Our LBD Philosophy: We believe when you put good things into your body, you will get good things out.
We live by a “CLEAN” & whole-foods approach to everything we put into our bodies. The recipes in this book WILL help you to cleanse & detox your body, regulate your blood sugar, optimize your metabolism, and give you the energy you need to take on your amazing day.
Green Smoothies: Quick Tip: Blend the Water with the greens FIRST, and then add the rest of the ingredients (each recipe makes 1 serving) Strawberry-Banana Morning Blast
1 Cup of Water
1 Cup Strawberries (or 1 cup of frozen mixed berries)
1/3 Banana
1-2 Cups Spinach
Mango-Banana Energy Booster
1 Cup of Water
1 Cup of Mango
1/3 Frozen Banana
1-2 Cups of Spinach
Bahamas Mama
1 Cup of Water
1 Cup of Tropical Fruit Blend (freezer isle)
1-2 Cups of Spinach
Blueberry Immune Builder
1 Cup of Water
½ Cup of Blueberries
1/3 Banana
1-2 Cups of Kale
Berry Superfood Blast
1 Cup of Water
½ Cup Strawberries
¼ Cup Blueberries
¼ Cup Goji berries
1 tsp. Maca Powder
1 tsp. Chia Seeds
1 Cup of Spinach
Tropical Delight
1 Cup of Water
1/2 Cup of Pineapple
1 Medium Orange
½ Papaya
1/3 Banana
1 Cup Spinach
Chocolate-Coconut Superfood Smoothie:
1 Cup Coconut milk (you can use almond milk)
1 Heaped tsp. Cacao (raw unprocessed cocoa)
1 tbsp. Goji berries
1/2 tsp. Vital greens Powder
1 Scoop of Protein powder
1 Heaped tsp. Coconut butter (optional)
1/3of a Banana
4-6 Ice cubes
Directions: Process all ingredients until smooth (about 30 seconds). Add 4-6 ice and process until nice and smooth. Serve immediately.
Homemade Salad Dressings
Balsamic Dressing (Makes a large batch, so you can store this in your refrigerator to use through the week. This is a STAPLE in our home.)
1 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil (preferably first cold pressed)
⅓ Cup Balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp. Dried parsley
½ tsp. Sea salt.
Freshly ground Pepper to taste
1 Tbs. Honey Mustard
1 Garlic Clove, minced
Directions: Add all ingredients into a bowl & whisk until thick and creamy. Check for seasoning.
Apple Cider Vinegar Dressing (I also keep a bottle of this in the fridge at all times!)
1 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil (preferably first cold pressed)
½ Cup of Apple Cider Vinegar
1 tsp. Dried Onion Powder
2 tbsp. of Dijon Mustard
2 Garlic Cloves, minced
½ tsp. Sea Salt
½ tsp. of Dried Thyme
½ tsp. of Dried Basil
Freshly ground pepper to taste
Directions: Add all ingredients into a bowl & whisk until thoroughly combined. Check for seasoning.
Homemade Mayo
3 Large Eggs
1 1/2 tsp. Mustard
1 tsp. Sea Salt (preferably Himalayan)
1/4 Cup Lemon Juice
1 Small Garlic Clove, peeled
1 Cup Coconut oil
1/2 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/2 Cup Fresh Basil, chopped
Directions: Combine the two oils in a small bowl and set aside. Put the eggs, mustard, salt, and lemon juice into blender and process 10 seconds to mix. While machine is running, drop in peeled garlic clove. Very slowly pour the mixed oils into blender while running. Process until all of the oil is incorporated. Mixture will be the consistency of mayonnaise. Add chopped basil & stir to combine. Refrigerate for 1 hour before using. (Stays good in the refrigerator for about a week!)
Directions: Mix dry ingredients (almond flour, pumpkin pie spice, cardamom, ginger, cinnamon, baking soda) together with a wire whisk. Pre-heat a large pan on the stove to medium heat. Then, add the rest of the ingredients (pumpkin, vanilla, lemon, honey, beaten eggs) and mix with spoon. Grease the bottom of the pan with a small amount of coconut oil, and ladle a few tablespoons into the pan like pancakes. Cook for about 2-3 minutes on each side. AMAZING! Serve with fresh fruit & pecans.
Frittata with Zucchini, Tomato, Onion, Spinach, & Bacon Serves 4. Makes a great back-up breakfast during the week if you’re in a rush and a great snack alternative.
