Grilled Avocado

In case you still haven’t tried grilled avocado, you’re missing out on a lot because this is one of the best ways to enjoy this superfood. Grill avocado and top it with your favorite filling to prepare this nutritious snack.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Elise Museles ? (@kaleandchocolate)

Sweet Potato Muffins

This recipe is perfect for people who are looking for delicious ways to eat sweet potatoes. Check out this recipe for flavorful muffins that are filled with chocolate, sweet potato, and pecans.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Elise Museles ? (@kaleandchocolate)

Apple Berry Oat Bake

One can never have enough healthy breakfast recipes in a cookbook, so make sure to check this nutritious baked oatmeal that’s packed with berries and apples.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Elise Museles ? (@kaleandchocolate)

Apple Skillet Nachos

Apple skillet nachos are another creative and interesting recipe that you probably still haven’t tried. This is a healthy snack that’s perfect for fall and super fun and easy to prepare.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Elise Museles ? (@kaleandchocolate)

The post Prepare Healthy and Delicious Meals With Elise Museles appeared first on thedancingcucumber.com.

Sure, it’s pretty easy to buy hummus at any old grocery store, but making it at home lets you have it fresher, healthier, and more attuned to your own preferences. Convinced? Okay, here’s how to do it.

Ingredients

• Food processor
• 1/4 cup tahini
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 can chickpeas, rinsed
• 1 clove minced garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 – 3 tablespoons of cold water

Instructions

Process the tahini and lemon juice in your food processor for a minute. Add the olive oil, garlic, and salt. Process for one more minute. Add the chickpeas. Process for one more minute. Add cold water until you reach your desired consistency. Taste and add more salt as desired.

While this is pretty much as simple as a hummus recipe can get, you can always jazz yours up to your taste with seasonings and additions like paprika, cumin, sumac, pepper—whatever your taste buds tell you. Enjoy!

The post How to Make Your Own Hummus appeared first on thedancingcucumber.com.

Here are 2 tasty low-carb dinner ideas.

Salmon Tray Bake

Preheat oven to 230C. Mix lime juice, soy sauce and sugar together until the sugar dissolves. Coat 2 salmon fillets in the mixture and leave to soak skin side up for 10 minutes. Then put the fillets into a greased roasting tin skin side down with broccoli, green beans and peppers. Pour over soy sauce and cover loosely with tin foil. Roast for 12 minutes.

Meanwhile, make a dressing with garlic, ginger, spring onions, chili, lime juice, soy sauce, olive oil, and sugar in a small jug. Spoon the dressing onto the roasted vegetables and salmon and serve.

Tofu Tikka Skewers

Mix non-dairy yogurt, garam masala and tomato puree in a bowl. Add tofu and mix together. Thread skewers with marinated tofu, red and green peppers, red onion and garlic. Brush the skewers with olive oil and grill on a high heat for 3-5 minutes on each side. When the skewers are nicely charred and cooked through, serve with a yogurt dip, salad and lemon wedges.

The post Try Out these Low-Carb Meals appeared first on thedancingcucumber.com.

Gather Ingredients

For this salad you will need 2x 250g sirloin steaks, ginger, 1 finely grated clove garlic, 2 juiced limes, 2 tablespoons sesame oil, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 3 finely chopped red chilies, 4 little gem lettuces, 12 radishes, 3 thinly sliced carrots, 1/2 cucumber, 3 finely sliced spring onions, 1 large ripe avocado, 1/2 tablespoon mixed sesame seeds.

Prepare Ingredients

Leave the steaks out of the fridge for about an hour before cooking so they’re at room temperature. Just before you cook them, make the salad dressing. Whisk together the garlic, ginger, lime juice, oil, soy and chopped chilies.

Cook Steaks

Cook the steaks for 3 minutes on each side on the barbecue. Alternatively, you can pan fry the steaks or grill them in the oven for 3 minutes on each side. After cooking, cover for 5 minutes.

Prepare Salad

Arrange and mix together the carrot, cucumber, radishes, lettuce leaves, spring onion and avocado. Slice the steak into thin slices and lay on top of the fresh salad. Drizzle on the dressing and juices. Garnish with red chili and sesame seeds.

