Broccoli Salad with Avocado

This is such a simple supper that I have made it twice in two weeks. With the weather getting warmer, it keeps the kitchen cool and gets some raw goodness into our bodies. It's also the perfect combination of crunchy and smooth.

Ingredients
1 Tablespoon whole grain mustard
juice of 1 lemon
4-5 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1-2 teaspoons honey
1-2 bunches broccoli crowns, chopped
1-2 carrots, chopped
1-2 celery stalks, chopped
red onion to taste, chopped
1 can tuna, drained
1/4 cup raw almonds, dry roasted in skillet
1-2 avocado, sliced

Directions

1. Combine first 4 ingredients in a jar with tight fitting lid, shake mightily, and set aside to let the flavors infuse.
2. Place next 5 ingredients in a medium bowl and toss.
3. Taste dressing and adjust.
4. Pour appropriate amount over salad. Toss to coat.
5. Top with almonds and avocado slices.
6. Enjoy!

Scampi--it's not just for shrimp anymore!

It's been a long week. It started out great with a party at my house to celebrate the 4th birthday of my (mostly) precious son, but began to denigrate into a week home from school due to illness that got passed along to me. Ugh. I'm tired of being home bound. Cooking has been drudgery, too.

So tonight, in-between coughing fits, I threw together a 15 minute meal that was delicious and super simple. It consisted of broccoli, carrots, quinoa, sunflower seeds, and a super magical secret ingredient--Wildtree Scampi Blend with Roasted Garlic Grapeseed Oil.

I started representing simple, healthy, and natural Wildtree products last July, but have not taken the time to devote to promoting them at the level they deserve. Not sure why, really, because I use them in my own kitchen, especially the Grapeseed Oils. So I guess this is sort of a debut of two of my favorite products from the line.

Anyway, tonight was one of those wonderful Wildtree nights where I got a delicious, nutritious dinner on the table super fast. Here's what I did:

1. Cover bottom of cold skillet with Roasted Garlic Grapeseed Oil and 2-3 teaspoons of Scampi Blend.
2. Turn heat to medium/medium-low and stir to blend.
3. Add chopped carrots (I would have put some onion in first, but I didn't have any) and saute a few minutes stirring to coat the carrots.
4. Add chopped broccoli. Stir to coat and cook for a few minutes until broccoli is bright green.
5. Add cooked quinoa (or other whole grain--whatever amount on hand) and stir to warm and coat with seasoning.
6. Add sunflower seeds (or sesame or pumpkin) and you're done!

I'm happy to share more about Wildtree products. Simply contact me here.

Chicken and Rice in the Pot

Yesterday was a crock pot cooking day--dreary is how I described it to my 3 year old on the way to school. On the way home from dropping him, I got the notion to put some stuff together in the crock pot for something warm and soothing. Here's what I did:

Ingredients
1.5 cups Brown Rice (I used Jasmine) or other whole grain, rinsed
3.5 cups broth
1 t dried thyme
1/2 t crushed red pepper
1/2 t tumeric
A little cooking oil or spray
1 small red onion, chopped
4-5 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 red pepper, chopped
1/2 yellow pepper, chopped
2 bone-in chicken breasts, skin removed and washed
2 broccoli stalks
3-4 carrots, roughly chopped
2-3 celery stalks, roughly chopped
freshly grated ginger to taste
sea salt to taste

Directions

1. Place rinsed rice, broth, thyme, crushed red pepper, and tumeric in a pot with tight fitting lid on stove over high heat until it comes to a boil.
2. Meanwhile, drizzle a little oil on the bottom of the crock pot and turn it on (I started with it high) while chopping the onion, garlic, and peppers. Place chopped items in crock pot. 
3. Wash chicken.
4. Once rice comes to a boil, pour into crock pot on top of onions, garlic, and peppers.
5. Place chicken on top.
6. Depending on how long you've got to cook, turn heat to low (all day) or high (half a day or less) and sit back and smell the goodness!
7. About 30 minutes before you're ready to eat, add the broccoli, carrots, and celery. Return lid and keep cooking.
8. Just before serving, add freshly grated ginger, salt to taste, and stir it all together.
9. Enjoy!

Some Simple Stir Fry Suggestions

One of my favorite ways to get plenty of veggies in one meal is to throw them all in a pan with a little oil, stir them up, add some seasoning, serve over whole grain, and enjoy a healthy meal. But I've learned a few things along the way about ordering my stir fry. I think it makes a difference. That's what this list is about, but I'm still learning! Additional suggestions encouraged!

1. Lay the groundwork. I always, always, always start with onion and garlic. Nothing better. After putting my grain on to cook (brown rice, quinoa, kasha, etc.), I put a little oil in a skillet, heat on medium until it runs smoothly coating the bottom of the pan, then add chopped onion (size is not an issue here--chop how you like). After stirring it around a minute or two, I turn the heat to medium-low and proceed to mince up the garlic. Then I throw that in and stir  things up. 
2. Consider your ingredients. While the onions and garlic are simmering, I cut up my other veggies. I think order is important in stir fry, because some items should be added sooner than others or they get soggy. So I try to categorize what's going into the pan into 2 groups--need to cook a while, need to cook only a few minutes. I should probably state clearly here that I prefer my veggies a little undercooked, rather than over cooked.
1. longer cook time veggies = carrots, broccoli, kohlrabi, peppers
2. shorter cook time veggies = mushrooms, summer squash, zucchini, greens (bok choy, cabbage, spinach, swiss chard, kale, etc.), sugar snaps
3. more color = more healthy, so I try to make a rainbow in my pan
3. Choose your protein. I usually have shelled edamame in the freezer (thanks to Trader Joe's) as my main protein source, but occasionally I have leftover meat of some sort, too. In general this is when I throw it in the pan, because it only needs to be warmed through. And yes, I throw the edamame in frozen. If I've got to cook the meat, I put it in with the onions and garlic, cook until it's done, then throw in the veggies.
4. Spice it just right. We are tamari soy sauce lovers at our house, so that's the regular seasoning I use (it's also easy to open the bottle and pour a little in). Now that it's cold outside, I try to keep fresh ginger and grate a little (or a lot) alongside the soy. Sometimes I toss in some sesame seeds. I represent a line of products from Wildtree, and they have an Asian Ginger Plum Dressing that's divine in stir fry. I also sprinkle in some sea vegetables (dulse or kelp). Whatever I choose, I add it toward the end of cooking. Also, I only add a small amount. It's easy to over-do soy sauce, so I'm really minimalist when using it in the pan. More can always be added later to meet the demand of the diner.
5. Dig in. After heaping a warm grain onto my plate and topping it with a rainbow of veggies, I am always pleased with the result. It's never the same twice. It changes with the season, but always delivers healthy goodness in large dose.