Deconstructed Garden Pesto "Pasta"

What a week! I truly believe that I have had the most productive days of my life recently, and it is all paying off. My upcoming cookbook Bowls of Love is FINALLY coming together! It has been months and months (and months) of some serious hard work, and I am overflowing with excitement as I see it becoming a reality. Thanks to the hard work and brilliant creativity of my incredible designer Margot, the book looks so professional, colorful, and just my style. I released a sneak peak of the cover on Monday, and the response has been incredible. The books should be delivered to me by mid-October and in your hands before Halloween just in time for cool Fall nights and the holiday season. If you want to get your hands on a first-edition signed copy of the book at 20% off, you can order a pre-sale copy at my Square shop - don't forget to enter PRESALE20 at checkout to get your discount.

I am also eagerly awaiting some big-named Paleo celebrities to review my manuscript! I am hoping for at least one review/endorsement for the book, and I will keep you all posted on the progress. In the midst of all of the craziness, I wanted to make a simple yet perfect summer dinner tonight. I was eating alone because Ry had to work late, so I made some zucchini noodles and threw in a tomato and some basil from our balcony garden. It tasted AMAZING, and while the picture wasn't perfect, I decided I should share it with all of you! Go pick some tomatoes and give it a try! 

Deconstructed Garden Pesto "Pasta": Serves 1, Prep time: 5 min, Cook time:  10-15 minutes

Ingredients:

- 1 small zucchini, peeled into "noodles"

- 1 tsp. olive oil

- 2 cloves garlic, chopped

- 1 medium tomato, chopped

- 1 Tbsp. pine nuts

- 5-10 small basil leaves

- salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. Heat the oil over medium heat

2. Add the garlic and saute for 5 minutes until fragrant

3. Add the zucchini noodles, and cook for 3-5 minutes until soft

4. Add the tomato, pine nuts, and basil, and cook another 2-5 minutes until well combined

5. Season with salt and pepper to taste

YOU WILL LOVE THIS! 

Roasted Ithaca Tomato Soup w/ Fresh Basil Pesto

Life is good... Really good... Beyond amazing actually! Need some reasons?

1. I have a complete draft of my cookbook Bowls of Love: Paleo Soups for the Seasons! All 50 recipes have been photographed by the wonderful Erica Gannett, and the stories have been drafted and are getting refined by my editor (famous author) A.J. Walkley :) I am still pushing for a publish date in October so the book will be ready for all of you just in time for the Fall and cool nights that will be perfect for bowls of soup.

2. Mal and I have been separated for over three years, and our official reunion is TOMORROW! She is finished with business school, and her two-month travel adventures in Asia are coming to a close. She is moving back to Stamford, living in my building, and making my dreams come true!

3. RYAN AND I GOT ENGAGED!!! There are no words to fully describe how this makes me feel, so just know that I am so (sooo) excited, grateful, and in love with the turns my life has taken. Everything truly has happened for a reason, and there is no better time than today to reflect on that and appreciate every moment that brought us here.

I am also thrilled to announce that I won Groundswell International's basil recipe contest which was an incredible way to reconnect with an old sorority sister AND have the chance to work with the wonderfully talented Emma Frisch of Frisch Kitchen. She was by far my favorite contestant on the Next Food Network Star, and I was overjoyed to win a guest post on her blog. Check out my guest post here.

The winning recipe is for my Roasted Ithaca Tomato Soup with Fresh Basil Pesto. It is one of the 50 recipes from my upcoming cookbook, and I am bursting at the seams with excitement for the book to be done. You will have to wait a couple more months for the rest of the recipes, but in the meantime, enjoy this beautiful teaser with photo cred to the talented Erica Gannett!

Roasted Ithaca Tomato Soup w/ Fresh Basil Pesto: Serves 4-6, Prep time: 15 min, Cook time: 90 minutes

Ingredients:

Soup:

- 3 pounds roma tomatoes (or any other tomatoes in your garden!)

