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Recipes to Inspire: Volume 2

Nov 10

Posted by Shari B. in Cooking, Recipes to Inspire | 3 Comments

Hi blog buds!

Hope your week has been fantastic!  Things here are HOPPING on this end for sure!  I have some travel coming up (again, I know!) so if you notice a lag in posts for few days, that’s why.  The super-exciting part is that I’ll be seeing TWO of my favorite blog participants on this trip! :D

As promised here is the next installment in the Recipes to Inspire Series.  A lot of the recipes I have been perusing lately had much to do with what seemed to be overflowing in my refrigerator.  But then I got so busy cooking client recipe tests that I haven’t had any time to make any of these!  They are on my list for sure though.

Pumpkin Seed Cilantro Pesto

This recipe is actually is for a main dish of Pan-Seared Salmon – but it’s the pesto that interests me.  I always have pepitas (raw pumpkin seed kernels) on hand and cilantro is a heck of a lot cheaper than basil at the store.  (I miss having herbs at-hand from my garden – I really need to start a new herb garden indoors in my AeroGrow to get me through the winter.)

Shari Tweaks:  usually basil pesto has Parmesan cheese in it and I noticed this recipe doesn’t include any cheese.  So I think I might consider tossing in a little bit of nutritional yeast to provide a hint of cheese flavor as well as boost the protein a smidge.  The other change I think might be fun would be to use avocado oil in lieu of olive oil.

Roasted Mushroom and Sunchoke Bisque

I adore mushrooms.  I bought a HUGE package of baby bellas which had me looking for creative ways to use them up.  This unique bisque really caught my eye.  I love that it uses sunchokes and I never really do much with them, so this would be a great excuse to pick some up.  Also known as a Jerusalem artichoke, sunchokes are actually the root of a certain type of sunflower. We used these on occasion in school, and I liked them.

Shari Tweaks:  You know, I don’t think I’d change this much.  Mainly I’d switch out the olive oil for a different cooking oil since I don’t like to heat my olive oil, so I’d use coconut oil.  And in lieu of the soymilk I’d probably use almond milk, but the recipe author stated that the ‘milk’ part was optional anyway.  I’m excited to try this one!

Stuffed Portobello Mushroom Wellington

I’m still stuck on mushrooms, it seems.  :)    This recipe totally intrigues me because every single season of Hell’s Kitchen with Gordon Ramsay shows the chef contestants having to deal with regular Wellingtons (beef), which actually look quite challenging.  And every season, I think to myself that I need to make a Wellington of some sort, maybe a beef one for Cory and a veggie version for me.  Then I saw this recipe last week and it looks even better than a regular Wellington (and maybe less work too, which you know is always a plus in my book!).  This one is basically a deconstructed version, in that it’s mostly just a stuffed mushroom with a piece of the pastry on top.  Doesn’t it look pretty, though?  This is what I was thinking about for Thanksgiving (if I even end up cooking anything that day).  This looks like something fun to serve guests for sure!

Shari Tweaks:  Like the previous one, I actually think this recipe looks great just how it is so there’s not much I’d change.  I don’t have any champagne vinegar and the last thing I need is another varietal of vinegar in my pantry so I’ll most likely use apple cider vinegar instead.  And I’ll sub out the olive oil for grapeseed as well as ghee for the butter.  That’s all I’d do!

***

What do you think?  Anything look good?  Have you ever eaten a SUNCHOKE?  Do you love MUSHROOMS like I do?

Have a wonderful weekend friends!

– Shari B. =)

 

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Blackberry Spread

Oct 17

Posted by Shari B. in Recipes | 6 Comments

Where on earth is this month going? I can’t even believe it’s past mid-October and that Halloween is right around the corner.  It’s the middle of the day as I type this and only 46 degrees outside (brrrr!).  I have my space heater pointed at my feat already.  I can’t complain though because Saturday it was 84 and GLORIOUS.

I was excited to see that you like the idea of a series of “Recipes to Inspire” and that you like to see how I would go about tweaking them.  I’ll be sure to do more posts like that!

