Fresh Dressings.

Tis the season for fresh veggies and crispy salads.  I recently made some delicious dressings that I wanted to share!

Sundried Tomato Dressing

serves 4

1/2 cup Sundried Tomatoes

1 Clove Garlic

1 Bunch of Basil

1 Tbsp Lemon juice (I always use real lemons)

1/4 cup olive oil

sea salt and fresh pepper to taste

In blender, combine first four ingredients.  With the blender running, slowly add the olive oil.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.

This is DELICIOUS!!!!  This recipe is more like a pesto than a dressing but it works for SO many things.  I have used it as a salad dressing, as a pizza sauce, in pasta and mixed in cottage cheese.  It is simply amazing!!!

Here is another of my favorites-

Mustard Vinaigrette

serves 8

1/3 cup Apple Cider Vinegar

1 1/2 TBSP Grain mustard

2/3 Cup Cold Pressed Olive Oil

Sea salt and ground pepper to taste

Puree the vinegar and mustard in blender.  With the blender running, slowly pour in the olive oil.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  If you would like you can add 3/4 TBSP of Raw Honey to make it Honey Mustard Vinaigrette.  Both of these dressing run about 150 calories per serving.  A little goes a long way!

Both of these dressing keep up to a week in the refrigerator. 

Have you looked at the ingredients of your bottled salad dressing lately?  Salad dressings can take your salad from a healthy nutritious meal to a fat and calorie laden heart attack!  Be cautious of portion sizing. 

Your taste buds will thank you when you try these clean dressings!  **Both of these recipes were taken from jointhereboot.com website. 

With Love,

j

Potato Crust Pizza!

Clean Eating Potato-Crust Pizza!!   Now tell me that doesn't look YUMMMMYYYYYY!!!!!  Oh my gosh, this was the BEST pizza ever!  I recently went out to eat at a local pizza place.  I can't remember the last time I had eaten there and they have the BEST cheese rolls.  I'm sure they surpass my calorie count for three or four days but THEY ARE WORTH IT once in a while.  I should have however, stopped at the cheese rolls.  The pizza left little to be desired.  I have decided I am done eating take out pizza.  While I may not eat it often, I still can't remember the last time I actually enjoyed eating take out pizza.  


This recipe is from a Clean Eating email I received recently.  I did however, change the recipe slightly.  It called for eggplant which I had purchased but by the time I got to cook it, the eggplant was bad.  So I did what anyone would do, I used every other veggie in my fridge.  


Potato-Crust Pizza with roasted veggies


2 lbs white potatoes, scrubbed well
Whatever veggies you have on hand (or your choice of toppings)
8 ounces mozzarella cheese
1 tsp dried rosemary
1 tsp dried oregano


Place veggies in oven at 475 degrees.  Brush veggies with olive oil and bake 20 minutes or until veggies are tender.  (There is something about roasting veggies that brings the best taste out of each vegetable.)  While veggies are cooking, fill a large mixing bowl halfway with cold water- grate potatoes, immediately placing potatoes in water to prevent browning.
Line baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly mist with olive oil spray.  Working with one handful at a time, squeeze excess water from potatoes and place on a clean kitchen towel or paper towel.  Roll up towel, bend and wring any remaining moisture from potatoes.  Spread potatoes on baking sheet, creating about 1/8 layer thick.  Bake at 375 degrees for 20-25 minutes.  Once potato crust is baked, top with your choice of toppings- add mozzarella then rosemary and oregano.  bake for 20 more minutes, until golden brown. 


I had to force myself to stop eating after two slices.  This recipe didn't call for any sauce and to be honest, I didn't miss it.  I ended up using, red, yellow and green pepper, avocado, onion and tomatoes.  I will try this recipe again using sweet potatoes, basil pesto sauce and goat cheese instead of mozzarella.  


I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!


Blessings,
j

Update on juice fast....

I survived my 15 day juice fast.  Sorry it took me so long to get on here and share with you.  Sometimes life just gets in the way. 


All in all, I really enjoyed the juice fast.  I love how it made me feel.  I felt energized and empowered by taking control of my health.  I loved having all the new veggies to try.  As time went on, the juice started to taste better.  I started to crave it.  I haven't had a juice now since last Friday and I am craving it now.  I have decided to continue juicing and having one juice a day.


Juicing helps the body get the maximum nutrition with the least effort on the body.  The body gets to rest during an all juice fast.  Juicing helps to detox the body and rid it of heavy metals, caffeine and toxins that hang around inside of us.  We get mucho vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and lots of water!  (Did I mention I had to pee A LOT?!)  Juicing also helps the body to heal and resets the immune system.  It is recommended to do an all juice fast every 3 months, 6 months or at least yearly.


I was very lucky that did not experience any detox symptoms except for a slight headache on day 1.  I lost 7 pounds but have regained 1 since I started chewing my food again.  The things I missed most were my morning coffee and my home made popcorn.  I haven't had any popcorn yet.  I'm afraid my digestive system is not ready.  It is important not to start eating like crazy when finishing a juice fast.  You must reintroduce food slowly or you will have major stomach upset.  I really like how I felt during the plant based diet and never lost my energy like I thought I might.  I am a vegetarian and have often entertained the idea of becoming vegan.  This 15 day fast made me realize it is doable.  I've often wondered how I could "live" without cheese.  Cheese never entered my mind during this time.  


My new favorite veggie is Kale.  I always heard a lot about it and "meant" to try it....but it never happened til I used it during my fast.  My new favorite way to have Kale is Kale Chips.  If you  have never tried it, I am insisting that you do.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Wash and dry Kale. Pat dry or spin in salad spinner.  It is important that it is dry.  Cut the spine out of the Kale and cut leaves into bit size pieces.  I have a olive oil spritzer or you can put in bowl or gallon size bag.  Spritz kale pieces and toss so that all kale is covered.  Sprinkle with salt.  Bake for 10-15 minutes.  Watch them closely so they don't get burned.  I made two of these pans and ate them ALL!!!!!  Ditch the potato chips friends and try the Kale Chips!!!  Full  of nutrition and yummy goodness!!!!!

Cheers,

j