Recipes

Mediterranean Quinoa

1 cup Quinoa

1 ¾ cup water

½ tsp salt

¼ cup toasted pine nuts

2 scallions

¼ cup dried cranberries

1 can garbanzo beans drained and rinsed

¼ cup Kalamata olives sliced

¼ cup olive oil

¼ cup lemon juice

3 Tbs fresh mint chopped

3 Tbs fresh parsley chopped

1/3 cup feta crumbles (optional)

Bring the quinoa to a boil in the water them lower heat and simmer covered 15-20 minutes until the water is absorbed.  Remove the lid and let rest 5 minutes.  Whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, mint and parsley to make the dressing in a large bowl.   Add the pine nuts, scallions, cranberries, garbanzo beans, olives and feta if using and toss.  Add the quinoa with the other ingredients and toss again.  Put in the fridge if making ahead and it’s great served at room temperature.   Feel free to add or subtract any ingredients you don’t like.  I will often add a diced cucumber, chopped sweet red pepper and/or halved cherry tomatoes.   This is a very flexible recipe and no matter who your guests are, I promise they will be impressed by how much they like quinoa!

Love Your Vegetables with 2 Amazing Sauces/Dips

Lemon Tahini Sauce

1/2 cup tahini

2/3 to 3/4 cups water (as needed)

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tablespoon olive oil

3/4 teaspoon sea salt (or to taste)

Black pepper to taste

Whisk or blend all ingredients together, starting with 2/3 cup water and adding more until you reach a desired consistency. Dressing will keep 5 to 6 days in the refrigerator.

Sesame Tahini Sauce

Same directions as above – great for an Asian taste, add on top of sautéed greens and sweet potatoes, fish, steamed veggies, etc. 

1/2 cup tahini

1/2 cup water

2 tablespoons sesame oil

2 tablespoons tamari (or soy sauce)

2 tablespoons rice vinegar

1 tablespoon maple syrup

1 clove garlic, minced

1 teaspoon ginger, minced

Perfect Healthy Sea Salt Dark Chocolate Bark

If you feel like treating yourself but don’t want to overdue the carb load this holiday season, try this fully delicious but truly healthy alternative. Shhhhh, they are also gluten free and vegan!  And we will look the other way if you secretly eat these for breakfastJ  

Ingredients:

1 cup peanut butter

½ cup salted butter or coconut oil

1/3 cup honey

4 oz bittersweet dark chocolate (70% dark or more)

1 ¾ cup rolled oats

1 cup of Filling: nuts, shredded coconut, seeds or a mixture equaling 1 cup

1 cup dried fruit – like dates or figs

coarse sea salt to taste (Optional Holiday version: crushed candy cane instead of the sea salt)

In a food processor, pulse 1 cup of the oats, your filling and your fruit.  
Put all of the oats, filling and fruit into a large bowl.  Line a 9x13 pan with parchment paper.  
In a small saucepan, melt the peanut butter, butter and honey over low heat.  Add the chocolate and stir until melted.  Remove from heat and pour over the oat mixture and mix well.  Do this quickly before it cools and gets sticky.  Press into prepared pan, sprinkle generously with sea salt (or crushed candy cane) and chill for 2-3 hours.  When solid, cut into bars and store in fridge or freezer.  

Golden Milk Turmeric Tea 

Turmeric’s active component, curcumin, has over 600 health benefits ranging from anti-inflammatory to anti-carcinogenic.  It has been used to promote digestive health, regulate metabolism and weight, maintain cholesterol levels, boost memory and brain function and boost immunity.  

1 Cup of milk (or substitute coconut milk or almond milk)

1 teaspoon dried turmeric (or grate fresh turmeric root)

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon powder

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1 small piece ginger (minced or grated)

1/2 teaspoon gee or coconut oil

honey (optional)

1. Place milk in a saucepan over medium heat.

2. Add turmeric, cinnamon, black pepper, ginger

3. Stir well 

4. Let the milk begin to simmer – don’t let it boil

5. Turn the heat off and allow the mixture to sit for couple of minutes

6. Strain the milk through a strainer (optional) in a cup

7. Add gee or coconut oil and serve warm 

Green Curry Chicken to Warm Your Belly (can also make with just veggies or shrimp instead)

Curry is a great way to warm up your digestion and get lots of healthy nutritional herbs in your diet like raw ginger, garlic and turmeric.  Mild curry such as green curry is delicious and your whole family will love it I promise, and that comes from someone whose family would rather eat pizza or tacos 7 days/week! 

1 Tablespoon coconut oil

1 small onion diced

1 Tablespoon finely chopped fresh ginger (about a 1inch nub of ginger peeled)

3 cloves garlic finely chopped

Pinch of salt

3 Tablespoons Thai Green curry paste (find in the Asian section of grocery)

1 cup vegetable or chicken broth

4 thin sliced chicken breast cutlets

Any veggies you like – asaparagus, green beans, peas, carrots – steam until tender

1 can full fat coconut milk

1 Tablespoon brown sugar

Juice of 1 Lime

1.  Warm a deep skillet over medium heat.   Melt 1 tablespoon coconut oil and add the onion, cooking until translucent.  Add the garlic and ginger and pinch of salt, sautéing for a minute longer.  Next add the Thai Green Curry Paste and stir until combined and starts to smell delicious. 

2.  Mix in the chicken broth and cook the chicken cutlets in the sauce about 7 minutes, covered, flipping once to make sure they cook through. 

3.  Add the coconut milk and brown sugar.  This is where you can add any steamed or thawed frozen veggies.  Let simmer another 10 minutes so the flavors marry. 

4.  Take off the heat and add the lime juice, stir to combine.  Taste and add salt if necessary. Serve with Jasmine white rice.  This is the kind of dish that tastes even better the next day so it’s good to have leftovers.  

Restoring Creamy Broccoli Soup

We came across this delicious broccoli soup on “Hello Glow,” a website and blog devoted to health and wellness.  It is so delicious and green!  Broccoli and the cruciferous vegetables are fantastic at helping the liver stay clean. The ginger warms it up and nourishes your digestive fires and the sneaky avocado adds healthy fat and creaminess.   Enjoy!

Ingredients: (you will blend at the end so don’t worry about chopping everything perfectly)

1 head of broccoli

½ inch ginger piece peeled

½ rip avocado peeled

2 garlic cloves crushed

1 small onion diced

1 small parsnip, peeled and cubed

2-3 mint leaves

½ cup fresh spinach

1 Tbsp lemon juice

1 cup vegetable broth

1 tsp coconut oil

pinch of cayenne pepper

In medium saucepan heat the coconut oil, adding onion, ginger, garlic and cook for 2 minutes over low.  Add broccoli, parsnip and vegetable broth and bring to boil, then simmer for 7 minutes over low heat. 
Transfer to a blender or use an immersion blender and add the spinach, lemon juice, mint, avocado and cayenne and pulse until creamy.