Detoxifying Celery Freeze

An easy way to enhance your detox, or add some veggies to your day!

Detoxifying Celery Freeze:

1 organic cucumber
2 organic celery stalks

2 organic limes, peeled

10 fresh spearmint leaves

1-2 cups of ice 

1/2 cup purified water 

Add everything to a blender, blend well, and enjoy!! 

If the ice makes it too thick, feel free to add more water. If you want a smaller drink, omit the ice and blend well. Enjoy chilled or over ice.  

Healthy Life Tip: avoid making this (or anything like it) into a juice via a juicer or strainer. You'll want to consume all of the nutrients and fiber found in the pulp that will be thrown away if turned into a juice. The goal is to "eat" the whole cucumber, celery, lime, etc.

Minty Cucumber Lime Freeze

The perfect way to add a cucumber to your day!

Minty Cucumber Lime Freeze:

1 organic cucumber

1-2 organic limes, peeled

5-10 fresh spearmint leaves

1-2 cups of ice 

1/2 cup purified water 

Add everything to a blender, blend well, and enjoy!! 

If the ice makes it too thick, feel free to add more water. If you want a smaller drink, omit the ice and blend well. Enjoy chilled or over ice.  

Healthy Life Tip: avoid making this (or anything like it) into a juice via a juicer or strainer. You'll want to consume all of the nutrients and fiber found in the pulp that will be thrown away if turned into a juice. The goal is to "eat" the whole cucumber, lime, etc.

Dairy-Free Creamy Queso Dip

One of my favorite recipes, made entirely of veggies and whole foods, 

it's tastes so good, it's so versatile, and so healthy too!

Dairy-Free Creamy Queso Dip:

3 organic russet potatoes
3 organic carrots
1 organic small yellow onion
1 organic red pepper
1/2 cup organic cashews
lemon juice from 1/2 an organic lemon
15oz diced tomatoes and green chillies

Optional: 1/2 or whole packet of taco seasoning
Optional: organic diced jalapeño


Peel the potatoes, carrots, and onion and deseed the pepper. Add them all to a pot of boiling water along with the cashews and boil until potatoes, carrots, and cashews are soft. About 15-20 min.

Set aside about 1 cup of of the water used for boiling incase you need to thin out the dip, and then add the drained cooked veggies, cashews, and lemon juice to a high speed blender or food processor and blend until smooth, adding about a tablespoon of reserved water at a time to thin out only if needed.

Once blended, add to a small sauce pot over low-medium heat and stir in the the tomatoes and green chillies. This is also when you would begin to add the taco seasoning and diced jalapeño to taste if you want.

Serve warm and enjoy! I also find this freezes well if you end up having extra or want to make it ahead of time.

Perfect to top these Twice Baked Potatoes with,

or dip these Southwest Taco Wontons into!

Sweet Corn Salsa

I love this recipe for so many reasons! This salsa has a great pop of flavor and it's perfect any time of year and at any occasion! I especially love it outdoors in the summer! It's so easy to make and all of the veggies can easily be prepped the night before! Enjoy this super healthy salsa knowing it's made entirely of real, whole foods!

Sweet Corn Salsa:

16oz organic sweet corn
1 organic jalapeño, diced
1 organic poblano pepper, diced
3/4 organic red onion, diced
1/2 freshly chopped organic cilantro
juice from 2 organic limes
juice from 2 organic lemons


Dice the jalapeño, pepper, and onion and combine with the sweet corn. Chop the cilantro and mix in with the veggies. Finally squeeze the juice from the lemons and limes onto the veggies and mix together and enjoy!

Serve this alongside some Southwest Taco Wontons & Avocado Lime Dip to really step it up a notch!

                   

Tofu Breakfast Bake

Pepper, Mushroom, and Onion Breakfast Bake: 

2 packages organic extra firm tofu, drained well

1 organic yellow onion

1 organic green pepper

1 lb organic white (or portobello) mushrooms

8oz chopped green chilies, mild or hot - your choice
1 cup shredded vegan cheese (optional)
2 tbsp organic turmeric powder

1/2 teaspoon organic onion powder

1/2 teaspoon organic garlic powder

3/4 teaspoon organic paprika 

5 twists organic black pepper

2 twists freshly cracked sea salt (pink himalayan is my favorite!)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. 

First, drain the tofu then crumble into a bowl. Don't drain all of the water out, just most of it. Retaining some of the moisture will help while it bakes.  

Chop the pepper, mushrooms, and onion and sauté until soft. I like to sauté using water, instead of oil or butter not only because it's healthier, but once the veggies are done, there will be some flavored water left over that I like to add to the dish for extra flavor. I would use about 1-2 tablespoons of water as needed when sautéing. When sautéing with water, I also use a lower heat for slightly longer to avoid burning off all of the water. Once the veggies are soft, remove the pan from heat and set aside.

While the veggies are cooking, add the dry spices to the tofu and combine well with the tofu continuing to crumble the tofu as needed. I like to use my hands for this so that the spices really get mixed in with the tofu, but make sure to either use a glove or a plastic baggie as the turmeric will turn your hand/nails yellow.

Once the veggies are cooked, add them and the remaining water they are in to the tofu and mix together. Finally, fold in the shredded cheese.

Once mixture is complete, add to a deep glass baking pan. Using the back of a spoon, compress the mixture together firmly (this is critical to it remaining as a bake when complete so you can cut it into pieces, and not have it crumble). 

