This smoothie tastes like summer, and since we’re in our final month of beach weekends, Summer Fridays and rooftop happy hours - we’re holding onto this (a.k.a. making it every day) until the summer blueberries fade from our farmer’s markets. (Let’s also pretend that’s never going to happen.) While we still have access to summer’s bounty of local berries, we’re using… and hoarding them. Our loophole around buying frozen berries once they go out of season? Over-buying fresh, local berries now and freezing them for later!

blueberry ginger smoothie

ingredients:

• 1 cup frozen blueberries (preferably in-season, local berries - frozen yourself)
• 1 cup baby spinach
• 1-inch piece of ginger, more or less to taste
• 1 1/4 cups water
• juice of 1/2 lemon
• 1 tbsp. raw honey
• 2 tbsp. hemp powder (optional)

directions:

1. Blend all ingredients together on high. Serve over ice.

Note: We’ve included hemp in this recipe as a protein boost, but we should mention that it’s a required taste. Feel free to omit if it makes you want to gag.

Mondays are for eating green things. This is exponentially more appealing with said green things taste like chips. Texture wise, this broccoli still tastes like the cruciferous powerhouse that it is (a.k.a. we’re not dealing with kale chips here). But the flavor profile? It’s respectfully borrowed from the best chips ever - salt and vinegar. It’s going to be a great week.

salt & vinegar broccoli

ingredients

• 1/4 cup white vinegar
• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• 2 pounds of broccoli florets
• 1 tsp. flaky sea salt, more or less to taste

directions

1. Mix oil and vinegar together.
2. Add broccoli to a large tupperware or Ziploc bag along with oil and vinegar. Let marinate in the fridge for 30 minutes to an hour, shaking it to evenly coat the broccoli every so often.
3. Pre-heat broiler. Arrange broccoli on one or two baking sheets, making sure not to overcrowd the pan.
4. Broil for 7 to 10 minutes (time depends on how close the pan is to the broiler) until broccoli is bright green, cooked through and crisp.
5. Season with salt, to taste, and extra vinegar if desired.

Believed to be of Tunisian origin, shakshuka is a breakfast staple across the Middle East. It’s simple — eggs poached in a skillet of spicy tomato sauce — and so delicious. Plus, it tastes like Sunday brunch. And it’s Monday, so let’s consider that a win.

shakshuka

serves 4

ingredients:

• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 - 3 chili peppers (choose quantity and variety based on level of desired heat), minced (remove seeds if you prefer less heat)
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tsp. sweet paprika
• 1 tsp. cumin
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric
• 1.5 tsp. kosher salt
• 2 tbsp. tomato paste
• 1 28 oz. can crushed organic tomatoes
• 4 eggs
• 1/2 cup crumbled feta
• 1/4 cup parsley, finely chopped
• 4 whole wheat pitas

directions:

1. Heat oil in a large, deep skillet over medium heat. Saute onions and peppers for 5 to 7 minutes, until soft. Add garlic, tomato paste, spices and salt and cook for an additional minute.
2. Add crushed tomatoes and simmer for 15 minutes. Stir in feta and parsley. With the back a spoon, create four pockets and crack one egg into each pocket. Cover and cook until eggs reach your desired texture. (We recommend set whites and runny yolks.)
3. Serve with warm pita.

In the past year or so, I’ve developed somewhat of a thing for Latin food — specifically plantains. By thing, I mean I crave them all the damn time (I blame you, 10-month NYC winter), and the only way to quell these cravings is to satisfy them. While there’s nothing inherently unhealthy about Latin food — I don’t eat meat, so my meals often come in the form of rice, beans and plantains — it’s also not the lightest fare. But it can be. In an effort to satisfy my perpetual plantain cravings without consuming a gallon of oil per week, I held onto the delicious staples of a good Latin meal while lightening up the preparation and swapping a few ingredients (adios, rice and canola oil — hello, quinoa and coconut oil). The result? Simple, delicious and healthy enough to eat whenever a serious plantain craving hits.