2 tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 Small zucchini, rinsed, halved & sliced
1 Onion, peeled, halved, & cut into thin slices
3 Tomatoes, rinsed, halved & cut into slices
3 Rashers Bacon, cooked & chopped
1 Handful Baby Spinach
1 tbsp. Chopped Parsley
8 Large Eggs, adding 1 Tbsp. cold water, whisk until frothy
2 tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Sea Salt & freshly ground pepper to taste
Directions: In a nonstick oven proof pan, place olive oil on medium heat. Add onion and cook until onions are transparent. Add zucchini and cook 1 - 2 minutes, add tomatoes and cook for another minute. Season with sea salt & pepper. Add spinach and cook until spinach is wilted (you can also use frozen spinach that has thawed and been drained). Add bacon and parsley and cook for one minute more. Remove from pan and set aside. Preheat oven grill. Wipe the same pan with a paper towel and return heat to pan. Add Olive Oil, heat for 10 seconds and add eggs. (do NOT stir) Lower heat. When the bottom of the egg has set to medium-firm, remove pan from heat. Scatter the cooked vegetables across the entire surface of the egg and place pan under the ovens grill element. Some ovens grill with the door open, others shut. Follow your recommended settings. Cook until the egg is set on the top. It will rise, thicken & bubble. When top is lightly golden, remove the pan from the oven with a potholder. Let cook for 1 - 2 minutes longer out of the oven. With a spatula, remove the frittata from the pan onto a flat dish. Slice into 4 equal quarters.
Lazy Lady LBD Scramble If you prep the veggies ahead of time, this is an excellent and FAST breakfast during the week! Sauté Veg: Prep ahead to save time (Makes 4-6 servings once you add the eggs)
1-2 Tbs. Coconut Oil
500g spinach
Sea Salt & Freshly Ground Pepper
Any Veggies you have in the house! (about 2-4 cups total depending on how much you want to make)
I use chopped sweet onion, capsicum, tomato, zucchini, squash, but you can use any veggies you want: mushrooms, artichoke etc.
Directions: In a large pan, turn the heat to medium. Take ½ of spinach and place into pan. With tongs, gently continue tossing until the spinach has wilted (1 minute). Don’t leave the spinach in the pan, it will burn! As soon as it’s finished wilting, remove spinach onto a plate and repeat with the rest of the spinach. Next, heat up 2 tbsp. coconut oil and sauté onion for a few minutes BEFORE adding the other chopped veggies to the pan. Season with salt & pepper. Sauté to your liking (about a few minutes). Drain the spinach and add to the sauté mixture. Let cool for a few min and then store in a Tupperware (for up to a week). (I usually make a BIG batch of this once a week and use this in my eggs throughout the week if I don’t make a green smoothie.)
To Complete the Scramble:
½ tsp. Coconut Oil
2-3 Eggs (whisked in a bowl)
Sea Salt & Fresh Ground Pepper for seasoning
Directions: In a medium sauté pan, heat coconut oil over med heat. Add the eggs and season with salt and pepper. Stir and then let sit until nearly set. Add your desired amount of sautéed veggies to the eggs. With a wooden spoon, continue to mix eggs until cooked.
LBD “Egg-Muffins” Makes 8 servings. Keep in the refrigerator. These also make a great back-up breakfast during the week if you’re in a rush as well as a great snack alternative.
1 2 Eggs
½ Onion, diced
1 Capsicum, seeded & diced
2 Zucchinis, diced
6 Slices of bacon
4 cups of fresh spinach
Fresh ground pepper to taste
Directions: Pre-heat oven to 180°C, and lightly grease 2 muffin tins with coconut oil. In a med pan, heat coconut oil over and sauté onions for 3-4 minutes, until softened. Add pepper and sauté for another 2-3 minutes until the pepper has softened. Drain any excess oil and set aside. In a food processor, put in the zucchini and bacon, and process until finely chopped. Whisk the 12 eggs and season with pepper. Mix your zucchini & bacon mixture in with your eggs. Then, add the 4 cups of spinach to your processor to finely chop, and add these to your eggs in the bowl. Add the onion and pepper mixture to your eggs. Mix the egg mixture thoroughly and fill muffin tins with ¼ cup of your mixture. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the egg-muffins have set in the middle
LBD Fresh Salad Recipes Avocado Egg Salad on a Thick Slice of Tomato Makes 1 Serving. Make sure to double this recipe if you want extra for later!
2 Hard Boiled Eggs, chopped
1/2 Avocado, mashed
1 tbsp. Greek yogurt OR Homemade Mayo (see recipe above)
3/4 tsp. Apple Cider Vinegar
1/2 tsp. Cayenne Pepper
Sea salt & pepper to taste
2-4 Thick slices of a Ripe Tomato
Directions: Take all of these ingredients and gently mix them together! Scoop a heaping mound over 1-2 tomato slices and enjoy.
“Naked” Lettuce Wraps These wraps are included to help rid your body of impurities and detoxify your body…. it’s extremely important that you follow the ingredient list below
1-2 Large Leaves of Cos lettuce
Any sliced up veggies you want to wrap up in there: Capsicum, cucumber, tomato, broccoli, carrots, mushrooms, etc. (no corn, beans, nuts, or seeds)
Dressing: Balsamic Vinegar ONLY, or juice of a fresh squeezed lemon
(ONLY add tuna, turkey, or chicken if it calls for it in your meal plan)
Directions: Take all of your sliced veggies and place them inside the middle of your large Romaine leaves. Sprinkle a small amount of Balsamic or lemon juice over your veggies and then wrap it UP!
