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Fennel Spinach Soup
While I am very aware that the holidays, for most of us, usually means a bit more sweets than usual, maybe a tad more alcohol and probably a few other less-than-healthy choices, I also kinda resent the idea that we should all relegate ourselves to spending the entire month of January detoxing, cleansing or Whole-whatevering.
Obviously you guys know me and my mission well enough to know that people making healthier choices and mindful lifestyle changes is always something I can get behind no matter the circumstances and in fact, I constantly encourage this. But, I don’t love this idea of post-holiday shame or guilt, that many feel we should suffer, especially after one of the best and most special times of the year. It just isn’t healthy. I also don’t love the idea often promoted every January, that 30 days of “cleansing” is going to change our lives or fix our wrongdoings and come February we can just jump back into the “old ways of eating”. Done and done.
Once again, it’s that balance I so often talk about. It’s the sustainable lifestyle choices and habit-forming, everyday changes that will endure long term and elicit real shifts in our health and overall well-being and vitality, for the long haul. Sure, more veggies and less junk is what we are all doing right now and I am certainly not condemning that, but I will feel no regret for my holiday choices. I make no apologies for the amazing, “nutritionally imperfect” homemade food I enjoyed with my family or those extra few pieces of the dark chocolate candy that my father and I made together (using my great-grandmother’s recipe) – which may have snuck into my suitcase. So what, I had a few cocktails? I also don’t feel even the slightest bit bad about the extra (of course, gluten-free) refined-carbs that seemed to follow me everywhere these past two weeks. None of these choices were really all that bad. I know, simply put, that it cannot and will not undo all the hard work I have done the rest of the year and consuming those things (or more) under the premise that I will “undo” it in the New Year, feels just plain silly to me.
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How-to Make Roast Chicken in the Slow Cooker
This tutorial falls under the category of simple, yet sweet. Or should I say, simple, yet savory! This is the perfect weeknight meal solution and as of recent, it is a near weekly occurrence in our house. I grab a fresh 3-4 lb whole pasture-raised chicken at the farmers market or Whole Foods, I rub it down, season it up, pile it atop some root veggies in the Crock Pot and voila, 4 hours later, dinner is ready.
The best part of a weekly whole chicken is how many meals we get from it. The meal from the whole roasted chicken is good for at least 2-3 meals, we enjoy it with the potatoes, as chicken salad, on top of big green salads, etc. Then I make a big pot of stock from the leftover bones and we get another 2-3 meals from that. This is truly a must for any busy family.
The seasonings on your chicken can vary with your preference and your mood. Generally I use this all-purpose herb and seasoning blend, that I love, occasionally I will opt for a spicy, chile pepper rub, it’s also great with lemon zest, garlic and freshly ground black pepper. The possibilities are endless. Seriously, you will never buy that rotisserie chicken from the store, again.
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Thai Pumpkin Curry with Salmon and Shrimp
There is something so comforting about a warm bowl of homemade curry. Though it isn’t a food I grew up with eating, I often find myself craving it, seeking that warm hug in a bowl feeling. More importantly, one of my very favorite things about homemade curry, beyond the delicious flavors, is that it’s a quick meal that can be whipped up in under 30 minutes, tops! Great for using up whatever seasonal vegetables you have on hand and super versatile when it comes to your protein choice.
This is a good fool-proof, quick meal to whip out on those busy school/work nights, when you can’t be bothered with too much else. Like many of the recipes I share, you can also be quite liberal with the substitutions on this one, choose your favorite squash (just adjust cooking time as need), opt for sweet potatoes instead of squash, add broccoli, greens or whatever you have on hand. If you aren’t a fan a seafood, leave it out, add more veggies, try chicken or tofu. (FYI chicken will take much longer to cook, so adjust accordingly)
I serve this in a big cozy bowl on it’s own. You can also serve it over rice, if you’d like. It’s unique, beautiful in color and full of robust and well rounded flavors. The creaminess of the coconut milk, the vivid color and texture from the pumpkin puree, the hint of brightness from the lime, a subtle heat from the red curry and the aromas will have you drooling before you even sit down to eat. Read the rest of this entry »
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Summer’s Harvest Farmers Market One-Pot Zucchini Pasta
We have all seen the one pot pasta phenomenon and while I am a big fan and even shared a gluten-free rice pasta version of this today, I also wanted to create a grain-free version, highlighting my personal favorite, noodle – zucchini noodles/pasta AKA “zoodles”!
