Category: Vegetables

Cauliflower “Rice”

Serves 4 –  Advanced and Core Plan

For those of you following the Advanced Plan or just trying to avoid grains, this is a terrific rice substitute.  Cauliflower wouldn’t be happy to be called a substitute because it stands on it’s own as a tasty satisfying dish on it’s own.

1 head cauliflower, chopped into florets
sea salt
black pepper
butter
grated parmesan cheese, optional
any combination of herbs, optional

Transfer the cauliflower to a blender and cover with filtered water.  (This is called wet-chopping.  It is best done with a Vita-Mix or other blender that drives the food downward).  Pulse the blender several times to get the desired consistency.  (It should look like thick rice).  It may take a few pulses.

Tranfer the cauliflower and water to a saucepan and boil to desired doneness.  It will still have more crunch than regular rice.  Be careful not to overcook the cauliflower.

Drain the cauliflower in a strainer and season with sea salt, pepper, butter, and parmesan cheese and herbs if desired.

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Chile-Zucchini Mash

Core and Advanced Plan

This is a great zucchini recipe with a southwestern taste.  Zucchini can often be bland and tasteless but this one is super flavorful and satisfying.  It is super easy to make and can be on the table in about 10 minutes.

Serves 4

1 tablespoon grapeseed or coconut oil
2-3 organic zucchini, halved lenghtwise then sliced
1/2 onion, grated or finely chopped
1 4 ounce can diced green chiles, drained
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/8 tsp fresh ground pepper
dash cumin
1/2 cup organic (preferably raw) cheddar cheese

Heat oil in a large skillet then add zucchini and onion.  Cook until soft and slightly browned (about 10 Min).  Stir in chiles, salt, pepper, and cumin.  Mash everything with a potato masher until chunky then stir in cheese.

Recipe adapted from Eating Well, Aug 2011

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Lime Marinated Grilled Free Range Chicken with Kale Salad

Remember, if you are going to grill your food, you should marinate it first.  (See prior post about the dangers of grilling) This is a simple, tasty marinade that everyone will love.

Summer Dinner Menu: Grilled Chicken with "Fresh from the Garden" Green Beans, Kale, Lettuce, and Tomatoes

Lime Marinated Grilled Chicken

4 boneless organic chicken breasts
1/2 cup lime juice
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
1/4 teaspoon granulated garlic
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4-1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper

Let marinate at least 30 minutes but the longer the better.  Grill on medium heat, flipping frequently.

Marinated Kale Salad

1 bunch raw kale, chopped and de-stemmed
1/4 cup flax seed oil
1/3 cup lemon juice
1-2 tablespoons liquid aminos or tamari
sea salt and pepper to taste

Massage the liquid ingredients into the kale.

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Grilled Grass Fed Sirloin with Caprese Salad

Nothing beats grilling out in the summer.  However, grilling can add unwanted carcinogens to your meal.  Smoke from the grill contains carcinogenic substances called polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) which can coat your food.  In addition, heterocyclic amines(HCAs), can develop in meat that is cooked over high heat.  However, there are ways to mitigate these dangers.  The best way is to marinate your meat.  In fact, the American Institute of Cancer Research says marinating can reduce carcinogenic activity by 92-99%.

Some other tips are to cook at lower temperatures, flip often, never char your meat, and keep away from direct flame.

Marinating grass fed beef also makes it much more tender (as it is not as marbled) and gives it much more flavor.

Basic Grass Fed Beef Grilling Marinade 

1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar or lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Let marinate for at least 30 minutes but the longer the better.

This is one of my favorite summer salads.  These tomatoes and basil came fresh from my garden which made them even more delightful.

Caprese Salad

Fresh garden roma tomatoes
1 bunch fresh basil
Fresh, raw mozzerella
Balsamic Vinegar
Olive Oil
Sea Salt
Pepper

Slice the tomatoes and mozzerella.  Stack a tomato slice, a basil leaf, and a mozzerella slice.  Drizzle with balsamic vinegar and olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Kimberly Roberto1 Comment

Baja Slaw for Fish Tacos

This is a great dish for summer.  It is very versatile – you can serve it will grilled or broiled salmon, cod, or mahi mahi for an advanced plan option OR with sprouted grain tortillas for a core plan recipe.

For the Baja Slaw…

Slice very thin:
1 cucumber
1/2 head cabbage
2 tomatoes
1/2 large onion
1 red bell pepper
any hot pepper you like (jalepeno, poblano, etc)

Add:
1 handful fresh cilantro, chopped
Sea Salt and Pepper to taste
1/2 cup grapefruit juice
1/2 cup lime juice

Let marinate for at least 30 minutes for best flavor.

For the fish:
Season with salt, pepper, and chili powder and grill or broil to desired doneness.

For an aioli type dressing:
Homemade Mayonnaise (recipe in the Maximized Living Nutrition Plans book) with ground chipolte pepper.

NOTE:  for the Core Plan, you can use a grapeseed oil based mayonnaise.

Advanced Plan:  Put the slaw on a plate and top with fish and aioli

Core Plan:  Put fish in a sprouted grain tortilla and top with fish and aioli

Kimberly RobertoLeave a comment

Fire Roasted Salsa

In honor of cinco de mayo, I decided to make a salsa with fire roasted tomatoes.  The name sounds very exotic and authentic but it is very easy to do at home.  It gives a much richer taste than raw tomatoes. Adjust the spice by adding more or less serrano peppers.

6-8 small vine ripened organic tomatoes.
1 handful cilantro
1-2 serrano peppers (seeds removed)
1 large clove garlic
1 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp black pepper

To fire roast the tomatoes, put them in a cast iron or stainless steel skillet (do not use your thermalon/green pans for this – they will be scarred for life)  with no oil.  Turn the heat to medium high and let them blacken on the skins.  Turn periodically until the tomatoes are nicely charred.

Transfer tomatoes to a blender or food processor with the remaining ingredients and blend well.

This salsa is terrific served warm but can be stored in the refrigerator for about a week.

Serving suggestions:

As dressing over taco salad
Topping over eggs – any style
With guacamole and red pepper strips for scooping
As a condiment for steak or hamburgers
Topping for grilled salmon or fish tacoss dressing on a taco salad

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