Grilled Cheese with Spinach and Provolone

Grilled cheese? Yes, please! Enjoy the melted cheese you love while sticking to your healthy nutrition goals. This crunchy sandwich is packed with colorful sautéed veggies and provolone cheese. A touch of Dijon mustard is the special ingredient that really pumps up the flavor.

Total Time: 22 min.
Prep Time: 10 min.
Cooking Time: 12 min.
Yield: 1 serving

Ingredients:
½ tsp. olive oil
¼ medium yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced
¼ medium red bell pepper, thinly sliced
¼ medium red onion, thinly sliced
2 slices low-sodium sprouted whole grain bread
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
¼ cup raw spinach
1 slice provolone cheese (1 oz.)

Preparation:
1. Heat oil in medium nonstick skillet over medium high heat.
2. Add bell peppers and onion; cook, stirring frequently, for 4 to 5 minutes, or until onion is translucent. Remove from pan. Set aside.
3. Spread mustard on one slice of bread.
4. Top with bell pepper mixture, spinach, cheese, and second slice of bread. Set aside.
5. Heat skillet over medium high heat.
6. Add sandwich; cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until golden brown. Flip, cook for 3 to 4 more minutes or until cheese has melted.

Tip: Sandwich can also be grilled in a countertop two-sided grill or Panini maker.

Rosemary Honey Fig Cake

This soft, sweet oh-so-perfectly fall cake is so moist and delicious that if you don’t tell your guests it’s gluten-free they’ll never know.

Total Time: 1 hr.
Prep Time: 20 min.
Cooking Time: 40 min.
Yield: 16 servings, 1 slice each

Ingredients:
3 cups almond flour
¼ cup coconut flour
1½ tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. baking soda, gluten-free
½ tsp. sea salt (or Himalayan salt)
2 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh rosemary
2 tsp. finely chopped orange peel (zest from 1 orange)
½ cup canned coconut milk, full-fat (shake well before using)
2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
3 large eggs
½ cup + 3½ tsp. coconut oil, divided use
16 medium figs, stems removed, sliced in quarters
2 Tbsp. + ½ cup raw honey, divided use

Preparation:
1. Preheat oven to 350° F.
2. Grease the bottom and sides of a 9-inch round springform pan with ½ tsp. oil; line bottom with parchment paper. Set aside.
3. Combine almond flour, coconut flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl; mix well.
4. Add rosemary and orange zest; mix well. Set aside.
5. Mix ½ cup oil, coconut milk, ½ cup honey, and extract in a medium bowl; whisk until well blended.
6. Add oil mixture to flour mixture and mix until just blended. (If using a stand mixer, mix on low.)
7. Add eggs one at a time, beating until each is just incorporated.
8. Pour batter into prepared pan. The batter will be slightly lumpy, like a carrot cake batter.
9. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool on a baking rack and let cool completely.
10. Heat remaining 1 Tbsp. oil in medium nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.
11. Add figs; cook, stirring frequently, for 2 to 3 minutes or until figs begin to caramelize.
12. Stir in remaining 2 Tbsp. honey. Remove from heat. Spoon figs and remaining liquid on top of cake. Serve.

Tomato Soup

Total Time: 38 min.
Prep Time: 15 min.
Cooking Time: 23 min.
Yield: 4 servings, about 1 cup each

Ingredients:
1 Tbsp. olive oil
½ medium onion, chopped
5 medium tomatoes, chopped
1 cup dry white wine
2 cups low-sodium organic chicken broth (or vegetable broth)
1 tsp. lemon pepper (to taste; optional)

Preparation:
1. Heat oil in large saucepan over medium-high heat.
2. Add onion; cook, stirring frequently, for 3 to 4 minutes, or until onion is soft.
3. Add tomatoes; cook, stirring frequently, for 2 to 3 minutes, or until tomatoes are soft.
4. Add wine and broth; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and gently boil for 15 minutes.
5. Place soup and lemon pepper (if desired) in a blender or food processor; in 2 or more batches, if necessary; cover with lid and kitchen towel, blend until smooth.
6. Portion into 4 serving bowls.

Roast Chicken with Pomegranate

This handsome fall dish perfectly pairs tender roast chicken with sweet, crunchy pomegranate seeds and a honey and pomegranate sauce. It is served on top of caramelized fennel and onions that cook along with the chicken.

Don’t be intimidated to try making this showstopper of a dish. Once you try, you’ll see how easy it is to roast a whole chicken. Just make sure to follow the instructions for pre-heating the oven, and then lowering the temperature when you’re ready to cook the chicken

Total Time: 1 hr. 50 min.
Prep Time: 20 min.
Cooking Time: 90 min.
Yield: 8 servings

Ingredients:
2 cups sliced fennel (1 to 2 medium fennel bulbs, cored and sliced)
2 medium onions, sliced
2 tsp. olive oil, divided use
1 (5 to 6 lb.) whole chicken, giblets removed, washed and dried
Sea salt (or Himalayan salt) and ground black pepper (to taste; optional), divided use
4 cloves garlic
1 fresh lemon, cut into quarters
1 cup pomegranate seeds (or 1 small pomegranate, seeds removed and reserved)
1 cup fresh pomegranate juice
1 Tbsp. raw honey
1 Tbsp. arrowroot flour

Preparation:
1. Preheat oven to 450° F.
2. Place fennel and onions in large oven-proof roasting pan. Drizzle with 1 tsp. oil. Set aside.
3. Sprinkle chicken cavity with salt and pepper, if desired. Fill cavity with garlic cloves, lemon, and pomegranate seeds. Tuck wings under and tie legs together with string, if desired.
4. Rub chicken with remaining 1 tsp. oil. Season with salt and pepper, if desired. Place chicken, breast-side-up, over vegetables. Place in oven. Reduce oven temperature to 400° F. Bake for 60 to 90 minutes, or until thermometer inserted in the thigh (without touching the bone) reaches 165° F.
5. While chicken is baking, combine pomegranate juice, honey, and arrowroot in a small saucepan; cook, over medium heat, whisking frequently, for 5 to 8 minutes, or until sauce thickens. Set aside.
6. Remove skin from chicken before serving. Serve chicken over vegetables, topped with pomegranate sauce.

