Nopales, Quinoa, Avocado Salad

I first saw nopales at the grocery store in San Diego.  TDH and I had no idea what they were but we were just dating back then and he was willing to try anything!  For the next few days I added them to our salads or stir frys while teaching him and his roommate how to cook.  I was unaware of their nutrition benefits until a few years later when I read The Jungle Effect by Dr. Daphne Miller.  Nopales are full of dietary fiber, vitamins, magnesium, potassium and calcium.  Dr. Daphne "prescribes" nopales to her diabetic patients because studies show they affect the glycemic index.  Plus, they are crunchy and tangy!

Last week I mixed them with quinoa, ripe avocado, green onions (my kitchen staple), cucumbers and jicama.  All of these ingredients can easily be found at the farmers market right now.  We actually picked up the nopales at a road side stand in Fallbrook while en route to pick up our new chickens.

Ingredients
nopales, chopped
jicama, chopped
green onions, chopped
cucumber, peeled and sliced
1/4 bunch cilantro, chopped
1 c quinoa, cooked
lime
lemon
cumin
olive oil
maldon salt
pepper

To Do
1.  Mix all chopped vegetables, cilantro and quinoa.
2.  Squeeze half a lemon and half a lime over the salad mixture.
3.  Drizzle olive oil.
4.  Top with a few shakes of cumin and pepper and a dash of maldon salt. 

Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Nut Free, Vegan

START FRESH + FINISH HEALTHY

Fresh Ink in Competitor Magazine

Thank you Competitor Magazine for featuring my Almond & Quinoa Bliss Bars in your May issue.  I was honored to share pages with Cafe McClean out of Salt Lake City and No Meat Athlete from Maryland.  Make your own Bliss Bars at home with a few simple ingredients.  I always have a stash in the freezer for lazy mornings or training days.  Recipe here.

 

Dish - Fennel Summer Salad

 START FRESH + FINISH HEALTHY

Dish - DIY Sprouts

I started sprouting last month and found it relatively easy so I thought I would share how you can make your own sprouts.

What is Sprouting?
- Trick your dried beans or seeds into sprouting without planting them in dirt.  
- Grow your own food, on your counter top or in a dark enclosed space.

Why Sprouting is Awesome?
- Cheap!!!  Buying dried beans is cheaper than in the can or pre-made.  TDH and I's biggest expense other than rent is groceries.  I'm constantly looking to cut costs without effecting flavor or our well-being.
- Healthy.  (Almost) anything that comes in a can or container is filled with salt and preservatives.  Why work out everyday if you are just going to put those toxins right back in with a pre-made meal?
- Easy.  No need to warm up the oven or stove.
- Texture.  I LOVE crunchy foods and now that I cut back on chips and crackers I miss the sensation of chomping on something light.  Sprouted beans are still a bit hard and give my teeth the crunch they crave.

cover with cheesecloth

You will find a few videos on Sprouting but this by far is my favorite.  The couple is hilarious!  

screw on the top

What you'll need
- Mason jar or similar with a 2 part lid (you won't need the center middle top, just the outer rim)
- Cheese cloth or thin screen
- Dried chickpeas, lentils, seeds, etc
- Water
- Patience

To Do List
- Rinse your beans, seeds or lentils
- Toss in the jar, fill with water 3-4" above the beans
- Cover with cheesecloth or screen and screw on the outer rim top to seal
- Soak overnight, drain and rinse again
- Rinse 2-3 times a day, keeping them moist but not soggy (leave the jar on the counter top if you are forgetful like me, I needed the constant reminder)
- After 2-3 days your sprouts are ready to go
- Add to salads, oatmeal or brown rice or try adding to these 2goplease recipes:
Bell Pepper Boats   /   Avo Kale Sprout Salad   /   LGO Brussel Sprout Salad (just add em' in)

2 days later!

funny looking right?

