but only because nobody has ever tried to knock my head off in the kitchen! Still, I’ve always wanted my food to be impressive—so good that people would talk about my meals long after they were over. And to this day, I have a passion for throwing down in the kitchen. That’s why I jumped at the opportunity to compete on Food Network’s hit show Chopped and walked away as the winner twice! I’ve cooked with Rachael Ray, Emeril, and Paula Deen and on The Chew. I’ve even cooked some of my famous Oven-“Fried” Chicken for Steve Harvey on his daytime talk show. And I wrote this book to share with you my favorite recipes, dishes inspired by my love for creating nutritious, winning meals.
Getting into the Kitchen
When we were growing up, my parents led a healthy lifestyle—both exercised regularly and neither smoked cigarettes or drank alcohol. Even though they were often on the go, they made sure my sister and I ate fresh, home-cooked meals. Now, that might sound like my parents prepared the meals, but we actually had a cook! And when my parents separated, I had to separate from those meals. I was always an independent person, and so at the early age of nine, I decided to get in the kitchen and teach myself how to cook. My first recipes were as simple as spaghetti and scrambled eggs, but by trial and error, over time I expanded my repertoire to include more complex dishes such as seafood gumbo and stewed chicken and gravy, which to this day are favorites among my friends and family. I remember having a good appetite as a kid. To be honest, I was borderline greedy for food. I was that kid who would go over to their friends’ houses and raid their refrigerators and pantries looking for something good to eat. I’m not quite sure why I was always on the hunt for food, but needless to say, I liked to eat!
Setting Myself Apart from the Competition
Many people assume that my success in boxing was automatically passed on to me from my dad. Actually, the truth is, I didn’t learn how to harvest those boxing “genes” and build on the healthy fitness and eating habits my parents instilled in me until I was eighteen and became a boxer myself. As I got serious about the sport, I set out to learn how the food I ate a=ected my performance. You see, as a boxer, I had to weigh in before each >ght. So I needed to pay close attention to my food intake. But to make it as an elite athlete, I knew I had to take it to the next level. The meals I ate needed to help me become stronger and quicker and enable me to think more clearly. Once I learned the impact nutrition had on my performance, I became unstoppable! I didn’t eat oatmeal, eggs, and green smoothies because I loved the taste (though I did what I could to make them tasty!) but rather so I could fuel my body. The food I ate allowed me to get the most out of my training and set me apart from the competition. It helped me make my mark in the ring: I became a four- time undefeated world champion boxer with twenty-four wins—twenty-one of them knockouts—and zero losses.
Fighting for an Honest Meal
For close to a decade I fought professionally by choice. But nowadays, each of us has to fight just to get a good, honest meal to the table. It isn’t as simple as it was in the past, because food isn’t as nutritious as it used to be. Produce is sprayed with chemicals that pollute our bodies. The same food that was grown a couple of generations ago doesn’t contain the same nutrition. Food manufacturers are putting health claims on junk food, and most of us are confused by all the misleading information out there on how we should be eating.
God put perfect foods on this planet to give our bodies everything we need to be healthy and to heal ourselves when we get sick. But ever since we started tampering with our food, what we consume has been making us sick. Much of what we are eating is more food-like than food. Consuming toxic ingredients, processed foods, and genetically modi>ed grains and produce is not moving us in the right direction. We are going downhill fast, and our health is su=ering. Major diseases, including heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and cancer, are on the rise, and we have the highest infant mortality and lowest life expectancy rates of all the developed nations. More than a third of American adults are obese—and that jumps to 50 percent of African Americans and more than 40 percent of Latinos.
A Simple Plan to Feed My Family
When I became a mother, armed with these statistics, I set out with a simple plan: I would feed my family nourishing and wholesome yet delicious meals. My kids would grow up with an appreciation for real food and have every opportunity to be strong and succeed in life, and my husband and I would have the energy to make that vision a daily reality. I’ve never been one to hop on to food fads, trendy diets, or any one rigid way of eating. There are so many ways to approach the food we put on our plates, from veganism and vegetarianism to Paleo, low-carb, and elimination diets. There’s so much information out there, and it seems to change all the time—who can sort through it all? But there is one thing we all can agree on: we should be eating as much unprocessed, whole food as possible. Nobody will argue that adding more fresh veggies to your diet isn’t good for you. So even though I live a busy life with multiple businesses to manage, I have made a promise to myself: to make home- cooked meals for my family a reality and a priority.Bringing My Passion into the Kitchen
After my last fight, I took some time to meditate on how I could continue to share my love for living a healthy lifestyle. My dad cared deeply about making a difference in the world, and he taught me to always try to do the right thing for the right reason and to treat everyone with kindness, love, and respect. In my motivational speaking around the country and internationally, I tell people that we all have what it takes inside to become champions in our lives. I encourage people to work harder and smarter if they want to reach their goals. But it’s difficult to focus on success when you’re feeling run-down, stressed out, depressed, overwhelmed, and devoid of energy! It’s hard enough just to get by and finish the day. We aren’t meant to live our lives that way. We should be full of energy and vitality and facing life with a winning attitude. So I decided to bring my passion for fighting into the kitchen, and that’s how Food for Life was born.Food for Your Life
Food for Life is my story told through the meals I put on the table each and every day. The star of the story is nourishing food, and the hero is you taking control of your health. The happy ending is a life filled with vitality: a clearer mind, satisfying sleep, healthy digestion, and more energy overall. All this adds up to you becoming the confident and strong person you are meant to be! When we pump up our meals with nutrition rather than focusing on what we can’t eat, we tend to be more successful and satis>ed. For example, when you drink a superfood- packed shake in the morning, you’re getting more nutrition in that drink than some people get in a whole week out of the food they eat. And when you start your day with the right foods, you’re more likely to make better choices for the rest of the day. Then when you allow yourself a cheat meal, you won’t beat yourself up but rather get right back on track. It’s pretty simple—it’s not a gimmick, promise, or plan—but this balanced approach to food works for me, and that’s how I live my wonderfully full life as an athlete, businesswoman, and mom.Many of today’s chronic illnesses, in particular heart disease and diabetes, have their roots in lifestyle choices, and they can also be alleviated by lifestyle choices. And there’s nothing more powerful than choosing to eat clean and healthy food. Many of us eat mindlessly just to >ll our stomachs. Processed foods made with re>ned sugar, re>ned Four, and other empty-calorie ingredients leave us less than satisfied, and then we tend to overeat and crave more of those empty calories. In my experience, small changes over time have the greatest impact, and weight loss is often a natural side e=ect. And as you go deeper, instead of craving sugar, you’ll start to crave food that’s good for you! Portion control is still important, but you won’t have to count calories or carbs to know how much to eat. You’ll >nd you’re satis>ed with less, emphasis on satisfied! The more real food you add to your meals, the less room there is for anything second best. You’ll break up with junk food and start a lifelong a=air with healthy, clean, fresh food.
