Ashley's Kitchen
HOW-TO:
DIY A Detox Salad Bowl
Start with 2 cups of mixed greens or dark leafy greens
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Add your choice of protein @ 3-4 OZ. think: grilled chicken or fish
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Add 1/2 cup choice of a low-GI grain, such as brown rice, buckwheat, millet, quinoa, or amaranth
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Add 2 cups of shredded/chopped raw or cooked vegetables
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Top with your choice of non-creamy dressing or lemon juice + a drizzle of oil
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Add 1-2 TB of healthy fat. I.E. sunflower or pumpkin seeds or 1/2-1/2 of an avocado
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Refrigerate your salad with the dressing on the side so that it doesn’t get soggy
Ashley's Kitchen
Gimme some pasta! Although I’ve never truly been a pasta fiend; I’ve had plenty of clients who are avid noodle lovers. While I’m not one to tell a client to “never” eat something, I am all about finding more nutrient-dense alternatives for their fave foods so they eat healthier without depriving themselves. Alas, my noodle negotiations below!
Vegetable-based bowls:
I’ve been loving the fresh veggie noodles made by Veggie Noodle Co because, realistically, not all of my clients are going to spiralize their own zucchini. They package zucchini, sweet potato, butternut squash, + beet noodles for you to munch on at any meal. Vegetables are packed with varied vitamins + minerals, so each one of these choices is nutritious! Not only are they all amazing in their raw form, they can be gently heated if you want that warm pasta bowl.
Lentil linguine:
Ok, so not always made in the form of linguine noodles, but lentil/bean-based noodles are all the rage right now. Why? Heck, anything with fiber AND protein are a solid win for anyone looking to lean up. The other day I used Ancient Harvest’s POW red lentil noodles with 25g of protein per serving to make a pasta salad for my daughter + I and now I’m obsessed! I simply mixed the cooked rotini noodles with some pan-grilled zucchini + onion and then topped it with a bit of Parmesan, olive oil, lemon, + sea salt. Voila- lunch!
Quinoa crazed:
The gluten-free community has been very aware of the corn/quinoa blend pastas on the market for some time, but I love to reintroduce the quinoa noodle that’s not mixed with a bunch of other, less healthy ingredients. The purest I have found is the GoGo Quinoa brand that boasts 5g of protein per serving + come in all shapes/types.
Gluten-Free Ramen rage:
I have been using Lotus Foods noodles for over a year now in many recipes because I love their flour combinations: Forbidden black rice, Millet-brown rice, Jade pearl rice, + Wakame-brown rice ramen are not only quick to prepare, but they are all whole grain, healthy pasta bowl bases.
Seaweed is so skinny:
Want to have a bowl of pasta where the noodles are under 50 calories? Um, that’s a big ‘duh’ for me! Kelp noodles are a rinse + serve pasta made from seaweed. I buy the Sea Tangle brand regularly. Now, hold off pre-judging these babies before trying them out! I know a lot of people cringe when seaweed is brought up, but they do not taste fishy, they are not a crazy flavor profile…they are crunchy, filling, + devoid of fat, sugars, + have 1 carb per 1/2 cup serving. In that serving you also get: 13g of calcium, 2.28mg of iron, + 52.8 micrograms of Vitamin K. Slam dunk seaweed!
Ashley's Kitchen, Recipes
How-To: Build a Healthy Platter Board
Having to say ‘no’ to things that are on-trend because you’re being healthier is no fun! Instead, take something + give it a makeover. Platter boards, generally loaded with carbs, heavy cheeses, nuts, + other high-calorie + fat foods, can be changed up in little ways to provide an easy app tray or grazing meal/snack tray for the fridge without the guilt.
Quick Fixes by Ashley
… save time, money, calories, + fat…
- Choose healthy dips (hummus, guacamole, Tzatsiki made with Greek yogurt, DIY dips that are recipe rehabs of popular bad for you ones)
- Use leftover, colorful cooked + raw veggies to replace the overdone bread + crackers
- Get creative with carbs like dried chickpeas, flax crackers, coconut wraps, + more
- Easy proteins that keep like smoked salmon + prosciutto are better than salamis + oily sausages
- Skip dried fruits + use fresh like apple slices, broiled orange slices with cinnamon,
- Add healthier fats like avocado + olives (not marinated in oil) to make cheese + nut portions smaller
- Use hard vs soft cheeses (lower in fat)
- Instead of nuts, use a nut butter as a dip to help control portions
Get creative, use what you have, make it pretty, + enjoy!
