Beet and Walnut Salad

2 cups of cooked beets (sliced into circles)
1/4 cup soft French goat cheese (crumbled)
1/3 cup organic walnuts (lightly toasted at 300 degrees Fahrenheit for about 12 minutes)
Sprinkle of Maldon sea salt and fresh ground black pepper
Drizzle of balsamic cream (reduced balsamic vinegar)
Drizzle of organic extra virgin olive oil
Zest from an orange

Method:
Steam your baby beets until they are tender; about 40 minutes.
Cool them down and remove the skin under running water, (it makes it so much easier to remove the skin under running water)
Slice your beets into desired size circles and add them to a bowl.
Drizzle about 1 tablespoon of balsamic cream and 1 tablespoon of organic extra virgin olive oil on top of the beets
(you can add more if you like), add ½ teaspoon of orange zest, sea salt and ground pepper. Toss the beets in the dressing.
Place your beets in a pretty serving bowl.
Sprinkle beets with the toasted walnuts and soft goat cheese.
Garnish the salad with edible flowers for the LOVE.
Learn more about the health benefits of beets.

Bon Appétit! 

Raw Cashew Dip

2 cups raw unsalted cashews (soaked in water for 3-4 hours)
2 teaspoons Sriracha hot sauce
1 1/2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon ground fennel
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon sea salt
2 teaspoon ground coriander
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
½ tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon onion powder
3/4 cup filtered water

Method:
Soak the raw cashews in water for 3-4 hours.
Drain the cashews and add them to a food processor with the lemon juice and water, process until smooth and creamy.
Add the rest of your ingredients except for the fresh parsley.
Blend until everything is combined well.
Add the cashew dip to a large bowl and fold in the fresh parsley.
*Note: You can open up one probiotic capsule and add the powder to the raw cashews while they are soaking. This will add a tangy flavour to you cashew dip.

Cook Outside the Box
Instead of adding the herbs and spices above, you could make your own version. 
Try fresh chives and garlic, lemon zest and tarragon or chipotle and lime.
This dip is also a great base for vegan pasta. Just blend the cashews, water and lemon; then add nutritional yeast and garlic powder. Dilute the dip a little with some organic soy milk or organic rice milk to make the consistency of a creamy sauce. Add some cooked pasta and steamed veggies and you got yourself a delicious vegan, gluten free, dairy free dinner.

I love to eat this dip with my gluten free, dairy free lentil burgers. I also like it with crackers and fresh vegetables. The possibilities are endless with this dip, think outside the box; sandwich spread? Ummm, yes.

Bon Appétit!

Gluten Free Apple and Cinnamon Muffins

2 cups almond flour
1/4 cup unsweetened, shredded organic coconut
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon baking soda (aluminum free)
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon allspice OR 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 cup  organic coconut oil or olive oil
4 organic eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 tablespoons raw, local honey (ommit for low carb)
2/3 cup shredded apple with the peel

Method
Note- Remove the honey and you got yourself a low carb version. Not strict low carb, but low carb.
In a large bowl, add all of the dry ingredients and mix together. 
In another large bowl, add all of the wet ingredients including the shredded apple ; mix together with a fork until a little frothy.
Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and mix together well.
Divide the batter into 12 muffins and bake at 325 degrees Fahrenheit for 15-20 minutes. These gluten free muffins will last for 5-6 days in the refrigerator.
Refrigeration is recommended. 

