Back again with another simple recipe to follow for week 2! I hope that you have been experimenting with all of the great spring vegetables that have been making their way into the stores recently. I know that when I lived in New York spring was a gorgeous time, not because of the blooming flowers but all of the colors that would return to the market. No more potatoes or squash instead asparagus, peas, garlic scapes and fiddleheads galore!

It has taken me a little while to adjust to the alternate seasons that living in Florida provide. April and May is the end of the growing season - weird I know! November is when everyone starts to get excited about veggies but the end of the summer is the avocado and mango yield which almost seems like heaven for you can walk down the street and pluck either from any tree you see.

This weeks recipe makes broccoli its start. Recently, it feels like cauliflower has gotten all of the hype but what about our good, stable, green friend? We can’t forget about that delightful cruciferous vegetable especially when it can do all the same thing that cauliflower can. Rice, yup. Steaks, you bet. Pizza crust, why not! It is a bit more intense in its flavor but lends itself to all of the cooking methods that we use for cauliflower.

In this recipe, a drizzle of olive oil, garlic paste and salt enhance the roasted bits of broccoli and an added punch of probiotics comes into play with the sauerkraut. Don’t forget that sauce though, whole grain mustard, dijon, maple syrup and soy add a little sweetness to the bitterness of our dish. I hope you like it.

Roasted Broccoli with Sauerkraut and a Whole Grain Mustard, Soy, Maple Glaze

Serves 2

2 Heads of Broccoli

2 tbs Olive Oil

Pink Himalayan Sea Salt

1 tbs Garlic Paste

Mustard, Soy, Maple Glaze

1 tbs Whole Grain Mustard

1 tsp Dijon Mustard

1 tbs Olive Oil

2 tbs Maple Syrup (I used 2 tbs as my maple is Canadian and thus very light. You may only need 1 tbs with a thicker syrup)

1 tbs Soy Sauce

1 tsp Apple Cider Vinegar

Pinch of crushed red pepper

Preheat the over to 375. Slice the broccoli into steaks or cut it into pieces. Coat with olive oil, salt and garlic paste. Roast for about 20 minutes until a knife easily pierces the flesh and you have a nice char (my favorite part).

Meanwhile whisk all of the ingredients for the glaze in a small saucepan. Heat over medium low until a small simmer begins. Remove from heat and set aside.

Plate the broccoli with warmed sauerkraut and a healthy drizzle of the glaze. Enjoy and Healthy Eating!

Today arrived with early morning fog, clouds galore, and rain pouring down. It would have been a perfect day to stay in bed with a cup of tea and watch Netflix but alas, off to work I went. As the rain continued to pound on the window outside of my classroom I had a craving for comfort food, mostly for sauce or as Italians call it, gravy. No, I am not Italian and in all actuality I hardly ever eat pasta but I really wanted that warm feeling that a good tomato sauce causes in your stomach. Now I know I just caused a bit of an uproar by stating that I hardly ever eat pasta but the truth is that it causes me to have insomnia. If i eat carbs for dinner I won't sleep the whole night. As an alkaline practitioner I like to focus on whole foods, especially vegetables. They make me feel good and they never make me lose precious hours of sleep! So instead of pasta I choose the amazing substitute, spaghetti squash!

I love spaghetti squash! It is so versatile, its flavor subtle, earthy with a hint of sweetness. I can bake it, nuke it, cube it, fry it, roast it, and more! I can use it as a base for any flavor combination from Asian to Latin and tonight I was headed into the Italian realm.

This recipe is quite simple but I did cheat - I bought a jar of tomato sauce! I was feeling so lazy and really just wanted to eat not cook sauce, although an arrabbiata sauce is not difficult to make (I have included a recipe at the end of the post). Now, I am not a person who goes for processed foods, I do not like jars and especially cans but if I am purchasing something processed, such as tomato sauce, I make sure to read the label. I have a rule, if I don't know what an ingredient is on a label then I don't buy it. The fewer the ingredients the better. So when buying sauce, I avoid anything with sugar, vinegar, or artificial flavorings or dyes. The arrabbiata I found was made with tomatoes, tomato puree, onions, salt, extra virgin olive oil, dried garlic, and crushed red pepper - perfect for the spaghetti squash. I also think that it is important for all of you who are trying to go alkaline to realize that you don't have to make every thing from scratch but you do have to be conscious of what you are buying and eating. Of course, I could have just thrown the sauce onto the squash and called it a night but I wanted to increase the alkalinity and the flavor by tossing in some roasted garlic, artichoke hearts and olives. Topped with some parmigianno or the equally delightful vegan version of ground almonds, garlic, and salt.

This is a great weeknight meal that is comforting and delicious!

Spaghetti Squash Arrabbiata with Artichokes, Olives, and Roasted Broccoli

1 Spaghetti Sqaush

1 Jar of good quality Tomato Sauce

1 head of Broccoli

1/2cup Artichoke Hearts in Olive Oil

1/2 cup Olives in Olive Oil

2 tbs Olive Oil

1 tbs Pink Himalayan Sea Salt

Vegan Parmigiano

1/2 cup raw Almonds

1 clove of Garlic

1 tsp Pink Himalayan Sea Salt

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Cut the ends off of the Spaghetti Squash and then halve long ways. Scoop out the seeds. I personally save the seeds and roast them for a snack for later. Oil the insides of the squash with 1 tbs of olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Place onto a cookie sheet or into a shallow pan cut side down and roast in the oven for about 40 minutes or until flesh is easily pierced with a fork.

Meanwhile, cut the broccoli into bite sized pieces. Toss the broccoli with the remainder of the olive oil and salt. Place into a separate pan and roast along with the squash (i divided my pan and placed the seeds in half and the broccoli in the other half in order to get two jobs done at once).

Remove the squash from the oven and let cool enough to handle. Scrape out the squash insides into a large saute pan. Place over medium low heat adding the sauce, broccoli, artichokes, and olives tossing to coat. Continue to heat until warmed through.

Divide the squash between 2 plates and toss with parmigiano or vegan parmigiano. To make the vegan parmigiano add the almonds, garlic, and salt to a small food processor or blender. Process until the mixture is broken down and looks like parmigiano. It can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2 weeks.

Enjoy and healthy eating!

If you, unlike me this evening, are feeling like making a fresh arrabbiata sauce do not fret, it is rather simple and I have a great recipe for one. Of course it is best when fresh tomatoes are used but the ones in the store right now are a little less than lovely so canned whole tomatoes can also be used. Arrabbaita actually mean angry in Italian, it is a spicy sauce and thus derives its fiery name.

Arrabbaita Sauce

1 28oz can Plum Tomatoes or 4 fresh tomatoes

2 tbs Olive Oil

1 chili pepper or jalapeno, diced very small (you can used 1 -2 tsp crushed red pepper instead)

1 Onion, chopped

2 cloves Garlic, chopped

1 tbs dried Basil

1 tbs Dried Oregano

1 tsp Pink Himalayan Sea Salt

Heat oil in a saute pan over medium high heat, once it is glistening add the hot pepper and turn down the heat to low, cooking for about 5 minutes. You want the pepper to infuse the olive oil so that the sauce has a nice even heat throughout. Turn the heat up to medium and add the chopped onion. Cook until softened, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic and saute for 1 minute more before adding the tomatoes to the pan, crushing them slightly to release their juices. Add the basil, oregano, and salt. Once the liquid has begun to boil, reduce the temperature to medium low and simmer for 10-15 minutes. add more salt to taste and enjoy!