Having a Cinco de Mayo party and just don’t know what to cook? I can help! Here are eleven delicious and healthy ways to celebrate.
Enjoy!
Vegan Seven Layer Bean Dip with Cashew Sour Cream and Mila
Apr 292013
Mar 172013
Vegan Taco Salad
Feisty Vegan Taco Salad
Do you love traveling? I have to say that I do enjoy some travel but leaving home weekly would be tough – my life is so crazy that I savor the quiet minutes at home. When the travel bug does happen to hit me, one of the very first things I do as a plant based foodie is check out unique restaurants located in my destination that offer some creative vegan options, or at least some great dishes that can be easily altered.
Feisty Vegan Taco Salad
The restaurant that stands out from a trip to San Francisco a few years ago was Peter Lowell’s in the little town of Sebestapol. I found it on a recommendation from a local woman and then logged on to my smart phone and checked it out. They offered tons of vegan, local and sustainable options! One of the first things that hit me when I walked in the front door was seeing industrial sized salad spinners in the back for cleaning all the greens they go through. Now THAT is the sign of a good restaurant! I ordered a macro bowl with lentils, greens, tempeh and some delicious sauces to-go. What an impression it made! It was so flavorful that I still remember sitting on a bluff overlooking the ocean as I savored every morsel.
Feisty Vegan Taco Salad
When I think of locations I haven’t been to in the US that I’d like to travel to, I think of Montana (anyone have any suggestions on great cities in Montana?), Lake Tahoe, South Padre Island, Outer Banks of North Carolina, and Vegas baby! My parents are going to be heading out there in September so my mom was asking about some places to eat – I searched around on line and found this a great list of celebrity chef restaurants in Vegas. I’d LOVE to try Bobby Flay’s restaurant. Though he doesn’t cater to a vegan diet, there is a LOT to work with there. Black beans, fresh salsas and sauces, and avocados. You just can’t go wrong with avocado!
Feisty Vegan Taco Salad
All the talk of avocado was making me hungry – and this salad was certainly gratifying. Crunchy chips, creamy avocado, fresh salsa and a hearty seasoned mixture of walnuts and barley with the kick of cayenne are perfect to satisfy any Tex-Mex craving.
I created a chipotle walnut lettuce wrap with mango salsa in the past, based on a recipe from the glorious blog My New Roots (Who ironically just posted about travel as well.), that was better than any greasy beef dish I’d ever had – so I used the basic idea of taco seasoning and walnuts but added in some chewy barley to enhance the “beefy” texture. The barley can be pre-cooked a few days beforehand but keep in mind that if you want a warmer temperature that you will have to heat the walnut barley mixture.
Tips: Not a spice fan? If you don’t like the heat, simply leave out the cayenne pepper.
Gluten allergy? Sub quinoa for the barley!
Feisty Vegan Taco Salad
Feisty Vegan Taco Salad
6 servings
Vegan
Printable Recipe
Ingredients
½ cup barley
1/2 cup raw walnuts
6 ribs romaine lettuce, chopped
1 bag organic blue corn chips
Flavor Punch!
1 Tbsp tamari, soy sauce or liquid aminos
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground chili powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1 Tbsp olive oil
Salsa
1 avocado
1/2 lime, juiced
¼ red onion
1 tomato
Dash of coarse sea salt
Directions
1. Rinse barley in a fine mesh strainer; soak barley in 2 cups water overnight; drain; add to a medium pot with 1 1/2 cups water or veggie broth; bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 15 minutes. (**See below for cook times without pre-soak.) Reserve 1/2 cup cooked barley for recipe and save the rest for another use.
2. Place walnuts in a food processor or magic bullet; mix flavor punch! ingredients in a small bowl and add to walnuts; pulse until well combined; stir in cooked barley.
2. Mix salsa ingredients in a small bowl. Lay a few chips on each plate; top with 1 rib chopped romaine, crumble 2 Tbsp walnut barley mixture and 2 Tbsp salsa.
