Salad with Nuts n' Berries

If you are trying to eat a little healthier, one of the simplest changes you can make to your diet is eating at least one big salad a day. And when I say big, I mean big. It is pretty much impossible to overeat on a fresh, green salad because you literally don't have the stomach capacity to do it. (If only that were true of the salad dressing as well . . .) So if you eat a big serving of salad before your main course, you might find you are less likely to eat too much of the main dish (which for me tends to be the least healthy part of the meal). Plus, we all know that mixed greens like spinach, collards, kale, arugula, and so forth are absolutely packed with nutrients. If you're having a hard time eating enough vegetables, make salads your best friends. Simple advice that you've probably heard before. :)

But, if you need a little inspiration, you might try this salad! It's my current favorite.

Salad with Nuts n' Berries
mixed greens of your choice
a handful of strawberries, washed and sliced
a handful of grapes, washed
a handful of nuts or sunflower seeds
1/2 cup beans of your choice OR 1 bean burger patty, crumbled (recipe here)
homemade Tahini Goddess Dressing (recipe here) or other dressing (though I highly recommend this one!!)

try these other toppings (or get creative and add your own toppings):
tomatoes
avocado
craisins

Just one note, you can easily reduce the oil in the Tahini Goddess Dressing; however, if you do, you might want to add more water than called for.

That's it! Enjoy.

Roasted Red Pepper Pesto Pasta

I went through five versions of this recipe trying to perfect it, but believe me, it was worth the effort!

Roasted Red Pepper Pesto Pasta (say that three times fast!)
2 cups whole wheat penne noodles
2 TBSP grape seed oil (or other oil)
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup diced roasted red pepper (from a jar is fine)
3 TBSP flour
1 cup almond milk, unsweetened and unflavored
1/2 tsp onion powder
3 TBSP nutritional yeast
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (reduce if you don't like spicy food)
1 TBSP lemon juice
1/8 cup fresh basil, minced OR 1/4 cup store-bought pesto
salt and pepper

Cook noodles according to package directions.

Heat oil in small sauce pan over medium low heat. Add garlic and sauté for two minutes. Add roasted red pepper and sauté for additional two minutes. Mix in flour. Gradually add almond milk, stirring thoroughly, until all the milk is incorporated (if you add too much milk at a time, the sauce will be lumpy). Stir in the remaining ingredients and increase heat to medium. Bring the sauce to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for about three minutes. The sauce should thicken slightly. Remove from heat.

Drain the noodles, combine the noodles and the sauce, and serve!