This veggie-centric take on the classic, simple, weeknight meal is not just a great way to enjoy the best of the season, but I have found it’s also a wonderful way to use up some of those last bits of veggies, the things in the fridge you aren’t sure what to do with, the scraps from another recipe. Toss them in and go to town. You can’t go wrong.
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Danzante Halibut with 3 Chile Sauce
It’s been a few weeks since my trip to Loreto in Baja California Sur, Mexico and I’d be lying if I said I didn’t miss the food as much as I did the incredible views and starting each day with yoga on the beach. OK and maybe those creative cocktails and mocktails, the spa treatments and the sunsets…
Besides all the beautiful, fresh local fruit, the traditional Mexican foods and of course, their house-made gluten-free baked goods, the beautiful seafood was above and beyond, it is certainly what I most remember, when I think of all the delicious food. Most, if not all, the seafood served at the Villa del Palmar is sourced from the local waters, the Sea of Cortez. Chocolate clams (chocolate for their color, don’t worry they didn’t serve with chocolate) and the various fish were my favorites. You cannot beat fresh seafood, caught in the morning and served up to you in the evening.
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Slow Cooker Coconut Red Curry Vegetable Soup
With this being only our second winter in California I am pleasantly surprised this year by the cooler weather and the rain. It really feels wintery to me (in comparison to our usual warm and sunny days). As much as I know we needed the rain and I of course wanted it, I really just was starting to believe it didn’t actually happen here.
Last year was pretty much just hot and sunny the entire winter season, very little rain, it basically just felt like a continuation of the rest of the year. I assumed that was the norm and was really only bummed about it because I was missing comforting winter foods like soups and stews and other winter weather favorites.
This year we have had some wonderfully welcomed grey and chilly days, complete with rain and the need for cozy-time. I’m talking a hot fire, lots of blankets and comforting hot foods and drinks. I have made lot of soups and my love of hot drinks has been taken to a new level. In fact, while I write this, I am sipping away on a steamy mug of dairy-free hot cocoa, while under a cozy blanket, in front of the roaring fire place. I know, I know, those of you dealing with single digit temperatures and loads of snow, probably think this Southern California girl who hails from Buffalo, NY, should shut up about rainy 50º weather, but it’s all relative, friends. Promise.
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Sprouted Lentil Tacos with Arugula and Feta {Gluten-free}
Sometimes, my love for food makes me feel like a real dork. A bonafide, way too excited, food-nerd weirdo! I geek out over spice blends, flavor combinations, discovering a new way to enjoy a food I have eaten a million times. I have been known to dance around my kitchen after just one bite of some random dish I created on the fly. I am pretty certain I could have a problem. (Maybe you should send help.)
This recipe may have just taken my food-nerdiness to a whole new level. I have been sooo insanely excited to share this recipe with you guys that I woke up this morning so excited to hit “publish”.
These tacos came out of a random idea I came up with on a bike ride. No seriously, Mark and I were on a long 15-mile bike ride a week or two ago, and on the way home we were riding into the wind and I was exhausted. I found myself quite agitated and struggling. My legs were tired from having worked out in the morning and I was starving. So instead of just breathing and taking in the sights, I did what most logical, food-obsessed people would do – I started dreaming up what I would make for dinner.
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Sprouted Quinoa Bowl with Kale Almond Pesto {Gluten-free and Vegan}
Since I have started sprouting foods myself, a few months back, I have been pretty excited not only with how much more delicious so many of my favorite foods are, but how much easier they have been to digest. Sprouting seeds and beans especially, have seriously reduced the amount of bloating I have felt with certain foods. Sprouted quinoa is one of my absolute favorites to sprout. It’s super simple and I love knowing that I am maximizing the full nutritional benefits of the quinoa this way. Be sure to check out my recent post on how-to sprout, to read more about why this is and how to do it.