- 3 Tbsp. olive oil

- sea salt & pepper

- 1 sweet onion, chopped

- 1 shallot, chopped

- 1 heaping Tbsp. chopped garlic

- 1/2 cup packed fresh basil (about 20 leaves)

- 15 oz. can diced tomatoes (organic & no salt added)

- 4 cups vegetable stock

Pesto:

- 4 oz. fresh basil

- 2-3 Tbsp. olive oil

- 2 tsp. crushed garlic

- 1/4 cup pine nuts

- fine sea salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

Pesto:

1. Add the basil to a food processor

2. Pulse until basil breaks down, and then add all other ingredients

3. Blend until smooth (you may need to scrape the edges down a few times)

4. Add additional olive oil or pine nuts if you like your pesto thinner or thicker

Soup:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees

2. Slice the tomatoes length-wise, and arrange them on a foil-lined baking sheet

3. Drizzle 1 Tbsp. of olive oil over the tomatoes, and season with sea salt and pepper

4. Roast tomatoes for 45 minutes

5. In a large soup pot, heat the other 2 Tbsp. of olive oil over medium heat, and add the onion, shallot, and garlic. Cook for 5-10 minutes until tender

6. Add the can of tomatoes, fresh basil, and broth

7. Stir in the roasted tomatoes

8. Cook for 45 minutes uncovered over medium-low heat

9. Puree the soup with your immersion blender until smooth. 

10. Top with drizzled pesto and enjoy the taste of your fresh summer garden!

Summer Shrimp Salad

Life. Is. Good. Thanks to the help and support of 199 incredible backers, I successfully funded my Kickstarter campaign for my first cookbook, Bowls of Love. The book is in progress, and it will be published this Fall. Now that the campaign is over, I can get back to recipe writing, cooking, story-telling. I decided I needed a super summery lunch today while I worked on the book outside on the balcony. I crafted a summer shrimp salad bursting with flavor from mango, lime, and lemon balm. You could serve this over a bed of lettuce or in martini glasses as an appetizer for your next dinner party. It is the perfect meal or snack when you aren't in the mood for a hot dish on these beautiful Spring and Summer days. For an extra refreshing treat, refrigerate it for 30 minutes prior to eating..

Summer Shrimp Salad: Serves 4, Prep time: 10 min, Cook time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

- 1 pound raw shrimp, peeled & deveined

- 3 small ataulfo mangoes, diced (about 1.5 cups)

- 1 large cucumber, diced (about 1.5 cups)

- 2 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh lemon balm or mint

- 1 Tbsp. olive oil

- zest and juice from 1 lime

- 1/2 tsp. salt

- 1/4 tsp. pepper

Instructions:

1. Boil a pot of water

2. When water is rapidly boiling, add raw shrimp (with the tails still on)

3. Cook for 2 minutes then cover pot and remove from heat

4. Let shrimp cook for 5-10 additional minutes until shrimp is pink and cooked through

5. Strain and rinse the shrimp and set aside

6. Add mango cucumber, lemon balm, olive oil, lime zest, lime juice, salt, and pepper in a bowl

7. Remove the tails from the shrimp, chop into bite-sized pieces, and add them to the bowl

8. Mix well to combine and serve! Note - this tastes extra good if you refrigerate it for 30 minutes so it is extra chilled and the flavors can meld

  

Italian Salmon Pockets

I am approaching the 72-hour mark for my kickstarter campaign for Bowls of Love, and it is exhilarating! I am shamelessly plugging the cookbook everywhere I can, and I hope you all have had a chance to watch my video and check out some of the pictures from the book. I have connected with incredible people all over the world, each with a unique story why the project touches them. This experience has opened my eyes in so many ways, and the entrepreneur in me is quite happy.

Tonight's recipe was inspired by Giada's and was originally suggested to me by Mal. We went up to Ithaca this weekend for Mal and Mike's MBA graduation at Cornell, and it was incredible. Tons of great times, big laughs, and happy tears all around. More than anything, it made me really realize that Mal is on her way back to Stamford! There will be a few countries/trips in the meantime, but soon enough we will be neighbors sharing recipes (and memories) together just like the good old days.

