All posts tagged: easy healthy recipes

Creamy White Wine Risotto With Roasted Mushroom and Thyme

If you’re looking for a beautiful and delicious main dish to serve this holiday season, look no further than this creamy White Wine Risotto with Roasted Mushroom and Thyme. I lived in Italy for a while and have so many memories of celebratory dinners with risotto at the center. I think of it as the world’s most elegant comfort food. It’s so satisfying and warming, but still feels like a special occasion food. Like a lot of people, I assumed that to get a creamy risotto, you have to add a lot of butter and cheese, but as I began to study plant-based cooking I found out that is absolutely not true! The creaminess is actually achieved by coaxing the starch out the of the special type of rice that is used to make risotto. You do this by adding hot liquid, a little at a time as it cooks, and by stirring a lot. To get the umami flavor that is usually provided by parmesan we add a little miso paste and nutritional yeast instead. …

Kalettes with Lemon tahini Drizzle and Goji Berrie

Roasted Kalettes with Lemon Tahini Dressing and Goji Berries

Published by Jacqueline King

I’ve been reading about kalettes for a while now and was excited to finally find them live and in person, or at least cut and in person, at the farmers market recently.. Also known as lollipop kale or kale sprouts, they are the latest star ingredient of the veggie world, and with good reason. They are an adorable cross between kale and Brussels sprouts, and like their parents, kalettes are loaded with nutrients and health benefits. Their flavor is slightly less bitter than Brussels sprouts with a mild earthy flavor. You can eat them raw or sautéed, but roasted kalettes are especially delicious! While they’re great dressed simply in olive oil and a little salt and pepper, here they are turned into something really special with a heavy drizzle of spoon-licking good lemon-tahini dressing and a sprinkle of sweet-tart goji berries. This recipe is perfect… As a quick, easy, and colorful side for holiday meals. paired with grains, beans and/or other veggies in a Buddha bowl when you’re feeling run down and need a big antioxidant …

Your New Favorite Weeknight Dinner- Veggie Tempeh Bolognese

Published by Jacqueline King

My aunt recently told me she had tried to make tempeh, but thought it tasted like cardboard. I had to agree with her, on its own it can be pretty bland. However, when prepared the right way it can be a savory, hearty, protein filled base for a delicious meal. She was skeptical, but willing to try a dish that might redeem it for her, so I shared this Veggie Tempeh Bolognese recipe that is one of my weeknight favorites. Later that night she messaged an adorable picture of her toddler gobbling it up with spaghetti and my uncle with an empty bowl and a big smile on his face. Now, he is not what you would call an adventurous eater, so a little white lie was in order. She let him think it was a turkey Bolognese until after he had cleaned his plate. Now it is one of their favorite easy dinner recipes and hopefully it will be one of yours too. This recipe is perfect… When you want a quick, filling, delicious …

Quick Pan-Seared Branzino with Artichoke Hearts and Lemon-Herb Sauce

Real Food Fast: Pan-Seared Branzino with Artichoke Hearts and Lemon-Herb Sauce

Published by Jacqueline King

When I was a kid, a quick seafood dinner meant fish sticks with tartar sauce. While I’m sure my mom had the best of intentions when pulling the frozen minced fish logs from their packets, (“eat it, it’s good for you!” she’d say) it’s no wonder I grew up thinking I hated fish. It wasn’t until I travelled to italy as an adult (if you can call an 18-year-old an adult?) and tried their simple preparations of white fish that I found out it could be so much more than those mushy breaded sticks of my youth. One of the most popular fish on Italian menus is Branzino, a type of European sea bass with a delicate flavor and firm, flaky texture. It has become one of my favorite fish to prepare thanks to it’s versatility and light, almost sweet taste. Here it’s paired with savory artichoke hearts and a bright, lemony herb sauce. While this recipe is significantly more delicious than fish sticks, you’ll be surprised to find that it’s just as quick and easy to …