Waldorf Salad....fresh & healthy! Makes 1 Serving
1 Diced red apple
1/4 Cup chopped Walnuts
1/2 Cup Celery (diced)
1/4 Cup Grapes, halved
1 Tbs. Fresh squeezed Lemon Juice
1 Cooked Chicken Breast or Turkey Breast
1 - 2 Cups spinach (chopped)
Optional: 1 – 1 ½ tbsp. Homemade Mayo
Directions: Mixed the first 6 ingredients together and serve over the top of the fresh spinach.
Crab Salad with Mango & Avocado (you can substitute the crab with prawns) Makes 2 Servings
1 ½ tbsp. Juice from a fresh Orange
1/2 tbsp. Fresh Lime Juice
1/2 tbsp. Honey
1 ½ tbps. Olive Oil
1/4 Red onion, sliced paper-thin
250g Fresh Crabmeat, separated into chunks
2 Mangos, peeled, pitted, sliced
1/2 Large Avocado, halved, pitted, peeled, sliced
2 Strips Bacon, cooked (optional)
6 Large Lettuce leaves
Directions: Combine orange juice, lime juice, and honey in small bowl; and then whisk in oil. Season with salt & pepper. Mix in onion; let marinate 15 minutes. Combine crab, mango, and avocado in large bowl. Gently mix in dressing. Spoon mixture into 1 lettuce leaf and wrap like a soft taco to eat them. Summer Tomato Salad Makes 2-3 servings depending on the size of your tomatoes.
2 Large Tomatoes
1 Clove garlic, minced
1/4 Cup chopped fresh basil
Sea salt & freshly ground black pepper to taste
Directions: In a bowl, toss the tomatoes, garlic, basil, black pepper, and sea salt. Refrigerate 30 minutes and toss again before serving.
Chicken & Turkey Recipes
LBD Turkey Burgers Makes 6-8 burgers. (Goes great with guacamole also!)
500g Turkey Mince
1 tbsp. Coconut oil
1 Onion, diced
½ Capsicum, diced
1 tsp. Ground cumin
1/8 tsp. Cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes (optional)
½ tsp. Garlic powder
½ Cup Parsley, finely chopped
Sea salt & pepper to taste
Directions: Over med heat, sauté onion in coconut oil until translucent. Add capsicum, cumin, garlic powder, parsley, cayenne pepper, and salt and pepper. Sauté for 5 minutes more, and remove from heat. Once cool, add turkey mince to the mix, and form into patties. Heat up large pan, under med heat and add burgers. (1 tsp. coconut oil optional for cooking burgers) Flip after 4-6 minutes and cook through on the other side until done. Burgers freeze very well. Make sure to wrap well & freeze for a back-up meal!
Turkey Meatballs Makes 8 servings. (3-4 meatballs depending on size) Make sure to keep these frozen for back-up meals!
1 Zucchini, lightly chopped
½ Onion, lightly chopped
2 Cloves of garlic
½ Capsicum chopped
½ Sweet Potato chopped
½ Cup carrots, chopped
1kg Turkey mince
1 Cup of almond meal/flour
2 Large eggs
2 tbsp. olive oil
½ tsp. Sea Salt & freshly ground pepper to taste
Directions: Preheat oven to 200 degrees. In a food processor, finely chop the zucchini, onion, garlic & pepper. Set aside in a large bowl. Next, add the sweet potato and carrots to the food processor, finely chop, and then add to the zucchini mixture. Then, combine your veggie mixture with the turkey, almond meal, eggs, salt & pepper. Mix really well, and then form lots of golf-ball size meatballs. Bake meatballs for about 20 minutes or until cooked through & no longer pink in the middle. Serve with steamed vegetables or Salad.
Marinated Chicken Breast Makes 6-8 servings (Always good to have on hand for salads & lettuce wraps)
4 Chicken Breasts
1/2 Cup lemon juice
3 Cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp. Olive oil
2 tsp. Tarragon
1 tsp. Thyme
3/4 tsp. Salt
2 tsp. Black pepper
Directions: In a plastic Ziploc bag, combine lemon juice, garlic, olive oil, tarragon, thyme, salt & pepper. Add chicken breasts to the bag and make sure they are all coated evenly with marinade. Squeeze the air out of the bag and seal it. Marinate the chicken in the refrigerator for at least 1-2 hours, turning occasionally. Preheat the oven to 180° C. Place the chicken breasts in a glass baking dish. Bake covered in aluminum foil for about 10 minutes, and then cook for about 10 minutes more UNCOVERED or until juices run clear.