I was also recently inspired when someone asked me about making a healthier version of jams/jellies since so many of them are so high in sugar, and often times you find a lot of extra stuff in them, whether it’s artificial sweeteners, high fructose corn syrup or preservatives. I instantly suggested using the sea vegetable agar agar along with blended fruit.

So of course I had to give it a try!

If you are new to agar agar, don’t let the fact that it’s a sea veggie deter you from giving it a try.  It’s very similar to using gelatin, but in a vegetarian version derived from red algae.  It provides fiber and volume without adding any calories.  And all you are going to taste is the food you mix it with – I promise your jam won’t taste like seafood!

Gingered Blackberry Spread (“Jam”)

by Natural Chef Shari Becht
Yield:  ~ 1 cup

1 cup frozen organic blackberries

2/3 cup water

1 ½ teaspoons agave nectar (or other sweetener of choice such as raw honey or organic maple syrup)

1 teaspoon minced ginger (I use a jarred version by The Ginger People)

Pinch of stevia (optional)

2 teaspoons agar agar flakes

In a blender, add all ingredients except for the agar agar.  Blend until puréed into a liquid.

Pour the purée into a medium saucepan and bring to a light boil over medium-high heat.  Once the purée is bubbling, add the agar agar flakes and stir vigorously at first to dissolve the flakes and avoid clumping.  Allow mixture to bubble for 5 minutes, stirring often.

Remove from heat and carefully transfer into a glass jar.  Set aside at room temperature for 10-20 minutes, long enough to slightly cool and stop steaming. Place in the refrigerator (uncovered) for 2 to 3 hours to chill, which allows the agar agar flakes to ‘gel’ fully.  At this point, a lid can be placed on the jar.

Notes:

1.)    People/kids who are used to eating a much higher sugar content in their foods might find this to be less than sweet on their palate so feel free to add a little additional sweetener during transition.  I tried to keep the sugar as low as possible while still having a somewhat sweet flavor.

2.)    Make in small batches in order to use within a week or two.

3.)    Play with flavors you like – I used frozen blackberries because it’s what I had on hand, and ginger pairs well with blackberries.  Be creative with what you have in your kitchen – you might come up with an amazing combination!  (Agar doesn’t play as well with citrus fruits though, just as an FYI – you need more flakes for acidic blends/juices.)

Slather this on your toast (and your kids’ toast) knowing that they are getting a much healthier alternative. I could even see this being a fun way to make CRANBERRY SAUCE for Thanksgiving! Let me know if you try it!

– Shari B. =)

***

Shari Becht is a Certified Natural Chef, Fit Living Coach and ACE Certified Personal Trainer.  She is extremely passionate about teaching people how they can take steps to fit healthy habits into their busy lives.   If you or someone you know would like to learn how to eat more healthfully, achieve a healthy bodyweight or incorporate more “FIT” into life, please feel free to email her at shari [at] fitfeat  [dot] com.  For more information, click here.

 

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Recipes to Inspire: Volume 1

Oct 12

Posted by Shari B. in Recipes, Recipes to Inspire | 9 Comments

A lot of the things I make in my own kitchen are ideas sparked by something I’ve seen or read that gets my creativity flowing.  I spend a LOT of my working time reading recipes, learning about new flavor combinations or techniques.  As a natural health food chef, many recipes I consider get tweaked since I have some food guidelines I tend to follow regularly in my eating habits and in those I instill in my clients.  I’m starting a new segment on FitFeat that I’d like to do occasionally to spotlight recipes I find around the web that I think look great and that will ultimately inspire me (and hopefully you too!) to create something from its “idea kernel”.

Each recipe is linked to its original location, so if you click on the title it will take you to the website.

And if you happen to try one of the recipes, stop back by and tell us how you liked it or what you did to make it your own style!

Winter Roots Pilaf in Parchment

I love this!  You see so many proteins featured “en papillote”, especially fish, so it’s nice to see a plant-based version take center stage.  I think this makes for a great presentation for dinner guests or even just a way to take an ‘everyday dinner’ up a notch in style and make a family meal feel more special.  Plus most of the prep work can be done a day ahead of time, with the final parchment packet only baking for 12 minutes, making it perfect for a “Meatless Monday” meal.