Food for Life Recipes
We all love to eat, and there’s no denying the strong emotional connection we have to food: food can be nostalgic and comforting, and it can provide a connection to family and friends. But to me, the nutritional connection is equally important, and uniting the two was my prime motivation in putting together this book. I strive to cook food that satisfies on every level: food for life, for those who want it all! In this book, I’ve given you more than one hundred of my favorite real-life recipes, meals that I make for my family and that you can easily incorporate into your own life. Whether you’re new to cooking, a busy parent feeding a family, or ready to take control of your health, these recipes were created for you! It’s food that’s healthy for you, but you’d never mistake it for “health food.” That’s because nutrition is king in my kitchen, but Favor is queen, and I won’t sacrifice one for the other in my cooking.We begin with Set the Tone: Victorious Breakfast Recipes, featuring the superfood shakes that fuel my workouts, make-ahead gluten-free muHns, eggs poached in salsa to spice up your morning meal, and more.From the >rst meal of the day to the >rst course, First Impressions: Standout Soups and Salads includes innovative recipes for packing the veggies into soups and salads as well as my personal takes on Caesar and Cobb salads. In a hurry? Make It Snappy: Quick, Luscious 30-Minute Meals takes the pressure o=. Flavorful stir-fries, perfectly seared steak and salmon, healthy egg-fried rice, and my dad’s favorite burger will get you through the week with grace. Been There, Done That: Delicious Make-Ahead Dishes gives you time when you need it most: just before dinner, when you’d rather be kicking back with the family. Recipes include pulled beef with barbecue sauce, several satisfying chicken dishes, and a protein-rich vegetarian chili. This chapter also introduces my Super-Sassy Seasoning, a lively knockout spice blend that appears in recipes throughout the book. Cut to the Chase: Comforting One-Pot Suppers is one more way to have it all: all in one pot! This recipe highlights two special, passed-down Louisiana-style family favorites: jambalaya and gumbo. Talk of the Town: Tantalizing Crowd-Pleasers gives you the tools to entertain in style. Starting with a gluten-free Fatbread to live for and two dips—one with dairy and one dairy- free—to serve with it, and moving on to kebabs, stu=ed mushrooms, and my famous oven-“fried” chicken, you’ll be breaking new ground in party food. Picky … Not Tricky! Easy Kid-Pleasing Foods will make it a cinch to satisfy the choosiest of kids, with updated versions of pancakes, mac and cheese, fries, and spaghetti and meatballs, and even spaghetti for breakfast! Worthy Complements: Delectable Side Dishes brings serious Favor to the plate and pulls together a meal with >nesse. Recipes include a vibrant, light creamed spinach and my West Coast take on Southern greens, coconut black rice, and a simple way to perfect brown rice. On the Move: Easy, Satisfying Snacks means no more impromptu (i.e., unhealthy) snacking: making energy bars, granola bars, or spiced nuts and seeds in advance enables you to stay the course in between meals. Next Level, Please! is just that: nutrient-rich recipes including bone broth, sauces spiked with veggies, and a trio of ferments to take your cooking to the next level of nutritious eating while silently or boldly taking your recipes a step further. You don’t want to give up desserts? Neither do I, and in Sweet Bene>ts: Scrumptious, Unbelievably Wholesome Desserts, you’ll >nd my takes on classics including German chocolate cake, red velvet cupcakes, and sweet potato pie. All my desserts happen to be naturally gluten- and re>ned sugar–free, truly delivering on my promise to satisfy those who want it all!Food for Life Ingredients
The recipes in my book are based on whole foods, whole grains, nutrient-rich ingredients, and healthy fats and oils, and they never call for refined sugar. All of the good stuff and none of the bad!Choosing organic is like health insurance to me: the cost up front may be higher, but my family’s lifelong health is worth it. When it comes to meat and dairy, going organic is extra important, as factory-farmed meat and dairy are often treated with hormones and antibiotics and fed pesticide-laden foods, none of which I want passed to my children’s growing bodies! If you eat beef, choosing grass-fed beef is the best choice, as it’s higher in heart-healthy, immune-boosting omega-3 fatty acids than factory-farmed beef. By whole grains, I mean brown rice, black rice, quinoa, and millet instead of white rice or pasta. When purchasing pasta, choose a whole-grain or gluten-free variety. Whole grains are superior because they contain the intact bran and germ of the grain, providing the protein, >ber, vitamins, and minerals that re>ned grains do not. Re>ned grains can cause blood sugar spikes, while whole grains can hold your blood sugar steady and keep you satis>ed beyond the end of a meal. I like to soak my whole grains before cooking them, which makes them more digestible and even more nutritious. See here to learn how to soak your grains. Nutrient-rich ingredients are the healthiest ingredients. From the spirulina, chlorella, and maca supplements that turn my smoothies into superdrinks to the concentrated veggies I pack into my secret sauces and the turmeric I sprinkle in just about everything, my aim is to make every recipe as nutrient-rich as possible. Next Level, Please! sidebars pepper the pages with ways of adding even more nutrition to your recipes, like a sprinkle of mineral- rich dulse seaweed in your meatballs or a strip of kombu for your pot of beans. An entire Next Level, Please! chapter is dedicated to upping the nutrition to a higher level yet—with recipes for bone broth, super-nutritious sauces, and a foray into fermentation. I love how ferments help with digestion and provide an impressive probiotic power-punch!When shopping for oils, look for the words unrefined or extra-virgin on the label. All other vegetable oils, including canola oil, are re>ned, which means they are stripped of Favor, color, and nutrients. I favor extra-virgin olive oil and coconut oil in my cooking for their heart-supportive qualities. I use healthy amounts of grass-fed butter for Favor, and sometimes I’ll cook with ghee (clari>ed butter), as it withstands higher heat than plain butter.
You’ll notice that my recipes don’t specify fat percentages for dairy. I’ll leave that to your personal preference, but know that getting quality fat into your diet is crucial for brain, heart, and overall health, and a low-fat diet can deprive a growing child of essential nutrients. Fat adds Favor and satisfaction, >lling us up without the need for seconds and thirds. See here for more information on fats.Even dessert can >t into a healthy lifestyle! For me that means my treats are made with whole grains and unre>ned sweeteners such as honey and maple syrup rather than processed wheat and table sugar. Many people are gluten-free these days, and although I’m not, I don’t feel my best after indulging in gluten-heavy desserts. For that reason, the entire dessert section is gluten-free, and not only that, the gluten-free Four I favor is free of the common binders—xanthan gum and guar gum—that contribute to digestive issues for many people. I know you will be pleased with the results!
GOT FLAVOR?
If you want your food to taste great every time, pack it with flavor! The following simple tips will help bring out the flavor in your food and satisfy your taste buds. Number one, don’t skimp on the salt. The purpose of the salt in my recipes isn’t to make your food salty, but to bring out the natural flavors of the food. Once you minimize your consumption of processed foods, you’ll have reduced your salt intake by a ton, so don’t be afraid to use it judiciously in your cooking. Second, load up on herbs and spices: they play an important supporting role in your cooking, making the star of the dish really shine. Third, make citrus your friend. Lemon and lime and their zests not only act as alkalizing forces in your body, they make flavors really pop, which is why I use them liberally, even in unlikely places like smoothies, energy bars, and desserts. If your food tastes like it needs a little something, more times than not citrus will do the trick! If you’ve gone a little too far with the citrus, add salt to balance things out, and likewise add citrus if your food tastes too salty. And speaking of taste, remember to always taste your food as you cook and make adjustments to the salt, spices, and citrus accordingly. Ingredients, especially produce and meat, range widely in quality and flavor, and no recipe turns out the same way twice. That’s the beauty of cooking. Trust and honor your sense of taste and you’ll become a better cook!Now let’s fill your fridge and pantry with your foods for life!
Food for Life Shopping List
Whether it’s simply making a few changes to your current shopping habits or doing a full cleanout of your pantry, preparing your kitchen will enable you to make the most of the Food for Life recipes. The guiding principle is simple: clean your fridge and pantry of processed and packaged foods with unpronounceable ingredients and replace them with fresh, whole foods. When you’ve stocked the basic ingredients for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, you’re much more likely to make meals at home! The shopping list that follows will have you covered for the recipes in this book, but there’s no need to go out and buy everything at once. Start with pantry ingredients—these will be used often throughout the book—and build from there; then shop fresh for fruits, veggies, dairy, seafood, and meat as you need them.GRAINS, PASTA, AND BREAD
Barley
Black rice Brown rice Corn tortillas Millet
Quinoa
Rolled oats (not instant)
Whole-grain or gluten-free spaghetti and noodles
Whole-grain or gluten-free bread crumbs
Whole-grain, sprouted wheat, or gluten-free bread
BEANS, SOY, AND PROTEIN SUPPLEMENTS
Adzuki beans (dried or canned)
Black beans (dried or canned)
Black-eyed peas (dried, frozen, or canned) Chickpeas (dried or canned)
Edamame (fresh or frozen) Miso paste (refrigerated) Tofu
