Author: Jacqueline King

Feel Good Green Smoothie

This is my favorite green smoothie! It’s the perfect drink any morning, especially if you’re feeling run down. It’s also a great pick me up in the afternoon. You might be afraid to drink something this green, but I promise it’s super delicious, sweet and creamy. Best of all it’s packed with nutrients that make you feel great. The fruit and veggies are filled with vitamins, minerals, fiber and antioxidants. You also get a good dose of healthy fats from the avocado and protein from the nuts. Leafy greens are some of the most nutritious foods on the planet. They are believed to do everything from lower the risk of certain cancers to help prevent signs of aging. It’s pretty much a good deed in a cup, so I guess you can check that off your list today. 😉 I like to sprinkle my smoothies with a little of the superfoods  maca powder and chia seeds before serving for extra nutrients and a little crunch, but it’s completely optional.  Enjoy! xJacq Ingredients: 2 servings 1/4 cup raw almonds, …

Baked Sweet Potato with Broccolini and Gooey Vegan Cheddar Cheese Sauce

This recipe is such a treat! It tastes so rich it almost seems like it must be bad for you, but it’s actually packed with nutrients. The secret ingredient is tapioca flour, sometimes called tapioca starch, which is made from the cassava plant and naturally gluten-free. This is what gives  your cheese sauce a thick, creamy, too good to be good for you  texture! I use Bob’s Red Mill brand available at Whole foods and Trader Joe’s. Sweet potatoes are high in fiber, vitamins A, B5, B6, thiamine, niacin and riboflavin. They get their pretty orange color from the plant pigments carotenoids which are powerful antioxidants. The broccolini has vitamin C and calcium and you get some protein and healthy fats from the nuts so you’ll feel full and satisfied for hours. Best of all you get to enjoy the sweet, spicy, cheesy, yummy flavor! Enjoy xJacq Pre-heat oven to 400* Ingredients: 2-3 servings  Sweet Potatoes: 2 Sweet Potatoes 1 tsp Coconut Oil 3 tsp Cashew Sour Cream Fresh Parsley or Chives, chopped, for garnish Broccolini: 1 tbsp …

Feel Good Jicama Nachos

This is an awesome, healthy, plant-based alternative to traditional fat and calorie laden nachos. The best part is you get all of the delicious flavors of regular nachos without that heavy, greasy feeling. Since they are made with vegetables, nuts and legumes, you’ll be getting tons of fiber, vitamins minerals and healthy fats instead. These happen to be vegan, but everyone loves them. I put them out as a snack during football and my meat-loving husband gobbled them all up before I could even have two bites! Enjoy! xJacq Ingredients: 1 small Jicama 1/2 Onion, thinly sliced 2 Tbs Coconut or Olive Oil 1 can Black Beans, rinsed Pinch Salt, Pepper, Cumin and Cayenne 1/2 lime 3/4 cup Pico de Gallo 3/4 cup Guacamole 3/4 cup Cashew Cheese 1/4 tsp Taco Seasoning 1/2 lime 1/4 cup each chopped Olives, Jalapeño, Bell Pepper and Cilantro 2 Radish, thinly sliced Sauté the onion in oil over medium heat until it starts to brown add the black beans, a pinch cumin, salt & pepper, and cayenne and lower …

REAL FOOD FAST- Clean Veggie Curry Bowl

  Next time you’re feeling peckish try this quick and clean curry bowl. So many delicious flavors come together in this recipe- sweet, savory, spicy, nutty – all in just 10 minutes. Here I’ve laid out traditional measurements for everything, but also more casual measurement so you can just eyeball it when you’re in a hurry. I promise it will turn out perfectly either way. This is real food fast at its best. Ingredients: 1-2 servings 1/4 Onion 2 tsp coconut oil 1/2  Zucchini, 3/4 cup Mushrooms, (about 2  handfuls) 3/4 cup Cauliflower, broken into small florets (about 2 handfuls) 1 Garlic Clove, chopped 1/2 cup Vegetable Broth 1/4 tsp EACH Kosher Salt, Black Pepper, Curry Powder (2 big pinches each) 1 can Garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained Fresh Cilantro and Italian Parsley leaves (1 small handful each) 1/4 cup Walnuts, chopped (1 small handful) 1 Tbs Mango Chutney 1 Tbsp Coconut Yogurt or Cashew Sour Cream Sriracha (optional) Sauté the onion in coconut oil over medium heat. Meanwhile thinly slice the zucchini, and mushrooms. Add them to …

Feel Good Chocolate Mousse made with Avocado

 This chocolate mousse takes only minutes to prepare and tastes deliciously rich and creamy. It’s the perfect recipe for a quick afternoon chocolate fix or a crowd pleasing end to a dinner party. Best of all, it’s a sweet treat you can feel good about. The cocoa powder is full of antioxidants, the avocado gives you healthy fats and the almond milk has a good amount of protein. If you’re feeding picky eaters, try not telling them what’s in it until they’ve gobbled it all up, then enjoy the look on their face when you reveal your secret ingredients. 😉 Enjoy! xJacq INGREDIENTS:  1-2 servings 1 ripe Avocado 1/2 cup unsweetened Almond Milk 1/4 cup unsweetened Cocoa or Cacao Powder* 1/4 cup raw Agave syrup** 1 tsp Vanilla Extract Kosher Salt, pinch Cinnamon, pinch 3 ice cubes Blend everything in a high-speed blender until it turns into a thick, creamy mousse. You may need to scrape down the sides. If it gets too thick for the blades to turn add another splash of almond milk. Serve plain …

