I’ve always been a fan of a great at-home bar. I strongly believe it’s a must-learn life skill to mix up classic cocktails, and as an avid host, it’s important to provide an array...
Looking back on Easter as a child, I remember how excited I was to dig through my Easter basket. Full of chocolate bunnies, malt ball Easter eggs, Peeps, golden coins, and my favorite Cadbury...
Lets be honest, salads can be boring. So I’m always trying to think outside of the box to come up with salad recipes that I’ll thoroughly enjoy, but are beyond easy to make. Enter...
Lets be honest, salads can be boring. So I’m always trying to think outside of the box to come up with salad recipes that I’ll thoroughly enjoy, but are beyond easy to make. Enter...
I first made this salad with all of my Thanksgiving Day leftovers. Craving something healthy, but not wanting to waste food, this anything-but-boring, smoked turkey salad was the perfect solution. But even since the big day, I can’t stop making it. And the beautiful thing about this turkey salad is it’s more than easy to recreate.
What really makes this salad work, is the combination of flavors. The smokey taste of the turkey, combined with fresh tart pomegranate seeds, crisp brussel sprout shreds, and everyone’s favorite meat bacon, meld in perfect harmony creating a mouth watering bite after bite. And no, your turkey does not have to be smoked, a well seasoned turkey breast will do the trick.
And bonus, there’s plenty of healthy stars in this smoked turkey salad. Some of them obvious like pomegranate seeds, and others not so obvious, like shaved brussel sprouts which are sneakily mixed in which is perfect for the pickiest eaters.
I’ve become obsessed with subbing in shaved brussel sprouts whenever possible. You can of course shred your own with your standard cheese grater, but plenty of places like Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods have them washed, bagged and already shredded for you. Try them in your coleslaw and salad recipes next time.
Hearty enough to be a meal all on it’s own, but with flavors that still make it equally light and refreshing I guarantee this smoked turkey salad will quickly become one of your households go-to meals. Truly, MKR
P.S. Something to note, depending on the size of your turkey breast, or if you choose to roast an entire turkey, I suggest using the left over turkey by making a great turkey noodle soup, or turkey chili. Or you can always make round two of this salad!
Listen, the truth is sometimes my week is just too busy to cook no matter how well I plan or how much I want to. But, I know myself well enough to know that if I don’t have some sort of game plan to stay on the healthy train I’ll be pulling into that fast food line and completely throwing my 2018 healthy initiatives in the garbage. So my solution during those hectic weeks where I need to take my time back; frozen meals with a fresh kick.
Yep, I said it, frozen meals. But not the overly processed, full of salt, not-real-food, frozen meals of the past. I’m talking about Lightlife’s new plant-based frozen line. Recently while shopping at my local Kroger, I stopped dead in my tracks when I spied that Lightlife logo shining through those frozen glass doors.
If you remember I’m a big Lightlife fan, making vegan slaw dogs last summer. For more than 30 years, Lightlife has been on a mission to provide quality vegetarian and plant-based foods prepared in the most healthy and sustainable manner. And you don’t have to be a vegetarian to enjoy Lightlife.
I discovered Lightlife when I was meat-free, and still eat it now even not as a vegetarian it’s that good! By choosing to eat vegetarian just one meal a week you can have a dramatically positive effect on your overall health and the health of the environment. Win, win!
I of course had to try all of the Lightlife frozen meals. While I loved them all the four I kept coming back to where the Veggie Fritters, Southwestern Quinoa Black Bean Bowl, Wild Mushroom Ravioli, and Veggie “Sausage” Ravioli. Now, these meals are all great on their own, but I like to jazz them up a bit by adding a fresh kick. What’s a fresh kick you ask? Well it’s fresh ingredients that enhance the meal, but don’t take up any additional time. You can prep them while your meal is turning away in the microwave, boiling on the stovetop, or toasting in the toaster oven.
For example, fresh dill and homemade tzatziki dipping sauce for the Veggie Fritters. Organic tomato sauce and fresh chopped mushrooms for the ravioli. And for the Southwestern Quinoa Black Bean Bowl I find topping it with fresh cilantro, chopped jalapeños, and a squeeze of lime provides that extra heat I’m always looking for. These easy, fresh add ons, are the perfect way to make your frozen meal feel home cooked.
So now that you know it’s possible to get healthy, great tasting frozen meals I’ve got more good news. Lightlife is doing a major sweepstakes through the month of February giving away 369 frozen meals! Yep, you heard right…369 meals! That’s meals for an entire year! Next time you go grocery shopping at Kroger, Earth Fare or Sprouts, pick up some Lightlife frozen items. Take a photo of them at home using #HeatWithPride and #Sweepstakes and tag @Lightlife to enter. Easy as that!
