9 Green Drinks for St. Patrick's Day!

I know that St. Patrick's Day isn't typically associated with green smoothies and juices, but I think maybe it's time we changed the tradition. If you are one of those people heading out to a weekend celebration with corned beef, Irish bread, cabbage, potatoes, or beer, I hope that you'll down one of these green drinks before embarking on the festivities. I promise your body will thank you later!

1. Mojito Juice
A juice packed with fresh enzymes that resembles a fancy cocktail? I'm in! This combination of cucumber, celery, mint, kale, and lemon will leave your tastebuds begging for more!

2. Green Smoothie 101
Green smoothie newbie? Perfect, you've come to the right place! This video tutorial will get you blending up smoothies correctly so your drink ends up healthy and enjoyable!

3. Green Lemonade
This fresh juice combo resembles my favorite childhood drink and is loaded with nutrients! The lemons help cut the "green" taste so this drink is perfect for those new to juicing.

4. Energizing Green Smoothie
If you are trying to replace your morning cup of joe with something healthier or just need a quick, filling breakfast on-the-go, this smoothie is your new best friend. It's perfect for boosting energy, detoxing, and helping you recover from a workout.

5. Bok Choy Green Juice
This juice is simple and refreshing. I love that it only contains two ingredients and makes me feel amazing anytime I drink it.

6. Kale Smoothie For Kids
No green smoothie round-up would be complete without this one! This smoothie is perfect for transforming "picky-eaters" -- adults included.

7. Kale Smoothie For Ladies
This green smoothie naturally boosts energy (without caffeine!), balances hormones, alleviates cramps, helps stabilize blood sugar, and tastes like chocolate. Enough said.

8. Kale Smoothie With Pear and Herbs
This smoothie is one of my favorites in fall when fresh pears are first available at the market, but I love its refreshing quality in spring. The herbs add a beautiful zest that makes me feel like winter is finally over!

9. Mean Green Juice
Don't be intimidated by its name - this juice is incredibly friendly! This post also has a great video to help you get started with the basics of juicing. Drink up!

I hope you enjoyed this green drink round-up! Have a healthy weekend!

Cheers,
Sonnet


Psst, if you enjoyed this, be sure to share it with your friends!

Kale Smoothie for Ladies

I'm not going to lie... sometimes it's hard to be a lady. Sometimes there are days when mood swings get the best of you and you become an emotional mess. An emotional mess for absolutely no reason except that, well, you're a lady.

On days like this it's best to stay away from your kitchen. On days like this don't attempt to create a new veggie burger recipe; chances are very high that the recipe that worked so well in your mind won't work out in reality. And then it's just awkward when your male roommate walks in on you crying on the kitchen floor. Not that this has happened to me or anything...

If you do decide to venture into your kitchen, I advise you keep it simple. Throw some frozen bananas into a blender and blend it up with some kale. Toss in some maca powder to correct those hormonal imbalances and add some raw cacao powder for good measure -- unless, you don't like chocolate? And then be sure to enjoy this soothing, fiber-filled smoothie curled up in a snuggie while watching your favorite romantic comedy.

This smoothie starts with kale for a boost of nutrients and fiber to help keep blood sugar stable. Next, we'll add some almonds for healthy fats that make this smoothie filling so it can be used for breakfast or a hearty snack.

Maca powder comes from the maca root, which has been used by the Peruvian population for centuries.  It is one of my favorite supplements because it helps support the body's endocrine system to naturally balance hormones. Maca provides a nice energy boost (without caffeine) and can help with chronic fatigue and low libido. It's a wonderful supplement to use at any time, but I find it especially helpful as a natural PMS remedy. Maca is the perfect addition to this smoothie because it adds a sweet, malty taste without any added sugars!

Ginger is fabulous for aiding the digestive system as well as providing relief from nausea and cramps (which most of us ladies are pretty familiar with). Fresh ginger can easily overpower the smoothie so I recommend starting with a small piece (about 1/2-inch) if you are not used to the taste of ginger.

And, of course, we can't make a kale smoothie for ladies without chocolate! Raw cacao powder gives our smoothie a delicious chocolate kick while also adding important antioxidants and minerals (like magnesium and iron) that are especially beneficial for women's health. You won't believe a smoothie that's good for you tastes this good!

Kale Smoothie for Ladies
Serves 1

Ingredients:
3 large kale leaves
2 tablespoons almonds
1 cup almond milk
1 frozen banana
2 tablespoons raw cacao powder

2 teaspoons maca powder

1/2-inch piece of fresh ginger (optional)

stevia or alternative sweetener to taste

Instructions:
Add all ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth!

