During my first pregnancy, I was required to consume the neon-orange colored glucose drink not once, but twice, to test for gestational diabetes. I failed my first test by a few points, so I had to follow that one up with the 3-hour test, which is even worse! Luckily, I passed my 3-hour test with flying colors, but I nearly fainted during the process. During my second pregnancy, I was determined to find a better way....

Many nursing women rely on oatmeal to boost their milk supply, but this smoothie could be a delicious alternative to a monotonous week of oats. One of the biggest concerns for a nursing mom is the question of whether or not she is producing enough milk for her baby. Nursing on demand should create an adequate supply, but adding some lactogenic foods to the diet may help boost milk supply even more....

This oat flour Flag Cake is a fun, patriotic treat for a holiday weekend. It’s naturally dairy-free and gluten-free, and there are tons of options below to help you customize it to your needs. This cake is the result of some experimenting I’ve done this week. I was testing different brands of coconut milk to make dairy-free whipped cream , and I’ve also been testing a new oat flour cake recipe....

If you’re trying to squeeze more protein and veggies into your morning, egg muffins are an easy make-ahead option. However, if you’ve tried doing this without a a recipe before, you may have discovered that they can shrivel as they cool. (Which is fine, but very unappealing visually). A few years ago, while I was trying to replicate the cottage cheese egg bites from Starbucks, I learned a simple trick that changed my egg muffin game— cooking the eggs in a water bath....

I can’t believe how EASY it is to make peanut butter at home. Homemade peanut butter takes less than 5 minutes to make in your food processor, and you don’t have to do any extra prep work to get started! How To Make it How do you make peanut butter? All you need is peanuts and a food processor. Do not add any extra oil, as the peanuts will release their natural oils as you go....

Have you ever noticed that most crispy sweet potato fries are coated in batter when you get them at a restaurant? That’s because sweet potato fries don’t become crispy easily. I’ve spent the past few weeks trying to figure out how to make crispy sweet potato fries in the air fryer, without relying on a batter or bunches of oil. The resulting recipe yields flavorful fries with minimal effort. (And a lot less grease!...

Instant Pot pasta is a life-saver on busy nights. You don’t have to wait for water to boil on the stove, and you don’t have to watch the pot to make sure that starchy, foamy water doesn’t boil over the top of your pot as the pasta cooks. Instead, you can just add the pasta and water to the pressure cooker, press a button, and walk away! Below you’ll find the correct cook times for cooking different varieties of pasta, to ensure you’ll wind up with perfect results every time....

If cooking chicken is part of your meal prep routine, then Instant Pot Shredded Chicken is about to make your life a whole lot easier. It cooks and shreds all in one pot, and most of the process is totally hands-off! How Long Does it Take to Cook Chicken in the Instant Pot? Cooking chicken in the Instant Pot can take as little as 10 minutes of high pressure cooking, up to 20 minutes if you’re using a frozen chicken breast....

I hope you don’t mind that I’m still in back-to-school mode over here. A friend of mine recently gave me the idea of making peanut butter & jelly muffins, and I thought it would be a great way to make packing lunches easier than ever! Instead of making a sandwich each day, you make just one batch of these muffins over the weekend and pop one or two into your child’s lunchbox for a fun alternative all week long....

If you’ve tried a green smoothie before, you probably won’t be surprised to hear that the same concept can be applied to muffins. I started experimenting with this idea when my son was just a toddler, so we’ve literally been making them for 10 years now! Here’s what I’ve learned in that time: Eggs = fluffy muffins. I used to make this recipe with fewer eggs, but I’ve found that adding more not only adds more protein, but it also makes them fluffier....

If you love homemade almond milk but don’t want to soak or strain it, this shortcut using almond butter is for you. It will quickly become your favorite way to make almond milk! (I even use it to make vegan lattes without specialty milk. This trick is life-changing!) Typically, homemade nut milk is made by blending whole (sometimes soaked) almonds with water and then straining out the pulp using a nut milk bag....