Gluten Free Rice Noodle and Raw Vegetable Bowl

For the Peanut Sauce
1/4 cup natural organic peanut butter
1/4 cup warm water
2 tablespoons coconut milk (optional)
2 tablespoons local raw honey
1 large clove garlic
1 teaspoon fresh ginger
2 teaspoons serrano pepper
1 tablespoon cilantro
1 tablespoon organic tamari light

My organic vegetables of choice
Red cabbage (Finely sliced)
Red pepper (finely sliced)
Carrots (shredded)
Cucumber (thin slices)
Kale (finely sliced)
Fresh cilantro, mint and basil (roughly chopped)
1/2 package Rice noodles (cooked)

Method
Note- This is not strict low carb but can be modified.
Add all of your peanut sauce ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth.
Add to a mason jar.
*Note, I would double up on the sauce, it is delicious and you can use it for other dishes throughout the week!
Put your rice noodles into a bowl and cover with boiling water. Allow the noodles to sit for a couple of minutes. Once tender, cool under cold water.
Mix some of the peanut sauce with the noodles and divide into serving bowls. Add your favourite vegetables and herbs to the top, and then finish your beautiful creation with a little more peanut sauce.

Cook Outside The Box
You could mix everything together and wrap everything up in a rice wrap
You could also add some cooked quinoa, organic chicken, organic beef or Ocean Wise approved shrimp to your bowl for extra protein.
Use brown rice instead of rice noodles, it does contain more fibre and is more nutrient dense than rice noodles
You could use almond butter instead of peanut butter for the sauce
Double the peanut sauce recipe and use it for BBQ chicken sate , roasted fish and even a dipping sauce for baked sweet potato fries.

Bon Appétit!

Organic Yogurt Cheese

Homemade Organic Yogurt Cheese. AKA Boursin Cheese.
650 grams plain organic yogurt (full fat. Yes full fat!)
3 teaspoons fresh chives (chopped)
1/2 to 1 teaspoon freshly minced garlic
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
Fresh ground pepper
Cheesecloth

Method
Line a fine sieve with 2-3 large pieces of cheesecloth. They need to overlap the sieve.
Place the sieve over a deep bowl and pour your organic yogurt into the cheesecloth. Cover the cheese with the overlapped cheesecloth.
Allow the whey to drain into the bowl for 24-48 hours. Just put it in the back of your fridge and forget about it until the next day.
After 24-48 hours, remove the cheese from the fridge and lightly squeeze the cheesecloth into a tighter ball, to see if more water comes out.
If you do see more water come out of the cheesecloth, squeeze lightly until the cheesecloth has very little water coming out of it. Make sure not to squeeze to hard or else the cheese will start coming out of the cheesecloth.

Add the cheese to a storable glass container and add the fresh chives, garlic, salt, olive oil and pepper.Stir everything together and serve with fresh rustic bread or crackers.Clean your cheesecloth under warm water, allow to dry and keep it for next time! Yogurt cheese is filled with good fat, which our bodies need for proper hormone development and for healthy cells. It also contains protein to help build muscle and tissue, and probiotics, which we need for a healthy gut.

Cook outside the box
You could add a little cayenne pepper to this homemade yogurt cheese for a little heat.
Use this fresh yogurt cheese as a spread in your sandwiches
Make homemade bagel and lox, instead of using processed cream cheese.
It’s a great homemade gift to give to people you love!

Bon Appétit!

Chocolate and Banana Chia Pudding with Coconut

Whole Foods- Chia PuddingI don't really like to call this dessert chia "pudding". When I think of pudding, I think of a smooth velvety texture and this chia "pudding" is not smooth and velvety. But i'm not quite sure what else to call it, so Chia Pudding it is and it's delicious in its own way. Chia seeds are filled with antioxidants, iron and lots of fibre for healthy bowels. Chia can help give your body long lasting energy, help balance blood sugar levels and help cleans your bowels. WORD to Chia, thank you for existing!