Note: if you do not have a high-powered blender (I use a Vitamix 5200), I recommend blending the kale, almonds, and almond milk until smooth and then adding the fruit and supplements.

For more green smoothie tips, be sure to check out my Green Smoothie 101 video.

Green Goddess Juice

If it wasn't for SPUD's Juicing at Home Program, there is a very good chance I would be sitting here eating a cupcake right now. We've finally got all of our boxes and furniture moved into our new place and things are getting a bit settled, but after hauling heavy boxes up and down stairs for three hours my body is craving less-than-healthy things. Luckily, instead of reaching for something sweet, I made a glass of this tasty green goodness. I think my cells are grateful.

If you read my post last week, you know that I'm testing out SPUD's new produce boxes specifically for juicing and they are absolutely fabulous! This week I ordered their Organic All Vegetable Juicing Box, which included beets, carrots, celery, chard, cilantro, cucumbers, kale, parsley, a red bell pepper, and tomatoes. 

With the moving craziness this week it was too hard to make it to the grocery store and having this produce box was a lifesaver! Being part of the juicing program has made it so easy for me to drink more fresh juice, even with my busy schedule the last couple of weeks. I can't say enough good things about SPUD as a company (especially their commitment to sustainability) and the incredible convenience of having local, organic produce delivered. (I mentioned this last week, but if you are curious about trying out SPUD's juicing program, now is the time because they have a couple of awesome juicing promotions going on this month!)

I love that this juicing box is all veggies (since I prefer green juices over fruit-based ones) and the variety of ingredients has made it easy to create many fun juice combinations! This was also my first time making tomato juice at home and I think fresh tomato juice is now one of my favorites (especially when combined with carrots and bell pepper). 

I'm also pleasantly surprised to report that I have fallen head-over-heals for the Hurom Slow Juicer. To be honest, in the beginning I was a bit skeptical about trying a different juicer because I've always used centrifugal models (like my trusty Jack LaLanne juicer) and didn't see the need to upgrade to a masticating juicer. I've been getting a lot of emails and comments from readers asking for more information about specific juicer models. I'll have another post coming up later this week with more information about juicers and how to pick the best model for you so stay tuned!

And now to the juice... aahhhh, look at all the green!

Note: All of the ingredients used in this juice are on the dirty dozen list so please buy organic to ensure that you are not consuming pesticides and chemicals in your juice. 

Green Goddess Juice
Makes 8 - 12 ounces

1/2 cucumber
2 stalks celery
2 kale leaves
small handful parsley

Juice ingredients and enjoy!

Green Smoothie 101 [Video]

I'm a big fan of drinking green smoothies and if there is one thing I could get you to start doing today to change your health, it would be loading up on these healthy green drinks. Today I'm doing something a bit different and sharing a video with you to help inspire you to jump start your health with a green smoothie!

Green smoothies have a ton of benefits, such as:

• Green smoothies are perfect for enhancing the immune system, purifying the blood, and rejuvenating the body. They are loaded with vitamins, minerals, fiber, folic acid, chlorophyll, and many other micronutrients. Since you are consuming the greens raw, you are also getting the full nutritional value of the greens as well as their digestive enzymes.  
• Green smoothies are really easy to digest.  Since the greens are blended up, your body doesn’t have to work as hard in order to extract the nutrients and it is much easier on your digestive system. So, if you are someone that has digestive issues, this is a perfect way to add more fruits and veggies into your diet. 
• Green smoothies are fabulous for kids! If you have children or teenagers, I highly encourage you to make a green smoothie with them.  The key is to get them involved and let them help make the smoothie so they feel like they are part of the process (rather than being pressured into drinking something unfamiliar). I have honestly make this smoothie with well over 300 children over the last two years and it always amazes parents what kids will drink when they get to be involved in the process.
• Green smoothies reduce your cravings! When I work with clients in my health coaching practice one of the first things I will get them to do is start drinking green smoothies.  Most of them will immediately notice a decrease in sugar cravings because they are crowding out those less-healthy foods and their body will naturally start to crave fresh foods.  

If you are ready to have more energy and change your health, start with a green smoothie.  

Regardless of the benefits of a green smoothie, if you think that green smoothies are going to taste like liquid barnyard, I’m sure you are not very psyched to get blending.  Today, I’m here to dispel the gross green smoothie myth and show you how to make a delicious smoothie that won’t traumatize you for life!

