Happy Tuesday! So I just got back from a walk with my puppy Luna who is teething and my fingers are bleeding as I write this post. Please tell me this is normal for a puppy?! I was also texting a trainer while I was on the walk and he told me I need to start bringing bitter apple spray on our walks so she stops biting me and the leash. She can be the sweetest little puppy, but she can also be a little terror! We decided sometimes we should call her Lunatic instead of Luna…

Anyways, on to the recipe…so I made this soup last week and I'm finally getting around to posting the recipe! It is by far one of my favorite soups to make all fall and winter long. I hope you will enjoy it as much as I do! It seriously tastes SO creamy. You will definitely be surprised when you taste it that there is no cream in the recipe.  It comes from the same friend that shared the Brussels sprouts salad recipe with me :) 
 
Ingredients:

• 1 head of cauliflower 
• 2 tablespoons of olive oil
• 1 small or medium onion 
• 2 garlic cloves (love the Trader Joe's crushed garlic frozen cubes!) 
• 1 quart of chicken broth
• 1/2 cup of parmesan cheese 

Directions:

1. Cook onion and garlic in olive oil for 5 minutes on medium-high heat
2. Add in cauliflower and chicken stock and bring to a boil
3. Let the mixture simmer for 15 minutes 
4. Add ingredients into a blender (adding a little at a time) with the cheese and blend until creamy texture 
5. Add salt and pepper to taste and enjoy! 

One of my best friends (hi Ann!) sent me this recipe after she adapted it from a salad we had at Pleasant Pops in DC. Pleasant Pops is a super cute popsicle place in DC. My favorite flavor popsicle is the Mexican chocolate! If you live in DC or passing just through, I recommend you try out this place! They even have puppy pops for your pooch. Besides pops, they also have some really yummy food!

This sprout salad is a perfect fall salad that you can eat plain for lunch, or serve it up with a side of soup or toast. Today I plan to have it for lunch with a side of cauliflower soup (recipe also coming soon!). I'll be eating this salad for a few days because this recipe makes 4-6 servings. It's even husband approved! 

 Ingredients for salad: 
·      Shaved brussels sprouts (I used the whole bag of  shaved brussels from Trader Joe's) 
·      4 cups of arugula 
·      1/4 to 1/2 cup of grated parmesan cheese (I did a little less than 1/2 cup) 
·      Roughly 1 cup of chopped walnuts 
(you can always do less, I usually just eyeball it!)
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 Ingredients for salad dressing: 
·      1 teaspoon of dijon or spicy brown mustard 
·      2 teaspoons of red wine vinegar 
·      1/4 cup of olive oil 
·      Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
1.  Make your dressing in a bowl and stir it up with a fork 
2.  Combine salad ingredients in another bowl
3.  Combine, toss, and serve! 

Sooooo I really wanted to call this recipe COOKIES, but my husband's reaction was, "These aren't cookies!" so I don't want to mislead anyone. To me, they are just as good as cookies though and fill that cookie monster craving! I usually make a batch of these (comes out to 12-18 depending on how big you make them) and then eat 2 or 3 for breakfast or as a mid-morning snack...and I don't feel guilty for eating these "cookies" before 11!  

Here's the overly simple recipe: 

Ingredients:
·       3 overly ripe bananas 
·       2 cups of quick oats
·       1 scoop of protein powder (I used PlantFusion vanilla for these!) 
·       Anything else you would like. Be creative! 
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*For these I used cacao nibs, Craisins, and shredded coconut. I love to use dark chocolate chips sometimes with some sort of nuts like walnuts! 

Directions:
1.    Mash the bananas in a bowl with a fork 
2.    Stir in oats, protein powder and any other goodies 
3.    Add in 1 tablespoon of liquid -- can be water, coconut milk, almond milk, or regular milk! 
4.    Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes (don't forget to line your baking sheet! I used coconut oil & parchment paper) 
5.    Let them cool and enjoy :) 

​Let me know how you like them and what variation you made! After you try them....what do you think, is it fair to call them cookies? :P