START FRESH + FINISH HEALTHY

Beet + Pineapple Salad

TDH and I are making this salad for dinner tonight.  I made it last week and he can't stop raving about it.  Plus, tonight is Monday Night Dinner with our good friends in La Jolla.  It's turned into a weekly tradition where we switch off making dinner for each other.  I can't tell you how much I look forward to every other week's night off from cooking and doing the dishes.  (We don't have a dishwasher!)  To round out the meal we are adding a homemade quiche with fresh backyard eggs and blanched asparagus.  The Lemon and Thyme Scones I posted a few weeks ago would pair well too. What did you make the last time you had breakfast for dinner?

Beet + Pineapple Salad (gluten free, vegan, nut free)

Ingredients
3 medium size beets (the more colorful the better)
extra virgin olive oil

1 cup pineapple chunks, fresh if possible
2 cups lettuce greens
3 green onions

salt
pepper
1 lemon juiced
first cold pressed, extra virgin olive oil


To-Do
- Preheat oven/toaster oven to 400* F.
- Rinse beets, no need to peel or cut them unless they are large.  
- Toss beets in olive oil and bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour turning every 15 minutes. 
- While the beets are roasting cut the pineapple into bite size chunks. 
- Chop green onions, white and green parts.  
- Mix the lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper for the dressing.
- Cool beets for 10 minutes or longer if you have the time.  If not, throw on some gloves to peel off the outer skin.  Chop into bit size pieces. 
- Add all ingredients, mix and serve.



 

Bell Pepper Boats

I'm headed to Belize in 6 days, which means its bikini season in March!  Yikes.  Here's a little recipe I've been using a lot lately to clean up my eating.  My goal for the week is to be a Lean & Green fighting machine.  It's going to be a busy week before I leave.  We just launched a new website and collection at Borelli and I have a few freelance projects to wrap up.  Happy Monday ya'll.  

Bell Pepper Boats (gluten-free, raw, vegan)

Ingredients
1 bell pepper
hummus
garlic paste
sprouted chickpeas or any other bean or vegan protein
spinach, chopped
green onion, chopped (white and green parts)
sun-dried tomatoes, slivered
sunchoke, chopped
nutritional yeast flakes
first cold pressed extra virgin olive oil
salt
pepper

- Wash bell pepper, slice down the middle, scrape out seeds.
- Spread hummus and garlic paste inside each bell pepper half.
- Stuff boats with spinach, chickpeas, green onion, sunchoke and sun-dried tomatoes. 
- Sprinkle nutritional yeast flakes, salt and pepper. 
- Drizzle olive oil.
- Serve with a salad of the veggies you have leftover.

Makes 1 bell pepper boat, good for breakfast, lunch or dinner.

Gluten Free and Butter Free Lemon Bars

A friend from college brought a batch of delicious lemon bars to our sunset picnic last month. I immediately asked for the recipe because they are one of TDH's favorite desserts. I swapped out the butter for coconut oil and Earth Balance and replaced white flour with fresh quinoa flour and walnuts I grinded up in the Vita-Mix. I also used coconut sugar which is a light brown color and found at Sprouts or Whole Foods. The finished product was flatter than the typical lemon bars but they were still delicious! TDH realized I changed the recipe as I handed him one, so it took a bit of coaxing but he's already asking for another batch.

Gluten Free and Butter Free Lemon Bars

Ingredients

1/4 c coconut oil

3/4 c Earth Balance

1/2 c coconut sugar

1 1/4 c quinoa flour

3/4 c ground walnuts

4 eggs

1 c unbleached sugar

1/2 c coconut sugar

1/4 c quinoa flour

2 lemons, juiced and zested

1. Preheat oven to 350* F (175* C).

2. Make your own quinoa flour by grinding uncooked quinoa in a Vita-mix or coffee grinder. Do the same for the walnuts.

3. In a medium bowl, blend together butter, coconut oil, 1 1/4 cups quinoa flour, 3/4 cup ground walnuts and 1/2 cup coconut sugar.

4. Press mixture into the bottom of an ungreased 9x13" pan.

5. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until firm and golden.

