Fig and Arugula Salad with Shiitake Bacon

Fig and Arugula Salad with Shiitake Bacon
serves 4

Figs provide an interesting sweetness to this balsamic dressing. This salad can be modified for a lot of diets: Add white beans or chickpeas for a vegan lunch, seared halloumi or feta for vegetarian, or seared steak or roasted chicken for a paleo or paleo AIP meal. (Skip the smoked paprika for AIP and try smoked salt instead with less coconut aminos.) And before you get on my case, no this shiitake isn’t really at all like bacon, but it is smoky, salty, crispy and a little sweet and provides a similar potent bite to a salad.

salad:
generous drizzles of avocado oil
3.5 ounce shiitakes, stemmed and sliced into 1/4” slices
4 teaspoons coconut aminos
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
4 sweet potatoes, sliced into 1/4” half-moons
12 misson figs, thinly sliced
5 ounces baby arugula
salt

fig vinaigrette:
2 mission figs, chopped
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
salt

1. Preheat oven to 350. Toss shiitakes with 2 teaspoons of avocado oil plus the coconut aminos, and smoked paprika. Bake shiitakes on a parchment lined sheet tray for 30-35 minutes until dark, glazed, and slightly crispy. Remove to cool and they will crisp up a little more. (I actually made these in my toaster oven so I could cook my sweet potatoes at the same time.)

2. Preheat oven to 425. Drizzle the sweet potatoes with avocado oil and sprinkle with salt. Roast on a parchment0lined sheet tray for 30 minutes.

3. Make vinaigrette: in a blender combine figs, balsamic vinegar, extra virgin olive oil, and salt and blend until smooth.

4. Assemble salads: combine arugula, roasted sweet potatoes, sliced figs and shiitake bacon. Toss with vinaigrette.

Butternut Squash N'oatmeal

Butternut Squash N’oatmeal recipe
serves 4

Trying to get more veggies into your breakfast? Try pureed starchy veggies instead of oatmeal. For this recipe, I used frozen squash and cooked it up in the Instant Pot, but you could easily make this on the stovetop too. Butternut squash is a good source of potassium, magnesium, Vitamin C, and beta-carotene. Keep it simple by just adding spices and a banana for sweetness or add fat and protein to make it more filling with coconut milk and almond butter. Use my coconut cube trick to save leftover coconut milk.

2 lbs frozen cubed butternut squash
1/4 cup coconut milk
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 cup almond butter
1 banana
1/2 cup unsweetened desiccated coconut

1. Cook frozen squash, coconut milk, cinnamon, and ginger in the Instant Pot on high for 3 minutes and quick pressure release. (Or cook on stovetop until defrosted and combined, about 15-20 minutes. You may need to add a splash or two of water.)

2. Add almond butter and banana and blend with an immersion blender. (You could also use a potato masher or food processor.) Stir in desiccated coconut and serve. Leftovers can be stored in the fridge and reheated or even frozen.

One-bowl Vegan Gingerbread Cookies

One-bowl Vegan Gingerbread Cookies recipe
makes 2 dozen

Spice cookies like chewy molasses cookies and gingerbread are all-time favorite holiday treat. I love that they aren’t quite as sugary as most sweets and that they take well to natural sweeteners like maple syrup, coconut sugar, or molasses. For the past few years, I’ve been making different spice cookies from various blogs and combining them and adjusting them, and this recipe here is my own version that I’ve landed on. A couple tips: any rolled and cut-out cookie needs to have the dough chilled, otherwise they will be a mess. Also don’t skip the arrowroot—it gives the cookies a little snap, plus you’ll want extra for rolling out the dough.

3 cups blanched almond flour (find it here*)
1 heaping tablespoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup arrowroot (find it here*) plus extra for rolling
1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
1/2 cup maple syrup
2 tablespoons unsulphured blackstrap molasses

1. In a large bowl, combine almond flour, ground ginger, ground cinnamon, ground cloves, black pepper, sea salt, baking soda and arrowroot. Stir together with a fork or a whisk so that there are no large clumps remaining.

