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Tag Archives: healthy

guacamole

September 2, 2013
appeteaser, the underwear diet
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A while back I posted my favorite guacamole recipe, which calls for little more than the avocados themselves. This is typically my go-to approach for this simple starter, but here I deviated a bit. The avocados I bought were, for some reason, on the bland side, so I added a few more ingredients to the mix.

photo 1 (2)

2 Hass avocados, medium dice
juice of 1/2 lemon
juice of 1/2 lime
1/2 tomato, small dice (I only had cherry tomatoes so feel free to use whatever  you have on hand)
1/4 small red onion, minced (or 1 shallot, minced)
kosher salt, to taste

1. Place the avocados into a medium bowl and, using 2 knives, cut the pieces so that the avocados break down. Be sure to leave some chunks (unless you prefer it smooth).
2. Add the rest of the ingredients to the avocado and stir.
3. Adjust seasoning as needed.

moving day fruit salad

August 27, 2013
ramblings, the main event
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When life gives you stress, and a pint of blueberries, make fruit salad. And not just any fruit salad, but a big old mess of a fruit salad. Find whatever fruit you have on hand, combine, and eat. Hit it with a bit of freshly squeezed lime juice for a bright, tart finish.

“Have some fruit salad!” I encouraged my father.
“No–it looks too sloppy!” he replied. Yeah, but it was good.

photo (33)Sliced bananas, sliced plums and blueberries with lime juice.

potato and green bean salad

August 10, 2013
somethin' on the side
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1 pound red bliss potatoes
1/2 pound green beans
4-5 scallions, thinly sliced
juice of 1 lemon
1 clove garlic, gently crushed
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
1/4 cup olive oil

1. Place potatoes in a pot and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook until potatoes can be easily pierced with a knife.
2. Bring another pot of water to a boil. Add the green beans and blanch for 3-5 minutes, or until tender but still firm and bright green. Drain and rinse the green beans briefly under cold running water.
3. Meanwhile, combine scallions with lemon juice, garlic clove, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Allow to marinate for 15-20 minutes. Remove garlic clove and then whisk in olive oil.
4. Drain the potatoes and, while still warm, cut each into 8 pieces and immediately toss with the vinaigrette.
5. Cut the green beans in half on a diagonal. Add to the potatoes and stir to coat.
6. Adjust seasoning and eat. Like, now.

This was a perfect served alongside roasted chicken.

photo 3 (1)

couscous tabbouleh

August 5, 2013
somethin' on the side, the underwear diet
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6 servings of cooked couscous
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
1 small hothouse cucumber, deseeded and chopped
3 scallions, thinly sliced
1 small bunch parsley, roughly chopped
1 small bunch dill, roughly chopped
1 small bunch mint, roughly chopped (I didn’t have any on hand but think it would complete the dish)
juice and zest of 1 lemon
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
kosher salt and pepper

1. Cook 6 servings of couscous (I used whole wheat) according to the package’s directions.
2. Combine the couscous with the rest of the ingredients.
3. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

This paired wonderfully with baked salmon topped with cucumber yogurt sauce:

photo (31)

marinated tofu with carrot slaw and pickled red onions

July 2, 2013
the main event, the underwear diet
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Okay, so, I really wanted to make this a vegan entree. BUT, the slaw just begged for a touch of mayonnaise. BEGGED! Either way, this is a fabulously easy vegetarian dinner that can be made vegan very simply with vegan mayonnaise. All it requires is a bit of prep work the night before.

photo (13)

juice 2 limes
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 tsp toasted sesame oil
1 10-oz package tofu, drained
1 red onion, finely sliced
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar (or white wine vinegar)
1 lb carrots, peeled
1 jalapeño, de-seeded and minced
1 1/2 Tbsp mayonnaise
2 Tbsp cilantro, roughly chopped

1. Whisk together the lime juice, soy sauce and sesame oil.
2. Slice the block of tofu lengthwise into 4 pieces and place into the lime and soy marinade.
3. Cover and marinate overnight.
4. Combine the sliced onions with the vinegar. Stir, cover and marinate overnight.
5. Shred the carrots using a grater or food processor, or julienne using a mandoline.
6. Combine the carrots with the jalapeño, mayonnaise and cilantro.
7. Add a few teaspoons of the lime and soy marinade to the carrot mixture, to taste. Cover and refrigerate.
8. The next day, plate the carrot slaw, top with pickled red onions and a slice of tofu, cut in half on a diagonal.