matcha and margs.

Vegan Kale Caesar Salad with Sprouted Grain Croutons

lunch, recipes, sauces & condiments

Over the years I have really learned to love kale, especially when you treat it right. Give it a nice massage, coat it in some lemon juice and olive oil. Slap on a delicious (vegan kale Caesar) dressing and you’re golden! One of my favorite salads of all time is a Caesar salad, so I knew I had to take a try at my own twist on it. Being the nut butter lover that I am, I decided to use cashew butter as a base for the dressing. A lot of delicious vegan dressings start with a base of cashews, so starting with a cashew butter made with just cashews and sea salt is truly one in the same. I love using cashew butter instead of cashews because it completely eliminates the step of soaking the nuts in the recipe. Time is money, people!

This take on a vegan kale Caesar salad dressing also contains apple cider vinegar, nutritional yeast, garlic, olive oil, dijon mustard, capers and so much more! It is packed full of flavor and is the perfect topper to a kale salad. I love pairing the salad with roasted chickpeas, roasted sweet potatoes, sprouted grain croutons and avocado. If you are not vegan, you can add a protein to the salad like grilled chicken or salmon. I also add vegan parmesan for some extra cheesiness. Again, if you aren’t vegan, add on whichever cheese you would like! This dairy free dressing is a crowd pleaser for vegans and non vegans alike.

Let’s Get this Bread

Recently, I made my own homemade croutons with Angelic Bakehouse Sprouted Grain Bread; one of my favorite options for bread. I took a few pieces of bread, sprayed them with olive oil spray, seasoned with garlic salt and toasted them until brown. I sliced the toasted bread into 1 inch squares and added them to the vegan kale Caesar salad, because everyone needs some healthy carbs in their life. Dang, I am definitely not going to skip this step next time! If you want to try this out, check the Angelic Bakehouse store locator here to find their breads near you. I pick mine up at my local Sprouts grocery store.

Recipe:

Print Recipe

Vegan Kale Caesar Salad

Prep Time30 mins
Course: Lunch, Salad
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Caesar, Caesar Salad, Kale, Kale Salad, Pasta Salad, Salad

Equipment

  • Food processor or blender

Ingredients

Dressing

  • 1/3 cup cashew butter only ingredients cashews + sea salt
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • juice of 1 1/2 lemons
  • 3-4 tbsp nutritional yeast
  • 2 tsp capers
  • 4-5 tsp dijon mustard
  • 1/3 cup + 2 tbsp water or until dressing is at desired consistency
  • 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1 clove minced garlic
  • pinch sea salt to taste

Salad

  • 1 stalk kale I prefer lacinato/dinosaur kale
  • juice of 1/2 a lemon
  • 1 tbsp olive oil

Toppings

  • 2 slices Angelic Bakehouse Sprouted Grain Bread
  • olive oil spray
  • garlic salt to taste
  • sweet potatoes, chickpeas, hemp seeds, parmesan cheese, etc. optional

Instructions

  • Wash and dry your kale and then chop it. Massage gently with the lemon juice and olive oil and let sit.
  • Put the dressing ingredients into a food processor or blender and blend until creamy! You can add more or less water depending on your desired dressing consistency.
  • Add the dressing to the kale. You will likely have leftovers that will sit well in a container in the refrigerator!
  • Spray two pieces of Angelic Bakehouse Sprouted Grain Bread with olive oil spray and some garlic salt. Toast until brown.
  • Cut up the bread into bite size pieces and add to your salad for a healthy crouton option!
  • You can also add avocado, roasted chickpeas, sweet potatoes, hemp seeds, parmesan, protein and so much more. The opportunities are endless with this salad!

And, there you go! It’s as easy as that. Make a bunch of the salad and enjoy it all week long. Add your own flare to it. Use spinach instead of kale. The world is your oyster! Let me know what you decide in the comments below.

Trust me when I say that I am not the worlds biggest salad lover. I have often been known to eat all of the toppings off of my salad while leaving all of the lettuce behind. Guilty as charged. With this combo, I promise you won’t have any kale left behind. It is THAT good and I truly crave this vegan kale Caesar on the daily. I cannot wait to hear what you guys think!

