Last week the whole family went out to the lake for a long swim. The water has been beautiful and smooth, and it was so much fun to spend the day training, playing, and soaking up the sunshine. When we got back to the house around 3 p.m., we were starving. We had plans for dinner, so we needed something delicious and healthy that would get us through the afternoon without ruining appetites. This recipe was the perfect fix! There are just 4 ingredients, and it's simple, fast, and energy packed without being high calorie. Plus, it's so tasty! We have a variety of palates in our family, and everyone was satisfied by these flavor-packed little rolls. 

I love this brand of horseradish. It's fresh ground, free of preservatives and gluten. I also find that this one has the perfect amount of spice/flavor for my family. So, if you're looking for a recommendation, try this brand! But otherwise, whatever you can find in the fridge will do just fine. 

These were such a hit, we'll definitely be making them again! They're a little bit like vegetarian sushi, and they're a whole lot of delicious. Do you have your own healthy snack recipes? Let me know some of your time honored favorites - from one kitchen to another! 

I've been trying to work more fish into our family meals lately. Summer time is the perfect excuse to fire up the grill, and while my 16 year old is totally gung-ho about the idea of eating steak every night, Greg and I have fun dreaming up the creative recipes that offer us some healthier options. Grilled Tilapia with seasonal veggies is one of our absolute favorites. It's mouthwateringly good, especially when we get to throw in the fresh produce that we picked up at the farmer's market over the weekend. It's also fast and totally fuss-free! 

Now there's been some buzz about Tilapia lately, so here are a few good things to know. Tilapia is low in calories, mildly flavored, inexpensive, and high in protein. It does not contain as many healthy fatty acids as some other fish (like Salmon, for example), but that's just fine as long as you're not only eating Tilapia to get those nutrients. It may also be worth it to look into where your fish is coming from. As with most other kinds of fish, there has been some concern in recent years over farming practices. If you're worried, you might try to find some Tilapia that isn't sourced from China. Other places, like Canada, have a little bit more regulation. Overall, Tilapia is a wonderful fish to include as part of a healthy and varied diet! 

Each new Spring I take a moment to remind myself to focus on growth. As the natural world begins to change and flourish, I ask myself, what am I doing to make sure I'm growing, as a person? There are a lot of elements that go into this: volunteering more, being kind and positive, tackling new challenges, and setting aside time to be creative...And then there's food. Food plays a huge role in how we feel day to day, how much energy we have to achieve our goals, and how capable we feel of giving back to the people around us. So this season, with growth in mind, I've put together a list of 5 foods I want to eat more of this Spring, because growth starts with the smallest choices, just as a flower begins with a seed!​

Think getting your greens is hard? Maybe it's just time to rethink your moves!

Here's the real deal: Greens go with everything. 

Also the CDC says only 27 percent of you are getting your greens and I care about you, okay? Eat ALL the spinach!



The Green Smoothie
It’s quick, it’s fuss-free and totally easy to prep ahead of time if that's your thing. Simply add your greens, a little fruit, some kefir, and whatever else you love to put in your smoothie into a container or reusable ziplock bag and freeze. Add to your blender with a little extra liquid when it’s smoothie time! If you're throwing together your smoothie in real time, just toss greens into whatever you would have made. It's so easy, you might just forget they're in there.

Green Juice
Juicing is one of the quickest ways to nourish your body with easy to absorb nutrients. Plus it’s portable! If you don’t have time to make a green juice, you could buy one from a juice bar.


Steamed or Sauteed Greens
Many leafy greens contain fat-soluble vitamins, so to best absorb these, we need to eat our greens with a little fat! Lightly sauteeing your greens or steaming them for a few minutes and serving them with avocado will help to make sure you’re getting the most out of your greens! Plus, it's an incredibly easy way to cook your crew's seasonal favorites. Check out one of my favorite recipes here! RECIPE


Salads
A super simple way to get more greens into your diet is to enjoy a salad. But to prevent boredom from eating the same salads day in, day out, switch things up! Why not try this Chopped Salad Recipe that I just can't get enough of? RECIPE


