Clean Food Challenge Week 2

This week certainly was a challenge. I made a few bad recipes (and I'm not picky, so when I say it's bad, it's disgusting) and things went downhill from there. BUT I did fall in love with some new vegan recipes worth sharing.


Clementine Creamscicle Smoothie 
adapted from Oh She Glows
(makes 1 smoothie)

1/2 large ripe banana, peeled and frozen
1/2 small avocado, peeled and frozen
3 clementines (or, for a stronger orange flavor, use 1 small orange)
1 cup milk (I used rice milk but coconut and regular milk work as well)
1 date, pitted and chopped
1-2 tsp. lemon juice

Freeze the banana, avocado, and clementines ahead of time. If you are short on time, simply chill them for a few minutes and add 1-2 ice cubes to the recipe. Place all ingredients in blender or food processor and blend until smooth.

Everyone I know has a crate of clementines on their counter right now in hopes of brightening the tired taste of winter and warding off any end-of-the-season sniffles that might sneak up during these last-ditch snowstorms. This smoothie is bright enough to remind you that spring is near! I have an on-again off-again thing with avocados, but you can't taste it in this smoothie. It simply gives it the creamier texture. Wondering what to do with the other 1/2 of the avocado and banana? Make banana chocomole, of course!



Chocolate Chip "Cookie Dough" Balls 
from Peas and Thank You:
(makes 10-12 balls)

1/2 cup raw almonds
1/2 cup raw cashews
6-7 medjool dates, pitted
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. sea salt
2 Tbs. mini chocolate chips (or other chocolate, chopped)

Combine almonds and cashews in blender or food processor. Blend on high until mixture is pulverized, but not yet nut butter (should look like sand or very coarse flour). Transfer to small bowl and add dates, vanilla, and salt to blender or food processor and blend until almost smooth. Pour the nut mixture back in with the dates and blend until a dough comes together. Stir in chocolate. Scoop into balls with a Tablespoon and chill until serving.



Savory Socca Stacks
I came up with these!
(makes 1 serving)

1/3 cup garbanzo bean flour
1/3 cup water
1/2 cup black beans
2-3 cups spinach
1 large sweet potato
coconut oil (or any other oil that tolerates high heat)
garam masala or curry powder
red pepper flakes
spray-able oil

Preheat oven to 375*F. Wash and dry sweet potato and cut into 1/2-inch slices. Lay the slices on a greased baking sheet and sprinkle tops with either garam masala or curry powder (depending on which flavor you want). Lightly spray tops with oil and place in over for 35-40 minutes, flipping once halfway through.

When the potatoes have about 15 minutes left, begin preparing the socca. Mix 1/3 cup garbanzo bean flour and 1/3 cup water in a bowl and stir well. Let sit for 1-2 minutes to thicken. Heat skillet on medium to medium-high heat with 1/4-1/2 tsp coconut oil and pour 1/3 to 1/2 of the batter into the pan. When batter bubbles and edges begin to cook, flip and cook the other side. Repeat with remaining batter.

Remove socca from pan and lower heat to medium. Add another 1/4-1/2 tsp coconut oil, then add spinach to pan. When spinach has wilted, add 1/2 cup of beans and red pepper flakes as desired. Stir until beans are warm and remove from heat.

Stack a sweet potato slice on top of the socca and top with beans and greens. Recipe makes 2-3 stacks and you should still have enough beans and sweet potatoes to make another meal in a day or two!

Typing it out makes it seem so much more complicated than it really is. The "hardest" part is waiting for the sweet potatoes to cook!