Plants!)

The Top 11 Food Trend Predictions of 2017 (Plants, Plants, and More Plants!): from Home Page - Organic Authority, on Jan 18iStock/vonEisenstein At long last, we've said goodbye to the trends of 2016 (La Croix water, Frosé, and cricket flour, to name a few) and are so ready to renew our palate and menu. We've scoured social media and Pinterest, checked in with the experts at Whole Foods Market and Google, and racked our brains for the buzziest, healthiest, and most organic food and wellness trends for the upcoming year. Say hello to our top food trend predictions for 2017. Organic Authority Food Trend Predictions for 2017 1. Turmeric everywhere With inflammation becoming a dirty word in the health and wellness community (it's linked to arthritis, obesity, diabetes, cancer, and heart disease), consider fighting it with anti-inflammatory foods, like turmeric, the nutritional equivalent of powdered gold. Turmeric may be the queen of anti-inflammatory foods thanks to its potent antioxidants and compounds. Clinically proven to reduce pain and symptoms associated with chronic inflammation, “Turmeric has been shown to be as effective as ibuprofen in reducing joint pain caused by arthritis, and does not carry the potential to harm the liver,” says Lori Kenyon Farley, the co-author of The Juice Cleanse Reset Diet Book and cofounder of Project Juice. “In fact, its enzymes have been shown to help detoxify the liver and enhancing blood circulation.” Even more, turmeric's main healing component – curcumin – promotes digestion and helps the body to get rid of intestinal parasites. According to Google's food trends report of 2016, turmeric had a major year, and is only projected to rise. Look for turmeric in teas, wellness elixirs, golden milks in local coffee shops, smoothies, soups, snack bars (we love Larabar's turmeric, ginger, and beet bar), hummus, and so much more. iStock/moisseyev 2. Produce will get uglier According to USDA estimates, the U.S. trashes about one-third of its food supply, while globally a whopping 2.9 trillion pounds of food are wasted a year. The National Resources Defense Council (NRDC), an environmental action group, calculates food waste at 40 percent of total production. USA Today notes that this astronomical amount of food waste is equivalent to “purchasing five bags of groceries at the store, dropping two of them in the parking lot, and walking away.” Why so much waste? Consumers have come to expect perfect produce at the supermarket. This means flawlessly shiny apples, bright white heads of cauliflower, and bulbous bell peppers. As a result, farmers toss unmarketable produce on account of it being just too ugly too sell. Luckily, times are a changing. Numerous grocery chains throughout the country are selling so called “ugly” produce and helping to cut back food waste significantly. This include ugly produce programs at west coast grocery chain, Raley's, Associated Foods in Utah, health food giant Whole Foods Market, and Walmart, the largest supermarket chain in the U.S.. Walmart is now selling ugly apples in select locations. Even startups are getting in on the ugly food action. Imperfect Produce, a California company delivers ugly fruits and vegetables sourced directly from farms to consumers, in the model of a traditional CSA. And, bonus: these misshapen funny looking fruits and vegetables may be more nutritious, along with being cheaper than their conventional-looking counterparts. When it comes to produce, don't judge an apple by its shape. Or shine. iStock/Lorraine Boogich 3. Breakfast will get savory We've had it with sugar, right? The white sparkly stuff is linked to obesity, type-2 diabetes, dementia, and increased risk of early mortality. The problem with sugar, of course, is that it's lurking in many grocery store products, most notably breakfast items. Cereals, muffins, pastries, granola, instant oatmeal, yogurt, and protein bars are just a few of the many breakfast foods loaded with refined and artificial sugar. Avoiding sugar means avoiding most of these packaged and overly processed breakfast foods and going for a more savory morning meal. This year, a shift will occur on the breakfast table. Avocado toast, pasture-raised eggs, grain bowls with vegetables, sweet potatoes with plain yogurt, fermented vegetables, savory pancakes, soups, and even bona fide leafy green salads will be a new kind of breakfast of champions. iStock/villagemoon 4. Wellness tonics for everyone Welcome to the world of wellness tonics, as in, adding adaptogenic herbs, medicinal mushrooms, superfoods, grass-fed collagen, and hyper-functional ingredients to beverages. Whole Foods Market notes this year “will usher in a new wave of tonics, tinctures and wellness drinks that go far beyond the fresh-pressed juice craze.” With brands like REBBL and Dirty Lemon offering up buzzy sips (Ashwagandha chai, anyone?) at major grocery stores and health-minded coffee