I used whole wheat bow tie pasta for this recipe but you can use any shape pasta you like. Also, the dressing is dairy free. I was able to use the new Silk Plain Dairy-Free Yogurt Alternative 24 oz. This variety is simply the best. You can use it for anything really, parfait, smoothies, salad dressings…I think you will love it. This new yogurt is

• 11 grams of plant-powered protein
• Delicious taste and creamy texture
• Free of cholesterol, dairy, lactose, gluten, carrageenan or casein
• Non-GMO Project Verified
• No high-fructose corn syrup

If you would like to make this recipe gluten free you can also use gluten free pasta. This recipe would work perfectly with it. Any type of pasta goes!

The salad dressing I came up with was really delicious. I happen to love anything with cilantro and avocados so I thought mixing them both together for the salad dressing would work well. I am thinking of making another yogurt dressing using pesto. I love pesto too so will see how that one turns out.

You can visit Silk’s website and get a coupon to try the yogurt for yourself. I am sure you are not going to be disappointed.

Also, you can take the Taste the Goodness challenge at Silk and let them know what you think about their new dairy free yogurts!

While this pasta salad with yogurt cilantro avocado dressing is very versatile, as you can add any veggies of your choice, I just pretty much used what I had on hand. Cucumbers, tomatoes, corn and a few fresh herbs. If you don’t like certain veggies you can tailor it to your liking so swap any ingredients you see fit.

I know spring is just around the corner and this recipe is great for it. The colorful veggies are very appetizing and the fact that you can eat it cold or at room temperature makes it rather convenient. You can bring this recipe to any gathering or pack it for your kids lunch box.

Well, I hope you get to make this easy pasta salad with yogurt cilantro avocado dressing. If you like avocados you are going to love this dressing. It is nothing but delicious.

Enjoy!

pasta salad with yogurt cilantro avocado dressing

Miryam's original recipe

Yield: 8 servings

Total Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 lb whole wheat bow tie pasta
• 8 oz cherry tomatoes, sliced
• 1 large cucumber, pealed and chopped into small pieces
• 8 oz frozen corn kernels, thawed out
• 1 oz Fresh mint, chopped

Dressing 

• 1 cup Silk Plain Dairy-Free Yogurt Alternative 24 oz
• 3 tbs extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup rice wine vinegar, or any other vinegar
• 1 avocado, pealed
• 1 cup fresh cilantro
• 1/4 tsp celtic salt
• 1/4 tsp black ground pepper.

Directions:

Cook pasta according to package instructions. Cool the pasta for 15 minutes.

To make the dressing, to your blender, add the dressing ingredients and pulse until you obtain a homogenous mixture. Set aside.

In a large bowl add the cucumbers, corn, and tomatoes. Add the pasta and dressing and toss to combine. Add some more seasoning if desire.

Serve.

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Silk. The opinions and text are all mine.

The post pasta salad with yogurt cilantro avocado dressing appeared first on Eat Good 4 Life.

I have actually make this kale cauliflower salad twice this week. I made double the batch for salad dressing so it really only took me 10 minutes to put it together. It is just so delicious!

I love kale and lucky for me it is readily available where I live. I minced the cauliflower in my food processor and made it into cauliflower rice, or more like, pulverized cauliflower. I have done the same thing with broccoli before. They both work really good when it comes to use it for salads.

The mixture of kale and cauliflower using this cauliflower rice method was nothing but superb. Even my kids liked it.

For the salad dressing you can pretty much use anything you like. I decided to make a cilantro parmesan dressing this time around to change things up a bit but any type of dressing will work.

I hope you had fun with friends and family this Thanksgiving. Christmas is right around the corner so I will try to make some healthier Christmas recipes for you this year. Stay tuned…

Enjoy!

