Orange and Cucumber Salad with Spring Greens

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Early spring greens are crossing paths with winter citrus in this easy and healthy salad.

Ingredients:

  • ½ English cucumber, thinly sliced
  • 3 to 4 small oranges (clementines), peeled and sectioned
  • 2 big handfuls baby arugula leaves
  • 2 baby bok choy, thinly sliced
  • ½ bunch watercress leaves
  • 1 cup green sprouts (pea, broccoli)
  • Pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds, as desired
  • Juice of ½ orange
  • Juice of ½ lemon
  • 1 teaspoon orange zest
  • 1 teaspoon lemon zest
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
  1. Combine all the veggies in a serving bowl.
  2. Mix together the orange and lemon juice, orange and lemon zest, olive oil, salt and pepper.
  3. Pour the dressing on the salad and toss together. Scatter the seeds over the top of the salad and serve.



Quinoa Lettuce Wraps

Serving Size: 2

Ingredients:

  • 4 large Romaine or Iceberg leaves
  • 1 cup cooked quinoa
  • 1 cup red cabbage, shredded
  • 1 small Bell Pepper, sliced
  • Sprouts and Micro Greens

Dressing:

  • 2 tbsp Olive Oil
  • 1-2 tsp Sriracha Sauce (depending how spicy you want it)
  • 1 tbsp Vegan Mayo or 1/2 Avocado
  • Salt & Pepper to taste

Directions:

  1. Cook the quinoa as directed on the package.
  2. For the dressing, if you are using vegan mayo you can whisk all of the ingredients in a bowl. If you are using avocado, I recommend using a blender or food processor to get a creamy texture.
  3. Divide and arrange the quinoa, cabbage, bell peppers, sprouts, micro greens inside of the lettuce leaves.
  4. Drizzle the dressing on top and enjoy!

Recommendations: If you don’t like spicy foods, you can replace the Sriracha for Dijon mustard. Feel free to mix & match the veggies in this recipe for your favorite ones!




Chickpea Patties with Tahini and Greek Salad Bowls

Chickpea Patties:

These chickpea patties are made with simple ingredients and easy prep. They are gluten free and dairy free. They pair well with tahini dressing and chopped vegetable salad.

Ingredients:

  • 1 15-ounce canned chickpeas rinsed, drained
  • ¼ cup chickpea flour
  • ¼ cup nutritional yeast
  • 2 Tablespoons chopped parsley
  • 1 teaspoon Hawaij spice (can replace with cumin)
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • 3 Tablespoons water
  • 2 Tablespoons olive oil (plus oil 1-2 to brush the pan)

Directions:

  1. In a medium bowl, combine the chickpeas, flour, nutritional yeas, parsley, cumin, salt, pepper. Add 3 Tablespoons water and 2 Tablespoons of olive oil and use a masher to combine the ingredients until they are well blended. 
  2. Form 6 patties from the mixture.
  3. Heat a large pan with oil and add the patties. Cook until browned, 3-5 minutes per side.
  4. Serve with tahini or any other sauce of choice.

For Tahini:

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup tahini sesame seed paste (made from light colored seeds)
  • 3/4 cup cold water, or more for consistency
  • 1 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice 
  • 1/4 tsp fine ground sea salt
  • 2 tsp fresh parsley, minced

Directions:

  1. Whisk together the tahini paste, water and lemon juice until creamy consistency. 
  2. Add garlic, salt and parsley and mix well together.

To serve, assemble 2 bowls with chopped romaine, tomatoes, and cucumbers. Add the patties and drizzle with tahini sauce.




