Roasted Fennel and Spring Vegetable Salad

Someday I'm going to write a book called 101 Ways to Make Tacos because tacos are what we have for dinner. Seriously. Every. Single. Night.

Okay, maybe not every single night, but certainly most weeknights. At this point, my partner has basically stopped asking what's for dinner because it's obvious: beans and something else that's going to go inside of corn tortillas. Any questions?

Someday I'm also going to write a book called 101 Ways to Make A Salad because salads are what I have for lunch practically every single weekday.

The key to making a good salad is this: it has to have a good protein source (I usually opt for beans or lentils), a variety of vegetables with complimentary flavors and textures, and a good dressing. For most salads, I usually dress the leaves in a little plain balsamic vinegar, but the classic balsamic vinegar and olive oil mix is fabulous for almost any salad.

And if you eat an oil-free diet, subbing avocado in for oil is a fabulous way to still enjoy a creamy dressing. This sweet and tangy mango salad dressing and this jalapeno avocado lime dressing are great oil-free options.

My personal challenge to enjoying salads is that I don't typically crave raw veggies because Seattle is cold most of the year. However, I can get around this by roasting vegetables and adding them (while still warm) to a bed of cold greens. This salad is my newest favorite and it's a fabulous meal during these cold, drizzly days of spring.

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How to Make Massaged Kale Salad

What was the hardest part of your week last week?

While you ponder that, let me share mine: having to watch as a teacher took kale away from a preschooler and made him cry. (Yep, ladies and gentleman, apparently I am so good at getting kids to love kale that they cry when it is taken away.)

Last week I was making my famous kale smoothie for kids with a group of preschoolers. One of the boys was so excited about getting to try the smoothie that he started eating one of the raw kale leaves that had been passed around the classroom for the kids to touch and explore. After taking a bite of the kale he liked it so much that he continued to gnaw his way through most of the leaf. (I was quite impressed!)

Of course, a child snacking on a germ-y piece of kale caught the attention of one of the teachers who promptly took it away from him. Sure enough, crying ensued. Which actually seems pretty fair because if someone tried to take my kale away, I would probably cry too.

Luckily, the nice thing about being an adult is that you can eat as much raw kale as you want. Especially if you massage it and turn it into a delicious salad. Just wash your hands first. :)

By now you might have heard of "massaging" kale and wondered what all the fuss was about. Massaging raw kale transforms it from a tough, somewhat bitter leaf into a sweet, delicate salad. And it only takes a few minutes!

Let me show you how!

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Leek and Asparagus Stir-Fry with Mushrooms

I learned a very important lesson recently.

You know those lessons that you'll never forget because they were so embarrassing to learn?  Yep, it was one of those.

Lucky for you that I'm going to share it with you so that you will never have to learn this the hard way: when you are signing one of those slightly awkward cards being passed around your office (you know those cards from everyone for someone's birthday, departure, or a general congratulations, etc...), make sure to double check who the card is for.

I mean, you wouldn't want to be the one who wrote "best of luck at your new job!" to someone who's supposed to be getting a "congratulations" card for starting their family, would you?

That's just awkward. Don't be that person.

But, if you do happen to be that person, here are a few options:

Option #1: White it out. However, this only works if the card is white and those tricky Hallmark folks love those fun colors...

Option #2: Cover it up with stickers. Of course, that is assuming that you are an adult who happens to carry stickers around. Unfortunately, (or perhaps, fortunately), I'm not that person.

Option #3: Own it. Just admit that, yes, you are that person who wrote the weird message in someone's card and there is no taking it back now.

Ohh if only cards were as easy as stir-fries... 

See, with stir-fries, there are no mistakes, no awkwardness. You can always alter ingredients or change things up as needed. They're impossible to mess up. And they work for any occasion.

So, I guess the lesson I learned is really this: sign less cards and make more stir-fries. I think that's my new motto.

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Smoky Tempeh with Purple Asparagus

I don't want to alarm you, but I think this is the best thing I have ever made. And, to be completely honest, I wasn't expecting it to be. 

Sure, I thought it would be good. I mean, salty, smoky tempeh combined with fresh asparagus? Sounds pretty amazing, right?

The end result is more than amazing. 

As I was typing this out right now I got a little nervous and doubted myself. Could this really be the best thing I have ever made? 

*Takes another bite.* 

Yep, it is.  Affirmative. 

