This is a recipe that will help anyone following the PEERtrainer Cheat System or doing the cleanse. It is a yummy, nutrient dense, detoxifying powerhouse of a recipe that will fill you up and make you feel great!!!
What I like about this recipe is that it uses just one spice/herb in addition to salt and pepper. This makes it easy!
Cauliflower with sweet onion and bacon
Inspired by COOKFRESH
2 slices of Bacon (feel free to rock your inner bacon if need be)
1/2 pound of fresh spinach leaves
1 lb of chopped cauliflower. Usually a large head, chopped into 2 inch
pieces
3 tablespoons of chicken broth
1 medium sweet onion, thinly sliced into 2 inch long strips.
3 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed
1 teaspoon finely chopped rosemary
1 t (2 squeezes of) fresh lemon
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
Directions!!! 1. In a large skillet (12 or 16 ounce), cook the bacon on medium low
until crisp. Use tongs (similar to those you use in the bbq) to take
out the bacon and place on doubled paper towel. Drain most of bacon
grease out to a bowl. Leave just a bit to cook rest of ingredients
2. Add garlic, onion, and cauliflower into the skillet, heat on medium,
and stir until the cauliflower and onion start to turn a golden brown.
3. Add 2 tablespoons of chicken broth, rosemary and spinach leaves and
cook until cauliflower and spinach are tender, anywhere from 5 to 10
minutes.
4. Remove from heat. Stir in bacon, squeeze fresh lemon, salt and
pepper to desired taste. If desired, add 1 teaspoon of goat cheese on
top.
5. Serve!
Serves 4. 1/2 a cheat per serving!
Special tip: If you'd like to mash the cauliflower, it turns into a
mashed potatoes consistency so this is a great substitute if you're
craving warm mashed potatoes with bacon!
PS: If you would like to be sent a copy of the PEERtrainer Magic Fridge Recipe Guide, enter your email below. You will also be sent a copy of the PEERtrainer Cheat System, which guides you to the foods you can eat a lot of, fill you up and help you lose weight for good.
Super easy watermelon sorbet with no sugar added! Easy and very inexpensive to make.
Simply freeze chunks
of watermelon overnight then puree with a high powered blender. Add the
juice of one lime if you like your sorbet sour. Top with a sprig of
mint and raspberries and you have a delicious low-calorie dessert!
Watermelon is an interesting fruit. They are relatively low in calories for a fruit, with roughly 40-50 calories per one cup serving.
There are between 75 and 100 calories in the average slice of watermelon. Watermelons
have a fairly good calorie to nutrient ratio. They are rich in Vitamin A
and C (like most fruit) and also contain some B vitamins which are
thought to be good for energy.
Watermelons also score well on Dr.
Fuhrman's system that factors how many nutrients there are per calorie.
Watermelons are rich is a substance called Lycopene, which has been
shown to be a powerful antioxidant.
This is another recipe from the cleansers and refreshers:
Dill Quinoa Salad Ingredients:
1 cup dry quinoa
1¾ cups water
½ teaspoon sea salt
½ cup carrots, chopped
1/3 cup parsley, minced
¼ cup sunflower seeds
Dressing:
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
1-2 tsp. fresh chopped dill
¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
1-2 tablespoons gluten-free tamari
salt to taste
Directions:
Rinse quinoa with water and drain. Place rinsed quinoa, salt, and water
in a 2-quart pot. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover, and let
simmer 15-20 minutes, until all the water is absorbed.
Tip pan to the
side to make sure all the water has been absorbed. Let stand for 5-10
minutes then fluff with a fork.
Prepare vegetables and dressing. Place cooked quinoa in a large bowl.
Add carrots, seeds, and parsley to quinoa. Mix thoroughly. Combine
garlic, lemon juice, oil and tamari; pour over quinoa and toss well.
Serve at room temperature or chilled.
Preparation time: 15-20 minutes
Makes 4 to 6 servings
The people in the PEERtrainer Fresh Start Cleanse teams consistently come up with some of the best recipes. We are posting others elsewhere on the Recipe Blog (so poke around!) but this post will focus on something that I think most people love: CHOCOLATE!
We saw this comment in the team today: "my shakes have been the Chocolate Thorne with extra cocoa added and I
swear that is one of the reasons I have been able to stick to it. As a
chocoholic I have been able to satiate the need for chocolate and keep
up with the cleanse protocol. If you add just the tiniest drop of
vanilla the flavor really comes together. When I add my spinach I don't
even taste it."
The first point in that sentence, extra cocoa and a tiny drop of vanilla. The second key point is that when you blend in greens you don't taste them.
This is HUGELY IMPORTANT, because 99% of people struggle with getting enough greens in their diet. If you have read your Dr. Fuhrman, you know that greens contain the highest amount of micronutrients. He has worked hard to point out to anyone who will listen, that as overall consumption of micronutrients goes up, disease tends to go down.
