Go Go Greens!- “Drink In Style” with my Green Smoothie recipe

Rich, dark green leafy veggies are abundant this time of year.  So, today we are celebrating these nutrient-dense rock stars.  They are some of the best super foods on the planet that help detox and cleanse the body as well as support immune function, digestion and metabolism.  Yet, most people don’t ooh and ah over kale and chard (unless you’re me that is).  This may be because greens typically need a little extra TLC to make them tasty, as they tend to be bitter and have a tougher texture.  

Now, although the bitter quality of greens actually stimulates the cleansing power of the liver and also aids digestion and I don’t think we should eliminate its bitterness entirely, my motto is that food has to be a source of enjoyment at the same time that it is a source of medicine.  So we need tasty ways to prepare them and this is what I just recently taught students at PCC Natural Markets in my Greens Glorious Greens class.  It’s all about making them tasty and tender.  And quite frankly, it is easy to do so.  Whether it is by adding a little sweetness with some honey or fruit, or learning proper cooking techniques for tenderizing those babies, either will do the trick.  Check out my Quick & Easy 5-Min Greens for one of the best ways to soften them up and add them to anything your eating to ensure they are abundant in your daily diet. 

But, for a new recipe, try “Siona’s Go Go Green Smoothie.”  I’m not typically a fan of smoothies for meal replacers, unless they are homemade, contain only high quality whole foods and plenty of real protein.  So this means that you’ll have to skip the powder.  Yup, no faking it here folks, just good ole protein from organic whole yogurt and milk.  The recipe got its name because green foods are the type that will help you “go” all day long. 
   

The flavors will make your lips pucker and your taste buds sing!  I love the combination of peppery arugula with the pungent ginger and bright refreshing flavor of lemon.  The apple and dates add sweetness and the avocado helps to round it out and cream it up.  My husband likes to throw in a handful of blueberries, which is also tasty.  But I didn’t officially add them below, because the smoothie would no longer appear green.  We enjoy this smoothie in the morning with a hard-boiled egg and a scoop of oatmeal or serve it as an afternoon snack. 

Yet, my favorite part about this recipe is the nostalgia it gives me, and I have to say that I love how food connects us to one another and has the ability to create great memories.  This recipe reminds me of my friend Zephyr Dunnicliffe who has great taste, whether it is for food or fashion.  No matter the occasion (even a bio-chem or A&P exam), she would arrive to Bastyr University in her heels with a green drink or kombucha in hand.  I always admired her zest for life, and I agree that we should treat ourselves to good health and good food no matter the occasion.  Her personal favorite flavors are jalapeno and lime instead of ginger and lemon.  So, cheers to Zephyr who definitely “drinks in style!”  With this recipe you will be too!

Let me know how you like it by posting a reply on the blog below.  Enjoy!

Yours In Cooking & In Health,

Siona J

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Siona’s Go Go Green Smoothie

Green foods are nutritional powerhouses that should be included in our daily diets for proper metabolism regulation and optimal health.  Green smoothies are one of my favorite ways to enjoy green foods.  Drink 1 liter for a meal replacement or drink a 12-ounce cup in addition to your normal meal. 

Makes 1 serving

Preparation Time: 5 minutes

4-6 pitted mejool dates (or 2-3 teaspoons raw local honey)

1 granny smith apple

1-2-inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled

½ avocado, pitted and peeled

1-2 small lemons, juiced

5-6 kale leaves, de-stemmed

1 cup of baby spinach

1 cup of baby arugula

½-¾ cup organic whole milk yogurt

½-¾ cup organic raw whole milk or coconut water

Pinch sea salt

½ teaspoon ground kelp, optional

½ teaspoon ground chia or flax seeds, optional

Ice, optional

Add dates to a blender and grind to a paste.  Add apple, ginger, avocado and lemon juice and blend.  Add kale, spinach, arugula and blend again.  Add yogurt and milk, sea salt and optional ingredients and blend until smooth and creamy.  If mixture is too thick, add more milk or some coconut water.  Enjoy!

Copyright 2010, S. Sammartino, Original recipe

Ginger & Lime Marinated Salmon-Recipe Included

Tantalize your taste buds with my popular Ginger & Lime Marinated Salmon.  Stay tuned for my upcoming video blog on “5 Skin Foods for A Healthy Summer Glow,” which mentions this very recipe.  Enjoy!

Yours In Cooking & In Health,

Siona J

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Ginger and Lime Marinated Salmon

My favorite food dish is grilled or baked salmon.  It is a wonderful source of the beneficial omega-3 fatty acids.  The lime, ginger, soy sauce, and sherry are bold enough to stand up to salmon’s distinct flavor and do not go unnoticed.  Serve with “Lemony Garlic Kale and Quinoa Salad” and a soup for a well balanced meal. 