This blog post has been sponsored by Angelic Bakehouse, but all opinions and recommendations are wholeheartedly my own. Thank you so much for supporting me and the brands I choose to align my own with; it truly means the world to me. If you decide to make this recipe, be sure to tag me, @matcha_and_margs, on Instagram so that I can share the love right back.

xo,

Cori

A Deliciously Healthy Green Smoothie, 4 Ways

breakfast, recipes

Smoothies filled with greens, fiber and healthy fats are one of my absolute favorite ways to kick-start my day. With them, you can pack in a powerhouse of antioxidants, proteins and more. They taste great and really can be so versatile depending on what you choose to incorporate in your recipes. This month, I am excited to partner up with Nature’s Greens to showcase four of my favorite green smoothie recipes that are packed with their Organic Kale Greens! Each smoothie has its own unique flavor profile and added nutrition benefits.

In January, Nature’s Greens focus is to spread the message around inspiring fitness in a variety of ways. I know this can be the month where unrealistic goals are set, where the gyms get crazy packed, and so on. But fitness can be practiced in so many ways – whether it be taking your dog for more long walks, choosing to take the stairs at work instead of the elevators, and so much more. Small changes like these can lead to extremely positive changes in the long run.

So, how hard would it be to switch up a few of your breakfasts a week to kale-packed smoothies? In turn, this could give you more energy to hit the gym, head for a run with your buddies after work, and more. I know when I start my day with a smoothie, I feel prepared, fulfilled and filled with strength. Check out my four favorite green smoothie recipes and let me know which ones you decide to try!

It’s Kinda Like a Thin Mint

You’re in need of a filling, delicious breakfast but you’ve also got a little bit of a sweet tooth going on. Enter: “It’s Kinda Like a Thin Mint” Smoothie. It could be mistaken for a milkshake, but it is packed with superfoods and healthy ingredients. This may be one of my favorite smoothies of all time.

Ingredients:
a heaping handful of Nature’s Greens Organic Kale Greens
1 cup almond milk
1 frozen banana
½ tsp peppermint flavor/extract (can sub fresh mint)
1-2 tbsp cashew butter
1 tbsp cacao nibs
1 scoop of collagen peptides or vanilla protein
optional: top with chocolate brown rice cereal; I’m addicted to the crunch!

Instructions:
Gather the ingredients and blend until smooth! You can always add extra ice or more/less liquid in any of these recipes to reach your desired consistency.

Tropical Matcha Smoothie

You’re rushing out of the door in the morning and didn’t leave enough time to make a full breakfast spread. You need some caffeine, but you also need some nutrients. Why not knock it all out in one cup? That’s my favorite part about this green smoothie – it is refreshing, filling AND gives you that extra boost of energy to make it through your morning. As a bonus, you might feel like you’re laying in the sand, soaking up some sun rays with the tropical ingredients. You’re probably drinking this on the way into your office, but one can dream – right?!

a heaping handful of Nature’s Greens Organic Kale Greens
1 tsp matcha powder
1/3 cup coconut water or coconut milk
½ – ¾ cup frozen pineapple
2 tbsp ground flaxseed
a few pieces of frozen banana
optional: quarter of a frozen avocado (makes the smoothie more creamy); top with hemp seeds for additional healthy fats

Instructions:
Gather the ingredients and blend until smooth! You can always add extra ice or more/less liquid in any of these recipes to reach your desired consistency.

Refreshing Raspberry Lemonade Smoothie

This smoothie is one of my favorite ones to make after a workout. It is super refreshing, hydrating and contains protein from the hemp seeds and collagen powder. The tartness from the raspberries and the lemon really shine in this delicious combination!

Ingredients:
a heaping handful of Nature’s Greens Organic Kale Greens
3/4 cup frozen raspberries
¼ cup banana
juice of ½ a lemon
2 tbsp hemp seeds
1 scoop collagen peptides

Instructions:
Gather the ingredients and blend until smooth! You can always add extra ice or more/less liquid in any of these recipes to reach your desired consistency.

Pineapple Ginger Smoothie

Oh ginger, how I love you. Not only is ginger great for your stomach and digestion, but it also adds a great spiciness to drinks and meals. I decided to create a green smoothie that highlights all of the benefits of ginger and that tastes great; a true win-win.

Ingredients:
a heaping handful of Nature’s Greens Organic Kale Greens
1 inch piece of peeled ginger
¾ cup frozen pineapple
¼ cup frozen mango
½ cup of steamed then frozen cauliflower
1 cup almond milk or coconut water; depending on how creamy you’d like it to be
2 tbsp ground flax seed

Instructions:
Gather the ingredients and blend until smooth! You can always add extra ice or more/less liquid in any of these recipes to reach your desired consistency.