shops and cafes, such as Los Angeles-based Moon Juice, adding more and more tonics to their menus, wellness tonics are poised for a takeover. These beverages not only offer up scores of health benefits, but taste seriously delicious, too. Look for functional ingredients like maca, ashwagandha, reishi, cordyceps, cacao, lion's mane, and turmeric finding their way into a wellness drink near you – and reap the serious benefits while you sip. iStock/BruceBlock 5. Purple-powered produce Take note, trend spotters, Whole Foods Market says that purple will be the it hue of 2017 – at least in the produce aisle. Purple cauliflower, blackberries, purple potatoes, beets, and asparagus are just a few of the jewel-toned fruits and vegetables at the grocery store and farmers markets boasting numerous health properties. These vibrant fruits and vegetables owe their brilliant hues to anthocyanins, phytochemicals with potent antioxidant properties. A comprehensive review of anthocyanin compounds published in the Journal of Biomedicine and Biotechnology, notes that these phytochemicals may provide protection from DNA damage and  enzyme inhibition, while helping to regulate immune response, provide anti-inflammatory activity, and strengthen cell membranes. Change up your plate in 2017. Swap traditional orange sweet potatoes and white cauliflower for their purple counterparts. Not only do they add beneficial antioxidants to the diet, but they'll make your meal (and Instagram feed) that much prettier, too. iStock/marekuliasz 6. Grains get even more ancient 2017 is here to usher in even more ancient grains, notably nutrient powerhouses like teff, sorghum, and kamut. Teff, a gluten-free grain and staple of Ethopian cuisine, is a great source of protein and iron, fiber, and calcium. Teff's calcium content is truly impressive; just one cup of cooked teff contains 123 milligrams, the highest calcium content of any grain. Sorghum, another gluten-free grain, is the fifth largest cereal crop in the world. It's a sustainable crop that is naturally tolerant to drought and frequently consumed by populations throughout the world, particularly in Africa. Unlike other grains, sorghum has an edible hull that isn't removed during process. This means that filling up on this grain will provide ample fiber (48 percent daily value in one cup!), protein, calcium, iron, phosphorus, and B vitamins. Kamut is actually the brand name for Khorasan wheat, an ancient relative of durum wheat notably high in protein and nutrients. It's a seriously ancient grain; legends say Khorasan wheat made it onto Noah's ark and was even found in King Tut's tomb. Compared to modern, processed wheat, kamut is a clear choice winner for health benefits. It's filled with zinc, magnesium, selenium, protein, and fiber. These ancient grains can be used in a variety of recipes including breakfast porridges, salads, grain dishes and bowls, soups, stews, and even popped like popcorn, in the case of sorghum. iStock/marekuliasz 7. Coconut is the new black 2017 is going to be all coconut, all of the time. As fear of fat is officially being replaced by healthy fat awareness (hello, avocado and nut butters), foods and products containing healthy fats, like coconut, are becoming dietary staples. This is another trend Whole Foods Market says will be on the rise in 2017. We've already professed our love for coconut oil as a indispensable part of our daily routine (body moisturizer, eye cream, sauté ingredient, baking superstar, etc.), but what about coconut cream, coconut flour, coconut meat, coconut milk, coconut sugar, and coconut flakes? These super versatile (and super delicious) coconut products are easily used in the kitchen and suitable for several dietary restrictions as well. Coconut and coconut products boast major health benefits  and provide healthy fats, minerals, and essential vitamins too. Notably, coconuts contain a particular type of saturated fat known as medium chain triglycerides (MCTs), fatty acids that are of a medium length. These types of fats are easily metabolized in the body, therefore providing a boost of quick cellular energy. 2017 will be coco-NUTS. iStock/InaTs 8. Yogurt will get whole. Could 2017 be the year that sugary low-fat, no-fat yogurt finally goes away for good? We're hopeful that whole versions of plain yogurt (and kefir!) will take the grocery store shelves by storm. Whole milk yogurt of cow, water buffalo, sheep, goat, and yes, coconut are posed to become versatile and delicious kitchen ingredients. As a fermented food, yogurt boasts numerous health properties. A study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition notes that this is most likely due to yogurt's  high amount of lactic acid bacteria, friendly bacteria that promote gut health. The study notes, that consuming yogurt has “promising health benefits for certain gastrointestinal conditions, including lactose intolerance, constipation, diarrheal