SERVINGS: 6
SERVING SIZE: 1 cup squash, ½ tablespoon honey, ½ tablespoon walnuts, ½ tablespoon tahini (118 grams)
PREP TIME: 5 minutes
COOKING TIME: 30 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 whole butternut squash, peeled and seeded
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons tahini
• 3 tablespoons (25 milliliters) honey
• 3 tablespoons walnuts, chopped

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400°F (204°C).
2. Cut squash base into thirds and cut each third in half to make ½-inch thick pieces that are roughly 1-inchby-1-inch.
3. Cut squash neck lengthwise into thirds and cut each third into ½-inch thick pieces that are roughly 1-inch-by-2-inches.
4. In a bowl, toss squash with salt and cinnamon.
5. Spread out on baking sheet lined with parchment paper, allowing space between each piece.
6. Roast for 30 minutes or until tender.
7. Remove from oven and cool. Drizzle with tahini and honey and top with nuts to serve.

NUTRITION PER SERVING: 142 calories, 8g total fat, 1g saturated fat, 0mg cholesterol, 72mg sodium, 19g carbohydrate, 3g fiber, 6g sugar, 3g protein, 431mg potassium, 121mg phosphorus

SERVINGS: 12
SERVING SIZE: 3-by-3-inch square piece plus 1 teaspoon shredded coconut (99 grams)
PREP TIME: 25 minutes
COOKING TIME: 45 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 peeled and pitted avocados
• 1⅓ cup dried plums
• ½ cup (125 milliliters) 1% milk
• 2½ cups 70% dark chocolate chips
• 6 eggs, yolks and whites separated
• ¾ cup whole-wheat flour
• 2 tablespoons shredded unsweetened coconut

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C).
2. In a blender, puree avocado with 2 tablespoons water. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
3. Separately, puree dried plums with ½ cup water and set aside.
4. In a 4-quart stockpot or double boiler, heat 1 cup water over high heat.
5. Place a glass or stainless-steel bowl inside the stockpot and add milk to the bowl.
6. Once water starts to simmer, reduce heat to low and add chocolate chips to the milk.
7. Stir frequently with a heat-proof rubber spatula until chocolate becomes silky smooth.
8. Once chocolate is melted, stir in avocado and plum purees.
9. Add egg yolks to the chocolate mixture and stir, then transfer mixture to a large mixing bowl.
10. Stir flour into the mixture, then gently whip and fold in egg whites.
11. Transfer the mixture into a greased 11-by-7-inch baking dish and bake for 45 minutes, or until a toothpick in the center comes out clean.
12. To serve, cut into 3-by-3-inch squares and sprinkle with shredded coconut.

NUTRITION PER SERVING: 296 calories, 13g total fat, 6g saturated fat, 94mg cholesterol, 45mg sodium, 45g carbohydrate, 7g fiber, 29g sugar, 7g protein, N/A potassium, N/A phosphorus

SERVINGS: 12
SERVING SIZE: 1 cup (140 grams)
PREP TIME: 10 minutes
COOKING TIME: 1 hour

Ingredients

• • 2 tablespoons (30 milliliters) canola oil
  • 10 cups sliced white cabbage (sliced into ½-inch strips)
  • ½ cup (120 milliliters) water
  • 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons (30 milliliters) soy sauce
  • 6 cups cremini mushrooms, finely chopped
  • 1 cup yellow onion, grated (including any liquid)
  • ¼ pound ground beef (90% lean)
  • ¼ pound ground pork
  • ¾ cup cooked brown rice
  • 1 egg
  • ¼ cup plus 1 teaspoon (65 milliliters) 2% milk
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • Pinch of ground black pepper

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375°F (181°C).
2. Heat a Dutch oven or large pot over medium heat and add oil.
3. Sauté cabbage in batches for about 7 minutes, stirring frequently to avoid burning. Cabbage should be soft and have some browning.
4. Once all batches are cooked, return all cabbage to Dutch oven or pot and add water, brown sugar and soy sauce.
5. Stir well to combine and simmer until all water is gone, about 10 minutes.
6. Remove cabbage from pot and set aside.
7. In the same pot, add mushrooms and cook until soft, about 4 minutes.
8. Drain off excess liquid.
9. In a large bowl, combine onion, cooked mushrooms, meat, rice, egg, milk, salt and pepper.
10. To a 9-by-13-inch baking dish, add half the cabbage in one layer.
11. Top with the meat mixture, then top with remaining cabbage.
12. Bake for 40 minutes.

NUTRITION PER SERVING: 120 calories, 5g total fat, 1g saturated fat, 29mg cholesterol, 343mg sodium, 14g carbohydrate, 3g fiber, 7g sugar, 8g protein, 467mg potassium, 135mg phosphorus

SERVINGS: 6
SERVING SIZE: 1 cup (170 grams)
PREP TIME: 15 minutes
COOKING TIME: 30 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon (15 milliliters) canola oil
• 1½ cups diced onion
• ¾ cup chopped bacon (about 4 slices)
• 3 tablespoons minced garlic
• ¾ cup dried cranberries
• 10 cups chopped collard greens
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon chicken base
• 1 quart (950 milliliters) water
• 2 tablespoons (30 milliliters) apple cider vinegar

Instructions

1. In a Dutch oven, heat canola oil over medium heat.
2. Add onions and bacon and sauté for about 4 minutes, until onion is soft and bacon is fragrant.
3. Add garlic and cranberries and sauté another minute.
4. Add greens, chicken base and water and bring to a simmer, stirring frequently.
5. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes until greens are tender.
6. Remove from heat, add vinegar and stir.
7. Serve collards using a slotted spoon to drain excess liquid.

