Perfect Summer Lobster Salad

Serves 2

This delicious salad is such a treat for the perfect summer night meal!

Ingredients:

• 4-5 cups baby or any mixed lettuces that you like 
• 2 cups cauliflower florets
• 1-2 radishes thinly sliced
• ¼ red onion thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• ¼ cup celery thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons chopped basil
• 1 avocado cubed
• 1/3 cup pumpkin seeds
• 10-15 grape or cherry tomatoes cut in half
• ¼-½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 2-3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• ½ - 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• Cashew cream (optional)
• 2 1-1/2 lb. steamed lobster meat (I get mine from my local farmers market or local seafood shop).  If you are adventurous, feel free to boil the lobsters’ yourself!)

Preparation:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Toss the cauliflower in a little bit of olive oil, salt and pepper and roast at 375 degrees for about 10 minutes – just enough time for the veggies to get that yummy roasted flavor.   
• Combine lettuce, radish, onion, avocado, pumpkin seeds, and tomatoes in a large bowl.
• In a small bowl, mix the olive oil, lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, celery, basil, salt and pepper
• Toss the salad with the dressing, plate the salad and mound the lobster (served warm or chilled) on top.  Finish by drizzling with cashew cream. (optional)
• Enjoy!

Kale and Arugula Salad with Quinoa

Serves 4

This is my go-to Kale salad that I’ve been making for years.  I change it up a little bit from time to time but the bones of it stay the same. Somehow it’s so good that I never get tired of it. Recently I’ve added Arugula because I think it adds a crisp, peppery flavor.  Packed with protein and healthy fats, this salad is a total meal in itself or you can serve it as a side dish. Whenever I make it for friends they want the recipe and I love that it’s truly one of the easiest, most delicious salads to throw together.  Feel free to add more or less of any ingredients that you want, I use different nuts all the time (Pistachio's, Pine Nuts, Almonds, Sunflower Seeds etc.) - that’s the beauty of this salad, it’s totally customizable and impossible to mess up! It also doesn’t get soggy so it’s great the second or even third day! In this particular salad I added some leftover grilled chicken from the night before and served it as a meal for dinner.

Ingredients:

• 1 large or 2 smaller heads of Kale (I used red leaf but you can use whatever kind you like – curly, Lacinto etc.)
• 1 large bunch Arugula
• 1 Avocado cubed
• ¼-1/2 cup Pumpkin Seeds 
• 1 cup cooked Quinoa
• 3-4 tablespoons black and white Sesame Seeds
• ½ cup Extra-Virgin Olive Oil divided
• 3-4 tablespoons Apple Cider Vinegar
• 1 tablespoon Coconut Aminos 
• Juice of 1 Lemon
• 3-4 tablespoons Cashew Cream (optional) 
• ¼-1/2 cup of shaved Parmesan cheese (for dairy free substitute Nutritional Yeast)
• Sea Salt and freshly ground Pepper to taste.

Preparation:

• Rinse Quinoa well and then cook according to instructions on box. I like to use vegetable broth instead of water and a little salt and pepper to give it some flavor.  Once Quinoa is done set aside.
• Wash Kale and Arugula and remove stems from kale.  Roughly chop both and put in a large bowl.
• Add half the Olive Oil (1/4 cup) and massage until the Kale becomes a deep green color, about 3-5 minutes.  Massaging Kale breaks down rough, chewy fibers, making it easier to digest.  It also makes the Kale go from bitter to nutty and lightly sweet.
• Add Avocado, Pumpkin Seeds, Quinoa, Vinegar, Coconut Aminos, Lemon Juice, Cashew Cream (optional), Parmesan cheese or Nutritional Yeast, Salt and Pepper.
• Toss to combine – taste and add more Salt, Pepper, Cheese, and Seeds to your liking.
• Enjoy!!!

Chopped Veggie Power Salad

Serves 4

I love a chopped salad!  This is an ultra simple recipe that is super-nutritious, tastes great and comes together super-quickly!  The food processor chops all the veggies into small pieces, soaking up the flavors fast.  Leftovers can be chilled and may even be better the second or third day!

Ingredients:

• 3 cups cauliflower florets
• 3 cups broccoli florets
• 2 medium carrots
• 1 clove garlic, peeled
• 2/3 cup lightly packed fresh cilantro leaves
• 1/3 cup lightly packed fresh parsley leaves
• ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/3 cup toasted pumpkin seeds
• ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
• ½ - 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper

Preparation:

• This first step is optional.  I like to toss the cauliflower and broccoli in a little bit of olive oil, salt and pepper and roast at 375 degrees for about 10 minutes – just enough time for the veggies to get that yummy roasted flavor.  However, to cut down on time you can totally skip this step and keep your veggies raw if you want and proceed below.  Both ways taste amazing! 
• Pulse cauliflower in a food processor until finely chopped.  Scrape into a large bowl.  Pulse broccoli until finely chopped.  Scrape into bowl.  Pulse carrots until finely chopped and scape into bowl. 
• With food processor running, drop garlic through feed tube to chop.  Add cilantro and parsley and pulse until finely chopped. Scrape mixture into bowl with vegetables.
• Add oil, pumpkin seeds, vinegar, salt and pepper to bowl and stir well until combined.  Let stand 10 minutes.
• Enjoy!