Chicken Soup Serving Size is about a 2 cups
2 Chicken Breasts
1 Onion quartered and then sliced
2 Celery stalks, rinsed and sliced
3 Carrots, peeled, and sliced
1 Turnip, peeled & cubed
1 Bunch fresh dill, rinsed
Sea salt & pepper to taste
2-3 tablespoons olive oil
500g of baby spinach
Directions: Heat Olive Oil in a large heavy stockpot. On medium heat, put in chicken and lightly brown on top and bottom. Remove from pot and add onions. Season onions with salt and pepper and cook until tender and lightly golden. Return chicken to the pot and add enough water to cover chicken, and then about 2cms higher. Bring to a boil and add all the vegetables including the dill. Bring to a simmer and cook with the pot half covered for about 30 minutes (or until all the vegetable are fork tender). Turn off the heat. Remove the chicken and let cool until you are able to handle it with your hands. Remove the dill. Shred the chicken and return it to the pot. Season the broth with salt and pepper. Add the spinach. The heat from the soup will cook the spinach. If you like you can put some sliced avocado on top.
Baked Chicken Oreganata with Onions &Lemon Makes 4 servings (Remember to HALVE this recipe if you are making this only for yourself during the challenge)
4 Chicken Breasts
2-3 Tbsp. olive oil
2 Onions, halved & sliced
1 Clove garlic, minced
½ Cup white wine or Chicken stock
2 Lemons, washed, and sliced thin
½ tsp. Oregano
¼ cup Fresh parsley, chopped
Sea Salt & freshly ground Pepper to taste
Optional: scatter some pitted green olives (around 1/2 cup or small jar, drained)
Directions: Preheat oven to 180°C. In an oven proof pan, on medium heat, brown the chicken on top and bottom in olive oil and remove from pan. In the same pan, lower heat and add onion and sauté until golden and tender (onion will be clear). Add garlic and cook for 10 seconds. Add wine or chicken stock. Bring to a simmer for 2-3 minutes to cook out the alcohol. Return chicken to the pan, coating each piece in the sauce. Season with salt & pepper to taste. Add lemons, oregano and parsley. If you like, add the olives. Place in oven, covered, for 20-25 minutes until the chicken is cooked through.
Pan-Seared Chicken & Curried Parsnips Makes 4 servings
500g Chicken breast, cut into 2-3 long strips
2 Parsnips, cut into bite-sized pieces
½ Onion, diced
2 Pears, pealed, seeded, & diced
2 Garlic cloves, minced
½ tbsp. Curry powder
½ tbsp. Cinnamon
½ cup Chicken broth
¼ cup Canned full-fat coconut milk
2- 3 tbsp. coconut oil
¼ chopped Coriander
Sea salt & black pepper to taste
Directions: In a large pan, melt coconut oil over medium heat. Season chicken with salt & pepper on both sides. Sear the chicken in HOT coconut oil for 3-5 minutes on each side until golden brown. Remove the chicken and set it aside. Add diced onions to the pan and sauté for 2-4 minutes in the same pan. (add more coconut oil if necessary) Next, add the parsnips and sauté until they start to turn golden brown. Add the garlic and pears to the pan and sauté another 2-3 minutes. Sprinkle curry powder and coriander over mixture and then pour chicken broth and coconut milk in, and stir very well. Bring mixture to a simmer and stir until parsnips are fork tender and sauce begins to thicken. Season mixture with salt & pepper. Next, place the chicken tenders over the veggies in the pan, cover, turn heat to low, and cook for 5 minutes more.
Chicken & Pineapple Skewers 4 servings
3 tbsp. of Olive oil
2 Garlic cloves, smashed
1 tsp. Ground cumin
½ tsp. Paprika
1/8 tsp. Ground cinnamon
500g Chicken breasts, cut into small pieces
1 Red and 1 Yellow Capsicum cut into pieces
1 Onion, cut into 8 wedges
½ Fresh pineapple cut into chunks
Sea salt & pepper to taste
8 Bamboo Skewers (soaked in water for 30 min)
Directions: Put the olive oil, garlic, cumin, paprika, and cinnamon into a large bowl and mix well. Add the chicken to the mixture and let them marinade for 30 minutes at room temperature or in the refrigerator (covered) overnight. Skewer the chicken, pineapple, peppers, and onions onto the Bamboo skewers. Brush any leftover marinade onto the pineapple, peppers and onion. Season skewers with salt and pepper to taste. Over a med to med-high heat, grill the skewers for 10-12 minutes, turning about 5-6 minutes through.
Pork Recipes
Grilled Pork Chops with Mango Salsa Serving Size is 1 chop and 1/3 a cup of mango salsa. Mango Salsa:
2 Mangos (peeled & cubed)
1 Onion (peeled & diced)
2 Kiwi (peeled & diced)
1 Jalapeno (seeds removed, minced)
1 Red Capsicum (seeds removed, diced)
1 Avocado (peeled & diced)
1 Tomato, diced
Juice of 1 lime
Bunch of Coriander, chopped
½ tsp. sea salt
Directions: Mix ingredients in a bowl & refrigerate for 2 hours.
Pork Chops:
2-4 Pork chops
Directions: Grill: Rub olive or coconut oil on pork chop, season with salt and pepper on each side. Place grill on med-high heat & grill pork chops until nicely golden on outside and slightly pink on inside. Approx. 5 - 6 minutes per side. Watch carefully as not to over cook them. Once the meat is finished cooking, let it rest for a few minutes and the serve with Mango Salsa.
