Avocado-Cranberry Salad

 

One of my favorite, versatile salads.  Perfect for a side salad to your main dish, or as a main dish topped with chicken or shrimp.

 

Any type of lettuce greens can be used and the nuts can either be omitted (but why??) or you can use whichever nuts you prefer.

 

Ingredients

serves 6 main dish salads

serves 8 side dish salads

 

Salad

16 oz greens (I like a combination of spinach, arugula, field greens)

1 bunch cilantro, leaves only

2 medium avocados, peeled and sliced
¾ cup dried unsweetened cranberries
¾ cup spiced almonds (recipe below)

 

Dressing

1 ½ tablespoons poppy seeds
1 ½ tablespoons sesame seeds
½ teaspoon paprika
2 teaspoons dried mustard
1 tablespoon minced sweet onion
½ teaspoon sea salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
½ cup white balsamic vinegar
⅓ cup vegetable oil
⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil

 

In a large bowl, mix together your greens and cilantro. Add avocado and dried cranberries and mix gently.

Combine all ingredients for dressing in a jar or bowl that seals and shake until thoroughly combined.

Pour desired amount of dressing over salad (I don't use all of the dressing, but rather save some for my other salads in the week!) and mix gently.

Scatter spiced almonds over mixed salad.

Enjoy!

 

Spiced Almonds

4 cups sliced almonds (or any other preferred nut)
2  tablespoons clarified butter
2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoons smoked paprika
1 teaspoon vanilla
sea salt

 

In a small saucepan, over med low heat, add butter, cinnamon, smoked paprika and vanilla. Stir until well combined and butter is melted.

Add the nuts and stir gently to coat. Cover and continue to cook on low, stirring every minute or so until almonds are a delicious golden brown. Watch very carefully as they can burn quickly! Turn out onto prepared foil and sprinkle liberally with sea salt. Spread out on foil to cool.

Restaurant Review

By:  Coach Maria - Salus Nutritionist & Food Expert

Growing up in Spain, we were surrounded with a rich culture and tradition.  Meals and socializing were intricately tied together.

My grandfather, Bautista Gonzalez, opened up La Viña in Bilbao, Spain, in 1927.  Originally serving sweet wine and Palma ham, the tradition continues 85 years later and remains in the hands of my cousin, José Ramón González.

Although it's been years since I've step foot back in Spain, I continue to have a fierce loyal affection to my family and the delicious Spanish cuisine.

I have visited several restaurants that attempt to recreate this cuisine with little or disappointing luck.

Until, that is, I stumbled upon Finca!

Finca is the creation of Pago owner, Scott Evans.  Having enjoyed Pago several times, I was eager, albeit cautious, to want to try this restaurant claiming to have authentic Spanish cuisine.

Finca boasts a wide array of Tapas (bite-sized appetizers) - divided into both Tapas frias (cold) and Tapas calientes (hot), and larger, entree sized plates called Raciones, if your appetite requires a bit more.

Also offered is a brunch menu that include items such as the traditional Tortilla de Seta (mushroom, goat cheese, potato omelet with caramelized onions) and Huevos Flamenco (chorizo, potato, baked eggs, onions, peppers).



Finca continues Pago's tradition to fully support local producers such as Clifford Farms, Morgan Valley Lamb, Ballard Farms and Snowy Mountain Creamery.

What are my personal thoughts and impressions?




The interior design of Finca is nothing like the quaint, cozy feel of what I might have hoped for or expected.  Some people like this type of design and others could care less, but for me;  atmosphere can negatively or positively influence my dining experience and this influence just felt cold.

I did, however, enjoy the simplicity of the menu and ease of ordering.

Were the flavors authentic?

Yes - some of the flavors took me back instantly and I was impressed with the obvious care and precision they take with food presentation.  The Tapas experience allows for great food sharing with whomever you are dining with and is conducive to great conversations!  The croquetas - a deliciously common dish growing up - were difficult to have to share with others, since they were exactly what I remember eating as a child.



