Tag: greens

Watermelon Basil Summer Salad

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What says summer better than salad watermelon?! This salad will instantly become a summer staple. Soon, any salad without watermelon will seem…incomplete? It’s true. You’ll get it once you try it. Luckily, this one is super simple (like five minutes simple) and the color palette is sure to impress even the most critical BBQ guest. Enjoy!

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Ingredients:

  • dark leafy greens
  • watermelon (cut into cubes)
  • feta cheese
  • fresh basil leaves
  • balsamic vinegar

Simply make a bed of dark leafy greens (we used arugula here, but as long as they’re fresh, any type of greens will do the trick.) Add basil leaves, watermelon cubes, and feta and lightly cover with balsamic vinegar. Sprinkle sea salt, black pepper, and toasted hazelnuts if you want to get really fancy. This salad is so fresh, light, and summery that you’ll make it all season long.

One Healthy Breakdown: the salad that screams summer is oh so simple!

Super Summer Salad

If you ask me, summer supper is not complete without a super summer salad. I make a big salad like this at least once a week with dinner and use the leftovers for lunch salads. This makes the perfect crisp, colorful side dish or light dinner or lunch if you add some protein, like grilled chicken, shrimp, or beans. The best part is that the possibilities are endless with a summer salad!FullSizeRender(34)Start with a bed of leafy greens and add as many veggies/mix-ins as you’d like – best to use as much local, in-season, organic produce as possible! Here’s what I used:

  • mixed greens
  • chopped basil
  • chopped scallion
  • 1 tomato
  • 1 avocado
  • 1 green pepper
  • chopped radish
  • organic corn
  • chopped carrots

Additional options:

  • berries
  • cucumber
  • nuts
  • beans
  • onions
  • chicken
  • fish
  • lean beef
  • tempeh
  • eggs
  • edamame
  • cheese

Use a simple, homemade dressing to keep the focus on the fresh produce. Oil and vinegar, lemon juice, or a light vinaigrette works great (mix 2 tablespoons vinegar, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 teaspoon dijon mustard, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, pepper, and a little salt.)

One Healthy Breakdown: eat the rainbow with a super summer salad!

Spring Superfoods

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Spring is slowly, but surely moving on in. Let’s start taking advantage of fresh spring produce, raw fruits and veggies, and a rainbow of color. Incorporating the following spring superfoods into your varied, whole-food diet is definitely a super duper idea indeed!

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  • Artichokes
  • Asparagus
  • Avocado
  • Beets
  • Berries
  • Bok choy
  • Cauliflower
  • Eggs
  • Greens
  • Kefir
  • Radishes
  • Salmon
  • Scallions

One Healthy Breakdown: spring into the season of freshness!

One Healthy Shamrock Shake

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Let’s forgo the fast food, skip the drive thru, hold the corned beef, and head straight for the shake. We’re talking a Shamrock Shake, yum yum. After all, a large shake at McDonalds will cost ya almost a day of calories, well over 100 grams of sugar, and a whole lotta other crap that is far from lean or green. This healthy version is delicious and nutritious enough to have for…breakfast! Lucky you!

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One Healthy Shamrock Shake:

In a blender, combine:

  • 1 frozen banana
  • 1 large handful spinach or romaine (fresh or frozen)
  • 1/2 cucumber
  • A bunch of fresh mint leaves and/or one drop of peppermint extract (a little bit goes a long way)
  • 1 teaspoon cacao powder or cocoa powder
  • 1 teaspoon cacao nibs or dark chocolate chips
  • 2/3 cup almond milk (or milk of choice)
  • handful of ice cubes

Pour into a large glass. Top with extra nibs or chocolate chips and go to town!

One Healthy Breakdown: it’s a wish come true!

AB + J Superfood Smoothie

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I have BIG news for you. Brace yourself, you may want to sit for this one…it’s pretty life-changing. Guess who is the proud owner of a brand new Vitamix? Yup, this girl. It’s pretty freaking exciting. The first item on my wedding registry now lives in its permanent parking spot on my kitchen counter, prime real estate indeed. More days than not, I make a green smoothie for breakfast and this Ferrari-of-all-blenders instantly blends anything in seconds. Here’s a new favorite of mine. (No, you do not need a Vitamix to make this smoothie, any blender should do!)

