Sauteed Red Cabbage & Criminis

Have you heard of Diane Sanfilippo' 21-day sugar detox? I have recommended it to multiple health coaching clients of mine as a way to take a break from sugar (even fruit!) and let their bodies recalibrate without the distractions of junky food. The results are pretty astounding. I have completed a 21DSD myself, and it was incredible how sweet tomatoes, peppers, and other vegetables became when they were the only sources of "sweet" food I ate. After the detox/cleanse ended, I did reintroduce many foods into my diet including fruit, but it certainly opened my eyes as to how much certain foods impact my mood, cravings, and overall health. I took one of the interesting recipes I came across during my research and tweaked it for tonight's blogpost. 

On an unrelated note, I have to shamelessly give one final push... my kickstarter campaign for Bowls of Love is ending in 27 hours!! I have raised almost $15,000 in under a month, and I am floored by the responses I have received. I have learned at least a dozen crucial life lessons throughout this process, and I am so proud to have accomplished the first step in fulfilling my dream. It is pretty amazing what happens in life when you fully dedicate yourself to something, and I am so incredibly motivated to keep pushing. If you love my recipes and have a soft spot for soups and sharing amazing food with the people you love (who doesn't?!) please take a minute to watch my video and consider contributing to the campaign so you can get a copy of Bowls of Love!

Sauteed Red Cabbage: Serves 3-4, Prep time: 10 min, Cook time: 20 min

Ingredients:
- 1 small head of red cabbage, thinly sliced
- 1 Tbsp. coconut oil
- 3 small onions, sliced
- 8 crimini mushrooms, sliced
- 2 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
- 1 Tbsp. rosemary
- Salt & pepper to taste

Instructions:
1. Head the coconut oil over medium heat
2. Sautee the onions and mushrooms until soft (about 10 minutes)
3. Add the cabbage and cook for 10 minutes
4. Add the vinegar, rosemary, salt, and pepper, and cook until totally soft (about 10-15 minutes)

Note: You can always add some water if this becomes too dry. Serve warm or cold (I prefer cold!)

  

  

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

 
  

Primal Meatza w/ Caramelized Onions & Goat Cheese

What a weekend! I officially launched the Kickstarter project for my upcoming cookbook Bowls of Love. Thanks to the incredible generosity and support of my backers, I have already raised over $6,000 of the $10,000 goal in the first 3 days! I have been reaching out to people like crazy spreading the word, and the response has been spectacular. I am so grateful for the interest in my project, and I am incredibly thankful to reconnect with old friends and meet new people with similar interests. I am so passionate about creating beautiful healthy food for the people I love, and now that mission is spreading like wildfire! The rewards for contributing to the project are great and include signed copies of the cookbook, cooking lessons, cooking parties at your home, and an opportunity to get a recipe in the book dedicated to you! You can check out the campaign at https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/alirak/bowls-of-love-paleo-soups-for-the-seasons

Tonight's recipe is a paleo pizza known as "meatza" that uses organic, grass-fed ground beef as the crust. I made this for Ry, and he loved it! He is a big cheese lover, so I topped his meatza with some fresh goat cheese. If you stay away from the dairy like me, I recommend adding extra veggies of your choice. These are so easy to make and are incredible delicious! Give them a try folks ;)

Primal Meatza w/ Caramelized Onions & Goat Cheese: Serves 2-3, Prep time: 10 min, Cook time: 20 min

Ingredients:

- 1lb. organic, grass-fed ground beef

- 1/4 tsp. salt

- 1/4 tsp. pepper

- 1/2 tsp. garlic powder

- 1 Tbsp. italian seasoning (rosemary, thyme, basil, oregano, etc.)

- 1 large red pepper, sliced

- 1 large sweet onion, sliced

- 1 tsp. olive or coconut oil

- fresh crushed tomatoes or small can of tomato paste or sauce

- 1/4 cup goat cheese, crumbled (optional)

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees

2. Meanwhile, heat oil in a pan over medium heat

3. Add onions and cook until lightly browned (about 10 minutes)

4. Add peppers and let cook another 10 minutes until cooked through

5. Meanwhile, mix the ground beef and all spices/seasonings in a bowl

6. Press the meat mixture into two pie dishes - the meat "crust" should be very thin

7. Bake the meat pies for 10 minutes

8. Remove the dishes, drain the excess fat, flip the meat, and reduce the oven temp to 375 degrees

9. Top with crushed tomatoes, onions, peppers, and goat cheese

10. Cook for another 5-10 minutes

Note: The meat crusts will shrink a lot when you bake them, so don't be surprised!

