Try a mix of golden and red beets for even more vibrant color. Using both the roots and the greens, this salad makes full use of the many benefits of the mighty, yet humble, beet. In fact, the greens are the most nutrient-rich part of the beet. Beet greens are a member of the revered group known as dark green leafy vegetables; they provide even more magnesium, and a better calcium: magnesium ratio than other members of the group. Beet greens are also particularly high in vitamins K, A and C, as well as iron.

Prep

• 4 medium size beets
• Extra virgin olive oil
• ¼ cup shallots
• 4 garlic cloves
• 2 tablespoons mint
• 2 tablespoons cilantro

Remove greens from beets and set aside. Drizzle whole beets with extra virgin olive oil and roast in a foil packet at 350° until tender, 25 minutes to an hour, depending on the size of the beets. If there is any oil left over in the packet, save for the dressing. Let cool enough to handle, peel and chop into bite-sized pieces or slices.
While beets are baking, prepare the remainder of the ingredients. Peel and dice shallots. Peel and finely chop garlic. Chop mint, cilantro and beet greens.
 
Marinade

• 1½ tablespoons sherry vinegar
• 1 teaspoon Blackstrap molasses
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Stir together the vinegar, molasses, olive oil, and salt and pepper to taste. Toss with the warm beets and marinate for 2 to 3 hours at room temperature or in the refrigerator.
 
Salad

• ¼ teaspoon mustard seeds
• ¼ teaspoon cumin seeds

Heat 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil in a skillet over medium heat, add shallots and ½ the garlic. Sauté for a few minutes until onion is translucent. Add mustard seeds, stirring frequently. When the mustard seeds begin to pop, add the cumin seeds. Add in beet greens and sauté for a few more minutes, stirring frequently.
 
Dressing

• ½ cup plain goat yogurt
• ¼ teaspoon Himalayan Salt
• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Mash the remainder of the garlic and salt. Stir into the yogurt. Add pepper. Drain the beets, saving some of the marinade to stir into the yogurt. Add beets to dressing and toss gently to coat.
 
Serve

• 2 tablespoons pine nuts

Make a bed of beet greens on the plates. Place the beets in the center of the greens and top with pine nuts, mint and cilantro.

Preparation: 20 minutes active, 3 – 4 hours for baking and marinating
Serves: 4

Visually stunning, this recipe also provides a wealth of textures and health benefits. Farro is an ancient grain that has been used in Italy for centuries. Farro has twice the fiber and protein of modern wheat. While farro does contain gluten, the gluten molecules are reported to be weaker than modern wheat, so it is easier to digest. Farro has a nutty flavor similar to brown rice. Pumpkin seeds are a fantastic source of zinc, which supports immune function and skin health.
 
Prep

• 1 cup farro
• 2 cups chicken broth
• ¼ cup pumpkin seeds
• ⅓ cup cilantro
• 1 cup spinach
• 1 clove garlic
• ½ cup celery
• ½ lemon

 
Cook farro in a medium saucepan with broth. Bring to a boil, cover and reduce heat to simmer. Continue to cook until tender, about 30 minutes. Drain, allow to cool.
 
Toast pumpkin seeds in a dry skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally.
Finely chop cilantro, spinach and garlic. Slice celery and lemon.
 
Assemble

• 3 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon walnut oil
  
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon ground pepper

 
In a small bowl, combine oils, salt and pepper, whisk gently. In a large bowl, combine cilantro, spinach and garlic. Toss with oil mixture. Stir in celery, salt, pepper, and pumpkin seeds. Stir in farro. Sprinkle with feta and cranberries. Toss again right before serving.
 
Serve
Serve with a squeeze of lemon.
 
Preparation: 45 minutes
Serves: 4

This salad is sweet and tangy, providing a wealth of taste sensations as well as an abundance of vitamins, minerals, fiber and protein. You might be surprised to see maple syrup included here, but don’t be, this natural sweetener is a powerful antioxidant, providing B vitamins, and minerals such as zinc and potassium. Black-eyed peas are a good source of soluble fiber, potassium, folate, manganese and beta-carotene.
 
