• 12-14 skinless, organic chicken pieces (choose legs, thighs, or large pieces of chicken breast)

• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 6 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon ginger, grated 
• 4 tablespoons soy sauce (preferably gluten-free like Tamari sauce or Coconut Aminos)
• 3/4 cup organic date molasses/syrup (see this link) 
• 1 tablespoon date sugar (or brown sugar) 
• 2 tablespoons orange juice
• 1 teaspoon orange peel, grated 
• 1 tablespoon sweet paprika
• 2 tablespoons organic Dijon mustard 
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 teaspoon fresh black pepper 

• 1 cup toasted pine nuts or walnuts or slices almonds
• 1/2 cup fresh parsley leaves, chopped.

1. In a large bowl, mix together all the marinate ingredients, add the chicken and toss to coat well. Refrigerate for minimum of 2 hours. 
2. Heat up to oven for 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Place the marinated chicken in an oven proof baking dish and bake for about one hour, tossing occasionally to brown on all sides. 
3. Plate the chicken and garnish with toasted pine nuts and parsley. You can also serve over cooked quinoa, brown rice or wild rice. 

Why do I have a hard time peeling my hard boiled eggs?

Your mistake: You immerse cold eggs in cold water. When you do that, the egg white hardens slowly and sticks to the egg shell.

Smart Life tip: Boil the water first and only then immerse the eggs. Cook for 7 minutes for totally hard white and almost done yolk. Cook for 9 minutes for totally hard yolks or 4 minutes for soft boiled eggs. Are you cooking more than one egg? Make sure you have enough water – one cup per egg.

How to keep broccoli and green beans green after cooking?

Your mistake: You are cooking your greens in boiling water for too long. Green vegetables contain chloroplasts that give them their green pigment. Hot water enhances that pigment, but not above 170 to 190 degrees Fahrenheit. Higher temperatures produce an anti-enzyme called chlorophyllase.

Smart Life tip: Fill up your pot with water and a pinch of sea salt. When the water is hot, but not boiling (176 degrees Fahrenheit), immerse your greens for only 3 minutes. Pour into a sifter and rinse well in cold water. To complete your prep, heat a pan with olive oil and gently toss your greens with extra virgin olive oil for another 3-4 minutes. Sprinkle with sea salt and serve immediately.

How to keep my green salad crisp?

Your mistake: You dress your salad too early and your salad dressing only contains oil and lemon juice.

Smart Life tip: Make a salad dressing from olive oil, lemon juice PLUS either a little mustard or raw honey. The mustard or honey will keep your oil and lemon juice mix intact, and that’s how your salad will stay crisp longer.

How to keep my tomatoes fresh?

Your mistake: You store your tomatoes without their stem and place them stem up.

Smart Life tip: store your tomatoes with the stem side down to prevent their juices from drying up. Otherwise, try to buy tomatoes on their stem. The stems will keep the tomatoes fresh for a longer period.

How to make the perfect sunny side up omelette?

Your mistake: You pour the whole egg into your frying pan at once.

Smart Life tip: Separate the egg white and yolk. Beat the egg white and a pinch of sea salt with a fork. Pour the egg white into a warm/hot frying pan and cook until almost done. Then, toss the egg yolk on top of the white and continue cooking for 2-3 minutes or until yolk is cooked to your liking.

Ingredients

• 2-3 pints cherry tomatoes
• 2-3 sprigs fresh thyme or rosemary
• 3 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Sea salt
• Fresh ground pepper

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees
2. Toss tomatoes with herbs, EVOO, salt and pepper and spread on a rimmed baking sheet.
3. Roast, tossing occasionally, until tomatoes are blistered – 20-25 minutes.
4. Transfer the tomatoes to a serving platter and sprinkle with a little more sea salt. Serve hot or at room temperature.

One of my family’s favorite breakfast/brunch dishes is baked eggs which is really easy to make and a great way to add lots of vegetables to the protein rich eggs. The only trick to baking eggs is to pay attention when baking and pull the dish out when the eggs are cooked to your liking. This recipe with cherry tomatoes was great because I used our homegrown cherry tomatoes. The sweetness of homegrown tomatoes at the peak season of late summer is so satisfying and brings out the best taste of every dish.

