dina nicola.

heirloom tomato + fennel salad
cooking time: 10 minutes
grocery list:
3 - 4 heirloom tomatoes (regular are fine as well), sliced
1 cucumber, skinned + sliced
½ fennel head, thinly sliced
sea salt + pepper
olive oil

1. place tomatoes, fennel, + cucumbers in a shallow dish
2. season with salt + pepper to taste
3. drizzle with olive oil
4. toss + serve

smoke ‘em if you got ‘em, hemp…seeds.

well, you don’t technically smoke them, but now that i have your attention, let’s talk about hemp seeds. hemp seeds have incredible health benefits and when paired with super nutritious kale, this recipe will give you a natural “high.”

* nutrition facts on hemp:

• high percentage of the simple proteins that strengthen immunity
• could aid, if not heal, people suffering from immune deficiency diseases
• nature’s highest botanical source of essential fatty acid, with more essential fatty acid than flax or any other nut or seed oil
• perfect 3:1 ratio of Omega-6 and Omega-3 – for cardiovascular health and general strengthening of the immune system
• superior vegetarian source of protein considered easily digestible
• rich source of phytonutrients, the disease-protective element of plants with benefits protecting your immunity, bloodstream, tissues, cells, skin, organs and mitochondria.

* facts cited from the body ecology diet

basil-y kale salad with hemp seeds
prep time: 20 minutes
grocery list:

salad:
4 cups curly kale, stems removed and torn into bite sized pieces
2 tbsp basil olive oil
½ tsp sea salt
1 red bell pepper, diced
½ cup shredded carrots
1 medium cucumber, peeled and sliced
2 green onions, sliced white part only
½ carton grape tomatoes, cut in half
¼ - ½ cup hemp seeds

dressing:
½ avocado
1 lemon juiced
10-12 basil leaves

1. massage kale with olive oil and sea salt for 3 minutes or until tender
2. add in bell pepper, cucumber, green onions and grape tomatoes and mix together
3. to make dressing, add avocado, lemon juice, and basil to a food processor and blend till creamy. drizzle in a little olive oil if necessary
4. add dressing and hemp seeds to salad and mix well. add salt to taste if necessary. serve and garnish with avocado if desired

when i eat out, i usually come home feeling bloated, guilt-stricken from overindulgence, and thinking my money could of been better spent on a new pair of designer denim that make my butt look good. this uncomfortableness is never welcome, but it definitely is not invited on the sexiest of all holidays. on this valentine’s day, enjoy these aphrodisiac foods and feel light, sexy and ready to get your swerve on. so grab your loved one or most recent match.com hook-up and get cookin’.

aphrodisiacs found in these recipes:

salmon cayenne pepper avocado jalapeno pepper tomato fennel cumin cardamom
arugula red wine strawberry chocolate

sexy seared salmon
grocery list:
wild salmon (2 servings)
2-3 meyer lemons, juiced
1 tsp old bay seasoning
¼ tsp cayenne pepper
2 -3 tbsp olive oil
sea salt & ground black pepper

cut salmon into even pieces if necessary. to prepare marinade, in a bowl mix together lemon juice, old bay seasoning, cayenne pepper, and olive oil. place salmon pieces in small baking dish and cover with marinade.  lightly sprinkle with salt & pepper. marinade in fridge for 30 minutes to an hour.

preheat oven to 425 degrees. over medium-high heat warm a skillet for a couple minutes.  remove marinated salmon from fridge and place in hot skillet, flesh side down, and sear for 3-4 minutes (or until lightly browned). remove from heat and place back in marinade dish and put into oven.  cook for 10 - 12 minutes. remove from oven and check to ensure the salmon is cooked through. if not, cook for additional time. allow to cool for a couple minutes and then serve over arugula salad and top with avocado tapenade.

avocado tapenade
grocery list:
1 avocado, diced into small pieces
1 tomato, diced into small pieces
1 tbsp cilantro, minced
1tsp capers, minced
½ jalapeno pepper, minced
2 pinches cardamom
2 pinches cumin
1 lime, juiced

place all ingredients in a bowl and lightly mix. season with salt if necessary or add additional capers.


arugula fennel salad
grocery list:
1 package (5 oz) arugula
1 head of fennel, thinly sliced (mandolin works best)
1-2 lemons, juiced
1-2 tbsp olive oil
sea salt & pepper

add all ingredients to a large bowl. add lemon juice, oil oil, salt & pepper, and toss.