**Rinse barley; add to 1 1/2 cups water; bring to a boil, reduce heat and cover; cook 45 minutes.
Nutrition Facts
6 Servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 194.3
Total Fat 14.9 g
Saturated Fat 1.6 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 5.1 g
Monounsaturated Fat 6.8 g
Cholesterol 0.0 mg
Sodium 213.4 mg
Potassium 309.3 mg
Total Carbohydrate 14.6 g
Dietary Fiber 4.7 g
Sugars 0.5 g
Protein 3.6 g
Vitamin A 12.0 %
Vitamin B-12 0.0 %
Vitamin B-6 10.5 %
Vitamin C 14.7 %
Vitamin D 0.0 %
Vitamin E 5.2 %
Calcium 2.5 %
Copper 11.4 %
Folate 13.8 %
Iron 7.2 %
Magnesium 7.9 %
Manganese 24.7 %
Niacin 6.8 %
Pantothenic Acid 5.8 %
Phosphorus 7.2 %
Riboflavin 5.5 %
Selenium 2.9 %
Thiamin 6.3 %
Zinc 4.5 %
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Enjoy this Feisty Vegan Taco Salad!
Feb 282013
Two Bagel Toppings! Curried Cashew Hummus and Curried Cashew Cream Cheese
Remember some of the diets of the past? Go fat free, they said. Peanut butter was the devil, nuts were off limits and you couldn’t even LOOK at an avocado. (Be still my heart.)
Curried Cashew Hummus and Cream Cheese
(Don’t even get me started on the Atkins craze. That’s a whole post in itself.)
Fat free cheese, fat free cream cheese, fat free yogurt, fat free cookies – Snackwell’s anyone? We were swimming in processed, fat free but sugar filled foods as the obesity epidemic skyrocketed.
Curried Cashew Hummus
Thankfully, times are changing and people are beginning to learn that balance is the way to go and that we do need some fat, some carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals and protein in the form of whole foods.
Cashew Cream Cheese
Meet the cashew. Cashews can be turned into alternatives to almost any dairy you like – milk, sour cream, cheese, cream cheese, but have NO cholesterol and some of that healthy fat we used to miss. Typically I use raw cashews, but in this case the curry ones were on sale at Native Sun Natural Foods Market, so I decided to give them a try. I soaked them first so they would blend easier and voila! Delish!
As for the hummus – this was a little sub I learned from my friend Suzanne. A co-worker had brought bagels into the office and instead of eating it dry, since she had also cut out dairy, she topped it with some hummus. I tried it and LOVED it, so now it’s my favorite way to enjoy a bagel or baked bread and as the usual dip for crunchy, fresh veggies.
A dash of curry gives these two toppings a little hmm factor without being overpowering. If you don’t like curry, simply leave out the curry powder, use olive oil instead of the curry coconut oil and use raw cashews instead of curry.
Curried Cashew Hummus
Curried Cashew Hummus
Serves 4 (Hummus serves 4-6)
Vegan, Gluten Free
Printable Recipe
Ingredients
4 GF bagels, such as Udi’s
2 Tbsp chopped curried cashews, soaked for 1 hour or overnight
1 can chickpeas, Tree of Life, drained and rinsed
1 Tbsp nutritional yeast
3 cloves garlic
2 tsp fresh lemon juice
1 Tbsp melted curry coconut oil, Ziggy Marley (you can sub olive oil here)**
Dash of curry powder
1 Tbsp tahini
¼ tsp salt
Directions
1. Blend cashews through salt in a small food processor or blender, adding 1/2 Tbsp water at a time until creamy consistency is reached. Spread ¼ mixture over each of four toasted bagels.