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How to Cook Plant-Based Meals for Meat Eaters (and a taco recipe)

I have received a few emails from readers asking for my best tips on making vegetarian and plant-based (or vegan) meals for meat-eaters. After posing the question to our Facebook community, it definitely sounds like this is an area many of you are interested in learning more about. And, since I’m in a “mixed eating” relationship myself, I’m always curious about how other couples manage different eating preferences. So, here goes!

First, let’s start with a little background on this: I’ve been with my partner, Ashley for seven years. Ashley was/is a meat eater and when we first met, was a huge skeptic of anything known as a vegetable. When we began dating, I was also a meat eater, but was working my way towards a healthier diet without processed foods. 

A year into the relationship, I began cutting meat and animal products out of my life as well as processed foods and refined sugars. I started eating a greater variety of vegetables, more whole grains, and a variety of legumes. shley was completely supportive of my decision to change my diet and we soon began to find new places to eat out together that could accommodate both of our eating styles. We both discovered that we preferred veggie burgers to the real thing and that there were a variety of plant-based meals that were able to satisfy us both. Even though Ashley was supportive of my dietary changes, she clearly told me that she had no intentions of changing her diet. I strongly believe that the food we chose to eat is a personal choice so although I wished Ashley ate a little healthier, I tried my hardest to respect her food choices.

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Roasted Fennel and Cauliflower Soup

Let me start this by saying that I'm not a big "kid person." I heavily admire people who are parents (seriously, you have the hardest job on this planet!), but I've never wanted to be one myself.  I also work with children and families in my job so I get a pretty good dose of being around kids in my daily life.

And this is precisely why when a friend told me several months ago that I "would make a wonderful mother," I practically laughed in her face. That's nice and thank you, but nope, it's not for me. 

She proceeded to tell me that she was convinced someday I would adopt a child from an orphanage. I continued to argue that ain't ever gonna happen.

This is exactly why this week I had a mental breakdown when I read this blog post by Lindsay at Pinch of Yum.  Lindsay and her husband moved to the Philippines for a year to teach at an orphanage. When I saw the pictures of these kids and read her post yesterday, I literally felt an urge from deep inside of my chest to move there and adopt these children. All I could think was, "oh $*%t, it's happening..."

And so, in order to prevent myself from moving to the Philippines and/or adopting children tonight, I made soup. This may not make a lot of sense, but it seemed like a better choice than hiding in a corner of my kitchen and stuffing my face with cookies from sheer panic.

If you see a cookie recipe posted here tomorrow, please send help.

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Fried Beets

I've been in the midst of an awkward living situation for the past few months and have had the utter joy of living with my partner's older brother while him and his wife are in the process of moving overseas. As someone who has had very few roommates in her life, I am overjoyed that at the end of the month we will have the place to ourselves and life will be back to normal. 

I think the best part of the last three months was when I got a lecture from my partner's brother about "not leaving dirty dishes in the bathroom." This lecture turned out to be a misunderstanding spurred by the fact that I had left a bowl of my homemade citrus and coconut body scrub on the bathroom counter. Apparently when the coconut oil hardens (as coconut oil does when it is cold), this mixture ends up looking like "moldy cereal with almond milk."

I'm totally guilty of being an almond milk drinker, but dude, I didn't leave moldy cereal in the bathroom. It's body scrub, I swear. I think by the end of this experience we are all excited at the possibility of having our own personal space again. 

I do have to say one thing I am grateful to him for and that is this recipe. I thought I had enjoyed beets every possible way that one could enjoy beets: roasted, boiled, steamed, and raw. But fried? Ooh, this is dangerous business. 

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9 Green Drinks for St. Patrick's Day!

I know that St. Patrick's Day isn't typically associated with green smoothies and juices, but I think maybe it's time we changed the tradition. If you are one of those people heading out to a weekend celebration with corned beef, Irish bread, cabbage, potatoes, or beer, I hope that you'll down one of these green drinks before embarking on the festivities. I promise your body will thank you later!

1. Mojito Juice
A juice packed with fresh enzymes that resembles a fancy cocktail? I'm in! This combination of cucumber, celery, mint, kale, and lemon will leave your tastebuds begging for more!

2. Green Smoothie 101
Green smoothie newbie? Perfect, you've come to the right place! This video tutorial will get you blending up smoothies correctly so your drink ends up healthy and enjoyable!

