About Rachel

Hello friends and family alike! My name is Rachel. A year ago I married my best friend and biggest supporter. Not long after we got married I made some much-needed and long-overdue changes in my diet. Even though I'm lactose intolerant, I had indulged in dairy products all my life and ignored the discomfort it caused. But I finally reached my limit and couldn't ignore the pain anymore. I started researching and learning about nutrition and the impacts that certain foods can have on our overall health. This prompted me to finally stop consuming ALL dairy products. Cutting out dairy completely had such a wonderful impact on how I felt that I decided it should only be the beginning.  Next, I cut out processed foods and sugars, gluten, soy, caffeine and meat.  More than anything, these "restrictions" to my diet forced me to branch out and try new foods. Suddenly I was eating more organic fruits, vegetables and grains and experimenting with different foods and methods of cooking that I'd never before experienced. Rather than restricting my diet, whole new doors were suddenly open to me! The transition was certainly difficult at times, but it felt so natural and worthwhile. Hopefully this is only the tip of the iceberg! I want to learn how to grow organic vegetables and herbs in my own backyard and i dream of becoming a certified nutritionist. More than anything, I'm so excited to share my passion for health and writing through this blog! I hope that my recipes and experiences--both successes and failures--will inspire others to also enjoy a healthier lifestyle. So please enjoy! And let me know what you think ;)

Gluten-free Pad Thai Revisited!

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My recipe for Gluten-Free Pad Thai was one of the first recipes that I posted to Almonds & Avocados. Although I love the recipe, the photo that I had taken for the post was absolutely horrendous. Unfortunately, I didn’t know much about photography at the time. When I began Almonds & Avocados, I knew that I was passionate and excited about sharing delicious, healthy recipes with the world! What I didn’t realize was that if I shared yummy recipes along with dismal pictures, people might not be so eager to actually try the recipes. And why would they? If the food looks like a hot mess in the picture, then it’s probably not worth wasting valuable time, effort, and ingredients to find out whether or not it tastes better than it looks.

Though I haven’t developed into the most skilled photographer, I do think that I’ve come a long way. Just take a look…

Which would you rather have: this?

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or this?

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Ugh, that first picture just makes me cringe–so embarrassing. While the food in these pictures looks entirely different, they were actually made exactly the same way! That’s right, I followed my original recipe to a T in the second photo; the only difference is that I used artificial light in the first photo and natural light in the second along with a bit more food styling. I don’t know about you, but I would much rather eat the Pad Thai in the second photo!

Since I whole-heartedly believe in the saying that “You first eat with your eyes,”  I thought that I would try to re-photograph some of my older recipes–you know, to give them a fighting chance. Besides, there are so many recipes–like this Pad Thai–that I eat on a regular basis even now, so long after they were first posted, that it would be a shame for them to be passed over simply because I was once (and perhaps still am) an unskilled photographer!

To get the original recipe for my Gluten-Free Pad Thai, click here!

Banana Bread (gluten-free, vegan)

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One of my most popular recipes to date is my recipe for Banana Bread Oat Pancakes. I still constantly receive emails and comments from people telling me how much they love them, and I can’t tell you how happy those messages make me!
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Dairy-Free Mango Ice Cream

20130605-153323.jpg I think it’s safe to say that I’m obsessed with ice cream.

20130603-230116.jpg When I was 16 and looking to make a little extra money, I started working at a nearby ice cream store. I worked every weekend and all throughout the summer for a year and a half, and I loved every minute of it. My favorite time to work was early in the day when there were very few customers and no other employees. I would spend large stretches of time all by myself. And what did I do when I was alone? I made waffle cones, whipped cream, and ice cream cakes….and consumed massive quantities of ice cream and all things ice-cream related. At the time I had a lightning-fast metabolism and couldn’t gain weight even if I tried–perfect for someone practically living on dessert foods.

Since then, my diet has definitely changed. Now if I have even the smallest bit of dairy, I swell up like a hot-air balloon and have belly-aches for days. Unfortunately, my metabolism isn’t what it used to be either. Ah, the joys of getting older.

Even though I can’t enjoy traditional ice cream like I once could, that doesn’t mean I don’t still crave ice cream, especially when summer rolls around. So when one of my favorite stores had an awesome sale on ice cream makers, I finally decided to take the plunge and buy my own so that I can make homemade dairy-free ice cream whenever my cravings strike! Best. Decision. Ever.
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Raw Raspberry Streusel Bars

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Oh. My. Goodness.

It’s funny how happy dessert–especially healthy dessert–can make me.

Once again, Pinterest and Instagram have provided me with the inspiration for an amazing treat: Raw Raspberry Streusel Bars.

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Peppered Arugula and Asparagus Salad

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While on my (short) summer break and in-between jobs, I decided to pick up a part-time position as a hostess at my favorite nearby pizza restaurant–which probably sounds like a death wish for someone who is both lactose and gluten intolerant. In truth, this particular restaurant holds a special place in my heart; it’s where my hubby and I had our first date. I can still clearly remember sitting at the bar with him, laughing awkwardly at everything he said and smiling shyly between bites of pizza. I thought then–and I still think now–that my hubby was so cute, sweet, and affable. Now, every time we go to that restaurant I’m reminded of how I began falling in love with my hubby on that first night.
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