Taco Salad

Serves 4

One of my favorite meals in our house is Taco Tuesdays because it’s a night where I make ONE meal and everyone actually eats it!  While my kids enjoy piling their taco shells with a variety of toppings, I love to add roasted veggies in addition to all the toppings to make this incredibly delicious salad!

Ingredients:

• 1 Head of Broccoli cut into small florets
• I Head of Cauliflower cut into small florets
• 1 Onion sliced
• 1 Sweet Potato cut in cubes 
• 1 lb. Ground Turkey
• 4 tablespoons Coconut Oil
• Salsa
• Guacamole
• Cashew Cream
• 3 Cups Arugula
• Olive Oil for drizzling
• 1 tbsp. Chili Powder
• ¼ tsp. Garlic Powder
• ¼ tsp. Onion Powder
• ¼ tsp Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
• ¼ tsp. Dried Oregano
• ½ tsp. Paprika
• 1 ½ tsp. Ground Cumin
• 1 tsp. Sea Salt
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• 1 cup Rao’s marinara sauce 

Preparation:

•  Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• Melt coconut oil in saucepan.
• Coat cauliflower, broccoli, onion and sweet potatoes with oil, season with salt and pepper and spread on baking sheet. 
• Roast for about 20 minutes, check and then toss veggies on the baking sheet and cook for additional 10 - 20 minutes or until desired amount of browning and tenderness.  Remove broccoli, cauliflower and onion first as they will be done before the sweet potatoes.
• Place ground turkey meat in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, crushed red pepper flakes, oregano, paprika, ground cumin and salt.  Cook ground turkey meat, breaking up with a wooden spoon until cooked through, about 10 minutes.  
• When meat is cooked add marinara sauce.
• Assemble the salad by tossing the arugula with olive oil.  Then top with ground turkey, roasted sweet potatoes, cauliflower, onion, and broccoli.  Add some guacamole and salsa.  Finally top with a dollop of cashew cream! 
• Enjoy!!!

Kale Salad with Roasted Sweet Potatoes

Serves 2

Kale + Sweet Potatoes = YUM

Ingredients:

• 2 cups Roasted Sweet Potato Chips (see recipe)
• 1 Avocado
• 3 cups chopped Kale
• 3 tablespoons Sesame Seeds
• 2-3 tablespoons Pomegranate Seeds

Dressing:

• 2 tablespoons Red-Wine Vinegar
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 minced Garlic Clove
• 1/3 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Salt and Pepper to taste

Preparation:

• Combine Kale, Avocado, Sesame Seeds and Pomegranate Seeds in a bowl.
• Prepare dressing by whisking together dressing ingredients.
• Plate salad and top with roasted Sweet Potatoes.

Kale Bowl with Roasted Vegetables

Serves 2

When you start off your meal with kale you know you’re doing your body good.  This salad has so many amazing ingredients!  The hearty roasted vegetables mixed with the creaminess of avocado and cashew cream and the crunchiness of the seeds is so delicious!  I love this for a meatless Monday meal idea!

Ingredients:

• 2 cups Kale
• 2 cups Spinach
• 2 cups Butternut Squash cubed in bite size pieces
• 2 cups Broccoli cut into florets
• 1 cup Baby Onion peeled and halved
• 1 Avocado cubed
• ¼ cup Pumpkin Seeds
• 3 tablespoons Black Sesame Seeds
• Olive Oil for drizzling 
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• Lemon

Preparation:

• Melt 3-4 tablespoons of coconut oil to coat vegetables (Squash, Broccoli, Onion).  Season everything with salt and pepper and sprinkle Squash with cinnamon.  Roast at 375 convection for about 30-40 min.
• Keep an eye on the veggies as roasting time for the onion may be shorter.  Remove veggies when they look slightly browned.
• Lightly pan steam kale and spinach with a little bit of vegetable broth for flavor.  You can also sauté with coconut oil, salt and pepper.  Remove greens from heat when slightly wilted.
• Plate greens in a bowl.  Add roasted veggies, 1 cut up avocado, pumpkin seeds, and sesame seeds.  Drizzle with olive oil, juice of 1 lemon, salt, pepper.
• Drizzle with Cashew cream dressing. (see below)