Recipes

Seared Tuna with Lavender-Pepper Crust

Ingredients

1 1/2 lbs center-cut fresh ahi tuna or inch thick sushi quality tuna steak
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
2 teaspoons black peppercorns
1 teaspoon white peppercorns
2 teaspoons fennel seeds
1 1/2 teaspoons dried lavender flowers (Available in health food stores or use your home-dried flowers)
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
4 cups savory mixed fresh greens (and herbs)

MUSTARD SEED DRESSING
4 tablespoons prepared whole grain mustard
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons toasted mustard seeds
2 tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar
3 tablespoons vegetable stock or 3 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon honey, to taste
Kosher salt
Fresh ground black pepper

Directions

If using the center-cut ahi tuna, trim and cut the tuna into a block approximately 2 inches across; then cut into 1-inch steaks.
Crush the salt, peppercorns, fennel seeds, and lavender with a mortar and pestle or a rolling pin.
Lightly oil the tuna with 2 teaspoons of the olive oil; evenly coat the tuna with the lavender-pepper mixture, patting off any excess.
In a heavy bottomed sauté pan or a cast-iron pan, heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil.
Increase the heat to high and place the tuna in the pan.
Sear for 1 minute, then turn over carefully, reducing the heat to medium.
Sear the other side for 1 more minutes until medium rare.
Remove from heat and immediately refrigerate the tuna for at least 1 hour but no more than 3 hours.
To serve, arrange the greens on chilled individual serving plates.
Drizzle with Mustard Seed Dressing.
Thinly slice the tuna and arrange on top of the dressed greens.

For the mustard seed dressing:
1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. Place mustard seeds in a baking pan.
3. Place in oven and roast for a couple of minutes (watch carefully so the seeds don't burn).
4. Remove from oven and let cool.
5. Whisk all the ingredients together and season to taste.

Coconut “Butter” from Alegría Fresh

Ingredients

1 ¼ cup coconut oil

¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil

½ teaspoon turmeric

1 tablespoon soy lecithin

1 tablespoon nutritional yeast

Sea salt to taste, up to 1 teaspoon

Lecithin, an emulsifier, and nutritional yeast, which lends savory umami, are available at natural-foods stores.

Directions

Combine all ingredients in blender. Mix until smooth and emulsified. Chill for 2 to 4 hours, then whisk or stir well. Store at room temperature, or chilled.

Poached Eggs Over Collard Greens & Shiitake Mushrooms
This recipe is a great one for dinner as well as breakfast. The Shiitake mushrooms add the unique umami Asian flavor to this dish.

Prep and Cook Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

6 cups chopped collard greens
1 medium onion, cut in half and
sliced thin
6 fresh shiitake mushrooms, sliced
medium thick, stems removed
4 fresh omega-3-rich eggs
Approx. 4 cups water
1 Tbs. apple cider vinegar, or any
white wine vinegar

Dressing
1 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
1 Tbs. minced fresh ginger
3 medium cloves garlic pressed
1 Tbs. soy sauce
1 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil
Salt and white pepper to taste

Directions

Slice onions and press garlic and let sit for 5-10 minutes to bring out their health- promoting benefits.
Bring 2" of water to a boil in a steamer pot.
Rinse greens well. Roll or stack leaves and cut into 1/4" slices and cut again crosswise. Let sit for 5-10 minutes.
Steam collard greens, mushrooms and onions together for 5 minutes.
While steaming greens, get ready for poaching eggs by bringing water and vinegar to a fast simmer in a small, shallow pan. You can start on high heat, and once it comes to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer before adding eggs. Make sure there is enough water to cover eggs.
Mix together lemon juice, ginger, garlic, soy sauce, olive oil, salt, and pepper in a small bowl.
Poach eggs until desired doneness. This will take about 5 minutes, or just until the white is set and the yolk has filmed over.
Remove vegetables from steamer and toss with dressing. Remove eggs from water with a slotted spoon and place on plate of tossed greens.

Quinoa Cucumber Salad

Ingredients

0.5 cups red quinoa
1 English (seedless) cucumber - chopped
1 Haas avocado - diced
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 cup alfalfa sprouts (or other sprouts like sunflower)
2 Roma tomatoes - chopped
0.25 teaspoons cumin
2 tablespoons lime juice
to taste salt & pepper
2 teaspoons olive oil
0.25 cups chopped fresh cilantro
1.25 cups water

Directions

1.     Bring the red quinoa, chili powder, and 1.25 cup of water to a boil in a small pan.
2.     Cover, reduce heat and simmer until all the water is absorbed and the quinoa is soft.
3.     To make dressing: whisk together lime juice, cumin, and olive oil in a small bowl.
4.     Add quinoa to the dressing and toss to coat.
5.     Serve quinoa in a bowl and top with cilantro, cucumbers, tomato, sprouts and avocado.
6.     Salt and pepper to taste

(source: http://food52.com/recipes/5046-quinoa-cucumber-salad)

Great Greens

Ingredients

Chopped kale, swiss chard, broccoli leaves or collard greens
1 tablespoon flavored vinegar
1 clove garlic, minced
½ red onion
1/2 tablespoon Dr. Fuhrman's VegiZest or other no-salt seasoning blend, adjusted to taste
1 teaspoon dried dill
1 teaspoon dried basil
Red pepper to taste

Directions

Steam the greens for 10 minutes or until tender. Transfer to a bowl. Combine the remaining ingredients and add to the greens.
If desired, add 2 to 3 tablespoons of the steaming water to adjust consistency.