3. Green Lemonade
This fresh juice combo resembles my favorite childhood drink and is loaded with nutrients! The lemons help cut the "green" taste so this drink is perfect for those new to juicing.

4. Energizing Green Smoothie
If you are trying to replace your morning cup of joe with something healthier or just need a quick, filling breakfast on-the-go, this smoothie is your new best friend. It's perfect for boosting energy, detoxing, and helping you recover from a workout.

5. Bok Choy Green Juice
This juice is simple and refreshing. I love that it only contains two ingredients and makes me feel amazing anytime I drink it.

6. Kale Smoothie For Kids
No green smoothie round-up would be complete without this one! This smoothie is perfect for transforming "picky-eaters" -- adults included.

7. Kale Smoothie For Ladies
This green smoothie naturally boosts energy (without caffeine!), balances hormones, alleviates cramps, helps stabilize blood sugar, and tastes like chocolate. Enough said.

8. Kale Smoothie With Pear and Herbs
This smoothie is one of my favorites in fall when fresh pears are first available at the market, but I love its refreshing quality in spring. The herbs add a beautiful zest that makes me feel like winter is finally over!

9. Mean Green Juice
Don't be intimidated by its name - this juice is incredibly friendly! This post also has a great video to help you get started with the basics of juicing. Drink up!

I hope you enjoyed this green drink round-up! Have a healthy weekend!

Cheers,
Sonnet


Psst, if you enjoyed this, be sure to share it with your friends!

Hearty Yam and White Bean Hash

Hi friends,

I have a special treat for you today! I am off traveling in Washington DC for a conference this week and can't wait to share my food journey with you! Until then, I guess you'll just have to do with this hearty yam and white bean hash I cooked up over the weekend.

You can find this recipe over on Richa's blog, Vegan Richa. I'm a big fan of hers and I love the way she combines simple, plant-based ingredients into amazing dishes with a focus on Indian cuisine. (Plus, if you haven't checked out her Roasted Butternut Squash Sliders with Balsamic Caramelized Onions you definitely should!)

Hope you have a wonderful week!

Continue to the recipe...

Kohlrabi Chickpea Salad

What is kohl-rabi? Kohl...rabi? Is that how you say it?

What does kohl-rabi taste like? Can you eat the leaves?

That's a funny looking vegetable! 

I've seen kohlrabi at the store, but I don't know what to do with it. How do you prepare it?


In my life away from this computer, I spend a lot of time talking to people about vegetables and encouraging kids and adults to eat outside of their comfort zones. Fall and winter brings us many vegetables that we are already familiar with and love, including: winter squashes, a variety of greens, and beautiful root vegetables. I've found that kohlrabi is one of the most unfamiliar veggies this season and most people have questions about how to prepare it and what to do with it.

Today I have a special treat for you... Check out the video below to learn how easy it is to prepare kohlrabi and see the cooking demo for this delicious recipe!

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Yerba Mate Chai

There are quite a few things that I am utterly obsessed with at the moment...

80's music. 

Soba noodles with mung bean sprouts. 

Kettlebells. (If you live in Seattle, Kettlebility's classes are awesome!)

Tim Ferris and The 4 Hour Workweek.

Chicago Fire on NBC. (a.k.a. A drama about beautiful people that rescue people. I'm in.)

Popcorn with a little coconut oil and sea salt. Pure bliss. 

Kris Carr's new cookbook. 

Danielle LaPorte and The Desire Map. 

Yoga pants. Always and forever.

And yerba mate tea. Ooh how I love mate tea.

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Daikon Carrot Salad with Almonds

Do you know how hard it is to get a cat to make a cute paw print on a card?  No, of course you don't... because why would you?  Why on earth would you do something weird and wacky like that?  Things like this are best left up to me; then I can come back and tell you how crazy they are.

I got this idea to make a card "from our cats" for my partner for Valentine's Day.  Naturally my first concern was what medium to use that would be safe on their paws. Anything possibly toxic like ink and paint were most definitely out so I opted for fresh beet juice.

You should know that beet juice stains. Bad. Especially when there are tiny paws covered in beet juice that are running very quickly away from you. In the end, I didn't even get a cute paw print on the card. All I got was a couple of red, ill-shaped blobs. I think the card ended up looking more like a threat than a gesture of one's love and admiration.  

