Ingredients

• 1 cup red lentils, rinsed
• 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
• 1 shallot, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 cups cremini mushrooms, finely chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon coriander
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• freshly ground pepper to taste
• 1 Tablespoon tamari
• 2 Tablespoons tomato paste
• 1/4 cup ground flax seeds
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup chopped scallions
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro or parsley
• cooking spray oil or extra olive oil

Directions

1. Bring 3 cups of water to a boil. Add lentils and quinoa, bring to a boil and then simmer for 15 minutes. Drain and set aside to cool.
2. Saute shallot in olive oil for 2 minutes, until starting to soften. Add mushrooms and cook until soft and juices are released, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and saute another minute until juices are absorbed. Add spices, salt and pepper, and let cool completely.
3. Combine lentils, quinoa and mushroom mixture. Add tamari, tomato paste, flax, egg, scallions, and herbs.
4. Scoop patties using 1/4 cup measure and place on parchment lined baking sheet with cooking spray. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
5. Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees F.  Spray the patties with cooking spray or brush with olive oil. Bake lentil patties for 25-30 minutes.

Recipe adapted from www.greennapkinnutrition.com

Ingredients

• 2 cups wild rice, rinsed
• 2 cups shelled edamame
• 3 scallions, sliced diagonally
• 2 medium carrots, diced
• 1 red pepper, diced
• 1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped
• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 Tablespoon minced ginger
• 4 Tablespoons lime juice
• 2 Tablespoons brown rice vinegar
• 3 Tablespoons tamari
• 1 teaspoon raw honey
• 2 Tablespoons sesame oil
• 2 Tablespoons toasted sesame oil
• 1 cup chopped walnuts, toasted
• 1/2 cup golden raisins
• 2 Tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted

Directions

1. Bring 4 cups of water to a boil and add rice. Bring to a boil, cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer until rice grain are tender and most water has been absorbed, about 45-60 minutes. Drain if water remains. Place on a sheet pan, spread out to cool.
2. Blanch edamame in a pot of boiling salted water, about 1 minute. Drain and cool in ice bowl.
3. In a large bowl, combine rice, scallion, carrot, pepper, edamame, and fresh herbs. Toss.
4. In a small bowl, combine garlic, ginger, lime juice, vinegar, tamari and honey; mix. Drizzle in sesame oils and whisk to blend.
5. Add dressing to rice mixture and combine. Stir in walnuts, and raisins, reserving a few to garnish. Top with sesame seeds.

* Recipe adapted from www.greennapkinnutrition.com

This heartwarming, healthy soup will comfort you during the coldest wintery days. It is a bowl of nutrition that can stand as a full meal. Add your favorite herbs to this flavorful veggie soup.

Makes 6 servings.

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
• ½ cup diced yellow onions
• ½ cup diced fennel
• ½ cup diced celery
• ½ cup diced carrots
• 1 cup diced tomatoes
• ½ cup diced zucchini
• ½ cup diced yellow squash
• 6 cups vegetable stock
• ½ teaspoon minced fresh oregano
• ½ teaspoon minced fresh thyme
• 1 teaspoon minced fresh parsley
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 cups chiffonade spinach or kale
• 1 cup canned cannellini beans (drained and rinsed)
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions

1. Heat oil in large saucepan. Saute onions, fennel, celery and carrots until onions are translucent. Add tomatoes and cook 5 minutes. Add zucchini and yellow squash and cook 5 more minutes.
2. Add stock and herbs and simmer for 1 hour.
3. Add spinach or kale, beans, vinegar, salt and pepper and mix well. Remove and discard bay leaf.

Ingredients:

• 4 small acorn squash
• 2 cups cooked black lentils (can replace with black beans)
• 2 cups cooked quinoa (can replace with millet)
• 4 cups mushrooms (button, cremini or shitake), very finely chopped
• 2 clove garlic, minced
• 1 cup finely chopped parsley or cilantro
• ½ jalapeno, seeded and finely diced (use less for milder taste)
• 1 tsp sea salt
• Ground pepper, to taste
• 3 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
• 2 Tbsp. raw apple cider vinegar

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Remove stems from squash, cut in half and remove seeds.
3. Cut a thin slice of the skin from the outer edge of squash, perpendicular to cutting board, so it sits without wobbling. Place squash flesh side down on baking sheet and bake for 45 minutes or until tender. Let cool.
4. To make filling, sauté mushrooms and garlic in ¼ cup vegetable broth over medium-low heat for 5 minutes, until fully cooked. If needed, add additional broth while cooking.
5. In a large bowl, combine remaining ingredients. Stir in mushrooms and garlic
6. Spoon filling into squash, pressing down mixture slightly.
7. Bake squash for 20 minutes or until heated through and Enjoy!

This is a family favorite – even my kids’ friends request it!