Whey powder or other protein powder
NUTS AND SEEDS
Almonds
Cashews
Chia seeds and chia flour Flaxseeds and flax meal Hazelnuts
Macadamia nuts
Nut butters Peanuts Pecans
Pine nuts
Pistachios
Pumpkin seeds (pepitas) Sesame seeds
Shredded coconut (unsweetened) Walnuts
DRIED FRUIT
Dates
Dried cranberries (unsweetened) Raisins
OILS AND VINEGARS
Cooking spray (extra-virgin olive oil or unrefined coconut oil)
Extra-virgin olive oil Toasted sesame oil Unrefined coconut oil Apple cider vinegar Balsamic vinegar
Red wine vinegar Rice vinegar Sherry vinegar
White wine vinegar
CONDIMENTS, SAUCES, AND PASTES
Anchovy paste
Canned tomatoes and tomato puree
Capers Clam juice Coconut milk Dijon mustard
Extra-virgin olive oil mayonnaise (egg-based or vegan) Fish sauce
Gochujang (Korean chile paste) Hot sauce
Mirin (rice wine) Olives
Sriracha sauce
Sun-dried tomatoes
Tahini (sesame seed paste) Tamari or soy sauce Tomato paste
White wine
Worcestershire sauce
SEA VEGETABLES
Dulse seaweed granules (in a shaker)
Kombu seaweed
Nori seaweed
DRY SEASONINGS
Allspice (ground)
Bay leaves
Black peppercorns Cardamom (ground) Cayenne pepper Celery seed
Chipotle chile (ground) Cinnamon (ground) Cloves (ground) Coriander (ground)
Cumin (whole seeds and ground) Curry powder
Dill (dried leaves and whole seeds) Fennel seeds
Garlic powder Ginger (ground) Italian seasoning Marjoram
Matcha tea powder
Nutmeg (whole seeds for grating) Onion powder
Oregano
Paprika (smoked and sweet) Parsley
Pink peppercorns Red pepper flakes Rosemary
Sea salt (fine and flaky) Turmeric (ground)
BAKING AND SWEETENING INGREDIENTS
Almond extract (pure)
Vanilla extract (pure) Almond flour or meal Almond milk
Baking powder
Baking soda
Cocoa powder (unsweetened) Cornstarch or arrowroot powder Dark chocolate
Dark chocolate chips
Gluten-free flour blend (preferably Steve’s GF Cake Flour) Quinoa flour
Whole wheat flour Orange flour water Honey
Maple syrup (pure) Molasses
Raw sugar
Stevia
Unrefined brown sugar
SUPERFOOD SUPPLEMENTS
Spirulina powder
Chlorella powder
Maca powder
FRESH FRUITS
Apples
Avocados Bananas Blueberries Grapefruits Lemons Limes Oranges Raspberries Strawberries
Other seasonal fruits
FRESH HERBS
Basil Chives Cilantro Dill
Mint Oregano Parsley Rosemary Tarragon Thyme
FRESH VEGETABLES Artichoke hearts (jarred) Arugula
Beets
Belgian endive
Bell peppers (red, orange, green) Bok choy
Broccoli Butternut squash Carrots Cauliflower Celery
Collard greens Corn Cucumber Eggplant Fennel
Garlic
Ginger
Green beans
Green, red, and napa cabbage
Jalapeños Jicama Kale
Leeks
Mushrooms (button, cremini, shiitake, portobello) Mustard greens
Parsnips
Peas
Potatoes
Radishes
Red, yellow, and white onions
Romaine lettuce
Scallions Serrano chiles Shallots
Snow peas Spaghetti squash Spinach
Sweet potatoes Swiss chard Tomatillos Tomatoes Turnips Zucchini
MEAT AND FISH
Beef for stewing and stir-fries, steak, chuck roast
Canned tuna
Chicken breasts, thighs, wings, and whole chicken
Chicken or beef bones
Crabmeat
Fresh salmon and other fish
Ground beef Ground lamb Ground turkey
Lamb chops, leg of lamb
Sausage meat Scallops Shrimp Turkey bacon Turkey leg
DAIRY AND EGGS
Blue cheese
Cheddar, Jack, Gruyère, and other melting cheeses
Feta cheese Goat cheese Mozzarella cheese
Parmesan cheese (grated or in a chunk)
Ricotta cheese Buttermilk Cage-free eggs Cream
Cream cheese Grass-fed butter Milk
Sour cream
Yogurt (Greek and regular)
BEVERAGES Coconut water Green tea
Rooibos tea
Food for Life Tools and Equipment
The Food for Life recipes were designed to make healthy cooking simple, with no special equipment required. Having some basic tools and equipment will bring ease to your cooking. Here’s what I recommend:• Chef’s knife and paring knife
• Cutting board
• Heatproof spatula
• Whisk
• Measuring spoons
• Measuring cups (dry and liquid)
• Mixing bowls
• Cheese grater/microplane grater
• Vegetable peeler
• Handheld citrus press
• Garlic press
• Instant-read thermometer
• Fine-mesh strainer
• Colander
• Stockpot
• Saucepans: small, medium, large (a Dutch oven is also useful)
• Skillets: large and small (cast iron is great)
• Sauté pan
• Roasting pan
• Baking sheets/cookie sheets
• Stand mixer or handheld mixer
• Blender/immersion blender
• Food processor
• Baking dish
• Cake pans (8- or 9-inch)
• Loaf pan (9-inch)
• Springform pan (10-inch)
• Muffin pan (12-cup)
• Pie plate (9- or 10-inch)
• Wire cooling rack
• Timer
Set the Tone
VICTORIOUS BREAKFAST RECIPES
Chard, Cheddar, and Sausage Breakfast CasseroleCinnamon, Carrot, and Maca Muffins
Green Power Shake
Cold Brew Coffee: For Those Who Want It All!
Coffee Lover’s Smoothie
Green Salsa–Poached Eggs
Pecan Sweet Potato Pie Oatmeal Parfait
Chicken and Egg Breakfast Tacos
Skillet Smashed Rosemary Potatoes and Eggs
Anytime Miso Soup
When you start the day with a healthy breakfast, you’re much more likely to keep it up for the rest of the day. But when it’s a doughnut at the desk or a bagel behind the wheel, you are headed in the wrong direction! These breakfast recipes are nutritious and hearty while remaining light, like my breakfast casserole that packs in the greens and calls for sweet potato instead of bread (here). My chicken and egg tacos (here) make use of leftover chicken, perfect for when you only have a few minutes to spend in the kitchen. Whipping up a shake is one of the quickest ways to get a head start on meeting your daily nutritional needs. It also gives your digestive system a break because the blender does the “chewing” for you! I count on my shakes to replenish me after a good workout, and I’ve included two of my favorites—my go-to green shake (here) and a shake for the coffee lover in you (here). And if you’re up for something totally new, sip on a bowl of miso soup (here) for a light and warming breakfast boost! Don’t forget to check out two of my kids’ favorite breakfast treats—pancakes and blueberry muffins—in the Picky, Not Tricky chapter (here and here). Yes, breakfast sets the tone for the day, and it can even set you in the direction of a victorious lifestyle!
CHARD, CHEDDAR, AND SAUSAGE BREAKFAST CASSEROLE
This dish gets me excited about eating breakfast! If you like “soul food” the way I do,
this recipe is for you. It’s comforting and packed with flavor, and it fills you up without weighing you down. Most breakfast casseroles call for a large amount of bread, making them carb-heavy. To lighten up my casserole, I use antioxidant-rich sweet potato and load it with greens. Because I love sweet potatoes so much—both for their flavor and health value—I look for unexpected ways to add them to recipes, and I especially enjoy them for breakfast, even in my oatmeal (see here)!
Another thing that’s great about this casserole is that you can assemble it the night before or bake it in advance, then put slices in the toaster oven to reheat for a quick or on-the-go breakfast. Or you can serve it with a salad, quiche-style, for lunch or dinner. M y Simple Red Cabbage Salad and Avocado, Asparagus, and Artichoke Salad are two nice accompaniments. Serves 8
Extra-virgin olive oil cooking spray
1 pound loose breakfast sausage
1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
12 large eggs
1 teaspoon sea salt, or to taste
¾ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 medium to large sweet potato (about 8 ounces), peeled and coarsely grated on a box grater
8 ounces cheddar cheese, coarsely grated (about 2 cups)
1 small bunch Swiss chard, stemmed, leaves cut into ribbons
4 scallions, white and green parts, trimmed and thinly sliced
OPTIONAL TOPPINGS Avocado slices
Hot sauce
Sliced scallions
Green Salsa
Roasted Tomato Salsa Preheat the oven to 375°F. Coat an 8 by 10-inch casserole pan with cooking spray.Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. If you are using turkey, chicken, or another lean sausage meat, add a generous coating of cooking spray. If it’s a fatty sausage, skip the oil. Add the sausage and cook, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until it starts to release a little fat, about 5 minutes. Add the onion and cook, stirring often, for 10 to 15 minutes more, until the sausage and onion are well browned. Transfer to a plate to cool. Beat the eggs in a large bowl. Beat in the salt, garlic powder, turmeric, and cayenne, then stir in the sausage mixture, sweet potato, all but ½ cup of the cheese, the chard, and the scallions. Pour the mixture into the prepared casserole, cover with aluminum foil, and bake for 20 minutes, or until starting to set. Remove the foil, sprinkle evenly with the remaining ½ cup cheese, and bake for 15 to 20 minutes more, until the center is set and the casserole is lightly browned and bubbling on top. Let sit for 5 to 10 minutes, then slice and serve.
• Instead of scallions, try another fresh herb such as dill, cilantro, or parsley, or a combination.
• Use any melting cheese you already have in the fridge or you’ve been wanting to try.
Pepper Jack will add a little spice.
• Use fresh sausage; there are so many varieties to pick from, including hot Italian, caraway, and roasted red pepper. Simply remove the meat from the casing and crumble it into the pan.
• Add ½ cup fresh or thawed frozen peas or corn along with the vegetables.
• Add a bell pepper, any color. Chop it and cook it with the onion.
Dressing is optional; while some salad mixes are ho-hum without oil and vinegar, in- season arugula, ideally picked locally, is so full of flavor that it needs no adornment.
• Chop the chard stems and save them to add to your next pot of Very Veggie Broth or blend them into a batch of hummus (here).
1 cup plain kefir, homemade (here) or store-bought
½ cup water
1 scoop whey or other natural protein powder
½ small ripe avocado, peeled and chopped
1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup, or to taste (optional)
½ to 1 teaspoon spirulina or chlorella powder (see here)
Large handful of fresh or frozen spinach or kale leaves, torn into pieces if using fresh
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice, or to taste
Small pinch of sea salt, or to taste
Handful of ice cubes
In a blender, combine all the ingredients except the ice. Blend, starting on low speed and finishing on high speed, until smooth. Add the ice and blend again, starting on low speed and finishing on high speed, until smooth, adding more water if your shake is too thick.
