Here’s a perfect, Autumn comfort soup without any unhealthy ingredients- this Sweet Potato & Pear Soup does the trick with sweet potatoes, fresh seasonal pears, and some unique spices and fats from sesame tahini. And, it’s super easy to make, requiring only one pot and a Vitamix or high-speed blender. Enjoy this on your next chilly autumn evening, with some toasted rustic bread.
Sicilian Eggplant Wraps with Cherry Tomato Vinaigrette
These Sicilian Eggplant Wraps are a perfect example of how the slightest ingredient hacks can make a big impact on the quality of nutrition you consume per calorie. Eggplants have some surprising health benefits and are rich in essential nutrients like manganese, folate, potassium, vitamin K, vitamin C, and fiber. And they are particularly rich in essential fatty acids. In this recipe we are simply replacing wraps or flatbread made from flour with grilled eggplant slices, making this a simple healthy solution for any busy schedule.
Read MoreCashew Cream of Turmeric Cauliflower Soup
Sometimes, when I see whole turmeric root at the market, I like to grab a handful to see what I can create with it, and this Cashew Cream of Turmeric Cauliflower Soup is my latest turmeric root adventure! Be sure to use a Vitamix or other high powered blender to get the most awesome taste explosion and creamy texture ever! You’ll want to keep this recipe handy for cold nights in front of the fireplace.
Vegan Zucchini Lasagna Rolls with Herbed Almond Ricotta
Who loves that nuanced taste of ricotta cheese blended with herbs, tomatoes, and garlic? Who doesn’t actually? This recipe for vegan zucchini lasagna rolls delivers on the nuance while providing a more refreshing, more nutrient dense, clean version, that highlights the awesome natural flavors found in some of our favorite herbs and vegetables. These rolls are better suited for a lunch, brunch, or appetizer, but you could also have them for dinner along with some cooked grains, cannellini beans, and-or a green salad. Don’t let the small size fool you. The almond ricotta in these makes them quite rich and energy dense, and one can fill up on just a few. Get ready for a fantastic blend of fresh flavors!
Grilled Potato Bruschetta Mediterranean Style
Everyone I have ever asked says they love bruschetta! That tangy tinge of flavor from the tomatoes, mixed with fresh garlic and aromatic basil is just the kind of combination that makes life magnificent. But if you are avoiding gluten or bread, you might be wondering what alternatives are out there. This recipe uses grilled sliced potato in place of bread. And although it isn’t grilled bread (quite obviously), the finished product is delicious, satisfying, and quite a bit further up the nutrition scale. Give it a try!
Read MoreBumper Crop and Kitchen Sinks
Did you get an awesome bumper crop of tomatoes this year? Did you go crazy at the Farmers Market and buy too many different, fabulous seasonal foods? Don’t worry! This recipe is like the best “kitchen sink” concoction you will ever sink your teeth into. Who knew that plums, tomatoes and cucumbers would love hanging out in a salad together? Read More
(better than) Bieler’s Broth
Bieler’s Broth is a traditional healing, cleansing broth that is very popular among holistic and alternative medical professionals. The only bummer thing about Bieler’s Broth is that it doesn’t have much to offer from a culinary perspective. It’s just pretty freakin’ blah as far as I can tell. Since I’m all about making healthy eating not only simple, but also delicious– so that you can enjoy healthful foods the way nature intended– I came up with this modified version.
Read MoreTuscan Cold Zoodles with Tomato, Basil & Garlic
With gluten free this, avoid that, and whatever else we are adding to the “avoid list” lately, it’s easy to fall into a pattern of calling something what it actually isn’t. For example, a “cauliflower” is commonly being called a “steak,” and no one seems to mind at all. Are we finally losing it as a society? Well, I guess, keeping it all in perspective, it’s cool to get creative with naming some healthy substitutes. It’s just a word anyway, right? I just want whatever I am eating to satiate and hit the spot on whatever my mind and my appetite have conspired to enjoy together. Whenever that happens to be cold tomato basil noodles, this recipe does the trick. For the sake of avoiding the faux food naming pattern, we’re going to call these babies “zoodles”. Whatever you do call it, get ready for “yummy” sounding words and noises when you serve it. Oh, and it’s raw too!
Read MoreGreen Garlic Almond Cheese
Nothing says Spring like fresh green garlic at the farmer’s market. I grabbed a bunch the other day, and before I could put it into my bag this idea to make fresh raw almond cheese with green garlic popped into my head. This is a fresh, quick cheese that slightly resembles the consistency of a ricotta, and offers a nice, nutritious, dairy-free creaminess. The green garlic made it heavenly. You can use it on a sandwich with vine tomatoes, as an hors d’oeuvre filling or topping- as pictured, or try it in layers of lasagna. Enjoy!
Avocado & Pear Salad with Basil Lime Dressing
I love it when a random “grab two things and see what happens” move in the kitchen turns out to be so yummy. This avocado & pear salad is an extremely easy recipe that mixes pears with avocados, and finishes it off with some fresh lime and basil. Add this to your list of simple raw fruit and vegetable go-to’s. It’s perfectly refreshing for hot summer days. Enjoy!