Healthy recipes and nutrition information
Cacio e Pepe
Cacio e Pepe
A lighter way to make Cacio e Pepe : replace the regular pasta with brown rice pasta & use coconut cream for the cream in the cheese sauce. This way you can add less cheese than the recipe would usually call for. It’s still creamy and full of flavor without white flour and heavy dairy. Works well with vegan Parmigano also.
​
Ingredients :
Salt (Maldon is my fave)
1/2 grated pecorino Romano
1/2 cup grated Parmigano
1/4 cup coconut cream
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 pound brown rice Spaghetti or Gluten Free Spaghetti
Olive Oil
​
Directions :
1. Boil the water in a pasta pot.
2. Combine all of the cheeses and the black pepper. Slowly wisk in a coconut milk a few tablespoons at a time to make the mixture into a paste.
3. When the pasta is half way cooked, drain it and put it back in the pot. * Save one cup of the pasta water in a small bowl.
4. Add the cheese & coconut cream mixture into the pot with the drained pasta and mix.
5. Continue to mix while adding small spoonfuls of the pasta water if needed and a little olive oil to help get the sauce to coat the pasta.
6. Sprinkle with a little more cheese, and a little sea salt and pepper on top to serve.
​
Asparagus Tart
Making a vegetable tart is quick and easy, and yes - affordable too! They look so fancy and French, everyone will be impressed.
There is no shame in buying a pre-made pastry dough at the market to save time.
​
Directions :
1. Defrost and roll out the dough. Heat your oven to 400.
2. Draw a square 1/2” from the edge all the way around the dough with a knife. This gives it the nice border after baking.
3. Spread goat cheese or any soft cheese you like on the dough.
4. Cook asparagus in a pan for 3 mins & then layout them out on top of the cheese.
5. Season with S&P and 1 teaspoon of Herb de Provence.
6. Bake for 15mins at 400.
This is also good with heirloom or cherry tomatoes, squash, a medley of mushrooms, onions, and zucchini.
These can also be made as individual squares to make them appetizers for your next party.
One-Pan Orzo with Spinach, Feta, and green peas
A touch of lemon zest gives it that Spring Time freshness!
Recipe:
​
1. Melt 2 tablespoons of Vegan butter into your pan.
2. Stir in 2 chopped scallions and 2 cloves of minced garlic.
3.Stir in 6-8 cups of fresh chopped spinach.
4.Cook till the spinach is soft and wilted.
5. Stir in 1 3/4 cups of vegetable stock or broth.
6. Pour in the orzo and add the zest of one lemon and half of its juice.
7. Cover the pan to let the orzo cook. This should be about 10mins. You want the broth absorbed by the orzo. Take a peek midway, and give a stir to make sure nothing is sticking to the bottom of your pan. If it is, lower your heat.
8. Stir in 1 cup of frozen peas, 3/4 cups of feta cheese , 1 cup of fresh chopped dill and 1/4 cup parsley.
9. Serve in bowls and add S&P and more dill and parsley on top.
Some Health Facts :
Peas are a good source of vitamins C, E, zinc. The antioxidants in peas help strengthen the immune system.
Spinach is an excellent source of vitamin K, vitamin A, vitamin C.
Eating spinach benefits eye health, reduces oxidative stress, can help prevent cancer, and reduces blood pressure levels.
Spinach is also high in insoluble fiber which helps with digestion.
​
Broccoli & Chickpea salad with peanut sauce & peanuts
This dish is full of fiber and nutrients.
Health Facts :
Chickpeas are high in protein and make an excellent replacement for meat in vegetarian and vegan diets.
Broccoli and chickpeas are both high in fiber. A high fiber diet may help lower blood glucose levels and reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
Peanut butter makes anything delicious doesn’t it ? Nut butters are a great source of non-meat protein.
​
Peanut Sauce Ingredients :
1/4 cup natural peanut butter
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce or GF soy sauce or tamari
1 tablespoon agave nectar
1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
1–2 tablespoons hot water, as needed to thin the sauce
​
Instructions :
1. Mix all the ingredients together in a small bowl to make the sauce.
2. Steam the broccoli & chickpeas and then run them through some cold water to stop them from cooking. Toss with the sauce and sprinkle some peanuts on top.
