Salmon helps fight illnesses… and this slow roasted salmon with smoked salmon rollups is a double dose of salmon!
This is truly a simple recipe. It only looks a little fancy because when I was done with my go-to simple slow roasted salmon, I rolled up some smoked salmon and put it on top. One of my favorite sushi rolls at our local Japanese restaurant is a fresh salmon roll with smoked salmon inside. So, when I opened my fridge and I saw a package of smoked salmon, the lightbulb went on over my head…. hmmmm….. this has got to be good…. And, it really is!
My son just graduated from college and is back in New York with us, which makes me very happy. Ever since he was a child, I have made sure to always have a package of smoked salmon in the fridge for him. It’s no different now, even though he’s all grown up. So, we ate his lox and it was awesome paired with this juicy slow-roasted salmon. Now, slow roasted salmon with smoked salmon rollups will be a staple in my kitchen, even if it does mean there may not be any left for him…
Even if you don’t want to use the smoked salmon, trust me when I tell you that the method in this recipe is the way you should always cook your salmon. It keeps the fish moist and flavorful; you can’t get it better in any restaurant. Trust me on this…
Here are some of the ways this recipe can heal you:
Salmon is the perfect food to nourish the blood and the yin. It’s especially great for women because it raises fertility levels by promoting a healthy endometrial lining. Salmon is also great for anyone who is in need of additional iron. Be sure to buy wild salmon because the levels of mercury are lower than in farmed salmon. This beautiful fish also contains large amounts of omega-3 fatty acids, making it a good food source to combat breast cancer, Alzheimer’s, asthma, depression and diabetes. Lately there’s also been a lot of evidence that salmon is great at reducing intestinal inflammation and that it’s also good for your joints and muscles.
Dill is considered a chemoprotective herb that can help neutralize some carcinogens and it’s also an antibacterial herb.
Lemons are good for your digestion, they help detoxify your body, they balance your pH, and they act as an antibacterial. They also can soothe a sore throat, lessen a cough, and hydrate the body.
This salmon is slow-roasted with lemon and dill and then topped with smoked salmon slices -- two delicious salmons in one dish... so easy... so delicious.... so healthy.
Ingredients
1 lb salmon fillet
sea salt and black pepper
1 cup fresh dill (use the whole fronds; no need to chop)
1 lemon, sliced
2 tsp extra-virgin olive oil
3 oz smoked salmon, thinly sliced and rolled up
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 200°F.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place the fish, skin-side-down, on the paper.
Season the fish with salt and pepper.
Arrange the lemon slices and dill on top of the salmon.
Drizzle the oil on top.
Roast until the salmon is still a bit rare in the center, about 30 minutes.
Cut the fish into serving portions and top with the smoked salmon rollups.
There are so many healing ingredients in this pineapple turmeric smoothie… you can feel the energy as you drink it!
It’s Memorial Day and it’s raining. To many people this would be an unhappy turn of events, but I have to say, for me… not so much. The last 3 days were gorgeous. They were filled with beach, BBQ and friends. So, a rainy gray day is not so bad because I get to do all of the things I would never do if it was nice outside.
Everyone has one of those to-do list to get through. For me, that list is overflowing with the not-so-fun tasks involved in packing up my house and moving to an apartment. Ugh… the packing. Ick… the cleaning… But, I get to procrastinate and instead of getting through these arduous tasks as quickly as I’d like, I end up in my kitchen. A lot. And this Pineapple Turmeric Smoothie is my ode-to-sunshine creation on this dreary day.
Yellow is a happy color. And, I guess even more importantly, I had a big container of pineapple in the fridge that was leftover from yesterday’s day at the beach. And the cherries that you see on top — well, those are from the beach too… I just love using the leftovers in the fridge in new and delicious ways! So, when you make this smoothie, feel free to top it with whatever’s in your fridge…
There are so many great ingredients in this smoothie:
Pineapple is great for your digestion and it can help stop diarrhea. It’s especially good in the summer because it fights against heatstroke.
Turmeric is actually a Chinese herb (Jiang Huang). It is great for reducing inflammation throughout the body. If you suffer from aches and pains in your joints, try turmeric. It can help relieve menstrual pain and some other abdominal pains but, if you are pregnant, ask your doctor before you eat too much turmeric.
Maca Root is one of the superfoods I take every day. It has many healthy benefits including increasing libido, helping menopausal symptoms, relieving menstrual cramps, regulating hormones, and increasing energy.
Camu Camu is a plant-based powder that has the ability to boost your immune system and balance your mood. It has a large amount of vitamin C, can reduce inflammation, and can help improve mental clarity.
Lucuma powder is made from a South American tropical fruit. It’s sweet and contains a good amount of calcium, magnesium and potassium. It also has a great anti-inflammatory effect and can improve the condition of your skin. If you don’t have access to lucuma, you can use coconut sugar or add any sweetener that makes you happy.
