Salads

Shaved Fennel, Beet and Yogurt Layered Salad with Maple and Lemon Vinaigrette

  Sometimes I get in a salad rut and I find myself buying the same salad ingredients because it is what I know. That’s when I go back to the drawing board and look for healthy inspiration. I found some with this fennel, beet and carrot salad!!  Wow! What a balancing hormone combination!!! Beets detox the liver, carrots help remove bad estrogens from the body and fennel supports our anabolic sex hormones! Can you believe one simple salad does so much?!     Salad Ingredients:  1 C plain whole Greek yogurt 1 garlic clove, grated 3 medium carrots, peeled and shredded 2 large beets, peeled and shredded 1 fennel bulb, shaved paper-thin with a mandolin ¼ C toasted, salted pistachios 2 T chopped fresh mint   Dressing Ingredients:  ¼ C lemon fused olive oil  (you can use regular olive oil and add 1 TBS. fresh lemon juice) 2 tsp. lemon zest 2 tsp. maple syrup (honey is a good replacement) 1 T white balsamic vinegar 1 tsp. sea salt ¼ tsp. black pepper     Directions: 1. To grate garlic, use a zester or you can use a mortar and pestle to make a garlic paste.     2. Blend yogurt, garlic and salt, and pepper to taste.  Set aside.      3. Using a hand grater or food processor, grate carrots and beets.     4. Using a mandolin, shave fennel.     5. In a small bowl, blend olive oil, lemon zest, maple sugar, vinegar, salt, and pepper. […]

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My Favorite Cole Slaw

  I know that coleslaw seems more like a summer food but cabbage is still in season right now and coleslaw seems like a perfect side dish to so many of my favorite meals… BBq beef brisket, Carnitas and my most favorite: fish tacos! I love this slaw alongside any hearty and meaty dish or just by itself with a drizzle of sriracha. I don’t make the typical cole slaw. I love lots of flavor so I add lots of different veggies and also on occasion I add some pineapple. Here is my favorite version of an “Island” coleslaw with a simple, nutritious and DELICIOUS dressing.     Ingredients:  ½ head green cabbage, chopped ½ head red cabbage, chopped 3 carrots, grated ½ bunch cilantro, finely chopped 3 green onions, finely chopped 1 jalapeno pepper, minced 1 C finely diced Pineapple (optional) ⅓ C toasted slivered almonds     Dressing:  ⅔ C good quality mayonnaise (I prefer using avocado oil mayo) 2 T apple cider vinegar 3 T raw honey salt & pepper to taste     Directions: 1. Chop all the Veggies and Mix them together 2. Whisk together the dressing 3. Toss salad and enjoy!     © The Sown Life LLC, 2019    

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Warm Crispy Onion and Hakurei Turnip Salad

  Growing up, I never ate turnips.  Just the name turned me off. Well, if your opinion of turnips was similar to mine, you need to try this recipe.  Sauteeing the turnips in some ghee really softens their sharp flavor and they have quickly become one of my favorite root vegetables. Hakurei is a Japanese variety of turnip and it is known to be very mild and delicate in flavor. This recipe will work with any type of turnip though!     Ingredients:  2 lbs. Hakurei turnips, sliced in half and then quartered ½ medium red onion, cut in half and then sliced 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 ½ tsp. fresh rosemary, finely chopped 1 TBS. ghee 1 bunch of Tuscan kale, stemmed and chopped 1 TBS. olive oil 2 tsp. apple cider vinegar 1 tsp. maple syrup 1 tsp. dijon mustard 1 tsp. sea salt   Directions:  1.  Using a medium skillet, heat over medium-high heat.  Melt ghee.   2. Add onions and turnips.  Leave both onions and turnips to brown up a bit on one side and then stir.  Continue to stir every so often so onions don’t burn but you want the turnips to have a nice golden hue and be soft on the inside.      3. Meanwhile, in a small jar with a lid, combine olive oil, apple cider vinegar, maple syrup, dijon mustard, and a ½ tsp. salt.  Put the lid on and shake until well blended.     4. When turnips are golden brown, […]

