The Perfect Kale + Brussels Sprout Salad (gf)

So… I’m a huge fan of this healthy restaurant we have here in Phoenix called Flower Child. I LOVE the concept of this restaurant because it allows even the busiest of people to have a  healthy meal. I wouldn’t call this a fast-food restaurant because I feel like that gives off the sense that there is unhealthy, crappy, unsustainable food involved… but you can order your meal and have it sitting in front of you in under 10 minutes. Another added bonus? They use fresh, local produce in all of their dishes!

Unfortunately, if you don’t live in Arizona, California or Texas… you won’t be able to bask in the glory that is Flower Child. However, I recently took a stab at recreating one of my favorite salads from there dubbed The Organic Kale. It’s simple. It’s colorful. It’s delicious. It’s filling. It’s literally amazing. So if you’d like to chow down on this at home, try out this recipe. I added some crumbled bleu cheese on top, but you can easily make this vegan by omitting it. 🙂

The Perfect Kale + Brussels Sprout Salad with Apple Cider Vinaigrette (gf)
makes 4 dinner-sized salads or 8 side salads

the ingredients:
for the dressing:
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons maple syrup
3 teaspoons dijon mustard
1 tablespoon whole grain dijon mustard (I use this simply for texture)
1 shallot bulb, finely diced
salt & pepper to taste

for the salad:
1 pound brussels sprouts, shredded*
1 bunch dinosaur kale, de-stemmed and shredded*
1/2 head of red cabbage, shredded*
1 apple, cored and diced (I used Pink Lady apples)
3/4 cup dried cranberries/cherries
1/2 cup pomegranate seeds
crumbled bleu cheese to top, optional
salt & pepper to taste

*For convenience, you can also purchase the “Cruciferous Crunch” salad mix at Trader Joe’s!

the method:
make the dressing: throw the vinegar, oil, maple syrup, dijon, salt and pepper together in a mason jar along with the chopped shallot. Give it a shake to mix all of the ingredients together. I like to make this dressing the night before I use it to give the ingredients a chance to meld. However, you can use this dressing as soon as 10 minutes after making it.

make the salad: Shred the brussels sprouts, kale and red cabbage. Add dried cranberries, pomegranate seeds, diced apple, bleu cheese (if using), and dressing. Toss to combine. You can eat this immediately, or you can make it ahead of time. If you store this salad in an air-tight container in the fridge, it will last for 1 day.

Happy eating, y’all!

 

 

Avocado Toast (gf)

Avocado Toast (gf)
This is my take on my favorite meal that I order from Kaleidoscope at the Madison Improvement Club. I could literally eat this everyday and not get tired of it! 🙂

the ingredients:
4 large eggs
4 slices gluten-free bread (I used Udi’s)
1 ounce micro greens
Juice of 1 lemon
extra-virgin olive oil
pinch of paprika
pink himlayan salt salt
freshly ground black pepper

the method:

1. Fill a medium saucepan about two-thirds with water and bring it to a boil. Lower the temperature so that the water is at a rapid simmer then carefully lower the eggs into the water. Cook the eggs for 7 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, coat each slice of bread with some oil then place on a grill pan over medium heat until toasted to your liking.
3. While the bread is cooking, prep the avocados. Cut, pit, and peel the avocados then place in a bowl with lemon juice, salt and pepper. Use a fork to mash the ingredients together.
4. When the eggs are ready, drain them, and place them in a bowl of ice water. Carefully crack and peel the egg (slip a teaspoon under the egg shell to help you to carefully remove the shell) then halve. Top the toast with the mashed avocados, the halved eggs, some micro greens. Finish with a pinch of paprika, salt and pepper and serve immediately.

Chocolate Protein Smoothie Bowl (GF)

Getting enough protein during the day can be a challenge when you are a vegetarian. My solution? Protein Smoothie Bowls!! As you can see from my blog roll, I have become quite obsessed with making “bowl” recipes for lunch. This particular recipe packs a hefty 33 grams of protein – thanks to a scoop of pea protein powder, some Greek yogurt and chia seeds. Since I fancy myself a pretty active person, I’m supposed to take in a minimum of 100 grams of protein every day. Having a protein shake in the morning and this protein smoothie bowl at lunch makes it easy to consume the necessary protein one needs during the day. 🙂

Chocolate Protein Smoothie Bowl (gf)
the ingredients:
1  banana, divided
(1) 3.5-oz Sambazon Unsweetened Acai Smoothie Pack
2 tbsp Nutrasumma Chocolate Pea Protein Powder
1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk
1/4 cup frozen blueberries
1/4 cup frozen raspberries
1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
Toppings: 
sliced banana
granola
pomegranate seeds
Greek yogurt
unsweetened coconut flakes
chia seeds

the method:
Blend the banana, acai smoothie pack, protein powder, almond milk, blueberries and raspberries into a frosty, smooth mix.  Place a big scoop of Greek yogurt at the bottom of your serving bowl and pour the smoothie mix over it. Sprinkle with toppings of your choice. Serve immediately.