Black Pepper is a Chinese herb called Hu Jiao. It’s used to alleviate diarrhea, vomiting and some stomach pains. When you combine black pepper with turmeric, the turmeric is more easily absorbed by the body, so this is a great combination!
In Asian medicine, we use coconut to strengthen the body, reduce swelling, and stop bleeding. Coconut kills viruses, bacteria, and parasites. It’s good for all types of infections and viruses in the body, including the flu, bronchitis, tapeworms, urinary tract infections, and herpes.
Crispy Buffalo Chicken Fingers make the perfect appetizer, snack, or dinner — just the right amount of spice.
We love to eat with our hands in my house. Sometimes it makes sense, and sometimes it’s just plain embarrassing. Sandwiches make sense; salad does not. I never established any rules for this, so we just live with the poor manners of our habits and hope no one’s watching.
If I told you that I served this chicken alongside my recent recipe for Paleo Fettuccine Alfredo, how grossed out would you be to learn that those leftovers were eaten cold the next day and with fingers, not forks…
If there’s food in the fridge that can be eaten without utensils, that’s the food that everyone goes for first. These Crispy Buffalo Chicken Fingers can and should be eaten with your hands… and not just by the vulgar people in my house! In the photo below, you can see Steve holding this awesome chicken in his hands — I had to take the picture quickly, because they were headed for his mouth quickly, even though it was early in the morning. (I wish you could see his shirt in this pic because he’s wearing a T-shirt we got when we went to “Meet The Breeds” at the Westminster Dog Show; I’ll have to take another pic of him in it!)
One of the awesome things about this recipe is that it’s so easily customizable for your particular needs and tastes. Sometimes I put hemp seeds in the coating. Sometimes I use flax seeds. Chia seeds are also good in it. And if you like sesame seeds, you can toss them in too. You can use any seeds you like, a mixture of all of them, or none of them at all. Decisions, decisions…
You should also try my recipe for Crispy Spicy Chicken for another take on a healthy version of decadent tasting chicken.
Not only are these crispy Buffalo chicken fingers delicious, but they are really healthy too:
Chicken is something I push people to buy organic if possible. Organic chicken is a great, healthy protein to give you energy, lessen the pain of some types of arthritis, and boost your system when you are particularly weak — like after surgery or childbirth. People who have some conditions that we consider “excess heat” conditions should limit the amount of chicken they eat. So, if you have an illness that gives you a bright red tongue or severe dryness in your body, check with your doctor first. For example, if you have a lot of burning stomach acid, you should avoid chicken for awhile…
Tapioca is a starch that comes from the cassava plant. It’s not really a flour in the traditional sense; it’s grain and gluten free. It’s good for your circulation and your digestion. Oftentimes I will make recipes with tapioca flour — it crisps things up well and it works as a great thickener too.
Hot peppers contain more vitamin C than any other vegetable and they are good at fighting off the common cold. Whenever I have a cold I eat lots of hot sauce. So, if you like spice, as I do, use a generous amount of whatever hot sauce you like. Read the ingredients on the label (as with any pre-made food) to make sure it meets your dietary requirements — there are so many hot sauces, wing sauces, and barbecue sauces out there that are gluten-free, paleo, etc. The main component of hot peppers is capsaicin. Capsaicin actually works with your body and mind to make you feel happy. It’s also good for reducing swelling and can relieve arthritic joint pain. If you have high blood pressure, check with your doctor before eating too many hot peppers because they can actually raise the blood pressure in some people.
In Asian medicine, nuts are known to be good for your brain, heart, skin and reproductive system. Almonds are particularly nutritious. They are a good source of protein and they give you energy. And, they are gluten-free. Almonds will help relieve a cough and asthma and are also good for constipation. This recipe uses both almond milk and almond flour, so you get a lot of bang for your buck with almonds here.
Hemp seeds are a superfood. They are high in protein, easily digestible, and contain a full complement of amino acids. They contain disease-fighting phytonutrients that are good for your blood, immune system, tissues and skin. Hemp contains a specific fatty acid that acts as a powerful anti-inflammatory. It also helps balance hormones, making it a great choice to fight the symptoms of PMS. This super seed is also good for your liver and your brain.
Flax seeds can relieve constipation and lower cholesterol.
Chia seeds are ancient seeds that got their name from the Mayan word for “strength”. These tiny seeds have the unique ability to turn liquid into a gel-like substance when making puddings and they are great added to smoothies and shakes. They are really good for you because they are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants and fiber.
Sesame seeds (the black ones) are a Chinese herb (Hei Zhi Ma). Black foods, in Chinese medicine, are knows as longevity foods. This herb is good for so many things, including headaches, constipation, dizziness, and even helping with lactation. White sesame seeds also have many great nutritional benefits. They are also an anti-aging food. If you have backaches, hair thats graying way too fast, ringing in the ears, weak knees, blurry vision or general weakness, go for the sesame seeds; just sprinkle them on everything. Long ago in China, sesame seeds were ground into honey to form a paste and was taken as a medicine to counter old-age and weakness.