diseases, colon cancer, inflammatory bowel disease, Helicobacter pylori infection, and allergies.” When it comes to choosing the best yogurt brand, look for a whole fat, grass-fed, organic version with minimal sugar. Brands we love: Siggis Dairy, Wallaby Organic, Noosa Yoghurt, Smàri Organic Iceland Yogurt, Redwood Hill Farm goat yogurt, and Coyo coconut milk yogurt. Whole yogurt can be used on toast, in sweet potatoes, salad dressings, dips and marinades, sauces, and mixed with fresh fruit for a perfect snack. iStock/Trexdigital 9. You'll drink charcoal. Prepare to swap out your normal green juice for black version, containing activated charcoal, instead. Activated charcoal is a black, powdered substance usually made from coconut shells or other natural sources. This substance has been used for centuries as a potent toxin remover and detoxifying substance. Activated charcoal works by binding positively charged toxic particles into the nooks and crannies of its negatively charged pores. When opposites attract, in the case of toxins and charcoal, the substances bind together and are then expelled  from the body. Hello detox! Activated charcoal beverages (note: NOT the type of charcoal found in your BBQ) hit the aisles last year in a big way, and are projected to increase this year. Juice Generation has three activated flavors, including Activated Lemonade, Activated Greens, and Activated Protein. Juice Served Here serves up Charcoal Lemonade that also contains montmorillonite clay. Suja created 1,000 bottles of its buzzy Midnight Tonic, containing activated charcoal and cold-pressed juice, which sold out online nearly instantly. iStock/druvo 10. Cannabis will be the new superfood. Yes, cannabis. With several U.S. states legalizing both recreational and/or medical marijuana, cannabis is becoming more and more mainstream in the wellness and health community. In fact, many consider it a total superfood for the mind and body. Cannabis products in small doses (far below the U.S. legal limit of 0.03 percent THC) do not get you high and instead are used to improve sleep, reduce stress and anxiety, and soothe muscle pain and soreness. Studies have continuously shown the herb's potent medicinal benefits from healing the brain after a traumatic injury to controlling epileptic seizures, preventing cancer from spreading, and even slowing the progression of Alzheimer's disease among others. Look for cannabis products such as edibles, oils, teas and wellness elixirs, beauty products, chocolates, supplements, juices, and more throughout 2017. iStock/mpessaris 11. Plant-based diets go mainstream. Following a plant-based diet has never been easier, or more popular. As the pile of evidence continues to grow as to why a plant-based diet is seriously healthy and better for the planet, more and more people are taking note. Dr. Neal Barnard, founder and president of the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, tells the Huffington Post, “The popularity of plant-based diets has been growing exponentially for years, and now we are at a cultural turning point and a scientific turning point.” According to Dr. Barnard, restaurants are adding more vegan options, too, “Chipotle added the wildly successful tofu Sofrita. Even Dunkin' Donuts now carries almond milk,” and he notes popular celebrities are on board, too, “like Ellen DeGeneres, Joaquin Phoenix, and Peter Dinklage — are all very vocal about their healthful diets.” he says. From Beyond Meat's Beyond Burger – a pea-protein-based burger with a meaty texture and a beet center that allows the burger to actually bleed – to Kite Hill's nut based vegan cheeses that spread, melt, and do other cheese-like things, the plant-based food market is exploding. Almond milk (now happily found at Starbucks!) and other nondairy milks are poised to be 2017's creamy, white drinks of choice. The Nielsen Company notes that in the past five years, sales of dairy-free alternative milks (like almond and coconut) have grown 250 percent to more than $894.6 million in 2015. During this same time, sales of dairy milk shrunk by more than one billion. Almond milk, cashew cheese, coconut yogurt, lentil-based burgers, and tempeh have never been so trendy – and delicious. Food Trends 2017: What Do You Think? And there you have it, our food trends 2017. Like our list? Think we forgot something major? Totally disagree? Follow us and share your thoughts on Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter with the tag #BeOrganic @OrganicAuthority – We can't wait to get social with you. Related On Organic Authority: 4 Wellness and Food Trends to Watch (and Taste!) 5 Natural Food Trends We Love 4 Weird Food Trends: Are They Worth the Wait? The post The Top 11 Food Trend Predictions of 2017 (Plants, Plants, and More Plants!) appeared first on Organic Authority. http://bit.ly/2jFBRjL Learn more about top rapid detox products: http://goo.gl/bqX535

