March 10, 2016 by Most salad gets soggy overnight, but this amazing Avocado Kale Salad with Chickpea Croutons actually tastes better the next day, making it a perfect choice to prepare ahead and bring to work for lunch. [Read more…] about Bring-to-Work Lunch: Avocado Kale Salad with Chickpea Croutons
July 28, 2014 by I went absolutely bananas at the Union Square Farmer’s Market this weekend! Everything looked so good! As I was stuffing my tote with all this seasonal goodness, I realized that absolutely everything that’s in season also happens to be on the ingredient list for Ratatouille, one of my favorite dishes. It smells amazing and instantly transports me back to my summers spent in the South of France. It’s a classic French dish usually served as a side, but you know how I like my veggies, so I usually pile it on. I didn’t this time, but you could add in chickpeas for protein and serve over brown rice or another whole grain for a complete and well balanced plate. Every ingredient for this ratatouille recipe is currently in season in the Northeast, which means you’ll find the tastiest (and often cheapest) at your local Farmer’s Market. Eggplant, summer squash, onions, garlic, tomatoes, basil, flat-leaf parsley, thyme…just imagine how good your kitchen will smell! Traditionally, the recipe also calls for bell peppers, but I wasn’t able to find any organic local ones, so I just subbed okra in, which happens to be abundant (and tasty) this time of year. I will warn you, this recipe is a bit labor intensive. If you’ve ever had good ratatouille, though, you know it’s worth it. On the plus side, it makes a ginormous batch, so it should last you a few days. It’s also a great dinner party dish. Ratatouille Add to Collection Go to Collections 4 from 1 vote Prep Time 1 hour hour Cook Time 1 hour hour Total Time 2 hours hours Servings8 US ImperialMetric Ingredients2 1/2 lb. tomato 4 large6 cloves garlic thinly sliced1 cup flat-leaf parsley fresh & chopped20 fresh basil leaves torn in half1/3 + 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil divided into tablespoons1 lb. eggplant cut into 1-inch cubes2 1/4 tsp. unrefined salt (real, pink, or Celtic salt)2 large red or yellow onion quartered lengthwise and thinly sliced crosswise1 cup okra sliced 1/4 inch thick4 medium green zucchini quartered lengthwise and cut crosswise into 3/4-inch-thick pieces, 2 lbblack pepper to tastefresh basil leaves to garnish InstructionsCut an X in bottom of each tomato with a sharp paring knife and blanch together in a 4-quart pot of boiling water 1 minute. Transfer tomatoes with a slotted spoon to a cutting board and, when cool enough to handle, peel off skin, beginning from scored end, with paring knife.Coarsely chop tomatoes and transfer to a 5-quart heavy pot with garlic, parsley, basil, and 1/3 cup oil. Simmer, partially covered, stirring occasionally, until tomatoes break down and sauce is slightly thickened, at least 30 minutes.While sauce is simmering, toss eggplant with 1/2 teaspoon salt in a large colander and let stand in sink to drain until ready to use.Meanwhile, cook onions in 2-3 tablespoons oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer onions with a slotted spoon to a large bowl, then add 2-3 tablespoons oil to skillet and cook 1 cup okra over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 6-8 minutes. Transfer peppers with slotted spoon to bowl with onions. Add 2-3 tablespoons oil to skillet and cook zucchini with 1/4 teaspoon salt over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until just tender, 6 to 8 minutes. While zucchini are cooking, pat eggplant dry with paper towels. When done, transfer zucchini with slotted spoon to bowl with other vegetables.Add 2-3 tbsp. oil to skillet and cook eggplant over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, 10 to 12 minutes. Add to vegetable bowl.To the tomato sauce, add vegetables, and simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are very tender, about 30 minutes and up to 1 hour. Season with salt and black pepper to taste. Cool uncovered, and serve warm or at room temperature. Recipe Notes·Stew can be made 2 days ahead and chilled, covered. Bring to room temperature or reheat before serving. Did you make this recipe? Tag @mariamarlowe on instagram and hashtag #healthybymarlowe for a chance to be featured and win awesome prizes each month.