¼ cup of whatever seeds you like (hemp seeds, chia seeds, flax seeds, sesame seeds) (optional)
20 grinds of fresh black pepper
½ tsp sea salt
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 400°F.
Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
Combine all of the wet ingredients in a small pot and heat over medium-low heat, whisking until the butter is melted and the mixture is thickened a bit, about 5 mins.
Pour the mixture into a large bowl.
In a shallow pie plate, combine all of the dry ingredients. Feel free to use any or all of the seeds mentioned above (or none at all). Mix well.
Season the chicken with sea salt.
Put all of the chicken pieces into the bowl with the wet mixture. Stir until coated well.
Remove each piece of chicken individually, and dredge in the dry mixture and place each piece on the baking sheet in a single layer, making sure that none of the pieces are touching each other. Make sure each piece is heavily coated!
Bake the chicken until cooked through and crispy. Mine took about 40 minutes.
Remove from the oven and serve on a platter with whatever dipping sauces you like. (We never made it to the dipping sauce stage... they were all eaten too fast!)
This paleo fettuccine alfredo is so creamy and decadent tasting — shhhhh… it’s dairy-free…
Okay, so I think I really am obsessed with all of the grain-free pasta’s on the market now. I just can’t seem to get enough of them. Here’s another post of a recipe that is so awesome and so satisfying even for the biggest pasta lovers out there (and I’m one of them)! I think I’m officially a Cappello’s junkie — it’s the best grain-free fettuccine out there!
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I was in a yoga class early this morning. I know I’m supposed to “be present” in the class, but my mind kept going to what I was going to cook for dinner. This delicious paleo fettuccine alfredo was born during a downward dog.
I make faux cream sauces every chance I get. Sometimes I use cashews, sometimes coconut, sometimes some scary ingredients that never get posted here because they taste scary too. This cream sauce is made with cauliflower and it is totally blog-worthy!
So, now we have a grain-free pasta with a dairy-free cream sauce. My kids would run out of the room screaming if they heard I was serving this for dinner. But, don’t judge me or this recipe until you try it… it is awesome! And honestly, I would serve it to any guest in my house. Okay, so maybe I wouldn’t be up front about the ingredients until after they licked their plates clean…
There are great thing in this paleo fettuccine alfredo:
In Chinese medicine we use cauliflower to aid in digestion and help with constipation. It contains a healthy amount of Vitamin B, Vitamin K and Omega-3 fatty acids and can help fight cancer and cardiovascular disease. Cauliflower also helps the body with detoxification.
In Asian medicine, nuts are known to be good for your brain, heart, skin and reproductive system. Almonds are particularly nutritious. They are a good source of protein and they give you energy. And, they are gluten-free. Almonds will help relieve a cough and asthma and are also good for constipation. So, if you use a grain-free pasta made from almonds, like I did, you get these amazing nutritional benefits too! This fettuccine is made from almonds and the cream sauce has almond milk in it.
Nutritional yeast gives things a cheese-y taste without using any dairy and it adds amino acids and Vitamin B, iron, zinc, and selenium to your diet. Nutritional yeast is a complete protein and also contains fiber, so it’s a really good thing!
Garlic is amazing in its antiviral and antibacterial capabilities. Garlic is actually a Chinese herb (Da Suan). It’s used to kill toxins and parasites and also to reduce swelling in the body. It’s what I call a great “A” herb: anesthetic, antibacterial, anti fungal, antioxidant, antiviral, etc….
This will satisfy you pasta craving... the sauce is creamy and the pasta tastes like delicious traditional fresh pasta... but nothing's as it seems here... so healthy!
9 oz fettuccine (I used Cappello's grain-free fettuccine)
Instructions
Heat the oil in a medium pot over medium heat.
Add the garlic and stir until starting to brown.
Pour in the almond milk and add the cauliflower.
Season with salt.
Bring to a boil, lower the heat to a simmer, cover and cook until the cauliflower is soft, about 15 mins.
Let the pot cool a little bit, then pour the contents into a blender. (Note: when blending hot items, hold a clean dish towel tightly over the top of the blender instead of using the blender's cover -- this will allow the steam to escape so you don't burn yourself.)
Add the nutritional yeast and the lemon juice to the blender and blend the mixture until it is silky and smooth.
Cook the pasta al dente. Drain.
Put the pasta back into the cooking pot and pour in some sauce. Toss, adding as much sauce as you like.
This orange banana smoothie will make you think of summer!
Most mornings I wake up and I’m excited for my green smoothie. I know excited is an odd way to feel about a glass of green slush, but it’s really true. Over the years I’ve perfected them, so they taste great and make me feel even better. I truly love the energy I feel from all of the great ingredients in that big green glass.
But sometimes, I’m just not feeling’ the green. But I still want that energy… that’s how I felt a few days ago. It was a rainy day and I just wanted something that would make me feel like summer was coming. I created this smoothie, and it fit the bill perfectly. I mean, just look at the color of this orange banana smoothie… you can’t not smile and think of summer.
