Template for Building an Entrée Salad:

Start with greens:  Arugula, Romaine, Kale, Baby spinach, Mixed

Veggie options:  Zucchini, Tomatoes, Broccoli, Sweet Onions, Scallion, Cucumber, Peppers, Green Peas, Radish, Avocado, Sugar snap peas, Jicama, Carrots, Roasted beets, Mushrooms (I’ve used both raw and cooked)

Protein:  Chickpeas, Tofu, White beans, Lentils, Sunflower seeds, Pumpkin seeds, Hardboiled egg, Cooked fish or chicken

Grain options:  Quinoa, Brown rice, Corn kernels, Farro (contains gluten)

Extras: Feta or Goat cheese (if your body tolerates dairy), dried cranberries


Here's a picture of one of my combos.  As you can see I pack a lot into one salad which may be why I never get tired of them!

Top with:
Creamy Lemon Dill Dressing
Makes 2/3 cups
 
½ C water
¼ C cashews
3-4 T lemon juice
2 T nutritional yeast (adds a cheesy flavor, can be found at health food stores)
2 T extra virgin olive oil
1-2 T fresh dill (start with smaller amount and adjust to taste)
1 small garlic clove
1/8 tsp sea salt
¼ tsp onion powder
     Place everything in a blender and blend on high until creamy.
Notes: 

• You can add the dill last and partially blend if you want dill flecks.
• If you don’t own a high speed blender (like a Blendtec or a Vitamix) then soak the cashews in water for 2-8 hours before making to get the creamiest consistency possible.
  
• Recipe comes from Oh She Glows.

If you have any questions or would like to share your favorite salad combo post them in the comments below!

These are a much healthier option for your body than any of the artificial, mass-produced drinks.

The first recipe comes from Lauren at Empowered Sustenance and you may be interested in checking out the benefits she listed for each of the ingredients here on her page.

Tulsi Twist
8 cups filtered water
6 teaspoons loose tulsi tea or 6 tea bags
3 Tbs. raw honey (or more to taste)
Big pinch of unrefined salt such as Celtic or Himalayan
15 drops trace minerals (approximately), optional but recommended
From Empowered Sustenance

Citrus Zing
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1½ to 2 cups water, depending on how strong you want the flavor
1/8 teaspoon of sea salt
approx. 2 tablespoons raw honey, to taste

Toss everything into a food blender and blend until the honey is dissolved, or blend it by hand using a whisk. Pour over ice and enjoy.
**Lightly adapted from Everyday Roots   

Herbal Cooler

• 4 cups herbal tea (Citrus flavored or a zinger style tea would work well)
• 2 - 4 tablespoons raw honey or maple syrup
• 1/4 teaspoon Celtic or Himalayan salt
• a few drops of trace minerals (optional)

**From Mommypotamus   

Sipping on a fun cocktail is one of the pleasures of summertime; my personal favorite is a well-made margarita with a smooth tequila and plenty of fresh lime juice, yummm!  However there are times that I don’t want the alcohol (yes it happens) but I do want the fun drink, so I decided to play around a bit and create a few non-alcoholic alternatives: “Mocktails!”  I’ve had a great time experimenting and today I’m sharing my top 3 favorites from the past month.

Things that matter:

• Fresh ingredients are always best and do make a difference in the final product.
• Unflavored seltzer is a great component to have on hand and livens up many different drinks.  It can also be one of the fastest and freshest mocktails all on its own when you combine it with any citrus juice and a little stevia.
• Use stevia whenever possible to reduce the amount of sweetener used.  Even if you’re not usually a stevia fan you may be surprised at how well it works with sour and citrusy flavors.
• Presentation: Choosing a glass that is fun to drink out of is key!  I love the feel of martini glasses and since I don’t drink martinis I use them for lots of other things, and same goes for champagne, wine, and old fashioned glasses.  Decide what strikes your mood and will add to your pleasure.
• Garnish:  This technically could also go under presentation but makes a significant difference to the final look so deserves to be highlighted by itself.  There are many ways to garnish your drink; consider everything from a simple slice of lime, lemon, or orange to making mini fruit kabobs to balance on the rim.  You can also use fresh herbs, frozen fruit in place of ice cubes, little umbrellas, and fancy straws…let your imagination play!
• Awesome flavors to consider using when inventing your own drinks: ginger, mint, basil, rosemary, citrus zest, cucumber, chia seeds, jalapeno, coconut water, fennel….Add your favorite inspirations in the comments below!