​
Kale yogurt Caesar Salad with roasted chickpeas
To Prepare chickpeas:
1. Rinse them and toss with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt .
2. Add 2 tablespoons Masala seasoning. to coat them.Â
3. Roast till crispy about 10 mins at 350.
Ramen Noodles with sesame sauce
Nicoise Salad
One Pan Tuscan Salmon with Vegan Cream Sauce
Ingredients :
2 6oz pieces of salmon
4 garlic cloves
1 1/2 cups of cherry tomatoes
3 cups of fresh spinach
1 can of coconut cream
1 tablespoon vegan butter
1/2 cup of fresh basil
​
Recipe :
1. Heat up a cast iron pan till it is very hot. While it is heating pat the fish dry. Add a teaspoon of high heat olive oil to the pan and then place the salmon skin side down and cook the until it is nice and crispy. Flip once at the end to cook the other side.
2. Remove from the pan.
3. Sauté 4 garlic cloves.
4. Add cherry tomatoes and cook them till they blister a little.
5. Add 1/2 coconut cream or cream & salt and pepper.
6. Add in 2-3 cups fresh spinach and a small handful of fresh basil and mix with the sauce.
7. Put the salmon back in the pan to reheat for a minute.
8. Add more S&P if needed.
8. Eat and enjoy !
Roasted Cauliflower with pine nuts and raisins
Recipe :
1. Cut cauliflower into florets and toss with olive oil and salt & pepper.
2. Roast the florets on a sheet pan in a 400 degree oven for 20-25 mins. Flip once at the half way mark. You can test one with a fork to see when they are tender.
3. Toast 1/4 cup of pine nuts in a dry pan on a low flame till they smell nice and toasty. About 2 mins. Be careful they burn easily, so don’t walk away.
4. Add 1/4 raisins to the pan with 2 teaspoons olive oil, the juice of half a lemon and zest of 1/2 of a lemon. Cook for a moment till the raisins plump up.
5.Then turn off the heat and stir in 1/4 cup of fresh parsley.
6. Mix the cooked cauliflower with the raisin, pine nut and parsley mixture.
7. Eat and enjoy.
This dish is great warm or cold.
Sesame Noodles
It’s a quick and super affordable vegan meal. Once you have the sesame oil and soy sauce at home these quickly become a weekly favorite.
Ingredients:
1/2 cup room temperature water or vegetable broth
4 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp corn starch or arrowroot powder
2 tbsp maple syrup
1 tbsp lemon juice or rice vinegar
1/4 tsp ground pepper
1/2 - 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
1 Package of Chinese noodles
Recipe :
1. While you're waiting for your pot of water to boil, mix all the ingredients together in a small bowl. Make sure the arrowroot powder / corn starch isn’t creating any lumps.
2. Boil the Chinese noodles as the package says too. Usually 3 mins.
3. Drain noodles and put them back in the pot.
4. Add the sauce to pan with the noodles and heat them together until the liquid is absorbed into the noodles.
5. Place some chopped spring onion on top for garnish and enjoy.
✨ Add some sautéed veggies if you have time
Nicoise Salad
Nicoise Salad originated in the French city of Nice. I love it on a hot summer day. Making the food at home that you have enjoyed when traveling can almost bring you back to the vacation. And a healthy meal will bring you joy while you are nourishing yourself.
A salad like this can be made in advance and chilled in the fridge, and it doesn’t heat up the kitchen, so its perfect on a hot Summer evening. It’s also a great way of using up little leftovers like those few olives you have in the fridge at the bottom of a jar before they go bad.
Let’s keep our food easy and save some money, right ?
​
Ingredients :
2 cans of tuna fish
4 hard boiled eggs
11/2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
4 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon capers
6 tablespoons EVO
3 teaspoons black pepper
1/2 pound string beans
1/2 pound Asparagus
1 cup of cherry tomatoes cut in half
1 cucumber sliced
2 bunches of red radishes
1 cup of nicoise or black olives
20 spinach or salad leaves for the bottom
1 handful fresh chives or basil for garnish
​
Recipe :
1. Boil the potatoes for about 25 mins till tender. Let them cool then cut them in half.
2. In a bowl, mix the garlic, mustard, vinegar, olive oils and 1 teaspoon of sea salt and black pepper.
3. Toss the potatoes in half the dressing.
4. Boil water in a saucepan and drop in the beans and asparagus. Cook them for 2 mins. Drain them quickly and run cold water over them to stop them from over cooking. You still want them to have some crunch.
5. Carefully toss the rest of the veggies with the rest dressing and arrange your plate. Or you can pour the rest of the dressing over the placed vegetables on the plate.
6. Mix the tuna with S&P and some capers and place in the middle.
7. Cut the eggs in half and place them around the plate.
Health Facts :
Tuna is a good source of essential nutrients, such as omega-3 fatty acids, high quality protein, selenium and Vitamin D. Vitamin D and omega-3s are both essential nutrients for brain development and cognitive function, as well as reduction of inflammation