Raspberry Chia Jam

So the chia seed party jam isn’t the first party I’ve been late to, and it’s probably not going to be last.
However, I fully embrace the mantra “better late than never!”
Except for the Pokemon Go hype, trust me guys, I will never join in. NEVER! As if I needed another reason to bury my heads in my smartphone. No, thank you.
Anyways, chia seed jam has been around the block for quite some time now. And yes, this is my first time posting a recipe for it.
What can I say?
Oh yes, better late than never!

5-Minute Maple and Thyme Skillet-Roasted Apricots

Let me just get the obvious out of the way because I know what you’re thinking: what am I doing here? Shouldn’t I be at the beach or something?
It’s summer after all, so leaving home (even if it’s air conditioned) and spending time outside, in the shade, is (almost) mandatory.
So again, why am I sitting in front of my laptop on a sunny August afternoon?
These are valid questions, but you see, there is history here, a prolonged history of recipe testing/creating which cannot be stopped.
Not even by the call of the beach.

Cauliflower Bagels

You guys asked for this recipe.
And who am I to deny it to you?
You (yes, you, you know who you are!) specifically requested the recipe for the cauliflower bagels sans the BLT part.
Because you needed the calorie count for the bagels alone.
Because you didn’t care for the bacon (like really?), tomatoes (again, really?) or lettuce (okay, I get it).
Without further ado there you have ‘em, cauliflower bagels, in all of their glory!

(Vegan) Easy Healthier Sweet Potato Tikka Masala

The Chickpea Tikka Masala recipe I posted earlier this year is truly one of my all-time favorite meals (and yours too btw — seriously, you guys LUV that recipe.)
It’s the perfect balance of spicy, savory, and satisfying. It’s vegan without trying and without pretense.
It’s just awesome. Period.

This Sweet Potato Tikka Masala takes that idea and adds an awesome spin to it. All the classic flavors from that curry show up here, but we’re adding roasted sweet potatoes and sweet peas to bring out a sweet creaminess and a smoky flavor that is legit beyond measure.

Superfood Goji Berry Smoothie

Good news people: this smoothie is awesome!
And that’s a fact, whether you like it or not.
It’s ridiculously healthy and tastes delicious. Like there’s no need to talk about it because it’s a total no-brainer.
It fills your belly and helps keep you full. It’s a perfect on-the-go breakfast, snack or even a meal for lunch. Actually, this smoothie is so perfect the time of the day truly doesn’t matter.

Raspberry Mint Iced Tea

Okay! Let’s be real for a minute. I'm melting right now.
I know some like it hot but heat waves really makes me ornery.
Yes, I’ve said it: O-R-N-E-R-Y.
It’s almost 100° outside but feels like it’s 200°. They don’t call it a cruel, cruel summer for nothing.
And there’s nothing we can do about it, except giving in to the fact it’s sweltering hot by finding something super cool to do.

Pesto Rice Salad Bowls with Tomatoes, Green Beans and Feta

Pesto. Pesto. PESTO.
Did I just said pesto?
Arguably one of my all time favorite condiments/sauces in the entire world. And it’s totally the star of these Pesto Rice Salad Bowls with Tomatoes, Green Beans and Feta.
I think what I love most about pesto, aside from the wonderful flavor and vibrant green color, is how easy it is to make at home.
It’s one of those things people end up buying pre-made at the grocery store out of convenience, not realizing how simple it is to make it. Especially at the height of summer, when basil is abundant and cheap.
Plus, when you’re making it at home, you have the ability to really control the amount of ingredients that you’re adding.
You can make it sans garlic or use less cheese. You’re in control, you decide.

(Flourless) Herbed Potato Waffles

Let me introduce you to my latest obsession: savory potato waffles.
Can I be honest with you? I am totally a sweet waffles person, so savory waffles are way out of the box for me.
But then I found out that I LUV these (Flourless) Herbed Potato Waffles, like a lot.
Maple syrup and butter, I’ll come back for you when the morning comes.

Easy Caprese Skillet Chicken

So...THIS...this Easy Caprese Skillet Chicken is usually on my weeknight menu at least every fortnight.
It’s just so easy and tasty: A total no-brainer.
I’m fortunate enough to be able to get fresh mozzarella from this place (in my opinion one of the best mozzarella ever, unless you live in Naples but that’s another story), so it’s just too easy to throw together something as yummy and nutritious as caprese chicken.
Not to mention that during summer you can easily get some baseball-sized tomatoes that are so sweet and juicy they should actually be illegal.

