Author: Jacqueline King

The Most Delicious Dip, Spread and Topping – Whipped Avocado Cream

This Avocado Cream is one of my favorite things to keep in the fridge. I make it every week as part of my meal prep. The recipe seems almost too simple, but trust me, it adds an incredible amount of flavor and richness to so many dishes. Of course it’s wonderful on Mexican food, but I especially love to use it as a topping for my lunch bowls. You can also whip it up as a quick dip for a snack or to serve at a party. Somehow it seems more sophisticated and complex than regular guacamole, but it’s actually faster and easier to make because you throw it all together in the blender in seconds. You can even use it as a delicious spread to make pretty little appetizers. Even though it tastes rich and creamy, it is made of simple healthy ingredients. Avocado is one of the most nutrient dense foods around with both antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. It has been shown in studies to be good for both your skin and heart health. …

Cucumber Chile Margarita

Published by Jacqueline King

Here is another delicious variation on a Margarita. To me it invokes boozy adventures during hot, dusty days in third world countries. I love the mixture of cooling cucumber with the kick of chili as an aftertaste. Muddle the cucumber slices with the cilantro, add pinches of salt and chile, the lime and the agave, then the tequila, shake and strain into a margarita glass. Finish with a dusting of Arbol chile powder to make it look pretty. This also works well in a pitcher. I just juice the cucumber and increase the volume of the other ingredients. Cheers! 3 slices of cucumber Small handful of fresh cilantro I pinch Arbol chile pepper I pinch of salt 2 oz Fortaleza Blanco Tequila 3/4 oz Agave 3/4 freshly juiced lime

Creamy Asian Pear, Ginger and Citrus Smoothie

Published by Jacqueline King

This is one of those happy accident recipes, where I just threw together what I had in the fridge and it turned out to be too delicious to not share. It’s creamy and sweet with the perfect little tang and spice. If Asian Pears are unavailable, try using another type of pear or sweet apple. This is a great morning smoothie with a nourishing dose or protein, healthy fats, vitamins and anti-oxidants. Apple cider vinegar, ginger and lemon are all energizing and give your digestive system a nice little kickstart. It’s an especially satisfying smoothie for those who, for whatever reason, are avoiding bananas or want something a little out of the ordinary. Enjoy! xJacq Ingredients: 1-2 servings 1 Orange 1/2 Asian pear 3/4 inch chunk of Ginger, peeled 1/2 Avocado 1/4 cup Cashew Nuts, soaked* 3 medium Kale Leaves 2 Romaine Lettuce leaves 1/2 cup Orange Juice 1/2 cup Almond Milk 1 teaspoon Apple Cider Vinegar 1 large Lemon wedge, juice only Peel and break the orange up into wedges. If you are using …

Carrot and Carrot Top Pasta with Walnuts, Pesto and Cashew Cheese

Published by Jacqueline King

I love this pasta so much! Not only is it delicious but it’s also beautiful. I love that it uses the whole carrot including the nutritious tops. Since the main ingredients are carrots and pasta it’s also a pretty inexpensive dish which makes it perfect for a family meal or a casual dinner party. Carrots are nutritional heroes. Few other vegetables or fruit contain as much carotene as carrots, which the body converts to vitamin A. They are an excellent source of vitamins B and C as well as calcium pectate, an extraordinary pectin fiber that has been found to have cholesterol-lowering properties. Lightly cooking carrots actually helps to break down their cell walls which means your body can absorb the nutrients more easily. The peel of the carrot is the post nutritious part so it’s always best to just give them a good scrub, rather than peeling them. Enjoy! Serves 4 Ingredients: 3 Tbsp Coconut Oil 1 small Onion, thinly sliced 4 Garlic cloves, thinly sliced 1/4 tsp Herb d’ Provence 4 medium Carrots, …

High Protein Black Bean Brownies! You won’t believe how good they taste.

Published by Jacqueline King

After reading a friends post about delicious black bean brownies, I knew I wanted to try them for myself. When I read the recipe, however, I realized it contained a lot of butter and eggs. I figured if I was making “healthy” brownies, I wanted them to be dairy-free and suitable for plant-based diets, so I would have to make some adjustments. I tried to adapt the original recipe and it turned out to be a dry, crumbly baking fail. I looked at other vegan black bean brownie recipes online, but to be honest, I didn’t like the looks of them. They didn’t look like real brownies in the pictures, so I didn’t bother trying them. It was back to the drawing board. After a few more attempts (OK, 6) I finally came up with a recipe for these gorgeous things. They have the perfect balance of ingredients to satisfy your sweet tooth, while still being packed with nutrients. When I finally got the recipe right I must admit I was feeling pretty sassy. One of the …

The Joy of a Juice Cleanse! Yes, really.

