My best ever green juice recipe

There is no better way to quench your thirst than the coconut water, pineapple and ginger combination. Throw in spinach and spirulina, you have a super green drink! 

I am addicted....

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cup coconut water
• 2 handfuls spinach
• 1/2 Persian cucumber or a 2-inch piece regular cucumber
• 1/2 cup frozen pineapple
• 1/2 inch piece ginger
• fresh mint
• 1 teaspoon coconut oil
• 1/2 teaspoon spirulina
• Squeeze of lime
• Maple syrup to sweeten (optional)
• 2 or 3 ice cubes (optional)

Blend all ingredients and serve.

Celebrate Spring with 2 green soups

Spring has finally arrived! Seeing the tiny green buds once again bursting out of the many trees in my neighborhood, I am reminded that the greens-eating season has officially begun.

What comes to your mind when I mention eating greens? Green salads? Green juices? Or maybe green smoothies?

Let me share one green secret with you - green soups.  I survived the cold winter months by making variations of green soups to supplement my greens intake when eating a green salad just seemed too cold and unappealing. Green soups are like the savory versions of green smoothies - you can pack almost any green veggies in them. All you need is a blender or food processor to puree the ingredients into a smooth paste. Believe it or not, you don't even have to add dairy or potatoes to achieve the desired creamy texture.

It is such an awesome way to add greens to my diet that I will for sure keep drinking them as cold gazpacho soups way into the hot summer months!

Broccoli Fennel Soup (based on Susan Blum's recipe)

• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil or coconut oil
• 1 small onion, diced
• 1 tsp minced ginger
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 celery stalk, chopped
• 1 leek stem, chopped (top 4 or 5 inches of greens removed)
• 3 cups chopped broccoli, florets and stems
• ½ head fennel, chopped
• 1 tsp salt (more to taste)
• freshly ground pepper
• 3 cups water

1. Heat the oil in a medium saucepan on medium heat.
2. Add the onion and ginger and cook until the onion is translucent.
3. Add the garlic, celery, leek, broccoli, fennel, salt and pepper. Cook for 2 minutes.
4. Add water. Bring to a boil, then cover, reduce the heat, and simmer for 10-15 minutes.
5. Remove from heat and set aside to cool for 10 minutes. Place the soup in a blender and blend until smooth and creamy.  Add salt and black pepper to taste.

Zucchini Pea Soup with Dill (based on Amy Chaplin's recipe)

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 6 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 leek stem, chopped (top 4 or 5 inches of greens removed)
• 5 medium zucchinis, diced (1 1/2lbs.)
• 1 1/2 cups frozen peas
• 3 1/2 cups water
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh or dried dill
• freshly ground pepper

1. Heat the oil in a medium saucepan on medium heat.
2. Add the onion and cook until translucent.
3. Stir in garlic, salt and cook another minute. Add leek and continue to cook for 2 more minutes.
4. Add zucchini, peas and water. Bring to a boil, then cover, reduce the heat, and simmer for 10-15 minutes.
5. Remove from heat. Stir in dill and set aside to cool for 10 minutes. Place the soup in a blender and blend until smooth and creamy. Add salt and black pepper to taste.

My new kitchen toy

Sometimes a fun kitchen utensil changes the way you cook. I've always preferred to eat my vegetables raw, baked or lightly sauteed. But ever since I bought this bamboo steamer, I've been steaming everything from kale to broccoli, carrots to green beans.

Here is how you do it - fill up a saucepan with about two inches of water. When it is boiling, put the bamboo steamer on top of it.  Cover the lid of the steamer. Turn down the heat to low/medium.

Create a double decker for steaming 2 or 3 kinds of vegetables at the same time. I usually put hardier root vegetables at the bottom tier and leaves at the top. It takes 3-5 minutes.

When the veggies are done, add your favorite salt, oils, seeds or dressings. Olive oil, sesame oil, walnut oil, sesame seeds, hemp seeds are a few of my go to choices.

How to assemble a healthy lunch in 5 minutes

Step 1: Pre-packaged greens - kale, spinach, arugula, spring mix.....

Step 2: Pre-cut veggies - carrots, cabbage, cucumbers, cauliflower, broccoli, tomatoes....

Step 3: Protein options - smoked fish, sardines, tofu, eggs, tempeh......

Step 4: Nuts and seeds - almonds, pumpkin seeds, pine nuts, chia seeds, hemp seeds, walnuts, pistachios....

Step 5: Olives, pickles, sauerkraut....

Step 6: Whole grains with a twist  ( like quinoa and my favorite Za'atar and sumac oil)

Step 7: Upgrade your oils and dressings.

Massage your kale and it will love you back

Step 1: Take the stems off the kale leaves. Wash and dry your kale really well. Add a pinch of salt, a drizzle of olive oil and a squeeze of lemon.

Now roll up your sleeves and get ready for work. Massage the leaves like you are giving a back rub to someone you love. Secret ingredient here - LOVE!

Massaged kale can keep in the fridge for a few days. When you are ready to eat it, add your favorite toppings.

Mine are cooked quinoa, grapes, toasted pinenuts, red onions and dried cranberries.

With a touch of my favorite O&Co. cherry balsamic vinegar, I can eat this everyday.

Hands down, best green smoothie ever

Don't be intimidated by the multitude of ingredients I use in this healthy morning smoothie. If you pre-wash the greens in bulk, have all the seeds lined up in mason jars at the right place, you can create a liquid breakfast that contains a microcosm of nutrients in less than 5 minutes.

• 4 green veggies -  kale (3 stalks), spinach (a handful), cucumber (1/3), celery (1 stalk).
• Avocado (1/3) and banana (1/2) - two essential ingredients that iron out the fibrous texture of the greens and make the smoothie "smooth".
• 4 super add-ons - chia seeds, ground flax seeds, raw pumpkin seeds, maca powder.
• Unsweetened coconut water (or water).
• Small spoonful of honey for sweetness.

If you start your day with a bright note, everything else falls into place. (Well...more or less!)