Fruit and Nut Granola Bars

This granola bar is super nutrient-dense without grains and other fillers. Great for breakfast, snacks, hiking, or crumbed as granola for cereal or yogurt.

Ingredients: 2 1/2 cups of your favorite nuts (I used raw almonds, raw cashews, walnuts, and flax seeds), 1 c. of your favorite dried fruits (I used dried pomegranates and cherries), 2 c. shredded and dried coconut (not sweetened baking coconut in the baking aisle, get the real stuff instead!), 1/4 c. coconut oil (found at Whole Foods and the like), 1/2 c. honey, splash vanilla extract, 1/2 tsp salt, lots of cinnamon.
Directions: Take out 1 c. of nuts and give them a rough chop. Put the other 1 1/2 c. of nuts in a food processor and pulse until small pieces but not so much you end up with nut butter! Combine all nuts and fruit in a large bowl. Add 2 c. shredded coconut. In small saucepan, heat coconut oil, honey, salt, vanilla, and cinnamon until brown and bubbly. Mix together with the nuts. Use parchment paper to coat a baking dish, pour granola mixture over, and use another piece of parchment paper to firmly press the granola down. You really need to pack the ingredients tightly so they'll stick. When you think you're done, keep pressing. Then wait 2-3 hrs for them to cool at room temperature or put them in the fridge or freezer. Once cool, take the whole thing out and cut lengthwise then cut into as many bars as you would like. Note: for crunchier bars cook honey mixture a few minutes longer.
Another good add in: 1/4 c chocolate chips of course!

Curried Corn

Light, healthy, and not your ordinary side dishes. If you haven't discovered curry powder, you're missing out on an amazing spice that goes with everything and totally changes the ordinary into extraordinary.

Ingredients: 1 can of corn or even better, shave some off a cob, 1 tbsp butter, 2 tsp. curry powder, sprinkle cayanne pepper, 2 tbsp chopped onion, and salt and pepper to taste.

Directions: Melt butter with chopped onion in the skillet until soft and browned. Add corn and cover to steam cook for 5 minutes, adding curry powder 2 minutes in. Add more butter, salt and pepper, and cayanne pepper to taste.

The Prettiest Simple Salad You've Ever Seen

So cute it's hard to cut into, but over a bed of spinach it gets even better when deconstructed. Promise. Great for entertaining or a fun way to bring some creativity to the same old salad ingredients. I love this one!

Ingredients: 2 tomatoes, cucumber, chopped fresh basil, chopped fresh spinach, extra spinach for bed, feta cheese.

Directions: Cut out the inside of the tomato, first cutting out the core, then scooping around. Cut the inside of the tomato up and add to mixture. Cut up some cucumber into small cubed chunks. Leave the skin on for more nutrients. Chop up some spinach and basil, sprinkle salt and pepper and mix all together. Scoop into tomato and put on a bed of spinach. Drizzle a little oil and balsamic vinegar if you need to, but it's good without too.

Grilled Cheese and Fruit Gourmet Goodness Sandwiches

The thing I like most about tapas is that it's socially acceptable to taste off everyone's plate. Remember that "Party of Five" Jennifer Love Hewitt couple...they would go out to dinner, eat half, then trade...pretty much the most genius dining situation ever. Inspired by variety, when I cook, I like to give options, and along with the sandwich trend comes many many combinations. This is one of my favorite and makes for great entertaining bites when you cut them up. It takes a total of 5 minutes to make and is also great for hikes, picnics, wine parties, and leftover lunches.

Ingredients: ciabatta bread, 1 granny smith apple, 1 pear, brie, honey.

Directions: Slice ciabatta in half, drizzle some honey on top, add slices of brie, sliced apples or pears, and broil for 2 minutes.

Feel free to mix around honey for fruit preserves like apricot chutney. Switch up the apples and pears for grilled peaches. Or try cheddar instead of brie.Pair with your favorite wine and smile.

Pesto Veggie Sandwich

It's spring time and I'm dreaming of picnics, may be why I am loving sandwiches right now. The grilled flavor brings the warmth without the heavy comfort winter food. I also love how creative you can be in mixing up different combinations.

Ingredients: portabella mushroom, fresh spinach, asparagas, pesto, whole wheat rolls, and cheese (I prefer cheddar but feta works great too).

Directions: Grill or pan fry asparagas and mushrooms. Boil water and add spinach cooking until soft. Spread pesto on one bun and put cheese on the other and broil for 2 minutes to get that nice crusty on the outside, soft and chewy on the inside texture. Add veggies and dinner in 10 minutes is done! These make great leftovers, hike lunch, picnic fun, etc.

Pork Shawarma Pita Pocket

Same as Chicken Shawarma but with the other white meat!

The Mediterranean Diet focuses on lots of fresh vegetables, lean meats, with conscious healthy fats (e.g.  olive oil) instead of merely low fat. http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/mediterranean-diet/CL00011
My kind of diet! I can only eat half a pita and I'm full, so for me, this recipe serves 4. Or as I like to think of it, dinner for 2 then lunch leftovers for 2.

Pork Loin marinade: 2 tbsp olive oil, 1/2 squeezed lemon, 2 tsps curry powder, 2 minced garlic cloves, dash of salt and pepper.
Tzatziki:1 cup plain Greek yogurt, 1 tsp vinegar, 2 tsp dill
Ingredients:  2lb boneless pork loin trimmed of fat, 2 whole wheat pita pockets, hummus, 1/2 diced cucumber, 1 diced tomato, sprouts, feta cheese optional

Directions: Preheat oven to 350. Mix marinade ingredients together and brush over pork loin, let marinade for 30 min, or shake it all up in a ziplock. (For more intense flavor, pierce pork with a knife and push in garlic). Cook pork loin for turning and basting in pan juices for at least 45 min, until it's not pink on the inside). While the pork is cooking, dice up veggies and set aside. Mix together fresh tzatziki ingredients. Toast pita pockets until soft and warm and slightly crispy. Let pork loin sit for 10 minutes, then cut into 1/4 in slices. Layer all the ingredients into a pita pocket, close your eyes, and imagine yourself on a Greek Island. This recipe is great served deconstructed as well: instead of making into a sandwich, slice up pork into thicker slices, drizzle tzatziki on top, veggies and pita bread on the side.

Chicken Shawarma Pita Pocket

The Mediterranean Diet focuses on lots of fresh vegetables, lean meats, with conscious healthy fats (e.g.  olive oil) instead of merely low fat. http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/mediterranean-diet/CL00011
My kind of diet! I can only eat half a pita and I'm full, so for me, this recipe serves 4. Or as I like to think of it, dinner for 2 then lunch leftovers for 2.

Chicken marinade: 2 tbsp olive oil, 1/2 squeezed lemon, 2 tsps curry powder, 2 minced garlic cloves, dash of salt and pepper.
Tzatziki:1 cup plain Greek yogurt, 1 tsp vinegar, 2 tsp dill
Ingredients:  2 chicken breast, 2 pita pockets, hummus, 1/2 diced cucumber, 1 diced tomato, feta cheese optional

Directions: Mix marinade ingredients together and brush over chicken, let marinade for 30 min, or shake it all up in a ziplock. Cook chicken over medium heat until it's not pink inside (about 4 min each side, depending on thickness of breast) with a cover so steam keeps the juices in. While the chicken is cooking, dice up veggies and set aside. Mix together fresh tzatziki ingredients. Toast pita pockets until soft and warm and slightly crispy. Layer all the ingredients into a pita pocket, close your eyes, and imagine yourself on a Greek Island.