This super easy, vibrantly-colored quinoa bowl is so easy to throw together and it’s full of so many amazing flavors. Seriously, if you don’t count the sprouting time, you can have this for dinner – completely made and on the table in under 30 minutes. It’s just that easy. Besides the food processor to make the pesto, it’s a one pot meal, which I am ALL about. I love easy meals like this, where it can all cook in one pot and your entire meal is in one bowl. Doesn’t get much easier than that.
With all of the many different greens we’ve been getting in our CSA box each week I have actually made variations on this recipe too, last week I actually made it with swiss chard instead of the kale and it was just as amazing. I know arugula or spinach would be incredible, too.
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Quinoa Stuffed Zucchini Bites – Gluten-free + Vegan
Zucchini!!! We have lots of it and I have been doing my best to get creative with it. I’ve made a raw zucchini appetizer, I baked chocolate zuccini muffins, I have made more zucchini “pasta” than I would like to admit and the rest have been getting grilled. These simple to make bites are naturally gluten-free and vegan and work well as a bite-sized appetizer or a delicious side dish.
Last weekend we had dinner plans with Meg and Todd from Beard & Bonnet, who live just around the corner from us and I offered to make something with my homegrown zucchini. Besides being insanely excited to have another food blogger nearby, one who I happen to have a ton in common with, I was also super excited to eat at another gluten-free household where I could be certain everything was 100% safe to eat! Really made for an extra special night.
Meg was making her delicious homemade falafel, so I came up with these Quinoa Stuffed Zucchini Bites. They have so much flavor and they are easy to make, I pre-stuffed the zucchini and popped them in the oven when we got to their house. We ate a few before dinner as appetizers and served the rest as a side dish with our meal. If your zucchini is small enough, these bites are the perfect size for picking up with your fingers and popping into your mouth.
What is your favorite way to eat zucchini?
This recipe originally appeared on The Balanced Platter.
[print_this]Quinoa Stuffed Zucchini Bites – Gluten-free + Vegan
Serves 4 to 6 as an appetizer or 2 to 4 as a side dish- 2 medium-sized zucchini
- 1 tablespoon olive oil, plus a little extra, if need be
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/2 cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed
- 1 cup vegetable broth or water
- 2 teaspoons fresh thyme
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 cup cremini mushrooms, chopped
- 1/2 cup sun dried tomatoes, in oil, roughly chopped + some of the oil they are packed in
- 1/4 cup fresh basil, thinly sliced or roughly chopped
- Salt and Pepper, to taste
Preheat the oven to 375ºF. Lightly oil a large baking sheet or line with parchment paper or a silpat.
Slice off the tops and bottoms of your zucchinis, and then cut them into 1 to 1 1/2-inch long segments. Stand each segment up on one of the cut sides, and use a melon baller (or spoon) to remove the center flesh. Be careful not to scoop all the way through the bottom and create a hole (if you do make a small one, it’ll be fine). Arrange the hollowed-out zucchini pieces onto your prepared baking sheet so that they’re ready to go. Set aside.
Heat up the olive oil in a small sauce pan, add in the onion and garlic, sauté for about 2 to 3 minutes, then add the quinoa. Stir it around and let the quinoa get coated in a little oil and let it toast up for a minute. Add in your liquid (broth or water), thyme and sea salt. Bring to a boil, then cover, take the temperature down to low and let it simmer for 15 minutes.
While the quinoa is cooking, chop your mushrooms and sun dried tomatoes. After the quinoa is cooked, add it to a medium sized bowl. In the same pan you cooked the quinoa in, add a little more olive oil if need be and quickly sauté the mushrooms, just a couple of minutes until they are soft.
Add the mushrooms, sun dried tomatoes and the fresh basil to the quinoa. Stir everything together add salt and pepper, to taste. I like to add some of the oil from the jar of sun-dried tomatoes to the stuffing, maybe 1 tablespoon or two. You could also just use a little more olive oil.
Spoon the mixture into the prepared zucchini pieces, letting it mound up as much as you’d like. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until the stuffing is lightly browned and the zucchini is slightly tender (you don’t want them to get overcooked or they will be too mushy and be hard to eat).[/print_this]
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Creamy Crock-Pot Pumpkin Risotto – Gluten-free + Vegan
If it isn’t apparent yet, I am all-in on the fall-inspired dishes right now. Apples, squash, pumpkin anything…I am all about it. All of it. I love the shift into comfort food at the start of Autumn and I know that my body is craving it for a reason. Ask and you shall receive hungry tummy! What better way to combine Autumn flavors and produce with comfort food, than a delicious creamy pumpkin risotto.
