Serves 2

Ingredients

• 4 large zucchini
• 2 bunches basil
• 2/3 cup pine nuts, toasted
• Juice of 1 large lemon
• 1/2 cup grated Pecorino cheese (optional)
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil + 1 Tablespoon
• Sea salt, to taste

Directions

1. Trim zucchini ends and create noodles using a spiralizer

2. Sauté your zucchini noodles in 1 Tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil over medium heat for about 5 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.

3. Wash and dry basil and add to a blender with pine nuts, lemon juice, olive oil, and sea salt. Blend until smooth, adding a little water as needed.

4. Toss the zucchini noodles with the pesto and garnish with grated pecorino cheese, if desired.

This is to satisfy a taste for Italian food with no added oil or fat. Smart Life clients and I have been making this recipe repeatedly this month and we enjoy it every time.  Serve plain or with brown rice or cooked quinoa.

Ingredients

• 4 medium tomatoes, cored, seeded and diced
• 2 Tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon, onion flakes
• 2 cups low-sodium organic chicken broth
• 2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
• ¼ teaspoon each dried oregano, basil, and parsley.
• 1 bay leaf
• Sea salt and pepper to taste
• 2 chicken breast fillets, each cut horizontally into 2 pieces.
• 2-3 Tablespoons Red Wine (optional)

Instructions

1.In a large nonstick skillet combine all the ingredients except for the chicken. Cook, stirring often, over medium heat until the tomatoes break down and the sauce is thickened.

2. Submerge the chicken pieces in the sauce, reduce the heat to low and cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce is thick. Serve immediately or warm-up later on the stove.

Steps to Roasting Success:

1. Preheat Well: Give your oven 20 minutes or more to reach 450 degrees F.
2. Cook Like with Like: Use vegetables with similar cooking times on the same baking sheet.
3. Use Just Enough Oil: Too much oil may cause burning. I like to mix my oil with vegetable broth.
4. Give Veggies Plenty of Room: Arrange veggies in a single layer with space between them. Space is key to keeping the hot air circulating around and browning vegetables not just heating them and letting them steam in their juices.

Add Seasoning Last: Minced garlic, fresh herbs, dried spices and sweeteners can burn at high heat. Stir them into vegetables just before serving – the heat of the vegetables is enough to release their flavors and aromas.

Mediterranean Medley

Toss 2 cups zucchini chunks, 1 cup eggplant chunks, 2 cups cherry tomatoes, and 1 cup sliced sweet onions with 2 Tbs. olive oil and 1 Tbs vegetable broth. Spread vegetables on 2 baking sheets and roast 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer to serving dish and toss with 1Tbs. herbs de Provence and 1 tsp. minced garlic. Season with sea salt and pepper to taste.

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:

6 pieces of chicken (I like to use organic skinless and boneless chicken thighs or skinless chicken legs)

 Marinade Ingredients:

•  3 Tbs extra virgin olive oil
• ½ cup freshly squeezed orange juice
• ¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 2 Tbs. grated orange peel
• 2 Tbs. grated lemon peel
• 2 Tbs. grated fresh ginger
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 Tbs fresh thyme leaves
• 3 Tbs. sweet chili sauce
• 3 Tbs. Tamari (gluten-free soy sauce)
• ¼ cup organic brown sugar or date sugar
• sea salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, mix together all the ingredients of the marinade and add the chicken. Marinate in the refrigerator for a few hours (you can also leave overnight).
2. Place the marinated chicken pieces in a roasting pan and pour the citrus marinade on top. Bake at 375 degrees for 1 hour. Keep drizzling the sauce over the chicken while cooking.

*Photo from TheKitchn

• Heirloom Tomatoes (or other tomatoes), chopped
• Cucumber, chopped
• Herbs of your choice (parsley or basil)
• Purple onion, sliced thinly
• Greek Feta Cheese (from sheep milk), cubed
• 1/4 cup Lemon Juice
• 1/4 cup Red Wine Vinegar
• 1/2 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1 tsp  dried Parsely
• 1 tsp dried Oregano
• 1 tsp fresh garlic, minced

1. Arrange the tomatoes, cucumber, herbs, onion and feta in a bowl.
2. For the dressing, mix the olive oil, red wine vinegar and lemon juice with the parsley, oregano and garlic and pour over the salad just before serving.

• Endive Leaves
• Sliced Heirloom Tomatoes (or normal tomatoes)
• Sliced Buffalo Mozzarella
• Pitted Black Olives
• Fresh Basil leaves
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Balsamic Vinegar

1. Arrange the endive leaves on a platter.
2. Add a slice of tomato on top of each endive leaf.
3. Add a slice of mozzarella on top of each slice of tomato.
4. Add an olive on top of each slice of mozzarella and top the arranged platter with chopped basil leaves.
5. For the dressing, drizzle over some extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Sprinkle with sea salt and pepper to taste.

Ingredients

• 1 Ready-made frozen pie tart ready for filling
• 5 medium size sweet onions
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup soft goat cheese
• 2 cups cold water
• 2 oz. finely shaved Parmesan cheese
• Sea salt and pepper to taste

1. Peel and slice the onions into circles and then halves. Place in a large frying pan with the olive oil, 1 cup of cold water, and salt and pepper to season. Slowly cook on low heat for at least 30 minutes. Stir and add a little water to ensure the onion doesn’t dry out and that it becomes very soft and almost caramelized. Once cooked set aside to cool.
2. Heat oven to 350 degrees.
3. Lightly beat the eggs in a bowl and once onions are well cooled add to the eggs and mix together.
4. Pour the egg and onion mix into the ready-made pie dish.
5. Chop the goats cheese into small cubes and spread over the top of the onion mixture, pressing lightly into the mixture.
6. Sprinkle the tart with parmesan and cook in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown on top.
7. Let the dish stand for 5-8 minutes before serving.

This refreshing mix is more like a salad than a classic guacamole dip. Its delicious with quinoa or lentil chips or spooned over grilled turkey burgers or fish.

Ingredients

• ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 Tbs. finely chopped purple onion
• 1 Tbs. minced fresh jalapeno, including seeds; more to taste
• sea salt (to taste)
• 1 cup diced Persian cucumbers
• 2 ripe avocados
• 1 cup diced fresh pineapple (cut into ½ -inch dice)
• 1 Tbs fresh lime juice (more to taste)

Directions

1. In a mixing bowl, mash together ½ of the cilantro, onion, jalapeño, and salt.
2. Stir into the mix the diced cucumbers.
3. Halve and remove the pits of the avocados and use a spoon to scoop the avocados into the bowl. Gently stir in the avocados, without mashing, along with the pineapple, the remaining cilantro, and lime juice. Serve immediately.

*This recipe was adapted from Roberto Santibane, Fine Cooking.

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.