Blueberry Lemonade

Judging from the last couple of recipes I’ve posted on this blog, you might assume that I’m currently subsiding on a liquid diet. I’m not.
I’m still eating solid food too, I promise.
Fact is, when the heat weighs me down I’d rather sip than munch food. So smoothies, juices, iced tea, and — needless to say it — lemonade.

Limonada De Coco (Frozen Coconut Limeade)

Summer is in full swing and the weather is heating up all around.
For those of you who are already on vacation, good for you, I envy you so much. Because let’s face it, the city is a terrible place to be in the summer.
The hot exhale of garbage trucks, questionable drips from a/c units above your head, mounting piles of garbage simmering in the heat, crowded and smelly subway cars. Should I go on?
And though it’s true that there are a million things to do to make summer more liveable in the summer (free public pools, sprinkles parks, etc.), from July 4th on everyone that has the means to be elsewhere is, while the rest of us is slowly melting on the pavement.

Pesto Chicken Salad

Even though I’m swamped with work at the moment — dealing with tons of deadlines, endless paperwork, emails, and all sort of tiresome things on my real life agenda — I’ve decided to focus my daydreaming on something more aspirational: what to cook on a lazy summer evening.
And though the current heatwave we’re experiencing is not too bad, I’m not brave enough to venture outside of my air-conditioned cave, fire up the grill, and make some grub.
Instead, I stayed in and made some delicious mayo-less Pesto Chicken Salad.

(Paleo) Brownie Bites

I made these Brownie Bites last night.
Why? Because I wanted chocolate.
Where? In my kitchen.
And you know what? They are awesome!

Antioxidant Berry Chia Seed Smoothie

I can see you rolling your eyes. (That's right, I can see you even from here, because I have a super powers!) You're thinking: What? NOT another smoothie! Is he on one of his smoothie marathons or something?
Well, don’t worry. The next recipe will be a NON-smoothie I promise. I just couldn’t resist sharing with you guys what I had for breakfast for the last month, and probably what I’m going to have for lunch for the next two months.
And isn’t it the point of a personal food blog to show you guys the food I’m actually making (and eating)?

Zoodles with Creamy Garlic Cashew Sauce

I don’t know if you’re aware of it or not, but there is such a thing in this world called cashew cream.
And it is awesome.
You don’t need to be a vegan or a vegetarian to appreciate it. Actually, you’re going to love this as long as you’re a person who likes to try new things every now and then.
And this comes from a person who has been super skeptical about cashew cream for years.

Pina Colada Chia Pudding

I’m aware that there’s a time and place for everything, in the case of pina colada it’s a swim-up bar at a tropical resort or under a cabana while gazing at the turquoise water meeting the impossibly blue sky.
But I realize that not all us have the time or the means to fly to the tropics just to sip pina colada.
So what about a pina colada in pudding form that’s also super good for you?
Too good to be true?
Of course not.

Tzatziki Potato Salad

I know I told you like a year ago what my favorite potato salad was but as it turns out, I’ve got room in my allegiances for another. Though this may not be the classic potato salad most people grew up with; like a month ago I was asked to bring potato salad to a cook-out and decided to try this one.
I knew that it was full of picky eaters who want traditional food with no changes or anything “exotic”. If I had told them ahead of time what was in this salad they wouldn't have eaten it.
Instead they inhaled it and asked for more.
“Who made this potato salad? It’s delish!”

Super Simple Piri Piri Chicken

As you already know I adore spicy food, and I have no trouble with it except my nose runs terribly and I start sweating profusely on my head.
Do you remember how Pavarotti wiped sweat off his forehead with a handkerchief? Just like that. Not pretty.
And it can be a little embarrassing, especially while eating in social situations.
That’s why when I go out for work or when I’m with a certain group of people I go a little mild. Instead I let the spice fly with my closest friends or when I’m eating alone.

