QUICK EASY HOLIDAY PARTY SNACKS || GLUTEN FREE + VEGAN RECIPES || FOOD PHOTOGRAPHER NICOLE LEE

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Hello Friends, 

We are in the home stretch of the holiday Season. I don’t know about you folks, but it seems this year has been extra busy. Between all the kids Parties, Family parties, and Christmas, and upcoming New Year's, I may take the rest of January to hibernate. Anyone with me?

Before we decide on that, I’ve got the easiest recipe for you to make. These “muddy buddies” and I go way back. When I started making these I couldn’t even boil and egg, or so much as make a batch of cookies without burning the entire batch. What I'm saying is anyone can make them! This recipe is for the “ultimate home cook” or the people who may not have a clue what they are doing in the kitchen. Recipe is below, Happy Cooking!

-Nicole

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GLUTEN FREE + VEGAN CHEX MUDDY BUDDIES RECIPE:

What you will need : 1 family size box Rice Chex Cereal

1 bag of 85% organic dark chocolate chips

¼ cup MCT OIL

1 teaspoon Organic Vanilla extract

½ cup Organic Peanut Butter ( or if allergic omit entirely, add ¼ cup more MCT oil, or ALTERNATIVE NUT BUTTER)

½ cups of Swerve Confectioners Sugar

1 cup Organic Powdered Sugar

1 LARGE saucepan (large enough to mix in 10 cups Chex Cereal)

2 large ziploc gallon bags Or 2 Large Paper grocery bags (for mixing and shaking)

TIP: IF you are looking for the low glycemic version, swap out ALL POWDERED sugar for SWERVE CONFECTIONERS Sugar, it’s one to one ratio. I like to do about half and half.

Directions:

Measure out 10 cups of the rice Chex cereal set aside. In your bag place half of the powdered sugar set aside. Measure out your nut butter, oil, and vanilla. Set aside.

Heat your dutch oven to medium low, pour in your MCT OIL, NUT BUTTER, vanilla and chocolate chips stir with wooden spoon or spatula until all the chips melt, do not stop stirring, it can burn quick. Once Melted TAKE OFF HEAT! Still at the stove pour in your cereal to the melted chocolate , mix until all are coated with chocolate mixture. Then add the mix to your bag filled with the powdered sugar, once in add some more powdered sugar on top of mix, seal and shake shake shake until all coated. If the mixture seems wet, add in 1 tablespoon of powdered sugar, shake again and repeat until it's coated with the powdered sugar. Since we are using all real ingredients, the color may come dark instead of all white, don’t be alarmed. When finished shaking, transfer to parchment or wax paper to cool. Then enjoy!

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THIS RECIPE WAS ADAPTED FROM CHEX MUDDY BUDDIES

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VEGAN BULLETPROOF COFFEE || RECIPE | FOOD+ LIFESTYLE PHOTOGRAPHER NICOLE LEE

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Hey friends,

My apologies on my abandonment towards you folks ( and my blog). I’ve been really focusing on getting my house back in order and doing lots and lots of projects over the weekends instead of recipe testing…(But that is changing soon).

Did I mention I’ve been drinking lots and lots of coffee to keep me going? A few years ago I discovered bulletproof coffee. I friend had shown it to me, but I am allergic to dairy… so I had to modify. I discovered if you put the same amount of MCT oil in, and use a dairy free nut milk it will get frothy just as if you use grass-fed butter. I also noticed no two dairy free milks are created equal. I am pretty picky when it comes down to the brands I use. Anyone agree??

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Vegan Bullet Proof Coffee Recipe

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Vegan Bulletproof Coffee Recipe

* Ingredients:

• 8oz fresh coffee
• 1 to 2 tablespoons MCT Oil
• 1 tablespoon vegan nut milk ( almond, coconut are awesome!)
• 1 oz 85-90% dark chocolate
• 1 -2 tsp MACA powder
• Cinnamon for top
• Blender Notes: if you this is your first time with bulletproof coffee start with 1 tablespoon of MCT and work up to 2 tablespoons . Also High quality coffee beans, ground + brewed in french press or pour over method ( this will get it tasting top notch)

Directions: Brew coffee to directions. I prefer french press method. In your blender place all the ingredients. Measure out 8 oz of fresh hot coffee, blend on high for 30 seconds until frothy. Top with cinnamon And enjoy!!!

Some of my favorite brands:

• New Barn Organic Almond Milk
• Califia Farms Almond Milk
• Bulletproof Coffee Brand
• Bulletproof MCT Oil
• NOTE: I have not been sponsored or paid to share these brands, I just simply love them! Happy cooking friends

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CHEERS, 

-Nicole 

ASHER'S PEANUT BUTTER AND JELLY SANDWHICH || RECIPE || GLUTEN + DAIRY FREE || PHOTOGRAPHER NICOLE LEE

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Hello Friends, 

It’s good to remember you don’t need fancy food, or expensive kitchen tools to execute a good meal. A Peanut butter and Jelly sandwich will do  just fine indeed. We all have busy lives. What I love most about sandwiches, they are quick, easy, and i’d say nutritious. The thing is, it’s not just about the meal at the dinner table, but the memories we make around the table. Or it’s not about the “perfect” presentation, but letting the kids get in there and make something too, and heck it can be messy. Who cares?