Helpful tips for beginners:

• It's okay to start slow. If you have never had dark, leafy greens before or are nervous about adding them to the smoothie, start with a small amount.  You can always add more later and there is no reason to overload your drink in the beginning and then gross yourself out! For beginners, I recommend starting with a 3:1 ratio of fruit to greens. 
• The key to making the smoothie delicious (besides the ratio of ingredients) is having the right texture. It's definitely easier to make a green smoothie properly if you have a high-speed blender with a powerful motor (I use a Vitamix 5200), but if you don't have a high-speed blender, start by blending your greens and liquid completely before adding any fruit.  This will ensure that your greens are completely liquefied and there are no green chunks left in the smoothie!
• Use frozen fruit instead of ice to make it cold and creamy! Frozen bananas, frozen mango, frozen berries, and other frozen fruit make the texture smoother than using non-frozen fruit and adding ice. 

Basic Green Smoothie Recipe

Ingredients: 

• 1 cup of raw greens (kale, chard, collards, spinach, etc)
• 1.5 cups liquid (non-dairy milk, fresh juice, coconut water, green tea, or water)
• 1 frozen banana (remove the peel, cut into 1-inch slices, and freeze overnight)
• 1 cup of frozen berries (strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, and/or blackberries)

Directions: 

Remove any tough stems from the greens. Blend greens and liquid for 15 seconds - 1 minute (depending on your blender) on high. Add fruits and blend for 15 - 30 seconds, or longer as needed to achieve a creamy consistency. Drink up!

You can also try my advanced Green Smoothie 2.0 recipe and my Kale Smoothie for Kids. 

In the comments below, tell me what your favorite green smoothie recipe is or, if you've never made a green smoothie before, let me know when you'll be trying it!  

(And don't forget about our 2013 Health Revolution! I'd love for you to share your smoothie photos with me via Twitter and Facebook!)

Lentil and Greens Casserole with Millet-Amaranth Crust

I moved into my current place almost two months ago and for the first time in my life, I have a gas stove.  When I realized this on my moving day, it felt like a dream come true.  I think this is what fashionable women must feel when they find their perfect pair of shoes.

The unfortunate side of this is that every time I use my dream oven, it sets off the fire alarm.  Every. time. No joke. And since I'm in the bottom floor of a house with other tenants above me, our fire alarms are connected. Meaning: when mine goes off, I make theirs go off too.

Wednesday at 9 pm: Sorry, just indulging in a late-night kale chip craving. 

Friday at 7 am: What? You're not up roasting carrots for breakfast too?

Saturday at 6 pm: Hey neighbor, sorry about the fire alarm. Maybe I can make it up to you by bringing by an extra casserole for you. Oh, you're not even home? That's cool too.

This casserole has quickly become my fall go-to dish.  It's hearty enough that it can easily become a one-dish meal and it's versatile enough that you can fill it with whatever leftover veggies need to be used up in your fridge. Whether you need to appease a neighbor or please a crowd, this one won't disappoint. 


Lentil and Greens Casserole with Millet-Amaranth Crust
Adapted From Clean Start by Terry Walters
Serves 4 

Topping:
1/2 cup millet
1/2 cup amaranth
2 cups vegetable broth
Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Filling:
1 cup french lentils
2 cups vegetable broth
2 tablespoons Bragg liquid aminos
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 bunch kale, de-stemmed and chopped
1 bunch collard greens, de-stemmed and chopped
1 cup frozen peas

Add the millet and amaranth to a pot with 2 cups vegetable broth.  Bring to a boil, cover, and reduce heat and simmer until all liquid is absorbed.  Remove from heat and set aside. 

Meanwhile, add lentils, 2 cups vegetable broth, and Bragg liquid aminos to a medium pot.  Bring to a boil and then lower to a simmer and let cook until lentils are tender and liquid is evaporated, about 30 minutes. 

While grains and lentils are cooking, add the olive oil, onion, and garlic to a pan over medium heat and saute for 5 minutes, until translucent.  Add the kale and collard greens and cook for 10 minutes, until just tender.  Add the peas and cook an additional two minutes.  

Turn on broiler.  When lentils and greens are done, mix together and transfer to a casserole dish.  Spread the cooked millet and amaranth evenly over the dish.  Drizzle with olive oil and broil 4 - 5 minutes to yield a creamy grain topping with a crisp crust.  Remove from oven and serve hot. 