Cranberry Almond Spinach Salad with Sesame Seed Dressing

The other day I looked at the thermometer outside my kitchen window and it read 100°F.
Clearly, I need a new thermometer.
And yet, even if it isn't that hot out (to be honest today it’s actually pretty chilly), it's definitely been getting warm enough that my water consumption is starting to increase dramatically while I almost lost my appetite — okay not really but you know what I mean, right?
We’re entering that time of the year when a light and fresh salad is exactly what (and all) I need.

Chocolate Hazelnut Spread (Homemade Nutella)

I know it’s a terrible idea to post a recipe for homemade Nutella right now. It’s June. You’re getting in a bikini/swim trunks in a couple of weeks and I know for a fact that all you’re focusing on is getting beach-ready.
You’re probably all about salads, smoothies, and juices. Yet here I am, presenting you with a luscious Chocolate Hazelnut Spread.
But you see this Chocolate Hazelnut Spread is made with only good-for-you ingredients and it’s so delicious it will make you feel better instantly.
And since it’s a known fact (or at least I like to believe it so) that happiness is one of the biggest factors in feeling and looking great you can understand why it totally makes sense to post a recipe for homemade Nutella right now.
Not to mention that it’s not like you have to eat more than a spoonful. It’s possible — though difficult — to exercise some self-control around chocolate and hazelnuts. Trust me.

Creamy Lemon Chicken Piccata

The sauce you guys, the sauce. This dish is all about the sauce.
It’s actually so good you’ll want to eat it by the spoonful and maybe even want to lick the plate clean.
I did it and do not regret it, at all.
I mean, when you sautè butter and garlic, then add milk, salty chicken broth, and tangy lemon juice, good things are going to happen. Good as in magical. Good as in you should stop reading this post. Seriously, stop and go make it. NOW.

Flourless Double Chocolate Hazelnut Cookies

I made us some cookies.
I know, how kind of me.
It started as a quest for cookies that tasted like Nutella, if, say, you were the type of person who may or may not have bragged with his 7-year old niece that he could bake any cookie ever known to mankind. Including, but not limited to, a “cookie that’s as awesome as Nutella but does not have Nutella in it!”

Harissa Spaghetti

Wait, what? Spaghetti on this blog? Are you kidding? Are you going insane? Where are the zoodles man?
I know, shocking.
Take a deep breath, relax, everything will be okay. I promise.
But you see, I recently bought these gluten-free spaghetti (made with a blend of organic corn, rice, and quinoa), and they taste so darn good I was like “Score! Finally a GF pasta that’s like the real deal!”

Eggs Poached In Marinara Sauce

Some recipes are so simple and quick they should hardly be called recipes. This is one of those.
Maybe I should call this an idea instead of recipe. An idea on how to poach eggs.
Maybe that’s a better way to define these Eggs Poached in Marinara Sauce.
A humble but soulful dish that makes for a wonderful breakfast, tasty lunch or dinner.

(Paleo) Carrot Cake In A Mug

OK, I’ll admit it, I’m having way too much fun with this cake-in-a-mug thing.
I’m like a kid with a new box of LEGOs: endless entertainment!
I started with the Chocolate Chip Cookie, then it was the Cinnamon Roll (one of the most popular recipes on this blog), followed by the Chocolate Cake, the Apple Pie, the Brownie, and no later than last Friday by the Lemon Pound Cake.
Today it’s all about carrot cake.

(Paleo) 1-Minute Iced Lemon Pound Cake

If you’ve ever had Starbucks’ Iced Lemon Pound Cake, you know how good it is. Full of lemon flavor, dense, rich, and so so moist.
I haven’t had it in years — last time was probably 2006 and I was still in college — but I remember perfectly how awesome it is. Maybe a bit too sweet (at least for me) but awesome nonetheless.
A tasty little lemon cake goes great with just about any drink you can think of: coffee, tea, latte, hot chocolate, cappuccino, mocha, etc.

(Paleo) Chocolate Chip Cookie Squares

Today I have one question for you guys: Why aren't most cookies square-shaped?
Or to put it differently, why are most of the cookies round-shaped?
It’s one of those questions that has troubled me most and I’ve always wanted to know the answer to — but I was too afraid to ask.
When I was a kid I thought that all cookies begin as squares, but then people always nibble off the corners because they're so tasty. Hence, round cookies.
Was I onto something?
I dunno, I dunno…

Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto Zoodles

There is a bunch of zoodle recipes on this website: Lemon garlic chicken zoodles, Avocado pesto zoodles, Butter zoodles with herbs, Zoodles aglio olio e peperoncino, Pad Thai Zoodles, Zoodle Pie, Zoodles with Marinara Sauce, and Zoodle Bake.
All of which are pretty darn fantastic, and yet this one might be my absolute favorite.