Curried Cashew Cream Cheese
Curried Cashew Cream Cheese
Inspired by this recipe
Serves 4 (Cream Cheese serves 4-6)
Vegan, Gluten Free
Printable Recipe
Ingredients
4 GF bagels, Udi’s
1/2 cup chopped curried cashews, soaked for 1 hour or overnight
1 tsp fresh lemon juice
2 tsp apple cider vinegar, Bragg
Dash of curry powder
¼ tsp salt
Directions
1. Blend cashews through salt in a small food processor or blender, adding 1/2 Tbsp water at a time until creamy consistency is reached.
__________________________________
Nutrition Facts Hummus (without bagel)
4 Servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 231.5
Total Fat 8.9 g
Saturated Fat 3.8 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 1.9 g
Monounsaturated Fat 2.5 g
Cholesterol 0.0 mg
Sodium 510.3 mg
Potassium 302.8 mg
Total Carbohydrate 31.4 g
Dietary Fiber 6.4 g
Sugars 0.3 g
Protein 8.5 g
Vitamin A 0.7 %
Vitamin B-12 16.6 %
Vitamin B-6 90.8 %
Vitamin C 11.1 %
Vitamin E 0.6 %
Calcium 6.3 %
Copper 19.5 %
Folate 29.5 %
Iron 13.4 %
Magnesium 13.4 %
Manganese 43.8 %
Niacin 37.3 %
Pantothenic Acid 5.8 %
Phosphorus 18.2 %
Riboflavin 74.7 %
Selenium 10.1 %
Thiamin 86.3 %
Zinc 14.1 %
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Nutrition Facts Cream Cheese
4 Servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 99.6
Total Fat 7.9 g
Saturated Fat 1.6 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 1.3 g
Monounsaturated Fat 4.7 g
Cholesterol 0.0 mg
Sodium 255.0 mg
Potassium 104.2 mg
Total Carbohydrate 6.1 g
Dietary Fiber 0.5 g
Sugars 1.1 g
Protein 2.6 g
Vitamin B-6 2.3 %
Vitamin C 2.3 %
Vitamin E 0.5 %
Calcium 0.8 %
Copper 19.1 %
Folate 3.0 %
Iron 5.8 %
Magnesium 11.4 %
Manganese 7.6 %
Niacin 1.2 %
Pantothenic Acid 2.1 %
Phosphorus 8.4 %
Riboflavin 2.0 %
Selenium 2.9 %
Thiamin 2.3 %
Zinc 6.4 %
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Enjoy These A Fresh Takes on Old Favorites – Two Bagel Toppings! Curried Cashew Hummus and Curried Cashew Cream Cheese!
Feb 252013
Carrots are such a happy and versatile little vegetable – crunchy and sweet. They are perfect for both savory and sweet dishes and can be eaten any which way – raw, roasted, baked into carrot cake or in creamy soups like this!
The best part….NO cream. An immersion blender will give you that creamy texture and the sweetness of the carrots, maple, ginger and pecans are balanced out by a touch of salt.
As for the health benefits - carrots help battle cardiovascular disease, are full of antioxidants, have TONS of vitamin A and are even found to help combat colon cancer! For those of you that are Mila lovers, stir in a serving of Mila and get an added 3000mg of plant based Omega 3s and an extra 3 grams protein and 5 grams fiber.
**There is still time to get your mini spring share from KyV Farm! These gorgeous carrots were organically grown by my local farmers – if you aren’t in the local north Florida area, seek out organic farmers that are close to you and support CSA!
Maple Ginger Creamy Carrot Soup with Pecans
Maple Ginger Creamy Carrot Soup with Pecans
4 (1 1/4 cup) servings
Vegan, Gluten Free
Printable Recipe
**Carrots from KyV Farm
Ingredients
1 1/2 lbs fresh carrots, chopped**
4 cups vegetable broth
Dash of salt (if broth is salted, if not, add 1/4 to 1/2 tsp salt)
1 tsp chopped fresh ginger
1 Tbsp 100% real maple syrup (plus more for drizzling)
1/4 cup chopped toasted pecans
Directions
1. Bring carrots, broth and salt to a boil in a medium stock pot; reduce heat and simmer about 15 minutes; add ginger and maple and simmer an additional 10 minutes or until carrots are soft. Puree mixture with an immersion blender or in a vented blender.
