-- Simple Smart Nutrition

Pumpkin Protein Breakfast Bowl

It’s Thanksgiving, and all the tempting treats are making their appearance. Don’t let that healthy resolve disintegrate into a pile of extra pounds. Here’s a healthy, delicious way to partake…

I love pumpkin–any time of the year! And it can be used in so many dishes and drinks. You can enjoy its rich yummy goodness in a myriad of ways.

If you like pumpkin pie, you’ll love this nutrient-dense, antioxidant-rich, protein-packed smoothie!

Pumpkins are a rich source of beta carotene and vitamin A, vitamin C, magnesium, potassium, zinc, and fiber which benefit your eyes, skin, immune system, bones, digestion, and heart health. It is also rich in anti-inflammatory compounds, and contains l-trytophan, which helps you sleep and feel calmer.

The fiber in pumpkin fills you up without adding tons of calories (unless you’re eating pumpkin pie!)

And I added ginger, which is a monstrously powerful anti-inflammatory, so if you have achey joints or stiff sore muscles, this is a great addition to your smoothie.

Enjoy this rich creamy, satisfying smoothie!

Pumpkin Bowl or Smoothie

1/2 small can organic pumpkin

1-2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

1 cup coconut milk (you can use the kind that comes in a can, or the milk that comes in a carton)

1 teaspoon real vanilla

1 banana

2 scoops of grass fed/cold processed vanilla whey (I use this kind)

several chunks of uncrystalized ginger (this kind from Trader Joe’s is great-not a lot of sugar)

a few ice cubes

Blend until smooth and enjoy this in a bowl with nuts, cinnamon and a drizzle of maple syrup or add more milk till it becomes a creamy smooth smoothie that tastes like pumpkin pie. I love these things!!

Enjoy!

Till next time,

Stay healthy and lean!

Author 101 Anti-Aging Superfoods and the Anti-Aging Superfoods Recipe book

Catherine (Cat) Ebeling RN BSN,is a back to basics diet and nutrition specialist. In addition to her advanced degree in nursing from a major medical school, she has spent the last 30 years intensely studying diet, health and nutrition. She also has a book titled “The Fat Burning Kitchen, Your 24 Hour Diet Transformation” that has sold over 60,000 copies worldwide, and has helped thousands of people transform their lives, lose weight and improve their health.

Her mission is to help others prevent disease, lose weight, and live their best life ever.

Nutrition made Easy. Simple.Smart.Nutrition.

Dairy Free Pralines n’ Cream Ice Cream

This recipe contains rich and creamy coconut milk instead of cream from a cow. Coconut contains that good for you type of fat made up of medium chain tricglycerides which is utilized for energy. In other words, “healthy fats”. Coconut milk also contains an ingredient called lauric acid which strengthens your immune system, and fights off harmful pathogens like viruses, bacteria, and fungi. And these fats are great for your skin and hair as well.

Praline Ingredients
1 cup chopped pecans
5 Tbsp maple syrup or honey
dash nutmeg
dash sea salt1 tsp cinnamon

Directions
Mix all ingredients and spread in thin layer on baking sheet and bake at 300 degrees or about 20 minutes or until crispy.

Ice Cream Ingredients
1 cup coconut milk (full fat)
1 cup raw dairy milk or almond, flax or coconut milk
1/2 to 3/4 cup young coconut milk (optional)
1 Tbsp coconut oil
1/4 cup raw honey maple syrup
1/2 pure vanilla extract

Directions
Puree ice cream ingredients in blender or food processor until smooth and freeze 4 hours or more. Remove from freezer and puree again and fold in praline pieces. You can also use a regular ice-cream maker to freeze and thicken this dessert.

Blackberry Tart with Paleo Crust

This fabulous fruit tart is bursting with some potent antioxidants, vitamins, minerals and fiber! Eating a variety of fresh berries is one of the best ways to fight aging.

The high-powered antioxidants in the berries protect and smooth your skin and help prevent wrinkles, strengthen your immune system, and fight off cancer and heart disease. Antioxidants also speed up your metabolism, giving you more energy, and helping you burn fat as well!

Berries are a luscious, juicy, sweet treat that fill you up with their healthy fiber and help keep your blood sugar stable as well, meaning you stay in the fat burning zone, as well.