Onward, go make a sandwich and hug someone close to you!

PB + JELLY SANWICH RECIPE :

INGREDIENTS:

• Loaf of bread

• Your favorite jam / honey or fruit spread

• Peanut butter (or other nut butter )

• A knife 

• DIRECTIONS:   Grab 2 pieces of bread. With your knife place an even layer jam on one half of bread. On the other spread an even coating of peanut butter. Then place one slice on top of the other. Bam you are finished. If you are daring make it open faced. To do that spread an even layer of nut butter on bread, then jam on top!

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PEANUT BUTTER JELLY SANDWICH 

BY : SHEL SILVERSTEIN 

I’ll sing you a story of a silly young king
Who played with the world at the end of a string,
But he only loved one single thing --
And that was just a peanut-butter sandwich.

His scepter and his royal gowns,
His regal throne and golden crowns
Were brown and sticky from the mounds
And drippings from each peanut-butter sandwich.

His subjects all were silly fools
For he had passed a royal rule
That all that they could learn in school
Was how to make a peanut-butter sandwich.

He would not eat his sovereign steak,
He scorned his soup and kingly cake,
And told his courtly cook to bake
An extra-sticky peanut-butter sandwich.

And then one day he took a bite
And started chewing with delight,
But found his mouth was stuck quite tight
From that last bite of peanut-butter sandwich.

His brother pulled, his sister pried,
The wizard pushed, his mother cried,
“My boy’s committed suicide
From eating his last peanut-butter sandwich!”

The dentist came, and the royal doc.
The royal plumber banged and knocked,
But still those jaws stayed tightly locked.
Oh darn that sticky peanut-butter sandwich!

The carpenter, he tried with pliers,
The telephone man tried with wires,
The firemen, they tried with fire,
But couldn’t melt that peanut-butter sandwich.

With ropes and pulleys, drills and coil,
With steam and lubricating oil --
For twenty years of tears and toil --
They fought that awful peanut-butter sandwich.

Then all his royal subjects came.
They hooked his jaws with grapplin’ chains
And pulled both ways with might and main
Against that stubborn peanut-butter sandwich.

Each man and woman, girl and boy
Put down their ploughs and pots and toys
And pulled until kerack! Oh, joy --
They broke right through that peanut-butter sandwich.

A puff of dust, a screech, a squeak --
The king’s jaw opened with a creak.
And then in voice so faint and weak --
The first words that they heard him speak
Were, “How about a peanut-butter sandwich?”

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GLUTEN FREE STRAWBERRY TOAST RECIPE || EASY FOOD | FOOD PHOTOGRAPHER NICOLE LEE

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Hello Friends,

This quick recipe for gluten free strawberry toast is all about getting in some nutrients while also making sure your meal is tasty. No one likes cardboard. Lately, I’m into easy food, yet I don’t want to just grab those fries each time. Food can be fuss free, taste good, and make you feel great. Give it a go; this toast will change your life.

Cheers and happy cooking

Nicole x

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GF + DF STRAWBERRY TOAST RECIPE || NICOLE LEE

Ingredients:

-1 loaf of gluten free bread

-Raw honey (2 – tablespoons)

-Nut Butter (mixed, almond, peanut)

-Chia Seeds

-Fresh Strawberries (1-2 pints)

-Toaster

Directions:  Clean and roughly chop your strawberries, removing the stems. Set aside. Toast your bread to your hearts desire. Spread with a decent layer of nut butter, and honey. Place the strawberries on top. Finish with a sprinkle of chia seeds. Repeat for as many pieces of toast you’d like to make. Enjoy!

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CHOCOLATE GRANOLA RECIPE || GLUTEN FREE+DAIRY FREE || FOOD PHOTOGRAPHER NICOLE LEE

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Hello Friends, 

Chocolate seems to be at the top of my food list, it is only fitting that I would try to add it to almost everything. One of my fondest memories of chocolate was when we used to live in the PNW; we would walk and get a coffee from our favorite shop. I’d order a hot double short latte and on the top they would serve it with a piece of dark chocolate. The chocolate would warm from sitting on the cup. You would have to eat it quite quickly, the melted chocolate followed by sipping your espresso left the most heavenly taste it your mouth.