Shari Tweaks:  Most likely I’d only use the pine nuts if they were on sale because they are pretty expensive, or I would replace with chopped raw almonds.   I think it would be fun to sub in some purple potatoes and wild rice (or black rice) in this dish to give it some rich color and additional antioxidants.

Brussels Sprout Slaw

Brussels sprouts are greatly under-appreciated in everyday eating.  They are a nutritional powerhouse and I think they don’t get enough credit.  They can be delicious!  This slaw has great “Thanksgiving side dish potential” – very fall flavored with cranberries, maple syrup and pecans, and I appreciate that the slaw dressing is mustard and vinegar based rather than mayo or oil.

I also like that the sprouts are left raw, retaining their live food enzymes and vitamins.  I’ve been eating through a bag of Brussels sprouts this week, halving them, rubbing in coconut oil and then placing face down in a preheated saute pan to make their *faces* golden, then drizzling an orange vinaigrette over them on my plate.

Shari Tweaks:  I think adding some grated green apple to this would be fantastic as well!

Grape Leaves with Bulgur and Mint

I adore dolmas, but I never make them.  I almost always buy them pre-made at Whole Foods salad bar.  But I want to be able to put my own goodies on the inside, so they are on my list of foods to play with.  If you look at the ‘active time’ on this recipe of 2 hrs and 30 min, you’ll see why I haven’t made them yet.  You all know I don’t spend that kind of time making anything!  But that’s for 50, so I probably only need about 5 of them since I know Cory won’t eat them!

Shari Tweaks:  I’ve considered using leftover tabouleh wrapped in a steamed (or blanched) kale leaf – just haven’t done it yet but think it could be fun!  I also like to switch out grains to reduce gluten intake, so I’d probably sub in quinoa or millet in place of the bulgur.  Or maybe even cauliflower ‘rice’!

***

What do you think?  Are you hungry yet?  ;)   Is this a feature you’d like to see on the blog on a recurring basis?

Have a great evening blog buds!

– Shari B. =)

 ***

Shari Becht is a Certified Natural Chef, Fit Living Coach and ACE Certified Personal Trainer.  She is extremely passionate about teaching people how they can take steps to fit healthy habits into their busy lives. 

If you or someone you know would like to learn how to eat more healthfully, achieve a healthy bodyweight or incorporate more “FIT” into life, please feel free to email her at shari [at] fitfeat  [dot] com.  For more information, click here.

Caramel Pecan Godiva Coffee Pudding

Oct 11

Posted by Shari B. in Product Review, Recipes | 6 Comments

Hi friends!

Hope that you had a delightful weekend.  (For some of you maybe even a LONG weekend for the holiday!)  It was a busy one here – I had a working weekend for the most part.  And Saturday we woke up to a little snowstorm at our house!  First snow of the season.  I considered taking a picture of it, but I actually just wanted to ignore the fact that summer is over and pretend that I’m still here:

When I went out for exercise Sunday morning, my little weather buddy (Oscar) told me it was time to bundle up!

So I pulled out my down-filled running jacket, the hat, and the mittens!

Fortunately I had a little treat waiting to warm me up on the chilly weekend.  Back before vacation, I received a SUPER fun gift in the mail.  As a Foodbuzz Featured Publisher, every so often I get a chance to opt-in to the Tastemaker program to try a new product and post about it.  When I heard about the Godiva Coffee opportunity, I jumped at the chance to participate.  One, because you know I L-O-V-E coffee!  But two, because I also love visiting our local Godiva Chocolatier Store in Park Meadows.

I was excited to receive TWO full bags of the Godiva fall-inspired coffees in the mail.

So I’ve been enjoying some really delicious morning cups of coffee lately!  But rather than bore you with a latte recipe, I thought it would be fun to make it into something different to share with you.

How about a light, protein rich dessert?