Herb Marinated Pork Tenderloin Makes 4 servings.
1/3 Lemon, zest grated into a small bowl
1/4 Cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (1 to 2 lemons)
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2-3 cloves minced garlic
½ tbsp. Fresh rosemary, minced
1 tsp. Fresh thyme, chopped
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
1 Pork tenderloin
Sea salt & fresh ground pepper to taste
Directions: In a plastic Ziploc bag, combine lemon zest, lemon juice, 1/4 cup of olive oil, garlic, rosemary, thyme, mustard, & 3/4 teaspoon of salt. Add pork tenderloin to the bag and make sure it is coated evenly with marinade. Squeeze the air out of the bag and seal it. Marinate the pork in the refrigerator overnight (or for at least 3 hours). Preheat the oven to 200° C. Remove the tenderloins from the bag. Discard the marinade but leave the herbs that stick to the meat. Season the pork generously with salt & pepper. Heat 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large ovenproof pan over med-high heat. Sear the pork tenderloin on each side until golden brown. Place the pan in the oven and roast the tenderloin for 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer the tenderloin to a platter and cover tightly with aluminum foil. Allow to rest for 10 minutes. Carve in 1/2-inch-thick diagonal slices. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and enjoy.
Fish & Seafood Recipes Sautéed Prawns in Garlic Tomato Sauce Makes 3-4 servings
2 tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
3 Shallots, finely chopped
3 Garlic cloves, sliced thin
4 Roma Tomatoes, chopped
1/4 Cup Fish stock
2 tbsp. Fresh squeezed lemon juice
14 Prawns, shelled & deveined (keep tail on)
Sea salt & fresh ground pepper to taste
Directions: In a large pan over medium heat, add olive oil, shallots, garlic, and salt & pepper to taste. Cook until shallots are wilted and darkened, and until the garlic is tender and slightly golden-brown (about 3-4 minutes). Add tomatoes and cook (continually stirring) until the tomatoes are softened (about 2 minutes). Add the fish stock and lemon juice, and bring to a light simmer (continually stirring gently. Season prawns with salt & pepper and add to the pan. Cook on 1 side until the prawns begins to turn opaque and slightly curl (2 to 3 min.) Then, flip the prawns and cook until they begin to turn pink on the other side (1 to 2 more min.) Prawns cooks very fast, so a good rule of thumb is to remove the pan from the heat as they are almost finished cooking. Once you remove the pan from the heat, continue tossing and the heat of the pan will continue to cook them until they’re done.
Quick & Easy Baked Salmon Fillets Makes 2 servings
2 Salmon fillets
1 tsp. Olive oil plus 1 tbsp.
Sea Salt & Freshly Ground Pepper
1 Can chopped tomatoes, drained
Optional: ½ cup white wine
1 Chopped shallot
1 tbsp. Fresh lemon juice
1/2 tsp. Dried oregano
1/2 tsp. Dried thyme
Directions: Preheat the oven to 200° C. Brush 1 side of the Salmon with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. In a medium bowl, stir the tomatoes, (optional white wine), shallots, 1 Tbs. of olive oil, lemon juice, oregano, thyme, salt and pepper until mixed. Tear 2 large sheets of foil. Place salmon fillet, oiled side down, in the middle of the foil. Twist the ends of the foil to form a “pouch” around the salmon. Spoon tomato mixture over the salmon. Fold the sides of the foil over the fish and mixture, making sure to cover completely, sealing them into the pouch. Repeat with the other Salmon Fillet and then place on a baking sheet. Bake for about 25 minutes or until Salmon is cooked to your liking. Serve with salad
Salmon Steaks with Grapefruit Serves 2.
2 tsp. olive oil
1/2 Red onion, peeled, halved, & sliced thin
1/2 Cup fresh grapefruit juice & segments
2 Salmon steaks
Fresh grapefruit segments for garnish
Directions: Heat olive oil in large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onions and cook until tender. Place salmon and grapefruit juice with segments in pan. Cover and simmer over low heat for 6-8 minutes or until fish is cooked to taste. Serve salmon with pan sauce, garnished with grapefruit segments.
Fresh Lemon & Pepper Baked Fish Serves 2.
500g Fresh Fish Fillets (any fish of your liking)
1 tbsp. Coconut oil, melted
¼ Cup white wine
1/2 Lemon, quartered
Sea salt & fresh ground black pepper, to taste
1 tbsp. of fresh chopped parsley
Directions: Preheat the oven to 180 C degrees. Brush each side of the fish fillet with melted coconut oil. Season each side with salt & pepper to taste. Place the fish fillets in the baking dish and pour in the optional white wine. Cut the lemon into quarters & squeeze fresh lemon juice over the fish fillets. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until fish flakes easily with a fork.