The crunch, nutty crust is low glycemic and grain free. Nuts are a far better choice than a regular pastry crust of starchy refined flours. And what’s more, nuts are of full of healthy monounsaturated fats such as oleic and palmitoleic acids, which help to lower LDL or “bad cholesterol” and increase HDL or “good cholesterol”.

Nuts are also a rich source of B vitamins, vitamin E, and minerals including: manganese, potassium, calcium, iron, magnesium, zinc, fluoride and selenium.

Ingredients for Crust
1 3⁄4 cups raw almonds, walnuts or pecans 1 Tbsp coconut oil or grass fed butter
5 fresh dates, pitted
Pinch of nutmeg
2 tsp of cinnamon
Pinch of sea salt
1-2 Tbsp raw honey (just enough so that dough will stick together)

Directions for Crust
Finely chop the nuts in a food processor. Add the oil, dates, and spices. Blend together until fine and crumbly. Transfer mixture to a mixing bowl, add honey, and mix to form a dough ball. Add more honey, if needed, so that mixture sticks together.

Grease a 9” pie pan with coconut oil or grass fed butter, and spread the dough into the bottom of the pan. Bake at 350 degrees F for about 10-12 minutes, until the edges are just beginning to brown.

Ingredients for Filling
4-5 cups (around 1 quart) fresh or frozen organic blackberries, cherries, blueberries, strawberries, or raspberries (any combination is great)
3 Tbsp raw honey
1 1⁄2 Tbsp arrowroot

2 Tbsp water, or juice if using frozen berries

Directions for Filling
If you are using frozen berries make sure they are completely thawed, so they do not get too juicy and dilute the filling.

Add 2 cups of the berries along with the arrowroot in a blender. Add 2 Tbsp water or berry juice. Blend into a puree. Cook puree in small saucepan with honey over medium heat, stirring constantly for about 3-4 minutes. It will become clear as it thickens.

Remove from heat and cool slightly. Add remainder of berries and fill shell. Refrigerate, covered at least 3 hours. Make sure it is covered so it doesn’t pick up moisture from the refrigerator.

For an extra special treat, top with REAL whipped cream.

REAL Whipped Cream Topping
Whip a half pint of organic heavy cream with an electric mixer in a metal bowl until soft peaks form. Add a touch of stevia and a splash of vanilla and mix. Keep chilled until ready to use.

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.

Delicious Home-made Kale Chips with Tahini Dressing

These chips are delicious!! Better make a double batch, because they shrink when cooked and they go FAST!

A few good things about kale…

Kale can provide you with some special cholesterol-lowering benefits if you will cook it by steaming. The fiber-related components in kale do a better job of binding together with bile acids in your digestive tract when they’ve been steamed. When this binding process takes place, it’s easier for bile acids to be excreted, and the result is a lowering of your cholesterol levels. Raw kale still has cholesterol-lowering ability—just not as much.

Kale’s risk-lowering benefits for cancer have recently been extended to at least five different types of cancer. These types include cancer of the bladder, breast, colon, ovary, and prostate. Isothiocyanates (ITCs) made from glucosinolates in kale play a primary role in achieving these risk-lowering benefits.

Kale is now recognized as providing comprehensive support for the body’s detoxification system. New research has shown that the ITCs made from kale’s glucosinolates can help regulate detox at a genetic level.

Researchers can now identify over 45 different flavonoids in kale. With kaempferol and quercetin heading the list, kale’s flavonoids combine both antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits in way that gives kale a leading dietary role with respect to avoidance of chronic inflammation and oxidative stress.

Also…

Kale is high in Vitamin C. This is very helpful for your immune system, your metabolism and your hydration.

Kale is high in calcium. Per calorie, kale has more calcium than milk, which aids in preventing bone loss, preventing osteoporosis and maintaining a healthy metabolism. Vitamin C is also helpful to maintain cartilage and joint flexibility

Kale is a great detox food. Kale is filled with fiber and sulfur, both great for detoxifying your body and keeping your liver healthy.

Ingredients
1 large bunch of kale, inner ribs removed
2 tablespoons lime juice
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
4 tablespoons tahini
1 teaspoon nutritional yeast
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
½ teaspoon salt

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F (or plug in your dehydrator). Line a baking sheet with foil or parchment.