Ashley's Kitchen
Baby Bok Choy or full Bok Choy; this is a versatile green veggie that is filled with vitamins and minerals. Containing a wealth of vitamins C, A, + K, and excellent sources of calcium, magnesium, potassium, manganese, + iron – Bok choy is not to be ignored. Bok choy supplies potassium for healthy muscle + nerve function, + vitamin B6 for carbohydrate, fat, + protein metabolism. Amazingness!
But, many of my clients do not know how to prep this veg.
To Start Simply cut them in half (baby or adult.) You may need to wash between the leaves as dirt/soil can get in there and stick unless brushed out. I use my fingers with running water or a wet paper towel to clean in between. Then, pick your poison as far as prep.
I love to do the following 3:
- Stir-Fried: with a bit of sesame oil in a non-stick skillet over medium heat – let it brown and try to only flip it once so it is not going to “break” apart.
- Roasted: I like to braise it with a sauce + roast it slowly at a low temperature.
- Grilled: I love to grill it atop tinfoil with a bit of oil and combination of gluten-free soy + Sriracha sauce.
Bok choy is an amazing light green, often confused with cabbage, but has a mostly neutral flavor. This makes it fantastic with light proteins like poultry and fish.
Ashley's Kitchen, Recipes
Poblano peppers are one of my favorites from the capsicum annuum family of peppers because they are a mild chili pepper originating from the state of Puebla, Mexico. Their mildness is what makes them kid-friendly and easy on those who don’t like things too spicy.
Cinco de Mayo was celebrated in my kitchen yesterday with this stuffed poblano pepper dish for a creative, but healthy breakfast. But really, you can adjust and/or eat this recipe at any meal!
These stuffed poblanos are not only easy, but roasting poblano peppers solo allows them to be use for so many other recipes!
Ways To Use Roasted Poblano Peppers
- Add to stir fry
- Serve in tacos
- Top a salad with them
- Put them in a sandwich
- Stuff burgers with them along with scallions, cilantro, + bell pepper for a tasty twist on a plain burger
- Add them into tuna or chicken salad
- Stuff them with just about anything!
To Roast The Poblanos
TO PREPARE FOR ROASTING
Cut the tops off + remove the seeds from the inside.
OR
Slice them down the side to remove the seeds, leaving the tops on.
WAYS TO ROAST | “BLISTER” POBLANOS
Slower method is roasting:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Place the poblanos on a lined baking sheet.
Roast for 20-30 minutes or until starting to blacken and blister- turning every so often.
OR
The quicker prep is broiling:
Place them under the broiler for 5-10 minutes.
BREAKFAST STUFFED POBLANO PEPPERS
Take a roasted poblano pepper and stuff it with refried beans, pan-grilled pineapple + scallions, diced avocado, a handful of slaw mix, + scrambled egg or an egg over-easy. Drizzle with Cholula sauce or Sriracha.
Ashley's Kitchen
Buying Guide and The Benefits of Wild Salmon
….with some recipe links too!
SOURCING SECRETS
When shopping for it:
- Keep in mind that wild salmon is seasonal and has an “off-season” of November to March
- Wild salmon is also called: Coho, Sockeye, + King
- Color: farmed salmon is lighter and more pink, while wild has a deeper reddish-orange color
- If you cannot find wild salmon, these other seafoods have similar health benefits: mackerel, sardines, herring, + black cod.
THE HEALTH BENEFITS
Fatty fish like salmon is needed in the diet to provide us with the essential fatty acids: the long-chain omega-3s, EPA, + DHA. “Essential” meaning we have to consume these fats to get the needed benefits. Wild salmon, vs farmed salmon, has more of these fats and also has less fat and calories!
While there isn’t a standard requirement for EPA and DHA, many health organizations recommend that healthy adults get a minimum of 250–500 mg of them combined per day.
SALMON HAS EVEN MORE HEALTH BENEFITS
- A healthy protein source, which helps us heal, protect our bones, + builds our muscles.
- An excellent source of several B vitamins, which are needed for energy production, controlling inflammation and protecting heart and brain health.
- Contains a good deal of potassium, which helps control blood pressure and prevent excess fluid retention.
- Has selenium; a mineral involved in protecting bone health, improving thyroid function and reducing the risk of cancer.
- An antioxidant, astaxanthin, is found in salmon and is said to benefit heart, brain, nervous system and skin health.
- Fatty fish like salmon are said to reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression and may decrease the risk of age-related memory loss.
- Salmon and other fatty fish can help lower inflammation; which reduces the risk for many chronic diseases.
ASHLEY’S FAVORITE SALMON RECIPES
HEALTHY HORSERADISH-CRUSTED SALMON
HONEY-SRIRACHA SALMON
SMOKED SALMON EGG QUICHE
SALMON CAKES