Watch my video to learn how to quickly halve cherry tomatoes! This is one of the Smart Life quick tips my clients absolutely love!

Ingredients

• 2 -3 pints cherry tomatoes, halved.
• 3 Tablespoons Basil leaves, chiffonade
• 2 cups spinach, chopped
• 3 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 2 garlic cloves, minced (optional)
• 3 Tablespoons grated Pecorino or Parmesan cheese (optional)
• Sea salt
• Fresh ground pepper
• 6 organic fresh eggs

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2. Arrange halved cherry tomatoes in an even layer in a medium sized baking dish or an ovenproof skillet (I like to use my Scanpan)
3. Bake for 15-18 minutes until tomatoes are somewhat blistered (if a lot of liquid gets released, carefully pour off a little).
4. In a small dish, mix the olive oil, 2 tablespoons of basil, garlic, salt and pepper.
5. Top the tomatoes with olive oil mixture and spread the spinach over the tomatoes. Top with grated cheese (optional).
6. Gently crack the eggs over the tomatoes and veggies, keeping yolks intact.
7. Return the dish to the oven and bake for 8-10 minutes.
8. Sprinkle the cooked eggs with more sea salt, pepper, and 1 tablespoon of basil.

In summertime, everyone loves easy grilling as a way to enjoy the season with friends and family. Here are a few Smart Life tips and recipes to help you keep up your healthy habits and still enjoy the fun and flavors of a barbecue.

1. Start with Choosing High Quality Protein: Start by making a smart choice at the market. Look for sustainably raised meats, ideally 100% grass-fed or grass-finished beef and organic chicken. By choosing high quality meat you avoid added hormones and antibiotics. Furthermore, animals who are raised in their natural environment and allowed to roam on pasture are the healthiest, and hence the healthiest to consume. When it comes to fish and seafood choose sustainable wild-caught fish like cod or Alaskan salmon, which are high in healthy omega-3 fatty acids. Avoid fish with higher concentrations of mercury, like tuna and swordfish. Shop savvy with fish-buying guides like the Monterey Bay Aquarium.

2. Grill Smart. A little sear on meat can be delicious, but too much char can be dangerous. Using very high-heat cooking can cause the formation of HCAs (heterocyclic amines), chemicals that have been related to higher risk of some cancers. To avoid the formation of these chemicals, either start by cooking the meat in the oven and finish on the grill, or cook it to medium rare over moderate flame. Choosing smaller cuts and making kebabs instead of selecting larger cuts keeps grilling time shorter, too. Another way to keep HCAs away is to use marinates. Brushing on a thin layer of marinate or marinating meats ahead of cooking, and using acidic marinades with lemon juice or apple cider vinegar can be helpful in avoiding charring. It’s best to use a low- or no-sugar marinade to avoid charring. Another way to reduce exposure is to use a rack or cedar plank on the grill; wild salmon is especially tasty prepared this way.

3. Choose Easy and Smart Sides: Instead of energy-sapping fries, potato or macaroni salad, opt for lots of greens and other fresh vegetables. Lightly grill some eggplant, asparagus, zucchini or summer squash slices by tossing these veggies in a bowl with a little EVOO, sea salt, fresh pepper and vegetable broth an fresh herbs. Salads and slaws are also easy to prep ahead. Veggies, raw or grilled, make the perfect accompaniments to grilled proteins and they fill you up with nutrients and fiber that help you cut down on your protein portion sizes.

4. Slow down, be social and have fun. It is ok to relax and enjoy a summer barbecue. If you slow down, enjoy the company of your friends and family and make the gathering not just about the food, you will make the best choices. But if you end up eating or drinking a little too much or tasting an amazing dessert you would normally skip, simply savor it, and move on. No guilt! The next day go back to your healthier Smart Life choices and maybe join us for the 3-Day Smart Life Soup Cleanse to help reboot after the July 4th barbecue parties.

Pineapples, mangos, and peaches are delicious grilled. The sauce can be prepared a day ahead. Unsweetened coconut cream can be hard to find, so I use a can of coconut milk, and spoon off the top part of a can. Just make sure not to shake the can before you open it.

