Nutritious Green Juice

This green juice recipe is super versatile and is a mindful way to use up produce that is about to spoil so it's not wasted.

You can even make a double batch so you have a juice for the next day without having to clean the juicer again (that's always the only drawback).

When making green juice I usually always like to include the celery but everything else can be switched up.

Pick a leafy green such as kale, spinach or romaine lettuce, then toss in a cucumber or broccoli stalks, add a tart flavor from lime or lemon (to help mask the intensity of the leafy green), give it a flavor boost with ginger or mint, and sweeten it with a sweet juicy apple or green grapes.

It's fun to try all the different varieties and helpful having the option of using up what you have on hand already.

Possible Variations

You can even add your own additions - things like green chard, collard greens, wheatgrass, parsley, grapefruit, or nutrition boosters such as green tea, spurlina, barely grass powder, or chlorella powder.

And try sweetening with other fruits such as pineapple, pear or a navel orange.

This is just a base recipe to get you started but the possibilities are endless!

The Best Harvest Bowls

This recipe is a copycat recipe with inspiration from Sweetgreen's harvest bowl but with what I consider a few even more delicious additions.

In place of balsamic dressing I found honey lemon dressing tasted better and was more fitting, feta was overall more preferred among tasters versus goat cheese, and Brussels sprouts add one more veggie and will help get more servings out of it. Pan seared chicken was also used in place of roasted for a quicker option.

Simply put we are obsessed with these meal in one bowls, they are one of the tastiest healthy fall recipes and we just can't get enough of them! Once you try them you may just start making them weekly like we are lately, and you can switch them up with different toppings (see ideas below).

They are loaded to the max with flavor and wholesome goodness. They make an excellent dinner and leftovers are perfect for meal prep for lunch the following day.

Kale pesto is a nice alternative to change things up from making the traditional herby basil pesto. I love to have both in the rotation.

It's the perfect pasta upgrade, and you can make it year round since there's usually an abundance of high quality fresh kale at the grocery store available throughout the entire year. Plus it's a less expensive option to basil pesto.

If you haven't had it before I think you'll truly be amazed at how delicious it is. This kale pesto recipe is proof that fresh kale can create some incredible dishes.

The key is to just use a balanced blend of ingredients to highlight the kale and tone down some of its boldness (such as lemon and parsley).

This is just simple ingredients, maximum flavor, and it's something you can feel good about eating!

Ways to Use Kale Pesto

• Toss with cooked pasta or gnocchi.
• Spread over ravioli or tortellini.
• Use it as a pizza sauce.
• Layer over cooked chicken or mild fish, or toss with shrimp.
• Spread over crostini (toasted bread).
• Toss over steamed or roasted vegetables.
• Serve as a dip for pita chips or vegetables.

Serving Suggestion as Pictured

Here I tossed kale pesto with 1 lb. Campanelle pasta (cooked in salted boiling water and drained), add splashes of pasta cooking water to thin, and finished with fresh mozzarella pearls, and plenty of toasted chopped walnuts.

It's also delicious served cold (like a pasta salad), just thin with more olive oil as needed.

Healthy Lemon Kale Salad

To say kale salad took us by surprise is an understatement. You may think kale salad, how boring, but with the right dressing and a few complementary mix-ins you can make bold earthy flavored kale turn into something truly delicious!

We've been eating this apple kale salad almost every week since I shared it (my kids even request it for school lunch believe it or not). So I thought it would be nice to throw another one into the rotation. One with the tantalizing flavor trio of parmesan, lemon and garlic.

I think you'll love this one paired with a pasta main dish or just add some chicken and turn it into the main course. Just hold the crouton crumbles until you're almost ready to serve it so they don't get soggy.

Thanks to the Michigan Cherry Committee for sponsoring this post!

Cold and Refreshing Farro Salad

This is my idea of the best farro salad! Made with an abundance of fresh ingredients, a nice blend of textures and a delicious balance of flavors. It's sure to be the highlight of any meal!

It's savory, sweet, tangy, tart, vibrant, perfectly simple and yet it's a salad you'll remember.

The star of the salad is not only the farro but also the Montmorency dried cherries. You'll love their concentrated, unique, and exciting flavor and chewy texture.

They make for a great snack, a delicious salad topping, and are so tasty mixed into oatmeal or baked goods.

Farro Salad Video

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A few benefits and details about Montmorency Tart Cherries:

• Did you know Michigan Montmorency tart cherries are a natural food source of melatonin? Studies have shown that consumption of tart cherry juice can prevent insomnia and improve the quality and duration of sleep.
• They are a heart healthy fruit. Studies indicate that they may help lower levels of cholesterol and triglycerides and reduce inflammation.
• They may help naturally reduce inflammation related to arthritis and gout.
• You can find them available year round in dried, frozen, canned or juice form.
• By choosing these you are supporting locally American-grown fruit (75% of these cherries are grown in Michigan, the other 25% elsewhere in the U.S.).
• When purchasing your Montmorency cherries, look for “U.S. Grown” or “Product of the U.S.A” to make sure you are getting real U.S. Montmorency tart cherries”
• Imported tart cherries are boxed in shipping containers and may travel more than 5,000 miles before reaching your grocery store. Michigan Montmorency cherries go from a U.S. farm to your local grocery store (See photo referral below for a comparable, the cherries above are Michigan Montmorency while the cherries below are imported).
• They are also available in a sweetened variety which is what I opted to use here since we've already used a tart dressing.