No - some of the items were bland and lacked the mouth-bursting flavors that are so common with these dishes.  To be fair, however, I'm certain that on a different day, those same dishes would probably be quite delicious - everyone that cooks, knows that the same recipe can be great one time it's made and dull the next time it's made!

Would I go back?



A resounding YES!

As a matter of fact, I plan on taking my sister - who will be visiting soon - to share these delicious tapas and reminisce about our great childhood experiences in Spain.


photos courtesy of randomactsofkellines

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

By:  Coach Maria - Salus Nutritionist & Food Expert

Carving a pumpkin this year? 

If you've always thrown out the seeds when you carve a pumpkin, you are missing out on an easy and delicious snack!

Roasting the pumpkin seeds takes little effort but yields big results, and when using different combinations of spices, you'll get a different flavor each time! 

Ingredients
serves 2-4 depending on size of pumpkin

Pumpkin seeds from 1 pumpkin
1 tblsp coconut oil, melted
1 tblsp onion powder
1 tblsp garlic powder
1 tsp seasoned salt

Preheat oven to 300 degrees
Rinse pumpkin seeds and dry on a clean towel.
Mix pumpkin seeds with coconut oil, making sure all seeds are covered.
Sprinkle with seasonings.
Spread on a cookie sheet.
Bake for 45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes.  Check after 45 minutes - if still chewy, bake for another 15 minutes and check again.

Spicy Pumpkin Seeds
smoked paprika
chili powder
sea salt

Curried Pumpkin Seeds
curry powder
sea salt

Sweet Spiced Pumpkin Seeds
1 tblsp pure maple syrup
cinnamon
sea salt

Pumpkin Smoothie

By:  Coach Maria - Salus Nutritionist & Food Expert

It's time for pumpkin!

Simple ingredients.

Healthy nutrients.

Fabulous flavors.

Ingredients
serves 1

1/2 c pumpkin
3/4 c almond milk
2 dates, pitted
1/2 banana, frozen
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1/2 c ice
1/2 tsp vanilla

Add all ingredients in a blender.  Blend until smooth.  Drink.  Enjoy.

Season of Sugar, Part I - Halloween

By:  Coach Maria - Salus Nutritionist & Food Expert

Follow us in this 3-part series on Season of Sugar.  For tips on how to make better food choices and avoiding the sugar load during:

1.  Halloween
2. Thanksgiving
3. Christmas

Walk into any store and you will see rows of candy and sweets to entice us.  Many of the stores don't even wait until the end of summer before beginning their Halloween sugar campaign!

Regardless of where you go, we are already in full Season-of-Sugar swing!

From Halloween to Easter and all the holiday's in between, the sweet revolving door does not stop.  Bags and bags of candy for trick-or-treaters, a gluttony-feast for Thanksgiving desserts and sweets, sugar ladened gifts and cookie plates for Christmas cheer and, ofcourse, ringing in the New Year with more of the same.

We get a blink-of-the-eye break before the stores fill up with heart-shaped candy and chocolate for Valentine's day, everything-green for St. Patrick's day and then followed quickly by chocolate Easter bunnies and plastic eggs filled with more candy!

Enough said.

For the next 8 months, when we venture out of our home, we will be inundated with these temptations at just about everywhere we shop.

As many of you already know, refined sugar is linked to:

• Obesity
• Diabetes
• Hypertension
• Inflammation
• Depression
• Headaches
• Fatigue
• Skin Irritation

For those of you already battling with some of those issues, it's disheartening to learn that during the peak season of sugar (Halloween - New Year), the average American can gain 5-10 lbs!

There IS good news.  You DO have a CHOICE! 

Halloween:

We have a tradition in our household when it comes to Halloween.  Rather than purchasing bags of candy to pass out to ghosts and goblins, we will be cooking up 100% beef hot dogs and making hot apple cider. 

Initially, our children grumbled and bellyached, but we stuck to the plan and set a table right in front of our garage.

