Tag Archives: Salad

Spicy Southwestern Quinoa

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I’ve mentioned on my blog before about my love of Applegate Farms Southwestern Chicken. Well in an effort to recreate it for all my vegetarian friends I thought I would come up with a Southwestern inspired dish, still packed with protein. I’ve been loving quinoa lately as an extra protein boost to my meals. Little fun fact: It is the only grain that is actually a complete protein. Also it is 100% gluten free. Winner in my book! Here’s what you’ll need…

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Ingredients: 

  • 1 cup dry quinoa
  • 2 cups gluten free low sodium vegetable broth
  • 1 15 oz can organic black beans
  • 1 15 oz can diced tomatoes
  • 1 orange bell pepper
  • 1 yellow bell pepper
  • 1 tsp. chili powder
  • 1 tsp. paprika
  • Red pepper flakes to taste

Directions: 

  1. In a saucepan bring the dry quinoa and vegetable broth to a boil. 
  2. Once it begins to boil, set your heat to low, cover and cook about 20 minutes until all of the liquid is absorbed.
  3. While the quinoa is cooking, dice your bell peppers and saute them in a skillet over medium-low heat until tender.
  4. Once the quinoa has cooked fluff with a fork and return to the low heat.
  5. Add in the diced tomatoes, cooked peppers, and rinsed black beans, mix together and simmer over low heat.
  6. Add in your seasonings and let simmer until warm and ready to serve.

Makes 4 servings

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What’s your favorite vegetarian recipe?

P.S. Check out my latest article on Mind, Body, Green! 4 (More) Tips for Effortless Weight Loss!

Strawberry Watermelon Kale Salad with Coconut Lime Dressing

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Summer is here and with it comes tons of fun, but also tons of excuses to fall off the wagon when it comes to your nutrition. Barbeques, pool parties, and labor day weekend is coming up — you name it something is happening every weekend. Just because you’re eating out or cooking outside doesn’t mean your healthy diet has to be derailed.

This does not mean you need to fear all of these fun summer outings…at all. One of the exact reasons I got started in the nutrition field was because I realized there was more to life than dieting, and wanted to share that with the world. It is totally possible to live a healthy lifestyle and have a blast while doing it.

So my number one tip is this: don’t skip the summer parties to be “healthy”. Did you know that when we are relaxed and having fun we are actually primed to have a high metabolism. It’s plain and simple fact that eating under stress, or just stress in general can actually slow down your metabolism! So relax and enjoy the summer parties. Another thing you can to do to ease your stress, bring something with you.

One of my favorite things to do in the summer is bring along one of my favorite healthy dishes to each event I attend. Not only do I know that there will be something there I will feel good about eating, but I can also share my favorites with friends and family and hopefully rub off a little healthy eating onto them.

Fun fact about this particular recipe: I made it for a family cookout last summer and my grandpa loved it. He even asked if I knew that kale was really good for you! I’ve posted a recipe similar before but wanted to spruce this one up for you!

So here’s one of my favorite summer dishes. Enjoy!

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Ingredients:

â–Ş 4 cups chopped and rinsed Kale
â–Ş 1 cup diced watermelon
â–Ş 1 cup shredded carrots
â–Ş 10 medium strawberries, chopped
â–Ş 1/4 cup dried apple juice sweetened dried cherries or dried cranberries
â–Ş ÂĽ cup hemp seeds
â–Ş 1 lime
â–Ş 1 tbs. coconut oil

Directions:

1. In a large bowl combine your chopped kale, diced watermelon, shredded carrots, and sliced strawberries.
2. Toss in your hemp seeds and dried cherries or cranberries.
3. Once mixed, use a zester to zest about ½ of the lime peel into the salad.
4. In a separate bowl combine a tablespoon of melted coconut oil with juice of ½ the lime and stir well. This is your dressing.
5. Drizzle your dressing over the salad and toss to enjoy.

Makes 8 side salad servings

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Want more recipes like this? Check out my Non-Diet Guide to having a life and body you love!

What’s your favorite food to bring to a party? 

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Sweet and Savory Kale

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First things first, I have to apologize for the tupperware pictures in this post! I had no plans to share this recipe with you but I ended up loving it so much that I had to share. I always feel like I am such a fraud as a nutritionist when I say this, but I’m not the biggest fan of veggies. I went through a phase where I convinced myself I liked kale chips only to discover that I was actually choking them down. Now I stick to the veggies that I love and am always exploring new ways to make them more appealing. This dish was a win for me and while I still won’t say kale is my favorite (anyone else think it’s way too chewy?), I will say I’m growing to like it more and more. All you green veggie haters enjoy!

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Ingredients: 

  • 2 bunches fresh kale (or one large bag fresh chopped kale)
  • 2 red bell peppers
  • 1 tbs. coconut oil
  • 1/4 cup coconut aminos
  • 1 tbs. agave nectar

Directions: 

  1. Begin by chopping your kale into small pieces and dicing your peppers.
  2. In a skillet over low heat warm your coconut oil and add in the bell peppers. Saute the peppers until tender.
  3. Next add in your kale and 2 tbs. of coconut aminos, cover and let simmer over low heat to wilt.
  4. Once your kale is wilted add in the remaining coconut aminos and agave and let cook over low heat 2-3 minutes longer.

Makes 4 servings

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What’s your favorite way to cook or eat your greens? 

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