You'll love these deeply colored, juicy jewels as the perfect finishing touch to this full flavored salad!

Shredded Kale Apple Salad

This is my favorite easy kale salad! It's brimming with freshness and has a vibrant, sweet and tangy vinaigrette dressing that perfectly highlights it.

And can we appreciate the fact that it doesn't wilt within minutes of adding the dressing like other salads may start to? Which makes it a great option for a dinner party or cookout.

It compliments so many meals and uses ingredients that you can easily get year round.

For a quick and simple dinner or lunch you can serve it as a side paired with a basic protein such as grilled chicken or salmon.

It's a healthy salad recipe you'll want to make on repeat. A delicious kale crunch salad with the best blend of flavors!

Looking for more healthy soup recipes? Try my classic Vegetable Soup, Cabbage Soup and Lentil Soup.

So this is me, I eat pretty healthy most of the time so I can make room for dessert all the time. I'm kidding (sort of). But really, I think balance is important, which doesn't really mean dessert every day but sometimes I think it's necessary.

I've said it before, all the healthy food is definitely good for your physical health but I say the sweet stuff is good for my emotional health because how could I survive without sugar (especially chocolate)? Addicted? Maybe. Content with that, definitely.

This soup has got to be one of the healthiest I've ever made though. It is packed with so many fresh, healthy ingredients and it really does taste amazingly delicious!

I've learned that light and healthy recipes don't need to be boring, they just need to have the right blend of flavors and good seasoning and it makes such a big difference.

You’ll love how this soup is very filling without all lots of added fats or empty carbs. Plus it makes a big pot-full so you can have some for lunch for the next few days.

And yes, this minestrone soup recipe does call for quite a few ingredients but don't shy away from this recipe because of that. It's worth it!

Photography credit: Jess Larson

The Perfect Kale Salad Recipe!

Thanks to this refreshing kale salad, I've finally found a way to eat raw kale and have it actually taste good! We couldn't get over how delicious this salad was and I'm already thinking of when I'll be making it again!

The flavor of the dressing, thanks to the lemon juice and honey in it, really helps tone down the somewhat harsh flavor of the raw kale. Plus, it also just compliments all of the others flavors in this salad - like that of the quinoa, walnuts, apples and goat cheese.

This is the perfect side at dinner to roasted chicken and mashed or roasted potatoes. It's also the perfect salad to bring to a party.

Originally shared Sept. 2016.

Ingredients You'll Need

• Tricolor quinoa
• Curly kale
• Apples
• Walnuts
• Cranberries
• Goat cheese
• Olive oil
• Lemon
• Honey
• Dijon

Are There Substitutions?

• Regular brown quinoa is fine in place of the tricolor
• Pecans could replace the walnuts.
• Feta could replace the goat cheese.
• Baby kale or lacinato kale can be used in place of curly kale, but do note that it won't require a resting period and may not hold up as long.

How to Make This Easy Kale Salad

• Cook quinoa according to directions on package and cool completely.
• Whisk together all of the dressing ingredients in a jar or bowl.
• Add kale to a salad bowl, whisk dressing once more then pour 3/4 of the dressing over kale and toss until kale is evenly coated. Chill 15 minutes.
• Add apples, quinoa, walnuts and cranberries.
• Pour remaining dressing over salad then toss. Add goat cheese, toss gently.

Tips for This Salad

• Use sweet apples to balance the tartness of the lemon. Use pretty red onions for a pretty color contrast.
• Let the dressing rest on the kale to help soften those not so tender leaves.
• Store it in the fridge up to 4 hours. Finally a salad that holds up well for a while!

More Kale Recipes You'll Love!

Zuppa Toscana Soup that's Even Better than Olive Garden's!

This soup is a regular in my home, it's one of my families favorites! I love that it's so easy to make and it has such an incredible flavor thanks to those hearty bits of sausage.

This recipe is inspired by the Zuppa Toscana Soup at Olive Garden but when you make it fresh at home it's that much better (plus my version seems to be less brothier meaning you get more potatoes, bacon, kale and sausage). Plus it's made with love right?

Then you can complete the meal by making your own homemade breadsticks and serving with a side salad with Italian Dressing.

The Best Lentil Soup

This vegetarian lentil soup is a must in your dinner rotation. I've tried many different kinds of lentil soup and this is easily the one I'd label the best!

It brimming with nutritious ingredients, it's perfectly filling and it's super easy to make. Plus, it's perfectly comforting for all these cold fall days.

Even my kids love this Italian vegetable soup! We still have those dinners where it can be a struggle to get them to finish off their dinner, but no problem here! We love it with a side of buttered fresh bread or crackers.

Want to see how easy this lentil soup recipe is? Watch the video!

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