You can also find my recipe on Wellness Weekend and Vegetarian Mamma

Chocolate Kale Chips

Is there really anything more that needs to be said besides chocolate kale chips?  I think that should be convincing enough in itself.

If you're excited about this recipe (and believe me, you should be) be sure to head on over to my guest post on Healthful Pursuit this week!  I am super excited to be guest posting for Leanne and if you have not visited Healthful Pursuit before, be sure to check it out.  Healthful Pursuit is a wholesome living blog written by Leanne Vogel, a holistic nutritionist, with a focus on gluten-free and dairy-free recipes.

I especially love Leanne's creativity around healthy desserts and I highly recommend you check out her Vegan Chili Mac 'n' Cheese Casserole, 5 Ingredient Vegan Rice Crispy Treats, and with fall quickly approaching, Pumpkin Gingersnap Chia Breakfast Parfaits!

See you there!

Kale and Spelt Berry Salad

If you did not spend your Friday evening making kimchi and rocking out to Cher... then you really missed out on a good time.  If you did not spend your Saturday morning spilling a green smoothie on yourself while doing the Minion Mambo and rocking out to the Despicable Me soundtrack... then you really missed out this weekend.  And if you did not spend your Sunday evening making a kale salad and writing an embarrassing post about yourself ... then what did you do this weekend? 

For me, Sunday evenings are lazy evenings.  I am just starting to come down from my weekend-high and am about to crash right into reality.  This reality usually hits about 5 pm when I realize that a) dinner time is quickly approaching and I have nothing that's easy to prepare b) I haven't made Monday's lunch and c) I don't feel like making dinner for tonight or lunch for tomorrow.  These things are usually enough to make me a tad cranky, at least for the moment.  Luckily kale usually steps in to save the day.

I consider Sunday dinners to be successful only if they fulfill a few key requirements.  They must be satisfying, easy, quick, and tasty as lunch leftovers.  I'm happy to say that this one always fits the bill.

I love the chewy texture of the spelt berries with the kale and bell pepper in this salad.  The fresh basil adds a lot of flavor and is a wonderful reminder that summer is on its way.  This dish is perfect to serve as a light dinner, but it also makes a great side salad for a picnic or potluck.  It could also be topped with some french lentils to make it an even heartier entree.

Kale and Spelt Berry Salad
Serves 2 - 4

1/2 cup spelt berries
1.5 cups water
1 bunch kale, de-stemmed and shredded
juice from 1 lemon
1 bell pepper, chopped
small handful fresh basil leaves (about 12), chopped
2 Tablespoons olive oil
2 Tablespoons sherry vinegar
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 Tablespoon maple syrup

Add spelt berries and water to a medium pot.  Bring to a boil over high heat.  Reduce heat to low and simmer until tender, about 45 minutes.  If there is excess water, drain the berries and set aside to cool. 


Add kale to a large bowl with lemon juice.  Then "massage" kale by hand for several minutes (this will help to soften the kale and make it less tough in the salad).  Add the bell pepper, basil leaves, and cooked spelt berries.  


Mix the olive oil, sherry vinegar, garlic, and maple syrup together.  Drizzle over salad, toss, and serve.  

Kale Caesar Salad

I think my apartment is haunted. Some of my things have been showing up in really weird places lately and last night my bathroom light turned on by itself.  I'm not kidding.  I know that you will try and talk me into thinking that I just left the light on accidentally or that maybe my cat somehow learned to flip the switch.  No way Jose.  I'm not convinced.

In my ghost-paranoid sleep I got exactly 2.3 hours of sleep.  It was a bit of a rough night.  In order to keep myself from completely freaking out I decided to stay up the rest of the night and hide out in my kitchen.  Naturally, this led to me trying to figure out what to do with a loaf of day-old bread from the local bakery that was too amazing to toss out. What else can you do with day-old bread at 4 am than make warm, toasty croutons fresh from the oven?  These disappeared a little too quickly for my comfort, but luckily that was my fault and nothing paranormal.

So, my apartment is haunted.  And I learned to make croutons.  What is new in your world?

I've been on a big raw kick lately.  Lots of raw vegetables, raw salads, and raw salad dressings.  I was  excited this week at the prospect of making a raw kale caesar salad.  But then I decided that nothing could make a kale caesar salad better than fresh croutons.  Of course these croutons entirely defeated the purpose of making the salad dressing raw, but who am I to say what's what.  So, have your raw kale salad and eat your croutons too. 