If you have been reading my posts, you probably know that I love to use whole citrus fruits — the peels and all. This smoothie is no exception. I put the entire orange into my Vitamix, and that’s really what sets this shake apart from so many others. Add when you add a few superfoods, the effect is amazing. The taste and the energy and the nutritional punch you get from the this combination of awesome ingredients really cannot be matched.
Here’s some of the great things that make up this “sunny” smoothie:
Oranges will help boost your levels of vitamins A, B and C. In Chinese medicine oranges have been used for many years to help coughs, colds and anorexia. Lately, oranges have been widely touted for their ability to help heal colon cancer. I peel my oranges and lay the rinds in the sun to dry, and save them for tea or for cooking because the orange rinds are an actual Chinese herb. I dry out the peels of oranges, tangerines, clementines… whatever I have. Dried tangerine peel, or “chen pi” as it’s known in Chinese medicine, is one of the greatest and most easily accessible herbs around. It’s especially good for digestive issues like abdominal discomfort, distention, fullness, bloating, belching, and nausea. It’s also great if you have a cough with a heavy or stuffy chest.
Maca Root is one of the superfoods I take every day. It has many healthy benefits including increasing libido, helping menopausal symptoms, relieving menstrual cramps, regulating hormones, and increasing energy.
I love to add bananas to smoothies; they give it a great natural sweetness and a nice creamy texture. Bananas are good for your intestines (an old Asian remedy was to eat a banana every day to relieve hemorrhoids) and your lungs, and they even help relieve the effects of overindulging in alcohol.
Dates are rich in potassium, dietary fiber and tannins. Fiber is good for your gut and tannins help the body fight inflammation and infection. Dates are also rich in vitamin A and iron. The most amazing thing about dates is that they can be used to replace sugar in almost anything. I stopped using sweetened protein powders in my smoothies and now I use unsweetened ones but I add a few dates.
Turmeric is actually a Chinese herb (Jiang Huang). It is great for reducing inflammation throughout the body. If you suffer from aches and pains in your joints, try turmeric. It can help relieve menstrual pain and some other abdominal pains but, if you are pregnant, ask your doctor before you eat too much turmeric.
Bee pollen is considered one of the most nutritious substances you can put in your body. It is higher in protein than anything animal-based and it contains an amazing amount of amino acids. It’s good for your energy, your skin, your breathing and your allergies. Add a spoonful to whatever you can.
Cashews are really a multi-tasking nut. I use them all the time so I say it all the time: Cashews have a lower fat content than most other nuts. Most of the fat in cashews is unsaturated and is made up of oleic acid; this is the same acid that is found in olive oil, making these nuts a heart-healty choice. I know some of you have a problem finding raw nuts sometimes — I’m happy to try to help you locate them if you need shopping suggestions, so just leave a comment and I will try to help. I buy then whenever and wherever I see them. I’m also lucky enough to live near a Whole Foods, so I sometimes buy them from the bulk bins here.
This smoothie tastes as bright and sunny as it looks. It will give you a warm feeling and a burst of energy. Just pop everything in the blender and you're good to go!
Ingredients
2 frozen bananas, cut in half
1 whole orange, with the peel, quartered
1-1/2 cups coconut water
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
½ tsp turmeric
1-1/2 tsp maca root powder
¼ cup unsweetened, shredded coconut
3 pitted dates
¼ cup raw cashews
1 Tbs bee pollen granules
Instructions
Place all of the ingredients into a high-speed blender. (I'm not sure how finely the orange peel will grind up in a regular blender, so if you try it, please let me know!)
Whiz it up until it's really smooth.
Garnish with extra coconut flakes or orange slices if that makes you smile.
This cheeseburger soup is dairy-free and it really tastes like a cheeseburger in a bowl!
Everyone is always asking me what my favorite food is and what my favorite recipe is. I can never decide. And I am never indecisive. I am good that way — I can make a decision quickly and confidently… usually. Except when I’m asked this question. But if you ask Steve this same question, he will tell you, without any hesitation, that cheeseburger soup is his all-time favorite meal.
The cheesy flavor comes from cashews and nutritional yeast. When you blend these up with some chipotle chilies for extra flavor… it’s like an awesome cheese sauce coating all of the amazing grass-fed beef in your bowl. It’s like magic!
Words cannot do this soup justice. When I was a fairly new blogger, I posted this recipe and it’s been a favorite ever since. It’s a cheeseburger in a bowl. A cheeseburger in soup form. It’s the most satisfying thing I have eaten in a long long time. And yet, it’s dairy-free and has so many nutrients that you will be doing your body a favor by eating it. Can this all possibly be true? YES!
I can’t take credit for coming up with the idea for this recipe; that credit goes to Kelly at The Spunky Coconut — and it’s genius!