This recipe is incredibly flavorful and a nice change from my go-to salmon recipe (post to come!). The salmon has a lot of juice from the tomato mixture, so it would be perfect served over zucchini noodles or your favorite gluten free pasta!

Italian Salmon Pockets: Serves 4, Prep time: 10 min, Cook time: 25 min

Ingredients:
- 4 salmon fillets (6 oz. each)
- 2 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes, chopped
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1/2 lemon
- 1 Tbsp. chopped basil
- Salt & pepper

Instructions:
1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees
2. Drizzle 1 Tbsp. olive oil on salmon fillets, and season lightly with salt and pepper
3. Mix the tomatoes, onion, garlic, lemon, basil, and 1 Tbsp. of olive oil in a bowl
4. Lay out 4 large pieces of foil on the counter
5. Put each salmon fillet (oil side down) on the foil, and top with 1/4 of the tomato mixture
6. Fold the foil packets closed, and twist the ends tightly (they should be sealed)
7. Bake for 25 minutes, and then serve immediately

  

  

Perfect Paleo Le Creuset Quiche

Last year at work I had a financial services client who was starting up an avocado ranch business, and he was nice enough to send me a box of a dozen beautiful avocados from his backyard in sunny California. It was a pretty exciting day at the office when the box arrived. It's worth mentioning that the client never told me that he sent them, so needless to say, my coworkers and I were quite confused. It turns out that anytime a client sends a box of avocados, it is a good day. My client Tim has fully launched his company and website Red Hawk Ranch and ships freshly picked California avocados across the U.S. for incredibly reasonable prices. I highly recommend ordering a box next time you are in the mood for a guacamole party!

Today's recipe uses my absolute favorite kitchen tool - my teal le creuset pot. Ryan gave this to me for Chrismannukah last year (thank you!!), and it is so beautiful that I actually keep it out our stove at all times. I am not sure if it is a coincidence or not, but every single thing I have ever made in this pot comes out perfectly. I have created quite a few crustless quiches in this pot, and I encourage you to get one and try them out! The recipe below combines some great green veggies, but you can also add some sauteed chorizo, bacon, or any other meat if your breakfast eaters are looking for some extra protein and texture. 

The le creuset pot is also incredible for soups and stews. Friday's creation for my cookbook was a sweet potato and chicken curry stew. I have my third photo shoot on Monday and then will be over halfway through the photographs for the book! You can check out some of the pictures, a video of me, and all of the info on my kickstarter campaign. Don't forget to pre-order your copy! The campaign ends on May 28th, so there are less than two weeks left!

Perfect Paleo Le Creuset Quiche: Serves 3-4, Prep time: 10 min, Cook time: 1 hour

Ingredients:

- 1/2 Tbsp. olive oil or coconut oil

- 1 large sweet onion, chopped

- 2 cups broccoli, chopped

- 6 oz. spinach

- 6 organic, cage-free eggs

- Salt, pepper, and garlic powder

Instructions:

1. Heat olive oil over medium-low heat in your favorite Le Creuset dish

2. Add onion, and cook until soft (about 10 minutes)

3. Add broccoli and cook another 5-10 minutes

4. Add spinach and cover for 2-3 minutes until wilted

5. Whisk eggs in a bowl with a dash of salt, pepper, and garlic powder

6. Pour eggs over the veggies, and cook for about 40 minutes until set

 
  

Parsnip Fries a.k.a. Parsnipples

I love Spring. I don’t think I could be any happier about the warm weather and the bright colors everywhere. I dusted off my bike on Monday after a long (2+ year?) hibernation. I remember when Mal and I used to bike 12-15 miles every morning before work up the steepest hills in Stamford, and it feels like a lifetime ago. I am dabbling with the idea of training for a triathlon this year for some added motivation with my workouts. It has been four crazy years since my last race, and I would love to get back into it and beat my time now that I am an old lady. I will never forget that dreaded “swim” flailing for my life like a lunatic in open water – I would have to think things could only improve after that ridiculous performance. I will share my training plan (once it exists) and keep you posted on my progress.