April 8, 2013 by Upgrade your BBQ with a black bean and quinoa burger. I’ve got summer on the brain, particularly beaches, bikinis, and burgers. In the recipe below, the BBQ staple gets a plant-based makeover. This vegan black bean burger is packed with protein, and while it may seem like a lot of steps, it’s relatively easy to make. It’s even easier if you have leftover quinoa prepared the day before. Experiment adding in veggies like corn, carrots, or beets for a flavorful vitamin boost. Black Bean & Quinoa Burger Add to Collection Go to Collections 4.67 from 3 votes Prep Time 15 minutes minutes Cook Time 25 minutes minutes Total Time 40 minutes minutes Servings3 US ImperialMetric IngredientsQuinoa1 cup quinoa dry2 cups waterBurger1 Tbsp. ground flaxseed¼ cup warm water2 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil1 shallot diced (or sub red onion)4 cloves garlic diced1 tsp. cumin powder½ tsp. red pepper flakes½ tsp. paprika¼ tsp. cayenne powder1.5 cups black beans (cooked)½ cup flat-leaf parsley¼ tsp. unrefined salt (real, pink, or Celtic salt)2 cups quinoa cooked & cooled (from above)½ cup rolled oats processed into a powder, divided in half (so 2 - ¼ cups)To Serve1 small head romaine lettuce chopped (pwhole grain mustardextra-virgin olive oilunrefined salt (real, pink, or Celtic salt)black pepper InstructionsFirst, make quinoa: bring water and quinoa to a boil, then reduce heat and cook covered for about 10 minutes, until all water is absorbed. Let cool completely.Meanwhile, mix flax in a small bowl with warm water. Set aside.Using medium-low heat, warm up about 2 tsp. of oil in a pan, or enough to coat the bottom.Sauté shallot, garlic, and all spices (except salt) for about 2 minutes. Stir occasionally. The shallot and garlic should not brown, you just want them lightly cooked and translucent. Remove from heat and set aside to cool for a minute.Put black beans, parsley, salt, and cooled shallot mixture into a high-speed blender or food processor. Blend until just combined. (You could stop here and have a delicious black bean mash.)Add the quinoa, flax mixture, and a heaping ¼ cup of the oat flour into the blender, and continue mixing, until thoroughly combined and you have a paste.Scoop out the paste, roll into balls and then press into a patties. It will be slightly sticky. Coat the patties thoroughly in the remaining oat flour, as if you are breading it.Heat a pan to medium-low, and put just enough oil to cover the bottom. Let patties cook for 3 minutes, flip over, and cook an additional 3 minutes on the other side. You may have to cook in batches depending on the size of your pan.Serve on a salad of chopped romaine lettuce, and dress with a little bit of salt, pepper, olive oil, and whole grain mustard. If reserving additional servings for use late in the week, wait to prepare romaine lettuce salad for them until just before serving. Recipe Notes*If you use olive oil, be sure to use a medium-low temperature, so that the oil doesn’t smoke. Did you make this recipe? Tag @mariamarlowe on instagram and hashtag #healthybymarlowe for a chance to be featured and win awesome prizes each month.
March 29, 2012 by Clear Skin is more closely tied to what you eat than what you put on your face. Acne – and other inflammatory skin conditions – are a reflection of what is going on inside the body, and are a sign of internal inflammation and imbalance, as I outline in my Clear Skin Plan. Below is a recipe for my Complexion Perfection Salad, which is packed with the nutrients needed for clear skin. Complexion Perfection Salad Benefits For Skin Arugula: This spicy, peppery, and slightly bitter green is great for boosting digestion. It’s packed with a wide array of vitamins and antioxidants which provide anti-inflammatory benefits. It provides 10% DV of Vitamin A per cup. This is about 40% DV when using 4 cups like in this salad. Vitamin A is a critical nutrient for clear skin. Red Onion: Prevents inflammation. Including sulfur-rich vegetables like red onion on a regular basis is important for healthy skin. Radishes: Radishes provide both sulfur and silica, two beauty minerals that support clear, ageless skin. They’re also a good source of Vitamin C, which aids in collagen production. It also supports the immune system to help repair your skin. Cucumber: This water-dense fruit is also a great source of silica, the beauty mineral that supports healthy hair, skin, and nails. Choose pickled cucumbers if you can find them. These have bumps on the skin and are often grown in backyard gardens. Research shows they contain more silica than their smooth counterparts. (1) Clementine: Clementines provide 60% DV of Vitamin C, which supports collagen production, the immune system, and ageless, clear skin. Avocado: A filling source of healthy fats, fiber (one medium avocado provides a significant 9g per avocado!), and Vitamin E, an antioxidant that plays a role in healthy skin. Pumpkin Seeds: Provide zinc, a critical nutrient for clear, radiant, glowing skin. Sunflower Seeds: Offer Vitamin E, Vitamin B1, and a number of anti-inflammatory nutrients. Flax Seeds: Provides fiber that aids in digestion and helps clean the colon, as well as omega-3s which provide anti-inflammatory benefits. Hemp Seeds: Deliver complete plant-based protein and anti-inflammatory omega-3 fats to clear your skin from within. Complexion Perfection Salad Add to Collection Go to Collections 5 from 6 votes Prep Time 10 minutes minutes Total Time 10 minutes minutes IngredientsSalad4 cups baby arugula organic2 Tbsp. red onion sliced thin or diced2 radish sliced paper thin or diced 1/4 cup cucumber sliced thin or diced1 avocado(s) small, peeled, pitted, and chopped1 clementine peeled, and broken into wedges (optional) 1 Tbsp. pumpkin seeds raw1 Tbsp. sunflower seeds raw1 Tbsp. flaxseed crushed or milled1 Tbsp. hemp seedsProtein of choice (choose 1) 3/4 cup chickpeas cooked (or any beans of choice) 3/4 cup green lentils cooked1 wild salmon fillet (4-6 oz each) cookedDressing2-3 tsp. extra-virgin olive oilfresh lemon juice from half a lemonunrefined salt (real, pink, or Celtic salt) to tasteblack pepper to taste InstructionsPlace all salad ingredients in a large bowl, including the protein of choice.Drizzle olive oil and lemon juice on top, along with a little salt and pepper. Toss the salad well and add additional oil, lemon, salt or pepper to taste, if needed. Did you make this recipe? Tag @mariamarlowe on instagram and hashtag #healthybymarlowe for a chance to be featured and win awesome prizes each month.