If you like this recipe, you should also try my recipe for Slow Cooker Vegetable Minestrone — after all, having some veggies to balance your meat is always a good thing.
Here are some of the ingredients that make this soup so good for you:
Beef is good for a lot of ailments. It’s good for edema/swelling in the body, it helps many people with their weak back and knees and, believe it or not, it’s good for that bloated, distended feeling we sometimes get in our stomachs. In the olden days, beef was stewed for hours so that the liquid could be sipped to combat chronic diarrhea. I try to buy organic, grass-fed beef whenever possible — and it’s become pretty easy to find it in ground beef form in lots of markets!
Onions are great for your immune system; they are a natural antihistamine. Recently, I recommended that a patient with bronchitis put sliced raw onions in her socks when she went to sleep… she woke up so much better. (I know I’ve told you this before, but it really is awesome!) Onion is a superhero in the food world!
Cashews are really a multi-tasking nut. I use them all the time so I say it all the time: Cashews have a lower fat content than most other nuts. Most of the fat in cashews is unsaturated and is made up of oleic acid; this is the same acid that is found in olive oil, making these nuts a heart-healty choice. I know some of you have a problem finding raw nuts sometimes — I’m happy to try to help you locate them if you need shopping suggestions, so just leave a comment and I will try to help. I buy then whenever and wherever I see them. I’m also lucky enough to live near a Whole Foods, so I sometimes buy them from the bulk bins here.
Nutritional yeast gives things a cheese-y taste without using any dairy and it adds amino acids and Vitamin B, so it’s perfect here.
Chipotle peppers are jalapenos that have been smoked. The ones that come in the can are perfect to use here. These spicy peppers are a good source of vitamin A and potassium. Hot peppers contain more vitamin C than any other vegetable and they are good at fighting off the common cold. Whenever I have a cold I eat lots of hot sauce. So, if you like spice, as I do, use a generous amount of chipotles here. The main component of hot peppers is capsicum. Capsicum actually works with your body and mind to make you feel happy. It’s also good for reducing swelling and can relieve arthritic joint pain. If you have high blood pressure, check with your doctor before eating too many hot peppers because they can actually raise the blood pressure in some people.
Scallions, as I tell you often, are one of my favorites. In Chinese medicine, the root of the scallion is a healing herb (Cong Bai). I always keep scallions on hand in my refrigerator so that I can whip up a batch of cold and flu fighting tea (scallion roots and ginger) the second anyone feels that scratchy throat coming on. It helps the body sweat out toxins. Scallions are antiviral and antibacterial; they are good for the common cold and general nasal congestion — just don’t eat too many if you have a fever.
Garlic is amazing in its antiviral and antibacterial capabilities. Garlic is actually a Chinese herb (Da Suan). It’s used to kill toxins and parasites and also to reduce swelling in the body. It’s what I call a great “A” herb: anesthetic, antibacterial, anti fungal, antioxidant, antiviral, etc….
If you are looking for a comforting bowl of pasta, this roasted red pepper fettuccine will really hit the spot!
I would eat pasta every day if I could. There’s just something about it that’s so comforting to me. The bite and texture of perfectly cooked home made fettuccine just takes me to an awesome place. My favorite thing about visiting Italy is all of the amazing and simple pasta dishes… each time I go I dream about them for weeks to come. (And yes, I’m well aware that if this is what’s filling my dreams, I have a bit of a problem.)
For years, since I stopped eating most grains, I felt deprived (cue the sad-face emoji here). But now that I’ve found so many great grain-free pastas, I am doing the happy dance!
The fettuccine I used in this recipe is grain-free. It’s made from almonds (by Cappello’s) and it has the same texture and taste of homemade traditional fettuccine.
I’m a little out of control though. I’m making so many different sauces and condiments to put on my pasta dishes, that my freezer is overflowing and I’ve become a bit of a food pusher to anyone who comes near my kitchen. The sauce for this roasted red pepper fettuccine is so good that the leftover container didn’t even make it to the freezer; I ate it several days in a row. My intention was to use it as a sauce for vegetables during the week, but I ate it on pasta, again. And again.
I am not a big fan of jarred roasted red peppers for this recipe, but it’s so easy to roast your own that you really should do it this way. You can roast them in the oven, or if you have a gas stove, you can just plop the pepper right on the flame like I do.
This pasta and sauce combination is amazing:
Bell peppers help with indigestion. If you are feeling bloated and full from over-eating a lot lately, consuming bell peppers will help reduce this feeling. They are also good for blood circulation and research has shown that they are good for people with a low appetite or anorexia.
In Chinese medicine, we use tomatoes to aid in digestion and to help detoxify the body. They are also good to combat excess cholesterol, lessen inflammation and curb asthma. Tomatoes can also quench thirst, and they can help fight some kidney infections. This recipe contains sun dried tomatoes, which have the same great capabilities and also taste amazing!