The plan worked!

Not only did our little visitors enjoy warm-the-belly food and drink during a cold night, but the parents enjoyed it as well!

If that isn't something you are willing to do and prefer to stick with the traditional candy route; at the very least, don't buy candy until the very last minute, so you don't have the temptation staring you in the face each day.
When purchasing candy, choose a type of candy you don't enjoy - this way, the temptation to dip into the candy bowl will be low.

Halloween Idea:


Photo & recipe Martha Stewart

For the ghost, use your favorite mashed potato recipe or, for lower carb, use this one.
For the pumpkin, use a mashed sweet potato recipe.
Place in a pastry bag or snip the end of a ziploc.
Pipe the mashed potato into a ghost shape and the sweet potato into a pumpkin shape.
For the ghost eyes, use either black sesame seeds, or peppercorns work well also!
For the pumpkin stem, use cilantro or parsley leaves.

Nutty Banana Waffles - Gluten Free!

Who likes waffles?

Who likes easy-to-make waffles?

Who likes waffles that won't make you feel like you have a ton of bricks in your belly?

If you raised your hand to all of these questions, you'll love this recipe and you should try them ASAP!

My family members like these with real maple syrup, but honestly, the over-ripened bananas add enough sweetness that I eat them plain!

Ingredients
Serves 4

1 1/2 cups almond flour
4 eggs
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
2 ripe bananas, mashed (the more ripe they are, the sweeter the waffles!)
1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla extract
Coconut oil (only if your waffle iron tends to have waffles stick to it)
Chopped pecans**

Preheat waffle iron.
In a bowl, mix all ingredients thoroughly, except for the coconut oil and pecans.
When waffle iron is heated and if your waffle iron has waffles stick to it, brush some coconut oil in each square (I have to do this with only one of my waffle irons).
Drop about 1/4 cup of batter into the center of each waffle-spot.
**Optional: before closing lid, sprinkle some or all of them with chopped pecans.  I like doing this over mixing the nuts straight into the batter, because some family members like the nuts and some don't.  This way, I control not only the amount of pecans per waffle, but also whether or not to sprinkle pecans over waffles.
Once you've sprinkled desired amount of pecans on each waffle square, close lid and cook until done.

Scotch Eggs

By:  Coach Maria - Salus Nutritionist & Food Expert

Probably one of the easiest meal or snack to throw together. 

Traditionally, Scotch Eggs are hard boiled eggs wrapped in pork sausage, rolled in breadcrumbs and deep fried.  Contrary to assumptions, Scotch Eggs did not originate in Scotland, but rather in England.

A popular picnic snack, Scotch Eggs are eaten cold and usually with a side salad.

Wanting the flavor of Scotch Eggs, but not the effects of pork sausage, breadcrumbs or even deep fried foods, I decided to make a few substitutions.

The end result was surprisingly tasty and, with such an easy method of preparation and no required re-heating, it will become a convenient snack to have in my fridge for those grab-and-go moments.

There are many variations of this recipe and I encourage you to create your own!

Ingredients
makes 8

1.5 lbs ground beef (you can use any variety of meat or sausage, including ground chicken or turkey)
8 hard boiled eggs
spices of choice
almond flour

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Mix your ground beef with any desired spices or herbs (optional).
With your hands, wrap some ground beef around the hard boiled egg until evenly and completely covered.
Roll in almond flour.
Repeat with remaining eggs.
Roll in almond flour again and place on baking sheet.
Bake for 20-30 minutes, or until meat is fully cook.

Slow Cooker Meals

By: Coach Maria - Salus Nutritionist & Food Expert 

We all have busy schedules. Some weeks are busier than others. Unfortunately, when our time becomes crunched, our plans for a healthy dinner is the first thing to be sacrificed. There are enough places out there to grab a quick bite to eat for yourself or even to pick up for the entire family. The problem, of course, is that some will do this entirely too frequently and the effects to health are detrimental.

The solution? The slow cooker.