I had been dreaming of a pumpkin risotto for a few weeks now and even had a few readers request a recipe, but instead of a traditional risotto like this one or this one, I wanted something that wasn’t quite so labor intensive. I never mind standing over the pot, spooning the broth or stock in, one ladle-full at a time, it is always worth it, but I wanted to see if I could create a simpler method for those days that you don’t have the extra time to dedicate an hour of your life to just one pot of food. In comes the magical Crock-Pot, the closest thing I will ever have to a personal chef!
This risotto is creamy, rich and comforting without any dairy at all. It’s quite unbelievable that this is not only gluten-free, but it is also vegan. The roast pumpkin and the pumpkin puree and not only provide a beautiful rich autumn-inspired hue to the dish, but a delicious hearty flavor. If you aren’t vegan and/or dairy-free this would also be quite delicious with a good chicken stock and some Parmigiano-Reggiano at the end, though I can say with confidence neither are needed or missed. The key to a creamy risotto is opting for arborio rice rather than the trational long grain.
[print_this]Creamy Crock-Pot Pumpkin Risotto – Gluten-free + Vegan
serves 6-8- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 leek, cleaned, halved the long way then thinly sliced (white and light green parts only)
- 1 small onion, diced
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 3/4 cup dry white wine
- 2 cups uncooked Arborio rice
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 5 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, split in half.
- 1 cup pumpkin puree, canned or fresh
- 1-2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 small pie pumpkin, seeded, peeled, and cut into 1-inch cubes
- salt and pepper
Optional – 1/2 to 2/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese — preferably Parmigiano-Reggiano
Heat the olive oil in a medium sauté pan over medium-high heat and sauté the leeks, onions and red bell pepper until they have softened up a bit, about 3-5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook another minute or two, then add all of the veggies to the crock-pot. Next pour the wine into the pan that the veggies were cooked in and scrape up any leftover bits in the pan, then add in the rice, stir around and cook until all of the wine has been absorbed. Add the rice to the slow cooker along with the broth, salt and half of the fresh thyme. Cover and cook on HIGH for about 1 1/2 to 2 hours or until all the liquid is absorbed.
While the risotto is cooking roast the pumpkin. Preheat the oven to 425ºF. Toss the pumpkin cubes with olive oil and a little salt, and roast for 30-40 minutes until lightly browned and tender. Stirring after 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside.
Just before serving, stir in the pumpkin puree, roasted pumpkin and the remaining thyme. If you are adding cheese, add it now. Stir it all together, cover and let sit for another 3-5 minutes, then serve.
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Zucchini Socca with Caramelized Onions – Gluten-free + Vegan
I am very honored to have been asked by Leanne of the Healthful Pursuit to guest post while she and her hubby make the move from Calgary to Montreal. Leanne’s blog is one of my absolute favorites and I enjoy that she and I share very similar views on food, eating and well, life in general. Leanne and I frequently email back and forth chatting about food, health and life and I am constantly grateful that blogging has brought us together. It is amazing how well you can feel like you know someone that you have never actually met.
After sharing my gluten-free and vegan lentil “meat” loaf the last time I guest posted for HP, I had some big shoes (of my own) to fill, since that has become one of my most popular recipes, to date. This time around, I decided to share a simple recipe that would be perfect way to use some of those last of the season zucchini, whether from your own garden, your neighbors or maybe like me, your CSA share. Soccas have quickly become one of my favorite go-to meals around here when I am at a loss as to what to make. They are super simple, very versatile and being that I usually have a huge bag of chickpea flour in the pantry, I always have what I need to make it. Not too long ago I shared a recipe for a Kalamata Olive and Herb Socca with Roasted Vegetables that I served as a simple lunch for myself and my hubby, but I have also made socca-style pizzas and other variation and I have been dreaming playing with a recipe for a sweet socca, maybe with some cinnamon and nutmeg and drizzled with honey. How amazing does that sound?