The post Healthy BBQ Rainbow Beef Salad appeared first on thedancingcucumber.com.

Here’s how to make them in 4 simple steps.

Gather Ingredients

For this recipe, you will need 4 finely chopped leeks, 25g butter, 100g cream cheese, 6 sheets of filo pastry and 2 skinless salmon fillets.

Prepare Leeks

Preheat the oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Fry the leeks for 10 minutes in a large saucepan with 3 tablespoons water and 2 knobs of butter. When leeks are tender, remove from the frying pan and leave to cool. Mix in cream cheese and some seasoning.

Assemble Parcels

Brush 1 sheet of pastry with melted butter, followed by 2 more sheets on top. Brush butter between each layer. Place the salmon fillet in the center of the pastry and season before spooning over half the leak mix. Fold the ends over the top and scrunch together to enclose until they are little parcels. Repeat this process for the other fillet.

Oven Bake

After brushing both parcels with melted butter, cook in the oven for 20-25 minutes, until they are browned and crisp. Serve with fresh green salad.

The post Dinner Party Favorites: How to Make Delicious Salmon and Leek Parcels appeared first on thedancingcucumber.com.

Here are 6 common, tasty foods that are rich in important prebiotics.

Garlic

This tasty herb is excellent at promoting the growth of healthy bacteria in the gut and at preventing harmful ones.

Onions

This versatile vegetable strengthens gut flora and boosts the immune system as well as the cardiovascular system.

Leeks

Coming from the same family as garlic and onions, leeks are a good source of inulin and vitamin K. They can be delicious boiled, fried or roasted under the grill.

Asparagus

Asparagus is rich in prebiotics, anti-inflammatories and antioxidants. It goes very well with mashed or roast potatoes or with a vegetable soup.

Bananas

Bananas are rich in vitamins, minerals and fiber that encourage the growth of good bacteria. Unripe bananas are especially rich in resistance starch, which has prebiotic effects.

Oats

Whole oats are rich in glucan fiber and resistance starch. This promotes healthy gut bacteria and lowers cholesterol.

The post Which Foods are Rich in Important Prebiotics? appeared first on thedancingcucumber.com.

Ingredients:

• 1 pound ripe tomato
• ½ green pepper, sliced
• ½ cucumber, sliced
• ¼ white onion, diced
• 1 garlic clove, diced
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 slices of slightly stale Italian bread
• ½ cup water
• 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
• 2 teaspoons salt

Instructions:

1. Start off by slicing the green pepper and cucumber, dicing the white onion and garlic, and cutting the ripe tomato into large chunks. Place them into a food processor or blender.
2. Once you’ve done this, crumble the bread and add it in with the vegetables. Add all of the liquid ingredients, as well as the salt, and then put the top on your food processor or blender.
3. If you’re using a blender, blend everything together on high or until everything is combined into a creamy, non-chunky soup. A food processor can also be used to do the job and it won’t require its highest setting, although plenty of speed should be used.
4. Chill for 2-3 hours or until cold, and then serve topped with a splash of olive oil and/or what’s remaining of the diced vegetables you used to make your gazpacho. Buen provecho!

The post Gazpacho is a Healthy, Refreshing Soup to Make at Home appeared first on thedancingcucumber.com.

Tomatoes and cucumbers are the star players in this refreshingly delicious salad which you are sure to enjoy. Here’s how to make it!

Ingredients

• 2 ripe tomatoes, medium-sized
• 1 large cucumber
• 1 small red onion
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• ¼ cup red wine vinegar
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 2 teaspoons black pepper

Instructions

• The first thing you’ll want to do is cut the tomatoes and cucumber into small, bite-sized pieces. Once you’re done with this step, place them into a large bowl.
• Next, go ahead and slice the red onion into thin, almost transparent slices and add to the bowl along with the tomatoes and cucumber.
• Sprinkle salt and black pepper on the ingredients, and then add the olive oil and red wine vinegar. Stir thoroughly, ensuring that the secondary ingredients blend together to make a sort of vinaigrette.
• Cover with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and place into your refrigerator to allow the salad to cool and for the vegetables to absorb the vinaigrette that you’ve created. After a couple of hours, your salad is chilled and ready to serve. Enjoy!

The post Try This Refreshing Tomato and Cucumber Salad appeared first on thedancingcucumber.com.