Basil has anti-viral and anti-bacterial capabilities. It also is good for settling your stomach, and it’s good at lessening the symptoms of the common cold and its accompanying cough. Basil is a spiritual herb — the scent actually calms you; you can boil some in a pot and let the aroma fill the air, you can just leave some around the house, you can toss a bunch in your bath water (I love to do this), or you can use an essential oil with basil to get some great calming effects.
In Asian medicine, nuts are known to be good for your brain, heart, skin and reproductive system. Almonds are particularly nutritious. They are a good source of protein and they give you energy. And, they are gluten-free. Almonds will help relieve a cough and asthma and are also good for constipation. So, if you use a grain-free pasta made from almonds, like I did, you get these amazing nutritional benefits too!
I used grain-free pasta and tossed it with the most amazing vegan sauce! This is easy, it's delicious, it's healthy... and it makes for awesome leftovers!
Ingredients
2 red bell peppers, roasted (you can do this in the oven or on top of a gas flame) and peeled
10 sun dried tomatoes, not packed in oil (soaked in hot water for about 10 minutes and then drained)
8 large basil leaves
sea salt and black pepper to taste
2 Tbs extra-virgin olive oil
pinch of dried hot red pepper flakes
1 pint multi-colored small tomatoes, halved or quartered
¼ cup cilantro, roughly chopped
about ½ lb of your favorite pasta (try a grain-free one) (I used Cappello's fettuccine)
* Note: this recipe makes enough sauce for at least twice as much pasta as indicated, so if you have extra, be sure to store it in the fridge or freezer for another meal!
Instructions
Put the roasted peppers, sun-dried tomatoes, basil, salt and pepper, oil, and hot red pepper flakes into a blender. Whiz it up until smooth.
Pour the sauce into a pot and place it over medium heat just until very warm.
Cook the pasta al dente.
Drain the pasta and toss it with sauce.
Gently mix in fresh tomatoes and cilantro.
Enjoy!
3.5.3208
https://kitchenofyouth.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/fettuccini-with-roasted-red-pepper-sauce-2649.jpg1000821Stacey Isaacshttps://kitchenofyouth.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/mainlogo@2x-e1524021900779-180x180.pngStacey Isaacs2016-05-13 10:21:272018-05-16 15:46:53Roasted Red Pepper Fettuccine
Sweet potato spaghetti marinara is a great alternative to traditional pasta!
A few years ago I bought a spiralizer and I started spiralizing everything. I became one of those annoying people who forced new creations on anyone who came into my house. While some of them were excellent, some were… well… really, really bad. Just because you can make pasta ribbons and spaghetti out of lots of things, doesn’t mean you should.
So, I took a break from my spiralizer.
Now, let me tell you about this amazing marinara sauce. Because it is truly is amazing. A few weeks ago I spent 5 glorious days on vacation in Anguilla. I had the honor of being able to cook with a great chef from Italy and we made his favorite simple pasta sauce. This is my version of his recipe (I used parsley instead of basil because I wanted to try it and I had some great looking parsley in my fridge) — it’s simple and it’s delicious!
I walked into Whole Foods the other day, and in the produce department, there they were — containers of pre-cut sweet potato spaghetti. They called my name. So, I’m back at it again… and I’m excited to make these sweet potato noodles so many different ways. But for now, I wanted a vehicle for this great sauce.
This sweet potato spaghetti marinara is awesome. It was a great experiment (I’m sure there will be some more losers along the way, but this recipe is great) and it was even good cold out of the refrigerator during the week.
Here are some of the reasons you should make this sweet potato spaghetti marinara recipe:
Sweet potatoes are good for your digestive system. They can be good for both constipation and diarrhea. These orange gems also help rid your body of excess water, are good for breast health, help people with diabetes and actually can help ease night blindness. In olden times, it was common in China to rub mashed sweet potatoes on poison insect bites to remove the toxins. I haven’t tried this, but if you see me looking a tad orange, this will be why…
Parsley has been shown to reduce tumors in the lungs and to neutralize the effects of carcinogens, including cigarette smoke. It is high in vitamins A and C, and is good for your heart. This herb is also a natural breath freshener. So, if you have a chance to use more than a few sprigs as a garnish, go for it.
In Chinese medicine, we use tomatoes to aid in digestion and to help detoxify the body. They are also good to combat excess cholesterol, lessen inflammation and curb asthma. Tomatoes can also quench thirst, and they can help fight some kidney infections.
Scallions, as I tell you often, are one of my favorites. In Chinese medicine, the root of the scallion is a healing herb (Cong Bai). I always keep scallions on hand in my refrigerator so that I can whip up a batch of cold and flu fighting tea (scallion roots and ginger) the second anyone feels that scratchy throat coming on. It helps the body sweat out toxins. Scallions are antiviral and antibacterial; they are good for the common cold and general nasal congestion — just don’t eat too many if you have a fever.
Who doesn't like spaghetti marinara? Well, here's a great one, but the spaghetti here is made from sweet potatoes... awesome!