Creamy Turmeric Mashed Sweet Potatoes

If I were asked to cook the healthiest dish possible, these Creamy Turmeric Sweet Potatoes would probably be it.
It’s basically the combination of two superfoods (i.e., sweet potatoes and garlic) + what is considered to be the healthiest spice ever (turmeric aka the “Golden Spice of Life” ) + the healthiest fat on earth (olive oil).

(Paleo) Sweet Potato Brownies

These Are. Hands Down. The Fudgiest Brownies. Ever.
I’m not joking. I had to chill the pan for quite some time before I was able to slice 'em.
Mom even said that these brownies were too fudgy and too chocolatey. Can you believe that? Too fudgy and too chocolatey?
Seriously mom, brownies are supposed to be fudgy and chocolatey. Do we need to have another conversation about cakey brownies and how they are not brownies but just chocolate cake cut into squares?
I don’t think so…

(No-Bake) Coconut Lemon Meltaway Balls

The proverbial phrase "When life gives you lemons, make lemonade" is usually used to encourage optimism and a positive can-do attitude when one faces adversity or misfortune.
But lemme just say that I wholeheartedly hate that phrase.
Why should I make lemonade with your stupid lemons life?
You want me to open a lemonade stand on the street selling lemonade 50¢ a cup. Nah, it's not an option — I’m not 0 years old anymore.
Maybe I can consider becoming a lemon magnate. I mean if the product cost is zero, I can retail lemons for a considerable profit. That’s business 101.
But it all depends on the amount of lemon you're giving me life...

Balsamic Marinated Grilled Eggplant

Grilled eggplant can be one of the great treats of summer. Lusciously tender eggplant, with bits of crispy charred edges here and there.
Unfortunately, most often grilled eggplant ends up being overcooked (read this a burned) and flavorless or, even worse, undercooked with a gummy-bear like texture.
I mean, how many times have you returned from the BBQ with those stripey bitter shoe-soles trying to decide if they were suitable for human consumption?
I know, few too many...

No Bake Coconut Protein Bars

If you have ever wandered down the aisles of health food stores, you have probably seen people picking protein bar after protein bar, scanning the ingredient list and macronutrient breakdown; trying to find one that doesn’t contain a scary amount of sugar or nasty ingredients and that doesn’t cost an arm and leg.
Truth is, picking out the right protein bar is no easy task. I know it all too well.
And notwithstanding the downsides of packaged protein bars, we continue to buy them because they’re convenient, easy to carry, and supposedly healthy. When in reality most of them are just glorified candy bars - as someone brilliantly pointed out not too long ago on reddit.

(Paleo) 1-Minute Chocolate Brownie In A Mug

I love me a good mug cake for many reasons.
The first obvious reason is that they are so quick to make — meaning that you don’t have to set aside a whole afternoon for baking when you’re in the mood for a brownie.
Another reason is versatility. There are sweet mug cakes, there are healthier mug cakes, there are protein mug cakes, there are savory mug cakes, the list in endless.
But my number one reason I love mug cakes is portion control.
My healthy living means I can eat almost anything, still I can’t eat everything I want all the time.
So when I want a cookie, a cinnamon roll or a cupcake, it’s a lot easier to make a single serving mug cookie/roll/cupcake than an entire batch of cookies/rolls/cupcakes.
I don’t feel deprived but at the same time I’m skipping the temptation to smash an entire tray of brownies in one sitting.

Parmesan Crusted Baked Zucchini Fries

It’s important to me that you guys know that not every single zucchini I lay my hands on is turned into zoodles.
Sure I make A LOT of zoodles but I actually make a lot of other cool stuff with zucchini, such as patties, fritters, parmesan bake, crisps. Just to name a few.
Saying that I make only zoodles with zucchini it’s simplistic at best. And I don’t accept it.

To prove you wrong today I made some very yummy Parmesan Crusted Baked Zucchini Fries.
These are incredibly good. No like seriously incredibly good.
Not to mention low-carb and completely gluten-free.
Which means you can splurge on their cheesy, garlicky goodness and not feel guilty at all.

