Easy Dinner Recipe: The Loaded Salad

I get asked almost weekly about healthy dinner options that are easy and simple to make. The Loaded Salad is just that. It's the easiest dinner to make, its full of nutrients, and tastes like a gourmet salad you would get at a fancy restaurant! It's on my weekly dinner rotation over here and I'm sure it will be on yours too once you realize how easy it is to prepare! 

The secret to this recipe is that you can customize it in any way you'd like! You can add more veggies, different seasonings, beans, meat, etc. I always add sautéed zucchini to mine though because cooking zucchini in onion, garlic, avocado oil, and spices makes the tastiest "dressing" to put on top of the mixed greens. 

I am excited to see how you customize your own Loaded Salad! Here's how I make mine...

The Loaded Salad

Ingredients:

1 cup brown rice (I use basmati)

2 cups chicken stock, bone broth,or veggie broth

1 tablespoon ghee or butter

2 zucchinis 

4 garlic cloves

1 small onion

mixed greens

1 lemon or lime

1 teaspoon Turmeric

1 teaspoon Cumin

1/2 teaspoon Coriander

1/2 teaspoon Paprika

1/2 teaspoon chili powder and/or flakes

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

& Any other spices you'd like to add!

*1/4 cup freshly chopped cilantro & parsley (optional)

Instructions:

Rice

-In a medium saucepan, bring 1 cup of brown rice, 2 cups broth, and 1 tablespoon of ghee to a boil

-Add in two cloves of chopped garlic to rice, cover, and cook on low for 20 minutes

Zucchini

-Add two tablespoons of avocado oil to a large skillet and heat on high

-Stir in two cloves of chopped garlic and a small onion and cook until onion turns translucent

-Add chopped zucchini to skillet and cook on medium, stirring frequently

-Add all remaining spices to skillet (turmeric, cumin, coriander, chili powder, salt, pepper, etc)

-Cook until zucchini is soft (about 10 minutes)

*Add zucchini mixture to garlic rice and mixed greens! Squeeze half of a lemon or lime on top and voila! 

Share below any modifications you made! I can't wait to see how you make your loaded salad!!

xo,

Lo

Recipe: Beet Berry Smoothie

I am a creature of habit when it comes to my daily smoothies but I've been experimenting with some different ingredients and wanted to share! I've been researching foods that are good for liver function since I have been trying to balance my hormones naturally and one of the best foods to help liver function are beets! Beets are bright red and don't have much flavor but they have a ton of nutrients! I picked up some beets from the farmers market a few weeks ago and I washed & cut them in small pieces and put them in the freezer! Adding beets to your morning smoothie won't only turn your smoothie the pretty shade of purple but you are also adding amazing nutrients and plant enzymes into your diet!! 

Beet Berry Smoothie

- 1 beet

-3-4 strawberries

-handful of blueberries

-handful of spinach

-1 tablespoon coconut butter

-2 scoops of collagen peptide powder

-1 tablespoon cacao nibs

-1 tablespoon flaxseed

*Blend & enjoy!!!

Xo,

Lo

Ingredients Mentioned:

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Lauren's Guilt-free Chocolate Chip Cookies

Since coming to Hawaii, I finally have my own kitchen after being married for two years! I have been having so much fun learning how to cook. Every week I love trying new recipes and putting my own spin on the things that I make. I love making every ingredient count in improving my health. I view my food as energy: everything I put in my body is either sustaining it and keeping it healthy, or depleting it. I try to not eat things that I know aren’t adding to my health and so I substitute a lot of ingredients when cooking my favorite meals.

I am a sucker for a good chocolate chip cookie and am known to having one too many for dessert. :) I adapted this recipe from my mom’s original cookie recipe as well as others I have found online. This recipe is gluten-free and dairy-free (if you use Carob chips rather than chocolate chips). I also substituted regular sugar for coconut sugar which is MUCH healthier for you and is low on the glycemic-index!

This recipe has been tested by my husband, neighbors, and friends here in Hawaii and they all seem to love them and don’t even realize that they are “healthy”! I hope you try this recipe out yourself and loves these cookies just as much as we do! If you make them, take a pic and tag #kisseecookies!

Ingredients:

1 ½ cup all-purpose gluten-free flour

½ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon Himalayan sea salt

½ cup organic coconut oil

¾ cup coconut sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

½ cup carob chips (optional: you can just use 1 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips if you don’t have carob)

Instructions:

-Preheat oven to 350 Degrees

-Mix together flour, baking soda, baking flour, and salt into a bowl

-In another bowl (with an electronic mixer) mix together coconut oil, coconut sugar, egg, and vanilla

-Once well blended, add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and continue mixing until smooth. Add in the chocolate chips last.

-Spoon tablespoon amounts of cookie dough onto cookie sheets and bake in the oven for 7-9 minutes.

Enjoy!!

Lauren