Peach Coconut Smoothie

As you may have suspected if you follow my blog (or by glancing at the huge gap between my fairly regular May posts and the two measly June posts) this month has been crazy!

My new job in advertising has meant long days/weeks and I'm lucky if I get a full night's sleep let alone have a chance to cook dinner. It has also been increasingly difficult to squeeze in my morning workouts (though I often do so at the expense of sleep, hence not getting any!)

Given all this craziness it's more important than ever that I eat healthy and especially that I don't skip breakfast. This smoothie is packed with nutrients and includes enough protein to get me through the morning. It's also perfect for summer weather which has finally arrived in Southern California. Heat wave!!

Ingredients:
1 cup raw spinach
1 cup frozen peaches
1 cup frozen pineapple
1 tsp organic flax seed
1 tbsp dried coconut flakes
1 scoop protein powder
1/2 banana
1 cup almond milk

Directions
Add almond milk, spinach, peaches, banana and pineapple to the blender. Add flax seed, coconut flakes and protein powder. Blend until smooth.

Beet, Apple and Arugula Salad

Some people (like me) love beets. Cold, hot, in salads, stews or smoothies... you name it, I like it. Others, like my mom, spend their entire lives avoiding them until they finally find a preparation they like. (One of my recipes of course ;)

If you are an avoider I hope that this recipe will be your turning point. Why? Because beets are a source of: Vitamin A, B, (folic acid) C, iron, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, calcium, carotenoids and dietary fiber. (Phew!) They are used to detoxify the liver and spleen and to help balance the blood’s pH balance by reducing the blood’s acidity. (Acidic blood creates a welcome environment for viruses and bacteria to flourish.) But the best news for those who are trying to lose weight is that the cellulose content of beets acts as a bulk residue increasing peristalsis (the muscle contractions that move food through the digestive tract.) In other words, they keep you regular:-P

Hope you enjoy! 

Ingredients:
1 1/2 small beets (Trader Joe's has precooked beets if you want to skip a step. Use 2 TJs beets.)
1 granny smith apple, peeled cored and chopped
1/4 cup chopped raw pecans
1 1/2 packed cups baby arugula, lightly chopped 
goat cheese, crumbled

Dressing:
1/2 small orange, juiced and zested
1/2 tbsp olive oil 
1/2 tbsp honey
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
sea salt
ground black pepper

Directions:
Preheat over to 400. Cut tops off of beets and brush off any dirt with a towel (washing them will cause them to boil rather than roast. The skin will be removed and they will be washed after roasting.) Place on a baking sheet wrapped in foil and bake for about an hour.
Take out of the oven and place in a large bowl, then submerge with cold water. Wait about 20 minutes then peel the skin off under water with your hands. It should come off easily. 
Chop beets into bite sized pieces and place in a large mixing bowl.
Fill the bottom of a medium sized saucepan with water and place a steamer basket in it. Place over medium high heat and bring the water to a boil. Add the chopped apples, cover and steam for about 2-3 minutes. (Don't lose track of time or your apple slices will be soggy like mine.)
To make the dressing add olive oil, apple cider vinegar, orange juice and orange zest. Add black pepper and sea salt to taste. Add additional orange juice or vinegar to taste. Pour over the beet mixture and toss to coat. Add the arugula and pecans and toss again. Plate and top with goat cheese.

Cantaloupe, Prosciutto, Avocado Salad

If you follow my blog you know I love meat paired with fruit. I don't know what it is- maybe the combination of sweet and savory? Or the fact that such things aren't "suppose" to be combined (ooooo.....such a rebel!) I also love that it includes cantaloupe since, unlike peaches and pineapple, it's hard to find recipes that call for it.

Enjoy!                                                                                             Ingredients: (Makes 2 large salads)
2 cups baby spinach
2-3 slices of prosciutto, torn into bite sized pieces
1 cantaloupe, cut into cubes
1 avocado
1/4 cup diced red onion
handful of raw, unsalted walnuts

Directions:
1. Place a cup of spinach on each plate.
2. Top with prosciutto, cantaloupe, slices of avocado, a sprinkling of red onion, and a few walnuts.
3. Add some freshly ground pepper, and a drizzle of dijon vinaigrette. 

Kiwi Applesauce

Can you guess what showed up in my produce delivery this week? Kiwis. Lots of them. Ive always found kiwis a little tart, even in smoothies. But this recipe proved to be the perfect mix of sweet and tart.

