Versatile Cabbage Slaw

I LOVE making a cabbage-based slaw as a side all year round because you can always find in-season ingredients and it can basically go along with any recipe. Cabbage is loaded with nutrients including vitamin C and folate, fiber and is supportive of liver and gut health. I make a big batch of this at least once a week to eat as a side or garnish. Here is my go-to recipe. I swap out ingredients depending on what I have on hand. ⁠

Prep time: 20ish minutes

Yield: 8-10 servings

Ingredients:

• Red, green, napa or savoy cabbage, chopped - 6-8 cups⁠

• Bunch of cilantro, chopped fine - more if you like cilantro⁠!

• 1/2 - 1 red onion, sliced thinly (depends on how much onion you like!)

• Bunch of red radishes or large daikon, thinly sliced into half-moons⁠

• Sesame seeds or pumpkin seeds- as many as you'd like for color, interest, and flavor⁠

• Apple cider vinegar, a splash

• Juice of 2 limes or lemons⁠

• Extra-virgin olive oil or Avocado oil, a few glugs, or about 1/4 cup⁠

• Sea salt and pepper to taste⁠

Directions:

Combine all veggies in a large bowl, add spices and liquids, combine, taste, and refine as needed.⁠⁠

Other potential additions or swaps:

• Sliced or shredded carrots

• Chopped celery

• Thinly sliced cucumbers

• Chopped nuts

• Seeds⁠

• Chopped dried fruits⁠

• Chopped apple

• Chopped pear

• Chopped or grated garlic⁠

• Thinly sliced green onion⁠

• Different spices⁠

• Different kinds of vinegar

Any other ideas? Let me know!

Chocolate Truffles

These are SO easy to make and very rich and yummy. They are refined sugar free, only sweetened with dates.

Makes 12-16
Ingredients:

• 1/2 Cup organic cacao

• 3 Tablespoons coconut oil

• 2 Tablespoons nut butter of choice (no sugar added)

• 1 Teaspoon vanilla extract

• 2-3 Medjool dates (2 large or 3 small-medium), roughly chopped

• 2 Pinches of Maldon or pink/sea salt

• 6 Tablespoons chia seeds (optional)

Directions:

1. Place cacao, coconut oil, nut butter, vanilla extract, dates, and salt into base of a food processor.

2. Process until smooth

3. Pour chia seeds onto a plate or a shallow dish if using

4. With hands form mixture into 12-16 balls (1/2-3/4 inches in diameter) and roll some or all into the chia seeds until covered (this part is optional). I use a teaspoon to scoop out a portion of the mixture to form into the ball.

5. Chill in the refrigerator until ready to eat/serve

Instant Pot Beets

Instant pot beets are sooooo easy! If you love beets, but are turned off by cooking beets because it seems like a challenging task and you have an Instant Pot, be prepared to get cooking. I generally stick with the purple or chioggia beets because golden beets have a tendency to oxidize in the refrigerator once cooked, turning them a no so pretty black color over time. This is a weekly ingredient prep staple in my house. Beets are super nutrient dense, liver supportive and help our bodies to digest the fats we eat. If you like them (I know they are not for everyone), this is a great way to eat them regularly. Their greens are also really yummy braised or sautéed.

Ingredients:

1 large or 2-3 medium-sized purple beets, raw, whole and rinsed

Directions:

Place whole raw beet directly into steamer basket (skin on) add one cup of water. Use the manual button for to cook for 15-20 min. I do 20 min for larger beets (maybe 25 if its a HUGE beet). Once cooled, they peel slides right off and you can chop. Eat immediately or store for a week in the fridge to add to salads or to eat on their own.

Simple Homemade Tomato Soup

Serves 10-12 people

Prep/cook time: 10 minutes / 30 minutes

Ingredients:

• 3 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

• 2 Tbsp grass-fed butter

• 2 Cups organic yellow onion, diced

• 5 Organic garlic cloves, minced

• 3 Tbsp organic tomato paste

• 3 Cans organic whole tomatoes with juice (I like San Mariano)

• 1 Tbsp dried organic oregano

• Fresh basil leaves, chopped

• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Heat olive oil and butter in a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onions, salt onions, cover and cook for 10 minutes. Add garlic, oregano, and tomato paste, saute for 2 additional minutes. Add canned tomatoes and the juice, breaking up the tomatoes with a wooden spoon. Bring to a low boil then reduce to a simmer for 20 minutes. Using an immersion blender, blend the soup soup directly in the pot (or blend in batches using a standard blender). Season with salt and pepper and serve with a garnish of chopped basil. It goes wonderfully with some crusty bread, croutons or grilled cheese sandwiches. It also freezes very nicely.