 

 

Berry Acai Bowl (GF)

Acai Bowls have been my go-to lunches for quite some time now – ever since I started experimenting with them at Kaleidoscope (formerly S.E.E.D.) at the Madison Improvement Club. It is the perfect post-yoga (or any workout, for that matter) meal because they are refreshing, nutritious, delicious and filling. I like to layer my bowl with a big heap of plain greek yogurt to punch up the protein factor. Here is my basic recipe:

Berry Acai Bowl (gf)
ingredients:
1/2 small banana
(1) 3.5-oz Sambazon Unsweetened Acai Smoothie Pack
1/2 cup frozen strawberries
1/2 cup frozen blueberries
1/2 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
toppings (optional):
plain greek yogurt
pomegranate seeds
strawberries
banana
granola
chia seeds

 

the method:

1. In a blender, add banana, acai pack, strawberries, blueberries and a splash of almond milk. Blend until smooth, adding a splash of milk every so often.
2. Place 1/4 cup plain greek yogurt at the bottom of your serving bowl and pour the acai puree over the greek yogurt. Layer your toppings according to your preference.
3. Smile and enjoy!

Simple Mushroom Pasta + Nut-Free Pesto (GF)

 

SIMPLE MUSHROOM PASTA + NUT-FREE PESTO (GF)

Ingredients

• 8 oz gluten-free pasta
• 4 tbsp butter or coconut oil
• 16 oz mushrooms, sliced
• 1/4 cup parmesan cheese, grated or shaved
• 1 1/2 cups basil
• 1/2 to 3/4 cup shredded parmesan
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 lemon, juiced and zested
• salt & pepper to taste

Cooking Directions

1. Cook the gluten-free pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
2. Meanwhile, combine all the nut-free pesto ingredients (ingredients 5-10) in a food processor and pulse until smooth.
3. Heat the butter/coconut oil over medium heat in a wide skillet. Add the mushrooms and saute for 8-10 minutes, until the mushrooms are a deep golden brown. Add the gluten-free pasta to the pan and stir to combine, adding Parmesan, salt, pepper, and fresh thyme or other herbs to taste.
4. Pour gluten-free pasta into bowls and top with a generous spoonful of the nut-free pesto OR stir the pesto directly into the pasta.
5. Enjoy with a smile!

Warm Green Goddess Rice Bowl (GF)

Warm Green Goddess Rice Bowl (GF)
serving size: 1 bowl
1/2 cup cooked brown rice
1 tablespoon coconut oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1 shallot, minced
1 handful kale, stalk removed and leaves chopped
1 small handful baby spinach
3 slices of halloumi, sliced
1 Egg
1/3 lemon
1/2 ripe Avocado

the method:

1. Cook the rice according to its package. I like to use the microwaveable pouches available at Trader Joe’s to save time. Plus, it yields PERFECTLY cooked rice in 3 minutes.
2. You will need two frying pans on the go at once. Place some coconut oil in both pans.
3. In one frying pan, add the garlic, and cook until fragrant. Place the kale and spinach in and saute in the pan till just soft. You want it to just start to pop in green color.  Remove the pan from the heat and arrange on your plate/bowl.
4. In your other pan, place your halloumi in and turn once it become golden and soft. Keep the halloumi off to one side on the pan, and use the other side to fry your egg.
5. Arrange your bowl, green mix on the bottom egg and halloumi, I serve mine with a wedge of lemon and avocado on the side.

Brussels Sprouts + Mushroom Penne (gf)

Brussels Sprouts + Mushroom Penne (gf)

ingredients:
serves 4

8oz gluten-free penne pasta (I used quinoa/lentil pasta)
1/4 cup coconut oil
3 jumbo shallots, diced
8oz sliced mushrooms
12oz whole brussels sprouts, trimmed then shredded
salt and pepper
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup gluten-free veggie broth
1 tbsp chopped fresh dill
1 tbsp ghee
1/2 fresh lemon
romano cheese, for topping

the method:

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil then add pasta and cook until al dente. Drain then set aside.
2. Meanwhile, heat coconut oil in a large skillet over medium heat. When oil is hot but not smoking, add the shallots and saute for 1-2 minutes, stirring often and being careful as the oil may spatter a bit at the beginning.
3. Add mushrooms and saute until they begin to shrink and release some of their liquid, 3 minutes. Add brussels sprouts then turn heat up to medium-high, season with salt and pepper, and then saute until brussels sprouts are cooked but still have a tiny bit of bite, 6-8 minutes. Add garlic then saute for 30 more seconds. Add veggie broth then simmer until reduced by half, 3-4 minutes.
4. Stir in chopped dill, ghee and juice from 1/2 lemon. Taste then add salt, pepper, and/or lemon juice and then combine mixture with pasta and stir well. Scoop pasta into bowls then top with freshly grated romano cheese.

