Blog Archives
Squeaky Clean Salmon & Mixed Bean Salad
Salmon & Mixed Bean Salad
I love one-dish meals; they’re a god-send on a busy day. This is one of those “kitchen sink” recipes you can use the base template and substitute whatever you have on-hand. Feel free to experiment with different vegetables and spices. The idea for this salad came from Zuzana at BodyRock.tv who said in a recent post she was incorporating more beans in to her diet. Now I’m not a big bean eater, but I do love a challenge, so I went to my pantry and found one little ol’ can of generic mixed beans. I decided to add a little more protein with some canned sockeye salmon, then I rounded it out with a load of fresh veggies and tossed the whole thing with a healthy mix of avocado oil and apple cider vinegar. The result is a fresh-tasting treat for the body; a one dish meal that will fill you up, balance your blood sugar and keep you humming along nicely for hours.
Enjoy!
Ingredients:
1 lg can Mixed Beans (yields about 2 cups)
2 cans Sockeye Salmon
1 can Water Chestnuts, chopped
2 cups Red Cabbage, chopped
2 cups Broccoli, lightly steamed (I used the microwave)
1 cup Bell Peppers, chopped
2 cups Fennel, chopped
1 ½ cups Grape Tomatoes, sliced in half
1 cup Peas, shelled
¼ cup Avocado Oil (EVOO would also work)
2 tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar
2 cloves Garlic
1 tbsp Dry Mustard
1 tbsp Italian Seasonings
Instructions:
- Drain the salmon and add to large bowl. Crush any bones and skin with a fork and mix well.
- Add Mixed Beans
- Chop and add the rest of the vegetables; mix well.
- Add the oil, vinegar, garlic and spices to a food processor or blender, mix well.
- Toss dressing with bean and salmon mixture.
Yield: 8 servings
Calories: 257, Fat: 11g, Carbohydrates: 23 g, Protein: 18 g
Dairy-Free Pesto
Dairy-free Pesto
I have nothing against dairy. In fact, if I could, I’d drink raw milk and eat yummy cheeses every day, but my belly doesn’t like it as much as my mouth. After discovering I had an allergy to this delicious former staple, I was challenged to find alternatives that would satisfy the void left in my palette. Nutritional yeast, used here in place of the asiago cheese which I would normally use in pesto, gives a cheesey like flavor to the recipe. Okay, it’s not cheese, but for me, it’s a godsend – plus, it’s pretty darned good for you.
I love pesto on almost anything: fish, chicken, burgers, even pasta – if you’re in to that kind of thing. It’s a quick and easy way to take advantage of fresh basil when it’s in season and it’s a source of good healthy fats.
PS – feel free to sub in some Asiago or Parm instead of the Nutritional Yeast if you’re good with dairy.
I hope you enjoy!
Ingredients:
2 cups fresh basil, washed and stemmed
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup pine nuts
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
2 cloves garlic
2 tsp lime juice, or to taste
salt & pepper to taste
Instructions:
- Process everything in a food processor, mix well
- Adjust lemon juice and seasonings to taste
- Presto…pesto!
Yield: 16 servings
Calories: 69
Fat: 6.5g
Carbohydrates: 1.9g
Protein: 1.8g
Lean Green Super Soup
Lean Green Super Soup
Okay, we all know dark green leafy vegetables are good for us (and if you don’t – they’re jammed packed with vitamins A, K, C and E, minerals like iron and calcium, and phytonutrients including beta-carotene and lutein)…but eating them can be downright boring. This little recipe is a quick and easy to get all those healthy benefits in a delicious slurpable format. Fun! Plus it’s perfect for Paleos and those eating green and clean.
You can use pretty much any dark leafy green you like: kale, collards, mustard greens, chard, or dandelion greens. You can also experiment with the spices. I’ve even added diced yams and chicken stock to the onions and fennel to make a thicker, hearty version of this soup. Great in winter months.
What I love most about this soup, other than the fennel…as you’ll find out in the video, I do have a bit of a fennel problem, is the convenience. Face it, sometimes you’re in a hurry and forking in a full salad takes time. You can slurp back a portion of your leafy greens and be back back on the go before you know it. Not that I’m encouraging you to eat and run…but if you gotta, this is the ticket!
PS – if you’re scared of the saturated fat in the coconut oil, don’t be – check out this site, or this one to read the research and learn just how healthy it really is.
I hope you enjoy!
PSS – This is my first Youtube video, can you tell!? 
Now it’s your turn…
Ingredients:
1 bunch dark leafy greens, cleaned and stemmed
½ bulb fennel, chopped 1 med onion, chopped (I like to use a sweet Vidalia)
1 tbsp coconut oil
1 tsp – 1 tbsp ground fennel
½ tsp dried basil (fresh if you have it)
½ tsp ground cumin
Salt & pepper to taste
Instructions:
- Heat coconut oil over med heat in large pan
- Add onion and sauté until translucent, 2-3 mins
- Add fennel and saute’ until softened, ~5 mins more
- Add 2 cups water and kale, cover and let cook 5 – 7 mins more, until kale is soft, but still bright green. Don’t overcook!
- Remove from heat and let cool 10 mins
- Grind fennel (and cumin if it’s not already)
- Add half the vegetables to a blender with 1 cup water and half the spices. Blend
- Blend remaining ingredients
- Season with addition salt & pepper to taste
- Enjoy!
Yield: 4 servings
Calories: 75 Fat: 3.9g Carbohydrates: 9.6g Protein: 2.3g
