HOUSTON – Blogger Lynden Orr from The Lynden Lifestyle shares some of the beauty benefits from clean eating.
Zoodles with Avocado Pesto
Creamy 5 minute Avocado Pesto:
Add all ingredients to a blender or food processor, besides water. Blend together and add water slowly until desired consistency is reached! Makes 1 large serving or 2 small portions.
3/4 Cup Basil
1 tbs Oregano
Juice of 1 Lemon
2 Garlic Cloves
1 tsp Nutritional Yeast
1 tsp Olive Oil 🕊(can omit for oil free)
Water for thinning ( I used 2 tbs)
Pink Himalayan Sea Salt and Pepper to taste
Option: I added 1 scoop vital proteins collagen peptides for extra protein and a skin glow boost!
Sauté zucchini noodles, garlic, olive oil and pink sea salt. Heat your pan on medium first, add oil and then add Zoodles. Cook for only 3-4 minutes so you don't end up with soggy zucchini! Add pesto on top and pistachios for a crunch and extra vitamin A and E. Add tomatoes for vibrant flavor and to pack in antioxidants!
Cauliflower Pizza Dough (recipe inspired by @edgarraw)
2 cups of shredded cauliflower (I shredded my own with a zucchini noodler)
4 tbsp of Bob’s Red Mill Chia Seeds
8 tbsp of water
½ a cup of Bob’s Red Mill Almond Meal Flour
½ a cup of Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free Whole Grain Oat Flour
2 tbsp of Bob’s Red Mill Nutritional Yeast
3 tbsp of garlic powder
1 tbsp of Himalayan pink sea salt
1 tbsp of black pepper
1. Take 4 tbsp of chia seeds and add 8 tbsp of water to a bowl, mix well and let it sit for 5-7 minutes
2. Take a large bowl and add all your crust ingredients and knead with your hands until formed into a dough
3. Take your cauliflower dough and form into a pizza crust, about ¼ or ⅓ of an inch thick and bake for 35ish minutes on cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Baking time will vary depending on oven and thickness of pizza, so just keep an eye on it and pull out when golden brown
4. Once fully baked, lay the crust on a cooling rack and cool for 30 minutes to let the crust firm up
5. After cooling, add Pistachio Pesto and Roasted Veggies (see below) and put back into the oven until pesto and veggies are hot
6. Add final toppings (see below for balsamic reduction) and serve hot
Pistachio Pesto
3 medium cloves garlic, peeled
2/3 cup roasted, salted pistachios
4 loosely packed cups zesty baby greens (baby arugula + kale work great)
2 cups basil
Juice of 1 lemon
1/4 – 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper
1/3 – 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
Place garlic in a food processor (or Vitamix) and pulse until minced. Add the pistachios and pulse until mixture is well blended but still has texture. Add in the baby greens, basil, lemon juice, and salt and pepper to taste. Pulse to combine until greens are incorporated. Pulse the processor while adding in 1/3 cup olive oil until you reach pesto consistency. Don’t be afraid to add or subtract certain ingredients to taste or to thicken/thin out your pesto!
Balsamic Reduction (the game changer)
A simple technique that gives you a great sweet and tangy sauce that can be drizzled over anything. I used balsamic vinegar of modena. Add one cup of balsamic vinegar to a pan on low to medium-low heat. As the balsamic begins to bubble, stir, continue repeating this process of stirring and waiting for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, your balsamic vinegar will have thickened up into a delicious sauce!
Toppings
Roast Veggies (I chose broccolini, butternut squash and asparagus) on 350 for 20 min with sea salt and olive oil. Then add toppings to pizza before the last oven pass. Then add fresh herbs (I chose dill and basil). Lastly, drizzle balsamic reduction on top.
*Flip tip: If you need to flip your crust over for any reason place between two solid items (ie cutting board and cookie sheet) and turn over to avoid breaking the crust.
Sweet Potato Toast
Slice Sweet Potatoes long ways (a little thinner than a regular slice of bread) , drizzle olive oil, pink Himalayan sea salt and cumin. Bake on 400 degrees for 30 min.
My go-to toppings:
-Almond Butter with Coconut and Roughly Chopped Almonds
-Avocado, Pomegranates, Cilantro and Sea Salt
-Hummus, Pistachios and Thinly Sliced Heirloom Tomato