Avocado Greens Smoothie

With the avocado capital of the world right here in California, I'm fortunate enough to have almost more avocado than I know what to do with! ALMOST. Because there are always amazing ways to incorporate this buttery fruit packed full of fiber, potassium and vitamins! This time, I've magic bulleted it into the creamiest smoothie ever. Yum. 

This recipe also calls for a scoop of Greens+ powder, which has spirulina, chlorella, bee pollen, and all sorts of healthy stuff in an all-natural energy enhancing citrus blend. Greens+ is the brand I'm most used to, but I'm sure any of the other superfood greens powder mixes out there will do the trick for an extra nutritional boost. 

You will need a magic bullet or blender for this recipe.

Serves 1 

• 1/2 banana
• 1/2 avocado
• 1/4 cup fresh washed spinach, fresh
• 1/4 cup non-fat vanilla yogurt
• 1 scoop (13.6 gr) greens+ extra energy powder
• 1/3-1/2 cup cold water (less water for a thicker smoothie, more for a runny one)

This recipe is extra convenient when you double it. If not, you can freeze the other half of the banana for next time, and give the other half of the avocado a quick cold water rinse so it doesn't brown as easily before storing it in the fridge in an airtight container for your next smoothie. 

Slice up half of the banana into smaller chunks and scoop out half of the avocado and place into blender along with all other ingredients. 

Blend for a few minutes until smooth. Feel free to adjust water amount to desired consistency. 

Palak Saag (Curried Spinach)

We were at a baby shower that was held at a beautiful Indian restaurant in downtown San Francisco on the weekend. One of the many amazing delights served was a perfect palak saag. For some insane reason, B isn't a fan of any palak (spinach)-based Indian dishes, so I created my version/attempt of palak saag on a night when he already had dinner plans (aka mystery meat in a bun at some sports arena). 

Note 1: I prefer the spinach not schloppy (pureed), so I've left it in its original cooked form. 

Note 2: This vegetarian recipe makes enough for one large dinner portion, or two smaller lunch portions. Though it would also pair well with a Chicken tikka masala (recipe: here) for a heartier meal. 

Yields 1 large dinner portion, or 2 smaller lunches. 

• 1 cup basmati rice (2 cups water)
• 1 9oz bag of fresh, washed spinach
• 2 inch section fresh ginger
• 6-8 cloves garlic
• 1 green serrano chili pepper
• 1 green onion
• 1/4 cup diced yellow onion
• 1 tsp paprika (heaping!)
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
• 1 roma tomato
• 1/4 cup fresh, chopped cilantro
• 1/2 cup skim milk

Cook basmati in a rice cooker if you have one, or on the stove per package instructions.

Add about 3 fingers of water to a medium sized pot and heat til boiling (not too much water required as the spinach will shrink). Once the water has reached boiling, add the 9oz bag of washed spinach and blanch for about a minute. Strain in a colander and allow excess liquid to continue to drain while you prepare the rest of the ingredients. 

Mince the ginger, garlic and serrano chili together. Mince as finely as possible. 

Dice green and yellow onion. 

Heat small amount (about 1tsp) of olive oil in a non-stick frying pan over med-high. Add ginger, garlic, serrano, green and yellow onions. Cook for a few minutes, stirring. Reduce heat to medium, then add paprika, salt, cumin, and turmeric and continue stirring for another minute or two. 

Meanwhile, dice the tomato and chop the cilantro. Add both to the spiced mixture in pan and stir for a few minutes.

Squeeze any excess liquid from the blanched spinach, then add to the frying pan, along with 1/2 cup of skim milk. Reduce heat to med-low, stirring well to incorporate all ingredients. Cover and let simmer for 5-10min.

The rice should be ready by this point. Serve alongside palak saag. Enjoy :)

Shredded Chicken Soft Tacos

There are days when I don't get asked "what's for sups?" so much as I get told what's for sups. This recipe came from one such decisive day. The request was for soft tacos, specifically with shredded chicken if possible, so I tried my best to deliver on this demand. As it turned out, the tacos were a hit and B now wants this meal added to the list of regulars on our dinner rotation!