Wash and thoroughly dry the kale, then remove the leaves from the tough inner stem. Slice or rip into large pieces. Remember- they’ll shrink as they dehydrate so don’t go too small. Place in a large bowl.

In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining ingredients. Pour over the kale and coat each leaf thoroughly. It’s messy, but the best way to do this is with your hands.

Spread the chips in a single layer on the baking sheet or in the dehydrator. The dehydrator should take approximately 8 hours. The oven will take up to an hour (start checking on them after 30 minutes. They’re ready when the seasonings are completely dry and the kale is crispy.

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.

Paleo Cashew Hummus

I found this awesome recipe from Whole9 for cashew hummus–no beans, no starch, just healthy satisfying fats and protein. Here’s the base recipe, and I’ve included info on how to make plain, olive, roasted red pepper and sun-dried tomato versions too.

Ingredients
1 cup raw cashews
1/4 cup tahini
1/3 cup lemon juice
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cumin
1/8-1/4 teaspoon cayenne
water
chopped fresh parsley, for garnish (optional)

Directions
Soak cashews in a bowl of water for at least three hours. Drain and rinse a few times, then drain well and place in food processor.

Add remaining ingredients to food processor and puree until well-blended. The texture will be very thick. Add water, 1/4 cup at a time, until desired thickness–add it gradually to get the right consistency.

Sprinkle the top with freshly chopped parsley before serving.

For the variations, keep the base recipe the same and add the following:

Olive: Add black olives to the mixture before blending. For canned olives, 20-30 is a good number. For fancier cured Greek olives, start with 10-15 and add more to taste.

Roasted Red Pepper: Add 1-2 roasted red peppers and 1/2 teaspoon paptrika to the mixture before blending. To roast peppers, cook on a grill or under the broiler until charred and soft. Place in paper bag for 10 minutes, then peel. Or take the easy route, and buy them in a jar at the store.

Sun-dried Tomato: Add 5-7 sun-dried tomatoes to the mixture before blending.

Delectable Summer Salad

Quick and easy and beautiful to the eyes!

Red leaf lettuce, grated fresh carrots, sliced sweet onion, ripe tomatoes, and a delicious dressing of olive oil, apple cider vinegar, and a drizzle of maple syrup. Toss!

For some extra tang, add a 1/2 tsp of dijon mustard.

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.

Frozen Blueberry Treat

Easy, peasy! Just wash and freeze some organic blueberries. Or grapes. Keep in freezer and snack on frozen ones, or sprinkle with a touch of maple syrup and cinnamon for a cool dessert. 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.

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!

Curried Sweet Potato Soup

This soup has a rich and exotic taste that satisfies and warms your soul. Sweet potatoes contain numerous significant and surprising health benefits. The super nutrients that these root veggies contain include antioxidants, anti-inflammatory compounds, and blood sugar regulating substances. The bright orange flesh contains beta carotene, which is converted into vitamin A with the addition of some fat. Including healthy fats maximizes your body’s ability to absorb and convert beta carotene into usable vitamin A.

The phytonutrients in sweet potatoes also help with digestive tract problems and add healthy fiber. And don’t forget the power-packed spices–curry powder, coriander, cardamom, and turmeric have massive health benefits ranging from anti-aging, brain health to cancer protection and arthritis prevention.

Ingredients
4 cups sweet potatoes, cubed
1 medium sweet onion, chopped2 celery stalks, chopped
1/4″ fresh ginger, minced
1/2 tsp curry powder
1/2 tsp coriander
1/4 tsp cardamom
1/4 tsp turmeric
Sea salt
Pinch of cayenne
5 cups vegetable stock
1 cup almond, flax, or coconut milk
1 Tbsp coconut oil or butter
1/2 cup roasted pumpkin seeds

Directions
Heat coconut oil or butter in large pot and saute onions and celery until tender and translucent. Add minced garlic and saute briefly. Add remaining ingredients and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer about 30 minutes or until sweet potatoes are tender. After soup has cooled sufficiently, place in blender and puree in batches till smooth. If too thick add more stock or water. Sprinkle with roasted pumpkin seeds.