2. Top each serving with 1 Tbsp chopped pecans and a drizzle of maple syrup.
Nutrition Facts
4 Servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 149.1
Total Fat 5.6 g
Saturated Fat 0.5 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 1.9 g
Monounsaturated Fat 3.0 g
Cholesterol 0.0 mg
Sodium 1,096.3 mg
Potassium 584.4 mg
Total Carbohydrate 23.6 g
Dietary Fiber 5.5 g
Sugars 13.1 g
Protein 2.4 g
Vitamin A 419.4 %
Vitamin B-6 12.5 %
Vitamin C 16.9 %
Vitamin E 5.4 %
Calcium 6.4 %
Copper 8.6 %
Folate 8.5 %
Iron 6.2 %
Magnesium 7.4 %
Manganese 37.2 %
Niacin 8.8 %
Pantothenic Acid 5.4 %
Phosphorus 7.9 %
Riboflavin 6.5 %
Selenium 0.7 %
Thiamin 10.8 %
Zinc 6.4 %
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Jan 252013
Cauliflower, Asparagus and Dill Soup
I was sitting in the salon chair leafing through magazines last Friday at my hair appointment when I came across a variation of this soup in this month’s Martha Stewart Living.
The funny thing is that I also happened to be at my CSA/Farm Share – Vivian is one of the owners of KyV Farm so she is not only a hair stylist but she is also my farmer. She was a salon owner in Puerto Rico and now does hair on Fridays. Talk about a multi-talented lady! The cauliflower, green onions and garlic from this recipe are all from the farm.
This soup is creamy yet very light because of the cauliflower instead of cream base. It’s a perfect way to fill up before a meal, so for those of us trying to lose weight, this will naturally displace other calorie dense foods in your stomach. This would also be lovely to serve for a large group since it yields so much.
This soup has a creamy, smooth texture with the salty crunch of a bit of coarse ground sea salt on top; the signature tastes of asparagus and fresh dill balanced by everyone’s favorite base of onions and garlic. It is best when fresh and hot, right out of the pot. If you aren’t feeding a large group, I would suggest halving this recipe.
Cauliflower, Asparagus and Dill Soup
Cauliflower, Asparagus and Dill Soup
Inspired by Martha Stewart Living Magazine
Serves 8 1-cup servings
Vegan, Gluten Free
Printable Recipe
**Items from KYV Farm
Ingredients
1 Tbsp olive oil
3 green onions, chopped**
3 cloves garlic, chopped**
3 small heads cauliflower with leaves on, chopped**
10oz asparagus, chopped
1 Tbsp tamari
6 cups veggie broth
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste
¼ cup chopped fresh dill
Sprinkle of coarse ground sea salt on each
Directions
1. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil over medium heat, add onion and garlic and cook until softened. Add cauliflower and asparagus; cook an additional 5 minutes; add tamari and veggie broth; bring to a boil, cover and reduce heat to low; cook 20 minutes or until vegetables are softened.
2. Puree mixture with an immersion blender or in batches in a blender. Add fresh dill and blend. Top with a few sprigs of fresh dill and coarse ground sea salt for garnish.
Nutrition Facts
8 Servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 67.5
Total Fat 2.0 g
Saturated Fat 0.3 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.3 g
Monounsaturated Fat 1.3 g
Cholesterol 0.0 mg
Sodium 862.0 mg
Potassium 430.6 mg
Total Carbohydrate 10.7 g
Dietary Fiber 3.5 g
Sugars 1.5 g
Protein 3.3 g
Vitamin A 12.4 %
Vitamin B-6 15.1 %
Vitamin C 87.1 %
Vitamin E 4.8 %
Calcium 3.5 %
Copper 6.0 %
Folate 26.3 %
Iron 6.3 %
Magnesium 6.0 %
Manganese 15.0 %
Niacin 5.3 %
Pantothenic Acid 7.4 %
Phosphorus 7.3 %
Riboflavin 6.8 %
Selenium 2.4 %
Thiamin 7.7 %
Zinc 3.3 %
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Jan 182013
Warm Fruited Quinoa
Olive oil, various fruits, nuts and warm spices are typical in Moroccan cuisine – so here I did a twist on that with quinoa and olive oil and then added some dried fruits and seasoned it simply with salt and pepper.
