TURMERIC GINGER CHICKEN SOUP

December 31, 2017

Fall/Winter 2017: the worst cold season ever.
If you are like me, you caught that cold that has been "going around" for months. Maybe you even caught it twice, like me - once in LA, and once in Portland. Both sucked, but there was one difference: getting a cold in Portland, with its cooler (and damper/icier) weather conditions, makes eating recovery soup much more appealing than trying to scarf soup in LA's mid-to-upper-80s "winter" temps.

Turmeric, ginger, and a kick of spice are the perfect combination to help kick that cold and get your immunity back up. So grab your bowl and cuddle up on the couch while you binge on Friends (or is that just me?)...

What you need:
2 shredded chicken breasts or 10oz chicken tenderloins (optional if you're vegetarian)
1 diced yellow onion
3 celery stalks, sliced
3 large carrots, sliced on the diagonal
3 garlic cloves, minced
3 tbsp ginger, minced
32oz organic, low-sodium chicken broth (or veggie broth)
1 bay leaf
A few handfuls of kale
1 can chickpeas, drained, rinsed well & de-shelled (or udon noodles)
Salt
Pepper
Cayenne
Coriander
Sliced lemon for seasoning and garnish

Directions
Heat a large pot with a generous amount of olive oil until slightly smoking.

Add in onion and garlic, and season with a dash of salt. Sauté until onions are translucent.

Add in carrots and celery with an additional dash of salt, turmeric, ginger, coriander, and cayenne pepper. Mix well, and then sauté again for about a minute or until aromatic.

Pour in chicken broth while stirring up all the bits and pieces at the bottom of the pot. Bring to a simmer.

Add in cooked, shredded chicken, kale, and chickpeas.

Remove from heat, cover, and let sit for 10 min.

Serve with a slice of lemon and grilled bread, if desired.

Enjoy!

Happy New Year, friends! I am glad you are here! Cheers to an even better 2018!

SKINNY "PALETAS"

July 4, 2017

It's SUMMER! And today is the 4th of July!
The Paleta. Being from Los Angeles these sweet treats are no stranger. But knowing now how harmful sugar is, I wanted to make something sweet, fun, and guiltless for this holiday and well.. whenever! May I present: the skinny "paleta"!

I am so glad these turned out (after a few trials and errors)! These pops are sweetened naturally with only fruit and touch a honey and made from nonfat greek yogurt! So you get your probiotic and protein in one! I think I'll eat these for breakfast! I made these to be "patriotic" for today but you can make them any way you want!

What You'll Need:
2 cups nonfat plain greek yogurt
Fruit of choice (I used strawberries, blueberries, & nonsweetened coconut)
2 tbs Honey
1/2 Lemon
1/2 c Water

Directions:
In a saucepan, bring 1/2 cup of water to a boil and then add 1 tbs honey and half a lemon's juice and stir until dissolved. Set aside to cool.

Combine the zest of one lemon and the other tbs of honey to yogurt.

Set up your food processor or blender and combine one fruit at a time with about 3/4 cup yogurt and a few teaspoons of prepared water and blend. Add more water to get desired consistency. You will want the mix to resembled melted ice cream (or soup).

Pour mix into mold leaving a 1/4 inch on top.
Tip: If you want to make layers, pour each flavor one at time and place into freezer for at least 20 minutes before adding the next layer to prevent mixing.

Place mold into freezer and let sit for about 30 minutes before adding the sticks.

Let freeze 8 hours or overnight.

When ready to serve, remove mold from freezer and let sit for about 10 minutes then runs sides under warm water to loosen up.

Remove each Popsicle carefully and serve immediately! Enjoy!

SPRING ON HUMMUS

March 20, 2017

Hello Spring!! We have all been waiting!
Since hummus' popularity has grown over the years you can now find grocery store's shelves packed with all kinds of flavors and types. Some good but mostly all kinds of acidic ones and packed with all sorts of unnatural ingredients to create these wild flavors. I am a huge fan of hummus (& mediterranean food in general) and try to be as aware as possible of the ingredients I put into my body, so I re-created a favorite flavor of mine: Edamame Hummus. Easy to make at home with only using a handful of natural ingredients that pack a bunch of flavor!

What you'll need:
1 cup shelled organic edamame (thawed if frozen)
3/4 cup organic chickpeas, drained & rinsed well
1/2 cup organic tahini
1 lemon, squeezed
2 Tablespoons extra virigin olive oil
1-2 tablespoons ground cumin (to taste)
1 teaspoon kosher salt (to taste)
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper (to taste)
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (to taste)
Dash dried oregeno
1 clove garlic, crushed
Smoked paprika, for garnish

Directions:
Set up food processor with bottom s-blade.

Place all ingredients in food processor.

Blend until smooth - adding additional lemon juice, olive oil, or spices until desired taste and texture.
Tip: Adding a tablespoon of water will help smooth it out if needed.

Plate and garnish with desired olive oil and smoked paprika. Serve with your favorite fresh vegetables, pita bread/chips, or use as a spread for sandwiches or a side with chicken or beef.
See, easy? ENJOY!