latin quinoa bowl with coconut plantains

serves 2

Ingredients:

• 1 ripe plantain, cut into 1/4-inch slices
• 2 tbsp. coconut oil
• kosher salt, to taste
• 1 ear of corn, shucked and silks removed
• 2 cups cooked quinoa
• 1 cup cooked black beans, divided
• 1 jalapeno, seeds removed and thinly sliced
• 2 tbsp. cilantro, divided
• 1 avocado, halved and diced
• 2 tbsp. grated cotija

Directions:

1. Heat a large skillet to medium heat, and add coconut oil. When hot, add plantain slices and cook for 3 to 5 minutes per side. You want your plantains lightly browned on each side and cooked through.
2. Remove from pan, lay on a paper towel and sprinkle with kosher salt.
3. Halve your ear of corn, and shave the kernels off the cob.
4. Time to start assembling your bowl: To each bowl, add 1 cup of quinoa, half of the corn kernels, 1/2 a cup of black beans, jalapeno slices (throw in some of the seeds and membrane for extra heat) and half of the plantains.
5. Top with cilantro, avocado and grated cotija. Season with additional salt and hot sauce, if desired.

Let’s talk kohlrabi. I first came across this under-the-radar vegetable in a CSA box a few years back, and I had no idea what was staring back me. It sort of looked like a jicama grew an afro and adopted the outer layers of a dragon fruit (with more subdued coloring) — you’re welcome for that helpful visual. Once I did a bit of Googling, I took to peeling and chopping the kohlrabi and eating it raw. This is a simple and delicious preparation (the texture is similar to a radish, but the taste is milder and sweeter), but as I ventured further into kohlrabi experimentation, I discovered kohlrabi chips. Easy, quickly roasted and perfectly crunchy — this is the way to eat kohlarbi.

roasted kohlrabi chips

ingredients:

• 4 kohlrabi
• 2 tbsp. melted coconut oil
• sea salt and pepper to taste

directions:

1. Preheat oven to 475ºF.
2. Peel kohlrabi, cut off top and bottom and slice thinly (about 1/8 inch). Toss with coconut oil and desired amounts of salt and pepper.
3. Arrange on two baking sheets, careful not to overcrowd (which will results in soft, steamed kohlrabi instead of the crispy chip-like texture we’re going for), and bake for approximately 15 minutes, turning half way.
4. After the 10 minute mark, check frequently to make sure the kohlrabi browns without burning.

Healthy pizza? It exists — and it’s delicious. This gluten-free, dairy-free riff on New York’s unanimous guilty pleasure calls on polenta as its base. Savory sun-dried tomato sauce and sauteed veggies stand in for the traditional cheese topping, and we promise, you won’t miss it.

Baked Polenta Pizza

Ingredients:

For crust:

• 6 cups water
• 1 tsp. salt
• 2 cups polenta
• 1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper

For sauce:

• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes
• 1 (15 oz.) can of organic diced tomatoes
• 3 tbsp. tomato paste
• 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk

For toppings:

• 2 tbsp. coconut oil, divided
• 1 large Vidalia onion, very thinly sliced
• 3 cups baby spinach
• 1/4 cup black olives, sliced
• 1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes

Directions:

1. For the crust: Bring water to a boil, add salt and stir in polenta and crushed pepper. Cook over medium heat for 5 minutes, until thickened. Transfer to baking sheet and spread out into an even layer with a spatula. Let cool for 20 minutes.
2. For the sauce: Heat olive oil. Saute garlic and sun-dried tomatoes for two minutes, then add tomatoes, tomato paste and almond milk. Simmer for 5 minutes, then remove from heat.
3. Pre-heat oven to 375°F and bake polenta for 20 minutes.
4. While polenta is baking, heat 1 tbsp. coconut oil and sautee onion until caramelized, for about 15 minutes over low-medium heat. Set aside.
5. Heat remaining tablespoon of coconut oil and sautee spinach until wilted, about two minutes. Set aside.
6. When crust is finished, top with an even layer of sauce, onions, baby spinach, olives and sun-dried tomatoes. Sprinkle with additional salt and crushed red pepper, if desired.