3-Ingredient Fudgy Chocolate Blender Brownies

Fudgy brownies or cakey brownies?
A question that has plagued many throughout time and that has sparked lively debates around kitchen tables, potlucks, and bake sales.
I know that opinions are opinions, but as far as I’m concerned I believe that the only way to make a brownie is a fudgy one.
If you want chocolate cake, make a cake.
Just don’t ask me to believe that your airy and light chocolate dessert is a brownie. That’s just chocolate cake, actually it’s a non-tall chocolate cake cut into squares (or a squared too short cake.)

(Vegan) Easy Red Curry Lentils

It’s sprrring people!
No, it’s not really. I lie.
It’s actually the 8th day of April and it doesn't feel like spring at all.
So far it’s been pretty chilly, which is very unusual and to be honest it's really testing my patience:
like an itch I can’t scratch,
like slow walkers,
like a popcorn kernel stuck between my teeth,
like when people don't say "thank you" after you've gone out of your way for them,
like when the cord on my headphones gets stuck somewhere, and the headphones get ripped out of my ears,
like pens that don't work though you can see that there is still ink in it, you shake it, then do the doodle to see that it works. But once you start writing again the pen just goes "HAHA TRICKED YOU!" and stops working again.
I think you got the idea of how infuriated that it’s not warm and sunny as it should be...

Homemade Blueberry Muffin Lärabar Balls

A great many people rightfully find the “make your energy bars at home” trend both unnecessary and incomprehensible.
Why spending (read this as wasting) time making like 100 bars when you can just buy the one you want in a easy-to-carry single-serving package?
I totally get it.
But I believe that there’s a time and place for everything and for me that time and place (currently trying to save a few bucks) is right now.

15 Delicious Vegan Recipes

Just in case there was anyone still out there mistaking me for some sort of food nazi dictating what others should eat and what they should call themselves based upon their diets, you should know that when it comes to food I really don’t care about labels or semantics.
Sure, lots of my recipes (more like a ton, okay, maybe all) are labeled as this OR that OR this and that OR this but not that. But my one and only concern is that the the food is real food, made from fresh ingredients and - more importantly - that it’s delicious.
Take these 15 recipes for instance, they’re vegan (and almost all are paleo) but what matters is that every single one is so yummy you won't even realize they're healthy too.

Say you enjoyed a few too many heavy meals over the past couple of days, time has come to lighten up a little with some wholesome meals, sweets, or snacks.
And for even more vegan recipes, check out my vegan recipe index.
If you make any of these recipes, please snap a picture and share it on Instagram with the hashtag #TheIronYou. You guys have NO idea how stoked I get when you do stuff like this!

So without further ado, here are 15 delicious vegan recipes:

Easy Zoodle Pie

If you haven’t been introduced yet to the concept of spaghetti pie/frittata let me break it down to you: a delicious mess of leftovers spaghetti, scrambled eggs, some Parmesan cheese, some mozzarella, and a handful of herbs.
Simple food at its best.
No fuss no muss.
Spaghetti pie is proof that leftovers can be used to make a second great yummy meal.

10 Minute Magic Italian Salsa Verde

Strangers from distant lands, friends of old let me introduce you to 10 Minute Magic Italian Salsa Verde.
A bold green sauce comes together in a flash and that it's loaded with parsley, capers, garlic, and some unlikely ingredients like eggs, anchovies, and vinegar.
I know it sounds weird and you might be thinking “Hold on a sec buddy, capers, eggs, and anchovies in a parsley based sauce? Really?”
Yup guys, you have to trust me on this one. This is sauce is really magic — or I wouldn’t have called it that.

(Paleo) Apple Pie In A Jar

The world of pie making abounds in legend, myth, tradition, and even cautionary tales.
Cracking the code on how to make the perfect pie crust is almost as complicated as solving the Sphinx's riddle or untie the Gordian knot.
Pie scientists will tell you that it’s all about the crust. Sure there’s the gooey sweet fruit that fills the cavern of your pie, but the best filling in the world won’t save a poor crust, turning an otherwise tasty pie into dishonorable failure.
It has to substantial enough that it doesn't sog-out from a juicy filling, but tender enough that it flakes in your mouth into buttery shards.