chocolate covered strawberries
grocery list:
1 10oz. bag of dark chocolate, broken into chunks
1 carton ripe strawberries (8-10 oz.)

line a cookie sheet with wax paper. melt the chocolate in a double boiler over low heat, stirring frequently to ensure that the chocolate doesn’t burn. when chocolate is smooth and creamy, reduce heat very low.

dip each strawberry into the chocolate and place on wax-lined baking sheet. allow to cool before serving.

urban dictionary defines sexy mexi as an extremely attractive or alluring woman of Hispanic descent. regardless of your descent, if you eat this sexy mexi feast, you’ll have curves in all the right places!

sexy mexi veggie burrito
grocery list:
1 medium sweet potato, thinly sliced
1 medium yam, thinly sliced
1 medium red potato, thinly sliced
¼ yellow onion, thinly sliced
2 small zucchinis, thinly sliced
1 red bell pepper, deseeded and sliced into strips
3 large collard green leaves, destemmed and roughly chopped
3 dinosaur kale leaves, destemmed and roughly chopped
sea salt
mexican seasoning
3 tbsp olive oil
1 can pinto beans
tortillas of choice, i used ezekial sprouted grain
avocado, sliced
cilantro, chopped
salsa, i used el nopalito’s roasted salsa

add all the potatoes and onions to a large mixing bowl, stir in 2 tbsp of olive oil, sea salt and a generous amount of mexican seasoning. warm 1 tbsp of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat and add in potato mixture. cover and cook for 5 minutes.

in the meantime, add zucchini and bell peppers to mixing bowl and season with sea salt and mexican seasoning. flip the potatoes over so the other side can brown, cover and cook for 3 minutes. add in the zucchini and bell pepper mixture, mixing gently. cook covered for additional 6 minutes, stirring occasionally.

in a small pot, warm pinto beans. lastly, fold greens into the veggie mixture, and cook for a couple minutes until wilted.

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when veggies are done cooking and beans are warmed, remove both from heat. take a tortilla and layer on beans, veggies, avocado, cilantro, and salsa. fold up ends and then roll into a burrito.

pair with the mexican cabbage salad, a side of salsa, and gluten free chips and enjoy!

mexican cabbage salad
grocery list:
½ head of green cabbage, thinly sliced or use a mandolin
¼ white onion, thinly sliced
5 radishes, thinly sliced
1 jalapeno pepper, finely chopped
1½ limes, juiced (only use juice)
1 tbsp olive oil
sea salt and ground black pepper

in a large bowl, combine all the ingredients and toss well. let stand 30 minutes before serving.

gluten free tortilla chips
grocery list:
food of life gluten free tortillas, cut into triangles like a pizza
olive oil
mexican seasoning

unfortunately these tortillas leave a little bit to be desired on their own; however, they make really good chips and a great alternative to corn chips.

preheat oven to 365 degrees. brush cut tortillas with olive oil on both sides and then place on an oiled baking sheet. sprinkle with mexican seasoning and a little bit of sea salt. cook for 6 minutes in oven and serve. easy, breezy.

with so much attention on healthy resolutions for the new year, and a number of friends choosing to eat “gluten-free”, “dairy-free”, and/or “clean”, i figure no time like the present to launch my dream blog…healthy recipes, that tickle your taste buds. short term goals of making good eating decisions are a great way to kick start a new year or lifestyle, but more importantly, the positive effects of these changes will leave you feeling amazing and energized.  my first post is a favorite in our household and will definitely get your gut healthy, and even tighten up that saggy rear a bit as well. buon appetito!

spicy toasted sesame kale salad
grocery list:
4 cups kale (8 oz bag), stems removed and torn into bite sized pieces
2 cups romaine lettuce, cut into bite sized pieces
1 medium cucumber, peeled and sliced
2 - 3 green onions, sliced white part only
3 tbsp olive oil
½ tsp sea salt
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper (more/less depending on spice tolerance)
1 tsp toasted sesame oil
1 tbsp white sesame seeds
1/2 package toasted black sesame crackers (about 35 - 40 crackers)

massage kale with olive oil, sea salt, and cayenne pepper for 2-3 minutes or until tender.  add in romaine, cucumbers, green onions, toasted sesame oil, sesame seeds and mix together. when well blended and right before serving, crumble sesame crackers over the salad and mix in for a nice crunch.  add salt to taste if necessary.