We are BIG carrot cake fans. It is one of our favorite desserts. We have been waiting to make a carrot cake for the blog, and Easter seemed like the perfect occasion. We wanted this carrot cake to be legit— fluffy, moist, right amount of sweetness, with creamy, thick frosting. But we also wanted it to be “on brand”— a carrot cake that tastes amazing but leaves out gluten, dairy, and huge amounts of sugar. We searched for inspo across the Google machine, Pinterest, and some of

We are craving simplicity in every aspect of life right now, meals included. Obviously COVID-19 is kind of forcing us into simpler times, but we're embracing it. We're getting more comfortable with slowing down and reflecting inward, we're learning to be ok with down time while also taking advantage of this time to get things done, we're finding new ways to connect with others while also learning to be happy staying at home, and we're craving simple but delicious food! Enough

We finally did it! We think we killed it with this plant-based lasagna, and while we can't say our Sicilian grandma would 100% approve, we can say that she doesn't approve of much cooking that isn't hers anyway. Her authentic Italian food is pretty unparalleled though, so that's fair. It's great to just have the real deal sometimes, but this version is pretty damn good. Plus, whether you're strictly gluten free, dairy free, or vegan or you're more of a "flexetarian" (you like

We're going through a little lettuce wrap phase right now. They are quick and easy, really light and healthy, yet so good and satisfying! So many different combos or flavors you could go with... and these, you haveee to try. The sauce for the tempeh is everything: a little spicy, a little sweet, and a little tangy. You will love it! Plus, becuase we used tempeh, these are vegan and packed with plant-based protein. If you're not a tempeh fan, do this with firm organic tofu or

We are all about the cool, crisp, and refreshing summer produce. We talk about eating seasonally a lot, and one reason why is because it gives you more variety (both in flavor and nutrient content) and brings excitement back to the food you’re eating. It allows you to shift your diet, maybe get creative with your cooking, and keep healthy meals/salads fun and delicious so you don’t get bored. This salad looks beautiful, but the combination of textures and flavors is amazing,

We always love finding new ways to incorporate plant-based protein into our meals. What we find works best when it comes to doing this, is when it’s something that can be batch-cooked so that you can grab and add to your meals throughout the week. In this case, it’s falafel! This falafel is gluten free and packed with protein and flavor. They’re quick and easy to make and are a great with several different meals. For example, you could whip up a Mediterranean-inspired bowl fo

Forbidden rice. The name alone makes you wanna try it, right? Just like Eve, and every other human, we always want what we can’t have. Good news is, we all can have (and NEED) this forbidden rice bowl in our lives. It’s filled with nourishing veggies, protein, and delicious toppings. You’ll definitely want this in your dinner rotation. So, what is forbidden rice? Its color comes from anthocyanins— aka antioxidants, just like in dark berries. It also is higher in protein and f

There's not much better than the smell of warm cookies on a cold day... or any day, really. These chocolate chunk ginger cookies are that perfect, fresh baked cookie consistency-- slightly crispy on the edges, soft and chewy in the middle. They're incredibly simple to make, they just require a few clean ingredients, they're low in sugar, and they *happen* to be vegan and gluten free. EVERYONE WINS! We've tried, sometimes succeeding and sometimes failing, in making vegan treat

Are you more of a festive fall person, like come October 1 you immediately put the pumpkin decor out and want to eat and drink anything and everything pumpkin or pumpkin spice flavored? Or are you more of a fall Scrooge who thinks that pumpkin everything is just plain annoying and it’s all over-played? We kinda' get you either way, cause we fall somewhere in the middle. We do think it’s fun to embrace some of the festive fall flavors and foods, because it’s a nice chance to c

It's been almost exactly a year since I made my very first trip to Europe. A life-changing trip to Spain and Italy (Barcelona, Florence, Rome, and Cinque Terre, to be exact) that I will always remember. Something in particular I've thought about since I left those beautiful, historical cities were... these matcha banana pancakes. I know, right. How on-brand (or maybe basic) that in a place filled with breath-taking scenery, incredible architecture, and traditional Spanish and

