Dani Spies

Dark leafy greens are some of the most nutrient dense foods out there. Whenever you see the term "power food" these babies are always at the top of the list.  They are so rich in vitamins, minerals, fiber and antioxidants that they literally quench your body with nutrients. 

Adding just one cup to your daily diet can strengthen immunity, protect against cancer, assist in mental clarity, cleanse the cells and the lunges, and improve cardiovascular health (just to name a few)!!

This video offers a basic introduction to the variety of spring time leafy greens available and over in the food focus box I have a variety of recipes using leafy greens so hopefully you'll feel inspired to give them a try if you're not already:).

Spring time is naturally a very cleansing time of year.  After a long, cold winter of heartier, heavier foods, Spring rolls in with its fresh, light flavors that are designed by nature to help clean us out and lighten us up a bit!

Leafy greens are the number one ingredient missing in the American diet which is why I've decided to focus on Spring Leafy Greens this month!
 

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Ever since the beginning of "asparagus" month I have had a stir-fry on the brain, I just wasn't sure exactly what I wanted to do.  So I began searching around on some other food blogs for ideas (which by the way is about the only place I search for recipes online these days).

I found a recipe that caught my eye over at The Perfect Pantry and decided to give it a try. (if you have never visited The Perfect Pantry before you really must, you'll learn everything you'll ever need to know about items you can keep in your pantry)!  I pretty much stuck to the recipe except I bulked up the veggie department a bit and added some tofu in order to get a little protein into the meal.  Speaking of tofu, let me give you a little tofu tip...

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Food is simple AND cooking is simple.   It's that simple.

Of all of the cooking classes I have attended, all the cook books I have read, and all the cooking shows I've watched, there is one basic fact that holds true in the kitchen:  Keep it Simple!

This theory works exceptionally well in my arena of cooking because when you use fresh, whole, seasonal foods you don't have to do much extra work to have a delicious, nutritious meal; making clean, simple, d'lishes dishes is technically one of the easiest ways to prepare your meals!

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My initial plan was to make this salad using farro, but I couldn't get my hands on any so I turned to the cupboard for a convenient alternative.

I wanted to use a heartier grain or rice and thought Israeli couscous would do the job.  Couscous is really just another form of pasta (it's like really little pasta balls).  The only difference between Israeli couscous and regular couscous is the size. Israeli couscous is bigger and the size makes for a great texture (just be sure to cook your couscous like you would your pasta...al dente!).

This recipe is from one of my bootcamp students (have I ever told you guys that I teach bootcamp?). I was so excited to see that one of the ingredients was asparagus since it is the Food Focus this month!  She made the salad with the farro and loved it, so if you can manage to get your hands on some farro definetly try it! 

Another thing I really liked about this recipe is the vinegar.  Sherry vinegar brings a whole new layer of flavor to this salad and I really don't think it would as delicious without it. 

*On another note, I decided to a modified cleanse this week.  Basically I'm cutting out caffeine, sugar, meat, dairy, alcohol, and all processed foods.  I think I'll journal the week in food for thought:)!

For those of you really trying to incorporate more QUICK and HEALTHY meals into your diet you have to play in the world of steaming. 

Now, I know steaming has earned a reputation of boring and bland in the past but this does not have to be the case.  As I mention in the video the key to making your steamed food yummy, is to season it up once it's done cooking (you'll see what I mean when you watch the video).

This is definitely an easy cooking technique to throw into your weeknight rotation.  Try swapping out different proteins and veggies for an effortless weeknight meal.

*On an other note... Jaden Hair of Steamy Kitchen is teaching some cooking classes in LA this weekend (actually strting tonite) and I get to assist her on Saturday (yeah, I'm very excited:))...if you are interested in joining in check food for thought for all the details!!