Can't you hear the waves crashing?

Andrew and Chloe enjoy some light hiking in Kapalua

B and the kids and I have been relaxing on Maui for the past few days, and I decided to take a break from the fun to share a new green smoothie recipe. While on vacation I loosen up on my diet and enjoy some of the treats that are off limits at home — that being said, I still make a point to get my greens everyday. The easiest way to get greens is of course with a green smoothie. We are staying in a condo that has a fully equipped kitchen (yippie!) including a blender. While it is no Vita-Mix, with a few modifications to my Green Smoothie 2.0 recipe I was able to make it work.

Take a quick trip to the local grocery store for these simple ingredients, and you’ll be able to start each relaxing vacation day with a boost of delicious and nutritious greens.

If you don’t have access to a blender then another way to get your greens is to have a big salad as one of your meals each day. Make sure to get mixed greens or spinach — the darker the greens the better.

The kids and I get into the aloha spirit at the Old Lahaina Luau

Here’s what you need:

• 1 banana
• 1/2 cup unsweetened rice milk
• 1/2 cup local tropical juice
• scoop of raw almond butter
• 1 cup spinach leaves
• 2 large kale leaves
• ice

B likes to drive Maui with the top down

1. Throw all of the ingredients into the blender and puree until smooth. *If the blender you are using isn’t high-speed then de-stem the kale before throwing it into the blender. Kale stem is pretty tough, and trust me you don’t want to be chewing your green smoothie in paradise
2. Find a nice place to sit preferably with a view of the ocean, sit back, relax and enjoy your green smoothie in paradise!

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This awesome salad is the perfect addition to any summer meal

You’d never know by tasting this salad that it contains no added oil. While balsamic  raspberry blush vinegar lends amazing flavor to this already bursting salad.

Here’s what you need:

• 8 cups cleaned spinach leaves
• 3 oranges, peeled, sliced and quartered
• 2 cucumbers, peeled sliced and quartered
• 1/8 cup macadamia nuts, coarsely chopped
• 1/8 cup sunflower seeds
• 2 Tablespoons poppy seeds
• 1 cup strawberries, sliced or whole raspberries
• ½ cup white balsamic raspberry blush vinegar
• * Optional: avocado, chopped

1. Combined the spinach, oranges, cucumbers, macadamia nuts, sunflower seeds, poppy seeds and strawberries in a bowl.
2. Add the vinegar and toss well. Top with avocado.

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Gotta love this savory treat

This recipe was inspired by Alicia Silverstone’s recipe for black-eyed pea croquettes in her amazing book, The Kind Diet. I very rarely fry things, since the oil adds so many extra calories, but Alicia made a good argument for it and I made an exception. Here is her take, “Deep-fried food that is cooked properly is not fatty. Most of the oil should drain off.” In any case, I would NOT recommend eating fried foods on a regular basis. So enjoy this delicious, crunchy dish once in a blue moon

Here’s what you need:

• 2 cups dried chick peas (garbanzo beans) soaked overnight
• 2 Tablespoons parsley, chopped
• freshly ground sea salt
• 1 Tablespoon shoyu
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 cup Safflower oil  for frying

Dipping sauce:

• 1/2 cup barley malt syrup
• 2 Tablespoons organic dijon mustard

1. Drain the soaked beans and throw into the food processor with parsley, salt, shoyu and cumin. Blend until finely chopped. Form bean-balls by squishing some of the bean mixture in the palm of your hand.
2. Head 1″ of oil in a skilled to 350 degrees. Test the oil by dropping a bit of the bean mixture into the oil — it should bubble furiously and rise to top. The oil should not get so hot that it smokes.
3. Place 4 croquettes at a time in the skillet — cook 4 mins each side. Use a slotted spoon to transfer croquettes to a plate lined with paper towels.
4. To make the dipping sauce, stir together the syrup and mustard.
5. Serve the croquettes while hot along with the dipping sauce.

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Best burrito ever!

If you thought burritos were only good when loaded with meat and cheese, then you’ve got to try this recipe! Sprouted grain tortilla spread with a light hummus and then stuffed with baked tofu and crunchy veggies….yummmm. You’ll find the sprouted grain tortillas in the freezer section of any natural foods store (Ezekiel brand).

You might as well make a few. These keep for a couple of days when wrapped and stored in the fridge.

Here’s what you need:

• • 1 sprouted grain, flourless tortilla
  • 1 Tablespoon hummus
  • 1/3 cup cooked brown rice
  • ¼ cup cooked black beans
  • ½ cup baked tofu, chopped
  • 2 Tablespoons fresh corn kernels
  • 2 Tablespoons chopped cucumber
  • ¼ cup shredded arugula
  • 3 cherry tomatoes, chopped

1. Warm the tortilla in a dry skillet. Spread the hummus evenly over the tortilla.
2. Top the tortilla with rice, beans,tofuand veggies.
3. Fold the two sides of the tortilla in over the filling, then flip up the bottom edge and roll tightly.

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This dish makes it easy to love your veggies

This is the perfect dish to make when you have a bunch of veggies to use, or when you crave something hearty and delicious. Don’t limit yourself to the veggies that I list below — use your imagination and the contents of your garden or fridge to make this dish your own special creation!

