(better than) Bieler’s Broth

Bieler’s Broth is a traditional healing, cleansing broth that is very popular among holistic and alternative medical professionals. The only bummer thing about Bieler’s Broth is that it doesn’t have much to offer from a culinary perspective. It’s just pretty freakin’ blah as far as I can tell. Since I’m all about making healthy eating not only simple, but also delicious– so that you can enjoy healthful foods the way nature intended– I came up with this modified version.

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Romanesco Cauliflower Instant Pot Soup

An Instant Pot soup can be a great solution for busy work-day meals. When I go grocery shopping I typically load my cart with lots of different colored vegetables and fruit, not always knowing what the plan is! This week a head of beautiful romanesco cauliflower made it’s way into the mix. Thanks to my Instant Pot, I was able to throw together a really nice, clean soup with some nutritional complexity. You can make this soup in easily under 30 minutes, maybe even 20 minutes!

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Pea & Avocado dip with Pepitas & Cilantro

Fresh peas are in season! And I’m going to show you a way to enjoy them while making your healthy snacking easier with this pea & avocado dip recipe. Sometimes it can be a challenge finding a healthful dip that is not loaded with empty calories from refined oils, sugars, fillers, or commercial dairy products. This dip is a great solution to this challenge, and it seriously only takes about 10 minutes to make. Due to the lemon juice in the ingredients, it keeps for several days and has a lot of versatility in how it can be used. And, if enjoyed with fresh vegetables, this dip proves to be a very nutrient-dense snack—my favorite kind!

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vegan caesar-style salad with roasted yams and pomegranate

I love making hearty, colorful, nutrient dense salads for dinner, like this vegan caesar style salad.

Some salads consist of a variety of fresh, raw vegetables. For this filling-yet light salad, I used leftover oven roasted yams. But leftovers or not, you can roast up some yams, beets, rutabagas, and put together a delicious, plant-based entre salad in less than 30 minutes. Read More


Whole Roasted Butternut Squash with Tomatillo-Pepita Sauce & Pomegranate

My friend in Grand Junction Colorado gave me a few of her butternut squash when I was on a recent trip to her state. In addition to that, we had our own harvest of butternut squash here in Los Angeles. So, what to do with all that squash? Well, there is the typical soup, ravioli filling, and I even enchiladas. Or you can just do whole roasted butternut squash in a couple easy steps. This recipe could change the way you look at your butternut squash. So, move that butternut squash from being a table centerpiece to being your main course for dinner, or at least a side dish. It can also make a great Thanksgiving vegan entree, that in my opinion is way better, and less processed than Tofurkey or other vegan turkey substitutes. Because it isn’t meant to be anything like turkey. It just celebrates the squash, and makes it the star of the day. You can use this idea with any whole squash: delicata, pumpkin, you name it.Enjoy trying this out and let me know how you liked it in the comments.

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Butternut Squash Enchiladas with Roasted Tomatillo-Pepita Sauce

I love trying different versions of the traditional enchilada. In these vegan enchiladas, we get some extra protein punch from the pepitas in the sauce. I had some vegan “queso” that I was experimenting with so I was able to make this completely vegan, but you are certainly not limited to that. A good queso añejo would also go well. The grilled tomato was intended to add color to make the picture better, but it turned out being a nice acidic component that brightened up every other bite or so. Butternut squash loves being seasoned with cumin and chile, so this just came together quite naturally. Read More


Corn, Black Bean, & Pepita Chiles Rellenos

Sometimes I crave the distinctive qualities of a good old fashioned chile relleno…you know- the one stuffed with cheese, battered, and fried. Well, I do indulge from time to time, but just to make a point, you can create an entirely healthy, and just as satisfying chile relleno experience, that might even resemble some real Mexican authenticity. And, you’ll get a bonus of added clean nutrition! Use a ceramic or safe clay baking dish with a lid if possible, for a great even bake, and a magnificent smell from the oven during preparation. If enjoyed with an open mind and a sense of adventure, this dish should stave off the unhealthy chile relleno craving for quite some time. Read More