Thai Coconut Soup is a flavorful, creamy yet tangy soup made with lemongrass, coconut milk, broth, ginger, and lime juice. Add vegetables like broccoli, carrots, and zucchini for a light and refreshing meal! The best part – this recipe takes less than 30 minutes to make!

Gluten-Free Sandwich Bread made easily using your favorite gluten-free flour blend. This easy sandwich bread recipe requires few ingredients.

Sicilian Chicken Soup made quickly on the stove top in less than an hour! This hearty chicken soup recipe is easy to make and comforting on chilly winter nights. I have included instructions for Instant Pot and Slow Cooker in this post as well!

 On this week’s Healthy Vegetarian Meal Plan: Butternut Squash Mac & Cheese, Baked Spaghetti with Pumpkin Tofu Ricotta, Roasted Chickpea Taco Salad, All the Good Veggies Detox Salad and Best Ever Quinoa Chili!   Enjoy! Sunday Butternut Squash Mac & Cheese from Sprouting Wild Ones Prep Ahead Tip: Cheese sauce can be made up to …

Seared scallops are a delightful romantic dinner! Learn everything you need to know about making perfect seared scallops right here!

Can you believe after running this site for almost 9 years, I have never posted a recipe for seared scallops??

It baffles me, considering how much I love fish and seafood. Nevertheless, here we are! And we have much to discuss. In this post, I have included everything you need to know about cooking perfect seared scallops (and then some)!

Naturally buttery in flavor, a great seared scallop will have a perfect crisp on the outside and melt in your mouth. One of the best parts about scallops is they are so versatile. You can flavor them any way you’d like with seasonings and sauces, and serve them any which way (think: in pasta, over rice, in a seafood soup, alongside a salad, with side dishes like roasted vegetables, etc!). 

So let’s do a deep dive into scallops!

Pan-Fried Salmon in a garlic lemon herb sauce is a crispy skillet-cooked salmon recipe that requires few ingredients and only about 15 minutes to make.

Flourless Avocado Brownies are an easy grain-free, refined sugar-free paleo dessert recipe. The brownie batter is made easily in your food processor and only requires a handful of basic ingredients.

Just when you thought I was finished posting dessert recipes using avocado….

In walked these flourless avocado brownies.

Our history with avocado-based desserts includes Key Lime Vegan Ice Cream , 4-Ingredient Chocolate Mousse, Vegan Key Lime Popsicles, Dairy-Free Avocado Fudgesicles …and more!

These sultry lumps of avocado lovin’ are so easy to make and are a marvelous healthier treat. They are soft and chewy with an epic fudgey goo factor (if you add the chocolate chips). 

The ingredients needed to prepare these brownies are straight-forward!: one ripe avocado, eggs, almond butter, coconut sugar, cocoa powder, vanilla extract, baking powder, and chocolate chips (optional…but mandatory).

I know what you’re wondering, and no, you can’t taste the avocado or the almond butter. They don’t have the an identical flavor and texture to regular brownies, but they are sure to please!

Sexy dinner recipes for Valentine’s Day that are clean, simple, and easy to prepare! These sultry aphrodisiac recipes are perfect for sharing with your partner.

Do you enjoy cooking for your special someone? For me, preparing a meal to nourish someone you care about can be one of the most heartfelt actions. Not to mention, depending on the meal and vibe, it can create unparalleled intimacy!

I have spoken about aphrodisiac foods on this site numerous times. Not only can food be medicine, but it also dramatically affects the way your body feels, from energy level to mood to libido. 

For this reason, I thought I would share some sexy dinner recipes for Valentine’s Day to inspire your sultry dinner with your companion. 

What Foods Are Aphrodisiacs?

The following foods are known to stimulate your desire to get your groove on:

Meat, asparagus, shellfish and seafood (particularly oysters), chocolate, nuts, red wine, chilies, strawberries, figs, ginger, and avocado. 

While beets aren’t mentioned in a google search, I am 3000% convinced beets are the ultimate aphrodisiac. Just food for thought.

Remember, certain herbs and roots have a powerful aphrodisiac effect as well! Consider saffron, maca, ginseng, fenugreek, and more.

What Makes a Food an Aphrodisiac?

Foods that stimulate blood flow (this includes blood flow to your loins), increase your energy, and boost your mood are considered to increase sexual desire. 

Not to mention, many of these foods have ancillary health benefits – they are natural anti-inflammatories and antidepressants.

In pursuit of making your Valentine’s Day special, I have included some of my favorite sexy recipes from around the web in this post. 

But no need to stop at dinner…If you’re looking for aphrodisiac dessert ideas, be sure to check out my some of my favorite

Healthy and Sexy Dessert Recipes:

• Paleo Chocolate Cake
• Almond Flour Fig Cake
• Paleo Strawberry Coffee Cake
• Soft Chewy and Gooey Paleo Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Keto Strawberry Shortcake 
• Chocolate Beet Cake
• 4-Ingredient Paleo Avocado Chocolate Mousse 
• Grain-Free Tahini Blondies 

And without further adieu, here are…

36 Clean and Sexy Dinner Recipes:

A weekly healthy vegetarian meal plan with seasonal dinner recipe! This easy meal plan comes with a grocery list for your meal prep convenience.

Happy weekend to ya! 

Did you take a look at my Homemade Peanut Butter Cups I posted this week? If not, go have a looksy and come right back! The recipe is very versatile in the sense that you can use any nut butter and sweeten them in many ways. If you follow a low-carb diet, you’re in luck! I included a keto option with the recipe. 

