Simple Chickpea Salad

In keeping with my healthy streak I wanted to share a very simple and super healthy recipe with you all today.  This chickpea salad takes only minutes to make and has an array of delicious fresh flavors.  I also love the versatility of this salad.  It can be served as a garnish (ex. for my salmon recipe), a side dish or even a main course!  This salad is super easy to make and very healthy, making it a current favorite of mine at the moment!

Ingredients

• 1- 15oz Can Whole Garbanzo Beans (Drained and Rinsed)
• 1/2 Red Onion (Diced Fine)
• 3/4 Red Bell Pepper (Diced Fine)
• 1/4c Sprouts (any variety is fine)
• 1/4c Microgreens (I like Sunflower, but any variety is fine)
• Juice of 1 Lg Lemon (or 2 Sm. Lemons)
• 2 Tbs Olive Oil
• Salt and Pepper to taste

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, mix together Garbanzo Beans, Red Onion, Red Pepper, Sprouts and Microgreens
2. Toss with lemon juice and olive oil
3. Add salt and pepper to taste

The Skinny on Juicing

Spring is in the air, which means that it's time to start thinking about shedding that cozy winter wardrobe in exchange for shorts, dresses and swimwear!  In an effort to get myself "spring & summer ready," I am overhauling my diet.   At a high level, my personal overhaul consists of the following:  

• Upping- Natural Vitamins, hydration and fresh ingredients
• Reducing- processed foods, simple carbs and sugar consumption

One thing that fits perfectly into this overhaul is daily juicing.  I have been a fan of juicing for a few years now.  I think it's a great way to incorporate an array of vitamins and minerals from natural sources into your diet.  In addition, it is significantly cheaper than buying pre-made pressed juices and can be customized to suit your palette and/or dietary needs.  

For today's post I have decided to compile a list of my best tips for every aspect of juicing at home.  It really doesn't have to be as involved as the reputation may suggest.  Simple adjustments can make juicing a seamless addition to your everyday menu and who doesn't love an extra dose of healthy in their day?!?  

Produce for Juicing

Juicing primarily veggies and using fruits sparingly will keep the caloric and sugar content down to a reasonable amount.  Here is a breakdown of the produce I like to use when juicing:

• Kale (washed with spines removed)
• Spinach
• Cucumbers
• Celery + Leaves
• Beets (Red or Yellow)
• Carrots (sweetener)
• Green Apple (1/4-1/2 MAX to sweeten)
• Lemon (1/2-1 whole)
• Fresh Ginger (1" piece peeled)

Flavor Enhancers & Color

I drink extracted juices for their nutritional value, so taste and color are never the priority for me.  HOWEVER, if aesthetics and taste are important to you, here are a few things to consider:

• Carrots and Red Beets will turn your green juice into the ugliest and most unappetizing color of brown.  For this post, I opted to exclude both beets and carrots from the juice pictured at the top, but usually I include both in my drink. 
• A slice of green apple, lemon and/or piece of fresh ginger can do wonders for the taste of your juice
• Coconut water is also a great addition if desired due to its hydrating benefits.

Cleaning

I have the Breville Juice Fountain Plus Juicer and absolutely love it.  While it may not be the fanciest juicer on the market, it does exactly what I need it to do so I am a beyond happy customer.  

When it comes to cleaning my juicer, I used to take the time to wash each piece by hand (which was slightly insane because it took FOREVER).  After conducting a bit of research and spending enough time juicing, I realized that there were a few ways that I could cut down on the total cleaning time I spent daily on my juicer:

• With the exception of the motor base, all pieces of my juicer are dishwasher safe (top rack).  I still hand wash the blade each time to insure it stays super sharp, but technically it too is dishwasher safe. 
• Before juicing, I line the pulp container with a small trash bag. This makes for easy disposal of the waste post juicing and keeps the container clean.  You can also use these Breville Compostable Bags. 

