Some days I crave a little simplicity in my life.  Last weekend my son decided to run a bath in my tub and when he ran past me with a guilty look on his face I knew something was up.  I was curious when I heard the shower running and then realized the sounds of pouring water wasn’t coming from my bathroom but from my living room.  As I walked down my stairs I was struck by the sight of water pouring out of a light fixture as my 6 month old puppy was trying to drink out of the torrential amount of water that was streaming out of my ceiling.  While she’s running around my feet super excited by the newly supplied waterfall, I step on her leash, she races away and I go flying down the stairs.  As I lay there staring up at the ceiling with a dog licking my face and water streaming out of my ceiling I contemplated the chaos that always seems to define my life and decided that I needed to find a quiet place to lick my wounds.

Don’t get me wrong I love my family, but they are larger than life, loud, rambunctious and always on the go.  I tend to like peace and quiet and have to fight for any I get.  I think that’s why I love my garden so much, it’s one of the few places I can retreat to and gather my thoughts and have a little peace.  I also get tired of eating the food I prepare for them, I love to make them happy but I can only eat so many burritos before I find myself craving something light and fresh.  I love zucchini noodles because they don’t require any cooking, I can have them ready in minutes and you can get creative with what you pair them with.  Tossed with a zesty peanut sauce and full of fresh veggies it’s a great vegetarian lunch that really satisfies.

Well, I’ve been sitting hear quietly for a few minutes so it’s time for me to prepare for the next adventure that life with my family will bring.

Thai peanut zucchini noodles

Ingredients:

• 2 medium zucchini
• 1 carrot
• 1 cup edamame, shelled
• ¼ cup chopped cashews
• ½ avocado, cubed
• 1 tablespoon black sesame seeds
• ½ cup assorted herbs (mint, basil, cilantro)
• 1 tablespoon peanut butter
• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• ½ tablespoon honey
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon garlic chili paste

 Method:

In a small bowl, combine the peanut butter, lime juice, honey, sesame oil, garlic and chili paste.  Whisk to combine, then set aside while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.

Peel the zucchini and carrot, then using a julienne peeler and cut the vegetables into long strands.  In a medium bowl combine the zucchini, carrot, edamame and avocado, add a few tablespoons of the dressing and toss lightly to combine.  Garnish with the herbs, sesame seeds and cashews and serve.

Until I moved North I lost out on the pleasures of seeing the first seedlings of the season pop out of the ground and the joy of picking tender pea shoots and early radishes. Growing up in Southern California where it’s 75 degrees 350 days a year you lose touch with the cycle of nature.  I have come to appreciate the seasonal swing of life especially when it comes to food.

I love to see what the first market of the season has to offer.  Radishes, fava beans and snap peas are at their finest during the chilly wet start of spring here in Portland and when I see them appear I know that warmer weather and long days in the garden aren’t far behind.  I know that radishes aren’t the sexiest of vegetables but I have a particular fondness for their sharp pungent bite.  Growing radishes is one of the simplest things you can do in a garden and they go from seed to table in a matter of weeks.  Roasting radishes over high heat mellows their sharp bite and renders them sweet, succulent and mellow.  Reserve the tops to garnish the finished dish, they add a nice brightness and bite.

Simple Roasted Radishes      

• 1 bunch of mixed radishes
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 cup radish tops, finely chopped

Method:

Pre-heat the oven to 450 degrees.  Cut off all but the top 1/2 inch of the radish tops and slice the radishes in half.  Toss the radishes with the olive oil and season with salt and pepper.  Roast the radishes until they are tender about 15 to 18 minutes.  Stir in the fresh lemon juice and sprinkle the radish tops over the top.

I must confess that as much as I love to entertain I am terrible with planning ahead of time.  I am one of those fools that is always running around the kitchen during a dinner party trying to figure out how I am going to finish cooking the lasagna and still manage to get dessert in the oven.  I have really been trying to make an effort to get more organized and use dishes that can be prepped ahead of time.  Last week I had to cook for a group of twenty and I knew that I would be crying in the guacamole if I didn’t't do some prep ahead of time.

I love serving this salad to a large group of people.  Since kale actually benefits from sitting for awhile after you dress it, you can get all of the components ready well before you need to serve it and add the nuts and breadcrumbs at the last minute right before thou serve it.  It’s easy to put together and the addition of the bread crumbs makes it unique enough to stand out from have your guests asking for the recipe.

Kale cranberry and breadcrumb salad

Serves 4

Ingredients:

For the salad:

1 bunch of kale (about 6 cups)

¼ cup slivered toasted almonds

½ cup dried cranberries

¼ cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese

1 slice whole grain bread or ¼ cup breadcrumbs

1 teaspoon olive oil

salt and pepper

For the dressing:

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 clove garlic

salt and pepper to taste

Method:

Remove the tough inner ribs on the kale, slice into ribbons and place in a large bowl.

