Spinach and Mushroom Salad with Pearled Couscous

Lately, I've gotten in to salads that combine raw and cooked elements. I got hooked on a salad in Chico, CA that had marinated tofu, brown rice, and quinoa on top of organic greens. SO tasty. This salad may sound a little odd, but it works. Beautifully.

Ingredients:

• 1 box pearled couscous, cooked according to package directions
• 1 package organic baby spinach
• 2 portobello mushroom caps
• 4-6 cremini mushrooms
• 1-2 T olive oil
• 1 t fig balsamic vinegar
• pinch of dried basil
• 1/2 white onion
• 1/2 red pepper
• slivered almonds, toasted
• lemon tahini dressing*
• salt & pepper to taste

Preparation:

1. Saute the mushrooms in olive oil until tender and darkened. (It will look like you have a ton of mushrooms at first, but don't worry - they will cook down!)
2. Add fig balsamic vinegar, basil, and salt and pepper to taste.
3. In a separate pan, saute red peppers and onions in a bit of olive oil.
4. Cook the pearled couscous according to package directions, and toast the almonds in a dry pan.
5. To assemble, put baby spinach in the bottom of your bowls. Top with mushrooms, red peppers, and onions.
6. Sprinkle with toasted almonds, drizzle with lemon tahini dressing, and top with pearled couscous.
7. Enjoy!

Notes:

*For the lemon tahini dressing, I don't really use a recipe. The ingredients are water, tahini, lemon juice, soy sauce, nutritional yeast, and garlic or garlic powder. I usually mix everything but the water together first, taste test it, adjust, and then add water to thin to desired consistency. Note that if you use raw garlic, use it sparingly - it's much stronger than powdered or granulated garlic!

Ten Ways to Use Lemon Essential Oil

Lemon essential oil is sometimes referred to as "liquid sunshine" - for a good reason! It is one of the most versatile essential oils, it is quite inexpensive, and it is an aromatic powerhouse. It has antiseptic, anti-inflammatory, and mood enhancing properties. Read on for 10 every day uses of lemon essential oil.

1. Cooking. Add a drop of lemon oil to add flavor to baked goods.
2. In your water. At home and especially when dining out - never mind adding a slice of lemon that may be teeming with pesticides. Carry your lemon oil with you!
3. Lemonade. No fresh lemons, no problem. Mix 2 drops of lemon oil, 2 tablespoons of agave nectar, and 2 cups of water.
4. Air freshener. Put several drops in a squirt bottle with water to use to freshen any room.
5. Spot cleaner. Use 1-2 drops to remove gum, grease, or oil from surfaces.
6. Countertops. Add 2-3 drops to water and spray counters to sterilize.
7. Dish cloths and sponges. Soak your dish cloths and sponges overnight in a bowl of lemon-infused water to disinfect.
8. Public bathrooms. Rub 1-2 drops on your hands after using a public restroom.
9. Varicose veins. Rub several drops on varicose veins to improve circulation and decrease pressure on the veins.
10. Mental clarity and mood. Diffuse in your work or study space to promote a positive mood and enhance cognitive ability.

These are just a few of the many uses for lemon essential oil. To learn more about certified pure therapeutic grade essential oils, please contact me!

Creamy Avocado Citrus Dressing

This is a lovely, thick, flavorful dressing that doesn't use much oil. The avocado thickens it while the citrus juices, cilantro, and jalapeno add plenty of flavor. This recipe was inspired by a recipe in the Raw Food, Real World book - with a few minor adjustments!

Ingredients:

• 1 medium avocado
• 1 C fresh orange juice
• 1/3 C fresh lime juice
• 1/4 cup white or yellow onion
• 1/2 of a small jalapeno pepper, seeds removed
• 1 generous handful of cilantro
• 1/4 C extra virgin olive oil
• salt & pepper to taste

Preparation:

1. Put all ingredients except the olive oil in a high speed blender or food processor.
2. Blend until thoroughly combined.
3. With the machine still running, stream in the olive oil so that the mixture will emulsify.
4. Enjoy!

Pasta with Tomatoes and Squash

This is a wonderful way to use those beautiful, fresh summer tomatoes and squash. I'm a big fan of cherry and grape tomatoes, they are so naturally sweet! This is so simple, it's more a process than a recipe! And everything is better with garlic, isn't it? 

