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 […]

Every once in a while I enjoy making a meatless dinner, especially with a recipe as packed with flavor as this one. I like to make these when I need to use up some veggies in my fridge, or for a meatless Monday dinner after the weekend. This recipe is gluten-free as well and the cakes can easily be made bigger for burgers. It’s a perfect dish for spring and summer, especially on those hot days when you don’t feel like eating a lot of meat. Did I mention that this remoulade goes great on just about anything? It’s delish. Eat up friends and enjoy food that makes you feel great! Jalapeno Cilantro Remoulade ½ C strained plain greek yogurt 2 tsp fresh lime juice 1 small jalapeoño, minced 1 T cilantro, chopped Salt to taste Mix all ingredients in a bowl, cover and refrigerate until ready to eat Black Bean Cakes Ingredients: 2 T olive oil, divided 4 green onions, thinly sliced 1/2 red or orange bell pepper, diced 6 cloves garlic, minced 2 fresh jalapeno peppers, finely diced 1 C shredded sweet potato 1 egg, lightly beaten ½ C almond meal ½ C chopped cilantro 1 T ground cumin 2 (14.5 ounce) cans black beans, drained and rinsed salt and black pepper to taste Directions: 1. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat. 2. Saute green onions and bell peppers until softened, about 1 minute. 3. Stir in garlic, 2 diced jalapenos, and cumin; cook […]

  I don’t want you to be overwhelmed by all the steps it takes to make this dish.  None of the steps are difficult and there should be plenty of leftovers so that you can eat it the next day.  This is one of my favorite recipes of all time. I got the idea from a recipe that I saw in a recent Food and Wine magazine but it did not have all the healthy elements so of course, I had to make it my own.  The dressing is mine entirely and I think it makes the bowl. Give this a try!!! Serves 6 Ingredients: Marinade 3 T coarsely chopped lemongrass 2 T finely chopped shallots 2 T coconut sugar 1 ½ T olive oil 1 ½ T fish sauce (such as Red Door) 1 T finely minced garlic ¼ C Bragg’s Amino Acids ¼ tsp crushed Thai chilies (optional) or black pepper   Spicy Chili, Lime and Cilantro Dressing: Zest of 3 limes Juice of 2 limes 1 T brown rice vinegar 2 T raw honey 1 ½ T Bragg’s Amino Acids 3 T avocado oil 1 jalapeno, seeded 1 handful cilantro Salt & pepper to taste   Noodle Bowls:  2 lbs. Skinless, boneless chicken thighs 1 pkg. Vietnamese Brown Rice Noodles (such as Star Anise Foods or Annie Chun’s) 1 large seedless cucumber, shaved 4 cups Arugula 2 large carrots shaved or grated 4 green onions, chopped 1 red or yellow bell pepper sliced thinly ½ C torn […]

  I first came across a recipe by Rick Bayless who is one of my favorite chefs since he specializes in foods from Mexico.  I found that his recipe, although delicious, would be a bit challenging for most with all the specialized ingredients. I tried to make it a bit easier here although there are lots of ingredients.  If you have a difficult time locating the chilies and chili powders you can try an International store near you or just rely on good ole’ Amazon! Don’t let the ingredient list scare you because once you have purchased everything, you will have plenty of ingredients to make it over and over again.     Ingredients: 3 lb. lamb shoulder 1 TBS. Avocado Oil 1 cup chicken stock or beer Salt and pepper 1 large white onion sliced Rub: 2 dried guajillo chiles, stemmed, seeded and torn into large pieces 1 tsp. Ancho Chili Powder 1 tsp. chipotle chili powder 3 garlic cloves, peeled and roughly chopped 1 ½ cups tomato puree 1 TBS. coconut sugar 1 ½ TBS. Apple Cider vinegar 1 tsp. salt ½ tsp. Cinnamon ½ tsp ground espresso powder ½ tsp. Smoked paprika 1 tsp. Oregano To Serve: Corn tortillas or Siete grain free tortillas Salsa Guacamole Feta Cheese   1. In a very large (12-inch) skillet, heat the avocado oil over medium-high heat.  Pat the lamb dry with a paper towel and sprinkle generously with salt and pepper.  Sear lamb on all sides. Make sure that each […]

Do you have any extra cherry tomatoes that need to be used up.  Candied Cherry tomatoes are absolutely delicious and are so easy to make.  If you don’t have the available time you can use olive oil marinated sun dried tomatoes which are just as delicious. This chicken tender recipe is really easy and so so good!!!  It was an impromptu discovery and it is now a family favorite!  I hope you enjoy it!     Ingredients: 4 chicken tenders 1/2 cup candied tomatoes (you can replace these with oil marinated sundried tomatoes) 14 large basil leaves 4 oz. goat cheese 2 egg whites 2/3 cup chopped walnuts 3 TBS. olive oil salt & pepper   Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. With a sharp knife, slice chicken tender in half but not all the way through. 3. Spread goat cheese in the center of the chicken tender, layering sun-dried tomatoes and fresh basil. 4. Chop walnuts into small pieces. 5. In a small bowl, beat egg whites with a fork until frothy.  Add salt and pepper. 6. Close chicken tender tightly around center ingredients.  Gently dip into egg whites and then roll to coat with the walnuts. 7.  Place on parchment covered sheet pan and drizzle with olive oil. 8. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until chicken is done (165 degrees using an Internal Read Thermometer) 9.  Serve alongside some brown rice pasta drizzled with olive oil and a sprinkle of parmesan!!!  

I first came across this recipe in one of my favorite cookbooks, “Plenty” by Yotam Ottolenghi. I loved this recipe at first sight and wanted to make it while on vacation at the beach. My only problem was that I didn’t have everything the original called for. So, being me, I decided to wing it and make up my own version. It turned out fantastic! We gave it a little Italian twist and now, after some polishing, its a solid recipe I make often and wanted to share with you all. The warm weather temps have got me thinking of all the delicious dishes that I can make with beautiful, ripe, farm fresh tomatoes; this dish is definitely one of them. I would serve this as a brunch dish but it could also be a very satisfying dinner alongside a green salad and some whole grain bread. Yum, eat up and enjoy! Ingredients: 2 red bell peppers 1 orange or yellow bell pepper, sliced 1 large or 2 medium onions, sliced 2 cloves garlic, minced 6 roma tomatoes, diced or 15 cherry tomatoes, halved 2 TBS. chopped rosemary 2 TBS. chopped basil 6 eggs 1 TBS. olive oil Salt and pepper to taste ½ tsp. crushed red pepper (optional) Crusty whole grain bread Directions: 1. Heat a 10-inch cast iron skillet over medium heat. 2. Add 1 TBS. of olive oil and all the sliced peppers and onions and saute for 5-10 minutes or until you get a nice color […]