The foods we eat can impact our physical health, our sleep, our focus, and even our mood. There’s a reason they call our gut the second brain… the gut-brain relationship plays a huge role in how we feel. It can feel daunting to put dishes together that are both delicious and good for you, but with a little creativity, it is entirely possible to eat foods that are filled with vitamins and minerals, and also taste great.

Here are four recipes I love to make to fuel my body and mind during a busy week:

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1. Vegan Spinach & Artichoke Dip

Prep Time: 15 mins 

Cook Time: 20 mins 

Serves 10 

INGREDIENTS 

● 1 ½ cups raw cashews, soaked 

● 2-4 TB nutritional yeast 

● 2–3 garlic cloves, minced 

● 1 ½ tsp onion powder 

● 1 tsp mineral salt, plus more as needed 

● 3 TB lemon juice 

● 1 ½ cups non-dairy yogurt (Cocojune) 

● 10–14 oz. spinach 

● 1 can (14oz.) artichoke hearts in brine, drained and finely chopped 

● Salt & freshly ground pepper, to taste 

● Sliced sourdough bread to serve 

DIRECTIONS 

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F 

2. Soak Cashews: Soak, covered with 1 inch of very hot water for 5 – 10 minutes to help soften them up so they blend ultra creamy. If you have nut sensitivities, soak the cashews in cool water for 2 – 3 hours to aid in digestion. 

3. In a blender, add the soaked cashews, nutritional yeast, minced garlic, lemon juice, salt and pepper, and liquids to the bowl and process until nice and smooth, about 3 minutes or so. Taste for flavor, adding more of anything as needed. 

4. Steam spinach, then give it a rough chop and drain any excess water. 

5. In a medium sized baking dish, add the spinach and artichoke hearts, pour the cashew cheese overtop and mix to combine. 

6. Place in the oven, covered for 10 minutes, remove the cover and bake for another 10 minutes. Feel free to adjust the cover at any time to your preference (for me, sometimes I leave it covered the entire time). 

CHEF’S TIPS 

1. Add some cayenne pepper in for heat

2. Aquafaba Mayo

You know the extra water in your can of chickpeas that you usually drain out? It turns out, there's a word for it: aquafaba! It's nutritious and can be used in a variety of recipes. 

Here is a simple recipe for the mayo we use in lots of our dishes:

Ingredients:

1 cup aquafaba from two 15 oz cans of chickpeas

3 cups avocado or olive oil 

1 tsp sea salt

2 tbsp apple cider vinegar

2 tsp lemon juice

Method:

In a blender or food processor, blend all the ingredients for up to 5 minutes until thick. Transfer to an airtight container and store in fridge for about 6 hours. The mayo will cool and thicken. You can also use an immersion blender for a more whipped, fluffy mayo. Store for up to a week. Add seasonings if desired (1-2 cloves garlic for garlic aioli, paprika for a smoky mayo, etc).‍

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3. Veggie Burgers‍

Prep Time: 25 mins 

Cook Time: 20 mins 

Makes 6-8 patties 

INGREDIENTS 

● 2 small portobellos, stems removed 

● ¼ cups & 2 TB olive oil, divided 

● 1 ¾ small heads broccoli, chopped 

● 1 ½ tsp urfa (pepper), plus more for garnish 

● ½ tsp cayenne 

● ¾ tsp onion powder, divided 

● ¾ cup cooked black beans, rinsed, mashed 

● 8-10 dates, pitted, minced 

● 6 TB gluten-free breadcrumbs 

● 1 TB lime juice 

● 1 TB lime zest 

● Salt & freshly ground pepper, to taste 

DIRECTIONS 

1. In a small food processor, grind portobellos with ¼ cup oil. Transfer to a large pan & sauté over medium heat, 5-7 mins. 

2. In the same food processor, grind all broccoli, 1½ tsp urfa, cayenne, ¾ tsp onion powder & 2 TB oil. Transfer to the pan with the mushrooms, add 2 TB oil & sauté, 3-5 more mins. Cool. 3. In a large bowl, mix mashed beans with dates, GF breadcrumbs, lime juice, lime zest & 2 TB oil. Mix in sautéed broccoli & mushrooms. Season with salt & pepper. 

4. Prepare a grill for medium heat. 

5. Portion ¼ cup mixture for each patty. Shape & grill until cooked through, 5-7 mins per side. 6. Garnish sauce with urfa & serve alongside patties. 

CHEF’S TIPS 

● 1 lime yields about 2 TB of juice 

● Technique 

o Peel, thinly slice & use the stalks of broccoli 

o Black beans are mashed, but still chunky

4.  King Oyster Mushrooms & Spinach

Prep Time: 20 mins 

Cook Time: 10 mins 

Serves 4 

INGREDIENTS 

● ⅔ cup walnuts, roasted, chopped, divided 

● ¼ cup olive oil, divided 

● 5 cups spinach, baby leaves reserved, divided 

● 1 TB lemon zest, divided, plus more for garnish 

● ¼ cup lemon juice, divided 

● 1 tsp onion powder 

● 1 lb king oyster mushrooms, halved 

● 2 Calabrian chilies, seeds removed, minced 

● Salt & freshly ground pepper, to taste 

DIRECTIONS 

1. Cover ⅓ cup walnuts in water for 10 mins, then strain. Reserve walnuts & 2-3 TB of water. Set aside. 

2. Make the spinach pesto: In a high speed blender, blend 1 cup spinach, 2 tsp lemon zest & 2 TB juice, soaked walnuts, onion powder & 2 TB oil. Loosen with water from soaking walnuts as needed. Set aside. 

3. In a large pan over medium heat, heat remaining 2 TB oil. Add mushrooms & sear, 3-5 mins. Add remaining 4 cups of spinach & begin to wilt. Add chilies, remaining 1 tsp lemon zest & remaining 2 TB juice. 

4. Spoon pesto on a serving platter & plate vegetables on top. Garnish with baby spinach leaves, remaining ⅓ cup walnuts & lemon zest. 

CHEF’S TIPS 

● 1 lemon yields 3-4 TB of juice 

● King oyster mushrooms are also called trumpet mushrooms; 1 lb yields about 6-8 mushrooms

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