Ingredients:

• 1 box whole wheat rotini or pasta of choice*
• 2 T extra virgin olive oil
• 10 -12 cloves garlic
• 1 yellow squash
• 1 1/2 - 2 C grape or cherry tomatoes
• 1/2 - 1 t Italian seasoning

Preparation:

1. Rough chop the garlic and saute it in extra virgin olive oil over low-medium heat.
2. After a couple of minutes, add the squash (sliced or diced) and the whole cherry or grape tomatoes. (I used red and yellow tomatoes.)
3. Stir to coat everything with olive oil.
4. Sprinkle with Italian seasoning and cover.
5. In the meantime, put your pasta on.
6. While the pasta is cooking, stir the veggies every few minutes, and cook until the tomatoes begin to burst.
7. Remove them from the heat and cover them.
8. Finish cooking the pasta.
9. Pour tomato mixture over pasta, add salt and pepper to taste, add nutritional yeast or vegan parmesan if you'd like.
10. Enjoy!

Notes:

*I did not use the whole box of rotini for this recipe. This amount of tomato/squash/garlic mixture will serve two people, or one REALLY hungry person! I always cook a whole box of pasta at a time and save the leftovers for pasta salad or other dishes.

Five Ways to Enjoy Avocado

Avocados are one of nature's super fruits - super tasty and super versatile! They are nutrient dense, full of vitamins and anti-oxidants including vitamin C, vitamin K, vitamin E, vitamin B6, folate, magnesium, lutein, potassium, and beta-carotene. They contain good fats and are naturally sodium and cholesterol free. Avocados can act as a “nutrient booster” by helping increase the absorption of fat-soluble nutrients like vitamins A, D, K, and E. PLUS they are delish!

Check out these five ways to enjoy more avocados as part of a healthy plant-based diet.

1. Avocado toast! Spread ripe avocado on your choice of toast as you would vegan buttery spread or vegan cream cheese. Top with chopped cilantro, lime juice, and sea salt, and you have a tasty, hearty, healthful breakfast or snack.
2. Make a Quick and Easy Guacamole.
3. Enjoy a Deconstructed Guacamole and Tomato Sandwich. 
4. Make an Avocado Pesto Pasta.
5. Avocado fries are creamy, crunchy, and divine. Here's an easy recipe from PETA that uses pantry staples and a little plant-based milk - easy peasy!

You can also make an awesome chocolate pudding using avocados as the base. The possibilities with avocados are endless! Do you have a favorite way to use avocado?

Buffalo Cauliflower

Buffalo sauce is one of my favorite sauces of all time - and it's so EASY to make a vegan version! It's one of my signature recipes - definitely my most requested recipe of all time. What to put it on, you ask? Instead of animal "stuff" or even tofu, give these cauliflower "wings" a try. Warning: they are totally addictive!

Ingredients:

• 1 head cauliflower, broken into florets
• 1 C almond milk
• 1 C corn meal
• 1 t garlic powder
• 1/2 t salt
• 1/2 t black pepper
• 1/2 C (or more!) Vegan Buffalo Sauce
• Vegan Ranch Dressing for dipping

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
3. Combine the almond milk, corn meal, garlic powder, salt, and pepper in a bowl.
4. Whisk corn meal mixture until all clumps are gone.
5. Coat the cauliflower pieces with the cornmeal mixture and place on baking sheet.
6. Bake at 400 degrees for 25 minutes.
7. Remove from the oven and place pieces into a large mixing bowl with Vegan Buffalo Sauce.
8. Toss gently until each piece is well covered.
9. Serve with store-bought or home-made Vegan Ranch Dressing.
10. Enjoy!

Ten Ways to Use Lavender Essential Oil

As my essential oils mentor said, lavender is the "Swiss army knife" of essential oils. If you're interested in implementing essential oils in your daily health and wellness routine, lavender is a good place to start. Read on for 10 of the many uses of lavender essential oil!