2. With a rubber spatula, stir in melted coconut oil, maple syrup, and molasses. Cover dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 4 hours or put in the freezer for 30 minutes.

3. Preheat oven to 350. Line 4 half sheet trays with parchment paper. Once dough has chilled, cut it in half and press into a flat disk. Using arrowroot like flour, roll out dough until it’s 1/4” thick, continuously flipping and dusting with arrowroot so that it doesn’t stick to the counter. Use a cookie cutter to cut out cookies and then peel away the excess. Transfer cookies to the sheet trays and bake in batches for 12-14 minutes. Continue with the rest of the dough and re-roll any excess to make more cookies.

4. Let cookies cool on racks completely and then transfer to an airtight container if not serving immediately.

Note: To make a quick icing for these, combine about 1 cup powdered sugar with 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and just enough water to make a thin glaze. Drizzle over cookies and let dry overnight if you want to stack them.

*affiliate link

Apple Cider Sangria

Apple Cider Sangria recipe
makes 8 cups

Mulled apple cider and sangria might sound like an odd pair but they are actually a perfect mashup. My favorite sangria when I lived in Spain was steeped in cinnamon sticks so the fall spices seem like a natural pairing to me. Plus the sweet fruity cider takes the place of plain white sugar giving you more dimension and seasonality plus making it overall much less sweet. Typically sangria is spiked with brandy or cognac, but I added Koval Ginger Liqueur instead to add a little more sweetness and spice.

4 cups unpasteurized, unfiltered apple cider
3 cinnamon sticks
5 cloves
3 black peppercorns
1 star anise
1 750 ml bottle of Spanish red wine (I used a Rioja tempranillo)
1 apple, cored and thinly sliced (I used a Pink Lady)
1/4 cup ginger liqueur (optional)
1 cup club soda
for garnishing: coconut sugar or brown sugar for rims of glasses, ice, extra cinnamon sticks and star anise

1. In a medium pot, simmer apple cider, cinnamon sticks, cloves, peppercorns, and star anise for 15 minutes or until reduced by 1/2. Strain and let cool. (Use an ice bath to cool down quickly.)

2. To a pitcher, add mulled, cooled cider, red wine, sliced apple, ginger liqueur, and club soda. Add ice and extra cinnamon sticks and star anise to serve.

Millet and Kale Stuffed Acorn Squash

Millet and Kale Stuffed Acorn Squash recipe
Serves 8

I decided to do a twist on my favorite holiday vegan main dish (my Quinoa, Cranberry and Squash Bake) and instead make a stuffed squash version. I subbed millet (a gluten-free grain that cooks up similar to couscous) for the quinoa and used currants instead of the cranberries, and folded in some kale because I can’t help myself. I love the flavor of sage in holiday dishes, but feel free to sub rosemary or your favorite combination of wintry herbs.

4 acorn squashes
Drizzle of grapeseed oil
Drizzle of extra virgin olive oil
1 cup millet
2 cups vegetable broth
1 red onion or 2 shallots, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb mixed mushrooms, stemmed and chopped into 1/4” cubes
2 tablespoons fresh sage, finely minced
2 cups lacinato kale, shredded
1/2 cup dried currants
Salt and pepper

1. Preheat oven to 425.  Cut acorn squashes in half and scoop out seeds (if they are very large, cut into quarters).  Drizzle with grapeseed oil and roast for 30 minutes cut side down. Flip over and roast for 20 minutes cut side up.  

2. In a small pot, heat drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and add millet, stirring for 3 minutes or until toasty.  Add vegetable broth, bring to a simmer and cover. Cook until all liquid is absorbed, about 20 minutes.

3. In a large skillet, heat another drizzle of olive oil and and saute onion/shallots and garlic for 3 minutes.  Then add mushrooms and sage and cook until liquid is released and evaporated, about 10 minutes. Wilt in kale and season generously with salt and pepper.  Stir in dried currants and cooked millet.