Prep

• ½ cup cashews
• 1 cup dried black-eyed peas

 
Chop cashews and toast in a dry skillet over medium-high heat, stirring frequently. Remove from heat and set aside.
 
If using dried black-eyed peas, cook according to package directions to make two cups cooked beans. Drain, rinse and set aside to cool. Substitute drained and rinsed canned beans, if you prefer.
 
Dressing

• 1 large garlic clove
• ½ inch ginger
• ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
• juice of 2 limes
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• ½ teaspoon Himalayan salt
• ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper

Mince garlic and grate ginger. Whisk together, along with olive oil, lime juice, turmeric, maple syrup, cumin, salt, and cayenne pepper. Set aside.
 
Salad

• ½ cup dried dates
• 4-6 carrots
• 1 bunch kale
• ⅓ cup fresh cilantro
• 1 avocado
• ½ cup goat feta or parmesan cheese

 
Chop dates into small pieces, being mindful of the pits. Shred enough carrots to make 1½ cups. Chop kale, including stems. Chop cilantro. Peel and dice avocado.
 
In a medium bowl, combine the carrots, black-eyed peas, dried dates, cashews, kale and cilantro. Mix in dressing and gently toss until everything is evenly coated. Toss in avocado and cheese. Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
 
Preparation: 45 minutes
Serves: 4

This recipe is a lovely way to introduce cabbage into the diet. Cabbage has numerous health benefits, not the least of which is the abundance of vitamins K and C. You’ll notice that there are very few wheat-based products in this cookbook. Occasionally, though, I do like to offer couscous and other pastas for a bit of variety. Of course, if you are avoiding wheat or gluten, feel free to substitute quinoa. When paired with the bountiful benefits of the vegetables and healing spices in this recipe, couscous offers a delightful texture as well as the trace mineral selenium, which is essential for the body and difficult to find in food sources.

Prep

• couscous
• 2 tablespoons cashews
• 1 yellow onion
• 2 cups savoy cabbage
• ¼ cup cilantro
• 1 sweet potato
• 4 dates
• 1 tablespoon fresh ginger
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 lime
• 1 can chickpeas

Cook couscous according to package directions to make 4 servings. Chop cashews and toast in a dry skillet over medium heat, stirring frequently. Set aside.

Chop onion, cabbage and cilantro. Finely dice sweet potato. Pit and chop dates. Grate ginger. Mince or press garlic. Cut lime into wedges. Rinse and drain chickpeas.

Curry

• 1 tablespoon coconut oil
• 1½ teaspoon cumin
• 1 tablespoon coriander
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• 2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
• 1 can coconut milk

Sauté onion, cumin, coriander, turmeric and pepper in a large skillet over medium heat, until onion begins to soften. Stir in cabbage, sweet potato, chickpeas, dates, ginger and garlic. Sauté an additional five minutes. Add broth, reduce heat and cover.

Simmer until sweet potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Stir in coconut milk, warm a few minutes longer.

Serve
Serve over couscous, topped with cashews, cilantro and a squeeze of lime.

Preparation: 45 minutes
Serves: 4

I find this dish more interesting and enjoyable, and I like the added dimension of red potatoes. Spinach is high in antioxidants and is a rich source of folate and vitamin C. Folate is the form of folic acid found in food. Folic acid is a member of the B vitamin family. Low folate levels are connected with poor cognitive function and dementia in the elderly. Spinach also contains a wide variety of phytonutrients, including flavonoids and carotenoids. Spinach’s flavor compounds have been shown to have powerful anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties.

Prep

• 1 large shallot
• 1 tablespoon cilantro or parsley
• 1½ cups shiitake or other mushrooms
• 2 cups fresh spinach
• 1 medium sweet potato

Finely chop shallot and cilantro or parsley. Coarsely chop mushrooms and spinach. Thinly slice sweet potato.

Frittata

• 8 eggs
• ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
• ½ teaspoon turmeric
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  
• 2 tablespoons vegetable or chicken broth

 
Beat together eggs, cheese, turmeric, and salt. Set aside.

In large skillet, heat 3 tablespoons olive oil and broth over medium low heat. Add shallot, and stir often until soft (3–5 minutes). Add mushrooms and sauté until tender (3–5 minutes). Stir in spinach and cilantro and sauté 2 minutes, and then add mixture to egg mixture.

