Challenge #88 - Fennel Apple Juice

I usually just juice a bunch of light greens, dark greens and some lemon, but the other day I tried this new combo and it was yummy!  My husband liked it too and it's so simple.
I enjoyed this after my normal green juice.

Ingredients:
2 sm/med apples or 1 large apple
2 large stalks of fennel
1 stalk of fennel fronds

Step # 1 - Juice and enjoy!

Challenge #87 - "Garlic Bread"

I love looking at other people's recipes to become inspired.  Rande is always coming up with new stuff or finding other amazing recipes and posting them.  A couple of weeks ago, she posted  this recipe which looked so delicious, but I wanted to try a vegan version.  So thanks to Rande and Alissa for the inspiration...

Ingredients:
1 medium to large zucchini
1 clove garlic
2 tablespoons Nutritional Yeast (for the cheese flavor, found at any health food & most grocery stores)
water

Step #1 - Zest garlic clove. 

 

Step #2 - Add Nutritional Yeast to zested garlic  and begin to mix to form a paste.  Add water as needed to facilitate blending

 

Step #3 - Cut zucchini in half and add diagonal cuts.

 

Step #4  - Spread garlic paste onto zucchini and bake ay 350 for 20-30 mins until the zucchini is tender

Step #5 - Remove from oven when done and enjoy.  We ate ours along with whipped parsnips and an avocado salad.   Very yummy!  My husband liked it too even though I didn't use actual cheese or bread!
Oh I went a little overboard on the garlic, so this recipe adjusts for that. I plan to make the less garlicky version again this week.

Challenge #86 - Changing up Salad

A couple of months back, my husband and I had lunch at  Cuban restaurant.  The only vegetarian or non fried thing on the menu was a watercress and avocado salad.  It was so good, but lacking color as it was mostly all green (watercress, avocado, red onion, and lime dressing).  So I have made my own version using more ingredients for more flavor and color.  I've made it several times and have been enjoying the flavor of watercress to change up my normal salad choices.

Ingredients:
Watercress
Avocado, sliced
Red Onion, thinly sliced
Fennel, thinly sliced
Cherry or grape tomatoes
Lime
Sea Salt

Step #1 - Add  everything to a bowl, sprinkle with sea salt and squeeze lime.  Toss and enjoy.  That simple.

On another note, I recently only started to like fennel after trying it again after many years.  I got this fennel the other day from the farmers market.  As you can see has more fronds than fennel bulb.  The fronds are fabulous in salad.  Just roll the fronds up and running a knife through like you would for herbs, remove the heavy stems and throw into a salad.  Adds a great layer of flavor.

Hiking Event and Cookbook recommendation

I promise more recipes soon, but for now I have some exciting things to share...

This past Saturday I was one of the team members for a hiking event in New Jersey with Gina Abrams at Align Wellbeing .  The event was a lot of fun and it ended with a drum circle.  I never participated in one before and it was quite the experience, very energizing.  If you you ever get the opportunity, try it out.  The day also began with green juices and yoga outside.

As a team member, I got to help the amazing Doris Choi in the kitchen while everyone was hiking.  She has a cookbook coming out in November with Natalia Rose, and I promise you, you will not be disappointed.  I am pretty confident you will want to make every recipe in the book. 
Check it out, you can pre-order on amazon...The Fresh Energy Cookbook

Below are some of the dishes created for the hikers when they returned!  Beautiful, full of color and delicious.  The wonderful aromatic smells in the kitchen full of veggies and herbs were incredible.

Carrot Salad

Zucchini "pasta" with roasted beets

Kale Salad

Roasted red & golden beet & butternut squash

Homemade kimchi (soooo yummy!)

Cauliflower "Couscous"

Mixed greens & seaweed Salad

Do you just not want to eat all of these things?!  I've had my book pre-ordered for months, and I highly recommend it.  It's one cookbook that won't collect dust on the shelf.  I got a sneak peak on Saturday!