Caramel Pecan Coffee-Infused Pudding

1/3 cup pre-brewed GODIVA Caramel Pecan Bark coffee

12 oz package of silken tofu (the vacuum packed shelved kind, such as Mori-Nu Organic)

3 tablespoons agave nectar (or 3+ tbsp. maple syrup)

½ teaspoon vanilla extract (more or less to taste)

Dash of sea salt

Dash of cinnamon

Combine all ingredients in food processor and process until smooth and all ingredients are incorporated.  Taste and adjust any flavors to your own liking (such as more/less sea salt, more/less vanilla).

Divide evenly into 4 fancy wine glasses or ramekins.  (Or you could serve them in tartlet crusts.)  Let them chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes in order to thicken prior to serving.

Garnish ideas:

Chopped pecans with a touch of agave drizzle and a couple of dried cranberries.  Festive!

If you’re not a coffee drinker, chances are you’ll still enjoy this.  The caramel pecan bark flavoring from the coffee is what you’ll notice most in this dessert rather than the ‘coffee’ flavor itself.

Have a FABULOUS day, blog buds!

– Shari B. =)

 

 

 

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Pretty in Pink: Gingered Pear Cooler

Oct 3

Posted by Shari B. in FitFeature, Lose Weight, Recipes, vegan | 3 Comments

Hi friends!

I hope you had a marvelous weekend.  The Colorado weather was absolutely STUNNING:  mid-eighties with blue skies.  Just perfect!

I made a simple, tasty concoction over the weekend that I thought you might enjoy.  It was thoroughly refreshing, very hydrating and quick.

Gingered Pear Cooler:

Serves 1

To a blender, add the following:

8 oz plain coconut water

1 organic red pear* (stem removed and cored, skin on)

1 teaspoon minced ginger** (for this I used a pre-minced ginger by The Ginger People)

3 or 4 ice cubes

Blend until smooth.  Pour into a pretty glass and enjoy!

*choosing an organic red skin pear allows you to keep the skin on and that’s what gives this drink it’s pretty pink color.  If you are not using an organic pear, please peel off the skin.

**the pre-minced ginger I use is lightly sweetened with cane sugar so if you use FRESH ginger (which is an awesome choice!) you may want to add just a touch of stevia to your blender if you feel you could use a bit more ‘sweet’.

 

Pears are GOOD for you!

The Mayo Clinic recommends pears for their high-fiber cholesterol fighting properties.  Pears contain pectin (in even higher levels than apples) which is known for the ability to bind to and remove cholesterol from the body.  The fiber in pears (and some other high-fiber foods) is also thought to bind to cancer-causing chemicals in the colon, making it beneficial for colon health.

For even more great info about pears and their health benefits, check out this link.

Have a great week friends!

– Shari B. =)

 

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Sweet and Tart Summer Beverage

Jun 7

Posted by Shari B. in Recipes | 5 Comments

Hi friends!

It’s going to be another warm one here today in Denver!  Upper 80s, I love it!

To keep you cool, here’s a little refreshment to whip up, carry out to the shade of your front porch and sip on while you rock in your rocking chair (swing in your swing, or glide on your glider – whatever you happen to have on your front porch!).

Cherry Limeade

makes one 8 oz drink – scale up as needed to accommodate guests that arrive on  your porch!  :)

Have at the ready 1 green (Granny Smith) apple, 1 small lime (both washed well) and a bag of frozen pitted cherries.  Because the skins of all three fruits will be going into this, find organic if you can.

Slice a little piece of the lime off to use in the juicer (no more than 1/4 of the lime or less per serving).

Run the green apple* and the lime piece (including the peel) through your electric juicer.  Transfer to your blender and add 4 frozen sweet cherries*.  Blend until smooth, maybe 40 seconds and serve immediately.  Rinse your blender and juicer with hot water quickly and park your backside out to the shade.

I used to LOVE limeade from Dairy Queen and Cherry Limeade from Sonic, back in my early 20s which was way before I learned to eat more naturally and with less added sugars.  What’s great about this is rather than buying premade drink mixes chock full of artificial ingredients, chemicals and added sugar, here you are getting all the healthy goodness of just good ol’ lime, apple and cherries.

