Green Smoothie

There are lots of variations that can be made to this basic green smoothie recipe. You can use a variety of fruits and greens, but the ratio should be:

1/3 water

1/3 greens (after blended)

1/3 fruit

I usually start with 2 cups of water in the blender, then pack the blender full of greens (kale and spinach are what I usually use). Throw in 1/4 of a lemon (rind and all). Blend it down and add more greens and keep blending until the total volume is 4 cups after it's blended. Then fill the rest of the blender with fruit and blend until smooth. I almost always add a banana or two and frozen berries. If you like it sweeter, you can add some chopped dates as well. 

Roast Veggies

I like to mix it up a bit when it comes to roasting veggies in the oven. Some of my favorites are:

Cauliflower
Broccoli
Sweet Potatoes
Fennel (Just the white part)
Potatoes
Carrots

Chop the veggies into bite sized pieces. I always add an onion as well, chopped into smaller pieces. Place on a cookie sheet and drizzle with olive oil, garlic salt, and pepper. Preheat the oven to 425* and cook for 20 min, then stir and cook for about another 20 min.

Corn and black bean salad

1 1/2 cups black beans
1 cup frozen (thawed) or fresh sweet corn
1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
1/4 cup torn fresh cilantro
2 limes, juiced
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Combine all ingredients together in a large bowl and toss. This tastes best when made an hour or so ahead of time and will stay fresh in the fridge for a day or two if kept in a sealed container.

Guatemalan Rice

I made this for the family while we were visiting over Christmas and it was well received so I'll put it up for everyone to enjoy. It's very easy and healthy and you can really top it with whatever you like.

1/4 c olive oil
1 medium onion
1 clove garlic
1/2 c chopped carrots
1/2 c corn
1/2 c peas (or you can leave these out if you aren't a fan of them :)
1 c rice
2 c water
1 can black beans
Cheese
Tortilla chips
Toppings ex: sour cream, guacamole, salsa, cilantro, limes etc.

1. Saute onion in the olive oil.
2. Add rice and brown, stirring occasionally.
3. Add vegetables and water. Cover and let simmer until rice is cooked through.
4. After the rice is cooked turn off the heat, top with black beans and cheese and tent so that the cheese melts.
4. Top with your preferred toppings, serve up with tortilla chips and enjoy!