Yields approx 6 soft tacos (depending on how heavily or lightly you stuff them)

• 1 boneless, skinless chicken breast
• Chicken marinade: 

• 1 1/2 tbsp coke (the carbonation & chemicals in coke work great to tenderize meat)
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1/2 tsp ground pepper 
• 1/2 tsp cayenne powder
• 1/2 tsp cajun powder
• pinch red chili flakes
• 1 cup tomato sauce (or spicy pasta sauce!)
• 1 package whole wheat/multigrain 6-inch soft tortillas (I like the Mission brand pictured below as they are high in fibre)
• 1/2 hothouse cucumber
• 3 cups fresh spinach
• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro
• 3/4 cup skim mozzarella (or low-fat cheese of your choosing)
• optional: taco sauce or hot sauce, to taste

Start by marinating the chicken well in advance (a couple hours up to overnight). Trim any fat off the chicken breast, slice in half to maximize the surface area being coated in saucy goodness. Add all marinade ingredients, mixing well to coat evenly. Cover and set aside in fridge til closer to serving time. 

  

Heat a small amount of olive oil (~1tsp) in a small non-stick pan over med-high heat. Add chicken breast halves, including any excess marinade. Cook for 3min, flip, then cook the other side for another 3min. Pour the tomato/pasta sauce over the chicken, reduce heat to low, cover the pan, and let simmer for 20min (or til chicken is no longer pink inside).

While the chicken is simmering, wash and prepare the taco fixins: Slice cucumber and spinach into thin strips. Chop cilantro. Grate mozzarella. Set aside on a serving plate, keeping refrigerated until the chicken is ready.

Preheat the oven to 350. Wrap tortillas in tin foil, and warm in preheated oven for 5-7min.

Once the chicken is cooked, remove from pan, and shred with two forks. Place the shredded chicken back in the pan, stirring to coat in the remaining sauce, cover, and continue simmering for another 10-15min. 

Once the tortillas are warm and the shredded chicken is ready, I set up a build-your-own-adventure style taco station on the kitchen counter or at the dinner table. I put a bottle of taco sauce and hot sauce out as well. 

Spinach Omelette

I love eggs. Boyfriend does not. Yay ME!!!

Yields 1 large omelette

hello kitty kitchen essentials

• 2 cups raw spinach, packed
• 1/4-1/3 cup grated colby jack cheese (or any cheese or your choosing)
• 3 large eggs
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp pepper
• 1/8 tsp paprika
• splash of skim milk (approx 2 tbsp)
• 1 tsp olive oil

Measure out 2 cups of fresh (washed & dried) spinach, packed, then place in a medium non-stick pan over medium-high heat with a teaspoon of water. Cover with a lid. Once the spinach has wilted, place in colander to drain any excess liquid. Squeeze if necessary. 

Grate as much cheese as you like (I tend to use about 1/3 cup), and feel free to use whatever kind of cheese you have on hand! 

Crack eggs into a bowl with salt, pepper, paprika and skim milk. Beat thoroughly using a fork or whisk. 

Add 1 tsp olive oil to the same non-stick pan and heat to medium-high. Pour egg mixture into pan and reduce heat to medium.

Let sit for one minute before sprinkling cheese over the eggs. Leave for another minute, then add wilted spinach over the cheese. Leave for one more minute before folding the omelette over. Serve immediately if you prefer runny - Let sit until cooked through if you don't! 

Blackberry Spinach Salad

Blackberries are my favorite of all the berries - not as tart as raspberries and not as sweet as strawberries - perfect! I might also be partial because black is my favorite color, but these juicy little guys are also a great source of fiber, Vitamin C, Vitamin K and manganese!

Yields 2 large salads

• 4.5oz baby spinach
• 1/2 hot house cucumber
• 170gr blackberries
• 1 small avocado
• 1/4 cup sliced almonds
• balsamic vinaigrette (I used a sweet strawberry balsamic blend with blood orange organic evoo from Olive Crush, but any other kind will do!)

I bought a 9oz bag of washed baby spinach so I wouldn't have to wash and wait for the spinach to dry. Just dumped about half the bag into a large salad bowl (makes it easy if you're doubling the recipe too, just use the whole bag!). 

Wash hot house cucumber (I prefer these to the English ones as the seeds are smaller), section off the half you are using, and refrigerate the rest for another use. Cut lengthwise in half again, then into thin semi-circled slices. Toss with spinach. 

Wash blackberries and pat dry before adding to salad bowl.

Cut avocado in half and remove pit. Slice lengthwise into 8 strips and remove the peel. Give the peeled avocado a quick cold water bath to prevent them from turning brown. Remove from water and cut into bite size chunks. Add to salad bowl. 

Add sliced almonds to the salad and toss with 3 tablespoons of balsamic vinaigrette, or to taste. 

This salad goes great with grilled chicken and a large glass of white wine.

