The Kale and Everything Salad
Kale is one of the most nutritious greens we can eat but the leaves have a bit of a bitter flavor so there are two things you can do to get your kale and enjoy it, too. First, remove the leaves from the stems (throw the stems out; but don’t put them in the sink disposal) and rip the leaves (or cut them) into bite-sized pieces. Place the shredded kale in a medium sized bowl and sprinkle with the juice of 1/2 lemon. Massage the leaves (I always count to 100 and that seems to work). You will notice the leaves will darken as you massage. This is good.
The second way to make kale more palatable is to mix these super greens with bean and vegetables. Pick your favorites or just choose whatever is in the refrigerator or pantry. In less than 15 minutes, a scrumptious, super healthy salad will be ready to devour! Read more 
Organic Sweet Carnival Grapes
Last week my husband brought home a produce carry tote that contained “Organic Sweet Carnival Grapes” which were described as “as sweet as any carnival treat.” To be honest, my first thought was “cotton candy” which didn’t sound appetizing as I was never a fan of the sticky, puffy, blue and pink stuff sold at carnivals. But, I couldn’t have been more wrong.
Sweet Carnival grapes are sweet and super crisp (an essential attribute of a good grape for me) but they are especially delicious when ice cold, although they are also exceptional chilled or at room temperature. The flavor is reminiscent of cotton candy for sure so they taste like a sweet crunchy flavorful treat that is a healthier choice than cotton candy. That these green (although they are called “white”) are seedless and organic is an added bonus. Read more
The Microgreen Salad
In the plant-based world, there is a common phrase “eat the rainbow” that is a constant reminder to eat a variety of fruits and vegetables every day. With that in mind, the following recipe for a salad combines greens (microgreens), fruits (apple, peach, and mango), vegetables (broccoli and carrots), and beans (garbanzo) along with lemon juice, dill, and pink peppercorns to make a delicious and nutritious super colorful salad that can be enjoyed for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. From start to finish, the salad takes about 15 minutes to make and looks as beautiful as it tastes. Read more
P.S. Kitchen in NYC
Finding P.S. Kitchen in New York City is definitely on my top ten list of notable discoveries in 2019. That the restaurant is in midtown (246 W 48th Street between 7th and 8th Ave) makes the discovery surprising because I rarely venture into midtown Manhattan when I visit the city: too many people, too many lights, too much noise. But, on a recent visit after an afternoon matinee on Broadway, I walked a few blocks and secured the front table by the window – an incredible table if you can get it. Walking in at 4 pm – an off hour – definitely increases your chances of snagging this front row light filled beautiful table with a cushioned bench and chair surrounding a picture perfect white table (below right in photo). Read more
Organic Milled Flax Go Paks
A tablespoon or two of organic milled flax seed is on my menu every single day. As long as I’m at home, it’s easy to get my daily dose of flax seal meal because I keep a container in the refrigerator (note: milled flax seed needs to be refrigerated) but when I’m traveling, it’s a different story.
I would fill a ziplock bag with flax seed meal but after a bag burst in my suitcase, I knew I needed a better option. Enter Carrington Farms Organic Milled Flax Seed Paks: pre-measured single serve 12 gram (1 tablespoon) sealed packets that make it easy to take flax seed meal on the go. Read more
Lark Ellen Farm Trailblazers
Lark Ellen Farm Trailblazers are the newest additions to the trail mix market. Unlike GORP (Good Ol’ Raisins and Peanuts), Trailblazers have a base of sprouted nuts and seeds that are sweetened with maple syrup and then combined with ingredients like semisweet chocolate chunks, fruits, pure vanilla extract, salt, and spices to create the most unique and delicious trail mix options on the market.
Organic, grain-free, gluten-free, and vegan, the Trailblazers are also low in sugar (2-5 grams per serving) and high in flavor, texture, and, of course convenience. Lark Ellen Farm Trailblazers come in three savory varieties: Read more
Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Pecan Cookies (Vegan)
Everyone has their favorite cookies and one of mine is an oatmeal cookie. Years ago, the recipe on the back of the cylinder-type container of Old-Fashioned Quaker Oats was the go-to recipe for oatmeal cookies. Back then, the recipe called for butter, refined sugar, eggs, all-purpose flour, and a scant amount of oats (about a half cup if I remember correctly). Raisins added a chewy sweetness to the cookies which most people either loved or hated (I don’t know too many people on the fence about oatmeal cookies or raisins). Read more
The Pili Nut: The Chosen One You’ve Never Heard Of
The pili nut (pronounced “peeley”) is probably the nut you’ve never heard of because pili nuts are not native to North America or Europe. Grown in Southeast Asia and primarily in the Philippines, the pili nut is often called “the chosen one” because of its nutritional value (high in magnesium, phosphorus, calcium, potassium, zinc, Vitamin B1, vitamin B6, folate, copper and 8 essential amino acids).
Shaped like an almond in the shell and a pine nut in the raw, the pili nut tastes like a creamy mild macadamia nut, although a friend says “a pili nut tastes like the offspring of a macadamia nut and a pine nut.” Like most nuts, you can do many things to it: dry, sprout, roast, mill, candy, caramelize, and even turn it into nut butter. It’s that versatile. But, like most nuts, the quality of a pili nut varies depending on where and how its grown. Read more
Blueberry Crumble Coffeecake (Vegan)
If you think a cake can’t taste great without white flour, butter, oil,, eggs, and refined sugar, think again because it’s all about finding alternative nutritious ingredients to replace the undesirables. Instead of white flour, consider oats and almond flour.; instead of butter, oil, and refined sugar, choose date paste (dates and water); instead of eggs, select ground flaxseed meal. Using these alternative ingredients not only produces a nutritious cake but also a delicious one…promise! Read more
The Essential Round Food Molding Set
Several months ago, I was in a restaurant (Levél Veggie Bistro) by Retiro Park in Madrid when I was blown away by a dish called “Timbal Fresco de Quinoa” which means “Fresh Quinoa Timbale.” This beautiful plate of layered quinoa, sliced avocado, and chopped tomatoes with sprouts and ground black peppercorns on top was served with basil leaves along with a lemon squeezer and olive oil. I simply sprinkled the fresh lemon juice over the top with a sprinkle of salt and the flavor was magnificent. Read more