Quinoa Stuffed Peppers

Quinoa is a seed, not a grain and it is packed full of nutrients, including lots of protein. Quinoa is gluten free, and a great low glycemic vegetarian source of protein as well as being rich in manganese, magnesium, calcium, copper, iron, phosphorus, vitamin E, and B vitamins. Quinoa’s protein provides all essential amino acids, making it idea for meatless meals.

Quinoa typically comes in the white version, but there are also red and black versions. My favorite is a mixture of all three. The red and black types take slightly longer to cook but add a delicious texture and nuttier taste.

This recipe is delicious as a meatless meal or you can add ground beef or chicken or cheese, for heartier appetites. Either way, you will be sure to enjoy!

Ingredients
2 cups cooked quinoa
1 lb grass fed beef, chicken or turkey (optional)4 red, yellow or green pepper, sliced in half, with seeds and center removed
1 medium red onion, chopped
3-4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 small zucchini, diced
1/2 lb fresh mushrooms, sliced
1-2 tsp dried or fresh oregano
1-2 tsp dried or fresh basil
1 small can of organic chopped tomatoes or 3 fresh chopped tomatoes
Hot pepper flakes or dash of hot sauce
sea salt
Fresh chopped parsely
Grass fed cheese (optional)

Directions
Heat oven to 350 F. Wash peppers, removes stems and seed, and cut in half. Place in small baking dish with sides. (The idea is to have the peppers sort of packed in to help prevent them from collapsing.)

Cook meat in pan–when mostly done, add onion, garlic, zucchini, mushrooms, oregano, basil, salt and pepper flakes. If doing meatless version, just cook veggies in pan about 5-6 minutes till tender. Add tomatoes and quinoa and cook till liquid is absorbed.

Spoon mixture into peppers and bake in oven, covered in foil for about 20 minutes. Remove foil and cook for another 10 minutes or so. If adding cheese, add in the last few minutes and cook till just melted. Sprinkle with parsley and enjoy!

Asian Chicken Salad

This yummy Asian inspired salad include the delicate flavor of napa cabbage, as well as other healthy cabbages and cruciferous vegetables. Cabbage contains compounds that make it naturally fat burning, and napa boasts the highest concentration of folate. Folate is extremely important for healthy pregnancies and for infants, for red blood cells and to prevent anemia.

Cabbage is big on cancer prevention. Nearly 500 studies have looked at this family of vegetables and their outstanding cancer destroying properties. The glucosinolates are the primary ingredient with the anti-cancer benefits. These are converted into compounds that prevent a variety of cancers including: bladder cancer, breast cancer, colon cancer, and prostate cancer. So eat an extra helping of this cancer fighting salad!

Salad
2-4 boneless, skinless cooked chicken breasts or thighs, sliced thinly2-3 Napa cabbage sliced thinly
1/2 cup red cabbage, sliced thinly
1 small sweet red bell pepper, sliced in thin strips
4-6 green onions, chopped or sliced in 2″ strips
2 carrots, grated or cut in matchstick slices
1/2 lb fresh snow peas, cut in thin slices on diagonal
Big handful cilantro, chopped
1-2 cups mung bean sprouts
1/2 cup slivered almonds

Dressing
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar (seasoned from Trader Joe’s is great)
Juice of fresh lime
1 Tbsp honey
1/4 cup olive oil, or avocado oil
1 tsp sesame oil
Pinch of red pepper flakes
1 Tbsp fresh grated ginger root

Slice all veggies thinly and place in large salad bowl. Chop or shred chicken using two forks. Whisk dressing together, making sure honey is blended in well. Add chicken and almonds and pour dressing over all. Great leftovers too!

Healthy Cobb Salad

A healthier, more up to date version of the classic Cobb salad. Definitely heart enough for a meal in itself. You can always vary the ingredients according to what you have on hand, and the brighter and more colorful, the better!

The addition of watercress and arugula add a great taste sensation plus the added benefits of cruciferous vegetables, which they are both a part of. Watercress and arugula both contain 8X the calcium as regular iceberg lettuce. Watercress is also a stimulant, a diuretic, an expectorant, and a digestive aid. Due to its high iodine content, watercress is good for the thyroid gland as well. Good thyroid function = higher metabolism = a better fat burning lean body.

