I have always had an interest in health, nutrition, and healing, and enjoy sharing this knowledge with my friends and family (and learning from them as well!). The kitchen has always been my medicine cabinet. Not only do I prepare food for health but I have also been known to use cabbage leaves for cuts, baked onions for earache relief, and tofu packs for fevers—Maia’s husband, Daylon, loves to hear these stories!

Cleaning up your diet can feel overwhelming. The founder of the Institute of Integrative Nutrition, Joshua Rosenthal, has one key message: eat more greens. He says that even if you have to drizzle kale with chocolate sauce it’s worth it–dark greens are that healthy! Below is my new favorite kale recipe, and one that I guarantee requires no chocolate sauce.

Raw Kale Confetti Salad with Toasted Sunflower Seeds

Source: Clean Start, by Terry Walters (a graduate of the Institute of Integrative Nutrition)  

Ingredients 

• 2 bunches (4 heaping cups) chopped kale
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1/8 teaspoon sea salt, plus more to taste
• 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
• 1/2 avocado, peeled, pitted, and chopped (I use a whole avocado; you can never have too much avocado in my opinion!)
• 3 tablespoons finely chopped red onion (I add a bit more.)
• 3 tablespoons finely chopped red bell pepper (I add more.)
• 1 small carrot, grated
• 3 tablespoons toasted sunflower seeds (I toast raw ones in a small dry cast iron frying pan and I double the amount.)
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon lime juice 

Directions 

Remove stalks from kale and discard. Chop leaves into small pieces and place in mixing bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and, using your fingers, gently massage oil into leaves. Sprinkle with sea salt and ginger, add avocado and continue massaging until leaves are evenly coated. Add onion, red pepper, carrot, and sunflower seeds, and toss. Drizzle lemon and lime juice over salad, massage juices into leaves and toss to distribute ingredients evenly. Season to taste with salt, massage one last time and serve.

As a health coach, I work with people to create a healthier and happier lives and reach their health goals. This includes stress reduction, increasing energy, losing weight, improving confidence, cooking/shopping coaching, and general healthy lifestyle guidance.

I hope to be able to work with some of you!

Be well,

Suzanne, Certified Holistic Health Coach