Raw Caesar Dressing
Yield: 1 cup of dressing
Adapted from Choosing Raw

3/4 cup raw cashews, soaked several hours or overnight
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
juice from 2 lemons
1 pitted Medjool date
2 large stalks celery

2 - 3 raw garlic cloves
1 teaspoon kelp granules (optional)
1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1/3 cup water
1/4 teaspoon sea salt

Soak the raw cashews in plain water for several hours or overnight.  Drain water.  Add cashews to a food process or blender.  Add the additional ingredients and process/blend until smooth.  Add more water if necessary depending on desired consistency. 

Croutons

Inspired by Good Life Eats

2 cups bread cubes from day-old bread

2 teaspoons olive oil 

1/4 teaspoon dried or fresh thyme

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Spread bread cubes in a single layer on a baking sheet.  Brush with olive oil.  Sprinkle with thyme and garlic powder.  Toast bread for 5 minutes.  Flip croutons and toast for an additional 3 minutes.  

Note: your bread may require more or less cooking time depending on how old it is.  

Kale Caesar Salad

Serves 4

1 bunch of green curly kale, stems removed, torn into pieces

Raw Caesar dressing 

Croutons

Coarse black pepper to taste

Add 1/4 cup of dressing onto kale.  Massage dressing onto kale with your hands.  (This will help to soften the kale and keep it from being tough.) Add more dressing if desired.  (Note: there will be extra dressing left over.  Reserve this for additional salads.)  Top with croutons and serve. 

Energizing Green Smoothie

Hey dude that works the gym front desk every morning at 5 am.  I know I look like a crazy person.  I know that you see me stroll in here, half asleep, most likely still in my pj's.  I know that you notice me sometimes glaring at you from my one-awake-eye, wondering how you can be so perky at this time of the morning.  Don't get me wrong;  I'm not a grumpy person.  In fact, I'm pretty nice.  But until I've had my morning smoothie, don't mess with me... k?

The scary thing is that the dude that works the front desk every morning at 5 am knows what I really look like. The me without the shower, without my makeup, and without my kale.  It's horrifying, believe me. Green smoothie to the rescue!

Let's start with some basics!  This smoothie gets an energy boost with a base of your favorite green tea (I like Yogi brand).  If you don't drink caffeine, you always sub decaffeinated green tea, nondairy milk, or water. Next we add in our amazing greens.  Kale is one of the most nutritious (and delicious) green foods. Did you know that in addition to being full of vitamin A, vitamin K, vitamin C, iron, fiber, folate, and calcium, kale also contains protein and omega-3 fats?  Unbelievable!

I like adding frozen bananas to smoothies because they add a creamy consistency and help to bulk the smoothie up.  Frozen berries also add a bit of tart sweetness while adding more vitamin C and antioxidants. Feel the power! 

A lot of smoothies use solely fruit for their base, but since I eat this one for breakfast, I like to add regular rolled oats in as well since the extra fiber helps me to feel full longer.  I also added in some almonds for healthy fats and extra hunger-fighting power.  

By itself, this smoothie has a tart sweetness from the banana and berries.  If you like your smoothies on the sweeter side, I recommend adding two pitted Medjool dates.  If you're really going the extra mile, I also recommend adding in a tablespoon of wheatgrass powder.  (I don't have a wheatgrass juicer so I love adding this wheatgrass powder to smoothies.)  Wheatgrass is full of chlorophyll, amino acids, and enzymes.  This will definitely give your day a boost and start you off on the right foot!

Energizing Green Smoothie
Serves 1

1 bag of green tea
12 ounces of hot water
4 large pieces of kale
1 banana, peeled and frozen
1 cup berries, frozen
1/4 cup regular rolled oats (or gluten-free if needed)
small handful of almonds (about 2 Tablespoons)
1 cup ice
1 Tablespoon wheatgrass powder (optional)
2 Medjool dates, pitted (optional)

Brew your green tea in 12 ounces of hot water.  Brew ahead of time and let sit in the refrigerator to cool.

Blend (cooled) green tea with kale, banana, berries, oats, almonds, ice, wheatgrass powder (if using), and dates (if using). Blend until smooth and drink up!

Note: if you do not have a Vitamix or high-powered blender, you can blend the green tea and kale first to ensure that the kale is thoroughly blended.  Then add your other ingredients and blend more.