These Paleo Pancakes are a game-changer! They are light & fluffy, and unlike Almond Flour Pancakes or Coconut Flour Pancakes , you don’t need any specialty flours to make them. Ingredients You’ll Need What are Paleo Pancakes made of? Grain-free pancakes can be made with almond flour, coconut flour, or cassava flour, but this recipe doesn’t require any specialty flours. Here’s what you’ll need: Almond Butter Eggs Applesauce or mashed banana Baking soda Vanilla You can add a dash of cinnamon and a pinch of salt if you want to, as well!...

Throughout my college career, I worked at a small, locally-owned restaurant that served some of the best wood-fired pizzas I’ve ever tasted. This combination, in particular, was one of my favorites. Sweet caramelized onions paired with salty Gorgonzola cheese are a match made in heaven. I don’t typically like the flavor of blue cheese, but I love it on this pizza. Though this unexpected combination would work well on any pizza crust you like, I used my cauliflower pizza crust as a base, to keep it properly combined ....

Cilantro Lime Dressing is light & refreshing, and all you need is a few simple ingredients to make it! It’s the perfect topping for salads, tacos, burrito bowls, and more. Why You’ll Love It It’s delicious. Lightly tangy, this dressing is the perfect topping for any number of dishes. You can use it all week long on vegan quesadillas , burritos, or over a taco salad. It’s allergy-friendly. This dressing recipe is gluten-free, nut-free, and dairy-free....

Coconut Panna Cotta is a deceptively easy dairy-free dessert, that looks totally impressive! All you need is a few simple ingredients to make it, with or without using gelatin. (Vegan option included below!) What is panna cotta? It’s a creamy dessert that originates from Italy, featuring heavy whipping cream, sugar, and gelatin. You can serve it in a molded shape (similar to Jello ), or serve it directly in small dishes for an easier presentation....

I can’t tell you how much I’ve enjoyed testing this date snickers recipe. I’ve been experimenting with this idea for weeks, trying to figure out the best ratio, and I’m confident that this is the best version. You may have seen some other recipes online that call for stuffing a WHOLE date with peanut butter and then dunking the whole thing in melted chocolate. I tried it that way, and I’ll be honest… It’s just too much....

Zucchini Pesto is a delicious way to use up your summer zucchini! There’s no cooking required, so you can whip up this flavorful sauce in just minutes. Why You’ll Love It It tastes amazing. Zucchini has a relatively neutral flavor, so it blends in seamlessly with the fresh basil, lemon juice, and garlic. It has a bright, refreshing taste that goes perfectly with your favorite pasta, pizza, sliced veggies, and more....

Meet the best Black Bean Brownies you’ll ever try. They are rich and fudgy, and taste like the real thing! (Not some “healthy” alternative.) You can’t tell there are black beans in here at all. Ingredients You’ll Need What makes these black bean brownies healthier? They’re made with easy, real food ingredients. No refined flour or oil necessary! Here’s what’s inside: Black beans (a whole can!) Rolled oats (use certified gluten-free, if needed) Almond butter (adds fat & fiber) Coconut sugar (a lower glycemic sweetener) Cacao powder Baking soda + vinegar (which work together to help them rise) These brownies are naturally gluten-free, oil-free, and egg-free, so they are vegan friendly and perfect for those following a special diet....

If you’re reading this, it’s likely that pumpkin season is in full swing. Today, I’ll show you how to cook a whole pumpkin in the easiest way possible. (Seriously!) You can use roasted pumpkin to make homemade pumpkin puree. It tastes richer than the kind that comes in a can, making it perfect for pumpkin soup or a healthy pumpkin pie . Don’t forget to save the pumpkin seeds for a healthy snack as well....

Raw sauerkraut is surprisingly easy to make and is WAY cheaper than buying the store-bought stuff. For a just a couple dollars, you’ll have more fresh sauerkraut than you’ll know what to do with! Fermenting my own veggies has always terrified me, since I was convinced I’d probably do it wrong and wind up with botulism. But people have been eating fermented food for centuries, so it can’t be as scary as it sounds, right?...