Tag Archives: Nutritious

Celeriac Sun Dried Tomato and Basil Side Dish

I simply can’t get enough of this side dish! It is my new favorite potato replacement, but really in is unfair to Celeriac to call it a substitute for potato, like it is second best. Celeriac is an under appreciated root vegetable. Maybe because in it’s unpeeled state, it is unattractive (sorry celeriac).

Celeriac, Sun Dried Tomato and Basil Side Dish

However, the inside of the celeriac is a beautiful creamy white, and it loves to soak up flavor! In addition, it offers those who partake of it a nice dose of Vitamins C, K, B6, Phosphorous, Potassium, Magnesium, Manganese and Fiber.

You can make this side in under 30 minutes on the stove top. Let’s go!

Celeriac Sun Dried Tomato and Basil Side Dish

Ingredients:

2 Medium Celeriac Root (peeled and cubed into about 1 inch dice)

1/2 Cup Chicken Broth

2 Tablespoons of Olive Oil

2 Tablespoons of Oil Packed Sun Dried Tomatoes (finely minced)

2 Tablespoons of Fresh Basil, sliced

1/2 Teaspoon of Sea Salt

Directions: With a large heavy fry pan on the stove top, add your olive oil and warm over medium high heat. Add the cubed celeriac, and sprinkle with salt. Cook the cubes until just starting to brown, which will take approximately 2 minutes, turning once or twice. Add the broth and minced sun dried tomatoes. Cover the pan, and reduce the heat to a simmer. Simmer covered for 20 minutes, until the celeriac is fork tender, but not falling apart. Remove lid and cook until the liquid is mostly evaporated, and there is just enough left to make a nice sauce. Sprinkle the celeriac with sliced fresh basil. Toss to incorporate the basil and serve!

Celeriac, Sun Dried Tomato and Basil

Eat Your Nutrients!

Grilled Zucchini, Tomatoes and Scallions with Fresh Basil and Dill

On a beautiful Summer evening, I don’t want to be in the kitchen. Did you ever notice with grilling, you get to sit and relax while the food cooks more than when you are preparing a meal in the kitchen?

Grilled Zucchini, Tomatoes, and Green Onions with Fresh Basil and Dill

Grilled Zucchini, Tomatoes, and Scallions with Fresh Basil and Dill

Grilled vegetables also taste really delicious, they aren’t mushy, and you can combine ones that have relatively the same cooking time, toss them with a marinade and seasonings and come up with endless one dish vegetable sides.

Here is a fairly quick recipe for grilled zucchini, tomatoes and scallions I find Summery and a crowd pleaser.

Grilled Zucchini, Tomatoes, and Green Onion with Fresh Basil and Dill

Grilled Zucchini, Tomatoes, and Scallions with Fresh Basil and Dill

Grilled Zucchini, Tomatoes and Scallions with Fresh Basil and Dill

Organic Ingredients:

4 Zucchini on the smaller side (about 4 cups) sliced into spears

2 Local Medium Tomatoes (any color)

1 Bunch of Scallions, sliced in half lengthwise

1/4 Cup Fresh Basil, torn roughly into pieces

1 Tablespoon Fresh Snipped Dill

2 Tablespoons of Virgin Avocado Oil

1 Teaspoon of Sea Salt or Himalayan Pink Salt

Directions:

In a large bowl toss all the prepped ingredients together until well coated with oil. Place in a grill pan with holes. Grill on medium for 30 minutes, top of grill down, (relax until the vegetables are tender).

Eat Your Nutrients!

Pizza Kale Chips

If you are looking for a way to get in more greens, want to avoid dairy or just don’t tolerate it but love pizza (and who doesn’t), want to crowd out the junk without pain and cravings, may I suggest these crunchy, Pizza Kale Chips? Warning, they are addictive!

Pizza Kale Chips

Ingredients:

2 Bunches of Organic Curly Kale

1/2 Cup Pumpkin Seeds

1/2 Cup Pine Nuts

1/2 Cup Organic Sundried Tomatoes (Plain no Oil, soaked for 30 minutes in warm water)

1 Organic Red Bell Pepper

1/4 Cup Fresh Squeezed Lemon Juice

1/4 Cup Sliced Green Scallions (green parts only)

1 Teaspoon Dried Oregano

1 Teaspoon Ground Fennel Powder

1 Teaspoon Himalayan Pink Salt or Sea Salt

1 Teaspoon Dried Basil

1/4 Teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper Flakes

1/4 Cup of Water

Directions:

Taking your thumb and index finger along the spine of the kale leaves, strip the leaves in one swipe from it’s rib or stalk. Thoroughly wash the kale leaves under cool water. Lay out on paper towel in one layer to dry completely, 30 minutes to an hour. I like to use a salad spinner first to get most of the moisture off. It is important the kale is thoroughly dry if you want crunchy chips!

Meanwhile, make the seasoning. In a high speed blender, like a Vitamix, blend all the remaining ingredients to make the pizza sauce. In a very large bowl, place your dried kale and pour the sauce on top. Get your hands in there and thoroughly mix and coat the kale leaves.

Place on six teflon lined dehydrator trays and place in your food dehydrator at 118º degrees for 10 to 16 hours until very crisp.

In the dehydrator, they get crunchy like potato chips and stay that way! If you don’t have a dehydrator, and would like to own one, I highly recommend this one! I have two of them, and they come in handy for a lot of food, including fruit rollups….recipe coming soon!

You can also make them in the oven, but I have never been as happy with the results using the oven. You will have to eat them the day they are made that way, and the texture just isn’t the same. If you don’t have a dehydrator, and would like to make them in the oven, Preheat Oven 300º, using parchment lined baking sheets, lay the kale in a single layer and bake 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and flip with a spatula, and bake an additional 10 to 15 minutes watching carefully so they don’t burn. Cool Completely.

Kale has a lot of roughage. This recipe make 8 servings. Listen to your body and don’t overdo it which is easy to do when they are so good!

Enjoy!