Kale cauliflower salad

Miryam's original recipe

Yield: 6 servings

Total Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

• 10 oz fresh kale
• 1 head of fresh cauliflower
• 1/3 cup dried cranberries
• 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
• 2 tbsp sesame seeds

Salad Dressing

• 2.5 oz fresh cilantro
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup rice wine vinegar
• 4 oz parmesan cheese
• 1 tsp crush black pepper
• pinch Himalayan salt

Directions:

Cut cauliflower head into small chunks and place it in your food processor. Pulse until the cauliflower is pulverized. In a large bowl add the fresh kale, pulverized cauliflower, cranberries, pumpkin seeds and sesame seeds and set aside.

Add salad dressing ingredients to your food processor and pulse until you obtain a homogenous liquid mixture. Taste and adjust to taste. Transfer mixture to a salad dressing shaker or any other jar of your choice. Pour dressing over the kale and toss to combine. Allow the salad to sit for at least 15-20 minutes to make sure the kale softens.

NOTE: Once the cauliflower is pulverized you can cook it in the microwave for 3 minutes if you like. I didn't.

The post Kale cauliflower salad appeared first on Eat Good 4 Life.

Indian food, besides Thai food, is one of my favorite cuisines. I have pretty much every type of Indian spice there is all stored in mason glass jars. I just love them.

I figured instead of making the classical samosa, which has to be fried and filling packed into a soft dough, I made this version which way easier and healthier.

These samosa stir-fry was a super hit, especially for my 8 year old son. I couldn’t believe how much he enjoyed it.

I froze the leftovers to have later on, as I like to save some of the food I make for the busy days ahead. It is so much easier for me.

On another note, I just finished summer I of school and just started the second session. The amount of work is just unreal at times but I will stick to the end. I kind of sucks because I will have to cut my family vacation short, which I have never done before. My family will be without me and my kids have never been more than 2-3 days without mom. It makes me sad. I just hope my sacrifices pay off soon. Will see.

Anyhow, enough of my complaining! I leave you with this samosa stir-fry that I hope you like.

Enjoy!

Samosa stir-fry

Miryam's original recipe

Yield: 4 servings

Total Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs baby potatoes
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 2 tbsp fresh ginger, chopped
• 2 tsp coriander powder
• 2 tsp garam massala
• 1 tsp celtic salt
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
• 2 tbsp olive oil

Directions:

Boil the potatoes on a big pot filled with hot boiling water for 10-15 minutes or until they are almost tender. On the meantime, add the oil, ginger and onion to a cast iron or non-stick skillet and set aside.

When the potatoes are done, drain them and transfer them to the cast iron skillet. Turn the flame to medium-high heat and cook together with the onions until they are tender stirring occasionally. About 3-5 minutes. Add the spices, salt and peas and cook further for 1-2 minutes.

Turn the heat off and add the chopped cilantro. Serve while they are still warm. I served mine with some curried lentils and brown rice.

The post Samosa stir-fry appeared first on Eat Good 4 Life.

I thought this avocado lime and cilantro rice would be bland for some reason, boy was I wrong. The lime flavor was just awesome and the cilantro gave this avocado rice extra flavor. Originally this dish didn’t have any peas but I thought it would complement the other ingredients rather well, besides adding more veggies to any dish is a win win situation.

Avocado is becoming one of my favorite ingredients to cook with. I love that it is super healthy. Avocados are extremely versatile so I really want to find other ways to use it in my cooking and baking.

I cooked my brown rice in a rice cooker. To tell you the truth, I couldn’t live without my rice cooker. We eat tons of rice through out the week and this inexpensive rice cooker cooks the rice to perfection. I also use it to cook quinoa. My quinoa used to be mushy and over cooked when I prepared it on the stove, but not anymore with the rice cooker.

The avocado lime and cilantro rice recipe originally comes from my blogger friend at Honey What’s Cooking. She has great recipes. This is not the only one I have tried from her blog. I know I will continue to try many more.

I actually served this rice with some grilled cheese sandwiches but you can serve this rice as is or with a protein side or a mixture of  veggies. There is no wrong way on serving this avocado rice.

On another note, the weather seems to be getting slightly better. I can’t believe how cold it has been the past 2-3 days. I really can’t take this extreme weather, especially coming from Spain. Hopefully we just have to endure it a few more years, since we are planning on moving some where else. We are not sure where to move yet butI will let you know, maybe the Caribbean…that sure will be nice.

