Scallops with Spring Veggie Pilaf Ingredients:
Coconut oil
1 crookneck squash or zucchini
chopped ½ bunch asparagus
chopped ½ cup chopped green beans
¼ cup veggie broth
¼ cup cooked quinoa
Directions:
1) Wash and prep the veggies (make sure to save half of your green beans for tomorrow’s dinner). Heat 1 teaspoon of coconut oil and saute veggies until cooked, about 5-7 minutes.
2) Add quinoa and veggie broth to the pan. Cook for another few minutes and season with sea salt and fresh pepper. Cover with a lid and keep warm while you make the scallops
3) Pat the scallops dry and season with salt and pepper. Melt 1 T of coconut oil in a small pan and add the scallops to the hot pan. Sear for 3 minutes without disturbing, then flip, and sear for another 3 minutes. Scallops should be well-browned on both sides.
4) Prepare a plate the warm veggies and top with scallops.
The most frequent question I get is, “what can I make in the morning that is fast and healthy?” So here we have it:
3 Breakfast Recipes:
Prep on Sunday + Grab n Go during the week!
Chia Hemp Porridge I make this EVERY morning! I even take it camping and on every flight. I’ve never shared this recipe for the fear people will think I am a weirdo hippie…I mean, hemp protein powder in porridge is a bit strange. It is delicious, satisfying, satiating, healthy and I guaranty you’ll love it. And best of all, it can be prepared in jars or sandwich baggies weeks in advance. Ingredients: 1/4 cup Hemp Protein powder (super high in fiber too). 2 T chia seeds. 2 T oats. 1 t coconut oil. vanilla and cinnamon to taste. Add boiling water to the jar and let sit or cook on the stovetop on low until nice and gooey.
For the paleo people and meat eaters…
Mini Frittatas:
Fill non stick muffin tins with veggies like:
kale. spinach. zucchini. sun dried tomatoes. feta. bell peppers. artichokes.
whisk eggs and poor over.
Bake at 350 for 20 minutes.
Keeps 5 days in the fridge
Enjoy at room temp or warm.
Medjool Dates, Almond Butter & Chia Seeds
My second favorite breakfast. This is perfect early in the morning when you are not quite ready for a meal but you’re needing a little bit of energy to get you going. I find this to be the perfect combination of carbs, sugar, fat and protein before a morning workout when I know I wont be having breakfast until around 10am. Note: 2 have about 200 calories.
Chickpea, Pepper and Feta Salad
Perfect spot for viewing fireworks!
Cornmeal Crust Pizza, Walnut Pesto, Ricotta and Cherry Tomatoes
Jars are perfect (and adorable) for transporting
Coconut Rice Pudding
Perfect view for the fireworks
Cheers!
Ciao!
Check out this wonderful breakfast recipe that can be prepared in a big batch on Sunday & enjoyed all week! {plus: it tastes like an Oatmeal Raisin Cookie!}
This recipe checks all “breakfast boxes”:
Healthy
Fast & Easy
Naturally Gluten Free
Dairy Free
Whole Ingredients
Complete Plant Based Protein
No Sugar
Delicious
Cheap
We’re talking about OVERNIGHT OATS, my friends!!!
Ok, if you know me, you know I do not follow recipes or take notes when I’m cooking… so I’m not exactly sure on the quantities. But this only proves my philosophy: cooking can be simple… just add and taste as you are creating, and you can’t go wrong! All you really need to know are the ingredients, you can adjust the quantities to your taste preferences.
Ingredients: {makes a ton}
3 Cups of boiling water
1 cup Steel Cut Oats
2 cup Dairy Free Milk (I’m obsessed with Project Juice’s Almond Mylk – SO rich, creamy & flavorful)
1/2 cup Chia Seeds (and I use buckwheat groats too)
Raisins
Cinnamon
Vanilla Extract
Walnuts or Almonds
In a large Glass container combine the boiling water and steel cut oats.
In a separate container combine the remaining ingredients, except for the nuts. Mix well.
Let both soak over night.
In the morning mix it all together really well – this is an arm workout!
Divide into jars and top with nuts
ENJOY!
My personal story on Self Control
I’m going out on a limb here and being a bit vulnerable by sharing this with you… here we have it, my truth:
I HAVE ZERO SELF CONTROL WHEN IT COMES TO DONUTS. And I’m not embarrassed nor ashamed to admit this to you.
