It seems like nowadays you can’t turn on your television without seeing a commercial with some celebrity hocking some company’s latest and greatest yogurt. One week it’s all about switching to a yogurt with an emphasis on your “digestion health” and the next all about the all-natural “Greek”. However you endorse it, celebrity backed or not, yogurt is definitely something we all should add into our every day routine. Not only is it high in nutrients and low on fat, but it is also something that is great to have in your fridge on its own or to use as the secret ingredient to your new favorite recipe!

The health benefits of yogurt are quite extensive. Yogurt has active cultures in it that will allow good bacteria to access your body and fight many different possible ailments that could affect your gastrointestinal health: colon cancer, diarrhea, constipation, lactose intolerance, etc. Yogurt is also full of calcium and gives you a good source of dairy that has been shown to lower high blood pressure in some situations.

With summer quickly approaching, there will be countless opportunities to entertain and show off yogurt’s versatility. Yogurt is the best item to always have in your fridge for your go to summer ingredient. Tzatziki is a deliciously light yogurt based Greek appetizer. It is incredibly versatile and can be used for a dip, a sauce or even eaten on its own. It is great with a vegetable crudité; pita chips, along side hummus or even served on top of grilled meat.

 

Tzatziki

 

Ingredients

 

2 Cups Yogurt (Greek or Labna)

2 Lemons –Juiced and Zested

2 Tablespoons Fresh Dill -chopped

2 Tablespoons Italian Parsley –chopped

3 Cloves Garlic –minced

1 Medium Cucumber – seeds removed, skin on

2 Tablespoons White Balsamic Vinegar

1 Tablespoon Kosher Salt

½ Tablespoon Freshly Ground Black Pepper

 

Method

 

Split cucumber in half, remove seeds with spoon, and leave skin on. Then using a cheese grater, carefully grate cucumber. (You can do this right over the bowl.)

Chop dill, parsley and garlic. Add to yogurt along with lemon juice/zest and vinegar.

Season with salt and pepper

Chill. (Allow to chill for as long as possible to allow flavors to marry)

Mother’s Day is right around the corner, and spring is the perfect season to show your mother, or anyone you think of as a mom, how much you care! Making a delectable dessert with seasonally inspired healthy ingredients will surely make you mom’s favorite, and the best part is it’s so simple.

I know what you are thinking, desserts are not the first things that come to mind when you are trying to live a healthy life, but by utilizing certain ingredients, you can still have an awesome dessert without the guilt.

When trying to make a healthy dessert, your best options are always seasonal fruit. Strawberries are in season and are delicious options to use for a healthy dessert. When making a crust for a tart or a pie, olive oil can be used. Olive oil will allow you to use less butter and also give your crust with an awesome texture and an incredible taste. Also, using nuts in your crust will give your tart unbelievable flavor and still get the great nutritional benefits of the nut too. Last but not least, whipped cream can be made with equal parts cream and Greek yogurt to cut down on the calories.

 

Almond & Olive Oil Tart with Greek Yogurt Crème and Strawberries for Mom

 

Almond & Olive Oil Crust

9-Inch Tart Pan with removable bottom

2 Tablespoons Almonds, toasted

¾ + 2 Tablespoons All Purpose Flour

¼ Confectioners Sugar

½ Stick of Butter, cold and cubed

Pinch of Kosher Salt

1 Egg Yolk

3 ½ Tablespoons Olive Oil

 

Filling

2 Cups Greek Yogurt (I used Low Fat Vanilla)

¼ Cups Cream

1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract

1 Lemon- zest

 

Mint- for decoration

 

Crust

Add toasted almonds to food processor along with sugar, flour and salt. Blend until very fine mixture results. Add yolk, cubed cold butter and oil until a soft ball forms in processor.

Take dough out and make into a disk. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rest in fridge for 30 minutes. Roll out onto greases tart

*Note on dough- Because of the olive oil in this recipe, the dough was a little brittle when rolling out, so don’t be afraid to patch your tart shell up with the bits of scrap dough. (That what I did, and it turned out great!)

Blind bake crust in oven for about 12 minutes at 350. Edges should be golden brown and center of tart firm. (You may have to remove the parchment/beans from crust at the end of blind baking to ensure the center is properly cooked.)

Filling

After crust has cooled, make Greek Yogurt Crème by adding two cups of Greek Yogurt to ½ cup of cream. Whip these ingredients together and add vanilla extract and zest of your lemon. Fill center of tart with the crème.

Decorate your tart with the strawberries. I used whole strawberries, with the tops removed, to make a large cross in the middle and then used sliced strawberries to scallop the rest of the tart. I garnished with mint, but you could use basil if you prefer.

Carefully remove tart from tart pan and chill at least an hour before serving so crème can set up.

It’s Spring and being healthy is on everyone’s mind. One easy way to kick start your diet towards better colon health along with being a great and delicious option to get back to your ideal bathing suit physique is a smoothie. Not only are smoothies very easy to make, but they are extremely versatile to suit your tastes. Smoothies, especially green, will provide you with tons of fiber, protein and a jump-start on your daily intake of fruits and vegetables. Unlike juicing, smoothies are using the entire fruit or vegetable by breaking down the entire ingredient into your beverage. This also helps aid digestion, and the ability to absorb all the possible nutrients your smoothie has to offer.

