Healthy Summer Eats

We've all been there. The weather gets warm, the sun comes out, and vegetables and fruit begin to grow, as if by magic. Now the question becomes, what do we do with all of this fresh produce?

Well... you're in luck because we happen to have some amazing summer recipes for you to try. As an added bonus, they can all be made vegan with a few simple tweaks!

Mango Salsa

Ingredients

• 2 mangos, diced

• 1 medium tomato, diced

• 1 medium onion, diced

• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

• 2 limes, juiced

• 1 orange, juiced

Instructions

• Place all ingredients in a medium-sized bowl, and mix well. Salt and pepper to taste. Enjoy!

*Note: This salsa tastes amazing on chicken, eggs, and with vegetables. Or if you're feeling a little crazy, enjoy it on its own with a spoon!

Zucchini Fettuccine and Cauliflower Alfredo

(Serves 4 - 6)

Ingredients

FOR THE SAUCE:

• 4 heaping cups cauliflower florets (1 small/medium cauliflower)

• 1/2 tablespoon coconut oil

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk (or any milk you'd like)

• 2 tablespoons flax seeds

• 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese (or substitute with nutritional yeast)

• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder

• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

• 1/2 teaspoon fine grain salt, or salt to taste

• 1/2 teaspoon pepper, or pepper to taste

• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric (optional, will turn sauce yellow/orange color)

• 1 teaspoon dried parsley

• 1/2 teaspoon Sriracha (optional, adds a little kick)

FOR THE PASTA

• 4 - 6 zucchini, spiralized

• 3 - 4 cups raw spinach

• Garnish with Parmesan cheese (nutritional yeast) and fresh herbs

Instructions

• Place cauliflower florets in a large pot and cover with water. Bring to a low boil. Once boiling, cook for 5 - 6 minutes, until tender. Drain water and set aside.

• Add the oil to a skillet and sauté the minced garlic over low heat for 4 - 5 minutes, until soft and fragrant. Be sure not to brown the garlic.

• In a high-speed blender or food processor, add the cooked cauliflower, sautéed garlic, milk, flax seeds, lemon juice, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, pepper, turmeric, dried herbs, and sriracha (if using). Blend until smooth and creamy- no lumps!

• Meanwhile, place the spiralized zucchini in a medium-sized frying pan greased with coconut cooking spray and cook, stirring frequently, for 3 - 4 minutes, or until zucchini takes on a cooked pasta texture (sort of wilted and soft). Be careful not to overcook the zucchini. About mid-way through cooking the zucchini, add in the spinach and cook lightly until wilted.

• Add the cauliflower sauce to the pan with the zucchini and spinach and stir well to combine. Or, you may serve the zoodles individually and top with the desired amount of sauce on each plate.

• Garnish and enjoy before it gets cold!

Blackberry Thyme Yogurt Popsicles

(Serves 6)

Ingredients

• 1 cup, plain greek yogurt (or coconut yogurt/ any other yogurt of choice)

• 3/4 cup blackberries

• 2 tablespoons lemon juice

• 2 tablespoons honey

• 11/2 teaspoons fresh thyme

Instructions

• In a food processor, add greek yogurt, blackberries lemon juice, honey, and fresh thyme. Blend until smooth.

• Pour mixture into popsicle molds.

• Place popsicle molds in the freezer and freeze for 4 hours.

• To remove popsicles, place the mold tray in a bowl of warm water for 20 seconds and pull the popsicles out.

*This recipe is from https://www.joyfulhealthyeats.com/blackberry-thyme-yogurt-popsicles/ *

Thai Noodle Salad

(Serves 1)

Ingredients

FOR THE BOWL

• 2 ounces brown rice noodles

• 1/2 cup shelled edamame (if you only have frozen, that's okay)

• 1 large carrot, spiralized (or thinly chopped)

• 1 zucchini, spiralized

• 1/2 cup purple cabbage, thinly sliced

• 1 - 2 cups of raw spinach

• Optional toppings: crushed cashews/ peanuts, scallions, crunchy rice noodles, cilantro

FOR THE DRESSING

• 1/4 cup raw almond butter (or peanut butter/ sunflower butter)

• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar (or coconut vinegar)

• 1 tablespoon warm water, to desired consistency

• 1 tablespoon low-sodium tamari (or low-sodium soy sauce)

• 1/2 tablespoon honey (or pure maple syrup)

• 1/2 tsp ground ginger, or freshly minced ginger

• 1 teaspoon sriracha (or more, to taste) or 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (sometimes I use both)

Instructions

• In a medium-sized pot, bring water to a boil. Remove from heat and add in the brown rice noodles for 5 minutes (if different, use cooking instructions on package). Drain the noodles and place them in a bowl of cold water (to avoid the noodles sticking together while you finish) and set aside.

• Meanwhile, prepare edamame according to the instructions.

• Using a spiralizer, spiralize the carrots and zucchini. Chop the cabbage and spinach (I left my spinach leaves whole).

• Prepare the dressing in a small bowl by whisking all ingredients together until smooth and creamy.

• Arrange the vegetables and noodles in bowls. Sprinkle with toppings, if using. Drizzle with the almond butter dressing.

Please let us know if you try any of these recipes and what you think! We love to hear success stories. If posting on Instagram, make sure to tag us, @stillpointe_acupuncture!

Mel Baker-Thompson is a New York State licensed Doctor of Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine with over 3,000 hours of clinical and didactic training in Eastern and Western medical modalities. She has developed the Whole Life Integration Method to take natural functional medicine to the next level - incorporating the role of the mind in the optimization of authentic health. Over the last 20 years she has treated physicians, therapists, Rockettes, even an Olympic-qualifying athlete. From infants to grandparents, she has crafted an approach to health cultivation that combines the wisdom, skill, and acumen of Chinese Medicine with nutrition therapy, manual therapy, essential oils, and insight meditation to remove health disruptors in the body and mind.