Lettuce Cups/Wraps
Want an easy way to make tacos, burritos, or rice paper rolls? Use leafy greens instead! Collard greens, silverbeet, cos lettuce, swiss chard and even cabbage all make great cups or wraps and help boost your nutrient intake of these alkalizing foods! Looking for dinner inspiration? I'll confess, sometimes I tweak this family favorite and replace the daikon radishes with some fluffy greens. RECIPE

The first inklings of an illness can be a warning signal for many of us, an alarm that sends us scurrying through the vitamin section of our local drugstores, all the while downing Emergen-C packets like they’re our morning coffee. While it’s good to take those first steps when you feel your symptoms coming on, it’s even better to avoid those feelings all together. Here are four immune boosting foods to incorporate into your diet so you can fight illness all year long—no icky symptoms required.


1.     Pumpkin Seeds
Pumpkin seeds are full of zinc, which helps white blood cells fight off illness. With Halloween right around the corner, it may be a good time to repurpose your decorative seasonal vegetables! There are a lot of great recipes for pumpkin seeds, but my personal favorite is to bake them in the oven until crispy with a small amount of olive oil and salt. They make for a tasty, healthy treat!


2.   Sweet Potatoes
Can't get enough sweet potatoes this time of year? That's a good thing: Sweet potatoes are rich in vitamin A, which fights free radicals that could weaken your immune system. Just remember to hold the brown sugar and marshmallows!


3.     Yogurt
The probiotics, found in yogurt and other naturally fermented foods, such as cold culture sauerkraut, kimchee, and kefir, help your body maintain a healthy and strong immune system. The all contain good bacteria that improves your gut health and will help fight off infections. Pick yogurts that are low in sugar and free of artificial sweeteners.


4.     Bone Broth
Bone broth has been heralded a superfood thanks to the high concentration of minerals. While there are many health benefits of the broth, the bone marrow has been shown to help strengthen your immune system. A Harvard study even indicated that some people with auto-immune disorders experienced a relief of symptoms when drinking bone broth, with some achieving a complete remission. Check out our Bone Broth recipe of the month!


Already Sick?
Sometimes all of our best-laid plans aren’t enough, and illness finds us after all. When that happens, it’s time to break out the chicken soup – really! Studies have shown that there are illness fighting properties to this time honored, grandmothers’ favorite.
First off, we should clarify that we’re talking about homemade (read, unprocessed) chicken soup with vegetables. This soup will contain lots of healthy nutrients, increase hydration, and taste good, too! The chicken in this soothing concoction contains a natural amino acid called cysteine, which can thin the mucus in your lungs and make it less sticky so you can expel it more easily. The hot steam from the soup will open up your nasal passageways, and the minerals contained in the broth and veggies will be easy for your body to absorb and process. Chicken soup really may be your ticket to wellness!

What I am loving lately:  This is a chopped salad, marinated in fresh lime juice. It just gets better as it sits in the fridge.
Start with a base of shredded red cabbage or broccoli slaw, buy it in the bag for quick and easy.  Add any variety of chopped vegetables.  I added zucchini, seedless cucumber, red onion, tomato, mixed color bell peppers, and a little chopped carrot.  Toss with 2-4 Tbsp of lime juice, a dash of sea salt and black pepper. No oils needed. Eat it right away, and save the rest in a sealed container in the refrigerator.  Serve out of it for any meal. I had some the next morning for breakfast, topped with a poached egg, and some avocado on the side.  Delicious! Be creative with your veggies.  Broccoli, cauliflower, chopped brussel sprouts, cilantro, celery, some spicy peppers, napa cabbage - they all work great!
​

Makes about 1 1/2 cups

This easy to make, fresh and delicious salsa recipe is sure to be a hit at any gathering. Just toss these ingredients in a food processor and your dish is ready to eat. Feel free to make the recipe your own! 







