-- Simple Smart Nutrition

Zoodle Artichoke Spaghetti

Zoodles are the new noodles! Full of nutrition, and LOW CARB! No more fattening, gluten-y pasta. Zoodles are the fat burning version of yumminess. I just got a Veggie/Noodle maker so I thought I’d give it a try. You can buy these gizmos at Target or any local kitchen gadget store. Or online…they aren’t expensive! Or, you can often buy Zoodles at some stores already zoodled! If not, just make some thin sliced zucchini and/or summer (yellow) squash.

Ingredients
Garlic-I used a lot!
Red onion, sliced or chopped
Olive oil
Canned artichokes
Organic red pasta sauce (check for a low sugar or no sugar variety)
Ground beef

Directions
Saute in onions and garlic in pan, set aside. Cook beef in another pan, add artichokes and red sauce and heat on low. Add ZOODLES or zucchini to onions and garlic and saute over high heat stirring the whole time for about 3-5 minutes. Dont over cook. When tender but still firm, remove from heat.
Add salt and ground pepper.
Drain excess water from zoodles, and pile zoodles on plate. Add generous scoop of red meat sauce and enjoy!!

Can be made without meat if desired.

Damn Big Salad!

My local healthy grocery store has an amazing little salad bar with organic veggies. I go there almost daily, I mean DAILY for a salad. I try to vary it some, but usually just end up getting a bit of everything–as far as veggies go. I mean, even if you are eating a low carb diet (which I am), veggies are basically free–in terms of carbs and calories (does anyone count those anymore?). AND they are FULL of all kinds of amazing, awesome nutrition, antioxidants, and massive phytochemicals that fight cancer, disease, keep you young and trim your waistline. Go for it!

If you can find a great salad bar near you–and avoid all the gloppy, fattening, sweet, processed foods, load up. I usually get a pile of greens, red onions, red cabbage, carrots, tomatoes, arugula, mushrooms, artichokes, and a little bit of beans or garbanzos. Drizzle with EVOO and a snizzle of apple cider vinegar. Dig in! Sometimes I add a few chunks of roasted chicken or hard boiled egg too.

Dandelion Green Omelet and Sweet Potatoes

Ever eat Dandelion greens? They are delicious–with a spicy bite a little like arugula, and full of massive amounts of nutrients. Try them this way–in an omelet. Add in a little bit of (raw) goat cheese at the end and enjoy!!

Saute greens in butter until tender, add beaten eggs, cook until almost done, fold in goat cheese and serve with browned sweet potatoes. Your day will start out RIGHT with this breakfast! (toast optional)

Light Lunch Salad with Mixed Nuts

For a light lunch, try this:

Micro greens, pecans, walnuts, almonds, etc and citrus dressing.

(Photo and recipe by Greg Kiger, What to Eat)

Salad Ingredients
Organic baby arugula, baby kale, micro greens or variety of sprouts, chopped red cabbage, etc.
Tomatoes
Any other greens or vegetables that are in season, especially locally grown
Pecans, almonds, walnuts

Citrus Dressing
Equal parts lemon and fresh squeezed orange juice
1 Tbsp olive oil
Sea salt and fresh pepper
Mix with fork or whisk and drizzle over salad

Dump a very generous amount of greens on your plate. Add leftover chicken, fish or beef–or a bit of canned tuna if you wish for added protein.

Seared Tuna with Micro Greens and Spinach With Balsamic Dressing

A simple lunch using whatever greens you have on hand–micro greens are delicious and bursting with nutrition. Can often be found at your farmer’s market or health food store. If you cannot find them, pick up some sprouted seeds–radish, sunflower, etc.

Add in some leftover seared tuna and viola! A lunch better than what you would find in a restaurant!

Detox, Skinnifying Green Smoothie

This smoothie is a great start to a quick 2-3 day detox if you want to get back on track with your diet. It is delicious, satisfying, refreshing, and–it has some great fat-burning, detoxifying, diuretic ingredients. Try it–You’ll feed skinnier in just a couple of days!