Thai Quinoa Salad

You know those nights when you wake up at 2 am and are unable to fall back to sleep?  Maybe because you are obsessing over your to-do list for the next day.  Or maybe because you started thinking about spring and that led to thoughts of everything that you can't wait to do when the weather starts getting nice again.  Or, perhaps, you are unable to fall back to sleep because you cannot get Bennie and the Jetts to stop playing on repeat in your brain.  Has Elton John ever prevented you from sleeping?  It must just be me.

I discovered last night that it is hard to cure the Bennie-and-the-Jetts-Elton-John-2 am brain.  I tried getting up and reading.  I tried drinking a warm glass of almond milk.  Then I tried making this.  Apparently there might be a 2 am cure.  And it involves quinoa.

This salad is perfect for a light lunch or healthy 2 am snack.  Feel free to double the batch to have plenty of leftovers for easy weeknight dinners... or Elton John cures.


Thai Quinoa Salad
Adapted from Birgitte Antonsen
Serves 4 - 6

Dressing:
2 tablespoons Bragg's Liquid Aminos (or soy sauce)
2 garlic cloves
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons tahini
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/3 cup coconut water
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
2 dried dates, chopped

Salad:
1 cup red quinoa, uncooked
2 cups water
1 carrot, grated
1 cup (unsweetened) coconut flakes
1 cup kale, stems removed, shredded
1/3 cup cashews, chopped
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped

For dressing, combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until creamy.  Set aside and prepare the salad ingredients.

Add quinoa and water to a medium pot.  Bring to a boil and then lower to a simmer and let cook until quinoa is tender, about 20 minutes.  Let the quinoa cool for a few minutes.

Mix quinoa with carrots, coconut flakes, kale, cashews, and cilantro.  Mix in dressing.  Can be served warm or cold.

Creamy Broccoli & Kale Soup

Our bodies are really good at telling us when we need to slow down.  It seems to me that our minds that are the problem... always thinking about what's next, planning our to-do list, or scheming about some big project.  

This week my body has been telling me that it's time to slooow down.  I've definitely been pushing myself hard the last six weeks and after waking up with the beginning of a cold, I am finally listening to what my body needs.  My body wants more sleep, more time for relaxing, and a really good dinner.  What does your body want?

Regardless of what you think your body needs right now, I think your body needs this soup.  This soup is light, delicious, and surprisingly satisfying.  After blending it turns into a sweet, mellow soup that tastes like the freshest flavors of early spring in a bowl. (Don't worry. I know it's still winter. A girl can hope though.)

It is best served with sprinkle of salt and pepper over the top and a squeeze of lemon juice.  Maybe even a few herbs or watercress if you're feeling fancy.  I would also highly recommend eating it while curled up on your couch in a fuzzy blanket reading a good book.  At least, that's what my body wants.  

Creamy Broccoli and Kale Soup

Serves 4

Adapted from Whole Living Magazine

1 Tablespoons olive oil

1 medium yellow onion, diced

2 garlic cloves, minced

4 cups vegetable stock

1 bunch broccoli, chopped (6 cups)

1/2 bunch kale, chopped (4 cups)

2 Tablespoons tahini

Coarse sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 lemon, cut into wedges

Heat oil in a medium pot over medium heat.  Add the onion and garlic and sauté about 3 minutes.  Add stock and bring to a boil.  Add the broccoli and kale, turn heat to low, and let simmer for five minutes.  Remove from heat and stir in tahini.  Season with salt and pepper, if desired.  

Blend the soup by using an immersion blender or transfering it to a regular blender. (If using a regular blender, be very careful as the steam can sometimes cause the lid to blow off.  I recommend allowing the soup to cool for a few minutes, then blending small batches on medium speed while holding the lid down with a large pot holder or towel in my hand).  

Squeeze lemon wedge over soup.  Serve hot.  

Green Lemonade

I drink fresh vegetable juice almost daily, but I tend to filter the juices I show here. See, I have a feeling that if I posted a juice recipe that said "juice 1 giant bunch of kale and a peeled lemon" some of you might actually drink it.  And, if you aren't a hard-core juice fanatic, you'd take one sip of that and never come back here. 

But this green juice?  This one is actually doable.  Let's talk about it.

This juice gets some tart-sweetness from green apples, which have less sugar than other apple varieties, but still help to liven up the juice a bit. I also added in some cucumber because it is very hydrating and I love cucumber juice for its mellow taste. Combine these goodies with some celery, ginger, a peeled lemon, and a bit of kale and you have yourself a powerful, nutrient-packed green juice that tastes like a healthy version of lemonade.  I've found that the tartness from lemons really help cut the "green" taste from a lot of juices so this is a great juice to try if you are nervous about green vegetables juices.  And if you are a true juice beginner, you can sub out the green apples for red to make the juice a bit sweeter.