Anyhow, I leave you with this amazing avocado and lime rice that is sure to satisfy anyone.

Enjoy!

Here you can see the pureed avocado with the cilantro, juice and salt. When the rice is done just add it with the peas and mix it through. You can add more lime if you like.

Avocado, lime and cilantro rice

Yield: 6 servings

Total Time: 25 minutes

Ingredients:

• 3 avocados, mashed
• 3 limes, juice
• 1 cup fresh chopped cilantro
• 2 1/2 cups organic brown rice
• Zest of 1 lime
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 1 tsp celtic salt
• 1 jalapeño, chopped, optional

Directions:

In your rice cooker cook the brown rice. Alternately you can cook it in your stove top. Place the peas in your microwave and cook for 2-3 minutes until warm.

In a large saute pan, or large bowl, mashed the avocados. Add the chopped cilantro, lime juice, lime zest, peas, salt and jalapeño if using. Mix the ingredients until combined.

When the rice is cooked through add it to the avocado mixture and incorporate well. Serve warm or cold. I like it warm better.

Recipe slightly adapted from Honey What's Cooking

The post Avocado, lime and cilantro rice appeared first on Eat Good 4 Life.

I have never tried Mina Harissa red pepper sauce before and I am so glad I did. This sauce is the bomb. Not only because it tastes awesome but because the ingredients are all natural in this. I have tried many prepared spicy sauces similar to this before but they all included a preservative or two.

For sure, this Mina Harissa sauce it is going to be my to go spicy red sauce from now on. I just have to make sure I hide it in the fridge some where to make sure my husband doesn’t eat it all!

There are many different types of Mina Harissa sauces that also vary on the degree of heat. If you like your food just mildly spicy they also make mild pepper sauces so you will for sure find one that you like.

For this recipe I used Mina Harissa spicy red pepper sauce in both the meatballs and the sauce. If you like it spicy, like we do, use it on both. If you like it mild just use it for the sauce. Either way, it is really good.

I have a couple of other Moroccan recipes in my blog. While we enjoy Asian food a lot, and cook plenty of it, I am really attracted to many other different cuisines, Moroccan being one of them. I am going to try to start incorporating more different dishes, as I think many of you enjoy them!

These Harissa moroccan meatballs will freeze very well. If you like, when you make this recipe, you can make a little bit more than what the recipe calls for and have for future consumption. I didn’t double my batch this time around but next time I will. This is a great comfort food recipe to have more than once so making more sounds like a plan!

I paired the meatballs with some whole wheat couscous. The combo was just perfect. I also used some chopped fresh mint to sprinkle over the meatballs because I run out of cilantro. It was a nice distinct flavor that came from it. It is not essential to this dish so if you want to omit it you can. I thought it complimented the dish though.

Well let me know if you try these Harissa moroccan meatballs. If you are a meat eater, and like spicy food, you will love this dish.

Enjoy!

This Mina Harissa red pepper sauce is truly fantastic. Natural and tasty above it all! You can use in many other different dishes. I know I will.

Once the sauce is ready, still over medium heat, add the meatballs to the dutch pan and cook covered for about 10-15 minutes. Take the lid off and cook further for another 5 minutes or so. The top meatball picture shows the meat uncooked, the bottom one shows the meatballs already cooked. It was super yummy paired with some whole wheat couscous.

Disclaimer: This post is sponsored by Mina Harissa and it contains affiliate links. All opinions are 100% my own. Mina Harissa compensated me for the time spent developing and photographing this recipe. My sponsors help make this blog possible. The end :-)

Harissa moroccan meatballs

Miryam's original recipe

Yield: 4-6 servings

Total Time: 35 minutes

Ingredients:

For the meatballs:

• 2 lbs organic ground beef
• 2 tbsp Mina Harrisa
• 1/4 cup onion, chopped
• 1 tsp celtic salt
• 2 tsp cumin powder
• 2 tsp cinnamon powder
• 2 tsp cilantro
• 1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped, you can also use cilantro

For the sauce:

• 1 lb canned chopped tomatoes
• 1 fresh tomato, chopped
• 2 tbsp Mina Harrisa
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 3 garlic cloves, chopped
• 2 tsp cumin powder
• 2 tsps paprika
• 1 oz fresh cilantro, chopped
• 1 tsp celtic salt
• 1 tbsp fresh mint, chopped, optional
• 2 cups dried whole wheat couscous

Directions:

In a large bowl, with your clean hands, mix the meatball ingredients and make equal size meatballs.