Ingredients
1 large bunch of fresh parsley
1 large thumb fresh ginger, chopped up in smaller pieces
1/2 medium organic cucumber, chopped in chunks
handful of baby kale (or spinach, etc)1 tsp or small root of turmeric
1/2 sweet/tart apple, chopped in chunks
2 cups liquid–coconut water, kombucha, or spring or sparkling water
cinnamon if desired

Directions
Blend in blender until smooth. Be sure ginger is well blended. Drink up!

Try this for breakfast and lunch for two days and eat a normal low carb meal of protein and veggies. Amazing!!

Quinoa Tabouli Salad

this Middle Eastern salad normally uses cracked wheat, but quinoa is a much better, gluten free substitute. Quinoa is not really a grain, but a seed, and it is packed with antioxidants, nutrients and ALL the essential amino acids. Quinoa is high in protein, making it a good substitute for meat–it is also high in lysine, important for tissue growth and repair.

Quinoa also contains magnesium, manganese, copper, iron and phosphorus, along with antioxidants, B vitamins, and fiber–especially helpful to those who suffer from migraines, high blood pressure, diabetes and heart disease. Quinoa also contains lots of riboflavin, a B vitamin needed for energy production.

This salad is great chilled, or served at room temperature. For added flavor and protein, add some raw or natural feta cheese on top.

Ingredients
2 cups cooked and drained quinoa (try red, black or a combination of colored quinoa)
1 cucumber, chopped
2 medium tomatoes, chopped, or 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1 bunch green onions
1/2 cup fresh mint
2 cups fresh chopped parsley
2-4 cloves garlic, smashed and minced
1/4 to 1/3 cup feta cheese (optional)
cup up chicken for extra protein (optional)
almonds (optional)

Dressing
1/2 cup fresh lemon or lime juice
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
sea salt and fresh ground pepper

Directions
Cut up veggies for salad and toss with quinoa and dressing. If you have time, this tastes better after 2-4 hours when vegetables and quinoa soak up dressing better. Serves 4.

Pumpkin Power Smoothie

A great breakfast when you want something light, fast and filling!

Ingredients
1/2 cup (approximate) Organic pumpkin
1 small or 1/2 regular/large apple
Protein powder (I used RAW protein powder)
shot of vanilla
1-2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp turmeric
Handful of greens
Flax milk, coconut milk, almond milk, etc.
Add a Tbsp of coconut oil

Directions
Mix in blender until smooth. Add a few ice cubes if you like it cold.

Sockeye Salmon Salad

Did you know all sockeye is wild caught? This is a big plus, so you know you are getting the best fatty oils and healthiest type of fish you can eat. Try this delicious salad!

Sockeye Salmon Salad
Most any type of wild caught salmon works in this salad, but sockeye salmon is definitely my favorite. You can find it canned and it’s delicious. Keep some on hand. Salmon contains a large amount of antioxidants, and the darker pink the flesh, the more antioxidants–as long as it is wild caught.

Salad with salmon, caviar and arugula on a white background

The pigment that helps to make salmon’s flesh pink is astaxanthin. Astaxanthin lowers C-reactive protein (CRP), which measures inflammation in the body and the blood vessels.

Astaxanthin may just be the best antioxidant for DNA protection. It’s 6,000 times more effective than vitamin C, 800 times more effective than CoQ10 and 550 times more effective than vitamin E or green tea.

The effect astaxanthin has on DNA is rather amazing. DNA is damaged by free radicals when you’re exposed to things like pollution, smoke, radiation and processed food. In one study, DNA damage dropped by 43% after subjects took astaxanthin supplements.

Wild caught salmon is especially rich in omega 3’s and the health benefits from this mega nutrient are endless! Salmon is also a great source of easily digestible protein, niacin, B6, B12, selenium, phosphorus and magnesium.

Eating salmon even twice a week may help raise omega 3 levels as effectively as taking daily fish oil supplements. And those healthy fats in salmon help burn body fat, contribute to a healthy heart, protect against strokes, reduce inflammation in the body, fight cancer, improve asthma, protect your eyesight, and more.