Here’s an example of the ingredients from a premade cherry limeade drink mix: Citric Acid, Maltodextrin, Natural And Artificial Flavors, Aspartame, Red 40, Acesulfame Potassium, Calcium Citrate, Potassium Citrate, Calcium Silicate, Magnesium Oxide. (source)

Oddly there is NO juice in that mix!

Since this FitFeat version of Cherry Limeade is FRESH juice straight from the juicer, it’s still alive and full of enzymes, unlike bottled juices which have all been pasteurized.

Variations:

  • I like the tartness the lime peel provides to this, but if it’s too bitter for you by all means feel free to peel it.  You’ll want to use a little more of the lime in this case.
  • I like to use green Granny Smith apples because they are lower in sugar and therefore have less impact on your blood sugar since this is a juice.  Use whatever apple you prefer or have on hand.  Or you could even use a pear!
  • Switch out the lime for lemon (use a larger slice of lemon that you do lime) and try Cherry Lemonade.
  • You can skip the cherries altogether if you just want a limeade and don’t feel like cleaning your juicer AND your blender :)
  • If you want to make it spiffy, add some sparkling water for a more sophisticated drink to serve with appetizers.  (Or toss in some coconut rum or vodka for happy hour…!)

Let me know if you try it!  Stay cool today – I hope your summer is off to a fun start!

– Shari B. =)

*Note:  if you are going to do anything with the juice pulp after juicing apples, be sure to core and seed them.  Apple seeds (and cherry pits for that matter) are poisonous – especially to kids and dogs, if consumed in high enough quantities.  If you aren’t planning to consume the pulp in some other way then you can leave your apples whole or halved and toss straight into the juicer.

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Broccomole

May 5

Posted by Shari B. in Product Review, Recipes | 4 Comments

Hi blog buds!

A while back, as a part of the Foodbuzz Tastemaker program, I received some free samples of Tostitos Dip Creation mixes to try.  Of course, being the guacamole lover that I am, I decided to start with this packet:

And seeing how it’s Cinco de Mayo, I figured today would be a good day to share this particular creation.

Instead of using avocados as the directions stated, I thought it would be fun to try another green food.  You know I’m always looking for ways to boost my intake of green veggies.

How about trying it with a whole head of broccoli?

Truth be told, I was a little alarmed at the level of sodium in the dry mix so I figured that broccoli would not only keep the calories in check it would also provide a good amount of potassium to balance out some of the sodium.  If you were to use the entire packet, the sodium would be 1920 mg.  That’s a lot.  So I decided to use only half the packet and see how it would taste.

I steamed one head of broccoli florets for about 5 minutes, until they were bright green and fork tender, transferred them to my Blendtec with 1/2 packet of the guacamole mix and puréed.

Place into your favorite dip bowl and garnish:

Cover and place in refrigerator for a bit until the “Broccomole” chills out a bit.

Then enjoy with your favorite tortilla chips!

This was a really tasty snack and would be a great way to get those non-veggie loving friends or family members to boost their green veg intake as well.

One note:  you will want to eat this on the same day you make it.  Leaving it in the refrigerator overnight causes the broccoli flavor to get really strong. :)

You could also try this with green peas, green beans or edamame.

Happy Cinco de Mayo, friends!

– Shari B. =)

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Stuffed Kabocha Squash

Mar 19

Posted by Shari B. in Cooking, Recipes, vegan, Vegetarian | 5 Comments

Good morning friends!

I was a busy bee in the kitchen yesterday, trying some recipes that I want to freeze for later use.  One of the things I made I just couldn’t resist eating for dinner.

I roasted a kabocha squash then stuffed it with a revised version of my Indian Spiced Quinoa.  Because I was using what I had on hand, I substituted dried plums and basil for the dates and mint in the original version.

