Here is to all my vegan friends! I have come up with a very protein-dense Lentil and Pumpkin Seed Curry.  It is so yummy that you meat lovers will not miss a thing. There are lots of cruciferous vegetables and also our beloved sweet potato. Oh, and don’t forget all the toppings!!!  I love serving this alongside the Coconut Mango Black Forbidden Rice I posted last week. This curry is so creamy and delicious. Vegan or not, I hope that you will try it!!!   Ingredients:  ½ C pumpkin seeds ½ C red lentils 4 C vegetable stock 2 T coconut oil ½ medium red onion 2 garlic cloves 1-inch fresh ginger 3 T curry powder 1 tsp. Garam masala ½ tsp. cumin 1 C chopped broccoli florets (I used thawed frozen broccoli) 1 C chopped cauliflower (I used thawed frozen cauliflower 1 sweet potato peeled and cubed. 1 can coconut milk Salt and Pepper to taste.   Optional Toppings: Toasted sliced almonds Cilantro Diced cherry tomatoes Microgreens   Directions:  1. Soak pumpkin seeds and red lentils in two separate containers overnight.   2. Strain both pumpkin seeds and red lentils.   3. Using a Vitamix, add pumpkin seeds and lentils and 4 cups of the vegetable stock. Process until completely smooth.  Set aside.     4. To a medium-sized dutch oven, saute red onion in coconut oil over medium heat, until translucent.     5. Add garlic and ginger and saute for 1 minute. 6. Add all spices and […]

So…I made up this recipe and I have to say..these burgers are awesome!!!  They take many twists and turns but don’t freak out because I am telling you…the flavor combination is on point.  How can you lose with the combination of blue cheese, peach chutney, bacon and arugula loaded on a cinnamon raisin english muffin.  I start missing the flavor of a big burger right around this time of year.    The key to great burgers is the quality of beef that you are using.  I am using 100% grass-fed beef from Riven Rock Farm.  You don’t have to use much seasoning other than salt and pepper because the meat is already so flavorful and tastes incredible standing on its own.     Ingredients:  1 lb.  good quality ground beef (grass-fed preferably) 4 ounces blue cheese 1 egg salt & pepper Good quality Mayonnaise 8 slices cooked bacon arugula peach chutney (recipe to follow) Ezekiel Cinnamon Raisin English Muffins   Directions: 1. In a large skillet, cook the bacon until desired doneness (I like mine crispy).  Set aside. 2. Meanwhile, In a medium bowl, add ground beef, crumbled blue cheese, egg and salt and pepper.  Mix together. ( I use my hands for this)    3. Form burgers.  I make 4 burgers with 1 pound of meat since I like large burgers.  If you prefer smaller burgers, you can make 6 instead.  4. Once bacon is done, remove from skillet and set aside. Drain most of the fat from the […]

This wrap is now such a favorite.  It is a lot lighter than the foods that I have been eating all winter long.  I think it is the perfect spring recipe since all the herbs will start popping up in the garden in the next month.  I have included a great marinade recipe but as a shortcut, you can always use a bottled Greek dressing. (I recommend Primal Kitchen since their dressing is very clean).  Also when it comes to the yogurt sauce you can always use a prepared plain Greek yogurt. I have to say though; the homemade tastes best! Recipe HERE for that.     Ingredients: Yogurt sauce 3 8-ounce containers of yogurt, strained, or 12 ounces Greek yogurt 2 T chopped fresh dill 2 T chopped fresh oregano 3 T chopped fresh chives 1 tsp lemon zest 1 T lemon juice Salt and pepper   Greek Dressing Marinade: ⅓ C olive oil 3 T apple cider vinegar ¼ C fresh parsley 2 T lemon Juice ¼ tsp coriander ¼. tsp cardamom 1 T fresh oregano 1 T lemon zest 1 T raw honey (or to taste) salt and pepper (to taste)   Wrap Ingredients: 4 chicken breasts 2 C mixed greens 1 C cherry tomatoes halved ½  C sliced red onion ½ C feta cheese, crumbled 8 Siete almond flour wraps     Directions: 1. Do ahead: Combine all ingredients for marinade except olive oil in a food processor or small blender. Once the blender is going drizzle in […]