In large skillet, heat remaining oil over medium heat, fully coating bottom of skillet. Spread sweet potatoes over bottom of skillet in one or two thin layers and cook 5 minutes over medium heat. Pour egg and vegetable mixture over potatoes; turn heat down to low medium, and cover. Cook about 20 minutes, periodically checking to see if eggs are firm.

Serve
When done, run rubber spatula around edge of frittata, cut in wedges, and serve.

Preparation: 45 minutes
Serves: 4

You will end up with flavorful meat for chicken tacos, taco salads, or even Mexican flavored stir fry.  The chicken can last for more than one meal, giving you a base for multiple dinner options and lunches.

As we stay committed to wellness, we need to always adjust and be flexible without compromising nourishment essentials.  We know how time-consuming life can be, and sometimes cooking just isn’t a top priority.  That’s why we want to remind you this week to utilize that slow cooker so you can use cooking time to slow down and connect.  Enjoy this recipe and have fun experimenting in your life integrating quality food and quality time.

Prep

• 2 limes
  

Juice limes.

Slow cooker

• ½ cup fresh cilantro
  
• 1 packet of taco seasoning (I like Simply Organic gluten-free organic taco seasoning)
• ½ cup of water or you can add a mild jar of salsa instead
• 1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts

Add all ingredients to the slow cooker. This could be cooked on low all day, or you could set the slow cooker to high and cook for four hours. Once the chicken is cooked, use a fork to shred it, and stir well.

Serve

• 1 avocado
  
• shredded cheese
  
• salsa
• 1 tomato

Peel & slice avocado, dice tomatoes.

Spoon chicken into soft sprouted tortillas or organic taco shells. Top with cheese, avocado,  salsa, and tomatoes. Garnish with a few lime wedges.

Preparation: 10 minutes, plus 4 or 8 hours to cook
Serves: 4

Replete with antioxidants and anti-inflammatories, zesty chicken patties are filled with healing properties that will satisfy even the most discerning of palates. They are bright, colorful and pack a tasty punch. Make a big batch on the weekend for a week’s worth of easy lunches. Rolling the patties in hemp seeds provides a visual and textural surprise, as well as an added dose of Omega 3.

Prep

• 2 garlic cloves
  
• ⅔ cup cilantro
• 3 green onions
• 1 teaspoon fresh ginger

 
Peel and finely chop the garlic. Finely chop the cilantro and onions. Grate the ginger.

Patties

• 1 pound ground chicken
  
• 1 teaspoon red chile powder (or to taste)
• 1 teaspoon fish sauce
• ½ teaspoon Himalayan salt
• ½ teaspoon pepper
• ½ lime
• ½ teaspoon turmeric
• 2 tablespoon coconut oil
• 2 tablespoon hemp seeds

 
Mix garlic, cilantro onions and ginger along with the chicken, chile, fish sauce, salt, pepper, lime juice and turmeric. Form into patties, rub lightly with oil, and roll edges in hemp seeds.

Grill
Sauté or grill about 8 minutes on each side, or until done.

Serve
Mixed salad greens for serving

Serve over a bed of your favorite greens.
 
 
Preparation: 15 minutes
Serves: 4

Always a hit with the family, feel free to adjust the amount of chile peppers accordingly. Chile peppers owe their heat to capsaicin. Capsaicin is being studied as a treatment for sensory nerve fiber disorders. While I don’t often recommend nightshades such as chile peppers and tomatoes, in moderation, they do offer plenty of health benefits. If your body does not react well to them, by all means, leave them out. This tasty salad will still be delicious!
 
Prep

• 2 Thai chile peppers
  
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 inches fresh ginger
  
• ½ cup cilantro
• ½ cup basil
• ½ cup red onion
• 1 cucumber
• 2 tomatoes
• 1 pound flank steak
• 4 limes
• 1 head romaine

 
Seed and chop chile peppers. Peel and roughly chop garlic and ginger. Chop cilantro. Cut basil into ribbons. Thinly slice onion crosswise. Slice cucumber and tomatoes. Cut steak slices across the grain. Juice limes. Tear romaine leaves into bite-sized pieces.
 