The ultimate way to lighten up any recipe calling for noodles? Make your own — using zucchini. First, a disclaimer: Zucchini noodles do not taste anything like starch-based noodles. However, they’re delicious, flavorful and perfectly light for these summer months when our bodies tend to crave water-dense, plant-based foods in lieu of heavier fare. The best way to prepare zucchini noodles is with a spiralizer (we like this one), but in a pinch, a standard vegetable peeler does the job, too.

Truffled Zucchini Noodles

Ingredients:

• 2 large zucchini
• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 tsp. truffle salt
• 1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper

Directions:

1. If using a spiralizer, process your zucchini into desired noodle size. If using a vegetable peeler, peel the zucchini length-wise into ribbons.
2. Add olive oil to a pan over medium heat and saute zucchini for 2 to 3 minutes, until lightly cooked but still maintaining a slight crunch.
3. If you’re looking for a no-cook option, simply toss the zucchini in the olive oil (you may need an additional tablespoon to fully coat).
4. Season with truffle salt and crushed pepper, and enjoy!

Hello, summer. We love you for so many reasons — but, on the food front, we love that your annual arrival kicks off grill season. We love grilling because it takes the cooking out of the kitchen (see you in September, oven) and brings us back to the basics of cooking vegetables. Because the grill imparts so much flavor, it pushes us to celebrate plants simply (both in seasoning and preparation).

The secret to perfectly grilled eggplant? It’s all in the vegetable prep. First, you’ll want to cut the eggplant into round slices that are approximately a quarter of an inch thick. This allows them to get slightly crispy (if you prefer a softer, fleshier texture, you can cut the rounds into one-inch pieces). Then, salting and sweating the eggplant rounds extracts moisture and bitterness — allowing for the best flavor and texture.

Perfect Grilled Eggplant

Ingredients:

• 5 small eggplants (Japanese or Fairytale varieties work well)
• olive oil
• kosher salt

Directions:

1. Trim your eggplants and slice them into 1/4-inch thick rounds. Place on a paper towel or clean dish towel and cover in salt generously. Let sit for 15 minutes to allow eggplant to “sweat.”
2. Rinse with water, and dry thoroughly with paper towels, making sure to squeeze out as much moisture as possible.
3. Heat your grill to medium-high heat. Brush eggplant with olive oil and sprinkle with kosher salt to taste.
4. Place on grill, oiled side down, and cook for 5 minutes. Brush up-facing sides with olive oil and sprinkle with salt, then flip and grill for an additional 3 to 5 minutes.

It’s Monday — time to put something healthy in our bodies. Craving a fresh, plant-based reset button after an indulgent weekend? (Even if your indulgent weekend isn’t over until tomorrow, the answer should be yes.) We’ve got you covered with today’s Meatless Monday recipe for Sprouted Tofu Broccoli Slaw. We know, it sounds so healthy, but it’s delicious enough to bring to any Memorial Day Weekend potluck and be devoured by the not-so-healthy eaters and health nuts alike. Win, win.

Sprouted Tofu Broccoli Slaw

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. organic sprouted tofu, cubed
• 1 lb. broccoli slaw
• 1/4 vidalia onion, very thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup sesame oil
• 3 tbsp. soy sauce, tamari or Braggs Liquid Aminos
• 1 inch piece of ginger, grated
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp. raw honey
• 2 tbsp. rice wine vinegar
• 1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper, more to taste
• 1/4 tsp. salt, more to taste

Directions:

1. Combine cubed tofu, broccoli slaw and onion in a large mixing bowl or container.
2. Whisk remaining ingredients together, and dress salad mixture. Toss well and let marinate in the fridge at least one hour, and ideally overnight.

Proven to help with weight reduction and improve insulin resistance, red grapefruit may also help reduce the risk of cancer and lower triglyceride levels. One whole grapefruit covers your daily requirement of vitamin C, and pink and red grapefruits offer about 35 times more vitamin A than their yellow counterparts.