• • 1 1/2 pounds salmon filet with skin
  • Sesame oil to brush on fish
  • ½ cup nama shoyu or tamari
  • ½ cup water
  • ¼ cup ponzu
  • 1 tablespoon agave nectar
  • 1 teaspoon crushed pepper

Place fish in pan and brush with sesame oil. Turn over to marinate with skin down.

Mix remaining ingredients and pour over the salmon. Marinate for at least one hour or up to 24 hours in the refrigerator.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cover salmon and bake for 15 minutes. Uncover and broil for an additional 5 minutes.

Here’s a crowd-pleasing healthy recipe that is great for potluck holiday parties.

Kale Salad with Nuts and Dried Berries

Ingredients:

• 1 bunch organic kale
• 2 bulbs endive (sliced)
• 1 cup shredded purple cabbage
• Juice of one lemon
• 3-4 TBS (approx.) extra virgin olive oil
• Sea salt to taste
• Garnish with pistachios and dried cranberries (or sliced almonds and dried cherries)

Directions:

1. Separate the kale leaves from the stems and tear the leaves into smaller, bite-sized pieces. Place the kale in a large bowl. Add lemon, olive oil and salt and massage leaves by hand until soft and resembling a “cooked” appearance. The acid and salt will help break down the fibrousness of the kale.
2. Thinly slice the endive and red cabbage and add to the bowl of kale.
3. Garnish with your favorite nuts and dried berries.

Dressing ingredients:
½ cup olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh minced ginger
2 garlic cloves, minced
Pepper
Sea salt

Salad ingredients:
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 pounds greens, chopped
2 red or orange peppers, stemmed, seeded and diced
8 mushrooms of your choice, sliced
2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
2 tablespoons pumpkin seeds

To make the dressing:
1. Whisk the ingredients and adjust salt and pepper to your taste.

To make the salad:
1. Sauté the greens in olive oil until their “greenness” peaks.
2. Add the peppers and mushrooms.
3. Mix with the dressing and top with the seeds before serving.

You can use pretty much any type of fish you want and follow these instructions. Also, I like this combination of kale and rosemary, but use any herbs (cilantro or thyme would be good) and vegetables you want or have around.

Serves 2

• 4 rosemary sprigs
• 2 5-ounce fish fillets
• 1 cup lightly massaged and shredded kale
• 8 cherry tomatoes, halved
• 2 tablespoons dry white wine or vegetable broth
• 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
• sea salt
• pepper
• 1 lemon

1. Heat oven to 450°F.
2. Cut 2 sheets of parchment paper, about 16 inches wide each. Fold each in two like a book and open up.
3. Place 2 rosemary sprigs horizontally in the middle of each parchment paper. Season the fillets with salt and pepper. Place fish (skin side down if you’ve got it) on top of the rosemary. Divide half of the tomatoes, kale, and any other vegetables and place each half over a fillet. Add a pinch more of salt and pepper. Pour 1 tablespoon of white wine and 1 tablespoon of olive oil over each set of fish and vegetables.
4. Seal each packet by crimping and rolling up the parchment paper like the wrapper around a hard candy. Press on the ends to make sure the packets are closed and no steam will get out. Place packets on a baking sheet.
5. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes. It’ll be about 10 minutes for a 1/2-inch thick fillet and 15 minutes for a 1/-inch thick fillet.
6. To serve, use a fork to carefully open the packet and let out the hot steam. Squeeze a fresh lemon over each fillet.

(Adapted from Skinny Meals by Bob Harper)

This lemony, garlicky soup with chicken and kale is a great all-in-one nutrition boost that can be enjoyed all year round.

Ingredients

2 teaspoons refined coconut oil (or olive oil)

1 cup chopped yellow onion

4 garlic cloves, crushed

8 ounces boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into cubes

2 teaspoons herbes de Provence (or combination of dried thyme, rosemary, oregano and basil)

2 bay leaves

2 1-quart boxes of organic low-sodium chicken broth

1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

3-4 cups chopped kale

Directions

Heat the coconut oil in a soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic; sauté for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the chicken, dried herbs, and bay leaves, raise the heat to medium-high and cook for 6-8 minutes.

Pour in the broth and lemon juice. Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for 25 minutes.

Turn off the heat and remove the bay leaves. Add the kale and stir until slightly wilted.

Ingredients:

½ cup sesame tahini

2 tablespoons shoyu or tamari

1 tablespoon ume plum vinegar

½ bunch parsley chopped

½ bunch scallions chopped

¾ cup of water (more or less)

Preparation:

1. Put tahini, shoyu/tamari, vinegar, parsley and scallions in food processor.
2. Blend and add water slowly to achieve desired consistency.
3. Platter the steamed greens and top with Tahini sauce or use as dipping sauce for crudité veggies.