LIV Italian Chicken Sausage and Peppers | Healthy Dinner Recipe

This is one of my favorite warming meals, packed with bright red bell peppers, cancer fighting onions, garlic, fennel, and a pinch of red pepper flakes for a kick.  Did you know one red bell pepper has more vitamin C than an orange?! I used organic and all natural bell and evans turkey sausage instead of pork. Healthier and less fat. Pair with a piece of crusty Italian bread and you’ve got a delicious meal for days. My Maternal grandmother“Nonna” used to make this for my mom to bring to school back in the 60’s.. tried and true Italian classic.   Mangia!

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup EVOO
• 1.25 pounds sweet Italian turkey sausage ( about 4 or 5 sausages)
• 2 red bell peppers, sliced
• 2 yellow onions, sliced
• 5 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
• 1 tsp tomato paste
• 1 can of crushed tomatoes (Muir glen or san marzano)
• ½ tsp of crushed fennel seed
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2/3 teaspoon dried oregano
• 2.3 cup chopped fresh basil leaves, leave some whole leaves for presentation at the end
• 1 loaf of Italian crusty bread

Directions

Heat Oil in large skillet over low to medium heat. Add sausages and cook until browned on each side about 9-11 minutes.  Add peppers, onions, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes and cook for 7 more minutes. Then add fennel, oregano, and garlic and cook for2 more minutes on low heat. Add tomatoes, tomato paste, basil and cook for 25 minutes on low heat, until sauce becomes thickened and aromatic. Serve in large soup bowls with warm crusty bread. Top with fresh basil and serve immediately.

LIV Beauty Bento Salad & Grain Box | Healthy Lunch Recipe

Are you sick of the same old salad or sandwich at lunch?

Are you looking for something that is flavorful, packed with nutrients and will make you feel beautiful, vibrant and energetic inside and out?

Well, you’re in luck.

This recipe is from my brothers who make this every night to fuel their day starting at 3am at the New England produce market every morning. They pack a big Tupperware the night before and snack on this nutrient dense salad all day long, giving them the energy and vitality to stay alert, focused and feeling like a million bucks. Excellent balance of lean protein, vegetables, Omega 3’s and complex carbs to fuel your day.  Excited to share it with you.

 Salad Ingredients 

• 1 head of romaine hearts, sliced
• ½ pound cooked ground turkey, or grilled chicken if you prefer
• 1 cup of brown rice or quinoa cooked ahead in water or chicken broth for extra flavor
• ¾ cup white bean mash (I like this recipe by Nigella)
• 2 boiled beets, sliced
• 2 sliced radishes
• 2 tablespoons of shredded carrots
• 1 avocado
• 1 baked sweet potato cut in wedges
• 1 tbsp sunflower seeds (optional garnish)
• 1 tbsp craisins (optional garnish)

Dressing Ingredients 

• 3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1 clove minced garlic
• ½ tsp kosher salt
• ½ tsp freshly ground pepper
• ½ cup extra virgin olive oil

Directions

1.      Use large Tupperware or “Bento Box” plastic Tupperware which has the sections already divided for you.

2.      Add bed of brown rice at bottom, then white bean mash, then romaine, beets, radishes, carrots sweet potato, and avocado. If packing the night before, it might be best to leave avacado in tact and pack separately, cutting right before you eat to avoid spoiling. Finish with sunflower seeds and craisins for additional crunch and flavor.

3.      Last make your dressing (this is a balsamic dressing, but you can use any dressing you like). Combine 3 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar, 1 clove minced garlic, ½ tsp kosher salt, ½ tsp freshly ground pepper, ½ cup of olive oil.  Pack dressing separately in individual tupperware and add right before eating for best flavor.

*Tip: The best way to prepare is the night before to ensure you can cook the items that need additional prep ahead of time. You can add additional vegetables as they’re in season for variety and to mix things up for the seasons. My brothers sometimes add baked leeks, sautéed mushrooms, spiralized vegetables, or grilled eggplant in the fall, or a sliced heirloom tomato or fresh corn cut off the cob in the summer – these additions top off their bento box for added nutrients and flavor.  The trick is to eat the rainbow - pack your salad with as many different colors you can find. This will ensure a good balance of antioxidants and phytonutrients to nourish you on the deepest level.

LIV Low-Carb Cauliflower Rice | Healthy Side Recipe

Right now, cauliflower is freshest it will be all year here on the east coast. My mom made cauliflower rice last night with Italian cauliflower, or “Romanesco.” On display they look like beautiful vibrant green Christmas trees. This recipe calls for anchovies. According to my mom, “Cauliflower and anchovies marry like Gisele and Tom Brady.”  I’ll take her word for it because this recipe is delicious!  If you don’t like anchovies, you can omit and this dish is still very flavorful with the olive oil and browned onions.  

This recipe is quick, easy and a great substitute for rice if you’re looking for a great low carb healthy recipe. This version has about 1/3 of the carbohydrates in rice.  Mangia!

Ingredients

·   1 large head of cauliflower or 2 small

·   1 tsp chopped ginger

·   1 medium onion chopped

·   2 cloves of garlic chopped

·   2 anchovy filets ( my mom likes the brand in the glass jar at the store with the small metal fork are the best)

·   3 TBSP extra virgin olive oil

·   2 TBSP chopped parsley

·   2 TBSP chopped scallions

·   1 TBSP fresh lemon juice 

Directions

·   Cut cauliflower nectarine size pieces, de-core. Chop in food processor to rice consistency.

·   Meanwhile, add olive oil to skillet or large wok.  Sauté onions, garlic, anchovies and ginger for about 8 minutes. When soft, add "cauliflower rice." Saute another 3-5 minutes.

·   Finish with chopped parsley, scallions, lemon juice. Fluff “rice” with fork and serve warm.

LIV Lentil Soup | Healthy Dinner Recipe

Leeks were a highlight vegetable this week at the farm. Lots of my clients are unsure of how to cook with them, and I urge them that they are a great vegetable to add to soups. They enhance the flavorful onion flavor and nutritional benefits. My mom makes lentil soup every fall. This soup is hearty, delicious, and loaded with iron. In addition, the amount of protein found in lentils is up to 35%, which is comparable to red meat, poultry, fish, and dairy products.  They are great for improved digestion, diabetes control, combatting cancer, weight-loss and great for pregnant women as a steady energy source.

The possibilities are endless with this recipe. You can also add dollop of crème fraiche in addition to the olive oil for a creamy finish.My mom also likes to add in grilled Italian chicken sausage, or pre-cooked kale/spinach swirled in for added nutritional value.  I love making a big batch of this soup on a Sunday afternoon, and have a healthy dinner ready to heat up all week long.

Ingredients

·  2 yellow onions diced

·  ½ bunch of celery diced

·  10 diced carrots

·  3 leek stalks diced

·  1 lb of French lentils

·  4 cups of chicken broth

·  1 can of fire roasted tomatoes (I like Muir Glen Organic Crushed Tomatoes Fire Roasted)  

·  ½ cup tomato paste

·  2 bay leaves

·  1 tsp Thyme

·  ½ cup of good Italian olive oil

Directions

1. Saute onions, celery, carrots and leeks in large sauce pot with olive oil. Sauté until onions are translucent, about 15 minutes

2. Add lentils, chicken broth, can of fire roasted tomatoes, bay leaves and thyme to pot. 

3. Simmer for 1 ½  hours. After, take off heat and serve in bowls with drizzle of olive oil.