In a food processor or blender tear the bread into small pieces and process until fine crumbs form.  Heat the teaspoon of olive oil over medium heat, add the breadcrumbs and cook for 3-5 minutes until the breadcrumbs are toasted and start to brown.  Set aside to cool.

In a small bowl, grate the garlic using a micro plane grater.  Alternatively you can smash the garlic with the back of a knife, add a sprinkle of salt and crush the garlic until a smooth paste forms.  Add the vinegar and lemon juice to the garlic and then slowly whisk in the olive oil.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

To dress the salad, pour the dressing over the kale and using your fingers work the dressing into the leaves making sure that everything is well coated.  Add the cranberries, Parmesan, almonds and ¾ of the breadcrumbs to the mixture and toss to combine.  Garnish the salad with the remaining breadcrumbs when you are ready to serve.

I’ve mentioned before that I am not much of a breakfast eater.  I value my sleep too much and stay up too late to realize my grand visions of pancakes and cinnamon rolls first thing in the morning.  I require something that I can have on the table in 5 minutes or less, that’s why granola is a perfect food to help me ease into my day.

This is a lighter version than most since it uses an egg white in the mixture which allows you to significantly reduce the amount of oil yet it still delivers a great crunchy granola.  This is a super adaptable recipe and you can customize it to suit your taste.  Try swapping out the honey for maple syrup or agave.  Don’t have dried blueberries?  Use cranberries or cherries.  You can easily omit the millet or hemp seeds but they add great texture and nutrition.   How do you like your granola? I’d love to hear some of your favorite flavor combinations.

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Nuts and seeds granola

Ingredients:

• ½ cup honey
• ¼ cup coconut oil
• 1 vanilla bean
• 2 tbsp packed light brown sugar
• 3 cups old fashioned oats
• ½ cup millet
• ¼ cup hemp seeds
• ¼ cup flax seeds
• 1 ½ cups coconut shavings
• 1 ½ tsp kosher salt
• ½ tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 egg white
• 1 ½ cups chopped nuts (I used walnuts and hazelnuts)
• 1 cup dried blueberries

Method:

Pre-heat the oven to 300 degrees

In a small saucepan heat the honey, coconut oil and brown sugar together until warm.  Scrape the vanilla bean into the pot and let cool slightly.

In a large bowl toss all the ingredients except for the blueberries together.  Lightly beat the egg white and add to the mixture along with the honey and coconut oil syrup.  Spread the mixture onto a rimmed baking sheet.

Bake granola, stirring every 10 minutes, until golden brown and dry, 40 – 45 minutes.  Let it cool on the baking sheet.  It will crisp up as it cools.  Mix in the blueberries and serve.

Just because  its Super Bowl Sunday this weekend that doesn’t mean that your diet has to fly out of the window.  Here are some of my favorite recipes that would be a great addition to your game day table!

Here is a brand new recipe for you, rich decadent chocolate mousse, they’ll never know that the main ingredient is tofu.  Super easy and quick to put together, you just need to allow 30 minutes for chilling.  Check out Bliss for the full post!

asian corn and avocado salsa

smoky sweet potato hummus

edamame dip

black bean and butternut chili

strawberry salsa

raw brownies

I don’t eat breakfast.  I know that it is an important meal to start your day off right and all that but it’s just never appealed to me and I don’t get hungry until lunchtime.  I have found that I can really embrace a nice glass of freshly squeezed juice in the morning.  One of my very favorite ways to start the day is with this apple cider vinegar drink.

Apple cider vinegar is thought to have many health benefits such as aiding digestion, helps regulate blood sugar levels and promotes weight loss. It is also thought to help promote healthy skin since it has antibacterial properties and promotes blood circulation.  I notice that my skin is much less likely to break out when I take one of these drinks on a regular basis.  Best of all it tastes great and is a wonderful substitution for soda or other sweetened beverages.  I love the tart flavor and it doesn’t leave a sugary coating in my mouth after drinking it.  I will warn you that it can be an acquired taste so you might want to start with 1 teaspoon instead of two or increase the amount of apple juice or honey until you get used to it.   It couldn’t be easier, I juice an apple, throw in a little knob of ginger and sweeten the mixture up with a touch of honey and cinnamon.  You don’t need to juice your own apple juice, It is important that you use organic unpasteurized vinegar to get the most health benefit’s, I use Bragg’s it’s a really good quality organic brand that you should be able to find easily.

Whether or not there are true health benefits to drinking apple cider vinegar I love the taste and enjoy adding it to my morning wake-up routine.  Give it a try and let me know what you think, I’d love to hear your opinion!

