Chopped Salad with Ginger-Tahini Dressing
They say the easiest way to regulate your diet is to “eat the rainbow.” By filling your plate with color, you know that you’re getting an array of nutrients, vitamins, minerals and flavors.
SERVES 4
Ingredients
2 cups kale
2 cups Brussels sprouts
2 cups purple cabbage
2 carrots
1/2 red onion
2 tablespoons tahini
1 lemon
2 teaspoons honey
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 inch fresh ginger, peeled and minced
1 clove garlic, minced
salt and pepper, to taste
2 cups broccolini, blanched
1/2 cup pumpkin seeds
1/2 cup pomegranate seeds
2 radishes, thinly sliced
Directions
1. Finely chop kale, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, carrots and red onion with a food processor or sharp knife. Pour into a large serving bowl and set aside.
2. To make dressing, zest and juice lemon and whisk together with tahini, honey, olive oil, ginger, garlic, salt and pepper.
3. Pour half of ginger-tahini dressing into bowl with vegetables. Toss to fully coat.
4. Top with broccolini, pumpkin seeds, pomegranate seeds and radishes. Drizzle with remaining dressing and serve immediately.
Pea Pesto Farro with Gulf Shrimp
When food is locally sourced, you know it’s the freshest available. Enter Gulf shrimp. Served over a bed of farro and naturally sweet pea pesto, the entire food pyramid is represented in one dish. If you can’t find whole farro, semi-pearled or pearled work just as well.
SERVES 4
Ingredients
2 lemons, zest and juice divided
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon black pepper, divided
red pepper flakes, to taste
1 pound Gulf shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 cup farro
2 cups vegetable broth
1 1/2 cups frozen peas, defrosted
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup walnuts, toasted
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, finely grated
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, divided
Fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish
Directions
1. In a large bowl, combine zest and juice from one lemon, oregano, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper and a pinch of red pepper flakes. Whisk to combine. Toss shrimp to coat and set aside.
2. In a medium pot, combine farro and broth. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, cover and cook 20 minutes (or the time designated on package).
3. Meanwhile, in a food processor, combine peas, garlic and walnuts until a thick pesto forms. Add Parmesan and the juice of one lemon and pulse to combine. Slowly drizzle in 1/2 cup olive oil, pulsing until smooth. Season with remaining salt and pepper.
4. When farro is al dente, drain any remaining liquid and toss with pesto. Pour into a serving bowl.
5. Right before serving, heat remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. When oil is shimmering, add shrimp. Cook 1 – 2 minutes on each side until pink and cooked through. If the pan is crowded, cook in two batches.
6. Top the farro with shrimp. Garnish with parsley and lemon zest. Serve warm.
Guacamole Veggie Bowl
Tex-Mex doesn’t have to be greasy and heavy to be delicious. Make up a batch of guac and a platter of accoutrements, pile them up on a bed of lettuce, and you won’t even notice that the heavy meat and tortillas are missing!
SERVES 4
Ingredients
1 red bell pepper
1 green bell pepper
1 yellow bell pepper
1 red onion, divided
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 can black beans, unsalted
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
2 limes
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, divided
salt and pepper, to taste
2 ripe avocados
1 Roma tomato
1 clove garlic, minced
4 cups lettuce, thinly sliced or shredded
salsa of choice
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Julienne peppers and three-quarters of the red onion. Place on a large, rimmed baking sheet. Toss with 1 tablespoon olive oil and salt and pepper to taste. Roast for 20 minutes, tossing once halfway through cooking, until tender and caramelized.
3. Meanwhile, drain and rinse black beans. Warm in a small pot, then toss with cumin, chili powder and juice of half a lime until beans are warmed and flavors are infused. Remove from heat and stir in 1 tablespoon cilantro.
4. While vegetables roast and beans cook, prepare guacamole. Slice avocados in half, twist to open, and remove pit by gently tapping with the sharp edge of a knife until it separates from the flesh. Slice flesh into cubes and spoon into a large bowl, discarding the skin.
5. With a fork, mash avocado until desired consistency is reached. Immediately stir in juice of one lime.
6. Finely dice remaining red onion and Roma tomato. Stir into mashed avocado along with 2 tablespoons cilantro, salt and pepper (avocado needs plenty of salt).