Eating a diet high in astaxanthin and omega 3 fats protects skin against sunburn and wrinkles. The omega 3’s in salmon lift your mood and fight depression, improve memory and learning ability, and help with disorders like ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder). Healthy fats in salmon and other wild caught cold water fish also help prevent dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.

Ingredients
2 cans (6.5 oz each) canned sockeye salmon, drained and chunked
3 Tbsp organic mayo (see recipe below to make your own)
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1 Tbsp capers, drained
1/3 cup finely chopped fennel root
1/3 cup finely diced red onion
Pinch of organic black pepper
1 Tbsp chopped fresh dill or 1/2 – 1 teaspoon dried organic dill weed 4-6 large leaves green or red leaf lettuce

Directions

Drain salmon and discard skin and any bones (if desired). In a medium bowl, combine ingredients. Add salmon and stir gently to combine.

Lay out lettuce leaves and place a scoop of salmon salad on each leaf. Serves 2-4.

Thai Orange Seafood Soup

Thai Orange Seafood Soup

This beautiful and exquisitely delicious Thai soup makes a gracious addition to any table. Serve it as a special appetizer for a dinner party or just make it for the main course. In Thai, it’s known as “Geng Som Pla” – which actually means “Orange Fish Curry” – an ancient recipe from the Central Plains region of Thailand.

It is a hot and spicy soup with both sour and sweet overtones that make for a lively combination, especially when paired with your choice of fish and/or seafood. Use plenty of fresh local vegetables to make this a wonderfully healthy Thai soup.

I served this soup on a cold and blustery day to a friend of mine who was coming down with a cold. It hit the spot and was declared, “the best soup ever”! It’s also actually very good on a hot day! In Thailand, it’s very hot and they eat hot and spicy soups all the time to stay cool.

You can vary the vegetables in the soup, as long as the seasonings stay intact. It can also be served with brown rice or quinoa on the side.

Ingredients

6 cups organic, free-range chicken stock

2-3 medium fillets of wild caught cod, cut into chunks

10 medium shrimp OR other shellfish

Juice of 2 oranges, OR about 1 cup prepared orange juice

2 tsp. tamarind paste (available at Asian/Indian food stores) OR 2 Tbsp. lime juice

1 Tbsp palm sugar

3 Tbsp fish sauce

2 cups baby bok choy, chopped

Handful of cherry tomatoes

Handful green beans, cut into 2 inch lengths

1 small zucchini, cut into quarters and sliced

4-6 green onions sliced

PASTE

Blend in food processor, OR mince by hand—

1 shallot OR 1/4 cup purple onion

1/2-1 fresh red chili OR chili flakes to taste

1 thumb-size piece ginger

3-4 cloves garlic

1/4 tsp ground white pepper

1 extra tsp. fish sauce

1 Tbsp fish sauce

Generous handful fresh coriander (+ extra for later)

Directions

Make the soup paste, either by mincing and mixing paste ingredients together by hand, OR by placing paste ingredients in food processor and processing well.

Warm a medium-size soup pot over high heat. Add a little butter in the bottom then add the paste you just made. Stir-fry 1-2 minutes to release the fragrance, then add stock, orange juice, tamarind or lime, and sugar. When soup comes to a boil, reduce heat to medium.

Add the firmer of the vegetables–the beans and white parts of the bok choy. Simmer 4-5 minutes, or until beans have softened.

Add remaining vegetables, plus fish and shrimp. Simmer 2-3 minutes, until fish has turned firm and opaque-white and shrimp are pink and plump. Finally, add the fish sauce.

Don’t over-stir at this point, as this will cause fish pieces to break up.

Spicy Black Bean Veggie Salad

Black Bean Salad

Black beans are rich in healthy fiber, which makes them a satisfying low glycemic snack, and they are full of a very potent antioxidant, anthocyanin—the same kind of antioxidants that grapes and blueberries are rich in! Of any bean, black beans contain by far the most antioxidants of any bean.

Beans also help stabilize blood sugar, and help prevent cancer, increase energy and fat burning metabolism, and are full of protein, vitamins and minerals.