Green Lemonade
Yield: 1 large juice or 2 medium juices

2 small green apples

1 lemon, peeled

1/2 cucumber

6 stalks celery

6 large pieces of kale

1-inch piece of ginger

Juice ingredients and enjoy immediately.

Winter Citrus Salad

Consider this salad your reward.  Your reward for surviving a hard week filled with a late-night trip to the animal hospital, three sleepless nights in a row, some not-so-great medical news about your cat, and lots of worrying. This salad is for you, stressed-out mama.  So put your feet up.  It's the weekend and you deserve this.

This salad is uber-simple to prepare, but the results are worth it!  Start off with some roasted citrus fruit (inspired by Joy) drizzled with olive oil.  Add in some freshly-ground rosemary and black pepper with just a touch of salt. Serve this over a bed of dressed baby kale or arugula. Sprinkle some pumpkin seeds and chopped almonds over the top.  And you have yourself a salad.

This recipe is loose and can be adapted in many different ways.  I happened to have some fresh pineapple, an orange, and a pomelo (Asian citrus fruit) on hand, but this would be absolutely gorgeous with blood oranges.  I tossed my greens with just a little olive oil, salt, and pepper, but if you are using a tart fruit like grapefruit, a little pure maple syrup mixed in with the olive oil would be simply divine.

Winter Citrus Salad
Serves: you

2 - 3 types of citrus fruits (or a tropical fruit like pineapple)
Olive oil
A sprinkle of dried rosemary
Freshly-ground black pepper
Sea salt
1 - 2 cups of salad greens
A handful of almonds
A handful of pumpkin seeds

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Segment the citrus by cutting off the top and bottom of the fruit then cutting away the peel and pith of the fruit.  Slice in-between the segments to remove any of the white skin in the middle of the fruit.  Drizzle with a little olive oil and sprinkle with rosemary, black pepper, and sea salt.  Roast for about 20 minutes.

Toss salad with a little olive oil and additional pepper, if desired.  Top greens with roasted fruit, nuts, and seeds.  Enjoy.

Gingered Sea Vegetable Salad

Let's be honest. I know that you didn't wake up this morning thinking to yourself, "I can't wait to eat a giant bowl of seaweed." (And if you did think that, you have my undying admiration.) Let's just say that I didn't wake up this morning thinking that either.

But, I know that sea vegetables are really important for my health. Seaweed is chock full of good stuff like B Vitamins, folic acid, and Vitamins C and E. It is also incredibly rich in minerals like magnesium and calcium and a good source of iodine, iron, and chlorophyll. This is especially important because over the past few years our soil has lost minerals so we aren't getting as many from our food as we used to.  As much as I hate the smell of the ocean, and especially seaweed, I'm gonna eat my sea vegetables.

Over time I have learned to enjoy nori in sushi, wakame (a dried brown seaweed used in cooking) in soups, and kombu (edible kelp) added to beans while cooking. But I never thought I would be able to enjoy arame.  Until now.

Arame grows off the coast of Japan and has a delicate texture.  Since it is typically eaten in salads, I wasn't sure if I would be able to stomach the "oceany" taste, but this salad left me pleasantly surprised.  This recipe begins with soaking the arame in water and since it grows in size, a little under two ounces will give you more than enough to feed four to six people. 

I think this salad will surprise you.  Since the arame is cooked in apple juice, it ends up tasting pleasantly sweet rather than oceany.  Combined with greens, veggies, and other herbs, this salad just ends up tasting really fresh and healthy - in a good way. 

If you are saving this recipe to serve later, keep the arame separate from the other ingredients so that the greens stay fresh.  Black-eyed peas are optional here, but they definitely add a little protein and make this more satisfying as a meal.  This salad is perfect as a light lunch or dinner.  Not only will it leave you satisfied and full of important vitamins and minerals, but it will give you full bragging rights that you not only ate seaweed and survived... but you actually enjoyed it!