[consulting-celiac-in-the-tardis]

The Best Gluten Free and Vegan Soft Foods to Eat After Dental Surgery, Part 2

New blog post! Whether you’re having your wisdom teeth removed or getting major gum graft surgery like me, going on a soft foods diet can be challenging - especially if you have dietary limitations. When I had my first bout of gum surgery last year, I shared a round up of some of my favorite gluten free and vegan soft foods and was amazed at how helpful readers found it.

So, since I got my second gum graft surgery done earlier this fall and again had to eat soft foods for two weeks, I thought I’d share even more of my favorite dental surgery foods. As always, follow your doctor’s instructions for what foods are OK to eat after your particular oral surgery. However, this list should give you some more ideas of tasty gluten free and vegan foods, recipes and products to enjoy after dental surgery! 

1. All the hummus (homemade or store bought). 

I was fortunate enough to receive a big goodie box of Blue Moose Hummus a few days before my gum graft surgery, and they definitely came in handy for my soft foods diet! Hummus is an easy way to get some vegan protein without having to chew anything, and you can eat it alone or pair it with foods like potatoes, mashed vegetables and avocado.

If you have a blender on-hand, it’s also super easy to whip up a homemade vegan hummus for you to enjoy while you recover. My personal favorite hummus recipe is my Creamy White Bean Beet Hummus. The beet adds a little bit of sweetness, and the dose of antioxidants definitely won’t hurt during your dental surgery recovery. You can also experiment with making different hummus flavors by using add-ins like lemon, oregano, spinach, thyme, etc.   

2. Gluten free and vegan ice creams...including Halo Top for a “lighter” option. 

Compared to my first gum graft surgery, this time around definitely involved a lot more ice cream...and that’s totally ok! The truth is, it can be hard to get all the calories you need when eating gluten free and vegan soft foods. Not to mention that you’ll probably be craving some major comfort food after having your dental surgery.

Obviously, it’s important to make sure that whatever ice cream you choose is smooth and doesn’t have any chunks that require chewing. This time around, I loved Coconut Bliss’s Chocolate Caramel Ice Cream. If you want a lower calorie option, Halo Top’s new vegan flavors are also insanely good! So far, I’ve tried and loved Salted Caramel (the best!) and Vanilla Maple. Cappuccino was OK, and I’ve heard good things about Chocolate. If you have celiac disease like me, make sure you only pick from Halo Top’s certified gluten free flavors. And if you need even more gluten free and vegan ice cream ideas, check out my list of my seven favorite dairy free ice creams!