Ingredients
1 cup fresh blueberries
5 medium strawberries
1/4 red onion
1 teaspoon lime zest
juice of two limes
1/3 cup fresh cilantro leaves
1/2 avocado, chopped
salt and pepper to taste

Combine blueberries, strawberries, onion, lime zest, juice and cilantro in a food processor or blender and pulse. The consistency is up to you but I like to leave mine a bit chunky, so I only pulse it about 5-6 times. Taste and season with salt and pepper if desired. Scrape salsa into a bowl and fold in chopped avocado. Serve with pita or corn chips, or on top of fish or chicken.

​Ingredients:
·       1 medium onion (2 1/2 inches in diameter), chopped
·       2 large stalks celery, chopped
·       4 cloves garlic, pressed or 1 T. chopped jarred garlic
·       1 Cup Shredded Purple or other cabbage
·       Small bag radishes, washed and trimmed (leave whole)
·       1 cup chopped carrot (you can use baby carrots also)
·       1 teaspoon black pepper
·       1 teaspoon sea salt
·       ½ teaspoon fennel seeds (opt)
·       ½ tsp caraway seeds
·       2 teaspoons turmeric
·       1 can Diced Petite tomatoes (low sodium is best) juice included
·       1 tablespoon fresh ginger, peeled and minced or 1 tsp powdered ginger
·       1 diced mild jalapeno or other flavorful pepper
·       1 lime or lemon – squeeze the juice into the soup, you can put the rind in for a bit too.  Just be               sure to remove after 15-20 minutes so it doesn’t impart too much bitterness.
·       3 Cups Thinly Shredded Cabbage or Swiss Chard  (I like the red cabbage best)
·       Up to 3 cups of any other veggies you have on hand (turnips, extra cabbage, broccoli, cilantro,             arugula, chard, etc.  Great place to use up those odds and ends!)
·       6-8 cups low sodium stock or broth (I like vegetable or chicken Better Than Bouillon - but                    watch the saltiness)

Preparation:
EASY PREP:  Throw everything in the slow cooker, stir, turn on Low and Cook 3-4 hours.
STOVE TOP METHOD:
1. In a large soup pot, put oil, onion, and celery. Cook on low heat for 5 to 10 minutes to develop more sweetness in the onion.

2. Add garlic and turn up the heat to medium. Cook for a minute or so and add the peppers and carrots. Cook another minute or two and add the spices. Stir and cook until fragrant -- another minute or so.

3. Add tomatoes and stock, and simmer for 15 minutes. Add veggies and cabbage or chard and simmer for another 5-10 minutes or until the veggies are cooked to tender buy not mushy.
4. Adjust seasonings.

Nutritional Analysis: Makes approximately 9 cups of soup, each with 6 grams of effective carbohydrate1plus 3 grams of fiber and 53-75 calories per cup
 
NOTE:  This soup is so forgiving and accepting.  Get creative with the vegetables you have on hand.  If you make your own broth, even better.  Play around with herbs and spices you enjoy!
 

As the last few days of April come to an end, I am starting to plan for summer! In the next month or so, school will be out, folks will start vacationing, and I will finally be ready to enjoy the sunshine! There’s just something about the approach of summer that makes me feel extra bright and happy.

One of the best ways to embrace the upcoming change in seasons is to embrace the new foods and styles that will come with it! Summertime is filled with tons of colorful fruits and vegetables. There are endless possibilities when it comes to summer snacks, salads, and even healthy desserts! I am a huge fan of fresh stuff! Luckily, with farmers markets being at almost every corner, we can find awesome foods that were literally just picked. I really want to encourage you to give each meal some color in the next few weeks. Don’t be afraid to experiment with things you’ve never had before. The more color you bring to your meal, the better!

Another way to embrace the upcoming season is to brighten up your workout clothing. I always feel more confident if I’m wearing a little bit of color when I exercise. There’s just something about bright colors that really makes me push myself towards success. Have fun with your workout gear and match the happy weather! Be bold, and pick something that pushes your color limit and you might just push your workout limits too!

Coloring up your health can have so many great effects. In the end, it’s all about finding ways to motivate yourself to keep working towards a healthier lifestyle. Whether it’s through new recipes or updating your wardrobe, the key thing to take away is that motivation can come in many different forms. As May is upon us, I encourage everyone to find ways that will motivate them to stay healthy during the weeks ahead!