The Sunny Side Up Recipes

Fresh. Clean. Radiant. Living life on the sunny side.

Modified Mexican

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Having recently returned from an amazing trip to LA, I’ve always had a love of Mexican food (or anything with avocado on it, really). So when I first read about this recipe  for raw vegan tacos on one of my favorite plant-based blogs, My New Roots, I was definitely intrigued, although a little skeptical–no cheese? No guac?! Rather than using tortillas, the recipes uses swiss chard wraps, rather meat it uses a surprisingly hearty spiced walnut base, and rather than using cheese  it uses a super smooth and creamy “cashew” sour cream. The result is a heart-healthy, low carb, yet filling meal that offers a huge boost of Omega 3’s for

Fortunately, I’ve done all the tasting work for you (don’t worry, it was my first time having raw vegan too) and can attest that these are hands down one of the BEST meals I’ve ever had. This dish is so wonderfully colorful and festive, but even better it’s so packed with flavor that you won’t even notice that it doesn’t use the traditional ingredients. The walnut base is surprisingly hearty, the zesty pepper salsa adds the perfect bit of crunch, and the creamy avocado and sour cream on top made it absolutely heavenly.

If you’re looking for cooking inspiration and want to try something a little different and extra nourishing, THIS is it. Happy cooking!

First, you’ll need to do a little chopping prep to make the tacos easy to assemble and to add that extra kick of rich flavor.

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Once your veggies are all set (look at that gorgeous color!), toss with lime juice and set aside.

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Rinse your chard leaves (kale, spinach leaves, or bibb lettuce would all work here) and pat dry. Meanwhile, prep your walnut mix, and blend together cashews, water, and vinegar together to make your “sour cream.” Adding more water will give you a thinner sauce that you can drizzle on top.

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Once all three components have been prepared, spoon walnut mix onto your wrap and add your desired amount of salsa on top. Add avocado, sour cream, and lime juice to taste. Enjoy!

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Note: Follow this link for the full recipe.

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Kale and Mango Salad: How to Win Over even the Biggest Kale Critic

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I have a confession. When I first tried kale, I thought it was revolting. Not what you were expecting from a health blogger, right?

I vividly remember going to the market and being baffled by all the varieties of kale: curly kale, lacianto kale, red Russian kale, etc.  I tried a simple saute with some lemon and garlic, hoping to like it because it had been so overhyped, but when I finally tried it was bitter and tart (more on the correct way to do this coming soon).

Enter: Kale and mango salad.

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I’ve tried many variations since, and this is consistently the winner, especially for those of you kale critics out there. Start with a chilled mango, loosely chopped into 1-inch cubes.

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Now, roughly chop your kale, give it a quick rinse, and tap it dry to make sure that it doesn’t become too soggy.

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Now, here’s the BIG secret behind kale, and don’t laugh!  You actually have to have massage the kale for 3-4 minutes in a bit of lemon juice and olive oil, which gives it a vibrant green color and a softer, sweeter texture that makes it much more like mesclun mix or spinach.

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Set aside while making a quick lemon and honey dressing….

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And voila!

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Still a skeptic? Experiment, play with it! With the tartness of the lemon honey dressing and the kale and sweetness of the mango, I promise you can’t go wrong.  This recipe is my go-to and a favorite amongst my friends- in fact, it comes out for pretty much every picnic and beach trip all summer long.

Kale and Mango Salad
 
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Author:
Recipe type: Salad
Ingredients
  • 1 bunch curly kale
  • 1 mango, diced into 1” cubes
  • Dressing:
  • Juice of one lemon
  • ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 teaspoons honey
  • A pinch of salt
  • Optional: Small handful toasted pepitas ( pumpkin seeds)
  • TIP: Choose your honey wisely
  • Raw honey is preferable, and even better if it’s local. Raw honey is less pasteurized than what you’ll find in the store and contains more of the benefits of honey. Local raw honey is especially wonderful because it contains pollen specific to your area, so it can actually help with seasonal pollen allergies. Talk about a bonus!
Instructions
  1. In large serving bowl, add the kale, half of lemon juice, a drizzle of oil and a little kosher salt. Massage until the kale starts to soften and wilt, 2 to 3 minutes. Set aside while you make the dressing.
  2. In a small bowl, whisk remaining lemon juice with the honey and lots of freshly ground black pepper. Stream in the ¼ cup of oil while whisking until a dressing forms, and you like how it tastes.
  3. Pour the dressing over the kale, and add the mango and pepitas. Toss and serve.
  4. Per Serving: Calories 269; Total Fat 17 grams; Saturated Fat 2.5 grams; Protein 6 grams; Total Carbohydrate 28 grams; Sugar: 14 grams; Fiber 4 grams; Cholesterol 0 milligrams; Sodium 170 milligrams

 

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