gluten-free

As a snacker, I graze all day. While veggies and hummus are usually my go to, every now and then I get a craving for something salty. It's tempting to grab a bag of potato chips overloaded in salt and full of carbohydrates. When I get that urge, I opt for kale chips instead. Gluten-free and vegan, kale chips are slightly salty and crisp in texture. They are a healthy treat that takes the guilt out of snacking and allows you to indulge. It's hard not to eat the whole bunch.

As far as raw foods are concerned, wheatgrass, or Triticum aestivum, is a potent ingredient that promises you a host of abundant health benefits. The young shoots of wheat are harvested before the stalks form a head with grain and contain no wheat gluten, but are considered by many health professionals and scientists to be naturally healing.

Khichadi is a traditional Indian dish that is both nutritious and easy for the body to digest. It is loaded with spices that cater to the balancing of all three doshas in Ayurveda, and is perhaps the most common staple in the practice due to its ability to improve overall health and detoxify the body. This is also a naturally gluten-free meal for those that are avoiding gluten in their diet. The combination of rice and lentils with ghee, spices and vegetables make this a balanced, beneficial and wholesome meal.

What You Will Need

Lentils with Roasted Beets and Tomato

Back when I was a starving student, I came across a create-your-own salad bar. The salad I made on one particular day changed my life forever. So, I tried recreating it on my own and the rest is history. It is without a doubt the best salad I’ve ever had in my entire life.

Summer is the time for avocados, and that’s fortunate for you because they are considered to be one of the healthiest and most nutritious of foods!  Researchers say that people who consume avocado regularly usually gain great nutrient benefits, such as an increased intake of potassium, vitamin K, vitamin E, fiber, magnesium, and monounsaturated fat. Want to get some more avocado in your mouth? Here are five amazing – and easy -- avocado recipes.

1. Easy Avocado Banana Berry Smoothie

Ingredients:

This has developed into one of my favorite summertime recipes for pasta salad! The pesto blends beautifully with the fresh heirlooms, basil, avocado and bell peppers and the colors complement each other quite nicely. Double the recipe for the perfect potluck contribution!

What You Need

Pre-cooking meals can be a great way to eat nutritional, affordable, and organic food on the go! Each week, I’ll provide a recipe for a few days’ worth of pre-cooked goodness. Each recipe will include vegetarian and gluten-free options. To read more about the benefits of pre-cooking your meals at home, click here.

Most of us can easily relate to having a busy schedule - complete with long work hours that leave us feeling exhausted by the end of the day when our heads finally hit the pillow. Oh, time! It seems there is never enough of it. Yet, rather than wait until the last possible moment to get up in the morning to dump half a gallon of coffee down your throat, drag yourself in a zombie stupor behind your steering wheel and head to work - leaving without the slightest notion of a plan for breakfast, lunch and snacks throughout the day - consider the possibility of a rather simple alternative.