I hope these four delicious recipes help kick start your year in the right way and inspire you to get blending more! Smoothies are an awesome way to pack in a powerhouse of ingredients, and I am definitely going to make an effort to make more of them this year. Enjoy, friends!

This blog post has been sponsored by Nature’s Greens, but all opinions and recommendations are wholeheartedly my own. Thank you so much for supporting me and the brands I choose to align my own with; it truly means the world to me. If you decide to make any of these recipes, be sure to tag me, @matcha_and_margs, on Instagram so that I can share the love right back.

Happy Thursday!

Xo,

Cori

Healthy, Dairy Free Holiday Egg Bake

breakfast, lunch, recipes

The holidays are a beautiful time of year that bring about a lot of family time and traditions. Add one to your family this year with a nice holiday brunch or breakfast before all the festivities begin! I love starting my day with a filling breakfast with healthy fats, and egg bakes are the perfect way to do just that. I made this healthy, dairy free egg bake with a base of pasture raised eggs and added in onions, garlic, mushrooms, sun dried tomatoes, spinach and so much more! The “cheesiness” comes from the nutritional yeast, and there is also coconut milk which adds a creamy aspect. There is truly no better way to start a busy day in my opinion.

Ello Products:

I made this egg bake in my 8×8 Ello Baking Dish which is the perfect vehicle to bake and transport your dishes in. The baking dish is great for potlucks, meal prep and serving at different events and beyond. All of their baking dishes have crystal clear Tritan lids which are airtight and leak proof, so you never have to worry about anything getting messy when transporting your goods this holiday season. The dish keeps your food fresher longer, so you can prep things in advanced to make your holidays a little less hectic. Did I mention they are also dishwasher safe + BPA free?! Head to your local Target to pick one up today! You can also purchase them on their website and pick up a 9×13 Casserole dish as well!

They also sell reusable produce bags which I have been obsessing over lately. They are cute, and more importantly help reduce waste in grocery stores, etc. You can see them pictured below next to the egg bake. They would make for the perfect little stocking stuffer by helping your loved ones reduce their economic footprints this holiday season.

Recipe:

Print Recipe

Holiday Egg Bake

Prep Time10 mins
Cook Time50 mins
Course: Breakfast, Brunch
Keyword: Egg, Egg Bake, Eggs, Whole 30, Whole 30 Approved

Ingredients

  • 10 eggs
  • 1 pack mushrooms
  • 1/2 cup sun dried tomatoes
  • 1/2 yellow onion chopped
  • 2 cloves minced garlic
  • 1 pack spinach about 3-4 handfuls
  • 1 pack bacon I use turkey bacon
  • 1/3 cup coconut milk
  • 3 tbsp nutritional yeast
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • pinch red pepper flakes
  • 2 tbsp avocado oil

Instructions

  • Preheat your oven to 350F.
  • Heat a skillet with the avocado oil. Add the garlic and onions and cook until translucent.
  • Add in the mushrooms until cooked. After, do the same with the spinach! Turn off the heat.
  • In a separate bowl, whisk 10 pasture raised eggs and then add in the coconut milk, nutritional yeast, and seasonings. Add in the cooked vegetables and sun dried tomatoes and stir until everything is combined.
  • Grease the 8×8 Ello Baking Dish and add in the egg mixture.
  • Put in the oven and bake for ~50 minutes or until all of the eggs are cooked through on top.
  • Store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days and enjoy!

What I love about this recipe is that it is truly customizable. You can add or take out any vegetables you like or dislike, you can make it vegetarian, add in more meat – the opportunities are endless. If you aren’t dairy free, feel free to add in all of the cheese! Next time, I am definitely adding in feta or goat cheese for an extra creamy touch. Have a lot of family members to feed? Double the recipe and make it in the 9×13 Ello Casserole Dish!

This blog post has been sponsored by Ello, but all opinions and recommendations are wholeheartedly my own! Thank you for your endless support of me and the brands that I choose to align myself with each and every day. It truly means the world to me and I am grateful to have you all here!

If you decide to make the recipe, remember to tag me on Instagram @matcha_and_margs so that I can send the love and support right back to you. Have a very happy holiday season!

Xo,

Cori

Holiday Appetizer Ideas and Charcuterie Tips

appetizers, blog, guides, recipes

As I get older, I have come to realize how much I truly love to host people. I love the cooking, the decorating and the opportunity to create an inviting atmosphere for my friends and family. I always want my space to be an open place for others to feel comfortable and relax. This holiday season, I am embracing my love of hosting while getting creative in the kitchen. For my Thanksgiving, I am bringing a few appetizers – and of course a festive cocktail for good measure. I wanted to share a few tips and tricks if you are in the same boat and help make the holidays a little easier on your end.