Lemon-Miso Tofu with Greens Stew

For the Tofu:

  • One 14-ounce block extra firm tofu
  • 2 Tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1 Tablespoon white miso paste
  • 2 Tablespoons avocado oil
  • 2 Tablespoons water
  • Black pepper, to taste

For the Greens Stew:

  • 2 Tablespoons coconut oil (or avocado oil)
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 Tablespoons minced ginger
  • 1 teaspoon ground coriander
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 2 bunches of dark green Lacinato kale (or collard greens), stemmed & cut into strips
  • ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
  • 1 13-ounce can coconut milk
  • ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1-2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 375F.
  2. Start by pressing the water out of the tofu by placing on a plate with heavy plates on top. Let all the water come out for 15-20 minutes.
  3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, water, miso, oil and black pepper.
  4. Cut the tofu into cubes, mix with the marinate, and let marinate for 10 minutes.
  5. Arrange the tofu on a baking sheet with parchment paper and bake for 15-20 minutes.
  6. Meanwhile, start the stew. Heat the oil in a heavy pan over medium heat. Add the garlic, ginger, coriander, cumin, and pepper flakes. Cook for 30 seconds.
  7. Add the greens and toss to coat with the oil and spices. Cook for 2 minutes until the greens are bright green.
  8. Add the coconut milk and turmeric. Cover and let simmer on low heat for 5-8 minutes.
  9. Season with lemon juice and salt. 
  10. Place greens in bowl, top with tofu. Optional to add cooked wild rice, brown rice or quinoa.



Soba Noodles Bowl

Yields 2 servings

Ingredients:

  • 1 package (9 oz) organic soba noodles
  • 1 Tbsp sesame oil (optional)
  • 4 oz organic sliced shiitake, oyster, sliced cremini, or sliced button mushrooms
  • 2-3 organic baby bok choy, ends trimmed
  • 2-3 Tbsp organic yellow miso*
  • 4 cups filtered water*
  • 2-4 oz cubed organic firm or extra firm tofu (optional)

Garnish Options:

  • 2 organic scallions/green onions, sliced
  • Fresh organic cilantro sprigs
  • Sesame seeds
  • Red pepper flakes (optional)

Directions:

  1. Cook your soba noodles according to package instructions, rinse under cool water and set aside.
  2. In a wok or medium pan, heat 1 Tbsp sesame oil or 1/4 cup water over medium-high heat, add fresh mushrooms and stir fry for about 4-5 minutes. Optional to add a little soy sauce or tamari for a little extra flavor.
  3. Reduce heat to medium, pour 4 cups of water into the pan, and add the bok choy.
  4. Whisk the miso paste with ¼ cup of warm water to dissolve and add to the pan.
  5. Cook over medium to medium-low heat for 6-8 minutes, or until bok choy is tender, stirring occasionally (don’t let the soup boil). Add the optional tofu to the soup to warm through.
  6. Assemble the bowls: in individual serving bowls, add 1/2 of the soba noodles and top with 1/2 of the bok choy, mushrooms, and miso broth over top. Top with sliced scallions, cilantro sprigs and sesame seeds if using.

*If you don’t have miso on hand, vegetable broth may be used in place of miso and water.




Cauliflower Rice and Beans Bowl

Ingredients:

For the beans:

  • 2 15-ounce cans organic black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 2 tablespoons EVOO
  • 2 shallots, finely chopped
  • ½ teaspoon sea salt
  • 1/3 cup water
  • 1 teaspoon cumin 
  • Hot sauce (optional)
  • Parsley, chopped

For the cauliflower rice:

  • 5 cups store-bought cauliflower rice*
  • 3 Tablespoons EVOO
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • ½ teaspoon sea salt

*You can make cauliflower rice using 1 head of cauliflower broken into florets. Add half to a food processor. Pulse several times until chopped. Next do the other half. 

For serving:

  • avocado sliced
  • salsa 
  • parsley or cilantro, chopped

Directions:

Make the Beans: In a medium saucepan, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add the shallots and stir until softened. Add cumin and stir for 30 seconds. Add the beans, hot sauce and water. Reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Take off the stove and mix in chopped parsley.

Make the Cauliflower Rice: In a skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add the cauliflower and cook for 6-8 minutes, stirring often, until it is softened. Stir in the chili powder and salt.

