This ultra-creamy basil kefir sauce is the perfect low-lactose addition to pasta, salads, or even flatbreads. Thanks to the Redwood Hill Farm Goat Milk Kefir, your dish will even get a little probiotic boost, too. Yay, microbiome!
While burgers get a lot of love this time of year, don’t sleep on grilled vegetables! You get all the same char-grilled goodness, and you don’t have to heat your kitchen roasting veggies. Worried about losing skinny veggies between the grates of your grill? Either roast veggies whole or use some foil to give them a solid surface. Topped with scallions and feta cheese, this orzo salad is perfect for all your summer get togethers! You can eat it right away warm or let it cool and serve it chilled. A big batch of this in the fridge is perfect to have on hand whenever hunger strikes.
Preheat grill to 375-400° F. Place broccoli, peppers, and mushrooms on a large sheet of foil and drizzle with four tablespoons olive oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Bring the corners of the foil together in the center and crimp any open spaces to seal packet.
Grill for 25-30 minutes or until desired doneness is achieved.
Meanwhile, bring 6 cups of water to a boil and add orzo. Return to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes or until pasta is al dente, stirring frequently to prevent sticking. Drain and cool.
Whisk together dressing ingredients and toss with pasta, roasted vegetables, scallions, and feta cheese.
You can find a crispy chicken sandwich on every corner these days, but they are not all equal. Making one yourself means you get to have it just how you like it, and you know what’s in it! With some kale slaw and thinly sliced red onion, you’re getting good vegetables and added crunch. The sweet heat of hot honey will keep you wanting more! It may be sticky, but that just makes it finger licking good.
In a small saucepan, combine hot honey ingredients and warm over low heat for a few minutes to infuse honey with spices. Turn off heat and set aside.
Prepare chicken breast based on package instructions.*
Spread butter on buns and toast in a large skillet on low until golden.
Spread mayonnaise on the top bun and assemble sandwich with slaw, chicken, onions, and hot honey. Serve promptly.
Enjoy!
Notes
*To make your own breaded chicken, combine 2/3 cup all-purpose flour, ½ teaspoon of each salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder, and baking soda. Beat two large eggs together. Take each piece of chicken and dredge in flour then in eggs and back into the flour mixture. Shallow fry or air fry at 350F until internal temperature reaches 165F and continue with recipe. Cooking time varies based on size of chicken breasts.Substitute breaded chicken with a plant-based version to be meat-free.
Lightly Salted Rice Cakes with Basil Chicken Salad
For a light lunch or satisfying snack, try topping Lightly Salted Rice Cakes with Basil Chicken Salad! Our recipe calls for fresh herbs and Greek yogurt to create a creamy texture and tangy flavor that’s perfectly balanced by organic brown rice. Plus, this pairing is packed with protein and plenty of whole grains to fill you up without weighing you down. Isn’t that delicious? 🌾😋
Season chicken breasts with sea salt and sauté in neutral oil on medium-high, turning occasionally. Cook until internal temperature reaches 165°F. Let rest for 10 minutes, dice, and refrigerate in a large bowl until cooled.
Add grapes, apples, red onion, and almonds to chilled chicken. Stir to fully incorporate. Add greek yogurt, mayo, basil, honey, dill, sea salt, and black pepper. Fold to fully incorporate.
Spread on Lundberg Organic Lightly Salted Rice Cakes. Top with basil, parsley, and black pepper.
Salted caramel is a popular ice cream flavor for a reason. The salt balances the potentially cloying sugar overload of caramel. When making an ice cream sandwich, we doubled down on this notion. Instead of using a traditional cookie base, swap the pantry staple saltine cracker! While the ice cream sets, the crackers get slightly soft, which means you can cut and eat this ice cream sandwich without worrying about cracker crumbs everywhere. To drive up the flavor factor, swirl caramel sauce between softened vanilla ice cream for another frozen dessert that’s sure to be an instant classic!
Thanks to Christine Waltermyer & The Natural Kitchen Cooking School!
Christine Waltermyer is a local and renowned Wellness Chef, private chef to celebrities, published cookbook author and founder of the Natural Kitchen Cooking School, which offers an online Plant-Based Cooking Program. She also loves shopping at Basil Bandwagon! Visit naturalkitchenschool.com to subscribe to her email newsletter for new recipes, tips, and FREE access to the Power of Veggies mini-course!