Cover with foil and place in the oven for 25 minutes. If you want a crispier top, after the 25 min, broil as desired.  

When finished, remove from the oven and let sit for 5 minutes before serving. I love to prepare this dish a day in advance, as I feel the flavors tend to enhance and blend together overnight. This dish also reheats very well! 

Either way, enjoy! Great for serving to a group! 

Healthy Life Tip: Make this on a Sunday and box individual servings for breakfast (or even lunch) to have throughout the week! 

Morning Breakfast Smoothie

I call this the Morning Breakfast Smoothie, but really, you can enjoy it anytime of day. 

I just love to start my morning with tons of fruits and veggies! 

Morning Breakfast Smoothie: 
For optimal health, you'll want to make sure everything is organic; here's why.

1 cup filtered water
2 cups organic spinach (or 1 cup spinach, 1 cup kale)
1/2 cup organic shredded carrots
1/3 organic cucumber
2 sticks of an organic celery stalk
2 tbsp organic ground flaxseed
1 tbsp organic chia seeds
3/4 cup frozen organic mango
10 frozen organic strawberries
1/2 organic banana
Optional for added detoxifying affect: 
1/8 cup fresh organic parsley (why parsley?)
organic ground cayenne pepper (why cayenne pepper?)


Throw all ingredients into your blender and enjoy! I suggest starting with the spinach and veggies in the blender first and adding on from there.


Healthy Life Tip: If you want to switch up the flavor of this smoothie, keep the base of veggies, chia seeds, and flaxseed and just change up the fruits for some variety in flavor! Enjoy!

White Bean & Basil Soup

White Bean & Basil Soup:

6-8 servings

56 oz organic, low sodium, vegetable broth
30 oz organic, white northern beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup organic barley
1 organic medium yellow onion, chopped
3 organic garlic cloves, minced
1-2 cups of organic deseeded and chopped plum tomatoes
1 tbsp organic extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup finely chopped organic fresh basil
1 1/2 tablespoons organic Italian seasoning
Ground organic black pepper to taste


First, set the barely to cook by adding it to a pan with 4 cups of water and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to medium, cover, and let simmer for 35-40 minutes. I like to set a timer and check it around 30 minutes to make sure there is still enough moisture and none is sticking to the bottom of the pan. At this time I also usually reduce heat to medium-low for the remaining 5-10 minutes.

While barley is cooking, heat a large soup pot over medium heat and add the olive oil. Once the olive oil is briefly heated, sauté the onions and garlic together for about 5 minutes, or until the onions begin to soften. Do not allow them, or the garlic, to brown, but do enjoy the beautiful aroma this will make in your kitchen!

While the onions and garlic are sautéing, it's time to chop your tomatoes. Make sure to remove all liquid and seeds. While the tomatoes cook in the soup, the skin will separate, and, if you're like me, and don't enjoy that in the soup, you can pick up 2 large cans of organic whole peeled tomatoes instead. If you do, open the can and strain out all of the liquid first, then gently chop each tomato until you're left with what you need!

Once the onions and garlic have softened, add in the vegetable broth, Italian seasoning, and ground pepper. If you've chopped fresh tomatoes, add those in as well, but if you've used the canned tomatoes, hold onto them a little longer! Either way, bring ingredients to a low boil for about 5-10 minutes.

While those ingredients are getting to know one another, it's time to chop your basil and check on your barley. Once the barley is softened, strain out any extra water and set aside with your basil and northern beans.

Finally, add your last ingredients (chopped basil, northern beans, and barley and possibly the chopped canned tomatoes) to your soup and let simmer for about 10 minutes. Then enjoy!!


Healthy Life Tip: When making soup, always try and make extra! Soup is great after a night in the fridge and even freezer! Save some to take for lunch the next day, or later in the week! Or freeze some for a quick dinner when you may be running late or don't have anything prepared!

Healthy Recipes for Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving can always be a tricky time to stay on track with your health goals or your healthy lifestyle, whether you're hosting a gathering or traveling to one. Here are some
of my favorite healthy recipes that can help you have both a flavorful,
fun thanksgiving, and remain on track as well!

If you're planning on having a heavier meal, here are some light appetizers you can easily make ahead of time to serve or bring with you:

      

Warmer finger foods are always fun as well. All of these wonton recipes are fun and healthy for everyone:

     

For the two taco wonton recipes above, you absolutely can't be without this Easy Avocado Dip:

And, finally, for some heartier appetizers, you'll want to check out these:

     

     

My family has always started Thanksgiving dinner with a traditional Italian tortellini soup. However, this light vegetarian seasonal soup would be a perfect start to any Thanksgiving meal. It's smooth and packed with flavor:

Here are some fun, healthy, and seasonal sides to include as well:

     

I hope this helps give you a few ideas as to what you can include in your Thanksgiving day, whether you swap out an older, less healthy recipe on your menu, or you simply bring along a healthier appetizer. For more recipes, you can check out the All Recipes tab, or check out my Pinboards for hundreds of different healthy recipes, especially Healthy Party Ideas.

A website I always check out when I'm busy planning for a party is Raise.com. They have hundreds of different gift cards to buy and sell for a discounted rate. It's such an easy and 

quick way to add some savings to all of your 

holiday and party purchases!

https://www.raise.com/buy-gift-cards
https://www.raise.com/sell-gift-cards 

For more, check out: