Easy Avocado Spread

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I’ve been a little avocado crazy lately.
Since cutting dairy out of my diet, I find that avocados provide that creaminess that cheese would on sandwiches and such.

I created this avocado spread on a whim and it was so good I could have bathed in it. Instead, I made a big batch and found three delicious ways in which to enjoy it.

Easy Avocado Spread
1/2 ripe avocado
juice of 1/2 a lemon
1 small clove garlic
1 tsp. Braggs liquid aminos
1 tsp. minced fresh ginger
1 tbsp. olive oil

Place all ingredients in a small blender, food processor or Vitamix and blend until smooth and creamy.

Kimchi Quesadilla with Easy Avocado Spread
(pictured above, all photos courtesy of taste spotting)
If you have never had Kimchi, I strongly recommend you try it. It can be purchased at Whole Foods or your local health food store. See the end of this post for further details on the benefits.

8 sprouted or whole wheat flour tortillas, 7 to 8 in. in diameter
1 jar (14 oz.) kimchi, drained and chopped
1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
Cilantro leaves

Top 4 tortillas evenly with kimchi and remaining tortillas.
Mix oil, vinegar, and sesame seeds in a small bowl; set aside.
Heat a 12-in. frying pan over medium heat. Toast each quesadilla until lightly browned, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Slice each quesadilla into wedges, sprinkle with cilantro, and serve topped with a dollop of easy avocado spread. YUM!!

Raw Kale Salad Massaged with Easy Avocado Spread
Ok, I admit it. The first time I ever heard of massaged kale salad, my initial reaction was what the heck? But I gave it a try, because massaging kale sounded kind of fun. Since that day, this salad has become a standard favorite. Massaging the kale with ingredients like lemon juice & olive oil helps break down the cell walls of the kale leaves and makes it easier to digest.

1 head of kale
1 batch easy avocado spread
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1/4 cup toasted sunflower seeds

Wash the kale leaves and shake them dry. Remove the leaves from the thick stalks and cut leaves into thin pieces. Place kale in a large salad bowl and get massage dressing into the leaves. Toss with tomatoes and sunflower seeds and salt and pepper to taste. Enjoy!

For all you pasta lovers out there, here is a quick easy dinner!

Pasta with Easy Avocado Spread
I recommend using Ezekiel sprouted pasta but any pasta will work fine with this recipe.

8 ounces dry pasta
cherry tomatoes, halved
kalamata olives, pitted & halved

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and toss well with easy avocado spread. Add in cherry tomatoes and olives and watch it disappear!

*Kimchi is a traditional fermented Korean dish made of vegetables with a variety of seasonings. Kimchi was originally developed as a way to preserve the vitamins and minerals in vegetables over the long winter since the cold winters of Northern Korea and the mountainous areas meant that brining and pickling foods was the best way to achieve this. One serving also provides over 50% of the daily recommended amount of vitamin C and carotene. Most types of kimchi contain onions, garlic, and chilli peppers. The vegetables being made into kimchi also contribute to the overall nutritional value. Kimchi is rich in vitamin A, thiamine (B1), riboflavin (B2), calcium, and iron, and contains a number of lactic acid bacteria, among those the typical species Lactobacillus kimchii. Health magazine named kimchi in its list of top five "World's Healthiest Foods" for being rich in vitamins, aiding digestion, and even possibly reducing cancer growth. Wikipedia

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Apple, Pomegranate Salad with Cider-Honey Vinaigrette

Even though the weather is turning cold, I still find myself craving salads with dinner.

Recently, the stores have been displaying beautiful pomegranates so I decided to create a salad centered around them. Pomegranate seeds are loaded with antioxidants which will help prevent LDL or "bad" cholesterol from oxidizing and causing hardening of the arteries. They also help reduce arthritis and lower the risk of breast and prostate cancer.

Apple, Pomegranate Salad with Cider-Honey Dressing

1 crisp apple

fresh lemon juice

6-8 cups washed salad greens

1/3 cup pomegranate seeds (see below for instructions)

1/4 cup toasted sliced almonds

Dressing

2 tbsp. apple cider vinegar

2 tsp. honey

6 tbsp. olive oil

1 pinch of salt

Wash the apple and cut into thin slices, leaving the peel on. Place the apples in a bowl and drizzle with a little lemon juice. In a small bowl, make the dressing by whisking all the ingredients together. Just before serving toss the greens with and the apples and enough dressing to coat. Divide the salad among four plates and sprinkle with the pomegranate seeds and sliced almonds. Enjoy!

How to Remove Pomegranate Seeds:

1. Cut off the crown (you’ll see it) and throw it away or better yet use it for compost.
2. Score and slice the rind all around, but don’t cut the rind all the way through.
3. Soak the pomegranate face down in cold water for about ten minutes.
4. While the pomegranate is still in the bowl of water, break apart the scored rinds, and remove the seeds from the flesh (the seeds will sink to the bottom of your bowl).
5. Remove the rind and membrane from the bowl with a sieve or spoon.
6. Drain the seeds with a colander and pat dry with a paper towel.

Living Energy Truffles

'Tis the season for making my living energy truffles.

I love to give these to friends and family and right now my freezer is full of these tasty little balls! They are so much healthier for you than traditional Holiday sweets and they taste amazing! I did have a friend ask me if she could eat 6 of them at once since they are healthy.

