Lemon Basil Couscous

Lemon Basil Couscous

Prep instructions for 4 servings

Original Recipe:

1 1/3 cup dry couscous (or sub 1 dry cup quinoa)

1 large organic cucumber, chopped

5 fresh organic basil leaves, chopped (or more to taste)

10 organic cherry tomatoes, quartered          

1 can (15 oz) organic Cannellini beans

1 organic lemon, juiced

1 package extra firm organic tofu, drained & cubed

Tofu Marinade:

3 organic lemons, juiced

5-10 fresh basil leaves, chopped

1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

3/4 teaspoon pure raw honey

First, drain and set the tofu to press while you prepare the couscous and veggies. 

Pressing the tofu: This step helps to remove the excess water from the tofu and allows more flavor to be absorbed. Pressing tofu can be done by using a tofu press (found on Amazon), or by wrapping it in a kitchen or paper towel and by placing weight upon it. You could place it in-between two baking sheets or plates, and add a heavy book on top and let sit for 5-10 min. Ideally, you want to press it enough to drain the water, but not so much that it looses its square shape or that it turns to crumbles. 

In a separate bowl, whisk together the ingredients for the marinade and set aside.

Once the tofu is drained, cut it into cubes and let it marinate for at least 20 min, or even overnight.

While the tofu is draining/marinating, cook the couscous according to directions on package, but omit the salt and olive oil if the packages calls for them. While couscous is cooking, prep all of your veggies. 

Once the couscous is cooked, allow it to cool, and then add all your veggies, lemon juice, and basil and mix together. Then, simply divide everything evenly into 4 separate containers. 

Cooking the Tofu: For a soft, flavorful tofu, add the tofu and all of the marinade to a pan and let simmer on low until most of the moisture is gone. For a crispier tofu, using a non-stick pan, cook just the cubes over very low heat, rotating occasionally until all sides are light brown. You can also just add the tofu uncooked to your dish as well. 

Divide the tofu evenly into the same 4 containers, and refrigerate until ready to eat. 

BBQ Veggie Burger with Roasted Sweet Potatoes

BBQ Veggie Burger:

Makes 5 Burgers:

1 cup uncooked organic short grain brown rice

3/4 cup no salt added organic black beans

1 tbsp organic oat bran

1/2 tbsp organic extra virgin olive oil

1/4 cup chopped white mushroom

3-4 tbsp organic carrots shredded or minced 

1 organic yellow onion chopped, or minced depending on your preference

1 organic jalapeño chopped, or minced

1 organic garlic clove finely chopped

6-8 tbsp of your favorite organic BBQ sauce

Optional additions (about 1/4 cup or less each): peppers, yellow or blackened corn, diced tomatoes

Roasted sweet potatoes and your favorite green or salad (I love freshly steamed green beans with this recipe) are great side dishes to complement this burger. For the roasted sweet potatoes, you'll want to make sure you have 1 large potato for every 2 people you will be serving.

First preheat oven to 350 degrees then cook rice according to directions on package. While rice is cooking, peel and cube sweet potato, place in a glass pan, and toss in about 3 tablespoons of olive oil making sure all potatoes have a coating on them then place pan in oven for 20 min. When 20 minutes is up, remove and flip the potatoes, adding only slightly more oil if potatoes are dry, and place back in the over for an additional 20 minutes or until soft or crispy, whichever you prefer. Remove potatoes when finished, cover, and set aside.

While rice and potatoes are cooking, prepare onion, garlic, jalapeño, and if adding corn and pepper them as well. Heat 1/2 tbsp olive oil in a pan over medium heat and sauté vegetables until soft but not brown, then set aside in separate bowl to cool. 

Next, prepare remaining vegetables and ingredients and set aside while rice finishes cooking. Once rice is cooked, set it aside in a large mixing bowl to cool. 

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

Once rice is cooled, add all ingredients to mixing bowl and mix together with your hands so that all ingredients are distributed evenly. I like to wear cooking gloves or use sandwich baggies to cover my hands to help prevent sticking. First add just 6 tbsp of bbq sauce to mixture and taste before adding more. 

