Do You Want To Be In The Mac & Cheese Hall Of Fame?

Hey everyone! So for my latest catering gig on Friday, I decide to whip out the absolute best recipe in my arsenal: my momma's famous macaroni and cheese. Her favorite chef/person in the whole wide world is Ina Garden, aka Barefoot Contessa, and this is an abridged and edited version of her mac & cheese. Enjoy! 

Ingredients

2 cups grated Gruyere cheese

Olive Oil to line the pan

1 cup grated Mozzarella cheese 

1 cup grated cheddar cheese 

1 cup Homemade croutons, or Italian breadcrumbs

1/2 cup flour 

1 quart whole milk, or almond milk 

Pinch of Salt, Pepper, and Nutmeg to Taste

1 pound macaroni, cavatappi, or shells 

2 organic tomatoes, sliced

1 stick unsalted butter 

Let's Do The Do! 

First, let's boil and salt about four cups of  water for the pasta. Also, pour your 1 quart of milk into a separate sauce pan on the stove on medium heat and set aside. When bubbles start coming to surface in the salted water, add your pasta. You want your pasta al-dente, slightly hard still as it still has thirty-minutes in the oven to cook. This pasta takes about 6-8 minutes to be al-dente. Then, drain your pasta, spraying cold water over the pasta to stop the cooking process. In a large pot on the stove, melt your butter, stirring constantly.

 
Whisk in your flour, for at least 2 minutes. Now, in at least five increments, add in your milk, stirring constantly to maintain the thickness. Once thick and milky, take it off the burner and add your cheese and spices, whisking. Grab your large casserole pan, lined with olive oil, butter, or coconut oil, and drop that macaroni and cheese like its hot. Add your breadcrumbs on top, and line your tomatoes beautifully as the final layer. Place into the oven at 425 degrees, for 30 minutes, or until bubbly and golden brown. Enjoy!

Namaste, Zoe

*Thank you all so much for reading and enjoying ThinkZoeBoost. If you enjoyed this post and others, feel free to like ThinkZoeBoost on Facebook,  Twitter, Instagram and contact via Email for more recipes, life-hacks, and inspiration. 

5 Facts About Vegan Zucchini Brownies

Hey everyone! I need to be real with y'all- I caved yesterday. I wanted chocolate, cake, brownie, chocolate "goodiness". Needed it bad. Probably the best thing I've ever made- and I'm a vegetarian/vegan food blogger and aspiring chef- I've made and created A LOT  of recipes. HUGE HIT all around, and my dad loved it! It created a wonderful family bonding time: Beyonce on the track, single ladies, while we danced and sang with chocolate on our minds and in our bellies. I can't think of a better night! So, I thought, let's conquer another beast with VEGAN ZUCCHINI BROWNIES! 

Ingredients

1/4 cup Cocoa Powder

1/2 cup Coconut yogurt (or plain yogurt)
2 cup shredded and peeled zucchini 

1 1/2 cup Organic Agave Five

3/4 cup Chocolate Chip

2 cups Whole Wheat Flour (or any Gluten Free Flour) 

1 1/4 tsp. Baking Soda

 1 tsp. Salt 

1 tsp. Vanilla Extract

1. Preppin' Before the Cookin'

 I preheated my oven to 350 degrees. I then took a glass cake pan (oe any long baking pan works fine as well) and sprayed with canola oil spray to keep the brownie from sticking. Also, sifted my flour into a small bowl. 

 2. Save Your Zucchini Skin

Skin your zucchini, follow tip #1 pleassssiiieee, then shred it with a grater. I use the largest holed side fyi. I put all the shavings in a large bowl. Breathe. Time to put some Beyonce on!! 

3.  The Holy Trinity of Brownies

In a mixer, add the paddle attachment if you have it, I added my Agave, Yogurt, and Flour- I mixed it on low until the consistency was similar to a wet sand. 

4. Zucchini Makes Everything Moist & Wonderful. Fact. 

Add in your mixer bowl with the setting still on low your zucchini, cocoa powder, baking soda, vanilla, salt, and chocolate chips. I poured my liquid pool of heaven right onto my cooking pan, slid in the oven for 40 minutes- but peoples- check it with a toothpick until it comes out clean. JUST DO IT. You'll thank me later. 

5. Indulge! 

40 minutes later you have a work of art, a creation of beauty- then just devour it. YOU DESERVE IT! 

Zoe's Quick Tip

As always, use the ingredients that fit and complement your lifestyle. Never let a guru, chef, or blogger dictate what's good and feels good to your body. Here, common substitutions would be gluten free flour, regular yogurt, or cane sugar instead of Agave. Do you! 