                   The Recipes

Watermelon Spritzer

Serves 1
½ cup watermelon juice
2 T fresh lime juice
2-3 mint leaves
½ cup chilled seltzer (use more or less to taste)
2 frozen strawberries, sliced in half lengthwise
Optional: crushed ice for serving

• To make watermelon juice, place seedless chunks in blender or run through a juicer, (strain if you want your juice completely smooth).
• Using the back of a spoon gently crush the mint leaves in the bottom of the glass.
• Add the watermelon and lime juice to the glass (I like margarita glasses for this drink).  If you plan ahead it’s wonderful to let the juices and mint leaves marinate together in the fridge for at least 30 minutes…I’m not usually that patient.
• Top with seltzer and garnish with the frozen sliced strawberries and a few whole mint leaves.

Peach Basil ‘Sangria’

Serves 1
½ peach, diced (peel first if desired)
2 T fresh lemon juice
4 basil leaves
2 drops stevia
½ tsp honey
1 cup (or more) chilled seltzer to fill glass

• Place peaches, basil, and lemon juice in glass of choice and gently crush with the back of a fork.
• Add stevia and honey then top with seltzer.
• Garnish with lemon slice and whole basil leaves.

Strawberry Da-Da-Daiquiri

Serves 1
3 T lime juice
1 cup semi-frozen strawberries
½ cup fresh orange juice
2-4 drops stevia (start with less and add one drop at a time until you have desired sweetness).
2-3 ice cubes

• Place all ingredients in blender and blend well.  If too thick add a little water or more orange juice.
• Serve in a wine glass or classic daiquiri glass, garnish with a mini umbrella for a tropical vacation touch.

I freely and unabashedly admit that summer is my all-time favorite season!  I know this isn’t true for everyone and that’s ok, but for me there’s nothing better than waking up every day and knowing that there’s not even a chance of being cold.  And because it always seems to go by in a flash, it’s the perfect time for me to practice slowing things down so that I can fully savor and maximize my summertime bliss.

I have many, many things I love about summer.  Here are a few...

I am not an avid beach person (I know this is sacrilege to many shore goers), however I do adore soaking up the sun any chance I can get.  If I’m having an off day or feeling stressed or a little down, it can change my whole mood to simply go outside for 10-15 minutes, sit in the warmth and appreciate the gratitude I feel for the sights, sounds, and smells of summer.

As a confirmed fresh food addict, summer is hands down the best time of year to experience the most amazing produce from farmers markets, local groceries, and CSAs.  There is only one down side to this which is that I seem to be somewhat susceptible to over buying whenever I’m faced with this veggie extravaganza. Fortunately every down has an upside and the upside to too many veggies is that I get to spend lots of time surfing food blogs looking for new recipes to try...yummm!

What is it about summer that suddenly triggers the need to dive into a pile of books?  Now, truth be told I am a year round reader, however, it seems that in the summer I find it’s even easier to justify stealing moments here and there to get lost in a book.

Summertime has its own type of hustle and bustle which I try not to get swept up in.  I’ve found one of the most relaxing ways for me to connect with the people I love is to have casual dinners where everyone brings something to share.  This keeps it simple and fun.

OK...I admit this is a shameless plug for smoothies because I love them beyond all reason.  They are delicious, nutrient dense, easy to make and I believe they just might be one of the single most powerful catalysts for healthy living.  Why??  I’m so glad you asked!  I think their secret lies in the fact that they taste so darn good - which means we’ll keep making them and eating them.  And since you can sneak all kinds of awesome ingredients into them like spinach, kale, avocado, cucumber, and every type of fruit imaginable you will have a power-packed meal that keeps you energized and satisfied for hours.

If you’ve never tried one before, check out the recipe below.  It’s my favorite summer smoothie and has even been my dinner a time or two when the days are hot.

Whether that means swinging in a hammock, reading books, hanging with friends, trying a hula-hoop for the first time, walking on the beach, or simply eating outside, summertime is designed for relaxation and enjoyment.   So don’t forget to slow things down a bit and enjoy this beautiful and abundant time of year.

Serves 1

1 cup almond milk or almond milk and water combined
2-4 oz. baby spinach
1⁄2- 3⁄4 frozen banana (peeled and in small chunks)
1⁄2 of a fresh or frozen peach in small pieces
A few orange sections (optional)
1-2 dates, preferably soaked overnight in fridge
1 T raw almond butter
2 t pure vanilla extract
A few drops of pure organic almond extract (or leave out if you prefer) 
3-5 ice cubes

• Add to almond milk, blend & serve.