 

Suggestions for your Personalized Smoothie

• Greens- Spinach, Kale, Mixed Greens, Arugula, Watercress, avoid Iceberg
• Fruits- Berries, Apples, Oranges, Mango, Pineapple, Bananas, you can use fresh or frozen
• Liquid- Milk, Coconut Milk, Almond Milk, Soy Milk, low sugar Fruit Juice, Water/Ice
• Proteins- Almonds, Peanuts, Cashews, Seeds, Peanut Butter, Almond Butter, Powders

 

Here is the recipe for the green smoothie I just enjoyed.

 

Colon Healthy Green Smoothie

 

Ingredients

 

1 whole Banana (I had mine frozen for a cold smoothie)

2 cups Spinach

1 Granny Smith Apple (Sliced, unpeeled)

3 Tablespoons Almonds (Sliced or Whole)

Juice of half a Lemon

4 Strawberries

1 cup Nonfat Milk (You can use Soy, Almond, Coconut, etc)

 

Method

 

1. Add all ingredients to blender.
2. Pour milk over contents and close lid
3. Start blender on a slow speed and gradually increase speed
4. Once everything is blended, allow mixture to blend continuously for about a minute to ensure smooth texture
5. Pour, and enjoy!

 

*This recipe made enough for three smoothies, and you can hold in your fridge for three days.

**All of these ingredients are entirely interchangeable to your tastes and dietary needs.

Spring has officially arrived! After what feels like being cooped up inside forever, people are busy cleaning up their yards and readying for the warmer months. Spring-cleaning isn’t something that we should just keep to our houses/yards but also our kitchens and recipes. With this new season, let’s make fresh, simple, healthy and delicious food that is a breeze to prepare so we can enjoy the beautiful weather.

 

Spring Orzo Salad with Pan Seared Salmon

 

Ingredients

1 cup Orzo

2 Tablespoons Olive Oil

1 Lemon- juice and zest

1 bunch Asparagus- trimmed

1 can Artichoke Quartered Hearts- drained

Cherry Tomatoes – halved

1 Tablespoon Kosher Salt

½ Tablespoon Black Pepper

2 cloves Garlic – minced

Salmon Filets

Italian Parsley

 

Method

Place a large pot of water on stove to boil and season water with a pinch of salt and a little olive oil. Once water boils, add orzo. For cooking time, check the package instructions or watch until pasta is “al dente.”

 

While orzo is cooking, trim asparagus and cut each stalk into three segments. You may also use this time to cut tomatoes and drain artichoke hearts.

When orzo has 2 minutes left, add asparagus to the same boiling water. Once orzo and asparagus is ready, remove from pot and strain into a colander.

 

Heat a large sauté pan that has been coated with olive oil. Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees. Once oil is hot, the oil should have a sheen to it and a slight amount of smoke rising, add the salmon filets, seasoned with salt and pepper and place the fish skin side down to the pan. Continue on stove for four minutes and then add to oven to finish cooking.

 

While  the salmon is finishing, add a small amount of olive oil and minced garlic to a pan. Let soften slightly and add drained orzo, asparagus, artichoke hearts and tomatoes to pan. Add juice/zest of lemon and chopped leaves of parsley. Toss orzo to coat with all ingredients. Season with salt and pepper.

 

Remove the salmon from oven. Salmon should be slightly firm and light pink in center. If you prefer your salmon cooked longer, leave in oven for about 2-3 more minutes until desired doneness is achieved.

 

Plate orzo in center of plate and top with filet of salmon skin side up to show the beautiful, crisp skin.

 

Enjoy!

 

*Note- this same recipe may be used for those warmer months ahead with the orzo served cold.

These lentils get their name from closely resembling the size and color of the prized beluga caviar. They have a delicate flavor, firm texture and can make for a dramatic looking presentation on the plate. High in fiber and protein rich, beluga lentils pack a nutritious punch to any soup, salad, or in this case a stand alone vegetarian meal.

What You Will Need:

1 clove of garlic minced

fresh thyme

1 small bay leaf

1/4 teaspoon coriander

1/4 teaspoon cumin

1/4 teaspoon ginger

2 cups beluga lentils

1 sweet potato

2 cups cauliflower florets

golden raisins

salt and pepper

olive oil

favorite Greek yogurt

1 lemon

To Prepare:

In a saucepan, add salt, garlic, thyme, bay, coriander, cumin, ginger and lentils. Add water to cover by three inches. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer, and cook until tender. Check seasoning. Drain, and spread out lentils on a sheet pan.  

Peel and cut sweet potato in 1/4 inch dice. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a bowl, toss sweet potatoes and cauliflower with a little olive oil, salt and pepper. On a sheet pan, roast for 18 to 25 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until vegetables are golden brown and tender.  

To Assemble:

In a sauté pan on medium heat, toss lentils, roasted cauliflower, sweet potatoes, raisins and heat through. Spoon onto individual plates and garnish with Greek yogurt and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.

Enjoy!