(source: Pickles&Honey)

Chilled Avocado-Cucumber Soup with Papalo

Serves 4 | Prep time: 1 hour |

Ingredients

1 lb. Organic Cucumbers, roughly chopped
2 Small Avocados, cut into small pieces
1 small bunch of Papalo (1/4 – 1/2 C. or so)
1/4 C. Fresh Lime Juice (about 2 limes)
1 scallion, white and pale-green parts only, coarsely chopped (about 2 tablespoons)
3/4 C. Water
1 Tsp. Sea Salt
1/2 Tsp. Black Pepper
Chopped Tomato

Directions

Place the cucumbers, avocados, papalo, lime juice, scallion, water, sea salt, and pepper into a blender. and process the ingredients until smooth. Taste and add more salt/pepper if you like.Transfer the soup to a large bowl or tupperware and chill in the fridge for at least an hour before serving to let all of the flavors resonate.
Garnish with fresh Papalo and chopped tomato and cucumbers if you like.

(source: Pickles&Honey)

Spinach Rice Gratin

Serves 8 - 12

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups leftover/pre-cooked brown rice, room temp
1 cup spinach and dark leafy greens (kale, chard, collard greens)
4 ounces firm organic tofu, crumbled (can sub Canadian Bacon)
10 black olives, chopped
1/2 medium red onion, diced
1/3 cup pine nuts or almonds, toasted
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup shredded Manchego cheese (or Parm, or Gruyere)
3 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
Can add 1 pat of butter

Directions

Preheat oven to 400F degrees. Rack in the top third. Grease a 10-inch round baking dish (or equivalent) with a bit of olive oil.
In a large bowl combine the rice, spinach, and tofu (or bacon). Now, reserving a bit of each for garnish, stir in the olives, and red onion, pine nuts and olive oil. Now stir in 1/4 cup of the cheese. In a small bowl whisk together the eggs, and salt. Fold the eggs into the rice mixture, pour into the prepared baking dish, and sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake for 30 minutes or until the casserole is set, and the top toasty and golden. Remove from the oven, and sprinkle with remaining onions, olives, and nuts. Sprinkle with a bit more salt before serving - or taste and get a sense of whether you need any.

(source: 101 Cookbooks)

Chimichurri

Ingredients

1 cup (packed) fresh Italian parsley
1/2 cup olive oil
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup (packed) fresh cilantro
2 garlic cloves, peeled
3/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions

Blend everything! You can use more Cilantro as a great substitute for Parsley. Taste and adjust seasoning as desired.

(source: Jennifer St. James, Alégria Subscriber)

Cilantro Cashew Dressing

Ingredients

1 cup cashews, soaked overnight, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
2 teaspoons dried mustard
Juice of 1 lemon
2 cloves garlic
1 piece jalapeno pepper, seeded
1 handful cilantro
Herbamare Seasoning, to taste

Directions

Blend everything until very, very creamy. Add additional water if you want a thinner sauce. Taste and adjust seasoning as desired.

(source: Laura Taylor, Alegria Subscriber)

Soy-Free Vegan Green Goddess Dressing

(source: Jennifer St. James, Alégria Subscriber)

Ingredients

2 Tbs tahini
1 Tbs sunflower seeds
1 cup mixed herbs (I used combo of garlic chives, shiso and basil)
2 Tbs ripe avocado
2 Tbs fresh lemon juice
4 cloves garlic
1/2 cup water
2 Tbs olive oil
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp agave syrup

Directions

Blend everything until very, very creamy. Add additional water if you want a thinner sauce. Taste and adjust seasoning as desired.

(source: Laura Taylor, Alegria Subscriber)

Kale Slaw with Barbecue Walnut Crumble

Serves 4

Ingredients

Kale Slaw
3 cups shredded cabbage
2-1/2 cups shredded kale
1 cup shredded carrot
1/4 cup thinly sliced sweet onion
1/4 teaspoon celery seed

Mayo
1/3 cup raw cashews, soaked for 1 hour, drained, and rinsed
1/3 cup raw sunflower seeds, soaked for 4 hours, drained, and rinsed
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon maple syrup
3/4 teaspoon salt

Barbecue Walnut Crumble
5 sundried tomatoes, soaked for 2 hours, drained, and rinsed
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon water
1 teaspoon maple syrup
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon ground chipotle
1/4 teaspoon salt
1-1/2 cups raw walnuts
1 tablespoon minced sweet onion

Directions

For kale slaw, in a large bowl, toss together all ingredients and set aside. For the mayo, in a high-speed blender combine all ingredients and blend until very smooth. Pour over the kale slaw and mix well. For the barbecue walnut crumble, in a food processor, place sundried tomatoes, olive oil, water, maple syrup, vinegar, paprika, chili powder, chipotle, and salt. Process until a smooth paste forms. Add walnuts and pulse to create a crumbly texture. Scrape into a medium bowl and fold in sweet onion.