4. Assemble stuffed squashes: Take a scoop of millet filling and place into center of each squash.  You may have 1-2 cups of leftover filling depending on your squash size.

Sheet Pan Salmon and Broccolini

Sheet Pan Salmon with Broccolini recipe
Serves 2

Sheet pan dinners are perfect for beginners in the kitchen or anyone who wants a night off from dishes. If you are creating your own sheet pan recipes, you have to be conscious that all your ingredients take the same amount of time to cook. For this recipe you can sub broccoli or cauliflower for the broccolini. If you use cauliflower, just cut it a bit smaller. Cauliflower is denser than broccoli so typically takes longer to cook.

2 6-ounce salmon portions, skin on
1 tablespoon tamari (soy sauce)
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
1 teaspoon minced garlic
2 bunches broccolini (1 lb)
Grapeseed oil, salt and pepper

1. Preheat oven to 400 and line a half sheet tray with parchment paper.

2. Place salmon in center of sheet tray and season with salt and pepper.  

3. In a small bowl, mix tamari, dijon, garlic and 1 teaspoon grapeseed oil.  Spoon mixture over filets and let marinate 10 minutes.

4. Slice any large broccolinis vertically to make them all a uniform thickness.  Then toss with more grapeseed oil, salt and pepper and arrange around salmon.

5. Bake for 15-20 minutes until fish is cooked (thinner fish will cook more quickly and thicker fish will take longer) and broccolini is crispy.

Vegan and Gluten-free Mac and Cheese with Broccoli

Vegan and Gluten-free Mac and Cheese recipe
Serves 4

Yes I know this shouldn’t be called Mac and Cheese since there is no cheese and not even real pasta. BUT this creamy pasta recipe really hits the spot when you are craving something cozy and gooey, plus it’s a meal in a bowl that we never mind having leftovers of. One tip: don’t skip the tomato paste. Cashew sauces tend to skew very sweet, so you need to add plenty of salt plus something acidic (like tomatoes) to get a sauce more similar to cheese.

12 oz fusili rice pasta
1 head of broccoli cut into florets (stems saved for curry)
Drizzle of extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped into 1/2-inch cubes (1 1/2 cups)
2 garlic cloves, pressed or minced
1 teaspoon granulated garlic
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
2 teaspoons tomato paste
1 small russet potato, peeled and chopped into 1/4-inch cubes (1 1/2 cups)
1/2 cup raw cashews
1/4 cup teaspoon nutritional yeast
Sriracha to taste (optional)
Salt to taste

1. Cook pasta a large pot of salted boiling water according to package directions.  In last 1 minute of cooking, add broccoli florets. Drain in a colander and rinse with cold water to cool down.

2. In a large skillet, heat a drizzle of olive oil and saute chopped onion until it softens, about 5 minutes.  Add minced garlic, granulated garlic, onion powder, turmeric and tomato paste and stir. Add chopped potatoes, cashews, and 2 cups of water.  Simmer until potatoes are cooked, about 10 minutes.

3. Add ingredients from skillet to a blender along with nutritional yeast and sriracha if using.  Blend until smooth adding water to get desired sauce consistency. (I used 1/2 cup.) Taste sauce and season with salt to taste--you’ll probably need more than you expect because real cheese is salty!

4. Return pasta and broccoli to pot and add enough sauce to coat.  You may have some extra sauce. Save for topping veggies, for tacos, or for vegan nachos.

Raspberry Campari Spritz

Raspberry Campari Spritz recipe
makes 1 spritz

It's not summer without a Spritz!  Here's my new favorite variation on this classic Italian aperitivo.  I use Campari instead of Aperol for a stronger bitter flavor and then a dash of kombucha for fizz and a little probiotic punch.  I used GT's Trilogy flavor (raspberry, lemon, ginger) but you could try plain or another citrusy or fruity flavor that you like.  Raspberries and oranges make the perfect festive garnish.