If you feel adventurous try adding any of the following herbs and spices:
Fresh Mint
Cinnamon
Cumin
Ginger
Saffron
Each of these or any combination will change the flavors of this dish and make it unique.
Dates, Raisins and Walnuts
Why did I not add any of those spices?
Because, in this case, simple is perfect. I love the soft, warm quinoa and the flavorful olive oil with the crunch of walnuts; the sweet dates and raisins and the touch of sea salt. Mmmm…….
Add a grilled protein on top and up the serving to half cup and you have a lovely entree!
Warm Fruited Quinoa
Warm Fruited Quinoa
Serves 8, 1/4 cup servings
Vegan, Gluten Free
Printable Recipe
**Ingredients on sale now at Native Sun Natural Foods Market
Ingredients
1 cup quinoa**
1 1/4 cup vegetable broth**
1/4 cup walnuts
1/4 cup chopped dates (I used Medjool dates)
1/4 cup raisins
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil**
1/8 tsp coarse grind sea salt and some fresh ground pepper, to taste
Directions
1. Rinse quinoa and heat in a small saucepan with vegetable broth over medium high heat; bring to a boil, reduce heat and cover; cook 15 minutes, remove from heat and let sit, covered, for an additional 5 minutes. Separate 2 cups of the cooked quinoa and reserve the remaining for a later use.
2. Add walnuts, dates, raisins, olive oil, salt and pepper to the quinoa. Stir to combine and serve warm.
Nutrition Facts
8 Servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 129.1
Total Fat 4.9 g
Saturated Fat 0.4 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 1.6 g
Monounsaturated Fat 1.5 g
Cholesterol 0.0 mg
Sodium 20.5 mg
Potassium 84.3 mg
Total Carbohydrate 19.8 g
Dietary Fiber 1.9 g
Sugars 7.4 g
Protein 3.0 g
Vitamin B-6 1.9 %
Vitamin C 0.4 %
Vitamin E 1.7 %
Calcium 0.7 %
Copper 3.8 %
Folate 1.1 %
Iron 9.0 %
Magnesium 2.2 %
Manganese 6.8 %
Niacin 0.8 %
Pantothenic Acid 0.5 %
Phosphorus 16.5 %
Riboflavin 32.6 %
Selenium 0.5 %
Thiamin 1.4 %
Zinc 0.8 %
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Dec 122012
CONGRATULATIONS TO SUZANNE HIGBY! You are the winner of the FIVE FREE smoothies, juices, wraps or sandwiches at Native Sun Natural Foods Stores. Please go to the Baymeadows location to pick up your gift cards and mention that you are the winner of the Florida Coastal Cooking Giveaway.
Pin this recipe:
WHO would have ever guessed that five simple ingredients could be so satisfyingly delicious?
WHO would believe there is no baking?
WHO loves a giveaway???
Enter for a chance to win FIVE Native Sun gift cards for a free wrap, sandwich, juice or smoothie.
[Only entries within driving distance of Native Sun Natural Foods Market, 11030 Baymeadows Rd, Jacksonville, FL location please. For those of you not in the area - stay tuned! I'm working on some more fabulous giveaways!]
How to enter:
Get 1 entry: Tell us what your favorite wrap, sandwich, juice or smoothie is – whether you make it at home or buy it at Native Sun
Get a 2nd entry: Like Florida Coastal Cooking on facebook and share the giveaway.