Baked Fish & Veggies in a Pouch Makes 3 servings
500g Fresh fish of your choice, rinsed, and make sure there are no bones
1/2 Onion, peeled, cut in half & sliced
1/2 Tomato cut into chunks
1/2 Zucchini, rinsed, cut & sliced
1/2 Squash, rinsed, cut & sliced
1 Garlic clove, smashed & peeled
1/2 Lemon, sliced
1/4 tsp. Parsley, chopped
1/4 tsp. Thyme
1/2 Carrot, peeled & cut into pieces
Sea salt & pepper to taste
Directions: Preheat oven to 180° C. Divide fish into 2 equal parts. Take a large piece of heavy-duty aluminum foil (or double a thin foil) and lay it shiny side down. Place a piece of fish on 1/2 of each piece of foil. Combine the rest of the ingredients in a medium bowl and mix to combine. Divide the mixture into 2 equal amount and place in each piece of foil. Season with salt & pepper. Fold the foil into a triangle and then fold up all the sides to seal all of the juices. Cook in oven until all of the vegetables are tender and the fish is cooked. About 30 minutes. Place each piece of foil in plate & serve. Be careful when you open it, as steam will come out.
Grilled Steak with Mixed Vegetables Serves 4 For the Steak:
Directions: Let steak stand covered at room temperature 30 minutes before cooking. Season steak with sea salt and pepper just before you put it on the grill. In the meantime, heat the grill to medium high. In an aluminum tray for the grill (or make your own tray out of heavy duty aluminum foil, place onions, pepper, zucchini, squash and broccoli on foil with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Sauté until vegetables are almost tender, stirring occasionally. Add mushrooms and garlic and continue cooking until onions are golden and all vegetables are cooked. Check for seasoning. Remove from grill and set aside covered to keep warm. Raise the grill to very high for 2 minutes. Carefully place steaks on the grill and cook to desired temperature. Let the steaks rest for a few minutes, covered.
Little Black Dress Side Dishes Easy Balsamic Roasted Brussels Sprouts Serving size = 1 cup
2- 3 cups Brussels Sprouts, halved
3 tbsp. Balsamic Vinegar
Optional: 2 strips of crisp bacon, chopped
3 tbsp. Olive Oil
Sea salt & pepper, to taste
Directions: Pre-heat oven to 190 C degrees. Whisk the Balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper together in a small bowl. Slowly incorporate the olive oil until a dressing is formed. Place the Brussels sprouts on a single layer on a baking sheet. Drizzle the oil and vinegar over the sprouts and gently toss to coat. Bake for 25 minutes, turning once. Sprouts are done when they are lightly browned. Once they are cooked, add the chopped bacon and serve!
Mashed Cauliflower Serving size = 1 cup
1 Head of cauliflower, remove leaves (chopped into small pieces)
1 Cup of Chicken Stock
2-3 Cloves of Garlic
Sea salt & pepper to taste
Directions: In a large pot, add the chicken stock and cauliflower. Cover and bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 30-35 minutes until the cauliflower is until very tender, and you can smash it with your fork. (If you need to add more stock during this time, you can add it. Make sure your pot doesn’t run dry.) Add the garlic cloves and simmer for a few minutes longer (about 5). Drain the liquid and add all of the remaining ingredients to a food processor or blender. Blend to your desired consistency. Season with salt & pepper, and any other seasoning you like.
Mashed Turnips with Sautéed Onions Serving size = 1 cup
2 Turnips, peeled & cut into chunks
1 Large Onion, peeled, sliced
2-3 tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Sea Salt & Pepper to taste.
Dash of Apple Cider or Chicken Stock (optional)
Directions: Place turnips in a large pot of boiling water and cook until fork tender (10-15 minutes). In the meantime, place olive oil in pan & sauté sliced onions until tender & golden brown. When the turnip is done, drain and place in a large bowl. Mash with fork, potato masher or place in an electric mixer. Work until fluffy. You can add a dash or two of apple cider or chicken stock here to moisten. Add onions and olive oil to mixture. Mix until incorporated. Season with salt & pepper. Sprinkle with fresh parsley, and eat it
Roasted Broccoli & Garlic Serving size = 1 cup
1 Large broccoli head, Cut into florets.
2 tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
3 Garlic cloves peeled.
Sea Salt & Freshly Ground Black Pepper to taste
Directions: Preheat oven to 225 C degrees. In a large bowl, drizzle the olive oil over the broccoli. Add the garlic, salt, and pepper and toss well with your hands. Spread the mixture on a large baking sheet, trying not to let any broccoli overlap. Cook for about 20 min. or until the edges of broccoli are crispy!
LBD Guacamole (Makes 4-6 servings depending on size of avocados. About a 1/2 cup)
3 Haas Avocados, halved, seeded, peeled, & diced (prep this last to prevent browning)
1 Fresh lime, juiced
½ tsp. Cayenne pepper
½ tsp. Ground cumin
½ tsp. Sea salt
2 Roma tomatoes, seeded & diced
½ Onion, diced
1 Garlic clove, minced
2 tbsp. Fresh Coriander, Chopped
Directions: In a large bowl, gently toss the avocado with the lime juice. (This will prevent the avocado from turning brown.) Drain the lime juice into a separate bowl. Add the cayenne, cumin, and salt to the avocado, and gently mix, mushing the avocado to the consistency of your choice. (I like mine slightly chunky.) Then, gently mix in the tomatoes, onion, garlic, and coriander. Add back 1 Tbs. of the saved lime juice.