Notes:
A vegetarian take on this Cooking Light recipe.

One-Ingredient Banana Ice Cream (GF)(V)

It’s summertime and the temperatures are still astronomically high in the Valley of the Sun. I’m not joking… we are supposed to hit 113° this weekend. That’s why I decided to do a healthy take on a classic summertime treat: Ice cream. This vegan and gluten-free recipe is super simple to make, and you don’t need to have an ice cream maker, heavy cream, sugar and all that jazz – all you need are 2 ripe bananas and a food processor or blender. I topped my ice cream with cacao nibs, but I will leave it up to you whether you want to have your ice cream dressed to the nines or not.

Banana Ice Cream (GF)(V)
ingredients:
2 ripe bananas (they should be sweet and soft)
Optional garnishes: cacao nibs, Nutella, nuts, granola (the list goes on!)

the method:

1. Start by peeling the bananas and cutting them into even coins. (When bananas are ripe, the peel may stick to the fruit, so make sure you remove leftover peel to prevent any bitterness in your ice cream.)
2. Place the coins in a glass bowl, cover with plastic wrap and place them in the freezer overnight.
3. Place the frozen banana slices in the bowl of a food processor or blender and blend until smooth. This process will take a while and you’ll have to scrape down the side of your food processor multiple times with a spatula.
4. The bananas will first become very crumbly, then they will look like oatmeal, but you’ll eventually end up with a very soft and creamy mixture.
5. At this point, place back in the glass bowl and in the freezer for just about an hour. You can of course always enjoy it right away if you like very soft ice cream. I wanted to eat mine immediately, so it was pretty soft…
6. Garnish with your favorite toppings and serve.

Meatless Monday: Veggie Stir-Fry with Quinoa Thai Noodles (GF)(V)

 

Veggie Stir-Fry with Quinoa Thai Noodles (GF)(V)

the ingredients:
1 bunch of bok choy
1 large bunch of broccoli cut into smaller pieces
1/2 cup snow peas
3 garlic cloves, minced
3 spring onions, sliced
1/2 inch fresh ginger, minced
Thai rice noodles
1/4 cup tamari
4 tbsp sesame oil, divided
1 package of red quinoa thai noodles

the method:

1. Cook noodles according to the instructions on the package.
2. While noodles are soaking, prep veggies and begin sauteing them. Heat wok or pan with sloping edges on med-high heat. Drizzle in sesame oil and saute the broccoli with garlic slivers. Toss in remaining veggies, excluding bok choy.
3. Add tamari and add another dollop of sesame oil as you cook. 
4. Add snow peas last so they remain deliciously crisp and sweet.
5. Remove veggies and drain noodles. Toss in the same pan with a dash of sesame oil and tamari, and saute noodles until they turn a beautiful golden color. Plate noodles.
6. In the same pan, lightly saute bok choy with a bit of tamari and sesame oil.
7. Layer bok choy over noodles, then pile veggies on top of bok choy.

Late Night Veggie Scramble (GF)

Ever since I started teaching yoga, it has become significantly harder to prepare creative meals every night. In fact, it’s rare that I get home before 8:30 each night – which makes quick, wholesome meals a MUST. My dinner of choice: SCRAMBLED EGGS. Extremely versatile, I like pack my scrambles full of produce to bulk it up and to give the nutrition factor a little boost. So I encourage you try out this version  – you’ll get a nice, steaming bowl of scrambled eggs to enjoy, and then a full, warm belly that will help you settle in for the night. Plus there is minimal clean-up afterward. 🙂

Late Night Veggie Scramble (GF)

ingredients

3 whole large eggs
3 tablespoons water*
2 tablespoons coconut oil or ghee
1/2 whole onion, diced small
1/4 cup grape tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup spinach
1/4 cup grated cheese (I used sharp cheddar)
*You can use milk in place of water, but I find my eggs turn out fluffier if I use water. 

the method

1. Crack your eggs into a mason jar, add water, salt and pepper. Screw on the lid and give the eggs a little shake. Set aside. 
2. Heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat and melt the coconut oil/ghee. Cook the onions for several minutes, until golden brown. Add the tomatoes and spinach and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Stir to begin to wilt the spinach, then pour in the eggs.
3. Reduce the heat to low and stir, cooking slowly, until soft curds form. Add the cheese and continue stirring/folding until the eggs are cooked.
4. I like to top my eggs with Frank’s Red Hot, but any hot sauce will do!