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Broccoli and Raisin Salad with Toasted Almonds

  This is probably my favorite salad.  It is definitely my favorite way to eat raw broccoli.  This salad has a great crunch with broccoli, carrots and toasted almonds. then you get a little bit of sweet with the raisins and honey.  It is well balanced and a great way to get raw food into your diet.     Salad ingredients:  1 head of Broccoli, finely chopped 2 carrots, grated 1/2 cup red onion, finely chopped 1/2 cup parsley, chopped 1/3 cup Thompson seeded raisins 1/2 cup toasted, slivered almonds       Dressing:  2/3 Cup good quality mayonnaise (I prefer avocado oil mayo) 2 TBS. Raw Apple Cider Vinegar 3 TBS. Raw Honey Salt & Pepper to taste     Directions: 1. Combine all the salad ingredients. 2. Mix the dressing ingredients until well blended. 3. Pour over salad and toss.     This salad keeps up to 5 days in the refrigerator and does a great job of holding it’s “crunchiness”.  This is a super easy but nutrient dense recipe.  Give it a try! Enjoy!       © The Sown Life LLC, 2019

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Homemade Ranch

  Let me tell you, my husband and I had this homemade ranch on our salads almost every day for a week and my kids loved it!!!  It has so much flavor and it was the perfect thing to have with fresh veggies as a snack as well. You will not miss Hidden Valley with this one!!! Making your own salad dressings is not difficult and the flavors are amazing!!  Give it a try!!!   Ingredients: ½ C avocado oil mayonnaise (You can use store-bought or my Homemade Mayo recipe) ½ C sour cream or plain whole-milk Greek yogurt ½ C milk (you can use creamy nut milk here as well) ½ tsp garlic powder ¼ tsp onion powder ½ tsp sea salt ¼ tsp black pepper 4 T fresh herbs, chopped finely (parsley, chives, dill) Zest of one lemon Juice of ½ lemon   Directions: Combine all ingredients in a ball jar with a lid and shake until well blended. Store in the fridge for about a week! Enjoy!!                       © The Sown Life LLC, 2020

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Summer Market Grilled Chicken Salad Bowl

This salad is a great recipe to showcase how you can use both my grilled chicken and salsa verde recipes in your everyday life. These two are incredibly versatile! When you have all the “pieces” prepped in your fridge, this kind of goodness is so easy to throw together. I love all the colors in this salad, you can substitute any veggies you want, but I love this combination. If you ever don’t know where to start, just go for color! Eating the rainbow is a terrific rule of thumb for assembling a salad that’s both delicious and nourishing. In the summer especially I enjoy getting my produce from local farmers. Normally everything in this recipe, except for the pumpkin seeds, will come from my farmers market or local farm share. Ingredients: 3 grilled chicken breasts, see my recipe for grilled chicken here 4 hard-boiled eggs 4 sliced beets 6 sliced radishes 3 diced or shredded carrots 1 pint of cherry tomatoes, halved ¾  cup goat cheese, crumbled ½  cup toasted pumpkin seeds Dressing: 3 TBS. My salsa verde (find recipe here) 1 TBS. olive oil 1 TBS. white balsamic vinegar   Directions: 1. Follow directions for grilled chicken breasts recipe. 2. In a small saucepan add 4 eggs and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Once boiling, bring the water down to a simmer by lowering the heat. Simmer for 10 minutes. Remove eggs and put in ice and water bath. Peel. 3. Place 4 bowls on your […]

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Lemon Tahini Salad Dressing

  Honestly, among my clients this is the most sought after recipe.  This salad dressing has evolved over time in my kitchen but I have found the easiest and most delicious way to make sure it is on the table almost daily.  You will want to pour this dressing over everything, believe me.  This method is quick and easy and will only take you a few minutes at most.  I hope you enjoy it as much as we do!!   Ingredients: 1 TBS. Tahini 1 TBS. Dijon mustard (I use whole grain) 1 tsp. White miso 1 TBS. Lemon juice 2 TBS. White balsamic vinegar, red wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar 3 TBS. Olive oil Salt & Pepper to taste       Directions: 1.Place tahini, dijon and miso in a small jar.  With the back of the spoon mash the three together. (I say mash because the miso tends to stay in a lump.)  This is the most work that you will do!!! 2. Add in vinegar and olive oil.  Put the lid on the jar and shake vigorously.   3. ADD salt and pepper to taste and shake once more. 4. You are done!!!  Store in fridge for up to a week.  