Mixed berry smoothies are one of my favorites, and if you know what ingredients to use, you’ll find that they’ll be low in fat and relatively low in sugars too. Here’s how to prepare my favorite one!

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup ice cubes
• 100 g blueberries
• 50 g raspberries
• 75 g strawberries
• 1/2 banana
• 1/3 cup semi-skimmed milk

Instructions

• Start things off by adding the blueberries, raspberries, strawberries (with leaves removed), ice cubes, and milk to a blender.
• After you’ve done this, cut your banana into small pieces and add them into the blender as well. Put on the blender lid and blend on medium-high speed for around 30-60 seconds, or until all of the ingredients are blended together smoothly.
• Garnish with a couple of loose berries, if you’d like. Pour into a glass and enjoy!

The post You’d Love This Low-Fat Mixed Berry Smoothie appeared first on thedancingcucumber.com.

Ingredients

• 1 cup of brown rice
• 1 1/2 cups of water
• Salt to taste
• 4-6 bell peppers
• 1 can of diced tomatoes 
• 1 can of black beans 
• 1 teaspoon of cumin 
• 1 teaspoon of oregano 
• 1 tablespoon of chili powder
• Optional: shredded cheese to top 

Recipe 

1. Rinse the brown rice until the water runs clear, put it into a heavy-bottomed pot with the water and 1/4 teaspoon of salt.
2. Over medium heat, bring it to a boil, cover, and cook on low for 40-50 minutes without opening the lid. Fluff the rice and put the lid back on for 10 minutes off the heat. 
3. Run the black beans under water, drain, and mix them with the tomatoes and spices. Add in the rice. 
4. Cut the tops off the peppers and then cut them in half lengthwise. Suff them with the mixture, place them onto a baking dish and cover with foil.
5. Bake at 350 F for 20-30  minutes, then uncover them and bake for another 20. If you want to add cheese, sprinkle it on before it goes back into the oven for the second time. 
6. Enjoy!

The post Stuffed Peppers are a Vegan Recipe Everyone Can Agree On appeared first on thedancingcucumber.com.

Grilled Avocado

In case you still haven’t tried grilled avocado, you’re missing out on a lot because this is one of the best ways to enjoy this superfood. Grill avocado and top it with your favorite filling to prepare this nutritious snack.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Elise Museles ? (@kaleandchocolate)

Sweet Potato Muffins

This recipe is perfect for people who are looking for delicious ways to eat sweet potatoes. Check out this recipe for flavorful muffins that are filled with chocolate, sweet potato, and pecans.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Elise Museles ? (@kaleandchocolate)

Apple Berry Oat Bake

One can never have enough healthy breakfast recipes in a cookbook, so make sure to check this nutritious baked oatmeal that’s packed with berries and apples.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Elise Museles ? (@kaleandchocolate)

Apple Skillet Nachos

Apple skillet nachos are another creative and interesting recipe that you probably still haven’t tried. This is a healthy snack that’s perfect for fall and super fun and easy to prepare.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Elise Museles ? (@kaleandchocolate)

The post Prepare Healthy and Delicious Meals With Elise Museles appeared first on thedancingcucumber.com.

Sure, it’s pretty easy to buy hummus at any old grocery store, but making it at home lets you have it fresher, healthier, and more attuned to your own preferences. Convinced? Okay, here’s how to do it.

Ingredients

• Food processor
• 1/4 cup tahini
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 can chickpeas, rinsed
• 1 clove minced garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 – 3 tablespoons of cold water

Instructions

Process the tahini and lemon juice in your food processor for a minute. Add the olive oil, garlic, and salt. Process for one more minute. Add the chickpeas. Process for one more minute. Add cold water until you reach your desired consistency. Taste and add more salt as desired.

While this is pretty much as simple as a hummus recipe can get, you can always jazz yours up to your taste with seasonings and additions like paprika, cumin, sumac, pepper—whatever your taste buds tell you. Enjoy!

The post How to Make Your Own Hummus appeared first on thedancingcucumber.com.

Here are 2 tasty low-carb dinner ideas.