For the sauce:

• 1 13oz. can coconut milk (I get mine at Trader Joes)
• ¼ cup date or coconut sugar
• ¼ teaspoon sea salt

For the grilled fruit:

• 2 large ripe mangos, peeled and sliced
• 1 ripe pineapple, peeled, cored and sliced into rings
• 3 large peaches, cored and sliced
• ½ cup unsalted, roasted pistachios or sprouted pumpkin seeds (optional) for garnish.
• ¼ cup of chopped fresh mint leaves (optional)

Sauce Prep:

1. Gently open the coconut milk can and transfer the creamy top half into a saucepan (It should be about 1 cup). Add 2 Tablespoons of the clear juice from the bottom of the can. Add the sugar and salt.
2. Heat over medium heat until the sugar and salt dissolve; DO NOT let it boil.
3. Simmer to thicken, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes. Chill the sauce (it will thicken some more as it chills), and let it come to room temperature before serving.

Grill the fruit:

1. Heat the grill to medium and place the fruit on a nonstick grill topper. Grill the fruit just enough to soften it.
2. Plate and drizzle with the coconut sauce.
3. Garnish with unsalted roasted pistachios or sprouted pumpkin seeds and chopped mint.

For the Dressing:

• 2 clove garlic, minced
• 6 anchovy fillets, rinsed and minced
• 2 teaspoons vegan mayo (I like this one)
• 2 teaspoons organic Dijon mustard
• ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• sea salt and black pepper to taste

For the Salad:

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 heads romaine lettuce, bottoms trimmed, cut lengthwise into halves
• ½ cup grated Pecorino (optional)
• ½ cup chopped parsley

Directions:

1. Whisk the minced garlic and minced anchovies together until they form a paste. Add the mayonnaise and mustard and whisk. Add the olive oil, then vinegar. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside.
2. Brush the lettuce heads with olive oil. Lightly grill over medium heat for 2 minutes. Then brush with the dressing and cover the grill for 1-2 minutes to allow dressing to melt into the lettuce.
3. Platter and drizzle with remaining dressing and garnish with grated Pecorino cheese and chopped parsley.

Yield: 4 patties.

Ingredients:

• 1 ¼ lbs. ground organic turkey
• 1 medium zucchini grated
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 2 scallions chopped
• ¼ cup fresh mint chopped
• 1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• pepper to taste

Mix all the ingredients together and form 4 patties. Heat the grill and barbecue over medium heat until cooked through, about 4 minutes per side. Serve with Tahini sauce over greens.

Yield: 4-5 Servings

Ingredients:

• 1 9-ounce package frozen artichoke hearts, thawed
• 2 lbs. large peeled and deveined shrimp

Marinate Ingredients:

• ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
• ¼ cup finely chopped fresh parsley
• ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 2 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 3 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon sea salt

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, mix together all the ingredients for the marinate.
2. Add the shrimp and artichoke hearts to the marinate and toss well. Let marinate for at least 30 minutes.
3. Use a nonstick grill topper to grill the shrimp over medium heat. Grill for 5-8 minutes.

This enzyme-rich yogurt supports a healthy gut, while also benefiting the body through bone-boosting calcium, muscle supporting magnesium and anti-inflammatory properties. Antioxidant-rich berries boost the nutrition and flavor profile of the dish, but feel free to get creative with your layers – healthy granola, cacao nibs, or any type of fresh fruit you wish would all taste delicious.

Yield: 2 to 4 servings

Ingredients:

• 1 package young thai coconut meat OR 1 young thai coconut; remove meat from inside
• ¼ cup cashew milk
• 2 Tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 Tablespoon coconut nectar or raw maple syrup
• Pinch of sea salt
• Selection of fresh berries or another desired fruit and granola for layering.

Directions:

Blend together cashew milk, coconut meat, lemon juice, sweetener and pinch of until smooth and creamy.

Take a parfait glass and layer the following:

1.  Berries
2.  Coconut meat cream
3. Granola
4. More berries; blueberries, raspberries, and or blackberries
5.  Finish with a sprinkle of coconut shreds.

*thanks to RANCH in Malibu for the recipe.  I spent a week there and loved this breakfast dish.