Lemon Pepper Salmon & Spinach Salad

Eating healthy doesn't have to be complicated!  Simple and quick meal ideas always works for me.  If you stick with the concept of eating a protein with vegetables at each meal, you will be well on your way to making positive changes to your overall health.  This is a delicious 30-minute meal.

First, season the salmon with Ms. Dash Lemon Pepper seasoning.  You might be wondering why I use Ms. Dash?  I checked the ingredients and there is no MSG.  The list of ingredients include herbs that I would ordinarily use for many of the meals I prepare such as basil, oregano, celery seed, bay, savory, thyme, cumin, rosemary marjoram and coriander.  Ms. Dash saves time by putting it all together and without any salt.

Spray pan or griddle with olive oil.  Heat until warm, then add the salmon.  Cook over medium heat for about 10-15 minutes until meat is a pale pink and golden brown on both sides.  Over cooking salmon will make it dry.

 

Grab a plate, add a hand full of spinach, 1/2 small tomato (diced), and 2 inch cucumber (diced).  Sprinkle with fresh grated parmesan cheese and top with a lite salad dressing.  I used balsamic vinaigrette.  Add the salmon and Bon Appetit!

 

 

Lemon Mint Tea

Spearmint is a hardy perennial that spreads by underground runners and grows easily in North America.  Like all mints, its leaves are bright green and lanceolate shaped with a square stem.  The long cylindrical spikes atop form beautiful flowers of lilac, pink and white.  Spearmint is milder than peppermint and is often used to treat children's colds and flus.

The leaves and flowering tops have healing properties and are best harvested just before the flowers open. Here are a few of the benefits that spearmint is said to have:

• relieves digestive disorders, colic , and flatulence due to their carminative and antispasmodic actions, and may be helpful in the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome .
• relieves motion sickness, hiccups , and nausea. 
• is a diuretic and has been used to treat cases of suppressed or painful urination.
• it is high in vitamins A and C, and has been shown to improve eyesight and reduce night blindness
• helps with headaches, migraines, stress, and tired muscles
• helps with respiratory ailments such as asthma, bronchitis, and sinusitis

Lemon juice is a great source of citric acid, potassium, calcium, phosphorus and magnesium.  Adding fresh lemon juice creates an additional antibacterial and antiviral affect in the body, which is especially useful during cold and flu season.

Lemon Mint Tea

2 tbsp of fresh lemon juice
1 cup boiling water
2-3 sprigs of spearmint
1 tsp agave nectar

Directions
Crush the spearmint with your fingers to release the oils.  Place the spearmint in a cup. Pour 1 cup boiling water over spearmint leaves.  If using a teapot, boil the water in the teapot first, then add the spearmint.  Cover and steep for 10-15 minutes.  Cool (no need to strain) add lemon juice and agave nectar.

 

Another Green Smoothie

Green Smoothies are a health must, in my opinion! What better way to start the morning than with green leafy vegetables? Green smoothies build your immune system and provide overall nutrition to each cell in your body. This is a very creamy and delicious smoothie.  So do your body good and add green smoothies to your daily diet.

Green Smoothie

Ingredients
1 cup Spinach Plus (includes baby spinach, baby bok choy, baby red and green chard)
1 kale leaf
1/2 cup parsley
1 whole avocado (peeled and pitted)
1/2 cup green grapes
1 cup frozen pineapples
1 1/2 cup Almond milk
8 raw almonds
1/2 lemon (peeled and seeded)
1 inch ginger (peeled)
2 tbsp agave nectar

Directions
Add all ingredients in a NutriBullet or Ninja Master prep or VitaMix and puree until smooth.

Delicious Squash Casserole

This squash casserole can be used as a side dish or the main course, if vegetarian.  I imagine that other vegetables such as, chopped zucchini, broccoli, or carrots could be added in as well.  This dish reminds me of a vegetable lasagna without the pasta.  I love the crunchiness of the bread crumbs and grated parmesan cheese.

 



Use 6 cups of fresh sliced squash or 2 - 14oz bags of frozen sliced squash.  Spray pan with olive oil and add vegetables, kosher sea salt and pepper to taste.  Roast for about 20 minutes until vegetables are tender.

In a large bowl, add roasted vegetables and 1 cup chopped green onions.  Fold in  8oz. sour cream. Spray an 8 x 8 inch pan with olive oil.  Add the vegetable mixture. Top with 1 cup of shredded parmesan cheese and 1 cup of Italian bread crumbs.

Bake for 20 minutes at 350 degrees until the top is golden brown.  Let cool. Cut into squares and serve.  Makes about 9 servings.

Mixed-Up Spinach Salad

Salads! My favorite meal.  I'm not sure how I came to enjoy them so much.  Perhaps it's because there are so many different ingredients that can be used to make a salad.  Or maybe it's because salads are quick and easy to make and you don't have to be an expert in the kitchen to create your own masterpiece.  Either way it's definitely a Win!  I made this creation at the office in about 10 minutes flat.  No kidding.  So let your creative juices flow and see what you can come up with. Oh...and don't forget to give it a name too.

Mixed-Up Spinach Salad

2 c baby spinach
5 cherry tomatoes, sliced
1/2 c cucumbers, sliced
1/2 granny smith apple, diced
1/2 tangerine or satsuma, peeled and sliced
1 c black beans
1/2 c alpha sprouts
Raspberry vinaigrette dressing to taste

Directions
Place spinach on a plate, layer remaining ingredients.  Drizzle dressing over salad mixture and enjoy!

Green Smoothie

Remember hearing your Mother say "Eat your vegetables!"  Well Momma was right.  Green leafy vegetables such as kale, spinach, bok choy, and swish chard are packed with phytonutrients that build your body's immune system and helps to fight off free radicals.  This smoothie also contains cranberries which are super antioxidants that help your skin look young and keeps your internal organs functioning better.

  

Green Smoothie
1 stalk of celery
1 whole kale leaf
1/2 lemon (peeled)
1/2 grapefruit (peeled)
1 c cranberries
2 tbsp agave nectar
2 c kefir water

Directions
Add all ingredients into a Nutribullet or Ninja Master Prep and blend until smooth.


Kefir Water
2/3 c Coconut Palm Sugar
2/3 c Rapadura Sugar
1 1/2 c kefir culture or 2 pkts of kefir starter
1 gal purified water

Add all ingredients to a large gallon size glass jar, such as a pickle jar.  Stir.  Seal with the lead and place in a warm dark place for 24-48 hours to allow the kefir to ferment.

Makes 16 cups

Quinoa Breakfast Bowl

  

This dish is one of my favorite breakfast meals when I want something warm, sweet, and crunchy!  Quinoa is the only super grain that I know with about 10 grams of protein per cup.  That's more than from an avocado.  This breakfast bowl meets so many nutritional needs:

• Walnuts - good source of Omega-3 that helps to lower triglycerides and blood pressure
• Granny smith apple - a main source of flavonoids that's rich in vitamin C
• Cinnamon which is good for lowing blood sugar - a benefit for type 1 and 2 diabetes. 

 

 

Quinoa Breakfast Bowl

1c Rainbow Quinoa

1/2 apple (diced)

1 medjool date (chopped)

2 tbsp chopped walnuts

1 dollop of apple sauce

Cinnamon sprinkled

 

Directions:

Rinse quinoa and add to 2 1/2 cups of boiling water.  Cook for about 15 minutes on high the cover and let sit for 15 minutes.  This allows the quinoa to absorb remaining water and become fluffy.

 

Place 1 cup of quinoa in a bowl, garnish with remaining ingredients and add cinnamon to taste.