Avocado Toast

By Genevieve Melzer

This summer I was craving avocados like never before, I love avocados in things like guacamole, in fact I can sit down and eat an entire bowl of guacamole.

I wanted a recipe for the morning that had avocado in it. As a vegan many breakfast items are off the table, I used to enjoy eggs and even bacon on certain occasions but now I must be more creative with my breakfast choices. While visiting my sister in Los Angeles last month I tried “avocado toast” a relatively easy recipe I was shocked I had never thought of making.

At the restaurant we went to the avocado toast had eggs on top of it so I omitted the eggs and didn’t miss them even a little.

After consuming the whole meal down to the last morsel, I realized this was something I could make at home that would be super easy in the morning when I’m trying to rush to work.

After doing a little research I understood that not only did avocados taste good but they were super healthy too. Here are a few things I found out when researching them…

The average avocado has almost 30 grams of fat in it. The avocado is considered a good type of fat because it is a monounsaturated fat which is beneficial to lowering bad cholesterol.

Avocados are a good source of fiber, potassium and vitamin C.

Also avocados have high levels of vitamins B, K and E.

Avocados are high in oleric acid which has been shown to prevent breast cancer.

Here is one way to make avocado toast, but please feel free to be creative with this recipe and add other spices that appeal to your senses.

Avocado Toast Recipe

What you need:

1 avocado

2 slices of Ezekiel 7 Sprouted Grains Bread or any other gluten-free bread

Place bread in toaster and toast to desired level

While toasting the bread, cut up avocado into small pieces and place in small bowl

Add ½ teaspoon of cumin and ¼ teaspoon of salt

Mash up avocado with the spices

Spread evenly on toast, sprinkle chia seeds over top.

Serve and enjoy.

This recipe should take you less than 10 minutes to prepare.

This is an amazing way to start your day, and this avocado toast will fuel you for many hours. I guarantee you will feel so much better after eating this breakfast compared to the way your body feels after consuming bacon and eggs.

Until we meet again pursue your bliss, follow your heart and send lots of love into the universe.

Banana Oatmeal Cookies

By Genevieve Melzer

Bananas are one of my favorite fruits and I love trying them in different recipes. Bananas are also super healthy for you.

Bananas have high levels of vitamin B-6, strengthen your blood and are high in potassium. Bananas are also the perfect snack to have pre-workout because they will give you energy and keep your blood pressure up.

What do you do with bananas that are browning and past that perfect time of consumption?
Well, I googled that once because I had bananas that were brown and didn’t want to throw them away. I thought there must be something I can make with these and I found was a recipe for banana oatmeal cookies.

The best thing about these cookies is they are so easy to make, and you only need bananas and oatmeal. These cookies are so easy to make you can make them with your kids. All you need is to smash the bananas with the oatmeal.
This recipe is also great because no sweetener is needed; the bananas are sweet enough by themselves.

Feel free to add other ingredients too. Anything that you would add to another cookie recipe you can add to these.

You will need:
2 bananas (very ripe, the browner the better)
1 cup of oats

You only need these 2 main ingredients and then feel free to add 2 or 3 of the following…
Cinnamon
Nuts
Chocolate chips
Carob chips
Flax Seeds
Chia Seeds
Peanut or almond butter
Or anything else that sounds good to you.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Grease baking sheet with coconut oil.
Mash bananas in a medium size bowl, then add oats and mix together. Add any other ingredients at this time, last time I made these I added ½ teaspoon of cinnamon, 1 teaspoon of flax seeds and ¼ cup of pecans.
Mix in all added ingredients and scoop small spoonfuls of the mixture onto the cookie sheet about one inch apart from each other. This recipe makes about one dozen cookies.
Bake for 15 minutes. Take out of the oven and let cool.
Serve and enjoy!

These cookies take under 20 minutes to make and are perfect for any occasion. Perfect for an after school treat or a late night snack.

Carrot Ginger Feel Good Soup

By: Elizabeth Beals

  This soup has completely replaced eating chicken noodle soup when I don't feel well. As a kid I loved the soup in the red can, you know the one. I can still almost smell it, and see the tiny squares of what I was told to believe is chicken in it. As an adult I understand that it wasn't really the soup that was making me feel good. It was the ritual of my mom bringing me something warm, and her taking care of me. There wasn't too much in the actual red can that was helping me to get better.
  This Carrot Ginger Feel Good Soup will actually help make you feel better. As a sufferer of endometriosis I am often faced with overwhelming nausea. Whether it's the common cold, or the occasional upset tummy, eating ginger plays a great role in fighting nausea. You can find it in many different forms, hot tea, homemade ginger ale, soups, and other dishes. I find that when I don't feel well a nice warm soup usually will do the trick, there's even fresh orange juice to give you a little vitamin C. To make this soup, it helps to have a nice blender, but your dorm room special will work too. The ingredients come together pretty quickly and it doesn't take too long to cook. The last place you want to be when you are sick is in the kitchen. I hope this soup finds you well or helps you get well. Enjoy, and be healthy.

Ingredients:

1 medium white onion, chopped

1 1/2 cups carrot, chopped

2 cups potato, chopped

1 heaping tablespoon, fresh ginger, grated

1 whole garlic clove, separated but unpeeled and tied in cheese cloth

4 cups veggie broth

1/2 cup fresh squeezed orange juice (1 orange)

2 teaspoons turmeric

2 teaspoons pure maple syrup

1/2 cups raw almonds

salt and pepper to taste

Tools or special equipment:

cheese cloth
micro plane (for grating ginger)

medium sauce pan

blender

ladle 

Preparation and procedures:

1. Place all ingredients, except maple syrup, almonds, salt, and pepper in a medium sauce pan. 
2. Cover and bring to a boil, then set timer for 20 minutes. Lower heat to simmer.
3. After cooking for 20 minutes turn off heat. Throw away the cheese cloth bag with garlic in it.
4. Ladle the soup into the blender with the almonds, maple syrup salt and pepper. You may have to do this step in two batches, if needed. Blend soup until very smooth.
5. Pour blended soup back in sauce pan, taste and add more salt and pepper if needed. Eat while hot!

This recipe will give you a little more than 6 cups and it freezes very nicely. A great gift for a loved one that isn't well.