First things first, I made a delicious appetizer with my favorite sprouted grain crisps from Angelic Bakehouse. They are my go-to for sprouted grain products, and I was so happy when they launched new flavors of their sprouted grain crisps. They are all amazing, but I decided to use the Fig & Tarragon crisps to make a sweet and savory appetizer. I love how versatile they are, and they would make for the perfect item on your charcuterie board as well.

Fig & Tarragon Goat Cheese Bites

For my first appetizer, I used the Fig & Tarragon savory crisps and laid them out on a sheet. I then took some cranberry goat cheese, sliced it and added it to the crisps.

The star of the show in my opinion here was the candied pecans, which I made by pan frying with coconut oil, an abundance of cinnamon, and coconut sugar. My biggest tip here is to not eat these all straight out of the pan before adding them to the crisps. You guys, these are GOOD! Ever since making this appetizer, I have been making the candied pecans on repeat to snack on. I don’t use any strict measurements here – I just put coconut oil in the pan, heated it up, added the pecans, cinnamon and coconut sugar, and cooked until the pecans had a good coating and the house smelled fragrant. Yum, it really is the most delicious smell!

Last but not least, I added pomegranates to the mix as they are my favorite fruit. They add the best sweetness to holiday dishes and I could really eat them year round. These little flavorful bites are addicting and are sure to please any and all guests! You could also put the ingredients for these on a charcuterie board separately and allow guests to assemble the bites for themselves.

Charcuterie Tips and Tricks

The second thing I am bringing for my Thanksgiving appetizers is, you guessed it, a charcuterie board! I have so much fun making these and of course, eating them too. Preferably with a glass of red wine on the side. Although I typically only eat goat’s and sheep’s milk cheeses, I always like to make sure there is something for everyone. If there are any dairy free guests attending, you can include hummus on your board, homemade vegan cheeses, and so much more. One of my favorites is the Homemade Vegan Ricotta from Minimalist Baker.

As far as the board and accessories go, I love a good wooden board. You can even use a wooden cutting board that you already have on hand. My favorite accessory to put on the plate is mini ramekins to hold different items, a honey stirrer, and toothpicks for making the eating process easy for guests.

I start my boards off by assembling the cheeses evenly throughout the board. I try to include a variety of cheeses, although my favorite is always a flavored goat cheese. Honey, cranberry, fig flavored; you name it, I’ll have it! It adds such a fun sweetness to the board. For other cheeses, I like to include a sharp cheese as well to contradict the creaminess of the goat cheese. I also like to then put out small bowls filled with nuts, fruits, chocolate covered nuts, etc.

For the crackers, I love using the Angelic Bakehouse sprouted grain crisps. Now that they have so many fun flavors, you can put a variety of them on your board. My other favorite board fillers include grapes, anything truffle flavored, honeycomb, olives, cured local meats – I could go on forever. My most important tip for assembling a charcuterie board is to HAVE FUN and not take it too seriously. Put on the items and flares to the board that make your board you, and treat it like a fun art project.

A mini charcuterie “plate” I made with the Angelic Bakehouse Sprouted Rye Crisps.

Dips & More!

Another fun appetizer to make is a dip for everyone to enjoy. Although it is more “game-day themed”, I love making my Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken Dip. It is super simple and only calls for a few ingredients. You can also dip the savory sprouted grain crisps in here as they would make for the perfect vehicle. Another delicious dip idea is the Hot Spinach Dip from Skinnytaste, which is a lightened up version of Spinach Artichoke Dip. It is delicious and a fun way to sneak some greens onto the table!

Now that my stomach is growling, I will leave you guys with these tips and tricks and wish you a very happy Thanksgiving. I am extremely grateful for your support of me and my brand every single day. If you use any of these ideas for your table on Thursday, definitely let me know as I would love to share about it on my account. To a happy, healthy and safe holiday – I love you all.

xo,

Cori

** This post has been sponsored by Angelic Bakehouse, but all opinions and recommendations are wholeheartedly my own. Thank you for supporting my content and the brands that I choose to affiliate myself with.

