Ancient Grains & Veggie Bowl

If you haven’t been to True Food Kitchen, it’s quite the experience for your palate. Based on the anti-inflammatory diet, TFK brings you great flavors, healthy selections, and many vegan/vegetarian/gluten-free options.

After going with my mom and sister, and trying an array of different dishes, I was inspired by the Ancient Grains Bowl. There are so many wonderful flavors and beautiful colors. You’ll love eating this bowl, just as much as you love making it.

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Ingredients
Grains/Rice blend (I used Farro, Brown Rice, Wild Rice)
2 Sweet Potatoes, cubed
Handful of Brussel Sprouts, thinly sliced
Red Onion, thinly sliced
Handful of Snap Peas
Avocado, diced
Sesame Seeds, to taste
Soy Sauce
Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Spices of liking

Directions
Start by cubing sweet potatoes. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil, salt, and pepper. When oven reaches 300 degrees, place sweet potatoes in the oven, approximately 45 minutes (or until soft).  Meanwhile, cook rice/grain blend according to the package. Set aside once cooked.

Slice onions and brussel sprouts. Toss in a pan over the stovetop, saute with a drizzle of olive oil and soy sauce (add as much as you like). Caramelize and set aside.

Rinse snap peas, dice the avocado.

Once everything is cooked, prepare the grains bowl. Start with the rice/grain blend, and add veggies. I prefer to add my veggies around the grains, so I can savor every bite. Either way, you can’t go wrong.

Enjoy!

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sweet potato bruschetta

Spring means fresh herbs in my garden.  My favorite herb – and the one I cook with most – is basil.  I feel like you can do a lot with basil, but I’m still a sucker for bruschetta.  This sweet potato bruschetta is a healthy take on the traditional kind, made with grilled sourdough bread.  I swap bread for sweet potatoes; You still get the crunch and flavor but without all of the guilt!

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Ingredients
Olive oil spray
1 large sweet potato, scrubbed and cut into 1-inch thick ‘coins’ (unpeeled)
½ red onion, chopped
½ cup cherry tomatoes, quartered
½ avocado, chopped
a few sprigs of fresh basil leaves
a drizzle of balsamic glaze

Directions
Preheat oven to 450F.  Spray a baking tray with oil and spray the potato coins with the oil, being sure to coat both sides.  Lay coins flat on the tray in a single layer and season with sea salt and cracked black pepper.  Roast potato coins for 15 to 20 minutes; carefully flip coins over and roast for another 15 minutes.  Broil for 2 minutes.  In the meantime, combine onion, tomatoes and avocado in a bowl.  When the potatoes are done, remove from oven and place onto serving plates.  Top each coin with bruschetta salad mix and garnish with fresh basil leaves. Drizzle with balsamic glaze, serve, and enjoy!

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Enjoy!

 

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kale & butternut squash salad

I’m kind of obsessed with kale & squash right now. They are healthy. Runner’s World Magazine lists them as a “seasonal superfood”. And they are just so damn tasty.

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It’s starting to get cold at night, so I’ve been craving hearty but healthy and not too filling. My kale & butternut squash salad is the perfect combination of all three. Pair that with delicious & unique flavors, and you have a salad that everyone can enjoy.

Ingredients
Kale
Butternut Squash
Pomegranate Seeds
Shallots/Red Onion
Pecans
Lemon
Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)
Fresh Salt & Pepper

Directions 
Heat over to 350 degrees. Cut off top/bottom of butternut squash. Using a peeler, peel skin off of the butternut squash. Cut in half lengthwise and scoop out seeds (discard). Slice into small sections and cut into chunks. Drizzle with EVOO and roast in the oven for 25-30 minutes, or until done.

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While the squash is cooking, prepare the pomegranate seeds and kale. Our Whole Foods sells ready-to-go pomegranate seeds but at $9.99 for a small container , I opt to prepare them myself. It can be tricky and not-so-pretty at first, but once you get the hang of it, it’s actually quite easy. Check out this tutorial here. Wash kale thoroughly and chop, and cut shallots into thin slices. In a small bowl, mix together EVOO, juice from one lemon, salt and pepper.

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Prepare the salad while butternut squash cools. Kale, shallots, pomegranate seeds, and pecans. Top with roasted butternut squash and drizzle with lemon dressing.

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Enjoy!

 

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