Nectarine and Arugula Salad with Pistachio Puree and Citrus Vinaigrette

In case you aren't aware, I got engaged a little over one year ago and I am getting married in 7 weeks! I cannot believe it is almost here! It feels like just yesterday I was calling my friends and family back home to share our exciting news. Tomorrow morning I am leaving (on a jet plane ;) for my wedding shower back in Wisconsin – can you believe it?! I wanted to post an inspiring seasonal salad before checking out for a few days and this beautiful work of art is what I’ve created.

I’ve been extremely busy teaching yoga, leading nutrition classes and meeting with other wellness professionals in my community that my time in the kitchen has taken a back seat. I absolutely LOVE to cook and create new healthy delicious recipes and realized that I need to find time for this “therapy” in my crazy, somewhat chaotic world. I always tell my clients that if they enjoy something enough they will find a way to make it a priority. Today I listened to my own advice and made creative cooking a priority!

Arugula (a.k.a. rocket) is a leafy green, which is sometimes classified as an herb, with a spicy peppery flavor. The smaller leaves are generally milder in taste and less bitter. Arugula is high in antioxidants essential in reducing free radical activity in the body. The flavonoid compounds and Vitamin A in arugula may prevent certain forms of cancer such as skin, lung and oral. The sharp leafy green is rich in Vitamins A, K and C and is great at boosting the immune system and improving eye health. Unlike spinach, arugula is low in oxalates, which inhibit mineral absorption in the body, and is therefore a great alternative for people seeking greens high in calcium and other minerals.

Ingredients

Organic wild arugula (rinsed and dried)

Sliced white or yellow nectarines

1/2 cup of soaked pistachios (raw and unsalted)

1/4 cup of freshly squeezed orange juice

1/2 cup of EVOO

1 teaspoon of apple cider vinegar

1/8 cup of fresh water

1 teaspoon of honey

Sea salt

Directions

Blend the pistachios, apple cider vinegar, water, honey and a dash of salt in a blender or food processor until you have a creamy puree. Set aside.

To make the vinaigrette, add the orange juice to a blender or glass bowl. Slowly begin to add the olive oil (at low speed if using a blender or whisk quickly) until the ingredients have emulsified and look opaque and thoroughly combined. Add sea salt to taste. Transfer to a small jar or bottle and set aside.

Spoon some of the pistachio puree to a plate. Top with arugula and nectarine slices. Drizzle with orange vinaigrette and add a few whole pistachios as a garnish (optional). Enjoy!

* Add cooked quinoa to the salad if you’re eating this salad as an entrée.

Watermelon Basil Salad

I featured this recipe in my newsletter last month but it is so yummy and easy that I had to share!  What can be more refreshing than watermelon on a hot summer day? This summertime salad literally takes five minutes to make, if the watermelon is already cut up, and oddly the flavors play nicely together. So before you turn your nose up at the thought of balsamic vinegar and watermelon - try it! Did I mention that this watermelon salad is also the perfect choice for your friend's backyard barbeque? No cooking involved, less than five minutes to make, extremely beautiful, nutritious and even the kids will eat it!

Watermelon is sweet, juicy and delicious and has recently been catching the eye of researchers and scientists due to its high concentration of lycopene. Lycopene is a phytonutrient (natural chemical found in plants) that supports cardiovascular health and more recently noted - bone health. In addition, watermelon also contains an amino acid called citrulline which is converted by our kidneys into another amino acid called arginine. Arginine can help improve blood flow and may prevent excess accumulation of fat in fat cells. Toss in antioxidants, vitamin C, zinc and iron (if you eat the seeds) and you've got yourself an incredibly delicious and nutritious fruit! In order to get the most nutrients out of your perfectly selected watermelon, make sure you enjoy it once it has fully matured or ripened (a.k.a. red flesh!).

Ingredients
One watermelon
Fresh basil (add as much as you like!)
Balsamic vinegar
Raw organic feta cheese, crumbled

* Simply leave out the feta cheese to make it vegan friendly!

Directions
Slice a watermelon up into bite-sized cubes and place the fruit into a large bowl. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar, top with chopped basil and feta cheese and enjoy!

*Store in the refrigerator and eat within two hours of making or the watermelon may get soft.

Fudgy Chocolate Flax Muffins

Sometimes I get the urge to bake. I will raid my pantry and cabinets looking for items that I can combine to make something delicious and worth devouring. Today happened to be one of those days. And of course I had overripe bananas, which are cause for instant toss-in (shhh…don’t tell my fiancé, he doesn’t eat bananas and he LOVED these :). What you don’t know can’t hurt you right?

Most of the ingredients found in this recipe can easily be found in your everyday grocery store. The only thing you may have to search for at a food coop or specialty market may be flaxseed.

Flaxseeds are extremely small and provide “huge” benefits to your health. There are three unique benefits when it comes to flaxseed. First, flax is an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids, specifically alpha-linolenic acid (ALA). ALA has been found to be stable for up to three hours of cooking which means you are still getting the benefits of omega-3s even after using them in baked goods! Second, another feature of flaxseed is its lignans. Lignans are fiber-like structures that also provide antioxidant protection. The third quality that makes flaxseed unique is its mucilage (gum) content. What in the world does this mean? Mucilage refers to the water-soluble, gel-forming fibers that can support the intestinal tract by improving nutrient absorption. Still lost at gel-forming? If you place a tablespoon of flaxseed in water and let it sit for a few moments the mixture will become thick and viscous. This is due to mucilage. Amazed? Me too!

Muffins generally get a bad reputation for being junk food. Now, I can’t always argue this statement because more times than not I would agree. However, these muffins call for a natural sweetener, whole-wheat flour and almond meal, flax (super seed!), raw cacao, coconut oil (no butter!) and dark chocolate. Overall I consider these muffins to be super yummy and a lovely upgrade!

Ingredients

½ cup of coconut oil, melted

¼ cup of pure maple syrup

4 very ripe bananas, mashed

2 tablespoons of coconut cream

1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract

¼ cup of water

2 large eggs

1 ½ cups of whole wheat flour

1/3 cup of raw cacao powder

½ cup of almond meal or flour

2 tablespoons of ground flax

1 ½ teaspoons of baking soda

¼ teaspoon of sea salt

1/3 cup of chopped dark chocolate

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a large muffin pan with liners or spray with a non-stick cooking spray.

Using an electric mixer or standup mixer, cream the oil and maple syrup. Add the bananas, coconut cream, vanilla and water until smooth. Beat in the eggs.

In a separate bowl, mix the flour, cacao powder, almond meal, ground flax, baking soda and sea salt. Slowly mix the dry ingredients in with the wet ingredients. Fold in the dark chocolate.

Spoon the batter into the muffin liners and bake for approximately 12-15 minutes, or until a toothpick or skewer inserted comes out clean. Place the muffins on a cooling rack for five minutes, or as long as you can wait before diving in :)