So, the lesson here is simple: don't be like me when it comes to cats... or probably life in general. But, if you like good food, you are more than welcome to be like me when it comes to this salad.
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Simply Gluten-Free Magazine and DIY Face Masks

Hey gluten-free folks,

I wanted to do a quick shout-out about an awesome new magazine, Simply Gluten Free Magazine, founded by Carol Kicinski of Simply Gluten-Free. You'll find amazing gluten-free recipes for meat-eaters, vegetarians, and vegan diets (created by my friend Ricki of Diet, Dessert, and Dogs), as well as great articles on gluten-free news, travel, health and wellness, and beauty. 

You can find me in this month's beauty section (pg 76-77) whipping up some easy (and cheap) DIY beauty treatments! I wanted to give you a sneak peek of one of my favorite DIY Face Masks featured in this issue: a seasonal citrus, antioxidant skin-brightening mask. If your face is in need of a little pampering from the winter weather, look no further than this simple treatment using ingredients straight from your kitchen!

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Spicy Wakame Chili

I'm currently in the midst of a weird living situation and it includes living with two football fanatics. The television is always blaring sports. There are randoms screams and bouts of profanity blaring from the living room at all hours. And I have committed the football schedule to heart so I know exactly when I should be out of the house. Come Super Bowl Sunday you can find me at the spa, thank you very much.

When I made this chili this week it was not with the intention of serving it at a pre-game party, but I think this recipe will nourish you regardless of what you have in store this weekend. And, I'm really excited to share this recipe with you because this chili has a special ingredient.  Can you guess what it is?  I suppose judging from the title you might say wakame, and you would be correct!

If you are not already familiar with wakame, it's definitely time to get this sea vegetable on your radar. Wakame is a seaweed loaded with magnesium, iron, calcium, iodine, folate, and a host of vitamins. I've mentioned before that I can't stand the smell of the ocean or anything that tastes "fishy," but I have become an expert at hiding sea vegetables in foods.

I always add kombu (edible kelp) to my beans while cooking (to help soften them and add trace minerals) and I can't get enough of this gingered sea vegetable salad with arame. I've recently begun to sneak wakame into my vegetable stocks and soups and I promise that with this recipe, you won't even know it's in there!

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Mojito Juice

I've learned that I am a very indecisive person when it comes to buying produce.  It usually takes me three rounds in the produce section or at the farmers market before I feel ready to make some commitments.  And apparently, my indecisiveness is even worse when I'm buying produce online.

Picking out my SPUD juicing box each week has been the most excruciating process because I love them all!  Do I try something new?  Do I stick with an old favorite?  The options! In the end I went with my favorite Organic Dynamic Beauty Juicing Box for this week and I'm definitely glad I did because I discovered a brand new green juice combination that I adore.


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How To Make Perfect Vegetable Stock (for cheap!)

A few months ago I stumbled upon a little secret that I’ve been dying to share with you. Are you ready? Here goes…

Making vegetable stock is one of the easiest and cheapest things you can do to add flavor to your meals while reducing kitchen waste.  

Are you ready to get started? It’s super simple and today I’m going to show you how. Vegetable stock is made by boiling water with vegetables. The common vegetables used in making stock are celery, carrots, onions, mushrooms, and potatoes, along with a host of other veggies that all add their own unique flavor. Since several of these vegetables are on the dirty dozen list, I highly recommend using organic produce for making stock (and in your kitchen in general).

One of the thrifty tricks I discovered is that instead of using whole pieces of produce, you can easily save vegetable scraps in your freezer and turn them into flavorful vegetable stock! This might include the skins or unused pieces of onions, potato or carrot peels, or the tips of leeks and celery. If you have any produce that you know you won't be able to use up (unless it's a member of the cruciferous family - more on this in a minute!), you can always add this to your freezer scrap pile for stock. This saves you money and allows you to use up produce that would have otherwise gone into the compost bin!

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Fajita Baked Yams

I've stopped myself about ten times now from sharing this recipe with you. Why? It's a silly reason and I'm sure you'll laugh. It's because I worry that it's too simple.

I'm all about easy and quick recipes, but this one just seems overly simple. I finally decided to get over myself and just share it with you already because it's a great example of a meal that I eat. And, quite often I might add.

