Grilled salad is my boo!

Top left: romaine, bok choy, red cabbage, fennel

If you follow my facebook page you already know that I'm flat out addicted to grilled salad. What I love the most about this salad is that the combinations are really endless!

Here are some of my favorite veggies to grill right now:

Bok Choy

Asparagus
Portobello Mushrooms

Fennel (fronds removed)

Avocado (this sounds crazy, but OH.MY.GAWD, it's not)

Red onion

Cabbage/Brussels Sprouts

Romaine, of course

Really, any sturdy veggie would be great!

So, here's how to do it:

Slice a head of romaine in half.  Rinse super well, without tearing the leaves away from the stalk. You want that in tact so they will stay together on the grill.  This can be tricky!  I buy organic romaine, so there's always little bugs tucked away down in the nooks and crannies, but you can do this by pulling the leaves back and rinsing them as good as possible, then placing your romaine half, cut side down, onto a towel to drip dry while you prep the rest of your veggies. You don't want soggy lettuce, so make sure it gets fairly dry, but don't go too crazy worrying about it. 

Next, slice whatever other veggies you have into 1/4" slices. I like to brush them all with olive oil, salt and pepper, but I think any spice/seasoning will work well.

Finally, grill the veggies!  Now, wasn't that easy?  We like to put the romaine on the top rack because it will burn a little easier, so keep an eye on it.

Now, if you ask me, the best part of this whole meal is this simple sauce:

Smoky Tahini Sauce

Fennel, asparagus, avocado, romaine

(modified from this one)

1/2 cup tahini (this is ground sesame seeds. I've seen it at Meijer, and can usually be found in ethnic sections or health food shops)

1 clove garlic, roughly chopped

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice (or more)

1 Tablespoon olive oil

2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce (to make this vegan use this recipe!)

3/4 teaspoon smoked paprika

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

salt, to taste

5-6 Tablespoons of water, depending on your desired consistency

Place all ingredients in a food processor, except water.  Gradually add water, 1 T at a time until you reach the consistency you want. Blend until smooth.

If this is too sour, add more tahini. If this is not spicy enough, add more smoked paprika or some sriracha.  You can really tweak it until you find your preferred taste. 

Romaine, avocado, asparagus, red onion, fennel

This dressing goes SO WELL with the grilled salad. The smoky flavors of the dressing really enhance the smoky flavors from the grill.  Oh, it's so yummy, I think I want it again tonight!  

I guess if you're going to be addicted to something, it might as well be veggies, right??

Peace, love and veggies!!  <3

Heart healthy juices for LOVE week: Sweet & Spicy

Day 4 of the heart healthy juice party with Omega Juicers is here!

With this juice I wanted to capture the essence of carrot cake in a juice. Since cinnamon is so good for cardiovascular health, I knew I wanted to include it. And, since sweet potatoes have been named one of the 40 most powerful foods for heart health, I had to get them in there too. And of course the beets, lemon and carrots are amazing for heart health.  And y'all already know that an apple a day keeps the doctor away, so this juice is CLEARLY a super duper healthy one.

While this juice may not have ended up tasting *exactly* like carrot cake, you won't mind, because it's still so refreshingly yummy, and the cinnamon really does give it a nice kick. If you don't like how sweet it is, you can always either add more lemon, or leave out a carrot or the apple.  Play around with the combo until it's just right for your tastebuds! 

Sweet & Spicy

4 large carrots, washed, but it's not necessary to peel

1 gala apple, quartered and cored

½ red beet

½ inch slice of sweet potato

1 head romaine lettuce

1 lemon, peeled

Dash cinnamon, to taste

Use organic produce, if possible. Juice all but the cinnamon. Sprinkle cinnamon on top and stir well.  

Makes 16 ounces

Tomorrow's juice: Raspberry Surprise!

Recipe is my original creation.  Feel free to share, but please link back to this original post.  Thank you!