I am thrilled to announce that I am almost 50% through my kickstarter campaign, and my project has surpassed its initial funding goal and is climbing over $11,000. The outpouring of support has been incredible, and I am so excited to continue the momentum and pre-sell as many copies of the cookbook as possible. I am just over 130 backers, and I hope to get over 200 by the end of the month! You can pre-order a copy of the cookbook and check out the campaign at http://kck.st/1fMYQDo. Huge shout out to my photographer Erica Gannett who has created gorgeous images for the cookbook and campaign. Check it out!

Today’s recipe is a staple in my kitchen: parsnipples. I really have no idea where this name comes from, but I am pretty sure we can blame Ryan for it. Parsnipples (or parsnip fries) are one of the easiest roasted vegetables to make, and they come out incredibly every single time. The sweet/salty flavor combination is irresistible, and they go great with every meal. I am making less and less roasted veggies these days as the weather gets warmer and I turn to salads, but this is a great staple to always keep in your back pocket.

Parsnip Fries: Serves 2, Prep time: 5 min, Cook time: 20-25 min

Ingredients:
- 2 parsnips
- 1 Tbsp (or less) olive oil
- Sea salt, pepper, and garlic powder

Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees
2. Peel your parsnips and slice them into pieces that look like your favorite french fries
3. Arrange the pieces on a foil-lined baking sheet
4. Spray or lightly toss the parsnips with olive oil 
5. Season with sea salt, pepper, and garlic powder
6. Bake for 20-25 minutes, turning once

Unbeatable Beet Chips

Today did not turn out as expected. Though I may think I am the most organized human on the planet, I did not realize that Kickstarter campaigns have to be reviewed and approved before launching and that it can take "a few days." I discovered this Tuesday afternoon and worked like a madwoman for 5 hours on finalizing the campaign. I submitted at 10pm on Tuesday and am now waiting to hear back for final approval. My dream of launching on May 1st crumbled, but I have a feeling that May 2nd (or 3rd or 4th...) will be just as exciting. I am so incredibly excited to share my project with the world and give everyone a taste of my upcoming cookbook. It is my first time focusing all of my creativity and ignoring my math brain, and it has been incredible! I am even getting more active on social media to generate the buzz. I am not an expert tweeter by any means, but my goal is to at least triple my followers (@sooopaleo) by the end of the campaign! Stay tuned for updates - I will share all of the information as soon as it's available!

Tonight's recipe is a simple snack or side dish that really is incredible. I just started eating beets about two years ago, and there is no turning back. You can make these for kids in all different colors (using yellow and golden beets as well), and they are so crispy and flavorful. I would've added garlic powder as well (that should go without saying), but I have to admit that I ran out.

Give these a try, and let me know how they come out! Enjoy :)

P.S. If you have disposable rubber/latex gloves, you may want to wear them while peeling and cutting the beets - the juice will stain your hands!

Unbeatable Beet Chips: Serves 2, Prep time: 5 min, Cook time: 25-30 min

Ingredients:

- 1 large beet, washed and peeled

- 2 tsp. olive oil, divided

- fine sea salt
- pepper

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees

2. Slice beets into thin, even slices

3. Lay all slices on a foil-covered pan

4. Brush the beets with 1 tsp. olive oil, and lightly sprinkle with salt and pepper

5. Flip beets and brush the other sides with the remaining 1 tsp. of oil and salt and pepper

6. Cook for 15 minutes

7. Flip beets and then cook another 10-15 minutes until they reach your desired crispiness

  

Vermont Balsamic Maple Turkey Meatloaf

Well hello there. Today was a big day with my blog hitting over 100,000 hits and my health coaching certificate and card coming in the mail. I am now officially a board certified health coach, and I am thrilled! It has been an interesting journey of self-reflection throughout my studies, and my life is completely different (in so many wonderful ways) than when I started. 