3. Puréed broccoli or other steamed vegetables. 

I know I mentioned pureed vegetables in my last soft foods diet roundup, but I tried a couple new veggies this time so I thought I’d share the winners. The surprising favorite was actually broccoli purée just made from steamed and blended broccoli. Compared to other veggies, broccoli purees very smoothly, which made it an ideal side for the first few days after your dental surgery. If you want a cheddar and broccoli soup kind of feel, you could also make the purée runnier with plant-based milk and add some vegan cheddar cheese on top.

I also really liked puréed spaghetti squash for something a little sweet, and puréed green beans were surprisingly hardy. I’m not going to lie. Purees get old pretty quickly when they’re all you can eat, and you might start feeling like you’re surviving off of baby food. However, having as many different puréed vegetables to choose from as possible made my soft foods diet feel a little less boring. And adding a little bit of spice (such as curry powder, oregano or thyme) can make a big difference. 

4. Soft gluten free bread soaked in water or plant based milk. 

Another challenge of eating soft foods after wisdom teeth surgery or another other dental procedure is finding enough “plain” foods. As much as I love vegan ice cream, I could only eat so many sweet foods, and I didn’t feel like pureed broccoli for a night snack! So one of my go-to’s was actually soaking some gluten free bread in a bowl of water or milk until it would nearly dissolve on my tongue.

If you want to try soaking bread, you should definitely pick as soft of bread as possible. For instance, gluten free bagels with a lot of structure won’t break down that much. But soft gluten free rolls (like from Bfree Foods or a local gluten free bakery) are perfect! 

5. Homemade protein mug cakes.

While I tried to eat mostly healthy, I definitely gave my sweet tooth what it wanted during my gum graft recovery...so chocolate showed up quite a lot! Another of my favorite night snacks was a soft gluten free and vegan mug cake. Some nights, I loosely followed this recipe to create a chocolate protein powder mug cake. The biggest tweak I made to that recipe was replacing the egg with a mashed banana or a chia egg (formed with my latest addiction of Foods Alive's Chia Protein Powder + 3 TBSP of water. I'm a Foods Alive ambassador, by the way!). Both ways turned out delicious! 

Other nights, I just added roughly one half of a mashed banana, 1.5 TBSP of coconut flour, 1/4 tsp of baking powder, cinnamon, 4 TBSP of water/milk and whatever flavor add-ins I wanted into a mug and microwaved it for around 1 minute. The best part is that the flavor options for a gluten free mug cake are seriously limitless. For a chocolate cake feel, use vegan chocolate chips and cacao powder. Or you can add chopped berries (if your doctor gives you the OK to eat them!) for a blueberry muffin mug cake.

And I gotta say...the one good thing about gum graft surgery is that you have a really good excuse for eating banana ice cream and a chocolate mug cake for dinner! 

6. Puréed pasta with tomato and cheese sauce. 

Even four to five days into my gum graft recovery, my mouth was still too sensitive for a lot of chewing but I was desperate for a different carb than potatoes. So I over-cooked a bunch of pasta...and threw it in my food processor with a little water. And you know what? It turned out pretty tasty!

My “pasta” dinners on this vegan soft foods diet were definitely not Instagram worthy, but they were a great way to add variety. Since I mixed Tinkyada's rice pasta with Banza (made out of chickpeas) and Modern Tables' lentil pasta, I also got a nice boost in protein, too! I served my puréed pasta with tomato sauce and some of my homemade vegan cheese sauce, and I ate it several days in a row without complaint. 

7. Applesauce - bonus if it’s uniquely flavored! 

Applesauce isn’t a unique recommendation for a soft foods diet, but its popularity after wisdom teeth removal or other dental surgery is well deserved. To shake things up, I found some blueberry unsweetened applesauce at my local Aldi, and the unique flavor made applesauce a lot more appealing.