I have definitely made many turkey meatloaves over the years but I have finally settled on this recipe as my favorite.  This is a super easy recipe… all you need is one bowl and your hands! Adding the extra oil to this meatloaf guarantees a really moist end result. The other great thing about this recipe is that you can just as easily form some burgers from the mixture and throw them on the grill.  Just as delicious! The show stopper is the bacon. It allows the smoky flavor to penetrate the meatloaf and makes for a delicious crunch in each bite. This recipe is designed to make two meatloaves so you can have leftovers or freeze half.   (Makes two meatloaves, each one serves 6)     Ingredients: 2 lbs. ground turkey (I use organic, free range) ½ C sundried tomatoes in olive oil ¼ C of the olive oil from sun-dried tomatoes ½ large yellow onion chopped 4 cloves of garlic, minced 2 roasted bell peppers chopped (I use the jarred version from Trader Joes) 20 Kalamata olives, halved 1 C chopped parsley 3 T fresh oregano or basil chopped ¼ C gluten-free bread crumbs ½ C crumbled sheep’s milk feta cheese (don’t use the pre-crumbled feta because it is coated in flour) 2 eggs 1 T salt 1 tsp. black pepper 6 slices uncured smoked bacon (optional)   Directions: 1. Preheat oven to 350. 2. Spray 2 medium-sized loaf pans with olive oil spray. 3. In a large bowl, […]

    This Shrimp Pad Thai is a dish that my daughter, Madelyn, and I put made on one of those special nights of cooking together. I think we were both thrilled with how it turned out! If you love a good Pad Thai then this recipe is for you.  It is easy and you can really use any source of protein you would like.  Make tonight special You will not be disappointed!     Sauce Ingredients: 4 T tamari 2 T honey 2 T fish sauce 2 T brown rice vinegar 2 T Sambal Oelek chili paste   Pad Thai Ingredients: 12 oz. brown rice pad thai noodles 1 lb. wild-caught shrimp, thawed ¼ C butter or ghee 1 T sesame oil 3 carrots, chopped 1 shallot, minced 5 cloves garlic, minced 5 green onions, chopped in 2-inch pieces ¼ C cilantro, finely chopped ½ C basil, finely chopped ½ C roasted, salted peanuts, finely chopped 1 lime, cut into wedges     Directions: 1. In a large stockpot, heat water and cook noodles as directed. 2. To make the sauce: mix together tamari, honey, fish sauce, brown rice vinegar and Sambal Oelek in a small jar with a lid. Close tightly and shake vigorously to blend. 3. Heat wok over medium heat.  Add ghee or butter and sesame oil. 4. Saute carrots and shallot until the carrots are tender.     5. Add garlic and shrimp and saute until shrimp is pink in color, about 4 minutes. 6. […]

This is my favorite marinade for grilled chicken. I almost always have these ingredients on hand and it’s delicious and so easy to prepare ahead of time. I usually incorporate some kind of marinated chicken into my meal prep because it’s incredibly versatile. I can top salads, quinoa bowls and tacos with this chicken. This is also a terrific place to start if you’ve never made your own marinades before because I know that it can be intimidating. However, it’s so important for me to know what’s going into my food and jarred marinades often have hidden sugars, salt and preservatives. You don’t need to compromise quality ingredients for flavor. For me, preparation is always key to stay on track with clean eating. Cheers friends, enjoy this healthy, fresh and delicious marinade all summer! Marinade Ingredients: ½ C of cilantro ⅓ C fresh squeezed orange juice Zest of ½ orange 6 T olive oil Juice of one lime 4 cloves garlic minced 1 tsp salt 6 boneless chicken breasts In a glass container, marinate for at least 8 hours or overnight. Grill about 4 to 6 minutes on each side or when the thermometer reaches 165. Let rest for 10 minutes then slice against the grain. Enjoy!             © The Sown Life LLC, 2019

  This recipe is so incredibly nourishing and it is so good if you struggle with any type of inflammation! It is delicious while being easy to digest.  Mung beans are amongst the easiest of beans to digest so I highly recommend them.  The fig and cashew quinoa is the perfect base and I love the toppings of cashews, yogurt or feta cheese to give more protein and healthy fat!  If you are vegan just leave out the cheese. This recipe can be modified to fit your specific tastes and needs!      Ingredients for the Dahl:  1 C mung beans (lentils are a great replacement) 1 ½ T ghee 2 Thai chilies seeded and finely minced (optional) 1-inch fresh ginger 2 tsp. cumin seeds 2 tsp. mustard seeds ½ tsp. coriander 1 ½ tsp. turmeric ½ tsp. pepper Pinch of cloves 1 C chopped spring onions 2 garlic cloves, finely minced 4 C vegetable/ chicken stock 2 C finely chopped greens (kale, swiss chard, spinach) 1 T lemon zest Juice of 1 lemon 1 tsp. salt   Directions:  1. Soak mung beans for 24 hours then drain and rinse. 2. In a dutch oven over medium heat, melt ghee.   3. Add chili’s, ginger, cumin seeds, mustard seeds, coriander, turmeric, pepper and cloves.  Saute until mustard seeds begin to pop.  Toss in spring onions, sauteing for a few minutes until onions start to wilt.  Sprinkle in garlic and saute for an additional minute.     4. Add mung beans and […]