You can purchase black beans already cooked in a can or boil your own from dry beans. Similar recipes often contain corn as an ingredient as well, but I don’t recommend using corn as it is high glycemic, fattening and genetically modified.

Try adding some chopped jicama for an extra sweet crunchy taste! This hearty salad is also a great side dish to grass fed beef dishes like burgers, steaks and more. Or try seasoning a chicken breast with a little cumin and chili powder and serve on top of this. It’s also great alongside your eggs in the morning!

Since beans are a low glycemic carbohydrate, limit your serving size, and avoid eating it with chips, crackers, etc.

Ingredients
2 15oz/425 gm cans of black beans, drained and rinsed, or 3-4 cups cooked beans

1 ripe tomato, diced

1 red onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

Generous handful of fresh cilantro, chopped

1 small red, green or yellow bell pepper, chopped

1 small jalapeño, minced, ribs and seeds removed or hot pepper flakes

Juice of 1 lemon or lime

Sea salt and pepper to taste

A pinch of cumin powder

Directions

Combine all ingredients in glass bowl, mix and enjoy! Serves 4.

Curried Sweet Potato Soup

A rich and satisfying soup with the exotic taste of the East to fill you up!

Sweet potatoes are not just another starch root vegetable. They contain numerous, significant, and surprising health benefits, including antioxidants, anti-inflammatory compounds, and blood sugar-regulating substances. Their bright orange flesh is one of the best sources of beta carotene, the pre-cursor to vitamin A. Sweet potatoes contain 1000-6000 micrograms of vitamin A in every 3 oz serving. But be sure to include some healthy fat like grass fed butter with those, because your body can’t absorb or convert that beta carotene into vitamin A without some fat!

Sweet potatoes’ phytonutrients lower your health risk from free radicals and heavy metals. These phytonutrients also help with digestive tract problems including IBS and ulcerative colitis.

And be sure to be generous with those super powerful spices–curry powder, coriander, cardamom, and turmeric which have massive benefits from anti-aging, brain health, cancer protection to arthritis.

Ingredients
3-4 sweet potatoes, cubed
1 medium sweet onion, diced2 celery stalks, diced
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4″ fresh ginger, peeled and minced
1/2 tsp curry powder with turmeric
1/2 tsp coriander
1/4 tsp turmeric
1 tsp sea salt
pinch of cayenne pepper
5 cups vegetable or chicken stock or bone broth
1 cup coconut milk
1 Tbsp butter
1/2 cup roasted pumpkin seeds

Directions
Heat butter in larg pot and saute onions and celery until onions are translucent. Add minced garlic and saute briefly Add remining ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes until tender. Let cool, and process in food processor or blender in batches until smooth. Sprinkle with roasted pumpkin seeds and serve with a large salad. Serves 4.

Fresh Veggies with Garbanzos, Garlic and Olive Oil

This lunch is easy and quick and a picture is worth a thousand words. I made this the other day and it was delightful–especially since veggies are out, local, fresh and bursting with flavor!

Saute up a few chopped cloves of garlic in some butter. Add your choice of veggies and steam veggies until tender crisp. Top with a generous squeeze of fresh lemon, extra virgin olive oil, sea salt, and pepper and dig in!

Spicy Black Bean Veggie Bowl

Want something a little lighter? Meatless meals are great for you and great for the planet. Try this filling, fiber rich, brimming with antioxidants veggie bowl.

Ingredients
1 can of black beans
1/2 lb of green beans
2-3 carrots
2-4 garlic cloves
yellow squash or zucchini
1 red onion
fresh tomato
chili powder
cumin
salsa, hot sauce or sriracha
butter

Directions
In a frying pan with butter, add 1/2 onion and garlic, chili powder and cumin and stir and cook till tender. In a sauce pan, add to beans along with hot sauce and simmer over low heat. Wash veggies, chop carrots and squash and add remaining onion to large pan with a tbsp of butter, salt and pepper. Add about 1/4 cup water and lid, simmer over medium heat until tender–dont overcook! (ten minutes approx)

Spoon up beans in bowls and add veggies, chopped tomato, and a touch of hot sauce if desired. Enjoy! Makes 2-4 servings.