1 ounce Campari
2 ounces kombucha (I used GT's Trilogy Kombucha)
3 ounces prosecco
ice
raspberries and orange slices

1. In your largest/most ridiculous wine glass, combine Campari, kombucha, and prosecco.  Top with ice, raspberries, and orange slices then head outside and sit on a patio.

Scallion Sardine Cakes

In my Omega 3 Fish class, I sing the praises of canned sardines because they hit the gold standards for sustainable seafood, affordability, low mercury content, and of course, high Omega 3 content.  The only issue is that they are really fishy tasting.  (Actually all high Omega 3 fish will be because the high fat/oil content is also what keeps that fishy taste.)  Plus most of the sardine recipes out there combine them with toast, pasta, or breadcrumbs which is fine, but not necessarily the best option if you want to include more anti-inflammatory ingredients in your diet.  These cakes (a play on crab cakes) have been my go-to pantry way to make a sardine dinner.  I find the Asian seasonings help fight the fishiness but you can also try them with Mediterranean seasonings like garlic and parsley instead.  Serve with a big side of veggies like roasted broccoli or sauteed kale.

Scallion Sardine Cakes recipe
serves 2

for cakes:
2 4.4-ounce cans of sardines (in oil or water; with bones or without)
1 egg
2 scallions, minced
1 teaspoon ginger, minced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon tamari
1/4 cup arrowroot starch/flour
salt and pepper
drizzle of grapeseed oil

for dipping sauce:
1 tablespoon Sriracha
2 tablespoons mayo

1. Drain sardines and lightly mash in a small mixing bowl with a fork.  Add egg, scallions, ginger, garlic, tamari and arrowroot.  Combine into an even mixture with a fork.  (Sardines will continue to break up which is great.)  The mixture may look a little wet but it will still hold together because of the egg.  If it looks super wet or isn't holding together you can add more arrowroot.

2. Heat a large nonstick skillet and drizzle a little grapeseed oil.  Form tablespoon-sized patties and fry lightly until they are golden brown, about 2 minutes on each side.  You should have 10 patties.

3. Combine Sriracha and mayo for dipping sauce and serve immediate with cakes.  They make good leftovers too!

Veggie Breakfast Bowl

Veggie bowls like this one have become morning staples for me.  I prep a big container full of chopped up cooked veggies on Sunday and then have them ready to go to just reheat on weekday mornings.  Typically I top with an egg, but take a look at my suggestions below on how to modify for your diet and dietary needs.  This has been my go-to for the mystery veggies in my CSA box that I don't know quite what to do with.  You can really make this with any veggies--this is just what I had on hand this week!

Veggie Breakfast Bowl recipe
serves 3-4

drizzle of extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 portabello mushrooms caps, chopped into 1/2" pieces
1/2 lb green beans, chopped into 1/2" pieces
1 bunch Swiss chard, leaves and stems chopped into 1/2" pieces
salt and pepper
topping of choice (see below)

1. In a large skillet, heat extra virgin olive oil and add minced garlic.  Stir for 30 seconds until garlic is aromatic but not brown.  Add mushrooms and saute for 5 minutes until they release their juices.  Add chopped green beans and Swiss chard stems and saute for 5 minutes more.  Add 1-2 tablespoons of water to help sauteing process if it seems to dry.  Finish by wilting in chard leaves and seasoning with salt and pepper.  Top as desired and store extras.

Topping suggestions for each serving portion:
protein: 1-2 fried or scrambled eggs; 1/2 cup black beans; 1/2 cup chickpeas; 3 oz seared tofu; 1/4 lb ground meat
fat: 1/4-1/2 avocado; 2 tablespoons tahini; 1/4 cup sesame seeds or cashews; guacamole
probiotic: 2 tablespoons naturally fermented veggies like sauerkraut or kimchi; 1/4 cup plain goat, cow, or nondairy yogurt seasoned with lemon and salt
flavor: crumbly cheese like feta or queso fresco; quick pickled onions or veggies; squeeze of lemon; Sriracha or other hot sauce; salsa; dulse flakes

