Category: Easy Vegetables

One Man Burnt Broccoli with Lemon and Tahini

Do you ever eat a dish that stays with you long after the meal is over? Even years later? For me, this is case with burnt broccoli! Many years ago, I was developing a friendship with a woman who happened to be a great cook and as (my) luck would have it, she invited me over for lunch at her house. I knew she enjoyed cooking, but I didn’t know I was in for such a memorable treat. She explained that her boyfriend wouldn’t eat this dish because he was more of a meat eater type, but she knew I loved veggies and figured (accurately) that I would. Moreover, she was pleased to share this healthy meal with someone else. It was her favorite!

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Everyday Kale Salad: For Anyone who is New to Kale

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I’m calling this an Everyday Kale Salad not because it’s ordinary but because you will WANT TO EAT IT EVERYDAY!! I recognize that not everyone loves kale the way I do – but this salad will change your mind. The thing you will love about kale is how HEARTY it is. It’s not “bird food” or fluffy like a butter lettuce salad. No, kale is strong and bold like Filet Mignon. It takes center stage as a complete meal that WILL satisfy your mind, body and spirit. Big shoes to fill?? Not for this green superhero.

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Grain-Free Buddha Bowl

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I love greens. Spinach, kale, swiss chard, bok choy, broccoli, rappini, etc. and Buddha bowls are a great way to incorporate more greens into your diet. My goal is to have greens with every meal (ideally). But this doesn’t always happen so I like to enjoy them in salads, smoothies and Buddha Bowls.

The thing about greens is that once you start eating them daily, your body will want more of them. Swiss chard, kale and spinach are so nutritiously dense, they perk up your body like a plant watered with chlorophyll. My husband, who was not a big vege eater, now requests steamed greens and kale salads. And when I travel and don’t get my full allotment of greens, I can’t help but fill my fridge with them immediately upon my return.

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End of Summer Roasted Tomato Soup

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As the summer comes to an end, I feel a yearning for light soups. The air is cooler and the sun’s arc is shifting. But I know summer is really over when vendors at the farmers market sell the last of their summer tomatoes for a mere dollar a pound.

It seems that flavorful tomatoes are hard to come by these days. Many are tasteless. So when I happen upon a sweet one, I cherish it. No chance of roasting or cooking these valued gems. I savor them raw to experience their full tomato glory. But now that the heat of the summer sun is passing and I can get juicy tomatoes at a deep discount, I happily buy a bag to make this light and charming end o summer roasted tomato soup.

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Kale, Pea and Quinoa Salad with Tamari Almonds

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I’m always trying to find more ways to eat kale. I love how hearty it is and that it can stand up to strong flavors. It also hugs any dressing making each bite ooze with flava. And since kale is a superfood, you simply feel great eating it. Better then Popeye chugging spinach from a can.

I also became curious about green peas after noticing how many vegan protein powders use “pea protein” as a major ingredient. So, I researched recipes featuring green peas and kale and stumbled upon this nutty pea and quinoa bowl by Deliciously Ella. Now, I make this dish or a modified version of it, all the time. It’s an easy recipe to adjust to your preferences and you will want to put the Tamari almonds on everything.

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Broccoli Sprouts: Why you Need Them in your Life

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Broccoli sprouts recently hit my radar. I spotted them at Whole Foods when I was looking for powerhouse salad additions. Several days later I was at the farmers market buying Christmas gifts and I stumbled upon a stall exclusively selling broccoli sprouts. I’d never seen this guy before so it felt like the universe was mirroring my newly found broccoli sprout enthusiasm.

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Simple Roasted Kabocha Squash

Roasted Kombucha Squash

Roasted Kabocha squash fell under my radar from Alicia Silverstone’s book The Kind Diet. I’ve cooked it several ways, but always come back to this simple, minimalist way of enjoying it. Could it be that I end up devouring it right off the cookie sheet and lack the discipline to save it for other recipes? Sure! But there is something nurturing and comfy about simply roasting a Kabocha squash.

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The Secret to a Making a Great Kale Salad

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This post will show you the secret to making kale taste so good that you’ll crave it. When kale started to become the “it” thing, I must admit that I ate it because I wanted to benefit from it’s nutritional wonders but the taste was hard for me to swallow. I tried many kale salad recipes but were never blown away with them and mostly disguised this wondergreen in smoothies. This was before I learned the SECRET to making kale taste good. Now that I know how to make kale more palatable, I eat it raw all the time. Even my husband requests kale salads.

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Smooth and Creamy Guacamole

Authentic Guacamole

When my good friend Melanie Boyer, a talented yoga and Pilates instructor moved to Punta Mita (Puerta Vallarta), I was lucky enough to be invited to stay with her. I had an amazing time and learned a lot about living in Mexico. I tasted my first Michelada (without Clamato juice), a refreshing glass of icy cold beer poured over a generous layer of fresh lime in a salt-rimmed glass. I also had THE BEST creamy guacamole I’d ever tasted.

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