Coconut oil has a mild coconut flavor and it is one of the few plant oils to contain enough saturated fat to stay stable at high heats, making it ideal for stir frys. Tamari is a Japanese soy sauce with a richer but less salty flavor than regular soy sauce and it is generally made without wheat. Freshly squeezed lime juice is a great source of vitamin C and it really brightens up the flavors of a dish when squeezed on at the end. To get the most juice out leave the limes at room temperature then roll them firmly between your palm and the counter a few times before slicing and squeezing. Add these three ingredients together and you get a light sauce with some sweetness, some saltiness, a slight acidity and a fresh tropical flavor. Continue Reading →
Coconut Lime Chia Pudding
Chia seeds are small and nearly flavorless but add them to liquid and they plump up, forming a gel, and take on the flavors of whatever other ingredients are added in. They are very filling and are one of the best plant based sources of essential omega-3 fatty acids, along with all the essential amino acids (making them a “complete” protein), fiber, antioxidants, calcium and iron. They were originally cultivated as a staple crop of the Mayans, the word “chia” means “strength” in their language. Continue Reading →
Pecan Date Bites
These are so easy they do not require a recipe at all but I wanted to share them because they are a really great pre- or post-workout snack or sweet craving buster. Simply cut open a date, take out the pit and insert a pecan. They taste kind of like pecan pie and since both ingredients store well, an airtight container of these can be kept in your gym bag, desk, pantry or car for quick snacks and emergency hunger pangs. Continue Reading →
Apple Dijon Roasted Beet Salad
Beets are beautiful in a salad with their dark red color (or pink or gold- depending on the variety) and they add a unique earthy flavor, density and sweetness. Back in ancient times they were prized for their health properties and were thought to help with fevers and skin and digestive ailments. We now know them to be potent sources of antioxidants and very high in fiber and several vitamins and minerals. Technically they do help out with blood and liver “purification” because they have some nutrients that help the liver efficiently perform a crucial stage of detoxification (a task it is continually fulfilling). Since different cultures have been eating beets for many centuries there is lots of interesting folklore that has erupted around them pertaining to blood, love and the heart. Continue Reading →
Chocolate Banana Oat Muffins
I’ve been experimenting a lot in the past few months with different gluten-free baking techniques. Coconut flour and gluten-free blends are some widely used options but I have found that the end product when using large quantities is usually really crumbly or slightly rubbery. Combining rolled oats and nut flour however, produces muffins and loaves that are dense, cohesive and moist. Continue Reading →
Roasted Balsamic Orange Carrots
Carrots are a special vegetable in that most people like them, even those who don’t voluntarily eat or enjoy other vegetables. They have a natural sweetness and nice crunchy texture when raw, but roast them and the sugars caramelize and the taste gets richer and deeper, taking on a whole new level of deliciousness. Continue Reading →
Rosemary Salt Roasted Chickpeas
Flavored salts and herb blends are a great option if you do not have much of a spice arsenal. They enhance anything from meat and fish to soups to roasted vegetables, and in this case roasted chickpeas. Here I used my current favorite, a garlic rosemary sea salt that my brother’s girlfriend gifted me for Christmas, and an option that combines three flavors in one. Truffle flavored salt is a top choice if you want to go for the fancy factor and spice blends like Italian seasoning or Old Bay have subtle herby flavors or there are some more exotic options like Indian garam masala and Middle Eastern za’atar. Continue Reading →
Scallop Vermicelli Stir Fry
This stir fry utilizes ingredients that all cook really quickly- thinly cut vegetables, rice vermicelli noodles and scallops with a pre-made vinaigrette. The most time consuming step here is cutting the vegetables but that can be done the night before or morning of to save time. Continue Reading →
Tropical Granola Parfait
Layering a thick smoothie with granola and yogurt is the ultimate in healthy brunch decadence and it’s good enough to eat for dessert. You can use any smoothie and granola you like, here I kept the flavors tropical for a bit of a pick me up from the dreary winter weather. Smoothies are a really great item to incorporate into a healthy diet because they are flexible to your individual preferences and since the food is completely blended they are less work for your digestive system to break down. Continue Reading →
Portobello Egg Cups
Portobello mushrooms are a versatile vegetable (technically they are actually a fungi) with a meaty texture and their large round shape makes them an ideal container for stuffing with other ingredients. They are a good source of many different antioxidants, vitamins and minerals, but what’s even more interesting is the potential of their phytonutrients to enhance immunity. Continue Reading →