You can also spruce up applesauce by incorporating your own add-ins, like extra cinnamon, vanilla extract, protein powder, etc. If you’re low on bananas, applesauce is also a great substitution in gluten free mug cakes as well. 

8. Protein drinks (homemade or bought). 

This time around, I also focused on getting more protein during my dental surgery recovery, which I think definitely improved my energy levels throughout. If you have a protein powder you like (I’m in love with LivWell’s gluten free and vegan vanilla and chocolate protein powders), you can easily whip up your own protein shake with water or plant-based milk. I also love making vegan protein ice cream using frozen bananas or this recipe with coconut milk.

I recently got to try Koia's vegan protein drinks, though, and I liked the taste so much, I bought several cartons in Colorado (where I could find them in stores) and took them with me in a cooler to Minnesota. (Now that’s dedication). I hated the Cinnamon Horchata flavor, and the chocolate was OK, but the vanilla bean version is amazing. It’s sweet without tasting overly sugary or fake and is super smooth and filling. I’m kind of sick of these drinks now that I’ve had so many in such a short amount of time, but I’d definitely buy them again. 

9. Cooked rice blended with milk, cinnamon, vanilla and bread. 

During the first days after my gum graft, I was craving something plain, warm and comforting but couldn’t chew enough for rice or bread yet. The food processor to the rescue! I simply made rice porridge out of some ground rice and hot water (roughly 1/4 cup of ground rice to 1 cup of hot water) and soaked some bread in water until soft. 

Then, I transferred the porridge into a food processor with the bread, cinnamon and vanilla, and blended until a mostly smooth paste. I wanted a relatively liquidy final result, so I also added some plant-based milk, but you can make this mix as thick as you want. As for how it tastes, I’d say a mix between oatmeal and bread pudding! 

10. Alllll the condiments, from ketchup and mustard to avocado. 

When you’re eating mashed potatoes, pureed pasta and soft veggies for 7+ days in a row for dinner, condiments, sauces and spices make all the difference. You’ll want to be cautious about acidic sauces. At least for me, ketchup irritated my graft site for the first couple of days. 

Once you can tolerate various condiments, though, some of my favorites are ketchup, mustard, mashed avocado, tomato sauce and my homemade vegan cheese sauce. I also made an avocado sauce (that was a little more like mousse) by blending around one avocado with cashew milk, a little apple cider vinegar, oregano, thyme and water to thin it out. Chilled in the fridge, this sauce felt so soothing on my mouth and it tasted just as good on pasta as with potatoes.  

11. Yogurt with mashed banana and chocolate sauce, nut butter or jam.

I thought I’d end this soft foods diet roundup with an oldie but a goodie: a yogurt parfait. I loaded up on my favorite So Delicious coconut yogurt for my gum graft recovery, and was very thankful I did. The best thing about yogurt is how many ways you can eat it. Turn it into dessert with mashed fruit, chocolate sauce (I’ve been loving this chocolate spread from The Date Lady) and nut butter. Or make yogurt a little more savory by pairing it with sweet potato. The options are endless, and all the probiotics you get from the yogurt won’t hurt either! 

The Bottom Line of Eating Soft Foods After Dental Surgery 

Dental surgery ain’t fun. Whether you’re getting your wisdom teeth removed or going through a gum graft, that’s just reality. However, the soft foods diet you follow during your recovery can be more exciting than just mashed potatoes, smoothies and ice cream. And, at least in my experience, the more options you can give yourself, the more tolerable your recovery will feel. 

Now that a month has passed since my gum graft, I’m (thankfully) feeling more normal and enjoying anything I want to eat. So if you are just starting your dental surgery recovery or are doing research to prepare for your soft foods diet, know that it will get better....

...and that the crunchy foods you can’t eat now will definitely be worth waiting for! 

Have you ever had to follow a soft foods diet? What were some of your staple foods? Tell me in the comments! 

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