7. In a serving bowl, whisk together juice from remaining lime half, remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, garlic, remaining tablespoon cilantro, salt and pepper. Toss lettuce in dressing to fully coat. Arrange on a large platter.
8. Pile guacamole into the center of the lettuce. Top surrounding sections of lettuce with roasted vegetables, prepared black beans and salsa. Serve immediately.
Grain-Free Granola
Whole grains certainly have their place in a balanced diet, but nuts provide a comparable amount of fiber and protein to benefit digestion and weight management, as well as unsaturated fats for lower cholesterol and heart health. This granola contains no added oils, refined sugars, sugar substitutes or artificial sweeteners. Serve over nondairy yogurt for a bowl full of plant-based goodness!
SERVES 16
Ingredients
15 dates, pitted
3 tablespoons golden flax seeds
2 cups raw almonds
1 1/2 cups raw pecans
1 1/2 cups raw walnuts
1 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
3 tablespoons chia seeds
3 egg whites
1 cup dried apricots, or other unsweetened dried fruit, diced
1/2 cup raw pumpkin seeds
unsweetened nondairy yogurt, such as coconut milk yogurt, for serving (optional)
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
2. Place dates in a small bowl and cover with hot water. Set aside.
3. In a food processor, pulse flax seeds into a fine powder. Add nuts and pulse into small pieces.
4. In a large bowl, combine flax seed and nut mixture with coconut and chia seeds. Set aside.
5. Drain dates and blend in a food processor until a loose paste forms, adding soaking liquid as needed to reach desired consistency.
6. Meanwhile, whip egg whites until soft peaks form. Fold into date paste until combined.
7. Stir nut mixture into egg white mixture and toss to combine, ensuring that each piece is coated.
8. Spread mixture evenly across a large, rimmed baking sheet, pressing into a firm rectangle. Bake 20 minutes.
9. Break apart into coarse clusters with a fork. Stir in apricots and pumpkin seeds. Reduce heat to 250 degrees and bake 15 minutes.
10. Cool completely and store in an airtight container.
Three Ingredient Swirled Fudge
For dessert lovers, keep added sugar to a minimum by making treats at home with naturally sweet ingredients. Unsweetened almond butter has a nutty and subtly sweet flavor on its own. Dark chocolate satiates chocolate cravings and adds an extra antioxidant boost without being loaded with the unhealthy stuff. And talk about easy!
SERVES 8
Ingredients
1 cup 70 percent cacao dark chocolate, chopped
1 1/4 cup almond butter, divided
6 tablespoons coconut oil, divided
Directions
1. Line the bottom and sides of a loaf pan with parchment paper and set aside.
2. Melt chocolate, 1/4 cup almond butter and 2 tablespoons coconut oil over the stove or in the microwave. Stir until smooth and pour into bottom of pan. Refrigerate.
3. Melt remaining 4 tablespoons coconut oil in a small bowl. Cool slightly. Stir in remaining cup almond butter until completely smooth. Pour over chocolate mixture in loaf pan and swirl -with a butter knife.
4. Refrigerate in pan at least two hours or overnight, until completely firm.
5. Lift parchment paper from loaf pan to remove fudge. Slice in half lengthwise, then slice each half in quarters to create eight equal rectangles. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator to maintain optimal texture.
Louise McCown’s Matcha Latte
“Matcha is full of so many wonderful benefits like antioxidants (137 times those in brewed tea), and it helps your digestion and even your metabolism,” says McCown. “Plus, it’s a slower release of caffeine, so I don’t get jittery like coffee can trigger.”
SERVES 1
Ingredients
1 teaspoon matcha powder
1 tablespoon collagen peptides (optional)
1/4 cup hot water (not boiling)
2 tablespoons creamer (McCown prefers Silk Almond Milk Sweet & Creamy Creamer)
Directions
1. Combine matcha powder and collagen peptides in the bottom of a small mug. Pour hot water over and whisk to dissolve, ensuring there are no lumps.
2. Froth creamer in a separate cup. Pour on top of prepared matcha and serve.