Other veggie combo ideas:
These veggies may have different cooking times or methods, so cook as you would normally, but you can still saute or combine them together as a breakfast bowl.

sweet potatoes + spinach + cauliflower
beets + kale + summer squash
brocoli + squash + scallions
red onion + shiitake mushrooms + collard greens
asparagus + zucchini + potatoes

Zafrani Chai

There are certain comfort foods from childhood that you just can't replace.  For me, South Asian-style masala chai is one of them.  Here, I'm sharing how to make authentic masala tea with one unique twist: the addition of saffron.  I got the idea when I met with the founder of Heray Spice and we did a taste test with saffron from his family's farm in Afghanistan.  I'd seen YouTube videos of saffron masala tea (or zafrani chai) from Pakistan and put it together with the way that I typically make masala chai.  Here I use coconut sugar instead of white sugar because I like its caramel taste and it reminds me of the less processed sugar varieties (like jaggery) that you'll find in India and Pakistan.  I have masala chai all the time with nondairy milk, and it's good, but it's almost a totally different beverage.  So here I've given you the traditional whole milk preparation as well as suggestions for going dairy-free. 

Zafrani Chai recipe
makes 2 small servings

1 cup water
1/2 cinnamon stick
5 cardamom pods
2 cloves
3 black peppercorns
pinch of saffron
2 black tea bags (or 4 teaspoons loose leaf black tea)
1 cup whole milk (see directions below to sub nondairy milk)
2-3 teaspoons coconut sugar

1. In a small pot heat water with cinnamon stick, cardamom, cloves, peppercorns and saffron.  Let simmer on low for 10 minutes.

2. Add black tea and milk and let simmer on low an additional 10 minutes.  Strain and serve in two small tea cups or glasses garnished with additional saffron threads.

Note: Typically masala chai is made with dairy milk that is simmered along with the spices and tea.  However, when I've tried this method with nondairy alternatives, I find they tend to get a weird consistency and separate.  If you want to make this dairy-free, simmer the spices, tea and sugar with water only and then add your non-dairy milk of choice and let it heat up but not boil.  My favorite kind is actually soy milk (creamier) but you can also try almond or coconut milk.

Watermelon Chaat

Watermelon Chaat
serves 8

Chaat is a blanket term in Indian and Pakistani cuisine that refers to all kinds of street food and snacks.  Fruit chaat is often simply cut fruit, sometimes with a sweetened syrup and even sometimes with hot and savory spices.  For this chaat, I skipped the savory spices to make it more Americanized and topped with lime, honey, and black sesame seeds.  Fruit salads can be bland or have too many mismatched fruits so this salad uses a few of my favorite decadent fruits like cherries and blackberries along with more affordable watermelon.  

6 cups cubed watermelon
2 cups pitted cherries, cut in half
2 cups blackberries
1 tablespoon honey
2 limes, juiced
2 tablespoons black sesame seeds

1. Assemble a platter with the watermelon, cherries, and blackberries.  Whisk together honey and lime juice and drizzle over fruit.  Sprinkle with black sesame seeds.

Spinach Gomae

Spinach Gomae recipe
serves 6

This Japanese-style preparation of greens has become one of my go-to ways to cook up a batch of greens for the week.  This recipe is traditionally made with spinach, I use all kinds of greens, especially the tops of veggies like beets, turnips, and radishes that come in my CSA. I'll cook thin stems like spinach but skip woodier ones like kale or collards. Although boiling seems to have gone out of fashion in the health-sphere, this method tenderizes the greens while removing their bitterness and perhaps increasing the bioavailability of some nutrients.  If you don't have a suribachi or mortar and pestle.  You can buzz up the sesame seeds in a spice grinder or blender or simply leave them whole.

2 lbs spinach or leafy greens, washed
4 tablespoons sesame seeds, lightly toasted in a pan
1 teaspoon maple syrup
1 tablespoon mirin
2 tablespoons tamari or soy sauce
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

1. Bring a large pot of salted water up to a boil.  Add spinach/greens, pushing down and let cook for 2 minutes only.  Strain and run under cold water.  Squeeze out extra liquid and place on a cutting board.  Run your knife through it a few times and place on a platter.