If you’ve never had a blondie before, first off, we’re sorry to hear that. But basically, they’re the vanilla cousin of a brownie. SO GOOD. Of course, we had to find a way to have a delicious blondie without it being loaded with refined sugar, butter, or processed flour. So we made these. We made this recipe not so incredibly healthy that it’s hardly dessert but healthy enough so that you can feel good eating it (and afterwards). These are a great option for a sweet treat wit

I don't know about you, but we could literally dive into a bowl of this veggie-loaded lentil pasta. And did we hear pesto?  If there's pesto, we're in. This recipe is seriously one of the EASIEST we have on our blog, and it's so so good. Bare Nutrition is all about finding ways to say yes to all foods. PASTA included (We're Italian, c'mon we practicaly have pasta in our blood). We also are all about finding ways to take comfort foods with virtually no nutritional content (aka

Yep. We made CHEESECAKE BARS and they taste AMAZING. What's even more amazing? These are a raw vegan treat with no added sugar. A creamy, satisfying, slightly sweet dessert that provides healthy fats and protein and completely satisfies cravings. Don't make these because they're healthy. Make them because they're delicious! It takes just about 15 minutes or less to throw together the "batter," then all you have to do it put 'em in the freezer and let them set. They will make

Dessert doesn’t get much more classic than a good old chocolate chip cookie. We get caught up in the creativity of more “out there” stuff sometimes, but ya can’t go wrong with the basics. We kept it super simple with these chocolate chip cookies, other than adding a little spice— cinnamon and cardamom to be exact. A nice little flavor addition if you ask us! The only creativity involved here was figuring out how many chocolate chips we could squeeze into each cookie. Ok, so i

Can we all just agree that the best part of a muffin is the sweet, crispy crumble on top? The muffin top, per se. We wanna eat the muffin top, but not make our belly look like one. So, as Bare Nutrition would do, we naturally started thinking about a healthier way to eat a muffin top without making our waistline look like one (see some of our other healthy makeovers, like these lemon cookies and this vegan mac n cheese) . And since we’ve been on a HUGE banana bread kick latel

Our grandma is arguably the best cook we know. She's a Sicilian immigrant and has a life-long repertoire of authentic, AMAZING Italian recipes and secret sauces. Many of her recipes aren't written down and have only been passed down by spending time in the kitchen and learning first-hand. One of those, are her famous lemon twist cookies. They are melt in your mouth, soft, slightly sweet, and seriously addicting. When we come over to her house, we check the cookie jar hoping s

We were pumpkin obsessed for all of October and November, and now it’s gingerbread’s turn. Gingerbread spices are so yummy, warming, and just gets us in the spirit of the holiday season. When we say “warming,” we don’t just mean the cozy vibes, but we mean these spices actually warm you from the inside. Perfect for the cold weather season, right? To read more about that and get a recipe for a warming spiced latte, click here . If you’re not a gingerbread fan, all you have to

Who doesn't like mac n cheese? Better yet, who doesn't like baked mac n cheese? It's a classic comfort food. Once the seasons change and the temperature begins to drop, we start craving more comforting foods. By "we," I don't just mean Rachel and me, but I mean all of us. It's an actual, biological thing. Growing up, it was something we always had at Thanksgiving and a few other special occasions, but being that it's so rich, it was not ever frequent. Typical baked mac n chee

There’s three spotty bananas sitting in the fruit bowl, but they’ve surpassed the standard level of ripeness. They’re borderline mushy. When this happens, the best way to let them not go to waste is to make some banana bread! Banana bread is great anytime of year, but in the Fall, the cravings for warm, sweet carbs kicks in. Along with that is the craving for anything and everything pumpkin spice. Yeah yeah, “so basic,” but don’t pretend you don’t love it, too! Ok, so there m

So, it still is hitting 90 degrees most days, but nonetheless, it’s October and that just tends to make me want more warm and cozy foods. This curry gives all the comforting feels, yet it’s still super light and clean. Using cauliflower rice instead of traditional rice is a good way to make the dish a little less heavy. We also used lite coconut milk and water for the “broth,” once again, so it isn’t so rich. Lentils are the main component of substance, making this dinner a g