1/4 cup chia seeds
1 1/4 cup homemade unsweetened almond milk or coconut milk
1 organic banana
1 tablespoon raw cocoa powder (Fair Trade)
2 tablespoons organic unsweetened, fine shredded coconut
1 tablespoon raw honey or maple syrup

Method
Note- Omit maple syrup for a low carb version, top with some berries instead.
This is the easiest dessert I have ever made. Ready? Put everything in a blender except for the chia, blend until fairly smooth. Add the mixture to a bowl and whisk in your chia seeds. Let it sit for 2-3 minutes and then stir. Add it to the fridge to thicken, should take 2-3 hours or make this and allow it to sit overnight. Divide the pudding into 4-5 little ramekin dishes, garnish with fresh mint and some shredded coconut

Cook Outside the Box
Don't stop at chocolate; add fresh berries, omit the chocolate and use mango puree and coconut milk instead of almond milk. The possibilities are endless. Let me know how you made this recipe your own! 

Bon Appétit!

Chipotle Mango Salsa

1 mango or 3/4 cup
3 tablespoons white vinegar
1 teaspoon chipotle (seeded)
1 tablespoon fresh cilantro
1/8 teaspoon sea salt
1 tablespoon lime

Method
Note- This is not considered strict low carb
Add everything to the blender except for the chopped cilantro.
Blend until smooth and stir in the chopped cilantro

Cook Outside the Box
Serve this fresh salsa with fish tacos with a raw red cabbage and kale salad
Shrimp quesadillas with black bean salad
Lather BBQ chicken with this sauce or even roasted pork tenderloin.

Vegan Chili

1 tablespoon organic, virgin coconut oil
3/4 cup onion (diced small)
2 cloves garlic (minced)
1 teaspoon fresh serrano pepper (optional if you like it spicy)
1/2 cup celery (diced medium)
3/4 cup carrot (diced medium)
1 cup red pepper (diced medium)
3 cups kidney beans (BPA free can, rinsed)
3 roma tomatoes (cut in half and chard under the broiler)
2 cups vegetable stock ( I really like Harvest Sun vegetable cubes)
1 1/2 tablespoons maple syrup
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar (this is the LOVE)
1 cup fresh kale (Sliced thin and added at the end)
1 cup broccoli (cut into cute little pieces and added at the end)
1/2 cup organic frozen corn kernels

Spice mix
1 teaspoon oregano
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1/8 teaspoon smoke paprika (optional)
1 teaspoon paprika

Method
Note- This is not strict low carb, omit the maple syrup and beans and it will reduce overall carbs.
Cut all of your vegetables up and portion everything out before you start cooking. Set the broccoli, corn and kale aside to add at the end. Measure all of your spices and set them aside in a little bowl. Cut your tomatoes in half, place them onto foil, season with salt ad pepper. Place them under the broiler in the oven and let most of the tomatoes skins turn black. Flip them over and do the same thing on the other side. After they have been chard, puree them in a blender and add the white wine vinegar, vegetable stock and maple syrup. Set aside. Heat your coconut oil in a large pot on medium heat add your onion, garlic, celery, carrots and red pepper season with sea salt and pepper, sauteé for about 5 minutes. Add the spice mixture and sauteé for another 1-2 minutes, add your kidney beans and blended tomato mixture to the pot stir until well combined, cover, turn the heat down to low and simmer the chilli for about 30 minutes. Once the chilli is cooked, turn the heat off and add the kale, broccoli and corn, cover the pot and let the kale and broccoli cook from the heat that is still in the pot for about 5-6 minutes. Taste, season if needed

This is the most important part, serve this vegan chilli with:
Baked potatoes, guacamole, salsa verde and pico de gallo.
If you do eat dairy I highly suggest topping your vegetable chilli with organic shredded cheese and organic sour cream

Cook Outside the Box

Reduce the chilli until most of the liquid is gone and add some cooked brown rice. Wrap that mixture up in a whole wheat tortilla, serve with a salad.
Use the leftover chilli as an appetizer. Make some crostini, spread Boursin cheese on the toasts and add some warm chilli to the top. Soooooo good! 
Cook some quinoa and serve the warm chilli on top
Top your morning omelet with some of this vegetable chilli 

Bon Appétit!

