What do you do when unexpected guests, a limited budget and a lack time conspire to put a wrench into an otherwise beautiful summer evening?

I had the quinoa, an avocado, some olives and cheese and the chocolate sauce!

The grocery was about to close in 10 minutes!

I ran in without a plan. Went straight to the “fish area”; I needed something fancy that would cook fast and go well with the quinoa salad I had just decided to make.

I bought the salmon; Wild Norwegian Salmon which is thick and moist which for me means easy cooking and a juicy dinner.

I chopped the avocado and put together a deconstructed salad on a cute plate with some olives and feta cheese.

A handful of fresh veggies get chopped and go into the cooked quinoa with olive oil and lime juice.

I broiled the salmon with crushed garlic and some olive oil and lemon.

A quick toss of the quinoa and veggies and plate it up! 20 minutes! Quick and Fancy!

I bought a quart of coconut ice cream and blackberries and topped it off with chocolate syrup.

I was almost embarrassed by how impressed everyone was but happily took the credit!

We love quinoa!

It is a great alternative to pasta in that it delivers the same creamy, chewy, texture but is high in protien. A complete protien, as a matter of fact.

Aside from it’s nutrtious profile it is delicious and versatile.

We love this salad!

It is a power packed meal that delivers flavor and energy for very little expense.

Get creative and use your favorite fresh ingredients to create your own quinoa delights!

I used lots of lime in this dish. It compliments the cilantro and brightens the tomatoes.

Ingredients

1 cup quinoa and 2 cups water
5 scallions
2 medium tomatoes
1/2 roasted red pepper
1 cup black beans ( canned are fine )
1 cup corn
1/2 cup of finely chopped cilantro
2 Tbspn olive oil
1-2 limes

Method

Boil the quinoa. 10-15 minutes

Set aside and chop all the veggies

combine and add salt and pepper to taste.

Sqeeze lots of lime on the salad!

I mix the fresh veggies in when the quinoa is still a bit warm; it seems to bring all the flavors to their peak yet not cook them at all.

There is always room for more lime!

Garnish with avocado for an even richer flavor!

Tartine Bistro never fails to impress. And the wine list has a life of it’s own; getting better all the time!

Crab ceviche with avocado, roasted pepper puree, mango, lotus chips.

This was amazing and the best part were the lotus chips! So easy and light and crispy.

These are a new favorite.

This fresh and light appetizer was fantastic with a Monterey red by Muirwood.

Avocado adds a creamy, rich texture and buttery flavor. Absolutely delicious.

Grilled pita with chipotle hummus, cucumber yogurt, tomato-olive tapenade.

Ingredients

1 cup pitted Kalamata olives or other brine-cured black olives
3/4 cup drained oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes
2/3 cup olive oil
1/4 cup drained capers
3/4 teaspoon dried oregano

Ingredients

1 pound lotus roots, peeled
Peanut or vegetable oil, for deep-frying

Directions

Using a mandoline or other mechanical slicer, slice the lotus into very thin rounds. Soak in a large bowl of cold water to prevent discoloration and to remove excess starch.

In a large heavy pot, heat enough vegetable oil to come halfway up the sides of the pan to 350 degrees F.

Drain the lotus completely and pat dry with paper towels. Add in batches to the hot oil, being careful not to overcrowd, and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, about 2 minutes.

Remove with a slotted spoon or spider and drain on paper towels. The chips will crisp as they cool; serve at room temperature.

With more omega 3 than salmon, vitamin D and coenzyme Q, there is no denying the health benefits of sardines.

I am just trying to make them more appealing!

I can and do eat them out of the can, with mustard on toast, I’ve eaten them out of tubes and from tins of “paste”.

But I realize that most people won’t do this. And even I want to sit down and enjoy my healthy food with a little romance and the beauty of the presentation!

I threw together a brown mustard/olive oil dressing and mixed it with arugula and added 1/2 a sliced avocado to 1 can of water packed sardines and add a sqeeze of half a lemon.

The flavors worked well together to create not just a tasty but highly nutritious meal which is also quite low in calories. 360 total. Nutrient dense for sure!

Check out this article for Reasons to eat sardines

Some have long been aware of the health benefits of eating sardines. In a 1984 issue of the Town & Country magazine, James Villas wrote an article entitled “The Unsung Sardine” in which he said that “ounce for ounce, sardines provide more calcium and phosphorus than milk, more protein than steak, more potassium than bananas, and more iron than cooked spinach.”

Sardines are also a highly sustainable little fish which contains fewer toxins than it’s bigger fish friends.

Something light and “springy” was on my mind today.

A chill in the air did not stop the sunny skies from inspiring a salad full of all my favorites; avocado, black beans, corn, red onion, scallions and cilantro!

Lime and olive oil dressed this salad and allowed all the flavors to come through and keep it light.