Paleo Pumpkin Pancakes with Peaches

Pumpkin is great any time of the year–dont just wait until Thanksgiving. These delicious pancakes are made with pure buckwheat flour, ground flax and vitamin A rich organic pumpkin. Buckwheat is not made from a grain, it is from a seed, so it is low glycemic and anti-inflammatory. Plus–in Colorado, we have these amazing peaches grown in Palisade, Colorado and they are the sweetest, freshest, juiciest peaches I’ve ever had!

Ingredients (all measurements approximate)
1 can organic pumpkin puree
1/2 cup pure buckwheat flour (not buckwheat pancake ‘mix’, this has wheat flour in it.
1/2 cup ground flax seed
4 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp of baking soda or baking powder
pinch of sea salt
pinch of nutmeg and cinnamon
water or almond/flax/coconut milk to thin batter if needed

Directions
In a big bowl, add dry ingredients and mix. Add eggs, vanilla, and liquid to thin to a medium batter. Heat up large flat pan and add tbsp or so of butter. Drop batter in pan to make small pancakes. Flip when pancakes have dry bubbles around edges. Garnish with fresh peaches or berries, grass fed butter and a drizzle of real maple syrup. Enjoy!

Southwest Veggie Scramble

Delicious, easy to throw together, superhealthy breakfast!

This one doesn’t really take any specific ingredients, just pull out a few veggies you have in the fridge and get scrambling!

Ingredients
handful of kaleasparagus
mushrooms
onion
red pepper
tomato
Sriracha sauce or salsa
sprinkle of cumin
2-4 eggs, whipped with fork
Sliced avocado
Cheese if desired

Directions
Chop up veggies and add to large pan (except tomatoes) with 1 Tbsp butter. Over medium high heat, stir and cook till tender. Add eggs, tomatoes and cumin, cook till done. Garnish with sliced avocado, salsa or sriracha. Enjoy!

Grilled Veggies and Chicken Bratwurst

Want and quick and supereasy dinner idea? Try grilling up some veggies with chicken bratwurst. Super fast, super easy!

Ingredients
Chicken bratwurst, sliced down the middle
Zucchini
Yellow Squash
Sweet Onion
Tomoto
Fresh herbs, salt and pepper
Olive Oil

Directions
Cut up veggies and sausage, drizzle with olive oil, herbs, salt and pepper. Sprinkle with a little hot sauce if desired. Heat grill to medium high heat. Grill, turning frequently, till veggies are tender and sausage is cooked through. Serve with quinoa, sweet potato or alone.

Fresh Cucumber and Tomato Salad

Cucumbers are not the sexy new superfood but they are pretty awesome in their own right! They are a great source of conventional nutrition like vitamin C and vitamin A, and they contain a great source of manganese and antioxidants, including a substance called cucurbitacins. Cucurbitacins actually block cancer cell development and along with the lycopene in the tomatoes, this is a power-packed salad. Add some tuna to it for a complete meal!

Ingredients
3 fresh tomatoes, chopped
3-4 small cucumbers, sliced
1 sweet onion, sliced
Fresh oregano, thyme, or basil chopped
1 tsp raw sugar
2-3 Tbsp virgin olive oil
Lemon juice or 1 Tbsp apple cider or balsamic vinegar
sea salt and pepper
Can of Albacore tuna, optional

Directions
Chop up veggies and mix with dressing. Tastes better if prepared ahead of time and allowed to soak up flavors.

Coconut Flour Pancakes

These are delicious served with fresh fruit or used as a grain-free ‘muffin’ to hold your eggs. My favorite way is to use these and make a healthier version of an Egg McMuffin. Simply make the pancakes and freeze or refrigerate, heat in toaster or pan and add a piece of natural ham or canadian bacon, an egg and some greens. Breakfast on the go!