Sauce

• ¼ cup tamari
  
• ¼ cup fish sauce
• 2 tablespoons blackstrap molasses

 
In a blender or a food processor, pulse peppers, garlic and ginger until finely chopped. Add tamari, fish sauce, molasses, cilantro and lime juice; process until well combined. Separate ⅓ cup of mixture for salad dressing, set aside.
 
Dressing

• ½ teaspoon toasted sesame oil
  

 
Whisk reserved sauce with sesame oil to make salad dressing.
 
Salad
In a large bowl, toss romaine, basil, onion, cucumber and tomatoes with salad dressing.
 
Steak

• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
  

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Sauté steak over medium-high heat for 1 minute per side and toss with remaining sauce.
 
Serve
Divide salad among dishes, top with steak slices.
 
Preparation: 20 minutes
Serves: 4

In addition to antioxidants, each cup of black beans provides 15 grams of protein and fiber. Black beans also contain small amounts of omega-3 fatty acids about 3 times as much as other beans. The cilantro not only adds depth to the flavor, but also has been shown to aid digestion and sooth inflammation. The cumin enhances the taste of the salad while promoting the assimilation of other foods. You can also substitute or add a variety of other ingredients such as dark green leafy vegetables and scallions.
 
Prep

• 1½ cups quinoa
  
• 1 can black beans
• 3 cups chicken broth
• 1 avocado
• 2 carrots
• 3 dates
• ½ cup cilantro
• 2½ limes

Rinse and drain quinoa and beans. In a saucepan, bring broth to a boil, add quinoa, cover and simmer on low heat until all the water is absorbed and quinoa is tender, about 10 – 15 minutes. Allow to cool.
Peel and chop avocado. Grate carrots. Chop dates and cilantro. Juice limes.

Dressing

• 1½ tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  
• 1 teaspoon cumin, or more to taste
• ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
• ¼ teaspoon salt

In a small bowl, combine lime juice, vinegar, cumin, oil, and salt; whisk.

Salad

• ⅓ cup goat cheese crumbles
  

In a large bowl, mix cooked quinoa, beans, avocado, carrots, dates and cilantro. Pour dressing over quinoa mixture, sprinkle in crumbled goat cheese, toss gently.

Serve
Dish onto plates, enjoy!

Preparation: 30 minutes
Serves: 4

Marinating is a great way to add interest to chicken.
If you are a fan of dark meat, go ahead and substitute for the chicken breasts. The molasses marinade gives the chicken a lovely, rich sweetness and a beautiful color. This dish pairs well with cooked grains and mixed greens. Blackstrap molasses is rich in vitamins and minerals, particularly iron, manganese, copper, calcium, potassium, magnesium, vitamin B6 and selenium. Ginger contains powerful anti-inflammatory compounds. Clinical studies have shown that people with osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis experience reduced pain levels and improvements in their mobility when they consume ginger regularly. Growing evidence demonstrates the antioxidant properties of miso.

Marinade

• 1 inch piece fresh ginger
• ⅓ cup balsamic vinegar
• ⅓ cup blackstrap molasses
• ¼ teaspoon pepper
• 1½ teaspoon red miso
• 1 teaspoon rice wine
• ½ teaspoon turmeric
• 1 tablespoon water
• 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Grate ginger. In a small pot over medium heat, warm vinegar, molasses, ginger and pepper. Bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat.

Combine miso, rice wine, turmeric and water; stir in to molasses mixture. Allow to cool.

Set ½ of the marinade aside. Refrigerate chicken in remaining marinade, 2 hours.

Remove chicken from marinade and discard used marinade.
Preheat oven to 350°.

Prep

• 1 bunch green onions
• ⅓ cup cilantro
• quinoa or another grain

Chop green onions and cilantro.
Prepare grains according to package directions, enough to make four servings of cooked grains.

Chicken
Bake chicken, covered, in an oiled baking dish, 45 minutes or until cooked through.

Serve

• 2 cups mixed greens

Serve chicken alongside your favorite grain and mixed greens. Drizzle with remaining unused marinade.

Garnish with green onions and cilantro.

Preparation: 20 minutes active, 2 hours to marinate and 45 minutes to bake
Serves: 4