Apple cider vinegar elixir

Ingredients:

• 1-2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
• 1 apple or 1/4 cup apple juice
• small knob of fresh ginger (about 1 teaspoon)
• 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon of honey
• 8 ounces of water

Method:

If using, juice the apple and the ginger together or alternatively pour the apple juice into a large glass.  Add apple cider vinegar, cinnamon, honey and water and stir to combine.  Taste and add more honey if desired.

This is the time of year that I really start craving fresh, raw foods.  After a few months of gluttony and heavy eating through the holidays my body really needs a break from heavy rich dishes.  Starting today I’m going on a 21 day cleanse to see if I can cut out processed food, caffeine and refined sugar from my diet.  I’m not following any particular plan but I’m hoping that I can change some bad habits and feel better in the process.  I have been looking at a lot of diets out there and some of them seem so radical I know that I won’t be able to stick with them.  I just want to cook fresh healthy food and restore my body and my mind.  Eating more healthfully doesn’t mean that I can’t still share some great recipes with you all.  So I hope that you will follow along with me as I start this new journey.

When I eat a salad like this, bright, clean and refreshing it makes me wonder why I want to eat any other way.  This is a super simple salad starring tart juicy grapefruits.  This is a combination that I never get tired of, naturally sweet dates, mint and the licorice flavor of fennel make this one of my all time favorite salads.

Click the link below for the full post and recipe

Grapefruit, kale and fennel salad

When you are craving something a little sweet and want a cookie you can throw together in a a matter of minutes this is a great one to turn to.  Since they are made with almond flour they are best eaten the day they are made as they will get softer the longer they sit.  The almonds compliment the honey tones of the fruit and the brown butter adds a delicious richness to such a simple cookie.  They are fairly delicate so make sure that you let them cool slightly before removing them from the cookie sheet.  They make the perfect afternoon snack with a nice cup of tea.

Click the link below for the recipe and full post!

Persimmon Almond Cookies

I wanted to offer you a healthy but delicious option for your holiday table.  I love the flavors of Fall and all the delicious recipes they entail.  The warm spicy and sweet taste of squash apples and pears make me want to start a fire, curl up with a good book and eat to my hearts content.The holidays are here and they bring lots of opportunity to indulge but it’s nice to have options for lighter fare to keep things in check.  Rich earthy mushrooms, sweet butternut squash and tart pomegranates pair deliciously with the nutty flavor of millet.  Millet is gluten-free so it’s a great alternative if you are cooking for someone that is gluten intolerant.  Serve this for a healthy modern take on your usual stuffing, it might just start a new family tradition.

I am submitting this recipe to the Yahoo Shine Supper Club so be sure to check out all the wonderful holiday recipes they have to offer!

Millet pilaf with roasted butternut squash, mushrooms and pomegranate 

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

• 1 cup millet
• 2 tablespoons olive oil divided
• 1 medium butternut squash
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage
• 1 pound cremini mushrooms, sliced (if you can find chanterelles they would be delicious)
• 1 cup pomegranate seeds
• 1/3  cup roasted pistachios
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• ¼ cup chopped Italian parsley

Method:

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees.Place squash on a baking sheet, sprinkle with thesage and toss with 2 teaspoons of the olive oil and season with salt and pepper.Roast, stirring once or twice until tender 15-20 minutes.

On a separate baking sheet, toss the mushrooms with 2 teaspoons olive oil and season with salt and pepper.Spread the mushrooms in a single layer and roast for 10 minutes.

To prepare the millet bring 1 quart of water to a boil.Season the water generously with salt as you would for cooking pasta.Add the millet and cook for 13 minutes.Drain the millet into a fine sieve and then place the sieve back over the pot and let steam for an additional 10 minutes until fluffy and dry.

Place the millet in a large bowl and add the squash, mushrooms, parsley and pomegranate, drizzle the balsamic and remaining tablespoon of olive oil over the top and toss gently to combine.Sprinkle the pistachios over the top and serve.

When you are in the mood for a chocolate treat that can fit in with a healthy diet look no further than these raw brownies.  Perfect for a post These bars are the perfect substitute for an energy bar or other sweet tweet and they are full of healthy good for you ingredients.

Dates are loaded with potassium and are a good source of fiber, the walnuts supply healthy omega-3 essential fatty acids and the cacoa is one of the best sources of magnesium found in nature.  Even if you aren’t interested in the health benefits these brownies offer you should give them a try because they are so delicious and so satisfying.  So there you have it, a life changing event just waiting for you to grab it.  You can thank me later, I’m off to eat a brownie. snack they only have 5 ingredients and don’t require any cooking.