Additional Tips

• Get all of your produced cleaned and prepped at the the beginning of the week.  This will help to cut down on morning prep time.  I like to store my cleaned and prepped produce in ziploc bags so that I can label and date them. 
• Do Not- bulk juice ahead of time.  The most you should juice in advance is 2hr prior to consumption.  Reason being, nutritional value is at its peak when freshly cut or juiced.  In addition, the risk for bacteria developing in your juice increases the longer it sits.  
• Do - run the pulp through the juicer a second time to ensure all juice is extracted.  You will be amazed at the amount of juice that is extracted during the second time through the machine.  
• All parts on my Breville Juicer are replaceable, which is fabulous because who wants to buy an entirely new juicer simply because a single piece is faulty/broken.
• Pulp can make for great compost and depending on what produce you're using, it can even be mixed into a veggie burger recipe (or similar). 
• For a few great recipe ideas: Visit this Williams-Sonoma Page and this Video from Giada De Laurentiis

Two Unique Ways to Make Oatmeal

I know that not everyone may feel that "breakfast is the most important meal of the day," but I absolutely adore breakfast.  I kid you not, I go to sleep excited to wake up and greet my day with a delicious cup of coffee paired with some scrumptious morning meal. 

There are so many options for breakfast, eggs, toast, omelets, waffles, etc… but for years I have been a loyal fan of good old fashioned oatmeal.  In my opinion nothing is more satisfying than a hot bowl of delicious oats topped with an array of nutritious seeds and other accoutrements.  The standard oatmeal prep is a great way to create a delicious and satisfying breakfast, but there are also many ways to think outside of the box when it comes to oatmeal prep.  For today's post I wanted to share two oatmeal recipes that I am currently loving.  Here are two takes on oatmeal that you really must try - one sweet and one savory, both are very healthy and packed with tons of flavor!

Savory Oatmeal Egg Bowl

Ingredients

• Old Fashioned Rolled Oats
• Toasted Flax Seeds
• 1-2 Eggs
• Shredded Cheddar Cheese
• Fresh Chopped Chives
• Smokey Spanish Paprika
• Avocado
• Salt and Pepper

Instructions

1. Cook 1/2c of Rolled Oats per the instructions detailed on the package (microwave or stovetop)
2. In a skillet, cook 1 - 2 eggs over easy
3. Transfer cooked oats to a breakfast bowl and mix in 1 Tbs of toasted flax seed, plus a dash of both salt and fresh cracked pepper
4. Sprinkle cheese on top of Oatmeal, then add egg(s) on top of cheese
5. Garnish with salt, pepper, smokey spanish paprika, freshly chopped chives and a few slices of avocado

**Adapted from this Martha Stewart Recipe

If you are looking for a sweeter oatmeal recipe that is healthy and can feed a crowd, this Oatmeal Souffle recipe from the Sprouted Kitchen is absolutely fabulous.  See below for more details:

Sprouted Kitchen's Oatmeal Souffle

For the complete recipe, click here

**Note- I used a deep soufflé dish instead of the shallow gratin dish used in the recipe.  If you opt to use a deeper dish like the one I used to make this recipe, you may need to add a few additional minutes to the cook time.  

Parmesan & Herb Encrusted Salmon Recipe

Since we are still in the midst of National Heart Health Month, I thought it would be great to share a very easy and heart healthy recipe with you all today.   Parmesan & Herb Encrusted Salmon is a dish that I discovered a few years ago and have been a huge fan of this dish ever since!  In addition to the nutritional benefits of this dish, I also love that you can make the parmesan and herb mixture ahead of time, and then use it throughout the week to cook single or multiple servings (*the parmesan & herb mixture is enough for 8 filets).  Here is how I make this delicious, easy and healthy protein: 

