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.

I love this super-easy recipe, not just because it tastes fantastic and uses local, in-season produce, but also because it takes just 10 minutes to prep and 30 minutes or so to cook. You can make the rest of the meal while it bakes.

1 sweet potato
2 parsnips
2 carrots
2 turnips or 1 large rutabaga
1 daikon radish, or substitute/add in other favorites, like squash
Extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper
Herbs: rosemary, thyme or sage, fresh if possible

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Wash and dice all vegetables into bite-size cubes.

Place in a large baking dish with sides.

Drizzle with olive oil; mix well to coat each vegetable lightly with oil.
Sprinkle with salt, pepper and herbs.

Bake uncovered for 25 to 35 minutes until vegetables are tender and golden brown, checking every 10 minutes to stir and make sure veggies are not sticking. Serves 4 to 6.

Tip: Any combination of vegetables will work. Roasting only one kind of vegetable also makes a nice side dish.

This makes for a super healthy salad that you can prepare in advance and enjoy for a couple of days. I adapted it from Crazy Sexy Kitchen by Kris Carr & Chef Chad Sarno. You can serve it solo, with your favorite cooked grain, or wrapped in nori. When I have guests, I like to serve it wrapped in a cucumber slice and topped with sprouted sunflower seeds. Its a fancy and super healthy start to your meal!

• 1 bunch kale, any variety, chopped (you can all mix varieties)
• 2 cups diced bell peppers, red, yellow, and orange
• 1/2 cup chopped parsely
• 1 1/2 avocados, pit removed and chopped
• 2 tablespoons flax oil
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• sea salt, to taste
• pinch of cayenne, to taste
• sprouted sunflower seeds

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

This is a great way to use leftover veggies in your fridge. Or, a great option for a main dish on Meatless Monday!

• All leftover veggies in your fridge that need to be used up (carrots, zucchini, squash, eggplant, etc.)
• 1 large can chopped tomatoes
• 1 can tomato puree
• 1 can chickpeas or white beans
• 1 cup vegetable broth
• 6 large yams, sliced into  1/4-inch-thick slices
• Extra-virgin olive oil
• Sea salt and pepper to taste
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 tablespoons parsley (optional)
• 1 teaspoon turmeric (optional)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Chop veggies (not yams) and sauté in a bit of olive oil until soft, 8-10 minutes.

Add tomatoes, tomato puree, vegetable broth, spices, garlic and herbs.

Add chickpeas or white beans and mix well.

Cook vegetables and beans in tomato sauce for 15 minutes on low to medium heat.

Remove veggie mixture from heat.

Slice yams into thin sheets.

Spread a little olive oil on the bottom of a square dish and cover with a layer of yams.

Spoon out veggie mix and spread evenly on top of yams.

Finish with a layer of yams and lightly brush the yams with olive oil.

Bake covered for 40 minutes.

Take off the cover and turn up the temperature to 450 degrees for 10 minutes to crisp up the top layer.

This dish is super simple and tasty! Time saver: Start quinoa before chopping and cooking vegetables, so the grain cooks at the same time.

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 zucchini, chopped
• 1 yellow squash, chopped
• 1 red sweet pepper, chopped
• 1 celery stalk, chopped
• Black pepper to taste
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon turmeric

In your favorite skillet, add olive oil and heat over a medium setting. Add chopped vegetables and sauté until they begin to soften.

Top them over brown rice or quinoa, or put in a gluten-free wrap.