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Almond Butter + Jelly Superfood Smoothie:

  • 1/4 cup organic strawberries, blueberries, or berries of choice (fresh or frozen)
  • 1/2 frozen banana
  • 1 handful spinach, romaine, or kale
  • 3 spoonfuls almond butter
  • 1/2 cup almond milk
  • ice if desired

One Healthy Breakdown: classic flavors that never get old…only healthier!

Holiday Flavored Smoothies

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With the holidays just around the corner, incorporating some sweet seasonal deliciousness into your green smoothie is a great way to stay on track and taste the holidays in the healthiest way. Try these pumpkin pie, chocolate peppermint, and gingerbread smoothie recipes this season!

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Pumpkin Pie Smoothie:

  • 1 cup spinach or romaine lettuce
  • 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
  • 1 carrot
  • 1/3 cup frozen cauliflower rice (optional, adds creaminess and extra nutrients)
  • 1 scoop vanilla, cinnamon, pumpkin spice, or chai, protein powder
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
  • 2 dates
  • 1/2 cup almond milk

Blend all ingredients, top with granola or shredded coconut, and be thankful for this healthy version of pie in a cup!

peppermint

Chocolate Peppermint Smoothie:

  • 1 cup spinach, kale, or romaine lettuce
  • 1/2 frozen banana
  • 1 scoop chocolate protein powder or 1 heaping tablespoon cacao powder
  • 1/3 cup frozen cauliflower rice (optional, adds creaminess and extra nutrients)
  • 6 fresh mint leaves (if you have them)
  • 1 drop peppermint extract
  • 1 date
  • 1/2 cup almond milk or coconut milk/water

Blend all and sip with a smile! Much healthier than peppermint bark or Thin Mint cookies, but that same minty flavor to kick the craving!

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Gingerbread Smoothie:

  • 1 frozen banana
  • 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
  • 2 tablespoons oats
  • 1 scoop vanilla, gingerbread, or chai flavored protein powder
  • 1/3 cup frozen cauliflower rice (optional, adds creaminess and extra nutrients)
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon cardamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon of nutmeg and/or clove
  • 2 dates
  • dash of sea salt
  • 1/2 cup almond or coconut milk

One Healthy Breakdown: Eat (or drink) your way through the holidays with healthy smoothies!

Green Break-Fast

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IMG_6570Greens are the most nutrient-dense foods on the planet. Increase your intake of leafy greens and you instantly add fiber, antioxidants, anti-inflammatory properties, disease fighting compounds. A green smoothie is one of the simplest ways to incorporate tremendous amounts of greens into your diet and having it for breakfast is even more powerful for your body.

Breakfast comes from the phrase “breaking one’s fast”. When we use the word breakfast we normally think of it as a noun. I want to suggest it can also be used as a verb. “I had a delicious breakfast today” vs. “it’s a great idea to break-fast on a green smoothie.”

We fast everyday. A fast is a period of time where we don’t eat, which is what we do every night while sleeping. The time spent not eating gives the digestive system a much-needed rest, which in turn redirects energy toward detoxification and cellular repair. As a result the digestive system works more efficiently, which for us means absorbing more nutrients, proper elimination of toxins, more energy and stronger immune systems.

This important cleansing process can be extended even maximized if we break-fast with a blended green smoothie. After the digestive system has time to rest during the night, one should ease back into eating and digesting. The blending breaks down most of the cells in the greens and fruits making nutrient absorption effortless. Smoothies contain all the fiber of the fruits and veggies that keep your appetite satisfied. What better way to begin your day? Making healthy choices throughout the rest of day is influenced by the way we start it.

Another relevant point to mention is while breakfast may be the most important meal of the day, it shouldn’t be a heavy meal and it certainly shouldn’t be a sugary meal. But for many people, breakfast has become a giant sugar fix. Think about it – cereal, granola, bread, pancakes, and muffins. These are all just adding sugar to our bodies. That’s not to say we should eliminate all things sweet but getting it from the fruit in a smoothie is much healthier. So the break-fast green smoothie also helps tackle our sugar dependency.

As we begin to enter winter, it’s even more important to have a green smoothie to help keep our immune systems strong throughout cold and flu season. If cold food in the morning doesn’t sound appealing, there are some simple adjustments you can make. Use warm water to create a comforting soup smoothie that still gives the benefits of the raw veggies. Another suggestion is to add a bit of healthy fat to help keep you satisfied like avocado or hemp seeds. My personal favorite is to add warming spices to your ingredients such as ginger, cayenne or turmeric to create deep warmth. All three spices possess anti-inflammatory properties as well as other health benefits. Cayenne helps with pain relief, clears congestion, and its vitamin A content boosts immunity.