My Story:
Last Friday was International DONUT DAY! My favorite day of the year. But here’s my problem with donuts, I can not stop when I’m perfectly satisfied {after 3 bites} and I will end up eating the entire donut and feeling sick to my stomach. I’m sure we are all familiar and can relate to some degree. Whether it’s with chips and salsa, french fries, beer or chocolate… we’ve all done it.
Sure, we could go into the psychology of “why” we overeat and lose control, but I’ll leave that to the experts. {Sarah, Nisha and Jamie are 3 of my close friends who can help you with coming clean with the “why”}
Also, there is a chemical reaction happening in your body/brain when you eat packaged/processed/manufactured foods. Seriously. Scientists have created packaged “food” in a lab that when eaten send signals to your brain so that you will keep reaching for more, more and more. Michael Pollan does a good job of explaining that here and elsewhere.
So I have few tips for when you have zero self control like me 🙂
a little silly, I know…
1) Simple: I do not keep “trigger” foods in my house. I know that I have trouble stopping at one chip & salsa so I just don’t BUY it! Easy as that. Out of sight, out of mind.
2) Ok, you’re going to laugh…. but after I savored a few bites of the apple fritter donut {and was perfectly satisfied, and honestly already feeling sick from the sugar} I put the donut in the sink, poured over dish soap and shoved it down the garbage disposal! haha! And there you have it. Out of sight out of mind 🙂
Not only is this a delicious salad, but the benefits of the combination will boost your health and slow down aging by reducing cellular inflammation!
Photograph was taken by the talented Eric for my Decadent Detox website – thank you, my friend!
I love learning about foods and their medicinal purposes, and in addition, what foods paired together create an even bigger beneficial bang (than when eaten on their own)!
When I cook for myself, I cook with a purpose and choose foods for their health benefits 🙂 do I always want flax seeds on my yogurt? No, but I always sprinkle a little on because probiotics (yogurt) need high fibrous foods (flax) to thrive and do their thang’ in our tummies!
When I cook for my clients, it is with these intentions as well…every ingredient I choose serves a specific purpose… I LOVE IT… So fun!
Grapefruits are rich in lycopene, an antioxidant that’s been shown to reduce inflammation and prevent cell damage. But when you pair grapefruit with avocado, the avocado’s healthy fats actually help increase lycopene absorption, making it more available for your body to use. says Dr Oz
Lately I’ve been enjoying making a Lemon Honey Flax oil dressing for this salad. I like this Flax oil for dressings. And anything tastes better with chopped nuts on top and fresh greens.
What to do with a ton of bananas on a rainy Saturday morning? Make banana bread obviously!
I topped these little warm loaves of heaven with organic ricotta, warmed honey and toasted coconut. Good Mornin!
I LOVE baking….I have so much fun experimenting with alternative flours and substitutes for sugar (honey, apple sauce, maple syrup etc). Anyone who knows me, knows I can not follow a recipe for the life of me… so I used this wonderful recipe here and included coconut flour and Bob’s Redmill biscuit flour for a little extra lovin fluff!
I think the bananas were plenty sweet to I did not bother adding the honey to the recipe.
Paleo Banana Bread:
3 mashed bananas (1.5 cups)
3 large eggs
1 T vanilla
1/4 cup butter
1 cup almond meal
3/4 cup coconut flour
1/4 cup Bob’s Redmill Baking Flour
1/2 t celtic sea salt
1 t baking soda
Blend first 4 ingredients.
mix in dry ingredients
scoop bater into a greased loaf pan (I used minis)
Bake at 350
55-65 minutes for loaf pans, about 35 minutes for minu loaf pans
Nori Rolls are a great healthy lunch option for while on the go.
If you haven’t tried making Nori Rolls before, I suggest you give it a shot… once you get the hang of rollin, they are super simple and you can fill them with practically any vegetable and grain! Roll them right into a piece of aluminum foil and just turn over the ends. Perfect for a for easy grab-and-go lunch and you can enjoy like you would a burrito – pulling down the sides of the foil as you munch down.
Limy Miso Ginger Dressing:
These are a few ingredients I always keep on hand – they last for ages in your fridge and you can have fun playing with the ratios….
Miso Paste (made of chickpeas, soy free gluten free), Organic Honey, Rice Wine Vinegar, Amino Acids, Crushed Ginger, a little Sesame Oil and Fresh Squeezed Lime.
Just back from a wonderful week of Bed & Breakfasts with Ben on the coast of Mendocino County. Oh man, we could get used to that! A light knock at 9am, followed by the secret bookcase-door creaking open and in comes our 3 course farm-to-room breakfast! (We stayed at Glendeven in Mendocino).