Raw Tahini Salad Dressing

I can not take credit for this recipe, although I wish I could because it's so versatile and delicious. This recipe came from Chad Sarno's cook book called Crazy Sexy Kitchen. I of course, tweaked it a little and I suppose I could say that the extra LOVE comes from the Sriracha hot sauce. Tahini is just finely ground up sesame seeds; Sesame seeds contain the highest source of absorbable calcium out of any food! So stop drinking cows milk to get your calcium, it is not a good absorbable source and it actually makes the body very acidic. Disease grows in acidic bodies. The tablespoon of organic olive oil isn't just for flavour, it actually allows your fat soluble vitamins to be absorbed! 

1/2 cup raw tahini
1 tablespoon organic olive oil
3/4cup water
2 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon toasted sesame seed oil
1 1/2 tablespoons organic gluten free tamari light
1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
1 teaspoon Sriracha hot sauce
Fresh ground pepper to taste

Method
Place everything into a blender and blender until smooth. Once you put it in the fridge it will get thicker, you could add a little water to thin it out or just let it sit out until it reaches room temperature. Don't worry it will still taste freakin delicious.

Cook Outside the Box
Steam vegetables like kale, broccoli, carrots and sweet potato. Serve the vegetables over warm quinoa and pour some tahini dressing over the top
Make roasted vegetables or homemade falafels and top it with tahini dressing
Make a big green lettuce salad with chickpeas, red peppers, tomatoes and onion and toss your salad with the tahini dressing. Voila!

Bon Appetit!

Gluten Free Mint and Chocolate Brownies

I originally got this recipe from a friend of mine Barb Thomas whom I think got the recipe from Whole Foods grocery store. I did a little tweaking and added some Christina love. The LOVE that I added to this recipe is the virgin, organic coconut oil which adds a great mild coconut flavour and the peppermint extract which we all know that mint and chocolate love each other just like chocolate and vanilla do. *This is not low carb but a great alternative dessert for people that are gluten free.

2 1/2 cups black beans (drained and rinsed) I use Eden Brand, here is why.
1/4 to 1/3 cup local raw honey (I use 1/4 cup)
2 organic, local eggs
1/3 cup extra virgin, organic coconut oil (melted)
1/4 cup raw cacao powder
1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 cup chocolate chips (Fair trade if possible)

Method
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Place everything (except for the chocolate chips) in a food processor and blend until smooth, pulsing and scraping down the sides of the bowl to ensure all the beans are completely puréed.
Remove the blade and pour the mixture into an 8x8 pan that has been greased ahead of time or that has parchment paper on the bottom of the pan. Sprinkle the chocolate chips over the top of the brownie batter.

*Note: You could also divide the mixture into mini muffin pans to make cute little black bean brownies. Cooking time will be a lot less time.
Bake for about 25- 30 minutes. When they are ready they should be firm to the touch. Cool them completely before cutting them into squares or with heart shaped cookie cutters. These brownies are actually best served from the fridge and eaten with a smile!

I must warn you, these taste so delicious that you may want to eat them all, but because of the black beans, they are really high in fibre and may make you toot toot ! Need I say more?

Homemade Tomato Soup

The warmth and cozy feeling you get when you eat this soup comes from the LOVE, which is the little pinch of cinnamon and drops of fresh lemon juice.
Making your own homemade soup is a great way to get those extra nutrients that you may have missed on those busy days and you reduce the amount of sodium and preservatives that you would consume if you ate a soup that came from a can or box. I always make a double batch of soup so that I can freeze some for another week. Add some fresh spinach or kale to this soup right before serving to give your body some extra calcium, fibre and antioxidants. 