How to Bake a Sweet Potato
2-4 Sweet potatoes, rinsed & dried
Directions: Pre-heat oven to 200° C. Pierce each sweet potato a few times with a fork (don’t get trigger happy… it’s just to let some of the steam out). Please the sweet potatoes on a rimmed baking sheet lined with foil. Bake for about 45 minutes, or until potatoes are tender.
How to Steam Veggies (Broccoli, Carrots, Mixed Veg etc…)
Any Vegetable of choice, cut to bite sized pieces (or what your LBD meal plan calls for)
This includes: Broccoli, Cauliflower, Asparagus, Carrots, or other Veg of choice
½ tsp. Sea Salt (Optional)
Directions for Steaming in a Pan: Bring a 1/4 inch of water to a boil in a large sauté pan. Add salt to the water if desired. Add your vegetable of choice, cover, and then steam your veg until they are as tender as you want (about 3-5 minutes).
Directions for Steaming in a Steamer Basket: Bring an inch of water to a boil in the bottom of a pot (where you will then place your steamer basket into). Place veggies into the steamer basket, set over the boiling water. Cover and steam until cooked to your liking (about 3-5 minutes).
(Serving size = 1 cup, but you can always eat more veggies when they’re steamed!)
Simple Sautéed Spinach Serves 2
500g of Baby Spinach, cleaned &dried
3 Cloves of Garlic, peeled & thinly sliced
1/2 Fresh Lemon
1 1/2 tbsp. Coconut oil
Sea salt & fresh ground pepper to taste
Directions: Heat up a large pan with coconut oil over med to med-high heat. Add 1/3 spinach to the pot and with tongs, continually turn the spinach for 1-2 minutes. Add the next 1/3 of spinach to the pot, continually turning (about 1 min). Add the final 1/3 of spinach AND the sliced garlic, and continually turn until all of the spinach is mostly wilted (another 1-3 minutes). Remove spinach mixture from the pot and squeeze ½ lemon over the spinach. Season with salt & pepper and toss well.
Little Black Dress Approved Snacks Berry Green Smoothie Popsicle
2 Cups of spinach
2 Cups of frozen berries (your choice)
2 Bananas
1 Cup water
Directions: Blend until creamy smooth, pour into Popsicle molds, and freeze! Kale Chips
3-4 Huge handful of Kale, rinsed & dried
1 tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 Clove minced garlic (optional)
Pinch of Sea Salt
Directions: Preheat oven to 180° C. In a small bowl, gently stir the minced garlic with the olive oil. Set aside to infuse. Tear off “chip size” pieces of Kale from the stem and put them into a large bowl. Drizzle oil mixture over the kale and toss thoroughly until every “chip” is coated lightly. Spread leaves out on 1-2 baking sheets and sprinkle lightly with sea salt. Bake for about 18-20 minutes or until Kale has reached your favorite “chip-like” consistency!
How to Hard Boil an Egg… 4-6 eggs (you can make as many as you want at a time)
Directions: Fill a small sauce pan half way with water & add your eggs. Do not crowd the pan. Bring water to a boil over med - high heat. When the water boils, remove the pan from the heat and set aside with a tight lid for 15 minutes. Drain water and place eggs in a bowl with cold water & ice. Peel or refrigerate until needed.
Trail Mix & Protein Bar Awesomeness Trail Mix Option #1: Paleo Crunch WARNING: this is very addictive! Make sure only to have ¼ cup at a time! Dry Ingredients:
½ Cup Ground Flax seeds
1 Cup Raw Pumpkin seeds
1 Cup Raw Sunflower seeds
1 1/2 Cups Almond Meal
3 Cups Shredded unsweetened Coconut
4 Cups Raw Slivered almonds
½ Cup Unsweetened Dried fruit (cherries, raisons, etc..)
1 tsp. Cinnamon
1 tsp. Sea salt
½ tsp. Baking soda
Wet Ingredients:
1/4 Cup Coconut oil
1/3 Cup Raw organic Honey
3 tsp. Pure Vanilla Extract
Directions: Preheat oven to 150 °C. Combine all of the dry ingredients (EXCEPT the dried fruit) into a large bowl. Mix well to make sure all of the ingredients are evenly distributed. In a medium bowl, add all of the wet ingredients & mix together until well combined. Next, mix wet ingredients thoroughly into dry ingredients. Divide the mixture in a thin layer between 2 rimmed baking sheets and press mixture with the back of a spoon or spatula until flat. Bake until lightly toasted. (About 45-60 minutes) Remove pan from oven, stir mixture & return to oven for another 15 minutes. Remove from oven, stir in dried fruit if using and let cool in the pans. Store in a container with a paper towel on bottom to absorb any excess oil.
Trail Mix Option #2: On-the-go Raw Deliciousness WARNING: this is also very addictive! Make sure only to have ¼ cup at a time!