I have been a bit MIA from blogging over the past few weeks with some major things going on. Luckily in the midst of the craziness Ry came home from Dubai and we had an amazing getaway in Vermont. We celebrated Heather and Kenny's wedding and had tons of adventures along the way. I wanted a souvenir from the trip, and I ended up with some special Vermont-made food products to experiment with. One of the treasures was maple flakes which basically looks like brown rice krispies. The only ingredient is dried maple syrup, and they are crispy and sweet. I figured I could sprinkle a few of them on tonight's recipe instead of covering my meatloaf with the more traditional sugary ketchup concoction. It was just a hint of sweet mixed with the tangy balsamic, and it came out great. Enjoy!

Vermont Balsamic Maple Turkey Meatloaf: Serves 4-5, Prep time: 20 min, Cook time: 40 min

Ingredients:
- 1.25lbs ground turkey
- 1 egg
- 1/4 cup almond flour
- 1 Tbsp. olive oil
- 1/2 sweet onion, chopped
- 3 medium carrots, peeled & chopped
- 3 stalks celery, chopped
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1/2 tsp. pepper
- 1+ tsp. garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp. basil
- 1/2 tsp. thyme
- 1 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
- 2 Tbsp. Vermont maple flakes

Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees
2. Heat olive oil over medium heat
3. Add onions and cook for 5 minutes until soft
4. Add carrots, celery, salt, pepper, garlic powder (more is better!), basil, and thyme and cook for another 10-15 minutes until soft
5. Mix turkey, egg, almond flour, and veggie mixture in a bowl
6. Form into a loaf on a foil-lined pan
7. Brush with balsamic vinegar
8. Sprinkle meatloaf with Vermont maple flakes (if you don't have these you can use a mixture of balsamic and maple syrup for the topping)
9. Bake for 20 minutes
10. Brush the meatloaf with the leftover balsamic

11. Bake another 15 until cooked through (no pink in the turkey)

12. Cover the meatloaf and let sit for 5-10 minutes before serving

  

  

Summer Zucchini Succotash

Over the past few weeks I have been noticing that some of the greens on my carrot plants were turning reddish/brown. I know I am supposed to wait until August to pick my carrots, but I just couldn't resist! I had the most dramatic drumroll, and then I picked my first ever home-grown vegetable. From the picture, you will see that I wasn't exactly blown away by their growth :) I am fairly certain that I will not be winning any farmer-of-the-year awards this year, but for an apartment balcony, I am still chalking this up as a success. I served these carrots as an appetizer for my dinner guests (no, I am not joking), and we had a good laugh. Luckily they still had room for the main course, and we had a great time. I am now working on my patience, watering everything, and trying to wait until August to pick the rest of my goodies! 

Tonight's recipe is a simple summer succotash that I threw together with some beautiful farm-fresh ingredients Mal brought me from the farms in NJ. While I don't typically eat corn anymore, I threw it in in the spirit of eating locally and supporting our Jersey farmers. Try this out, feel free to add/switch some of the veggies, and enjoy it at your next BBQ! 

Summer Zucchini Succotash: Serves 3-4, Prep time: 10 min, Cook time, 15 min

Ingredients:
- 1-2 Tbsp. olive oil
- 2 zucchini, sliced
- 2 large tomatoes, chopped
- 2 ears of corn, kernels removed
- 2 Tbsp. Italian seasoning
- Salt & pepper

Instructions:
1. Heat olive oil over medium heat
2. Add zucchini and corn and cook for 10-15 minutes
3. Add tomatoes, italian seasoning, salt, and pepper, and cook 2-3 minutes
4. Bring to a summer BBQ and enjoy!