796 ml Organic diced tomatoes (BPA free can)
1 tablespoon maple syrup
A little pinch of cinnamon
3/4 cup carrots (medium diced)
1/3 cup celery (medium diced)
3/4 cup white onion (medium diced)
2 garlic cloves (peeled and roughly crushed)
1/2 cup white sweet potato (skin on, medium diced)
3/4 teaspoon chili flakes (I like it spicy, you can reduce the amount of chili flakes)
2 tablespoons organic olive oil or virgin coconut oil
4 cups organic chicken stock
Juice of half a lemon (This is optional, add to soup after it has been pureed)
1-2 tablespoons of fresh soft goat cheese (This is optional, add to soup after it has been pureed) 

Method
Note- Omit the maple syrup and you've got yourself a low carb soup
Chop all of your vegetables into a medium dice
Heat your soup pot and add your coconut oil
Add all of your vegetables, season with sea salt and freshly ground pepper and sautee for about 5 minutes or until they become a little soft and fragrant
Add your chicken stock, cinnamon, chili flakes, maple syrup and diced tomatoes
Cover and simmer for 25 minutes
Blend the soup with a good blender (like a Vitamix) until smooth and creamy like.
Optional: squeeze the fresh lemon and stir in the soft goat.

Homemade Ranch Dip

I love fresh vegetables and dip as a mid morning or afternoon snack. This ranch dip a a clean whole food version of those processed packaged ranch dips that you can buy at the grocery store.The organic sour cream that I use as the base in this recipe provides your body with a great amount of good fat, protein, B-12 and calcium. The fresh parsley in this ranch dip contains antioxidants, vitamin K and folate. So you see, by making this simple homemade ranch dip you are  giving your body all of those amazing nutrients that I mentioned above. They will help keep your mind and body balanced and nourished!

250g or 1 cup organic sour cream ( I like to look for a local, organic sour cream)
2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1/4 cup fresh chives (practice your knife skills here!)
1/4 cup fresh Italian parsley
1/4 cup fresh dill (chopped)
3 teaspoons raw, local honey
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
Pinch of cayenne ( I like spice!)
Fresh ground pepper to taste

Method
Note- Omit the honey and you've got yourself a low carb dip!
Chop your fresh herbs
Combine everything in a bowl and mix well
Serve with a whole bunch of delicious freshly cut raw vegetables

Cook Outside the Box
Use the dressing as a dip for fresh vegetables
Make a grill chicken and fresh salad pita wrap with ranch dressing
Make a cold pasta salad with fresh vegetables and toss it with ranch dressing 

Bon Appétit!

Gluten Free Cheddar Cheese Crackers

2 cups Organic old cheddar cheese
1/4 cup organic butter (room temperature)
1/2 cup almond flour
1/2 cup GF all-purpose flour
6 dried figs
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2- 3/4 tsp cayenne pepper

Method
These are not low carb but my gluten free audience love them!
In a food processor, pulse the dried figs until little pieces appear
Add the butter and shredded cheese and pulse together
Add the rest of the ingredients and pulse until the dough turns into little balls and everything is well combined.
Turn the dough over on a cutting board and form a large ball.
Separate the ball into two and begin to roll one of the balls into a long cylinder, about 5" long and about 1 1/2” tall.
Wrap each cylinder in plastic wrap and allow the dough to chill for about 2 hours.
At this point you could freeze the dough for later use. Just remember to defrost and slice the crackers before baking.
After the dough has chilled, cut the cylinders into 1/4” slices (you should get about 40-45 in each cylinder) and place onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet

Yields: 80-90 yummy crackers
Bake these yummy, crispy crackers for 6-8 minutes, until you smell their deliciousness and that they look cozy and golden brown.
Bake 350 degrees Fahrenheit convection for 6-8 minutes (until golden brown and you smell the cheesy goodness!) * It will take a little longer in a regular oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit, maybe 10-12 minutes.

Cook Outside the Box
Serve these crackers with my Tomato Chilli Jam and sometimes some double smoked bacon. Oh yaaaaaaa!

Bon Appétit!