1/2 Cup Raw Walnuts
1/2 Cup Almonds
1/2 Cup Pecans
1/2 Cup Raw Pumpkin seeds
1/2 Cup Sunflower seeds
1/4 Cup Chopped Dried Apricots
1/4 Cup Dried Cranberries (sweetened with apple juice)
1/4 Cup Dried unsweetened Blueberries
1/4 Cup Dried Golden Raisins
1/2 tsp. Sea salt
Directions: Mix all of the ingredients above and store in an airtight container.
Homemade Protein Bar Option 1:
1 1/2 Cups Slivered Almonds, lightly toasted
1 Cup Pecans, lightly toasted
1/3 Cup Ground flax meal
¾ tsp. Ground cinnamon
7 Large Medjool dates, pits removed
1/3 cup Dried unsweetened cherries or blueberries
1/3 cup Dried Apricots
½ tsp. Vanilla
½ tbsp. Honey
2 Scoops (about 60 grams) of unsweetened Protein Powder
4-5 tbsp. Water
Directions: In a food processor, coarsely grind the almonds and pecans. Set aside in a large bowl. Add the flax seed and protein powder to the nut blend. Next, put the dates, blueberries, and apricots into the food processor and pulse only a few times to chop the fruit (should still be small pieces). Add the water, vanilla, and honey and pulse a few more times to combine. Add your fruit mixture to the nut mixture, and hand mix to combine all the ingredients well. Simply press your mixture into a glass baking dish and refrigerate for 60 minutes before cutting into bars. Try not to eat them all at once ;-)
Homemade Protein Bar Option 2:
½ Cup Slivered Almonds
½ Cup chopped Pecans
1/4 Cup Almond Butter (or cashew, hazelnut, walnut)
1/8 - 1/4 Cup Coconut oil
1/4 Cup Almond meal (pulse approximately ¼ cup of almonds until it creates a coarse flour)
1 1/2 tsp Vanilla extract
1/2 tsp of Raw honey (although, this is optional because egg will help hold the mixture together)
1/2 cup Unsweetened whey Protein powder (or 60g)
1 Large egg
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 Cup Dried Cranberries or Blueberries
1/4 Cup unsweetened Coconut to sprinkle on top
Directions: On a baking tray, toast nuts and shredded coconut until golden brown. Shake up the tray at least once during cooking. Once toasted, pour mixture into a food processor and pulse until nuts are chopped and the mixture becomes coarsely ground (sort of the consistency of bread crumbs). In a mixing bowl, melt coconut oil and almond butter (about 30 seconds) in microwave. Remove from microwave and stir until smooth. Add vanilla extract, honey and sea salt. Mix thoroughly. Fold in nut mixture, almond meal and protein powder until mixed thoroughly. Add whole egg and mix thoroughly. Fold in blueberries/cranberries. Press mixture into a loaf pan. Cook in a preheated oven at 180 C degrees for 10 minutes. Remove from oven, sprinkle a ¼ cup of shredded coconut on top and place under grill until top begins to brown. Let cool for 10-15 minutes. Cut into 12 pieces/bars.
Spicy Sweet Potato Chips
4 Sweet potatoes (on the smaller side), peeled and rinsed
Coconut oil
Sea Salt
1 tbsp. Coconut sugar
½ tsp. Ground cinnamon
1 pinch Cayenne pepper
½ tsp. Sweet paprika
Directions: Preheat oven to 200° C. With a sharp knife, slice the potatoes very thin. Brush a baking pan with a thin coating of coconut oil. (If necessary melt the oil.) Place sliced sweet potato on the pan in a single layer. Brush each slice lightly with melted coconut oil. Lightly sprinkle the potatoes evenly with salt, sugar, cinnamon, cayenne pepper & paprika. Place both trays in oven with equal spacing. Bake until potatoes are tender and begin to crip on the sides. *Watch them carefully once they start to brown. (approximately 15 - 20 minutes) Remove from oven and let cool. Serve immediately.
Chocolate Fudge Brownies
1 & 1/3 cups Pitted Dates (220 grams)
1 tsp. Vanilla Extract
1/8 tsp. Sea salt
3-4 tbsp. Raw Unprocessed Cocoa Powder
Directions: Blend all the ingredients, using a food processor, Magic Bullet, etc. (No need to blend the dates first; I just blend everything all at once.) Roll into small little balls. (Use plastic wrap if you wish, or smush it all together in a plastic bag so it’ll stay together better.) Or, if you want true brownies, shape the dough into bars!
Grilled Bananas
1-4 Bananas
1 tbsp. Fresh squeezed Lemon Juice
Cinnamon to sprinkle
Optional: a dash of Honey
Directions: Pre-heat grill for medium-low heat. Oil the grill grates well so the banana doesn’t stick. Without removing the peel, cut each banana in half lengthwise. Sprinkle each half with lemon juice. Place banana halves on the grill, with the peel side facing up. Cook for about 2 minutes on each side. Remove bananas from grill, sprinkle with cinnamon and (a little raw honey if you want!)