Salmon Tray Bake

Preheat oven to 230C. Mix lime juice, soy sauce and sugar together until the sugar dissolves. Coat 2 salmon fillets in the mixture and leave to soak skin side up for 10 minutes. Then put the fillets into a greased roasting tin skin side down with broccoli, green beans and peppers. Pour over soy sauce and cover loosely with tin foil. Roast for 12 minutes.

Meanwhile, make a dressing with garlic, ginger, spring onions, chili, lime juice, soy sauce, olive oil, and sugar in a small jug. Spoon the dressing onto the roasted vegetables and salmon and serve.

Tofu Tikka Skewers

Mix non-dairy yogurt, garam masala and tomato puree in a bowl. Add tofu and mix together. Thread skewers with marinated tofu, red and green peppers, red onion and garlic. Brush the skewers with olive oil and grill on a high heat for 3-5 minutes on each side. When the skewers are nicely charred and cooked through, serve with a yogurt dip, salad and lemon wedges.

The post Try Out these Low-Carb Meals appeared first on thedancingcucumber.com.

Gather Ingredients

For this salad you will need 2x 250g sirloin steaks, ginger, 1 finely grated clove garlic, 2 juiced limes, 2 tablespoons sesame oil, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 3 finely chopped red chilies, 4 little gem lettuces, 12 radishes, 3 thinly sliced carrots, 1/2 cucumber, 3 finely sliced spring onions, 1 large ripe avocado, 1/2 tablespoon mixed sesame seeds.

Prepare Ingredients

Leave the steaks out of the fridge for about an hour before cooking so they’re at room temperature. Just before you cook them, make the salad dressing. Whisk together the garlic, ginger, lime juice, oil, soy and chopped chilies.

Cook Steaks

Cook the steaks for 3 minutes on each side on the barbecue. Alternatively, you can pan fry the steaks or grill them in the oven for 3 minutes on each side. After cooking, cover for 5 minutes.

Prepare Salad

Arrange and mix together the carrot, cucumber, radishes, lettuce leaves, spring onion and avocado. Slice the steak into thin slices and lay on top of the fresh salad. Drizzle on the dressing and juices. Garnish with red chili and sesame seeds.

The post Healthy BBQ Rainbow Beef Salad appeared first on thedancingcucumber.com.

Here’s how to make them in 4 simple steps.

Gather Ingredients

For this recipe, you will need 4 finely chopped leeks, 25g butter, 100g cream cheese, 6 sheets of filo pastry and 2 skinless salmon fillets.

Prepare Leeks

Preheat the oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Fry the leeks for 10 minutes in a large saucepan with 3 tablespoons water and 2 knobs of butter. When leeks are tender, remove from the frying pan and leave to cool. Mix in cream cheese and some seasoning.

Assemble Parcels

Brush 1 sheet of pastry with melted butter, followed by 2 more sheets on top. Brush butter between each layer. Place the salmon fillet in the center of the pastry and season before spooning over half the leak mix. Fold the ends over the top and scrunch together to enclose until they are little parcels. Repeat this process for the other fillet.

Oven Bake

After brushing both parcels with melted butter, cook in the oven for 20-25 minutes, until they are browned and crisp. Serve with fresh green salad.

The post Dinner Party Favorites: How to Make Delicious Salmon and Leek Parcels appeared first on thedancingcucumber.com.

Here are 6 common, tasty foods that are rich in important prebiotics.

Garlic

This tasty herb is excellent at promoting the growth of healthy bacteria in the gut and at preventing harmful ones.

Onions

This versatile vegetable strengthens gut flora and boosts the immune system as well as the cardiovascular system.

Leeks

Coming from the same family as garlic and onions, leeks are a good source of inulin and vitamin K. They can be delicious boiled, fried or roasted under the grill.

Asparagus

Asparagus is rich in prebiotics, anti-inflammatories and antioxidants. It goes very well with mashed or roast potatoes or with a vegetable soup.

Bananas

Bananas are rich in vitamins, minerals and fiber that encourage the growth of good bacteria. Unripe bananas are especially rich in resistance starch, which has prebiotic effects.

Oats

Whole oats are rich in glucan fiber and resistance starch. This promotes healthy gut bacteria and lowers cholesterol.

The post Which Foods are Rich in Important Prebiotics? appeared first on thedancingcucumber.com.