Stuffed Kabocha Squash with Indian Spiced Quinoa

Makes 2-4 servings (2 as a meal, 4 as a side dish)

  • 1/2 cup quinoa (measured dry)
  • 1 kabocha squash, halved and seeds removed
  • 3/4 tablespoon coconut oil
  • 1 small shallot, minced
  • 1 yellow pepper, chopped and seeds removed
  • 1 small finger of ginger, peeled and minced
  • ½  teaspoon minced garlic
  • 1 teaspoon garam masala
  • sprinkle of sea salt
  • 1 cup vegetable broth
  • 3 dried plums, finely chopped
  • 3-5 fresh basil leaves, chopped
  • ½  teaspoon balsamic vinegar

Directions

Soak quinoa for 30-60 minutes prior to cooking.  Rinse well, drain and set aside.

After quinoa is done soaking, preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Place halved, deseeded kabocha squash face down on a lightly greased baking sheet.  Roast for 30-35 minutes or until flesh is fork tender.

While kabocha is roasting, melt coconut oil over medium heat.  Add shallots, pepper, garlic, ginger, garam masala and a pinch of sea salt, stirring often until peppers soften, about 5 minutes.

Add quinoa and stir well to coat with spice mixture.

Add vegetable broth.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until quinoa begins to look fluffy and liquid has absorbed into the grains.

Allow quinoa to sit uncovered for 3-5 minutes.  Using a fork, mix in plums and basil leaves.  Divide mixture in two and stuff into the kabocha cavities.  Drizzle each very lightly with balsamic vinegar to finish.

If you are serving the squash as the entree, serve the full half like this:

If you are using it as a side dish you can serve cut into quarters (or even slice through into half-circles):

I did put half in the freezer because I’m curious how the textures and flavors will react with freezing and thawing.  I’ll come back out and update this post when I take that one out of the freezer.

Enjoy your Saturday and the LAST DAY of WINTER!  It’s definitely going to feel like spring here this weekend!  In the 70s!  Nice!

– Shari B. =)

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Veggie & Tempeh Stuffed Tomatoes

Feb 27

Posted by Shari B. in Cooking, Recipes, vegan, Vegetarian | 2 Comments

Hi friends!  Wow, Sunday got away from me!  Here is the second recipe from my final presentation for you.  Let me know if you try it!

Vegetable and Tempeh Stuffed Tomatoes with New Mexico Chile & Chipotle Sauce


A protein-rich meal that packs heat and flavor!  A great way to incorporate some vegetarian/vegan friendly meals into an omnivore’s menu rotation, while keeping the body’s pH in balance.
Serves 4 to 6

For the stuffed tomatoes

  • 4 to 6 large tomatoes
  • 1 tablespoon coconut oil
  • 1 small onion, finely chopped
  • 1 stalk celery, finely chopped
  • sea salt to taste
  • 4 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped
  • 2 teaspoons cumin
  • ½ teaspoon smoky paprika
  • 16 oz tempeh (2 lightlife at 8 oz each)
  • 4-5 medium kale leaves, woody stems removed, leaves cut in chiffonade (tiny ribbons)
  • 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
  • 2 teaspoons dulse flakes
  • ½ bunch of cilantro, chopped (woody lower portions of stems removed and discarded)
  • 2 limes, cut into wedges

For the sauce

  • ¾ cup vegetable stock
  • 3 to 4 large dried New Mexico (Anaheim) chiles, stems and seeds removed and discarded
  • ½ to 1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce (depending on level of heat desired)
  • 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons maple syrup
  • ½ tsp cumin
  • sea salt and pepper, to taste

Procedure

Slice tops off tomatoes.  Scoop out the insides to make a bowl-like vessel to stuff.  Reserve the inside of the tomatoes to use in the stuffing.

Preheat oven to 400.

Heat coconut oil in a medium pan over medium heat.  Sauté onion and celery sprinkled with a pinch of sea salt until the onions begin to caramelize, about 8 minutes.

Meanwhile, as the onions are sautéing, bring stock and chiles to a boil in a small saucepan. Cover; reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes. Transfer mixture to blender. Add vinegar, maple syrup and cumin. Blend until smooth, thinning with additional stock as needed for desired sauce thickness.  Season to taste with sea salt and pepper.