To serve, divide kale slaw and top with barbecue walnut crumble. We hope you give this delicious salad a try! Eat it with some raw crackers for a super satisfying meal.

Parsley Potatoes

Serves 4 | Hands-On Time: 15m| Total Time: 30m

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds new red potatoes
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

Directions

Peel a strip of skin from around the center of each potato, place the potatoes in cold water. Set aside.
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Saute onion and garlic for 5 minutes or until tender. Pour in broth and 3/4 cup of the parsley; mix well. Bring to a boil.
Place the potatoes into a large pot full of salted water. Bring the water to a boil; then reduce heat. Simmer covered, for 10 minutes or until the potatoes are tender.
Remove potatoes with a slotted spoon to a serving bowl. Sprinkle the black pepper into the skillet and stir.. Pour the peppered sauce over potatoes and sprinkle with remaining parsley.

(source: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Parsley-Potatoes/Detail.aspx)

Mexican Black Bean Recipe from Chow.com:

Ingredients

1 pound dried black beans
3 cups chicken stock
3 cups water
2 large sprigs fresh epazote (or 2 tablespoons dried)
1/2 pound chopped fresh chorizo sausage
1 diced onion
2 diced carrots
2 diced celery stalks
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1 tablespoon ancho or New Mexico chile powder
1 tablespoon ground cumin

Directions

Soak black beans overnight in cold water to cover. Drain and rinse. Preheat the oven to 300°F. Place the beans, chicken stock and water, and epazote in a Dutch oven. Bring to a boil on the stove top, skim off foam, then cover and bake for 1 1/2 hours. In a large, heavy skillet, brown chorizo sausage. Remove the chorizo, leaving the fat in the pan. Add onion, carrots, celery stalks, and garlic to the pan and cook over medium heat until the vegetables become soft. Remove the pot of beans from the oven and stir in the vegetables and chorizo, along with ancho or New Mexico chile powder, ground cumin, and salt to taste. Cover and bake for 1 hour, or until the beans are soft.

http://www.chow.com/recipes/10420-mexican-black-beans-with-epazote

Papalo Salsa from the Gourmet Sleuth:

Ingredients

2 roasted and deseeded chopped chili peppers
2 roasted and deseeded green peppers, chopped
3 small green tomatoes, chopped
4 roasted garlic cloves
6 papalo leaves
½ teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
salt
2 spoonfuls of minced onion

Combine all the ingredients in a food processor and let sit in refrigerator for at least 1 hour before serving.

(source: http://www.gourmetsleuth.com/Articles/Exotic-Herbs-Spices-and-Salts-639/papalo.aspx)

Whole-Grain Spaghetti With Garlicky Kale and Tomatoes

Serves 4| Hands-On Time: 15m| Total Time: 30m

Ingredients

6 ounces whole-grain spaghetti
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium red onion, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, chopped
kosher salt and black pepper
1 bunch kale, thick stems removed and leaves torn into bite-size pieces (about 8 cups)
2 pints grape tomatoes, halved
1/3 cup chopped roasted almonds
1/4 cup grated pecorino (1 ounce), plus more for serving

Directions

Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Reserve ¼ cup of the cooking water, drain the pasta, and return it to the pot.
Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion, garlic, ¼ teaspoon salt, and ⅛ teaspoon pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until beginning to brown, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the kale and cook, tossing frequently, until tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes and cook, tossing frequently, until the tomatoes begin to soften, 1 to 2 minutes more.
Add the kale mixture, almonds, pecorino, and reserved cooking water to the pasta and toss to combine. Serve with additional pecorino.

Fruit and Greens Smoothie

▪ 2+ cups leafy greens (romaine, kale, chard, any fresh picked greens)

▪ 10 mint leaves

▪ ½ cup grapes frozen

▪ ½ bananna frozen

▪ ½ cup strawberries or blueberries frozen

▪ 1/2 cup almond milk

▪ 1 scoop vanilla protein powder (I like Sunfoods raw vanilla)

▪ ½ cup water

▪ 3-4 ice cubes

Blend and enjoy!

Grape and Arugula Salad
Salad serves 4:

▪ 1 cup seedless green grapes

▪ 4 cups arugula

▪ 3 oz gorgonzola cheese

▪ 2 TBS thinly sliced fresh fennel

Mix for dressing:
1 TBS extra virgin olive oil
1 TBS fresh lemon juice
Dash of pink himilayan sea salt

Cashew Honey Mustard Salad Dressing

▪ 3/4 cup raw cashews, soaked 30 minutes

▪ 1/2 cup water

▪ 1/4 cup nutritional yeast

▪ 1 tbsp stone ground mustard

▪ 1 tbsp honey mustard

▪ 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

▪ 1 tbsp lemon juice

▪ 1 tsp tamari, soy sauce or Bragg’s liquid aminos

▪ 1/2 tsp garlic powder

▪ Salt to taste

Blend all ingredients and enjoy with your salad greens.