Utilizing a slow cooker for meals almost feels like cheating.

Is it really cooking if I am simply dumping a few ingredients into the slow cooker, turning it on, walking away from the kitchen for hours and coming back home in time to serve a delicious dinner??

Fortunately, I can live with that kind of guilt.

If you have never attempted a slow cooked meal (why not??), I challenge you to try at least one of these easy recipes this week. You will discover at least one thing: It requires little to no EFFORT!

If you double these recipes, you’re certain to have enough leftovers for an entire week!

Even those that have difficulty boiling water, will have no problems tossing random ingredients into the slow cooker and walking away.

Meal #1

Sweet Potato & Chicken Soup

6 bone-in chicken thighs, skin removed, trimmed of fat

2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed

½ pound mushrooms, thinly sliced

6 large shallots, peeled and halved

4 cloves garlic, peeled

½ cup sun dried tomatoes packed in olive oil

1 cup chicken broth

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary, or 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Place all ingredients in a 6-quart slow cooker; stir to combine. Put the lid on and cook on low until the potatoes are tender, about 5 hours. Before serving, remove bones from the chicken, if desired.

Meal #2

Hot Wings

12 Chicken drumsticks (or 3 lbs of whatever pieces you want)

½ c ghee (or you can use Kerry Gold grass fed butter or coconut oil)

¾ c red hot sauce

¼ c water

black pepper 

Combine your ghee, hot sauce, and water in a mixing bowl and stir well.

Line the bottom of your crock pot with your drumsticks, or wing, or thighs.  Pepper your chicken to your taste liking.  Take your sauce mixture and poor it over all of your chicken.  Cover and cook on low for 6 hours.  Once done, remove chicken and place on a baking sheet.  Pour your sauce in a sauce pan, add 2 cloves of garlic and reduce down by about half.  Use this sauce to baste your wings and then broil in the oven on high for 3-5 minutes to get crispy.

Meal #3

Meatloaf

2 pounds of ground beef, bison, or turkey (or a combination)

1 medium onion, very finely diced 

-2 carrots,  finely diced

1 green sweet bell pepper, finely diced

1 med tomato, diced

3 tablespoons coconut aminos

1 tsp garlic salt

salt, pepper and any other spices to taste

2 eggs, lightly beaten

½ c almond flour 

Mix all ingredients in a medium sized bowl.

Shape into loaf.

Place directly in crock pot or place in loaf pan and put loaf pan in crockpot.

When cooked, turn the crock pot off and let cool for 15-30 minutes with lid off before cutting.

Granola



 

By: Coach Maria - Salus Nutritionist & Food Expert

 

Nothing but good ingredients, fall flavors and hearty nutrients without the chemicals, additives or undesirable ingredients we are trying to avoid.

 

Have this as your breakfast cereal or as a delicous snack - either way, you will not be disappointed with the flavors.

 

Ingredients

Serves 4-6

 

1/2 cup sliced almonds

1/2 cup pumpkin seeds (pepitas)

1/2 cup pecans, chopped

8-10 dried dates, pits removed, then chopped

1/2 cup pumpkin puree

1/3 cup coconut oil, melted

1/3 cup unsweetened shredded coconut

1/4 cup pure maple syrup

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 tablespoons cinnamon

1 tablespoon nutmeg

1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

1/8 teaspoon ground ginger

pinch of salt

 

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

In a large mixing bowl, add your pumpkin puree, coconut oil, maple syrup, vanilla extract, and all spices. Mix well.

Add your nuts, seeds, and dates and mix well with your wet ingredients.

Place parchment paper on a large baking sheet and pour your granola mixture on top. Use a spoon to spread out the mixture evenly so everything will cook at the same time.

Place in oven and cook for 30-40 minutes, moving the granola around half way through to be sure it doesn’t burn.

LET COOL. Letting the granola cool will help it harden up, and that’s what you want from granola, right?

Eat all by itself or top it off with coconut milk or almond milk.

Enjoy!