On a dutch oven, over medium to high heat, heat  2 tablespoons of oil and add the meatballs. Brown them, and remove to a plate. Set aside. This should be a short process as you just want to brown the meatballs not cook them all the way through.

Add the chopped onion to the pan and cook for about 2 minutes. Add the garlic and cook further for about 30 seconds or just until fragrant. Add the fresh tomato, salt, spices and fresh herbs. Give it a stir and add the chopped tomatoes and Harissa sauce.

Add the meatballs and cooked covered for about 10-15 minutes. Take the lid off and cook further for another 5 minutes. If using, prinkle some mint over the meatballs and serve.

I actually paired it with some simple and plain whole wheat couscous.

Nutrition facts calculated based on the recipe giving 5 servings. Calculations also include the couscous.

The post Harissa moroccan meatballs appeared first on Eat Good 4 Life.

Wow at last another blog post. Sorry but I have been down South Spain for the past two weeks without a steady internet connection, thus keeping up with the blog has been quite hard. However, I am back now ready to share really good recipes in the next few weeks to come!

Today I have brought you my own version of drunken noodles with shrimp, which in my opinion, they are mighty delicious.

I have tried many versions of drunken noodles before only to find one Thai restaurant that really prepared them right to my taste. Not that I am an expert on Asian cuisine, but even though the base of drunken noodles is made with soy sauce, it is not rare to see them prepared differently just like mine.

For my drunken noodles with shrimp version the sauce base of the noodles was using a Pad Thai sauce mixed in with a chilli sauce. This sauce may sound odd but it is mighty good. This recipe has been a secret of mine for quite some time but today I thought to share it with you so that you can enjoy it with your family and friends as well.

If you live near an Asian market like I do, you will be able to get Asian staples, likes sauces, at a much better price. If you don’t happen to have and Asian market near by you can rely on Amazon. Many of the ingredients can be found there.

This drunken noodle recipe is truly a gem. You can prepare this dish in no time. If you like drunken noodles and Pad Thai I suggest you double the batch. You will thank me later :-)

Enjoy!

On the left picture you can see the two different sauces I used. You can get them at any Asian market but if you don’t live near one you can get the Sweet chilli sauce and Pad Thai sauce on Amazon.

Drunken noodles with shrimp

Miryam's original recipe

Yield: 4-6 servings

Total Time: 25 minutes

Ingredients:

• 14 oz wide rice noodles
• 16 oz medium cooked shrimp
• 10 oz grated carrots
• 2 organic eggs, scrambled
• 4 green onions, chopped
• 1/3 cup peanuts, chopped
  1 Tbsp grated ginger
• 1 cup fresh Thai basil, regular basil will do
• 3 Tbsp olive oil

Sauce

• 1/2 cup sweet chilli sauce
• 1/2 cup pad Thai sauce

 

Directions:

Cook rice noodles according to package instructions.

In a bowl mix sauce ingredients and set aside.

In a large pot, over medium to high heat, heat the olive oil. Add the grated carrots, ginger and green onions and stir fry for a couple of minutes. Add the cooked shrimp, basil and combine. Turn the heat off and set aside.

On a separate pan, over low heat, heat 1 tsp of olive oil. Add the scrambled eggs and cooked stirring constantly until done. Add to veggies.

To the veggies, add the cooked rice noodles, sauce mixture, chopped basil and chopped peanuts and combine. Serve while still warm.

Nutrition facts based on the recipe giving 5 servings.

The post Drunken noodles with shrimp appeared first on Eat Good 4 Life.