Recipe: Loaded Salad

Loaded salads are baaack!

I remember planning for a vegan pregnancy. 2 months into the pregnancy and I craved a hamburger. I still ate a lot of #veggies and fruit, but meat was back on the menu. Salads weren’t satisfying anymore, which totally bummed me out. Any of you who’ve dealt with pregnancy cravings KNOWS what I’m talking about when I say, “What baby wants, baby gets!” Now I’m past breastfeeding and starting to feel more in control of my eating. Enter stage left, the grand and ggloriousLOADED SALAD!! This salad tastes great and fills my belly.
Ingredients per salad:
5 oz lettuce
1 roma tomato, diced
3 sweet mini bell peppers, diced
1/2 cup hummus
3 tablespoons spicy nut mixture
1/4 cup salsa for salad dressing
5-6 kalamata olives, pitted

Directions:
🍅Using large bowl, layer in this order
🍅Lettuce
🍅Salsa sprinkled on lettuce
🍅Hummus in corner with kalamatas on top
🍅 Tomatoes in 2nd corner
🍅Bell peppers in 3rd corner
🍅Peanut mixture in 4th corner

Optional toppings:
Radishes
Avocado
Celery
Carrots
Seeds – chia, sunflower, and/or #pumpkin

Fill your belly and feel great! I’ll see you at the table!

Recipe: Stuffed Bell Pepper and Steamed Asparagus

17438080_494117124045466_2501886692655366144_nHealthy veggie based meal: stuffed bell pepper and steamed asparagus.
Ingredients:
4 yellow bell peppers, tops cut out and seeds rinsed out
1 package of saffron rice, prepared per package directions
1 roma tomato, small dice
1 zucchini, small dice
1 small yellow onion, small dice
3 clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
Olive oil

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees
2. Cook saffron rice per package directions
3. On medium heat, saute onion and zucchini in olive oil or water for 5 minutes, then add tomato and garlic and saute for 1 minute.
4. Add cooked rice, parsley to zucchini mixture and stir to combine. Using a tablespoon, scoop rice mixture into bell peppers.

Note: You can use other bell peppers, but I prefer the mild, sweeter flavor of yellow.
5. Place 4 stuffed bell peppers into 8×8 glass baking dish. Add water around the outside of peppers, 1/3 the way up the pepper.
Note: If you’re preparing ahead of time, store in refrigerator for up to 2 days, covered in plastic wrap. Add water when ready to bake.

6. Bake uncovered for 45 minutes, or until the skin of peppers begins to wrinkle. If your peppers are really thick, you may need 5-10 more minutes. Better to over bake than under bake.
7. Serve with steamed asparagus.

For a more robust meal, serve with crusty bread and large green salad.
I’ll see you at the table!

Cooking Tip

17333905_1821009368164699_5894691044364124160_nKitchen clutter will stop you from wanting to cook. Look for ways to organize your kitchen and dining space. A few examples:
🔪Organize your cooking knives and get rid of the knives that should go. You know which ones I’m talking about!
🍴Clean out the utensil drawer. Organize the forks, spoons, knives so that it looks better.
💐 Flowers don’t need to stay in the kitchen. Find other spots to enjoy flowers and free up valuable counter space.
I’ll see you at the table!

Asapargus

17332737_1265365500208322_2353166337565523968_nIt’s that lovely time of year when asparagus is in season! Delicate but bursting with flavor, add asparagus to your menu. My local grocer (Winco) has it on sale for $0.98/pound!
Some asparagus dish ideas:
🍴Cream of asparagus soup
🍴Roasted asparagus with balsamic dressing for dipping
🍴Two-inch size pieces added to rice
🍴Steamed and added to veggie tortilla wrap

However you use it, indulge in this spring time delicious vegetable!

Recipe: Another green smoothie

greensmoothie5Half way through an awesome week! Veggies and fruit keeping me healthy and strong. Today’s green smoothie includes:
Collard greens
Apple
Orange
Half avocado
White grape juice
Water and ice

Recipe: Breakfast Smoothie

Breakfast is served! Start your day off healthy: good fuel in = good output
Spinach, apple juice, avocado, peach, berries, cantaloupe, water, ice