Put a twist on classic spaghetti and meatballs with this delicious plant based version! Making over a traditional main course meal is very fun and helps you stay on track with your health goals without sacrificing flavor Ingredients Vegetarian Mushroom Meatballs: * 2 cups of mushrooms finely chopped * 1 cup drained/cooked chickpeas * 1 cup cooked quinoa * 1 large onion peeled and finely diced * 5 Tbsp olive oil * 4 garlic cloves peeled and crushed * 1 Tbsp finely chopped fresh rosemary (leaves only) * 1 Tbsp finely chopped fresh thyme (leaves only) * 1 Tbsp chia seeds * 1 tsp dried oregano * 1 tsp salt * 1 tsp liquid aminos (optional) * juice of one lemon * freshly ground black pepper   Marinara or Tomato Sauce and Zucchini Noodles are also used for this recipe!   Marinara or Tomato Sauce and Zucchini Noodles are also used for this recipe! Instructions 1. Making the Meatballs: 2. In a large non-stick skillet, add 1 tbsp oil and let it heat for 30 seconds. 3. Add onions and saute till golden brown. 4. Now add mushrooms, garlic and saute till mushrooms become slightly cooked (about 2 minutes). 5. Saute till the water from mushroom is almost evaporated and then turn off the heat. 6. Let the mushrooms cool down completely. 7. Now, add the chickpeas, mushroom mix, quinoa, herbs, and the rest of the ingredients  in a food processor. 8. Pulse to form a crumbly dough. 9. Scoop the dough to a clean surface and divide it into equal balls. Cooking the Meatballs: 1. Heat a skillet and add 2 tbsp oil. 2. Place 7-8 meatballs (or as many your pan accommodate) in the pan and lightly cook them over medium heat. 3. Turn them slowly to prevent them from breaking and cook till the entire meatball is golden brown 4. OR 5. You can line them on a baking tray and spray some cooking oil on all sides. Bake for 400F for 15 minutes. Heat the Sauce.   Serving the Vegetarian Meatballs with Zoodles: Sautee the zoodles very lightly in a pan or place them on a serving plate raw. Either way is fine! In a serving plate, place some zoodles in the bottom. Now add 3-4 meatballs on top and pour 2-3tbsp marinara sauce on the top. (you can add less or more). Serve Immediately If you want to make your own sauce here is a recipe: Tomato Sauce: * 2 Tbsp olive oil * 2 onions peeled and finely diced * 2 carrots peeled and finely diced * 3 cloves garlic peeled and crushed * small bunch fresh basil * 2 Tbsp tomato puree * 4 cups of chopped tomatoes * 250 ml (1 cup) water * 2 bay leaves * 1 tsp oregano * 1 tsp crushed red pepper * 1 tsp sugar * salt and pepper   Instructions for Tomato Sauce: 1. In a large bowl, blend the cooked chopped tomatoes and carrots with a blender or hand-blender. 2. In a large pot, heat the oil over medium-low heat. Add onions and garlic, and cook until softened but not browned, 2-3 mins. Add oregano, crushed red chili pepper, salt and pepper and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Stir-in the crushed tomatoes mixture and sugar, and bring to a simmer. Add basil and bay leaves.  Add salt to taste and reduce heat to low, partially cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, 45 minutes to 1 hour.

Let’s be real: everyone has. Overeating is suuuper normal. It’s actually pretty unrealistic to expect to never overeat, ever. No one eats exactly when they’re hungry and stops exactly when they’re full every. single. time. they eat. But, it’s also not a fun feeling, right?! Overeating can make you feel uncomfortable, tired and even guilty. If this sounds familiar, keep reading - One of the most important things you can do after overeating is to acknowledge that it happened and check in with how you feel. Are you totally overstuffed after eating pizza with friends? Check in with that feeling. And next time you get pizza with friends, you’ll remember more easily to check in with your fullness at slice 2 or 3. Being more aware of how you feel this one time will help you eat more mindfully in the future and prevent that uncomfortable, overeating feeing

No bake chocolate peanut butter protein bars that taste just like a peanut butter cup. This low carb protein bar recipe will be your new favorite snack to keep in your fridge and enjoy all week long! These chocolate peanut butter protein bars are easy to make because there’s no baking required. All you need is an a pot or two, an 8×4 inch loaf pan, parchment paper and 7 simple ingredients: peanut butter: you can use whatever kind of nut butter you’d like, just make sure it’s all natural (with no additives — just nuts + salt). I like Smucker’s, Santa Cruz, Trader Joe’s or Whole Foods natural creamy peanut butter. honey: this unrefined sweetener is perfect for holding together + sweetening the bars. If you are vegan, I suggest using coconut palm syrup or date syrup. coconut oil: you’ll only need a tablespoon of coconut oil! vanilla extract: I’m such a vanilla lover, but if you find yourself out of vanilla, feel free to skip it! flaxseed meal: flaxseed meal is just ground flaxseeds! I absolutely LOVE how it adds fiber + protein to these bars. It does give the bar a nice toasty flavor too. protein powder: you can use plant based or a whey protein. My personal favorite is Vital Proteins collagen peptides (which is dairy free) but I also love aloha vanilla plant based protein powder for this recipe. Those are the two I highly recommend for flavor and consistency in this recipe. dark chocolate: you can use your favorite brand of dark chocolate. I recommend theo, divine or alter eco brands. Alter eco has a lot of great dairy free/vegan options! Optional: a little fancy sea salt for sprinkling on top. These bars are seriously one of my favorite healthier treats to make because they’re so freaking easy and do NOT require any baking. They also make an excellent post workout snack or late afternoon pick me up as they happen to pack 9g protein. Nutrition info Serves 10 210 calories Type: No Bake, Gluten Free, Grain Free, Dairy Free Prep time:  10 mins Cook time:  30 mins Total time:  40 mins INGREDIENTS * ¾ cup natural creamy peanut butter (just peanuts + salt) * ¼ cup honey (or coconut palm syrup, if vegan) * 1 tablespoon melted coconut oil * 1 teaspoon vanilla * 1/3 cup ground flaxseed meal * 1/2 cup of your favorite vanilla or plain protein powder* * 2.5 ounces your favorite 85% dark chocolate bar * Coarse sea salt for sprinkling on top INSTRUCTIONS 1. In a medium bowl mix together peanut butter, honey, coconut oil, vanilla together until smooth. Add in ground flaxseed meal and protein powder of choice. Use a spoon to mix together until you can’t anymore, then use clean hands to help work together. The batter should be similar to cookie dough. 2. Press into an 8x4 inch pan lined with parchment paper. 3. Make the chocolate layer by adding 2.5 ounces of dark chocolate to a small saucepan and melting until completely smooth. Pour the melted chocolate over the peanut butter layer and tilt the pan so that the chocolate covers the peanut butter layer entirely. Place in the fridge for 30 minutes-1 hour before slicing into 10 bars or squares (either works but I love squares the most). Store covered in the fridge until ready to eat. Bars will keep for up to two weeks. NOTES *Note: if the batter feels too dry, add ½ - 1 tablespoon of melted virgin coconut oil For the protein powder: you can use plant based or a whey protein. My personal favorite is Vital Proteins collagen peptides (which is dairy free) but I also love aloha vanilla plant based protein powder for this recipe. Those are the two I highly recommend for flavor and consistency in this recipe.