1. In a small saucepan reduce the balsamic vinegar with the sugar over low heat. Remove from heat and let chill. 
2. Warm the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Spread the figs over a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Brush the figs with olive oil and roast for 3-4 minutes. 
3. In a large serving plate, spread the greens and drizzle with a little fresh lemon juice. Toss lightly. 
4. In another bowl toss all the tomatoes with the jalapeño, sea salt, pepper and a little olive oil. Spread  the tomatoes over the greens. 
5. Top the salad with the roasted figs and drizzle with the balsamic reduction. Serve immediately. Option: garnish the salad with chopped fresh parsley.

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.

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.

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.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup tahini sesame seed paste (made from light colored seeds)
• 3/4 cup lukewarm water, or more for consistency
• 3 cloves raw garlic (or 5 cloves roasted garlic)
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (or more to taste)
• 1/4 tsp fine ground sea salt (or more to taste)
• 2 tsp fresh parsley, minced (optional)

Directions:

1. Grind sesame seed paste, lukewarm water, garlic, lemon juice and salt together in a food processor or blender till sauce is creamy and ivory-colored.
2. A food processor is the easiest way to make this sauce; scrape the sides of the processor periodically during processing. If using a blender, you may need to use a long-handled spoon to break up the thick part of the sauce once every 30 seconds; this will keep it from clogging your blender blades.
3. After a few minutes of blending, sauce will turn into a rich, smooth paste. If mixture is too thick, slowly add more water until it reaches the preferred consistency. You may need quite a bit of water depending on the thickness of your tahini paste.
4. If using tahini to top hummus or a meat dish, keep it thick and creamy. As a condiment for pita or falafel or a salad dressing, a more liquid sauce is usually preferred. Taste often during the blending process; add more lemon juice or salt, if desired.

*adapted from The Ranch at Live Oak, Malibu

Ingredients

• 2 cups soaked raw sunflower seeds
• ½ inch fresh ginger
• 1 Tablespoon tahini paste or cashew butter
• 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 Tablespoon fresh dill
• 1 Tablespoon minced shallot
• Sea salt and pepper to taste
• Chopped celery
• Chopped scallions (optional)

Directions

1. Blend together by pulsing the sunflower seeds, ginger, tahini, lemon juice, salt, pepper, dill, and shallot.
2. Mix in the celery and scallions.
3. Enjoy with lettuce, sprouts and veggie sticks rolled in a raw veggie wrapveggie wrap or on top of a green salad.

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 large yellow onion, chopped
• 3 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
• sea salt, to taste
• 2 tablespoons Thai red curry paste (available at Asian section at most grocery stores) I like the Thai Kitchen brand
• 1 cup uncooked farro, rinsed (you can replace with 2 cups of cooked wheat berries or quinoa)
• 3 quarts low-sodium organic vegetable broth (I like Pacific) + 2 cups of water
• 2 cups cooked chickpeas (or one can, rinsed and drained)
• 1 bunch of Lacinato kale (flat, dark green), finely chopped
• ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)

Directions:

1. In a large pot, hat the oil over medium-high heat. Stir in the onion and sweet potatoes and a big pinch of sea salt. Sauté for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions start to soften.

2. Add the curry paste and stir until onions and sweet potatoes are coated and the curry is fragrant (about 1 minute).

3. Add the farro, the vegetable broth, and 2 cups of water and bring to a boil. Then cover and reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes.

4. After 30 minutes add the chickpeas. Taste and season with more salt as needed. If you chose to use cooked grains like wheat berries, add them now. Cover and simmer for another 20 minutes.

5. Uncover, stir in the kale, add cayenne pepper if desired, remover from heat. Ready to serve.

(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 coconut oil (or olive oil)
• 1 cup chopped yellow onion
• 4-6 garlic cloves, crushed
• 8 ounces boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into cubes
• 2 teaspoons herbs 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

1. Heat the coconut oil in a soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic; sauté for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

2. Add the chicken, dried herbs, and bay leaves, and raise the heat to medium- high and cook for 6-8 minutes.

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

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