Summer Chicken Salad

Happy 100th recipe to Sooo Paleo!  It has been a fantastic journey, and I am really just getting started. Over the past 9 months, I have shared my recipes with people in over 100 countries, and the feedback has been incredible. I have learned a lot about cooking (and myself) along the way, and I am excited for everything to come! Spreading the word about delicious food that is healthy, fresh, organic, and local is a mission that I'm proud to be a part of. I have cooked for family, friends, coworkers, and strangers, and I don't plan on stopping anytime soon. I have big dreams for my health coaching business and sizable goals for impacting my community with the tools and knowledge to use food as medicine and make choices every day that benefit their health, loved ones, and the environment we live in. 

I am loving that I live so close to the Stamford French Market. Every Saturday, I can walk outside my door and in less than a minute stroll around the market and pick up some fresh fruits, veggies, herbs, and flowers. I have to say that the market here doesn't even come close to comparing to SOWA in Boston, but it's a start. Sadly there are no rules about the food all being local, so much of it mirrors your standard grocery store options. That being said, I try to buy the fresh-picked local varieties, and it is still great to buy everything outside with neighbors and friends in my community. A new market opens down in the Stamford Harbor area this Sunday, so I will have to check it out and report back. 

Tonight's 100th recipe perfectly represents my cooking style: simple, delicious, fresh, and colorful! An amazing seasonal dish that can be brought to the beach, on a picnic, or served at your next brunch or luncheon. Enjoy!

Summer Chicken Salad: Serves 4, Prep time: 10 min, Cook time: None

Ingredients:
- 1 lb. poached chicken, cooled and chopped or shredded
- 1-2 tsp. olive oil
- 4-6 fresh apricots, chopped
- 1-2 cups grapes, halved
- 1 handful of fresh basil, chopped
- 1/4 cup shredded unsweetened coconut
- Salt and pepper (optional)
- 1 large tomato

Instructions:
1. Drizzle the olive oil on the poached chicken until lightly coated
2. Mix with apricots, grapes, basil, and coconut
3. Season with salt and pepper to taste
4. Serve on 1/2-inch tomato slices

  

Baked Sesame Nile Perch

After an amazing long weekend with my visitor from Dubai, the blog is back in action. I have so many great updates about life, love, work, and more, but I am going to have to pace myself! My old schedule of 4-5 posts per week is a bit unrealistic these days given my new routine in Stamford. We are officially in busy season at work, and I also am balancing a few health coaching clients. Things are going great, but I am excited to keep sharing new healthy recipes with all of my followers.

One of the stranger highlights of the past weekend was when Ry and I were watching Nik Wallenda walk across the Grand Canyon on a tight rope with no support, harness, or safety net. It was probably the most absurd thing I have ever seen. Besides the fact that it seemed impossible for something like that to be real, I could not get over how many times he praised Jesus, King of all Kings, his true savior. I can only imagine that he was deep in the meditative zone and using his spirituality to get across, but this was just hilarious. Thanks to Mal for sending me the recap... apparently I am not the only one who noticed: http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2013/06/video-wallenda-jesus-tightrope-grand-canyon-video.html

Tonight's recipe is a new fish I tried from Fairway a few weeks back. The friendly fish man convinced me to switch up my typical order and try out the Nile perch. I then found out that Nile perch grows to be over 6 feet long and 400 pounds. This puts the average Biggest Loser contestant to shame, so I had to go for it. It also sounded hardcore (and was on sale of course), so I couldn't go wrong. The fish is mild and flaky but thicker than the average white fish (think cod, tilapia, etc.). It needs to cook longer than your typical fish, but it was well worth it. The flavor was fresh and rich, and it was a bit meatier than other fish. I served mine over a simple spinach and tomato salad, but you can serve it as is with a side of roasted veggies or a quiona salad. Give it a try next time you see it at your fish counter!