Ingredients
•   1/4 cup coconut flour
•   1/8 tsp baking soda
•   Pinch of salt
•   1/3 – 1/4 cup coconut milk
•   2 tbsp organic, cold-pressed coconut oil
•   3 eggs
•   1-2 tbsp honey
•   1/2 tsp vanilla extract
•   Maple syrup to taste
•   Grass-fed butter for cooking (Kerrygold and Anchor are my favorite brands)

Directions
Thoroughly mix the eggs,coconut and honey together. Add coconut milk and vanilla extract. Add coconut flour, baking soda, and salt. Mix, but not too much! Melt a dab of butter in your skillet and then using a measuring cup, add a little batter to the pan. I recommend figuring out how many pancakes you’d like to make beforehand so that you can use an appropriately sized cup or ladle. This recipe should yield around 8 or so pancakes.

*The lecithin contained in the egg yolks gives you the texture of the pancakes, so if you’re not happy with the overall consistency then I would recommend adjusting the egg quantity before anything else.

Cleansing Artichoke Soup

I absolute LOVE this soup! It’s perfect for spring and full of great greens as well as the cleansing quality of artichokes. It’s not that complicated and easy to vary depending on your ingredients on hand. The key of course is the artichokes, leeks and potatoes.

Artichokes are members of the thistle family and we are eating the flower. They are very high in fiber, potassium, magnesium, calcium, iron, phosphorus, and chromium and manganese. Artichokes contain cynarin and silymarin, which are excellent for the liver, kidneys, and stimulating bile secretion. Cynarin was actually used as a cholesterol lowering drug at one time and it can decrease cholesterol dramitically. And because artichokes are good for detoxing the liver they are great for hangovers!

Different greens work in this soup: sorrel, chard, spinach, beet greens, butter lettuce, etc.

Ingredients
2 medium to large artichokes
1 cup water with lemon juice added
1 Tbsp olive oil
2 leeks, sliced, white part only
4 garlic cloves
2 small red potatoes, quartered
Several leaves of greens
1 Tbsp chopped parsley
sea salt
5-6 cups water
1 cup frozen baby peas

Garnishes
Extra virgin olive oil
Parmigiana Cheese
Fresh ground pepper

Directions
Break off all outer leaves at the stem. Slice off the top of the remaining leaves about 2/3 of the way down. Cut the artichokes in quarters and remove the fuzzy centers with a spoon, leaving the hearts intact. Drop them into the lemon water as you work, so they do not turn dark.

Warm the olive oil in another large pan, and add leeks, artichokes, garlic, potatoes, greens and salt. Add 1/2 cup water and stew for a few minutes. Add peas and rest of ingredients and simmer partially covered for 20 minutes till artichokes are tender. Cool and blend in blender in batches. Garnish with olive oil and cheese and pepper.

Garden Fresh Gazpacho

Gazpacho is the perfect soup of summer. Refreshingly cool on a hot summer day, this classic Spanish soup combines the best of summers most nutrient rich vegetables. This soup is always best when you can use locally grown and picked at their peak vegetables. Not only will they be bursting with nutrients, but also bursting with flavor. You just can’t do justice to this soup with store bought veggies picked way before they are naturally ripe! And did you know, organic tomatoes contain three time the cancer fighting lycopene that conventional tomatoes contain? And lycopene is one of those foods that is absorbed better when eaten with a fat, so add some yummy avocado to your gazpacho to top it off!

Ingredients
4-6 ripe tomatoes, quartered
1 red onion, quartered
1 cucumber, peeled, seeded and chopped in large pieces
2-3 stalks celery, chopped in large pieces
2 carrots, chopped roughly
1 sweet red bell pepper, quartered
2-4 cloves of garlic minced
2 Tbsp fresh parsley
1 tsp cumin
Pinch of red pepper flakes
1/4 cup olive oil
Juice of 1 lemon
1 tsp raw sugar or honey
sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1 tsp worcestershire sauce
2-4 cups V-8, tomato juice or the healthy organic equivelent
Handful cilantro
Avocado sliced
1 cup medium shrimp, cooked (optional)

Directions
Combine all ingredients, with only about half the tomato juice in blender, and blend at low speed, leaving soup chunky. Add all ingredients, and mix. Refrigerate or serve with cilantro and sliced avocado. Makes great leftovers too!