2) a healthy fat, and 3) a nice handful of greens—your smoothie becomes endlessly adaptable. Superfood add-ins such as spirulina, chlorella, and maca will take your smoothie to the next level. Make sure to use an all-natural brand of protein powder, preferably without sweetener, and adjust the amount up or down based on your size and activity level. When I’ve got more veggies or fruit in the fridge than I can eat, I chop them up and blend them or freeze them to add to my smoothies. A tip for the tastiest green smoothies: include a little lemon juice to offset the grassy taste of the greens and a pinch of sea salt to make the flavors pop.
brings down the acidity of your coffee by half, and if you start with a good organic low- acid coffee like I do, you’ll already be ahead of the game. Cold-brewing coffee results in a smoother, sweeter brew that’s kind to your stomach and equally perfect served over ice, heated on the stovetop, or added to a smoothie. You can cold-brew your own at home with no special skills or equipment required (and if you don’t have the time, you now can >nd the prepared concentrate in many grocery stores). Simply use cool water instead of hot and leave the grounds to soak overnight before straining. This recipe can easily be doubled or tripled and made with caffeinated or decaf coffee. Makes 4 cups
1 cup very coarsely ground coffee (your coffee may be cloudy if you use fine grind)
4 cups cool water Spoon the coffee into a jar or pitcher with a lid or the bottom of a French press.
Slowly add the cool water to thoroughly moisten the co=ee. Cover the jar or put the top on the French press (but don’t press down on the plunger).
Refrigerate for 12 to 24 hours (the longer it sits, the more concentrated it will be).
If your co=ee is in a jar, pour the co=ee through a co=ee >lter, a nut-milk bag, or a mesh strainer lined with cheesecloth into another jar. If you’re using a French press, press down on the plunger and pour the coffee into a jar.
Cover and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks. Add directly to your smoothies in small amounts or dilute with water at a 1:2 or 1:3 ratio and serve either over ice or gently heated on the stovetop.
Next Level, Please!
Freeze cold-brew coffee in ice cube trays. Pop the cubes into your iced coffee or add them to your smoothie for a thicker, slushy drink.
Swap It Out
• For the chard, use a similar leafy green such as collards, kale, spinach, or beet greens.• Instead of scallions, try another fresh herb such as dill, cilantro, or parsley, or a combination.
• Use any melting cheese you already have in the fridge or you’ve been wanting to try.
Pepper Jack will add a little spice.
• Use fresh sausage; there are so many varieties to pick from, including hot Italian, caraway, and roasted red pepper. Simply remove the meat from the casing and crumble it into the pan.
• Add ½ cup fresh or thawed frozen peas or corn along with the vegetables.
• Add a bell pepper, any color. Chop it and cook it with the onion.
WHERE’S THE PORK?
Because my father was Muslim, I grew up without pork in my household. Then one day when I was a teen, I ate a slice of pepperoni pizza, not knowing pepperoni was a pork product, and I enjoyed it. I don’t eat pork now—other than the occasional pepperoni pizza—because I’m just not used to eating it. If pork is part of your diet, feel free to swap it into your breakfast casserole or any of my recipes calling for beef or any type of ground meat.Next Level, Please!
• Double up on the greens by adding a handful of fresh arugula leaves to your plate.Dressing is optional; while some salad mixes are ho-hum without oil and vinegar, in- season arugula, ideally picked locally, is so full of flavor that it needs no adornment.
• Chop the chard stems and save them to add to your next pot of Very Veggie Broth or blend them into a batch of hummus (here).
CINNAMON, CARROT, AND MACA MUFFINS
Muffins have a special place in my heart. I especially enjoy eating them sitting on my
patio in the morning with a steamy cup of coffee. These potent, gluten-free breakfast muffins get a boost from maca powder to energize you in the morning. See the sidebar on the next page to learn about this exciting superfood. You can make them ahead of time or whip up the batter for baking the night before, then pop them in the oven when you get up and enjoy the warming smell of cinnamon spice wafting through the house as you get ready for your day. I like to make a double batch, freeze them, and thaw for a quick breakfast or snack. Makes 10
Unrefined coconut oil cooking spray (if not using paper liners)
1 cup cup-for-cup replacement gluten-free flour blend, such as Steve’s GF Cake Flour
2 teaspoons maca powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon ground allspice
¾ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon sea salt
2 large eggs, at room temperature
½ cup (1 stick) plus 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted and still warm
½ cup liquid honey
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1½ cups (6½ ounces) shredded carrots
½ cup raisins
½ cup chopped walnuts
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line 10 cups of a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners or grease them with cooking spray.
Sift the gluten-free Four blend, maca, cinnamon, ginger, allspice, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a medium bowl.
In a separate medium bowl, whisk the eggs, then gradually pour in the warm melted butter and whisk to combine. Add the honey and whisk until the ingredients are blended. Add the vanilla and lemon zest and whisk to combine.
Pour the dry mixture into the wet mixture and stir with a wooden spoon until just combined. Add the carrots and stir brieFy to combine, then add the raisins and walnuts and stir until well blended and the batter has a loose consistency. (At this point, the batter may be covered with plastic wrap and stored in the refrigerator overnight. Allow the batter to come to room temperature before baking fresh in the morning.)
Fill the muHn cups to ¼ inch from the top (these muHns don’t rise very much) and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the tops are golden brown and just >rm to the touch and a cake tester inserted into a muHn comes out clean. Remove the muHn pan from the oven and place it on a wire rack. Release the muHns by running a small metal spatula or knife along
the inside edge of each muffin cup, then place the muffins on the rack to cool completely.
The muHns will keep, wrapped in plastic wrap, at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 2 months.
Swap It Out
Substitute coconut oil for the butter to make these muffins dairy-free. Melt the coconut oil and let it cool until just warm before whisking it into the eggs.
MAKE MINE WITH MACA
Maca is a plant that comes from high in the Andes mountains, where it has been used as a food and medicine for thousands of years. What I like best about this superfood is that it’s an adaptogen, meaning that it helps us naturally adapt to the stressors in our lives. It is mineral- and nutrient-rich and high in antioxidants, and it contains more calcium than milk. It also helps restore hormonal balance and gives us more stamina and energy—who couldn’t use that! (Note that physicians do not recommend maca for people with hormone-sensitive conditions such as breast cancer, ovarian cancer, or prostate cancer, and it is recommended that pregnant and nursing mothers avoid it, as there isn’t sufficient evidence as to whether it is safe for them.)
You’ll generally >nd maca in powder form (liquid and supplements are also available). It has an earthy, nutty, slightly sweet and mild taste, making it easy to add in small amounts to pretty much any recipe without being detected. You can sprinkle it into muHn batter, as we do here, use it in your smoothies, mix it into breakfast cereal and energy bars (here), and even add it to desserts (see my recipe for Cocoa Maca- Roons!
GREEN POWER SHAKE
I remember the first time I drank a green protein shake. It was more than eighteen years ago, at the beginning of my boxing career. My nutrition coach mixed up some bland-tasting protein powder, green powder, and water in a shaker cup and handed it to me. Those shakes became a part of my everyday meal plan, and while they were nutritious, they gave me absolutely nothing to look forward to! Happily, protein shakes and smoothies don’t have to be boring and uninspiring anymore, thanks to a greater availability of fresh ingredients and some innovative mixing and matching. This recipe transformed my morning smoothie from a chore to something special to wake up to!1 cup plain kefir, homemade (here) or store-bought
½ cup water
1 scoop whey or other natural protein powder
½ small ripe avocado, peeled and chopped
1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup, or to taste (optional)
½ to 1 teaspoon spirulina or chlorella powder (see here)
Large handful of fresh or frozen spinach or kale leaves, torn into pieces if using fresh
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice, or to taste
Small pinch of sea salt, or to taste
Handful of ice cubes
In a blender, combine all the ingredients except the ice. Blend, starting on low speed and finishing on high speed, until smooth. Add the ice and blend again, starting on low speed and finishing on high speed, until smooth, adding more water if your shake is too thick.
Swap It Out
Swap in coconut water or maple water (see here) for the water for their mildly sweet flavor and electrolyte content.SUPER GREENS TO THE RESCUE!
With toxic chemicals lurking in our food, environment, and even our bodies, we need to fight back with everything we’ve got. Spirulina is one of my favorite toxin-busting blue-green algae! It is grown in either fresh water or salt water via sunlight and is one of the richest sources of easily assimilated nutrition of any food! Now that’s a true superfood! This algae offers complete protein and a host of B vitamins, making it particularly appealing for vegetarians. And it is so potent that it has been used by themWorld Health Organization in its programs to feed malnourished children. Chlorella is another superfood champion. Primarily composed of cleansing chlorophyll, chlorella has been shown to assist with heavy metal (mercury and lead in particular) detoxi>cation while strengthening the immune system, cleansing the body, and stimulating the growth of friendly bacteria for improved digestive health. It also contains high levels of the antioxidant beta-carotene. Supplementing with both spirulina and chlorella is a concentrated way of packing in the greens and a powerful adjunct to your daily dose of veggies. Use either or both in your smoothies; you can also take them in supplement form. They even make their way into snacks—you’ll love them in my Clean Green Energy Bars!MY THREE-PART SMOOTHIE FORMULA
When you’ve got my three-part smoothie formula down—1) a good source of protein,2) a healthy fat, and 3) a nice handful of greens—your smoothie becomes endlessly adaptable. Superfood add-ins such as spirulina, chlorella, and maca will take your smoothie to the next level. Make sure to use an all-natural brand of protein powder, preferably without sweetener, and adjust the amount up or down based on your size and activity level. When I’ve got more veggies or fruit in the fridge than I can eat, I chop them up and blend them or freeze them to add to my smoothies. A tip for the tastiest green smoothies: include a little lemon juice to offset the grassy taste of the greens and a pinch of sea salt to make the flavors pop.