On this week’s meal plan, we have Teriyaki Tofu Bowls, Vegan Meatball Subs, Sheetpan Roasted Vegetable Fajita Lettuce Wraps, Immunity Boosting Turmeric Soup, and Vegan Mushroom Bourguignon.

Enjoy!

xo

Easy Indian Shrimp Biryani made in just one pot or skillet. This goof-proof recipe is an amazing make-ahead meal and requires very little time or effort to prepare. Make it ahead of time for some meal prep action!

Homemade peanut butter cups made with only a few simple ingredients! These naturally sweetened treats can easily be made keto for a low-carb dessert recipe.

If you read my Gluten-Free Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies or my Gluten-Free Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars post, you know my family is BANANAS over peanut butter. And chocolate. Specifically the combination thereof.

For our last family gathering, I made these homemade peanut butter cups, and the crowd went wild! It wouldn’t be the Mueller way unless everyone went crazy over peanut butter and chocolate!

What makes these different from store-bought peanut butter cups?

You have the ultimate control of the type of chocolate and peanut butter that goes into the cups, as well as the type of sweetener. If you enjoy dark chocolate and prefer to keep your treats cane sugar-free, you can absolutely do that here!

Not to mention, these things are a total ball to make! If you like doing cooking or baking projects with children, this is a GREAT one! I also see these as a thoughtful gift for loved ones for any holiday (Valentine’s Day, anyone?!). 

I made my peanut butter cups large using a regular sized muffin tray  and muffin papers, but you can also make tiny peanut butter cups by using a mini muffin pan. I made mine nice and thick, so I ended up with 6 large (and thick) peanut butter cups. You can likely spread this out to 7 or 8 if you don’t want them as thick.

A healthy weekly Vegetarian Meal Plan with seasonal recipes and a grocery list to make meal prep for the week easy and delicious. Heyo! How’s your winter going? If you’re frozen, we have just the meal plan for you this week! It’s packed with comforting, warming, and nutritious meals. AND if you’re like me and …

How to cook rice and potatoes for optimal digestion. Preparing rice (and other grains), potatoes, legumes, nuts and seeds properly unlocks the nutrients and ensures they aid rather than hinder digestion. 

There continues to be debate in the health community as to whether or not rice and potatoes are considered “healthy.” Are they pro-inflammatory and raise blood sugar? Do they irritate the gut lining? Are they too full of “empty” carbs?

The paleo community has long debated whether or not either or both are permissible, because while both have been a part of the human diet for over 3,500 years, both contain lectins, which can cause gastrointestinal issues or autoimmune flairs when they aren’t properly prepared.

I wrote an article titled Is Rice Paleo?, where I go into detail about the downsides of various types of rice (white, brown, wild, forbidden, etc), versus the potential health benefits. Check out the article if you want a deep dive into rice and why it could both be considered potentially harmful or healthful.

The heated debate on rice and potatoes goes back to lectins (which are bad) and resistant starch (which is good). Fortunately, the way we prepare rice and potatoes can largely destroy active lectins and also make the resistant starch easier to digest, improving gut health and promoting regular bowel movements.

First, let’s discuss lectins and resistant starch.

What are Lectins?:

Lectins are proteins that bind to carbohydrate and serve as anti-nutrients. The purpose of lectins is to protect the plant from digestion so that if an animal were to eat it, the plant can survive the digestive process and still germinate after defecation.

Lectins are found in grains, potatoes, legumes, nuts, and seeds.

When consumed raw or undercooked, lectins in their active state can cause interfere with the absorption of minerals, especially calcium, iron, phosphorus, and zinc. Phytohaemagglutinin, a type of lectin found in undercooked kidney beans, cause red blood cells to clump together. It can also produce nausea, vomiting, stomach upset, diarrhea, bloating and gas. 

Lectins can bind to cells lining the GI tract, which may disrupt the breakdown and absorption of nutrients. It can also affect the growth of intestinal flora. Because lectin proteins bind to cells for long periods of time, they can potentially cause an autoimmune response and inflammatory conditions like rheumatoid arthritis and type 1 diabetes.

The good news is, boiling lectin-containing foods deactivates the lectins, thereby removing the anti-nutrient property from them. The kicker is, they must be properly boiled or cooked, lest some of the lectins remain.

 

What is Resistant Starch?

Resistant starch plays an important role in digestion. Resistant starch is called such because it is resistant to digestion. It moves along your digestive system and arrives in your colon intact.

Resistant starch may help prevent colon cancer (due to its ability to bind food together to help it move through your body), improves your insulin resistance, makes you feel full and helps you sleep at night. We need both digestible and indigestible foods in order to keep our bowel movements regular and well-formed.

Now that we’ve covered the cons (lectins) and the pros (resistant starch and easy-to-digest carbohydrate), let’s discuss how to cook rice and potatoes for optimal digestion.

A seasonally inspired nutritious plant based meal plan with vegan and gluten-free options, complete with a grocery list.

Heyo! What are you up to this weekend? If you’re looking for some breakfast inspiration, be sure to check out my Paleo Carrot Cake Pancakes, or my Spaghetti Squash Egg Nests! Both are amazing crowd-pleasers!

On this week’s meal plan: Roasted Butternut Squash Soup, Quinoa Fried Rice, Warm Farro Bowl with Roasted Vegetables, Spaghetti Squash with Roasted Pecan Pesto, Broccoli Cheese Baked Potatoes with Tempeh Bacon Crumbles.

Enjoy!

xo

One-Skillet 30-Minute Paleo Broccoli Beef made soy-free, refined sugar-free, and gluten-free. This easy recipe can be made any night!