Gingered Sea Vegetable Salad

Slightly adapted from Birgitte Antonsen

Serves 4 to 6

Sea Vegetable Mixture

About 2 ounces (1 bag) arame sea vegetable, soaked in cold water for 15 - 20 minutes

1 Tablespoon coconut oil 

1 1/2 cups fresh apple juice

3 Tablespoons raw agave syrup

3 Tablespoons tamari

3 Tablespoons minced garlic

2 Tablespoons minced ginger

Salad Ingredients

1 bunch of collard greens, stems removed, finely shredded

2 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Juice from 1 lemon

2 carrots, shredded

1 red bell pepper, chopped

1 cup cooked black-eyed peas (optional)

3 green onions, diagonally sliced

1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

Soak arame in cold water for 15 - 20 minutes.  Rinse and strain.

In a skillet, sauté the arame with the coconut oil for about 5 minutes.  Add the apple juice and let it simmer, covered, for about 10 minutes.  Remove lid and sauté until liquid has evaporated.  Add the agave, tamari, garlic, and ginger.  Saute until liquid has evaporated.  Remove from the heat and let it cool.  

Massage collard greens with olive oil and lemon juice.  Mix salad ingredients together in a large bowl.  

Mix sea vegetables and salad mixture together just before serving.  

Kale and Pear Smoothie with Herbs

Hello dear partner, and love of my life.

I am sorry.  I am sorry that while you were out running errands I did nothing that I said that I would do.  I did not clean the kitchen.  I did not prepare your dinner.  I also forgot about the laundry.  My sincerest apologies.

Instead I accomplished many, many important, but totally non-important things, such as:

1. I updated our Netflix queue.  I put all of my most favorite romantic comedies (i.e. your least favorite movies ever) at the top.  They will be here on Friday.
2. I rated 46 movies on Netflix so that it would provide the best suggestions for us whenever we log in. Of course, since I rated them, I gave 5 stars to movies that I love, like Eat Pray Love, 13 Going on 30, Julie and Julia, and My Best Friend's Wedding.  I am sorry that Netflix will now recommend items like Sweet November and Something Borrowed, instead of movies that you like.  I am also sorry that I will most likely add these new recommendations to the top of the queue and delay your movies even longer.
3. I was really dehydrated from all of that Netflix work so I drank some water.  I found that I still felt a bit dehydrated so I made some fresh juice.  I left all of the pulp sitting out on the counter and now the kitchen is attracting fruit flies.  Whoops. 
4. I spent exactly 12 minutes petting a cat.  I know this because that is how much time was left on the timer that was supposed to remind me to grab the laundy from the dryer.  Instead, I turned off the timer and continued to pet the cat.
5. I went on Etsy and found an awesome merchant that sells adorable puppy blazers and fancy white collars for cats.  It looks like this cat is wearing a suit!  So cute.  I know that you hate the idea of dressing pets in clothes so I am hesitant to tell you that I ordered two for the cat's Christmas gifts. Don't hate me. 
6. I also read a bunch of articles about superfoods aiding in cancer prevention that were mentioned on Twitter.  Even though I am certain that you don't want to hear about this, I plan to tell you about all of it when you return home.  Get ready. 
7. I oiled the wooden cutting board.  It's pretty now.  So pretty that I would like you to refrain from using it.  It is now reserved for blog photos only.  Thanks.

But after all that, I made you this smoothie.  I filled it with nutritious and tasty things like ripe pears, fresh kale, and zesty parsley.  You're gonna like it.  Promise.

P.S. I love you. :)

I've been experimenting with different herbs in my smoothies recently and I really love the sweet pear and parsley combination in this one.  (If you are new to green smoothies, check out some of my other recipes: Green Smoothie 101, Green Smoothie 2.0, and Kale Smoothie for Kids.)  Nondairy milk or fresh juice can also be substituted for the water if you want to add a bit more flavor or sweetness.  This is my favorite breakfast smoothie at the moment and the addition of flax seeds, protein powder (I use Omega pumpkin seed protein powder), and avocado make it more filling as well as delicious.

Kale and Pear Smoothie with Herbs
Serves 2

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups water

2 cups greens (I used kale)
1/4 cup herbs (parsley and cilantro both work great)

2 ripe pears, cored
1 frozen banana (remove the peel, cut into 1-inch slices, and freeze in a plastic bag overnight)
1 cup ice
1 Tablespoon flax seeds (optional)
Protein powder (optional)
1/4 avocado (optional)

Instructions:
Blend water, greens, and herbs for 15 seconds - 1 minute (depending on your blender) on high. Then add the pear, banana, ice, flax seeds (if using), protein powder (if using), and avocado (if using) and blend for an additional 30 seconds - 1 minute.