COLD-BREW COFFEE: FOR THOSE WHO WANT IT ALL!
Recent science has revealed that coffee is high in antioxidants and heart-protective factors. It gives a sensation of energy and can even help us feel happy. One concern with coffee is its acidity, but this is easily remedied when you cold-brew your coffee. A second concern is that coffee is a mild diuretic, so if you’re a coffee drinker, consider drinking additional water throughout the day to avoid dehydration. Cold-brewingbrings down the acidity of your coffee by half, and if you start with a good organic low- acid coffee like I do, you’ll already be ahead of the game. Cold-brewing coffee results in a smoother, sweeter brew that’s kind to your stomach and equally perfect served over ice, heated on the stovetop, or added to a smoothie. You can cold-brew your own at home with no special skills or equipment required (and if you don’t have the time, you now can >nd the prepared concentrate in many grocery stores). Simply use cool water instead of hot and leave the grounds to soak overnight before straining. This recipe can easily be doubled or tripled and made with caffeinated or decaf coffee. Makes 4 cups
1 cup very coarsely ground coffee (your coffee may be cloudy if you use fine grind)
4 cups cool water Spoon the coffee into a jar or pitcher with a lid or the bottom of a French press.
Slowly add the cool water to thoroughly moisten the co=ee. Cover the jar or put the top on the French press (but don’t press down on the plunger).
Refrigerate for 12 to 24 hours (the longer it sits, the more concentrated it will be).
If your co=ee is in a jar, pour the co=ee through a co=ee >lter, a nut-milk bag, or a mesh strainer lined with cheesecloth into another jar. If you’re using a French press, press down on the plunger and pour the coffee into a jar.
Cover and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks. Add directly to your smoothies in small amounts or dilute with water at a 1:2 or 1:3 ratio and serve either over ice or gently heated on the stovetop.
Next Level, Please!
Freeze cold-brew coffee in ice cube trays. Pop the cubes into your iced coffee or add them to your smoothie for a thicker, slushy drink.
COFFEE LOVER’S SMOOTHIE
It’s no secret that I am a coffee lover! I enjoy the taste, with or without the caffeine. So
I just had to create this recipe for all my coffee-lovin’ folks! This smoothie—packed with nutrition and spiked with low-acid cold-brew coffee—is the best of both worlds. See the recipe here to learn how to make your own cold-brew concentrate—you’ll be surprised
at how easy it is! Serves 1
¾ cup water
¼ to ½ cup cold-brewed coffee concentrate (here)
1 scoop whey or other natural protein powder (I like chocolate Favor with my co=ee smoothie)
1 tablespoon no-sugar-added almond butter or other nut butter
1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder (optional)
1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup, or to taste (optional)
1 tablespoon flax or chia seeds
½ teaspoon maca powder (optional; see here)
Large handful of fresh or frozen kale, spinach, romaine lettuce leaves, or other greens, torn into pieces if using fresh
Handful of ice cubes
In a blender, combine all the ingredients except the ice. Blend, starting on low speed and finishing on high speed, until smooth. Add the ice and blend again, starting on low speed and finishing on high speed, until smooth, adding more water if your smoothie is too thick.
FROZEN FRUITS AND VEGGIES
The farmers’ market is one of my favorite places to pick out seasonal produce, and there’s nothing quite like a garden-picked tomato or freshly harvested greens. But when I need to make a meal in a hurry, frozen veggies come in handy! We tend to think that frozen produce is less healthful than fresh, but sometimes the opposite can be true. Packaged produce is typically frozen just after picking, at the peak of ripeness when nutrition is at its height. Vegetables are blanched (cooked in water briefly; fruit isn’t) before they are frozen, which means there’s a slight loss of vitamins and minerals. But, on the other hand, much of our fresh produce is picked before it’s ripe, so those fruits and veggies aren’t able to reach their full vitamin, mineral, and antioxidant potential. They ripen as they travel across the country, arriving far from fresh by the time they make it to your kitchen. Freezing vegetables is my solution to vegetables that are about to turn, and then they can be on standby to fortify smoothies, broth, soups, and other dishes.
GREEN SALSA–POACHED EGGS
I’ve had my share of eggs over the years. Because eggs are a great source of high- quality protein, vitamins, and minerals, I’ve been eating them regularly for a good part of my life. But plain scrambled or poached eggs just don’t do it for me. That’s why I appreciate a good fresh salsa to accompany my eggs. This festive Mexican-inspired breakfast is quick to put together, and I love the bold, tart flavors! If you make the salsa in advance, this dish can be on the table in less than ten minutes. Poaching eggs in water can be a little fussy to get just right, but when you poach your eggs in salsa, you’re pretty much guaranteed success. Just make sure to poach the eggs gently over low heat so the whites don’t break apart. And for ease of cooking, crack each egg into a small ramekin before adding them to the salsa. Serves 2
1 cup Green Salsa (recipe follows) or good-quality store-bought salsa
4 large eggs
Sea salt
Whole-grain toast
½ avocado, peeled and sliced
Extra-virgin olive oil (optional)
Chopped fresh cilantro leaves
Pour the salsa into a medium skillet and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Crack each egg into a small ramekin or teacup and gently lower them one by one into the salsa, evenly spacing the eggs around the skillet. Season the eggs lightly with salt. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pan, and poach the eggs for about 5 minutes, until the whites are just set and the yolks are cooked to your liking. Set the eggs and salsa atop toast slices. Add the avocado, sprinkle the avocado with a pinch of salt, then drizzle with olive oil if you like and finish the dish with a sprinkle of cilantro.
Swap It Out
• Use a jarred tomatillo salsa as a timesaver; check ingredients lists and choose a brand without any additives or added sugar.
• Use a Roasted Tomato Salsa in place of the green, or try my Secret Red Sauce.
Green Salsa
Tomatillos are the base of many Mexican dishes and the star of the green salsa we
enjoy at our favorite Mexican restaurants. They are a relative of the tomato but smaller and green in color, with a naturally tart flavor and a papery husk that is removed before using. It’s surprisingly easy to make your own salsa, and the rewards are freshness and a spice level that you get to control—serranos will generally pack a greater punch than jalapeños, and if you leave the seeds in, you’ll have an additional blast of heat. This salsa has a fresh, bright taste to it; for a deeper, slightly smoky
flavor, try the variation below using roasted tomatillos. Note that from-scratch salsa can separate in the jar; just give it a stir before using. Makes about 2½ cups
1 pound fresh tomatillos
2 or 3 fresh serrano or jalapeño chiles, stemmed and chopped
1 small yellow onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, quartered
¾ cup chopped fresh cilantro
1¼ teaspoons sea salt, or to taste
Peel off and discard the papery husks from the tomatillos; rinse them well. Coarsely chop the tomatillos and place them in a blender. Add the remaining ingredients and blend until chunky or smooth to your liking. For the Green Salsa–Poached Eggs, go for a smooth, soupy consistency; for a chip- or vegetable stick–dipping consistency, chunky is your goal. Add a little water if needed to achieve the desired consistency. Taste and add more salt if needed. If you’re not using your salsa right away, pour it into a jar, cover, and refrigerate for up to
1 week.
Swap It Out Variations
• Roasted Tomatillo Salsa: Preheat the broiler. Place the peeled and washed tomatillos, whole chiles, and garlic (unpeeled) on a broiler pan. Broil about 4 inches from the heat, turning once, until the tomatillos are softened and slightly charred, 6 to 8 minutes. (Alternatively, you can roast the tomatillos on a super-hot cast-iron skillet for about the same amount of time.) Peel the garlic and transfer the contents of the pan, including any juices that the tomatillos have released, to the blender along with the cilantro and salt and blend as directed above.
• Creamy Tomatillo Salsa: Blend an avocado into the salsa (do not heat this variation).
Pinch of ground turmeric
Sea salt
1 cup shredded cooked chicken (here)
½ cup fresh or thawed frozen corn kernels
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup loosely packed fresh baby spinach leaves
½ cup Roasted Tomato Salsa (recipe follows) or good-quality store-bought tomato salsa, plus more for topping
Freshly ground black pepper
6 to 8 corn tortillas, warmed
In a large bowl, beat the eggs until light and foamy. Add the turmeric and ½ teaspoon salt and beat again. Stir in the chicken and corn.
