Fresh and Fit

Creamy Kidney Bean Salad

Kidney bean salad is something most of us only think about during the summertime. But it makes a satisfying, high protein, high fiber dish any time of year. This creamy kidney bean salad is also a wonderful lunch on its own to keep you full until dinner. I recommend buying an organic brand of mayonnaise, eggs and yogurt. I used less mayo in this dish and added plain yogurt to up the nutrition and offer a boost of probiotics. Enjoy!

1 can of red kidney beans
2 celery stalks thinly sliced
1 hardboiled egg chopped
1/4 c organic mayonnaise
1/3 c plain yogurt
Sea salt and pepper to taste

Combine kidney beans and celery in a medium bowl.

Stir in mayo and yogurt. Season with salt and pepper.

Add chopped hardboiled egg and stir to combine.

Makes 2 Servings

Fresh Infused Water

As healthy as I always try to eat – heaps of fresh vegetables and well sourced protein, organic when possible, and cooking my own food – my most noticeable pitfall was always a crucial one, hydration! I would go all day with only having coffee in the morning. I find water hard to drink unless I’m really thirsty. After moving into our new home and settling in, I started filling my glass carafe with water and fruit and allowing them to infuse for a few hours. In the evening I will drink it and refill for the next day. I highly recommend doing this simple thing to everyone who has a hard time getting in enough H20. It seems so easy and we hear about the benefits of hydration all the time. It was easier said than done for me, until now. My favorite combination is strawberries with fresh basil or lemon and mint. Cantaloupe is also delicious and aromatic. Another positive effect of water infusions, they are so darn beautiful to look at!

Baby Portobello and Greens Casserole

An earthy and rustic side dish best describes today’s recipe. It could take the place of a salad or any hot vegetable dish. Made up of sweet onions and hearty portobello mushrooms, with a bubbly cheese on top, this dish is sure to be a crowd pleaser. It is also a wonderful offering for the vegetarians in your life.

2 large bunches of kale or mustard greens, stems removed and leaves coarsely chopped
1 medium white onion sliced into rings
8 oz sliced baby portobellos
1 cup shredded Swiss, Gruyere or Jarlsberg cheese
2 tbsp butter
1/3 c heavy cream
1 tbsp minced garlic
1/2 tsp thyme
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp basil
sea salt and pepper to taste

Melt 2 tbsp butter in a medium Dutch oven. Add sliced onion, cover and cook stirring occasionally until onions start to soften, about 7 minutes.

Add garlic and mushrooms and stir. Allow cook 5 minutes longer.

Add heavy cream, half the cheese, and seasonings. Stir well.

Add greens and combine until wilted.

Turn on broiler. Add remainder of cheese and season with sea salt and pepper. Broil until cheese is browned and bubbly.

Baked Apple Chips

Baked apple chips are super easy to make. In fact, the hardest part is waiting for them to bake. They make a nutritious snack that is crunchy, tart, and sweet with a nice cinnamon spice.

2-3 ripe apples

1 tbsp ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 200. Thinly slice apples using a mandolins or knife. Place onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet.

Bake for 2 hours. Flip apples over and bake 1 hour longer. Turn off oven and allow apples to slowly cool. Once oven is cool remove apples.