What better way to transition into the week back than enjoying a “healthier” version of the most important meal of the day with a few of mi favorite ladies (been watching too much Downton Abbey). Sarah hosted, Molly and I puttered around the kitchen and Melanie popped in with Andrew and their precious Zoe for a surprise visit.
Sarah served with warm organic syrup, strawberries and fresh orange juice HERE
I’ve been wanting to find and perfect a healthy and fast pancake recipe. Seeing as I am a gluten free chef and not big on breakfast (I know it’s bad, but a pot of coffee, fruit and a spoon full of almond butter is all I want until 12) I have not taken the time (nor am I interested in) making pancakes. That is until now. This are great and the dry ingredients can be combined ahead of time and kept portioned in your fridge/freezer.
I combined a few recipes and here we go. (ps if you are looking for a present to get me 🙂 look no further than here)
Ingredients:
1 cup milk (I used a combination of almond and coconut because I had 1/2 cup of coconut milk that needed to be used), 1 cup water, 2 eggs, vanilla and 1/4 cup oil (I use almond or walnut), 1/4 cup honey
1/2 cup almond flour, 1/2 cup sweet rice flour, 1/2 cup rolled oats, 1/2 cup sorghum flour, 1/4 cup tapioca starch, 1 t baking powder, 1/2 t salt, 3/4 t xantham gum,
Mix the wet ingredients. In a separate larger bowl, combine the dry ingredients. form a well in the middle and pour in the wet ingredients. beat well to incorporate. Should be silky.
Make on your griddle or non stick pan. Flip when bubbles form. These are best served hot off the pan, otherwise keep warm in the oven.
I believe the food we put into our body should come from the earth, not a factory. Replenish and Nurture your body with whole foods (meaning without the additives, preservatives and nasty crap) so that your body can spend it’s energy on rebuilding, repairing, rejuvenating and recovering not digesting Skippy and Fried Chicken 🙂
I was inspired to make a healthier version of Banana Bread when a client told me it was a favorite of his. I absolutely LOVE taking people’s favorite old school comfort foods and by making just a few simple swaps turn them into healthier pieces of deliciousness! Every ingredient I choose, I choose for a reason. Every ingredient has medicinal and health benefits, and particularly helps with post workout recovery.
For Example the Banana Coconut Muffins: I used coconut and almond flours because they are higher in protein, fiber and vitamins than wheat flour. I sweetened with honey and coconut milk. I added Tera’s Organic Whey Protein for extra full protein
I believe that if you can not pronounce an ingredient on a label, and you don’t keep it in your pantry – do not put it into your body!
For Example, my Post Workout Smoothie: Banana, Spinach, Almond Butter and Coconut Water. As simple as that. But lookie here, I choose every ingredients for their health and medicinal benefits, not just because they taste great. Read HERE. Aa oppose to Odwalla and other packaged drinks that have additives and ingredients that you wouldn’t even find on your own pantry.
Health Benefits:
Banana: high in potassium..balances electrolytes
coconut water: natures Gatorade minus the added shit
almond butter: high in vitamin E, helps prevent muscle soreness
spinach: contains natural plant base “steroid” phytoecdysteroids” .. “can increase muscle growth by 20%”
Add ons
Berries: vitamins and antioxidants steve off soreness
yogurt: choose organic plain and greek for protein
Coconut Banan muffin Rcipe:
note: when i am baking I just throw ingredients together until I reach the consistency I am looking for… so this is not exact… but you get the idea 🙂
wet
3/4 cup honey
2 Bananas Chopped
2 egg whites
1 eggs
vanilla
2 T coconut oil
canned coconut milk
mix in 1/2 cup Organic whey protein powder
dry
1 cup coconut flour
1. 1/2 cups almond meal
1/2 cup shredded coconut
1 t baking soad
1 t salt
I forget (it was 3 days ago) but think I baked at 375 for 15 minutes… sorry guys…. I’m such a “go with the flow, don’t make it technical” kind of chef 🙂
Seriously, you could have these for breakfast. I use Apple Sauce and Honey to Naturally Sweeten. Almond Meal in place of wheat flour and flax meal for added nutrients fiber and omegas.
They are SO moist and delicious, and healthy enough that you do not have to feel guilty for having a cookie before noon.