Ingredients
1 lb sweet potato spaghetti noodles (I was able to buy them pre-spiralized, but you can spiralize a few large peeled sweet potatoes yourself)
2 Tbs extra-virgin olive oil
sea salt and black pepper
1 very large shallot, peeled and quartered (feel free to use an onion instead)
2 garlic cloves
¼ cup packed parsley (leaves and stems)
1 28-oz can tomatoes with basil (use whatever canned tomatoes you have on hand)
For topping:
2 Tbs extra-virgin olive oil
3 scallions, sliced
¼ cup parsley
Instructions
Blanch the sweet potato spaghetti in a pot of salted hot water for 20 seconds, then drain it and set it aside.
Make the sauce: In a large saucepan, heat the oil.
Add the shallot, garlic, and parsley.
Cook, over low heat for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Carefully pour the tomatoes into the pot, season generously with salt and pepper, and let the sauce cook for 45-minutes, stirring occasionally.
Let the sauce cook a little bit, and then blend it in a standard blender or use an immersion blender, until it's very smooth.
Pour the sauce back into the pot, add the sweet potato noodles, and cook over low heat about 5 minutes or until the noodles are cooked, but still al dente.
Meanwhile, sauce the scallions and ¼ cup parsley in 2 Tbs oil for about 1-min.
Top the spaghetti with the sautéed scallions and parsley,
This deliciously healing chicken with artichokes and sun dried tomatoes is made in a single pan!
The night before I was to leave on vacation a few weeks ago, I was making dinner. I knew I wanted to cook something that would last for several days in the fridge… because… wait for it… I was going to a gorgeous beach with my sister — no husbands and no kids!!! I wanted to be nice and leave Steve some food.
I was perusing some of the blogs I love and I came across a dish from Diethood that made my mouth water and was a one-pan meal. I put a bit of my own spin on it and made it fit our needs and wow, it was really good.
I love simple roast chicken. This is simple roast chicken with some great add-ins. It’s chicken with artichokes and sun dried tomatoes. It’s chicken with lots of flavor. It’s healthy. It also has spinach. And carrots. And onion. And it makes for awesome leftovers for several days.
This is the perfect weeknight meal. It’s a great make-ahead main course for when you are entertaining. It’s just a great dish.
Oh yeah, and it’s really easy.
I’m on a big customized-recipe-creation kick right now (okay… always…), so let me customize a recipe for you that will work for whatever’s going on in your body now… I’m such a geek that I really do get excited about doing this. I’ve got a chicken recipe with your name on it… So CLICK HERE to be taken directly into my calendar to sign up for your free phone consultation.
Chicken is something I push people to buy organic if possible. Organic chicken is a great, healthy protein to give you energy, lessen the pain of some types of arthritis, and boost your system when you are particularly weak — like after surgery or childbirth. People who have some conditions that we consider “excess heat” conditions should limit the amount of chicken they eat. So, if you have an illness that gives you a bright red tongue or severe dryness in your body, check with your doctor first. For example, if you have a lot of burning stomach acid, you should avoid chicken for awhile…
Artichokes are a good source of vitamins C and K and they also contain a healthy amount of magnesium. The are low in fat and calories but they do have some fiber, so they are a healthy choice. In Chinese medicine, we recommend adding artichokes to the diet to combat sadness, headaches, indigestion, and diarrhea. In olden times, steamed artichokes were sometimes prescribed to combat a yeast infection.
It is true that spinach contains iron, but it’s this vegetable’s lesser-known qualities that really hold my admiration. Spinach contains a substance that helps eliminate prostate cancer. It’s also great for your bones and also for memory loss. Diabetic patients may find that eating spinach helps combat excessive thirst and can even be good for night blindness. Spinach can inhibit the body’s ability to absorb calcium, so calcium-rich foods should be avoided when eating this leafy green.
In Chinese medicine, we use tomatoes to aid in digestion and to help detoxify the body. They are also good to combat excess cholesterol, lessen inflammation and curb asthma. Tomatoes can also quench thirst, and they can help fight some kidney infections. This recipe contains sun dried tomatoes, which have the same great capabilities and also taste amazing!
Carrots help strengthen the organs in your body. They also are good for the eyes (this is their claim to fame) and they promote healthy digestion. Many moons ago, people used to make carrot tea to ward off measles and to prevent cancer. Carrots help detoxify the body and in today’s world of Chinese medicine, they are prescribed to ease constipation and tonsillitis.
If you make this Chicken With Artichokes And Sun Dried Tomatoes recipe, please be sure to let me know in the comments below. I love hearing how you like a recipe, and I love to answer your questions! If you make it, be sure to take a photo and tag me and post it on Instagram.
This one-pan meal is so comforting, so easy, and so healthy. It's flavorful roast chicken and great vegetables and it's delicious!