There are recipes that are great for company.  There are recipes that are great for showing off fancy culinary techniques. Then there are recipes that just taste good, are easy to make, and make a fabulous meal.  This is the latter. And I'm going to keep telling myself that just because a recipe is simple doesn't mean it's any less tasty.

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Roasted Vegetables with Lentils

If we were sitting down for lunch together I’d tell you about how I’m a little stressed out this week. I’d confess that by 9 am I already had two cups of green tea when I probably should have had chamomile. At least I started my day with a green juice, right?

If we were sitting down for lunch together I’d tell you about how I’m in the middle of moving… again.  Even though we just moved a few months ago, we got this great opportunity to take over my partner’s brother’s house because he and his wife are moving out of the country. So, in the last two and a half weeks, we broke the news to our landlord and found someone to take over our apartment lease.  The only catch is that the person taking over our lease needed to move in right away so that means we are moving this week. Moving into a house where myself, my partner, her brother, and his wife will be living together for the next month and a half until they move out of the country. Let’s hope they like green smoothies and cats.

If we were sitting down for lunch together I’d take a deep breath, tell you how good it is to see you, and then serve you some roasted vegetables with lentils. After all, it's always good to see you. And I'm really excited for lunch. 

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Juicing 101 [Video]

If you are looking to change your health, juicing is one of the best things you can do for yourself. I will readily admit that I am a juicing addict and I'm super excited to get you juicing as well! In today's video I'll show you how to make a basic juice at home, but first, let's talk about some important benefits:

• Drinking fresh vegetable juice allows you to consume more fresh fruits and vegetables, which we all know are full of good things like vitamins, minerals, and (since you are consuming them raw) beneficial enzymes. Fresh juice is also loaded with antioxidants that bind to toxins and help remove them from the body.
• Fresh vegetable juice is very alkalizing, meaning that it helps to restore the body to its proper pH and  assist the body in detoxing. 
• Most of the foods in the Standard American Diet cause the body to be too acidic (e.g. animal products, sugar, fried foods, bread, alcohol, etc) and this acidity builds up over time causing inflammation and creating stress for our organs and tissues. 
• On the other hand, eating fresh, alkaline-forming foods like vegetables, vegetable juice, nuts, seeds, most legumes, water and some fruits, helps to strengthen the body and keep it healthy. 
• Since the juicer extracts the insoluable fiber from the fruits and veggies, fresh juice is very easy on the digestive track (making it perfect for anyone with digestive issues) and it makes the nutrients easy to absorb. Plus, since your digestive system doesn't have to expend as much energy to break down juice, your body can spend that energy on healing your cells. 

Drinking fresh vegetable juice is one of the best ways to increase your energy and detox your system! 

I know from personal experience that I feel more energized when I drink fresh juice on a regular basis. It's basically like a supercharged liquid vitamin for your cells! I have also found that drinking fresh vegetable juice helps to curb sugar cravings!


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Green Smoothie 101 [Video]

I'm a big fan of drinking green smoothies and if there is one thing I could get you to start doing today to change your health, it would be loading up on these healthy green drinks. Today I'm doing something a bit different and sharing a video with you to help inspire you to jump start your health with a green smoothie!

Green smoothies have a ton of benefits, such as:

• Green smoothies are perfect for enhancing the immune system, purifying the blood, and rejuvenating the body. They are loaded with vitamins, minerals, fiber, folic acid, chlorophyll, and many other micronutrients. Since you are consuming the greens raw, you are also getting the full nutritional value of the greens as well as their digestive enzymes.  
• Green smoothies are really easy to digest.  Since the greens are blended up, your body doesn’t have to work as hard in order to extract the nutrients and it is much easier on your digestive system. So, if you are someone that has digestive issues, this is a perfect way to add more fruits and veggies into your diet. 
• Green smoothies are fabulous for kids! If you have children or teenagers, I highly encourage you to make a green smoothie with them.  The key is to get them involved and let them help make the smoothie so they feel like they are part of the process (rather than being pressured into drinking something unfamiliar). I have honestly make this smoothie with well over 300 children over the last two years and it always amazes parents what kids will drink when they get to be involved in the process.
• Green smoothies reduce your cravings! When I work with clients in my health coaching practice one of the first things I will get them to do is start drinking green smoothies.  Most of them will immediately notice a decrease in sugar cravings because they are crowding out those less-healthy foods and their body will naturally start to crave fresh foods.  

If you are ready to have more energy and change your health, start with a green smoothie.  

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