If you have questions about the portions, please click here to post a question in our forums so our experts can help. Please include a link to the recipe you’re asking about.

Photo by Rebecca Swanner

Grilled Salmon with Orange Marinade

If you’re looking for an easy meat to marinade, salmon is a great go-to option. It quickly absorbs all the spices and seasonings of a sauce to create a flavor-filled dish. This salmon recipe embraces the sweetness of citrus and zings your palate with just the right amount of chili and cayenne.

Total Time: 1 hr. 21 min.
Prep Time: 5 min.
Cooking Time: 16 min.
Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients:
¼ cup 100% orange juice
2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1 Tbsp. raw honey
2 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. ground cumin
½ tsp. sea salt
1 pinch cayenne pepper
4 (6-oz.) raw salmon fillets, about 1-inch thick

Preparation:
1. Combine orange juice, lemon juice, honey, chili powder, cumin, salt, and cayenne in a small bowl; whisk to blend.
2. Place salmon in a shallow glass pan; top with marinade. Cover and refrigerate for 20 to 60 minutes.
3. Preheat grill or broiler to high.
4. Grill or broil salmon for 6 to 8 minutes on each side, brushing occasionally with marinade, or until salmon flakes easily when tested with a fork.

What Is Matcha?

Move over coconut water. Matcha is the next big thing. Shops specializing in matcha beverages are popping up all over New York, mixologists at Chicago’s Ramen-San can whisk you up a matcha-laced cocktail, you can order a matcha latte at Starbucks, and Los Angeles restaurants have been adding it to everything from noodles to donuts. And the Japanese have been selling matcha Kit Kats for years.

Which may have you might be wondering…what on earth is this stuff? Matcha (from the Japanese “ma” meaning powder and “cha” meaning tea) is a powdered version of green tea whose leaves are dried indoors or in the shade. With matcha, instead of steeping the leaves and drinking the liquid, you’re drinking the whole leaf.

Back in 1191, Chinese Zen monk Eisai brought green tea seeds, the concept of the tea ceremony, and the Rinzai school of Zen philosophy to Japan. The seeds flourished where he planted them around Kyoto and it’s believed that he was the first to grind and enjoy them in powdered form with hot water.

Matcha has a flavor that is somehow both bitter and sweet and slightly reminiscent of seaweed. It’s tastier than it sounds. It is traditionally just enjoyed with water, but coffeeshops will often use some version of milk and/or sugar to cut the bitterness.

What are the benefits?

Experts claim that because matcha contains the amino acid L-theanine, it came make you feel relaxed, but also focused. It also contains caffeine, but is said to deliver in a more measured way so the effect is less dramatic and lasts for four to six hours. It also contains anti-inflammatory antioxidants and 137 times the amount of EGCG found in common green tea.

Chocolate Matcha Energy Balls

Here’s an easy matcha recipe that makes a great little snack you can take almost anywhere. They’re not sweet, but they are satisfying. 56 calories each.

Total Time: 10 minutes

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cooking Time: None

Yield: 14 balls, 1 serving each

Ingredients:

½ cup dates, pitted

½ cup whole raw almonds

¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 Tbsp. matcha powder, plus more for rolling*

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 tsp. 100% maple syrup

Preparation:

1. Place dates, almonds, cocoa, matcha in food processor. Pulse until well mixed.

2. Add extract and maple syrup. Pulse until well mixed.

3. Roll into 14 balls about the size of a tablespoon.

4. Roll balls in matcha powder

5. Enjoy or store in refrigerator until ready to eat.

*Specialty grocery stores near you may carry matcha, but if you can’t find it, here are three online shops I recommend: Ippodo, a 300-year old shop in Kyoto that has an outpost in NYC, Palais des Thés where I purchased the matcha for this recipe, or Panatea.

All photos by Rebecca Swanner.

Spinach and White Bean Salad with Oranges and Grapefruit

Brightly flavored citrus and white beans make a perfect salad for any season! This recipe is light and refreshing for summer, and during winter the orange and grapefruit slices are a real pick-me-up. It makes a great lunch to pack for work!

Total Time: 15 min.

Prep Time: 15 min.

Cooking Time: None

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

2 Tbsp. 100% orange juice

2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar

Sea salt and ground black pepper (to taste; optional)

1 medium navel orange

1 medium pink grapefruit

10 packed cups fresh baby spinach (or mesclun greens)

2 (15-oz.) cans cannellini beans, rinsed, drained

Preparation:

1. Combine oil, orange juice, and vinegar in a small bowl; whisk to blend.

2. Season with salt and pepper if desired; mix well. Set aside.

3. Slice off ends of orange and grapefruit so they can sit flat on work surface. Slice downward around fruit to remove peel and white pith. Slice peeled fruit crosswise into half-inch-thick circles, removing any seeds. Cut grapefruit slices in half. Arrange slices evenly on four serving plates.

4. Combine spinach and beans in a large bowl; toss to blend.

5. Drizzle with dressing; toss gently to blend.

6. Divide spinach mixture evenly among four plates.