Baked Sesame Nile Perch: Serves 2-3, Prep time: 5 min, Cook time: 30 min

Ingredients:
- 1 pound wild nile perch
- olive oil
- fine sea salt, pepper, and garlic powder
- sesame seeds

Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees
2. Rinse perch and pat dry with paper towels
3. Lightly drizzle with olive oil and then season with sea sale, pepper, and garlic powder
4. Coat the fish with sesame seeds
5. Put the fish on a foil-lined pan
6. Bake for 30 minutes or until fish flakes easily with a fork

  

  

Pomegranate Mint Cauliflower Rice

Happy Memorial Day! I thoroughly enjoyed the 3-day weekend, and I now have a completed garden on my terrace complete with carrots, tomatoes, peppers, beets, and lettuce. The picture to the right is the start of my carrots just 3 weekends ago. I will post the updated picture this week, and you won't even believe your eyes! I think I shed a tear (or three) when I saw the first sprouts. I am getting a lot of slack from friends and family for talking to my garden, but I am absolutely convinced that the morning pep talks are really doing the trick. I have always wanted a garden, so I am taking advantage of my outdoor space and am fully committed to loving my plants unconditionally until they grow. I will have updates throughout the spring and summer and hope to make some exciting recipes with my home-grown veggies in a couple of months. Since patience is a virtue I do not have, this is the perfect activity to me. Waiting 70 days for a carrot will certainly be a first, and I'm sure the experience will be useful if I can translate the newfound patience to other aspects in my life.

Tonight's recipe is a wonderful side dish for any upcoming BBQ or get-together. The fresh mint and pomegranate seeds give the "rice" a fresh burst of flavor with every bite. Enjoy the flavors of Spring, and don't forget to tell your plants that you love them!

Pomegranate Mint Cauliflower Rice: Serves 4-6, Prep time: 10 min, Cook time: 15 min

Ingredients:
- 1 large head cauliflower, roughly chopped
- 1 Tbsp. coconut oil or olive oil
- 1 medium sweet onion, chopped
- sea salt, pepper, and garlic powder
- 2 Tbsp. fresh mint, finely chopped
- 1/3 cup fresh pomegranate seeds

Instructions:
1. Heat oil over medium heat
2. Sautee the onion for about 10 minutes until translucent
3. Meanwhile, pulse the chopped cauliflower for a few seconds in the food processor until it makes a rice-like consistency
4. Add the "rice" to the onions, stir well, and cover for 10 minutes
5. Season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder to taste
6. Toss with fresh mint and pomegranate seeds

  

  

Ginger Chicken

I cooked my heart out this weekend, and then I cooked some more. It took a little time to get back in the swing of things, but I am officially back in action. I have a ton of recipes to share over the next week thanks to all of my hard work, and I am starting off with a delicious ginger chicken concoction that my little brother Brandon and I dreamt up. He came to visit on Sunday to check out my new place and hang out, and we cooked a feast. We went to Fairway to pick out ingredients, and the pharmacist/homeopathic-lover was chatting with us and thought Brandon was my son! Apparently I am not aging as gracefully as I may have thought. Brandon taught him an important lesson that you should always assume the woman is the older sister, because you can never go wrong. I couldn't agree more, so hopefully we taught this guy a thing or two. I was thrilled to have Brandon's company, and he was a fantastic sous chef. He taught me a lot about foreign policy, new technologies, and life as a high school student in 2013. Hopefully with his new cooking skills and recipe ideas he will be even more of a lady killer than he is already! By the way, we decided to name this chicken "ginger chicken" for a reason. Do not try it unless you love ginger! Don't say we didn't warn you...

Ginger Chicken: Serves: 4, Prep time: 20 min, Cook time: 75 min

Ingredients:
- 4 organic, free-range chicken thighs (about 1.5 lbs. total)
- 1 large sweet onion, sliced
- 1 medium butternut squash, peeled & cubed
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled & chopped
- 6-8 large cloves of garlic, peeled & chopped
- 1/4 cup fresh mint, finely chopped
- sea salt and pepper

Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Bake cubed squash in a little water for 30 minutes until soft, and then drain the water
3. Season chicken thighs with salt and pepper, and add them to the pan with the squash
4. Add the onion, ginger, and garlic, and drizzle with olive oil
5. Stir to mix, and then add the mint and some more salt and pepper
6. Bake for 45 minutes until chicken is cooked through