Tomato Chili Jam

This savory jam is delicious with my Gluten Free Cheddar Cheese Crackers.
Original Recipe By Ruth Pretty

6 Roma tomatoes (seeded)
5-8 fresh Thai red or green chilies (seeded)
4 garlic cloves
2-3 teaspoons ginger (peeled & roughly chopped)
1 tablespoon Thai fish sauce
1 cup raw honey
1/2 cup red wine vinegar 

Method
Note- This is not low carb but a great alternative to store bough savoury jams.
Place the seeded tomatoes, chilies, garlic, ginger and fish sauce in a blender or a food processor and blend to a fine puree.
Place the purèe, honey and vinegar in a non-reactive pot and bring to the boil, stirring often. The consistency at this point will be very runny.
Turn heat down to a medium and simmer for 30-45 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes to release the solids that settle on the bottom.
When it is ready the jam will look much thicker than when it started.
Pour into sterilized jars and seal. 
*Note If you do double or tipple the batch, cooking time will be longer. It's all about reducing the jam and evaporating most of the liquid. Practice makes perfect!

Cook Outside the Box
Double this recipe and freeze some jars or share with friends
Spread some tomato chilli jam onto wild salmon and bake it
Grill some chicken sate and use the tomato chili jam for a dip
Make old cheddar grill cheese sandwiches and spread some tomato chilli jam all over it

Bon Appétit!

Bragg and Red wine Vinegar Stir-Fry Sauce

It's always nice to have a couple of homemade sauces that can last in the fridge for a couple of weeks and can be used in more than one way. This is one of those sauce, gluten free, packed with sulphur and immune boosting nutrients. The ginger and garlic create a great anti-inflammatory effect on the body and help prevent cancer.

1/4 cup Bragg amino acids (natural gluten free soy sauce) or Tamari Light
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
6 slices of fresh ginger (sliced very thin)
4 slices of fresh garlic (sliced very thin)
1 tablespoon green onion (sliced thin)
1 teaspoon raw honey
1 medium sized dried chili arbol (crushed)

Method
Note- Omit the honey for a low carb sauce
Slice and measure all of your ingredients for the sauce and add them to a small container and set aside to allow the flavours to infuse for an hour or so.
*Note If you cannot find dried chili arbol you can use about 1 tablespoon of fresh hot red chilies.

Cook Outside the Box
Serve this sauce over steamed vegetables, roasted fish or brown rice
Use the sauce as a marinade for chicken breasts, chicken thighs or chicken wings
Thicken the sauce wit a little organic corn starch and use it as a glaze over steamed bok choy
Use the sauce like a salsa for Asian quesadillas

Bon Appetit! 

Red Lentil and Lemon Soup

Aaron and I just got back from Mexico and I really wanted to pack our fridge this week with lots of yummy whole foods. I was trying to think of some dishes that were quick, vegetarian and delicious. So I had a dream and this soup is what I dreamt of. Lentils are a great vegetarian source of protein and high in fibre. 

1 cup dry red lentils (rinsed under cold water)
2 teaspoons or 1 large clove garlic (minced)
1/2 teaspoon fresh ginger (minced)
1/2 cup onion (small dice)
5 cups vegetable stock
1/2 cup carrots (small dice)
3 teaspoon Indian red curry powder
1/2 cup can diced tomatoes (BPA free)
1  tablespoon organic virgin coconut oil
2-3 tablespoon fresh cilantro (chopped)
1/2 juice of a lemon

Method
Note- This is not considered strict low carb due to the lentils.
In a soup pot, heat the coconut oil and add your diced onion and carrot, cook on medium heat for about 2 minutes.
Add your red curry powder ginger and garlic and cook for another 2 minutes.
Add your red lentils, diced tomatoes and vegetable stock.
Season with salt and pepper.
Cover the soup and allow it to simmer for about 20 minutes.
Remove the lid, turn off the heat and add your fresh lemon juice and cilantro.
Put the lid back on the soup without heat and just let it get cozy and tasty for another 5 minutes before eating.

Bon Appétit!