Fried Green Tomato with Lobster Salad and Lima Bean Puree

This recipe was inspired by a dish I had years ago on vacation at a wonderful but now defunct restaurant on Martha’s Vineyard called Bittersweet. This is my favorite starter ever! I even had the catering company serve it at my wedding.  You can also try it for lunch on a slice of toasted bread using the purée as a spread for a delicious open-faced sandwich. Serves 4 Lobster Salad 1 1/2 cups boiled, shelled lobster meat cut into chunks 1 Tbsp each vegan Mayonnaise and Coconut Yogurt 2 Tbsp finely diced Celery 1 tsp each finely chopped tender Celery Leaves, fresh Chives, and fresh Tarragon Dash of Heinz Ketchup or Sriracha Pinch of Salt and Black Pepper Lemon Zest for garnish Mix all ingredients except lemon zest in a bowl and chill. Lima Bean Puree 1 cup cooked Lima Beans 1/4 cup good Olive Oil 1 clove Garlic 3-5 chopped Basil leaves 3 Tbsp Vegetable Broth Salt if necessary to taste Puree in a food processor until smooth. If too thick add a bit more …

DIY Natural Room Sprays

Sure, natural room sprays make a room smell nice, but they also do much more! Studies have shown lightly scenting a room using essential oils can have a variety of beneficial effects ranging from invigorating to calming depending on the oil you choose. Below are some proven blends or experiment using your favorite oils to create your own personal scent. If you are drawn to a particular smell, chances are it will benefit you, so go ahead and trust your intuition. If you are not using your room spray frequently, you can use a mixture of half water and half vodka to avoid a musty scent. The vodka smell dissipates quickly after it’s sprayed and the delicate  fragrance from the essential oils is all that’s left behind. It’s best to store your room spray out of direct sunlight. Enjoy! xJacq Start with one cup of water in a spray bottle, add 20-30 drops of essential oils, and shake well. Or use half vodka and half water to prolong the shelf-life.  Office or Study Room: 15 drops Lemon, 10 drops …

All Natural Homemade Sports Drink

Most sports drinks are filled with sugar, food coloring and artificial chemicals, but It’s easy to make your own natural replenishing sports drink instead. Coconut water is high in potassium and electrolytes and super hydrating. Citrus is energizing and high in vitamin C. Chia seeds give you a little dose of healthy protein and fat and are high in antioxidants. Sea salt replenishes sodium lost through sweating and ginger is a natural anti-inflammatory. So just say no to drinking anything fluorescent-Your body will thank you! Ingredients: 2 Lemon 1 Orange 1 Lime 1 Tbs Maple Syrup 1 tsp Chia Seeds Water from 2 Coconuts or approximately 12 oz. bottled Coconut Water 1 inch chunk of fresh Ginger, thinly sliced (optional) Sea Salt Squeeze the juice from the citrus and pour into a 1 quart or liter bottle. Add the maple syrup, chia seeds, coconut water, ginger and a big pinch of sea salt then fill the bottle to the top with filtered water. Shake well, hydrate and enjoy!

QUICK SNACK- Better than Snickers Medjool Dates

When trying to consistently eat healthy, it’s important to have quick snacks in your arsenal for when you’re on the go or having a serious sweet-tooth craving. These creamy chocolatey little guys, I swear, taste better than a snickers bar! You won’t believe something so simple can be so delicious. I used 1/2 cup of hazelnuts and 1/2 cup macadamia nuts blended with 3/4 cups water and a sprinkle of salt in my Vitamix  to make the nut butter, but you can use any kind as long as it’s unsweetened. The ideal way to make homemade nut butters is to soak and dehydrate the nuts first, there is a great tutorial here. If you are using store-bought look for labels that have only nuts and optionally salt in the ingredient list. These also make great party appetizers or mini desserts. I hope you love this quick and healthy treat! xJacq Ingredients:    per person 2 Medjool Dates 2 tsp your favorite Nut Butter 1 tsp Raw Cacao Nibs Split the dates with your thumb and remove the pits. Stuff a teaspoon …

REAL FOOD FAST- Artichokes Provençal

This french inspired meal comes together in 5 minutes and is super nutritious. All the veggies are packed with vitamins, minerals and phyto-nutrients. When parsley and garlic are eaten together they provide a synergistic boost to the immune system, aid digestion, and have natural antibiotic, anti-viral and anti-fungal properties. The beans are full of protein and fiber and the olives have healthy fats which means you’ll stay full and energized for hours. I use kitchen scissors to cut the sun-dried tomatoes, bell pepper and parsley. You don’t even really have to measure them; this recipe is so flexible you really can’t go wrong. Of course the most important thing is that it is absolutely delicious and makes a perfect quick lunch or dinner.  Bon Appetit! xJacq Ingredients:  Serves 1-2 1 Garlic clove, finely chopped Herb d’ Provence Olive Oil 1 can Cannellini (White Kidney) Beans 1 can Artichoke Hearts, halves or quartered Splash of White Wine or Veggie Broth Salt & Pepper 1/4 cup Black Olives 1.5 Tbsp Sun-dried Tomato, sliced 1.5 Tbsp Bell Pepper, chopped, fresh or jarred Fresh …