Chelsea Harrison6 Comments

Mediterranean Lentil Salad with Fresh Figs

Chelsea Harrison6 Comments
Mediterranean Lentil Salad with Fresh Figs

This recipe came to me out of sheer chance.  Funny how sometimes I brainstorm to try to create a "perfect" recipe and it turns out just "ok." Other times the perfect recipe just presents itself to me and is better than anything I could have planned.  This is one of those perfect serendipitous recipes.

Sam and I were hungry at my parents house with a bag of groceries I had intended to take home.  Between what we found in the grocery bag and ingredients from my parents sparse kitchen, I made what turned out to be the best salad I had ever had.

Lentils are a favorite of mine.  And if you are a vegetarian, I highly recommend you make yourself familiar with these bad boys.  Lentils are a great source of B-Vitamins and protein which many vegetarians are not getting enough of.  But on top of that, they are loaded with fiber.  Fiber is what keeps you full and what keeps your digestive system running smoothly.  If you are new to lentils try them in soups.  They add great texture to vegetable soups and lentil soups, such as Dal, are delicious and very affordable and easy to make.

Make sure you try this recipe while figs are still in season.  Once they are out of season, you could make this without them or use dried figs or raisins, but nothing can replace the light and sweet flavor of fresh figs.

Mediterranean Lentil Salad

Makes two large salads

Ingredients:

2/3 cup cooked lentils, we used brown but any variety works

1 large cooked beet, cubed

1/2 avocado, cubed

5-6 fresh figs

1/3 cup sun dried tomatoes

1/3 cup artichoke hearts

1/3 cup feta or goat cheese

1  handful fresh greens, we used a mix but arugula or spinach would be especially nice

1 tbsp olive oil

balsamic vinegar to taste (about 2 tbsp)

black pepper

celtic sea salt

Combine all ingredients and serve.

Chelsea Harrison7 Comments

Quinoa and Avocado Veggie Bowl with Lemon Tahini Dressing

Last week marked the autumnal equinox, the end of summer and the beginning of fall, a day when sunlight and darkness are equal in balance.  As this day approached I was feeling completely out of balance.  In an effort to "reset" myself, I decided to try a juice cleanse.  I had tried one five years ago, but I wasn't as invested in my health at that point in time, so I decided to give it another shot.

While I know that many people benefit from juice cleanses, I can now safely say that juice fasting is not for me.  As someone who typically has a good relationship with food, I suddenly felt obsessed.  I was so hungry that I was craving junk foods that have never interested me.  I don't normally have any "rules" about what I eat.  I simply eat what appeals to me while trying to make the most nourishing choices I can.  But as soon as foods were off limits, they were all that I could think about.  Half way through the third and final day I decided to break the cleanse.  I was so hungry that I knew if I kept it up I'd end up eating something unhealthy.  By stopping early I was able to make a more sensible yet delicious choice: quinoa and avocado veggie bowl with tahini lemon dressing.

Chelsea Harrison7 Comments
Quinoa and Avocado Veggie Bowl with Lemon Tahini Dressing
Chelsea Harrison7 Comments

Summer Basil Rolls

Last week my friend Alice asked me what I eat when I don't feel like cooking, haven't planned a recipe, or when the refrigerator is looking sparse.  Great question! On my journey toward a more natural slow food diet I used to eat really well until I hit speed bumps.  If I was really tired, didn't feel well, or simply wasn't inspired, I turned to takeout and processed foods.  I'd know that somewhere in the pantry I'd find a bag of zero-nutrition crackers with a scary-long shelf-life.  After eating I'd have even less energy than I had before.

Once I got to a point where I was buying almost no processed foods, eating like that simply stopped being an option.  Now when I don't feel up to cooking, the choices for foods I can grab and eat are fruits, veggies, or nuts.  And I often find that after a handful of cashews or an apple my energy comes back enough to prepare something substantial.

But I'm not always in the mood for twig-and-berries kinds of snacks, so I try to plan ahead for times when cooking isn't going to happen.  When I make a meal with a grain (quinoa, farro, rice, etc.), I make a double batch of the grains to keep on hand in the fridge.  And if I make soup, I always make more than I need so that I can refrigerate or freeze some.  My freezer is always stocked with fruit for smoothies and I love to make flourless seed and nut breads and keep them in the freezer as well.

Chelsea Harrison7 Comments
Summer Basil Rolls
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Raw Pudding Parfait

This recipe is a three layer parfait of chocolatey chia pudding, blueberry jam, and sweet vanilla cashew cream.  I love making elaborate dishes because I enjoy making food that is beautiful to look at and because time spent preparing food is like therapy for me.  But this recipe is also great if you are in a hurry for a handful of reasons.  One reason is that you can make a couple of these parfaits ahead of time  in mason jars and just pull one out when you are ready to eat or to take with you to work.  It should last 3-4 days in a sealed container in the fridge.

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Raw Pudding Parfait
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Balsamic Fig Ice Cream + Balsamic Honey Drizzle + Homemade Ice Cream Cones

Figs! Finally! With summer around the corner, figs are here at last.  To me there is no better combo than figs and balsamic vinegar. These two were made for each other.  The sweetness of the figs combined with the tartness of balsamic is gastronomic bliss.  And I was determined to take on homemade cones.  The cones can be finicky, but its worth the trouble and will impress just about any dinner guest.  While I wouldn't call this recipe "healthy," the ice cream is dairy free and free of refined sugars and the cones are dairy free, made with spelt flour, and refined sugar free.  Plus figs are a good source of fiber and potassium.  So go on and indulge a little!

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Balsamic Fig Ice Cream + Balsamic Honey Drizzle + Homemade Ice Cream Cones
Chelsea Harrison2 Comments

Black Quinoa Kale Salad with Toasted Hazelnuts

This week I'm switching things up.  Switching blogs that is.  I will be sharing my recipe for Turnip Oven Fries & Raw Avocado Dip on Straightforward Nutrition's website and Linn will be sharing her salad recipe here!  Linn creates delicious healthy recipes and has great advice on how to live a healthy vibrant life.  I'll let her tell you a little bit about herself:

Chelsea Harrison2 Comments
Black Quinoa Kale Salad with Toasted Hazelnuts