Namaste,

Zoe

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Vegan Pesto and Avocado Pizza

Hello everyone. Today I wanted to conquer the beast: vegan pizza. I made the crust with sweet potato, but I have seen many a fabulous recipe with mashed cauliflower base, quinoa crust, or a zucchini crust. As I had one too many sweet potatoes, I decided to utilize them in my crust. Feel free to add whatever toppings you would like, whether Daiya vegan cheese, mushrooms, onions, garlic, it's you pizza, so enjoy your RAW AND VEGAN SCRUMPTIOUS SWEET POTATO CRUST PIZZA! 

Ingredients for Sweet Potato Crust

2 sweet potatoes, cubed

1 tablespoon garlic and herbs

1 tablespoon Basil Leaves

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

1 tablespoon salt

1 tablespoon pepper

1 tablespoon Oregano

1 teaspoon chili powder

1/2 cup good olive oil

1 chia or flax egg

1 1/4 cup spelt flour

1/4 cup almond meal (or just add same amt. of spelt)

2 cups water 

Topping Ideas 

Sauteed mushrooms 

Red Bell Peppers

Pesto

Onions

Artichokes

Tomato

Garlic

Feta Cheese* (Optional)

Preppin', Primpin' & Cooking

Peel your potatoes, and diced them into large cubes. Place about 2 cups water in large pot on stove, and bring to a boil. Add your cubes to the boiling hot water, let simmer for 30 minutes. While boiling, let's get your dry ingredients together for your crust. Place 1 tbsp. of ground flax seed or chia seed into small bowl with three tbsp. of water, set aside for 10 minutes (your chia or flaxseed egg). Sift your flour into a large bowl, and add your spices. After the 30 minutes are over, drain your potatoes, and mash them into a lumpy mush. Slowly add your flour and spice mixture to the sweet potato in three or four batches, slowly folding as you go. Then, add your flax egg and balsamic vinegar, mixing well. Spread your mixture on a large sheet pan covered with olive oil evenly, and place in the oven at 425 degrees for 30-35 minutes. Take the time now to put on some lovely tunes, and compile some toppings, I sauteed some mushrooms, onion, and garlic with coconut oil, and set aside some artichokes, tomato, and any other veggies I would like. After the crust is golden brown and crispy and the 35 minutes are over,  I put down a layer of pesto and my veggies on my crust. I place it in the oven for 10 minutes, jam out to some Beyonce and Ciara, and wait patiently while my stomach moans:)  Then voila! My pizza was perfectly cooked! Enjoy!

Zoe's Quick Tip

About the ingredients here: ALWAYS FEEL FREE TO USE ANY GLUTEN-FREE FLOUR & or USE ANY DAIRY FREE CHEESE YOU WOULD LIKE TO make this ThinkZoeBoost recipe FIT YOUR LIFESTYLE. I want to stress that although my recipes are catered to my allergies and sensitives, I try to make them as accessible as possible to all eating types and dietary restrictions. Inclusivity baby! MAKE THE RECIPES WHAT YOU WANT THEM TO BE- THEY ARE YOURS NOW:) ENJOY! 

Namaste,

Zoe

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FABULOUS ROASTED EGGPLANT (YOU'VE GOTTA TRY THIS)

Hello everyone! As we are sweltering away in the summer, I wanted to pay homage with this winner of a seasonly-inspired dish. This is my mum's recipe that she has perfected, and which I have enjoyed immensely! Recently, I have made this meal without the mozzarella to stay vegan, but go right ahead and grab that real mozzarella from the store if vegan is not your jam! So excited to share this one with you all! Here it is, SIMPLY THE BEST ROASTED EGGPLANT (with TOMATO AND MOZZARELLA)!!

INGREDIENTS

Prep Time: 35-40 minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes

2 organic eggplant

4 tablespoons kosher salt 

2 tablespoons freshly cracked pepper 

Optional*: One large fresh mozzarella ball

20-25 basil leaves, preferably fresh

1/2 cup Canola Oil/Olive Oil Mixture

PREPPIN' and PRIMPIN'

     First, cut your lovely eggplant ends off, then cut in dials or

 circles, about 1 in to 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Do the same with your other eggplant. Now, place your circles onto 2 large sheet pans that has been covered with paper towels. Sprinkle on each piece of eggplant some salt. Let sit for 10-15 minutes, or until the paper towel is soaked with the bitter liquid seeping from the eggplant.

