Dragonfruit Dream Smoothie (vegan + gluten free)

Ever since I did the Medical Medium’s 3-6-9 Liver Rescue Detox a few months ago I have been obsessed with dragonfruit. I love it for its mild berry-like flavor, its potent antioxidant content, its liver-supportive properties and honestly, most of all, its gorgeous color! To beat the heat over the weekend I made up this fruity smoothie and we loved the combo so much that I had to share. It’s a refreshing mix of sweet + tart, it’s packed with vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients, and fiber and it’s anti-inflammatory to boot. Yes, please!

INGREDIENTS

1 packet frozen purple dragonfruit (you can also use fresh if available)

1/3 cup frozen mango

1/3 cup frozen strawberries 

1/2 cup frozen wild blueberries

2 large kale or collard green leaves or a big handful of baby kale

1/2 inch chunk ginger

Squeeze of fresh lime

1/2 cup water

DIRECTIONS

Break apart the dragonfruit in the packet before emptying contents into your blender cup. Add the remaining ingredients and puree on high until smooth. Add more water to help it blend, if needed. Pour into your favorite cup and enjoy! Serves 2-4.

Turkey & Veggie Scramble (paleo, aip-friendly, egg-free)

We all know that breakfast is our most important meal of the day.  I personally do best when I eat a protein-rich, nutrient-dense dish in the morning, but my dietary restrictions and major egg allergy can make that a challenging task.  I have been trying to branch out with the types of animal protein that I eat lately, and I recently discovered that ground turkey is tasty, despite my dislike of the roasted version at Thanksgiving.  Yesterday evening I came up with this yummy Turkey & Veggie Scramble while Ben and the boys were riding bikes and scooters at the park, and although it was last night's dinner, this colorful dish has become my new favorite breakfast option.

The mild turkey took on the earthy flavors of the turmeric and coriander beautifully, and the sauteed onion, celery and carrots provided both sweet and savory notes that are pleasing to even the pickiest of palates. The boys enjoyed their scrambles without any added condiments, but Ben and I garnished our bowls with zesty scallions, hot sauce, and a squeeze of lemon, and it was really delicious.  As an added bonus, it actually looks just like scrambled eggs, thanks to the deep golden hue of the turmeric.  I happily ate the leftovers for breakfast this morning, with all the toppings, alongside a mug of rich black tea.

I used carrots in this dish to appease my little ones, but any mix of vegetables would be great.  I think next time I might use a dark leafy green like kale or collards, and chopped broccoli or cauliflower florets in place of the carrots.  Like eggs, ground turkey provides the perfect backdrop for getting creative with whatever you might have in your kitchen.  If you are looking for some new breakfast inspiration, I hope you'll try this out!

INGREDIENTS:

3 tbsp ghee or virgin coconut oil

1/2 medium yellow or white onion, diced

3 stalks celery, diced

3 large carrots, peeled and diced

1 1/4 pounds ground turkey (I use ground turkey breast, but any type is fine)

3/4 tsp ground turmeric

3/4 tsp ground coriander (omit for AIP)

1 1/4 tsp granulated garlic (or 2 cloves of fresh garlic, minced)

1 1/4 tsp Hawaiian red salt or pink Himalayan salt (use more or less depending on your personal preference)

Zest of one lemon

Juice of one lemon

1-2 tbsp ghee or coconut oil (optional)

1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Chopped scallions (for garnish)

Lemon wedges

Sriracha*, or your favorite hot sauce for garnish (omit for AIP)

*I found a natural brand of Sriracha at my neighborhood grocery store that doesn't contain any nasty preservatives or MSG. It's always good to read labels to know exactly what you are putting in your body!  

DIRECTIONS:

1. Heat ghee or oil in a large skillet over medium low heat.

2. Add diced onion, celery, carrots, and a pinch of salt, and saute until the veggies are tender and just starting to brown.  If you are using fresh garlic, add it here.

3. Add ground turkey, break it up with a wooden spoon, and cook until the turkey is halfway cooked through, crumbling the meat as you go.

4. Sprinkle the turmeric, coriander, granulated garlic, and lemon zest over the meat and veggies, and continue to cook the mix until the turkey is no longer pink.

5. Stir in the salt and lemon juice, turn the heat down to low, cover the skillet and let it simmer for another 5 minutes.

6. Stir in the chopped cilantro, and do a taste test.  This is where you may want to add another tablespoon or two of ghee or coconut oil.  Ground turkey breast is almost completely fat free, so I needed to add a couple of tablespoons of ghee to the dish to make it flavorful and satisfying.  Don't be afraid of cooking with healthy fats!  They do a body good.

7. Spoon your Turkey & Veggie Scramble into bowls, and garnish with the fresh scallions, a drizzle of your favorite hot sauce, and a squeeze of lemon, if you wish.

Enjoy!

Bacon, Squash & Sweet Potato Hash (paleo)

I usually wake up ravenous, and this past Saturday morning was no exception.  I could have reached for gluten free toast slathered in almond butter, but I decided to scrounge through the fridge to see what kind of hearty paleo breakfast I could come up with.  I had a container of leftover oven roasted butternut squash and sweet potatoes that I had used the day before to make a delicious soup, so I grabbed that plus some bacon, red onion, celery, and fresh thyme I had purchased from my local farmers market.  When I start my day off with protein and vegetables, I find that it's much easier to stay on track for the rest of the day.  Right now staying on track for me means eating mostly paleo.  No grains, legumes, dairy, or refined sugar.  This savory hash is what I came up with.  Feel free to substitute whatever roasted veggies and fresh herbs you have on hand.  If you want to make this dish, but don't have any roasted vegetables in your fridge and don't want to hassle with roasting them, an easy shortcut is to simply steam the squash and sweet potatoes until fork tender, then toss them in a bit of extra virgin olive oil, salt, and pepper before adding them to the skillet.  And if you don't have any bacon at home, your favorite sausage either crumbled or roughly chopped will do the trick.  Omit the meat if you are vegetarian, or try this with veggie sausage.  You can't really mess up a hash, so enjoy getting creative with your ingredients.

PREP TIME: 15 minutes COOK TIME: 15 minutes SERVES: 1

INGREDIENTS:

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1/4 cup red onion, sliced

2 stalks celery, roughly chopped

3 strips nitrate free bacon, cooked and roughly chopped

1 1/2 cups roasted sweet potatoes and butternut squash

1 1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves

Salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

1/2 tablespoon chopped fresh Italian parsley

1 pastured egg, cooked to your preference (I like over medium)

DIRECTIONS:

Heat olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat.  Place red onion, celery, thyme, and a sprinkle of salt in the skillet and saute until the vegetables are tender.  Add bacon and roasted squash and sweet potatoes and gently saute until the roasted vegetables are heated through.  Stir in the parsley, season with salt and pepper to taste, then top with a fried egg and dig in.  I enjoyed my hash with a mug of hot chai.

I'd love to hear from you!  What is YOUR favorite weekend breakfast?