Ingredients:

• 1 pound ripe tomato
• ½ green pepper, sliced
• ½ cucumber, sliced
• ¼ white onion, diced
• 1 garlic clove, diced
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 slices of slightly stale Italian bread
• ½ cup water
• 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
• 2 teaspoons salt

Instructions:

1. Start off by slicing the green pepper and cucumber, dicing the white onion and garlic, and cutting the ripe tomato into large chunks. Place them into a food processor or blender.
2. Once you’ve done this, crumble the bread and add it in with the vegetables. Add all of the liquid ingredients, as well as the salt, and then put the top on your food processor or blender.
3. If you’re using a blender, blend everything together on high or until everything is combined into a creamy, non-chunky soup. A food processor can also be used to do the job and it won’t require its highest setting, although plenty of speed should be used.
4. Chill for 2-3 hours or until cold, and then serve topped with a splash of olive oil and/or what’s remaining of the diced vegetables you used to make your gazpacho. Buen provecho!

The post Gazpacho is a Healthy, Refreshing Soup to Make at Home appeared first on thedancingcucumber.com.

Tomatoes and cucumbers are the star players in this refreshingly delicious salad which you are sure to enjoy. Here’s how to make it!

Ingredients

• 2 ripe tomatoes, medium-sized
• 1 large cucumber
• 1 small red onion
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• ¼ cup red wine vinegar
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 2 teaspoons black pepper

Instructions

• The first thing you’ll want to do is cut the tomatoes and cucumber into small, bite-sized pieces. Once you’re done with this step, place them into a large bowl.
• Next, go ahead and slice the red onion into thin, almost transparent slices and add to the bowl along with the tomatoes and cucumber.
• Sprinkle salt and black pepper on the ingredients, and then add the olive oil and red wine vinegar. Stir thoroughly, ensuring that the secondary ingredients blend together to make a sort of vinaigrette.
• Cover with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and place into your refrigerator to allow the salad to cool and for the vegetables to absorb the vinaigrette that you’ve created. After a couple of hours, your salad is chilled and ready to serve. Enjoy!

The post Try This Refreshing Tomato and Cucumber Salad appeared first on thedancingcucumber.com.

Mixed berry smoothies are one of my favorites, and if you know what ingredients to use, you’ll find that they’ll be low in fat and relatively low in sugars too. Here’s how to prepare my favorite one!

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup ice cubes
• 100 g blueberries
• 50 g raspberries
• 75 g strawberries
• 1/2 banana
• 1/3 cup semi-skimmed milk

Instructions

• Start things off by adding the blueberries, raspberries, strawberries (with leaves removed), ice cubes, and milk to a blender.
• After you’ve done this, cut your banana into small pieces and add them into the blender as well. Put on the blender lid and blend on medium-high speed for around 30-60 seconds, or until all of the ingredients are blended together smoothly.
• Garnish with a couple of loose berries, if you’d like. Pour into a glass and enjoy!

The post You’d Love This Low-Fat Mixed Berry Smoothie appeared first on thedancingcucumber.com.

Ingredients

• 1 cup of brown rice
• 1 1/2 cups of water
• Salt to taste
• 4-6 bell peppers
• 1 can of diced tomatoes 
• 1 can of black beans 
• 1 teaspoon of cumin 
• 1 teaspoon of oregano 
• 1 tablespoon of chili powder
• Optional: shredded cheese to top 

Recipe 

1. Rinse the brown rice until the water runs clear, put it into a heavy-bottomed pot with the water and 1/4 teaspoon of salt.
2. Over medium heat, bring it to a boil, cover, and cook on low for 40-50 minutes without opening the lid. Fluff the rice and put the lid back on for 10 minutes off the heat. 
3. Run the black beans under water, drain, and mix them with the tomatoes and spices. Add in the rice. 
4. Cut the tops off the peppers and then cut them in half lengthwise. Suff them with the mixture, place them onto a baking dish and cover with foil.
5. Bake at 350 F for 20-30  minutes, then uncover them and bake for another 20. If you want to add cheese, sprinkle it on before it goes back into the oven for the second time. 
6. Enjoy!

The post Stuffed Peppers are a Vegan Recipe Everyone Can Agree On appeared first on thedancingcucumber.com.