  

  

Parsnip Soup w/ Spiced Pumpkin Seeds

Great news, followers! My blog is not dead. It was simply hibernating for a bit while I figured out some pretty monumental life decisions. I wasn't feeling as creative with my cooking (and time was limited), so I remade a ton of my old recipes to make things quicker and easier. In the midst of the craziness, I quit my job at McLagan and accepted a new position at PepsiCo! It is going to be a huge change, and I am thrilled to start this next chapter. I have this week off before I start to get things organized, so I am hoping to share some great new recipes with all of you.

I was feeling very jealous of Grace and my other Boston friends who visited the Sunday SOWA market today because the farmers market here in Stamford just doesn't even compare. I go and support them every week, but I am pretty convinced that a lot of the fruits and veggies are not local. There wasn't a parsnip to be found yesterday, so I went to the grocery store to pick some up so I could experiment with a new soup. I try to make a new soup every (or every other) week in the Fall/Winter to have ready-made meals handy. This recipe is incredibly flavorful with amazing fall tastes, and the spiced pumpkin seeds add the perfect crunch.

Try it out and let me know what you think!

Parsnip Soup w/ Spiced Pumpkin Seeds: Serves 4-5, Prep time: 20 min, Cook time: 75 min

Ingredients:

- 1 Tbsp. olive oil

- 1 large sweet onion, chopped,

- 6 cloves garlic, chopped

- 1 bunch green onions/scallions, chopped

- 1 bunch celery, chopped

- 1 XL carrot, peeled & chopped

- 3 XL parsnips, peeled & chopped

- 4 cups organic chicken or veggie stock (no sugar added!)

- salt and pepper to taste

- 1/2 cup raw organic pumpkin seeds

- 1 tsp. olive oil

- 1/2 tsp. cinnamon

- 1/2 tsp. paprika

- 1/2 tsp. cumin

Instructions:

1. Heat 1 Tbsp. olive oil over medium heat

2. Add onion, garlic, and scallions and saute about 10 minutes until fragrant

3. Add celery, carrots, and parsnips. Stir well to combine and cook another 5 minutes

4. Add stock and bring to a boil

5. Cover and reduce heat. Cook for 1 hour

6. Meanwhile, heat 1tsp. olive oil in a small pan over medium heat

7. Add pumpkin seeds and toss to combine

8. After 1-2 minutes, add cinnamon, paprika, and cumin

9. Cook for another 2-3 minutes until fragrant and then let cool

10. When soup is done, let cool slightly and blend with immersion blender or food processor

11. Season with salt and pepper to taste (I just added some pepper)

12. Serve piping hot with ~1Tbsp. of spiced pumpkin seeds on top! Happy Fall :)

  

  

  

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

  

  

Butternut Squash Soup

There are pros and cons to every situation including being in a long-distance relationship. While certainly more cons than pros if you ask me, the one good thing is that I am able to continue my absurd love affair with garlic. I used to prefer food very bland without salt, pepper, garlic, or any herbs or spices. These days, my taste buds have adapted, and I can barely eat anything without garlic. I found some organic elephant garlic at the store recently, so I knew I had to try it. As you can see, three of the cloves took up my whole hand, but I still used the entire head. Sauteed sweet onions with loads of garlic makes the perfect base to almost any soup or meal, so you know this is going to be a good one. Aside from the wonderful taste, garlic has antiviral, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and anti-cancer properties. These are more than enough reasons for me to eat garlic every day! 

Tonight's recipe was inspired by my Aunt Lauri's butternut squash soup. I took out the milk and tweaked it a bit. If you prefer a thicker/creamier soup, you can mix in 1 cup of coconut milk after blending the soup. This soup is perfect for the fall, but you can't go wrong any time of year with this recipe!