2. Take toasted sesame seeds in a suribachi or mortar and pestle.  Grind sesame seeds until they crumble but you still have a little texture.  Add maple, mirin, tamari and sesame oil and mix together.  Drizzle over spinach to taste.

Ingredient notes:

*Mirin is a Japanese cooking wine.  I buy Eden Foods brand at Whole Foods.  Many cheaper brands are often filled with corn syrup.  If you can't find it, I'd add an extra teapsoon of maple syrup and a teaspoon of rice vinegar.

*Tamari is a Japanese-style soy sauce that's gluten-free.  Use any kind of soy sauce you like.  If you are watching your sodium, simply use less or try a low-sodium version or Coconut Aminos.  

Grilled Fingerling Potato Salad

Grilled Fingerling Potato Salad recipe
serves 4-6 as a side dish

Grilling potatoes is a great way to modernize the potluck classic of potato salad.  Instead of a cold, creamy dish, we’ll serve this warm and amp up the smokiness of grilled potatoes and the brightness of the vinaigrette. Try using a grill pan or roasting the potatoes at 425 for 25 minutes if you are cooking indoors.

1 1/2 lbs fingerling potatoes
1/2 lb haricots verts or green beans
1/4 cup grapeseed oil
1/4 extra virgin olive oil
juice from 1 lemon (1/4 cup)
1/4 cup chopped parsley
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon fresh oregano
1 tablespoon whole grain mustard
salt and pepper

1. Bring a large pot of salted water up to a boil.  Add fingerlings and cook until just barely cooked through—you actually want them slightly undercooked.  Use a fine mesh strainer or tongs to remove potatoes so you still have simmering water.  Rinse potatoes quickly in cold water to cool down until you can handle them and cut them in half vertically.

2. Whisk together vinaigrette: combine grapeseed oil, olive oil, lemon juice, parsley, garlic, oregano, mustard and a generous sprinkle of salt and pepper.  Toss about 1/3 of the dressing.

3. To simmering water, add haricots verts or green beans and let cook for 2-3 minutes until just tender.  Drain and rinse under cold water, shake off all excess and put in a serving bowl.

4. Grill marinated potatoes cut side down until grill marks appear, about 3 minutes.  Remove to serving bowl and toss with haricots verts and about 1/2 of the remaining dressing.  Taste and season for more salt and add more dressing as desired.  Save any extra for salads or other items for the grill.

This recipe is part of the Here's to Your Health event series sponsored by Here and presented at Mariano's in Summer 2018.  Find more details here. 

Oat Milk

Oat Milk recipe
makes 3 cups

Oat milk is a more sustainable and affordable alternative to almond milk that's been popping up at a lot of coffee shops lately.  Oats require less water to grow than almonds and are a Midwestern crop, which means I can source them locally if I like.  You can use either steel cut oats or rolled oats to make oat milk--I chose steel cut oats here because you are less likely to overprocess them in the blender (and make a slimy milk) and the remaining oat pulp is easy to fold into any kind of oatmeal for the next few days.  The oat milk and pulp will taste best if consumed within 3 days--store both in the fridge.  Soaking the oats for at least 30 minutes but up to overnight also helps make sure the final product is not slimy.

1 cup steel cut oats, soaked for 30 minutes in water
3 cups filtered water

helpful tool: a nut milk bag (I use this one*)
optional flavorings: pinch of sea salt, 1-2 teaspoons maple syrup, 1/4 teaspoon of vanilla extract

1. Strain and rinse soaked steel cut oats in a fine mesh strainer.  Combine in the blender with 3 cups filtered water and blend on medium for 10-15 seconds.  (Don't worry about it being totally smooth; overprocessing can make it slimy.)

