"Good Fer Yer Eyes" Salad

When I was growing up, my mom was deathly afraid that all of her many (7!) kids would follow in her and my dad's genetic footsteps and grow up to be blind. Well, not truly blind - my dad is legally blind, and she wears glasses, so I think she was mainly trying to avoid the glasses for all of us. The easiest and cheapest way to do this was to include carrots in each and every one of our lunches. I hate eating carrots now. I really do. But I have to say, this salad has really made them quite palatable, if  not just downright delicious. Make it, eat it, discover a love of carrots previously unrecognized...

Total time: 5 minutes

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

6 carrots, cut into long, thin strips with a vegetable peeler
1 lime, juiced
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
Coarse salt and pepper

1) In a medium bowl, toss together all ingredients to coat evenly.

2) Serve!

Cold Cucumber-Avocado Soup

So earlier this week, I was pretty convinced that summer was officially here. And while the weather today completely disproves that idea, I did stumble across this amazingly simple little soup recipe that is perfect for a warm spring evening! Yes, as my man pointed out, it is basically a smoothie with no ice in it, but something about eating a fresh and tasty cold soup for dinner feels so... grownup. Love it!

Serves: 4

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

1 English cucumber, peeled, diced, and 1/4 cup reserved for garnish
1 avocado, diced, removed from skin, and 1/4 reserved for garnish
1 teaspoon of grated lemon zest, plus all the juice from the lemon
1/3 cup chopped cilantro, plus a tablespoon reserved for garnish
1 scallion, white and light green parts only
1 jalapeño (I left the seeds in mine, but if you prefer a milder flavor make sure you remove the seeds!)
1 small container of plain Greek yogurt
1 cup cold water
Coarsely ground salt and pepper

1) Puree ingredients in blender until smooth and slightly frothy. Pour into a bowl, cover, and refrigerate for 1+ hour before serving. Garnish with leftover avocado, cilantro, and cucumber.

Carrot Juice Morning!

Last weekend was my birthday, and we went to an Asian-style spa for the day. It was a great experience, one I had missed since returning from Japan! In the cafeteria they served lots of traditional food, and some delicious cleansing, refreshing juice combinations. The carrot juice was so good I decided to try to make it at home this morning. It's has an interesting flavor, and is packed with awesome nutrients like vitamins B and E, and tons of beta carotene (which turns to Vitamin A in the body) and helps to eliminate cancer-causing free radicals... Worth a try for sure!

Serves: 1

Total time: 5 minutes

Ingredients:

4 carrots
1 apple
1.5 teaspoons apple cider vinegar

1) Put carrots and apple the blender and blend on high until they liquefy. At first I repeatedly had to push them down since they kept creeping away from the blades, but eventually the mixture settled in the bottom and blended thoroughly.

2) Place a strainer over a bowl and pour juice mixture into strainer. (It will be quite thick and creamy!) Gently shake strainer so that juice continues to flow into the bowl. I strained mine twice to make it extra smooth, and saved the thick residue for smoothies later this week.

3) Pour the juice over ice and stir in the vinegar. I know the vinegar seems like an unlikely addition, but it's actually really tasty! Enjoy!

Fresh Vegetable Soup

EAT THIS! Really. You will not regret it. There are definitely some things that I've regretted putting in my mouth over the years, but this is not one of those things. Amazingly packed with flavor, you really should try this. Now.

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons coconut oil
2 leeks, white and light green parts separated, sliced lengthwise, and chopped into 1/4 inch slices
2 potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch cubes
2 cans chicken broth (4 cups total)
1 lb fresh green beans, trimmed and cut in half
1 bunch of parsley

1) In a medium pot, heat 2 teaspoons of oil over medium high, and sauté leeks for 4 minutes, until tender and fragrant. Add potatoes, broth, and 1 cup of water. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to low. Simmer for 10 minutes, or until potatoes are fork-tender.

2) Add green beans to pot, and simmer for 6 minutes, until beans are bright green and tender.

3) While beans are simmering, add parsley and remaining tablespoon of oil to blender or food processor, to create a pesto.

4) Remove pot from heat, stir parsley into soup, and serve. This soup is great either hot, or at room temp, depending on the weather outside!