1. Burns: apply 2-3 drops to soothe the pain of a minor burn.
2. Calm: diffuse or rub a couple of drops in your hands and inhale to calm the mind.
3. Sleep aid: same method in as # 2, or rub oil on your hands and transfer to pillow!
4. Cuts/scrapes: apply directly to the injury to stop bleeding and clean the wound.
5. Bee stings/insect bites: put a drop on a bite or sting to reduce swelling and stop irritation.
6. Chapped lips or skin: rub oil on for relief.
7. Scent your laundry: put a few drops on a dryer sheet to scent your clothes.
8. Eczema/dermatitis: mix with a carrier oil and use topically for eczema or dermatitis.
9. Scar tissue: to reduce or minimize scar tissue, rub on the affected area.
10. Bikini line: apply to skin post-shave, neat. Keeps irritation to a minimum - I promise!

To learn more about certified pure therapeutic grade essential oils, please contact me!

Vegan Mac and Cheese

There are a gazillion recipes out there for vegan mac and cheese, and I think I try a different one each time I make it. This one might be a keeper, though...it's delicious. What it is NOT: vegan health food. But sometimes, you just have to have comfort food!

Ingredients:

• 1 box pasta of choice
• 3 T vegan buttery spread
• 2 t paprika
• 1 t garlic powder
• 1 t onion powder
• 1 t mustard powder
• 1/2 t turmeric
• a dash of cumin
• 1/2 C nutritional yeast
• 2 C plant-based milk
• 1 bag Daiya cheddar cheese shreds
• salt & pepper to taste

Preparation:

1. Cook the pasta according to package directions.
2. While it is cooking, make the sauce. Melt the vegan buttery spread in a medium saucepan.
3. Add the plant-based milk, spices, and nutritional yeast. Whisk until combined and heat until the sauce starts to thicken.
4. Add in the Daiya shreds and whisk.
5. Continue to heat and stir until the sauce is smooth.
6. Add salt and pepper to taste.
7. When the pasta is done, strain it (but do not rinse) and return it to the pasta pot.
8. Add the cheesy sauce to the pasta and stir to combine.
9. Enjoy!

It's Cherry Season!

I was delighted to walk in to the grocery store over the weekend and discover organic cherries for $2.98/pound! The health benefits of cherries are pretty awesome, so I stocked up!

According to the latest research, cherries:

• contain powerful antioxidants, such as anthocyanins, cyanidin, and quercetin;
• contain possible cancer preventative compounds, like fiber, vitamin C, carotenoids, and anthocyanins;
• reduce inflammation and risk of gout, according to recent studies;
• support healthy sleep, as they contain melatonin;
• relieve arthritis pain, particularly tart cherries because of their high levels of anti-inflammatory compounds;
• reduce belly fat, according to a study involving tart cherry powder;
• reduce post-exercise muscle pain, thanks to the anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of tart cherries; and
• lower the risk of a stroke because they activate receptors in the body that regulate genes involved in fat and glucose metabolism.

I prefer them raw, but you can, of course, put them in a pie or cobbler. Peak season is short - May to July - so get 'em while you can!

Not-So-Southern Greens

These greens are decidedly un-Southern because they are not seasoned with animal fat. It is very simple to make a tasty, healthy version of this Southern classic using just a tiny bit of olive oil for richness. I prefer a mixture of greens, but the recipe can be used with any greens, such as collard, mustard, and so on.

Ingredients:

• 1 pound mustard greens
• 1 pound turnip greens
• 1 bunch baby collard greens, center stems removed
• 2 C vegetable stock
• 1/2 C water
• 2-3 cloves of fresh garlic, roughly chopped
• 1/2 T brown sugar
• 1/4 t ground red pepper
• 1 T extra virgin olive oil
• a few drops red chili oil or hot sauce
• salt & pepper to taste

Preparation:

1. Put everything except the greens in a large stock pot and bring to a boil. Make sure the brown sugar is dissolved. 
2. Rough chop all of the greens and add them to the pot a couple of handfuls at a time, until all the greens have wilted and are immersed in the liquid.
3. Lower the heat and simmer greens to desired texture and consistency, stirring every ten minutes or so. Most of the moisture will be absorbed into the greens and the bitterness will dissipate. I usually leave mine on the stove for at least an hour. Don't discard the liquid, called "pot liquor” or "pot likker" in the South. It is chock full of nutrients -- use it for sopping!
4. Serve greens on their own (yes, they are that tasty) or with cider or pepper vinegar and enjoy!