Not only does inflammation cause discomfort and pain, but it could lead to other health conditions ranging from Arthritis to IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome). Certain foods from our diet contribute to inflammation in our bodies – however, not everyone will experience the same flare-ups. One way to help control them is to eat a diet that’s rich in anti-inflammatory foods – like salads! You can mix and match your favorite toppings to make a powerhouse meal that’s delicious, nutritious and full of added health benefits. Check out Christine Waltermyer and the Natural Kitchen Cooking School’s favorite anti-inflammatory salad recipe below – Mesclun Salad with Walnuts & Blueberries!
Place in a large salad bowl: mesclun salad mix, walnuts, blueberries, oranges and fennel.
In a small glass jar with a lid, place all of the dressing ingredients. Shake well.
Pour the dressing over the salad, toss and serve.
Enjoy!
Notes
If not serving the salad right away, store the dressing and covered salad separately until ready to serve.
Thank you to Christine Waltermyer and the Natural Kitchen Cooking School for working with us to help promote healthy, nutritious meals and products that are affordable, full of nutrients, and simple to make at home!
With Christine Waltermyer & The Natural Kitchen Cooking School!
Christine Waltermyer is a local and renowned Wellness Chef, private chef to celebrities, published cookbook author and founder of the Natural Kitchen Cooking School, which offers an online Plant-Based Cooking Program. She also loves shopping at Basil Bandwagon! Visit naturalkitchenschool.com to subscribe to her email newsletter for new recipes, tips, and FREE access to the Power of Veggies mini-course!
Summer is the time for graduation parties, Father’s Day cookouts, backyard BBQs and so much more! Thanks to Christine Waltermyer and The Natural Kitchen Cooking School, you can WOW your guests with plant-based spins on traditional BBQ favorites.
2cupscooked white beans (Great Northern or Navy beans)
4stripsLightlife tempeh smoky bacon
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
In a medium saucepan, warm 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and a pinch of the sea salt. Cook and stir for five minutes.
To the saucepan, add the apple butter, maple syrup, apple cider vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, molasses, brown sugar, mustard and cooked beans. Stir until all of the ingredients are well combined.
In a large skillet, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Add the Lightlife tempeh smoky bacon strips and fry for a few minutes on one side, until golden. Turn the strips to fry the other side for a few minutes.
Pour the baked bean mixture into a lightly greased medium size casserole dish. I used an 8 x 8-inch dish. Top with the strips of tempeh bacon. I baked my beans uncovered, but feel free to cover them with a lid or aluminum foil if you like your beans more moist and less dry. Bake for 1 hour. Serve warm.
Enjoy!
Notes
If you prefer to use less variety of sweeteners, you can substitute an equal amount of one for another. For example, instead of using the 2 Tbsp. of brown sugar, you could increase the maple syrup by 2 Tbsp.
2teaspoonsarrowroot flour, mixed with 1 tablespoon cold water
Smoked paprika
Instructions
In a medium size pot place the cauliflower florets, the water, onion powder, turmeric and dry mustard. Bring to a boil over medium high heat. Cover and reduce the heat to simmer on low for 10 minutes, or until fork-tender.
Meanwhile, heat a large pot of water to boil the pasta. Once it comes to a boil, add the pasta and cook according to package directions. Drain the pasta.
Carefully pour the cooked cauliflower mixture into a high speed blender. Puree until smooth. Pour the sauce back into the pot. Add the miso, sea salt, lemon juice, arrowroot flour and a shake of the smoked paprika. Cook for another few minutes on medium low heat. Whisk continuously until nicely thickened.
Pour the cauliflower sauce over the pasta and enjoy warm, sprinkled with a little extra smoked paprika.
Enjoy!
Thank you to Christine Waltermyer and the Natural Kitchen Cooking School for working with us to help promote healthy, nutritious meals and products that are affordable, full of nutrients, and simple to make at home!
Thanks to Christine Waltermyer & The Natural Kitchen Cooking School!
Christine Waltermyer is a local and renowned Wellness Chef, private chef to celebrities, published cookbook author and founder of the Natural Kitchen Cooking School, which offers an online Plant-Based Cooking Program. She also loves shopping at Basil Bandwagon! Visit naturalkitchenschool.com to subscribe to her email newsletter for new recipes, tips, and FREE access to the Power of Veggies mini-course!