    Rinse off each and every circle of eggplant well, then dry them individually. Use those pans that you previously used for sweating the eggplant, and use about 1/4 cup on each of your canola oil or olive oil.Now, cut your tomato slices, to match the shape of your eggplant. Place a circle of tomato on each circle of the eggplant. Place in the Oven Convection Roast for 25-30 minutes, or until eggplant is slightly brown and mottled. Now, time for the cheese. A little bit goes a long way for mozzarella, so a little spoonful of mozzarella on each is perfect. Add your sprig of basil onto each eggplant, then 5 minutes later, voila! 

You are complete! Enjoy:)

*Namaste,

Zoe

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YOU WON'T BELIEVE THIS ZUCCHINI PASTA! (FROM SCRATCH)

Hey everyone! This week, I have entered the clean eating realm with eating predominately all the food that I create myself. I was so CRAVING some comfort food, pasta, and I put myself up for the challenge to make this zucchini pasta.  IT WAS FREAKING DELICIOUS! My mother ate all of it, and loved it as well, said it was so similar to pasta she did not know the difference. So here it is, YOU WONT BELIEVE THIS ZUCCHINI PASTA! 

Ingredients

Prep Time: 45 minutes

Cooking Time: 20 minutes 

2 zucchini- to be peeled

2 tablespoons coconut oil

1/3 cup diced tomato or grape tomato

1/3 cup onions

1/2 cup mushrooms 

5 cloves roasted garlic 

2 cups water for boiling on stove

2 cups cold water

Good'ole Prepping and Pestering! 

  First, peel your zucchini with a vegetable peeler length wise in long strands. Place in a paper towel layered salad spinner, and add 5-6 tablespoons of salt to the zucchini. Let rest on counter for 30 minutes until the paper towel is soaked in the bitter bleed out of the zucchini.

   Now, rinse off very well the salt off the zucchini, and dry on a separate sheet of paper towel.Set aside 2 cup cold water in a large bowl. Bring 2 separate cups of water on the stove to a boil, and place the zucchini in it for 60 seconds. Now, to stop the cooking process, quickly pour the zucchini into the 2 cup cold water. After about 2 minutes, dry the zucchini off. 

Taking you Down to FlavorTown:)

   In a large saucepan, place 2-4 tablespoons of coconut oil. Add your minced garlic, mushrooms, tomatoes, salt, and pepper. When all caramelized together, add your pasta, sauteeing for 5-7 minutes!

   Then voila! You have a beautiful zucchini pasta dish ready to go! I, based on my own gut feeling, smashed one half of an avocado with lemon as an additional sauce to the decadent pasta! Enjoy!

*If you enjoyed this post and others, make sure to go follow ThinkZoeBoost on Twitter and Instagram for more recipes, life hacks, and inspiration! 

Namaste,
Zoe

KILLER HEALTHY DOUBLE FUDGE BANANA MUFFINS (SUPER EASY)

Hello everyone! This week's recipe is super easy, moist, delicious, melt-in-your mouth kind of gorgeous. I've been making these muffins for years, and they have never failed to be super-"uber" delectable! They last at least 4 days in the fridge, are excellent snacks, and guilt-free desserts heated up in the microwave! So here you go, my HEALTHY KILLER DOUBLE FUDGE BANANA MUFFINS! 

Ingredients:

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes 

2 organic bananas mashed                                        3/4 cup organic applesauce

1 1/4 cup whole wheat flour/ coconut flour              1/4 cup organic cacao powder 

3/4 teaspoon baking soda                                          1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon                                             1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1/3 cup Agave Nectar or honey                                  2 large egg whites

1 teaspoon Vanilla extract                                         1/2 cup dark chocolate chips  

12 fun colored baking cups                                        1/2 cup organic shaved coconut

2 tablespoons almond butter

The "Howdown" 101

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Bake. Spray your baking cups with canola spray. Mash your banana with a fork into a liquid consistency-still lumpy. Add your Agave syrup, vanilla extract, applesauce to the banana in a large bowl, mix well. With a sift, sift your dry ingredients, flour, baking soda, cinnamon, cacao powder, salt, and nutmeg into a large bowl. Mix well until combined. Now slowly little by little, fold your dry ingredients into your wet ingredients. Once readily combined in increments, add your 2 large egg whites. Stir Well. 

Now add your chocolate chips, slowly folding them in. Place your batter into your greased baking cups, and in each stir in some almond butter and adorn with coconut flakes! Now, bake for about 15 minutes or until the toothpick comes out clean. 

Voila! Enjoy!* 

Namaste,

Zoe

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