Get a 3rd entry: Like Native Sun Natural Foods Market on facebook and share the giveaway.
And a 4th entry: Pin the giveaway on pinterest.
Please leave a separate comment for each entry.
The winner will be picked at random at 10AM est Saturday, December 15th, 2012.
Gift cards expire 12/31/2012 so act fast!
The winner can pick their 5 winning gift cards up at the baymeadows location – 11030 Baymeadows Rd, Jacksonville, FL.
Happy Holidays to you from Florida Coastal Cooking and Native Sun
Chocolate Chip Oat Bites
Mini Chocolate Chip Oat Bites
Inspired my my friend Theresa’s oatmeal ball recipe.
Makes 18 1 1/2 tsp bites
Vegetarian
Printable Recipe
**Ingredients on sale now at Native Sun Natural Foods Market, Dec 7 – Jan 6
Ingredients
1 cup rolled oats**
1/4 cup Earth Balance Coconut peanut butter spread
2 Tbsp honey
2 Tbsp chocolate chips**
1/4 tsp coarse sea salt
Directions
1. Mix all ingredients well and, using a teaspoon, scoop rounded teaspoonfulls and form into ball shapes.
Nutrition Facts
18 Servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 52.6
Total Fat 2.7 g
Saturated Fat 0.9 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.6 g
Monounsaturated Fat 0.9 g
Cholesterol 0.0 mg
Sodium 43.5 mg
Potassium 20.1 mg
Total Carbohydrate 6.7 g
Dietary Fiber 0.8 g
Sugars 3.0 g
Protein 1.2 g
Copper 2.8 %
Iron 2.8 %
Magnesium 3.8 %
Manganese 21.4 %
Phosphorus 4.5 %
Thiamin 4.4 %
Zinc 2.3 %
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Dec 112012
How many times do we throw food away and not think about it?
According to the EPA “More food reaches landfills and incinerators than any other single material in municipal solid waste (MSW). In 2010 alone, more than 34 million tons of food waste was generated, with only three percent diverted from landfills and incinerators for composting.“
Why should we be concerned about this? For many reasons; one being that as the food in the landfills rot, it creates methane which contributes to global warming. Secondly, think of how many people on this planet are HUNGRY. Americans portion sizes are so huge that we either eat the massive servings, sometimes enough to serve four people or more, and gain weight or send the left overs to a landfill. ”Feed People, Not Landfills - An estimated 50 million Americans do not have access to enough food. Organizations can donate safe and healthy food to a food bank or food rescue organization and both reduce food sent to landfills and feed those in need.”
How can you help? Think about portion sizes – especially when eating out. Can you share a dish with someone? Don’t forget you can always order more if you are still hungry, but my bet is that you won’t be. How about taking home the left overs? Remember that container ends up in a landfill. This may seem a little weird to some people, but there is nothing wrong with bringing a take-along container for left overs or buying some compostable containers and using those instead of Styrofoam. Secondly, think about what you throw away in your trash. Is there anything you can set aside in a large “dump bucket” such as citrus rinds, apple cores, coffee filters, etc. that you can dump into a compost pile? I don’t have one but I go back out to the woods and scatter these type scraps in the brush out back and let me tell you – that is some happy brush. Or even better – save those veggie scraps, such as the ends of onions, carrot peels and pepper ribs and seeds in a gallon size bag in the freezer. Once it is filled pour all the veggie scraps in a large stock pot, cover with water and make broth. See this recipe for Vivian’s Vivacious Vegetable Broth. You can then save that gallon bag and reuse it over and over and you save money on broth.
In the spirit of reduce, reuse and recycle I created this recipe to use those broccoli stems that always stare you in the face, challenging you to do something with them.
This is one of those salads that is so good, you realize simple is better. Add in your favorite protien to make this a complete meal or use this sauce/dressing recipe on ANYTHING – from topping some tofu, to a simple salad, or even as a dip. And if broccoli crowns are all you have, feel free to use those!