If you LOVE mangoes then this recipe is just what you’re looking for. Thanks to Christine Waltermyer and The Natural Kitchen Cooking School, we’re learning how to cut a mango and use them to make a refreshing smoothie that you and your kids will love! Bonus – if you have leftover smoothie, you can turn them into frozen popsicles. Whether you like mangoes fresh or frozen, you’ll always know your snack is nutritious, delicious and will bring you an instant energy boost!
Place all ingredients in a high-powered blender and puree until smooth. Enjoy served in a tall glass with a straw!
Notes
Leftover smoothie makes great popsicles! Just pour into popsicle molds and freeze.
Thank you to Christine Waltermyer and the Natural Kitchen Cooking School for working with us to help promote healthy, nutritious meals and products that are affordable, full of nutrients, and simple to make at home!
Thanks to Christine Waltermyer & The Natural Kitchen Cooking School!
Christine Waltermyer is a local and renowned Wellness Chef, private chef to celebrities, published cookbook author and founder of the Natural Kitchen Cooking School, which offers an online Plant-Based Cooking Program. She also loves shopping at Basil Bandwagon! Visit naturalkitchenschool.com to subscribe to her email newsletter for new recipes, tips, and FREE access to the Power of Veggies mini-course!
Did you know Collard greens are the oldest leafy green within the cabbage family dating back 2000 years, originally grown by the ancient Greeks and Romans! This low calorie vegetable is packed with many nutrients like Vitamins K, C, A, calcium and folate. Thanks to Christine Waltermyer and the Natural Kitchen Cooking School, you can learn how to properly sauté these greens so that your whole family will love them, too!
Keyword collard greens, collards, how-to, sauté, side
Servings 8
Ingredients
½ to 1cupwater
1bunchcollard greensstems trimmed and leaves cut into small pieces
1cupsliced scallions
Sea salt and pepper to taste
Splash lemon juice
Instructions
Place the water in a large skillet and heat on medium high heat. Add the collard greens, scallions, sea salt, pepper and lemon juice.
Cover and cook on high for 3 to 5 minutes. Stir occasionally. Serve as is or with your favorite dressing.
Enjoy!
Thank you to Christine Waltermyer and the Natural Kitchen Cooking School for working with us to help promote healthy, nutritious meals and products that are affordable, full of nutrients, and simple to make at home!
Thanks to Christine Waltermyer & The Natural Kitchen Cooking School!
Christine Waltermyer is a local and renowned Wellness Chef, private chef to celebrities, published cookbook author and founder of the Natural Kitchen Cooking School, which offers an online Plant-Based Cooking Program. She also loves shopping at Basil Bandwagon! Visit naturalkitchenschool.com to subscribe to her email newsletter for new recipes, tips, and FREE access to the Power of Veggies mini-course!
Happy Earth Month! Let’s talk about food waste. Did you know every year, each American throws out about 1,200 pounds of organic garbage that could be composted? There are other ways to decrease this amount (other than simply composting). One way is to use your food scraps to make another recipe! Check out this Earth friendly Broccoli Stem Stir Fry recipe thanks to Christine Waltermyer and The Natural Kitchen Cooking School. All ingredients can be found at your local Basil Bandwagon Natural Market.
2cupscarrotssliced into rounds or "lozenges" (I refer to this as the ribbon cut in my video)
2cupspeeled broccoli stemssliced
½cupscallionssliced
¼cupbroth
2tablespoonscoconut aminos
2teaspoonslemon juice
1tablespoonmaple syrup
Sea salt to taste
Instructions
Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the broth and heat it briefly.
Add the carrots and a few drops of the coconut aminos. Cook and stir for a minute or two. Add the broccoli stems. Cook and stir for another minute or two.
Add the remaining coconut aminos, scallions, maple syrup, and lemon juice. Cook and stir for a minute. Cover and cook for a few more minutes. Continue cooking to your desired tenderness. Depending how long you cook this, you may need to add a splash of water or more coconut aminos to prevent the vegetables from sticking to the pan. If needed, adjust seasoning to taste by adding a little more seasoning.
Plate and serve warm. Enjoy!
Thank you to Christine Waltermyer and the Natural Kitchen Cooking School for working with us to help promote healthy, nutritious meals and products that are affordable, full of nutrients, and simple to make at home!