The foundation of health and wellness is nutrition. There are so many styles of eating that can fill our taste buds with a delicious diversity of flavors . Cooking has been one of my go-to side gigs my entire acting/writing career. I’ve been cooking for about 35 years and […]
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The foundation of health and wellness is nutrition. There are so many styles of eating that can fill our taste buds with a delicious diversity of flavors. Cooking has been one of my go-to side gigs my entire acting/writing career. I’ve been cooking for about 35 years and cooked professionally in NYC in a vegan cafe, as a caterer and private chef.
B. Smith and Julia Child have always been my spirit guides. Yes, we can achieve pleasure from real food cooked at home with love that fuels our bodies as we strive to reach our fitness goals. Here are my five distinct flavor-filled recipes from diverse eating styles that are delicious, quick, and easy to make.
JUICING
Jeanine’s Green Machine
- Kale 4 large leaves
- Cucumber 1
- Celery 2 stalks
- Green apple 1/2
- Lemon 1
Juicing is a cautionary tale. Yes, juicing vegetables can help reduce inflammation and be a meal replacement if protein powder is added. But, if you use sweet fruit and take away the fiber, you will be drinking as much sugar as drinking an extra-large soda. Please don’t buy into the diet culture “detox” myth.
Our kidneys are amazing natural detox machines. Every time we urinate and make bowel movements, we are eliminating and detoxing. The best way to keep your detox machine functioning at optimum health is to drink lots of water, eat veggies, proteins, and healthy fats, and move your body every day.
Homemade juices do not last in the refrigerator, and consuming old juice can make you sick. Be prepared to make portions just for single-use drinking and budget time for taking apart your juicer and cleaning it after each use. In my experience, the easiest way to use the pulp is to add it to compost for houseplants or the garden. Please juice in moderation and use it as a supplement, not a replacement for nourishment.
Simple Salmon with Peanut Sauce
Ingredients:
- Frozen Salmon
- ¼ T Old Bay
- 3T Peanut Sauce (store-bought)
- Juice of 1-2 Lemons
- 2T Butter or vegan butter
- Salt & Pepper to taste
Directions:
- Juice one lemon and pour juice over frozen salmon and season with Old Bay.
- Wait for 10 -12 minutes then pour peanut sauce over the salmon.
- Defrost frozen salmon and lemon juice in the refrigerator. (defrost rate depends on the size of your salmon). As the salmon defrosts, it will marinate in the lemon and peanut sauce.
- Heat your skillet, and add butter to the skillet when hot.
- Add a dash of salt and pepper to the salmon and then place marinated salmon flesh side down on the skillet.
- Cook to your favored temperature on both sides.
- Once cooked, place on a plate and let rest for 2 minutes.
- Season with salt and pepper to your taste. Serve with rice and sweet peas.
Pescetarians eat seafood, and plants, exclusively.
VEGANProtein-Packed Peanut Curry Stew
Ingredients:
- 3 cups low sodium vegetable broth
- 1 can lite coconut milk
- 1 medium red onion, chopped
- 2 Tablespoons peeled and minced fresh ginger
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 bunch of collard greens, chopped into 1inch strips
- 1 bunch of kale chopped into 1-inch strips
- ½ t curry
- ½ t cumin
- 3 large carrots chopped into 1-inch chunks
- 3 large tomatoes chopped into 1-inch chunks
- 1 container of pre-cooked baked tofu or tempeh
- 2 cups unsalted peanut butter (chunky or smooth) If you have a peanut allergy you can substitute with almond or cashew butter but use your own discretion
- ½ cup tomato paste
- *Hot sauce to taste
- ¼ cup roughly chopped peanuts, for garnish (or nuts you can tolerate)
- Serve with brown rice
Directions:
- Bring broth to a boil In a medium Dutch oven or stockpot.
- Add in ginger, garlic, onion, spices, and salt.
- Cook on medium-low heat for 20 minutes.
- In a separate medium-sized, heat-safe mixing bowl, combine the peanut butter and tomato paste, then transfer 1 to 2 cups of the hot stock to the bowl.
- Whisk the mixture together until smooth, then pour the peanut mixture back into the soup and mix well.
- Stir in the collard greens and season the soup with hot sauce to taste.
- Simmer for about 15 more minutes on medium-low heat, stirring often. Serve over cooked brown rice if you’d like, and top with a sprinkle of chopped peanuts.
Vegans eat plant-based foods. I love this recipe because it is a delicious nutritious and filling meal packed with protein. Vegan cooking can be labor-intensive because of the number of ingredients needed to bring out flavor and nutrition.
RAW
Avocado & Mango Salad
Ingredients:
- 1 medium avocado, diced
- ½ cup minced heirloom tomatoes
- ½ cup diced yellow bell peppers
- ½ cup diced fresh mango
- ¼ cup diced red onion
- ¼ teaspoon chopped cilantro
- Juice half a 1 lime
- ½ teaspoon sea salt (or to taste)
- 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper (or to taste)
Directions:
- Cut all veggies and fruit. Mix all ingredients together, blending well while ingredients remain chunky. Season and enjoy.
- Note: This recipe works best chilled.
Raw food enthusiasts eat predominately unprocessed organic plant-based foods that are mostly not cooked or are prepared at a temperature of 104-118˚.
FLEXITARIAN
Split Pea Soup
- 2 tablespoons butter or safflower or sunflower oil
- 1½ teaspoon dried or fresh thyme
- 1 ½ teaspoon dried or fresh oregano minced
- 1 medium red onion, diced
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 4 celery stalks, diced
- 1¼ pound ham hocks, chunks of ham, or a meaty ham bone
- 4 medium carrots cut into 1-inch chunks
- 8 cups chicken broth (low salt preferred)
- 1 bag (16 ounces) of dried split peas
- 4 bay leaves
- Salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste
- Chopped fresh parsley, for garnish
Directions:
- Prep all veggies by chopping and mincing.
- Using moderate heat, warm a Dutch oven or large soup pot to warm and place butter (or oil) in the pot to melt, (or warm the oil if you are using oil).
- Add thyme and oregano to warm butter (or oil) and stir quickly to release flavor.
- Add onion and celery and sauteé in fragrant buttered herbs and spices until onions are clear.
- Add ham to fragrant herb buttered onions and cook until brown. If you’re adding a ham hock, turn the bone to cook all sides of the meat “sizzle” brown.
- Add carrots and season with salt and pepper as the carrots cook slightly.
- While everything is cooking in the pot, rinse the split peas several times in a sieve to remove all the grit on the peas.
- Add chicken broth to the herbed buttered onions, ham, and carrots.
- Add split peas to the broth, cover, and allow soup to cook until the peas melt into one another forming a thick warm yummy soup that will make your belly smile.
- Garnish with parsley.
Flexitarians are Omnivores who, as the author of The Omnivore’s Dilemma Michael Pollan described, “Eat food, not too much, mostly plants.” I hope you’ll love these recipes as much as I do and they bring you joy and energy to fuel all of your workouts this spring, summer, and beyond.