I challenge you this year to join me in being a little kinder to our bodies, our environment, and ourselves. Take some of your time back, and #heatwithpride! Truly, MKR
P.S. Sweepstakes links with rules & regulations are…
Like many of you, the new year has brought me resolutions that focus on food. But unlike past years, thoughts and goals around food have shifted. Instead of my end game being weight loss, my food goal for 2018 is to be more balanced and mindful of what I eat and how that effects my body and overall health.
As many of you know, I was a vegetarian for seven years. You can read more about that journey here, but long story short 2017 brought the end of vegetarianism for me. At least for now. One of the side effects of that change was that I went on what I’ve termed a “meat bender.” Consuming so much meat not necessarily because I wanted to, but because it was now allowed. And because of this allowance my overall eating habits became MUCH more unhealthy. It’s was now way easier to stop for that fast food burger and fries on the daily basis, unlike before when there was no reason to pull into the drivethru because there was nothing on the menu for me to eat!
And while my “bender,” was an unforeseen, negative side effect, one of the happier side effects of eating meat again is my stomach and intestinal issues have normalized. So now the question becomes how do I keep the good and throw out the bad?ecause while my stomach may be doing better, my 2017 diet wrecked havoc on my sleep, weight, complexion, and energy. Balance of course.
This year I want to restore balance back to my daily diet, and be more mindful about every single thing I’m putting in my body. Consuming foods that fuel my body, and re-focusing on how those foods make me feel. For me that means minimizing my meat, dairy, sugar, alcohol and processed foods intake. Letting vegetables, fruits, and healthy grains be the star of the show again. Getting back to planning out, and cooking my meals. And most importantly, eating for my long-term health and not a number on the scale.
So with this newly restored focus, I’m happy to share my first meal of 2018-a super easy, Quinoa Superfoods Salad. So what are superfoods? According to Live Science, “Superfoods are foods — mostly plant-based but also some fish and dairy — thought to be nutritionally dense and thus good for one’s health. Blueberries, salmon, pomegranates, nuts & seeds, squash, kale and acai are just a few examples of foods that have garnered the “superfood” label. Superfoods have extra-large doses of vitamins and minerals that can help us ward off diseases and live a longer, healthier life. Some of the nutrients that certain superfoods contain include antioxidants, thought to ward off cancer; healthy fats, thought to prevent heart disease; fiber, thought to prevent diabetes and digestive problems; or phytochemicals, the chemicals in plants responsible for deep colors and smells, which can have numerous health benefits.”
All great things scientifically right?! But I don’t really need science to know this Quinoa Superfoods Salad is super. If I’m tuned into my body, I naturally know everything in this salad is great because of how amazing it makes me feel. Chocked full of warm butternut squash flavored with good-for-you cinnamon and turmeric spices, the warm, and spicy squash pairs perfectly with the cool and tart granny smith apples and refreshing pomegranate seeds. Then you know I’ve got to have a little crunch, which I get thanks to pumpkin seeds. While it’s great to use heart-healthy almonds and walnuts in dishes, I love switching it up with pumpkin seeds. I find they still provide that nutty flavor I crave, but don’t overwhelm the dish. Then I topped it with a little goat cheese for that creamy texture and cilantro because I top almost everything with cilantro. You can of course leave these out if you’re one of the cilantro haters and if you’re avoiding dairy…the dish will not suffer.
My Quinoa Superfoods Salad is easily a main dish in itself, but if you’re slowly introducing yourself or your family to superfoods it can also be a side. Plus it’s great the next day, warm or cold!
At the end of the day I know I’ll still have my burgers and fries, but I look forward to enjoying those as a treat and not as a Monday thru Sunday staple. I’d love to know do you have any 2018 goals around food? Truly, MKR
On a large, sprayed or non-stick, roasting pan lay out your butternut squash. Sprinkle with cinnamon, turmeric, cayenne & a pinch or too of salt. Drizzle with olive oil and mix together so squash is well coated. If you want to add more spices, do so now. Place in oven and let roast for 10-15 minutes or until softened and cooked through.
While the squash is roasting cook quinoa per directions, cover and set aside. You want the quinoa warm when you mix up the salad.
Once both the quinoa and squash is complete grab one large bowl or separate bowls. Add in quinoa as the base, then layer with squash, apples, pomegranate seeds, pumpkin seeds, and top with cilantro and cheese if desired.
Add salt to taste, and if you'd like a bit of citrus olive oil. Enjoy!
By Mandy Kellogg Rye @waitingonmartha
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