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Posts Tagged ‘vegan salad’

Fresh Mint and Hearts of Palm Salad

Posted in Recipes, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on June 6, 2012 | 3 Comments »

I love green salads.

Freshly chopped n’tossed greens are rich in essential minerals and vitamins that aim to nourish every cell in our body, and are also a great source of hydrating H2O, and active enzymes. Enzymes help us to breakdown food, and digest and eliminate internal waste and debris. They are absolutely essential for life, and one of the secrets to a beautiful complexion, and a youthful glow.

With summer approaching and the grills firing up, not every hot body thinks to remember the importance of greenery when faced with sweet frozen “beverages,” grilled meats, and chips and salsa. However, with the sun pounding down, and the temptations at our fingertips, it is vital that our body and skin receive the raw nutrients it needs to stay beautiful, energized, and healthy.

What’s a social guy or gal to do?

If you are headed to a party that is not too keen on greens– please do not be shy. Bring along your own creation to share! You don’t have to be the one with the boring salad… just highlight the accessories!

What accessories?

The flavorful toppings!

Over Memorial Day weekend we whipped up a fun and refreshing salad. Salad Numero 2 was far from puny, packed with color, and flaunted surprising flavor with ever bite. So glad everyone loved it!

Sweet. Spicy. Crunchy. Pungent. Refreshing. Citrusy. 

You give it a go.

Toss the following ingredients with juice of 1-2 lemons and 2+ tbsp olive oil:

  • 2 large heads of organic romaine, chopped
  • 1 tbsp of freshly minced garlic
  • 1/4 cup red onion
  • 1/2 cup fresh mint, roughly chopped
  • 3 ears of corn, cut from the cob

Add:

  • 2 cans hearts of palm, rinsed in cool water, dried, and cut into medallions (jars preferred)
  • 2 roasted red peppers, preferably organic, sliced long ways, and then again, horizontally 
  • 1 pint of cherry tomatoes, halved (add last, their juice will make the salad soggy)
  • Juice of 1/2 large lemons + 1 whole lime
  • Sprinkle with pink sea salt to taste…
Want more?
Try adding fresh avocado, a grilled portabello mushrooms to the ensemble. You can even chop the romaine and toppings into manageable pieces and serve with a side of baked corn tortilla chips, guacamole and salsa. Hello satisfying salad nachos!
I never tire of salads.
To think I used to be the girl with a hot dog for each hand…
~ – ~
Will you be traveling this summer? Are there places and events you will be attending that think that salads are a bore? What do you do? What are your favorite skin saving secrets?
Looking for Nutritional Information and a Private Consult?
In honor of celebrating birthday yesterday, I am offering special consult rates. Please feel free to check them out for beautiful, clear, and youthful skin, enhanced energy, optimal digestion, improved sleep and mood, and a body you feel beautiful in. Learn the Secrets to better health, and why implementing a naturally detoxifying diet may be right for you.

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The Backyard Salad- and Giveaway

Posted in Entree, NuStevia Recipes, Recipes, tagged , , , , , , , , , on May 14, 2012 | 15 Comments »

This past weekend my husband and I were thoughtfully invited to an annual crawfish gathering in the neighborhood.

I opted out of anything crustacean related, and instead brought along a fresh green salad, with a summer edge and hearty twist.

I wanted something light, but also something satiating enough to stand “alone”.

To create a backyard, barbecue feel, I used juicy portabello mushrooms for meatiness, if you will, and freshly “roasted” red peppers. These are my “go-to” dense salad “dressers.”

Weight:

To get started, preheat your oven to 350 degrees. On a cooking pan, place 2 large portabello mushrooms, (caps only), and 1-2 red peppers, deseeded and cut into halves. Let bake in the oven until mushroom is juicy (about 10 minutes), and the red pepper’s skin is wrinkling (12-15 minutes). Remove and towel dry the mushroom. Allow to cool. Remove the red peppers, allowing time to cool, and then carefully peel off it’s wrinkly skin. Towel dry. Set aside.

Base:

  • 8 ounces of organic arugula
  • 8 ounces of organic fresh spinach leaves
  • 1/8 cup thinly sliced red onion
  • 1 cup golden cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 2 garlic choves, chopped (optional)
  • Fresh basil and parsley optional, know your audience on this one… I opted out. 