Salad
3-4 Hard boiled eggs, shelled and quartered
1 cup organic cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
6 slices of natural bacon, cooked, and chopped up
4 cups watercress, arugula, baby greens, chard, etc.
1/4 cup thin sliced radishes
1/4 cup grass fed extra sharp cheddar, crumbled-optional
1 lb. medium sized shrimp or chicken, cooked

Dressing
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1-2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
1/2 tsp dijon mustard or mustard powder
Chopped fresh herbs
1/2 tsp maple syrup

Arrange all ingredients on plate or shallow bowl. Drizzle with dressing, fresh herbs, sea salt and pepper. Enjoy!

Fresh Strawberry Pie and Grain-Free Crust

The best tasting pie comes from locally grown strawberries at the height of the berry season, which for most of us is early spring and summer. You can find berries in the grocery store virtually year ’round, but the taste is generally missing.

Conventional strawberries are some of the most highly sprayed crops with pesticides–in fact, they usually top the list of the Environmental Working Group’s ‘Dirty Dozen’ every year. So always be sure to buy organic, and if you can, buy local. There is a HUGE difference in taste and freshness–and these berries are picked when ripe, so they are at the height of taste.

Strawberries, like other berries are a great source of a type of antioxidants called ‘phenols’. These unique antioxidants make them hart healthy, caner preventative, and anti-inflammatory, all in one sweet little juicy package.

Crust
1 1/2 cup finely crushed organic almonds* or almond meal (you can purchase this at many stores)3Tbsp melted coconut oil or grass fed butter
2 Tbsp pure maple syrup
Pinch of sea salt

Preheat oven to 350 F. Melt coconut oil or butter on stove till liquid. Add maple syrup, crushed almonds. Use fingertips or another pie pan to shape crust evenly into a glass pie pan. Bake 8-10 minutes. Set aside or refrigerate.
*Almonds can be crushed in food processor or in plastic bag with rolling pin.

Filling
2 pints of fresh strawberries, sliced in half
1 1/2 Tbsp coconut oil, melted 1/2 cup shredded coconut-optional
2-4 tbsp of (full fat) coconut milk (from can)
1 tsp vanilla extract
Stevia or raw honey to taste

Mix ingredients together and pour into crust. Chill for 1-2 hours, until filling is firm.

You can make REAL whipped cream to go with this by whipping a half pint of heavy cream until peaks form. Add a touch of stevia and vanilla.

Kale Broccoli and Salmon Thai Stirfry

Kale, Broccoli and Salmon Stirfry

This is good for a quick breakfast too! (I’d omit the wine, however!) Add an egg for the protein or any kind of breakfast meat, leftover salmon or leftover meat you like.

One of my favorite go-to meals is to take any meat leftovers along with your choice of veggies you have on hand and create a strifry. It’s quick and easy.

There are no hard and fast measurements here. You can ad-lib all you want and it will still taste delightful. This is a great way to use up already cooked, leftover salmon or chicken—or you could even use beef if you have it. And just use the veggies that are available in the fridge. The important thing is the sauce—it pulls it all together.

Ingredients
Salmon, cod, tuna or other fish, chicken, pork or beef-or add chopped tempeh if you’d like it to be vegetarian/vegan
Broccoli, chopped in small pieces
Onion, chopped in chunks
Red bell pepper, sliced
Several leaves of kale—I used “dinosaur kale” for a more tender texture, can also use collards
Cilantro
Coconut oil, butter or olive oil
Peanuts or cashews, optional
1 Tbsp fresh ginger, minced or grated
2-4 cloves garlic
2 teaspoons fish sauce
1 lemon or lime
1-2 Tbsp of gluten free soy sauce
Pinch of sugar or honey
Squirt of Sriracha sauce or other hot sauce
Mix together in a small bowl.

Directions
Chop all ingredients. Cook fish or meat if necessary, slice in chunks, and set aside. In a large skillet, heat oil, and add broccoli first. Cook for 3-4 minutes, until bright green and tender-crisp. Add other ingredients, except for cilantro, and stir and cook over high heat for another few minutes. Be careful not to overcook. Add fish or meat, cilantro, and sauce ingredients, cooking and stirring for a minute or so until heated through. Sprinkle with peanuts or cashews, if you are not allergic to nuts or peanuts, like me.

Serve hot.