nourish the whole self

For The Love of Green Salad

I aim to enjoy at least one green salad everyday. Not just a little "side salad," but a huge center of the plate celebration of greens, rainbow colored veggies, and protein. Salad as the main meal, once a day. For me it is life changing. 

Right now our garden is bursting with romaine and butter crunch lettuce. What fun to go out each day and gather our mid-day meal (well, the base of it anyway). Once brought inside, the greens are washed, spun dry, and chopped. From there, our options are endless! I love to be creative when composing the daily salad, drawing from what has looked good at the market or farm that week, any leftovers that may be in the fridge (more on this in a  moment), and color variety. I'm always looking for plenty of color to ensure the greatest variety of nutrients. 

My not-so-secret weapon in creating a hearty salad is to beef it up with something interesting from the refrigerator, a scoop or two of a yummy leftover from the night before. It may sound like a strange idea at first, but stick with me here... it works.

 

Leftover ideas for topping salads:

• fried rice
• chili (the thicker the better)
• curry noodles
• stir-fry veggies
• roasted potatoes
• cooked grain such as quinoa or wheatberries
• tabouli
• pad thai
• bean/veggie burger broken up into small pieces
• falafel
• stuffed grape leaves
• baked tofu

My dressing of choice for salad is usually a simple drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar. This duo works just fine in combination with any of my leftover toppings.

I tend to keep the focus more plant-based on the average day, but roasted salmon, thinly sliced venison steak, or fresh local goat cheese are all nice additions too. Those sort of things tend to fall in the normal salad topping ideas for most people, and today I'm trying to get us to really look at last night's dinner as an addition to our green salads. 

Is this something you already do? A huge salad a day with a scoop of leftovers? Please feel free to share your favorite ideas!

In addition to a scoop of yummy leftovers and a rainbow of veggies, I also like to add fresh nuts and cooked beans. Beans especially are incredibly filling for me - but don't think you can sprinkle a tablespoon on top and call it a worthwhile serving. I top my daily salad with anywhere from a half to a full cup of cooked beans... yum yum.

Today I'd like to share a recipe with you that has been popular in my classes, created to be a stand alone salad or side dish - but it also makes a wonderful green salad topping. I hope you enjoy it!

 

Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Orange Cilantro Glaze

Serves 4-6

Preheat oven to 400°F  

 

Ingredients:

• 3 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed (1 inch dice)
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted on the stove top

 

Glaze ingredients:

• 1/4 cup orange juice concentrate, thawed
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 fresh cilantro, chopped

 

Directions:

1. Place peeled, chopped potatoes in single layer on large, heavy baking sheet. Drizzle melted coconut oil over potatoes, toss gently with spoon or spatula to coat. Sprinkle with a bit of sea salt and black pepper. Bake for 20 minutes. 
2. Meanwhile, combine dressing ingredients in bowl and whisk together. (Or shake it all up in a screw top glass jar.)
3. Remove from the oven, sprinkle chopped garlic and turn potatoes carefully. Place back in oven for 10-20 more minutes. This will depend on the size you cut the potatoes and your oven. I like to let let them get nice and brown/caramelized. 
4. I like to serve this dish at room temperature, so cool the potatoes right on the tray for a little while. Then place them in a bowl, drizzle the glaze over, stir and serve.

 

Print - Roasted Sweet Potatoes w/ Orange Cilantro Glaze

Today it Begins

Today begins a month of eating tasty, prana-filled plant foods. For 30 days I'll take a break from dairy, meat of any kind, and eggs. I'm so ready for this, hungry for it really. 

This isn't too much of a departure from my day to day fare, I don't normally eat much of these foods, but they are present, even if a modest amount... yet I sometimes feel the need to pause from the richness of such foods (as they tend to feel in my body).

This isn't a challenge, but rather a practice. Closely tied to yogic principles, for me this is about setting an intention and being the ever present observer (and nurturer) of self. Day to day, moment to moment. 

This morning I embraced my bowl of oats and berries while thanking my lucky stars for the maple syrup and walnuts to top it with. It's going to be a wonderful month ahead. I have a feeling it will propel me into the much needed, clear headspace as I finish up my first ebook offering (very summertime oriented). I'm excited for that! 

Thank you for the warm welcome here in this new space too, I'm really happy to expand in this direction. And of course, with you here, it's just that much better. xo

 

"Pull up a chair. Take a taste. Come join us. Life is so incredibly delicious."

~ Ruth Reichly

Welcome! (and raw chocolate torte)

You're here! I'm so thrilled, allow me to show you around...

This little corner has been in the works for quite some time. My other blog has shifted over the last several months, feeling more like a daily journal, a comfortable place to land at the end of the day (or early in the morning). I love it so much. At the same time, another part of my world has grown and expanded beautifully, for which I am so grateful for.

I thought it would be nice to have a little space to go along with that growth, a way to offer more in terms of recipes, essays on holistic living, new workshop offerings, ebooks, cooking videos, convenient workshop access, individual and small group coaching, and who knows what else... I'm excited! The only catch for me in creating this new space was that it had to feel simple. I didn't want it to be too far from my original home. I needed it to fit into my life (and yours) with ease. 

My hope is to create a fresh and inspiring sister site to beauty that moves; one that simply feels like another cozy room in the familiar home where my fingers have been happily typing for years.

The recipes will be organized for easy reference (can't wait to see that page build over time) and they will all be printable too! Look for printing options below each recipe that is posted. 

So here we are, standing in the doorway of a newly decorated room. I do hope you'll make yourself at home. 

To celebrate, let's jump right into the recipe offerings with something decadent yet highly nutritious (a sample recipe from a recent workshop). Filled with magnesium, vitamin C, and antioxidants, raw cacao provides a deep chocolate indulgence worthy of any celebration. 

 

Raw Chocolate Torte

This recipe works best with a high powered blender or good food processor. 

 Enjoy the delicate, lovely dark chocolate sweetness.

Ingredients:

Crust

• 1 rounded cup pecans
• 4 dates
• 1/2 cup raw cacao powder (cocoa may be substituted)
• pinch of sea salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Directions:

1. Place all ingredients in a food processor and pulse until combined. The crust should slightly stick together.
2. Press evenly into a glass pie plate.  Set aside.

Filling

•  2 cups cashews
• 1/2 cup coconut oil, melted
• 1/2 cup raw honey 
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 3/4 cup cacao powder (or cocoa)

Directions:

1. Soak cashews in warm water for twenty minutes. Rinse and drain well. Place cashews, honey, vanilla, and water in a high powered blender. Blend until creamy. 
2. Add cacao powder and coconut oil. Blend until creamy, stopping the blender and scraping down the sides as needed. This may take a minute or two. Be patient!
3. Once filling is silky and creamy, pour into the pan with crust. Place in the freezer to set for a few hours, and enjoy!

 

To serve with a fresh raspberry sauce: simply toss two cups of raspberries (fresh or thawed frozen) into blender with a bit of honey and blend!

 

Print - Raw Chocolate Torte

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I hope you settle in here nicely, I plan to do the same. Look for new posts to be published once or twice a week, and feel free to join me on Facebook too. 

Have a wonderful weekend!