Dress:

  • 1/4 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
  • 1/4 cup olive oil, plus 2 tbsp
  • 1 tsp fresh minced garlic
  • 3 tbsp fresh parsley leaves and stems, roughly chopped
  • 3 tbsp fresh basil leaves, roughly chopped
  • 6 drops Orange NuNaturals NuStevia
  • Blend in high speed blender (like Magic Bullet) until smooth

Realign, and Combine

  • Toss the Base with the Dressing
  • Thinly slice and then halve the mushrooms and red peppers
  • Add on the weight
  • Sprinkle on a quality sea salt, like a sweet Pink Himalayan

Give it a final toss, and then go.

The salad will wilt significantly with the weight of the dressing and toppings. I love this because it gives the salad a massaged and denser feel.

The Result.

The mushroom and peppers are mild in flavor but “heavy”, and completely balance out the spicier arugula, creamy spinach, and fresh tasting herb dressing that is also surprisingly and just perfectly sweet! 

Had their been more grilled veggies, I would have been adding this to the salad also.

Those that tried it, loved it! And I am sure the crustaceans would have preferred it also. 

Want to make this salad? The orange NuStevia I added to the dressing was what really gave this dressing a unique gourmet and summer flavor. (And it was oh-so-simple).

GIVEAWAY. 

I have a little Giveaway to announce. NuNaturals is generously awarding (4) Four readers the opportunity to win their new Orange and Lemon flavors! The orange is what I tried out for this salad. I can’t say that these new flavors will replace my attachment to the Vanilla and Original Alcohol-Free NuStevia’s I use regularly, but I invite you to give it a try!

Giveaway Rules? 

Pretty simple:

  1. “Like” the NuNaturals Facebook page,
  2. “Like” my Facebook GLOW page,
  3. Then let me know you did so by commenting below with what you want to make with your goodies (it could be as simple as adding it to your tea).

*NuNaturals asks that you are in the U.S. and have an address that they can ship to (that is not a P.O. Box).

Contest Starts Today, and I’ll announce the 4 winners a week from now.

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Summer Salad: Refreshing Cilantro Lime Dressing

Posted in Recipes, tagged , , , , , on April 30, 2012 | 1 Comment »

This weekend my husband joined me in the kitchen and took over my dressing prep for the habitual romaine salad I tend to serve up to everyone. Although I had intended to “step out of the box” a tad, my go-to, quick and easy dressing generally consists of lemon, olive oil, a touch of stevia, and sea salt. “Boring,” but simple and delicious.

Sautéing up some shrimp for himself and the kids, I did not argue when he offered to make the dressing also. In fact, I could not have been more excited to have someone not only cooking for me, but I was eager to see what fun and creative recipe my culinary expert would whip up.

The result of fresh herbs and flavor, plus the advantage of knowing the audience better than themselves?

Deliciously satisfying. 

I was wowed with the simplicity and dimension of this cilantro dressing. It was the absolute perfect compliment to the crisp and sweet corn, crunchy romaine, pungent red onion, and creamy roasted red pepper.

The dressing itself was refreshingly light and cool with a mild tension derived from the jalapeño and shallot’s spiciness. The finished product was perfectly balanced with a new dimension of enticing sweetness that left me licking the plate (politely).

I loved this dressing and salad combo so much, I just had to share it asap.

Dressing:

The first 4 ingredients were prepared by finely chopping ingredients separately in the Magic Bullet. Extra ingredients were put to the side to season steamed veggies.

  • 1 tbsp finely chopped cilantro
  • 1 tbsp raw garlic
  • 1 tbsp jalapeño (seeds removed-but a few can be added back for more heat)
  • 1 tbsp raw shallot
  • juice of 1 giant lime (aprx 4 tbsp)
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 tbsp raw honey

For the salad:

  • 1 large head of romaine, finely chopped, 8+ cups
  • 1/4 cup red onion, thinly sliced
  • Raw corn, cut directly from 2 cobs (organic)
  • 1 roasted red pepper, sliced into long pieces

To roast pepper: slice in half and deseed. In a 400 degree preheated oven, place halves onto cookie pan, or cooking foil. Cook until pepper is hot and outer skin is wrinkly (about 10-12 minutes). My culinary expert husband informed me that one must peel the skin. Set aside to cool, and then cut remaining halves into horizontal pieces.

Toss all ingredients with dressing and season with a sweet pink himalayan sea salt– to taste. Add black pepper and red chili flakes for extra heat.

The family enjoyed this salad with cajun shrimp, me a giant steamed artichoke and broccoli.

Add-ons? This salad would be fantastic mixed with artichoke hearts, barely steamed asparagus, hearts of palm, and avocado. It was fantastically refreshing, and oh-so-simple to make. In fact, I made it last night also.

Enjoy!

I would love to hear your variations for this salad. 

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