Micronutrients are things like vitamins and minerals- things that don't contain calories and are not normally measured, but science shows are essential for optimal health.
Anyway, what we have seen is that people are really taking to adding spinach, kale and other greens to their morning Chocolate smoothies. One member of the cleanse team posted that they put 4 whole cups of kale in their Chocolate shake!
People talk a lot about kale because it contains the highest levels of micronutrients of any fruit or vegetable. This is particularly important at breakfast, because the AVERAGE person consumes no greens at breakfast, and usually a lot of sugar and carbs, which as we know shuts down fat burning!
PEERtrainer Tip: Don't be average. Life is too short!
The other thing that is SUPER CRITICAL to note is that the Chocolate shake mix these people are using is a pea/rice blend from Thorne, who is a close partner of ours at PEERtrainer. We know the team who runs the company, we have visited their factory and hq.
PEERtrainer recommends the Thorne pea/rice shakes becuase they are plant-based and free of all sorts of junk that other protein powders have. If you have not yet made the switch, please do.
Pea/rice protein is absorbed by the body a lot more slowly than whey, and it is not reactive like soy can be for people. Not only do these shakes taste good, and are super healthy when blended with greens- but they also HELP PEOPLE FEEL REALLY FULL. That's a biggie.
The other thing this Chocolate Decadence Recipe "Framework" does is get people in the greens habit. We know from a lot of the surveys that we have been reading that a) some people don't like the taste of greens at all and b) for most people this is not s priority or focus.
So, this is the basic framework for the shake recipe. And we say "framework" because EVERYONE has their own take on things, ways of doing this. Some people like more fiber, some less. Some people add in ground flax seed.
1-4 Cups of Greens: Spinach, Kale- whatever you have, fresh or frozen
1 Teaspoon unsweetened Cocoa Powder.
1 Drop of Vanilla Extract
Mix ingredients on slow speed until the blended smooth. For the Vitamixer's out there, try and keep the speed to a slower speed to avoid foaming up the mix and keeping it smooth.
The Medibulk can really thicken up the smoothie- and some people like that and some don't. If you are new to extra fiber in your diet, you'll want to start small and work from there.
To get a shake and fiber combo kit go to the following pages in the PEERtrainer Shop.
**[Shake Coupon Code: For a limited time we are offering a 15% coupon code to get the high quality shakes that we mentioned above (try Chocolate
Vegalite!!) at the best deal out there. FACEBOOK15 is the code, and can be applied on checkout at http://shop.peertrainer.com. Includes all items in the PEERtrainer Shop including the shakes and shake and fiber kits http://shop.peertrainer.com/shakes]**
New: The PEERtrainer Success Index measures how likely you are to lose weight on a more permanent basis. It measures a series of your habits, and assigns a score. A score above 80 is really really good. A score between 60 and 80 shows that you are making some great progress. Get your number here:
This is a variation of the PEERtrainer Energy Soup that we have been making for years. This variation takes less time, and I find it very easy to make in the morning, and it lasts 2 days usually. It also has a very different taste and color.
Ingredients
1 box (32 fl oz (1 quart) 946 ml of PACIFIC organic soup starter:
Chicken Pho Soup Base
3 large heads of organic fresh broccoli (only 1/2 the stems)
5 shakes of red pepper flakes (less or more depending on your taste.
Start with 2 and increase from there)
3 shakes of Sea Salt
A bit of freshly ground pepper.
(I add a bit of salad or spinach or whatever fresh greens I have in the
fridge, but this is optional if you don't have it. Additionally, the greens really alter the flavor of the soup. For a more greens based soup, definitely check out the PEERtrainer Energy Soup recipe.)
Directions
Place cauliflower, mushrooms and broccoli in large pot. Place coconut
milk and chicken pho soup base in pot. Turn on high, bring to boil.
Turn down to simmer for 20 minutes
Add red pepper flakes, salt and ground pepper.
Use your immersion blender to puree. Taste and add salt, pepper or red
pepper flakes as needed. Serve!
No cheats!
This recipe is designed to help people follow the PEERtrainer Cheat System. The System is free to download, and features other recipes to quickly help you get back on track:
PS: We have a new Cleanse starting January 2nd. Here is what superstar nutritionist Jason Boehm has to say about it:
"I know how frustrating it feels to think you're
doing everything right and still not lose weight. Calories are not the
whole picture, and numerous variables contribute to a person's ability
or inability to burn fat. PEERtrainer simply and effectively pulls
everything together to show you how to ditch those stubborn pounds that
won't go away."
Please join us, and for the "re-freshers" who get to do the program as many times after for free, make sure to get your kits or whatever combo you like to use. PEERtrainer Shop Link.
"Well, I thought that the Vanilla shakes were plenty sweet, but that the
chocolate wasn't sweet enough. That was until I made a chocolate cherry
smoothie this morning and the sweetness was perfect! I loved it!