Butternut Squash Soup: Serves: 8-12, Prep time: 20 min, Cook time: 1 hour

Ingredients:
- 6lbs. butternut squash, peeled & chopped
- 2-3 Tbsp. coconut oil
- 3-5 small vidalia onions, chopped
- 1 head elephant garlic, peeled & chopped
- 8 cups organic chicken stock
- salt & pepper to taste

Instructions:
1. Heat coconut oil over medium heat
2. Add onions and garlic and cook for 10-15 minutes until soft and fragrant
3. Add squash and broth to the pot, and bring to a boil
4. Lower heat to low, and cook 45-60 minutes until squash is soft
5. Puree with immersion blender or transfer in batches to a blender or food processor
6. Eat up!

  

  

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

  

  

Cinnamon Apple Onion Pork Chops

It is a cozy rainy Sunday in CT today. I was planning on planting the rest of my garden today, but it may need to wait until the rain stops. In the meantime, my carrots are growing (there are over 20 sprouting!). I don't have a solid plan for today because I was planning to celebrate winning the Powerball with my family. It looks like I will have to get back to reality, do some cooking, get some work done, and get ready for another busy week. 

Today's recipe is a sweet and savory pork chop dish. I can't even remember the last time I made pork chops, but I wanted to switch it up. I love sweet onions and fruit in absolutely everything, so this is a great dish. You could also make this type of recipe in the crockpot if you prefer, but I chose to pan sear and then bake in the oven. This is a great meal for a rainy Sunday. Hope you enjoy!

Cinnamon Apple Onion Pork Chops: Serves: 2, Prep time: 10 min, Cook time: 45 min

Ingredients:
- 2 organic pork chops (I used boneless)
- 1 Tbsp. coconut oil
- 1 sweet onion, sliced
- 1 apple, chopped
- sea salt and pepper
- 1 tsp. cinnamon
- 1/3 cup organic vegetable broth (I used Pacific)

Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Heat coconut oil over medium heat
3. Season pork chops with salt and pepper on both sides
4. Brown the chops in the oil for about 2 minutes on each side
5. Remove chops from the pan and cover with foil
6. Add the onions to the pan with the oil
7. Cook until soft, about 10 minutes
8. Add apples and cook another 5 minutes
9. Add cinnamon and broth, bring to a boil, and then simmer for 3 minutes until reduced
10. Put chops in a baking dish topped with the apple/onion mixture
11. Bake 20-25 minutes until cooked through

    

CPG Soup

WHAT a day! I decided my team at work deserved a little home-cooked goodness to kick off our busy season and have a little team bonding. After about ten back-to-back meetings, I left work early, went to the grocery store, and cooked for 2.5 hours straight. I went with a belated Cinco de Mayo theme and made fajitas, guacamole, mango salsa, Mexican stuffed mushrooms, and spiced cantaloupe. We had a great time, and I just finished over an hour of cleaning dishes. Luckily I prepped all my blogposts over the weekend after my insane cooking spree, so I have a great soup to share tonight. The "CPG" stands for carrots, peppers, and greens (not that creative, sorry). I had a ton of leftover veggies (still perfecting meal planning and my new routine), so I figured I would make some soup. Ironically, as I was cooking the carrots, my mom sent me this picture of her with her Kentucky Derby hat with carrots attached to the top. Leave it to the girl from the Bronx to make the most creative (ridiculous) Derby hat. While she didn't win the hat contest she entered, the woman who did win didn't actually make her hat (she borrowed one from a friend!). In my mind, that makes my mom the winner. I am proud to say that I have learned a lot from my mom over the years - everything from my passion of cooking to a love of crazy costumes!

CPG Soup: Serves: 4-5, Prep time: 20 min, Cook time: 50 min

Ingredients:

- 1 Tbsp. coconut oil

- 1 large sweet onion, chopped- 10-12 cloves of garlic, chopped (one large head)- 1 pound baby carrots- 3 sweet peppers, chopped (I used 1 red, 1 yellow, & 1 orange)
- 1 bunch organic rainbow chard, chopped

- 2 quarts organic vegetable broth (I used Pacific)

- 1 bunch organic beet greens, chopped

Instructions:

1. Heat coconut oil over medium heat

2. Add onion and garlic, and cook for 10 minutes until lightly golden brown
3. Add carrots and peppers and cook for another 5 minutes, stirring frequently
4. Add vegetable stock and bring to a boil
5. Cover pot and reduce heat to a simmer for 30 minutes
6. Add greens and cook another 5 minutes

7. Remove pot from heat and blend with an immersion blender (or food processor/blender)
8. Serve immediately or let cool and serve later - tastes best after it has a chance to sit for a few hours or overnight in the fridge!