Authentic Guacamole

Avocados are thought to be"fattening" but what you are not told is that avocados contain necessary good fat to keep our bodies healthy. We need  good fat for many daily functions such as; to help in hormone development and in proper absorption of our fat soluble vitamins.

Avocados have many wonderful health benefits
Avocados have great anti-inflammatory benefits, especially for those with arthritis.
Avocados are high in fibre which promote proper bowel health.
Avocados contain a great amount of  omega 3 fatty acids which we need for proper brain function, healthy skin, hair and many more health benefits.

2 avocados
2 tablespoon cilantro (chopped)
1 tablespoon red onion (chopped fine)
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon Serrano pepper (chopped fine)
1/8 teaspoon sea salt

Method
Cut the avocados in half and remove the deliciousness from the peel. Save one of the pits to add to your prepared guacamole; this will help the guacamole stay green.
Mix all of the ingredients together with a fork in a large bowl until desired consistency.
Ready to eat or freeze or refrigerate.

Black Bean and Corn Salad

This black bean and corn salad is easy to assemble and fresh tasting. Black beans are loaded with a great amount of protein, fibre and iron.
Did you know that cilantro helps detoxify heavy metals from your body? Yup, it does, so eat up! 

1.5 cups cooked black beans
1 cup corn (please purchase non-gmo corn) Thank you!
1 teaspoon fresh serrano (chopped very fine)
1/4 cup red onion (diced very small)
1/2 cup red pepper (diced very small)
1/4 cup cilantro (chopped fine)
1/4 cup fresh lime juice

Method
Note- This would not be considered low carb or paleo.
Chop all of your ingredients according to the specified size above and add everything to a large bowl.
Toss the fresh lime juice into the bowl and season with salt and pepper.

Cook Outside the Box
Use this salad like a salsa and add some fresh chopped mango to it and freshly made corn tortilla chips
Stuff your next quesadilla with this salad and serve a kale salad on the side
Add some cooked quinoa to this black bean and corn salad and you have a fully balanced vegan meal

 Voila, Bon Appétit!

Fresh Tomato Salsa "Pico De Gallo"

This authentic and traditional Mexican Pico De Gallo salsa is a must in our house. It is one of the simplest ways to introduce whole foods to your every day diet and it's a great way to practice your knife skills. I like to use fresh roma tomatoes for this recipe and eat the Pico De Gallo with organic corn tortilla chips.

1 3/4 cup fresh Roma tomatoes
2 tablespoons fresh serrano peppers
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1/3 cup red onion
1/4 cup fresh cilantro
1/8 teaspoon sea salt

Method
Dice your tomatoes into small pieces.
Cut your onion and serrano pepper very fine.
Chop your cilantro and squeeze your fresh lime juice.
Add all of your ingredients to a bowl and season with sea salt.
This salsa will last in the fridge for 3-4 days.

Sun Dried Tomato Pesto

This pesto is so incredibly flavourful, it lasts a long time in the fridge and it is so versatile. I use it as my base for pizzas, toss grilled veggies in it, add it to scrambled eggs and quiche and use it in a grilled panini sandwich. It can be hard to find quality jarred sun dried tomatoes that use olive oil instead of sunflower or safflower oil, but if you cannot find them with olive oil, my suggestion would be to squeeze as much oil out as possible and then use a little more olive oil in the recipe if needed for a good consistency.

3 cups sun dried tomatoes
1/4 cup fresh parsley
2 garlic cloves
1 1/2 tablespoon raw honey
1 1/2 teaspoon chili flakes
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil (you may need more)
salt to taste
Note- Omit the honey for a low carb tapenade.

If you are using sun dried tomatoes in oil, be sure to drain the oil from the  sun dried tomatoes.

Next, add all of your ingredients to the food processor, except for the oil, use the pulse button on the food processor and pulse until everything is well combined and broken down.

Next, turn your food processor back on for 10-15 seconds and add the olive oil, you may need more. Season with salt and fresh ground pepper.