This salad is all about magnesium, a highly undervalued and under-consumed mineral. Not only is it nature’s anti-stress nutrient (for its ability to calm us and promote restful sleep) but any deficiencies can be the secret culprit behind fatigue and PMS. Those chocolate cravings can really just be the body’s cry for more magnesium. Since magnesium plays an important role in the body’s energy production and helps to speed up many chemical reactions, our energy levels can start to dimish when we are not consuming enough. Continue Reading →
Balsamic Salmon Quinoa Lettuce Cups
When you just do not feel like a salad lettuce cups are a good way to sneak in some leafy greens. With a warm, cooked filling like this they can be very substantial and grounding. Any larger greens like romaine lettuce, kale or collard greens make great bases but I prefer iceberg lettuce, it does not have as many nutrients but the leaves are a good size, very pliable and barely have any taste so the filling shines through. Even though it has less than the darker greens, iceberg still does offer a decent amount of nutrients including fiber, vitamins A and K, folate and potassium. Continue Reading →
Coconut Lime Tamari Stir Fry
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 →
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 →
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 →
Banana Sushi
These are nothing like regular sushi, no seaweed or raw fish for this recipe. All that is needed is a banana, some nut butter and a whole grain tortilla, additionally you can add in some small seeds and spices for extra healthy fats, protein and flavoring. The nut butter makes the tortilla stick together as you wrap it around the banana and then cut it into the separate pieces. Continue Reading →
Chunky Minestrone Soup
Minestrone is a really easy, healthy and low cost soup. It is basically a tomatoey broth filled with an assortment of vegetables, pasta and beans. Normally the tomato flavor comes from a can of crushed tomatoes but I have a secret trick- use marinara sauce instead for a more rich texture and depth of flavor. Continue Reading →
Almond Avocado Spring Rolls
This is serious health food. It is loaded with fresh, raw vegetables potent with nutrients and made palatable through the magic of two sauces laden with healthy fats. If you are looking to get your body back into top shape after holiday feasting, make more room on your plate for raw vegetables. They are an integral part of the diet because of their vitamins, minerals and antioxidants which all support functions throughout the body. Beyond this, they can also enhance digestion because contain something called enzymes. Continue Reading →
Cheesy Butternut Ham Pasta
On a cold winter’s day, a bowl of creamy pasta can warm you up down to the core. Yet, there are healthier ways to achieve this beyond using heavy cream. Butternut squash, cooked in broth then puréed and added to brown rice pasta with some cheese and ham tastes decadent and rich, with a heavy dose of fiber, antioxidants and vitamins A and C (minus the large amount of saturated fat that comes with cream). Continue Reading →