In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. When it starts to sizzle, add the egg and chicken mixture. Cook for about 30 seconds, until the eggs begin to set, then, using a heatproof spatula, gently fold the eggs and continue to fold until the eggs are set. Stir in the spinach for about 45 seconds, until wilted, then add the salsa and cook, stirring, for a few seconds to warm it up. Taste and season with salt and pepper if needed. Stu= into the tortillas, top each with a little salsa, if you like, and serve.
• Use crab instead of the chicken for a special-occasion breakfast.
• Add varied-colored heirloom cherry tomatoes.
• Add fresh herbs such as mint, cilantro, basil, or even Thai basil.
• Add avocado slices.
• Add thinly sliced fresh chiles, with or without the seeds, for extra spice.
• Serve with Green Salsa instead of the Roasted Tomato Salsa.
• Stir some chimichurri (here) in at the end (skip the salsa), after the eggs come off the heat.
• Finish with a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese.
notch. Use this salsa in recipes from scrambled eggs to spaghetti squash. Makes about 1 quart
1 or 2 jalapeños, stemmed
4 garlic cloves
½ small white onion
2 pounds small round or medium plum tomatoes
Sea salt
½ cup chopped fresh cilantro
Preheat the broiler.
PECAN SWEET POTATO PIE OATMEAL PARFAIT
I was never a big fan of oatmeal until I added my beloved sweet potato to the mix.
Now I’m smitten with my morning bowl of oats. For creamier, less firm oats, combine the oats with the water and then bring to a boil. For everyday breakfast fare, go ahead and serve the oatmeal in a regular bowl instead of parfait cups or jars, with or without the yogurt topping. Serves 2
¾ cup water, or dairy or nondairy milk, or a combination
½ cup rolled oats
2 tablespoons fruit juice–sweetened dried cranberries or raisins
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, or to taste
Pinch of sea salt
½ cup mashed sweet potato (see here)
1 tablespoon pure maple syrup, or to taste
½ teaspoon pure maple extract (optional)
½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
½ cup plain Greek yogurt
¼ cup chopped toasted pecans (here)
Pour the water into a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the oats, cranberries, cinnamon, and salt, return to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for about 5 minutes, stirring only once or twice, until the oats begin to soften and the liquid thickens. Stir in the sweet potato and cook for about 2 minutes, until smooth and heated through. Add a little water if the oatmeal thickens too much. Turn off the heat and stir in the maple syrup, maple extract (if using), and vanilla. If you’ve got the time, cover and set aside for 5 minutes to absorb excess moisture and to bring all the flavors together.
To assemble the parfaits, pour one-quarter of the oatmeal into each of two parfait bowls or Mason jars. Top each with one-quarter of the yogurt, followed by one-quarter of the pecans. Repeat the layering, starting with oatmeal and ending with pecans. Serve immediately, or, if using Mason jars, cover and pop into your bag to take to your a.m. destination.
Swap It Out
• Make it a pumpkin pie parfait by substituting 100 percent pure pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling) for the mashed sweet potato. Or try mixing in my Pure and Simple Squash Puree.
• Add 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest or a drop of pure lemon extract to your yogurt; the tang of the lemon plays perfectly against the sweet maple syrup. A dash of freshly grated nutmeg is another tasty addition.
• Use walnuts instead of pecans and add a sprinkle of sesame, flax, or chia seeds. Read more about these super nuts and seeds here. Next Level, Please!
• Set up your oats for soaking the night before. Soaking is a traditional practice to make grains more digestible that a new generation of home cooks is starting to rediscover. It requires a little advance thinking but almost no work (read more about the practice here). Place the oats in the pan you’re going to cook them in, add water to cover by a couple of inches, cover with a dishtowel, and leave till the morning. Drain and proceed with the recipe, reducing the amount of water in the recipe to ½ cup.
• Swap out some of the maple syrup for stevia—adding a little stevia pumps up the sweetness while keeping blood sugar in check, and when balanced by the maple syrup, the taste of the stevia becomes barely noticeable.
HOW TO STEAM SWEET POTATOES
Peel a few sweet potatoes and cut them into roughly 1-inch chunks. Place them in a steamer basket set over a pot filled with a couple of inches of simmering water. Cover and steam until tender when poked with a knife or fork, 20 to 30 minutes. Remove from the steamer, let cool, then process in a food processor until smooth. You won’t need more than a small sweet potato to yield ½ cup puree, but don’t stop there. Set some chunks aside for your carb portion of lunch or dinner tonight, then puree the rest and freeze for future oatmeal breakfast parfaits. To freeze: Line a baking sheet with parchment or waxed paper. Scoop the sweet potato puree into a ½-cup measuring cup and empty it onto the baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining puree. Place in the freezer and freeze for 1 to 2 hours, until solid, then pop into a freezer bag or container and store in the freezer.
CHICKEN AND EGG BREAKFAST TACOS
Sometimes I come up with recipes just by using leftovers; this is one of them. It’s a
great way to enjoy the remains of last night’s barbecue or roast. Just shred the meat (save the bones for Basic Bone Broth, put it in the refrigerator, and you’re halfway to breakfast. Or poach some chicken (see here), shred it all, and store in the freezer as a super-fast source of protein. If you don’t have time to make salsa from scratch (it can be made a day or two ahead), a good-quality jarred brand can be substituted. Makes 6 to 8 tacos (about 3 cups filling)
4 large eggsPinch of ground turmeric
Sea salt
1 cup shredded cooked chicken (here)
½ cup fresh or thawed frozen corn kernels
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup loosely packed fresh baby spinach leaves
½ cup Roasted Tomato Salsa (recipe follows) or good-quality store-bought tomato salsa, plus more for topping
Freshly ground black pepper
6 to 8 corn tortillas, warmed
In a large bowl, beat the eggs until light and foamy. Add the turmeric and ½ teaspoon salt and beat again. Stir in the chicken and corn.
In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. When it starts to sizzle, add the egg and chicken mixture. Cook for about 30 seconds, until the eggs begin to set, then, using a heatproof spatula, gently fold the eggs and continue to fold until the eggs are set. Stir in the spinach for about 45 seconds, until wilted, then add the salsa and cook, stirring, for a few seconds to warm it up. Taste and season with salt and pepper if needed. Stu= into the tortillas, top each with a little salsa, if you like, and serve.
Swap It Out
• Use another meat, such as last night’s lamb or beef roast.• Use crab instead of the chicken for a special-occasion breakfast.
• Add varied-colored heirloom cherry tomatoes.
• Add fresh herbs such as mint, cilantro, basil, or even Thai basil.
• Add avocado slices.
• Add thinly sliced fresh chiles, with or without the seeds, for extra spice.
• Serve with Green Salsa instead of the Roasted Tomato Salsa.
• Stir some chimichurri (here) in at the end (skip the salsa), after the eggs come off the heat.
• Finish with a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese.
Roasted Tomato Salsa
Roasting gives a depth of flavor to tomatoes, taking your salsa-making skills up anotch. Use this salsa in recipes from scrambled eggs to spaghetti squash. Makes about 1 quart
1 or 2 jalapeños, stemmed
4 garlic cloves
½ small white onion
2 pounds small round or medium plum tomatoes
Sea salt
½ cup chopped fresh cilantro
Preheat the broiler.
Set the jalapeños, garlic, onion, and tomatoes on a broiler pan. Broil for about 5 minutes, until darkened in color with a few blackened spots. Turn and broil on the other side until darkened with a few blackened spots on the second side and the tomatoes are softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Peel the garlic. Transfer the jalapeños, garlic, and onion to a food processor and pulse to chop the ingredients. Add the tomatoes along with any juices from the pan and process to break down the tomatoes into salsa consistency, as smooth or chunky as you like. Season with salt, add the cilantro, and pulse for a couple of seconds to incorporate. If you’re not using your salsa right away, pour it into a jar, cover, and refrigerate for up to 1 week.
SKILLET SMASHED ROSEMARY POTATOES AND EGGS
This fragrant dish is a perfect way to impress your friends and family at Sunday brunch; it becomes a weekday dish when you boil the potatoes the night before (it’s easy—when you’re making potatoes for another dish, just throw a few more into the pot). Fragrant rosemary elevates this simple skillet dish to something special (and see the sidebar on the next page for rosemary’s remarkable memory-boosting properties). Since this recipe uses a fair amount of oil, make sure it’s a good-quality one; my favorite is unrefined coconut oil (it can add a slight coconut taste to the dish; if you’d prefer a more neutral oil, use extra-virgin olive oil). Think of this dish as a healthier version of hash browns! Serve with a side of fresh arugula to lighten up the plate. Serves 2
6 small unpeeled new potatoes (about 3 inches in diameter) Sea salt
¼ cup unrefined coconut oil
4 large eggs
½ cup cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered if large
¾ teaspoon minced fresh rosemary
Coarsely ground black pepper
Put the potatoes in a medium saucepan, add water to cover, and season well with salt.
Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to maintain a high simmer and cook for about 10 minutes, until the potatoes are tender (a sharp knife poked through the center of a potato should meet no resistance). Place in a colander and leave for about 5 minutes to drain excess water.Working with one potato at a time, place the potatoes on a cutting board and smash them with the bottom of a heavy skillet to about ½ inch thick. Transfer each smashed potato to a plate. Try to keep the potatoes whole, but it’s >ne if they break apart a bit (in fact, it’s very likely they will!); everything will come together in the finished dish.In a 10- to 12-inch cast-iron skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Arrange the potatoes over the pan in a single layer and cook until the bottoms are well browned and crisp, about 5 minutes. Scoop out indentations in between the potatoes and crack the eggs directly into your chosen spots. Arrange the cherry tomatoes over the potatoes (not over the eggs), sprinkle with salt, and drizzle 1 tablespoon water all around the sides of the pan (this will help to steam the eggs and keep the potatoes from sticking to the bottom). Cover and cook until the eggs are done to your liking, about 5 minutes for medium runny.Uncover the pan and sprinkle with the rosemary and some pepper. Place the pan on a trivet at the table and serve directly from the pan.
Swap It Out
• Search out heirloom potatoes of various colors at your farmers’ market, from
Adirondack red to purple Peruvian and Inca gold.
• Use any fresh herbs, such as thyme, oregano, or sage.
• For a smoky finish, sprinkle with a touch of smoked paprika.
REMEMBER ME, ROSEMARY
In addition to its prowess in the kitchen, rosemary can also clear the head and restore memory. In fact, it recently has been shown to work with memory as well as ginkgo biloba. So while you’re fixing up your breakfast skillet, toss a sprig of rosemary into a teacup, pour in some boiling water, and steep for about 5 minutes. Then enjoy with your breakfast while you bring your mind into focus and set forth into your day. Rosemary can also settle your stomach and help your body digest fatty foods, which may be why you often see it paired with lamb (as it is in my seared lamb chop recipe here).
My miso soup can be made with bone broth or the traditional Japanese way, with a simple dashi broth. Based on two superfoods—kombu seaweed and bonito >sh Fakes— dashi takes less than ten minutes to make and provides a mild, comforting Favor base. Both kombu and bonito can be found in Asian food stores and some natural foods stores. Read more about kombu here. Serves 2 to 3
6 cups Basic Bone Broth, Very Veggie Broth, good-quality store-bought broth, or water
1 (4-inch) piece kombu (if using water)
1½ cups bonito flakes (if using water)
6 to 8 tablespoons miso paste
PROTEIN ADD-INS
1 cup cooked shredded chicken (here)
½ cup small-diced firm tofu or drained silken tofu
1 cup cooked chickpeas (here), edamame, or other bean
6 ounces fresh white fish, cut into cubes or flaked
VEGGIE ADD-INS
Chopped or shredded leafy greens such as chard or spinach
Sliced or chopped scallions or leeks
Thinly sliced shiitake or other mushrooms
Thinly sliced radishes or baby turnips
Sheet of nori seaweed, torn into pieces, or handful of dried wakame seaweed
FLAVORING FINISHES
1 (1-inch) piece fresh ginger, juiced (see Note)
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
Splash of chile oil, thinly sliced fresh chiles, or a sprinkle of cayenne pepper
Splash of fresh lemon or lime juice
If you’re using bone broth, pour it into a large saucepan and bring to a simmer. If you’re making dashi stock, combine the water and kombu in a large saucepan and bring to a bare simmer over medium-high heat. Remove from the heat, fish out and discard the kombu, add the bonito flakes, and stir gently. Cover and steep for 5 minutes. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a new pan, pressing gently on the flakes to extract all their liquid, and discard
the bonito flakes. You can make the dashi in advance; it will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Reheat the bone broth or dashi and turn o= the heat. Put the miso paste in a >ne-mesh sieve and, using the back of a spoon, press the paste through the sieve into the broth, discarding any large grains that don’t pass through (for a rustic miso soup, simply whisk in the miso). Stir in whichever protein and veggie add-ins you like and cook until heated through. Pour into bowls and serve with your choice of flavoring finishes.
NOTE: Finely grate a small piece of ginger (no need to peel it first) and squeeze it in the palm of your hand to extract the juice.
• Instead of scallions, seek out seasonal local relatives such as garlic scapes or wild leeks.
• Miso comes in a variety of flavors, from mild white miso to yellow to red; experiment with them all to find your favorite. The darker the color, the stronger the miso tends to be. Most miso is based on soy; if soy isn’t part of your diet, try chickpea miso.
• Vegetarians can omit the bonito flakes and use Very Veggie Broth.
• Choose miso from the refrigerated section of your supermarket or natural foods store for guaranteed live and active cultures. You’ll be making a definite upgrade from opening a packet, which contains zero live and active cultures. Plus, live tastes a million times better! The key to keeping it live is not to boil the miso; add it at the very end, after the other ingredients have been cooked.
• Use dashi as a quick fish or seafood stock stand-in.
• Use dashi in place of water to cook rice, quinoa, or any other grain.
2. Berries with ricotta or cottage cheese drizzled with flax oil and sprinkled with cinnamon
3. Open-face turkey bacon, avocado, and sprout sandwich
4. Last night’s rice or quinoa, heated up like oatmeal with milk, nuts, and maple syrup
5. Half a sweet potato spread with 10-minute Nut Butter
6. Leftovers from dinner with a poached egg on top
7. Sliced hard-boiled egg over arugula drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with salt and pepper
Heirloom Tomatoes with Goat Cheese, Capers, and Fresh Herbs Fennel and Jicama Salad with Lemon and Pink Peppercorn Dressing Avocado, Asparagus, and Artichoke Salad
Shaved Beet, Endive, and Chickpea Salad with Tahini Garlic Dressing
Edamame Succotash Salad
Tuna and Pickle Salad
Kale Caesar Salad
Smoky Shrimp Cobb Salad with Citrus Dressing
We all know how important first impressions are. So when the first course comes out, I like to make it a showstopper! Soup is a healing food, especially when you start with a from- scratch base such as my Basic Bone Broth or Very Veggie Broth. My chicken noodle soup (here) will stand up to a nasty cold, while my vegetable soup (here) is a celebration of any season you serve it in. And my carrot and sweet potato soup (here) is one of my absolute favorites. I like to eat something raw with every meal, so salads are part of my everyday
life. Raw vegetables have their enzymes intact, adding vibrancy to your meals and keeping your digestion in good working order. I never get bored with salads, and I’ve included some of my favorites in this chapter, including a succotash salad made with edamame (here), a simple red cabbage salad (here) that I serve with many of my mains, a stunning heirloom tomato salad (here), and a tuna and pickle salad (here) that provides live and active
cultures with every bite! Soups and salads are a great way to get in a lot of veggies, and with so many mix-and-match options, they allow for a lot of creativity in the kitchen. Good looks, good taste, and good health—that’s the impression I want you to make when you place your first dish on the table!
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 medium carrot, finely chopped
1 medium celery stalk, finely chopped
Sea salt
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 (½-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and minced (optional)
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes, or to taste
1 quart Very Veggie Broth, Basic Bone Broth,
2 sprigs fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
Freshly ground black pepper
½ red, orange, or yellow bell pepper, chopped
½ cup small cauliflower florets
½ cup chopped green beans
1 small zucchini, chopped
½ cup corn kernels (from 1 small ear of corn)
½ cup thinly sliced or shredded green or red cabbage
2 cups chopped fresh cilantro
1½ tablespoons fresh lemon juice, plus more to taste
In a large saucepan, heat the oil over medium-low heat. Add the onion, carrot, and celery and a pinch of salt and cook until the vegetables are starting to soften but not lose color, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic, ginger (if using), and red pepper flakes and cook for about 2 minutes, until aromatic. Add the broth, thyme, and bay leaf, season with salt and black pepper, increase the heat to high, and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium- low, cover, and cook for 10 minutes. Add the bell pepper, cauliflower, and green beans and cook for 3 minutes, or until starting to soften. Add the zucchini, corn, and cabbage and cook for 2 minutes more, or until all the vegetables are crisp-tender. Remove and discard the thyme sprigs and bay leaf.
Swap It Out
• Vegetables that cook in more or less the same time are easy swaps. Here are some to get you started:
Broccoli for the cauliflower Asparagus for the green beans Peas for the corn
Leeks for the onion
Fennel for the celery
Next Level, Please!
• Add miso to your soup for a probiotic boost: After the soup is done, remove a small amount of broth from the pan, put it in a cup, and whisk in the miso until it has dissolved. Return the miso mixture to the pot, but do not heat the soup further (this keeps the miso’s enzymes live). Read more about miso here.
• Add a little Secret White Sauce to the soup.
