Zucchini "Tots"

I have been on a "tot" kick lately. Trying to find substitutes for something as delicious as a golden white potato is near to impossible. But, since my family has nearly nixed the awesome root of deliciousness out of our diet, compensation is needed! Nothing will ever quite replace a crispy french fry, or a fluffy white potato steaming with butter and chives, or the more kid beloved, tater tot, but there are foods that can easily sub as a fun finger food, that is kid friendly and satisfies the craving for handheld munchies:) This is where the creativity can soar. I love cauliflower, zucchini, yellow squash, broccoli, butternut squash, the list goes on. These are all things that I have found to be a helpful transition into this healthy little world I am trying to create. Mind you, as i said before, there is no real substitution for the white potato itself, but these lists of veggies have claimed a spot in my weekly menu because of their versatility and all around yumminess. Even a veggie you may not be particularly fond of can surprise you if you cook it the right way:) So here is the first of my veggie finger food attempts. Next will be spaghetti squash:)

Makes about 18 mini zucchini "tots"
Preheat oven to 400
2c. grated zucchini( I used my grating blade on my food processor)
2 eggs
1/2c. almond meal
1tsp. sea salt
1/2tsp. garlic powder( you can add any kind of herb or flavor you like)
2 pieces cooked turkey bacon crumbled

Grate zucchini. Once grated, squeeze the excess water out in a dish towel. (Don't skip this or they may come out soggy) Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Pour into mini muffin pan and bake for 10-15 minutes on 400 until golden brown. If you don't have a mini muffin pan, you can use a regular muffin pan, but don't fill them up all the way. They will be more like zucchini patties but will still taste the same. The point is bitesize finger food, so I recommend the mini:)
Note: My brother who despises zucchini liked these a lot! Try this same recipe with cauliflower. It is done the same way:) And is very delicious:)

Chicken and Broccoli "Alfredo"

Who doesn't love alfredo sauce?! It's rich, it's creamy, oh so comforting and delicious. Traditional alfredo sauce is made with butter, flour, and heavy cream, and cheese....it's just not a good situation:/ So in hopes of getting a healthier option without sacrificing texture or flavor, I turned to Google! I heart google! I typed in " vegan alfredo sauce", and after filtering through quite a few that used tofu, I found one that was made with...drumroll.........CASHEWS! Of course cashews, why didn't I think of that?! If you've ever worked with the cashew, it shouldn't surprise you how well they work in this recipe! They are so so helpful! I use them to make fudge, raw filling for my key lime pie :) :)...a parmesan cheese sub in my caesar dressing....and now alfredo sauce! The list goes on and on! Needless to say one of my favorite nuts and kitchen staples for sure. My family was wowed by this recipe. They could not believe it contained no butter, heavy cream, or cheese!! Just wonderfully awesome cashews, some almond milk, and salt and pepper! That's it! Don't be skeptical......try it.....you'll love it!

Serves 4-5

4tbls. coconut or grapeseed oil

1 1/2 lbs. chicken breasts cut into small chunks

1 head of broccoli

1 bag frozen green peas

1/2 onion

3 cloves garlic

Heat the oil on medium high. Add in the onion and garlic and cook 1-2 minutes. Add in the chicken and cook until completely done. Add in the broccoli and peas and turn heat down to low. Cook covered on low while you make the sauce:)

Sauce:

3/4c. raw cashews ( soak them in just enough water to cover them for about 30 minutes)

unsweetened plain almond milk ( I haven't measured this. I usually just pour enough to make the cashews creamy)

salt and pepper to taste

After soaking the cashews for about 30 minutes, discard the water and place cashews in a food processor. Add salt, pepper. Stream in almond milk until it becomes creamy. If it gets too runny, you can always add a few more cashews....if it's too thick, add more milk:) Once completely blended, add to the chicken and veggie mixture. Stir until everything is completely coated. Again, feel free to add more milk if you like it very saucy. Serve with cooked spaghetti squash instead of noodles:)