Ingredients

• 5oz Container Grated Parmesan Cheese
• Fresh Dill
• Fresh Oregano
• Fresh Italian Flat Leave Parsley
• Salmon Filet (1-8)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit
2. Lightly pat salmon filets dry and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.  Then set aside.
3. In a mini food processor (or in a bowl with a pair of kitchen sheers) combine enough herbs to yield approximately 2Tbs of Chopped Parsley, 2Tbs Chopped Dill and 2Tbs Chopped Oregano.  
4. Pulse a few times in the mini food processor to ensure that all herbs are sufficiently chopped and combined. 
5. Add one 5oz Container of Grated Parmesan Cheese to the herb mixture and pulse a few times until all ingredients are well incorporated. 
6. Top each salmon filet with approximately 2-3 Tbs of the cheese and herb mixture, making sure to gently press the mixture into the salmon filet with your fingers.
7. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes.  **Easy trick to test for doneness- If you gently press your finger onto the top of the salmon filet, it should easily flake apart.

February Kitchen Tools: Home Coffee Brewing Accessories

There is nothing I look forward to more each morning than greeting the day with a delicious cup of home brewed coffee.  Whether I am enjoying a classic drip in my favorite mug or a delicious almond milk latte garnished with cinnamon, I adore coffee and nothing beats a freshly made brew at home. 

I know I have said this before, but I really do believe that coffee is a very personal experience for each individual.  Everyone likes to enjoy their coffee a certain way so it would be silly for me to sit here and preach about certain methods of coffee making being superior to other methods.  Rather, I want to focus today's post on three of my favorite coffee brewing accessories.  These three items have made a huge difference in the way that I am able to enjoy a delicious cup of java from the comfort of my home and all three items are absolute essentials in creating the best at home coffee bar.  

Nespresso Aeroccino

We received both the Nespresso and Aeroccino as a gift set.  While I knew that I had always wanted the Nespresso, I had originally viewed the Aeroccino as a "nice to have."  Of course now I am sitting here laughing to myself because little did I know how much I would absolutely LOVE having the Aeroccino.  This electric can froth milk in 70 seconds hot or cold!  In addition, it's easy super easy to use (just add milk and push the button) and clean!  Lattes for breakfast?  No problem!  Cappucinos after dinner? You bet!  I adore this machine and it also works brilliantly for frothing both almond milk and soy milk.  This is a coffee making staple in my house and one that I would highly recommend for any coffee drinker.  

Krups Burr Grinder

Grinding my own coffee beans at home was something I started doing a few years ago.  If the truth be told, I only decided to start grinding my own beans after an unfortunate (but ultimately fortunate) situation at a very well known coffee chain.  

Every week I would visit this coffee store to buy my weekly supply of beans.  The store offered complimentary bean grinding for those bags purchased in store (whats not to love about that?!).  Well, on one of my weekly visits, I had purchased the bag and asked the barista to grind the beans.  Long story short, I was returned a half bag of grinds, which was frustrating since I had just paid for a whole bag of coffee beans.  When I questioned the barista about the discrepancy, she swore that it just looked like there was less because the beans had been ground.  Reasonable assumption if it hadn't been a whole half of a bag that was missing.  In any event, I decided to take matters into my own hands.  I bought a Krups Burr Grinder.

OMG, what a difference freshly ground coffee can make!  I have the ability to customize the degree to which the beans are ground and the quantity produced during each grinding.  I now have delicious coffee every morning made to my exact brew strength specifications.  Coffee is even better now that I have freshly ground beans and something that I recommend for anyone who enjoys a fresh cup of joe in the morning.  

Coffee Caddy

When we initially moved into our current house (as you may recall from this post) I was faced with some serious storage challenges in the kitchen.  I was able to come up with some very creative storage solutions and eventually we were able to build a beautiful pantry, but there are still a few solutions that resulted from dealing with the initial storage challenge that I am keeping, like this fabulous coffee caddy.  Not only does it provide an organized and compact space for all of my coffee accessories, it fits seamlessly in most spaces and cost less than $10!  Whether or not you are faced with storage challenges in your kitchen, this is a wonderful organizer that helps me corral all of my coffee making necessities and easily keep track of my inventory.