It has taken me a couple tries to nail it – but I think this is a winner. So moist and delicious! (ps: i hate the word “moist”)
wet
3/4 cup honey
3/4 cup apple sauce
1/2 cup ground flax meal
4 egg whites
2 eggs
vanilla and cinnamon to taste
dry
2 cups oats
2 cups almond meal
1 cup walnuts
1 cup raisins
1 t baking soda
1 t salt
mix wet. mix dry. combine. bake on Parchment paper sheet pans at 350 for 13-15 minutes. Cool for a minute or two before cooling completely on racks.
Back to reality. Back to the grind. Back to the fog. Oh how I missed the San Francisco.
After 3 weeks of vacation (Nantucket and Baja pic here), the things I am happy to come home to: that leaf blowing on the ground is NOT a cockroach, a shower warmer than the ocean, and oh, you can flush the toilet paper!
On my last day in Mexico I threw together this breakfast just with what we had on hand. Was ready in 5 minutes and was so simple I feel silly even writing the recipe. The beet’s came from Logan’s farm, the eggs were SO local and organic that there were still feathers on them, and the rice was made the day before with our Chicken Mole dinner (I’ll post recipe later…used the chicken we slaughtered).
This is a FANTASTIC breakfast for a hangover! There’s really something to be said for a greasy fried egg after a night out…. truly magical. Plus, the starch from the rice and vitamins in the greens… add a sprinkle of chia seeds and a glass of coconut water and you’re game!
Shredded Beet and Carrot Salad with Desert Cattle Cheese, Toasted Almonds and Honey Dressing
Recipe
Mix about 1/2 cup cooked rice with an egg white. Form into 2 patties and fry. Sautee Beet greens, red onion and garlic. Fry an Egg. Done and Done!
Eliminating gluten from my diet was the best thing that every happened to me… Almost 😉 cutting out gluten opened my eyes to a verity of grains that I had never even heard of before. Wheat itself is not too nutritionally beneficial. My thoughts: Why bake with wheat when you can use flours like almond, coconut, buckwheat and rice instead? I find these flours give great texture and taste to baked goods not to mention packed with vitamins and minerals.
Cutting back on gluten also means you’ll most likely be cutting back on processed/packaged s**t… which we all could do more of anyway! You can pretty much assume that anything packages has gluten and/or genetically modified soy/corn in it. ugh
2 super simple examples:
Looking for something to dip in hummus or have with cheese? Try sliced cucumbers.
Looking for a fast breakfast in the morning? Mix OATS with toppings like dried fruit, nuts and almond milk.
Instead of reaching for packaged crackers and cereals (which are full of additives and ingredients that you don’t even have in your pantry) think whole, simple foods from the earth…
Picnic in Crissy Fields with Julia, Nichole and Kate
Photographs by the talented Kim
Chickpea, Pepper and Feta Salad
Perfect spot for viewing fireworks!
Cornmeal Crust Pizza, Walnut Pesto, Ricotta and Cherry Tomatoes
Jars are perfect (and adorable) for transporting
Coconut Rice Pudding
Perfect view for the fireworks
Cheers!
Every week I offer 5 vegetarian and gluten free meals to clients through out the Bay Area. Menu changes weekly and is based on what’s in season! Want health delivered right to your door? Drop me a line HERE
AH this is gooood.. even if you do not like cauliflower…you will like this! Who would have thought that cauliflower, flax seed meal and eggs could make a crust.
Pesto: Basil, Walnuts and Parmesan Cheese
Tomatoes: Toss in olive oil and Roast at 415 for about 10 minutes, toss with Herbs de Provence crushed garlic and roast 5 more minutes
Was inspired by Beard and Bonnet for the crust HERE
First bake the crusts for about 10 minutes. Add the pesto and already roasted veggies, more herbs, chopped walnuts and bake for another 5 minutes. I topped with Fresh parmesan and basil before serving.
A couple other hits last week:
Ricotta Pea Puree, Roasted Zucchini with Lemon Zest and Basil on a Cornmeal Crust
Zucchini Ribbon, Chickpeas and Quinoa Salad with Feta and Lemony Mint Dressing
Here’s one of my favorite ways to cook salmon on the fly. Every ingredient can be changed…use cod, rice and herbs like I did HERE. The point is, don’t make this technical. It’s a great basic recipe to experiment with and add to your “weeknight dinner” repertoire.
3 steps to dinner. Lay a cooked grain, veggies and salmon on a piece of parchment paper. You can add white wine, olive oil or a little veg broth. Season to taste with fresh herbs, lemon…whatever. Bake at 375 for about 25 minutes