Ingredients
2 chicken breasts on the bone, cut in half
6 chicken drumsticks
2 Tbs extra-virgin olive oil
sea salt and black pepper
1 med onion, sliced
3 carrots, sliced
1 14-oz can artichoke hearts, drained, and cut in quarters
a big handful of sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil (I used 10 large ones)
5 oz fresh spinach
½ cup vegetable broth
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 425°F.
Season the chicken generously with salt and pepper
Heat the oil in a large oven-proof skillet.
Place the chicken in the hot oil and brown it on all sides.
Remove the chicken to a plate.
Add the onion, carrots, sun-dried tomatoes, and artichoke hearts to the skillet and sauté just until the veggies start to soften a bit.
Add the broth and the spinach and stir just until it starts to wilt.
Arrange the chicken in the pan with the veggies.
Place the pan in the oven and roast until the chicken is cooked through. (My chicken took 35 minutes in the oven because my white meat pieces were large and the rest was dark meat.)
Remove from oven and place the hot skillet directly on a trivet on your table -- it's beautiful! Enjoy!
3.5.3208
https://kitchenofyouth.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/chicken-with-artichokes-2431.jpg1000777Stacey Isaacshttps://kitchenofyouth.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/mainlogo@2x-e1524021900779-180x180.pngStacey Isaacs2016-04-27 15:40:252018-07-18 12:33:12Chicken With Artichokes And Sun Dried Tomatoes
One of the first things my mother-in-law asked me to cook was a kugel for Passover. She wanted a real kugel, as she put it, not one of my healthy recipes. So, she gave me a recipe and asked me to follow it. I think that kugel had two sticks of butter in it and a bucket of matzo meal!
This year, I won’t be home for Passover. A few months ago I had to postpone a trip because I had the flu and the only time my sister and I could reschedule for was Passover week. So, I had to decide between the traditional family seder or a trip to Anguilla with my sister to celebrate our big birthdays… I picked the trip… so don’t judge me… I will, however, miss this paleo vegetable kugel!
Here is my healthy answer to kugel. It’s delicious and it’s made with tons of fresh veggies and a little bit of oil and tapioca flour. Steve and I ate it for dinner last week as I was testing out the recipe. It’s a kugel (even if not as traditional as my mother-in-law would like) but it’s healthy and it’s good enough to serve any time of year.
And the leftovers are awesome for breakfast. A few sunny-side-up eggs served on top of a plate of this kugel… oh my, it’s like an awesome breakfast hash…
If you are looking for a great Paleo dessert to serve, try my Paleo Lemon Cake recipe.
This is the healthiest kugel in the world:
Leeks are known as “grass from the sun”. They are especially beneficial when the whether is still warm but starting to turn cold, or still cold and starting to turn warm (Spring and Fall). They are great for the liver and at helping the body relieve itself of toxins. Leeks are also good at helping constipation; they help the body rid itself of toxins in the digestive tract.
Potatoes are good at soothing ulcers and neutralizing acid in the stomach and they help relieve constipation. These tubers also can help relieve arthritic inflammation. So, even though sweet potatoes are thought of as the white potato’s more nutrition sister, regular old potatoes can be just what the doctor ordered.
Sweet potatoes are good for your digestive system. They can be good for both constipation and diarrhea. These orange gems also help rid your body of excess water, are good for breast health, help people with diabetes and actually can help ease night blindness. In olden times, it was common in China to rub mashed sweet potatoes on poison insect bites to remove the toxins. I still haven’t tried this, but if need be, I will!
Zucchini cools your body off and makes you feel better during those hot days of summer. It helps your body release excess heat and it will make your mind feel more calm.
Onions are great for your immune system; they are a natural antihistamine. Recently, I recommended that a patient with bronchitis put sliced raw onions in her socks when she went to sleep… she woke up so much better. (I know I’ve told you this before, but it really is awesome!) Onion is a superhero in the food world!
Tapioca is a starch that comes from the cassava plant. It’s not really a flour in the traditional sense; it’s grain and gluten free. It’s good for your circulation and your digestion. Oftentimes I will make recipes with tapioca flour — it seems to crisp things up well and it works as a great thickener too.
2-/2 Tbs extra virgin olive oil, divided, plus and extra 2-tsp to grease the pan
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 375°F.
Heat 1 Tbs oil in a large skillet.
Add the leeks and some salt and sauté until they start to brown, about 15 minutes.
Put all of the chopped vegetables into a large bowl. Add the sautéed leeks and the tapioca flour. Season with salt and pepper.
Add the eggs and stir until combined well.
Grease a 9x13 baking dish with 2 tsp of oil.
Spread the vegetable mixture into the dish.
Bake until the top starts to brown a bit, about 45 minutes.
Remove from the oven and cool on a rack for at least 15 minutes.
Cut into pieces.
NOTE: When I cut this when it was too warm, it was hard to keep some of the pieces in neat squares, so if you can, let it cool completely (even in the fridge) before you cut it. I will say, though, that it was just as delicious when I cut it hot even if it didn't look quite as pretty!