Lately, I am yearning to recreate moments of food heaven each day. It looks different now. Instead of walking to the coffee shop, I walk into the kitchen. Back then I cooked, but was still getting my bearings down. Lots of burning, lots of undercooked chicken, and lots of baking, I could do that. The baking was easy. Maybe its because the control of the ingredients lead as a guide of safety and comfort. “ Actual recipe development, seemed scary as you had to move with the food, no rules, just feelings. Food makes you feel. It’s instinctual. You are forced to do a dance, taste, smell, and engage with it. Or else you get a burned hot mess; this took me years to sort out. I just kept cooking, and trying. Lots of repetition, as I was learning I would cook the same dish every night until I nailed it! Ryan would ask “ what’s for dinner, I would say – roast chicken and veg! He replied without grumble, SPLENDID! Along with my encouraging husband, the other helper I had was “the naked chef” (AKA JAMIE OLIVER) he taught me how to: boil eggs, make curry, make soup, homemade pizza, what herbs were, and even nail a good granola. Once I sorted out how simple cooking could be, it all came together. Recipes became effortless. 

So, I want to share my take on good ole granola, it’s easy and the best part it takes 15 min to prep!

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CHOCOLATE GLUTEN FREE GRANOLA RECIPE// (Makes about 1.5 gallon bag)

You will need: 2 baking sheets, unbleached parchment paper, mixing bowl, spatula, small saucepan

*INGREDIENTS: *

• 1 cup nut butter (almond, cashew, peanut or no nutz)
• 6 cups gluten free rolled oats
• 6 tablespoons coconut oil
• 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste
• 5 ounces high quality dark chocolate (chopped)
• 3 tablespoons brown sugar
• 5 tablespoons high quality coco powder
• 1/2 cup raw honey
• 3 tablespoons cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon ground ginger
• 1 tablespoon nutmeg
• 1 cup chopped almonds and cashews
• 1/3-cup chia seeds
• 1/3 unsweetened coconut flakes
• 1 teaspoon sea salt (or kosher salt)

Directions:

Pre- Heat your oven to 300 degrees. Line your baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.

Measure out ingredients, and in a bowl place: gluten free rolled oats, cinnamon, ground ginger, chia seeds, coconut flakes, brown sugar, nutmeg, chopped nuts, and salt mix a little with a spatula. Set aside. Chop your chocolate, set aside.

Take your small saucepan and put on medium –low heat. Add your coconut oil, nut butter, raw honey, and 5 tablespoons of coco powder. Mix constantly, until melted and blended together. Take off heat, add in the vanilla paste and mix in. Pour mixture over the rolled oats mixture and thoroughly combine until the oats are completely coated. Add chopped chocolate, mix.

Finally spread evenly over the parchment paper lined baking sheets. Place both trays in the oven, Bake for 15 min. Let cool completely for about an hour. Store in gallon bags, or mason jars. Store in the refrigerator for up to two weeks!

To serve, you can enjoy with nut(or raw) milk, fresh berries like raspberries, strawberries, or blackberries. This granola, also tastes great over ice cream or just by it’s self!

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CHEERS, 

NICOLE 

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AVOCADO TOAST, WITH FIGS, AND CILANTRO || GLUTEN FREE+VEGAN RECIPE || FOOD + LIFESTYLE PHOTOGRAPHER NICOLE LEE

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Hello Friends, 

Cooking with children can be a daunting task to some, but I find once you give them a chance it doesn’t take long for them to fall in love with helping out and be part of the process.  It feels only natural to invite them into what we are doing, whether it be flipping eggs, baking some cookies, or just making a simple toast. I tend to give them jobs like; letting them sprinkle on the salt or herbs, or crack the eggs, stir the pot. They love it, give it a try!  - Cheers, Nicole

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Avocado Toast; with figs lime and cilantro recipe :

Ingredients:

-A loaf of gluten free (or none GF) bread

- 1 bunch of ripe avocados

- fig fruit (for the top or side)

-1 lime

- chopped cilantro

- salt, pepper, olive oil

- knife, fork, and bowls for mashing

Method: Cut and pit your avocados, in a bowl mash up avocados leaving them pretty chunky. Slice your limes in half, and squeeze over the avocado.  Chop cilantro, set aside.

Toast your bread to your liking, and drizzle high quality olive oil over the top of them. With a fork take your avocado and smash the rest over the toasted bread. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and cilantro. Then enjoy!

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QUICK AND EASY VEGAN SNACK RECIPE // BLUEBERRIES + ALMOND MILK // FOOD PHOTOGRAPHER NICOLE LEE

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Dear Friends, 

For today's recipe I bring you "easy peasy" as my 7 year old would say. Simple frozen blueberries and almond milk. This is made for one, but you may double, or triple or even add in extra's to make it your own. Then simply enjoy! 

What you will need :

1 bag of frozen organic blueberries

1 bowl, spoon and hungry belly

1/2 cup (or more to your liking) Fresh Almond Milk 

Note : if you aren't vegan I would sub for 2% with a splash of raw cream, or even RAW MILK 

Then pour blueberries in a bowl, pour milk over blueberries and watch the magic happen. The milk freezes over the blueberries and now you "almost" have ice cream.

Cheers and enjoy!

 -Nicole 

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