Raw Mango Coconut Bites

When the weather gets warmer, I'm always craving a cold treat to cool off. I love making smoothies or anything that has fruit because in my opinion, there's nothing more refreshing than that! I went to Trader Joe's the other day and stocked up on a bunch of frozen fruit, which called for some experimenting. I was a little skeptical about trying a mango and coconut combination, but it turns out they actually go so well together. With only a few natural ingredients and no added-sugar, these mango coconut bites are the perfect healthy and refreshing summer snack.

Ingredients

Coconut Crust:

-1/2 cup almond flour

-1/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut

-7-8 pitted Medjool dates

-1 tbsp coconut oil

-1/4 tsp cinnamon

Mango Layer:
-2 cups frozen mango cubes, slightly thawed (or fresh mango)

-2 tbsp coconut oil

-1 tsp vanilla extract

-1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk

-optional topping: unsweetened shredded coconut

Directions: Combine all ingredients for the crust in a food processor and blend until a slightly sticky dough forms. Press the dough into the cups of a muffin pan, about 1/4 of the way up (mine evenly distributed into 9 cups). Put that in the fridge while you make the mango layer. Combine all of the ingredients for this layer into the food processor and blend until a smooth mixture forms. Take the muffin pan out of the fridge and distribute the mango mixture among each muffin cup, smoothing the top with your finger or a spoon. Top with a little bit of shredded coconut if desired, and put in the freezer until firm. I like to let them thaw on the counter for a few minutes before I eat them.

Noodleless Zucchini and Eggplant Lasagna with Spinach Tofu "Ricotta"

A typical slice (aka huge slice because let's be honest, who can eat just a small one) of homemade lasagna can be upwards of 500 or 600 calories, sometimes more. Using eggplant and zucchini instead of noodles allows you the freedom of having a big slice...and even seconds. As much as I love pasta, using eggplant and zucchini is not only packs this lasagna with nutrients, but I think it gives it a great taste and texture. Instead of ricotta cheese, I used a mixture of tofu and spinach to create a ricotta-like texture. This is a good option for those who are vegan or can't eat cheese. You can't even taste a difference, although I personally liked it even better because I'm not a huge fan of ricotta!

Ingredients:
-1 medium eggplant

-1 medium zucchini

-salt for eggplant

-spinach (fresh or frozen, but if it's frozen make sure it's thawed/drained)

-1 package firm tofu

-3 cloves garlic

-2 tsp oregano

-1 tsp basil

-1 tbsp nutritional yeast (optional)

-3/4 cup tomato sauce (may need more or less...I don't like a lot of sauce)

-parmesan cheese (optional or use soy if vegan)

Directions:
Peel the eggplant and cut lengthwise into thin strips, around 1/4 inch wide. Sprinkle the salt on the slices and place in a colander to drain (this makes the eggplant less bitter). In the mean time, preheat the oven to 375 F. Slice the zucchini lengthwise into thin strips and steam in the microwave with 2-3 tbsp water for 3-4 minutes. Pat dry with a paper towel and put aside. After the 20 minutes of draining the eggplant, rinse each slice and pat dry with a paper towel. On a skillet coated with non-stick spray, cook the eggplant until it is lightly browned and soft, flipping it once. Put this aside. Next, place the tofu, spinach (I didn't measure this I just grabbed a handful), garlic, oregano, basil, and nutritional yeast into a food processor and blend until smooth. Spray a 8 x 8 pan with non-stick cooking spray and spread a thin layer of sauce on the bottom. Place a layer of eggplant over the sauce, followed by half of the tofu "ricotta." Place another layer of either eggplant or zucchini on top of this, and then the rest of the tofu mixture on top of this. Top with the final layer, either eggplant or zucchini--whatever wasn't used for the middle layer). Spread the remaining sauce on top. Bake for 20 minutes covered with foil, then uncover, sprinkling parmesan cheese if desired, and bake for another 10-20 minutes or until browned and bubbly.