2. Strain mixture through the fine mesh strainer into a bowl and remove and store oat pulp.  Pass oat milk through the nut milk bag into a quart mason jar (or whatever you'd like to store in it) to get the finer pieces of pulp out.  Store in the fridge for 3 days.

*affiliate link

DIY Flavored Sparkling Water

DIY Flavored Sparkling Water recipes

Save yourself the effort of hauling a case of LaCroix up the stairs and start making your own naturally infused sparkling waters!  Fresh juices or even pureed fruit makes a great base and I also like to used brewed herbal teas like mint, peach rooibos, or hibiscus.  Fresh berries, citrus and fresh herbs all make great garnishes.  Typically 1 ounce of mixer to 4 ounces of club soda or sparkling water is a good ratio--use about 1/2 ounce for super tart ingredients like lemon and lime.  Here are a few recipes:

Grapefruit Sparkling Water
1 ounce fresh grapefruit juice
4 ounces club soda
slice of grapefruit

1. Mix in a glass and top with ice.

Lemongrass Lemon Sparkling Water
1 ounce brewed lemongrass tea
4 ounces club soda
slice of lemon

1. Mix in a glass and top with ice.

Mint Mojito Sparkling Water
1/2 ounce lime juice
4 ounces club soda
1 sprig of mint

1. Mix in a glass at top with ice.  Tear or muddle the mint to get more of the flavor infused.

Kitchari Jars

Kitchari Jars for the Instant Pot recipe
makes 1 jar which makes 3-4 servings cooked
Multiply for however many jars you'd like to make

Kitchari is an Indian home staple recipe and one of the foundational foods in Ayurveda.  It's nutritious and easy to digest and typically seasoned very lightly.  I often call it "Indian congee" to help people picture the desired consistency (like a thick porridge) as well as ways to customize it.  Kitchari is the perfect dish to make in your Instant Pot because pressure cooking really reduces the cooking time and makes it even more digestible.  These jars are a way to cut down prep even more; measure your ingredients all in one go and then have these jars in the pantry for months so you have a quick Instant Pot meal ready to assemble. These are the mason jars I buy on Amazon* as well as the mini plastic bags. 

for each jar:
3/4 cup white basmati rice
1/2 cup red lentils (masoor malka dal, link here)
1/2 cup mung dal (split yellow lentils, link here)

for each spice packet:
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon hing powder (also called asofoetida but can substitute granulated garlic)
1/2 teaspoon Himalayan sea salt (you can season to taste as well)

To make jars:

Fill mason jar with rice, red lentils, and mung dal.  Take a small plastic bag and fill with spice mixture.  Roll or fold the bag to fit in the top of the jar and then secure the lid.  

To cook:

1 Kitchari Jar
2 tablespoons ghee, grapeseed oil, or coconut oil (I prefer ghee)
2 cups chopped vegetables like zucchini, spinach, tomato, onion, cauliflower, etc (this is optional)
5 cups water
juice from 1 lemon
1/2 cup chopped cilantro (optional)

1. Open jar and remove spice packet and set aside.  Pour other contents of jar into a fine mesh strainer and rice thoroughly in cold water until the water runs clear.  

2. Turn on Instant Pot to Saute mode and heat ghee or oil.  Add spice packet and stir vigorously for 30 seconds.  You want to bloom the spices but you don't want them to burn.  Immediately add the chopped vegetables, if using, and then add the water and rinsed rice, lentils, and mung beans.  

3. Hit cancel to turn off Saute mode and secure lid (sealing).  Hit Manual to turn on High Pressure mode and set the timer for 10 minutes.  When timer goes off, let it natural pressure release for 15 minutes, then quick release until the pressure comes down.  Give the pot a little shake (to pop any trapped bubbles) then open lid.  

4. Season with lemon juice and additional salt if necessary.  Garnish with cilantro.  

Stovetop Method:

1. Heat ghee in a large pot. Add spice packet and stir vigorously for 30 seconds.  Immediately add the chopped vegetables if using and then add the water and rinsed rice, lentils, and mung beans.  Add 2 extra cups of water (for evaporation).

