Sometimes I am the worst food blogger ever! I want to be one of those bloggers that is prepared for every holiday and knows that its national grilled cheese day but I am so last minute and usually make food on a whim based on what looks good at the store or whats in the house.

This year I promised myself that I would post my Thanksgiving guide BEFORE Thanksgiving in case anyone out there needed some inspiration and once again, I am late! I actually just decided what I was going to make yesterday and yes it looks beautiful and tastes delicious but I feel like I have let you all down! I also hate to waste food and can't imagine making my dish 4 times before the big day, so here is my recipe for Thanksgiving.

I do have to deem this recipe a success for all members of my family enjoyed it, even the younger crew who had never had brussels sprouts before. These brussels sprouts where so sweet and literally picked on Tuesday at Royal Acres Farm and CSA, John is so good to me and gave me one last harvest of delicious items even though the CSA ended 2 weeks ago. Thankfully, I have spinach, squash, and broccoli to keep me fed for the next week or so.

Back to the brussels sprouts, as I kid I hated brussels sprouts! They were so bitter and bland and looked like little cabbage but now I adore them, especially roasted. This recipe combines a number of flavors; bitterness of the sprouts, sweetness of the honey, juicy nuggets of blackberry and tangy touches from the feta cheese. The lemon vinaigrette brightens the dish while a touch of cayenne rounds it out. I hope that you enjoy and that your Thanksgiving was well spent. Happy Holidays and Healthy Eating!

Honey Roasted Brussels Sprout, Blackberry, Walnut, and Feta Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette

4-5 cups of Brussels Sprouts (mine were small so I didn't bother to halve them)

2 tbs Olive Oil

1 tbs Pink Himalayan Sea Salt

1 tbs Honey

1/2 tsb Cayenne Pepper

1 cup Walnuts, Toasted

1 cup Feta Cheese

2 cups Blackberries (halved if large)

Lemon Vinaigrette

2 tbs Olive Oil

Juice from 1 Lemon

1 tbs Oregano

1 pinch of Cayenne Pepper

1/2 tsp Paprika

1 tbs Honey

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place your brussels sprouts in a large bowl, halve if they are large. Toss with the olive oil, salt and cayenne. Spread in a single layer on a baking sheet and roast for 15 minutes. Drizzle with honey, stirring to combine and roast for another 10 to 15 minutes or until browned and slightly crispy.

Meanwhile, combine the olive oil, lemon juice, cayenne pepper, paprika, and honey in a small container.

Transfer the brussels sprouts to a large bowl, add the feta, walnuts, and blackberries, tossing to combine. Pour the lemon vinaigrette over top and serve warm or at room temperature. Enjoy!

Summer time is a time for ice cream, I love ice cream. It is so creamy and sweet and there are so many flavors! I would love to eat ice cream every day but I know that the high sugar content and far content make it a special treat so what do you do when you are looking for a healthy alternative that is just as creamy and delicious without all of the preservatives, calories and fat? You make nice cream! So what is nice cream exactly?

Nice cream is essentially - not ice cream. It is made from frozen bananas, when the bananas are blended in their frozen state they release pectin which in turn creates a creamy frozen treat. Bananas are a good source of B6, Vitamin C, potassium, biotin and copper. They prevent high blood pressure, keep your cholesterol levels low and of course are low in fat. They have also been shown to improve digestion and enhance athletic performance.

Overall, bananas are an awesome addition to your diet and are super inexpensive. I usually buy a large bunch of bananas and if they start to turn throw them right in the freezer. Therefore I am always prepared for nice cream or smoothie making.

The best part about nice cream is that you can add whatever additions you would like, from chocolate to fruit to nuts to herbs, the only limit is your imagination!

Nice cream is also versatile based on your ice cream preferences, if you like soft serve you can eat it right away, if you like hard ice cream you can through the nice cream back into the freezer for an hour or two and scoop away.

Decorate with Peaches, Walnuts, and Mint

The other day I picked up my first peaches of the season and they inspired this delicious summer treat. This pie is a simple raw, no bake delight that comes together in 15 minutes plus an hour or two for freezing. Each element of the pie only has a few elements; the crust is simply walnuts and dates, the peach ice cream consists of peaches, bananas, and vanilla extract and the date caramel adds a natural sweetness. A food processor makes quick work of the blending and then the freezer does the rest of the work. I hope that you enjoy!

Raw Vegan Peach Ice Cream Pie with Salted Date Caramel and Walnut Crust

1 1/2 cups Walnuts

26-28 Dates

1/4 cup Hot water

5 Bananas, Frozen

2 Peaches

1 tbs Vanilla Extract

1 tsp Pink Himalayan Sea Salt

Chopped Walnuts, 1 peach, and mint leaves for garnish

In a food processor add the walnuts and 1/2 tsp of sea salt. Turn the machine on and add 6-8 dates one at a time. You want the dough to stick together when pressed but not be too wet. After 6 dates check the consistency and add more if needed. Press the walnut dough into the bottom of a 8in. springform pan, smoothing so it is even throughout. Place in the freezer while you prepare the date caramel.

Soak 20 dates in hot water for 10 minutes and then drain. Add the dates and 1/2 tsp sea salt to a food processor. Blend, slowly adding hot water until the dates are broken down and creamy, stopping to scrap down the sides frequently. Spread the caramel over the walnut crust and then return to the freezer while you prepare the peach ice cream.

In a clean food processor, add the frozen bananas and vanilla extract. Blend until they start to get creamy, add the 2 peaches in piece by piece until the mixture resembles soft serve ice cream. Pour over the date caramel and distribute evenly. Freeze for one hour, garnish with chopped walnuts, sliced peaches and a sprinkle of mint leaves (I used chocolate mint). Return to freezer and freezer for one more hour. Eat now or freeze it over night, just let it sit for 5 minutes before consuming. Enjoy and healthy eating!