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 apples, peeled and chopped (your choice of apple, I used organic Pink Ladies)
• ¼ teaspoon cinnamon (or more if you like cinnamon like we do)
• About ½ cup of water to cover the bottom of pot

Directions

1. Place all ingredients in a pot on the stovetop and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer and cover with lid.
2. Simmer apples for about 20 minutes or until soft. The smaller the pieces of chopped apple the faster cook time.
3. Remove from heat and mash with potato masher for chunkier applesauce, or put in a food processor or blender for smoother texture.

Enjoy!

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 summer my husband and I traveled with our friends to Italy. We visited Corvara at the heart of the Dolomites in Northern Italy, Lake Garda, Cinque Terre, and Tuscany.

The trip was an absolute blast as we slipped into the relaxed Italian lifestyle. We enjoyed seasonal Italian meals rich in fresh locally grown produce, meats, fish and cheese. Italians are passionate about food. Cuisine is like a religion – and it’s the quality of the ingredients that’s most sacred. In Italy they say “la miglior cucina comincia dal mercato” (the best cuisine starts from the market). This is evident as you visit local restaurants that have small menus that are shaped by what’s fresh in the market on a given day. The freshness of the ingredients makes simple dishes taste phenomenal and inspiring.

Among the highlights of the trip was the absolutely amazing and challenging hiking days in the Dolomites, a mountain range in the northern Italian Alps. The area has one of the most beautiful mountain landscapes I’ve ever visited, with deep long valleys that make you feel like you are in the midst of a scene from the movie The Sound of Music.

Another highlight was the personal cooking class we took in Tuscany with Lesley and Paula. Although Paula doesn’t speak English, she is a very savvy Italian cook and she gets her point across! We learned how to make amazing Tuscan dishes including hand-made ravioli and a savory onion tart and tiramisu. After the cooking lesson, we enjoyed our creation on a beautiful terrace and the wines Lesley selected for us were perfectly matched to each course of our meal. Check out the Onion & Goats Cheese Tart recipe here!

Last week I presented a lecture/workshop titled: “Rushing Dentist Syndrome: The Impact of the Never-Ending Patient List on your Health and Waist” to over 60 dentists. I shared with them the connection between metabolism and stress and offered 10 tips on how to nourish your life and manage stress more effectively.

I thank the dentists who attended for their positive feedback and their enthusiasm about living the Smart Life.

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.