Ingredients:

1 large Fuji apple, peeled 

1 kiwi, peeled
1/2 Lemon

Directions:

Cut up the apples and kiwi into big pieces and put them in a food processor or blender. Slice a lemon in half and squeeze the juice from one of the halves on top of the fruit. Pulse several times in the food processor or blend for a few seconds on low. Serve at room temperature or chilled.

Avocado and Tuna Salad

A few months back a visiting colleague and I discovered an amazingly delicious, super healthy eatery in Venice Beach called Lemonade. We made a point to go as often as possible before he was shipped back to the UK and ordered the avocado every time.

I've been a few times since and still order the avocado even when I tell myself I'm going to try something different. Habit? Nostalgia? Or are they just that good?

I discovered the answer to that question last night. They're Just. That. Good. And since avocados are mono unsaturated fat which is "good fat" you dont' have to feel guilty about it.

Enjoy!

Ingredients
1 avocado
1 lemon, juiced, to taste
1 tablespoon chopped onion, to taste
5 ounces canned tuna (salmon, or crab)
salt and pepper to taste

Instructions
Cut the avocado in half and scoop the middle of both avocado halves into a bowl, leaving a shell of avocado flesh about 1/4-inch thick on each half.
Add lemon juice and onion to the avocado in the bowl and mash together. Add tuna, salt and pepper, and stir to combine. Taste and adjust if needed.
Fill avocado shells with tuna salad and serve.

Crab Stuffed Zucchini

As zucchinis are available year round in California I often forget they are considered a "summer squash." But with summer right around the corner it's a perfect time to start adding them to your meals. And at 31 calories and 0 grams of fat per zucchini you don't have to feel guilty doing it!

Ingredients: (serves 6)
3 medium zucchini, halved lengthwise
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, minced (or 1/2 teaspoon powder)

1 (6-ounce) can of crabmeat, drained and flaked
1/2 cup grated Swiss cheese
1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese (about 1 1/2 ouncec)

1 large egg, fork-beaten
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
2 teaspoons chopped fresh dill
1 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Directions:
Scoop out pulp from each zucchini, leaving 1/2 inch thick shells. Arrange shells in single layer on greased baking sheet. Chop pulp.

Heat olive oil in small frying pan on medium-high. Add onion and garlic. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring often, until onion starts to soften. Add zucchini pulp. Stir. Transfer to medium bowl.

Add remaining 9 ingredients. Stir well. Spoon into zucchini shells. Bake in 375ºF oven for about 30 minutes until filling is set.

Eggplant with Figs and Mozzarella

I want to be a fan of eggplant, I really do.  So many health benefits and negligible calories makes it the "perfect" food. If only I could figure out how to cook it! After several failed recipes I was ready to give up but I think I may finally have found a winner.

Eggplants are loaded with dietary fiber which is essential for regulating digestion.  Fiber is also helpful for dieters as it's slow digesting and takes a long time to move from the stomach to the digestive track. This helps you feel full much longer which will keep you from craving unhealthy snack food between meals. The figs in this recipe give you an additional dose of fiber keeping you full even longer and giving your digestive system an extra boost. Oh, and it's delicious.

Ingredients:
1 large eggplant cut in half

2 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced

1 large ball of fresh mozzarella or burrata, thinly sliced

1 leek, peeled with a Julienne peeler

5 fresh or rehydrated figs*

5-10 cherry tomatoes, sliced in half

oil, 4 tbsp vinegar

1 tbsp sugar

Directions:
Starting in the upper left hand corner of one of the eggplant halves and moving downwards toward the right, make four incisions. Repeat from right to left creating hashmarks. Do this in both halves and, in each incision, arrange the cloves of garlic. Spray or brush the eggplants with olive oil, place on a baking tray and bake for 40 minutes at 400 degrees.

Meanwhile preheat 3 tbsp of oil and cook the halved cherry tomatoes for 1-2 minutes until slightly softened. Remove from heat and set aside. In another pot place the vinegar and sugar. Bring to a boil and reduce vinegar to a thick syrup.

Remove the eggplant halves from the oven and top with slices of mozzarella, tomatoes and halved figs. Place in the oven for 4-5 minutes, until mozzarella is slightly melted and the rest of the toppings are warm.

Drizzle eggplants with the reduction sauce and sprinkle with leeks.

Enjoy!

*Fresh figs have a very short season. If you can't find them purchase plump dried figs and cover them with boiling water (stove turned off.) Cover the pan and let them sit for 2-4 hours. You can also add a liqueur like brandy to give them a little extra flavor;)