This is a very clean, light and healthy dish with every ingredient being high in cleansing or nourishing ingredients. I really like to mix long noodles with thinly cut vegetables, the dish is still hearty but full of extra vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Generally we think of salad as being a good way to lighten up our diets, and while that is true we benefit from more grounding, warmer foods in the winter. Adding the vegetables to the noodles after they are cooked but still warm is one of my tricks for getting lightly cooked vegetables. If they are overcooked or boiled in water they start losing nutrients and if they are sautéed or roasted then extra butter or oil is needed. This does what steaming does (without having to get an extra pot out)- it ensures that the vegetables are maintaining their nutrients but the light cooking makes them easier to digest and more appealing and comforting in this frigid weather. Continue Reading →
Maple Walnut Crusted Salmon
Walnuts and salmon are both individually famous for their high levels of omega-3 fatty acids but go quite nicely together. There are three types of omega-3s, the first two known as DHA and EPA are both in salmon (and in other cold water fish) and the third type called ALA is in walnuts (and other plant sources like seeds). Some of the omega-3s’ most valuable contributions to our bodies are the anti-inflammatory, healing effect they have on our cells, their ability to lower blood lipid (fat) levels and their ability to increase HDL cholesterol, which is the good type that benefits us. Continue Reading →
Asian Chicken Stir Fry
Stir fry has no bounds. If you keep highly processed sauces with added sugars to a minimum or omit them completely, stir fry can be one of the healthiest and fastest dinners to throw together. This is a really basic chicken based dish with some Asian inspired flavors, though I didn’t use anything too intimidating for cooks new to asian cuisine like fish or oyster sauce. It could be served with some left-over cauliflower rice, cooked whole grains or long noodles like soba or rice noodles to make a more substantial meal. Continue Reading →
Lamb Popsicles
There is just something special about gnawing on a piece of meat still attached to the bone. Lamb popsicles are a rather sophisticated way to do so but they demand to be eaten by hand, so get your utensils out of here and get ready to get messy. Continue Reading →
Pesto Shrimp Frittata
Fresh herbs are an integral part of my kitchen arsenal. They add lots of flavor and like larger leafy greens such as lettuce and kale they are super foods full of vitamins and minerals. They can enhance any dish and rather than detracting from its healthiness they add to it. Moreover, they can make the ugliest dishes look presentable. Continue Reading →
Orange Pomegranate Salmon
Fats play an important role in our mental and physical health. Low fat packaged goods bombard us in every section of the grocery store but instead of choosing processed options, we are always much better off if we stick with whole foods in a state close to how they naturally came, fat and all. Fat is broken up into several categories and it can get quite confusing to remember which ones we should be eating and in which ratio, but a good rule of thumb is that if it is coming as a part of its original source, like in salmon, seeds and avocadoes, it is a better choice than a manipulated version like margarine. Continue Reading →
Yam Gnocchi
Traditional gnocchi is a brilliant Italian invention that is basically baby dumplings made with potatoes and flour and while it is amazing in that form, I wanted to mix it up a little. I replaced the potatoes with yams and made three separate batches with three separate gluten-free flours (I do not recommend trying this unless you are prepared to get flour all over your kitchen and your person). Continue Reading →
Jack-O’-Lanterns
Stuffed peppers are an easy way to use up leftovers and add in an extra vegetable. Any kind of rice dish or chili can be nice for the filling. This time I used ground turkey and snuck in even more vegetables to make this a light but filling dish. Since Halloween is nearly upon us I used orange peppers and cut them into mini jack-o’-lanterns. Some of the best tricks for making kids eat more vegetables are to hide them and make them fun or playful. Continue Reading →
Colorful Breakfast Frittata
Frittatas are a great way to use up any odd bits of vegetables and meats or cheeses laying around. They are also really cost effective, ridiculously easy to make and lighter and healthier than most other brunch dishes, without sacrificing taste or fillingness (I wasn’t sure if that’s a proper word but it’s in some online dictionaries so it’s definitely legit). Frittatas are like quiche without the crust or really thick omelets that don’t need to be flipped. Continue Reading →
Turkey Cranberry Wild Rice
Pumpkin is arguably the number one food we associate with fall cuisine but there are so many other great ingredients at their peak this time of year. Wild rice is actually not rice, it’s a semi-aquatic grass that grows in water. It has a dense, chewy texture and a nutty, almost smoky flavor. I find it interesting to discover what foods were harvested seasonally and prepared back before globalization and modern growing technologies made nearly everything possible. Wild rice grew naturally in North America long before explorers made their way across the oceans and it was a revered food item among many Native tribes, there were occasionally even battles fought over the land where it flourished. Continue Reading →