Grilled Corn and Black Bean Summer Salad

This delicious salad is versatile and can be customized with other fresh herbs like cilantro, parsley, salad greens, and can be topped with crumbled feta or goat cheese if desired.

Ingredients:

2 ears of corn, husked

1 can (15 oz) black beans, rinsed and drained

1/2 red onion, finely chopped

1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, torn or chopped

1 avocado, diced (optional)

1 lime, juiced

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon honey or agave nectar (optional)

Salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions:

1. Grill the Corn:

Preheat your grill to medium-high heat. Lightly brush the corn with olive oil and grill for about 10-15 minutes, turning occasionally, until the corn is charred and cooked through. Remove from the grill and let cool slightly.

Once cool, cut the kernels off the cob and place them in a large mixing bowl.

2. Prepare the Salad:

Add the black beans, red onion, cherry tomatoes, and basil to the bowl with the corn. If using, gently fold in the diced avocado.

3. Make the Dressing:

In a small bowl, whisk together the lime juice, olive oil, and honey or agave nectar. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

4. Assemble the Salad:

Pour the dressing over the salad and gently toss to combine. Adjust seasoning if necessary.

Serve the salad immediately or chill it in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes to let the flavors meld. Enjoy it as a refreshing side dish or a light main course!

Note: I like to add chopped romaine and then a protein for a perfect all in one meal!

Marvelous Minestrone Soup

This cozy bowl of soup is always a celebration for my body and mind. It’s packed with colorful veggies, hearty beans, and gluten-free pasta, it’s a simple way to nourish yourself inside and out. Full of fiber, vitamins, and antioxidants, it’s perfect for keeping your energy up and your immune system strong. Plus, it’s endlessly adaptable—swap in your favorite greens or whatever veggies you have on hand.

Pro Tip: This soup is a fantastic way to load up on veggies. Don’t forget to double the batch and freeze some for a quick, comforting meal on busy days!

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 medium white or yellow onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 medium carrots, sliced
1 1/2 cups green beans, trimmed and roughly chopped
1 small zucchini, sliced
1 15-ounce can diced fire-roasted tomatoes
6 cups vegetable broth ( I like to also add “Better than Bouillon” to give it a boost) 
1 teaspoons dried basil (or 2 tablespoon fresh)
1 teaspoons dried oregano (or 2 tablespoon fresh)
1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
1 pinch red chili pepper flakes (optional)
1 15-ounce can white beans or chickpeas, rinsed and drained
2 cups gluten-free pasta/ or regular if desired (See note)
1 cup curly kale or spinach, chopped

Fresh squeezed lemon, olives, etc

Salt and pepper to taste                                                                                                                                                                                                              

Instructions:

Heat a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat.

Add water, onion, and garlic, stirring occasionally. Cook for about 3 minutes until fragrant.

Add carrots and green beans, season with sea salt and black pepper, and stir. Cook for 3–4 minutes until vegetables start to soften.

Stir in zucchini, fire-roasted tomatoes, vegetable broth, dried basil, dried oregano, nutritional yeast, red chili flakes (if using), and beans. Bring to a strong simmer .

Reduce heat to medium-low, add pasta, and simmer gently for about 10 minutes ( al dente) stirring occasionally. Adjust the heat as needed to maintain a simmer.

Add kale or spinach, stir and turn off the heat . The greens will wilt naturally and keep their green color!

Taste and adjust seasonings, adding more herbs, olives, salt, and pepper as needed.

Serve hot in bowls, garnished with fresh herbs, grated parmesan, and a squeeze of lemon.

Enjoy!

You may store leftovers in the refrigerator for 3 days or freeze for 1 month.

Note: GF pasta is does not reheat well. If you are using GF you may want to cook just enough separately and add to your portion of soup. Regular pasta will be fine to reheat.

Island Girl Caviar

You may have heard of Cowboy Caviar but now it’s time to give it some Aloha. Healthy, clean, versatile and delicious, you will be using this recipe for dips, sides, and as a topping on your favorite protein. Let’s get chopping.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup olive oil

• 2-3 Tbsp maple syrup

• 1/4 cup white wine vinegar

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1 cup cherry tomatoes diced or 6 Roma’s diced

• 1 (15 oz ) can black beans, rinsed and drained

• 1 ( 15 oz) can of cannellini beans

• 2 cups fresh pineapple diced ( may sub mango)

• 1 (11 oz) can sweet corn, drained

• 1 avocado diced

• 1 large cucumber, seeded and diced

• 1 medium red onion, diced

• 1 diced orange or yellow bell pepper

• 1 diced red bell pepper

• 1 cup chopped cilantro (1 lg bunch)

• 3-4 tbsp fresh lime juice

• salt to taste

• 1-2 jalapeno pepper, finely diced (optional/ you can de-seed these for less heat and good flavor)

Instructions:

In a lg mixing bowl whisk to combine olive oil, maple syrup, and salt ( if you have a favorite dressing you can sub that for these ingredients later after all the ingredients are combined )

Add in the remaining ingredients ( except lime and cilantro)

Toss until combined

Add lime and cilantro and mix gently again

Adjust to taste and chill.

Serve with tortilla chips, cucumber slices, lettuce wraps or add on any protein.

If you want to save some time you can use a dicing blade on your food processor for some of the ingredients. But I think chopping is half the fun!