Published by Jacqueline King

I haven’t posted any recipes for a while because I was doing a juice cleanse ahead of a trip to Europe. I figured it would be good preparation before the culinary and bacchanalian adventures to come. I know there is some controversy about the benefits of fasting, but the practice has been around about as long as man and virtually every religion recommends some kind of fasting or ritual which helps the body to heal and regenerate. This historical precedence is not, however, why I fast a couple of times a year. I do it because of how it makes me feel. I’m not saying it’s always easy but I do genuinely enjoy focusing on my health by juicing for a week. It makes me feel cleaner, lighter and energized. And sure, the fact that I look better after a cleanse doesn’t hurt either. Clearer skin, brighter eyes and few lost pounds are all pleasant side effects. I’ve tried the famous Master Cleanse before, but subsisting on lemon juice, cayenne pepper and maple syrup felt …

Top 10 Ways to Eat More Sustainably

Published by Jacqueline King

As Mad Men showed us, there was a time when a person could feel good about their consumption if it included only a minimal number of cigarettes, cocktails and calories. Yes, it was a simpler time…Today our greater awareness leads us to consider not only the healthfulness, but the carbon footprint, environmental impact, and sustainability of what we consume. This article is not meant to send you on a guilt trip. I know sometimes one must succumb to the craving for a perfect Peruvian mango in the dead of winter. I’ve been there. What I hope it will do is give you the information to make better choices most of the time. Striving to do so (in any area of life) is a noble pursuit and far more rewarding than striving for perfection. 1. Remember this quote from sustainable food advocate Anna Lappe: “Every time you spend money, you’re casting a vote for the kind of world you want” I find if I keep this in mind when shopping I am automatically more conscious of …

Feel Good Blended Iced Mocha-Vanilla

Published by Jacqueline King

Before I started to focus more on healthy eating I was addicted to a certain national coffee chain’s blended iced mocha drinks. It was pretty much a daily ritual. I decided to quit cold turkey when I did my yoga training several years ago which left me feeling pretty bad and groggy the first couple of days, but when you’re doing yoga all day you won’t feel miserable for long, so it certainly could have been worse. After training I decided that if my worst vice was morning coffee I was doing Ok, so I switched to a simple homemade brew with almond milk, which was great and definitely has a lot less crap in it than those blended drinks. Sometimes though… I still wanted my old fix. Which is why I’m so excited about my new mocha-vanilla ice-blended recipe made with only natural whole food ingredients. Did you know cacao has a higher anti-oxidant rating than blueberries and coffee is the number 1 anti-oxidant source in the American diet? This is mainly because americans in …

Greens Agrodolce with Marcona Almonds and Crispy Fried Shallots

Published by Jacqueline King

This is my favorite way to eat dark leafy greens- Italian style sweet and sour with meaty almonds and savory shallots. This recipe has the perfect balance of flavors and textures to compliment the bitter greens. You can use a single type or a mixture, either way these greens are anything but boring! 🙂 Ingredients: 1 lg bunch Dark Leafy Greens (Mustard, Kale, Swiss Chard and/or Beet Greens) 1/2 small Onion, sliced into 1/4 inch thick slices 1 Shallot, thinly sliced 1/4 cup Marcona or toasted slivered Almonds 1 Tbsp Honey or Maple Syrup 1 Tbsp Balsamic Vinegar Olive Oil Pinch of Red Chili Flakes Salt & Pepper Directions: Heat 2 Tbsp olive oil in a large frying pan over medium-low heat, add onion and stir to coat. Tear any tough center ribs from the greens, chop the ribs and add to the onion. Sauté until onions are soft and just beginning to brown, about 6 minutes. Chop remaining greens, add to the pan and mix to coat with oil. Sprinkle with vinegar, honey, chili flakes and …

Quick & Delicious Superfood Chocolate Mole

Published by Jacqueline King

Mole is one of the most delicious and exciting sauces in the world in my humble opinion. It has such complexity of flavor and is surround by lore. It evokes images of old mexican ladies grinding spices and simmering chiles for days. Now, the chef in me loves the idea of cooking up an old traditional family recipe for hours on end, but the busy real-life working girl was looking for a simpler process. What I came up with is this raw version that (unbelievably!) can me made completely in a blender without missing out on all the savory flavor and spice. When I say this is a “quick” mole, keep in mind that it’s a relative term . You still have to measure out quite a few ingredients, but that shouldn’t take more than 20 minutes and I promise it’s well worth it! I tried to make a recipe with fewer components, but there is really no way to get an authentic flavor without the diversity of spices and other ingredients. Hopefully you’ll have …