Preparation time: 1 to 2 hours to marinate, 8 minutes to cook

Makes four 4-ounce serving

½ teaspoon fresh lime zest (from about 1 medium lime)

2 medium limes (about ½ cup), juiced and divided

1 tablespoon tamari or shoyu

1 tablespoon dry sherry wine

2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

½ teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon of local, raw honey or succanat

2 medium cloves fresh garlic, minced

2 teaspoons fresh ginger root, grated

1 pound of fresh wild salmon

½ teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil

Fresh Italian flat-leaf parsley for garnish

In a small preparation bowl, whisk together the lime zest, juice, tamari, sherry, oil, mustard, honey, garlic and ginger.  Place the fish in a small shallow preparation bowl and cover with marinade. Flip the fish so it is skin side up and the flesh is touching the marinade. Cover, refrigerate, and marinate fish for 30 minutes to 2 hours before cooking. 

Preheat oven to 375º-400º F.

Remove fish from fridge. Heat a 10-inch carbon steel or cast-iron skillet on high heat for about a minute and then add oil and allow it to coat entire surface of pan. Add fish to pan skin side up and sear for 1 minute. Flip fish and pour any remaining marinade over it and place the skillet in oven to finish cooking for approximately 6-7 minutes (6-7 minutes per inch of thickness). Remove from oven and top with remaining lime juice and parsley and enjoy. 

Variation: Use all of the same marinade ingredients, except skip the tamari, sherry, and mustard and just add a ½ teaspoon of sea salt for a simpler yet flavorful marinade. 

Copyright 2010, S. Sammartino, Original recipe

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The Art of Infusing

How can you make healthy food tasty and enjoyable?  One answer is by learning fun and creative ways to enhance both the flavor profile and therapeutic properties of your food?  Read my PCC Cooks class description and sign up for “The Art of Infusing” today by hitting the red link below.

The Art of Infusing  

Siona Sammartino

Herbal and spice infusions are a creative way to add depth of flavor to any dish. And infusing flavor into water, milk, honey, oil or sugar is a tasty way to boost the nutritional and flavor profile of your food. Siona will demonstrate some amazing flavor combinations in dishes such as Pan-seared Halibut with Fennel and Coriander-infused Oil; Lavender Lemon Refresher; Mixed Green Salad with Nettle Peppermint Vinaigrette; and Lemon Cookies with Sweet Jasmine Hibiscus Icing. With seafood, dairy and eggs.

•   Saturday May 7, 3-5:30pm. Edmonds

•   Friday May 20, 6:30-9pm. Greenlake (Full)

•   Sunday May 22, 1-3:30pm. Redmond 

•   Sunday Jun 5, 1-3:30pm. Issaquah 

Wednesday Jul 20, 6:30-9pm. West Seattle 

http://www.pccnaturalmarkets.com/pcccooks/classes/detail.php?id=1363

I hope to see you there! 

Yours In Cooking & In Health,

Siona 

Spring Cleaning for Your Body-Cleanse and Revitalize

Happy Spring!  The birds are chirping, tulips are in full bloom, sun is shining here and there and it’s the season for good ole spring-cleaning.   I’m not just talking about your living space.  It’s also a time to cleanse and revitalize your body from the inside out.  So, get ready to wipe off the cobwebs and wake up from your winter slumber. 

One of my favorite ways to rejuvenate my body and welcome the birth of spring is by adding green foods to my diet.  You know, the green leafy veggies that we’ve all heard are good for us.   Here’s a quick and easy, no-fuss recipe that will help you incorporate greens into your daily diet.   Eat them all by themselves and dress them with your favorite vinaigrette or use them to finish off salads, soups, scrambled eggs, stir-fries, etc.   See my recipe below.

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Quick & Easy 5 Min Greens

Leafy green vegetables are nutritional powerhouses that are a rich source of phytochemicals, antioxidants, vitamins and minerals.  Pressing greens with salt is a fast and easy way to have greens on-hand and ready-to-eat for a busy week ahead.  Once prepared these tasty greens will keep for a week in your fridge and are ready to be added to salads, soups, grains, eggs, stir-fries or anything else you can think of!

 

Preparation time: 5 minutes

Yield: 1.5-2 cups

Greens:

1 bunch sturdy greens such as dinosaur kale, Swiss chard or collards

¾-1 teaspoon sea salt

Dressing:

1-2 teaspoons organic extra-virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon fresh squeezed lemon juice (optional)

Wash and de-stem greens.  Stack leaves on top of one another, roll tightly and cut into thin ribbons.  Massage greens with salt in a large preparation bowl for about 2 minutes.  Greens should shrink by half the volume. Then, squeeze the greens and discard the juices that come out of them.  Add kale to a clean glass storage container and top with oil and lemon juice.

Copyright 2010, S. Sammartino, Original recipe

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You can also watch me prepare my Quick and Easy 5 Minute Greens and spring forward into a new you.  

Your next step is to post a reply below and let me know which green foods are some of your favs and what other foods you’re interested in learning more about.  If you like what you see here, don't forget to hit the "Follow" button on the right side bar to stay up-to-date.  

Yours In Cooking & In Health,

Siona :)