1 cup frozen organic cherries (they have these right now at Whole Foods, but not for long!)
1/2-3/4 cup frozen organic spinach or one large handful fresh spinach leaves
1 cup unsweetened coconut milk (So Delicious is our preferred brand) 1 cup water
1/2 scoop medibulk
1/2 Tbsp flaxmeal
Place all ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth. AMAZING! "
Vegalite and Medibulk can be purchased in the PEERtrainer shop for a limited time with coupon code PTRECIPES for a 10% discount!
Placed all ingredients into my Vitamix at once and blended for about 30 seconds.
Thanks for the recipe Wendy! Very tasty way to start the day.
PEERtrainer recommends the Thorne pea/rice shakes becuase they are plant-based and free of all sorts of junk that other protein powders have. If you have not yet made the switch, please do!
This is the best recipe out there for a coconut curry sauce that you cook mussels in. There are subtle differences in this recipe that make it better than anything you'll see on the internet or even in gourmet restaurants.
We make this claim after a) being served this in Maine this summer by Sukanya Wicks and b) having had a disappointing version of this at a restaurant at a fairly well respected restaurant in Colorado this past week.
Important: This sauce can also be used for almost any other seafood. This sauce makes and excellent replacement for butter when you are eating Lobster for example. You can also cook shrimp, scallops, cod, halibut and even salmon using this exact recipe.
Mussels With Coconut Curry Sauce Cooking Tip:
Unlike other recipes we publish at PEERtrainer, this one needs to be followed as closely as possible to achieve the precise flavor. A hint here is that the combination of cilantro, lime and scallion will make or break this recipe. You want to make sure you have enough of this combination to bring out the flavor, but you don't want any single ingredient to overpower the others.
This is a great general rule of thumb when cooking with spices. Many of us who are new to using spices tend to overdo it. Which is fine when you start, but know that balance is the goal and is what separates average cooks from great ones!
Ingredients
5 pounds mussels (preferably cultivated) scrubbed and rinsed.
1 tablespoon (or as much as you want) minced ginger +
One tablespoon slivered ginger
1 tablespoon sugar
2 cups fresh cilantro sprigs
About 3 scallions sliced thin
Accompaniment: lime wedges
Preparation
1. Scrub mussels well and remove beards. (just need to rinse for cultivated mussels)
2. Sauté garlic and ginger in a tiny amount of olive oil for about 10 seconds.
3. Add curry paste, wine (optional), sugar and coconut milk. Cook over high hest for about two minutes.
4. Throw in the mussels and some of the cilantro and toss well. Cook mussels covered for about 5 to 8 minutes. Shake the pot a few times. discard any unopened mussels.
5. Garnish with more cilantro, scallions, lime juice and slivered ginger. Serve with lime wedges.
From the coastal Maine kitchen of author, dancer, artist and chef Sukanya Rahman Wicks, who is literally the world's best cook:
This is a variation on a traditional "Punjabi Saag" recipe. Historically Mustard Greens are harvested at the same time as the corn, and the ground corn is used to thicken the greens. But any thickening agent can be used. In this case we used ground flaxseed, which is an excellent alternative to corn. 95% corn now is genetically modified, and should be avoided in an ideal diet.
(We will be covering this subject in an upcoming interview with PhD nutritionist JJ Virgin, who will explain in detail how GMO Corn is toxic to your body. This is why GMO corn is considered a Cheat, and non-GMO corn is on the left side of the PEERtrainer Cheat System!)
Ingredients:
• 1 large bunch kale washed and chopped fine
• 1 large bunch mustard greens washed and chopped fine
(or substitute ANY mixture of frozen kale, mustard greens, collard, spinach etc. equivalent to about two 16oz bags. Whole Foods 365 brand has excellent frozen greens which were used in this recipe. EVERY other major food chain also has excellent frozen greens and they are very affordable. This might be the best bang for the buck in nutrition!)
• 1 or two 2 Jalapenos or green chillies
• Thinly julliened ginger or chopped fine (at least an inch long piece of ginger, the more the merrier).
• 1 or 2 tbsp milled flax (optional to thicken, traditionally maize flour is used)
Preparation:
• Mix the greens, green chillies, garlic and steam or boil in a little water boil till cooked. (or use pressure cooker)
• Mash the greens with your Immersion Blender to make a coarse paste.
• In another pan, heat the olive oil on a medium flame. When hot add the onions and ginger and saute for a few minutes
• Add the cumin and fry for a minute or so.
• Add the greens mix to this and stir till blended. Cook a few minutes longer until flavours are blended.
Important Cooking Note:
All proportions are all approximate. This is just a guide. If you do cook a smaller batch, don't use more than one Jalapeno or Green Chili. If you like less spicy food, but still want some flavor, use 1/2 a Jalapeno.
PPS: Post your version of this recipe in the comments section below or in this community thread. If you are a recipe blogger feel free to post a link to your blog as long as you link back. Thank you!