You can get really creative with tomatoes, olives, peppers…I used what I had on hand.

I tend to go heavy on the cilantro!

This surprising combination was a nice twist on your usual flatbread.

I will definitely play with this; deconstruct, and see what I can come up with.

It was very tasty, I’m even thinking salad, burritos, etc.

I love trying something new!

After a long night of rockin’ out with The School of Rock we needed food.

These kids are fantastic!

It’s so much fun to watch this young talent sing from their souls!

OK. I had kale for lunch. The usual. But I also wanted mango.

But I wanted to do something different.

I also had an avocado and some fresh cilantro; I used the juice of one lime and a little salt.

This salad was amazing and I would make it to serve with a summer dinner.

The mango was very cooling with the kale which, of course, was really spicy because… I just can’t help myself!

This salald would be great with a grilled fish or rice and beans.

The combination of sweet and savory is filling and delicious!

I wish that my meals looked as good as they taste.

How can I convince you that nutritious, yummy vegan meals are satisfying and delicious when they look so awful in photographs?

Food photography is indeed an art unto itself; an art which I have not mastered and do not see doing so in the near future.

However, making this stuff look good must take a talent far beyond my reach so I will have to ask you to indulge me; trust me, this food is great, not just nutritionally balanced but tasty!

When I make a meal like this I consider all the nutritional elements and the flavor notes, as well.

Some ingredients just lend themselves to certain herbs and spice combinations. Sometimes it’s nice to think outside the proverbial box and combine the unexpected.

And getting over the notion that you need a pound of flesh at every meal will liberate you to introduce your palate to flavors and textures that will seduce into a new way of eating.

It will also allow you to obtain necessary nutrition and micro-nutrients from foods which you haven’t been eating.

For my main meal of the day I consider a few things: I like to eat a lot of vegetables, I need to incorporate a healthy fat, and I like to make sure that there is protein.

Herbs and spices are important to healthy body function and can help fight off disease and increase overall wellness.

This recipe includes fresh ginger and garlic as well as crushed red pepper and red chili paste.

Coconut oil and avocado help provide that creamy mouth feel which leads to satiety and provide a vehicle for fat soluble nutrients.

Ingredients

1 TBSP coconut oil
2 TBSP red chili paste (or to taste)
1 TBSP crushed red pepper flakes
3-4 cloves garlic, sliced
fresh ginger to taste, sliced
2-3 Cups of broccoli
1-2 cups fresh spinach
1/2 cup pinto beans
1 avocado sliced, for garnish

Method

In a frying pan, saute coconut oil, garlic, ginger, red chili paste and crushed red pepper.

Add the broccoli and spinach and allow to cook; Just a few minutes on high.

Add 1/2 cup of pinto beans and allow to cook on medium heat for about 10-15 minutes.

Serve with sliced avocado.

Enjoy!

I came across this recipe in March 2010 Food and Wine magazine.

Chef Mehmet Gurs has created a nice twist on traditional chick pea hummus.

I went crazy with the cilantro and added avocado, also, I substituted vegetable stock for the chicken stock to make this a vegan treat.

I used a whole wheat tortilla to create a balanced hot meal for Meatless Monday!

INGREDIENTS

3 Cups water of vegetable stock
1 cup green lentils (about 6 ounces)
1 bay leaf
3 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup tahini
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
Salt
Cayenne pepper
Sweet paprika, for sprinkling
Pita chips, sliced fennel and red bell pepper strips, for serving

DIRECTIONS

In a medium saucepan, combine the water/ stock, green lentils and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer over low heat, stirring occasionally, until the lentils are tender, about 45 minutes. Uncover and boil the lentils over high heat until most of the liquid has evaporated, about 2 minutes. Discard the bay leaf and let the lentils cool slightly.
Transfer the cooked lentils to a food processor. Add the chopped garlic, tahini, olive oil and lemon juice and puree until smooth. Scrape the hummus into a bowl, stir in the cumin and 2 tablespoons of the chopped cilantro and season with salt and cayenne. Garnish the hummus with paprika and the remaining 2 tablespoons of chopped cilantro. Serve the lentil hummus warm or at room temperature with pita chips and vegetable crudités.

MAKE AHEAD
The lentil hummus can be refrigerated overnight. Let return to room temperature before serving.

This dish is easy, inexpensive and full of vegetable protein and nutrients.

This was filling and truly delicious. It is definitely something to keep in the fridge for a snack or meal.

A leisurely afternoon spent with friends, eating good food and sipping champagne is the best way that I know to spend my time!

The asparagus were delicious.

I sautéed them in olive oil, 3 cloves of crushed garlic and crushed red pepper flakes and a handful of pine nuts.

We sipped on Mimosas and soaked in the gentle sunlight listening to music and chatting about old times.