NUTRITION PER SERVING: 158 calories, 5g total fat, 1g saturated fat, 6mg cholesterol, 822mg sodium, 24g carbohydrate, 5g fiber, 12g sugar, 7g protein, N/A potassium, N/A phosphorus

Enter my oven “fried” okra — a healthier take on truly fried okra that is surprisingly crispy and oh so tasty.  Pair these guys with a satisfying kale salad topped with your favorite veggies and a lean protein. Or, keep it southern and have this okra alongside some shrimp and grits.

Oven Fried Okra with Honey Dijon Sauce

Serves 2

A healthier version of fried okra that’s breaded in panko breadcrumbs for a super crispy outer layer. These guys don’t do well reheated so eat them immediately and only make as much as you plan to eat.

Ingredients

• 20 pods okra
• ¹⁄₂ cup panko breadcrumbs
• 2 whole eggs
• 1 tablespoon oregano
• ¹⁄₂ teaspoon salt
• ¹⁄₄ teaspoon pepper
• ¹⁄₄ cup dijon mustard
• 1.5 tablespoons honey
• 1 teaspoon white vinegar

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees and line a sheet pan with foil or parchment, or spray with olive oil spray.
2. Crack eggs into a wide, shallow bowl and scramble. Add half the salt and pepper and mix well.
3. Place panko into another wide, shallow bowl and mix in the oregano and remaining salt and pepper.
4. Dip each okra pod into the egg wash and then into the panko, rolling around to get every part coated. Place on sheet pan and bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.
5. Mix together the dijon, vinegar and honey and serve with okra when done.

• Fruits, especially blueberries, apples (skins on!) and citrus
• Vegetables, especially dark leafy greens like spinach, kale, chard, escarole, etc.
• Nuts and seeds like ground flax seeds, chia seeds and walnuts
• And other cold water fatty fish like Atlantic mackerel, halibut, sardines and tuna

Don’t think you can fit tacos into a healthy lifestyle? Oh but you can! Have two tacos along with a side salad or a side of cooked veggies.  The fiber in those veggies will fill you up and keep you feeling satisfied. Also, by adding more nutritious components to your tacos you can make them healthier:

Top it with cilantro, scallion and spiced yogurt. Cilantro and scallion offer added nutrients while plain yogurt offers probiotics. Mix cumin and sriracha into your yogurt for an extra kick.

Spinach, kale or cabbage. These offer significantly more vitamins and minerals than iceberg lettuce. Thinly slice or lightly steam cabbage and kale if you find it too crunchy.

Don’t leave out the veggies. Sautéed onions and peppers, broccoli, cauliflower, sweet potato, squash — anything goes. Don’t miss out on these antioxidant packed taco fixings.

Whole wheat or corn tortillas contain more fiber than flour tortillas.

Vary your protein. Unlike meat, plant-based proteins like beans and tempeh offer fiber and disease-fighting phytochemicals without the saturated fat.

Blackened Salmon Tacos with Shaved Red Cabbage, Onion & Avocado Crema

Serves 2

Ingredients

• 6-8 oz. salmon or fish of your choice
• 1 Tbsp blackened seasoning*
• 1/2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 cup red cabbage
• 1/2 yellow onion
• 2 stalks scallion
• 3/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
• 1 avocado
• 1 lime
• 1-2 cups arugula
• Corn tortillas
• Salt & pepper
• Cilantro

Instructions

1. Sprinkle spices on top of fish so that the flesh is mostly covered with spices. Heat 1/2 Tbsp olive oil in sauce pan and add fish spice-side down. Cook on each side for 3-4 minutes or until done.
2. While fish cooks, thinly slice cabbage and onion and chop scallions.
3. To a blender add yogurt, avocado, lime juice and salt. Blend until smooth and season if needed.
4. When fish is done, break it up into pieces. It’s time to build those tacos! Start with a base of arugula and add cabbage, onion, fish, avocado cream and cilantro.

* If you can’t find blackened seasoning, Cajun seasoning also works. Or make your own spice blend using paprika, cayenne, pepper and garlic powder.

There are all sorts of breads out there. Banana bread. Zucchini bread. Carrot bread. And now, pulp bread. Perhaps I’ve jumped on this bandwagon a bit late, but it’s still great information to pass along to new fellow juicers out there.

Take a quick bread recipe of yours, such as zucchini bread, and substitute the zucchini with your juicing pulp. Along with using whole wheat flour, the juice pulp is a great way to add some hearty fiber. This bread is dense, moist and delicious. My go-to juice is carrot, apple, lemon and ginger and this combination makes for one tasty loaf. You can even use the recipe to make healthy muffins or cupcakes.

Juice Pulp Bread

Recipe adapted from Food.com

Makes 1 loaf

Ingredients
1 ½ cups pulp
¼ cup oil
½ cup honey
2 eggs, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 ½ cups whole wheat flour
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon
½ teaspoon nutmeg

Instructions

1. Beat together oil and honey, then add eggs, vanilla and pulp.
2. Sift dry ingredients, add to pulp mixture and mix well.
3. Bake in a greased 9″ loaf pan at 350 F for 45 to 60 minutes.

Looking for other ways to use your juicing pulp? The majority of the nutrients have already been extracted by way of the juicing process, so the pulp is mostly composed of fiber. Use it as a way to increase the fiber content of some otherwise fiber-lacking dishes:

• Toss it into pancake and waffle mix.
• Mix it together with quinoa and beans to make veggie patties or veggie burgers.
• Add it to a quiche or to an omelet.
• Toss it into chili or other soups and stews.