This Zucchini Socca with Caramelized Onions features shredded zucchini inside which provides a nice bit of color and flavor, but I also added in some fresh basil and some red pepper flakes and topped it all off with caramelized onions, one of my favorites! There is a wonderful crispiness to the outside and a nice creamy and delectable inside. Also, if you aren’t vegan or dairy-free this would be incredible with some crumbled goat cheese on top, as well.
Head on over to Healthful Pursuit to get the full recipe and thanks again to Leanne for having me guest post while she gets settled in her new life. It is always a pleasure.
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Grilled Sweet Potato and Wilted Kale Salad – Gluten-free + Vegan
This time of year I am all about simple dinners that don’t require a ton of effort or heating up the kitchen. One of my favorite things to make are simple grilled vegetables or grilled potato salads. I was making this particular grilled potato salad a lot last summer, but recently I decided to change it up a bit and use sweet potatoes.
This salad is great as a meal on it’s own, or as a side to any grilled meat of your choice (local and grass-fed, of course). This salad has a wonderful tang from the vinegar, a little spice from the red pepper flakes plus a beautiful fresh and bright flavor from the kale. The kale’s subtle and satisfying almost spicy crunch is so nice paired with the tender and earthy flavor from the sweet potatoes.
Besides being packed with flavor, this salad is loaded with nutrients and vitamins and other goodness. Sweet potatoes are an excellent source of vitamin A, in the form of beta carotene, and vitamin C. Sweet potatoes also provide vitamin B6, potassium, fiber, manganese, copper and iron. Sweet potatoes are naturally sweet-tasting but their natural sugars are slowly released into the bloodstream, helping to ensure a balanced and regular source of energy, without the blood sugar spikes linked to fatigue and weight gain. Leave the skin on for a nutty flavor and even more nutrients.
And then there is the kale. Talk about a nutritional powerhouse. One cup of kale contains 36 calories, 5 grams of fiber, and 15% of the daily requirement of calcium and vitamin B6 (pyridoxine), 40% of magnesium, 180% of vitamin A, 200% of vitamin C, and 1,020% of vitamin K. It is also a good source of minerals copper, potassium, iron, manganese, and phosphorus. Kale, as with broccoli and other brassicas, contains sulforaphane (particularly when chopped or minced), a chemical with potent anti-cancer properties. Honestly, I could probably create an entire post for just the health benefits and nutritional values of kale. So instead, I will just say “EAT KALE”. Eat it often and enjoy it. It is so tasty! I still have another bunch of it from the farmers market and as much as I want to make this salad again, I think I need to try something new!
What is your favorite way to enjoy kale?
What are some of your favorite things to grill?
[print_this]Grilled Sweet Potato and Wilted Kale Salad – Gluten-free + Vegan
serves 2-4- 2-3 organic sweet potatoes, cut into 1-inch cubes – I leave the skin on since I really like it, if you do, just be sure to scrub them extra good and remove any bruises and marks
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 large bunch kale, 4 or 5 cups, washed, stems removed and roughly torn or chopped (I used some a bunch of beautiful red Russian kale that I grabbed at the farmers market)
- 1 -2 tablespoons champagne vinegar (or rice wine vinegar)
- Red pepper flakes
- 1 tablespoon fresh chives, minced
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Preheat your grill. We have a charcoal grill, so we allow it to heat up for approximately 15 minutes. Place your grill basket or grill bowl onto the grill, and add the sweet potatoes. Tossing every 3-5 minutes allow the sweet potatoes to get tender and browned. But don’t toss them around too much, you don’t want to mash them up as they get more tender. Depending on the heat of your grill, it will take approximately 15-20 minutes. Be careful not to burn the potatoes, move the grill basket off of any large flames, if need be.
After the potatoes are tender and nicely browned, add the kale to the basket and continuously toss around to keep it from sticking. Cook for approximately 3-5 minutes until the kale is wilted. Remove the sweet potatoes and kale to a large serving bowl and toss with the vinegar, red pepper flakes and fresh chives. Salt and pepper, to taste. You can add more olive oil if you ‘d like, as well as some more minced garlic. Serve immediately while warm (which is my favorite way), or it would also be good room temperature or chilled. [/print_this]