One Healthy Breakdown: Break your fast with a green smoothie to boost your energy, your immune system, and your digestive system while kicking the sugar out of your breakfast!

Light Up the Grill, it’s BBQ Season!

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It’s barbecue season, baby! In addition to soaking up the sunshine, take advantage of grilling outside. Everything just tastes better on the grill, doesn’t it? Light it up and bring on the bbq’s!

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Burgers and dogs aren’t the only things to barbecue, there are so many yummy, healthy options. Grilled veggies taste amazing and are super easy too. All you need is a grill pan. Here’s how:

Eggplant: slice into thin round pieces. Drizzle with a little bit of olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Sprinkle with dried herbs for more flavor. Flip periodically. Grille about 10 minutes.

Zucchini/summer squash: slice into thin round pieces. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Use a grill pan.  Grille about 5-10 minutes each side.

Asparagus, broccoli, or brussels sprouts: cut if needed, drizzle with olive oil, and grill away. It’s that simple and SO delicious! Shake them up so that they grill evenly. These smaller veggies only take about 5-10 mins.

Lettuce or cabbage: drizzle with olive oil and lemon juice or red wine vinegar. Sprinkle with garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Romaine works great, it’s a simple delicacy! For cabbage, cut into four wedges and grille sides evenly for about 10 minutes. Lettuce only about five minutes.

Mushrooms: drizzle mushrooms with balsamic vinegar and a little oil. Grille for about eight minutes, flipping halfway through. Place over a salad or use whole grilled portobello mushrooms in place of burgers. Talk about a healthy upgrade!

Onions and peppers: slice onions and/or peppers. Drizzle olive oil and flavor with salt and pepper. Grille in tinfoil or on a grille pan. Great as a side with fish or sausage.

Corn on the cob: Brush with olive or coconut oil. Sprinkle with sea salt and pepper. If you like a little spice, add cayenne pepper and fresh lime juice. Grille for 15- 20 minutes total.

Garlic or scallions: Using whole bulbs, cut the root end off and brush bulb with olive oil. Grille for about 10 minutes until skin in brown. The perfect addition to flavor any dish.

One Healthy Breakdown: Grab a cold drink and light up the grill. No heavy sauces, no complicated recipes. Just fresh veggies meet grille, nothin’ better.

All About the Dandelion: Facts & Recipe

Spring has sprung here in the Hamptons and this seasonal green is at its peak. Loaded with calcium, iron, other minerals, antioxidants, vitamins A, C, B’s, E, and K, this one’s jam-packed with goodness! Not only does dandelion have more protein than spinach, it also contains all essential amino acids, making it a (very low-cal) complete protein. Dandelion is a great green for cleansing or detoxing, as it aids digestion and revitalizes the liver. Dandelion’s long array of nutrients reduces the risk of cancer, diabetes, MS, cataracts, and stroke, and may even help with asthma symptoms. Enjoy dandelion greens sautéed, or, to maintain all of these healthy nutrients, raw in a green smoothie, or as the main ingredient in a fresh salad.

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While the superior health benefits of dandelion greens set it apart, so does the uniquely bitter taste. Thankfully, The Good Bowl has provided us with the perfect dandelion green recipe, so savor the taste and the health benefits. Bon Appetit!

This salad dresses the raw greens with garlic and a few sweet notes to balance the bitterness. Add some goat cheese and you’ve just made a delicious, nutrient-packed lunch right out of your back yard. Not bad for a weed.

THE GOOD BOWL’S DANDELION GREENS WITH WARM GARLIC DRESSING: (serves two)

Ingredients:
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
3 large cloves garlic, chopped
1/4 cup raisins
1 tablespoon champagne or sherry vinegar
1/2 teaspoon agave or honey
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
dandelion greens, tender leaves removed from any tough stems (about 2 cups, loosely packed)
goat cheese

In a medium skillet over medium-low heat, warm the oil and cook the garlic until it just begins to take on color. Add the raisins and stir for one minute until the garlic is lightly golden and the raisins are plump. Remove from heat and stir in the vinegar, agave, salt and pepper. Distribute the dandelion greens onto serving plates, top with goat cheese and pour the warm dressing over the top.

One Healthy Breakdown: Dandelion won me over – getting my hands on these bad boys as soon as possible – if not sooner!
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