6. While the crust is baking in another bowl whisk together 1 cup sugar, 1/2 cup coconut sugar and 1/4 cup flour. Add eggs, lemon juice and zest.

7. Pour liquid mixture over crust and bake for another 18-20 minutes at 350* F. The bars will firm up as they cool.

8. Cut, serve or freeze half the pan in a glass container, laying parchment paper between each layer.

Italian Indian Squash Delight

This week I combined the culinary styles of two of my favorite places in the world - Italy and India.  Their spices and flavors may be on opposite sides of the spectrum but the way they prepare and enjoy their food is similar.  Who doesn't love a culture that uses some type of bread to sop up the last puddles of sauce on your plate?  Each country savors each bite making dinners a 3-5 hour affair. 

In India you eat with one hand, the other is reserved for the not-so-clean bathrooms, which may be just a hole in the ground.  Took me a whole week to get the hang of tearing off naan with one hand!  Thankfully you can enjoy these lovely flavors from the comfort of your own home.  Although, if you are feeling adventurous, train yourself to embrace spicy food and book a trip to Goa for relaxation or Rajasthan to sight-see and walk with the princes.  The Prince of Udaipur was quite cute if I remember correctly.    

Ingredients

3-4 zucchini or squash, small to medium, chopped

1/2 onion, white or yellow, chopped

1/2 big bunch of kale, or 1 small bunch, chopped into 1/2" wide

1 garlic clove, smashed

1/2 lemon

good quality Parmesan cheese, NO KRAFT!

turmeric

red chili pepper flakes

cumin

salt

pepper

extra virgin olive oil

What to do with the Ingredients

1.  Heat a pan on medium heat, add evoo, garlic, onions, salt and pepper.  Cover and stir every minute or so until they start to turn clear.

2.  Toss the zucchini and squash in.  Add a few shakes of tumeric, cumin and as much red chili pepper flakes as you can handle.  (They are great for your metabolism.)  Squeeze the 1/2 lemon over the pan.  Cover for about 2 minutes.

3.  Add the kale, stir and cover.  I don't like my kale super soggy so I don't let it cook for long.  Totally up to you and your family's tastebuds.

4.  Top with Parmesan cheese. 

Step 2

Step 3

Mangia! (eat!)

Gluten Free Almond Orange Ricotta Cookies

I like my cookies with surprises and a lot of crunch.  Regular chocolate chip cookies are my WORST NIGHTMARE, I despise making them.  I noticed how much ya'll love the Gluten Free Almond Cookies I posted awhile back so I searched the fridge this weekend, found half a container of ricotta cheese begging for attention and scoured the internet for inspiration.  Two Peas and Their Pod had a white flour recipe that caught my eye.  After the tweaks and gluten free substitutes I am pleased to give you a fluffy, gluten free masterpiece with a BITE!

Ingredients

1/4 c almond flour

1 c Bob's Red Mill All Purpose Gluten Free flour
3/4 tsp teaspoon Gluten Free baking powder

1/2 tsp salt
1/4 c unsalted butter, softened

1 c UNBLEACHED granulated sugar (I mixed turbinado and fine)
1 large egg
1 c ricotta cheese

2 tbs fresh orange juice
1 tbs almond extract 

1/4 c cacao nibs (gives it the crunch! chopped up dark chocolate pieces will work fine as well.)

Directions  

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.  Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. 

2. In a bowl combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Sift until ingredients are combined.

3. In another bowl, combine butter and the sugar. Beat until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the egg, beat again. Add the ricotta cheese, orange juice, and almond extract.  Beat to combine.

4. Stir in the dry ingredients.  Fold in the cacao nibs.  

5. Spoon the dough (about 1 tablespoon for each cookie) onto the baking sheets. Bake for 9-11 minutes, until slightly golden at the edges. Remove from the oven and let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 2 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and cool completely.  

* They will stick together so if you want to store or hide them from your greedy friends/spouses/other halves, lay a piece of parchment paper between each layer.

before

after