2. Simmer on low for 30-40 minutes or until lentils and rice fully cooked and kind of mushy.  If you have more delicate veggies like spinach, you can add them about half way through cooking.

3. Season with lemon juice and additional salt if necessary.  Garnish with cilantro.

FYI here's a pic of the final product:

*affiliate link

Cocoa and Coconut Energy Bites

Cocoa and Coconut Energy Bites
makes about 20

I'm constantly making different kinds of nut/seed/dried fruit energy bites based on what I have in my pantry at that time.  This coconut, pecan, and chocolate version is one that I have been making lately.  Chocolate is my go-to dessert, so this is a more nutritious option for when I'm craving a sweet bite.  As with all treats like this, you can substitute what you have on hand.  Play with the ratios if you like energy bites sweeter, less sweet, more chocolatey, etc.

1 cup pecans
2 cups medjool dates, pitted
1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut (plus about 1/2 cup more for rolling)
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons coconut oil
1/4 cup cocoa powder
pinch of sea salt

1. In a food processor, pulse pecans until you get a coarse meal.  Then add dates, coconut, vanilla, coconut oil, cocoa powder and sea salt and blend until you get an evenly incorporated sticky dough.  

2. Spread coconut for rolling on a plate.  Roll tablespoons-sized balls of dough in your hand and roll in the coconut to coat.  Repeat will the rest of the dough and put in refrigerated for 2-3 hours to chill.  Store these in the fridge and eat cold (they taste best this way!)

Carrot Cake Oatmeal

Carrot Cake Oatmeal recipe
serves 4

This oatmeal recipe incorporates the flavors of carrot cake--sweet carrots, chewy raisins, warming spices and crunchy walnuts.  By simmering the carrots before adding the oats, I make sure that I don't get a raw or too vegetal taste from them in the final dish.  I like the carrots grated (like on a box grater) instead of the pre-shredded bags that you can buy because they are thinner and blend into the oatmeal better.  I've found that oatmeal is very personal, so feel free to add more or less liquid depending on your preference. Make one morning and have leftovers to reheat for the rest of the week.

3 cups water
4 medium carrots, grated (you should get 2 cups)
3 tablespoons maple syrup
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
Pinch of sea salt
2 cups rolled oats
1/2 cup raisins
2 cups unsweetened almond milk
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

1. Bring 3 cups water and carrots up to a simmer and let cook 10 minutes.  

2. Add cinnamon, ginger, sea salt, rolled oats, raisins, and almond milk.  Simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally until the liquid is absorbed. Serve topped with chopped walnuts and more raisins or almond milk if you like.

Shakshuka with Feta

Shakshuka with Feta recipe
serves 4

Shakshuka is a Middle Eastern breakfast dish and I have yet to meet someone who doesn't like it.  I make this for me and my husband for weekend brunches, but you can also feed a crowd by making a double batch, transferring to a 9X13 baking pan, adding eggs and putting it under the broiler. Shakshuka is really defined by the eggs on top so you can't really skip them, but you can easily leave out the feta if you are dairy-free or use chopped kalamata olives instead if you like that salty, briny bite.  You can easily have this for dinner too--just include a piece of whole grain pita or sourdough to sop up that spicy sauce.

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
1 red bell pepper, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon red chile flake
1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
1 cup crumbled goat or sheep's milk feta
4 eggs
Parsley or cilantro to garnish
Salt and pepper to taste

1. Heat olive oil in a 12-inch high-side skillet.  Add onion, bell pepper, garlic and a generous sprinkle of salt.  Cook for 5-7 minutes until veggies have softened.

2. Add paprika, cumin, turmeric, red chile flake, and crushed tomatoes. Simmer for 10 minutes to let flavors blend.

3. Stir feta into tomato sauce.  Make 4 divots into the sauce with the back of a spoon and crack an egg into each. Cover and cook on medium low for 8-10 minutes until egg whites are cooked. Yolks will be partially set by not super runny.  Garnish with parsley, cilantro, or extra feta.