Divide into 5 patties and place onto a nonstick cookie pan and cook for 8-12 minutes.

Enjoy on your favorite organic bun and top with lettuce, tomato, and your favorite healthy condiments. Freshly made mango salsa is an amazing addition to this veggie burger!

Nutrition Info per veggie burger:

237.4 calories, 3.5g fat, 0.2g sat fat, 0g trans fat, 0mg cholesterol, 282mg sodium, 45g carbohydrates, 5g fiber, 9.4g sugar, 10g protein

Fresh & Light Cucumber Salsa

Fresh & Light Cucumber Salsa:

2 organic cucumbers, chopped
11 organic grape tomatoes diced (should be 1 cup diced)
1 organic jalapeño deseeded and finely chopped
1/2 small organic red or yellow onion, chopped
1 tblsp parsley (fresh and finely chopped is best)
1 organic garlic clove finely minced
(fresh dill, spearmint, and/or cilantro would also go well)

1/4 cup organic vegan yogurt
2 tbslp freshly squeezed lime juice
2 tblsp freshly squeezed lemon juice


First, chop and combine all of the first 6 ingredients in a large bowl. Stir together well and set aside. Next, measure out the greek yogurt into a separate bowl, then add the lime and lemon juice to the yogurt and stir until fully combined. Once combined, add 4 tblsp of yogurt mixture to the chopped veggies, and toss until evenly coated.

Serve immediately with organic tortilla chips and enjoy!

Makes 6 servings:



Healthy Life Tip: Since the dip is so low in sodium and carbohydrates, make sure to pay close attention to the chips you select to serve with the dip to keep the values in a healthy range. Always choose organic chips whenever possible (that way you'll be guaranteed that none of these ingredients are in them and that the chips are non-gmo) and make sure to compare the nutrition info on of the chips first to make sure you're making the best choice - especially the sodium values.

6 Classic Recipes for a Healthier Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving doesn't have to be an unhealthy mess. Here are 6 ways to make some classic dishes taste amazing without throwing your body under the bus.


Tahini-Garlic Mashed Potatoes: These 0 cholesterol, low sodium mashed potatoes are creamy and tasty without any butter or nonsense!





Homemade Cranberry Sauce: This amazing, guilt-free, and fresh tasting cranberry sauce leaves the preservatives, sugars, cholesterol, and sodium behind! A must! 0mg sodium, 0mg cholesterol, and only 70 calories for a 1/4 cup serving!




Thanksgiving Gravy: A thanksgiving must-have that won't clog your arteries while you enjoy it! With only 35mg sodium and 10mg cholesterol in a 1/4 cup serving, you can enjoy this gravy without worry.





Bacon, Cranberry, and Mushroom Stuffing: A twist on the traditional stuffing drastically reduces sodium to only 180mg per serving, contains 8g protein, and only 3.5g fat! A must-try that is packed with flavor!





Warm Winter Greens Salad: Start your meal off with this warm and flavor-filled salad. With 0mg cholesterol it will help digestion and prepare your palate for the flavors to come! Great ad-on tips in the recipe too!





Winter Squash Crostini: This fun and healthy spread is great to serve as guests arrive

For More:

Peaches, Mango, Pineapple Smoothie!

Peaches, Mango, and Pineapple Smoothie:

1 1/4 cups water
2 1/2 scoops Shaklee 180 Vanilla Smoothie
1/4 cup frozen peach slices
1/3 cup frozen mango chuncks
1/3 cup frozen pineapple chunks

Add all ingredients to the blender, blend, and enjoy! Remember, it tastes great, but take your time, you are eating an entire meal!

Nutrition Info:

328 cal, 4.5g fat, 0g sat fat, 0g trans fat, 0mg cholesterol, 360mg sodium, 53g carbohydrates, 10.5g fiber, 29g sugar, 24.2g protein