Greens & Yellows Summer Salad with Smoky Grilled Chicken

Another salad idea that packs a protein punch and a sweet summer kick! It's also a pretty assortment of bright greens and yellows that sets off the dark red-browns of the grilled chicken, if presentation matters to you! 

The health benefits of legumes are always so highly praised, and edamame is no different, being high in protein, dietary fibre, folate and Vitamin K. Spinach, of course, is a dark, leafy green, full of iron and Vitamins A, C, and B. Nectarines are a great source of antioxidants, vitamins and minerals, and give this salad some juicy sweetness. Chicken breast is an excellent lean protein, but the chili powder seasoning is also rich in Vitamin A and minerals like potassium and phosphorus. Avocado acts as a nutrient booster, helping your body to better absorb the goodness in all of these ingredients! 

To cook the chicken, you will need a two-sided grill or a BBQ. 

Makes 2 dinner sized salads

• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 2 tsp white vinegar
• 2 tsp ground black pepper
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1/4 tsp cayenne
• enough chili powder to coat chicken breast (approx 1 1/2 tbsp)
• 3/4 cup frozen edamame beans
• 3/4 cup frozen corn
• 3 cups baby spinach
• cucumber
• 1 ripe avocado
• 1 nectarine
• Dressing: 
• 1 tsp balsamic vinegar
• 3 tsp olive oil
• 1 tsp tarragon

A couple hours in advance, trim any fat off chicken breasts, then sprinkle seasoning, covering all sides of the chicken. Set aside in fridge, allowing marinade to soak in. 

Bring 2 cups of water to a boil in a small pot over high heat. Add frozen edamame and corn. Boil for 3min, strain in colander, and let cool completely. 

To cook the chicken, I use a 2-sided grill (like a George Foreman). Warm up the grill, then place chicken breasts in center and set timer for 8-10min, depending on thickness of chicken. 

Meanwhile, wash and dry baby spinach, and divide evenly over two plates. 

Very thinly slice as much cucumber as you want in your salad. The more cuke, the more crunch! I slice into paper thin coins. Arrange over half of the spinach bed on both plates. 

Slice avocado in half and remove the seed. Slice each half in half, then carefully remove the skin from the flesh. Place avocado flesh in a bowl of cold water for a minute (the cold water bath will ensure the avocado doesn't turn brown). Remove from water, and slice each quarter into 4, then arrange over the other half of the spinach bed on both plates. 

Slice nectarine into slim wedges around the pit (may take some patience!). Arrange over salad. 

Sprinkle the cooled edamame and corn over salad. 

Mix all dressing ingredients together and drizzle over salad. 

Slice grilled chili chicken and serve along with salad. 

Strawberry Spinach Salad, Balsamic Vinaigrette

Summertime!! The BBQ's hot and the meat's a-sizzlin.. Beat the heat and pair your grilled goods with this sweet and refreshing salad! 


This salad isn't just pretty to look at... These ingredients combined form quite the nutritional powerhouse. Strawberries are full of vitamin C and manganese, spinach is full of vitamins K and A, almonds are rich in vitamin E, magnesium and manganese, while avocado acts as a nutrient booster, helping your body to better absorb the goodness in all of these ingredients! 

Yield: 2 servings - Double up the recipe for 2 big bowl salads!

• Dressing: 

• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 tsp white sugar
• 1/2 tsp tarragon 
• 15 unsalted almonds
• 3 cups spinach, packed
• cucumber
• 4 large strawberries
• 1 small avocado

Stir all dressing ingredients together in a jar or glass. Cover and refrigerate. 

Slice almonds, each one roughly into 3 pieces. Set aside. 

Measure out 3 cups of spinach, packed, and distribute evenly onto 2 salad plates. 

Very thinly slice as much cucumber as you want in your salad. The more cuke, the more crunch! I slice paper thin, then halve them into semi-circles. Toss cucumber with spinach to mix. 

Wash ripe strawberries and pat dry. Remove stems and hull. Slice, then arrange over spinach and cucumber. 

Slice avocado in half and remove the seed. Slice each half in half, then carefully remove the skin from the flesh. Place avocado flesh in a bowl of cold water for a minute (the cold water bath will ensure the avocado doesn't turn brown). Remove from water, and slice each quarter into 4, then arrange over salad.

Sprinkle sliced almonds over salad.

Remove dressing from fridge - it will have thickened somewhat - and give it a stir or a shake. Drizzle as much or as little as you'd like over the salad and serve!  Optional: garnish with a few leaves of fresh mint if you have some.