-
Warm Kale Salad with Roasted Fennel and Cranberry Meyer Lemon Salsa
‘Tis the season for sweets and treats, Christmas cookies and cocktails galore. You guys already know by now that I am one for balance and not setting such strict rules on yourself that you restrict everything completely and end up flailing around and ruining your lifestyle after one “slip up”. Balance and occasional indulging is important, especially during this special time of year. However, I am also someone that absolutely HAS to have my daily greens. It absolutely is not an option for me to skip out.
I believe a few treats here and there during the holidays can be a special indulgence without derailing all the special attention you give to your food, lifestyle and your health throughout the year. But, I also feel that just means it is more important than ever to make sure you are getting the good things. Nourishing, properly prepared, nutrient-dense foods – this is precisely the fuel our body needs to get through this hectic, and oftentimes stressful, time of year.
-
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 »
-
Tuna and Arugula Salad with Avocado, Black Olives & Lemon Parsley Vinaigrette
Sometimes you find yourself in places and situations you hadn’t planned. Life is funny that way. How do you handle it? Can you roll with the punches? I like to believe that ultimately there is a plan for me, it helps with those little bumps and the unplanned surprises. As Seane Corn, one of my favorite yoga teachers says “everything happens as it is supposed for our souls to transform”. Not only do I now believe and live by this, but it has also allowed me to be much more open and flexible in my life. I know that things unfold as they should, oftentimes to teach me something. It has allowed me to see things with clearer eyes and to allow things to transform and evolved as they are meant to. I wasn’t always able to do this. This is a practice I have been working at for sometime now. In the past, if I set a plan and things veered off course, I would at times get a little freaked out and possibly allow to ruin my day or whatever situation I was in. It was never fun. Not only did it make the situation harder to deal with, but it made me harder to deal with. It’s not to say that is still doesn’t happen now and again, that I too don’t need these reminders once in a while.
What does this have to do with a tuna salad I’m sure you are wondering? The first time I made this salad, was in one of these very situations where I was being tested. My husband, Mark, and I, were planning a quick summery dinner of grilled ahi tuna steaks. We bought these beautiful wild-caught tuna steaks and I had planned an Asian-inspired meal around them, we were going to to serve them over cauliflower rice with a quick arugula salad on the side. I was thinking ginger, coconut aminos, garlic, sriracha. I asked Mark to grill them up quick, a task he has done many, many times before. Seared tuna steaks need but a couple minutes per side, to keep that beautiful rare center that this particular cut lends itself so well to. Overcooked tuna steaks can be a bit dry and tough.
-
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.
-
Late Summer Farmers Market One-Pot Pasta (Gluten-Free)
Listen, I am not even going to try to claim any bit of this whole one-pot pasta thing, as my idea. If you have spent more than 5 minutes on Pinterest you will know that this phenomenon has swept the internet in the past few years and it’s definitely not going away. In fact, you can even read about the back story and learn where the trend originated.
But, just because I can’t have gluten and I prefer to avoid dairy, doesn’t mean I shouldn’t be able to partake. In fact, I took it all a step further after a trip to the farmers market, adding as many end-of-summer veggies as I could, because duh – veggies are the best!!
This hearty, creamy, Late Summer Farmers Market One-Pot Pasta dish can be made in just about 20 minutes, from start to finish, with just one pot to clean. It’s gluten-free and naturally vegan, plus you can easily adapt it to what is most in-season and highlight your favorites! I love that without any dairy this pasta is creamy and rich. Of course, if you are a cheese-eater, go to town and top it with your favorite shredded cheese.For my paleo and grain-free friends, you can grab an alternative recipe today where I am sharing a version of this one-pot pasta dish featuring zucchini pasta (aka zoodles)
Late Summer Farmers Market One-Pot Pasta (Gluten-Free)
gluten-free, dairy-free, egg-free, nut-free, vegetarian, veganPrint Pin RateIngredients
- 12 ounces organic brown-rice spaghetti-style pasta, gluten-free
- 1 pound cherry or grape heirloom tomatoes, halved or quartered
- 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
- 3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 2 sprigs basil, plus additional, roughly torn for serving
- 2-3 zucchini, thinly sliced and quartered
- 2-3 large handfuls kale, roughly chopped or torn, stems removed
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 teaspoons coarse sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ½ red pepper flakes, optional
- 4 cups water
- for topping: zest from 1 lemon
Options:
- top with Parmesan or Romano cheese, shredded
- sprinkle nutritional yeast on top for vegan cheesy flavor
- opt for leeks or shallots instead of onion
- try other veggies based on the season, peas, green beans, broccoli or cauliflower, bell pepper, mushrooms, etc
- if not dairy-free, add cream at the end for even more rich, creaminess
- if you are a meat-eater, you can add also add sausage or pepperoni
Instructions
- Combine all of the ingredients in a large high-sided pan, a stock pot or Dutch oven. Cover and bring to a boil over a high heat. Reduce the heat, remove the lid and simmer uncovered for about 9-12 minutes, until the pasta is cooked through and the liquid reduced. While it’s bubbling away, be sure to stir often to keep it from sticking. The pasta will continue to absorb the liquid as it sits. Serve immediately topped with fresh basil, shredded cheese or nutritional yeast.
- PLEASE NOTE: The amount of water called for in this recipe was calculated using brown rice spaghetti. If you use normal pasta or a different gluten-free pasta, please be aware that it may alter the amount of liquid required. It is best to start with a smaller amount and add more, as needed.
-
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.
-
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.
-
Zucchini Noodle Shakshuka {gluten-free}
It’s quite possible you have heard of Shakshuka (or Shakshouka) before, but it’s also pretty likely you haven’t. If you haven’t – I am excited to introduce you to one of the yummiest egg dishes you ever will have. I myself hadn’t heard of Shakshuka before late last year sometime. I recall seeing a photo of it in a cookbook then on Pinterest and it was love at first (and second) sight, before I ever even tasted it. I have made it several times since discovering it, always changing things up a little here and there. Bottom line is no matter how I make it, it’s precisely my kind of meal – an egg dish that can literally work for any meal. Breakfast, lunch or dinner.
Though the origin of Shakshuka is somewhat uncertain, it is a staple dish in Israeli, Morrocan, Tunisian and Egyptian cuisines, among many, many others. Wikipedia (and several other sources) says it to be of Tunisian origin – which is perfect considering my love of Tunisian olive oil.
-
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.
-
30-Minute Sweet Potato and Kale Coconut Curry {Gluten-free and Vegan}
I have been all about the simple healthy one-pot meals, as of late. Life has been hectic for us. Lots of work, deadlines, house guests every two to three weeks, commitments, shows and so on. I am certainly not complaining, such is the life of the self employed. But, some days by the time I am done cooking and creating recipes for the blog, editing photos and writing back all the emails – by dinner I am actually just too exhausted to make any sort of feast. The sad truth is that as a food blogger sometimes my own meals get forgotten, I am so focused on making the recipes that I have planned for the blog to share with all of you. Plus,the idea of tons of prep, lots of steps, loads of dishes – it all seems overwhelming and unwelcomed at the end of a busy day, especially a day that included much of just that.
A good 30-minute, one-pot meal means that, besides a few minutes for cutting up a few ingredients and dirtying a cutting board or knife, dinner is done before you can blink an eye. Just like that, you can sit down and enjoy a nutritious home-cooked meal with your love and the clean up after is next to nothing. Enter this super easy 30-minute Sweet Potato and Kale Coconut Curry.
-
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.