ANYTIME MISO SOUP
You’re probably wondering why I’ve included a soup recipe in my breakfast chapter. Well, let me tell you why you should add soup to your morning rotation. While soup is not typically considered breakfast food in this country, it is in many others, notably in Asian countries. Miso soup for breakfast gets your day jump-started with live and active cultures, something totally different from yogurt or kefir, and it replaces popping a probiotic supplement in the morning. And, of course, you can enjoy miso soup any time of the day.My miso soup can be made with bone broth or the traditional Japanese way, with a simple dashi broth. Based on two superfoods—kombu seaweed and bonito >sh Fakes— dashi takes less than ten minutes to make and provides a mild, comforting Favor base. Both kombu and bonito can be found in Asian food stores and some natural foods stores. Read more about kombu here. Serves 2 to 3
6 cups Basic Bone Broth, Very Veggie Broth, good-quality store-bought broth, or water
1 (4-inch) piece kombu (if using water)
1½ cups bonito flakes (if using water)
6 to 8 tablespoons miso paste
PROTEIN ADD-INS
1 cup cooked shredded chicken (here)
½ cup small-diced firm tofu or drained silken tofu
1 cup cooked chickpeas (here), edamame, or other bean
6 ounces fresh white fish, cut into cubes or flaked
VEGGIE ADD-INS
Chopped or shredded leafy greens such as chard or spinach
Sliced or chopped scallions or leeks
Thinly sliced shiitake or other mushrooms
Thinly sliced radishes or baby turnips
Sheet of nori seaweed, torn into pieces, or handful of dried wakame seaweed
FLAVORING FINISHES
1 (1-inch) piece fresh ginger, juiced (see Note)
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
Splash of chile oil, thinly sliced fresh chiles, or a sprinkle of cayenne pepper
Splash of fresh lemon or lime juice
If you’re using bone broth, pour it into a large saucepan and bring to a simmer. If you’re making dashi stock, combine the water and kombu in a large saucepan and bring to a bare simmer over medium-high heat. Remove from the heat, fish out and discard the kombu, add the bonito flakes, and stir gently. Cover and steep for 5 minutes. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a new pan, pressing gently on the flakes to extract all their liquid, and discard
the bonito flakes. You can make the dashi in advance; it will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Reheat the bone broth or dashi and turn o= the heat. Put the miso paste in a >ne-mesh sieve and, using the back of a spoon, press the paste through the sieve into the broth, discarding any large grains that don’t pass through (for a rustic miso soup, simply whisk in the miso). Stir in whichever protein and veggie add-ins you like and cook until heated through. Pour into bowls and serve with your choice of flavoring finishes.
NOTE: Finely grate a small piece of ginger (no need to peel it first) and squeeze it in the palm of your hand to extract the juice.
Swap It Out
• Include vegetables you have on hand—leafy greens, green beans, corn, anything that calls to you from your crisper drawer.• Instead of scallions, seek out seasonal local relatives such as garlic scapes or wild leeks.
• Miso comes in a variety of flavors, from mild white miso to yellow to red; experiment with them all to find your favorite. The darker the color, the stronger the miso tends to be. Most miso is based on soy; if soy isn’t part of your diet, try chickpea miso.
• Vegetarians can omit the bonito flakes and use Very Veggie Broth.
• Choose miso from the refrigerated section of your supermarket or natural foods store for guaranteed live and active cultures. You’ll be making a definite upgrade from opening a packet, which contains zero live and active cultures. Plus, live tastes a million times better! The key to keeping it live is not to boil the miso; add it at the very end, after the other ingredients have been cooked.
• Use dashi as a quick fish or seafood stock stand-in.
• Use dashi in place of water to cook rice, quinoa, or any other grain.
NO RECIPE REQUIRED! SEVEN SIMPLE BREAKFAST SUGGESTIONS
1. Sprouted wheat bread or To Live for Flatbread with 10-minute Nut Butter 2. Berries with ricotta or cottage cheese drizzled with flax oil and sprinkled with cinnamon
3. Open-face turkey bacon, avocado, and sprout sandwich
4. Last night’s rice or quinoa, heated up like oatmeal with milk, nuts, and maple syrup
5. Half a sweet potato spread with 10-minute Nut Butter
6. Leftovers from dinner with a poached egg on top
7. Sliced hard-boiled egg over arugula drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with salt and pepper
MOTHER NATURE’S MSG
MSG, or monosodium glutamate, is a chemical that was extracted in a lab over a hundred years ago by a Japanese chemist in search of the perfect savory (umami) flavor. And where did he find it? In seaweed! A substance called glutamic acid was isolated from seaweed, sodium was added, and MSG was born. But this chemical form of glutamic acid acts differently in the body, with possible health risks ranging from headaches and flushing to long-term neurological problems. And if that’s not enough, consider this: MSG has been used to induce obesity in lab animals. I say no thanks to that! Instead I cook with kombu—known as the “king of seaweed”—for its pure and natural savory flavor. Adding a strip of it to soups or stews or a pot of beans helps soften them and make them more digestible. Kombu can be found in natural foods stores and Asian markets. First Impressions
STANDOUT SOUPS AND SALADS
Very Veggie Soup Inflammation-Busting Chicken Noodle Soup Curried Carrot and Sweet Potato Soup Tomato and Roasted Garlic Cream Soup Mushroom Barley Soup with Mini Meatballs Simple Red Cabbage SaladHeirloom Tomatoes with Goat Cheese, Capers, and Fresh Herbs Fennel and Jicama Salad with Lemon and Pink Peppercorn Dressing Avocado, Asparagus, and Artichoke Salad
Shaved Beet, Endive, and Chickpea Salad with Tahini Garlic Dressing
Edamame Succotash Salad
Tuna and Pickle Salad
Kale Caesar Salad
Smoky Shrimp Cobb Salad with Citrus Dressing
life. Raw vegetables have their enzymes intact, adding vibrancy to your meals and keeping your digestion in good working order. I never get bored with salads, and I’ve included some of my favorites in this chapter, including a succotash salad made with edamame (here), a simple red cabbage salad (here) that I serve with many of my mains, a stunning heirloom tomato salad (here), and a tuna and pickle salad (here) that provides live and active
cultures with every bite! Soups and salads are a great way to get in a lot of veggies, and with so many mix-and-match options, they allow for a lot of creativity in the kitchen. Good looks, good taste, and good health—that’s the impression I want you to make when you place your first dish on the table!
VERY VEGGIE SOUP
While soup is a comfort when it’s chilly out, a light spring or summer soup satisfies
without weighing you down. And a big pot of veggie soup is a quick, healthy dish I love to make for my whole family. The recipe is never exactly the same because I use different veggies each time I make it, depending on what’s in season. This soup gets its lush green color from a generous amount of cilantro, and it puts the stems to use, too! For those who don’t care for cilantro, spinach can be swapped in. Sometimes I’ll add avocado slices to my bowl for a dose of healthy fats. Add shredded turkey, chicken, or chickpeas, crumble in some tofu, or top with a poached egg and your veggie soup turns into a satisfying one-bowl meal. Serves 4 (makes about 6 cups)
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil1 small onion, finely chopped
1 medium carrot, finely chopped
1 medium celery stalk, finely chopped
Sea salt
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 (½-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and minced (optional)
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes, or to taste
1 quart Very Veggie Broth, Basic Bone Broth,
2 sprigs fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
Freshly ground black pepper
½ red, orange, or yellow bell pepper, chopped
½ cup small cauliflower florets
½ cup chopped green beans
1 small zucchini, chopped
½ cup corn kernels (from 1 small ear of corn)
½ cup thinly sliced or shredded green or red cabbage
2 cups chopped fresh cilantro
1½ tablespoons fresh lemon juice, plus more to taste
In a large saucepan, heat the oil over medium-low heat. Add the onion, carrot, and celery and a pinch of salt and cook until the vegetables are starting to soften but not lose color, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic, ginger (if using), and red pepper flakes and cook for about 2 minutes, until aromatic. Add the broth, thyme, and bay leaf, season with salt and black pepper, increase the heat to high, and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium- low, cover, and cook for 10 minutes. Add the bell pepper, cauliflower, and green beans and cook for 3 minutes, or until starting to soften. Add the zucchini, corn, and cabbage and cook for 2 minutes more, or until all the vegetables are crisp-tender. Remove and discard the thyme sprigs and bay leaf.
Scoop out 1 cup of the broth and transfer it to a blender. Add the cilantro and blend until smooth with no Fecks of green remaining. Return the blended mixture to the soup and add
the lemon juice. (Don’t cook after returning the blended cilantro to the pan to keep its vibrant green color.) Taste and add more salt, pepper, and/or lemon juice if needed. Spoon into bowls and serve.
Swap It Out
• Vegetables that cook in more or less the same time are easy swaps. Here are some to get you started:
Broccoli for the cauliflower Asparagus for the green beans Peas for the corn
Leeks for the onion
Fennel for the celery
Next Level, Please!
• Add miso to your soup for a probiotic boost: After the soup is done, remove a small amount of broth from the pan, put it in a cup, and whisk in the miso until it has dissolved. Return the miso mixture to the pot, but do not heat the soup further (this keeps the miso’s enzymes live). Read more about miso here.
• Add a little Secret White Sauce to the soup.
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