Here’s what you need:

• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• 3 bay leaves
• 2 onions, (1 red & 1 yellow) chopped into large pieces
• 8 large garlic cloves, peeled and halved
• 4 fresh thyme sprigs
• 20 small carrots
• fresh ground sea salt and pepper
• 28oz bag of mixed potatoes (I use the Red, Gold & Purple Potato Medley from Trader Joe’s)
• 8oz bag French green beans (Trader Joe’s comes already trimmed)
• 12 oz bag Bean Medley, Trader Joe’s (or any other cooked beans you have on hand)
• 5 medium tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped into large pieces
• 1 yellow bell pepper, cut into 1 inch strips
• 5 zucchini, cut into large pieces
• 1 batch of Pesto

1. In a large pot, warm the oil and bay leaves. Add onions, garlic and thyme. Cover and cook while you prepare the rest of the vegetables.
2. Add the carrots to the pot — leave small ones whole and cut larger ones in half. Season with salt and pepper. Cut larger potatoes into sections, leave small ones whole. Add the potatoes on top of the carrots. Season with salt and pepper. Cut the green beans in half and add to the pot, along with the beans, tomatoes, bell pepper and zucchini, seasoning each layer with salt and pepper.
3. Cover and cook until tender, about 40 minutes. If the veggies seem dry then add water or white wine.
4. Make the Pesto while the veggies cook.
5. Top each serving of veggies with plenty of Pesto.

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All these veggies are from the garden!

Here’s another option when it comes to summer squash. This year my garden has been taken over by zucchini and yellow squash, so this recipe has come in handy!

Here’s what you need:

• 2 lbs summer squash
• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1/2 cup water
• freshly ground sea salt and pepper
• 1/3 cup parsley, chopped
• handful of basil leaves, torn

1. Slice the squash into slices, about 1/4 inch thick
2. Heat the oil in a large skillet. Add the garlic. When the garlic is golden, add the squash and cook over med-low heat, flipping every 5 minutes for about 20 minutes.
3. Add the water and continue to cook until none remains. Season with the salt and pepper and sprinkle the herbs on top.

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The perfect whole grain side dish

Quinoa is always a great addition to a nutritious meal. I consider it my protein-rich go-to grain (even though it is technically a seed). This recipe is quick and is a great way to use fresh-from-the-garden basil.

Here’s what you need:

• 1 cup quinoa
• dash of sea salt
• 1/2 cup slivered almonds
• 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped

1. In a saucepan combine the quinoa with 2 cups of water and the salt. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer and cover for 20 mins.
2. Heat the slivered almonds in a dry skillet over medium heat. Toast until golden brown.
3. Transfer the cooked quinoa to a serving bowl and mix in the almonds and basil.

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Carob chips and Mac nuts make this bread something to remember

This bread is a fun departure from the ordinary. Carob chips and macadamia nuts are the perfect accent for tenderly moist pumpkin bread. Carob chips are a healthy, vegan alternative to traditional chocolate chips. They are made from carob powder, which is naturally sweet. However, don’t bite into a carob chip expecting it to taste like chocolate — it doesn’t! Carob has its own distinct and nutty flavor, which is easy to love.

Here’s what you need:

• 2 cans organic pumpkin puree
• 1 1/2 cups Sucanat
• 2 Ener-G egg replacements
• 1 cup non-dairy milk
• 1/2 cup safflower oil
• 1/4 cup unsweetened apple sauce
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 4 cups spelt flour
• 3 teaspoons baking soda
• 3 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons ground nutmeg
• 1 cup carob chips
• 1 cup whole macadamia nuts

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour 2 loaf pans.
2. In a large mixing bowl combine the pumpkin, sucanat, egg replacement, milk, oil, applesauce, and vanilla. In another bowl combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and nutmeg.
3. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ones in small batches. Once combined, add the carob chips and mac nuts, saving a handful of each to sprinkle on top of the bread.
4. Fill the prepared pans with the batter. Sprinkle remaining chips and nuts on top. Bake for 50 minutes.
5. Let the loaves cool for 5 minutes before turning out onto a cooling rack.

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We made these on Father's Day for my peanut butter lovin husband

These bars are so yummy and moist, without any dairy or refined sugar! Be sure to use a wholesome peanut butter, one that only contains peanuts — NO CORN SYRUP!!  They also freeze very well, so don’t be afraid to make extra and save for a later date.

Here’s what you need:

For Chocolate dough:

• 1/2 cup canola oil
• 1 cupSucanat
• 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
• 3 Tablespoons nondairy milk
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1/3 cup raw cacao powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

For the Peanut Butter Filling:

• 3/4 cup natural salted peanut butter
• 2/3 cup powdered evaporated cane sugar
• 3 Tablespoons nondairy milk
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease and flour a glass baking pan.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine oil, sucanat, syrup, milk and vanilla, mix until smooth. Add the flour, cocao powder, baking soda and salt. Mix until dough forms.
3. For the filling: In a seperate bowl beat the peanut butter, powdered sugar, milk and vanilla until a dough forms.
4. Press half of the chocolate dough into the bottom of the prepared pan. Top with the peanut butter filling and press the remaining chocolate dough over the top.
5. Bake for 20 minutes. Cool for at least 10 minutes before cutting into bars.

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It takes all but 4 minutes to whip this dessert together

There is something about ice cream that simply makes my kids go crazy.

At about 4pm every afternoon an ice cream truck drives down the main road behind the back wall of our property, playing a catching tune over loud speakers. As it so happens the kids and I are almost always out back at that time, with me in the garden and the kids in their sandbox. My kids have never gotten ice cream from an ice cream truck. They can’t even see the darn thing since our back wall is so high. But it never fails, whenever that truck passes by they both start screaming for ice cream.

This quick and nutritious fruit sorbet recipe comes in handy at times like those!

Here’s what you need:

• 1 cup rice milk
• 1 pound frozen unsweetened peach (or mango) slices
• 1 Tablespoon agave nectar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Place all of the ingredients into a high speed blender. Turn the machine on and quickly increase to high speed. Use tamper to press ingredients into the blades.
2. In about 30-60 seconds four mounds should form. Stop the machine.
3. Serve immediately with slices of fresh fruit.

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