Broccoli Stem Salad with Creamy Garlic Tarragon Sauce
Broccoli Stem Salad with Creamy Garlic Tarragon Sauce
Inspired by The Flavor Bible
Serves 2 to 3
Vegan, Gluten Free
Printable Recipe
**Ingredients on sale at Native Sun Natural Foods Market, Dec 7 through Jan 6th
Ingredients
3 broccoli stalks and leaves**
1/4 cup chopped green onion
2 Tbsp Vegenaise
1/4 tsp dried tarragon
1/8 tsp coarse sea salt
Fresh ground pepper, to taste
Directions
1. Peel or cut the skin of the broccoli stalks to remove; chop into bite size pieces; place in a medium bowl. Chop the broccoli leaves finely; add, along with green onions, to broccoli stalks.
2. Mix the Vegenaise, tarragon, salt and pepper in a small bowl; pour over broccoli mixture and stir until combined.
Nutrition Facts
2 Servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 115.2
Total Fat 9.3 g
Saturated Fat 0.6 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.2 g
Monounsaturated Fat 0.0 g
Cholesterol 0.0 mg
Sodium 254.2 mg
Potassium 292.1 mg
Total Carbohydrate 4.7 g
Dietary Fiber 2.7 g
Sugars 0.0 g
Protein 2.7 g
Vitamin A 27.3 %
Vitamin B-12 0.0 %
Vitamin B-6 7.2 %
Vitamin C 136.9 %
Vitamin D 0.0 %
Vitamin E 7.3 %
Calcium 4.5 %
Copper 2.1 %
Folate 15.8 %
Iron 4.7 %
Magnesium 5.7 %
Manganese 10.9 %
Niacin 2.9 %
Pantothenic Acid 4.7 %
Phosphorus 5.9 %
Riboflavin 6.3 %
Selenium 3.8 %
Thiamin 3.8 %
Zinc 2.4 %
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Dec 062012
Belonging to KyV’s CSA/Farm Share has opened my eyes.
I never would have seen such a thing as a beautiful watermelon radish with its mint green rind and gorgeous blushing flesh. It’s crisp and has bit of a bite and is so visually pleasing that you just have to eat it raw.
It is showcased in this dish with fresh carrots pulled from the ground the day before I made this dish. I just couldn’t throw away the abundant greens so I decided to incorporate them. KyV’s carrot tops are not bitter and are easily confused with parsley.
The dressing on this salad is VERY minimal. I wanted to keep it super light to really showcase all the flavors. If you like more dressing, feel free to add a vinaigrette or double the oil-free dressing recipe in this post.
Watermelon Radish and Carrot Top Salad
This diet-friendly salad is lightly sweet and super fresh – the colors are reminiscent of summer but by using glorious fall/winter root veggies we get different vitamins and minerals that we wouldn’t get in the summer.
This is one of the top reasons it is so good for you to join a CSA. Diversification. Just like you should diversify your portfolio – getting all these veggies you wouldn’t normally try simply rounds out the nutritional profile of your diet. Think about this – if the only vegetable you eat is iceberg lettuce you are getting very few nutrients and the SAME ones every day. The likely hood that you will be nutrient deficient is extremely high. But say you add in all these various veggies – your body is so much more likely to get all the vitamins and nutrients it needs and recognizes above supplementing with a man made vitamin pill. Food for thought right there, eh?
If you pair this salad with Mila through this holiday season you’ll likely find yourself in January more slim and svelte than BEFORE the holidays!
Mila is an amazing weight loss tool – pictured here – before and after absorbing liquids. Keep you fuller longer and displaces other calorie dense foods.
Watermelon Radish and Carrot Top Salad
Watermelon Radish and Carrot Top Salad
Serves 4 to 5, about 1 cup
Vegan, Gluten Free
Printable Recipe
Ingredients
3 carrots
1 large watermelon radish
2 bunches green onions
1 bunch carrot tops
Juice 1/2 lemon
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/4 tsp coarse sea salt
1 tsp agave (or local honey for non-vegan)
Directions
1. Chop carrots, radish and green onions; place carrot tops into a food processor and pulse until well chopped; add all to a medium bowl.