Strawberry Mint Pudding with Vanilla Cashew Cream

Published by Jacqueline King

Spring is in the air which means it’s time for gorgeous fresh strawberries! Make the most of these sweet beauties with this refreshing pudding. Mint can help aid digestion making this a great light dessert, but it’s also wonderful in the morning as a breakfast pudding. It’s a thick and creamy change of pace from your typical breakfast smoothie. Mint is also full of potent antioxidants and a natural stimulant, even the smell is uplifting! So this nutritious whole food pudding will put a smile on your face and a pep in your step. This recipe makes more vanilla cream than you’ll need for your pudding, but you have to make that much to get the blades of your blender to turn. Good thing it’s so rich and delicious that you’ll be happy to have leftovers! You can use it as a topping on oatmeal, desserts or in smoothies later in the week. Enjoy! xJacq Ingredients: 1-2 servings Pudding: 1/2 large or 1 small Avocado 1 cup Strawberries, sliced 1 Medjool Date, pitted 1 1/2 tsp …

Real Food Fast: Sautéed Mushroom and Wilted Spinach Salad with Cashews and Sun-Dried Tomato

Published by Jacqueline King

Here is another healthy, flavorful meal you can throw together in 10 minutes or less. I served this with toast topped with protein-rich sage hummus that I made by blending regular hummus with a couple of fresh sage leaves. It was quick, delicious and super satisfying! Ingredients: 2 Servings 3 Tbsp Olive Oil, divided 6-8 Sage Leaves 1 Shallot, chopped 1 lb. Button or Cremini Mushrooms, thinly sliced 1 Tbsp Balsamic Vinegar 1 tsp Dijon Mustard, preferably whole-grain Sea Salt & Black Pepper 6 cups Baby Greens (spinach, kale and/or chard etc.) 1 Radish, thinly sliced 1/4 cup Cashew, Raw 1/4 cup sun-dried tomato, sliced Heat a pan over medium-high then add 2 Tbsp olive oil. When hot, fry the sage for 30-60 seconds, if it starts to brown remove immediately from the pan. Use tongs or a fork to transfer the leaves to a plate covered with a paper towel to drain and crisp. In the same pan add the chopped shallot and mushrooms and cook 5 minutes until the mushrooms have softened. Add the …

Mexican Quinoa Bowl with Zucchini and Corn, Black Beans and Avocado Cream

Published by Jacqueline King

Comfort food means different things to different people, but when I think of comfort food the first thing that comes to mind is a big bowl of yummy mexican food. I’m mexican on my mom’s side so family gatherings almost always included fragrant pots of rice and beans simmering on the stove along with some other flavorful and spicy veggies. This recipe is inspired by those meals, but adapted to come together in far less time. While cooking rice and beans from scratch is wonderful, it takes a bit of planning, requiring soaking and simmering for hours. Instead here we substitute quicker cooking quinoa for the rice and canned black beans for the dried version making this easy enough for lunch or a weeknight meal. While this recipe cuts down on time, it doesn’t lose any of the delicious traditional flavor that make it one of my favorites. I hope you love it to! This makes more portions than most of my everyday recipes, but it makes for great leftovers so if you have extra …

How-to Put Together the Perfect Party Spread in Less Than an Hour!

Published by Jacqueline King

I read an article recently that said young people are not hosting as many get togethers nowadays in part because they are intimidated by the trend of gourmet cooking. It made me want to put together a post to show how easy it can be to put together a beautiful spread for a party in less than an hour with no cooking involved! I really think there is nothing better than getting together with friends and/or family and enjoying some good food and sharing a laugh. We spend so much of our lives online that it’s important to make the effort to get together live and in person once in a while, and the holidays are the ideal time to do it. For starters we’ll make a big party tray so you’ll need to invest in a big platter if you don’t already have one. This is something you can use time and time again when you have people over. I have a couple of fancy ones that I bought at estate sales for the same …

Sweet Salted Caramel Cashew Milk

Published by Jacqueline King

The simplest salted-caramel drink is just too delicious to be true. Try it next time you’re craving something sweet and you’ll be shocked that two little dates can add so much caramel goodness to your milk. A little pinch of sea salt just gives it that finishing touch to balance the flavor. All of the ingredients are high in minerals plus you get filling fiber from the dates and heart healthy fats from the nuts. It’s an energizing refined sugar free treat which makes it a great afternoon pick-me-up or post-workout choice. Kids love the sweet taste of this one too. It’s so much better than those drinks made with artificial flavors. Enjoy! xJacq Ingredients: 1 serving 2 medjool dates, pitted 1/4 cup cashews, soaked 2-4 hours and rinsed 3/4 cups filtered water pinch of sea salt If your blender is on the weaker side, chop the dates. Blend all of the ingredients until smooth in a blender, serve over ice.