Chicken Sausage Apple Stuffing

dinner, recipes, side dish

One of my absolute favorite Thanksgiving themed dishes in stuffing. It is versatile, filled with all the carbohydrates and flavors, and you can truly customize it with any ingredients that you like. For me, that means using chicken sausage instead of pork sausage, and adding a little bit of sweetness to accompany it. That’s where my idea for this chicken sausage apple stuffing came from! I absolutely love chicken sausage and love how it secretly lightens up one of the dishes on your festive table.

For this stuffing, I used breakfast chicken sausage as it typically includes sage as ingredient. Sage pairs wonderfully with all of the Thanksgiving dishes and adds a really nice flavor. I get my chicken sausage ground in a tube from the butcher and do not recommend using the links. I love the flavor that a nice, browned chicken sausage adds, and I also recommend adding the drippings into the stuffing mixture. Some other things I like to add to the mix include different vegetables like mushrooms, celery, onions and fresh herbs like rosemary and sage. The cooked apples are a really nice touch of sweetness that complements the breakfast chicken sausage.

Once everything going into the stuffing was cooked and prepared, I added the chicken sausage apple stuffing mix to an Ello DuraGlass 9×13 Food Storage Container. These containers are oven safe (up to 425 degrees), so I thought it would be the perfect container to bake the stuffing in. I love that they are portable so that right when you are done baking and cooling, you can transport your creation to your next destination. They are extremely stylish too which is always a plus in my book. You can find their products on their website, at Target, or on the Target online website.

RECIPE:

Print Recipe

Chicken Sausage Apple Stuffing

Prep Time30 mins
Cook Time35 mins
Course: Dinner, Side Dish, Thanksgiving
Keyword: Chicken Sausage, Fall flavors, Holiday dish, Seasonal, Side Dish, Stuffing, Thanksgiving

Ingredients

  • 1 loaf high quality sandwich bread did not use ends; around 14 slices
  • 1 lb ground breakfast chicken sausage
  • 1 package mushrooms chopped
  • 1 yellow onion diced
  • 2 stalks celery chopped
  • 6 sage leaves finely chopped (around 1 tbsp)
  • 1 stalk fresh rosemary around 1 tbsp
  • 3 cups chicken stock
  • 2-3 tbsp olive oil can sub butter or vegan butter if dairy free
  • 3 cloves minced garlic
  • 2 small apples diced
  • 1 egg whisked
  • salt to taste amount depending on if using low/high sodium broth
  • additional fresh herbs, raisins or cranberries for more sweetness toppings optional

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350F.
  • Cut the bread into one inch pieces and spread out on a baking pan. Bake for around ten minutes. Once done, put in a large bowl.
  • While the bread is baking, put 1 tbsp olive oil in a pan and brown the breakfast chicken sausage.
  • When the chicken sausage is cooked through, add it to the bowl with the baked bread along with the oil and dripping remains.
  • Heat up 1-2 tbsp olive oil and the minced garlic in a pan. Once heated, add in the onions and celery. Once they are translucent, add in the mushrooms, rosemary and sage and sauté until everything is cooked through.
  • Add all of the cooked veggies, etc. to the bowl with the bread and the chicken sausage. Pour in the chicken stock and the whisked egg and mix until everything is well combined. It is really important to ensure everything is mixed well and fully covered!
  • Depending on if you used low sodium or regular (higher sodium) chicken stock, you may want to add salt to taste here! It all depends on how salty the broth you used was.
  • Add all of the ingredients to the Ello DuraGlass 9×13 Food Storage Container. Make sure everything is evenly spread and covered in liquid, etc.
  • Bake in the oven for 30-35 minutes OR until the top is browned.
  • 10. Top with additional fresh herbs, optional cranberries or raisins, and enjoy! Best enjoyed straight out of the oven, but it can be kept well in the refrigerator for a few days. You can also freeze any leftovers, but when you heat it up you will want to add more chicken stock.

I am so excited to be partnering with Ello Goods this holiday season as they offer a wide variety of sustainable products that are also affordable. This is so important to me around the holidays as there is a lot of gift giving, food exchanging, etc. Their brand aligns greatly with mine and I cannot wait to bring more awareness to sustainability around the holidays through some fun new recipes.

On top of their DuraGlass Containers, they also sell reusable water bottles, mugs, reusable produce bags and so much more. I definitely recommend checking out their website or checking out their products the next time you are at your local Target store.

If you decide to make this recipe for your holiday festivities, definitely let me know! If you post the final product on Instagram, tag me @matcha_and_margs so that I can share the love right back. I would also love to see if you guys decide to bake with Ello Goods this holiday season. Happy holidays to you and yours!

xo,

Cori