The answer is, no.

Ok ladies, just because something is healthier, it doesn't mean we can ditch the concept of moderation. So enjoy one when you have a sweet craving and save the rest for another day.

Living Energy Truffles

3/4 cup organic cocoa powder

2 cups fresh ground almond butter

1/2 cup honey

1 tbsp. unrefined coconut oil

Pinch of Sea Salt

1 cup dried shredded coconut flakes, unsweetened

In a small saucepan, over low heat, warm the coconut oil and the honey until blended.

Combine all the ingredients except for the coconut flakes in a large bowl and mix thoroughly. Roll-up your sleeves, take a small amount of the mixture and roll small balls between your palms. Dip each ball in a separate small bowl containing the coconut flakes. Freeze overnight to harden. Enjoy!!

Broccoli Salad

I had some last minute company for lunch the other day and I whipped this up to accompany a pureed root vegetable soup. I didn't have time to shred the broccoli like I usually do but it worked just fine. You can substitute any dried fruit and nut. I actually think headed towards the Holiday season, dried cranberries & pecans would be lovely!

5 cups broccoli, shredded

2 green onions, finely chopped

1 cup sunflower seeds

1 carrot, shredded

1/2 cup raisins

Dressing:

1 cup raw cashews

2 tbs. honey

2 tbs. apple cider vinegar

1/4 tsp. sea salt

1/4 cup water

Blend the dressing in the blender until it is smooth and creamy.

Pour over the broccoli and mix well. Add in the onion, carrot, sunflower seeds and raisins. Enjoy!

Island Kale and Sweet Potato Soup

Recipe and photo from Food and Wine

I am sucker for any recipe that has coconut milk in it so this instantly caught my eye.

This is loaded with good fats from the coconut milk and nutrients from the dark leafy greens.

Perfect for a rainy evening...

Island Kale and Sweet-Potato Soup

1. 2 tablespoons cooking oil
2. 1 onion, chopped
3. 2 cloves garlic, minced
4. 1 jalapeño pepper, seeds and ribs removed, sliced thin
5. 3/4 pound kale, tough stems removed, leaves washed well and shredded (about 1 quart)
6. 1 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes (about 3), peeled and cut into 3/4-inch cubes
7. 1 1/2 quarts canned low-sodium chicken broth or homemade stock
8. 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
9. 1 cup canned unsweetened coconut milk
10. 1 cup long-grain rice

1. In a large saucepan, heat the oil over moderately low heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and jalapeño and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
2. Stir in the kale, sweet potatoes, broth, and salt and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, partially covered, until the potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes. Add the coconut milk and just heat through.
3. Meanwhile, bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil. Stir in the rice and boil until just done, 10 to 12 minutes. Drain. Put a mound of rice in the center of each bowl. Ladle the soup around the rice.

Green Smoothies - A Nutritional Powerhouse!

Hit this holiday season feeling healthier than ever!

Do you love the Holidays but secretly dread the excess weight, low energy, intense cravings & food guilt that can be associated with this time of year? If so, you aren't alone.

What if you could make one change to your current diet and experience increased energy and motivation? What if you could easily and successfully reduce your unhealthy habits and lose weight?

You can.

I have seen countless clients experience incredible results, simply by replacing their usual breakfast or lunch with a green smoothie. If you can replace just one meal a day with a cleansing, nutrient packed meal, you too will be surprised how much of a difference it can make! Ideally your meals would be packed with nutrition, easily digested and filling enough to sustain you until your next meal, however, around the Holiday’s you may find yourself skipping meals or loading up on processed, nutrient deficient treats & snacks.

How does it work?

Green smoothies provide carbohydrates, otherwise known as energy, but they’re also loaded with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, phytochemicals and chlorophyll. And of course, they are an excellent source of fiber which will keep you full for hours. Green smoothies are also very cleansing to the liver which is your major fat burning organ! Blending the vegetables ruptures the cell walls of the greens and releases the nutrients encased in the plant cells. You’ll be able to absorb more nutrients from the vegetables, plus, you’ll be able to consume more greens than you usually do! All of this in a quick to make, easy to drink, and portable meal that will give you all the energy you need for your day.

My Favorite Smoothie

4 cups spinach or kale or a mix of both

1 large cucumber, peeled if not organic

2 bananas, peeled

1 apple, cored

Juice of 1/2 lemon

Enough water to blend, I usually add about 1 cup.

4 ice cubes

Blend until mixed smooth. Makes 2 big yummy drinks. Breakfast for two!

Make Your Own Green Smoothie

The best green smoothie recipe is the one you make yourself!

1 bunch green leafy vegetable of choice (50% of total)
Fruit of choice (50% of total)
1Banana or 1 avocado to emulsify (make creamy)
ginger, lemon, parsley to taste

Put all ingredients in your blender. Add clean water to cover all ingredients. Blend.

Remember, even if the rest of your diet remains the same, you might be lucky enough to experience a boost in immune system function, weight loss, increased energy, and many more benefits. Many people find that over time, the more green smoothies they drink, the more they crave greens and healthier foods throughout the day. Your body likes being treated this good and will be asking for more! You may start with breakfast, but don’t be surprised if the rest of your diet starts evolving as well.