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Hormone Balancing Salad Dressing

This dressing is a complete hormone balancer. No supplements needed here! I often teach how to make this in my classes but it’s high time I share it here because its such a good recipe to have on hand. I’m obsessed with this dressing because we often only think of dressing when we want to add flavor to a salad. However, this one not only tastes good also does wonders for your hormones! It feels like cheating honestly, in such a good way! The Ingredients in this dressing work to detox the liver, remove bad or fake estrogens from the body and help to build up good hormones. It’s full of healthy fat and fiber along with a little sweetness from the goji berries. I’ve noted beside each ingredient how it helps your body, I’m always looking for new ways to incorporate these ingredients into other dishes, they are that good for you!   Ingredients: 2 TBS. Balsamic Vinegar (I use Neopolitan from Olive Oil Taproom) 2 TBS. Extra Virgin Olive Oil (I use Picoult from OOTR) 1 tsp. Chia seeds (removes bad estrogen) 1 tsp. Goji berries (detox the liver) 1 tsp. Maca powder (builds good hormones) ½ tsp. Flax seeds (removes bad estrogen) ½ tsp. sea salt Freshly ground pepper 1 TBS. water if needed for consistency Directions: 1. Place all ingredients in the food processor (except olive oil). 2. As the food processor is going add the olive oil in a slow steady stream and blend until well […]

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Freezing and Storing Summer Produce

I just love the flavors of summer produce: tomatoes, basil, bell peppers, hot peppers, cucumber, blackberries, blueberries, peaches and so many more! When I am in the middle of winter I find that I crave those fresh sunny fruits and vegetables and have found a way to have those year round. I buy up as much as I can afford each week and freeze them. It’s way more fresh and cost-effective than buying frozen veggies and fruit at the grocery store. It’s best to buy fruits and vegetables in the summer as they are always less expensive in season. Also, when you freeze them yourself you know exactly where they came from and that nothing was added in the freezing process. As summer sets in, remember that colder weather will come and you will long for these delicious foods. So buy a little extra each week, you’ll be surprised how much it adds up and you can stash away for the winter. Here is my method: Berries: Put berries on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet, make sure they are not touching and freeze. Note: I first freeze them on a cookie sheet to make sure they don’t clump together. Much easier for grabbing just a handful for smoothies etc. Then date, label and move to a quart size bag. I keep adding to the bag each week until full and freeze as many bags as I can over the summer. Use in desserts and smoothies. Peaches: Peel and slice. Place single layer on […]

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Sauerkraut

This Saurkraut recipe is such a satisfying side with grilled chicken or some kind of roast. Something about the flavor helps to round out the meal and make you feel full. Its also make from cabbage which is a cruciferous vegetable that can help improve digestion with the fiber it offers and also balances hormone levels. The probiotics in this recipe work to elevate the good hormones in your body. Besides that, it is an incredible asset in preventing cancer and can actually decrease cancer risk by removing toxins (xeno-estrogens) from the body. I try to find ways to incorporate fermented food into my diet and this is a great way to do so. It’s so good for your overall gut health. A little side note: If you choose to strain the whey when making my homemade yogurt, this is the perfect use for it. If you don’t have whey then water also does the trick. This recipe and the yogurt are perfect to make in the same week. Enjoy making these fermented foods and pay attention to how it makes your tummy feel. It has definitely helped me. Happy eating! Ingredients: Fresh Organic cabbage, 1 medium/large head 1/2 cup of whey from organic yogurt and (or) filtered, lightly salted water 2 TBS Salt (kosher or sea salt, non-iodized) A bowl Mandolin (optional) A potato masher or similar tool A large jar for fermenting with a lid A small ziploc bag   Directions: 1. Slice your cabbage into thin pieces or shreds. (you can […]

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