Make the Bowls: Divide the beans and rice among the bowls. Top with avocado, salsa, and more chopped parsley or cilantro.




Lemon-Miso Grilled Tofu

Tofu Grilling Tips

Use firm, or if possible, extra-firm tofu, and always press your tofu very well before grilling. This removes a lot of the water that is naturally in tofu and will allow it to grill better. 

Ingredients:

  • One 14-ounce block extra firm tofu
  • 3 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoon white miso
  • 2 tablespoon avocado oil
  • 1-2 garlic cloves, minced
  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • 1-2 tablespoons chopped parsley (optional) 

Directions:

  1. Prepare the tofu by pressing all the water out. Slice into 6-8 rectangles.
  2. Whisk together the lemon juice, miso, avocado oil, garlic and black pepper. Pour 2/3 of the marinate over the tofu and let marinate for 30 minutes or longer. 
  3. Grill the tofu approximately 5 minutes on each side.
  4. Top with reserved marinate and chopped parsley and serve.



Super Healthy Kale Salad

This makes a super healthy salad that you can prepare in advance and enjoy for a couple of days. This salad will compliment any summer BBQ menu.

Ingredients:

  • 1 bunch kale, any variety, stemmed and chopped
  • 2 cups diced bell peppers, red, yellow, and orange
  • 1/2 cup chopped parsley
  • 1 1/2 avocado, pit removed and chopped
  • 2 Tablespoons flax oil
  • 2 Tablespoons lemon juice
  • sea salt, to taste
  • pinch of cayenne, to taste
  • sprouted sunflower seeds (optional)

Directions:

  1. In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients.
  2. Massage and mix with your hands to “wilt” the kale and cream the avocado.
  3. Serve and enjoy!



Grilled Zucchini with Tomato-Mint Relish

Ingredients:

  • 6 Zucchinis, sliced lengthwise
  • 2 Roma tomatoes, seeded and chopped
  • 2 Tablespoons fresh mint, chopped
  • 2 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 1 Tablespoon Red Wine Vinegar
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 2 Tablespoons roasted pine nuts (optional)

Directions:

  1. Preheat grill to medium-high.
  2. Cut zucchinis lengthwise and brush with EVOO, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill, turning once, until tender, about 6 minutes.
  3. Mix chopped seeded tomatoes, with mint, EVOO, red wine vinegar, salt and pepper in small bowl. Top the tomato-mint relish over grilled zucchini. Sprinkle with roasted pine nuts (optional).



Spring Vegetable and Cauliflower Rice Soup

Ingredients:

  • 2 tbsp virgin coconut oil (or olive oil or avocado oil)
  • 1 medium yellow onion, diced
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 cups celery, diced
  • 2 cups small broccoli florets
  • 2 cups zucchini, diced
  • 2 cups green peas (organic frozen and thawed)
  • 1 (12-ounce) bag frozen or uncooked cauliflower rice 
  • 2 (1-quart) boxes of organic vegetable broth
  • 1 (13-ounce) box organic crushed tomatoes
  • 2 cups finely chopped Lacinato kale 
  • Sea salt and pepper to taste
  • 2 tablespoons freshly minced parsley (optional) 
  • Red pepper flakes, to taste (optional)

Directions:

  1. In a large pot over medium-low heat, heat the coconut oil. Add the onion and garlic and sweat (cook without coloring) until tender. Add the celery, broccoli, and zucchini. Increase the heat to medium and cook for 6-8 minutes, or until the vegetables are fork tender, stirring occasionally. Add the broth and bring to a boil, then add the green peas and cauliflower rice and turn down the heat to a simmer and cook for 6-8 minutes. 
  2. Add the crushed tomatoes to the soup. Stir in the kale and simmer for 1-2 minutes to wilt, then season to taste with salt and pepper. Add red pepper flakes if you like spice. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley or microgreens.