Robust Recipes

Healthy, Flavorful Food

Cashew Ranch Dip (V + GF)

By

  Who doesn’t love dipping a sweet orange carrot into some creamy, garlic-y, herby ranch dressing?  Ranch is the ultimate way to enjoy your fresh cut veggies. Ranch and raw veggies go together like peanut butter and jelly, like strawberries and chocolate. As a kid I wouldn’t touch raw veggies without dipping them into some ranch dressing. I used to drown my salads in the stuff. My poor mom, she wasn’t a fan of the stuff. She knew ranch was packed full of preservatives, a ton of sodium, … [Read more...]

Caribbean Shrimp Pineapple Kabobs

By

Hey, friends, it’s officially the beginning of grilling season here in Iowa. Well, it is when we have a nice, sunny, 70 degree day. We are still having quite a few rainy, chilly days. Luckily I happened to plan this Caribbean shrimp pineapple kabobs recipe for a gorgeous, sunny day (actually it rained later in the day, but I found my rain-free window). Really, I can’t complain one bit about our rain; we are lucky enough to be enjoying really green leafy trees, flowers, and bright green grass. … [Read more...]

Strawberry Rhubarb and Honey Drink (2 Ways)

By

Guess what, guess what! I have a little vegetable/fruit/herb garden growing in my backyard. Aside from growing a few potted herbs on the small porch of our old apartment, I have never grown a single thing in my life.  I cheated and purchased the already half-grown plants instead of starting them from seed. But hey, if I can keep them alive, that’s all that counts. Actually, we already lost one strawberry plant (yup, we got two of them). Some little critter dug it out of the ground only a … [Read more...]

Warm Lentil and Sweet Potato Kale Salad (V +GF)

By

You guys, I have a new obsession: Lentils! Aside from having lentils in a stew or soup I haven’t experienced them very much until I recently began playing around with them.  Let me tell you, there is so much more to lentils than just soup.   One of the reasons I am really enjoying lentils is because they are the perfect way to incorporate a vegetarian or a vegan meal into your diet. Just 1 cup of cooked lentils contains 18 grams of protein, 16 grams of dietary fiber, along … [Read more...]