kale salad with sweet tahini dressing

Hard to believe but, I never understood the temptation of raw kale salads. Every time I made one I was dissappointed! They were too hard to chew and even harder to digest!

Until now!

I finally figured out the secret to making a palatable raw kale salad!

It’s sea salt!

Before I would always massage the kale with olive oil but it never broke down the leaves enough. By adding sea salt the kale becomes very tender, less bitter and easier to eat

kale salad with sweet tahini dressing ~vegan, gluten free~

Now, i’m hooked!

I made it for dinner last night and i’ve been craving more all day! Kale salads are great to prepare ahead of time as they do not wilt easily. Make this for dinner tonight and save some for lunch tomorrow!

Kale Salad with Sweet Tahini Dressing

1 small bunch kale, de-stemmed and broken into bite-sized pieces

½ cup dried cranberries

¼ cup sunflower seeds

1 carrot, shredded

1 tablespoon olive oil

sea salt

Dressing:

¼ cup tahini

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

2 tablespoons miso paste

1 tablespoon maple syrup

¼ cup water

salt and pepper to taste

-In a large bowl, drizzle kale with olive oil and sea salt. Massage and squeeze kale leaves to make more tender, set aside and let kale “marinate” for a few minutes.

-Blend together all salad dressing ingredients. Add more water if a thinner consistency is desired.

-Add dressing to kale and toss to coat. Top with carrots, dried cranberries and sunflower seeds.

~Enjoy!

kale salad with sweet tahini dressing ~vegan, gluten-free~

I found that using half the amount of salad dressing was plenty!

www.beginwithinnutrition.com

rise and shine tofu scramble

Rise and shine, tofu scramble time!!!

My first taste of tofu scramble took place on our cross country trip a few years ago. We stopped in Moab, Utah on our way back east thinking we would only stay the night. We fell in love with it, the town, the parks, the hiking and the tofu

so we extended our trip by a few days just to soak in the desert energy a bit longer!

While in Moab, we stumbled upon a little restaurant called Eclectic Cafe where they served up vegan breakfast options. I was in love!

This is my take on their tofu scramble. The recipe changes given what ingredients I have on hand but, it’s always yummy! It makes a great dinner too!

Rise and Shine Tofu Scramble

(makes 2-3 servings)

1 block tofu (non-GMO and organic), drained and pressed

1 cup mushrooms, chopped

2 tablespoons red onion, thinly sliced

1 carrot, shredded

1 cup baby spinach, chopped

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

3 tablespoons bragg’s amino acids or tamari

1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil

1 tablespoon curry powder

2-3 tablespoons fresh cilantro

Wakame

Gomasio

-Place a large pinch of shredded wakame in warm water and let soak for ~5 minutes, drain.

-In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add red onion, mushrooms and cook for 3-5 minutes.

-Crumble tofu into skillet and cook for another 3-5 minutes.

-Add bragg’s amino acids, sesame oil and curry. Stir and simmer until tofu becomes lightly golden.

-Add spinach and shredded carrot, cook until spinach is wilted.

-Top tofu scramble with wakame, cilantro and a sprinkle of gomasio.

-Serve warm and enjoy!

I served it over cubed and roasted sweet potatoes. However, it tastes great alone as well!

www.beginwithinnutrition.com

crunchy quinoa salad with peanut sauce

This weekend I met a very sweet woman who said she started eating quinoa since reading my blog! It made me so happy to hear that a) people are reading my blog and b) they are trying the recipes and eating healthy food!

So, what’s all the hype over quinoa about? Pronounced Keen-Wah. Quinoa is actually not a grain, it’s a seed! Originating thousands of years ago in Central and South America it was used by the Incas to increase endurance and stamina.

Red and White Quinoa

Quinoa is gluten-free for all those out there with gluten sensitivities and is a great substitution for rice or pasta. It contains all 9 essential amino acids making it a complete protein, great for vegans and vegetarians! It has tons of fiber (unlike the white processed alternatives) which can be helpful in lowering cholesterol, blood pressure and controlling glucose levels. The phytonutrients found in quinoa make it an anti-inflammatory food, lowering risk of cardiac disease and cancer. Quinoa is also rich in iron and magnesium, which is essential for energy production and the formation of bone.

Try it out using my new favorite recipe!

crunchy quinoa salad with peanut sauce

Crunchy Quinoa Salad with Peanut Sauce

Adapted from www.ambitiouskitchen.com

Ingredients

1 cup cooked quinoa

1-2 cups shredded red cabbage

1 red or orange bell pepper, diced

½ red onion, diced

1 cup shredded carrots

½ cup chopped cilantro

¼ cup diced green onions

crunchy quinoa salad with peanut sauce

For the dressing

¼ cup all natural peanut butter

2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger

3 tablespoons Bragg’s Amino Acids

1 tablespoon honey (use agave if vegan)

1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar

2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil

3 tablespoons water

crunchy quinoa salad with peanut sauce

Directions

Prepare all salad ingredients and place in a large mixing bowl.

In a food processor, combine all dressing ingredients. Blend until well combined adding water as necessary until desired consistency is created.

Add 1 cup of cooked, cooled quinoa to the vegetables. Pour dressing on top and mix until vegetables are well coated.

crunchy quinoa salad with peanut dressing

The original recipe added 1 cup of edamame or chickpeas and garnished with cashews and lime. I think all three ingredients would be a lovely addition to the salad!

I served the quinoa over a bed of greens and topped with tempeh that was sautéed in coconut oil and Bragg’s Amino Acids. I also added a sprinkle of black sesame seeds! For a non-vegetarian/vegan meal you could add grilled chicken or shrimp.

crunchy quinoa salad with peanut dressing

The peanut sauce was excellent, wish I had made extra!

Hope you enjoy it too!

Stop on by GLOW YOGA on May 18th for the 2 year anniversary celebration, I will be making this quinoa salad!