To the sautéed onions and celery, add in garlic and spices and sauté for another minute or two to allow the flavors to bloom.  Transfer the crumbled tempeh to the pan and add the kale.  Heat over medium heat just until the tempeh is warmed through and the kale is wilted, about 4 minutes.  Remove from heat, stir in nutritional yeast, dulse and cilantro.  Pour the sauce into the mixture and stir well, then fill the tomatoes with the mixture.  If the tomatoes don’t hold all of the filling (this can happen sometimes if the tomatoes are small), place the extra filling in the oven proof dish with the tomatoes.

Replace the tomato tops onto the tomatoes.  Cover loosely with foil to keep the tomato tops from burning.  Bake for 15-20 minutes.

When ready to serve, transfer tomatoes to a serving platter (spreading any extra filling on the platter first), garnish with a few sprigs of cilantro and set out some lime wedges for squeezing.

***

Have a GREAT start to your week!

– Shari B. =)

Ginger Pineapple Acai Smoothie

Feb 26

Posted by Shari B. in Recipes, vegan | 7 Comments

Hey friends!  Happy Saturday!

The sun is shining here which always energizes me!  I got up early, got in a quick but effective strength workout and then played around with a new green smoothie.  It was so refreshing I had to share it with you.  (And yes I promise my two recipes from my final will still be posted this weekend!)

Ginger Pineapple Acai Smoothie

Ingredients:

  • 10-12 oz water
  • 1 Sambazon Açai (pure unsweeened) frozen smoothie pack
  • 1 rounded tsp minced ginger (I love the pre-minced jarred one from The Ginger People)
  • 1/2 peeled cucumber, chunked
  • 1 cup frozen pineapple
  • 1 scoop raw sprouted grain protein powder
  • 1 cup frozen spinach
  • juice of 1/4 lemon (optional)

Place all of your ingredients in your blender (my Blendtec is well worn!):

Blend until everything is smooth!

Pour, garnish and enjoy!

It may not be the most beautiful color, but the flavor was wonderful!

Here are some of the health benefits of this smoothie:

  • GINGER is a warming food, which is handy to add to a very cooling drink like this, especially in winter months.  It is beneficial for good digestion and has strong anti-inflammatory properties.
  • PINEAPPLE is a great food to add to your post-workout smoothies.  One, because it is a high-glycemic fruit which is helpful in getting fuel quickly to your muscles to replenish glycogen stores after a workout but also because it contains BROMELAIN, which is a natural anti-inflammatory to help speed recovery and reduce soreness.
  • The SPINACH and CUCUMBER are green foods which are highly alkalizing and assist in maintaining alkalinity in the blood.  CUCUMBER promotes healthy connective tissue (and isn’t that part of why we exercise our bodies?) and is extremely hydrating.

And for those of you who like to know the calorie/macronutrient breakdown, it’s really balanced:

Are you guys still drinking your green smoothies?  What fun things have you been adding to yours?

***

As I was taking pictures for this post, I also figured this would be a great time to mention that I am a Blendtec affiliate now!  I absolutely LOVE my Blendtec and when I saw that I could apply to become an affiliate, I was psyched because I think they have the best blender.  (For some reason that *other* blender company that starts with a “V” and ends with “MIX” seems to get so much of the publicity.)  I’ve used the other brand in school, and I still far prefer my Blendtec.  They have a new WildSide jar (a five sided blender!) that I’ve had my eye on.  Maybe someday soon I’ll get one.  My smoothies are LARGE and the WildSide holds 3 quarts!  (I could make green smoothies for my whole neighborhood!  :) )  So if you ever decide to check out blenders in the future, I’d be super grateful if you check them out through my link (there’s a banner on the right side of the screen) – this girl’s gotta pay back her culinary school loan somehow and every penny helps, right?  ;)

Have a GREAT day and I’ll be back again soon with my recipes from class.

– Shari B. =)

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