2. Mix lemon, thyme, salt and agave in a small bowl; pour over chopped vegetables and mix well.
Nutrition Facts (estimated – calculator did not have carrot tops – however, only will add negligible amount of calories.)
4 Servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 34.1
Total Fat 0.1 g
Saturated Fat 0.0 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.1 g
Monounsaturated Fat 0.0 g
Cholesterol 0.0 mg
Sodium 188.9 mg
Potassium 239.6 mg
Total Carbohydrate 8.2 g
Dietary Fiber 2.1 g
Sugars 4.0 g
Protein 0.6 g
Vitamin A 110.4 %
Vitamin B-12 0.0 %
Vitamin B-6 4.0 %
Vitamin C 17.3 %
Vitamin D 0.0 %
Vitamin E 1.2 %
Calcium 2.9 %
Copper 1.6 %
Folate 3.1 %
Iron 3.8 %
Magnesium 1.9 %
Manganese 5.4 %
Niacin 2.4 %
Pantothenic Acid 1.4 %
Phosphorus 2.0 %
Riboflavin 1.9 %
Selenium 0.2 %
Thiamin 2.5 %
Zinc 1.1 %
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Dec 032012
Living in Florida is such a blessing. Not only was I able to take my cream colored Labrador, Tally for a walk yesterday without a jacket on (a fact I can really appreciate from growing up in Massachusetts), but the citrus trees are all heavy with fruit – including my Meyer lemon tree.
When you think of barley or grains you probably thing of savory dishes – so I wanted to change things up and bring sort of a sweet, salty, tangy dish. Your tastebuds will be dancing!
This makes a great side dish, snack, breakfast or even dessert!
Take a bite and you’ll get the crunch of pistachios but the creaminess of the barley slowly cooked over 40 minutes.
And talk about easy! I threw this dish together in under ten minutes – shelling and all.
Tell me what is your favorite thing to do with fresh citrus?
Sweet Citrus Barley with Pistachios
Sweet Citrus Barley and Pistachios
Serves 4, 1/2 cup serving
Vegan Option
Printable Recipe
Ingredients
1 cup barley
2 cups water
1 orange or Satsuma
Juice 1/2 lemon
1/4 tsp coarse sea salt
2 to 3 Tbsp honey or agave for vegan
1/4 cup shelled pistachios
Directions
1. Rinse barley well in running water; add to small pot with water, bring to a boil, reduce heat and cover; cook 40 minutes; remove from heat cook an additional 10 minutes.
2. Peel orange and blend in Magic Bullet or blender with juice of lemon, salt and honey or agave; mix well and pour over 2 cups of the cooked barley, reserve the remaining barley for another use; spoon barley mixture into large bowl. Chop pistachios and top barley mixture.
Nutrition Facts
4 Servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 184.0
Total Fat 3.8 g
Saturated Fat 0.5 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 1.2 g
Monounsaturated Fat 1.9 g
Cholesterol 0.0 mg
Sodium 148.2 mg
Potassium 211.2 mg
Total Carbohydrate 36.3 g
Dietary Fiber 4.4 g
Sugars 11.8 g
Protein 3.6 g
Vitamin A 2.0 %
Vitamin B-12 0.0 %
Vitamin B-6 12.3 %
Vitamin C 26.5 %
Vitamin D 0.0 %
Vitamin E 2.3 %
Calcium 2.8 %
Copper 10.2 %
Folate 6.2 %
Iron 8.0 %
Magnesium 7.5 %
Manganese 15.7 %
Niacin 9.0 %
Pantothenic Acid 2.2 %
Phosphorus 8.6 %
Riboflavin 4.4 %
Selenium 10.7 %
Thiamin 10.5 %
Zinc 5.7 %
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.