The corn and cilantro in this soup keeps it summery and the bacon adds a slightly smoky flavor. I included the recipe for the broth I used at the very bottom of the post, it is slightly sweet and compliments many soups, stews and grains very well. Bone broth is extremely nutritious for us. After the bones are stewed for a few hours the broth becomes very rich in gelatin, bone marrow, collagen, calcium and magnesium, all of which strongly contribute to healthy immune systems, joints, bones, hair and skin. Continue Reading →
Tropical Puffed Salad
Of course everyone knows that salads are usually a healthy option, but when they are not drenched in creamy dressing they can get pretty bland and boring. One way I like to mix them up is with puffed grains, they add some interesting texture and a unique lightness. Plus, I find that the addition avocado and other fruits highly increase my desire to eat a salad (along with increasing my intake of vitamins). Continue Reading →
Piña Colada Smoothie
Smoothies are great not just because they are fast and delicious, but also because they are easy to digest. Generally, most people do not chew their food enough so their digestive system has to work harder to break down the pieces of food, this takes away energy that could be devoted to something else. Because well blended food is easier to digest, it also means that the nutrients are easier for our bodies to absorb- making for a great après workout refuel. Continue Reading →
Shakshuka
This is a fresh but hearty warm and comforting dish hailing from North Africa, perfect for a chilly morning. Tomatoes form the base of this meal; though containing many vitamins and antioxidants, they are most highly regarded nutritionally for their lycopene. It is a powerful fat-soluble antioxidant best absorbed when cooked and combined with good quality fat like olive oil. Continue Reading →
Cacao Nutty Bear Droppings
These are rather unattractive… but that is advantageous because they probably will not disappear too quickly if you live with other people. Their look definitely does not betray how tasty they are. You can use basically any nuts, seeds or dried fruit, although this time I just used dates so that the cacao would have center stage. Continue Reading →
Coconut Lime Mini Flax Tarts
I like mini dessert items, mostly because they are more adorable, but also because just a few bites of something sweet and creamy is usually enough, and mini sizes offer built in portion control. Flax seeds are pretty amazing nutritionally because they have both soluble and insoluble fiber, omega-3 fatty acids and many antioxidants, but they must be ground up because our digestive systems cannot extract all these nutrients from whole flax seeds. Continue Reading →
Parfait with Orange Apricot Granola
Granola meets the Middle East through the main ingredients here with cinnamon (a natural food preserver and effective blood sugar stabilizer), tahini (a sesame paste with good levels of copper, manganese and the desirable fatty acid omega-3) and dried apricots (little powerhouses of iron, vitamins a and c and fiber). Parfaits are a really good way to use up little bits of whatever ingredients you have laying around to make a nice looking dish. Continue Reading →
Strawberry Pecan Salad
This is one of my most beloved summer meals. I recommend getting fresh greens, ideally from a local farm or market because the leaves are so tender and soft when they are just picked. The maple and balsamic in the dressing really accentuate the sweetness of the strawberries and the buttery pecans add a grounding earthy flavor. Continue Reading →
Garlicky Fried Rice
My favorite Chinese food take-out item has always been and probably always will be fried rice. It is so simple but so satisfying. You can basically add any meat or vegetables to it but I kept it basic this time. The number one trick in making this is to use rice that has been cooled completely and refrigerated, using freshly cooked rice changes the texture completely because it is lighter, stickier and fluffier. Continue Reading →
Cacao Mountain Granola Bars
Sometimes I just want to put chocolate on everything. These bars contain four different chocolatey elements, without imposters like white chocolate or diluted milk chocolate (no offense to them). There is raw cacao, roasted cacao, cacao nibs and raw carob. Dark chocolate has been making its way onto several healthy food lists because of the antioxidants and nutrients naturally present in cacao like magnesium, calcium, iron and zinc. Continue Reading →